Time Zone Adjustments

Okay, we are traveling mostly westward around the world. Time zones change and we have to deal with that. So far we have “lost” a total day (there was no 2/10 for us) going across the date line…that makes sense, but is still weird. In addition we have set clocks backward 13 times, gaining an hour at about 2:00 in the morning. That too makes sense. In addition, we have set clocks FORWARD one hour once. That was strange since we are sailing westward, but even that is understandable given that countries can select their own time zone…and we certainly want to be on the same time as each country when we land there. (Net of all of this is we are 12 hours ahead of Eastern Time…where we started the trip.)

Now is where it gets really weird. We are going to set clocks back one hour tonight at 2:00 am. No problem here. And, we are going to again set clocks back one hour tomorrow night at 2:00 am. Again, no problem. However, in addition to this we are going to set clocks back an additional half hour at 2:30 pm tomorrow. Now that I find bizarre! Even if the next port is a half hour off, why in the world would we have to make that adjustment at 2:30 in the afternoon the previous day?

Okay, do I show up for afternoon bridge tomorrow at the first 2:00pm, or the second one a half hour later?

Given the age distribution on the ship, and the fact that I cannot understand this, I think the safest thing will be for me to take a nap tomorrow afternoon.

[If this does not succeed in totally discombobulating the passengers, I’m going to suggest that they try setting the clocks back 47 minutes the next day at 4:13 pm.]