I slept dreadfully last night. For whatever reason, my mind must have been in overdrive. As I lay awake, wide awake, unable to settle, I was fearful of a wasted day ahead. For a few moments, in the middle of the night, I sat on my balcony looking out to an amazing “scape of darkness.” Ink coloured sea met sky of black, with distant lightning and occasional cracks of thunder. The foaming wake from the ship was illuminated slightly by the few lights given off from the hull, creating a white on black marble effect. This brief experience was worth the insomnia I was wading through. Eventually I was somewhere completely different, not approaching the coast of Guatemala at all, but back home, on a rail trip which had gone badly wrong, and bereft of all my important friends who had deserted me. My belongings for the trip were nowhere to be found. Just as suddenly, I was back in my stateroom on board Queen Elizabeth.
We are around 15 degrees north of the Equator and the airlessness confirms this. My eyes are like house bricks, but I decide not to waste the day.
I enjoyed my usual breakfast of porridge, yoghurt and grapefruit, continued my deck walking and managed 21,387 steps between 5pm yesterday and the same time tonight. My initial plan to attend a Dive to the Titanic lecture was curtailed by meeting up with Denise for coffee and an early lunch. She was annoyed, and rightly so about missing her shore excursion in Cabo San Lucas directly as a result of lack of communication when the tendering procedure was delayed by over two hours. Last night at dinner, she was not pleased.
This afternoon, I joined Chris and Sue who had saved me a front row seat for a recital by Jeremy Huw (baritone) and Paula Fan (piano). Paula introducing a piano piece, mentioned the revered name of Nadia Boulanger, a French composer, musician and conductor who in 1963 conducted the Halle Orchestra at a concert in Manchester’s Free Trade Hall. One of the few memories of my early teenage years was attending that historic concert, and on requesting her autograph afterwards, she invited me into her dressing room, encouraging me to explore the music of Hindemith. What little of his music I came across was not unpleasant. Jeremy Huw, I am reminded has made several appearances at Buxton Festival. I could have made the mistake of talking to him about my past involvement and present continued membership of the Festival. Thankfully, he did not ask what I was doing on Queen Elizabeth at the time of Buxton Festival’s 40th Anniversary!
My day, which started not too well, was not wasted. Outside, the breezes were substantial and balmy. The sea had become rough at lunchtime, but the ship moved little. I walked around 11,000 steps, but needed a break for a mini afternoon tea.
23.25hrs
Confirmation of my slightly modified trip from Vancouver to Tokyo was waiting for me in my stateroom “pigeon hole.” Because I am having extra days in Japan’s capital, Cunard have removed the one night complimentary stay. Voyage Sales are enquiring about getting it reinstated. Apparently, it’s part of the flight deal.
Dinner was pretty good tonight. The beef steak was one of the best for a very long time.
The Divas 3 performed another impressive set in the Royal Court Theatre tonight. Again, however, good as the musicians and artistes are, they are rather let down by an overly sharp and slightly too loud sound system. To be fair, however, there was much soft and delicate playing which I did find extremely impressive. The theatre lighting is first rate, and the sound/light engineers exploit its full potential to impressive effect.
It was a good day on the whole. Tomorrow is my excursion to Lake Atitlan and Panajachel, Guatemala.
We are due at Puerto Quetzal at 09.00hrs, the time booked to meet in the Royal Court Theatre.
And it’s goodnight from me,
David.
David's Cruise 