late entry

Phuket tomorrow


Thunderstorm
As we left Singapore, there was a terrific lightening and thunderstorm right behind us. Originally, rain had been predicted but we got the muggy humid weather instead. This thunderstorm was quite exciting to many of us. In the night, I heard above the noise of the air conditioning and the ship’s engines, what sounded like a heavy downpour. So I peeked through the drapes and saw this deluge with lots of thunder and lightening. For some inexplicable reason, it seemed odd to have a thunderstorm such as this over the ocean.
New table mates
Each of the new couples have been on the full world cruise. One couple is from Canada and the other from Arizona. The latter are more aligned with our political persuasion. I have an idea that the Canadian couple is also close to this but we’ll have to see as things play out. This is a table for 6 and it is sooo much easier to hear over the din of the dining room. We still have the same wait staff at this table and so it didn’t feel like such a dramatic change.
James Dixon Box
This young man is the lead singer on the ship’s extravaganzas. I’m glad he had an opportunity to do a show by himself because he’s quite talented. I loved the selections he chose to sing; he has had much experience singing in plays on the stage and so gave us much of that background.
Port Talk: Phuket
We’ve been here before but clearly we only scratched the surface. As I usually do, I read the tour offerings and gave Ed the information on my preferences. He then decides what we’ll do so I’ll have to revisit what we’re doing as I’ve totally forgotten. After this talk, I’d love to go to the zoo (more of a theme park) and the heritage park; we always seem to enjoy the latter.
Trivia
We have a new member, Hazel from St. Louis. She is a math teacher and is a terrific addition. Several people wanted to know where I got my hair cut and said they loved the cut. I’m glad it doesn’t feel like a damp mop on my head. Three teams tied including ours and since the new choir rehearsal was beginning, we all got tokens. In the afternoon there were just the four of us. We missed winning by one point and of course we reanalyzed how we could have gotten one or two more points to either tie or win outright.
Lunch
I’m still on my hot dog routine so I got a bratwurst with mustard and met Ed in the Panorama Grill where they were having a Chinese menu featured. It’s really more an Asian offering as tempura was included. I like that I was able to get some iced tea.
Computer classes
I went to see part of the free class on introduction to digital photos. Tim also does free classes entitled: computers for beginners. I asked for those handouts so I could see what I may learn new. This has generated my curiosity about software that is resident in windows alone. There’s a lot there that I’ve never thought about.
Onboard TV
They’ve changed the channel line up for reasons we can’t fathom so we’re having to relearn the numbers for our usual channels.
Thailand: Thai is not just an exotic cuisine
The speaker was a foreign service officer for many years in this area so his historical and local knowledge is unique. He has also lived here and admires the gentleness of the Thai people. His observations on the current unrest involving the yellow shirts (the more successful) and the red shirts (farmers and such) was fascinating.
International Relations: China and India
I was nodding off and so I went to the cabin to try to take a nap. Alas, it was a useless effort. Besides, I don’t like the presentation style of this speaker even though he may be very knowledgable it is just so distracting so I wasn’t terribly upset that I missed it.
Dinner
Some discussion of solar and other forms of alternative power sources. Our Canadians are well travelled and have spent extended periods of time in various parts of the world including tomorrow’s port, but they clearly are very conservative in comparison to the rest of us at the table. Often not very well informed or misinterpreting facts, they, or at least the lady of the couple, seem to feel threatened by folks not as well off (though she dresses as if she could afford only gauze and vegetable jewelry).
Tonite’s entertainment
This was a nice enough young man who was billed as a “comedian-magician”. Well you know how excited I am about magician’s. I gave him a try for two tricks (done well but old and hackneyed by now) before I left. Ed as expected, stayed as if mesmerized trying to figure out the tricks.
Another hour! We get to move the clock back one hour tonite.
Volcanic ash
We are following the news about this ash and its impact on flying. We had so many folks getting off yesterday who were needing to fly to get back home. That may accentuate the rigors of getting back home. And of course, Lisa is in the US and will need to return to Norway soon so that is of concern.