Well, after the dreadful queues and lack of sleep on Day One, things have definitely got better. We've been really lucky with the weather, with sunshine and very calm seas ever since we left Southampton. We've already seen dolphins, and this morning saw two fully rigged tall ships sailing close by, a magnificent sight with the sun glinting on their sails.
Dave didn't mention the highlight of our journey to the port on Saturday. The coach driver made really good time, so by 10am we pulled into Warwick Services for lunch. We ate our sandwiches and were just about to mooch round WH Smiths, when Julie's mobile rang... “Nooooo” she's saying, “Where are you?” Bemused, I followed her back to where we'd left the chaps, and there we found Julie's Aunty Lil, Uncle Ken, cousin Janice and Janice's husband Ian – all travelling by Eavesway to join the same cruise as us! They'd been keeping it a secret for months, hoping to surprise the Smith & Spence family on-board. Janice is insanely funny, so we look forward to a lorra lorra laughs.
Harold & I have attended the first two watercolour painting classes, and Julie & Ian are also joining in a group activity on-board – but I'll leave her to elaborate, maybe tomorrow.
We've also enlisted our team for the shipbuilding contest. The idea is that over the next 10-12 days we have to accumulate building materials – cardboard boxes, plastic bottles, paper cups, etc. – and make a ship that will float in the swimming pool. It has to float upright in both calm and rough seas ( a tsunami is provided by two of the Entertainments team 'bombing' it in the pool) and then, if it passes these two stages in one piece, it has to carry 6 'passengers' – these passengers being represented by 6 cans of coke! So our brains are working overtime looking for materials that we an beg borrow or steal! Nothing is being thrown away, as extra points are awarded for design and ingenuity, so we're saving sweet wrappers, cocktails sticks and stirrers, and actively debating the legality of stealing the ships lifebelts.
Our first formal night is tonight, preceded by the Captain's Cocktail Party, but we've decided to give that a miss as it's usually rather crowded as it's free drinks. Instead we're heading for the sophisticated and hopefully quieter Anderson's Bar for pre dinner drinks. Then to the Naughty Corner to be pampered by our lovely waiters, Francis and Jason. (probably not their real names!)
OK, that's it for now. Another sea day tomorrow with no doubt another shockingly poor Internet connection, and then we'll reach our first port,Valencia.
Love
Janet
xx
Adam here,
ReplyDeleteGlad things are going well, and understand that mother goose is worried about me. Well all is ok here, dont worry just not had access to my phone for a while!