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| Tom, chipper as usual, during breakfast. |
Today’s photos are from the post on this date in 2016, sailing on Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas while on a 33-night circumnavigation cruise of the Australian Continent See the link here.
No, we won’t get into politics here today or in the future, but we want to express our dedication to voting which we did by absentee ballot and pray for the safety of the citizens of the US regardless of the outcome. Although today is already November 3rd in India, we’re ahead of the US time-wise, and won’t see any results until tomorrow morning when it will be nighttime in the US.
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| This morning’s breakfast table in the Cascades dining room. |
When looking up the date we’d select for today’s past photos, I giggled when I noticed it was on this date in 2016, that I consumed my first cocktail in many years, switching to wine the following day, while on the above-mentioned cruise. With free drinks as priority club members, I thought I’d see how it went after all these years.
I hadn’t had any alcohol in over 20 years, other than a few token accepted cocktails when a host put a glass of wine in my hand which I politely sipped on for the entire evening, never fully finishing it. I didn’t stop drinking due to any issues I had with alcohol other than suddenly after all those years of savoring good red wine, I suddenly lost a taste for it.
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| The sun si setting over the industrial area at the port of Brisbane. |
Being a teetotaler never impacted the quality of a good time, nor did I think about it, although we served wine and other adult beverages to dinner guests as we entertained over the years. With Tom a lightweight drinker, literally never coming home from work (in our old lives) and having a drink, it was easy for me to continue on the path without giving it a thought.
In our old lives when guests arrived and we began “to pour,” he’d join in. He never made a fool of himself, nor did he ever have a hangover, surprising for not drinking very often. I could become hungover and suffer sleepless nights after two glasses of wine which I suppose may have been instrumental in my decision to quit, years ago.
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| Shared puzzle making where anyone can pick up where others left off. |
But, on that cruise in 2016, hanging out with two other couples every evening at happy hour, I decided to try some red wine. It tasted good while I carefully monitored not drinking too much when once again, I could enjoy the flavor of a quality red wine. As the 33-night cruise continued, night after night, we joined the other two couples for happy hour, always enjoying lively conversation.
By the time the cruise ended, I’d reestablished my interest in red wine. But I only did so during social engagements over the ongoing years of world travel. Of course, in Africa, that was frequently, when the majority of South African and visitors from other countries with whom we socialized, also enjoyed wine, beer, and cocktails at happy hour and during dinner. I rarely drank beer, although Tom enjoyed a beer from time to time.
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| Here again, we had no trouble getting in 10,000 steps a day on the FitBit when we often walked down these long hallways. |
Generally, beer has too many carbs. But early on, while on tour in India in January and February, before lockdown, I’d have a beer instead of wine when the cost of a glass of wine was outrageous here due to taxes. One glass of wine with taxes, of average quality wine, could easily run US $18, INR 1337. It just wasn’t worth it to me then, and certainly wouldn’t be worth it to me now when alcohol is now being served in the hotel.
Imagine, if the two of us had two drinks at happy hour each evening, our added cost for a month would be an additional US $2160, INR 160573. With the costs of living in a hotel and meals, this makes no sense at all, even if we imbibed only a few days a week. We’re happy to wait until we get to South Africa and begin to socialize and dine out with our friends. Of course, we’ll proceed with caution after not having a drink for a year by the time we get out of here. Who knows when that will happen?
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| Freighter and tug boat in the bay. |
After a totally gluten-free and zero carb dinner last night, I am feeling much better today. Hopefully, after yesterday’s story of how I was fed bread in my chicken patties without my knowledge, (please click here), going forward, I’m anticipating feeling better each day.
Tom awoke this morning and said, “What’s on the agenda today?” I laughed and said, “Gee, let me check our calendar!” Ha! Same old, same old. We’re fine.
Be well.
Photo from one year ago today November 3, 2019:
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| On Celebrity Silhouette, cruising to the US, we shared the Chateaubriand for dinner for two but also ordered the lobster as the main course. That sure looks great now!! For more photos, please click here. |