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

[Pushka]

The Markets. I don't mind dry markets but wet markets turn my stomach.

Lots of wonderful sights and smells.





These chillies are super hot.

There are traffic inspectors in every country.



I'm back on the ship and rather sunburnt. I decided to do top deck in return but we were stuck in the sunshine for ages as one of the doors wouldn't open and they had to get people in wheelchairs up a flight of stairs.

 

[Pushka]

Can't get fresher coconut milk than this.

 

[QF WP]

Now where are the Mai Tai's??

 

[Pushka]

Hi guys. We haven't floated away but the internet has been flaky today. Not much to report today other than a laundry rage story where someone put a chocolate bar in someone's dryer because they didn't remove their items and had disappeared. That and some missing knickers that ended up in someone else's laundry. When asked at dinner if they had lost them, instead of just denying they theirs, which is probably what I'd do, they asked about size, brand and colour.

Another formal night tonight. Apparently ours is one of only two tables that has fresh flowers and is much larger than the rest.

We have two more sea days and are in the south China sea heading towards Shanghai. I think the warm weather maybe disappearing.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Hi guys. We haven't floated away but the internet has been flaky today. Not much to report today other than a laundry rage story where someone put a chocolate bar in someone's dryer because they didn't remove their items and had disappeared. That and some missing knickers that ended up in someone else's laundry. When asked at dinner if they had lost them, instead of just denying they theirs, which is probably what I'd do, they asked about size, brand and colour.

Another formal night tonight. Apparently ours is one of only two tables that has fresh flowers and is much larger than the rest.

We have two more sea days and are in the south China sea heading towards Shanghai. I think the warm weather maybe disappearing.

Now that is mean !!! :evil:
(Storing it away for future reference )

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Just a word of warning on your day of disembarkation at the end of the cruise when you go to breakfast make sure all your belongings in your cabin are in your suitcases & lock them.

Mum & Dad did a QM2 trans Atlantic crossing and despite being back in their cabin well in advance of the time stated, they returned from breakfast only to find their cabin door wide open in their digital camera missing which had been on the dressing table.

The crew had opened their cabin door prematurely and some thieving maggot of a passenger saw it sitting there as they walked past & stole it.

 

[drron]

Thank goodness Pushka.24 hours and no word had me thinking the worst.Cunard liner lost in the South china sea.

 

[love_the_life]

Apologies to ODtheY, but somehow we ended up at the show tonight. She sat through it very well but declined my offer to buy her the CD if it was available! Not sure how we did manage to attend, maybe it was a good idea at the time. The musicians were talented but an evening of saxophone did not cut it with OD the Y. Maybe tomorrow.

 

[Pushka]

Apologies to ODtheY, but somehow we ended up at the show tonight. She sat through it very well but declined my offer to buy her the CD if it was available! Not sure how we did manage to attend, maybe it was a good idea at the time. The musicians were talented but an evening of saxophone did not cut it with OD the Y. Maybe tomorrow.

I must say I have no idea how I got there as I had no intention of going to the show. I'm sure the girls were fantastic but sax's aren't on my favourite solo instruments. Let's blame the G&T's before dinner and formal nights. A delightful host tonight who engaged really well with everyone and he was quite young. Nice work.

We are stirring our waiter a little with the souffles. Well, a lot really. He has worked out we are just a bunch of crazy Aussies and has a laugh each time we have a little fun with him. He goes off beaming then goes to his station to tell the crew the latest thing we've said and they laugh. He's excellent at his job and has a great future ahead.

 

[Pushka]

Complimentary Room Service Breakfast.

I decided last night that I wasn't up to getting breakfast in KC and didn't fancy the MDR. So I put in an order for room service for 8.15 as that would allow a sleep in after Formal night. The Room service is always delivered promptly at the requested time.

So of course I'm wide awake at 6am and dressed ready for the day by 7am. So I while away the time by doing a tidy up. The attendant obviously thought the same thing the day before as all my charger cords were neatly bundled. (The downside to IT is the charger cord where most items use a different USB connection. Cords everywhere.)

Then I sort out monies. I generally tip a couple of USD for room service (I know, "UnAustralian" but it seems like the right thing to do here). Then I sort out the monies I'll need firstly for the Crew Tug of War today which is a charity event. Then the Yuan I've organised for Shanghai. (Shanghai = Shopping. And bright lights. ). And then finally HKD.

I just hope the guy who is a probably a smoker with the associated morning cough gets it off his chest before it arrives.
.

Leon de ste Croix's wake up station seems to be AWOL. Maybe he slept in.

At last. The knock on the door.
It's worth the wait. It's delicious.



That plus the ambience of this view somewhere South of Taiwan and west of The Philippines is pretty much as good as it gets.



Cunard uses quality China. Wedgwood.



There's a lecture today on Cunard and Wedgwood which sounds interesting. I haven't been to a lecture for a few days so am up to the challenge. It's being done by the Pilot who flew the last flight from the HK airport (and now where we berth for the first time) so that's an interesting diversion. He's had a few IT challenges so hope all goes well today. Lucky that didn't happen when he was an active Pilot.

So today is another sea day. I'll attend the lecture, grab a quick lunch before the crew tug of war. Who to cheer for I wonder? Do I have a favourite area? Yep. Maybe the bar service.

Then a gym session, catch a movie, pre dinner drinks, dinner then a showtime at the main ballroom. Sergey and Olga are doing a special floor show at 10.45pm.

The crew seem to enjoy themselves wonderfully on Deck 1. Passengers verboten. Them's the breaks.

 

[Pushka]

The ship celebrates Mothers Day this Sunday, March 30.

Clearly I will have to notify my laddies that something is expected. Or I could save them the trouble and do just a bit more shopping in Shanghai.

 

[Pushka]

A quick check on the scales shows.....no weight gain. The stairs, classes and healthy eating are paying off. The sight of overfilled plates and huge buffets of food have always worked for me. In not eating.

Walking my way round the ship I've come to the morning aquarobics class. It's being conducted by Stacey. (No passengers shown ).
Anyone catch Vlad's photo earlier?



One particularly enthusiastic but uncoordinated guy is jumping higher than the rest and is succeeding in drowning himself just as fast. And he's in the deep end while others are in the shallower part. All part of the deal I guess. Oh, Stacey's sorted him out now. She is very much Vlad's apprentice and might overtake him in the torture stakes.

Unfortunately as I've sat down to type the only shady area here is the smokers area. I last a minute and move on.

I continue my walk around the Promenade and to the great annoyance of the serial walkers I'm not walking briskly and there are glares as they try overtake me on narrower parts. I try to keep to the "slow side" but there are narrow areas. So many friggen rules to walking correctly here. Not by the ship but by the pax!

I spot a sheltered place to put a deck chair (it's blowy both port and starboard) and I accidentally impeded the progress of one walker as he must finish the laps in record time or, well something bad must happen. I tried to avoid impeding people and had waited for a break but the chairs are awkward to shift and it takes longer than I'd thought. The look he gave was priceless. Thankfully I've also perfected the "look" as my husband calls it. He gets it back, double barrel. I'm happy.

Why don't these people use the exercise treadmills in the gym if their must-do brisk walk is so important? There are many elderly and less abled pax and such pushy behaviour is not on in this significant public area.

I do love people watching.

 

[Pushka]

A surprising dedication to Homer Simpson is etched into the main mural leading to the Britannia Restaurant. It's tiny and is already being "rubbed away" by people touching it.

See if you can find him. I'll post another closer shot later.

 

[Pushka]

Current location:



And we are rolling around. Too early for the G&T so it's not me.

 

[QF WP]

Walking my way round the ship I've come to the morning aquarobics class. It's being conducted by Stacey. (No passengers shown ).
View attachment 26636

Is that the best you can do?? A side angle from 30m

Anyone catch Vlad's photo earlier?

What??? *scurries off to check all photos* - he must be in the photos from King Neptune (post #368)

He isn't the Captain

 

[Pushka]

Not even close QF WP.

 

[Pushka]

A funny half an hour with the crew and the tug of way. Quite scary what some of the most senior officers were calling themselves.



The Sexy team. They lost in the first round.

This team came second. And won the mixed team. They are the Musicians.

 

[Pushka]

Did that pic post Ok? I'll try another one.

These were the winners

 

[Pushka]

Immigration processing for China has been completed at sea and we've received a copy of our passport with a special bar code. We don't receive our passports for Shanghai. And have just seen the Chinese Immigration officials in the Lobby. No photo of course.

The seas are picking up now.

 

[QF WP]

Unless Vlad was in shorts and singlet, I'm sure most would miss him