New York City

January 18

An amazingly lazy day.  I slept much better last night and the congestion has not gotten worse so hopefully not a full-blown sinus infection.  Awoke as we were coming up to the Verrazano Narrows Bridge.  It was cold, rainy/snowy and foggy.  Decided it was not worth getting dressed and going to one of the outside decks so I took a nap instead.  We were just passing NCL Breakaway when I woke up and turning into Pier 90.  Quickly dressed and watched us dock just about on time (noon) from my balcony.

Since I knew it would be at least a few hours before I had to disembark for immigration, I took my coat, passport, phone, etc. with me to the Lido to get a table in my favorite area.  Sat there until about two surfing the net on my iPhone (since I am almost out of Internet minutes).

Then I went to sit in Cafe Carinthia.  Read for awhile as well as using my phone some more.

Immigration started about 12:30 for those disembarking for good.  About 45 minutes later they started calling decks to go into the terminal and be processed.  They asked those of us who just wanted to get back on the ship immediately to wait until the "Last Call".  That would reduce the wait time in the terminal until the ship was "zeroed out" (all passengers off).

Last Call just after 4:30.  Instead of letting us off on deck 2 (where the earlier groups were let off and where we were waiting) we had to go up to deck three.  Then wound around waiting in line.  They had a number of immigration officers working and that went fairly fast.  We then walked the length of the terminal to go in at the front to go through security.  We were then given numbers as to when we would be allowed back on (my number was 15).

About the time I sat down it was announced that the ship was ready before reboarding and they started calling numbers.  I sat about 20 minutes before 15 was called.  Back in my stateroom just before six.

Hadn't been to a trivia in over 24 hours so I was having withdrawal.  Got ready for the evening and went down to trivia to get a table about 7:25 (trivia starts at 7:45).  Only four of us tonight - Andy left this morning and Judith was on an excursion.  Here are two we missed.  Doraphobia is a fear of what?  How many muscles does it take to move your hand?

At dinner we had two new table mates, Irene and Sally, both of whom are doing the full World Voyage and are frequent Cunarders.

9:45 trivia was called Brainteasers with some hard ones.  There were five on travel destinations (we got all of those correct), ten general knowledge, and five on literature.  We only had 15 correct and the winners had 19.  Here is your question - Winston Smith is the main character in what novel.

After trivia Fran and I sat and had a drink and talked until after midnight.

I was able to renew my soda card for four days so I got my orange juice and headed back to my stateroom.

Tomorrow I tackle Delta and decide what I want to do in NYC (if anything).

Smooth sailing until next time!

Verrazano Narrows Bridge

the Intrepid

the snow as we docked

waiting in the terminal to reboard

evening view from my balcony