Thursday 11^th – Sea Day 3 of 9

1. No internet.
2. Crew drills were due to start at 10am. They started at 9am. Seriously, is there ANYONE on this ship who can tell the time?! They also broadcast the crew alerts through the cabins, despite the fact they are nothing to do with the passengers at all. I went down AGAIN and explained that if someone hard of hearing wakes up to the words “Abandon Ship” coming through the speakers, they could possibly actually kill someone through fear, but they don’t care. They have their procedures and to hell with the consequences. It doesn’t matter if you say “For exercise, for exercise” beforehand, if that person is asleep or half asleep or deaf, and doesn’t hear the whole message. It astonishes me that they are so cavalier about this, but I suppose until someone actually does die of fright, they’ll go on thinking they are immune and free to do as they please and not affecting the passengers (or interested even if they are), however many people complain.

Neither of these things is a good way to start my day. Am trez grumpy now and I’m not even dressed yet. Mind you, bearing in mind there isn’t much on telly either, I may just get some work and chores done. Oh yes, they continue, no matter where you are in the world!

We have now sailed 11,201 miles since leaving Southampton.

It was 22 in the shade on deck today, but the wind was up a bit, so I didn’t swim. It was not the power of the waves or the water temperature that worried me today, it was the prospect of getting out and immediately being hit by that (surprisingly cold) wind blowing across the open decks, that put me off. When I was very small, and I had a fever, the doctor told my parents that the most efficient way to cool down a human body is to get its skin wet and let evaporation do its work. I don’t have a fever, so I don’t fancy that, right now, ta very much, although the sunburn on my shoulders may vote differently (still warm, not as sore, thanks for asking).

Clocks go back AGAIN tonight to GMT-5. This is all very confusing. It basically means that, by the time I’m heading up on deck to meet the parents for lunch, you are all on your way home from work, and if I want to do something “in the morning”, it has to be completed by 7am my time, in order to hit your noon. Anyone who knows me in the slightest knows how I feel about single digit times in the morning, so please don’t expect too much of me for a while! At any hour. My body clock is completely versmooshed.

At dinner, I sat with Single Michael (as I will refer to him from now on, in order to differentiate him from Laurie and Michael, who went fine dining today as it is their wedding anniversary) and Paula. Dale chatted to Mum and Dad down the other end of the table. We had a lovely time. They are both excellent company and very funny. The only stumble was when I had jelly for dessert and had to explain to Paula the difference between jelly and Jell-O. I think we got there! She used to live in San Francisco, so we chatted about touristy spots and good tour guides and slightly more unusual sites to see after you’ve done the obvious ones. I think I have now pinned down that she is an accountant, by trade, although she would rather be a “retired accountant” apparently!

We have been crossing the Roggeveen Basin today, if you’re interested. The sea was REALLY calm- like glass. I wondered if we had wandered back up to the Doldrums, it was so still.  I was worried I might not sleep overnight because it really wasn’t moving much, but as bedtime approached, the captain turned the ship so that what little swell there was would rock us to sleep. How very considerate. Sea colour: that bright improbable blue of the P&O livery again. The one that you look at it and think, well, I know the sea looks that colour in paintings, but I doubt it ever really goes that colour in real life.

UPDATE: I have had some emails asking how I am doing health-wise after my glutening. How very thoughtful of you to ask. Well, the patches of skin numbness are fewer, as are the night-time leg cramps – I am down to two of those a night, instead of five or six in the early days. I still need a siesta to deal with the extra drowsiness and fatigue (and the time zone changes don’t help with that!), but I’m down to an hour, from two and a half, which is also a vast improvement. Today was the all over itchy day, so my system is really working to clear itself of the rubbish. The loss of concentration and cognitive impairment/woolly thinking are less – although I am still finding it hard to concentrate enough to complete a Sudoku in one sitting, and I have no idea what I wrote for the OU essay that was due last week! My nose is still running, but again, not as much, my mouth doesn’t feel like it has had wall to wall carpeting installed every morning, and the raging, unquenchable thirst is subsiding – which is a relief because that was getting very expensive! Walking anywhere is still more effort that it should be, because my legs still feel like they’re full of lead, but, all in all, it wasn’t too bad, thanks. The digestive discomfort went completely quite quickly (which is how I knew it was not a full-on attack) and my other symptoms are now fading. I should be fine in other week or so. If I can get away with feeling normal after two weeks, I’ll be happy. Major damage can leave people suffering for up to six months (I seem to average four to six weeks for a big one), so I’d be quite happy with a fortnight. I imagine that the cramps and fatigue will last a little longer than a fortnight, but the worst should be over by then.