At Sea

             On Sunday, 7 Oct, we started the day with breakfast and Tai Chi.  It was extremely windy on deck; we felt almost like we could blow off the ship!  The sea was rougher all day, also.  After a few minutes, we attended a dance class at 11:00 AM on the Rumba.  Since we re-learned a few steps that we had forgotten, the class was well worth attending.  Not long afterwards, we returned to the Horizon Court Buffet for lunch.  On the way back to our cabin, we found an empty washer in the laundry room, so we hurried back to the cabin to pick up a load of laundry.  We barely finished the laundry in time to attend a second genealogy get-together at 4:00 PM.  Since the meeting was apparently requested by one woman with a question on Irish research, the group was much smaller than at the previous meeting.  We came prepared to answer questions on DNA genealogy (because several had asked for more info previously), but no one seemed interested this time.  Tonight was another formal dinner and a full table, with lively conversation and good food.  Afterwards we danced for a little while in the Wheelhouse Bar and then went for a short swim.  It’s starting to get a little cooler on the ship at night as we head towards New Zealand.

            The next day we awoke to Tuesday, 9 Oct, because we had crossed the International Date Line and skipped Monday, 8 October.  (Jesse says he would prefer to sleep a day instead of skipping it altogether!)  Anyway, on this second at-sea day we went up to the buffet by 9:00 AM, back to our cabin briefly, then back up to the 14th deck for Tai Chi.  It was cool at first while the sun was under clouds, but then warmed up for most of the 40 minutes.  After chatting with Gail and Jim over tea until noon, we returned to our cabin.   While we watched a movie on TV, “Real Steel” with Hugh Jackman, Jesse washed a few shirts by hand; then we went to lunch and returned to finish watching the movie.  Movies show on the ship TV over and over again throughout the day, so we usually see them in pieces.  We had a full table for dinner again tonight; then we danced in the Wheelhouse Bar until the Tritones Duo went on break.

            We slept very late on Wednesday and missed our Tai Chi class – which was held inside because of rain.  After eating breakfast with Gail and Jim, who also had slept late, we then attended the second Rumba class.  The cruise director, Peter Roberts, taught three or four new steps that we were not familiar with, but it was too much at once and we really didn’t master any of them.  (We’ll have to practice when we get home.)   Afterwards, we relaxed in our cabin while watching the political news on TV; then lunch; and then more relaxing before dinner.  There were six of us at the dinner table tonight; then we danced again at the Wheelhouse bar until about 8:30 PM.  Since we are booked on an 8:00 AM excursion to Auckland, New Zealand, tomorrow, this will be an early night.