Monday, December 15, 2014 - Cruising the Mozambique Channel

At Sea Enroute to Mozambique

We slept until 8:30.  Tim had a rough night with sinus drainage – we have been passing this around the ship from one to another.  Mine is almost gone as I started on methyprednizone and I gave Tim some this morning.  We had a big breakfast (feed a cold – starve a fever).  Tim went to meditation with Lorena and I went to a lecture by the Indian ambassador on Gandhi – he is very entertaining and informative.

I did email and then returned to the theatre to hear the British man talk about the rivers in the Congo and the occupation of the Condo by the Belgiums.  So sad how the Africans were treated during this time.

At noon we went and read on our balcony and then went to lunch a little after 1 at the pool grill.  Sharon from Sydney joined us for a chat until about 2.

We read and took a short nap in the cabin.  Tim hasn’t been feeling well – all stopped up with the cold/congestion that we are passing to each other on the ship – and he needs to feel up to his “Walking on the Ceiling” workout with Denis and Inga, the aerialists.

We went at 4:15 and we had a great time.  Tim is so strong and he did the ropes, the ring (or lyra), the straps and the Spanish web.  Inga and Denis would demonstrate and then he would do it.  Denis showed him lots of exercises at the end that he did with no problem.  Inga took us on a tour of the backstage dressing rooms which were very, very small.  John and Janet, Sharon and Larry, and George and Grant came to encourage him.  They were impressed (and envious) with his performance.

Tim arrives ready for his "aerialist experience" - a very unique opportunity

Denis and Inga prepare for the experience

First some stretches to loosen up

First apparatus - the straps

It was harder than it looks

Denis prepares to demonstrate different swings and positions on the straps

and swings into various positions - he was SO STRONG!

Then it's Tim's turn - getting "the feel" of the straps first

Leaning back and forth

Then a flip in the air

and he held an upside down position on the straps - not an easy thing to do!

And then over again into different positions

Trying out different things on the straps

Feet out at an angle but still head down!

Whew!!!!

Then Denis prepares to demonstrate the iron cross on the straps

And he pulls himself into position

Tim's turn to try it!

Modified cross with the straps under his upper arms - still quite an achievement - and very hard!

Then it's time for the ring

Wheeeeeee!

Tim goes up on the ring high above the theatre floor

He tries out different positions

Then it's time for Inga to go up . . .

and she demonstrates all kinds of moves on the ring

Time for Tim to try it and they "hook him up"!

Swinging wildly above the theatre floor on the ring

and sitting on the ring up near the ceiling

Inga had beautiful form and made it all look so easy

Inga holding Denis on the ring

and Denis does flips while being held by Inga

Showing Tim what to do

Tim's turn to go up holding on to Inga on the ring

And Tim got to swing around wildly holding on to Inga

Form was hilarious at times but Tim had a great time

Inga demonstrating the ropes

Denis getting the ropes ready for Tim to try

Denis swung the rope around at the bottom while Tim went around and around

And Tim starts moving his body to a vertical position on the ropes

Out he went - vertical and around and around

Down he comes quite dizzy

Larry helping Tim get his equilibrium after doing the wild swing on the rope

We are the champions - Tim and Denis

The new aerialist team - Inga, Tim and Denis

Then some floor exercises - Tim holding Inga as she lays down horizontal

Then holding Inga on Tim's shoulders

A few more floor exercises with the team

I'm Superman!  Look at how Inga can arch her back

The quote of the afternoon was by Denis when he said “It is always better when you spread your legs!”.  We had several friends on the cruise who came to the Theatre and watched Tim and were entertained.  Great fun.

We then went to the gym for arms and chest day and did a 30 minute workout.  We showered and got ready for dinner.  We met Grant and George for drinks in Navigator and then we met Inga and Denis for dinner at 7:30 on the back deck outside of Sette Mari.  They were thrilled to be able to eat outside.  We had such a fun time with Denis and Inga.  He is very talkative and she is still learning English.  This may be his last cruise as he has a girlfriend at home and he’s missing her.

And then the reward - dinner at Sette Mari with the team - Inga, Tim, Larry, and Denis

We closed up the restaurant (yet again) at 10:30.  Denis and Inga went with us to the Nightclub and we had a drink.  They left and John and Janet joined us for fun conversation.  We went to bed about 11:15.  I used earplugs tonight as Tim is still very congested.