The sea swell has increased a bit since we set sail, so the
ship has started the rocking and rolling action that sometimes results in the
appearance of “passenger discomfort bags” around the busy areas. The sky has
become partly cloudy and there’s a gentle breeze, so the temperature is lower,
and now its fine again walking out on the deck during the day, and lying on the
sunbeds or generally hanging around the pool. J
I know, what a light-weight! Still using SPF30 too!
It’s hard to imagine what 15,000 miles looks like, but it
feels tremendous. The world is big isn’t it.
We have become creatures of habit on board, with our own
rituals, within which we get lots of opportunity to engage in different
activities, but we appear to have found our niches. We have a choice of 6 different types of
restaurant: buffet, waiter, sandwich bar, fast food, two different Michelin
Star (added £’s) restaurants, one called Ocean Grill and the other called East. Our preference is for buffet breakfast and
lunch in a place called the Belvedere on deck 9, high up with great views in
all directions, no particular dress code and 24 hour service. We generally take breakfast between 7:30 and
8, and then take our coffees outside by the pool, and around 9 set off for our
first walk. Even though we could have 10
different breakfast menus we don’t. I, for example, have settled on the home
mixed muesli with figs, prunes and coconut, and with one exception only so far
in 5 weeks (it was poached eggs on that day ;))
Lunches could be salads, cold meats, fish, cheeses, curry
with rice, veggie options, roasts with potatoes and hot veg, followed by fresh
fruit, cheese and biscuits, and several different cakes and puddings including comfort
staples like sponge or crumble and custard. I have found and stuck with salads
and fresh fruit, with the “occasional” chocolate cake or tart. There are also special diets catered for, so
Khachik feels very comfortable with the diabetic options (removed sugar, fat
and alcohol from the puddings), and there are dairy free and gluten free
options.
The evening meal is in 2 sittings, 6:30 and 8:30, different
table sizes, a sit down 5-courser, (starter, soup, main, dessert, cheese,
coffee and sweets. There are 2 options.
Option 1 you stay with the same passengers for the whole cruise and go
to the same table every night. Option 2
is Freedom dining, you have a set time and the same set menu, but you are
allocated a table on arrival and change table mates every night. On the menu are items with jus and coulis, food
is arranged in towers and the mains have names like seafood rendezvous and
pithiviers of courgettes mornay, if you get my meaning ;). ALL lovely food, with the sweetest of names.
Small portions but lots of courses, with sorbet between soup and main on
special (Marco Pierre White) nights. Every 3-4 days it’s very formal involving
black tie/cocktail wear, and on the other nights it’s either smart (men wear jacket
and tie) or casual (anything except shorts and exposed flesh). I don’t notice
the difference too much, as my capsule wardrobe of separates and scarves is as
versatile as can be, but at our table
none of the men like the black tie nights (not enough dissent for mutiny yet
though – I must add that if I objected as much as they do I would be taking
non-violent-direct-action!)
The art lesson of the mountainous landscape is finished,
photos of both efforts to follow in Sydney. The dance of the day was a fairly
fast sequence dance, the Cindy Swing, which if you don’t know already, feels to
me like a combination of the Charleston and cha cha cha. We managed it for 45 minutes, and took an
early lunch for knees sake.
Sydney marks the end of “Sector 2” of 5, so while we are
having our 4 sea days it’s time for our next art exhibition, time to watch a
passenger Strictly (6 good dancing couples taking part), and a choir performance
(about 100 passengers singing on stage).
And now it’s time to get ready again for a smart night. Bye
for now. Back tomorrow. xx
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