Saturday, 22 January 2011 – Sea Day

PACKING DAY

Our last sea day and also our last full day of the cruise.

It was so nice out on deck now that it’s getting warmer as we head up north that I did quite a few laps on the Lower Promenade Deck. Shorts and t-shirts are becoming popular attire again but most of the deckchairs were empty (the majority are now reserved for Lanai cabin passengers who weren’t taking advantage of the beautiful day).

Being the last day also means packing day, stuffing everything that has been spread across the cabin back into my suitcase and duffle bag. Actually, those who know me well wouldn’t recognise my cabin as I keep everything spotless and nothing left out in the open (very different from my own home!) Fortunately everything fitted in easily as I’ve only bought a couple of books, the leather, the ship’s DVD of our Antarctic cruising, plus my cabin steward, three towels and the two bathrobes.

Speaking of my cabin steward, Suhardi, I went to the Culinary Arts Centre this afternoon, for the first time, to see a towel animal folding demonstration. Every evening I’ve had a different towel animal plus 2 chocolates waiting in my cabin when I’ve returned. At the demonstration, Suhardi was one of the two stewards who got to show off his towel folding talents. Suhardi has been with HAL since 1993 and this was the first time he has done the demo, and although a little nervous he did a great job – so good in fact that I bought a copy of the book and I’m going to make sure I make a towel animal and leave two chocolates on my bed each night when I get home! If I have any problems I’m sure Suhardi will survive the duffle bag trip to Australia.



Suhardi with some of his creations



To some a 17 night cruise might seem a long time but it’s only in the last few days that a group of us have fallen into an easy rhythm of shipboard life, meeting either for Pub Trivia, dinner or after dinner drinks in the Explorers Lounge where we watch over the good chocolates, before moving into the Explorers Café so we can talk without disturbing those listening to the musicians in the previous lounge. Tonight after a disappointing showing in Pub Trivia Robyn, Ken, Deb, Audrey and I had a fabulous dinner in the Pinnacle Grill, especially with the chocolate volcano cake for dessert.

 

Bags out - only the first two are mine