Days 29 and 30 of 102.

Day 29 ( Written yesterday, 8th Feb)

Ye Gods!  I feel as if I have been on here forever!  But, the days are going quickly, and I have no inclination to be back in a country whose south coast is bathed in -2°C.  

The humidity of yesterday (7th February) has eased up, and it is now a mere 27°C outside.  32°C with rain is forecast for Penang on Saturday.  Still, this is the life!

My posh new satellite watch continues to cause me anxiety!  At least it did until I discovered that today, ship’s time is 90 minutes ahead of Sri Lanka time.  Theoretically, it should be reading 13.09 hrs.  I suspect the satellites have a slightly different idea!   We are around 20 miles off the south coast of Sri Lanka.  Ship’s time can be whatever the Captain chooses.  Now is not the time to pester the Citizen sales personnel!  

This is the 4th of six sea days between Muscat and Penang.  Jo joined me for lunch in the Britannia Restaurant.  We are following our own plans this afternoon.  According to Captain Hall in his noonday address, we would come within around 10 miles, and perhaps in site of Sri Lanka off our port-side. I saw no land, but there again, I didn’t look too hard.  

The Britannia Restaurant produced an excellent tomato soup, which was not on today’s lunch menu.  An entrée of lasagne ruled out any need for afternoon tea.  Thus, I shall aim for 11,000 steps for Christian Aid this afternoon.  This voyage remains the stuff of dreams.  Strangely, the Internet is coming in for criticism. Actually, it works far better than it ever did, and I am able to publish blogs daily, which I could never do, even until quite recently.  Catering is constantly very good indeed except for the duck à l’orange last night, which was far from tender.  Nevertheless, I didn’t leave very much!

If I am able to get up in time, I now enjoy breakfast served to me in the nearby Britannia Restaurant each morning.

Now for walkies!  (15.16 hrs)

In fact, I did other things and started walking (for Christian Aid) shortly after 5 pm, and maintaining my schedule, making sure of achieving my 11,000 steps target before meeting Jo for dinner.

Thursday 9th February

Last night was “Sixties Night” with an authentic 4-piece line-up of Bass, Rhythm, and Lead Guitars, and what appeared to be a vintage set of drums, and P.A. system. Their musicianship was “spot-on” and what they performed came very close to how the songs actually sounded almost sixty years ago. These are the melodies those in their seventies recall being first released during their and my school days.

Jo decided to join me for a final stroll on the Promenade Deck and for some light refreshment at the midnight buffet. And for one final time, we lost a further hour as our ship steamed eastwards.

This morning, the four consecutive hour-forward changes had caught up with me. I did make it to Jane Corbin’s final lecture, which seemed to hint that WW3 might begin in the Pacific and presented a frighteningly convincing and authoritative argument why. Guess where we are heading right now!

As you can see, this afternoon, we continue across the Bay of Bengal.

I needed to catch up on some rest after the lecture and thus missed lunch… no bad thing! We are now 8 hours ahead of G.M.T., so to the folks back home, good morning, where I believe it to be 07.21 hrs.

I am much more awake now. The plan is to enjoy a small cake but not scone-free afternoon tea. Then get some steps in. Last night, I was 7.5 days ahead of target. I can thus afford to relax a little.

Friday 10th February, over breakfast in the Britannia Restaurant.

So I missed lunch. At Afternoon Tea, I relaxed in the Queens Room, reputed to be still the largest ballroom at Sea, where traditional Afternoon Tea is served by immaculate white-gloved waiters. This time, Afternoon Tea was just “cakeless!” Sandwiches, scones, and endless cups of tea, in the elegant and rather grand Queens Room, with the Brevis Trio delivering melodies usually scored for large symphony orchestras, made for a much needed relaxing experience.

Reluctantly, Jo and I dressed up for Roaring Twenties Gala Night. For the men, slipping on dark trousers, a dress shirt, easy-to-fix bow tie, and a tuxedo, is no big deal. Jo, on the other hand, went to a great deal of trouble and would have been suitably attired to receive some prestigious award in Holywood! Even I, with “jaundiced” eye, was impressed! We chose Alternative Dining in the section of the Kings Court set aside for special themed dinners of unsurpassable presentation, cuisine, and service.

Tonight’s alternative dining theme was Bamboo. Jo’s choice was vegetarian (but with fish), mine avoided fish at all costs. Thus, we both enjoyed a very special meal. Nevertheless, I was still feeling “fatigued,” but did attend the Showtime in the Royal Court Theatre. Tonight, the Singers and Dancers staged their in-house production of Hollywood Rocks. I have seen this, and similar productions numerous times (I should be so lucky), but I never tire of the colourfulness, exuberance and super human energy of not only the singers and dancers, but also of the (usually) eight piece “orchestra” who actually sound like a much larger ensemble, and of course, the lighting and sound engineers. I was, after the show, not tempted to adjourn to the midnight buffet. I went to my room, “hit the hay,” and “slept for England.“

I awoke this morning (Friday 10th February) My silly watch is now three hours slow. Have the satellites gone on strike? Eventually, I shall make it on to the high decks and give those bits of junk orbiting the planet, their chance to shine! I somehow hope this blog finds its way to Citzen Customer Services!

Many thanks for reading, David, now back my stateroom after a suitable breakfast in the Britannia Restaurant. 10.20hrs ship’s time, 07.20 hrs according to my marvellous satellite controlled super-duper time-piece!