High Tea is served in Horizons on Deck Ten at 4 p.m. every day and though I don't intend to eat that much on a regular basis, I went yesterday to this lounge ("dedicated to cocktails and conversation") to sample and compare with Raffles. Insignia wins hands down. Instead of a three-tier épergne holding an indifferent assortment of sandwiches (level one), dry cakes (level two) and dull pastries (level three), a three-tiered oblong oval table on wheels is driven to your table by a white-gloved waiter who delivers your choice with tongs on a small plate (either removed or stacked as you proceed). The choices are delightful, although there were no cucumber sandwiches ("not even for ready money"): finely minced watercress in a filling I couldn't identify. The scones, strawberry preserves and clotted cream were comparable, I mean, how can you go wrong with a classic Devonshire Cream tea? But after that...Let's begln with the tea, still not as good as leaf tea at home with a traditional tea strainer, but in Horizons, a choice was offered from a treasure box of tea bags (!). My companions in conversation (from New Zealand) and I chose Earl Grey and made it at table in individual teapots, supplied with pitchers of boiling water. At Raffles, we were given a "silver" pot pre-filled with tea, no leaf, no choice. I asked what it was and it was English Breakfast.

I didn't eat any more. One must be careful on a hedonistic cruise ship. But I examined what was on offer and questioned the waiter and my companions about the goodies. The strawberry tart had while raspberries instead of one strawberry cut into three slivers and the base was custard instead of strawberry pudding. The tart container in both places left something to be desired. The fruit cake was cut into generous slices instead of minuscule squares. There was a gluten-free something or other none of us wanted to pursue. Who wants gluten-free tea time? That's almost an oxymoron. The gentleman at our table tried a meringue- too large, I'm afraid, and sticky. In Canada one does not attempt to bake a meringue unless the humidity is low.

I was plunged into darkness I will return .

It has been a long time, with change of venue, change of time and change of date, oh, and change of provider. Go back a bit.

The flight from Toronto to Hong Kong was looong. We took off at 1:25 a.m. the morning of Friday, March 20. Every time I looked at my watch we seemed to be the same time as Toronto, except I realized it was p.m. not a.m. and I forgot about the International date line, so that by the time we landed in Singapore ( a separate flight from Hong Kong but still Cathay Pacific airline, business class, very comfortable), I had no idea of the time or the day. I met my roommate in the hotel as we waited for a room key, my companion for the next 109 days. We were both tired; Liisa had flown from Vancouver (from Port Alberni, B.C.), We were booked, as I think I told you, for High Tea at Raffles Hotel, so we got ready, looking fairly elegant though tired, and took a short, frustrating cab ride arriving in time. at 4:30 p.m. on Match 21. I think. I'm not sure where the rest of March 20 went.

Well, High tea at Raffles was very disappointing. I've had better at the Windsor Arms in Toronto, and the Empress Hotel in Victoria (though they're a bit patronizing; I make a better high tea myself, including the scones. I had a glass of champagne (extra) though my room mate did not. The champagne was the best part, and the scones were okay (mine are better); the rest was abysmal. The cucumbers in the cucumber sandwiches were neither plentiful nor crisp and there was more mayo than butter - in fact, no butter. The dainties/cakes/pastries, what have you, were pretty but tasteless, bland and not very sweet and rather tired. We noticed that others were sending their three-tiered servers back almost full, untouched. Somerset Maugham and Noel Coward would not have been impressed.

The room,however, was lovely - the Tiffany Room - looking like something out of British colonial days, very clean and fresh, circa late 19th century. Of course, I forgot to bring along Minnie (my iPad-mini) so I didn't take a picture. I'll get used to the idea soon, I hope. More to come.

Right now, having taken forever to get online (did you know that a message has to travel the equivalent of four times around the world to reach me here? Wow), I have to fill in a form and hand in my passport so we can be allowed into Thailand -tomorrow or the next day. I think I can write again today, or tomorrow.

We'll see. The point is, I'm here, at last.