DFR Travels: 1st of Four Sea Daze...

Sunday August 25. In the Bering sea, light swells, sunny skies. 11 C.

Clocks go back another hour tonight, Now three hours behind Vancouver.

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You either hate them or love them, Sea Days that is, when there are no ports forcing you into either relaxing, taking in talks to increase your knowledge or being frustrated by being 'confined' to the ship. We both love sea days.

This morning we were one of the first in the buffet at 7:30 AM after coffee in the cabin around 6:00. We took in two talks, one on the possibility of intelligent beings in outer space, the other on the Bayeux Tapestry and what it means. [The Tapestry is displayed on the stair wells throughout the ship.

After lunch they had a bit of a show of us crossing the International Dateline 12 hours hence, at 1:30 in the morning. That means that we will be at the 180th Meridian, half way to Greenwich in London in either direction.

Fellette went to a mini-concert while I went to the cabin and did my computer work so it is not rushed later this evening. I have gotten into the habit of taking in the evening performances by a wide range of entertainers.

This four sea days possibly sounds terribly boring but we don't think so. A person can only take in so much into their head and on a reasonably long trip you can actually forget earlier parts of the trip completely.

It actually becomes mentally draining if there is little or no downtime. Granted, four days at sea is pushing it but at our time of life we love it.

Speaking for myself, at home, I usually set some goal to accomplish each day. Sometimes a big task and sometimes a relatively minor accomplishment. Here, that is impossible so I have had to rethink: What is an accomplishment? I have come to the conclusion that if I can learn something every day, that is a worthy accomplishment, that way I can go to bed and feel that I have done something positive today..

I estimate that I may spend about 1 1/2 hours a day minimum between the Blog writing, daily journal writing, taking pictures and working on photos in preparation for a photo book for Fellette and I of every trip we make.

Between that and taking in talks, and some good old fashioned quiet contemplation, it makes up for lack of shore excursions and builds up your enthusiasm for when they do happen, otherwise they can become draining day after day after day.

I must confess while away that I do miss the regular contact with family, work and a few other people that I touch bases with regularly. I also miss 'at ease' conversations with family and friends rather than making conversations with strangers and strangers we have met since boarding.

As we were strolling through the ship and exploring some cozy places to curl up in relative solitude I sad to Fellette, somewhat in jest: "This is really like a Floating Rest Home that sails the world and comes into Adventureland every so often!"

Certainly a bit too laid back for anybody under 60 but I must confess as a 61 year old: This is pretty darn nice!

It's too bad we did not drink more, the bar in our cabin is stocked with whatever we want and wine flows like water at lunch and dinner.

Our day in pictures...