Days 14 and 15 of 102. Published 14/2/23 in Singapore.

24th January

I enjoyed my day in Egypt yesterday and am thankful that I put off going to the Valley of the Kings for a future time, maybe during a Nile Cruise. I think it was incumbent for Cunard to offer the classic tour to Luxor and the important sights. But 13.5 hours of touring from 7 am would need the full four sea days in which to recover! Those whom I spoke to who went confirmed that it was a wonderful but exhausting long day.

We really now are into the good weather, and right until almost the end of April, it’s generally going to be warm all the time. I assume Australia will still be hot despite its summer morphing into autumn.

Already, this is Day 14. Strangely, right at the start, I was not alone in feeling I had been on QM2 “forever,” and unusually for me, I found the thought of the itinerary ahead of me, somewhat daunting. Usually, I am not “fazed” by the thought of being away from home for months on end. Thankfully, those misgivings have all but evaporated like the morning dew, and the days seem now to fly by.

Second day at sea between Safaga and Salalah. 10.15 (ship’s time)

We jumped forward another hour at 2 a.m. this morning. Yesterday, I indulged in a spot of retail therapy. Quite why I need therapy of any sort is beyond me, given the blue skies, subtropical warmth, and tranquillity of the Red Sea.

For some time, I have wanted (not desperately) a watch that adjusts automatically as you travel through different time zones. Such technology has been around for some years. So, yesterday, I treated myself to a Citizen Eco Drive model which glistened enticingly in the display case.

I was further encouraged by the Cunard flyer as illustrated.

I could buy this item and make 12 easily affordable monthly payments without impacting my holiday budget. Firstly, the sales staff were not familiar with what Cunard was trumpeting. Somebody had to be called to help out! The credit company was contacted, and after much hoo-hah, my application was not successful. I chose to be quietly disgusted and offended, tongue firmly in cheek. Further on board spend by way of compensation for the embarrassment?! We’ll see. I bought the watch anyway and was thankful to find on line that brand new models were significantly more expensive on shore. This current voyage provides the ideal opportunity to see if this time-piece really does what I am given to understand that it does.

It is cloudy this morning, but warm dry, and still calm out there. We are or soon will be in dangerous waters with the threat of piracy. I’m not joking. For three nights between dusk and dawn, Decks 6 (aft) and all of Deck 7 will be out of bounds as armed personnel guard the ship from (highly unlikely) invasion. During the day, all is reasonably normal. 11.00 hrs BST + 3

12.57 hrs

The time on my phone has defaulted back to UK time, probably because we are at sea, far away from any appropriate communication.

I am doing little today, apart from making sure I keep up with the walking. Nocturnal strolls outside will not be possible until after we leave Salalah.

17.10 hrs

Roger, back in sun-baked Britain, sent me a message to say that soon, we would be passing the SFO oil storage ship. He is following our progress on his laptop or phone and can, if significant, alert me to anything that might be relevant. Unfortunately, I did not see the storage ship.

My energy levels seem to not be what I remember them being this time last year. Nevertheless, I am over two days ahead of my target to date, and I look forward to announcing the first quarter million steps in support of Christian Aid Week 2023. Ye Gods – is it 2023 already?

Tonight, many on board will be celebrating Burns Night. I may join in. Did I bring that tartan tie I bought in Inverness? On one similar voyage, I brought the Harris Tweed jacket. Never again!

The onboard choir was in good voice, delivering a repertoire in the Grand Lobby, of songs that will become earworms for days to come! If you are into lift music, or muzak, Queen Mary 2 fills the bill magnificently. I shall try a couple more laps of Deck 7 (the Promenade Deck) before the sun goes down, and it becomes out of bounds.

14/2/23. As you can see, I didn’t finish this blog of late January. Nevertheless, I thought I would publish what I had written anyway. (09.52hrs over breakfast in the Britannia Restaurant)