Another day finds us crossing the Equator and getting closer to the Seychelles. At noontime, we had over 600 nautical miles to reach Victoria, Mahe on Thursday. Waking up this morning, we noticed the seas were smooth as silk, something we rarely see. There was no wind although we are experiencing some swells. The Captain mentioned in his talk that this open area of the Indian Ocean is subject to swells from systems that come from Antarctica up the east coast of Africa. Even though the weather has been cooperating with us, he says that may change. There are some storms in the Seychelles and we may pick up some of those on the way there.
Our day was laid back and relaxing. The morning walk was easy since most everyone was in the World Stage listening to the talk on the next port. And as expected, it was warm and sticky. There was a slight breeze that did nothing at all for comfort. Going to the Seaview Pool was interesting. We could see some fierce-looking clouds coming up, and did appreciate the shade for a while. Then it got darker, and it began to sprinkle. Lightly at first, then the sky opened up and the water pelted down like gangbusters. The wind created by the cloud had a power of its own. We can always tell when the rain will start when that wind picks up. And there is a coolness in that breeze, which is the rain.
In minutes, the deck cleared of sunbathers who took shelter under the tented area. And in minutes, the decking was flooded. Actually, it was pretty exciting for a change. And the ship got a free washing on top of it. Eventually, the shower let up, and the sun re-appeared. And it never rained again until after the sun went down. We can live with that just fine.
Kimberly gave her talk on the Seychelles, which we will check out later or tomorrow. It takes hours before it appears on our room TV, which we don't really understand. We have been to the Seychelles several times over the years, but we always like any new info we can gather.
Lunch was Dive-In cuisine from the very friendly waiter and chef. It is the best way to get it hot by getting it yourself. And we are not tempted by the massive amount of food in the Lido lunch buffet. Between reading and internet work, the day evaporated as they all seem to do much quicker these days. We took the time to go for the second walk around the time the sun set. Although we never actually saw the sun, it did put out some nice colors on the most interesting clouds formations.
Enjoying a quick cocktail, we were off to dinner. A mixed seafood cocktail and a crostini plate were the starters, followed by salads. Our mains were the same – chicken cordon bleu with a pile of peas and mixed grilled veggies. Sometimes, it is feast or famine with the way they serve the entrees. They can be skimpy or over-flowing. Tried as we could, we did not clean our plates. Except for a small sliced banana, dessert was not an option. Only a cup of hot coffee was plenty.
The entertainer tonight was Rebecca Kelly, a vocal comedian with soulful classics, toe-tapping tunes, and some songs she actually wrote. Greg never misses a live show, so he can tell us all about it. It amazes us how tired one can get doing practically nothing all day. We call it re-charging our batteries.
Bill & Mary Ann
