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"LIVE" with Sungirl in South America. HAL Zaandam Nov 8-22, 2015

KCSungirl

By KCSungirl,
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KCSungirl

KCSungirl

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13 November - the best Friday the 13th ever. I never met a penguin I didn't like. WOW!

 

I overslept a bit this morning so I didn't have time to raise hell about my shower pressure. Probably a good thing. I did it again! Booked another ship excursion. I have good sense and know when I should book thru the ship. Today was one of those days that I wanted the ship take the liability for me. I can pay a little premium for that.

 

We booked the 4x4 King Penguin excursion to Volunteer Point. This tour is not for anyone with back problems or mobility issues. We were on way around 8:15am after a 2 mile and 20 minute tender ride. If you were not booked on a ship excursion you had to pick up tender tickets the day before at an assigned time.

 

We met our driver, Shane, a sixth generation islander. WHY? Four of us loaded in his company owned Land Rover for the 50 mile 2 hour ride to Volunteer Point. I love penguins and my only up close and personal experience with them to date is in the Galapagos islands. I was over the moon about my appt. with the penguins. The first leg of the journey is one hour on a gravel road. the second part of the journey is one hour on off off off road driving. completely painful, but so worth it.

 

Once we arrived at VP, we had almost two hours to do whatever we wanted. The time went so quickly. We took lots of pic, videos, and were in awe of the penguin behavior. They are fascinating. It was a hawaiian tropic day - sunny and 54 degrees. Gale force wind, however, makes for harsh conditions. There were hundreds of King Penguins and a few Gentoos and Magellenic. The beach is gorgeous. Completely unspoiled. After we spent a few hours chasing penguins, we went back to the vehicle and they provided a snack. Everyone had something different in their bags and it was gross to us. We took the bottled water and gave the rest to our driver. He seemed quite happy about that. I posted several videos and photos on my Facebook page. The road home was so tiresome. We returned around 3pm and did some shopping in Stanley. The Pound prices are so ridiculous that I wouldn't buy anything. I did get one small trinket - a $5 penguin mood ring. It's too funny. I highly recommend this excursion, but it is a hard one. Long day and fighting the elements and 4x4 ride made us feel pretty beat up. Thank God for a sea day tomorrrow. The afternoon ended with a somewhat funny/scary incident. I was coming off the tender boat back to the ship, I was on the platform at the bottom of the stairs to get on the ship. A rogue wave came over the tender boat and platform and almost knocked me in the water. I was drenched. In my shock I was laughing hysterically, but then I got a little upset. Thank goodness I am a well fed girl. Cuz if I was a waif, I would be washing up on shore dead from hypothermia. I think Friday the 13th was lucky for me.

 

I was feeling traumatized and immediately sent PC to the bar for happy hour wine. I ran to the cabin to remove my clothes. I was soaked to my bra and underwear. I had my jacket open. Got all the clothes hung up to dry, killed three glasses of wine and all is right in my world. AND they fixed the shower while we were out. We will see how long it lasts this time.

 

We went to our usual aft corner booth in the Buff-ette. We didn't have much left in the tank. After dinner PC went to the cabin and fell asleep while I went to the internet cafe to bitch about the 100 times I have been knocked offline and i wanted some courtesy minutes. The mousey librarian was so generous and gave me 15 courtesy minutes. Seriously? I spend $500 on internet and she can clearly see my troubles and history. PC woke up just in time for the show. The variety show with the feature performers from the last three evenings - Rogerio, the Brazilian pianist, Pampas Devils Tango dance troupe, and Simone, the Scotish violinist/singer. Simone was awesome. She sang the Eva Cassidy version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Rogerio played one of my favorite songs "She". I like Elvis Costello's version from Notting Hill.

 

Another great day and thank goodness I am alive to tell you about it.

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Aussie Gal

Aussie Gal

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Paige,

 

How lucky were you!! We heard of a terrible accident when we were tied up in Singapore on the Ocean Princess in April right next to the Queen Elizabeth 2. A lady on that ship a couple of days earlier in Koh Samui didn't live to tell the tale. A wave got her and she went between the tender and the ship!

 

You weren't meant to leave this world yet, thank goodness. I love your postings and also all your videos on F.B. I would definitely return to the Internet Café to ask for more minutes especially when you have bought so many. It is so frustrating to be knocked off all the time.

 

Jennie

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ILOVEROSES

ILOVEROSES

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Great reading - I'm loving your posts. We are considering a SA cruise in the future, so I'll be taking notes.

 

It sounds like you know about layering; up here on the "frozen tundra", it's how we enjoy outdoor winter activities. For you to keep warm here's how it should go: sports bra, tank top, short sleeve t, long sleeve t, long sleeve shirt, sweater or sweatshirt, jacket. Don't forget about something for your head to help keep in your body heat, and gloves. For your bottom layers: panties, panty hose, leggings, thermal underwear, pants. Add or remove layers as required.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

 

It just cracked me up reading your post:D

I didn't know that Saskatoon is called "frozen tundra" and you have to put on all these layers before you can enjoy outdoor winter activities. It wasn't so cold when I lived in Toronto in the early 1970's.

 

We are getting ready for our SA cruise on Zaandam on 20th December from Valparaiso to BA. You should definitely consider a SA cruise in the future.

I just hope the summer in the south of SA won't be as cold as Saskatoon in winter.;) You know that December-February is summer in the southern hemisphere, right?

 

Ania :cool:

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ger_77

ger_77

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It just cracked me up reading your post

I didn't know that Saskatoon is called "frozen tundra" and you have to put on all these layers before you can enjoy outdoor winter activities. It wasn't so cold when I lived in Toronto in the early 1970's.

 

We are getting ready for our SA cruise on Zaandam on 20th December from Valparaiso to BA. You should definitely consider a SA cruise in the future.

I just hope the summer in the south of SA won't be as cold as Saskatoon in winter.;) You know that December-February is summer in the southern hemisphere, right?

 

Ania

 

One of the things we used to enjoy in the winter was ice fishing - a friend of ours had a cabin at a lake and had all the equipment; all we had to do was show up. I learned to dress in layers and found I could spend several hours on the ice in -30 weather and not get cold. Sadly, that friend has gone to the great beyond, so we don't ice fish any longer, but it brings great memories.

 

Whenever we've been to Half Moon Cay(usually in January or February), some people have said the water was too cold for swimming - well, not for us, we just take the plunge and enjoy it like we were prairie dolphins.

 

A SA cruise is definitely on our radar - it's just a matter of when.

 

Smooth Sailing ! :) :) :)

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ILOVEROSES

ILOVEROSES

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Thank you for keeping us entertained and am very glad that you only got a drenching and everything turned out ok. Hope the shower works well till you get to Valparaiso.

I don't like Friday 13th at all!

 

In 4 weeks we are going to cruise on Zaandam from Valparaiso to BA and hoping to stop off in Stanley, fingers crossed.

 

Ania:cool:

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KCSungirl

KCSungirl

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14 November - at sea recovering from the Penguin hangover. Made a u-turn somewhere. Heading west.

 

We haven't made it to breakfast yet! We hung out in the cabin until 1pm. It's awesome to be able to relax, read, and rest. That doesn't happen at home unfortunately. Lunch in the Buff-Ette on sea days is crowded. It was too crisp to sit outside today. Even for the German tan fools.

 

We decided to participate in activities today.

First stop - Crow's Nest. Name that tune trivia. PC is a music genius and we won. Our prize was a HAL lapel pin that said South America. I never win anything so it was all very exciting.

Second stop - Mondriaan Lounge - port talk with the location guide, Brett. Brett is a real hottie. Takes himself just a little too seriously, but nevertheless good at his job. Third stop - Atrium - South American Wine Festival. This was a cool event. A $20 wine and food party. Argentine, Chilean, Uruguyan wines and local cocktails.

Fourth stop - Ocean Bar - happy hour.

Fifth stop - Explorers Lounge. A little Internet action and reading.

Sixth stop - Lido Dinner Buffette. The food is starting to get a little boring. Rosemary chicken every night! I am addicted to the meringue cookies. Pure mainline sugar like cotton candy.

Seventh stop Mondriaan Theater - Hot, the song and dance production show

 

I am exhausted! I need a vacation.

 

Returned to cabin to order dessert from room service. It was a "Gala" evening so we weren't dressed properly. Creme Brûlée, vanilla soufflé, brownie stack, and vanilla ice cream. It's unbelievable we have no cavities.

 

We entered the Strait of Magellan at around 9pm. Will be in the narrow portion around midnight. Why are we doing scenic cruising in the middle of the night?

 

We are taking the Mother Lode excursion tomorrow out of Punta Arenas. It's a 4:30am wake up call. I hope I can sleep with all of my excitement. Again, praying for great weather. It's a gamble when spending big $$$ and the weather can make or break the day. You will get the word tomorrow night. Hopefully we make it back alive. That otter charter plane makes me nervous.

 

Your Name that tune trivia question and don't cheat by using the Internet.

Who sang the 1966 Grammy award for best song "Shadow of your Smile"?

We were the only team to get it right. Total guess.

 

Thank to those commenting. I appreciate you taking the time. Shout out to my friends sunsetbeachgal and aussiegal.

 

Goodnight and have a pleasant tomorrow.

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Aussie Gal

Aussie Gal

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Paige,

 

Good on your for having such a relaxing day though I cannot ever miss breakfast, my body won't let me!

 

I am looking forward to hearing about your excursion tomorrow. When we visited Punta Arenas we took an excursion to see the penguins so your excursion sounds a lot more interesting.

 

Jennie

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seacrystal

seacrystal

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After enjoying all of your other LIVE threads over the years, I am again sitting at my computer giggling like a kid at your sense of humor. Our personalities share the same sarcasm and I LOVE it!:D You make everything sound fun and exciting.

 

Keep on keepin' on!!!!;)

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KCSungirl

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15 November - Welcome to Patagonia

 

An exciting adventure awaits for us. We booked the cruise ship excursion that will fly us into Patagonia. They didn't offer the Antartica excursion on this itinerary otherwise we may have signed on for that.

 

After cruising through the Magellan strait, we docked at Punta Arenas. The largest gateway to Patagonia. We go so lucky with the weather. mild and sunny. What is Patagonia? I always wondered that myself. It was kind of mystery. Patagonia is a large area along the Andes mountains on the Chilean and Argentine borders. It is comprised of jagged peaks, fjords, windswept prairies, and glaciers. The weather is very harsh. four seasons in one day in many locations.

 

There are a few main attractions in the Patagonia regions. National Parks mostly. The Torrres del Paine which is famous for the three pink granite towers, Glacier National Park in El Calafate, Argentina which has the huge glacier, and the Tierra del Fuego, an island. The weather conditions are so extreme and harsh. I don't know how people hang out in this area for very long.

 

If you were to drive to Torres del Paine from Punta Arenas, it would take up to 3 hours. We had a charter flight to Puerto Natales, the closest landing strip to the park. The airport is tiny and serves only charter flights. We departed the ship at 6:30am and were on our way to Torres del Paine by 8:30am. We were a group of 36 people. We had 3 charter planes of various sizes. We were on the big plane - a twin engine 20 passenger Otter. The other two planes were much smaller. We were bummed, because we wanted the smaller planes. It was good flying conditions and I wasn't too nervous. We had a wonderful guide, Juan, and a chaperone from the ship excursion desk. A coach bus with a BATHROOM was waiting for us upon landing in Puerto Natales. Oscar, our driver, was great. We boarded the bus and set out on a 2 hour drive to our lunch destination in the center of Torres del Paine. The drive included many bathroom and photo stops. I have video and photos of each stop on my facebook page travel page. We saw many guanacos, the llama like animal native to the Patagonian region and a lot of sheep. The conditions are so harsh I don't know how these animals survive.

 

Our lunch stop was in the center of the park at a small hotel. It was on a beautiful lake. The food was ok. Hearts of palm salad, lamb, potatoes, rolls, and excellent flan for dessert. Its's a restaurant that caters to groups and they are very efficient. Our stop was an hour and a half. We left at 1:30pm to start the journey back to the ship. We made another photo stop along the way. The weather got extremely windy and even snowed for a brief time on the way out of the park. The pilots were waiting for us at the airport. Great flights back to Punta Arenas. Back on the ship at 5pm. I was exhausted, but so happy we took the excursion. You, too, can have lunch in the Torres del Paine park for $1199/pp. It was worth every penny to us. I am glad we decided to cruise and not travel by land. I would have been bored and cold, plus the luxury lodges are expensive. One day was enough for me. I would, however, go back to El Calafate on the Argentine side.

 

I had two glasses of wine upon returning to the ship. That was a mistake. Between the 4:15am wakeup call, the glass of wine at lunch, the tour, and my happy hour, I would not be attending any show tonight. I passed out at 8pm. PC woke me up at 9pm to get me undressed and get me to bed. I missed the comedian in the showroom. I was ready for some comedy. Maybe he will have an encore show.

 

I mentioned previously that I did a lot of shopping for the proper clothing prior to the cruise. We are North Face people and believe there products are completely worth the money. We nailed the clothes perfectly. Your first line of defense is for wind. The wind can be brutal anywhere on this itinerary. Rain is not as much of an issue, because you can usually take shelter someplace during rain. Always have an umbrella in your daypack.

 

My layers:

1. camisole or tank top

2. t-shirt, long sleeve t-shirt, or turtleneck

3. fleece pullover or zip up

4. Thermobomber vest or jacket. It's thin insulation.

5. waterproof rain jacket with a hood

6. HAT. You must have a hat. The most important item. You lose a lot of heat thru your head.

7. gloves are not a must because it is impossible to take photos in gloves, but I would definitely have them. I had thin fleece gloves for dry conditions and a different glove for wet conditions.

8. Shoes. You don't need boots. Goretex trail running shoes or hiking shoes are fine. I bought Asics this trip. High style goretex running shoes. Our shoes have to match the costumes. DUH!

 

PC wears the North Face thermobomber jacket and the venture rain jacket with hood over his fleece pullover. Completely warm. I wear the 3 in 1 jacket with the zip out liner. I can alternate my thermobomber jacket and osito fleece jacket inside the rain jacket.

 

I hope you are enjoying the cruise so far. We have another week with lots of scenic cruising on the schedule. And just so you know, I won't leave you after the cruise is over. We have another adventure planned, so come along.

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scluvsrain

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Hi, fun and informative cruise log, I'm enjoying reading about your adventures and the port stops. I'll be on the Zaandam late January for the Val to BA loop, including Antarctica. Curious as to how you are enjoying the layout of the Zaandam - looks like you haven't made it to the MDR yet. Who is captain? And who is cruise director? Do they have culinary demos/classes on board?

 

I had the knitting group last year on our Viking cruise on the Eurodam - knitters everywhere - a bunch of nice people!!!

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KCSungirl

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16 November - Welcome to Ushuaia and the End of the World/Tierra Del Fuego

 

After I passed out last night at 8pm, I was up nice and early this morning-5am. We were cruising the Beagle Channel and Glacier Alley. I made myself comfortable in my corner mansion in the Buffette. I had to share my mansion with Bob and Ursula. They were from Houston via South Africa. Bob is a synthetic diamond producer and told me he could fool anyone with his diamonds. He looks and speaks like Alfred Hitchcock. OMG! He spent a long time trying to get me to bite on one of his diamonds. After a while he gave up. Princess has no use for fake diamonds. They were a very nice couple. Since PC is from Houston they had a lot to talk about.

 

Hotttie Brett, the location guide, narrated the entire journey down glacier alley. It is super beautiful and interesting. There was a glacier shaped like a donut. They obviously knew I would be visiting someday. My middle name is donut. After getting up so early, 9am felt like lunchtime. We had breakfast and hung out till 11am. All of the scenery was on the port side today. Since our cabin is starboard, we had to go upstairs for a view. Very enjoyable ride.

 

We arrived Ushuaia and there was a massive rush to the theater for excursions at 1:30pm. We booked the Train Ride to the End of the World and Tierra del Fuego National Park. Another good decision to book thru the ship. This itinerary is well suited for ship excursions. I don't have to worry about exchanging money, don't have to carry money, don't have to waste time negotiating with tour operators or taxi drivers, and the ship has liability for me. Those are all really good reasons to use ship tours in this part of the world. I booked online before leaving home except for today's tour.

 

The train ride to the end of the world. I knew when I booked this it would be the cheesiest excursion ever. It is a toy steam train. It crawls. I cracked up because I could have walked faster. the narration during the ride is about the penal colony. very depressing and sad. PC enjoyed it and we had a good time, but I giggled the entire ride. It's a very tight squeeze in the train. if you are extra large, you will be shoulder to shoulder and knee to knee with someone else. Each car seats 6 people. 3 facing forward, 3 facing back. I was facing backwards and didn't like it. When the tracks end, we boarded a bus to drive to Ensenada Bay, all within the National Park of Tierra del Fuego, the land of fire. There is a post office in the Bay, but it was closed. So much for getting my postcards postmarked "End of the World". The excursion was short and sweet. Perfect. We were dropped off on the main street in town for shopping. We went to the famous Ramos General Store for coffee and pastries. We love our internet and coffee stops. Another stop that you shouldn't miss is Fredo's ice cream. This is a gourmet chain of ice cream in Argentina. Do not miss. There are so many interesting facts about Ushuaia. It would take me all day to write. It is fascinating how people live in such a remote place. Children must take vitamin D, because there is rarely sunshine. I would die!

 

I have a dream! I have had about six big dreams in my life. PC has made all of them come true. One, was having a swimming pool. I just sold the house. No more pool. ;-( I haven't added many dreams to my list because I am very lucky, content and appreciative of my life. BUT, I have added a dream. I want to cruise the French cruise line Le Ponant. I never expected to ever see one of their yachts, but I got to see one today - L'Austral. It seems so ritzy and French! They don't repeat itineraries often, they just keep moving around the world, so it's hard to ever see one of the ships. It might be too snobbish for me, but I would really like to check it out. Another dream - The Maldives.

 

We returned to the ship around 6pm. I bought a bottle of Argentine wine, which I knew I would get hassled for bringing it back on the ship. I wasn't letting them get between me and my new lover - Torrontes. After some discussion, I told them I would take it up to reception to discuss. I just went to the cabin! In the countries where the wine industry is fabulous, they should let guests bring ONE bottle of wine on the ship from port. That is horrible they want to make an issue of wine. I understand bringing in liquor, but one bottle of wine per person should be perfectly fine. Especially when half of the shore excursions involve wineries. They do let people buy wine that go on the wine excursions.

 

******Announcement********** We went to the main dining room for dinner. Yes, we do get out of the cafeteria once in a while. They don't have any tables for 2 next to the window. I had to have a window seat to watch my dream sail away. We had a table for 6. We enjoyed our dinner and our table mates very much, but it is just too long of an evening serving 6 people. 3 hours. Service slow. I sucked down two bowls of french onion soup to die for. Lamb chops, my favorite thing that I never get at home, were wonderful. I watched L'Austral sail by and I shouted under my breath - I will see you someday. We also had somewhat of a sunset. Unbelieveably awesome weather today. No coats!

 

tonight's show was tango passion. A south American themed dance production. After my 5am wake up, there was no way. I am so bummed. I have missed the shows two nights in a row. My psychiatric disorder, FOMO, is going to flare up. Fear of Missing Out tortures me!

 

Off to dreamland to visualize myself on Le Ponant cruise lines.

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KCSungirl

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17 November - Rounding Cape Horn back North toward the Fjords and Lake District.

 

Another early morning wakeup call. 5:30am. I figure I can sleep when I am dead. We are rounding the Horn this morning from 6-7am. I bought a book called Rounding the Horn and I bought a map showing the passages, glaciers, fjords, etc of southern Patagonia. It's all part of the cabin decor. I wanted to learn about the stories of the explorers and treacherous sailing conditions around the horn. As much as I think I know everything, I didn't understand this part of the world at all. I am so much smarter now. That means I will be able to answer more questions at trivia games.

 

The weather conditions are truly incredible this am. Calm seas, little wind, drizzle. We circled the horn to view the lighthouse and Albatross statue. The Captain blew the horn while crossing the line where the Atlantic and Pacific oceans meet. The Albatross prayer was read commemorating the sailors who lost their lives sailing the dangerous waters around Cape Horn. Hottie Brett narrated the entire tour. We had a great view from our starboard veranda. As we were leaving weather conditions started deteriorating. Wind is stronger, heavier rain, rougher seas. We have been super lucky on our timing.

 

PC decides 6:30am is a good time to do laundry. Am I supposed to be on vacation? I will need a vacation from the vacation. We beat the crowd. Four washers/dryers for the entire ship seems a little short on inventory. $3 for a 27 minute wash that includes HE low sud detergent. $1.75 for a 45 minute dryer. We did three loads. The dryers are excellent and don't require all of the 45 minutes. The ship prices for laundry are $20 for a smallish bag or $98 unlimited for the entire cruise. Most people opt for the $98 all you can launder package. I don't want anyone touching my laundry. I am very careful and I don't dry my pants or nicer tops. God forbid if they shrink anymore, I will be wearing pajamas on tour. Of course I forgot to throw the pajamas in the wash, so I just wore them to breakfast. Another load of laundry in my future. I always say I wear costumes because I take so much time to shop and coordinate clothes to the itinerary. You should have seen my moroccan costumes when I traveled Morocco in April. They were perfect! I even buy pajamas with the theme of wherever I am traveling. This trip I brought the cutest penguin pajamas. They are so perfect. All of our costumes have been perfect. Too many tops/ t-shirts, but I seem to always make that mistake.

 

We were at the buffette at 9am and again it felt like noon with such an early morning. I sleep til 9am at home. This 4:30am to 6:30am business should be illegal. Breakfast was good as always and we headed back to the cabin to read, write, relax, rest.

The schedule is full of sea day activities. Some of them crack me up and I want to go to see who shows up. Here are some of the winners today:

 

Ladies Only Blackjack - Are they choking down the cigs in the casino at 10am?

Buying Devices - Does that include sex toys?

Rolling Dough - OMG. This one has me peeing my pants. But I LOVE dough.

Relief from Swollen Ankles - Does this include my Cankles?

Pack It up Right - I am hopeless

Dancing with the Stars - the people who think they are better dancers than they are

South American Beer Tasting - $15 to get drunk at 1pm. Probably the same people who go to Dancing with the Stars. Need the beer for courage

LGBT Gathering - this is where the FUN people are. I need to find them

Footprint Analysis - is this like palm reading? will they be able to tell me what I will be doing in my next life?

 

There are so many activities to chose from - dancing, trivia, music, food, computer classes, high tea, bridge, jewelry presentations, health seminars, acupuncture, teeth whitening, casino tournaments, ping pong, fitness classes, Spanish lessons, mass every day, something for everyone. But NO Bingo! I hauled my Princess cruise daubers all the way from Kansas to South America and there is no Bingo. I am writing a letter to the Captain immediately. PC will kill me if I put that leaking blue ink in my luggage for nothing.

 

After R&Ring we made our way back to the buffette. This is getting ridiculous. You would think after 42 cruises I would be over the food. Oh no. Need to stuff myself some more so I look even more Rubenesque when we get to the tropics. I couldn't even get the tights on over my ass yesterday. I had them in a drawer at home for a few years. Didn't remember the thrashing and manipulation that needed to happen to get them on. It's been ages since I have worn tights or pantyhose. Heavy tights are much better than long underwear. Highly recommend bringing them with you to wear under jeans or whatever pants you tour in. We wear jeans.

 

We are taking it easy this afternoon. Lots of people coming down with colds. I feel a bit congested, but I think that is because I choked and aspirated over my new lover, Torrontes, last night. It happened when L'Austral was sailing by. I think my excitement got the best of me. Maybe some Mucinex or Advil later on. Get out that pharmacy I bring along. A 1 gallon ziploc full of pills, ointments, bandaids, and Charmin on the Go. Do not forget your toilet paper when on tour. Also put a washcloth or paper towels in your daypack. so many bathrooms have no TP or paper towels.

 

We have sailed into a blizzard. It's snowing, cold, and there will be no going outside. We will be navigating fjords all the way to the Lake District. This takes us through Northern Patagonia before getting to the the Lake District. Some areas are protected and some are not. It was only really rough for a couple of hours. Long enough to scare the sh*t out of me. I took a nap, but the noise was bad from the wind.

 

Our cabin is fine, but the location is terrible. We are directly under the lido aft smoking lounge. Constant movement of the chairs. Horrible noise all day and night above our heads. Never again under the smoking lounge. The lighting in the room is terrible for us. Hard to read and hurts my eyes. Can't see anything in the mirror at the desk due to the bad lighting The ship is in good condition, but doesn't have any bells and whistles. Traditional decor with no flair. Our bathroom has mildew and there is a strong mildew odor in the room. I am sure it gets in the carpet, walls, and ceiling. Nothing can be done, so I wouldn't complain. It comes with the territory of the Zaandam. I wouldn't hesitate to book the ship again if the itinerary was good for me.

 

After a rest we went back to the Buffette. I am feeling a little achy, so not much appetite. Didn't stop me from having from having some mushroom risotto though. The production show was - Forever Rock. A re-enactment of Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet set to pop/rock songs. Again the costumes were awesome and we enjoyed it.

 

Back to the cabin for a latte and ice cream from room service. Macadamia Brittle. Sunset is at 9:20pm. I am somewhat chilled, but otherwise Life is Good.

 

Set your alarm Scenic cruising through the fjords starts at 8am. Night

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17 November - Rounding Cape Horn back North toward the Fjords and Lake District.

 

Another early morning wakeup call. 5:30am. I figure I can sleep when I am dead. We are rounding the Horn this morning from 6-7am. I bought a book called Rounding the Horn and I bought a map showing the passages, glaciers, fjords, etc of southern Patagonia. It's all part of the cabin decor. I wanted to learn about the stories of the explorers and treacherous sailing conditions around the horn. As much as I think I know everything, I didn't understand this part of the world at all. I am so much smarter now. That means I will be able to answer more questions at trivia games.

 

The weather conditions are truly incredible this am. Calm seas, little wind, drizzle. We circled the horn to view the lighthouse and Albatross statue. The Captain blew the horn while crossing the line where the Atlantic and Pacific oceans meet. The Albatross prayer was read commemorating the sailors who lost their lives sailing the dangerous waters around Cape Horn. Hottie Brett narrated the entire tour. We had a great view from our starboard veranda. As we were leaving weather conditions started deteriorating. Wind is stronger, heavier rain, rougher seas. We have been super lucky on our timing.

 

PC decides 6:30am is a good time to do laundry. Am I supposed to be on vacation? I will need a vacation from the vacation. We beat the crowd. Four washers/dryers for the entire ship seems a little short on inventory. $3 for a 27 minute wash that includes HE low sud detergent. $1.75 for a 45 minute dryer. We did three loads. The dryers are excellent and don't require all of the 45 minutes. The ship prices for laundry are $20 for a smallish bag or $98 unlimited for the entire cruise. Most people opt for the $98 all you can launder package. I don't want anyone touching my laundry. I am very careful and I don't dry my pants or nicer tops. God forbid if they shrink anymore, I will be wearing pajamas on tour. Of course I forgot to throw the pajamas in the wash, so I just wore them to breakfast. Another load of laundry in my future. I always say I wear costumes because I take so much time to shop and coordinate clothes to the itinerary. You should have seen my moroccan costumes when I traveled Morocco in April. They were perfect! I even buy pajamas with the theme of wherever I am traveling. This trip I brought the cutest penguin pajamas. They are so perfect. All of our costumes have been perfect. Too many tops/ t-shirts, but I seem to always make that mistake.

 

We were at the buffette at 9am and again it felt like noon with such an early morning. I sleep til 9am at home. This 4:30am to 6:30am business should be illegal. Breakfast was good as always and we headed back to the cabin to read, write, relax, rest.

The schedule is full of sea day activities. Some of them crack me up and I want to go to see who shows up. Here are some of the winners today:

 

Ladies Only Blackjack - Are they choking down the cigs in the casino at 10am?

Buying Devices - Does that include sex toys?

Rolling Dough - OMG. This one has me peeing my pants. But I LOVE dough.

Relief from Swollen Ankles - Does this include my Cankles?

Pack It up Right - I am hopeless

Dancing with the Stars - the people who think they are better dancers than they are

South American Beer Tasting - $15 to get drunk at 1pm. Probably the same people who go to Dancing with the Stars. Need the beer for courage

LGBT Gathering - this is where the FUN people are. I need to find them

Footprint Analysis - is this like palm reading? will they be able to tell me what I will be doing in my next life?

 

There are so many activities to chose from - dancing, trivia, music, food, computer classes, high tea, bridge, jewelry presentations, health seminars, acupuncture, teeth whitening, casino tournaments, ping pong, fitness classes, Spanish lessons, mass every day, something for everyone. But NO Bingo! I hauled my Princess cruise daubers all the way from Kansas to South America and there is no Bingo. I am writing a letter to the Captain immediately. PC will kill me if I put that leaking blue ink in my luggage for nothing.

 

After R&Ring we made our way back to the buffette. This is getting ridiculous. You would think after 42 cruises I would be over the food. Oh no. Need to stuff myself some more so I look even more Rubenesque when we get to the tropics. I couldn't even get the tights on over my ass yesterday. I had them in a drawer at home for a few years. Didn't remember the thrashing and manipulation that needed to happen to get them on. It's been ages since I have worn tights or pantyhose. Heavy tights are much better than long underwear. Highly recommend bringing them with you to wear under jeans or whatever pants you tour in. We wear jeans.

 

We are taking it easy this afternoon. Lots of people coming down with colds. I feel a bit congested, but I think that is because I choked and aspirated over my new lover, Torrontes, last night. It happened when L'Austral was sailing by. I think my excitement got the best of me. Maybe some Mucinex or Advil later on. Get out that pharmacy I bring along. A 1 gallon ziploc full of pills, ointments, bandaids, and Charmin on the Go. Do not forget your toilet paper when on tour. Also put a washcloth or paper towels in your daypack. so many bathrooms have no TP or paper towels.

 

We have sailed into a blizzard. It's snowing, cold, and there will be no going outside. We will be navigating fjords all the way to the Lake District. This takes us through Northern Patagonia before getting to the the Lake District. Some areas are protected and some are not. It was only really rough for a couple of hours. Long enough to scare the sh*t out of me. I took a nap, but the noise was bad from the wind.

 

Our cabin is fine, but the location is terrible. We are directly under the lido aft smoking lounge. Constant movement of the chairs. Horrible noise all day and night above our heads. Never again under the smoking lounge. The lighting in the room is terrible for us. Hard to read and hurts my eyes. Can't see anything in the mirror at the desk due to the bad lighting The ship is in good condition, but doesn't have any bells and whistles. Traditional decor with no flair. Our bathroom has mildew and there is a strong mildew odor in the room. I am sure it gets in the carpet, walls, and ceiling. Nothing can be done, so I wouldn't complain. It comes with the territory of the Zaandam. I wouldn't hesitate to book the ship again if the itinerary was good for me.

 

After a rest we went back to the Buffette. I am feeling a little achy, so not much appetite. Didn't stop me from having from having some mushroom risotto though. The production show was - Forever Rock. A re-enactment of Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet set to pop/rock songs. Again the costumes were awesome and we enjoyed it.

 

Back to the cabin for a latte and ice cream from room service. Macadamia Brittle. Sunset is at 9:20pm. I am somewhat chilled, but otherwise Life is Good.

 

Set your alarm Scenic cruising through the fjords starts at 8am. Night

 

Thanks for sharing , you are bringing back some good memories from our trip there in 2013 . Mind if we share some photos ?

 

 

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You can find these photos and many more in our review found here :

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1958814

Edited by scubacruiserx2
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