October 10, 2010



Glazer Lounge at the bow of the ship



It is the evening of October 10, 2010, and the seas are rougher than they have ever been during the trip, but we’re just cutting through the waves at 29 knots with only an occasional bump. (Those on the bow end on the 2nd deck, however, really feel the rise and fall of the ship!) The wind is so fast that all doors are locked! No one is to be outside on the decks, including the smokers. Our cabin is located in the middle of the 4th deck and the splashes are going right by our window! I just noticed lightning and decided to check it out by going up to the bow on the seventh deck, Glazer Lounge, which has windows all around. The lightning was spectacular and the waves were breaking over the 7th deck!

Earlier today was beautiful, warm and inviting unlike the week before South Africa when the sun never broke through the clouds and we had to wear sweats to stay warm. Today we had breakfast and lunch on the deck watching the whales cavort! We left Cape Town Friday night and traveled east along the coast of Africa along with several tankers all day yesterday and today. Now we are heading out to sea to go past Madagascar to Mauritius.

The meals in the dining rooms are usually quite good, at least, the vegetarian options are appealing. Tonight, for instance, egg drop soup and curried chickpeas and rice were served. What I really miss, however, are greens!! Thank goodness lots of other vegetables are served.

The night after next we are doing a special dinner with Louise and Frank to celebrate their anniversary. Just $25 per person includes Champaign, gorgeous appetizers and steak or fish option along with salad or soup and dessert. And then there’s the Captain’s dinner. All life-long learners and staff are invited at least once to a fancy dinner with the Captain. We had our opportunity a couple of weeks ago, got dressed up and were seated at his table thanks to my friend, Louise, who volunteers in the office and did the seating arrangements. The Captain is from Dubrovnik and when we shared that we thought that city was magical, he was so pleased.

Tomorrow night we are celebrating six birthdays (Jack, Whitney, Suzanne, Kate, Sally, Arch and Leah) that fall between October 7 and 15th, with Jack and Ann Clough and our extended families. We have ordered a Mexican dinner and ice cream cake for 17 since we have 10 extended family members between us. We invited Arch and Leah Tutu, whose birthdays are October 7 and14th, to share cake with their grandchildren. Since they consider Paul their son, or Paul considers them his Mom and Dad, our shipboard family considers them their grandparents! (They did come!)




Our extended family and the Tutu's



The cake part of the party was held in Sally Stemmons larger stateroom with large balcony which is across from the Tutu’s stateroom. Sally’s birthday was the same as Arch’s, October 7th, and he had invited her to the birthday celebration he and Leah gaver on the ship when we were in Cape Town. Sally holds an open house for Life-long learners at 5:00 each time we leave a port. We all bring wine and eats but and share stories.

One of these days soon, I’ll get more info about each of our sons and daughters and tell you about them. Right now, I can say they are really good kids, the kind who study, go to class, and take this trip seriously and offer enthusiastic “thank you’s” for anything we do.

Lots continues to go on the ship. Yesterday, one of the chefs gave a demonstration on decorating with fruits and vegetables.

I’m reading about India’s history because my Asian Art teacher said one must not visit India without studying its history. Paul has offered to help with the 12 or so “rascals” on the ship who are doing their best to ruin the reputation of the SAS program when we are in port. One kid has been kicked off for drug use. One of the professors’s had a detached retina as we pulled into Cape Town. Luckily we were there because immediate attention is imperative with that situation. Someone on the ship called a friend in Cape Town and he had laser surgery within hours of our arrival and returns to the ship in Maurituis in five days. A life-long learner fell off a bike in wine country and has a chip in her elbow. She is not certain at this point where to go have her surgery. And a student’s father died today. She had just been home while we were in Ghana to say good bye, but it is hard for her. Her extended family, Jim and Deena Behnke from Incline Village, were asked to tell her. They’ll be very supportive for her.

Speaking of Jim and Deena and Jack and Ann, we all went to a fancy place for dinner while in Cape Town which was fabulous. Paul had ostrich! I’ll have to get the photos of the food from Deena. A funny thing kept happening while we were in Cape Town. We would each go our separate ways, but bump into one another! That happened over and again and again. Paul and I sat down to dinner, ordered and saw Ann and Jack being seated across the patio. Another time we walked over to get coffee and ran into Louise and Frank and Ann and Jack. Then here comes Jim and Deena! Now we bumped into other people we knew, but not quite as regularly as these friends. When our trip to Robben Island was canceled for the second time due to wind and rain, we bumped into Louise at the coffee shop. Paul gladly returned to the ship and Louise and I spent about three hours just walking, mostly indoors, and looking at stuff. I don’t recall that we purchased anything but we sure had fun. She and I like so many of the same things. She lives in Colorado Springs and enjoys designing and machine quilting wall hanging, purses and other items.



October Birthdays



Louise and Ann in Cape Town