Four more sleeps...

Arcadia: 83,000 tons. [Biggest we have been on], Built 2005, passengers 1952, crew 886, 951 feet, speed 22 knots, draft 22 feet.

Some mixed feelings at the moment, I am anxious to get on our way to another adventure, yet I still have some loose ends to tie up before I can really get into this trip. All of the undone matters are to do with the build of course. And, it is another long weekend and nobody is able to work on those loose ends.

This afternoon we watched an old black and white movie called Lord Jeff, 1938, with Mickey Rooney. [A corny way to spend a rainy afternoon I know.] Near the end of the movie, the scene is set at the sailing of the Queen Mary. When the ship's horn was sounded as it cast off it got both Fellette and I all excited and of course we got into the 'trip' state of mind.

A list of some things that I am looking forward to: [I use I and we interchangeably, depending upon many things.]

- Seeing our friends again.

- The excitement of stepping aboard Arcadia with all the hustle and bustle associated with a ship sailing on a World Voyage.

- Walking into the stateroom for the first time.

- Going to sleep the first night with the throb of the engines and the rocking of the ship.

- Having coffee in the cabin in the morning.

- Connecting up my computer to the Internet on board. [It sure better be a pleasurable experience!]

- Fellette is looking forward to going to the Craft Lessons each sea day.

- Too many others to mention.

At this time I cannot think beyond the shipboard experience, but we are both looking forward to a leisurely time in California, Honolulu and Maui with our friends after the cruise.

Late this afternoon we went to Chapters, the bookstore, and picked up some discounted reading material for the next few weeks. We know a couple who sail regularly on very long voyages, and a full suitcase of books is part of their luggage. There are serious readers on long cruises. Also Bridge fanatics.

There are a number of people/couples who do a World Cruise every year and usually stick with the same cruise line. So you can build up a circle of friends that you see only three months a year. Some widows travel like this and no doubt it helps through what could be an otherwise lonely year. We were on a cruise once when a husband died on board. The wife had him cremated in India and continued on the voyage because she had more friends and reason to stay on board than fly home and be alone.

Trivia: We are really only 'leggers' on this cruise, that means we are only taking a 'leg' of the World Voyage. There seems to be a certain affinity with people that are taking the whole voyage. You cannot help but form a relationship with people that you have become close to for three or four months. Whereas with only 22 days or so, there is not a lot of time to bond with people. Having said that we met two couples in 1999 that we still see and correspond with after 21 days, from Southampton to Cape Town. You just 'click' with certain people, or at least we do.