Days 6-8

Day 6 (Fantastic) Friday Jan 11th
Fantastic because of the weather, brilliant blue skies and though very breezy, not too rough a sea. Walked 2.5 times round the boat deck, which is only half a mile but I felt much better and very happy to be here, really for the first time I think. Had a tango lesson, partnered by ‘my’ elderly gentleman, think it’s rather fortunate that he’s dis-embarking in New York, or I might have had a bit of a problem, though I may flatter myself! This afternoon went to the ‘Sherlock Holmes Musical Murder Mystery’, which was basically a quiz but was very funny. Partook of the white-gloved tea again, it has become a meeting place for the 5 of us, though not very helpful to the figure. Would help if I had some will-power! The show in the evening was terrific, ‘Vanity Fair’ with the dancers and singers who are all excellent, lovely costumes too.
Discovered Trisha is not married, she did have a long-term partner who unfortunately died from cancer some years ago. Had a bit of a ‘girlie’ talk, probably told almost strangers much too much about myself but Trisha and Hilary are both lovely people and very good listeners! I have been lucky with my dinner companions, Alan now has a ‘shiner’ but is feeling OK, he has been offered help from a witness of his accident if he wants to pursue it further, I don’t think he does, being English. We were joined on Monday by travel agent Chris, from a company called Bath Travel, who have over 100 people on this ship and an equal number on the ‘Queen Vic’ as I have come to call her, all going to New York. He has some amusing stories to tell so we are a very congenial group.
Upset myself a bit by going dancing and not being able to do the Quickstep, as always I’m a perfectionist and I don’t like not being able to do something! It’ll come in time I guess, though we think the American ladies arriving on Sunday will change the atmosphere somewhat, more competition!
Day 7 (Surprising) Saturday Jan 12
Cunard Heritage trail this morning with the Cruise Staff Director, Thomas, who is a unique character and absolutely brilliant at taking us through the history of the Cunard line up to the present day. Very interesting, all of the paintings and artefacts, models etc are going with the ship to Dubai, I wonder if the Arabs will keep them? Somehow I doubt it and it will be a huge shame if so. Had a salsa lesson, Ann D would be proud of me, but decided not to go dancing this evening because believe it or not we are getting up at 4 to witness the progress up the Hudson River to dock. The QM2 will be 15 mins behind us, and the Queen Victoria 15 mins behind her, so hopefully we’ll have a great view of a historic occasion, though some people are camping out on deck all night to ensure they see everything! Since it has now turned cold again in NYC, it will be about 1C with a NE wind, I need my thermals (which of course I haven’t got!).
The very surprising element today was getting back to my cabin at noon to find the message light flashing, of course I was worried there was bad news from home, but then to my delight discovered some very old friends, Melanie and Martin Gillard, are also on the ship. They recognised me last evening but didn’t manage to attract my attention after the show. They are also going to Auckland, but not with the Irish (a Titanic reference in case you haven’t seen the film), they have a fantastic stateroom on deck 2, 2 windows, huge bed, loads of storage, what look like rosewood walls, quite a contrast to my cupboard. Melanie was chairman of the PTA at Longwick when David was at school there, and I was also on the committee. They moved to Hampshire and we lost touch, but we managed to meet up and spent an hour going through 10 years of our lives! We will do some more catching up after New York.
Day 8 (Sight-seeing) Sunday Jan 13
Didn’t need my 4 a.m. wake-up call, the noise of the ship slowing down at about 03:15 was enough to waken the dead, my whole cabin shook! So I was one of the first up on deck, and it was a great sight to see all 3 ships make their way up the Hudson. It hadn’t occurred to me until that moment, but of course we are a terrorist target, so NYPD helicopters were out in numbers, scanning the waves with searchlights. It was rather cold, so we all got frozen hands & feet, but it was terrific to be part of history, going under the bridge was spectacular. I am going to try & add some photos to this blog once I get the hang of the French instructions for my camera!
Had breakfast at 6 a.m. and then went on a sight-seeing coach tour which took in most of the main ‘sights’, with a stop to look out over Ground Zero & the construction which is now taking place there. David was here not long after 9/11, in October 2001, it looks very different now. Most of the buildings surrounding Ground Zero have now been repaired & hopefully the new buildings will be a fitting memorial.
Got off the coach at 42nd St, and walked back to the ship along 7th , buying postcards (which I promise to write soon) and a DVD so I could back up this laptop! I’m fed up with it telling me I ought to do it. Bought a couple of extremely small gifts for Elisha & Charlie, I haven’t room for anything really! Got back to the ship in time for tea at 3p.m. we have VERY early dinner at 5.45 because of the fireworks and musical extravaganza later, very impressive. Met a very nice American lady called Jean, who has just joined the cruise, she is going to Singapore, this is her 5th time on QE2.
The others didn’t make dinner at all, which was unfortunate for me because we were joined by an Italian ‘gentleman’ called Lino, who was polite all through dinner, but asked me for my cabin number afterwards, which I told him I wasn’t prepared to give! I have come to believe that some people come on board these cruises for one purpose only, which certainly isn’t mine! The evening show was ‘The Coasters’ and they were, as you would expect, very professional.
The average age on the ship appears to have gone up by about 10 years since New York, lots more wheelchairs & zimmer frames! It doesn’t have quite the same feel about it, but I shall make the best of it. Trisha & Hilary are joshing me because they reckon they’ve found me a man (not that I’m looking for one). He has a house just north of Wellington which he spends 6 months in, apparently he’s rather shy & won’t go dancing. Poor guy, little does he know they’re match-making! I hope I don’t go red if & when I finally do meet him!