DFR Travels: Sea Day 5...

Burns' Day. January 25. Warm, scattered showers.

What is life like aboard on a sea Day? I will try and give you some idea today...

At home, we are early to bed and early to rise. 9:00 PM is bedtime. That does make life aboard a wee bit complicated, for me in particular as I seem to need more sleep than Fellette.

Regardless...

So, here, we are again generally awake and ready for coffee around 5:30 to 6:00 AM. We enjoy the leisurely wake-up time and often sit on the deck outside our cabin before dressing for breakfast that usually takes place before 8:00 AM, mostly with Jim and Gail. On sea days we stick to cereals and healthy breakfasts with fruit as well.

We then try and get some deck-walking time in before taking in a talk or two on items of interest. Today Fellette went for a swim and did laps for about 1/2 hour. I try and do some exercises to strengthen my arms. Before you know it lunch time rolls around. I try and stick to fresh salads with some small amount of protein, knowing that dinner will be my main meal.

After lunch there is not a lot to do that interests me on this cruise as the speakers and activities do not interest me too much. Fellette will have Choir Practice. Reading fills the time nicely for both of us now that I seem to have caught up with sleep.

This afternoon Jim and I spent some time together trying to book a tour in Myanmar [old Burma] where we arrive in a week and have two days there. Oh yes, I got my haircut today as well.

We start thinking about getting ready for dinner around 4:30 or 5:00. They deliver us a small plate of canapés around 5:15 which we nibble at as we shower and get dressed for dinner. During cruises this is a special time for us as we have great memories of some wonderful trips when the day ended with a wee drink before sitting at a table discussing the days events.

We lay our dinner clothes out some time before, just because there is so much leisure time. The journey is what we enjoy, the shore side trips are a bonus and round out the experience.

A few days ago somebody asked what we liked best about cruising [I dislike the word cruising as it sounds so damn useless!] We did not give a real answer to that question at the time. However, we later thought about it and came to the conclusion that what we like about cruising is the fact that "It stops us from working!' The travel, adventure, luxury and camaraderie are bonuses!

The foregoing may sound like absolute rubbish, and maybe it is, but after a day in port at high temperatures and humidity with all the hustle bustle we really do need some downtime. Sea Days are our rest time, we do not feel the least bit guilty about doing absolutely nothing.!

On this trip there are 15 sea days and 24 ports, which is just about right for us. On one trip years ago when we came up through the Suez into the Mediterranean there were eight port days in a row! That was completely devastating as we could not take that much high intensity touring and it lessened the total experience. Moderation in all things is good advice.

Tonight was Robbie Burns Night. Piped in Haggis and an address to the Haggis and all that goes with it. Great day at sea!

Fellette checking my computer earlier today.

Any news from home is like a breath of fresh air to us.

Fellette doing laps this morning.

Fellette's attire laid out on the bed for Burns' Night tonight. Sutherland Tartan.

Mine will be my black tux and MacKenzie Tartan bow tie.

We are moving to the left at approximately one half inch a day when sailing on Craig's map. Today we are under the 'D' in Indonesia.

Just dressed and down to the Captain's Reception, held for those 200 who boarded at Bali and open to all. As I said, new haircut today. I asked the barber to take 30 years off!