Regent Voyager of the Seas

San Francisco, Hawaii, French Polynesia, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Phillipines, Taiwan, South Korea, China





Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Sea Days to Hawaii

What is it like to be at sea for 4 days?  It is like walking on a rope bridge, like the kind that crosses a gorge.  We have been lucky so far that the seas have been relatively calm.  This is a smaller ship than we are used to and it rides the seas differently than a larger ship does.   Depending on where you are on the ship, it can seem motionless; other places, it pitches, vibrates, and rolls.  Even in bed, your body is in constant motion.  As I mentioned before, our cabin is in the stern on deck 9 – all the way in the back as far as you can go.  It is bumpy, lumpy, vibrates, rattles, squeaks, groans and moans.  For a person who is so in tune with her body as it recovers from major back surgery, the constant motion, even when one is sitting or lying down, it starting to take its toll.  I feel everything now.  My back is very fatigued from the constant adjustment the muscles make to keep the body upright.  Most people do not feel this at all as it is automatic.  I continually look like a drunken sailor as I walk down the halls and at times I feel a little queasy. Michael says I am turning into a wimp.  I try to get back to my cabin whenever I can to lie down and rest.  I am ready for terra firma!

We walk stem to stern several times a day.  The bridge room is on the lowest passenger deck, forward.  It seems as though all our time is spent there as I have had to play every day!  Michael has had excellent reviews on his teaching.  We have had full houses for the classes and games.  There is one lady who needed a partner, but anyone Michael sent her way was rejected.  So he has been playing with her, which is something he does not like to do when he is the Director, although he is enjoying playing.  I actually have to work on this cruise so far!  With so many people, I am filling in for beginner and intermediate lessons as well as playing.  Geesh, I was looking forward to some knitting time.

Our typical sea day goes like this:  get dressed, eat breakfast, work, eat lunch, work, eat dinner, go to the show.  I think we are the hardest working people from the entertainment staff!  People love their bridge.  I try to schedule some fitness time, but that is not working for me.  I went to the gym and met with the trainer to get some fine points on my exercises to strength my back and legs.  For one half hour, she ran me       through some new, refined exercises and I just about got seasick.  I cannot work out inside the gym or on a moving ship.  I walked the top deck where the track is and the movement is such that I am afraid to lose my footing and trip.  So while at sea, I am content to walk from one end of the ship to the other looking like a drunk, which I do several times a day and do some of my exercises while in bed. 

We have not had internet access since the second day at sea.  So if you don’t hear from me that is generally the reason; or else, there is nothing to write about.  The weather is getting warmer and more humid.  The pool is closed and drained because the water sloshes wildly and makes for a water hazard.  I don’t have much to say about the food because I haven’t eaten a real dinner yet.  There was the “famous” Regent block party last night where you meet your neighbors at a cocktail party held in the hallway. 

1 comment:

  1. When do U get to Hawaii and how many days will U be there? When I think of you walking like a drunken sailor I have to say it gives me a laugh since you should be used to it given how many cruises you have been on.

    Marilyn

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