Beau Marin

Two months before setting sail with my dad on the Queen Mary 2, I was finally able to upload the last insurance details – and with that, we are officially ready to go. Believe it or not, this will be my first time aboard a cruise ship, though the QM2 is technically more of an ocean liner one might add. Either way, I am very much looking forward to the journey, not least from a culinary perspective. To get into the right maritime mood, I made pan-seared salmon with a creamy avocado sauce and asparagus, paired with a chilled can of “Beau Marin” from the Loire Valley.

I have made a conscious decision not to book any internet package while onboard the QM2 in order to be more present in the moment. But I promise to update the blog once I am back ashore in the UK. With everything currently unfolding in the Middle East, including Qatar closing its airspace in anticipation of an Iranian attack against the Al Udeid air base, I find myself doom-scrolling news at a pace not seen since the early days of the pandemic. Perhaps it is time to disconnect a little already, and give some more attention to my research.