The last day of January found us a couple of days away from our first stop in New Zealand. Hard to believe we have been sailing for almost a month already. But as the old saying goes, times does fly when you are having fun.
At least the worst of the storm has passed, and the skies were mostly cloudy this morning. Gone are the deep swells and extra high waves…..at least for a while. The most noticeable thing is that the extreme humidity and heat have abated. The breeze had a hint of coolness in it, while we walked the mostly wet deck this morning. The further southwest we head, the more temperate the temperatures will be. Suits us just fine.
We noticed that at breakfast, there were umbrellas hanging from the ceiling. Hope the staff was not expecting leaks. That’s when we remembered that the theme for the gala dinner tonight was Bowlers and Bumper Shoots. Took us a while to learn that bowlers were hats, and bumper shoots were umbrellas. Thus, the umbrellas hanging from the ceiling were simply decorations. While we were eating, one of those umbrellas broke loose from the paper clip holding it, and crashed on the table below. Good thing the table below was unoccupied. Perhaps the bowler hats should have been hung up there instead.
The first photo contest was advertised today. The categories included landscape, wildlife, people/life, and things around the world. The ship’s photo department will print an 8 x 10 print for a $5 entry fee. These photos are yours to keep after the voting takes place. The winner in each category will be announced February 9th. On past cruises, the passengers voted, but recently, a select group of staff members did the honor of voting. Prizes are usually a credit to be used in the photo department.
We spent a relaxing few hours at the aft pool, although not in swim wear. It was pretty windy, but the sun did peek out every now and then. It was the best spot to watch some sea birds flying around the ship. Usually that means there is land nearby. Around 4pm, there was an island on the horizon, so that made sense.
It was also a good day for a Wajang movie, which was about New Zealand’s Maoris. In the same vein, many activities revolved around the tours in New Zealand, their ancient culture, and history.
Dinnertime found that we had a host, Marion, the second engineer, from Croatia. A nice young fellow, he recently joined the HAL fleet last November, and appears to be quite happy with his decision. Since he spends the bulk of his time working down on deck A, he admitted it was a treat to come to dinner in this dining room, and get to know some passengers. He will be leaving in March, going home to his wife and 5 month old son.
Our meal was fabulous with the best appetizers yet. They served caviar, escargots, and crab legs. Surf and turf was a popular pick, but we both ordered the veal chop……tender, tasty, and seasoned beautifully. The best part of the meal? A dessert of the cappuchino bombe. Right before we were done, our umbrella came crashing down without warning, startling all of us. Everyone joked that they were injured, and would demand a free cruise. Our host went along with it, and added he was developing a headache, and may need to be sent home early. Like we said, hang the hats not the umbrellas.
Showtime featured the singers and dancers with classic iconic songs we all know and love. This group is most talented as they performed The Midnight Hour. Nice way to end another gala evening.
Almost forgot, we received gifts tonight. There were two universal travel adapters waiting for us in our room. These have USB ports as well, and will be most useful.
Bill & Mary Ann
