Monday 9/2/2015 Day 35 - We are both well.

We are fine! This is just to reassure you, if you are worried, that although the national press seem to have published reports about the whole ship Arcadia being sick, the great majority of us have only had mild URTI’s, coughs and colds, or nothing at all.  Khachik had one that lasted a week on the first sector. I have only had really mild symptoms.  Sadly a few people became very ill on the first leg and as I mentioned before some very frail people cruise and for these the URTI has meant that after they were in the medical centre here, they were too ill to stay on board and have had to leave the ship, some have gone to hospital and one has died.

"January 31, 2015 - P&O Arcadia - Beryl Robinson, 84, from the United Kingdom, became ill on a 24-night cruise from Southampton, UK to San Francisco, California to celebrate her 62nd wedding anniversary. The family was medically disembarked by the cruise line while in Mexico. Then, while traveling home, Mrs. Robinson passed away."

This is very sad. I know it happens at home and off the ship, and it is always the very old and very young who suffer most in the winter but imagine building yourself up to this huge adventure and it coming to this kind of  end. I feel very sorry for everyone affected, and especially the family of the person who died in Mexico.

The sea is so smooth now, I love the way it changes in an instant, how the colours vary and melt into each other, how shadows and reflections manifest themselves in the water. Loving the sunrises and sunsets, clear night skies and star gazing opportunities.

Pictures from around the ship will be the next uploads as I realise we haven’t let you have inside pictures of restaurants, leisure activities and our infamous dance and art sessions.  So prepare for this, if we can get wi-fi in Samoa in 3 days time (2 more sea days ahead).

We have been advised to have “realistic expectations” about development in Samoa.

Our on board activities today have included hearty eating at every opportunity, 9 walking laps (3 miles) so far, maybe 3 more laps after dinner, a revision of 5 dances: foxtrot, jive, waltz, cha cha cha and quickstep, and then a longer art class, where we were given a black and white portrait and asked by Easa to paint it with skin tones and colour.  Khachik has painted a young Elizabeth Taylor. I need to learn how to paint realistic eyes.

 Finished off the activities in the hot tub stretching in every direction.

It’s nearly dinner time so I will finish there and get back tomorrow. Bye for now x