Life on the ship

Life on the ship has been both fascinating and a challenge. The first few days we were just trying to remember where things were. And that was just in our cabins. I lost an address book and found it again the next day at the purser's office. Then our ID tags lost their magnetic powers and we had to return them and get them redone.

We all kept asking each other where the next class was to be held and when. There are book groups we have been assigned to, and we wondered if we were supposed to read the book before our first meeting. Most of us hadn't read it and were concerned about it. But many of the groups just visited and got to know each other, so it was lots of fun.

So for the most part things seem to have settled down. We are now one week into our 15 week trip around the world. Fred and I have "adopted" 2 girls that we have met in the last few days. The first one is in our book club and the second one joined a few Benders in a game of Shanghai. For the most part, we will hang out with them, join them for lunch, and just be there if they want to talk to some old folks while they are away from home. It also gives us a perspective on their lives and will help to keep us young.

We were hoping to "sit in" on some classes, but as someone else noted, they filled up very quickly. There is always the gym, spa, and cards. Fred and I brought along a Magic Train Dominoes game, so we played it for the first time yesterday and think we are getting the hang of it.

In 3 days we will be entering the mouth of the Amazon River in Brazil and sail 1200 miles to Manaus where we will be docked for 4 days before heading across to Ghana in West Africa. What an adventure!