D&N

There's something on this afternoon about 3pm based around Grand Lobby. Photo opportunities followed by a street party afternoon tea in Britannia.

Weather report: I woke up briefly about 3am, which would have been 4am when we went to bed due to time change. I could just feel a little gentle roll and pitch. That's first I've noticed that. Was surprised when I got up later and sea state didn't look any different from other days. We did have a force 7 around 6am so that may have caused it. There was noticeably more movement in the gym and walking into wind on deck 12 was difficult. Don't think we'll be doing much sun bathing.

I wouldn't say it is ideal of course. I wouldn't say I was an IT professional but worked in an IT environment for a great deal of my career. It took me a bit to figure out the best sequence of opening pages. It's not really suitable as a mass market product.

I should also say that lengthy posts are best typed on text editor, I use OneNote, then copy and paste. System thinks you're not using it while you type and may disconnect.

@Host HattieIf you prefer this in an existing thread please move. I can't compare two levels as I opted for premium. Speedtest.net shows error if I try to run a test. However I have automatically backed up around 1.2Gb of photos and videos to my cloud storage. I have made numerous posts here and on Facebook and WhatsApp, email, banking and browsing are fine. Downloading my daily paper takes a while. I'm using a Dual SIM MotoG 5G plus, running Android 11. I have both SIMs turned off and Flight Mode on. I need to follow a short routine. First check and refresh the wi-fi connection. Then log into MyVoyage, it disconnects really easily. Then wi-fi account page and select 'use' then 'connect'. And it works fine. Sounds like hassle but when you've figured out what needs done it takes about 15 seconds. Public areas are a bit faster than cabin but I still get it working there. We are quite near Pavilion though.

There's a story there; Since 18 months ago we both lost weight. I mainly followed my wife's diet so couldn't avoid it. I've a lovely 25 year old ivory M&S pure wool tux, which is now too big. Got this brand new at great price on eBay. It had obviously spent a long time gathering dust in a stock room. Knowing that onboard cleaning is really cheap I packed a dirty tux and left it with note for cabin stewardess the first evening. Next afternoon one perfect tux delivered to cabin.

Having had the benefit of an extra hour last night, got up and braved the force 7 winds on open deck. 05:50 this morning aft port side deck 12 Queen Mary 2, past mid Atlantic bound for New York.

We're trying hard to figure out how to do this. I've not got an autonomous video drone with me. If we come up with something we'll try to comply with the request!

We're way ahead of ourselves tonight. You can tell the lunchtime photo by my outfit. I really should have worn the red shoes yesterday, Blue would have been much better today. And this is Smart Attire night but was originally an unthemed gala night, hence the white tux.

Having now used Britannia Club port side restaurant for a few days, the minority belief that you shouldn't pass through the main restaurant is crazy. There is no more separation between BC than between different segments of the MD. On the starboard side it's effectively some plants and at port a partial partition. If there are people seated in central section near the staircase we use the small side staircase exit then walk along the very wide aisle to the rear of the restaurant.

I'm taking all our photos at max resolution so we don't have problems enlarging. I installed a compression app to get files suitable for posting here and on Facebook etc.

Yesterday's lunch and dinner again. We found the blue sunburst rug by accident and couldn't resist the background for the dress. Actually noticed some movement yesterday. The cross trainer moved gently underneath me a few times and I spotted the horizon moving. I think I'm mastering the internet thing. But a few more days and finding time needed to report. The gym awaits!

Our thin bungee cord washing line and tiny sewing pegs are working well after our daily visits to the gym. It's all lightweight quick drying fabrics and not enough of it to go to launderette with. It gets a quick wash in the sink.

Sunset from the Gallery on QM2 westbound last night roughly 1,000 nautical miles from Southampton.

Had Black and White lunch as well as night. Well Nora did. Don't know how to get rid of this emoji from a prior post! 🤣 Quite overcast this morning. Sea not really any higher though screen at Pavilion says force 4 against 3 yesterday.

Our first casual night, or do they call it Smart Attire 🤣 Sashaying through Britannia was out of question. There was a couple with less mobility in front of us. Think I need to downsize photos to upload faster. South of Scilly Isles and sea feels smooth. Waves are perhaps about a foot high. Too late for a sunrise but it is up there with a little cloud to burn off.

Felt as if I was in one of those spy movies. 51 pages photographed in just over 6 minutes. Editing to a complete pdf will need wait until we are home.

We embarked smoothly. Given 12:45 report time. Arrived 12:21. By time we queued for pre document check there were only a few in front of us where it splits for BC and others priority check in. Sat for a bit while grills etc boarded and in cabin around 13:45.

Many of the facilities at Room2 are wasted on an overnight stay. Comprehensively equipped kitchen facility.

It might just be Norse folk.

That shrug may just make another appearance tomorrow night.

Covid tested at Nice Airport, flight on time, taxi Heathrow to Southampton 30 minutes late, but made our dinner reservation at Max's Brasserie, Oxford Street. Nice meal, lovely Sicilian white wine and back to Room2 Hotel to try out their bar/lounge. Very cosy!

Meanwhile in Nice Airport we successfully obtained negative test certificates and await British Airways opening Bag Drop. 👍

I detest flying long haul eastbound. Our original bucket list trip would have been Concorde westbound to arrive in New York before departing London, a few days in New York, then a leisurely return on the QE2. By the time we could afford to do it both modes of transport were taken out of service.

Is walking through the main Britannia Lower to reach Britannia Club frowned on? I know Stairway D is the best access for Britannia Club but not necessarily very handy when coming from other venues on the ship. I’m aware of the routes via Deck 3L either side as well. I’ve noted other comments about using those routes to access Queens Room and G32 and wondered if that applied to Britannia Club as well. We wouldn’t think twice about walking through different sections of a large land based restaurant to reach our table so I’m not sure what (if any) the problem would be.