Day 88 ~ Par-tay on the Pacific Princess

And if travel is like love, it is, in the end, mostly because it’s a heightened state of awareness, in which we are mindful, receptive, undimmed by familiarity and ready to be transformed. That is why the best trips, like the best love affairs, never really end. ~ Pico Iyer

We woke this morning to blessedly placid seas and bright sunshine! The ship is no longer heaving and rearing like an unbroken horse. I could have breakfast on the fantail without seeing the DH & the sky, the DH & the sea, the DH & the…well, you get the idea. It was like being on a ship-sized seesaw. But my patch worked its magic and I haven’t needed to put on a fresh one. We’re still 400 miles from land in any direction, but we’re steaming toward Hamilton, Bermuda, our final port of call, at a good clip.

Our choir director David didn’t mind skipping the Azores. He’s thrilled to have an extra sea day for practice. I really like all the pieces we’re working on for this segment, especially a sweet ballad called “Somewhere Out There.” It’s from An American Tail, a darling little animated movie our girls loved when they were little. (Just a quick note on singing when the ship was pitching. We remained seated for most of those rehearsals, but when I rose from my chair, it happened to coincide with a moment when the ship took a steep dip and the floor shot out from under me. My feet left the hardwood and I was momentarily airborne. I came down fine and it was actually kind of fun, but I hope not to try it again. I might not land so well next time.)

This afternoon, we were treated to a talk from Hussein Khadir, our second officer, who’s from Leeds, England. Every day, he has us in stitches with his clever noontime updates as “the Voice from the Bridge.” It was nice to put a face and name with the voice. Hussein explained Great Circle navigation and how the shortest distance between two points isn’t always a straight line. On a sphere, it’s an arc. (The wing bridge is located just forward and above our balcony. While catching some rays, the DH has had conversations with the officer of the watch from time to time. And one evening, a steward rapped on our door, asking us to pull our drapes. Light from our cabin was making it difficult for the bridge officers to see the information on their console.)

Tonight is yet another formal evening. We’ve had 3 or 4 for every segment of the world cruise. With all that practice, the DH has become quite adept at tying his bow tie, but this tux shirt calls for a regular tie that matches his red vest. There are more tuxes and dinner jackets on the Pacific Princess than I’ve seen on other ships. Still, some people decide to opt out and dine in the more casual Panorama Buffet. Even so, there is still a lot of glitz to be seen on these nights. I always wish my mom was with us on formal nights. She’s the queen of bling and loves dressing up. She’d also love seeing what others wear.

Oscar, our extraordinary Maitre d’, always brings some fun to formal nights. He obviously picked this mask up in Venice. And on formal evenings, the Belinda King dancers and singers provide the entertainment. Their production shows are the best I’ve ever seen on a ship. Excellent!     

We’re short timers now—only a week till we’re back in the USA. But for now, we’ll party on.