Life on Board

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New Friends
The ship is beginning to feel like a very small village. Faces are now familiar and I’m starting to pair the names and faces together. Yesterday at lunch I sat next to Len from …….. Bridgeport!.

From the “can you bite off your nose to spite your face” notebook; Joy from Australia did not think she needed a visa for New Guinea, cost in Australia, $25. The government changed the rules and she was required to get one on board at a cost of $104. She took umbrage at this rip off and decided to leave the cruise at New Caledonia and fly home to Australia at a cost of over $1,000 and leaving her friend behind.

Standing on principle is fine but I would have chosen a more important and less costly principle.

There are quite a few women traveling alone or with girl friends. We meet at solo lunches and in the Crow’s Nest for dancing after dinner. They are bright, friendly women and I enjoy hearing about their experiences when cruising.

That said, I’m glad that I decided to pay the surcharge and have a cabin to myself. First, I have used every hanger and filled all wardrobes and all but two drawers. Where would a roommate put her clothes? I have the safe to myself so I feel my stuff is secure.

From the “should she really be traveling alone” notebook. I broke the rules and purchased a new computer and digital camera just before I left. This is a no-no as I should have been totally familiar with both before I left. But I did bring the manuals along. Unfortunately, the one for my camera is in French and Japanese. Linda, Todd, where are you when I need you?

There is standing room only at the lectures. People begin arriving 30 minutes before the start in order to get a seat. Although the lectures are repeated on TV, everyone seems to want to attend. I attended a Flute and Piano concert (outstanding) which was the event preceding the lecture so I had a good seat.

The forecast is for a rainy day tomorrow in New Caledonia. So far this has been a cruise of sunny sea days and rainy port days. I hope that changes. I’m off on a 4-wheel drive across the island

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