Photo credit Stuart DeSpain
Today was, perhaps, the slowest of all days. As I’ve mentioned, every night we slip ahead one hour (as we cross successive time zones). This makes for unintentionally late nights -- this being no exception. The QM2 is rolling much more noticeably as I write this, as the wind and waves have kicked up considerably.
We’re not far from Southampton, though. Keeping up our steady twenty-two knots per hour, we’ve a mere thousand nautical miles to go. As much as we are enjoying the cruise, we won’t be sad to leave. It’s a wonderful way to travel: historic, elegant, and quite charming. But the journey is precariously balanced on the edge of tedium. One slow day is all it takes to remind you: you’re not going anywhere.
Today was such a day. We woke up late -- at lunch time. We spent the day reading in the Commodore Club (pictured, at top). Then a nap, then off to dinner. Afterwards we enjoyed the vocal stylings of Emma Sinclair. And, now, back in the cabin to write a quick entry. That, dear friends, was Monday.
The inclement weather hasn’t helped. It’s been too stormy to sit on the deck. We’re hoping things will clear up tomorrow. But it can be tiresome to spend all day indoors. If it weren’t for our entertaining dinners I suspect we’d go a bit batty. Quite really, the highlight of the cruise would be evening conversations with our dinner table:
From left: Gene, Loretta, Tina, Stuart, Suzette, Eric
As I’ve written in earlier posts, our dinner companions have led interesting lives. Gene and Loretta are both former teachers. Gene served on the Staten Island school board and nearly won a seat in Congress. Suzette is a project manager for residential construction and her husband, Eric, is a three-star General with a show-business father. Tina and I both look forward to the evening chat where we learn more about where our friends have been and what they’ve done.
Not pictured above are our two other dinner friends: April and her sister Natalie. I’ve written about Natalie’s dog, Sabrina, earlier. What I didn’t mention was why they were making the journey. Natalie changed professions: from accountant to pastry chef. She’s off to apprentice her new trade in Geneva. April, being a good sister, is along for the ride.
There are plenty of activities on board -- from sing-alongs to napkin folding classes. Regrettably these do not tickle our fancies. Tomorrow will be a day much like today, except that it will be our official twentieth anniversary. We’ll be dining alone, at the boutique Todd English restaurant at the aft of the ship. With two days to go, we’re looking forward to a smooth, quiet sail to England where we will resume our usual pace.