Seventh Post 10/4 - 10/8/18
hi again - Picking up on October 4th.
Oct 4 - calmer seas, sunny and warm weather in the 60's - At Sea
I am still suffering from the head cold but improving each day, We went to breakfast at 6:15 am - everyone is confused by having the sunrise at 5:15 am - we think it is later than it really is. Went back to bed!!!
At lunch we sat and talked to a couple, Barbara (from Naples Fl) and John (from London, Eng.) who were so interesting. They are more World Travelers, and this will be their 4th visit to China. We had such a good time talking to them.
Next, we went to the Internet Cafe but could not log into e-mail. Had trouble getting on today also, but finally got it to work. Everyone gives me advice on how to get more time on the internet, but I am not able to get their systems to work for me. Am I getting too Old for this technology?????
Dan went to another gathering of Veterans and learned about a new program the VA has for Long-Term Care for vets. Will look into it when we get home.
I watched another weird movie in the cabin called "Star Struck" (or something like that) about a boy who is hit by lightning and loses his hearing and then goes to NYC to look for his father. Good, but strange!
I felt really lousy and decided to get something from the buffet and eat in the cabin. Dan went to dinner and show alone - I slept.
Oct 5 - Friday - Calm seas, warm and sunny again - At Sea
That extra sleep did me a world of good and I feel much. much better. However, we forgot to turn the clock back again so breakfast was at a strange time for us. It's ok - we'll get it together.
We went to the front desk and got laundry tokens and info on Vietnam Visas. The ship takes care of the Visas and delivers them to the cabin - we don't have to do anything else. Nice!
Had my hair cut today and paid enough to put Katie through her first year of college. But the hairdresser was very sweet and did a good job, so no complaints.
At lunch, we saw 2 ships off in the distance. First time in days we had evidence that there was another world outside this ship! ha ha
Our table server is leaving the ship tomorrow after 9 months aboard. She is so happy to be going home, she cannot stop smiling. Will miss her. We went to a full cast show (first one with full crew) after dinner and loved it.
Oct 6 - Saturday - Beautiful Day warm and sunny - Last Day at sea - Yokohama tomorrow
Had breakfast with a couple from Las Vegas - Mary and Kenny - very funny (dressed alike!!) Kenny is an expert on the Lone Ranger and cowboy movies, so we had fun comparing stories with him.
Had my nails done RED - they look great! Another year in college for Katie! whew - expensive stuff this beauty thing!
Did the laundry after walking 20 miles to the laundry room! There is a large deck outside at the end of the hallway by the laundry room where you can sit and watch the wake. Very relaxing.
Dryers must be very hot - shrunk two pairs of slacks that are now peddle pushers! Ha ha Oh well, live and learn.
Had a nice lunch, and another nap - Dan is feeling bloated. He is eating way too much, so maybe this will slow him down. Danette (our table mate) wants to weigh him now and then again at the end of the cruise. She cannot believe how much he eats without gaining tons!
I packed our bags for tomorrow's first entry into Japan. Need Passports, custom cards, embarkation cards, Yen (money), US $, tour tickets, toilet paper, (don't ask), meds, camera, phone, hard candy, tissues, water bottles, umbrella, hats, etc.
Said goodbye to Lilia, our server then went to show which was 2 male singers who had performed earlier in cruise. Because we skipped a stop in Kushiro, the new set of entertainers could not get on board. Very small audience.
Oct 7 - Sunday IN JAPAN! Sunny and very warm - going to the 90's today - UGH!
We are booked on a tour to Kamakura to see the 750-year-old Buddha my sister Elna visited in 1945 when she lived in Japan.
We were 3 1/2 hours late leaving for our tours. Because we did not clear customs in Kushiro (missed the port), the Japanese were not ready to process 3000 people when we arrived in Yokohama. Their equipment kept going down, they only had 4 agents on duty (It is Sunday and a Japanese Holiday) and the ship was very slow in keeping us informed. So we sat and waited - they never offered water or snacks or info. Not a good plan!
When we were finally called to disembark, we faced another long line to get to customs and a very, very long walk to the tour buses. Our bus HAD NO AIRCONDITIONING IN THE 95* HEAT! Anyone who knows me knows I WAS NOT HAPPY! The ride to the Buddha took twice as long as it should have due to bumper to bumper traffic, and jam-packed streets and sidewalks.
On the bright side, the Japanese were out in force enjoying the holiday and they were all beautifully dressed. Gorgeous outfits on almost all women. It was like watching a designer fashion show. Can't wait to be able to post pictures. We also saw several families in traditional Japanese kimonos and headdresses. BEAUTIFUL - especially the children.
The Buddha was well worth seeing, and the next stop at a Temple built by the first shogun was also exciting to visit.
The ride back to the ship was HOT again and in bumper to bumper traffic. Did not arrive back until 6:30 pm (original plan was to return at 1PM!!!!!). Watched a very little bit of a Sake ceremony, went to eat and collapsed in bed at 9 PM.
Oct. 8 - Monday -Sunny and Warm again - STILL IN YOKOHAMA
Woke to find we were anchored in Yokohama Harbor and had never sailed the night before. Captain did not come on with announcement until NOON. Rumors all morning were about us running out of fuel!
His announcement was that the fuel barge that had been expected the day before while we were all out on tour, could not make to us because they were in bad weather. We sat at anchor all day because the Princess Diamond had come in and taken our berth. When that ship sailed at 6PM we were able to go back to port and have the ship fueled.
However, we were now in port for the third day and will NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE A STOP IN OSAKA! Another missed port. We will be refunded for any missed tours and receive a percentage of the price of the delayed tours as a credit. We sat on the ship all day yesterday and will be in port all day today but the only thing the ship did was offer tours for today, at full price, or we could get off and walk around the pier area of Yokohama.
We are not that annoyed, but think they could have handled this situation a little better. Most of the passengers are taking this all in stride as part of traveling, and we are still managing to have a good time. Yesterday we participated in an ESCAPE ROOM game and finished in record time. There are 4 more teams playing today, but the crew thinks we have a time that will be hard to beat. Thanks to two men who were very fast on solving the combinations of two toggle locks, which gave us access to the clues we needed. Fun, fun fun!
We considered missing dinner tonight, because we're so worn out, but then remembered we were going to meet the new serving crew, so got ready to head to the dining room.
AND THEN THE FUN REALLY BEGAN!
We arrived at our table to find it empty, with no staff to be seen. We asked the next stations servers what was happening and they said they didn't know, they thought our station had been shut down and had sent a waitress to find out what was going on. Dan was very upset about the thought of them moving us to another table, another area, another group of table mates, or worse a table for two and he was not going to take any of that lying down!. I just didn't want to have a scene.
The waitress came back to tell us that our assistant waiter Michael was coming to explain what happened.
Michael came to the table just then and said: "I am going to put a bell on you to track where you are at all times". He had been sent to rescue us because WE WERE AT THE WRONG DINING ROOM, ONE DECK BELOW OURS! The MOST embarrassing thing that has ever happened to us on a trip!
Then, that brat Michael escorted us to the correct dining room where all the maitr'ds were waiting to applaud our arrival, and where Michael told all we passed what we had done! It was the hit of the evening. The OLD couple who got lost! I must admit, the staff was all very gracious, after they laughed a lot, and told us this happens a lot since both rooms are identical in decor or layout.
Our new waiter is great - he got quite a kick out of our escapade, and we all enjoyed the rest of the evening. Dinner special was Turkey in honor of Candian Thanksgiving Day, so we had fun toasting our Canadian dinner companions.
Can't wait to see what lies ahead - Sailing at 6 pm tonight, tomorrow at sea and then HIROSHIMA! Stay posted -- Love to all - The Lost children, Lois and Dan
Oct 4 - calmer seas, sunny and warm weather in the 60's - At Sea
I am still suffering from the head cold but improving each day, We went to breakfast at 6:15 am - everyone is confused by having the sunrise at 5:15 am - we think it is later than it really is. Went back to bed!!!
At lunch we sat and talked to a couple, Barbara (from Naples Fl) and John (from London, Eng.) who were so interesting. They are more World Travelers, and this will be their 4th visit to China. We had such a good time talking to them.
Next, we went to the Internet Cafe but could not log into e-mail. Had trouble getting on today also, but finally got it to work. Everyone gives me advice on how to get more time on the internet, but I am not able to get their systems to work for me. Am I getting too Old for this technology?????
Dan went to another gathering of Veterans and learned about a new program the VA has for Long-Term Care for vets. Will look into it when we get home.
I watched another weird movie in the cabin called "Star Struck" (or something like that) about a boy who is hit by lightning and loses his hearing and then goes to NYC to look for his father. Good, but strange!
I felt really lousy and decided to get something from the buffet and eat in the cabin. Dan went to dinner and show alone - I slept.
Oct 5 - Friday - Calm seas, warm and sunny again - At Sea
That extra sleep did me a world of good and I feel much. much better. However, we forgot to turn the clock back again so breakfast was at a strange time for us. It's ok - we'll get it together.
We went to the front desk and got laundry tokens and info on Vietnam Visas. The ship takes care of the Visas and delivers them to the cabin - we don't have to do anything else. Nice!
Had my hair cut today and paid enough to put Katie through her first year of college. But the hairdresser was very sweet and did a good job, so no complaints.
At lunch, we saw 2 ships off in the distance. First time in days we had evidence that there was another world outside this ship! ha ha
Our table server is leaving the ship tomorrow after 9 months aboard. She is so happy to be going home, she cannot stop smiling. Will miss her. We went to a full cast show (first one with full crew) after dinner and loved it.
Oct 6 - Saturday - Beautiful Day warm and sunny - Last Day at sea - Yokohama tomorrow
Had breakfast with a couple from Las Vegas - Mary and Kenny - very funny (dressed alike!!) Kenny is an expert on the Lone Ranger and cowboy movies, so we had fun comparing stories with him.
Had my nails done RED - they look great! Another year in college for Katie! whew - expensive stuff this beauty thing!
Did the laundry after walking 20 miles to the laundry room! There is a large deck outside at the end of the hallway by the laundry room where you can sit and watch the wake. Very relaxing.
Dryers must be very hot - shrunk two pairs of slacks that are now peddle pushers! Ha ha Oh well, live and learn.
Had a nice lunch, and another nap - Dan is feeling bloated. He is eating way too much, so maybe this will slow him down. Danette (our table mate) wants to weigh him now and then again at the end of the cruise. She cannot believe how much he eats without gaining tons!
I packed our bags for tomorrow's first entry into Japan. Need Passports, custom cards, embarkation cards, Yen (money), US $, tour tickets, toilet paper, (don't ask), meds, camera, phone, hard candy, tissues, water bottles, umbrella, hats, etc.
Said goodbye to Lilia, our server then went to show which was 2 male singers who had performed earlier in cruise. Because we skipped a stop in Kushiro, the new set of entertainers could not get on board. Very small audience.
Oct 7 - Sunday IN JAPAN! Sunny and very warm - going to the 90's today - UGH!
We are booked on a tour to Kamakura to see the 750-year-old Buddha my sister Elna visited in 1945 when she lived in Japan.
We were 3 1/2 hours late leaving for our tours. Because we did not clear customs in Kushiro (missed the port), the Japanese were not ready to process 3000 people when we arrived in Yokohama. Their equipment kept going down, they only had 4 agents on duty (It is Sunday and a Japanese Holiday) and the ship was very slow in keeping us informed. So we sat and waited - they never offered water or snacks or info. Not a good plan!
When we were finally called to disembark, we faced another long line to get to customs and a very, very long walk to the tour buses. Our bus HAD NO AIRCONDITIONING IN THE 95* HEAT! Anyone who knows me knows I WAS NOT HAPPY! The ride to the Buddha took twice as long as it should have due to bumper to bumper traffic, and jam-packed streets and sidewalks.
On the bright side, the Japanese were out in force enjoying the holiday and they were all beautifully dressed. Gorgeous outfits on almost all women. It was like watching a designer fashion show. Can't wait to be able to post pictures. We also saw several families in traditional Japanese kimonos and headdresses. BEAUTIFUL - especially the children.
The Buddha was well worth seeing, and the next stop at a Temple built by the first shogun was also exciting to visit.
The ride back to the ship was HOT again and in bumper to bumper traffic. Did not arrive back until 6:30 pm (original plan was to return at 1PM!!!!!). Watched a very little bit of a Sake ceremony, went to eat and collapsed in bed at 9 PM.
Oct. 8 - Monday -Sunny and Warm again - STILL IN YOKOHAMA
Woke to find we were anchored in Yokohama Harbor and had never sailed the night before. Captain did not come on with announcement until NOON. Rumors all morning were about us running out of fuel!
His announcement was that the fuel barge that had been expected the day before while we were all out on tour, could not make to us because they were in bad weather. We sat at anchor all day because the Princess Diamond had come in and taken our berth. When that ship sailed at 6PM we were able to go back to port and have the ship fueled.
However, we were now in port for the third day and will NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE A STOP IN OSAKA! Another missed port. We will be refunded for any missed tours and receive a percentage of the price of the delayed tours as a credit. We sat on the ship all day yesterday and will be in port all day today but the only thing the ship did was offer tours for today, at full price, or we could get off and walk around the pier area of Yokohama.
We are not that annoyed, but think they could have handled this situation a little better. Most of the passengers are taking this all in stride as part of traveling, and we are still managing to have a good time. Yesterday we participated in an ESCAPE ROOM game and finished in record time. There are 4 more teams playing today, but the crew thinks we have a time that will be hard to beat. Thanks to two men who were very fast on solving the combinations of two toggle locks, which gave us access to the clues we needed. Fun, fun fun!
We considered missing dinner tonight, because we're so worn out, but then remembered we were going to meet the new serving crew, so got ready to head to the dining room.
AND THEN THE FUN REALLY BEGAN!
We arrived at our table to find it empty, with no staff to be seen. We asked the next stations servers what was happening and they said they didn't know, they thought our station had been shut down and had sent a waitress to find out what was going on. Dan was very upset about the thought of them moving us to another table, another area, another group of table mates, or worse a table for two and he was not going to take any of that lying down!. I just didn't want to have a scene.
The waitress came back to tell us that our assistant waiter Michael was coming to explain what happened.
Michael came to the table just then and said: "I am going to put a bell on you to track where you are at all times". He had been sent to rescue us because WE WERE AT THE WRONG DINING ROOM, ONE DECK BELOW OURS! The MOST embarrassing thing that has ever happened to us on a trip!
Then, that brat Michael escorted us to the correct dining room where all the maitr'ds were waiting to applaud our arrival, and where Michael told all we passed what we had done! It was the hit of the evening. The OLD couple who got lost! I must admit, the staff was all very gracious, after they laughed a lot, and told us this happens a lot since both rooms are identical in decor or layout.
Our new waiter is great - he got quite a kick out of our escapade, and we all enjoyed the rest of the evening. Dinner special was Turkey in honor of Candian Thanksgiving Day, so we had fun toasting our Canadian dinner companions.
Can't wait to see what lies ahead - Sailing at 6 pm tonight, tomorrow at sea and then HIROSHIMA! Stay posted -- Love to all - The Lost children, Lois and Dan
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