Week starting 21st July – A Life on the Ocean Wave
We have crossed the Atlantic without too much difficulty (though we did have a rather rough time of the latter section of the voyage when the weather started playing up. It was a real relaxation period, and we were amazed at the Tardis-like properties of our stateroom (cabin is far too “common” a word on a Cunard vessel!) – our ten suitcases and miscellaneous other possessions disappeared without trace under beds and into cupboards. For most of the trip it was clear and calm, until we reached the Grand Banks where it was flat calm and zero visibility – and after that the rough weather started. We saw a few dolphins but no clear sighting of whales. And it was remarkable to see small birds flying around five hundred miles from land.
Special “entertainment” offers on this vessel (apart from the more traditional options of keelhauling, bilge pumping and racing up the rigging) are iPad classes. So we are finding out what this technology is about (and have even loaned a pair of iPads to try them out). There are also lectures about astronomy, politics and other odder subjects. And for those interested, tea dances, harpists and pianists around every corner.
There were more dinner jackets than I have seen in many a year (but I didn’t go as far as a dinner jacket myself like many of the other passengers)! More importantly for us, lots and lots of sleep, catching up from the chaos of the last month. And far too much food.
We docked in the early morning of 27th July in Brooklyn, looking across the water to Manhattan. The Homeland Security authorities didn’t see through my carefully prepared facade (and did not realise that I am a covert Guardian reader) so I was admitted as a landed immigrant with relevant stamp in my passport. We settled into a hotel in Lower Manhattan for a couple of days before heading off (slowly) to Georgia.