ARUBA TOMORROW
Dinner
We had a full table of 8 tonite. The 4th couple is much more subdued compared to the rest of us. Hearing the conversation around the total table is still a problem. We had asked for a table of 6 and I guess it simply wasn’t possible. When you bring the subject up, everyone agrees. Nonetheless we all struggle through to hear each other.
The Laundromat
I didn’t bring up this topic, someone else at the table did. This generated a hilarious discussion with some contributions requested to continue my data collection toward my future publication: Laundromats on cruise ships. There is chagrin that we have only one Laundromat on this ship with 624 paying passengers. I have not yet heard how many of us are now Elite status and thus have free laundry, but I suspect it’s a large number which would mean that there should be easier access to the ship’s Laundromat. I’ll keep you posted as I know I have a dedicated following who are sitting on the edges of their seats to get the latest installment.
We are now preparing our second laundry sack to go to be processed. Probably our first batch will arrive today. Traditionally, anything that can be hung (PJs included) will be found in the closet and the folded things arrive in a laundry bag. This isn’t like the Prinsendam where our laundry arrived in a wicker basket protected by tissue paper with a sticker holding it in place as if it were a marvelous gift to you.
On the way to lunch, we heard folks talking about the Laundromat: where it is, what are the best times to go, etc. Then at lunch another couple brought up the issue and contributed another vignette to the future book: It seems that two women got into a tussle on one of the large ships because someone removed laundry from the dryer and the wives got into a fight. So their German husbands got into a fisticuff in the laundry room and all were thrown off at the next port which apparently was some isolated island where it’ll cost a fortune to get back home.
The lady also said that some women were sending their husbands down to the laundry room because they were afraid to go.
TV offerings
We do get CNN sporadically and most of it is international. Right now they are broadcasting the live testimony of Tony Blair about the Iraq war lead up. The civility of the Brits makes our hearings look like such a farce. We also have the usual ship’s channels and HNL (?) one I’d not seen before. I have not run across FOX news as I’ve zipped through the various channels and it’s not listed in the TV guide. They have some fun movies, one which has Tab Hunter who is a guest on this cruise and will be interviewed later. (hasn’t he died?) I’ll keep you posted.
I like looking at the ship’s channel with the wheel and the icons that show the direction of the wind across the ship. You all know them. They only have written information on that channel so far and this display of information is less useful for me with my visual challenges. Darn.
Entertainment
We had a young comedian Jeff Nease who makes me think of the LA Times and Newsweek columnist Joel Stein. He was amusing and we had some good laughs. Very gentle sweet guy. Of course, the life’s observations of comedians is always a bright spot.
The High Seas
“We are on the bosom of the sea. And remember, the bosom always heaves!”
As I write this in the morning, the seas are at 15-16’ swells with spray and Deck 5 is closed to walkers (they have to protect us from our own stupidity!) We still have 368 miles/knots to Aruiba and the ship is definitely bucking the 25 mph winds (ok so it may be knots but take that into account). You have to be careful when you go to sit on the commode because as you lean forward, if the ship also lists that direction at the same time, you are likely to wind up with your face in the shower drain.
SLEEP
Or lack of same? We did get to sleep last night at a decent hour and we had made an unspoken agreement not to set the alarm. This was for several reasons: we have a built up sleep deficit which is fed a lot by my coughing jags at nite which jolt both of us awake, we LOST an hour last night (don’t ask: I don’t understand either but Aruba is the cause. We’ll get it back later). And there wasn’t much this morning that we couldn’t afford to miss. I’m not likely to purchase any Jacqueline Kennedy knockoffs and I made the difficult decision to miss trivia this morning and also this afternoon. Since this is a formal night, it is a tight schedule to do trivia and be ready for the Captain’s cocktail party at 5:15 pm including getting in the formal portrait while you look decent. I love trivia but it becomes a “have to” and I get annoyed with folks who say they’ll show up and then don’t. You hold their seat and turn others away and then wind up with short numbers in your team so I plan to just drop in as it works for us.
They have changed some scheduling so that most of the lectures we’d be most interested in are all scheduled in the afternoon slots: port lectures and the subject speakers. I hope they keep this up as it makes life a lot easier.
SODA and such
AS you know one of the revenue centers for ships is the drink (of all kinds) sales. Unlimited sodas for Ft. Lauderdale to LA is $80. I’m pretty much off of caffeine and their offerings aren’t very exciting anyway so we brought Crystal light and I make a 2 qt amount in a pint container. We then dilute it 1:4 in a glass. So far it’s working pretty good but carrying the 1 pt container is sticky and has other limits. We’ll keep working on this.
SEA AIR
It’s refreshing of course but I’m beginning to realize that my hair is becoming like my mother’s was toward the end of her life and as Pat and Nancy’s hair s become; that is, it frizzes in moist air. So today I’m trying a different tack and putting gel on it and letting it air dry. I could look like a drowned rat but on second thought that might actually be an improvement.
READING
I brought a collection of Reader’s Digest Large Print Condensed books and have been enjoying how much easier they are to read. I’ve gone through several novels of varying “quality” including “Dear John” by Nicholas Sparks which I see is on several best seller lists. It’ll probably make a good movie in the future. I’ll have to start casting it in my mind.
Internet
Well no connection at the moment and I’ll need to see how close Ed is to being ready to go to the DR for lunch. I peeled two oranges to tide us over. We are in the habit of nibbling on fruits out of hand when on cruises and except for the fact that they often come to us rock hard initially, it is a wonderful treat. We have them out at home of course, but these amounts are more modest (Ed thinks Costco is the volume we two need in the house!) and they are replenished frequently.
TOURS IN LOS ANGELES
I’ve always been curious about what kinds of tours are offered to folks visiting LA on ships so he’s a summary of the offerings and range of prices.
Highlights: driving through USC area, Olvera St (shopping) Hollywood with 15 min at Mann’s Chinese Theatre, then shopping at Farmer’s Market. This is 5 ½ hrs for $49 (lunch on your own).
LA Scenes: Photo stop near Music Center downtown, Hollywood Bowl and Chinese theatre, Fartmer’s Market and drive by Rodeo Drive. 4 hrs $49
Universal Studios on your own as this is just the transportation up there where they drop you off and pick up after 7 hrs and sets you back $39 which is probably not a bad price for that distance.
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