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Live from the 2020 Grand World Voyage


Scrapnana
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February 23, 2020

 

At Sea

 

I woke up early and decided to have my once a cruise sweet bun.  I try one each cruise just in case they are any better.  As is the past, one will suffice for the cruise.  As I was finishing it, Sherita came by and we went upstairs together.  Once again we had everyone present for Sit and Stitch.

 

In trivia we had 10 out of 15 and two teams tied with 12.

1)Taraxacum is the proper name of the flower more commonly known as what?

2.If you are sized up by a Brannock Device, what are you shopping for?

3.”Kiss Me Kate” is based on which Shakespeare comedy?

4.In 1814 Napoleon was exiled to which island off the coast of Tuscany?

5.Selaphobia is the fear of what?

 

I did a little work on my Linus blanket and put up tomorrow’s sail-away thread before lunch.  In Arts & Crafts we had more than 120 people (and it wasn’t even a jewelry day) so Nancy asked for volunteers who had not made a previous project (the lanyard) to make that so everyone would get something to make.  Today’s project was a Polynesian zippered purse.

 

We only had four present for afternoon trivia which was Spencer’s first since getting onboard yesterday.  We had 14 out of 18 and the winners had 17.

 

1.Which two countries border Andorra?

2.Ruby is the gift for which wedding anniversary?

3.What nationality was Marie Curie?

4.What does “Genghis” mean (as in Genghis Khan)?

5.Which country is home to South America’s highest peak?

 

I didn’t feel like swimming so I sat out on deck 9 in the sun for about 45 minutes working on my knitting.

 

This evening’s dinner had a “Tropical Paradise” theme.  The waiters had on flowered shirts and straw hats, the dining room was decorated with “palm trees” and everyone had a straw hat at their place.

 

The show was an Australian singer named Annie Frances who performed hit songs of the 70s.  She had a lot of energy and a big voice.

 

Tendering conditions being favorable, we will make a stop in Avatiu, Rarotonga tomorrow.

 

Morning Trivia

1.dandelion

2.shoes

3.The Taming of the Shrew

4.Elba

5.light flashes

 

Afternoon trivia

1.France and Spain

2.40

3.Polish

4.universal ruler

5.Argentina

 

Smooth sailing until next time!

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February 24, 2020

 

Avatiu, Rarotonga, Cook Islands

 

I did a good tour of the island two years ago so I did not do one today.  I could not remember what the area around the tender pier was like (and I didn’t have but two pictures) so I decided I would take the tender over and refresh my memory.

 

Since I was in no hurry, I waited until open tendering (no tender ticket needed) which occurred at 10:15.  I went down and got on the tender and was on land by 10:35.  The reason I could not remember the area was because there was nothing special to remember.  I walked for a short time but I had no real desire to find the town so I turned around and looked at the stalls by the pier and was back in my cabin by 11:35.

 

After lunch in the Lido I went to the Sea View pool and was able to do 2/3 of my laps before the pool got too crowded.  I sat in the sun for awhile and read.  When there were only two in the pool, I got in and finished my laps.  The chlorine in the pool is turning my hair blue (kind of a turquoise shade).  Not sure if there is much I can do about it.

 

When I got out the second time, Sherita was working on her crochet.  We sat and talked while I knitted and she continued her granny square blanket.  It started to drizzle after a few minutes and we gathered our things and moved under the overhang from deck nine.  Just it time too, because we got a good downpour.

 

I left the pool at about 3:40 to get ready for afternoon trivia (the only one of the day).  Only Diana and I showed up so we played with the “We don’t need Google” team that sits beside us in morning trivia.  We won with 15 out of 17.

1.Who flew for 43 years without a pilot’s license?

2.How many eyes does an earthworm have?

3.What is the state flower of Alaska?

4.What color are the flowers of the dill herb?

5.Which part of a woman’s body would ancient Chinese artists refuse to paint?

6.Which planet has the longest days?

 

I went to the Sea View pool for the last of the sail-away party.  I sat and talked with Judy (Lee) and her husband, Rich, for some time.  She treated me to the drink special – a Blue Lagoon.

 

The usual four for dinner.  I did not go to the show which was the Amsterdam singers and dancers.  Once again, I think I saw the show last year.

 

A sea day tomorrow.

 

Trivia

1.Orville Wright

2.none

3.forget-me-not

4.yellow

5.feet

6.Venus

 

 

Smooth sailing until next time!

This is the second time I have posted an update, submitted it, and had it come up as an entry and then disappear.  ????????!!!!!!!!!

 

 

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February 25, 2020

 

At Sea

 

We added another member to our Sit and Stitch group with Kathy for Sherita’s table.  Now we have the three Judys, Bonnie, Sherita, Sherry, Kathy, and me.

 

For morning trivia we had 11 out of 15.  Two teams tied for the win with 14.

 

1.What fruit is fermented to make “Perry”?

2.What city has the most famous Yonge Street?

3.”Sounder” is the term for a group of which animals?

4.How many provinces does the Netherlands have?

5.What company produced the first computer to run a Microsoft system?

 

I finished my fifth Linus blanket before lunch and tried to add more pictures to yesterday’s blog.  The internet was terrible.

 

In arts and crafts we made a pouch for the necklace we will make tomorrow.

 

I sat in the sun and finished my book after crafts.  I decided the water was sloshing around too much in the pool to swim this afternoon.

 

Debby joined us for afternoon trivia.  We had 12 out of 17 and the winners had a perfect score.

1.A praying mantis is the only insect to have only one of these.

2.What part of the population is left-handed – 5%, 7%, or 10%?

3.In what year did Monty Python’s Flying Circus debut on the BBC?

4.How many wings does a bee have?

5.What organs’ capacity is measured by a spirometer?

 

I tried to sit out on deck 9 overlooking the pool but they had already put away the loungers and tied them up so I came back to my cabin to battle the internet once again.  Things were slow (as usual) for the first 30 minutes and then, all of a sudden, the internet was working great.  I was able to get five pictures up in about 5 minutes, do a little research on Auckland (like the closest McDonald’s) and get rid of about 225 e-mails that had been stacking up since I could not get the e-mails to load.  I hated to have to leave to go to dinner.

 

Beads and masks were the order of the day in the dining room to celebrate Mardi Gras.  There was also a party up in the Crow’s Nest.

 

Instead of the show (a juggler) I went to the stargazing session.  Evidently people had asked for some stargazing and been told no so they mounted a protest and got it on the schedule.  There was a huge turnout (my estimate was at least a 100 people).  We made our way up to the Sky Deck which is deck 10 (although it does not show up on deck plans) right above the Crow’s Nest.  It was very windy and even with my Star Chart app, I could not find most of the stars the Third Officer was pointing out.  I did see Sirius and Orion’s Belt and maybe the Southern Cross. 

 

When I got back down the stairs to deck 9 I stopped in to see the Mardi Gras party.  There were quite a few people there (more than on a typical night at 10:30), the Station Band was playing, and people were dancing.

 

Tonight we gain an hour and lose 23 hours.  Tomorrow is a sea day.

 

Morning trivia

1.pears

2.Toronto

3.Wild pigs or boars

4.12

5.IBM

 

Afternoon trivia

1.ear

2.10%

3.1969

4.4

5.lungs

 

P.S.  After bragging how great the internet was, last evening I could not stay on long enough to get to even one site.  Hence, the lateness of this post.  This morning seems to be good however (hope I didn't jinx it!).

Smooth sailing until next time!

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1 hour ago, Scrapnana said:

 

I finished my fifth Linus blanket before lunch and tried to add more pictures to yesterday’s blog. 

 

Wow!  Well done 🙂 !  At the rate you are going your group is bound to reach it’s goal.

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14 hours ago, gigianne said:

Kathi - there is a shampoo you can buy that would help your blue hair, but I am not so sure you will find it on your travels until you reach Australia.  
 

Do you know what it is called?  I might find it in Auckland.

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February 27, 2020

 

At Sea

 

Today became Ash Thursday since we had no Wednesday.  There was a large service in the Mainstage.

 

Since I could not get on line last night, I went to bed at 11:30 so I was awake at 8.  The internet was working really well again and I was able to get everything posted as well as get through some e-mails.  I also picked out a pattern for the yarn I expect to buy in Auckland.

 

I had to leave Sit and Stitch early because I needed to turn in my fifth Linus blanket.  I was able to get more yarn than I expected but will have to make another “stashbuster” blanket with a row or two of each color.

 

In morning trivia we had 13 out of 15 and the winners had 14.  We talked ourselves out of a correct answer or we could have tied.

1.”Chadao” is the art of ____________.

2.The Hugo award is given in what field?

3.Defenestration is the act of being thrown out of what?

4.”Haldi” is the Indian name for which spice?

5.What is the universal blood type?

 

After trivia I started on my new Linus blanket.  In Arts & Crafts we made a wooden bead necklace.  I sat out by the Lido Pool before time to go to the Crow’s Nest for afternoon trivia.  We had 12 out of 17 and the winners had 15.5.

 

1.In what European nation could you visit the headquarters of NATO?

2.Who averaged one patent for every three weeks of his life?

3.Which Shakespeare character speaks the most lines (1442)?

4.What is a “ruderal” to a frustrated gardener?

5.What is heaviest element that occurs naturally on earth?

 

The lounge chairs were back on my favorite afternoon sitting area – the back of deck 9.  I sat in the sun for about 45 minutes and worked on my knitting as well as looking out at the sea.  The sea had been beautiful and very smooth all day long with just slight ripples caused by the breeze.

 

When I returned to my cabin there was a note from Guest Services asking about my water situation.  After the first time the plumber came my shower water went from 10 seconds of hot, then 10 seconds of cooler, and then repeating to one minute of a fixed temperature then back to the 10 second hot/10 second cooler.  The plumber came back today and I was able to get 3 minutes fixed and then back to the 10 second hot/cool.  On my way to dinner I stopped by and told them it was getting better but still not perfect.  They said they would send the plumber back and try again.

 

After dinner I went to the show which was a Doo-Wop group called The Alley Cats.  They were good.

 

Nuku’Alofa, Tonga tomorrow.

 

Morning trivia

1.making tea

2.science fiction

3.window

4.tumeric

5.O-

 

Afternoon trivia

1.Belgium

2.Edison

3.Hamlet

4.weed

5.uranium

 

Smooth sailing until next time!

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If you are unable to locate a chlorine removal shampoo (try a beauty supply store) you might try this tip: saturate your hair with tomato juice and leave on for up to 20 minutes then shampoo as usual. The acidity May remove the chlorine build up and tone out the blue/green color.

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Hi Kathi,

just found your live from, and in turn the blog, about a week ago and I was so happy yo be able yo follow you. 
I tried to sign up to subscribe to the blog, to no avail, so I will respond here. 
I also did NOT intentionally steal your books you loaned me. I just couldn’t find you on the last day of the 2018 WC. So when you get home you can send me your address and I will either meet you or I will send them. 
PS I loved them. 
hugs Cyndi 

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We had the same problem with our shower water temperature this summer on the Veendam. After the plumber adjusted it twice without a fix, he replaced the entire faucet and temperature control unit.  That solved the problem.  The plumber may have to do the same in your cabin.  Over time they will wear out.  

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February 28, 2020

 

Nuku’Alofa, Tonga

 

Once again, I have taken a very good tour of this island so I decided to walk around on my own.  I had driven through the town six years ago but I wanted to see it on foot.  I left the ship at 10 and picked up a walking map.  Although I did not follow the entire route, I walked over three miles. And it was really hot!  I stopped and looked at the stalls on my way back to the ship and was back in my cabin by 11:30.

 

After changing into my bathing suit, I had lunch in the Lido.  I spent from 12:30 to 3:15 at the Sea View Pool.  About half of that time was in the pool and the other half sunbathing.

 

Debby and her husband joined Diana and me for afternoon trivia.  We had 11 out of 18 and the winners had 16.

1.Sazerac is now usually made with rye or bourbon.  What was it originally made from?

2.What was the first movie Mel Gibson produced, directed, and starred in?

3.The Sealed Knot Society re-enacts what?

4.In the TV show Hogan’s Heroes what did Sgt. Schulz know?

5.The bomb plot of 1944 failed to assassinate whom?

 

While we were going over the trivia answers, we sailed away from Tonga.  The Captain came over the speaker and made the announcement that we have all been expecting – a revised itinerary.  A number of ports in Asia and one in Africa (due to civil unrest) were eliminated and a few added.  The most controversial was the addition of a two-night, three-day stay in Mumbai, India.  Most of the talk afterwards dealt with two things.  The first was how unhappy everyone was that the crew would not have a chance to see their families with the cancellation of all Indonesian ports.  The second was how would we get visas for India.  The Indian visa has for many years been one of the most difficult and costly ones to get.  We will see what HAL can do to expedite the process.  (I actually have a valid visa for India – I bought a 10-year one in 2013.  Unfortunately, it is in my old passport at home.)

 

There was a very unusual 6:30 pm general trivia.  There were only three teams and one many playing by himself.  We had 9 out of 17 and the winners had 10.

 

1.What war movie did Frank Sinatra direct?

2.What is the theme song of the Harlem Globetrotters?

3.What song did Dolly Parton write as a farewell to her partner Porter Waggoner?

4.What NBA star retired for the third time on May 14, 1996?

5.What singer had top 40 hits in every year between 1970 and 1998?

 

After dinner I went to the show which featured an impersonator. I did not stay for the entire show (and I was not the only one).

 

Sea day tomorrow.

 

Afternoon trivia

1.Sazerac cognac

2.Braveheart

3.the English Civil War

4.nothing

5.Hitler

 

6:30 trivia

1.None But the Brave

2.Sweet Georgia Brown

3.I Will Always Love You

4.Magic Johnson

5.Elton John

 

Smooth sailing until next time!

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18 hours ago, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

We had the same problem with our shower water temperature this summer on the Veendam. After the plumber adjusted it twice without a fix, he replaced the entire faucet and temperature control unit.  That solved the problem.  The plumber may have to do the same in your cabin.  Over time they will wear out.  

That is exactly what the plumber had to do.  Works great now.

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On 2/28/2020 at 8:45 AM, kesam said:

Hi Kathi,

just found your live from, and in turn the blog, about a week ago and I was so happy yo be able yo follow you. 
I tried to sign up to subscribe to the blog, to no avail, so I will respond here. 
I also did NOT intentionally steal your books you loaned me. I just couldn’t find you on the last day of the 2018 WC. So when you get home you can send me your address and I will either meet you or I will send them. 
PS I loved them. 
hugs Cyndi 

I didn't even know you had any books of mine.😀

 

Glad you are following along.  Love to you and Ed.

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3 hours ago, Scrapnana said:

I didn't even know you had any books of mine.😀

 

Glad you are following along.  Love to you and Ed.

Hi kathi, Ed says hi too. 😃The books are the two written by the cruise captain. Sorry to read that you will miss some ports. Hope they fix the visa situation fixed so that you might enjoy India. 
This virus has everyone in a state back here. 
good luck and hugs,

Cyndi

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