Right now everything is up in the air. Insignia left Sydney at 0400 heading due east. We have started to receive more detailed information on what we are avoiding as to weather. Steve went on to a Melbourne newspaper website and the weather is predicted to be terrible. Loads of drenching rain and plunging temperatures, weather so cold that stockmen are being advised to protect their sheep flocks from the weather.
Right now we are to arrive in Auckland on the 14th. The cruise line is still reformulating our itinerary. A quick look at a map and where the depressions are answers the question as to why we are heading for northern New Zealand and the doubling back to the south.
There are a couple of interesting lectures today, but we forego them both. Yesterday was a great day, but it was a long day and all that socializing took its toll on us. We have breakfast in the Grand Dining Room and then read/write for the morning.
Cathy goes to Coffee Chat & Needlepoint to pick up a new kit. She has an interesting theory that it won’t be crowded because it is so early in this segment, but will get more crowded when the word gets out. She also had chatted it up with Kim who is going to be the staff person running the activity and learned that Kim intends to corral the attendees and not allow a feeding frenzy to develop as was the case previously. That’s encouraging.
We are adjusting to the news that our steward Slavvy (pictured with Cathy at the beginning of this post) is leaving the ship. Cathy is especially affected as she has looked at him as almost a son. He is pretty shy and quiet, but does a very good job. We are sure his replacement Jega from India will also be fine, but we had expected Slavvy to be with us through the entire cruise.
We run into our friend Paula, who we have been thinking about since the itinerary change was announced. She detests Sea Days (as Steve would if he didn’t have this blog) because there isn’t enough to do. We hear that everyone has been commiserating with her about her “affliction.”
Of course naps are part of the day. What else is new? More writing and reading as well.
The sunset today is spectacular. Because we are in the Southern Hemisphere, it is taking place at 4:58pm. We are far at sea, but it looks like a huge fire is taking place somewhere.
This evening we have dinner with the O’Dells in Toscana at 6:30pm. We get a great table in the very stern of the ship. Cathy and Steve start with an appetizer special of ceviche, a portion so large that it could have been an entrée. Steve has angel hair pasta in a delicious tomato sauce and Cathy has veal.
As usual, we have a great time with this couple. One of the benefits of this trip that we are thankful for is this friendship that has developed with them. And we haven’t been to Toscana in weeks.
