Days 43 and 44 - At sea

Saturday, February 22

Such a busy day (well, busy for a cruise ship)!  Another beautiful morning that saw me getting up around 9:30 and going right to the pool.  Sat by the pool from 10-12:30 with only one dip in the pool (there were too many people in the pool for me to actually swim).  As we go further south of the equator it is not as hot as it was.  Today's high was forecasted for 84F/29C and there was a little cloud cover.

After showering and washing my hair, I tried to get on the internet but it was not being cooperative.  Lunch in the Lido at 2 (had lamb curry again) and then read until time for Needlework/Knitting group .  We broke up about 4 and it was time for tea.

Read some more and then to the pub for trivia at 5:15.  Joined a team for the hardest questions ever.  Do you know what blennophobia is?  Who drew the Steve Canyon comic strip?  The questions made Jeopardy seem like a game for five year olds!

Had a pre-dinner drink in the Commodore Club and then we celebrated the birthday of one of my dinner companions.  She turned 82 and is on her second solo world voyage!

There was another "Chocolate and Ice" extravaganza which I passed on since we had birthday cake and dessert!

Tonight Howard Parkin, one of the guest lecturers, had a stargazing session on the rear lido deck.  I am fairly useless at astronomy but I was able to find Jupiter.  I think I saw the Southern Cross.  When I returned to my stateroom I stood on the balcony and watched the moon rise.  There was a thunderstorm far in the distance that was beautiful to watch.

Sunday, February 23

During the early morning hours we crossed the 180th meridian and are now in the Eastern Hemisphere.  We are also in the "Horse Latitudes" which means there are light winds.    According to the Captain's noon announcements, the name came from the early ships powered by sails.  The winds were so light that the ships ran out of food and had to eat the horses on board to stay alive!

I slept until almost ten (after my late night star-gazing).  Was at the pool by 10:30.  A brief shower came through about 11 that had everyone scrambling for cover.  It quickly passed and I stayed out until 12:30.  Cooler today so I did not even get in the pool.

Came back to my stateroom to change and sat on the balcony (and took a little snooze).  To the Lido around 2 for lunch and then to Needlework/Knitting group.  Afterwards a few of us had a drink and talked until 5:30.

Another cocktail party tonight - this one for those doing the full world voyage.  I met with some of my table mates at the party.  I tried an orange drink thinking it would be something tasty.  Instead it was the same orange colored water that they call orange juice in the Lido.  I switched to champagne.

I tried two new things at dinner.  One was bok choy which was ok.  The other was duck.  When I went to China in 1988 I had food poisoning the night the tour group went for the Peking duck dinner, so I had never tried it.  Well, now I have and can cross that off my "to do" list.   I ate it but once was enough!

After dinner the show was another variety night.  The Royal Cunard Singers and Dancers began with a medley of Abba songs.  Next was a comedian, Rondell Sheridan, who was quite funny poking fun at cruising.  Finally, Martin Lawson, one of the singers, performed some songs.

We had our second World Voyage gift - a nicely made journal with the World Voyage logo on it.  It would have been a really useful gift if we had received it the first night!

Tomorrow is our first of three ports in three days in New Zealand.

Smooth sailing until next time!