128 Days Around the World

March 16, 2020

At Sea

Another very depressing day. Everything started out fine and we had a large group for Sit and Stitch. Just before I was ready to go downstairs for trivia, the captain made an announcement that none of us wanted to hear. We all have to get off at Fremantle and we have to make our own flight arrangements (I am disappointed with HAL on this). Luckily, my travel agency will help.

Trivia was rather subdued but we were happy that Marilyn and Rodney will be able to get off (they were afraid they would have to go back to Fort Lauderdale if we could not dock in Fremantle – they live in Perth). We had 12 out of 15 but two teams had 13.

1.Who is Scooby-Doo’s nephew?

2.What is the name of the scale that measures the hardness of minerals?

3.What is the most common bird in the world?

4.Albert Einstein was offered the job of Prime Minister of which country?

5.Who sang the song, “Day-O”, released in 1956?

Instead of working on my Linus blanket, I got out a suitcase and started packing. ☹ At about two the Captain came on with another announcement. We would get either a 50% refund plus a 50% credit on a future cruise or 125% credit on a future cruise. Provided we can use this on a world cruise (some HAL offers do not apply to “Grand Voyages”), I think I will take the 125%. We would also get about $1200 towards flights home. We will soon be getting a letter explaining all.

In Arts & Crafts we made dangly earrings. One good piece of news – a lady sitting nearby had asked Guest Services and those of us who sent luggage by FedEx would be able to leave the luggage on the ship and when it gets to Fort Lauderdale they would be sent to us.

The earrings did not take long and I was able to get some work on my Linus blanket before changing into my bathing suit because I wanted to swim after trivia.

Trivia was scheduled in the Crow’s Nest but because we did not stop in Darwin today we did not have a sail-away with free drinks. Instead during the 4-5 and 6:30-7:30 happy hours, the drinks were free so the Crow’s Nest was packed. Andrea moved it down to the Piano Bar and somehow I made the move but I lost all of my team, so I played by myself. It was a True-False trivia. I had 16 out of 21 and the winning team had 18.

1.According to Scottish law, it is illegal to be drunk and in charge of a cow.

2.Sir Paul McCartney’s middle name is James.

3.The record for the longest rail tunnel is the Chunnel (Channel Tunnel between the UK and France).

4.Baby koalas are called joeys.

5.Muscle turns to fat if you stop exercising.

6.Alfred Hitchcock had no belly button as it was removed during surgery.

7.Some wasps make honey.

I went to the pool and sat in the sun for about 30 minutes and then spent 30 minutes in the pool. I was too depressed to swim laps. Afterwards I changed and went to play “Apples to Apples” but I was the only one who showed up (too much free happy hour for some????).

I was supposed to go the The Pinnacle for dinner with Kathy and Mike but yesterday evening after I posted my blog, I had an e-mail from them. They had been to Uluru and HAL decided the 18 of the group that went would not get back onboard the ship. They would fly to Brisbane (not Darwin since we did not stop) and then back to the States. The ship would back up their items left onboard and they would be sent to them.

At the Sea View Bar I got a free Singapore Sling and then had dinner. It was Aussie BBQ night and I had emu and kangaroo. I sat out by the Lido Pool for about 30 minutes after dinner and read.

There was an Australian Name That Tune but there was only about 7 of us so we all played together. I did not go to the show tonight.

One funny thing that happened today – I was told by a reliable source that about 300 people showed up at the Medical Center saying they had claustrophobia and could not fly home and had to stay on the ship. It did not work.

We gain a half hour tonight.

Morning trivia

1.Scrappy-Doo

2.Mohs

3.chicken

4.Israel

5.Harry Belafonte

Afternoon trivia

1.True

2.False

3.False

4.True

5.False

6.True

7.True