Musings on an open sea

BATHING CHALLENGES

This cabin has a Jacuzzi tub shower combination. First of all, it is a high hike to get into it. It has two hand held wands, one on each end of the tub and there are shelves around the tub. There are hand grabbers on the right side but you must use the hardware to stabilize yourself otherwise. There are two handles in the wide part of the tub to help hoist yourself up if sitting.

The normal shower on these cruises barely gives a normal sized person enough room to turn  around. But you are secure in them.

So I have gotten to the point where I am sitting and use the hand wands. Getting out of the tub is safer if you enter and step out in the same position using the hand rail.

TRIVIA

We met two couples from Georgia: one from Athens and the other from just north of Tallahasse Fla. Both of the men are morticians so we had some funny discussions about their business. We weren’t the worst team but we weren’t close to the winners. One man said, I’ve embarrassed myself before. So have we all. One lady was an elementary school teacher for almost 30 yrs. I don’t know about the other lady but I immediately liked her. I’d enjoy being in a team with them again. Just fun and relaxed and cooperative. Some of these teams are so intense and question every answer except theirs.

LUNCH

We had lunch in our cabin since I’m taking meds to cut down on the coughing and runny nose. Thank goodness for all the pharmacy I saved from the flu episode. It is doing right by me.

THURSDAY JANUARY 26

International Date Line: we will cross it tomorrow afternoon.

Movies: We saw Infiltrator with Branston yesterday. I watched it only because of him. It is based on a true story. Not uplifting I’m afraid. They have movies on the TV too but I haven’t made out any yet.

Sniffles update: I’m better today. Using all my meds. But a woman at trivia said she had been puny, went to the clinic a few days ago, was dx with Flu type A and put on Tamiflu and she is doing well now.

Small world: I was going down the staircase earlier today and a lady stopped me and asked if I was on the 2010 cruise. It turns out she also knows one of our favorite people from that cruise, Chuck Howard, as he was at their table on that cruise.

Crafts: they have them twice a day. I sometime look in but it’s hard for me to do because of vision. Willie however loves it;he is the 18 y/o I spoke of earlier.

Entertainment: it’s all over the ship in various forms. Neither of us was impressed with the young female singer last night. Ed stayed while myself and a parade of others left. That is unusual as they go to great effort to provide good entertainers.

Port talk: Ed went to the one on Bora Bora and Papeete this morning and said she was very good. They also show these presentations on the TV.

Population: We have more mixed race couples on this cruise than I recall on any other. A few single ladies, all older than me, travelling together.

Dancing: there is a couple on board who teach classes. We are spoiled I think because the previous teachers we have had were excellent. This couple dances before every show in the evening. She is very dramatic (Certainly not Fred and Ginger) and he is “walking” it as Ed said. There are other passenger couples, who are very good and we love watching them. They are fluid, seem to genuinely enjoy what they are doing. And seemingly not interested in being the “stars”. The instructors on the other hand tend to take up the whole dance floor and so few folks stay to dance. Sad.

Photos: we had formal pics taken on the stairs the other night and tonight they have casual portraits again. We may do them this time. You can accumulate your photos and decide what you want to do later so that’s what we do.

Walking on the sea: Weather is better today but lots of wind still and the bobbing around is still present. Almost no one with seasickness at this point but I see lots of patches.

This take some getting used to. Lurching from one wall to the other as you walk down the corridor is de riguer. It is disconcerting to begin to step down and the deck rises to meet your foot unexpectedly. Same the other way, you think you’ve got the hang of it, and suddenly you are headed forward before your foot meets a solid surface.

Sitting near the window in the dining room, which is deck 5 aft (back of ship) sometimes feels like a ferris wheel as the ship rises and then dips by down and the water skims the window.

Watching the prow of the ship from our balcony is similar as the prow rises up and then slams down into the water. This view is almost exactly what you will see on the web cam as I believe the camera is just above us.

Book club: they are reading “the Nest” and will meet to discuss itlater. The ship provides the books and they must be returned at the discussion group.

There are lots of special interest groups that meet.

Trivia: the staff has a tough job with this and as we’ve cruised they’ve gotten more organized and firm about how it is done. They get their questions and answers from some unknown source (many are around these days) and their answer is always right even when it’s not. But the other day a question was based on Faux News. We all suspected as much so I used my internet minutes to look it up and it was faux news. I have no problem with whether or not a satellite qualifies to answer what is the name of a body that orbits around a planet (moon was the answer but others objected and wanted satellite). But when it’s right out of the National Inquirer, I’m disappointed to say the least. So someone suggested a note to Princess.

And while I’m at it: we have met people of all political persuasions on this cruise. We have had respectful and considerate discussions with most. I was, however, amused the other day when I made a remark about something entirely different and the woman assumed my beliefs were hers as well. So I smiled nicely, listened acutely (as I wanted to understand her rationale) and never said anything that would clue her in.