Tortola

February 26, 2019

After two and a half days on board we were ready to get off the ship and onto an island.  First stop was Tortola in the British Virgin Islands.  This was our first time to go there.  We didn't have a planned excursion but headed with the Chris Vores, Gram and Grandpa Vore and Grandma and Grandpa Honey to a beach.  

Once the day was over, I did a quick mental calculation of what we had spent and was a bit surprised by the cost.  Our family of six spent around $300 (eeeh!) enjoying the day at the beach.  It was $96 for the open bus ride to and from the beach.  Once there, if you want a chair or an umbrella, you have to rent them. (insert eye roll.)  We rented four chairs and one umbrella for around $80 I think. I can't remember exactly but it was ridiculous.  We didn't spend too much on food.  We bought a few smoothies, a couple of gyros and a couple of snow cones. ($50 ish?)  We knew there was tons of free food waiting for us on the ship.  (Free being used loosely here of course.)  We also paid $30 for Parker, Tanner and Aubrey to do the big blow up climbing apparatus that was in the water.  

When we got there most of us went into the ocean and talked and played around.   It was overcast and we kept having rain showers. Bryn had a bad sunburn from laying out on the boat so she spent a lot of time under the umbrella.  She and Gram and Gramp ended up leaving after only a couple of hours.  It took us a bit to settle in but once we did we had a lot of fun.  The sun came out.  The kids enjoyed hanging with their cousins and it was a relaxing day at the beach.

Aubrey and Lauron had walked down to check the price earlier in the day and we all felt like it was super expensive.  After being their several hours though, we decided to bite the bullet.  I'm glad we did.  All the cousins at the beach went on it.  (Joseph 21, Benja 19, Parker and Charity 16, Tanner 14, Aub and Lauron 12). They played some sort of tag game and had a ton of fun.  It made me sad that Brinley missed out.

I love that all the cousins still build sand castles.

Tan, Lauron and Aubrey

Grandpa and Gram with Benja, Joseph and Chris in the background.

Bryn and Charity

La and Aub...their suits coordinated so well!

What's a mom to do?  Tanner getting me inducted into the ocean.

Brinley and Tanner have a cute relationship.  (Most evenings at home they have
at least one snuggling or wrestling episode.)

Bri and the kids.

It started raining and Parker (the big galoot!) had Bryn scoot over so he could be under the umbrella.  It was impressive that they both somehow fit on that narrow chair.

Park.  He looked like a California surfer this trip with his blond hair, tan skin, styling shades and ripped body.

Uncle Chris likes to do silly things like this to entertain the little kids.

Pirate night.  In past years we have all dressed up but it was kind of nice just to go and enjoy dinner and later fireworks.
La, Tanner, Blair, Dylan and Griffin

Grandpa is looking so happy because he has his THREE desserts!!

Blair is looking so happy because her favorite person, Dylan, ate dinner with her and stayed to hang out and take her to her group after dinner.

"Aaargh!"

I came in to find my bed taken over by Tanner, Aub and Lauron.  I love these room pictures.  They really show what our pre-teens and teens did a lot on this cruise.  Relax and watch movies.  

Our teen aisle waiting for the show to start. (All those phones are kind of terrifying.)
The show that night was two guys drumming...it was awful.  Brian and I were jealous when our teens got up and walked out in the middle of it.  (I was a little embarrassed when they did...but mostly jealous.  It was that bad.)