2 Old Dames on the best Dame in the World - Queen Mary 2

[Pushka]

For each Port there is a Destination Talk. Yesterday it was for Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia. It's on the Island of Borneo and is well known for the tragedies of Troop Treatment during WW2 and for its Orangutan Rescue services.

We spent a week there a few years ago as a family and loved it.

I just caught the last few minutes of the talk. And from that small part I thought that people would leave with the impression that at any time whilst walking in the streets they could be attacked by an Orangutan in just the same way that Americans think we have kangaroos jumping down the street. We were told what to do if we "came across" an angry male one.

Speaking with a lady yesterday she said she now didn't want to go there anymore. This is a lady in her seventies who travels the world on her own. She's off to Europe in July.

Apparently his opening line was "have you all had your shots so you don't catch dengue and malaria?" Bad move.

We have limited time in KK as we don't arrive until 9am; it's a tender port and so takes a long time to get ashore and we have to return by 4pm. So imagine getting 2,300 people onto those lifeboats and back again in that time. We aren't going too far into areas that mossies are an issue.

 

[bass_ke]

Thanks for the TR dames, it's refreshing to see a different type of tr on AFF!

I feel like this ship has been following me, I met her in Fremantle at the start if the month and travelled through Cairns and the Torres Strait just before she passed through, an amazing part of the world!

Enjoy KK ladies! I think some Roti and Teh Tarik should be in order!

 

[Pushka]

I'm hanging out for a curry fix bass_ke. I asked for some chilli paste for one curry side dish, but the dish itself was one of those curries made for people who don't eat "local" curries. I emptied the chilli bowl and it still wasn't that hot.

Nothing better than a curry/rice/roti combo eaten from the hand with sauce dripping down. I'll have to suss out where the locals are eating.

As we were wandering through the crews mess al I could smell was the curries being prepared. Yum. Dammit, you've got me thinking about curries and it's only 7am.

 

[drron]

That's why I loved the Hilton Kuching-a choice of 5 curries in the EL for breakfast.Of course I didn't know which was best so had to sample them all.
Ships just don't do curries properly though.

 

[Pushka]

I think this would be worth going to?

 

[Pushka]

Just another morning. Somewhere west of PNG and South East of Indonesia.

(I'd load a photo but I'm getting timed out)

We cross the Equator tomorrow. There's an initiation ceremony. It's messy.

We arrive in KK on Tuesday. I'm thinking a few will have cabin fever by then.

 

[Pushka]

Our table consists of Aussies. We are teaching our Officer new words or expressions. The latest being "I'm knackered". (We are all a little weary. ) Of course as he left the table he knew exactly what to say after a long shift and hosting dinner. Priceless.

 

[Pushka]

Ships just don't do curries properly though.

Curries that have carrots and sultanas in them are not curries but wannabes. I must bribe the waiter to bring some of the crew's food up.

 

[Fifa]

Thank you so much for your Trip Report. I really enjoy cruising and am thoroughly enjoying your posts.

Many years ago, my +1 used to be a lighthouse mechanic with the Commonwealth Lighthouse Service (Dept. of Transport) and the area from the NSW/QLD border right round to south of Weipa was his old stamping ground. He thinks this is Albany Rock lighthouse.

Cute lighthouse on top of nasty rocks. View attachment 26411

 

[bass_ke]

I'm hanging out for a curry fix bass_ke. I asked for some chilli paste for one curry side dish, but the dish itself was one of those curries made for people who don't eat "local" curries. I emptied the chilli bowl and it still wasn't that hot.

Nothing better than a curry/rice/roti combo eaten from the hand with sauce dripping down. I'll have to suss out where the locals are eating.

As we were wandering through the crews mess al I could smell was the curries being prepared. Yum. Dammit, you've got me thinking about curries and it's only 7am.

Such vivid description certainly helped my choice of what to cook for lunch today!

 

[Pushka]

Last night was a fund raiser for the Crews Charities. It was a stage show put on by the crew in their own time. There is an entertainment director on board, of course his name is Leon de st Croix. He chats after every show. He met us just before the Behind the Scenes tour. He's very pleasant.

His act last night was a standout. Completely out of character he came storming out, in drag, singing "I want to break free". Busty top, wig, tight as mini skirt, and gold lame G string that kept misbehaving. He has a fantastic voice and belted out a beauty.

The last act started off a little ordinary and the first person in a row of 6 microphones did their act. Every 2 minutes or so another person would join that person who then repeated their lines and actions. It was like a jigsaw puzzle and as each person joined, the individual acts made sense when interacting with the person who'd just joined them. It was clever and really funny. And well done.

 

[Pushka]

Hmm. Swarovski sales are dangerous.

 

[Pushka]

It turned out that the Pilot giving the talk was Chief Pilot with CX for the last flight out of Kai Tek airport. Quite fitting that the new Cruise Port in HK built at Kai Tek is now in use and this will be the first time QM2 will berth there. While it's our last port stop we do get to spend the last night onboard, berthed here.

His talk was excellent. Humorous and well planned. Worth another lecture tomorrow.

 

[Pushka]

I like receiving letters. Especially when I'm the only stateroom I can see that has one. It's going to be an Ah moment.

This is what I find when returning to the cabin (and yes, that's a bandaid concealing part of my cabin number ).



It's a photo of our group of 16 on the Bridge with the Captain. Unfortunately I can't post it due to privacy issues of the participants, plus the fact they keelhaul anyone who posts unauthorised pictures of the Bridge.

Cunard do this kind of thing very well.

 

[Pushka]

Just completed a workout at the gym and pleased to say it was delightfully empty. Clearly the novelty is wearing off except for tragics like me. The scales are getting a workout.

The Captains Cufflinks are just outside the gym so I ventured around to take photos. There are 8, not 6. I know from last nights Bridge Trip that this area is tightly scrutinised in the Bridge so I resist the urge to do a Royal Wave.

I've put a drink bottle next to one of them to appreciate the size.



I then decide to stroll around Promenade deck which goes past Kings Court buffet. Once again it's busy. I do a quick circuit (1 mile) to see if I can spot Dame the O or my other table mate but not to be found.

The aft staterooms are the prized Suite locations and are often the first choice of many cruisers regardless of their category. I'm not a fan. It is so far to get to anywhere. I'm midship which is pretty much perfect.

These are the wake views.



My iPhone has a Michael Jackson baby dangle moment as I hang it over the edge to take this.

Again the area is an area watched by security cameras for obvious reasons. And sure enough as I look forwards there are two security people watching from the satellite receptors as I'm pretty much alone back here.

 

[love_the_life]

Finding the wifi really patchy and am dropping off at present. Enjoying an espresso and wrap in the coffee shop which us quite quiet except for one man who is banging on about warm milk for some reason. Perhaps the Pavilian pool this afternoon.

 

[love_the_life]

The internet is nothing if not flaky - I have been in and dropped off more times than I care to recount :evil::evil:
The musical lecture was entertaining, looking at the King and I and the way Thai culture has been portrayed over the various versions of the play/film/musical. A woman sitting near me however kept singing, so I "sushed" quite loudly and that seemed to shut her up.
Lunch was in the coffee shop rather than run with the bulls in the buffet.
Last night I ate at Lotus which is a sort of specialty restaurant where they block off part of the buffet to make a more formal dining area. It is an Asian style tasting menu, very nice but far too much food for me. The surcharge is only $10 for this and a number of other ones that rotate through the area - Coriander is Indian (but I bet not hot), there is an Italian one and an American one. I suppose they fill the niche between the MDR and Todd English the full-blown specialty restaurant on board and give passengers more of a choice of where to eat.
I ventured to the Pavilion Pool but hoopla was on again so will go back later. Gloriously warm with a few clouds and mirror seas. The sunset last night was fabulous but unfortunately I only took a pic with my camera. When I move it onto the laptop I'll post - it was glorious. ODYounger seems to have been shopping…..again.

 

[jojen]

Wow Pushka & love_the_life !!! I am really enjoying reading your trip report. Have not been on a cruise yet, but after reading this maybe sooner than I thought !!!

Jojen

 

[Pushka]

Houston. We have a problem. Abandoned walker. Dame the older, did you forget something?

Just ran the bulls at the buffet for afternoon tea. There's a rule on cruises apparently that if you don't eat something every two hours you die. Well, that seems to be the case here.

 

[Pushka]

Thanks for the info about the sunshine Dame the Older. Issue with eyesight too?