Days 80 and 81 of 102.

April 1st

Stephen remarked to me yesterday as we were pacing along the Promenade Deck that life slows down on long voyages like this one.  Looking out of my stateroom window, the sea is a familiar sight, an everyday occurrence, perhaps not dissimilar to (but of course, completely different from) my daily view of Axe Edge from the bedroom or lounge window back home.

Each day, in both cases, the view can be pretty much the same, or vastly different depending on time of day, light, and weather.  Of course, on board ship, in port, one can look out onto cranes and containers, sometimes against a backdrop of craggy hills and forests, which encourages one to explore.  Both Mauritius and La Reunion fall very much into that category.

Stephen is right.  Lisbon, our first port of call, seems very much in the distant past, far more than the around 78 days that have elapsed since; even as do Singapore, and our failure to call at Bali!  This morning (Day 81, April Fools’ Day), the  view from my stateroom now feels routine and familiar. Queen Mary 2 has all one needs for a busy or relaxed life.  Illuminations is probably as good a cinema you will find ashore, showing mainly recent films.  One can be enriched in the same venue at a wide range of (usually) well delivered lectures.  This morning, Dave Mallinder, our popular music speaker, delivered a most comprehensive account of the life and times of The Beatles.  Included were videos and the most fascinating images from a remarkable archive, most of which were unfamiliar to me. Photography and recording were announced as prohibited. Therefore, sadly, there are no pictures!

I was just in time to grab my porridge and banana breakfast just before the Kings Court Buffet closed at 11am. 

There is every opportunity for exercise.  I avoid the gym, and these days, going up too many flights of stairs. (I do a few each day).  But, I am just 53,000 steps to completing the million step challenge I set myself for this voyage. Theoretically, I shall achieve the million on what would have been my mother’s 107th birthday.

11.36 hrs. 1/4/23

I am not aware of having fallen for an April Fool stunt, yet!  Some years ago (I think 2016) an image of Queen Mary 2 in the three tone green cruise livery, introduced by Cunard, on the Caronia in 1949, and then adopted during the 1950s and 60s on Cunard ships adapted for cruising, was published on the Internet as part of Cunard’s remastering plans for its present day Flagship.  It looked fabulous, but I couldn’t fathom out a business case for such an elaborate and expensive repaint.  I looked hard at the picture, and it soon dawned on me that it was April 1st.  My friend in New York e-mailed me with his enthusiasm for the new- look Queen Mary 2 in 1949 three-tone green livery. I gently reminded him of what day it was.  The transatlantic silence was deafening!

11.50 hrs. Time for walking.

My usual route is merely around the Promenade Deck, where three laps equals 1.1 miles (not quite a nautical mile at 1.15 miles!).  I reckon that six laps is the same as walking from my house to Buxton Station, 2.2 miles by car.  Today, as a variation, I used the stairs from Deck 7 to 12, 13 and 14, where a circuit is roughly 800 steps.  It made a pleasant change to walk a different albeit slightly shorter circuit.

Prior to April Fools’ Day, I allowed myself, when having my haircut, to be talked into some kind of hour long face massage with shave.  Right now, I am in the Mareel complex (formerly Canyon Ranch) where (mainly) women go for various things that women go for.  But that’s where the gents’ hairdressers are.  The $109 US fee was negotiated down to $80 + 15% service charge, the one annoying thing about Cunard!  The hour long treatment was magnificent, and I was then talked into a couple of fancy shaving “soaps” and moisturiser, which, if used daily, would last a couple of months.  I declined other stuff, which I was assured would be very beneficial.

Last night, after dressing for a Gala Night dinner, we went along to the Royal Court Theatre to hear Irish singing quartet, The Four Harps.  Backed by the Royal Court Theatre Orchestra, they were brilliant.  We wished that we had attended both the 8 o’clock and the 10.15 shows. 

Both yesterday and today were pleasant days at sea as we began to drop Southwest fairly close to but not within sight of Madagascar.

2nd April,   08.20hrs.

Last night (April 1st) Jo and I went for dinner, as usual, in the Britannia Restaurant.

Again, as usual, we then went along to the 10.15 show in the Royal Court Theatre.  The entertainer who sang and told jokes was really very good indeed and an absolute master of the most sophisticated puns I had ever come across.  His repertoire made a refreshing change from the usual.

Today is Palm Sunday. The clocks went back to GMT + 2 at 2 o’clock this morning.  It’s now safe to phone home, just one hour behind the UK on British Summer Time.

Many thanks for reading, David, in bed! 08.32 hrs.