From Cheryl: This was our third full day at sea. We are now more than halfway to Hawaii and literally starting to get our “sea legs”. (I’ve been surprised at how much motion we feel – Tuesday was a bit rougher than the last two days.) The staff manages to walk smoothly and in a straight line most of the time – we are starting to get the hang of walking with the waves or motion of the ship.
We’re settling into a routine of on-board living – it is generally very comfortable and relaxing. Each evening we receive a “Viking Daily”, which is a schedule of events for the next day. We review it and decide which talks/events/activities we want to participate in. I keep thinking that living on the ship seems a lot like living in a college freshman dorm. We’ve had fun exploring the ship, trying all of the food venues, attending “classes”, and meeting lots of new people from all over the country (and a few other countries).
The educational lectures are primarily hosted by college professors, professors emeritus, or other professionals with deep expertise in particular topics. So far, there is much focus on geography, geology, culture, and wildlife. I’m enjoying the learning context without the pressure of tests and grades!
The Viking Guest Choir met for the first time yesterday, and I joined for something fun to do. The music directors are British and use several different musical terms than the US, such as: a whole note is a semibreve, a quarter note is a crotchet, and an eighth note is a quaver. Gets a little confusing but should be much fun. We’ll have a few performances for our shipmates throughout the course of the trip.
The outdoor temperatures have finally hit the low 70s – pleasant temperatures, though it rains several times a day and is quite windy out on deck. We have been walking the jogging track to burn a few more calories and to take in the views from all areas of the ship. When we arrive in Honolulu on Sunday, we will experience 80-degree temperatures and tropical weather! Yesterday afternoon, I saw a beautiful rainbow out the aft of the ship (pictures below).
From Bob: The following picture was taken from the sliding door of our stateroom (kind of redundant, I guess, but consistent).
I used the gym for the second time today and will likely use it every day we are at sea (did I mention all the food on board?). The view from the ellipticals is pretty nice (water, mind you. Lots of water).
I was able to stream the Old Miss Miami NCAA semifinal game in the afternoon. YouTube TV does not know I am in the middle of the Pacific, I guess. I have not needed to use a VPN yet. Yes, I know watching football is not exactly a “world cruise” thing, but I am relaxing, and watching football is relaxing (unless the Vikings are playing).
I played around with the panorama mode on my camera. So you get to see even more seawater.
The World Cafe highlighted Mexican food in the evening. Cheryl had really good chicken tacos and another dish I cannot name. She really liked both. They often have theme nights showcasing different cuisines. Yesterday was doughnut day. Tomorrow will feature cheesecake (so you see why the gym is so busy).
Finally, we ended the day at the Tórshavn nightclub-themed lounge. Jobie played the first set. A really fun guy. It took a minute to adjust to Bob Seger’s song “Turn the Page” rendered with a noticeable Filipino accent. He also played “Stairway to Heaven”, doing an excellent job on the guitar. This guy can play. He covered Roger Miller’s “King of the Road”; quite an eclectic set of songs. We stayed for his entire show and will likely seek him out again.
