When we got back to the ship after a day of sightseeing on Tahiti I had a mild sore throat, a runny nose, and a cough, nothing unusual for me, especially on a blossom filled island.  But since we were going to a cultural show and then out to the food trucks that evening I thought it would be a kind thing to test for COVID.  I did not know a test could show positive in a matter of seconds, but as soon as Suzi put the drops on the test bar two bright red lines showed up.  We didn’t believe it, so we used a different brand of test, I still tested positive in record time.  Suzi, fortunately, tested negative.

I am isolating in my room, which fortunately includes a balcony.  Suzi can still go out if she masks but she has to test every other day.  I get calls from guest services and the doctor and visits from the nurse.  They have fixed me up with some (very expensive) anti-viral meds (good thing I have travel insurance), nasal sprays, Kleenex, disinfectant spray, and cough syrup.  The day I tested was day zero.  On day 6 I will test again, and they will see if they can spring me.  Since we are crossing the International Date Line I asked if the lost day could count toward the six. 

“Nice try.”

They promise that for every day I am in isolation I get a 100% prorated future cruise credit good for one year after I get off this ship.  They don’t want us to stop cruising. 

So yesterday I sat with a runny nose and sinus headache on my balcony watching a warm summer rain.  We were anchored in a bay in Moorea.  Moorea was one of my favorite stops on a past cruise so I am sad to miss it.  This was to be a snorkeling day.  Moorea is an incredibly beautiful island.  Because of privacy screens our balcony has a limited field of vision.  It was our good fortune that they anchored so that we had a view of the best parts, watching as sun, cloud and cloudburst changed the view.   

Now we are in Ra’iatea, a place I have never been, sitting on my balcony (here but not here, better than going through the airport).  I’m happy that we used our future cruise credits (FCC, who would have thought I would be happy to see those letters together) to spring for a balcony.  I can get outside, feel the sun, the rain, hear the surf lapping on a nearby beach and even hear the buskers waiting on the pier as well as hear and see the Chinese New Year lion dancers along the street. (12% of the French Polynesian population is ethnic Chinese.)

This is posted on day 2. Suzi tested negative today and my nose is still running although the sinus headache is gone.