On a slow boat to Fiji - Day One

So, today is Tuesday and yesterday was Sunday. We've crossed the International Date Line. To add to our confusion, we're only going about 13 knots per hour. According to the captain, we'll only need to make less than 14 knots on average to make our anchorage off Fiji on schedule. This is in contrast to the 21 or so we had to average between Fanning and American Samoa. We are in about 6 foot seas and that is expected to continue. It is another picture perfect day as we sail past some volcanic islands visible off the starboard side.

So we expect it to be sunny, cloudy and rainy all in one day all the way through Fiji. As the captain says, normal weather for this area at this time of year. So we expect a couple of relaxing and restful days to recover from the heat exhaustion of Pago Pago. I forgot to write about it but the native Samoans are very touchy people. When they talk to you, they get right up beside you and put their arm around your back! I witnessed several of them doing this to not just me, but to other passengers. I hate that! They just seem to think its normal behavior as both men and women did it to both men and women equally. Anyway, for several months now I've had a thing where sometimes for no evident reason and sometimes because I got hot or something that the right side only of my face turns hot and bright red. I guess that yesterday I was lit up in the heat and humidity. Even after the afternoon in air conditioning, into the evening my right cheek was red and hot. Our very large 11th grade tour guide girl was concerned about me and kept snuggling and caressing me under her arm to ask me to have some water. I was keeping well hydrated with my bottle of iced water but, well you can imagine. She was being normal and thoughtful, but I am sure it only made me redder. As far as the hot red right cheek, I am assuming it is a symptom of Parkinson's Disease since it is on the resting tremor side. I had once read that a symptom of PD was failure to regulate body temperature and assumed that was behind the hot red right cheek. Anyway, it compounded an already difficult day.

It is a casual night onboard and we lose another hour tonight. We have no reservations today and no plans except to go to the 2:30 pm movie "The Mercy".

Anticipating nothing else to write about, I'll post this now.