Day 38 ~ Crossing back into the Northern Hemisphere

It is not down in any map; true places never are. ~ Herman Melville

Well, we had the Crossing the Line Ceremony again today, but I’m not sure we actually have sailed over the equator yet here on the South China Sea (We left the Java Sea sometime during the night). On our cabin TV, our position is showing as 03.02 degrees South. I think we may be hopscotching back and forth over that imaginary line as we head for Singapore, which we’ll reach tomorrow. Singapore itself is only one degree north of the equator, so we weren’t surprised when the captain told us the forecast for our day in port is 81 degrees F with 99% humidity.

I’ve already decided I’ll wear my white cotton shirt and linen capris. They’re loose and cool and will meet the stringent Singaporean dress code while breathing at the same time. I’ll carry an umbrella against the sun. (I’m operating under vampire rules here. If I spend too much time in direct sunlight, I’ll burst into flames!) The DH is unhappy that he has to wear long pants, but all knees must be covered, male or female.

I spent some time in the library today with the small globe and the big world atlas that’s not supposed to leave the room. (Thanks again, Dad, for teaching me to read a map!) In many ways, I feel as if we’ve finally reached terra incognita—the world we don’t know. All our previous ports have felt familiar somehow, since English was the main language and I feel a real kinship with our Kiwi and Aussie cousins. Their culture makes sense to me because it’s so like my own.

That’s about to change.

And that’s part of why I had to spend some time with a map. It helps me get a sense of where I am because when I stand on our balcony, I only see grayish blue water meeting a grayish blue sky. What I can glean from the map is that Singapore is a collection of 59 islands located off the southernmost tip of the Malay Peninsula—a long thin arm of land that stretches down from Thailand. With a population of over five million it’s one of the most densely populated places on the planet.

Michael, the fellow from Viet Nam who does my pedicures back home, told me it’s beautiful. I can’t wait to see it!

But until then, we have a busy night ahead of us. A comedian will entertain us at 6:30, supper at 7:30,  and then at 9:15, there’s a Sherlock Holmes Musical Murder Mystery in the Cabaret Lounge. I’ll be sure to let you know “who done it!”

PS. This is my 9^th day since I put on a fresh scopolamine patch, my 3^rd since I took the depleted one off and went without any at all. Don’t get the idea that I’ve finally grown some sea legs. The ocean has been gentle and pond-like since we left Australia.