Life at Sea after 7 Weeks

It is hard to believe we have been sailing for over 7 weeks now.  We have seen good water and bad; have had fun parties and entertainment and lots of work.  So what have been up to since we left Cairns?  I thought I would fill you in on some of our everyday activities.

Laundry:  this is the first time on any ship we have been able to get our laundry done in a timely manner.  On the 5^th floor, there are two machines on the port side and two on the starboard side, and it can be hard to obtain an empty one.  Of course, it helps to have a mate who gets up at o’dark 30 to put the clothes in at a time when most people should be tucked away sawing z’s.  I sort the clothes into whites, lights and colors.  I think Michael is finally getting the hang of how to do laundry.  There is no cost to use the machines and soap powder is provided in little pre-measured packets.  I’m sure at some time there had been sudsy overflow with the do-it-yourself detergent.  These packets are rather handy. 

I take the stuff I don’t want to put in the dryer and hang them up on hangers, which then gets hung in the bathtub; the rest of the stuff, meaning Michael’s stuff, goes in the dryer, which takes around an hour. It looks like a Laundromat with clothes hanging on the towel rack, over the shower door and on the string that goes across the tub.  Stuff usually dries within one or two days.  I make several trips back and forth to take out stuff as it dries.  We try to do laundry once a week.

After bridge, we usually go to the pool deck or the Observation Deck (depending on weather) and sit around visiting, relaxing and having a cocktail (not for me though; I am into smoothies).  This is the only place we can get potato chips and honey mustard Snyder’s of Hanover pretzels.  At around 6pm, we change clothes for dinner (if we MUST) and go wherever the next event is.  No one shows up for dinner before 7:30pm even if the restaurant is open at 7pm.  I really dislike eating so late.  Sometimes we go to the shows, but they start at 9:45pm or 10pm and that’s sometimes just too late for us.  Don’t forget – we are working folk.

Two nights ago, there was a special BBQ for the World Cruisers.  It was on spa deck 10 and it was such a lovely night.  There was hardly a breeze, the humidity was tolerable.  Twinkle lights were overhead lending a festive touch to the evening.  The food ranged from lobster tails to hot dogs.  The best part of the evening was a most glorious sunset.  I had my iPhone handy in order to take pictures.  I learned my lesson in Cairns – always be prepared.  Our Captain was there and I was warmly greeted by him. 

Me and the Captain

The weather has turned.  We have had lots of rain, high humidity, nasty black clouds, and building seas.  We are on the edge of cyclone Rusty and are getting these effects from the outer ring of it (we are 600 miles from it).  An outdoor epicurean appetizer party had been cancelled due to the inclement weather.

My biggest news is this:  I made it to the Grand Salon for my iPad class.   Woo hoo!  The big time.  The main event.  OK, so I am relegated to the 5pm slot, but so what.   I had about 40 people show up for the beginner class.  I was hooked up to a microphone and had three, read it three, big screens showing my iPad as I demonstrated how to use it.  In addition, the lecture was taped for showing on the en-suite entertainment channel to boot.  I have two more classes scheduled. 

So that’s about it from down under.  Eat, sleep, play bridge, iPad classes, cocktails and eat some more.  That’s life on the high seas.