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Fort Lauderdale, FLORIDA10 Jan 2007
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We have been travelling south from New York for 36 hours at an incredible 28 knots. This ship really has an amazing turn of speed.
The grey slate waters of the North Atlantic are already beginning to turn a gentle blue as we pass by the Carolinas.
A casual comment on the cross trainer in the gym yesterday introduced us to a pretty special couple from LA. Steve and Kathy have their own small firm of architects and share similar interests to Lesley and me. We [Steve and I] spent the afternoon talking about fast cars [including his near fatal crash resulting in two sessions of brain surgery and four metal implants] boats, fishing and business.
We are blessed with meeting so many nice people and making new friends from all over the world. We arrived in Fort Lauderdale at about 07.00 hrs this morning. The QM2 had already docked and after breakfast we said goodbye to other friends who were joining her. This included an old Swiss guy called Manfred who lived in Berne. Manfred and his wife had been married 51 years and he was 91. He had been fitted with stents when he was 75!!
The day was a salad day for Lesley and me
It began with an air boat ride across the Everglades.
This little adventure was a mixture of excitement and exhilaration as we sped across the swamp at 50mph coupled with peace and tranquillity at our regular stops to see the amazing variety of wild life including the odd alligator.
Later in the day we visited a citrus farm and nature reserve where the flamingo were an almost phosphorescent pink. [Because of a diet of carrot and beetroot extract rather than their natural shrimp diet]
We travelled through the reserve by tram and the lady commentator was tremendously and justifiably proud of what she was sharing with us.
David, [the air boat pilot] came from Alabama and I am convinced he did not know the civil war had happened.
In the early evening we went to a presail drinks party held on the sun deck where we drank champagne and practiced the samba to music played by a really good Caribbean band.
After dinner we danced in the Queens ballroom and practiced everything we had been taught by Hayley. It was tremendous.
We continue to learn more about the shipboard culture everyday. There are twelve middle aged guys who are official male hosts to scores of single ladies whose wealthy husbands have passed on.
The guys get paid $25 per day plus a free world cruise for what amounts to 4 hours per day looking after and dancing with the ladies.
If any chaps reading this entry are interested just let me know. I have the website details and I am sure Drapers Dance Centre could provide the training.
We set sail for Grand Cayman tonight. Local residents living in the near by condominiums cheered the QE2 as she left port. This is apparently a much cherished tradition
