WEEK 4

 

13/08/23 NEW YORK

We got up early to get to the gym and hubby had a crew member that had to be picked up when we docked but what a nice surprise while walking on deck 17 seeing New York from the water, was magical.

I got off early and went on my walkabout, the first street I took was not very pleasant for the homeless had left their belongings all over the place and for the first time since we have been traveling, I passed a used syringe lying on the streets I assume it was used for drugs and must say was upsetting. Thought to myself nee hier moet ek wegkom,but did not feel unsafe only belongings lying around and no people in site.

There was some or other big event on the go in Manhattan for the police were busy closing off streets. I wanted to go to a shoe shop but was told they only open at 11 so that gave me an hour to kill so ended up at Starbucks and had enough time to post all my photos which was great. There was no sitting area, so I just had to stand but the aircon inside was just wonderful for outside it was hot and humid.

I then popped into the shoe shop at 11 and just as well I tried the shoes on different styles fit differently and you can’t just buy, that lesson I have learnt. My next walk was to High Lane Park to have a look at interesting buildings in that area. Then made my way back to 12 Avenue all along the west side but by this time I did not feel like any more sightseeing and decided to go straight back to the ship was hot and had enough for today.

On my way this morning I stopped at Lilies restaurant and would love to pop in and have something to eat or drink just looks so interesting and inviting, my type of place so took a photo of me and Lillie! Theme of the place looks Victorian but was closed when I passed the area and on the window it says.

‘Fine Food, Wine, Beer, Spirits and Champayne’.

She must have been someone special from the earlier days of New York City. Will have to google and found out who she was! Read her story. I did think of visiting the Intrepid aircraft Museum right next to our ship but did not get to it today maybe next week. Watched the movie Maverick with Tom Cruise and that inspired me, really enjoyed it. Also read a story about a man John Burland in 1942 who was 17 and joined the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm where he trained as a pilot in England and the US. He learned to fly Harvard planes with the US Navy and received his wings in 1945 so he was only 20 years old, read about him in the Bermuda Museum.

Nearly on our way and it is busy and noisy lots of kids running around so think must be summer holidays. Going to be a busy cruise this week or that is the feeling I get, only time will tell. During our sail away they played a song about New York which I thought was very cool and got to take a video of us sailing under the bridge en wragtig is net net so iemand moes hulle wiskunde gedoen het! Also had a view of people that were staying in the Haven that were sitting in a jacuzzi enjoying drinks while sailing out of New York, dit klink sommer lekker en het ook baie nice gelyk.

14/08/23 @ SEA

Last night's dinner was still going quietly and peacefully until the announcement came, another Code Alpha so I was left to finish my dinner all on my own and hubby left in a hurry, duty calls. a Patient busy choking in a restaurant but got sorted out quickly, think the crew are jacked up and know immediately what to do in these cases, scary how many of these incidents happen while cruising.

I went to bed and hubby only joined me very late, sometime after midnight another patient came in with a food allergy {allergic reaction} and another had bleeding veracious veins. So here you need to be ready for all sorts of things, crew getting hurt while on duty also seems to happen often, think when the sea is rough it happens more often.

This day has been quiet, I had a brisk walk on deck 8 in the waterfront area for 30 min then it was time for breakfast. There was a lounger open right in front of the ship on deck 15 with a view over the ocean so that is where I spent the rest of the morning and feel ashamed to say I even fell asleep in the sun with the gentle rocking of the ocean en dit met my donker bril op!! Hubby off for the day so had a long afternoon sleep before he had to be back in the clinic at 17h00 until 20h00.Tomorrow another sea day and that I find a bit challenging but Wednesday we back in Bermuda. Looking forward to next week’s 3 new ports of call something different but we have been too them all before.

Only remembered now, I hear a lot of different stories while sitting typing my blog and minding my own business. Last week there were a group of teenage boys talking about what to do, for the one guy’s mom had grounded him due to catching him with a girl and he wanted to know what he should do or say to get her to forgive him and let him out on the last night of the cruise!

O my genade en al die advise en stories was omtrent van een uiterste tot die ander.  Suck up,ask for forgiveness, you only live once en so kan ek aangaan. Die ergste was toe hulle vir mekaar se praat sagter daar sit “ n old lady” en die old lady was ek!!!! Dit het nou nie goed afgegaan nie maar dit is seker presies wat ek in hulle oe is “an old lady”kon hulle nie  gese het “ n funky old lady nie” haa haaa.

Net daana kom n ander passasiers n ouerige vrou na my toe en se ,sy sien ek sit elke middag hierso en sy wonder net hoekom ek so op die rekenaar werk en wat ek doen. Wil nie nuuskierig klink nie ens ens, toe kom ek maar uit met die sak patatas en se traveling with my husband wat deel van die crew en dan gaan die gesprek gewoonlik verder wie, wat, waar ens. Se toe wel ek hoop nie sy kom by hulle uit nie en wat ek nie bylas nie is as jy uitvind wat so n besoek kos word jy amper flou of sieker net van die kostes! Hier kan jy glad nie sonder reisversekering seil nie,dis n moet.

 

Manlief se baas kom volgende week saam seil en hyt my gewaarsku dit kan dalk beteken dat ons saam met hom  moet gaan uiteet, moet se nie baie lus vir dit nie want hy is n  groot kokkedoor van hoof kantoor in Miami wat baas is van al hulle skepe van die maatskappy maar nou ja net die tyd sal leer of ons sal moet gaan. Een van die personeel gaan ook huis toe aan die einde van die week so n uiteet saam met hulle darem op die kaarte en dit altyd lekker dan gaan eet ons in een van die resaturante op die skip en ek kan dalk n glas wyn kry, ek mis my ou glasie wyn.

My man kan nou vir jou wegle in sjokelade,sy een kollega wat weggaan het vir hom n baie baie groot Toberrone gekoop en ek moet net keer of hy eet die hele ding op, praat van n galaanval maar hy makeer net niks daarna nie is weer aan die oefen en dan is hy lus vir soetigheid. Toe hy in die weermag was het hy die kondensmelk so uitgedrink maar daar het hulle darem vir hulle rondgejaag tot hulle wou dood ek praat nou van 40 jaar gelede,kan jy glo!

Don’t know if this is normal in the States but people come walking past and burb out loud, weird, I think it is rude but maybe not for them. Have also picked up that more and more people from other countries are starting to travel / cruise again which is great.

15/08/23 @SEA

Our second sea day today and decided on an early walk, was 1 hour forward last night so when we started walking it was still dark outside, for me the best time of the day. Not much happening but think I might visit Horseshoe Bay tomorrow while hubby is working. Going to take the taxi, just so much easier and picks you up right next to the ship and drops you at the beach.

When taking the local pink buses, you get dropped at the top of the hill and must walk down which is not too bad but the going back up the hill when you are hot, tired, wet and full of sand not so pleasant! The other problem is we share the bus with the locals, so it has happened that when the bus stops at Horseshoe Bay it is full, and you need to wait for the next one to come and just hope there is going to be a spot for you.

16/08/23: DOCKYARD BERMUDA

Vanoggend 3.30 is ons wakker gemaak met n Code Alpha aankondiging oor die intercom sisteem en toe vlieg my man soos n pyl uit n geweer uit ons bed,skarrel om aan getrek te kom and later ontdek ek hy is met net een kous daar weg in die geskarrel!! Dit was darem toe nie iets enstigs nie net iemand wat flou geword het so toe kon ons darem weer geslaap kry tot dit tyd was om op te staan maar die gym sessie het in die slag gebly.

Die ambulans het 3 keer deur die loop van die oggend die skip besoek een arme vrou het van die dans baan gisteraand afgeval en toe met n oop arm fraktuur geeindig, daar was seker ook n bietjie alcohol betrokke na n aand van gedansgery. Nr 3 was weer iemand het hartversaking.Ek het die taxi na ontbyt Horseshoe Bay toe gevat en oppad is n ambulans by ons verby. Lieflike dag en  baie warm met ongemaklike humiditeit.

On my way to my spot on the beach I had to giggle, saw an old Chinese lady lying on her back with a plastic cushion  very close to the water when I saw her I thought to myself she is going to be caught by the waves and sure enough the next minute a wave comes and turns her upside down, was quite funny to watch, end of her peaceful moment on the beach, she did not think it was funny!

Set up camp close to the rocks where I could also get into the shade and out of the sun. Then it was straight into the water for a fantastic swim in this beautiful water I was lucky to see a huge parrot fish come swimming past me, I was in the water until I had granny fingers then it was time for the beach. A Young boy arrived with his fishing kit and was so nice to watch him put on his bait and then in he went standing about waist deep, fishing. Not long after he went in, he came out with his little fish he had caught and said I could take a photo, and then said come watch me release it, how cute is that. Dierbaar,so kinderlik en sorgvry.

Woke up with a sore throat this morning so think something might be up, so we will see how things go. Really had a fantastic morning enjoying the water of this amazing beach in Bermuda, you need to be so careful while in the water for it is so pleasant that you forget about being in the sun, each week we see people looking like crayfish after their first day in the sun. I had my 50 sunblock on so was ready! The café at the beach was busy and the beach was packed with hundreds of people I think the most popular beach of the island because of its famous pink sand.

They also have very nice facilities where you can change, shower and get the sand off your feet before leaving the beach area. I had a shower for the first time today and must say was nice, so will do it again. Hubby is on duty today so no night out in Dockyard tonight but hopefully tomorrow night, think it is time for a glass of wine. So, until tomorrow.

 

 

17/08/23 BERMUDA

We had another restless night after hubby was called for another injury ,this time a dislocated arm due to a fall while dancing, maar lyk my vroulief was heel vrolik maar toe pappa by die medies aankom toe is hy glad nie beindruk met se wederhelf nie,so lyk my hy was nie by tydens die dansery en val nie, normally he would treat the dislocation himself but when on land they rather send the patients to the Casualty, so off she went this morning.

Had another big cruise ship in port today but they only arrived during the morning and left this afternoon, not enough time to see this beautiful island, two and a half days perfect. Hubby was off early so we went and bought our ticket for the Dolphin Quest Encounter and could only get a spot at 14h00 so we walked around and ended up at the ice cream shop for some strawberry and rum and raison ice cream, boy! it was good and getting out of the heat and cooling down in the air-conditioned building was a huge bonus.

 

Then it was time for his excursion, and we were so lucky he could get crew discount and are going to e mail him his photos complimentary, what a spoil!

Did a quick walk in the museum area and then we landed up on the grass under an umbrella right next to the dolphin pool and there we stayed for about 40 minutes with hubby lying on my lap and got a chirp from another guy “he is a lucky man” want toe is dit, kielie tyd !!Think he really enjoyed just getting away from the ship and relaxing, time out!

His encounter was special, and he loved every minute off it, seems to have connected with the dolphin was so nice to see and watch, took videos so will post them on Sunday, even the trainer said she seems to like you! I truly believe animals have a six sense and pick up when people love animals. The swim was one of his highlights on our travels all over the world and so glad I talked him into going on it, his face said it all when he came out to meet me!

Was hot today would not want to live here, just too hot can't really be outside need to be inside with an aircon is eintlik onplesierig as dit so warm is. Looks like everyone is having a good time and enjoying their time here. The plan is to go out after dinner and then I might get my glass of wine. Have not decided what I am going to do tomorrow maybe a swim at Snorkel Park could be an option right here in Dockyard and not far to walk, so we will see.

18/08/23: BERMUDA

We went out for dinner in Dockyard and what a nice evening, I had my long-awaited glass of Chardonay, and we had pizzas at Amici, the place that we decided against last time, but the pizza was good and the aircon was a huge blessing. Would have been a lot nicer to sit outside with views over the ship and the trees that were lit up at night, but it was just too hot.

I got up early and hubby stayed behind to catch up on some sleep, that is one downside here there are no weekends off and getting away from the ship, so I slipped out quietly and had my walk before dawn. It is so peaceful and quiet before the rest of the ship wakes up, only me and the ocean with views over Dockyard. Late morning, we went for another walk just to get off the ship, but I decided to leave the swimming for next week and an ice cream won the prize of what shall we do!!! We left at 15h00, think I should take a video when we leave next week to show you how narrow the passage in the sea is where the ship had to sail through, you could see it clearly between the buoys.

Tomorrow is a sea day and then New York. Hubby has 8 weeks to go then time for home and his vocation. See a tropical storm is nearing the California coastline so very thankful we are on the other side of the USA. With global warming and the fires all over the world it is scary they are going to be coming fast and furious, we are going into hurricane season now. Just had another Code Alpha call and left Bermuda 3 hours ago so as I said before if it is serious, they will just have to cope with the situation for now.

 Don’t think we have ever been on a cruise ship with so many Code Alpha’s in our 11 years at sea but it is one of the biggest ships of the fleet. My cold seems to be kicking in and don’t want hubby to get sick but what can you do.

19/0823 @SEA

Thank goodness the call was not nothing serious. We were ready for our walk this morning and when we got outside it was pouring with rain and we were in a storm @sea with strong winds that meant Plan B had to kick in and ended up going to the gym. I was expecting a lot more rocking and rolling but must have had the stabilizers out for was not bad at all unless I have turned into an old skipkat!

Not feeling 100% so ended up back in our cabin earlier than usual and went straight to bed after a nice hot shower. My hair is getting too long but don’t think I am brave enough to try the local hairdressers on board for a cut, think that would be brave, for you never know! Not something you can fix once it is off it is off!!! So, I wake up with a hairstyle that does look like a bird’s nest or should I say kraaines, scary sight! Glad I have enough hair to make a very short ponytail with a headband so, that is my new style.

Don’t really have definite plans for tomorrow because hubby not sure how his day is going to play out, so we will see. I might go and do something on my own once he has returned to the ship. Going to try an excursion in Port Canaveral for not much to do in the port area and need to take a bus to the mall and don’t want to walk around in a mall would rather try and see some or other tourist attraction, but only time will tell. The good tours are normally booked in advance. Bye for now.