Day 32 10th February 2011

The sea is very calm today. It has changed colour again to a royal blue. It is amazing how many colours the ocean can take on. The temperature has risen (approx 70) and it is a bright warm day. There is clear visibility and we can see what appears to be a long way but probably is no more than 10 miles or so. The ocean has been empty of other vessels for most of the day but in the middle of the afternoon we did spot a small shape on the horizon which has gradually taken on the shape of a container ship.

We are continuing to travel west at about 22 knots so each day we are a further 500 miles or so into the Pacific. This morning we went to hear the port talk about Bora Bora which is said to be one of the most beautiful places on Earth. It has hotels for the rich and is an overseas dominion of France and thus part of the European Union in a similar way to the Falklands. It does not look as if there is a lot to do there except to admire the crystal clear waters and enjoy the ambiance of the island. It is a tender port with the Aurora anchoring in the lagoon and taking us ashore in boats. At the moment we just plan to walk around and perhaps enjoy a French meal.   

This afternoon we went to a talk by Tim Wonnacott, who hosts the Bargain Hunt programme on the TV. It just happens to be a programme we watch most days, mostly because I like it. He was excellent, talking about his time as an auctioneer with Sotheby’s. He had many stories that were fascinating and amusing. He attracted a very large audience so I had to stand at the back. The theatre holds about 600 people. He is due to do another two talks so something to look forward to and obvious arrival early for.

We went to lunch in the dinning room today for a change and received such excellent service that we completed the feedback form to explain that the waiter was outstanding. He noticed Chris’s problems without being asked and helped her. The standard of service is almost always good so it takes a lot to stand out.

Last night we went to see the ships theatre group of singers and dancers perform a tribute to Abba. We have seen the show a couple of times before on other ships but it was excellent. They are a talented group of young performers. Earlier in the day we had by chanced watched a bit of a rehearsal. Normally, they shut the doors.

I have changed my time for using the Internet since this ship is simply full of people with laptops. They seem mainly to use them in the mornings but many also logon at dinner time so I have now decided to go around midnight when often I am on my own and have all the bandwidth to myself. Otherwise the connection is far too slow when you are sharing with dozens of other users.