A Big Question from a New Friend

 "Which is more important--the first impression or the last?" ~ Godie, Assistant Waiter on Viking Sky 

Jan. 5th

Dave & Kristy dropped us off at Pier 93 at 11:00am. We wish they were coming with us, but getting to see them for even a short time was such a delight. These two are some of our treasured "forever friends."

Poor Dave--a thorn among roses!

Our boarding process yesterday was seamless, especially compared to the snaking lines at the nearby Norwegian Joy's terminal. We've sailed Norwegian before and enjoyed them, but are totally in love with the small ship experience. The Joy can accomodate 4,400 guests. The Viking Sky will hold 930 passengers but at present, our count stands at closer to 800. A small ship makes for a calmer, more relaxed ambience. 

Because we'd checked in online, we only needed to show our pre-printed boarding cards and passports, and we were waved onboard. Because today is a "turn around" day, all the previous guests had to disembark so the ship could be cleared by Customs before new passengers were allowed on. Our cabin wasn't ready until about 1:30 so we had time to hit the World Cafe and bask in having lunch on the fantail!

(The DH is having salted caramel gelato for dessert, but as I'm still trying to watch my sugar & carb intake, I settled for a 2nd diet coke. Imagine if you will that you can see the stars twinkling in my crown!)

When we were allowed in our stateroom, all our luggage, including the two we'd shipped ahead back in early December, was there to greet us. Just as it takes a while to pack, it takes time to unpack and make sure everything fits. (And maybe more importantly, that I can remember where I put it.) We'll make a video tour of the cabin at a later time. 

Then we enjoyed watching some of the workings of the ship.  Fresh provisions were being loaded and a bunkering operation (read:filling up the fuel tanks) was underway beneath our veranda. 

We've been told to visit guest services soon to be put on the list for some behind the scenes tours of the kitchens, laundry, and bridge. In 2022, we were allowed to see the engine room, but nowhere else when we were on the Star. It's always tempting to peek behind the wizard's screen to see how the magic happens. 

By 4:30, we were in our swimsuits luxuriating in the thellasso therapy pool in the Nordic Spa. Use of all the facilities is included for all guests, but there were only a handful who'd taken advantage of it then. I expect it'll be part of our daily program.

We met our next cabin neighbors, Jackie and Larry, on our respective balconies as the Sky pulled away from the pier. The moment when the ship gets underway is so special. It's as though she's come alive and has remembered that she belongs to the sea. Casting off means freedom from all landbound cares. 

We felt the same, and after supper, we skipped the lecture in the theatre to hit the hay early. It has been a busy few days. 

Monday January 6th

A brilliant young man who's ambitious & hard working, and not afraid to ask big questions! 

Meet Godie. The 1st syllable of his name rhymes with "chew," which fits since he's an assistant waiter. Personable and energetic, he took excellent care of us for breakfast this morning. He also serves in the Chef's Table which he encouraged us to book soon. A big grin split his face after the DH asked if they were going to have a Philippino menu. Sadly, not soon, but it gave him a chance to share his pride in his country and culture. He also put a question to us that had been asked of the Viking staff at their morning meeting. 

"Which is more important--the first impression or the last?"

The knee-jerk reaction prompts me to say "first," but a good first impression may be forgotten by the time the last opportunity to make an impact passes. For example, back when I was singing opera, and in competitions, I preferred to go last. While going first means getting the nerve-wracking waiting over, and you get to set the standard, your efforts may be eclipsed by the time the last note dies. Give me the last place. And please God, let the person who goes directly before me give the performance of their lives so the judge's ear is ringing with excellence. Then when I offer my all, I know my reach must exceed my grasp.

That's how I won the District Metropolitan Opera one year. 

Now, I still hope for last impressions. When people first see me, I fear they see an old, sick woman using supplemental oxygen when she wants to get around. But that's not who I am. Inside, I'm still 21...just with lots of practice. I may not be able to do all the things I used to in that healthy, strong 21 year old body, but my spirit still wants to soar. I want to learn. I want to experience.

I want to continue meeting people like Godie, who know how to ask good questions and get the conversation going. My world of understanding others grows each time I set foot on a Viking ship because of the incredible quality of their staff. They have mastered the art of both the first and last impression.

At 9 this morning we met with the group who expressed a desire for a Bible study on our FB group. The DH is leading the study which will be held at 9AM every sea day in Torshaven, the ship's nightclub! He gave us a quick overview and introduction to the gospel of Mark and we'll dive in deeper starting tomorrow. It promises to be a thought-provoking study undertaken with a great group of new friends. 

So back to Godie's question. What do you think? First or last? Which impression is most important? 

Almost Cruise-Day!

“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” - Ernest Hemingway

I'd be counting a long time if I counted all the things that went right today. 

• I sailed through TSA for the first time in years without a pat-down. Having TSA pre-check meant I didn't have to remove my shoes or laptop or liquids. Of course both Herkimer and Percival (my portable oxygen concentrators) were whisked away for closer scrutiny and my carryon contents were given a cursory look-see. (Totally understandable since half of it was prescription drugs!) But no hand was placed on my person. A total win!
• All our flights departed and arrived early or on time. 
• Our checked bag made the transfer with us in Dallas and arrived when we did. This was the first time I used an Air Tag to monitor its whereabouts, and truthfully, it gave me less comfort than the real time texts from American Airlines when our luggage was delivered and loaded on our flights.
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• New technology--I was astonished to see a self-pushing wheelchair at LAX. An involuntary "Hello there" escaped my lips and the cheeky thing flashed "Hello" back at me. But it didn't stop to chat. A big "reserved" sign announced it was on a mission, heading to a gate to pick up a passenger who needed mobile assistance.
• Our friends Kristy and Dave made the drive up to LA from their home near San Diego to join us for "Linner" at The Green Onion. That's sort of a late lunch/early dinner. I highly recommend the Fajita combo--beef, chicken & shrimp! Yum! 

Kristy & Dave are proof that one of the greatest treasures of travel are the friends you make along the way!

It was great to talk and laugh and reminisce with our friends. Their room wasn't ready yet, so we hung out together in ours and caught up with all the doings in our lives. We'll meet them again for breakfast tomorrow and they've kindly offered to taxi us to down to the pier.

The California sky gifted us with a glorious "Good night."
 

5:26AM Update

Yes, Mom, I know I should be sleeping in, but my body is still on Central Time. We woke early to get ready for embarkation day and the DH managed to capture the Viking Sky cruising down the harbor canal past our hotel.

This sleek 930 passenger ship will be our home away from home for the next 4 months! I'm in awe of the blessing we're receiving and filled with gratitude to be able to explore this unneccessarily beautiful world with my Dear Husband, lover and best friend. (Don't worry. They're all the same person!)

Two More Sleeps

"Adventures? Nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things. Make you late for dinner!”
~ Bilbo Baggins, The Hobbit

The first leg of our journey to Los Angeles to embark on the Viking Sky is over. Our friends, Mike & Joy, who joined us for an Alaska cruise in 2017, very kindly drove us to Springfield, MO today. We enjoyed a lovely lunch together at FB's Grill and had a great time catching up with them. They are a wonderful couple. We sing in the same choir and attend the same Sunday School class, but it's amazing how you can see someone pretty often and still not know what's going on with their lives. We picked right up with where we left off last time we did something fun together, which I suppose is a good measure of friendship. I feel like I need to do better, to be more accessible, to be intentional in all my friendships. Call that a resolution if you like. 

 We're in our flight departure city so we can catch a plane at oh-dark:thirty in the morning. Tomorrow we'll fly from here to Dallas and then on to LA to meet our friends Kristy & Dave who've been with us for both our previous world cruises. They won't be on the Sky this time, but we will be able to spend tomorrow evening and Sunday morning with them since they'll drive up and join us at the Crown Plaza. I'm thrilled about seeing them again and being in our embarkation city a day ahead of time eases my nightmare fantasies of watching our ship sail out of the harbor without us because we thought we could make it from the midwest to the coast on the day of. 

Speaking of fantasies...last night I had a vivid dream. I have them sometimes. Once I dreamed about a filthy little white dog with a long ropey coat who needed us. I told both my husband and my dad about it, and told them I didn't know when, but a dog fitting that description was coming. Sure enough, two months later we found Charlie running around in traffic and now he has a forever home with us. But back to last night...

I dreamed I got a call from one of my old publishers asking me to consider writing another book. To be fair, I have received emails from them to that effect from time to time, but this was different. They didn't want a romance from me. One of their other writers had begun a 2 book series, but had died before they could write the second one. They wanted me to pick up that story and finish it. 

To try to convince me, they took me to a book launch party for the series. The book was beautiful. Hardcover with amazing artwork and gilt-edged pages. When I opened the book, it was more compelling that an illuminated manuscript, though I couldn't read a single word, it being in a dream after all. I felt as if I was being pulled into the pages. 

This was not genre fiction. This was literary. It was an important story. 

Half the roomful of people were raving about it. The other half thought it was terrible. 

"Why?" I asked the naysayers.

"It's unsafe. Anything can happen," was the answer.

I woke thinking "Just like life."

Life is unsafe. But fortunately, as Mark Twain observed, life is "filled with calamities, most of which never happened." We can plan. We can prepare. But eventually, we have to realize we aren't really in control of much of anything. 

We'll continue to emulate Goofy, who said, "I'm brave, but I'm careful." And we welcome the coming adventure with open arms to whatever is heading our way. I can't promise to write a big beautiful unsafe novel, but I do promise to bring you an "unsafe" blog. 

Anything can happen. Here's to being late for dinner!

My poor DH. Here's me, packing light. Did I mention we've already shipped two 50 lb bags ahead?