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Part 3: OUR NEXT AROUND THE WORLD ODYSSEY

Before I get into my third, and final, part of this cruise series, let me start with some more newsworthy topics.  Thursday was my pandemic day for years.  Thus, every so often I return to bring you up to date on the latest developments.  All these subvariants derived from that Omicron variant, and each quickly became dominant, with slightly different symptoms.  One of these will shock you.

  • There has been a significant decline in the lost of taste and smell.  From two-thirds of early patients to now only 10-20% show these symptoms.
  • JN.1, now the dominant subvariant, results in mostly mild symptoms.
  • However, once JN.1 infects some, there seem to be longer-lasting symptoms.
  • Clearly, the latest booster helps prevent contracting Covid.
  • A competing subvariant, BA.2.86,  also known as Pirola, a month ago made a run, but JN.1 prevailed.
  • No variant in particular, but research has shown that some of you will begin to lose hair for several months.  This is caused by stress more than anything else.  It appears, though, that most regain the loss.

I got the latest issue of Time magazine yesterday with Taylor Swift on the cover.  There are several cover photos, and mine was the one on the left.

Athlete of the Year was Lionel Messi:

Time also selected its top ten photos of the year.  Each has a story worthy of your reading.

So on to our next adventure in the spring.
  • We fly on March 19 to Tokyo, and will stay at the Tokyo Westin for five nights.
  • Next, on to Singapore's Marriott Tang Plaza, then Bangkok to the Sheraton Grande Sukhamvit.  I plan to make my final set of vests during this stay.
  • A year ago we caught this fabulous Emirates first class flight from Bangkok to Dubai.  So we thought, why not do this again, and double it.  So we will, from Bangkok to Dubai, then spend a couple of layover hours in the Emirates Lounge, then another Emirates first class to Munich.  Serves unlimited caviar.
  • A couple of days in Germany, then on to Copenhagen, Denmark.  
    • Certainly, a visit to Tivoli Gardens, and perhaps a world-class dinner.  
    • I wonder if it will be possible to dine at Noma, the #1 restaurant in the world? 
      • However, it will close later next year, and getting a reservation I hear is impossible.  Maybe Chef Rene will remember me (he is to my left).  There is Alchemist (#5 in the 2022 World's Best Restaurants).
      • Incidentally.
        • Tokyo has #37 Sézanne, #27 Florilège and #21 Den.
        • Bangkok has #17 Gaggan Anand (Gaggan to my left) and #15 Le Du
        • Singapore has #14 Odette.
  • Fly to Amsterdam on April 6, and stay at the Amsterdam Marriott.
  • April 7, board the Tauck MS Spirit on an 8-day Tulip River Cruise to Brussels, via Keukenhof Gardens, Kinderdijk's windmills, Hague and Antwerp.
  • Fly to Barcelona to stay at the Cotton House Hotel.
  • April 16, board the Regent Seven Seas Voyager for a 10-day Mediterranean cruise, with stops in Rome, Sorrento, Santorini, Izmir, Istanbul, Mykonos and Athens.
  • Fly to London, and on April 28 board the Queen Mary 2 for a week to New York City.
  • Stay at the Marriott Marquise near Times Square for 6 nights.
    • Yankees baseball?
    • Broadway shows?
    • In the 50 Best list are the only U.S. restaurants:  #8 Atomix and #44 Le Bernardin.
  • Fly back to Honolulu on May 11.  Below, a photo on my return after a Circle Pacific Adventure in 2016.

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