If I thought yesterday was an early start (still etched in my memory), I was in for another rude (and early) shock this morning. The highlight of the cruise, the Panama Canal transit, was our destination for today. Apparently, securing a seat to watch the iconic transit through the locks requires one to literally rise before the sun comes up. This early morning rising is really making me consider the perks of becoming a vampire!
By 5.15 we were out of the cabin and grabbing a cuppa from a near empty buffet. At least at that hour there were no coughing and spluttering fellow passengers around. I may or may not have also grabbed a couple of pastries while in there. One really does need sustenance when the day starts so early! Well that is what I am telling myself.
It may have been pitch black when we walked out on deck, but the eager start paid off with front row seats. There would be no need for this short arse to try and look over people. It appeared that quite a few other passengers had the same idea and the seats were quickly filling up. There were several moans and groans from others as a contingent of particular passengers (I will keep the cultural background to myself) saved empty seats for others. This wouldn’t have been so controversial if they hadn’t reserved (hogged) over most of the front row and spread into the second row. I’m amazed other passengers didn’t tell the hoggers ‘too bad so sad’.
The controversy with this group continued throughout the morning as, not only did they want to take most of the seats, they also didn’t want anybody coming near them. As you would expect, others wanted to photograph this iconic journey and, as others leant over trying to capture a photo over the top of the chair hoggers, they may have slightly touched some of the hoggers. This then resulted in one particular hogger yelling and carrying on about “do not touch me”.
Cue: background theme music – Divinyls ‘I Touch Myself’.
This was teamed with her moving her chair back and forth then side to side, blocking anyone trying to get a photo. In between her rambling in her native language, the repeated yelling continued. Every part of me wanted to well and truly touch her to show her what touching really was! Being the pacifist I am (laughing at myself about now) I smiled at the poor man she was yelling at and decided in commiseration him, hubby and I would cuddle each other (yes a rare occurrence) which blocked the hoggers view past us. Hey, at least I didn’t touch her. Unlike the yelling chair hogger, we were kind enough to let the standing people behind us touch us so that they could get themselves some photos.
Today’s journey has taken us through the new locks. The commencement of the canal (which isn’t really a canal) took us under the Bridge of the Americas then two hours moving through the three locks. It really is amazing how the whole system works. It is a slow process though and we tapped out halfway through the second lock. A proper breakfast was calling!
Five hours after exiting the locks and cruising the canal that isn’t really a canal, I sit here writing my blog waiting to transit through the set of locks at the exit into the Caribbean Sea. I have even managed to avoid a nana power nap! This may have something to do with our afternoon sugar snack.
All cruise we have been saying we wanted to try one of the ‘Princess Premium Desserts’. These decadent looking desserts were added earlier this year as part of the Plus and Premier package perks. I’m not sure how adding two of these free a day could benefit anyone and be humanly possible. Although we have the Plus package, we are on the old-old package which doesn’t include them. Instead we paid the US$12 plus gratuities to try one. In all honesty, I wanted to snap some food porn. I really am letting the side down on food porn snaps this trip. It could quite possibly be eating before I think.
So what was our verdict on the premium dessert? It wasn’t near as sweet as we had anticipated. Sharing it between the two of us wasn’t too difficult. It was mainly vanilla ice cream (four scoops) with some key lime pie slices and strawberry topping. We may need to forgo dessert at dinner tonight. Please, please, please don’t have something I love on the menu!
Tanya'stravelblog 