It’s happening tonight!!!…We’re crossing back over the International Date Line..We’ll have two May 1sts!

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Image result for international date line map
Map of the world illustrating how the International Date Line affects each side of the line.

Tonight at midnight, we’ll conceptually turn our clocks back 24 hours as we cross the International Date Line.  Here in this part of the world, it’s May 1st today, May Day for many people worldwide who celebrate, and tomorrow it will be May Day, May 1st, once again. Also, we’ll experience two Mondays in a row.

As for May Day itself, it’s described as follows for those who celebrate aboard the ship.  How unusual they’ll celebrate two days in a row:

“May Day is a public holiday usually celebrated on May 1. It is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival. It is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures. Dances, singing, and cake are usually part of the celebrations that the day includes.
In the late 19th century, May Day was chosen as the date for International Workers’ Day by the Socialists and Communists of the Second International to commemorate the Haymarket affair in Chicago. Thus, international Workers’ Day may also be referred to as “May Day,” but it is a different celebration from the traditional May Day.”
As we cross the International Date Line tonight, we’re reminded of when we crossed into this part of the world so long ago.  On June 4, 2015, we went to bed on the ship one night, awakening the next morning having missed an entire day/date.  That was peculiar to us. So now we’ll do the opposite.
We officially arrived in the South Pacific on May 30, 2015, and are leaving as we enter the Pacific Ocean after crossing the equator on May 3, 2017, a few days from now. Nevertheless, we’ve spent considerable time in the South Pacific, as indicated below from the app we use to calculate between two dates:

“From and including Monday, May 25, 2015
To, but not including Monday, May 1, 2017

Result: 707 days

It is 707 days from the start date to the end date, but not including the end date.
Or 1 year, 11 months, 6 days excluding the end date.”

Illustration image
The International Date Line on another map.
How intriguing that we’ll finally be in the same date range and day of the week of our friends and family members in our home country, the USA.

Going forward, as we “go back,” we’ll have to redo our thinking when we communicate with family and friends when mentioning the day or date.  Not only have we had to consider the date and day of the week, but we’ll experience many times changes as this cruise continues to North America.

Wondering why and how the International Date Line came to be, after some research, we found the following at this site:

“The International Date Line, established in 1884, passes through the mid-Pacific Ocean and roughly follows a 180 degrees longitude north-south line on the Earth. It is located halfway around the world from the prime meridian—the zero degrees longitude established in Greenwich, England, in 1852.
The International Date Line functions as a “line of demarcation” separating two consecutive calendar dates. When you cross the dateline, you become a time traveler of sorts! Cross to the west, and it’s one day later; cross back, and you’ve “gone back in time.”
Despite its name, the International Date Line has no legal international status, and countries are free to choose the dates they observe. While the dateline generally runs north to south from pole to pole, it zigzags around political borders such as eastern Russia and Alaska’s, the Aleutian Islands.”
By perusing the map as shown in today’s main photo, one can better understand how this line cuts the globe in half. Thus, when we prepare tomorrow’s post about cannibalism in the South Pacific over the ages, we’ll be back on May 1st. 
Funny, eh?

Photo from one year ago today, May 1, 2016:

Had we not been traveling the highway in Bali at such a clip, we’d have been able to take dozens of photos such as this of famous Balinese gods, kings, and queens. For more details, please click here.

The Mekong River crossing from Cambodia back into Vietnam…Wheelhouse tour…More Phnom Penh photos…

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Tom, me, Captain Han and new friend Bob in the wheelhouse.

The remainder of the cruise will take place in Vietnam. Yesterday, as I began to write this post, we were crossing into Vietnam with immigration officers were boarding our ship to stamp our passports.  First the Cambodian immigration officer boarded to stamp our passports and exit visas.

The sign above the wheelhouse entrance. We’d signed up for the wheelhouse tour.

Shortly thereafter the Vietnamese immigration officer boarded to stamp our passports for the second of the multiple entry visas, we obtained in Singapore at the embassy two weeks ago. 

Our ship captain, Bui Huu Han.

There’s nothing we had to do other than relax and enjoy the view while the ship was anchored in the Mekong River. Yesterday, was a full day “at sea” so to speak, without any excursions.

Today we decided to avoid going on the day’s excursions based on my condition and the strenuous nature of the tours. I was hoping to attend, but after seeing the boats, called sampan, we both agreed boarding would be difficult as well as riding on the tilted backs of the low to the floor seats.  No good for me at this point.

Ship’s control panel on the bridge.

There’s no doubt the less I do, the better I feel. As much as this concept of “taking it easy” drives me nuts, I’ve seen over and over these past six weeks that rest is my friend.

We’re still having a great time, loving the interaction with the other passengers and staff. Getting to know 54 passengers and their names is a daunting task as we’ve thoroughly enjoyed every moment of the process. 

Buddhist shrine in the wheelhouse.

Obviously, we knew there would be favorites and we’ve had no trouble narrowing it down to a handful of guests. As for the remainder, there was not one person on board, that we haven’t enjoyed one way or another.

Border monument between Cambodia and Vietnam as we crossed back into Vietnam yesterday afternoon.

Mostly, the ship’s manifest consists of Americans and British passengers with everyone speaking English. Then there’s the very special staff, from Kong and Lee, to our two guides, Enrico, the cruise director and manager, to the wait staff in the dining room to the support staff in boarding and disembarking. They all clearly, exhibit joy in working for this company.

Part of the Silver Temple.

When asked how they feel about working for Viking Cruises, their eyes light up. They exhibit pride and appreciation to be working for this company which we don’t always see on some of the larger cruise ships.

The city had numerous shrines and temples mixed among modern buildings.

Sure, the cabins are small but over these past five nights, we’ve become used to the tiny space easily able to maneuver around the cabin to accomplish everything we’ve needed to do during the short periods we stay in the cabin.

Traffic was busy in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, but no as busy as in Vietnam.

Yesterday afternoon, we attended a tour of the ship’s wheelhouse which on such a small ship is compact and efficient. After the tour we settled into the cool cabin for a short rest and to prepare for yet another fine dinner and evening with all of our new friends and hopefully soon, to be many new readers. 

Bridge over a park area.  Note the cobra statues on either end of the bridge.

We’re so grateful for the warm reception we’ve received from other passengers when inquiring about our lives. We freely share our story with them as we relish every moment in hearing about their adventures as well.

Stairway to a temple in Wat, Phnom Penh.

Have a beautiful day!

Photo from one year ago today, July 18, 2015:
 

 Location or Ship  Days  Address or Ship  Dates
 Sydney Hotel   1   9/7/2015 – 9/8/2015
 Fiji Rental  88    9/8/2015 – 12/6/2015 
 Fiji Rental #2  29    12/6/2015 – 1/4/2016 
 Sydney Hotel  1    1/4/2016 – 1/5/2016 
 Sydney to Auckland – Cruise  14  Celebrity Solstice   1/5/2016 – 1/19/2016 
 New Zealand Farm  87    1/19/2016 – 4/15/2016 
 Sydney Hotel  1    4/15/2016 – 4/16/2016 
 Sydney to Singapore – Cruise  14  RC Voyager of Seas   4/16/2016 – 4/30/2016 
 Bali House  59    4/30/2016 – 6/28/2016 
 Hanoi Hotel – to be booked  10    6/28/2016 – 7/8/2016 
 Hanoi to Ho Chi Min City – Cruise  15  Viking Mekong    7/8/2016 – 7/22/2016 
 Phuket House  41    7/22/2016 – 9/1/2016 
 Bali House  59    9/1/2016 – 10/30/2016 
 Sydney Hotel  1    10/30/2016 – 10/31/2016 
 Sydney to Perth – Cruise  16  RC Radiance of the Seas   10/31/2016 – 11/16/2016 
 Perth to Sydney – Cruise  17  RC Radiance of the Seas   11/16/2016 – 12/3/2016 
 GAP 12/3/2016 – 3/1/2017  88    12/3/2016 – 3/1/2017 
 Sydney to Sydney – Cruise  12  Celebrity Solstice   3/1/2017 – 3/13/2017 
 GAP 3/13/2017 – 4/22/1017  40    3/13/2017 – 4/22/2017 
 Sydney to Seattle – Cruise  24  RC Explorer of the Seas   4/22/2017 – 5/15/2017 
Total number of days 617

One year ago today, we posted our itinerary which has since changed with more bookings. For photos from this past date, please click here.