Nha Trang, Vietnam
2018 World Cruise · Vietnamese Waters
Foreign LandVietnam Waters
After a day at sea, white beaches, hilltop temples and an unfamiliar coastline reset the instruments of home.
After a day at sea, we anchored in Vietnamese waters.
Nice white sandy beaches, as far as the eye could see, lined the coast. Centuries-old temples and palaces sat on the hilltops.
The ship had carried us across the water. The coastline did the rest: one glance outward and the familiar map stopped being sufficient.
Journey Equation
Silence + Distance = Signal A foreign shore does not provide the answer. It changes the quality of the question.Arrival · Vietnamese Waters
The Coastline Changes the Scale
White sand below. Temples and palaces above. The first sight of land becomes a recalibration.
01 April 2018 · QM2 Day 1
The Crossing Before Arrival
Easter Sunday, a port lecture, the daily programme and the shipboard rituals that carried us toward Southeast Asia.
Not only was it April Fool's Day, it was also Easter Sunday—the foundation day of our religion and culture. We awoke early and attended Catholic Mass in Illuminations at 8:30. The priest was Father Bill Gold, retired from the San Diego diocese and now travelling a bit. He informed us that, while at sea, Pope Francis was also our Bishop. We both found that very interesting, and we were impressed with Father Bill, who seemed to have a nice way with himself and people.
Still early and not yet fed, we went to the Kings Court for a full English breakfast with all the trimmings—an Easter treat.
A Ship Full of Choices
Then we had to decide what to do for the day. With such a big ship, the choice was amazing. This section of our cruise would take us around some fabulous places.
We checked the daily guide at breakfast and marked the things we wanted to do or hear. First, we chose a port lecture by Graham in the Royal Court Theatre. The lecture covered the ports after Singapore and helped Edward and me decide what we wanted to do. Bart had kindly spoken with his friend Anna, who told us that we could escort tours, but first we would need a little training on the second sea day after Singapore.
Deck 12 and the Gentle Swell
With the big item on our agenda settled, we went to Deck 12 midships, where QM2 has an indoor-outdoor pool. We lay in the sun for a short while and then had a nice dip. After such a busy morning, we returned to 3L194 for a quick nap. We were still getting over our jet lag, but we had pushed through because we wanted to do so much in Hong Kong.
World Cruiser Cocktails
Asian Attire, Old Friends and a Warm Bed
The ordinary world aboard ship prepared itself for the foreign lands ahead.
Evening entertainment involved meeting Bart and the Med Team for World Cruiser Cocktails in the Queens Room. The dress code was “Asian attire.” I wore my velvet trousers and beautiful double-sided Chinese silk jacket, with my hair up. Edward wore his dinner suit. He and Bart had Black Russians; I had a very nice glass—or two—of bubbly.
We stood chatting with the Medical Team and with Anton, who was stepping up to Guest Services Manager from his usual Food and Beverage Manager position. Anton told us that the lovely John Henry Wasserval had resigned to live with Benny Helqvuist in Helsinki. I was so happy for them both; they are a lovely couple and individually wonderful, kind people.
Dinner was in the Kings Court with the Med Team. We sat with Bart and Rossea, a very nice Spanish nurse who had also spent time in the UK. After a lovely dinner, we skipped the show and adjourned to the Ward Room, where Edward, Bart and I chatted up a storm. Then came a quick hot shower, a warm bed and a fabulous sleep in a very gentle swell.
Read the Companion Stories
The 2018 World Cruise
This field note belongs to a larger route: one long voyage, many foreign lands, and enough encounters to recalibrate the meaning of home.