August 18-25
The sight of the Manhattan skyline as you leave New York by ship is truly iconic. Our huge ship, Queen Mary 2, sailed past the Statue of Liberty and under Verrazano bridge in glorious weather, to the magnificent sound of the FourTunes band by the swimming pool on deck 8.
Lynne was frantically scurrying around to catch the last US mobile signal to book train tickets for our onward journey to London, after establishing when we would likely be able to disembark. It was a surprisingly short window of getting mobile data before we found ourselves reacquainted with digital detox.
We did once avail ourselves of 24 hours of internet on-board (for the sum of $24 for one device), but it was stressful, with access reduced to public areas and even then, very slow. Instead we were able to enjoy the lack of 24-hour news.
We enjoyed our 6 days aboard the QM2, having learned to avoid the up-selling in the Spa and Fitness centre. We enjoyed the theatre shows and lectures we attended, and the exhibitions. We particularly delighted in the Insights from Josh Levine, the historian and Angela Rippon, an iconic figure in British broadcasting.
Angela Rippon interviewed Kenny and band Lecture on the Royal Flying Corps Theatre Royal Lecture Theatre
An absolute highlight was the fine-wine tasting we enjoyed in an intimate, if rather loquacious group of nine people. The food that accompanied the wines was truly magnificent, with no special meal required for Lynne. We were comparing new-world and old-world wines from the same grape varieties. The French won each time in our opinion, contrasted with wines from Napa Valley (Sauvignon Blanc), Sicily (Chardonnay), New Zealand (Pinot Noir), and Argentina (Cabernet Sauvignon blend).
Welcome to the Tasting Room I LIKE this one… Amuse-Bouche Favourite
The weather was good enough to enable us to use the promenade deck daily, with Lynne even managing to jog around it one day. Lynne made use of the gym too, but unfortunately Peter was regretting his run in Central Park, as his back was causing him problems if he was too energetic.
Meals were a joy; we didn’t have the daily garlic scramble, as they cooked Lynne’s food especially.
Just a few days after leaving New York, the Captain announced that there was a medical emergency on-board. A Canadian Coastguard rescue helicopter from Newfoundland was to rendezvous with the ship, mid-ocean. QM2 diverted North, to meet the helicopter. Meanwhile, all deck and balcony access was restricted, and the crew had to clear the ships decks of all loose items to avoid damage.
It was windy, practically a gale, with the occasional star glimpsing through low scudding clouds, and a hostile, black ocean. We could hear the helicopter, and saw distant searchlights. After midnight, the Captain announced that the pick-up had gone well, and the patient was doing fine.
Chopper in sky Diversion
Time passed quickly and we relaxed, making the most of the pampering on-board; we had the luxury of unpacking our rucksacks completely, for the first time since leaving the Queen Elizabeth at the beginning of June! We repacked them, separating out gear that we hoped to drop off in the flat in London. We also left some stuff in the bin, most notably some rather worn-out running shoes for each of us. Lynne availed herself of a couple of “bargains” in one of the clothes shops, so her rucksack is no lighter!!
