Smooth Sailing

I learned my lesson. For the next twenty-six days, I remembered to take my seasick pills everyday.
After my nap, the medication kicked in and I was almost as good as new.
That evening, I joined Joyce in the dining room. When our waiters saw me, they did not conceal the fact that they were surprised. With twinkles in their eyes, half-smiles, and an occasional nod of the heads, they paid me more attention than usual. Everything for the Young Miss!
They were too well-trained to ask me what Magic I performed to conquer my seasickness so fast. 
The food was delicious and plentiful. The service was superb.

Now, you know on a ship all your meals were paid for, and you could eat all you want. If you wanted three main courses and five desserts, you would be served that, no less. The waiters did what was asked, not an eyebrow was raised. On board with us, there were some young men, students most likely. One of them, kept asking for more food. I thought he was going to be sick at the table.  Of course, heads were turned, but no one made any comments. I bet he got sick that evening. After the first evening, he settled down, he realized that he did Not have to eat all his meals in one sitting.

We had some  HKU friends who were traveling on the same ship, but since they were in Third Class, Joyce and I did not see them at all. First Class and Third Class were not to mingle. You probably saw that on "Titanic." (Of course, S. S. Asia was not the Titanic, but rules were the same. Discrimination! )

The sea was calm, but there was really nothing to see but water. I don't remember seeing any spectacular sunsets either, for some reason. May be I was not observant? What you saw was simply water. "Water, water, every where."             

Why was the Ancient Mariner haunting me? Hey, Coleridge! (Samuel Taylor Coleridge, 19th Century English Poet wrote The Rime of the Ancient Mariner:
      Water, water, every where,
      And all the boards did shrink;
      Water, water, every where,
       Nor any drop to drink.)

On a long voyage, when you were at sea for days on end, life could be a bit of a one-note song. The first few days, you could explore the ship. Then, you might saunter around the Promenade, lounge in the canvas deck chair, or play shuffle board. Read a book? Play cards? Go to the movie ? (There were no floor shows on an Ocean Liner.) Harass the Purser? (The ever romantic Italians love to flirt with the girls!) Or, go to the bar? I was not that desperate. However, I did try some "Singapore Sunset" - our bartender's own concoction. A colorful drink! (I am not against a little drink every now and then, it just didn't like ME.)
But how many games of Shuffle Board can you play? 
Thankfully, we had Ports to call. After a few days at sea, we saw land, Hooray!

Our First port of call was Singapore, British Crown Colony.