Thursday 28/10/21
Since the Buxton International Festival (BIF) Big Weekend a couple of weeks ago, apart from life’s pleasant routine, I have found little to write about that might be of interest.
Yesterday, my travel agent called to confirm the “final touches” to my most extraordinary journey next year around the entire northern hemisphere. I have described the itinerary in previous blogs, and yesterday, the “last piece of the jigsaw fell nicely into place, a night in Washington D.C. (having travelled by rail from the State of Washington), followed by a First Class trip on Amtrak’s high speed Acela train to New York. I was delighted. All was in place, and reservations secured, not only on the trains, but at hotels, either of historic note, or right next to the station.
This morning, treating myself to a coffee at the Tradesman’s Entrance cafe in Buxton, I settled down to read my e-mails. An important message from Cunard announced the cancellation of my voyage from Tokyo. It was as if an intricate house of cards collapsed in an undignified heap!
Actually, all is not lost. I could “salvage” the part of the journey which has not been cancelled, and still have a spectacular trip. We’ll see.
Saturday 30/10/21
I don’t think it is surprising that, yesterday, I was on the ‘phone with my travel agent. I suspect that my call was anticipated sooner rather than later! All suggestions were attractive, each taking in the existing travel arrangements from Vancouver to New York, and one taking in part of the previous voyage which now starts from Vancouver rather than Tokyo, 10 nights rather than 37. Thus I have made up my mind! (Probably) fly to Vancouver with arrangements by Cunard, at least three nights in Vancouver, again part of the Cunard package, and then, 10 nights revisiting Alaska on board Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth (at the height of Summer). I would then pick up the original Amtrak tour around (rather than straight across) the United States to New York. The one huge advantage of this revised itinerary is that I no longer dread the overnight eastbound flight to Tokyo, and the resulting jetlag. I can (hopefully) visit Japan another time.
I needed to visit the opticians today in Bakewell, around 11 miles from where I live. Thankfully, my eyes are in better shape than when I visited in June. The “moratorium” on sugar seems to have paid off. Now to ease up on all those other delights I have allowed to creep back into the diet. Winter is no time to adjust to salads!
I am enjoying the autumn colours which are now, probably at their most spectacular. Even if this is the harbinger of hard frosts, heavy snows and icy winds, I can look beyond that to the evaporation of winter when, hopefully, my snowdrops which “took industrial action” last year will grace my garden with their presence. Maybe the unexpected advent of pampas grass had something to do with the snowdrops’ failure to manifest themselves.
I am now back at home, having treated myself to a delicious but sensibly sized lunch at a cozy eatery on Bakewell’s main street. Chicken and leek pie with mash, garden peas and gravy kept me sustained until well after 9 pm. A bowl of porridge sufficed after then.
Time for some sleep; all of a sudden, midnight approaches. Many thanks for reading, David , 23.42hrs 30th October 2021. On Monday, it’s November!
David's Cruise 