Journey To The Center Of The Earth (Part 3)

I took the top bunk with my mum below and my grandma on the other bed.

The room was sufficently spaced out. There wasn't any moaning or groaning that it was too crammed. There was even room for a 2 seater couch on the left of the room, at the foot/head of my grandma's bed. Then again, we weren't overly concerned about the size of the room. The enormous size of the ship made up for the significantly smaller size room. Plus, I was out most of the time, so it wasn't too bad to have a small room.

It was really dark in our room. Considering that our cabin was in the 'middle' of the ship, there really wasn't any port-holes that they could have given us. Fascinatingly enough, they had placed a picture of the sea at one end of the cabin wall to give us this feel that we were near the window but obviously, no sunlight was gonna shine through there. My grandma was examining the shutter windows beside the picture and asked, "How do we open this window to let some light in?" It wasn't long till she realised it was completely sealed.

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I awoke that morning with the sound of my grandma and mum talking. The lights that they have turned on also contributed to my awakening. Oh wait, I remember now. My mum was actually talking to me. I believe she told me to wake up to get ready for breakfast. I flicked open my mobile to see the time clocked at 8:40am. I specifically remembered setting my alarm at 8:45am, so I guess it was to my benefit that I didn't need to hear the banging sound of my alarm tune. I quickly got changed, and headed off to a restaurant called, the Bella Vista.

We actually ate at the Bella Vista twice that day. Once in the morning, and once in the afternoon for lunch. In the morning, we chose the Chinese set meal. From memory, they gave us 2 different types of dim sums, century egg congee, some sorta pig's meat (I think it was the pig's feet) cooked in some savory red sauce and 2 different deep fried dim sums (I think =S). It was quite ok.

We thought the Chinese meal was ok, but when we went back the second time for lunch, we chose Western. That was a pretty bad decision because my mum and grandma had the saffron seafood main course and I had the lamb steak. They passed a bit of their dish to me, as they always do, and when we ate it, it was horrible. The dish was super plain without much, and I quote, 'excitement' -- Mummy. I think they expected the seafood taste along with the saffron to do all the flavouring, but as chinese, we don't do with just that. We need some delicious flavour to engulf the dish. We were deeply disappointed (even though I was happily eating my lamb). I use the word 'we' because I had to eat their dish ><"

After the breakfast, my mum and grandma went together to the library as I decided to roam the ship. I walked around, and happen to stumble across the Starlight Video Arcade room. I wasn't really aware that they had an arcade on board, but I did glance across it during one of my visits to the StarCruises website at work.

When I saw the room, I decided, "hmmm, let's go have a look." In all honesty, I wasn't planning to play. I went in, looked around, and saw that they had all the standard type of games. Car racing, shooting, arcade button pounding games, and other miscellaneous activity games. Then I walked to the reception to find out how much a token cost.

"$0.50 per token" "hmmm, that's the same price in Singapore. I guess it'll be ok if I just used $5" To cut a long story short, I managed to use $30 throughout the whole trip on arcade tokens. Most of them were used for playing all sorts of shooting games. I think 2 were cop games, 2 were shooting the undead, 1 was sniper shooting, and the other one was Time Crisis. I'm really enjoying all these shooting games. So much fun to mercilessly shoot someone till they disappear from the screen. Classic.

Before lunch, I decided to go take some pictures of the ship. I walked to the front of the ship, and walked to the sides of the ship. I did go upstairs to the top of the ship to take a few shots, but they didn't come out too nicely because of the rain and wind.

These two were the two photos worth posting because you can see the visible water droplets in the photos.

Also in the first photo, it points out one location of the ship I did not venture to. I wished I had gone there, but I somehow didn't manage to find the entrance to that part of the ship.

Just to be clear, I'm talking about that little bit at the end of the front of the ship where you can stand and view the open sea. I really want to go back and stand there now, just for the sake of being able to say that I went everywhere accessible.

Anyway, these are some random shots of the ship that I decided to post because I thought they were cool. The first picture is one of a lifeboat. I was surprised to find out that it could hold 150 persons because I think I watched too many movies where a lifeboat could only hold a handful of people. Also with this life boat, it is completely sealed when the doors are closed. So I guess you could say you'll be safe from the stormy seas in the event that there is one during evacuation.

But then again, when you look at the benches in the boat, you don't want to be 'lost at sea' for too long. Your back and butt might be in a lot of pain from any turbulence.

The only reason why I really took this photo was simply because it had the word "Liverpool" on it. If they didn't have the word "Liverpool" on it, I seriously doubt I would have given this Clintometre a second look. I don't even know what a 'Clintometre' is. lol Strongly biased photographer.

After having lunch at the Bella Vista, I decided that I would go watch the movie, Cars, showing in the cinema, just to kill time till I am able to go exercise. Then, my mum and grandma decided that they wanted to tag along, even though I told them that I would only stay for an hour. After which I would head off. Still, they insisted on coming. Even my grandma, who is not able to follow English programs all that quickly, wanted to come.

So anyway, we watched it, and after a short while, they both started to get sleepy. They told me later that they pretty much dozed off during the show and decided to go back to the room to sleep.

When I left the cinema, I went to get changed to head off to the gym. At the gym, I did some stretches, and I soon noticed that there was a weighing machine. Thinking it was practically harmless, I went to weigh myself. To my surprise, I discovered that I had put on another 6kg from the last time I weighed, which was 3 months back when I did my medical test for the army. I weighed-in at 71kg. A big surprise to me. In some ways, it's good. I appear to be 'bulking up', so most of the muscles contribute to the additional weight, but I couldn't help but wonder if I am any fatter as well.

During my time at the gym, I decided to do chin-ups. It was 2 months since I last did chin-ups, so I jumped on I could easily tell that it was so much harder. Even though I was able to do 10, my usual 12 seemed really difficult to reach. I guess it's something I have to work on when I finish work as I prefer for the Police Academy.

After the gym, I thought I would go and swim in the Aqua Jet Pool. I asked them if there were towels I could use for the Aqua Pool but they told me that I had to pay in order to use it. In addition, I would be given a locker in the changing room to place my stuff in. In the locker, they also provided 2 clean towels and a bottle of water. All I had to pay, was a measly $12.

$12 for a locker and the ability to use the Aqua Jet Pool would be something I wouldn't normally pay for. But after contemplating that this was a holiday, and I should really do it for the experience, I went ahead and did it.

This would be something I wouldn't regret. After all, if I didn't pay for it, I wouldn't have found the changing room. I walked into the changing room, and I was confronted with this comfortable silence as some gentle music played in the background. The floor when entering was carpeted, with this hallway that led into the massage room and the hall that you see below.

You can see the carpeted area in the picture above. And on the right of this picture, where it's very bright and sunny, is the room below.

I was completely shocked when I saw this room. I mean a seating area that they call the "Relaxation Room" in the middle of a changing room!? Isn't it meant to be a ... changing room? I simply had to sit down. It was so lovely. It was quiet, away from all the chaotic screaming outside, with only the view to enjoy.

This picture makes the sun look hot but imagine sitting in a cool quiet room with the hot blazing sun shining outside. Then, several jet boats would stream by your view for a little entertainment. The only thing missing from this scenario was company. Someone to share these breath taking moments with.

In any case, it was lovely. I even saw this! A Japanese Plunge Bath in the middle of the male changing room. Who would have thought? I don't never know what a Japanese Plunge Bath is!

I touched the water in the plunge bath and it was so freezing cold! Who would wanna bath in something like this!? Not me! Brrrr

There was also another one to the right of this plunge bath.

Also in the changing room, there was a steam room and a sauna. I contemplated going into the sauna but it read, "a clean towel and 2 hours". I had the clean towel, but I didn't have the 2 hours.

Wandering around the changing room a little bit more, I came across this. Surely I had to take this!

While someone is taking a whizz, people streaming by on their jet boats could glance in to watch someone do their business. Fascinating.

I reckon they should have placed the urinal towards the glass window so someone taking a whizz could enjoy the view while using it.

Sorry ladies.

After taking a dip in the Aqua pool, I went into the Parthenon Pool outside (pictured below). The Aqua pool was really nice and warm, but when I came to this pool, it was so freezing cold! I think my nipples were numb. I had to swim as hard as I could to get the blood pumping to warm my body. I didn't last very long in the pool because I had used up too much energy trying to create heat.

After the cold swim, I came out of the pool, and happen to see the Jacuzzi right in front of me.

"Meh, since I'm already wet, let's just go in." I placed my foot in, and it was so boiling hot! Ahh! I endured the first few moments of getting used to the temperature, and soon, it was so nice and warm. Bubbles were bubbling up my back and butt, ahhhh. Once again, something which would be so very nice to share with someone else. Well, there was this large old man in the Jacuzzi with me, but I don't think that's what I mean.

My 'enjoyment' was cut short when I desperately needed to use the toilet to do a wiss. I endured it till I decided that I had to go. I enjoyed the last few moments in the warm Jacuzzi and went to dry myself off.

Then, it was off to the changing room again! Whooo!!!

To be continued...