october?!?!

Hey hey!
Unbelievable, it's already October 12th! It's amazing how experiences like this seem to drag on and then by the end things move so fast you're done before you know it!
The past couple of weeks have been filled with a lot of joy. My wonderful best friend, Chelsea, came to visit me ALL BY HERSELF (not a cheap vacation, I might add) for our last cruise of September. We went to 7 Mile Beach for the day in Grand Cayman (where both of us forgot our wallets, so it was a nice cheap day! haha) and then in Cozumel we took the ferry over to the mainland and took a tour to the ancient Mayan ruins in Tulum. Words cannot express my fascination! Our tour guide was fantastic, and was actually of Mayan descent, so he was very knowledgeable and intent on changing American stereotypical views of the Mexican people. The ruins themselves were incredible, and they were set right on the most breathtaking beach and ocean setting we had ever seen! So after touring the ruins we were able to take a dip in the ocean, and then rush back in time to have an absolutely delicious, authentic Mexican meal. YUM! Chels also got to experience the disco, salsa class with Ronaldo, and country line dancing with Karina, as well as the Mojito party and the Sangria party out on Serenity deck. We had a wonderful 5 days together :)
But the fun didn't end there! Chels stayed on for a SECOND cruise, and Lisa, Laura, Benny, Kenny and Jeff joined her! We had an absolute blast together. Jeff tried his hand at karaoke (as well as the casino...yes, it was a problem but I think he's got it under control now...), and there was a lot of mini gold, shuffleboard, music trivia, and as much time as possible outside in the Caribbean air. Then in Cozumel I took them to Passion Island where we relaxed in hammocks and ate our fill of chips and guac for most of the day. What a blessed person I am to have such incredible friends! We did nothing but laugh for four days straight. Well, laugh and EAT...
My time with my friends definitely gave me the energy and positive attitude to get through the next month. The new dancers arrive in exactly one week, and the new singers arrive one cruise after them. There's plenty to look forward to- our "un-birthday party" for cast members whose birthdays don't fall during the contract (including me!) which has a Christmas theme..clearly I was behind that...Halloween, a trip to Playa Del Carmen in mainland Mexico, and then of course our Elvis cruise (more info on that at a later date!)
I can't believe I only have 5 weeks left. As difficult a time as I've had at some points, I could not be more thankful for this experience. Still, coming home to snow will be quite the sight, and one that I'm very much looking forward to :)