December 29th to January 6th - Isle of Wight

Okay, okay.....you're probably scratching your head right now and wondering why our cruise blog is starting out with a photo of a grand old manor house instead of a photo of a brand new ship! I guess for some reason we thought the cruise wasn't quite long enough so we preceded it with a nine day stay on the Isle of Wight. We stayed at NorthCourt, the largest and grandest manor house on the island. It was built in 1615 and absolutely oozes with charm! We hiked the downs, including the scenic Tennyson Trail, and visited Osborne House, which was the summer home of Queen Victoria (the person....not the ship!) It seemed appropriate somehow!! We also literally "rang in" the new year with the bellringers at the medieval church across the road from NorthCourt! Speaking of the church....we particularly enjoyed the sentiment on one of the newer gravestones:

January 6th - Southampton

Ahhh...finally, here she is....Queen Victoria!

It was a splendid send-off from Southampton! Just before departure there was a spectacular fireworks display from a barge off the starboard side of the ship. There were lots of small pleasure boats milling about in the water and camera bulbs flashing from the shoreline. We sipped champagne and listened to an orchestra on deck playing British patriotic music as the Queen Victoria slipped her mooring lines and started to move up toward the Solent. There was a cacophony of goosebump-inducing ships' whistles and horns as we passed sister leviathans at their moorings. The deepest and most sonorous of all in this maritime orchestra was the Queen Elizabeth 2 who already had smoke pouring from her signature Cunard funnel in readiness to join Queen Victoria in her first transatlantic crossing. It's easy to see why they say that these ships have souls...QE2 is clearly the "grande dame" of this fleet. It seems that the young whippersnapper should be deferring to the grand old lady, but the excitement today is all about the brand new Queen Victoria on her maiden transatlantic and world cruise.

More January 6th - Settling In!

Our new dinner partners, Rodney and Rhona!

And now...let the jockeying for dinner partners begin! We have been placed at a table with Mary who has ditched her husband in England to do the maiden transatlantic crossing to New York by herself. We realize pretty quickly that this isn't going to work. She is sitting next to Chuck and speaks in barely a whisper...but is constantly speaking! Chuck catches maybe every sixth word or so, at best. I'm on the other side of the table and, since I'm not proficient in lip reading....I hear nary a word! I spend the entire meal politely smiling and nodding at seemingly appropriate intervals. She is a sweet lady...but this just won't work! So we look for the maitre d' on our way out of the dining room. And there he is! With a couple who are gesticulating wildly and bouncing index fingers on his seating diagram. He excuses himself and walks away...must have to regroup after what has probably been a nonstop barrage of dissatisfaction. I laugh and say to Chuck, "I'll bet they're doing the same thing we're doing." The words are no sooner out of my mouth than they turn around in exasperation and our eyes meet! We are like drowning rats grasping at anything afloat! They reveal that they're REALLY not complainers....and we offer that we're REALLY quite easy going....and by the time the harried maitre d' has returned to his podium (seemingly minus a few hairplugs!) we suggest to him that he can easily solve his problems by giving us a table for four. He pounds his gavel/fist on the auction block/podium and squeals, "Sold!" And thus, Rodney and Rhona from Liverpool become our dinner partners!! Let the feasting begin!!

January 7th - At Sea

The QE2 traveled in tandem with us across the North Atlantic.

The Captain warned us that we could experience some rough seas in the first two days out of Southampton. (This IS the North Atlantic in January, after all!) The rolling of the ship made for easy exploration since many passengers seem to have hunkered down in their cabins. The motion became more and more exciting as we reached the higher decks. We finally found the perfect vantage point up on Deck 10 in the Commodore's Club...the ultimate spot to get the maximum effect of the gravity-free movement of the bow and a fantastic view of QE2 moving in tandem off our starboard side. We had no idea she would be traveling so close to us...we thought maybe we'd see her off on the horizon. But it is quite reassuring to have company as we make our way across the cold Atlantic...just in case any renegade icebergs should pop out into our path! (Particularly since the champagne bottle didn't break when Camilla christened the ship -- supposedly a bit of "bad luck!") Chuck is lamenting that our cabin isn't on the other side of the ship. No...not because that's where QE2 is...his part is on the left side...and when he goes out on our balcony the wind messes up his hair!!

January 9th - At Sea

Oh my gosh!! We happen to be passing by the Queen's Room during afternoon tea....while a flock of white-gloved waiters serve tea sandwiches, positively decadent fruit tartlets and the ubiquitous scones with clotted cream. (And yes, tea and coffee too!) What a dangerous spot this is...way worse than indulgent! We'll be avoiding this...except for VERY special occasions! (Or severe ebbs in willpower...) But it is VERY impressive...and very hard to find a seat with all the Brits on board! We are invited to have cocktails at a reception with the Captain. He acknowledges that Queen Victoria's lack of drawers has become the joke of the cruise so far! (It's true...there isn't a drawer to be found in any stateroom on the ship!) The Captain suggests that we get a raiding party together and sneak over to the QE2 under cover of darkness to steal her drawers! Sounds just a wee bit irreverent!!

January 11th - Dinner with the Captain!

We have received an invitation to have dinner tonight with Captain Paul Wright at the captain's table. There are 3 other couples and the captain's friend who is another airline captain. So...I guess you could say that I'm cruising with the 3 Queens (we are meeting up with Queen Mary 2 in New York for a historic meeting of the three Queens).... and dining with the 3 Captains!! Dining with the Captain was an unexpected treat! He is SO charming and has the VERY BEST accent I've ever heard. (Yes...I'm developing a bit of a crush on him! Can't wait for his next "Noon report from the Bridge" over the ship's P.A. system!) He is also of an excellent vintage.....he is celebrating the same birthday this year that we are! We enjoyed a very very special evening!!

January 13th - New York

It was very moving coming into New York before dawn and passing the Statue of Liberty as the strains of "America" floated up from the deck below. There was excellent commentary by John Maxtone-Graham (maritime historian and cruise aficionado who gave spellbinding lectures all week) as helicopters hovered and fireboats sprayed plumes of colored water through the air. You should have seen us getting off the ship in New York...everyone else was asking for directions to the Empire State Building and Times Square....and all we wanted was the nearest Starbucks! (Withdrawal is tough!) We met up with our daughters who drove down from Boston to bring reinforcements to our formal wear wardrobes! (There are 3 or 4 formal nights per week!) We enjoyed their company but sent them on their way home as the forecast loomed of a Nor'easter coming up the coast. And then....the creme de la creme....an extravaganza as the 3 Cunard Queens lined up in front of Lady Liberty...with lots more fireworks...and lots more champagne!! All this as the first wet evidence of the coming storm arrived.

January 16th - Ft Lauderdale

Our sister ship, QE2, left us here....it's a bit sad to see her cruising off in a different direction when we've been together the whole time so far. But we will meet again with great fanfare in Sydney!

January 21st - Traversing the Panama Canal

We reached the first lock at about 7:00 this morning. Here are some amazing canal facts:

-- 30,000 people lost their lives in the construction of the canal!

-- Queen Victoria will pay a toll in excess of $275,000 to transit the canal today....and it will be about twice that amount when we transit the Suez Canal!

-- The Atlantic entrance to the canal is actually further west than the Pacific entrance...the canal actually runs in more of a north/south direction.

We passed under the Bridge of the Americas just after sitting down to dinner at 6:30. Mission accomplished!

January 23rd - Puntarenas, Costa Rica

We were happy to find that our new Estonian friends, Leo and Reet, were on our skywalk tour today. Our guide, Arturo, turned out to be a knowledgable naturalist who is full of interesting facts. We hiked through the rain forest over bridges that hang swinging over steep ravines. We saw a lot of wild life, including parrots, toucans, a family of coatis (racoon-like animals), huge crocodiles and HUGE termite and hornet nests hanging in the trees. When pointing out a large hornets' nest, our guide told us that when he was a boy, he and his friends would throw rocks at these hanging targets....and RUN!!! He said the hornets were always able to zero right in on the rock thrower whose missile had scored a direct hit. Supposedly, their sense of smell led them directly to the culprit! (I wonder if this is true...or if he was "yoking"....he told a lot of "yokes"!)

January 26th - Acapulco

The dark-hulled ship is Queen Victoria!

NanSea, our world cruise hostess!

We are definitely "gob smacked" by Acapulco! (That means "amazed"...Rodney and Rhona are making great headway teaching us new English words and phrases...and maybe a little Liverpudlian slang! We should be almost British by the time we get back home!) We were out on our balcony as we approached at 6:30 AM -- before daybreak -- and it looked like a spangle of glittering jewels laid out over the hills! And it didn't disappoint when the sun came up...I had no idea it would be so gorgeous! I can certainly understand how it became a hideaway for the Hollywood crowd! We saw the cliff divers (two at once!) and some other tourist sites and then were dropped off at a shopping area where they were offering frozen margaritas to sip while shopping. It was hot...and they tasted REALLY REALLY good....so we drank them REALLY REALLY fast! And then someone reminded us that they ARE made with ice (which is of course made with water)...and we ARE in Mexico....Oops!!! We decided that if we were going to get sick....well, we might just as well enjoy another!! Yummmmmmm! (No...we didn't get sick...) Then we went to an incredible open-air restaurant built into a cliff with the best views in Acapulco (and, yes...more margaritas!) Renowned Mexican chef and owner, Eduardo, showed us how to create a four course culinary delight which we then got to eat. (Note: Eduardo is even cuter than Tom Brady, with an added plus....he can cook!!) As we left the ship this morning for our excursion, our world cruise hostess, NanSea (Yes! That's really how she spells it...and she's really a hoot....see photo above!), gave us a little quote that went something like this, "Many people will step into and out of your life, but only a true friend will leave footprints on your heart." We miss all of you at home!

January 28th - At Sea

We were interviewed today by a Canadian travel writer who is doing a free lance article for the Boston Globe. He said he will let us know if they use the article, so will let you know if you need to look for us! Chuck was quite excited to have some fresh meat for all his Canadian jokes!

January 30th - Los Angeles

We were able to synchronize our watches and get together with sister Binky and brother-in-law Doug, who was kind enough to play hooky from work for a few hours to make this meeting possible. We enjoyed a delightful lunch at P Changs and had fun catching up on lots of family news. Definitely more fun than any of the excursions that Cunard had to offer here in the City of Angels! (Thanks Binky and Doug!)

February 4th - Honolulu

Our first sight as we came out onto our balcony this morning was a giant rainbow spanning the harbor in Honolulu! It seems to signify that we have arrived at what we regard as a Starbucks/Borders oasis out here in the Pacific! Yes...we stopped and had a latte. (Thank you John and Karen for the Starbucks cards!) And yes...we stopped and bought yet more books! (The Queen Victoria library is superb...two stories with a spiral wooden staircase, stained glass ceiling and excellent selection of books...but I fear we may soon surpass it in sheer number of volumes!) We also couldn't resist purchasing the requisite Hawaiian shirts....we will be lookin' good at the Hawaiian deck party tonight!

February 6th - Cocktails in the Captain's Quarters!

Our friends, "the Coops", sent us an email from home today informing us that we're now "on about the spot where an enraged giant bull sperm whale rammed the Essex in 1820, sinking it and foisting the crew into whaleboats where they drifted for 91 days and had to resort to cannibalism." (If you're becoming bored with this blog...you can find out more about the adventure of the whaleship Essex by reading "In the Heart of the Sea" by Nathaniel Philbrick. It's an excellent account!) At any rate, we didn't spend an inordinate amount of time watching for whale spouts because....we have been invited for cocktails tonight in the Captain's Quarters!! We can't figure out why we seem to be on the "A" list for these sought-after invitations. Maybe they think we're someone else just masquerading as "the Bridges"!?! Perhaps Brad Pitt and Angelina....maybe??? It was a very intimate candlelight affair (with REAL candles....not the fake rechargeable ones that are everywhere else on the ship!) and included the senior officers and about 20-30 passengers. Really fun!!

1 comments:
Bill said...
I thought you left the pants back at Denison. Waste not....

February 7th - Crossing the Equator

Those of us out on deck let out a whoop as the ship's whistle signaled the crossing of the equator! (And yes.... this photo was taken at that exact moment! I'll bet you've never seen a photo of the equator before!) An elaborate "Crossing the Line Ceremony" was then presided over by His Imperial Majesty, Neptune of the Deep, his Queen, Neptuna, and his seaweed court of multitudinous mermaids, able aides and all other swimmers-on. The "pollywogs" who were crossing the line for the first time were historically smeared with nasty liquids found in the bilge of the ship and then suspended by their ankles and plunged into the sea. A more civilized Queen Victoria subscribes to the kinder and gentler practice of coating selected "pollywogs" with messy products from the galley and then throwing them into the swimming pool. Apparently this historic tradition originated in the 14th century when it was determined that the world was round and not flat and ships started traveling further afield. A jolly good time was had by all!

February 9th - Pago Pago and February 12th - Fiji

FEBRUARY 9TH - PAGO PAGO


This morning at 4:30 AM an alarm on our ceiling started flashing and beeping followed by a telephone call with an automated message instructing us to evacuate our stateroom and proceed to our muster station! We were like Dodge'em cars run amok as adrenaline kicked in and we kept crashing into each other as we unproductively ran back and forth around the bed wondering what we should wear (you just never know when black-tie is required) and what we should take with us! Thankfully, we then received a call from the Bridge telling us it must be a malfunctioning smoke alarm and, no, we didn't have to bundle up and head for the lifeboats! But neither could we go back to sleep (visions of Titanic dancing in our heads!) so we started our exploration of Pago Pago in a rather sleep-deprived state. Not too sleepy, though, to pay a visit to the Pago Pago Yacht Club where Chuck acquired a new shirt which you'll see him sporting this summer!

We stopped in a coffee shop (no....no Starbucks here....and we desperately needed a dose of caffeine!) and struck up a conversation with a tuna fisherman. The economy here revolves around tuna....both fishing and canning. The harbor here is deep and well-protected so we were surprised to learn that there are only about five cruise ships coming into the port annually. No wonder there was so much excitement at our arrival with music, dancers and tents set up to sell local crafts.

We checked with several locals about where we should go....and the general consensus seemed to be Tisa's Barefoot Bar down toward the end of the island. We collected our friends, Leo and Reet, hailed a cab and headed for Tisa's. We wondered why many houses along the way had gravestones in the front yards. Our cab driver, Clarence, said it was all "part of the culture". The land is owned communally by family "tribes" and you can do whatever you like with your land, including burying Grandpa outside the living room window! It is believed that the heads of families, or "chiefs", are still watching over those left behind.

We knew when we saw lots of crew members at Tisa's that it was the place to be! Some of our new American friends were celebrating an important birthday and, never ones to miss a good party, we joined right in! Yes indeed!! Life is good here in the South Pacific!! Too soon it came time to shake the sand out of our flip-flops and think about finding a way back to the ship. We got our sunburned bodies out to the road and started looking for a bus or a cab when....Voila! A friendly islander who was heading in our direction offered a ride to as many of us as could squish into his car. How many of us jumped into his car, you ask?? Let me put it this way....we looked like clowns getting out (and getting out....and getting out....) of a little volkswagen at Ringling Brothers Circus!

(Note to self: Organize little bag of "stuff" to be used in event of ship evacuation!)

FEBRUARY 12TH - FIJI

We went to bed last night and it was Sunday. We woke up this morning and it was Tuesday! I know we passed over the International Date Line….but where did Monday go?? There are 12 people on board born on February 11th and Cunard issued apologies to all of them that they wouldn’t have birthdays this year. (Who knew?? All it takes is some creative scheduling each year and we could stay forever young!!)So here we are in Fiji. We opted to forego a beach day on one of the many resort islands (Fiji is comprised of over 300 islands!) and instead went into the town of Lautoka. We were amazed at the Indian influence. (…dot, not feather…) We felt like we were in Little Bombay, complete with a contingent of beggars. Indians are clearly the majority here….almost every shop specialized in saris and other Indian clothing….some being sold right out of stairways and alleys. It was also surprising to see mosques….apparently nearly a quarter of the population follows the teachings of Islam. It was 103 degrees in the shade….not our kind of weather….but we had fun with our new Australian friends, Jo and Greg. And yes….they’re teaching us how to speak Australian! We should be multilingual by the time we get home!

1 Comment:

Sarah said...
I just laughed out loud at work... dot not feather... and I am emailing Summit -- he will be so pleased that was included in your blog! Love you! Sade
March 3, 2008 7:25 AM

February 13th - At Sea

Our Captain told us a great story…..

He was bringing the Queen Elizabeth 2 into the port of New York for the Millennium celebration. The harbor was overfilled with vessels from all over the world. QE2 was going into her usual berth but, because of the glut of ships, there was a large Japanese warship wedged into the neighboring berth. This didn’t leave much room for maneuvering and there was a strong wind which complicated things even more. As she was just about to complete her tricky docking maneuver, one of the tugs assisting her broke down. They all held their breath on the Bridge as they watched QE2’s bow swing over and make contact with the warship, leaving a small blemish on the gunmetal grey. The Captain and a party of his senior officers straightened their lapels and immediately set off for the warship to offer their apologies. Arriving at the neighboring ship, they were shown into the presence of the senior officer in command, who happened to be a Japanese Admiral. He was a little intimidating as he sternly stood in full Admiral regalia complete with a couple of serious-looking swords hanging from his belt. His face was expressionless as the QE2 officers fell over themselves making profuse apologies. They finished and there was absolute silence in the room. Then a smile started to spread slowly across the Admiral’s face as he offered a small bow and responded in perfect English, “It’s an honor to be kissed by a Queen!”

February 14th - Valentine's Day

Happy Valentines Day!!

Cupid made a surprise visit to the ship.....

....but I think I'll stick with Chuck!!

Whenever we think we couldn’t possibly be coddled any more than we already are….Cunard comes up with something else! Every single day is like those multi-layered “surprise balls” that you unwind to find all sorts of hidden treasures. We’ve come to think of our room steward as “Santa Claus!” It seems that every few nights we come back from dinner to find gifts left on our bed….tote bags, hats, robes, jewelry travel cases, pins, cufflinks, plants, etc, etc, etc. (…more than enough to stock a HUGE yard sale when we get home!) We already decided there was no way we could pack everything up for an airplane trip home, so….we’ve booked space on the Queen Mary to come back to New York! (Along with about 400 other round-the-world Americans!) It will be fun to compare ships! We’re not even to the half-way point yet and we can’t even begin to imagine life off the ship! We hope that Cunard will offer some kind of reentry program for us when it comes time to cut the umbilical cord! (Maybe they could come and turn down our bed only every other day and leave only one chocolate instead of two to wean us away gently from all this pampering…) So, as one would expect, there is a real holiday atmosphere on the ship today – bunches of red and pink balloons everywhere, guys dressed up as Cupid for photo-ops (see photo above - - they definitely aren’t paid enough!), and fancy valentine confections stationed all about the public areas. It’s like being in first grade again when you can’t wait to open all the valentines in your glued-together cut-and-paste heart-shaped mailbox!

Sometimes we think the people we’re meeting on the ship are even more interesting than the ports! Friendships are made quickly as we rapidly become a floating family. Tonight we happened to sit next to an interesting older couple in the entertainment theatre. Chuck asked them where they were from and when they said Michigan, I was excited to talk to them about my old stomping grounds. By the end of the show, they ended up inviting us back to their penthouse suite for a drink. Once there, he powered up his computer and showed us photos of his unbelievable antique car collection ….twenty-one cars in absolutely pristine condition….from a 1902 Oldsmobile with tiller steering to a 1983 gull wing Delorean….with a little of everything in-between, including a 1914 Silver Ghost Rolls Royce Touring car! They also had their own airplane so were quite excited to be able to talk about cars and airplanes with Chuck. I was a little nervous about the couple we met who are going around the world for the ninth time and were on the Cunard ship that caught fire in the China Sea. They were all put on another ship....which then ran aground on a reef in the Gulf of Aquba! (Reminder to self: Get to work organizing that little bag of "stuff" to be used in the event that we have to abandon ship!) And I'm particularly amused by the little English lady who has a border collie who persists in "rounding up" anyone wearing a fur coat!

February 15th - Auckland

That tall skinny building is the Sky Tower....how would you like to jump from it??!!??

Deric and Chuck showing some New Zealand spirit!

The central part of Auckland occupies a narrow isthmus and is one of the few cities in the world to have harbours on two separate bodies of water – the Pacific Ocean to the east and the Tasman Sea to the Southwest. The high point (no pun intended!) was going up to the top of the Sky Tower. At over 1,000 ft, it is the tallest tower in the southern hemisphere. Our knees shook as we watched people doing the sky jump! You can watch too at http://www.skyjump.co.nz/ Chuck offered me $10,000 if I would do it….apparently he thought his money was very safe! Maybe the first clue was how nervous I was going up in the glass floor elevator! (We’ve signed up to do the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb where you don special little suits and wear a safety harness as you go up over the top of the girders….I hope I can do it!)

Parnell Village, a trendy suburban shopping area, was also a special treat! All the charming boutiques and outdoor cafes reminded us of Carmel in California. Parnell is billed as a place where “you’re sure to find something unique”….and we did!! Possum Fur Nipple Warmers!! Honestly! Apparently the New Zealand possum is killing the native forests and birds…and buying this product will help to save them. (??) So we did our little part to keep New Zealand green!

February 16th - Napier

Every port we come into seems to give us its own unique welcome. In Napier, we were surprised to hear a loud roar heralding the approach of a formation of airplanes executing a flyover! They went on to perform acrobatic maneuvers that were a little scary to watch! Chuck was especially enthused to see the Catalina flying boat that also passed overhead!

The city of Napier was completely destroyed by a massive earthquake in 1931 and is noted for the classic Art Deco architecture in which it was rebuilt. Our visit happened to coincide with their annual Art Deco weekend which is a VERY big deal! All (and I really mean ALL) of the townspeople were dressed in authentic 30’s costumes – even the smallest of children. These were not in any way makeshift costumes. We felt like we were on a movie set….or perhaps like we’d gone through a time warp! There were also hundreds of vintage automobiles – arriving from both the North Island and the South Island which added greatly to the retro atmosphere.

We were also intrigued by the literary street names….Thackeray, Emerson, Dickens, Carlyle, Shakespeare, Chaucer….well, you get the idea!

NEWSFLASH: Yet another invitation from the Captain! This one is for a private tour of the Bridge!! We love our Captain!!

February 21st - Melbourne

The wine tasters....Susan, Dennis, fellow Pi Phi Jane, Fellow Denison alum Don, and Marilyn.

G’day from Down Under!!

Our Liverpudlian dinner partners, Rodney and Rhona (or “the Rs” as we refer to them), are leaving the ship in Sydney and we’ve fallen in with a group of fun Americans whose table we’re joining. Six of us hired a van and driver to take us on a wine tasting tour of the Yarra Valley. This region has more than 84 wineries, including the French champagne-maker Moet et Chandon and their Domain Chandon winery. As we were all chatting during the drive, it came to light that one of the other men also graduated from the same college that Chuck and I graduated from! Six of us in a van in Australia and three of us went to the same little liberal arts college in Ohio! How funny is that?? And then we discovered that the best friend of one of the women was a student there too at the same time we were there….and it turns out she was a Pi Phi sorority sister of mine! I guess it’s the old six degrees of separation thing! No wonder we all hit it off right from the start! It was a fun day….and I think we tasted all the wine the Yarra Valley has to offer!

(Happy Birthday WM!!! Melbourne had fireworks for you!!)

February 23rd /24th - Sydney!!

See those little ant-like figures?? Those are bridge climbers! We did it too!! (If you click on the photo you can see them even better!)

The Sydney Opera House at dawn....from our balcony!

We are ready!!

We did it!!

Sydney is SPECTACULAR!!! No…wait…that isn’t a strong enough word….and we just can’t think of one incredible enough to describe it!! We are WAY beyond “gob-smacked!” Definitely the high point (no pun intended, again!) of our visit was getting up at dawn and doing the Bridge Climb. (Although sitting at an outdoor restaurant on the harbour last night with the bridge on one side and a gorgeous full moon rising over the Sydney Opera House was pretty magical too! And then there was having lunch with Academy Award-winning actress Rita Moreno…remember her in “West Side Story”??...who is also traveling on the ship and seems to be quite smitten with Chuck’s jokes…) But now, back to the bridge! Everyone had to pass a breathalyzer test before suiting up. Our jumpsuits were two-tone grey (so that we would blend in with the girders and not distract the motorists below) with a blue (to make us feel stylish!) stripe down the side. We were wired for radio contact with our guide and tethered to a safety line. The weather was perfect and it was an exhilarating experience! (Whew! It’s lucky we didn’t fall off the bridge or we might have had to change our blog address to bridgesUNDERthewater!) Surprisingly…the see-through catwalks and the ascending ladders turned Chuck a little green around the gills….but Susan had no problems at all! I asked him if we could revisit the Sky Jump in Auckland (please reference Chuck’s $10,000 offer under February 15th Auckland entry) but he claims that was a limited time offer!

Nothing on this world trip can possibly compare to our sailaway in Sydney, where we crossed paths once again with our sister, QE2. The “Meeting of the Queens” virtually brought the city to a standstill. The two ocean queens performed a historic “sail past” in front of the Sydney Opera House as Queen Victoria left to continue her maiden around-the-world voyage and QE2 made her final visit exactly 30 years to the day after her first call here in 1978. (She will be sold to Dubai later this year to become a floating hotel.) They greeted each other with a “whistle salute” acknowledging the first and last time these two Cunard Queens will meet in Australian waters. Australian flags were distributed to every stateroom before we arrived in the Land Down Under so there were hundreds of flags fluttering from the decks and balconies. Rousing strains of “Waltzing Matilda” were dancing off the top deck….often drowned out by the noise from the eleven helicopters we could see hovering above from our side of the ship! The shores were lined with people waving and seemingly every seagoing vessel in Sydney was present to escort us out beyond "the Heads" and into the Tasman Sea. It was truly unforgettable!! Words just can't do it justice!

February 29th - Great Barrier Reef

There is Queen Vic through the palm trees!

"See no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil"....Larry, Don and Chuck in their Poseidon hats!

" The girls" being welcomed back to the ship by some native Aborigines!

We struck out this morning for the Great Barrier Reef on a boat called “Poseidon”….so I guess we could call this entry “The Poseidon Adventure”. (Except that we didn’t end up upside-down on the ocean floor with Maureen McGovern singing “The Morning After”!) The forecast had been for clouds and rain but we ended up with absolutely PERFECT weather. (Maybe a little too perfect as far as my sunburned back is concerned!) The Great Barrier Reef stretches in a band that is longer than the west coast of the United States and is the largest living thing on earth that can be seen from space. And we know this because Walter Cunningham, the Apollo astronaut, is on board giving a series of lectures and he showed us photographs!

We were taken to three different areas on the reef for snorkeling. It’s the height of the season for box jellyfish, also known here simply as “stingers.” Their sting is extremely lethal so we wore special “stinger suits” to protect us. (It’s a fact that Australia has more things that will kill you than anywhere else on earth….and more of them live in this northeast part of the country – Queensland - than anywhere else!) The stinger suits are bright blue and even have hoods and mittens to go over your hands. We looked like a band of flippered smurfs going into the water! We didn’t actually see any jellyfish…but we did swim with the sharks! Yes! They were reef sharks who, although curious about our presence, didn’t seem to include us on their list of dietary delights! Having the chance to gaze into this underwater world was absolutely surreal! We were captivated by the steep coral canyons and spectacular drop-offs. And the brilliant colors of the fish and the coral absolutely took our breath away!

The second area was called “Stonehenge.” It was obvious how it came by its name when we saw all the pillars of ancient coral emerging from the water. This one was maybe my favorite since it consisted of a series of channels leading to secluded reef areas….each with its own amazing treasures. We saw a beautiful pale blue stingray, a 150 year-old giant clam and coral in the most incredible periwinkle blue!The last spot we went to was the spot where, in 1998, an American couple was inadvertently left out on the reef while diving. It was two and a half days before anyone noticed they were missing and no trace of them was ever found. The upshot of this is increased vigilance on the part of the tour operators. A very serious headcount was conducted before leaving any site. Happily, we returned to terra firma with all snorkelers accounted for!

Our Belgian friends, Jean-Louis and Claudia, visited the other major attraction of this part of Australia – the wet and steamy tropical rain forest. The salt water crocodiles here are the biggest on earth and they saw one named “Jack the Ripper” who, their guide claimed, had eaten twelve of his wives. I guess you wouldn’t want to be married to him….but, then again…. you probably wouldn’t be for long!

We have really LOVED New Zealand and Australia. We hate to leave this idyllic part of the world. Yes…we could live here! Especially in New Zealand where they don’t have all the nasty creepy-crawlies that populate Australia! But we are really looking forward to the exotic ports coming up. Next stop…. Kota Kinabalu in Borneo.

PS Just a quick word here about the annoying Australian flies…their persistence makes one understand those hats the people here wear with corks and various paraphernalia dangling from strings around the brim. It seems the pesky little nuisances are just seeking moisture from various facial orifices…. they say that an Australian fly will try to suck the moisture off your eyeball! Yikes!!

March 6th - Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

We have noticed that there are now some long-range acoustic devices (LRAD’s) that have been mounted on the ship as we enter waters where pirates are still a threat. This device sends out a debilitating audio signal to (hopefully!) thwart the approach of suspicious vessels. We had a lecturer who spoke about piracy and told us that the modern-day pirates do not, in fact, look like Johnny Depp!....so, for the first time, I’m wondering if we should lock our balcony door at night!

We went on a cultural exchange in Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Malaysia’s Sabah State in Northern Borneo, which turned out to be a day well-spent. We had a fabulous guide who took us to a kampong (or village) on the banks of the Papar River. On the way there, someone asked why all the older homes along our route seemed to be built on stilts while the newer construction was not. We were told that it was because of the threat of headhunters!! The inhabitants could look down through a chink in the floor when visitors came calling. If the visitors appeared to be of the unfriendly variety, the inhabitants could pour boiling water down on them to dissuade them from their visit!

Our first stop was to an Islamic religious school where we were greeted by a group of students in traditional clothing who performed for us on their drums. We visited a kindergarten class where we exchanged gifts with the adorable children who were dressed in school uniforms complete with hats on the boys and head scarves on the girls. Our little fellow was named Muhammad. When we gave him his gift he gave us a bookmark he had made with his photograph on it. Major cultural difference noted…..a room full of American five-year-olds would tear instantly into wrapped and beribboned packages given to them but it is part of the culture here to open gifts privately. So when we left the classroom, the children were sitting at their tables with their hands folded (except for a few little boys giving the peace sign) and their still beautifully-wrapped packages poised to be taken home and savored in private.

We then visited the home of the village headman (as in leader, not collector....) who opened his home to us (after we removed our shoes at the door, of course) and offered us coffee, tea, coconut milk and Malaysian delicacies that we watched them prepare. We were very touched by all the work that these villagers went to in entertaining us and showing us their way of life.

We were told that, at our own risk, we could test our daring and balance on the hanging bridge that spanned the river. Fresh from our escapade on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, we felt more than qualified to accept the challenge! This bridge was pretty rickety….and missing a board here and there….but we successfully scampered over and back. Falling into the river and getting wet actually wouldn’t be such a bad thing….it was the threat of a possible crocodile welcoming committee below that was a little worrisome!

We also had a demonstration of some of the native handcrafts like beading and basketry. We were particularly amused by an elderly woman who was sitting on the ground chewing betel nuts and rolling and smoking what looked to us like “funny” cigarettes….and they smelled like funny cigarettes too! We didn’t know if they were “wacky tabacky” or not! She finally started offering them to all of us…..and before we knew it….we were all laughing and smoking funny cigarettes!! We took lots of photos of these delightful and very hospitable people….and many of them followed us around the village displaying equal curiosity about us. We purchased some of their wares….and came away feeling that we had received far more than we had given. We can only hope that we were good ambassadors.

March 9th - Hong Kong

Hong Kong is very colorful!

A "Welcome!" in typical Hong Kong fashion.

Chuck and the Filipina maids!

As we approached Hong Kong this morning, we watched for sampans and junks emerging from the thick fog to present a visual appetizer to this Asian city. I’ve always thought that “a city is a city is a city”.... but I’m learning that each one has a distinct character and personality. If I were to use only one word to describe Hong Kong, it would be “energy”. And that energy was palpable from the moment we approached the dock where there were dancers in brightly colored native costumes doing a traditional dragon dance to welcome us. There is a vivacity that seems to emanate from the streets and from the colorful signs that make the whole city resemble a very glitzy and colorful Times Square. Giant video screens mounted on buildings flash news and financial figures from around the world. The construction of new buildings is never-ending….they are constantly erupting from the earth in what look like crystalline stalagmites of glistening glass and steel. We went past the Ritz Carlton Hotel which is only 14 years old but is already being torn down (piece by piece….they don’t implode the buildings they’ve tired of here…way too congested!) to make way for a new, more modern building. With limited land area, there seems to be a constant reclamation of the harbor to create sites for new developments. Hong Kong is a totally vertical city….it is like an over-full parking lot for extremely tall skyscrapers. The biggest danger to the city comes from typhoons. The buildings are built with gaping holes in them to allow for less wind resistance. And there are those who say the holes also have a feng shui purpose…. they will keep evil spirits from getting trapped in the buildings.

Seven of us went on a private walking tour of the city….the best way to really experience Hong Kong. Our guide, Marco, was raised in Switzerland but has lived in Hong Kong for 26 years. He said he did not want to be known as a “Swiss” person….he wanted to be known as an “International” person. His love for Hong Kong came through loud and clear as he shared his adopted city with us. Here are some of the highlights:We had morning lattes at the Peninsula Hotel….with potted palms and string quartets in the sumptuous gilt-corniced lobby, it oozes elegance. (We almost thought we were “home” on Queen Victoria!) The hotel has a fleet of 14 chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce Extended Wheelbase Phantoms and its own helicopter service from a rooftop helipad. A night in the Peninsula Suite will only put you back HK$68,000. (About US$8,750…. but it does come complete with complimentary butler and Rolls Royce service….) (http://www.peninsula.com/ should you want to book!)

American cities could learn a lot from Hong Kong in the area of people moving. Mass transportation is so convenient and so reasonably priced that people can’t help but use it. The constantly running trams cost HK$2.00 (about $.25 in US money) no matter how far you are traveling. There are also elevated and air-conditioned pedestrian walkways that move people between buildings in the shopping district. Best of all was a downtown terminal for the airport where passengers can check their bags at the beginning of the day, take care of whatever business they have in the city, and take the subway to the airport to catch up with their already checked bags.

We had lunch at a restaurant where the only eating utensils were chopsticks. Luckily, I sat next to our guide, Marco, who gave me some private tutoring in the art of eating Chinese cuisine. By necessity, I became adequately adept!

Because we were in Hong Kong on a Sunday, we were able to view a whole subculture that we would not have otherwise known existed. There are almost 150,000 Philippine nationals working in Hong Kong, most of them as maids. Sunday is their day off and they gather in seemingly every expanse of free space available for a festive day of celebrating their native culture. They mark their territories with blankets, umbrellas, cardboard boxes….and we even saw one group with a small tent. They were sharing food, playing cards and games, giving each other manicures, doing handicrafts, and just enjoying the company of those with whom they share a background. (They seemed to find it rather amusing when Chuck jumped into one of their little groups for a photo op!)

We went up to Victoria Peak which provided an unbelievable panoramic view of the sprawling city below. Unfortunately, it turns out that what we thought was fog was actually pollution, so all the buildings of Hong Kong seemed to be looming in a surreal sort of way out of a shadowy mist. It just didn’t seem to fit, because the streets themselves seem so clean. Marco said the pollution on this day was much worse than usual. We also experienced the gorgeous two mile nature walk around “the Peak” which helped us work up an appetite for….

.....dinner! We took a ferry out to Lamma Island where we selected our seafood out of a tank and had it prepared just the way we wanted it. (More practice with chopsticks!) Bon Appetite!!

We had a longer time in this port than usual so were away from our “mother ship” longer than at any other time since embarking in Southampton. (Maybe this is a planned beginning of our reentry program??) We have now traveled 23,500 nautical miles on our floating home away from home.


1 comments:
Sarah said...
hmmmm this reminds me a bit of the shot of dad and the band at acapulcos... :)
April 14, 2008 8:12 PM

March 11th - Good Morning Vietnam!!

Don Juan I and Dhuon Juan II at China Beach.

All ready for a "lucky" wedding on the outskirts of Da Nang.

These are funky little Vietnamese boats....propelled by a single pole-type oar!

Good morning Vietnam!!

For those of us who came of age during the Vietnam War, setting foot on Vietnamese soil was more than a little bit surreal. (I know, I know….I’ve used that word a lot lately! But I really do have to keep pinching myself to make sure this isn’t all just a dream!) Today’s Vietnamese have a modern slogan…. “Vietnam is a country, not a war.”

We didn’t have a tour set up for this port and just decided to wing it with our friends, Marilyn and Don (our fellow DU alum.) We finally negotiated a day’s tour with a Vietnamese fellow named Dhuon. (He told us stories about his parents who were Viet Cong.) All of our guides so far have been spectacular and Dhuon did not disappoint. With Don and Dhuon (pronounced just about the same way) we soon started with the Don Juan jokes and soon we were calling them Don Juan I and Dhuon Juan II which made for rapid bonding!

On Dhuon Juan II’s recommendation, we headed for the delightful town of Hoi An, which is just a bit south of Da Nang. We passed by emerald green rice paddies tended by peasant women in conical hats and had to stop once or twice for cows crossing the road. As we entered the outskirts of Da Nang, Dhuon started pointing out flower bedecked buildings, each with a large wedding portrait propped on an easel by the road. These were all sites for weddings taking place that day. We thought it was strange to have so many weddings occurring on a Tuesday, but Dhuon told us that Vietnam follows the Chinese calendar and this was a “lucky day”….hence all the weddings!

I asked Chuck what his most vivid impression of this area was, and he said the buzzing swarms of motorbikes, some with whole families hanging on for dear life. The roads became more and more congested as we drove through downtown Da Nang. Although there were traffic lights on some of the corners, none of them were actually functioning….so it was a little like playing Russian roulette.

We gathered some sand from China Beach and stopped at Marble Mountain where we had a chance to purchase a huge $30,000 marble Buddha….shipping included! (Not sure what the Historic Commission in Marblehead would have to say if we plunked this down in our garden….so we passed on it!)

The Old Town in Hoi An was a shopper’s paradise. We were actually able to watch silk being woven on a loom and Marilyn and I found it necessary to leave more than a couple of American dollars with the local economy. The best surprise of all was lunch! (You won’t believe this!!) I had one of the BEST meals I’ve had on this entire trip…..rice with vegetables and shrimp (LOTS of shrimp!)…. For US$2.00!! Unbelievable! (Of course, we did have to buy a hammock and LOTS of peanuts from the hawkers who kept visiting us at our open air table!)

We all agreed that the Chinese calendar was indeed correct in naming this a “lucky day!” By the time we returned to the ship, Dhuon was ready to stowaway with us. We took photos of him with Queen Victoria in the background and promised to send them to him.

March 13th - Saigon

We arrived at the port of Phu My and took the two hour drive into what is formally Ho Chi Minh City but is still called “Saigon” by everyone but the government officials who live there….so I think I’ll follow suit. We visited the War Remnants Museum which was a very sobering journey into the past. It was much more uplifting to visit the Rex Hotel, which was frequented by journalists reporting on the war, and which lured us with cold beverages….Saigon was HOT!

We read an article that referred to Saigon as “the Paris of the Orient”…. but you couldn’t prove it by us. Really, no comparison at all….not even a single flying buttress to be seen at Saigon’s Notre Dame Cathedral!

The most amusing part of the day was while we were having dinner and the Captain came on over the PA system to tell us he had some “bad news.” It seems someone (probably, by now, an ex-employee of the Port Authority) released one of the mooring lines early as we were getting ready to leave the port and it had become fouled in the propeller. So we had to wait for divers to come to the ship to unfoul the prop and see that no damage had been caused. We went out to the back deck after dinner to see what was happening. Some of the ship’s officers had removed their shoes, rolled up their fancy little white uniform pants, and had commandeered a scrubby little Chinese junk to transport them to the stern of the ship! They were busy trying to peer under water with flashlights….and probably didn’t appreciate much all the flashbulbs going off from passengers hanging over the rails to watch the evening’s entertainment! Apparently all’s well that ends well…..because we’re now steaming through the South China Sea toward Bangkok….albeit at a slightly faster clip than usual!!