Date alert!! This itinerary is getting everyone into a spin. We cross the International Date Line three times, meaning we twice lose a day/date completely and once have the same day/date on two consecutive actual days.
Crossing for the first time last night means we’re catapulted from Thursday to Saturday and won’t see Friday ever again. Unfortunately corporate communication from Seabourn has differed from local communication onboard and even that’s confused because different calendars have different and changing opinion on when we’re getting the extra day back!
Onboard, customers get an app with all details and plans including a schedule, this has changed several times and currently doesn’t even show which day will be given back to us!! However we have a copy of the staff general planner which shows us activities, shows, special dinners and other operational tidbits so we know we are getting a double day/date in two AND three days time.
Meanwhile, we are told Odyssey is diverted from our original destination of Tabuaeran to Kiritimati, both in the Line Islands group of Kiribati, where we arrive at 10:00.
The latter is also known as Christmas Island since Captain Cook “found it” on Christmas Eve in 1777, although goodness only know how his calendar was so precise, our clocks and watches are spinning as previously mentioned.
The island chain is famously known as it the place the millennium first dawned – that is to say sunrise here was the first ever witnessed on that morning, as indeed it probably is every day. They even renamed Caroline Island to Millennium Island in honour, we settle for the official monument.
Another first – Kiritimati is the largest coral atoll in the world. Here one can snorkel, dive or enjoy fabulous birdwatching.
We tender into London, unsurprisingly the capital, enjoy a fabulous welcome from various school and performing groups, and take a wander around the town.
We find various churches, the hospital complex, chat with so many friendly children. We even briefly stray into Tennessee, hide from rainstorms, wave at literally everybody and finally head to the beach.
Credits to fellow travellers for the dolphins and our beach shot. We end our excursion with a Meltdown!
We have a fabulous sail-away party to ABBA hits, reminding us of one earlier this year in Martinique when were parked next to a huge P&O and about a thousand gate crashers joined our party from their balconies!! We stay poolside throughout so the photo is of the other time.
Dinner tonight is with fellow deck walkers from Cincinnati, Ohio so we again fail to document, but enjoy a lovely evening with them, culminating in the Magician / Mind Reader who to be honest does manage one trick I cannot unwrap this time! It’s a fabulous show.
