Days 95 and 96 of 102

Saturday 15th April

Quietly, I am quite pleased with that weird watch I purchased at the beginning of the voyage.  Ship’s time is midday; but really, because of our position west, it’s actually two hours earlier!

Sunday 16th April after Church, over a late breakfast. Day 96 of 102

Yesterday, with my weird watch still at Namibia time, I took it up to deck 12 to let the satellites adjust it to real time.  Real time, I would discover, is two hours behind Ship’s time, which is now  that of B.S.T. in the U.K., as well as our final port of call, Santa Cruz de Tenerife.  We crossed the Equator the night before at around 23.56 hrs, but I was unable to record the exact moment on my T.V. because of the intervening pages on the same channel.  I did, however, record 0.03°S and then 0.01°N, as mentioned and illustrated in my previous blog.

Again, it felt hotter than at any time on this voyage, but I suspect that it actually wasn’t.  Whereas in Singapore, for example, I was able to walk to most places, the inclination just wasn’t there yesterday or the day before, until well into the evening.

Talking of crossing The Equator,  I was issued with a very nice certificate confirming that South to North achievement!  Apologies to Cunard for my earlier remark about the apparent lack of crossing the Equator certificates.  They are still issued, but only once per voyage, rather than both ways.  That was also the case in 2018, although they agreed to issue me with one for each crossing on that occasion.

Today, Sunday 16th, is the first day of the last full week aboard.  There is a desire to be back home where a more realistic and down-to-earth existence can resume, but only a very tiny small one!   From the depths of January to midway through April, I have been transported in my own “mini hotel room” across to the other side of the world, shown numerous places and visited friends along the away, been “let out” at Sydney, welcomed back at Fremantle, and had a brief trip to the laundry in Cape Town (taken to the cleaners by a taxi driver!)  Unlike at home, I have walked over 350 miles, hopefully benefitting not only myself, but also in support of Christian Aid Week 2023.  Most nights have involved dinner followed by a “trip to the theatre.”   Every morning, I look out on a sea view, sometimes colourful and dramatic, other days, very ordinary, but still, out of the ordinary.  As the brochure extols, you can do as much or as little as you wish on a Cunard ship, and presumably any other cruise ship!   The nearby casino invites one to plonk money in colourful electronic machines or place “chips” on a roulette table, with a miniscule chance of leaving with almost a fortune.  Years ago, when the less sophisticated machines on QM2 accepted U.S. Quarters, my lone 25 Cent piece yielded 800 similar coins, with sirens sounding and bells clanging for what seemed like forever!   In New York, I was a victim of a taxi scam from the airport to my hotel.  I never knew (until it was too late) that there was an agreed fare from Kennedy Airport to Manhattan of around 45 dollars.  This taxi driver put the meter on, and it spun like a space craft!  The $200 yield for 25 cents more than compensated for my rip-off taxi fare!

This morning, I attended the final interdemoninational church service of this entire voyage, conducted by Captain Hall, with commendable reverence.  It seems Eternal Father Strong to Save has been adopted (or high jacked) as the mandatory sailors’ hymn to end each service.  My cabin steward had brought me a Bible right at the beginning of the voyage. Guided by my lectionary for 2023, I would read the appointed lessons for the appropriate morning.  That was the intention, but on several days, I would either forget or wake up too late. 

I have now moved up to the elegant quiet of the Commodore Club, away from the hubbub of the Kings Court Buffet and the Carinthia Lounge on Deck 7.  For some reason, I forget the two areas where one can sit in peace, the Commodore Club, forward on Deck 9, and still very sumptuous, as well as limited seating in the Library, one deck below, where even the slightest sound is frowned upon.

But, there’s always background music everywhere, except in your own stateroom, and usually on Deck also. 

Seven nights is the present length of a transatlantic crossing. Surely I shouldn’t be thinking in terms of packing just yet.  But I have no intention of leaving things to the last minute and getting into the mess I remember of five years ago.

Yesterday, I “donated” $45 to the Country Fayre, a tradition on World Voyages.  This means I have 45 “Coutry Fayre Dollars to play with this afternoon between  2 and 4 o’clock.  For once, I have not set my heart on anything in particular, but I imagine a must-have item will be among those to be auctioned off at the end, at which my Country Fayre Dollars will not be valid.  The first ever opportunity on a Cunard ship to deliver the Captain’s Navigational Update at noon was one of the items up for auction, as was the opportunity to ring 8 Bells at noon in the Grand Lobby.  My ego got the better of me as I decided to go for it at this afternoon’s charity auction….and won!  I’m not quite sure what I have let myself in for.  But to officially sound the siren on Queen Mary 2 is something I shall be able to regale in future conversations, that, along with broadcasting the Captain’s noonday Navigational Update.  This will be during the week, but not Wednesday when we shall be in Tenerife.

Day 97 of 102

Today’s the day!  Immediately after Stephen Payne’s talk on Queen Mary 2, the ship he designed, I shall leg it to the bell situated in the Grand Lobby, which is rung traditionally each sea day at 12 o’clock midday.

Sadly, I had to leave Stephen Payne’s lecture early to make sure I was in the right place at the correct time to ring the noonday bell.   As mentioned, I had bid for this honour at the charity Country Fayre held in the Queens Room yesterday afternoon and was surprised that my modest bid (really intended to be just a decent donation) was  the highest (or maybe the only) bid.  Right now, I am in the peace and quiet of the sitting area in the library on Deck 8, one of the few places where there is no background music, and where unnecessary noise is frowned upon.  Ship Designer Stephen Payne has just come in and sat directly opposite.  I feel slightly awkward, but fortunately, casual conversation is not encouraged here.  Although not particularly hungry and definitely not in need of further sustenance, it was time for Afternoon Tea.  Sure, I could have resumed walking, but with a strong wind on deck, which usually doesn’t bother me, I opted for the less active option. 

The Brevis Trio provided the live background music at today’s afternoon tea and was warmly received. 

Monday afternoon is drawing to a close as the folk duo Two Sheets to the Wind entertain in the Carinthia Lounge. And tomorrow, I will start the packing. Although not cold, it is markedly cooler today as we follow the African coastline North. I suspect that I may have to put on warm clothes for the whale watching trip.

The day has ended. I have already made very slight inroads into the packing.

On Thursday, I get to deliver the noonday Navigational Update, and I’m feeling slightly apprehensive about how this will go. For once, the word unique is appropriate to describe this event.

Many thanks for reading, David, the early hours (00.28) of Tuesday morning.