Take a trip: Queen Mary 2
Terry Tazioli		Travel Editor Terry Tazioli visited Southampton, England, to tour the Queen Mary 2 prior to her maiden voyage Jan. 12, 2004. Read about his adventures.

January 06, 2004

A day to forget

I have to tell you that one moment tonight has become for me another of those experiences I won't forget. I'm grateful for that, because for several other, what-else-can-go-wrong episodes, today very nearly became a day I'd remember for all the wrong reasons. First off, a bit of background. I'm here in Southampton, England, to see a couple of queens. SCOTT BARBOUR / GETTY IMAGES Spectators watch the world's biggest passenger liner, the Queen Mary 2, arrive at her home port of Southampton, England, on Dec. 26, 2003. One, Queen Mary 2, the brand new Cunard ocean liner the company bills as the biggest, grandest, tallest, widest, most expensive, insert any adjective you'd like passenger ship in the world. The ship begins its maiden voyage to the U.S. next Monday from the Eastern Docks here on the waterfront. But before that, there will be all sorts of festivities to mark her sailing, and that's why I'm here. To see her and to see her off. And to tell you some stories about it. As part of the deal, I also get to see Queen Elizabeth. She is not a ship, mind you. She is the reigning monarch of England. I'm sure you all know that. Of course I won't be that close; I have no doubt that most of the other 2,000 invited neck craners, indeed far more polished at this sort of thing than I, will be placed much nearer to her. That's okay. At least I'll be on the same dock. As long as I can make out her purse, I'll be okay. Ah - but it was the getting here that, first off, nearly made my day. It's been an adventure of lost luggage - which apparently still is somewhere over the Atlantic (I trust not in it) despite assurances that it would be here by nightfall (night has fallen), cell phone on the fritz, Internet connections on the fritz and a brand-new garment bag (at least it got here) guaranteed to keep clothes looking like just-pressed. They lied. Much of that rubbed off this evening.

Posted by ttazioli at January 6, 2004 01:30 PM