THIS AND THAT IN VIETNAM

What to do?  What to do?  Another day in Vietnam...this time is Da Nang.  And where we docked is miles (they say kilometers, which screws me up completely!) from anywhere.  So we decided to take the day off from sightseeing and enjoy the cooler weather and, instead, go to a resort from the shp's shuttle.  Boy, was that a mistake!  I was dying to try out their pool and maybe bob in the ocean a bit.  But the ocean was full of debris and the pool had no stairs to get in it.  Now, if I were skinny and lithe, maybe I could pull myself out of the water.  But not this gal!  So, discouraged, we took the shuttle back to the boat and decided to write the day off.  Except.  Yes, except.  Because we rushed up to the 11th floor, which is the pool deck -- and there was nobody there!  Now, I don't mean REALLY nobody, but only a few people and the staff.  So, we decided for the first time EVER to try the ship's pool.  And what a pleasure it was!!  There were steps...yes, steps... to get in.  And the water was sparkling clean and chilly,  But the chilly felt wonderful after trudging in Vietnam heat back to the ship.  And, after doing our version of water aerobics alone in the pool, we got a dip in the ship's hot tub.  Yum.  Now that it is cooler, we decided to lounge on a LOUNGE on the pool deck to dry off and, with soft breezes blowing, we both fell asleep on what is turning out to be our perfect day!

We also got to chat again with our captain, who was sauntering past our lounges on the pool deck.  We told him about our resort experience and he agreed that the ship is the perfect resort vacation!  But, more than that, I told him how much I admired him, although he looks like he's just a "pup" in age!  You see, he is the bst captain we've ever experienced.  He keeps us informed about what is going on,  For instance, yesterday the ship gave a noticeable list to one side and promptly, he got on the intercom to tell us that he had to avoid a 2-1/2 mile net  across the channel.  Do you know what could have happened if that net had gone unnoticed and gotten into our 4 motors?  Can you say "Celebrity Triumph", stopped in the middle of the ocean!  And he told us he also had to avoid another 4 mile net yesterday as well.  How do they know?  Observation.  Plain looking.  He spotted the fishing markers and counted as many as he could see.  I remember when another ship did get a net caught and lost power several years ago.  And it was his expertise that kept us sidled into a barrier island in Brisbane harbor when, going outside would have exposed us to 18 foot waves.  This gentleman knows his stuff and I think few guests on the ship understand how important his skill is, as most often things go so smoothly.  Just had to give a shout out to the Captain.

So, as part of our perfect day, we need to go to teatime, followed my teatime trivia.  Then anothr gourmet meal.  Yawn.  Back to touring tomorrow.  But I'm not sure I wouldn't rather be on the pool deck with that chilly water there to wake me up and put me to sleep!!