Right now, the time on board is 10:26pm on Thursday, January 12. The ship's clocks are two hours ahead of Florida. Twice already we have gone from 1:59pm to 3:00 pm as we sailed southeast to get around the eastern bulge of Brazil. Our current position is 47°58.06'W and 00°43.87'N. In case you're not properly impressed with that second figure, it means we're REALLY close to the Equator and should be crossing it within the hour. I'm not sure whether I am enough of a geek to stay up to watch the N change to a S. The ship plans no particular ceremony to mark the crossing, probably assuming most people will be sound and sensibly asleep by then. Someone at my table said that on one's first Equator crossing, it is customary to kiss a fish, in which case I'll be happy to make my crossing a more private event.
There was another event this evening that I have been anticipating : for the first time, I left my cabin with the card key inside. I do that at home every couple months and have to get one of the security guys to help me get access to my spare key. Much simpler here. They have my picture in the system, so they know it's me when I trundle meekly up to the front desk. They reprogram my cabin's lock, make me a new card key, and smile without visible contempt as they tell me to just throw away the old one.
I wish I thought that would be the only time I'll do that.
WOW!
ReplyDeleteThe Russian tradition says you should drink some overboeard salted water when you cross the equator... and probably take some vodka after for sterilisation:)))
Roberta, I still have some questions: how long will be the cruise and what is the average age of the tourists on board on your opinion?
Thank you:)