location information...

We have one channel on the tv that gives us constant location and heading information, and every day at noon we get average speed, distance and weather information as well. At this minute, our latitude is 32 degrees, 29.42 N and our longitude is 33 degrees, 37.9 W. Our course is 78 degrees and the speed is 15 knots. On ship time is 21:25, 3 hours ahead of EST. We have been advised to advance our clocks one hour when we go to bed, the fourth time we have done this in the last 5 days.

Our average speed over the 24 hours from noon yesterday to noon today was 15.71 knots (down from around 21 knots for the first 3 days). And as of noon today we were 1545 nautical miles from our next port, Cadiz, Spain. We were told that one nautical mile is about 1.15 miles and a knot measures nautical miles per hour, for those interested. Since Miami, we have traveled 2200 nautical miles.

Thanks, Mike, for the weather web site. We'll check that out!

halfway across to Spain...

Water is much calmer today and everyone seems to be settling in. Staggering has turned to swaying as we all get our sea legs. The crew must find us awfully funny -- they all look so graceful when they walk.

There is a lot of excitement today as students pick their on shore trips for Africa, India and Thailand and the longer trips for the other countries. We are picking a few too. The ones for the earlier stops were chosen in December. I am sitting in an open area of the ship listening to all the activity as they line up at the Field Office desk or sit in groups making their plans.

Today I'm including a photo of students boarding in Nassau. Slow connection makes including photos difficult but I will continue to include a few.

1/3 the way across the atlantic...

We are slowly, but surely making our way across the ocean. We've had some rocky days, but it could be worse. John is finding the teaching interesting -- difficult to walk around the classroom and we hear most are either sitting or leaning to deliver lectures. I have struggled with nausea and things are marginally better today. It's always better on the deck with sunshine and fresh air. I'm very happy not to be teaching. We've heard that people tend to overdo when land finally arrives and I can certainly see why!

The students are getting the hang of getting around the ship. We are happy we had a head start! The little kids are doing the best -- reminds me of watching them ski. When they are so close to the ground they are the first to develop their sea legs!

The ship's crew have been fabulous and are always in a good humor. Our cabin steward is Linda and she is from Guyana in South America. She has been very helpful and always makes our cabin a great place to come home to. In the dining room we get lots of help carrying our meals to the tables. We've had two lifeboat drills so far -- the most fun was the one after the students got on board.

I still don't have photos ready to post, but have managed to get them off the camera and onto the computer, so maybe next time. Take care everybody! And happy birthday, Ron and Bill -- thinking of you both and wishing you were here!

don't give up on us!

Internet access on the ship has been a challenge, so hope people are still tuning in! Thanks for the comments -- if you leave a comment, we have to give permission before it is actually published, so there may be a lag. We are currently in the Bahamas, having arrived Sunday morning from Miami. We were anchored not far from Miami until finally leaving for Nassau late Saturday afternoon. We had reasonably calm seas, and although some people felt sick, John and I were fine. The weather is gorgeous today and I am sitting right now on a Starbucks patio having coffee and enjoying the terminal activity. Our students are boarding this morning, so there is a very different energy on the ship and around the terminal! The faculty have been in meetings since Friday and I think all of us are very excited to finally meet the students. Lifelong Learners boarded yesterday, so we met several of them at a reception last evening.

The ship is lovely and the food has been great. I have taken advantage of the gym several times now, and has been very nice to have lots of time for reading and getting to know fellow voyagers. Several of us have been wondering what it will be like with 730 additional participants boarding, so we will get a better idea of that at dinnertime tonight. There are lots of parents here in the coffee shop, with students running in and out occasionally -- parents are not allowed on the ship today, although there was a reception for parents (without the students) yesterday afternoon.

I will not post pictures this time since I am not organized to do so, but will get those ready for my next posting. I will also try my hand at posting some video of the ship. Thinking about all of you -- I will post as often as possible!