SOME PHOTOS FROM TODAY

Len basking in the equatorial sun

The crew preparing the goo

Len covered in goo ready to plunge into a filthy pool

Len toasting his right of passage from Pollywog to King Neptune's court

The Sandow's Excellent Adventure: The Sandow's Excellent Adventure: JANUARY 5th BOAR...

The Sandow's Excellent Adventure: The Sandow's Excellent Adventure: JANUARY 5th BOAR...: "Only I can screw up the blog site - can anyone tell me what date it stopped making sense?"

I am retyping now all that I put on the blog today - what a pain in the ASSSSSSSS!

CROSSING THE EQUATOR AND THINGS

It is now 10:20am and I am sitting on the upper deck in the shade (temp is about 78) and I am watching the same 2 lunatics walking around and around and around the deck exercising - they do this daily, It's not like I don't appreciate their efforts of course, they quickly walk for the better part of one hour in the sun, but it's the friggin self righteous look as I sit quietly in the shade with a cigarette in my pursed lips! They do not smile as they exercise and make no eye contact with the other passengers a they exercise,

Personally I gave up exercising 2 days ago. It is far more fun to watch someone else sweat.

Len went to buy a bathing suit to prepare for the Pollywog ceremony this afternoon at 3pm. There is scuttlebut aboard the ship that the crew plans to mess with the guess as part of this initiation.

I will take pictures of Len being initiated. I'm not willing to get my hair wet.

Last night was a formal dinner. I wore a jacket and long skirt. I looked great. Len took photos of me but they did not transfer to hims computer though others did. Twilight Zone.

I'll wear it again and take pictures then.

Carol, I know you bought the same outfit at Macy's but let me tell you, you have better hope that the wedding takes place on the coldest night of the year in Miami. I WAS BOILING HOT!

The dinner was fantastic of course. The best we've eaten anywhere. Portions are just the right size, especially for a meal that was 8 courses long and took 2 hours to eat.

I sat between the Hotel Manager and a retired dentist. It was an elegant evening. I will be meeting with him later on in the cruise to talk about long voyages.

I understand that there are people who have logged thousands and thousands of nautical miles under their belts. There is a couple on board who last year rented out an entire Seabourn ship and took all their friends out for a week's cruise. Pretty neat,

UPDATE - after 4:30 PM

We crossed the equator at 2:10 pm. There was a countdown and the ship's horn blew a really long toot. Everyone cheered.

Everyone came out on deck poolside to watch the Pollywogs initiation. Len was among them. The band played a funeral march as everyone walked toward King Neptune.

All the Pollywogs had to answer to King Neptunes treason charges and Len was charged with eating too many desserts. He had to kiss a fish, walk the plank and have colored goo poured ovr him ad then had to jump in the pool. What fun to watch.

Will try to upload photos.

Time for dinner it is almost 7PM

The Sandow's Excellent Adventure: JANUARY 5th BOARDING THE SHIP

Only I can screw up the blog site - can anyone tell me what date it stopped making sense?

The Sandow's Excellent Adventure: The Sandow's Excellent Adventure: Pre cruise plann...

CROSSING THE EQUATOR AND THINGS

It is now 10:20 am and I am sitting on the upper deck in the shade (temp is about 78) and I am watching the same 2 lunatics walking around & around & around the deck exercising - they do this daily, It's not like I don't appreciate their efforts of course, they quickly walk for the better part of one hour in the sun but it'd the friggin self righteous look they give me as I sit quietly in the shade with a cigarette in my pursed lips! They do not smile as they exercise and make no eye contact with other passengers as they exercise.

Personally I gave up exercising 2 days ago. It is far more fun to watch someone else sweat.

Len went to buy a bathing suit to prepare for the Pollywog ceremony this afternoon at 3pm. There is scuttlebut aboard the ship that the crew plans to mess with the guests as part of the initiation.

I'll take pictures of Len being initiated.

Last evening as a formal dinner. I work a jacket and long skirt. I looked great. Len took photos of me and they did not transfer to his computer though others did. Twilight Zone,

I will wear the same outfit and take another pix later in the cruise.

Carol, I know you bought the same outfit at Macy's but let me tell you, you had better hope that the wedding takes place on the coldest night of the year in Miami. I WAS BOILING HOT!

The dinner was fantastic of course. The food is awesome and the best we've eaten anywhere. The portions were just the right size, especially for a meal that took 2 hours and 8 courses.

I sat between the Hotel Manager and a retired dentist. It really was an elegant evening. I will be meeting with the Hotel Manager later on in the cruise to talk about long voyages.

I understand that there are people who have logged thousands and thousands of nautical miles under their belts. There is a couple on board who last year rented out an entire Seabourn ship (forgot the name) and took all their friends out for a week's cruise. Pretty neat I'd say.

UPDATE - after 4:30 pm

We crossed the equator at 2:10PM, there was a countdown and the ship's horn blew a really long toot.

Everyone cheered. I will try to upload a pix of Len basking in the equatorial sun.

Everyone came out on deck poolside to watch the Pollywog's initiation. Len among the initiates. I took photos (I'm was not willing to sacrifice my hair)

The band played the funeral march as everyone walked toward King Neptune and his court.

If I can upload the photos you will see Len having charges of treason for eating too many desserts and he had to kiss a fish, walk the plank and have colored goo poured over him then he had to jump in the pool. What fun to watch.

The Sandow's Excellent Adventure: Pre cruise planning

The Sandow's Excellent Adventure: Pre cruise planning: "The clock is ticking. The planning stage has taken a while and still have much to do. Details, details, details. Had endless lists to start ..."

JANUARY 10th

OK so now I am blogging in the correct place...I think. I was posting everything under the January 5th Archive and I believe it was always supposed to be here, so I'll continue here unless someone tells me otherwise.

Spent a quiet day yesterday - eating of course - there is tooooo much food here and everything is so delicious. Last evening we stayed in the room and watched some movies with room service. I ate only a little bit and felt better for it.

Yesterday the seas were calmer and I had no need of pills. It was warm (but not too) and sunny. Adam thank you for the computer and IPad because today it is rainy and foggy and I've been playing on both all day so far. It is so humid out - like Miami in July. Yuck! Len is enjoying it though.

Will have to take a break shortly because there is a slot tournament in the Casino at 3pm. Midnight we turn our clocks back 1 hour. We were already 3 hours behind Miami time so now it will be 4 hours behind.

Tomorrow we will cross the equator and there is a ceremony at noon in the main salon for all POLLYWOGS. That's the term they use for people who have yet to cross the equator and we will be inducted into King Neptune's Court.

There have been a number of lectures about the fish and reefs where we are going and one of our excursions will be a snorkeling trip in Moorea, Tahiti on the 16th of January.

Tonight is another formal night and we are scheduled to have dinner with the hotel manager.

It's hard to believe we are in the middle of the Pacific ocean - no boats just water as far as the eye can see.

Would you believe that the depth of the water here is almost 19,000 feet deep. Who knows what lurks beneath the waters!!!! We are still about 1,000 nautical miles from any land. Chugging along at 17 knots a hour. (what's a knot? have to look it up)

Can just imagine how old sailors must have felt - Last night it was quite starry for the first time since we've been on the water - Len got our Starwalk application working so tonight we should be able figure out what we are looking at.

More later!

The Sandow's Excellent Adventure: Pre cruise planning

The Sandow's Excellent Adventure: Pre cruise planning: "The clock is ticking. The planning stage has taken a while and still have much to do. Details, details, details. Had endless lists to start ..."

JANUARY 10th

OK so now I am blogging in the correct place...I think. I was posting everything under the January 5th Archive and I believe it was always supposed to be here, so I'll continue here unless someone tells me otherwise.

Spent a quiet day yesterday - eating of course - there is tooooo much food here and everything is so delicious. Last evening we stayed in the room and watched some movies with room service. I ate only a little bit and felt better for it.

Yesterday the seas were calmer and I had no need of pills. It was warm (but not too) and sunny. Adam thank you for the computer and IPad because today it is rainy and foggy and I've been playing on both all day so far. It is so humid out - like Miami in July. Yuck! Len is enjoying it though.

Will have to take a break shortly because there is a slot tournament in the Casino at 3pm. Midnight we turn our clocks back 1 hour. We were already 3 hours behind Miami time so now it will be 4 hours behind.

Tomorrow we will cross the equator and there is a ceremony at noon in the main salon for all POLLYWOGS. That's the term they use for people who have yet to cross the equator and we will be inducted into King Neptune's Court.

There have been a number of lectures about the fish and reefs where we are going and one of our excursions will be a snorkeling trip in Moorea, Tahiti on the 16th of January.

Tonight is another formal night and we are scheduled to have dinner with the hotel manager.

It's hard to believe we are in the middle of the Pacific ocean - no boats just water as far as the eye can see.

Would you believe that the depth of the water here is almost 19,000 feet deep. Who knows what lurks beneath the waters!!!! We are still about 1,000 nautical miles from any land. Chugging along at 17 knots a hour. (what's a knot? have to look it up)

Can just imagine how old sailors must have felt - Last night it was quite starry for the first time since we've been on the water - Len got our Starwalk application working so tonight we should be able figure out what we are looking at.

More later!

JANUARY 5th BOARDING THE SHIP