April 11, 2013 Sea Day

Well, woke up with a bit of a sore throat. Hope it’s nothing. However, I guess that is better than contracting Noro virus which seems to have hit quite a few on this part of the voyage. This morning they were making everyone use the hand sanitizer and nothing is on the tables. They are handing you your plate and silverware. Noro is really like a mild stomach flu. (though those that have it probably take exception to the word MILD.) We are being careful not to touch the railings on the stairs etc. Washing hands often etc. Fingers crossed we escape it. Our India overland is in just 2 more days. Don’t want to miss it!

Got my hair cut and colored this morning by Kate. She did it last time and does a fine job. However, she has a cold and blew her nose often, never washing her hands before resuming work on my hair.

Skipped the dining room in favor of the Pub Lunch again. Hard to pass up Bangers and Mash and Fish & Chips with Mushy Peas.

Greg had his hair cut today as well. He tanned in the morning and since his appointment was in the afternoon I tanned then. Beautiful day out. Even got a few glimpses of whales.

I’m finalizing the tour I have set up for Doha, Qatar and called everyone on the tour to go over the details. There are about 27 of us and I called a meeting tomorrow to go over everything with everyone.

Our Meet and Greet won’t be until after Doha since the last segment starts in Dubai where we are for 2 days and Doha is the day after Dubai and the first sea day we will have will be the day after Doha. So, I had to schedule a time to gather the troupes before the tour. We have quite a few new people joining the cruse for the last segment.

Went to dinner and some new things to help prevent Noro were in place. The hand sanitizers on the way in, no bread baskets on the tables (the waiters came around and you pointed to the one you wanted and they placed it on your bread plate), no salt and pepper on the table (the waiters would sprinkle it on for you), and at the end when a few at our table get coffee, they didn’t put the cream on the table in a pitcher the waiter poured it in for you.

We saw several rooms being super cleaned. Linens being removed and solutions being used to clean their rooms. People that have been diagnosed with it are quarantined to their room. Fingers crossed (and washed and sanitized) that we don’t catch it.

There was a pretty sunset tonight. Lots of pinks and oranges with clouds in the background and ships/boats in the forefront. Ever since we left Hong Kong we have seen tons of ship and boat traffic. We also passed by Sri Lanka tonight.

After dinner we went to the show which was a new show by the comedian Tim Walkoe. We didn’t find him as funny this time around. We took our nightly walk out on deck after the show and we noticed the “fire hoses” hooked up and ready to use should we need to blast some pirates.

One more day to “relax” before India. Tomorrow we need to pack and get ready for the overland. (Norovirus willing…..)