More of 'The Same'!
We are nearly a third of the way through, and really struggling with the fact that time's going too fast. We aren't the only ones afflicted, the clocks don't help - at times it feels as if we are travelling through time itself rather than The World Voyage - and on one of those speedy walkways at Gatwick Airport!. Yet - I'm afraid it's really difficult to sound a bit boring about any of it, so please, please don't think that I'm deliberately trying to make you feel envious on purpose. There seems to be a spell cast from the moment you step on board...and it doesn't seem to be stoppable!
Pat - Thank you very much for your comments - and like you mentioned, the time changes are odious, they certainly don't help! Goodness knows how crews through the ages have and do manage for months at a time without any days off, and the lost/gained hours interfering with any sort of rhythm! Little wonder the 'Trannies' (transatlantics in crew-speak!) are trying!
Thank you too, Flagship! The photos of the two RMS ships are great - and I took one of the Royal Mail flag being flown from the mast for you!
(About photos, these will need to be sorted, edited and posted after April - life and expense of internet time on board makes any sort of technical organisation' a bit tricky!)
We spent hours on the Bit Beneath the Bridge watching and waiting for Tristan da Cunha to appear - people weren't aware of the significance of the RMS 'bit' until Captain Wright made an announcement shortly before the two ships met.
After leaving the coastal waters of the islands we remained on the Great Circle route to Cape Town. The sea bed being many miles beneath us might have been a pretty reasonable explanation for the sudden lack of birds - unless they all chose to fall asleep simultaneously. Perhaps they became exhausted by being so well watched..!
The Deputy Captain offered to Talk about Stability, and huge queues of interested people necessitated a whole series of 'ten-at-a-time' visits to the Safety Control Centre. This is behind the wheelhouse on the Bridge. He seemed a little surprised to find that over a hundred applied, having told us originally he thought it might be a few more than ten!
Using his state of the art technology, he gave us a wonderfully comprehensive review of how the ship's need for balance is monitored and maintained. He gave us explanations regarding ballast, storage tanks, water purification etc and the importance of these, and the systems that are used in relation to keeping the ship 'true'.
His talk filled in a few of the missing bits of the puzzle that concerns a huge ship, a significant number of strangers, and the need to treat anything to do with ballast with utmost respect.
Although it's important to point out here that the Deputy Captain actually made no reference to the following, reasons why there are no bath tubs (or at least very few) seem to have become clearer.
For example, if all the occupants on the port side chose to run baths before the late sitting for Dinner - it would seem that the early diners on the starboard side might be needed to be called away from The Show in the Royal Court Theatre in order to balance the ship by running the baths in their cabins too...Hmm!
A pity really, as apart from missing QE2, the other thing that I would really, really like is to have a bath!
An everlasting hope has always been to have one on a night when the sea's become quite confused.
Apparently this did happen just a bit, during the night before we reached Cape Town - and another great opportunity for a bath was missed.
Although, I have to say that from the lofty height of Deck 10, at the time, it felt as if QM2 was just swaying in time with a gentle breeze.
The Talk raised a number of interesting facts - For instance, did you know that all QM2's 5 swimming Pools can be emptied in 45 seconds (I think - or was it minutes?!!)
You know - this is what 'being at sea' does- all that seems to matter is The Sea itself and the impact it can have - so forget about the memory loss!!
Goodness only knows what we do all day, or what day it is, or whether we return via the North, South, East or West etc - it's all about 'Being at Sea' - in every sense of the expression!!
Our sailing in to Cape Town was probably quite tricky to manage as there was a strong wind, and the Bit Beneath the Bridge was Out of Bounds until we came quite close to the harbour.
Sadly, at the time there was no-one around to explain where QE2 used to be tied up. Louis - do you by any chance have any photos on another topic?
We were off the ship by 2.15pm, and with just over half an hour to get to the 'Mandela' ticket office, it was possible to get a ticket for the Robben Island Ferry, a visit that had been a long hoped-for wish, and it was possible to sail and see round the island and be back to explore a bit of the V and A Waterfront, all before dinner back on board.
I did try to work out where Nakheel had hoped to park QE2 for the World Cup, however this wasn't an easy task, mainly due to my lack of experience in such matters!!
QM2 was accompanied by some very energetic seals as she was parked alongside the pier. These are fitted with lots of pipes. I assumed these (pipes and valves) were for bunkering etc - a bit like those surrounding Rotterdam V; it was some way away from the inner harbour. Maybe, I wonder - was this also the place that had been planned for QE2 as well?
Day 2 in Cape Town - this was equally poignant, and all of it unforgettable.
Having spent years during the 60s, 70s and beyond, trying to support the anti-apartheid movement, it was now possible to experience at first hand a little of the impact of the work of the Peace and Reconciliation Commission and 'period'. Also having been involved in working with people from southern Africa whose lives have been profoundly affected by HIV and AIDSs, this visit was always going to be a significant one.
As well as being impressed by Cape Town's stunning position, with magnificent views of the landscape round the southern cape of Africa, I've been left with powerful, and inevitably painful memories that will remain, hopefully for a long, long time.
There is much evidence of the contrasting cultures in 'dwelling places' - we saw these as we drove round the bays, and through some of the 'villages' that make up the city. I also visited one of the townships - this too, was a profoundly moving experience.
In the more 'wealthy areas - we noticed the roads as well as pavements were lined by walls that surround the properties - it seemed almost as if the inhabitants had locked themselves in from the outside world.
And then there were the penguins!
The fear that penguins get anxious and find mating difficult when in close proximity to humans, means that they are now 'fenced off 'too...
As we discovered, South Africa is still learning about itself - and as we were told, and indeed experienced - there's a sort of 'can do', really positive attitude here. This is something so good, it gives hope for the future.
Whilst we were in Cape Town, a significant transformation occurred - QM2 lost at least half her passengers.
Many had joined in Southampton, this also meant that we would be missing several who had become good companions through the highs and lows of the Great Atlantic Crossing, too.
(By the way, Everyone seems to know about QV's valiant attempts to beat her young sister to the Verrazzano Bridge!)
As well as the huge amount of physical work involved, Is this how the Crew experience all 'turnaround' days?
'Our' ship has changed! The Casino has now gained in size and stature! The Bars are busy and the unfamiliar buzz of The Aussies might turn out to be just a wee bit scary!
We have moved from our cosy table for two - having been invited to one for Eight, possibly even Nine!
The Queues for the first minutes of mealtimes are humungous - are The Aussies really that hungry?
Out-numbering us Poms by the thousand at the very least - they are wearing their cabin ID cards on lanyards round their necks - might they (perish the thought!) fear an ID crisis?!
I nearly forgot - on arriving in Cape Town, we'd found a small African band, playing drums and brass as we walked through and out of the long tent that was acting as Terminal.
As we left Cape Town, The Band of the Cape Town Highlanders played the Pipes and Drums - QE2 must have shared the same experience here, too.
As the wonderful sounds faded, the crowds waved; it would have been impossible not to feel extremely grateful and almost overwhelmed by all sorts of mixed feelings here too.
All the best to 'You Guys',
and thanks so much to everyone - it does feel good to be in touch!
Rosie
at The Boadwalk Cafe
On the Bit Beneath the Biggest Funnel ...Ever!
Durban
PS - Having just read the sad news regarding Jem, I think h would want these posts to continue.
We had many personal exchanges by email some as recently as just a few days ago- and perhaps he more than anyone would appreciate the ongoing discovery of the Quirks of Mary.
RIP - Brave Jem.
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Dec 26, 2020, 07:37 PM