Author: mikeljohnston1 (Page 52 of 269)
We entered Canada on September 20th, required to use the bothersome ArriveCAN app for border admittance. We went through the trouble of ordering expensive Covid testing kits as dictated by the Canadian government and taking video monitored at-home tests within three days of arriving. We were scared to death that these tests would come back negative and our trip plans would be interrupted. Thoughts of being quarantined in Vancouver as our cruise ship sailed away without us or worse yet being stuck in the engine room isolated from other passengers were major concerns. War had already destroyed any plans to enter Russia and Covid concerns by Japanese officials prevented us from going Tokyo. Instead, we were in Canada for one day while the only other territories that we ended up visiting were U.S. properties, Alaska and Hawaii – no testing or special apps required.
Also, to my horror, I was randomly selected for another mandatory Covid test at the airport, but I had no phone service to receive the directive. It wasn’t until we were at the Vancouver Sheraton and hooked into their wi-fi system that the message arrived. I called the number certain that they wouldn’t expect me to return to the airport for testing, especially after having my negative results from the day before available. We were leaving Canada the next morning so I then avoided the numerous text messages, requiring test results within 24-hours, worried that they might stop me as I boarded the ship. We also unexpectedly went a few hundred yards back into Canada as part of a vintage train trip. I had visions of being Wanted by the Mounted Police and pulled from the train.
Of course, none of this ever happened. In fact, no one even checked our Covid results as we boarded or left Canada. I was still worried that a letter was waiting for me at home about the potential $5,000 fine and that I would be hassled by the Canadian government for years to come. Maybe even banned from future visits! Instead, we were at dinner last night on the cruise ship, not even two weeks later, and our companions informed us that all Covid testing in Canada had been stopped as of October 1st, just after I faced this ordeal. I guess I’m now off the hook and grateful that I didn’t spend the time and money to follow their threatening directions. Oh, Canada what a farce!
We’re out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, so I’m grateful to have consistent internet service. This is more than we have in our Florida home thanks to Ian. However, for the first time in over a week, I was able to see activity on our Ring cameras. The tile backsplash is being installed around the outdoor kitchen and neighbors have put back in place our urns and fountain. I will owe the folks back home a debt of gratitude for all their attention to our property when we return in a few weeks.
Yesterday, we booked another Viking ocean cruise, looking ahead to 2024. We were able to schedule a 22-day, three-continent excursion from Buenos Aires to Barcelona from the makegood credits that we earned by sticking with them on this cruise. This boat is less than a third full due to cancellations from itinerary changes. At the time of booking, Russia and Japan were the destinations that most passengers were looking forward to seeing. Instead, we made more stops in Alaska and are now headed directly for Hawaii. As it turns out, we’ll be getting nearly a two for one deal on travel, that will not only take me to one of my two missing states (Maine now left to visit on next year’s road trip), but also South America, the Atlantic Ocean crossing, Senegal, Casa Blanca, and Spain. It will be our first opportunity to explore the Southern Hemisphere and will take my continent count to six of seven. However, Antarctica, the missing piece, will probably never be of interest.
We’ve been at sea for the last three days, half-way to Kauai, so there’s little to report in term of sights. Dinners, movies, and shows occupy us during this rocky ocean route. Last night, a champagne reception was held for frequent Viking travelers, like us. We met and had dinner (the soup bar) with some friendly folks from South Carolina. My wife knew the women from bridge, while the men were part of the informal morning treadmill club. It’s so uncomfortable trying to get my daily mile in with the rocking of the ship. Decks are closed so holding on to the treadmill for dear life is the only option. I’ve had to walk the remainder of the 5k to battle the extensive calories I consume each day. Weight gain is inevitable.
If today is any indication, the next few days of this cruise could be miserable. I tried my best to run on the treadmill, unable to run beyond the minimum mile while weaving and bobbing the next couple of miles in a quick walk. I had to hold on to the side-rails to keep from falling off and even the sit-ups and push-ups were difficult despite being flat on the floor. It was, however, a busy day in the fitness center as passengers tried their best to exercise, knowing that we would be another 7-days at sea. “The Streak” barely continues at 5,028 days.
We have officially left Alaska, on the Pacific Ocean path to Hawaii. I’m feeling a bit queasy with a slight headache and in need of fresh air. This is the first day that I’ve really regretted being on a cruise. Tomorrow, however, we meet with the Viking travel consultants about future options. We do have a $10,000 credit voucher as a result of sticking it out for this venture that caused many cancellations once the leg to Japan was changed to Hawaii. Hopefully, we can find some smoother sailing in our future.
Walking from one end of the ship to the other is a major accomplishment. I did manage to do laundry, knowing that most people just stayed in their cabins. Room Service was very popular and after hearing the crash of dishes in the kitchen probably the safest way to eat breakfast or lunch. Dinner tonight will be at the Chef’s Table once again with a Mexican menu planned. My wife played bridge while I went to the movie documentary, “Wonders of the Sea,” produced by the Cousteau family. It was truly an underwater marvel narrated by Arnold Schwarzenegger. The swaying of the boat and thumping of the waves against the side of the Viking Orion added to the realism. The captain was facing 20-foot swells but indicated that the ship was built to handle at least fifty to make us feel safe. It’s been a swell day so far!
I sent a note to my half-sister telling her how often we referred to her humorous quip after checking on our condition during hurricane Ian. When I told her we were in Alaska, she responded with: “Boy, you really know how to evacuate!!!” She must have been on my mind this morning as I composed this poem about the newly found sibling relationship with her and four sisters. The brother died years ago in a car accident and the mother was not aware until 65-years later that her soon to be husband, now deceased, had fathered a child – me. Surprise! In all fairness, he probably didn’t know either. An Ancestry DNA test confirmed the bond and I’ve slowly gotten to know the family, starting with the “favorite.” Since our initial meetings, one of the sisters has sadly passed, and I got to meet “Fav’s” son, Gabe, who’s wife apparently initiated the test as a gift for his mother.
I Never Knew
I Never knew of you,
Didn’t have a clue.
But glad we finally met,
Now that I do.
If it weren’t for Gabe,
I might never have found.
My five secret sisters,
Scattered all around.
To meet you all,
My ultimate quest.
But “Fav’s” become,
The one I know best.
We were a match,
On the Ancestry test.
It was like opening,
A treasure chest.
Even Cecil,
Would be surprised.
Of this bond,
That he devised.
At the heart of the matter,
Is your mother so strong.
She’s lost three loves,
Then, I come along.
You’ve all stuck together,
As Bannister’s should.
In the eight-sided cabin,
Made of Scipio wood.
I’ll never be your favorite,
To your brother I concede.
But you can have another,
Should you feel the need.
Our twisted family tree,
With its hidden roots.
As I continue to search,
For yet revealed shoots.
This man I never met
Is in our hearts today.
He’s clearly in our eyes,
And in our DNA.
Copyright 2022 johnstonwrites.com
With the month of October suddenly upon us, September running mileage only totaled 78.1 miles. At least I got the minimum mile in every day to keep “The Streak” alive on this cruise adventure. Normally, I routinely do about 90 miles each month and 1,000 for the year. Between fewer miles and excessive eating I will naturally expect a weight gain that should be perfectly normal on a three-week cruise. They say if you don’t put on a few pounds then you didn’t enjoy yourself. Tonight, we’ll be back at Manfredi’s for more pasta and wine, The big relief of the day, was from our thoughtful who took the time to drive all the way to Schnauzerville to assure my wife that our precious pup Tally was doing fine. The dog sitters were relying on a generator and had no way to communicate with us, so a simple picture was worth a thousand words.
We should know more about our roof tile damage in the next few days when my son is able to once again check our property. He has been pre-occupied with rising water, soffit damage, and potential structural concerns after the hurricane. This goes along with his marital concerns and financial problems that have been his primary focus long before Ian rocked his world. His wife and kids have been sharing time with their parents, so I was glad to see them temporarily united as a family to deal with the storm. This once again shows that tragedies like this often bring people together, whether it be neighbors, relatives, or even strangers.
There are still street, landscaping, sewer and internet problems in our Islandwalk neighborhood. I do have some guilt having to rely on others for help while we’re thousands of miles away at sea. Our timing couldn’t have been better or worse, depending on how you look at it. Here we are stuffing our faces, bathing with clean water, and enjoying all the luxury cruise comforts while those back in our home town of Venice are suffering. We’ll have some serious dues to pay when we finally get back to Florida.
The onboard treadmill was an adventure this morning as we sail the rough seas on the way to our final Alaska stop, Dutch Harbor. We’re not sure what to expect since there are no excursions available but at least we’ll be docked and I won’t be rocked from side-to-side while running again tomorrow morning. After that, I’ll just have to somehow get used to occasionally grabbing on to the support bars to keep from falling off. It’s seven long days at sea from there to Kauai, our first of three Hawaiian ports.
Yesterday was sightseeing in the town of Kodiak including a military settlement, three museums, and a Russian Orthodox church. Like Sitka, it was once an important Soviet port before they sold the entire territory to the United States back in 1867 for a price of 7.2 million. The Kodiak History Museum is housed in the oldest standing log structure on the West Coast, called a Magazin (Russian for store), built circa 1808 as a storage facility. Across the street was the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge Center where on display was a fascinating skeleton of a Gray Whale that was found on the local beach, intentionally buried for four years to allow bacteria to strip it to bare bones, cleaned, and eventually reassembled to be suspended from the ceiling of this museum. It was the tourism highlight of the day.
Dinner last night was once again at the Chef’s Table where we were entertained by dozens of whales just outside our window-side table. The evening ended with Reuel, a fabulous pianist from Austin, Texas that put on a dazzling performance in the Star Theatre. It was the first act on the boat to keep us awake for the duration, although some of the other artists had their moments. My wife is currently at a French cooking class while I write this and will spend the afternoon playing bridge. She was particularly excited this morning when we found out that power had been restored to our Florida home and a thoughtful neighbor had moved and watered our sheltered plants. However, we were also informed that we may have a couple of damaged roof tiles as a result of Ian. We’ll assess all the minor damages when we return in less than two weeks. Still no word on Tally, but as more homes get power, communication will certainly improve. We’re confident that she’s fine with all her schnauzer brothers and sisters but some reassurance would be welcome. Tally where are you?
Tomorrow will mark my 200th game of Wordle, the New York Times daily puzzle that has become part of my routine. Since they only provide one game a day, it’s not something you can get obsessed about, although there is Quordle (four puzzles at once) and Octordle (eight puzzles at once) where you can play as many times as you wish. I have a 98% solve rate with a one-time 76-game streak. There are two ways to stop a streak, either by failing to solve the puzzle in six attempts or by forgetting to do the puzzle on a given day. I’ve be subject to both, as my current streak is only at two after somehow spacing out on doing it a few days ago. Normally, I do it right after my morning run, so it should be automatic considering that my current running streak is 5,025 consecutive days. I certainly have yet to forget the running part of my day even though they often times blend together.
We’re currently docked on Kodiak Island, one of the largest in the world. I’ve opened a Diet Coke, that I now limit to just one a day, as I sit at the keyboard. It looks like another chilly, rainy day here in Alaska, although we’ve also gotten a surprising share of sunshine. Last night, as we were having dinner, we experienced our first Alaskan sunset over the mountains we were cruising by. It was just before the big Viking 25th Anniversary dance party on the pool deck. It’s not easy to dance when the ship is rocking, so we left early for bed on Day 11 of this journey.
Early this afternoon, we’ll head into town to tour another museum before tomorrow’s long day at sea on the way to Dutch Harbor. We’re looking forward to another great dinner tonight at the Chef’s Table followed by the Austin pianist performance that was cancelled the other evening due to rough seas. There is still no power at our Florida home and we’ve yet to get word on our Schnauzer pup, Tally. We’re sure she’s fine but phone and internet service are spotty in the Venice area. Flooding has prevented crews from getting in to do repairs.
I will miss another Saturday of football, unless one of the bars in town has a satellite dish and will wait on word of Aaron Judge’s efforts to top the Roger Maris and Yankee home run record. Tomorrow, of course, will start with checking scores, strength exercises in the onboard gym, and another run on the treadmill, followed by (unless I forget) the much anticipated 200th game of Wordle.
We got off the boat this morning to go to the Alaska SeaLife Center. It was very foggy but the sun was trying to peek through the clouds as a steady rain fell. We were hoping that it wouldn’t be like yesterday with another wet morning or little to see or do followed by a boring afternoon between feeding times. The two museums that we visited in Valdez were disappointing and everyone wondered why there were two in town or why we even stopped in Valdez at all? We ended up going back to our cabin to watch the movie, Paris Can Wait, a film we’d apparently already seen 5-years ago that had long left my memory bank.
While the boat set sail, we watched it continue to pour down rain from the Explorer’s Lounge with one of our favorite musicians, Laurence, on guitar. Dinner was at Manfredi’s where I once again overdid it on the Cabernet. We’re trying our best to get the most out of the Silver Spirits premium liquor package. As a result, I will need to take the next two days off from overindulgence to dry out. We then almost made it through the main lounge act before the vocalists broke out in an unbearable Queen medley that moved us quickly to the exit doors. We’ll try again tonight to stay awake during the Viking: 25 Years of Exploration presentation and dance.
We averted another disaster this afternoon when my wife finally found her missing driver’s license that had inadvertently slipped out her pocket in one of the downtown Seward shops. We had actually given up trying to find it after retracing her steps this morning to the bus, aquariums, and a few of the stores back to the ship with no luck. However, when the sun finally came out later in the afternoon, we went back again and thankfully found it. It was her second moment of relief of the day, since my son had called earlier with good news about the condition of our Florida home.
We were apparently on the “Sunny Side of the Street” with no structural damage. I feel bad, but all our neighbors on the other side of Borrego Street suffered considerable damage to their pool cages, not to mention all the massive destruction to others in our community. This was because Hurricane Ian had a reverse spin from previous storms and the front of our house took the brunt of the wind while those homes on the opposite side of our road got hit from the more vulnerable back side. The streets are still flooded and there is no power or water but my son reported only a puddle of water that came in under our front door. He also rescued most of the frozen food from our refrigerators, so that is no longer a worry because no one knows how long the power will be out. It’s great news to be on the right side of the neighborhood – The Sunny Side of the Street:
“Grab your hat, baby
Leave your worries on the doorstep
Just direct your feet
On the sunny side of the street
Can’t you hear a pitter-pat, babe?
And that happy tune is your step
Life can be so sweet
On the sunny side of the street
I used to walk in the shade
With those blues on parade, ba-ba-bo
But I’m not afraid, baby
My Rover’s crossed over, ay
If I never have a cent, babe
I’d be rich as Rock-e-fellow
With gold dust at my feet
On the sunny side of the street
Grab your coat
Get your hat
Leave your worry on the doorstep, ba-be-do
Just direct your feet
On the sunny side of the street, zay-zoo-za-ze-zo-zay
Can’t you hear a pitter-pat?
Oh, the happy tune is your step, ba-be-oh
Life can be so sweet, oh, ba-be-bo-ba-bay
On the sunny side of the street
I used to walk in the shade
Baby, with those blues on parade
Oh, but I’m not afraid, baby
My rover!
My rover crossed over!
And if I never have a cent
I’ll be rich as Rock-e-fellow, hey
With gold dust at my feet
On the sunny side of the street”
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh
On The Sunny Side Of The Street lyrics © Reservoir Media Management Inc, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
