14th & 15th April 2015

Tuesday 14th April.

It was very cloudy at 07.00m this morning, but it had been windy overnight  as the sea was looking much more active than when we left Durban last night.  The wind was blowing a force 6, (strong Breeze) but it felt much stronger than that.  The sea state was now officially moderate.  (Just a bit of a swell running, but not sufficient to cause much movement ) After breakfast we took a few pictures around the ship as it as still overcast outside.  By about 10.30 the sun was breaking through the clouds, so we decided to go up to the sundeck.  Unfortunately in high winds they close it off.  I suppose they don’t want anyone being blown overboard - too much paperwork!  Not to be beaten, we came down deck and stretched out on one of the unused sun beds.  The sun was quite strong when it broke through the clouds for better part of an hour.  Then the cloud thickened and black ominous ones took over, just before the showers started.  Back inside we went to find a quiet place to read, but not before  a cup of coffee in the chart room.  That peace and quiet was soon destroyed by the pianist whose personal pleasure of banging out the tunes overrides the passengers desire for a gentle tinkling of the ivories.  We, along with a few others decided to leave him to his own pleasures. We decided to go up to the Commodore club for some peace and quiet - or so we thought.  Just as we were going in a couple were just coming out moaning that they were sick of listening to the conversation that was going on at the bar between a number of South Africans.  Low and behold, the chaps on the table next to us at dinner had infiltrated the peace and quiet of the Commodores Club and just for good measure they had been joined by an even bigger gobby South African, who had clearly done everything it was humanly possible to do plus a few more, just for good measure.  He was the type of person who was probably very sad that apartheid had been abolished.  We managed about 20 minutes of this booze fuelled bullshit before retiring hurt back to our room.  Peace and quiet?  No.  Just as we returned to the cabin they decided to start cleaning the carpet with some noisy industrial device, which appeared to leave the carpet damp.  As the industrial noise machine was moved down the corridor, the equally industrial blower was set in place almost directly outside our door to dry out the carpet.  The bleakness inside was rapidly matching that of outside.  For the rest of the day we were like nomads, trying to find somewhere peaceful.  Respite came at 3.30 when we had Afternoon Tea in the Queen’s Ballroom.  By the time we returned to the cabin, the carpet cleaning and drying operation had disappeared sufficiently far enough down the corridor so as to not bother us anymore.  By the time we were going to bed, the wind had increased and we were moving about just a small amount and we were concerned for what the weather would be like for our safari tour in Port Elizabeth.

One thing that I forgot to mention was the Laundrette on our deck.  This is a source of rumours and antisocial behaviour.  One thing guaranteed to bring out the best in the hardiest of cruisers is the use of the washing and drying machines.  There are lots of notices requesting that passengers do not leave the machines unattended, mostly because when the machine/dryer finishes its cycle, you are there to empty it immediately and it can then be used by the next waiting passenger.  However, the temptation is to let it get on with it and return in 1hour, or whatever the wash/dry time is supposed to be.  The problem comes when the cycle finishes and there is no one there to empty the machine.  Well actually there are people there, but not the owners of the washing - it’s the ones waiting for a machine.  Some of the more stroppy ones take it upon themselves to empty the machine on behalf of the absent owner of the washing and unceremoniously dump it on the floor.  When the owner of the damp clothes realises what’s happened, they get a bit uptight that their washing has been ejected from a machine. The penultimate word was had by one lady who waited for the person who removed her washing from the machine to load their own washing into a dryer.  The aggrieved party then went back to their cabin and picked up a handful of bedtime chocolates that are on our pillows every night.  She then lobbed them into the dryer along with the other ladies clothes!!  Mess or what.  This caused the husbands to become involved and led to fisticuffs between these 2 Australian couples. The final word was had by the Captain at the next port - they were all asked to leave!!

Since returning from Durban, which we thought was quite a nice place, it seems that 3 passengers were mugged in the streets and one passenger had a heart attack on a tour coach and died.  That’s two down on our watch that we know about.

Thursday 15th April

We were alongside and the gangways were down by 06.30.  Although the sun was just rising and it looked like a good day, the temperature had dropped substantially.  We had to be assembled in the theatre by 08.50, so there was just time for a full English in the main restaurant before muster.  As the ship was berthed on our side (starboard) we could see the early departers walking off in fleeces and long trousers.  Those that were not, probably wished they had.  Our safari was going to be in open jeeps, so we decided that we would wear long trousers and take our fleeces.  By the time we left at 09.00 the sun was blazing and it was a glorious day.  However, the Captain had warned us in his morning address that there was a 60% chance of rain by 1.00pm.  Confirmation of  our decision to take warm & wet weather gear.  It took about one and a half hours driving to the North to reach the Kariega game reserve.  During the drive the guide provided an almost continuous commentary about the local area, local issues as well as a plethora of information about South Africa in general.  Just outside Port Elizabeth there are both Volkswagen and Ford motor plants and apparently there is a Mercedes plant just outside CapeTown.  It’s the Detroit of South Africa and provides a massive amount of employment in the area.

We were soon at the Game reserve and being decanted from the large coaches into 10 seater Land Cruisers with 3 tiers of open air seats.  Although the sun was shining it was immediately apparent that we made the right decision to wear something warm as the temperature was even lower that when we got off the ship. Just a couple of minutes later and we were at the main lodge where warm drinks and roaring fires were there to welcome us all.  we were scheduled to be on the  vehicles for 3 hours, with no stops for comfort breaks, so a quick visit was in order before departing off on our safari.  We had only been going for a few minutes and the first animals were sighted.  In the first hour we had seen numerous varieties of antelope, giraffes, white rhinos complete with 3 month old baby, zebras, wildebeest and water buffalo.  Certainly much more than on the last safari we went on in cape Town some years ago.  We crossed over a road and into another part of the reservation where we spent well over an hour driving over some pretty poor terrain in search of lions. The driver was in constant touch with other drivers heading for places where there was either a sighting or using their experience to track down these elusive beasts.  By now it had become very overcast and the temperature was dropping even more.  The cold, coupled with the torturous terrain was taking its toll and people were beginning to hope it would be all over soon.  We were covering the same ground for the second or third time when a call came through which caused us to do an immediate U turn and head back where we had just come from.   We were seated on the back row of the Land Cruiser and therefore higher than anyone else.  Our path took us alongside one of the outer perimeter fences, which you would have thought was the last place a lion would want to hang around. However, the oversized Australian occupying one and a half of the three rear seats suddenly shouted out there was a lion in front of us.  Sure enough, walking up the track directly in front of us was a fully grown male lion and it was heading straight for us.  The driver switched off the engine and it still kept heading for us on the track.  As it got closer and it kept coming, you could sense that people were wondering what happens next - we certainly did.  Wished we’d never signed that indemnity form before we entered the Reserve now.  The lion got right in front of the Land Cruiser and it was at this time that you just hoped that he’d had some food in the last few days, otherwise he was just looking at his lunch.  It was definitely a heart stopping moment as this totally wild animal came within a couple of feet of the truck and just strolled past our side and wandered off.  That was probably a once in a lifetime experience.  Not satisfied with a close encounter the driver turned the wagon round and pulled alongside the creature again.  This time he just turned away and wandered into the bush never to be seen again.  By now it was time to return to the lodge, but our afternoon activity had proven not to be in vain.  Truly a fantastic day and a brilliant close encounter with the king of the jungle.

Once back at the lodge we were treated to a great buffet lunch of warm soup, Elan steak, prawns and various other treats all finished of with a buffet of tasty deserts.  The return journey was just as interesting as the outward journey in that our guide continued to give us even more information about the area and S Africa.  Apparently, one side of the Cape region has summer rain and the other has winter rain, whereas Port Elizabeth has both summer and winter rain, which makes the ground very fertile and green most of the year round.  The area just outside Port Elizabeth is home to the greatest concentration of pineapple farms anywhere in the world.  

We returned to the ship around 6pm, just 30 minutes before scheduled departure for Cape Town.  As we were birthed on our side of the ship, I just happened to go onto the balcony to watch  a van go by which was from the Forensic and Coroners Office, or so it said on the side.  It pulled up at the remaining gangway, just before we were scheduled to depart and after a few minutes two people got out and carried a body bag up the gangway.  Just before we adjourned to the Commodore Club for pre dinner drinks, I looked over the balcony to see the now full body bag being loaded into the  back of the Coroners wagon.  There was no announcement as to why we were delayed in departing, which is what normally happens, but just before we left the Club, we started to move off the birth with no notice whatsoever.

Since we’ve been on board that’s the third death that we know of.  At breakfast this morning another couple assured us that there had in fact been 4 deaths before reaching Sydney.  That makes a total of 7 with over two weeks still to go before arrival in Southampton.

14th & 15th April 2015

Tuesday 14th April.

It was very cloudy at 07.00m this morning, but it had been windy overnight  as the sea was looking much more active than when we left Durban last night.  The wind was blowing a force 6, (strong Breeze) but it felt much stronger than that.  The sea state was now officially moderate.  (Just a bit of a swell running, but not sufficient to cause much movement ) After breakfast we took a few pictures around the ship as it as still overcast outside.  By about 10.30 the sun was breaking through the clouds, so we decided to go up to the sundeck.  Unfortunately in high winds they close it off.  I suppose they don’t want anyone being blown overboard - too much paperwork!  Not to be beaten, we came down deck and stretched out on one of the unused sun beds.  The sun was quite strong when it broke through the clouds for better part of an hour.  Then the cloud thickened and black ominous ones took over, just before the showers started.  Back inside we went to find a quiet place to read, but not before  a cup of coffee in the chart room.  That peace and quiet was soon destroyed by the pianist whose personal pleasure of banging out the tunes overrides the passengers desire for a gentle tinkling of the ivories.  We, along with a few others decided to leave him to his own pleasures. We decided to go up to the Commodore club for some peace and quiet - or so we thought.  Just as we were going in a couple were just coming out moaning that they were sick of listening to the conversation that was going on at the bar between a number of South Africans.  Low and behold, the chaps on the table next to us at dinner had infiltrated the peace and quiet of the Commodores Club and just for good measure they had been joined by an even bigger gobby South African, who had clearly done everything it was humanly possible to do plus a few more, just for good measure.  He was the type of person who was probably very sad that apartheid had been abolished.  We managed about 20 minutes of this booze fuelled bullshit before retiring hurt back to our room.  Peace and quiet?  No.  Just as we returned to the cabin they decided to start cleaning the carpet with some noisy industrial device, which appeared to leave the carpet damp.  As the industrial noise machine was moved down the corridor, the equally industrial blower was set in place almost directly outside our door to dry out the carpet.  The bleakness inside was rapidly matching that of outside.  For the rest of the day we were like nomads, trying to find somewhere peaceful.  Respite came at 3.30 when we had Afternoon Tea in the Queen’s Ballroom.  By the time we returned to the cabin, the carpet cleaning and drying operation had disappeared sufficiently far enough down the corridor so as to not bother us anymore.  By the time we were going to bed, the wind had increased and we were moving about just a small amount and we were concerned for what the weather would be like for our safari tour in Port Elizabeth.

One thing that I forgot to mention was the Laundrette on our deck.  This is a source of rumours and antisocial behaviour.  One thing guaranteed to bring out the best in the hardiest of cruisers is the use of the washing and drying machines.  There are lots of notices requesting that passengers do not leave the machines unattended, mostly because when the machine/dryer finishes its cycle, you are there to empty it immediately and it can then be used by the next waiting passenger.  However, the temptation is to let it get on with it and return in 1hour, or whatever the wash/dry time is supposed to be.  The problem comes when the cycle finishes and there is no one there to empty the machine.  Well actually there are people there, but not the owners of the washing - it’s the ones waiting for a machine.  Some of the more stroppy ones take it upon themselves to empty the machine on behalf of the absent owner of the washing and unceremoniously dump it on the floor.  When the owner of the damp clothes realises what’s happened, they get a bit uptight that their washing has been ejected from a machine. The penultimate word was had by one lady who waited for the person who removed her washing from the machine to load their own washing into a dryer.  The aggrieved party then went back to their cabin and picked up a handful of bedtime chocolates that are on our pillows every night.  She then lobbed them into the dryer along with the other ladies clothes!!  Mess or what.  This caused the husbands to become involved and led to fisticuffs between these 2 Australian couples. The final word was had by the Captain at the next port - they were all asked to leave!!

Since returning from Durban, which we thought was quite a nice place, it seems that 3 passengers were mugged in the streets and one passenger had a heart attack on a tour coach and died.  That’s two down on our watch that we know about.

Thursday 15th April

We were alongside and the gangways were down by 06.30.  Although the sun was just rising and it looked like a good day, the temperature had dropped substantially.  We had to be assembled in the theatre by 08.50, so there was just time for a full English in the main restaurant before muster.  As the ship was berthed on our side (starboard) we could see the early departers walking off in fleeces and long trousers.  Those that were not, probably wished they had.  Our safari was going to be in open jeeps, so we decided that we would wear long trousers and take our fleeces.  By the time we left at 09.00 the sun was blazing and it was a glorious day.  However, the Captain had warned us in his morning address that there was a 60% chance of rain by 1.00pm.  Confirmation of  our decision to take warm & wet weather gear.  It took about one and a half hours driving to the North to reach the Kariega game reserve.  During the drive the guide provided an almost continuous commentary about the local area, local issues as well as a plethora of information about South Africa in general.  Just outside Port Elizabeth there are both Volkswagen and Ford motor plants and apparently there is a Mercedes plant just outside CapeTown.  It’s the Detroit of South Africa and provides a massive amount of employment in the area.

We were soon at the Game reserve and being decanted from the large coaches into 10 seater Land Cruisers with 3 tiers of open air seats.  Although the sun was shining it was immediately apparent that we made the right decision to wear something warm as the temperature was even lower that when we got off the ship. Just a couple of minutes later and we were at the main lodge where warm drinks and roaring fires were there to welcome us all.  we were scheduled to be on the  vehicles for 3 hours, with no stops for comfort breaks, so a quick visit was in order before departing off on our safari.  We had only been going for a few minutes and the first animals were sighted.  In the first hour we had seen numerous varieties of antelope, giraffes, white rhinos complete with 3 month old baby, zebras, wildebeest and water buffalo.  Certainly much more than on the last safari we went on in cape Town some years ago.  We crossed over a road and into another part of the reservation where we spent well over an hour driving over some pretty poor terrain in search of lions. The driver was in constant touch with other drivers heading for places where there was either a sighting or using their experience to track down these elusive beasts.  By now it had become very overcast and the temperature was dropping even more.  The cold, coupled with the torturous terrain was taking its toll and people were beginning to hope it would be all over soon.  We were covering the same ground for the second or third time when a call came through which caused us to do an immediate U turn and head back where we had just come from.   We were seated on the back row of the Land Cruiser and therefore higher than anyone else.  Our path took us alongside one of the outer perimeter fences, which you would have thought was the last place a lion would want to hang around. However, the oversized Australian occupying one and a half of the three rear seats suddenly shouted out there was a lion in front of us.  Sure enough, walking up the track directly in front of us was a fully grown male lion and it was heading straight for us.  The driver switched off the engine and it still kept heading for us on the track.  As it got closer and it kept coming, you could sense that people were wondering what happens next - we certainly did.  Wished we’d never signed that indemnity form before we entered the Reserve now.  The lion got right in front of the Land Cruiser and it was at this time that you just hoped that he’d had some food in the last few days, otherwise he was just looking at his lunch.  It was definitely a heart stopping moment as this totally wild animal came within a couple of feet of the truck and just strolled past our side and wandered off.  That was probably a once in a lifetime experience.  Not satisfied with a close encounter the driver turned the wagon round and pulled alongside the creature again.  This time he just turned away and wandered into the bush never to be seen again.  By now it was time to return to the lodge, but our afternoon activity had proven not to be in vain.  Truly a fantastic day and a brilliant close encounter with the king of the jungle.

Once back at the lodge we were treated to a great buffet lunch of warm soup, Elan steak, prawns and various other treats all finished of with a buffet of tasty deserts.  The return journey was just as interesting as the outward journey in that our guide continued to give us even more information about the area and S Africa.  Apparently, one side of the Cape region has summer rain and the other has winter rain, whereas Port Elizabeth has both summer and winter rain, which makes the ground very fertile and green most of the year round.  The area just outside Port Elizabeth is home to the greatest concentration of pineapple farms anywhere in the world.  

We returned to the ship around 6pm, just 30 minutes before scheduled departure for Cape Town.  As we were birthed on our side of the ship, I just happened to go onto the balcony to watch  a van go by which was from the Forensic and Coroners Office, or so it said on the side.  It pulled up at the remaining gangway, just before we were scheduled to depart and after a few minutes two people got out and carried a body bag up the gangway.  Just before we adjourned to the Commodore Club for pre dinner drinks, I looked over the balcony to see the now full body bag being loaded into the  back of the Coroners wagon.  There was no announcement as to why we were delayed in departing, which is what normally happens, but just before we left the Club, we started to move off the birth with no notice whatsoever.

Since we’ve been on board that’s the third death that we know of.  At breakfast this morning another couple assured us that there had in fact been 4 deaths before reaching Sydney.  That makes a total of 7 with over two weeks still to go before arrival in Southampton.

14th & 15th April 2015

Tuesday 14th April.

It was very cloudy at 07.00m this morning, but it had been windy overnight  as the sea was looking much more active than when we left Durban last night.  The wind was blowing a force 6, (strong Breeze) but it felt much stronger than that.  The sea state was now officially moderate.  (Just a bit of a swell running, but not sufficient to cause much movement ) After breakfast we took a few pictures around the ship as it as still overcast outside.  By about 10.30 the sun was breaking through the clouds, so we decided to go up to the sundeck.  Unfortunately in high winds they close it off.  I suppose they don’t want anyone being blown overboard - too much paperwork!  Not to be beaten, we came down deck and stretched out on one of the unused sun beds.  The sun was quite strong when it broke through the clouds for better part of an hour.  Then the cloud thickened and black ominous ones took over, just before the showers started.  Back inside we went to find a quiet place to read, but not before  a cup of coffee in the chart room.  That peace and quiet was soon destroyed by the pianist whose personal pleasure of banging out the tunes overrides the passengers desire for a gentle tinkling of the ivories.  We, along with a few others decided to leave him to his own pleasures. We decided to go up to the Commodore club for some peace and quiet - or so we thought.  Just as we were going in a couple were just coming out moaning that they were sick of listening to the conversation that was going on at the bar between a number of South Africans.  Low and behold, the chaps on the table next to us at dinner had infiltrated the peace and quiet of the Commodores Club and just for good measure they had been joined by an even bigger gobby South African, who had clearly done everything it was humanly possible to do plus a few more, just for good measure.  He was the type of person who was probably very sad that apartheid had been abolished.  We managed about 20 minutes of this booze fuelled bullshit before retiring hurt back to our room.  Peace and quiet?  No.  Just as we returned to the cabin they decided to start cleaning the carpet with some noisy industrial device, which appeared to leave the carpet damp.  As the industrial noise machine was moved down the corridor, the equally industrial blower was set in place almost directly outside our door to dry out the carpet.  The bleakness inside was rapidly matching that of outside.  For the rest of the day we were like nomads, trying to find somewhere peaceful.  Respite came at 3.30 when we had Afternoon Tea in the Queen’s Ballroom.  By the time we returned to the cabin, the carpet cleaning and drying operation had disappeared sufficiently far enough down the corridor so as to not bother us anymore.  By the time we were going to bed, the wind had increased and we were moving about just a small amount and we were concerned for what the weather would be like for our safari tour in Port Elizabeth.

One thing that I forgot to mention was the Laundrette on our deck.  This is a source of rumours and antisocial behaviour.  One thing guaranteed to bring out the best in the hardiest of cruisers is the use of the washing and drying machines.  There are lots of notices requesting that passengers do not leave the machines unattended, mostly because when the machine/dryer finishes its cycle, you are there to empty it immediately and it can then be used by the next waiting passenger.  However, the temptation is to let it get on with it and return in 1hour, or whatever the wash/dry time is supposed to be.  The problem comes when the cycle finishes and there is no one there to empty the machine.  Well actually there are people there, but not the owners of the washing - it’s the ones waiting for a machine.  Some of the more stroppy ones take it upon themselves to empty the machine on behalf of the absent owner of the washing and unceremoniously dump it on the floor.  When the owner of the damp clothes realises what’s happened, they get a bit uptight that their washing has been ejected from a machine. The penultimate word was had by one lady who waited for the person who removed her washing from the machine to load their own washing into a dryer.  The aggrieved party then went back to their cabin and picked up a handful of bedtime chocolates that are on our pillows every night.  She then lobbed them into the dryer along with the other ladies clothes!!  Mess or what.  This caused the husbands to become involved and led to fisticuffs between these 2 Australian couples. The final word was had by the Captain at the next port - they were all asked to leave!!

Since returning from Durban, which we thought was quite a nice place, it seems that 3 passengers were mugged in the streets and one passenger had a heart attack on a tour coach and died.  That’s two down on our watch that we know about.

Thursday 15th April

We were alongside and the gangways were down by 06.30.  Although the sun was just rising and it looked like a good day, the temperature had dropped substantially.  We had to be assembled in the theatre by 08.50, so there was just time for a full English in the main restaurant before muster.  As the ship was berthed on our side (starboard) we could see the early departers walking off in fleeces and long trousers.  Those that were not, probably wished they had.  Our safari was going to be in open jeeps, so we decided that we would wear long trousers and take our fleeces.  By the time we left at 09.00 the sun was blazing and it was a glorious day.  However, the Captain had warned us in his morning address that there was a 60% chance of rain by 1.00pm.  Confirmation of  our decision to take warm & wet weather gear.  It took about one and a half hours driving to the North to reach the Kariega game reserve.  During the drive the guide provided an almost continuous commentary about the local area, local issues as well as a plethora of information about South Africa in general.  Just outside Port Elizabeth there are both Volkswagen and Ford motor plants and apparently there is a Mercedes plant just outside CapeTown.  It’s the Detroit of South Africa and provides a massive amount of employment in the area.

We were soon at the Game reserve and being decanted from the large coaches into 10 seater Land Cruisers with 3 tiers of open air seats.  Although the sun was shining it was immediately apparent that we made the right decision to wear something warm as the temperature was even lower that when we got off the ship. Just a couple of minutes later and we were at the main lodge where warm drinks and roaring fires were there to welcome us all.  we were scheduled to be on the  vehicles for 3 hours, with no stops for comfort breaks, so a quick visit was in order before departing off on our safari.  We had only been going for a few minutes and the first animals were sighted.  In the first hour we had seen numerous varieties of antelope, giraffes, white rhinos complete with 3 month old baby, zebras, wildebeest and water buffalo.  Certainly much more than on the last safari we went on in cape Town some years ago.  We crossed over a road and into another part of the reservation where we spent well over an hour driving over some pretty poor terrain in search of lions. The driver was in constant touch with other drivers heading for places where there was either a sighting or using their experience to track down these elusive beasts.  By now it had become very overcast and the temperature was dropping even more.  The cold, coupled with the torturous terrain was taking its toll and people were beginning to hope it would be all over soon.  We were covering the same ground for the second or third time when a call came through which caused us to do an immediate U turn and head back where we had just come from.   We were seated on the back row of the Land Cruiser and therefore higher than anyone else.  Our path took us alongside one of the outer perimeter fences, which you would have thought was the last place a lion would want to hang around. However, the oversized Australian occupying one and a half of the three rear seats suddenly shouted out there was a lion in front of us.  Sure enough, walking up the track directly in front of us was a fully grown male lion and it was heading straight for us.  The driver switched off the engine and it still kept heading for us on the track.  As it got closer and it kept coming, you could sense that people were wondering what happens next - we certainly did.  Wished we’d never signed that indemnity form before we entered the Reserve now.  The lion got right in front of the Land Cruiser and it was at this time that you just hoped that he’d had some food in the last few days, otherwise he was just looking at his lunch.  It was definitely a heart stopping moment as this totally wild animal came within a couple of feet of the truck and just strolled past our side and wandered off.  That was probably a once in a lifetime experience.  Not satisfied with a close encounter the driver turned the wagon round and pulled alongside the creature again.  This time he just turned away and wandered into the bush never to be seen again.  By now it was time to return to the lodge, but our afternoon activity had proven not to be in vain.  Truly a fantastic day and a brilliant close encounter with the king of the jungle.

Once back at the lodge we were treated to a great buffet lunch of warm soup, Elan steak, prawns and various other treats all finished of with a buffet of tasty deserts.  The return journey was just as interesting as the outward journey in that our guide continued to give us even more information about the area and S Africa.  Apparently, one side of the Cape region has summer rain and the other has winter rain, whereas Port Elizabeth has both summer and winter rain, which makes the ground very fertile and green most of the year round.  The area just outside Port Elizabeth is home to the greatest concentration of pineapple farms anywhere in the world.  

We returned to the ship around 6pm, just 30 minutes before scheduled departure for Cape Town.  As we were birthed on our side of the ship, I just happened to go onto the balcony to watch  a van go by which was from the Forensic and Coroners Office, or so it said on the side.  It pulled up at the remaining gangway, just before we were scheduled to depart and after a few minutes two people got out and carried a body bag up the gangway.  Just before we adjourned to the Commodore Club for pre dinner drinks, I looked over the balcony to see the now full body bag being loaded into the  back of the Coroners wagon.  There was no announcement as to why we were delayed in departing, which is what normally happens, but just before we left the Club, we started to move off the birth with no notice whatsoever.

Since we’ve been on board that’s the third death that we know of.  At breakfast this morning another couple assured us that there had in fact been 4 deaths before reaching Sydney.  That makes a total of 7 with over two weeks still to go before arrival in Southampton.

Sunday 12th April

Sunday 12th April

Up for an early breakfast as they are showing the F1 Chinese Grand Prix on the TV in the Pub this morning.  We expected the room to be packed, but fortunately there were plenty of spare seats, so we got prime seats in front of one of the three TV’s.  After the GP, it was upstairs to the sun deck for a couple of hours, before a further hour of Shuffleboard followed by afternoon tea in the Queens Ballroom.  After a hectic day it was time for a rest on one of the loungers on the promenade deck and a couple of hours reading until the sun set around 6pm.

Two of our table guests are temporarily leaving the ship tomorrow in Durban to go on a 5 day tour taking in Victoria Falls and a game reserve, before rejoining us in Cape Town.  After draining the dregs of the Bombay bottle, it was time to adjourn to the Commodore Club for a pre dinner drink.  The Commodore Club is probably the best bar on the ship for us ‘normal fare’ passengers, but it has the disadvantage of being at the opposite end to the Britannia Restaurant where we dine, so by the time we get there we’ve worked up a healthy appetite.

That’s just as well as it was lobster on the menu again tonight.  Always a difficult decision as they had Beef Wellington on the same menu.  Rhubarb crumble for desert, so it doesn’t get much better.

There was no late show in the theatre, so our guests who were leaving us tomorrow invited us up for farewell drinks in the Commodore Club.  By the time we go there it was close to 11.00 pm, so there were very few revellers still around, meaning that we had the place almost to ourselves.  By the time we finished in there it was time to return to the cabin and watch live coverage of the US Masters Golf.  Another late night ( early morning).

Monday 13th April

We docked early this morning, certainly before 06.00 as that was when we were awake and looked out of the balcony to see that we were stationary alongside.  We had to clear immigration before being allowed off the ship and our allocated time was between 7.30 and 8.30am.  We headed down to the Queen’s Ballroom to hand over our passports and the duel completed immigration & health forms.  By 7.15 we were cleared and ready to go, but as the Britannia Restaurant didn’t open until 8.00am we were reduce to having breakfast in the King’s Canteen.  It was absolutely heaving, so it’s scramble for a table while the other one gets their first course, then take it it turns to guard the table whilst the other gets the next course.  I don’t know why we didn’t wait half an hour and be treated properly.  With breakfast over, it was time to get the shuttle bus into Durban.  Within half an hour, we were pulling up at the allocated coach area, just her to the main promenade.  The coach rendezvous point was right outside a huge water/aquarium theme park called uShake, which, judging by the corporate logo must mean shark in Afrikaans. We wandered through the shopping mall which housed all sorts of souvenir and clothes shops as well as eating all the usual fast food outlets you would expect to see in a theme park.  We gave a wide berth to the Dangerous Reptiles and Spider exhibition and walked smartly past its open side door for fear that one of the inmates may be thinking of beating a hasty exit.

It wasn’t even 09.00, yet the sun was blazing though the cloudless sky and it was destined to be a scorcher.  We strolled through the rest of the mall and made our way onto the promenade that stretches about 5-6 Kms along the central part of Durban along to the World Cup Football stadium that dominates the Northern end of the Prom.  We walked out onto a small pier and started chatting to a local who was extolling the virtues of the climate in Durban a opposed to Jo’burg and Cape Town.  He was certainly older than us, but he cycled 30Kms along the sea front from his home every day and then back again.  Just for good measure, he often had a swim in the sea when he reached Durban!!  He helped us identify a particular area in  photograph that we had been given by one of our neighbours.  The photograph had been taken by her father in 1941 and appeared to show a headland and promenade pretty much as what we were looking at.  Clearly things had changed, but the headland was still there, but the promenade had change quite significantly.  So we took an unto date photo and hope that our neighbours can see the similarity with the 1941 version.  We started to walk along the prom, stopping for refreshments and more Kodak moments, but by now the sun was blazing away, even though the temperature was only 27 degrees.  

Durban is the third largest city in South Africa, but apparently has the busiest port.  You can believe that as the number of ships waiting on the horizon to enter the docks was amazing.  What’s doubly amazing is that when they approach the dock entrance, it looks as though they are steaming straight into the houses!

We had planned to walk up to the football stadium, but it was considerably further than it looked from the far end of the prom and also the sun was getting even hotter.  We made a gallant effort and made it about 2/3 of the distance, where we stopped and looked into a number of market stalls that were gathered just above the sunken garden and amphitheatre.  We then dropped down back onto the prom and strolled out along one of the many piers that jut out into the Indian Ocean.  Surfers provided entertainment on one side and sand artists on the other.  We worked our way back to Share and the waiting shuttle bus to return to the ship.  After a quick drink and offloading all the unnecessary baggage, we returned to central Durban to discover some more of this charming city.  One thing we did notice was the almost permanent presence of police patrols along the prom.  Not that there was any sign of unwelcome types or vagrants, but perhaps that was due to the high police presence.  As we walked alongside the hospital away from the prom, there were a few beggars, but what the hell, you get that in Derby.

We finally returned to the ship around 5.30 in plenty of time for a 6.30 sailing.  As usual, there was a delay, due to immigration checks not being fully completed.  However, it did give the chance for the sun to fully go down behind the distant hills and provide some excellent Kodak moments.  There was a considerable gathering of small craft alongside the ship, waiting to escort us out of the harbour.  Far more than anywhere else we had been.  By the time we slipped the ropes it was completely dark, but the armada of small boats persisted in following us out to sea.  

With depleted Bombay, we were reduced to only pre dinner drinks in the Commodores Club before making the long trek to the dining room.  Since we have been  on board, the tables around us have been virtually empty, which means dinner is a quiet affair, therefore I can hear what’s being said and secondly, we get superb treatment from the waiting staff and sommelier.  That was all set to change this evening.  A group of 30 somethings, loud mouthed South Africans occupied the table next to us.  It was clearly someone’s birthday and they had obviously been celebrating before dinner.  The champagne flowed to start with followed by plenty of wine.  The volume went up in proportion to the bottles consumed until they became a pain in the back side.  Just to add insult to injury, the gents took off their jackets, which according to the rule book was not allowed in dinner even on informal nights.  On another table a woman was wearing jeans, albeit bright blue ones, but again strictly forbidden according to all the documentation on board.  Considering this ship is supposed to offer the highest levels of service and adherence to dress code ‘out of respect for other guests’ or so it says in the daily information sheet, the cynic in me says there not prepared to do anything if people are spending the money.

We left the dining room early to get a good seat in the theatre as the piano playing comedian was on again this evening.  He was just as talented on the piano and his original jokes were just as original as they were the other evening.  Most of the artists are off the stage in 45 minutes, but this guy was still going after an hour. A good measure of how much he was  liked by the audience.  After two late nights watching the golf, we decided to turn in and have an early night,

8th to 11th April 2015

Wednesday 8th April

Our last day at sea before docking in Mauritius tomorrow morning.  The oarsmen must be feeling the strain as we have slowed from 21 knots down to just over 19.  Hardly surprising after five days tugging on those oars.  The chap who died yesterday was apparently found dead in his cabin after not showing up for his shift.  Sadly he was only 28 and left a wife and two year old child behind.

The sun was shining again this morning, so it was going to be another great day, well until we went to breakfast.  We sat in a different part of the dining room this morning, but ordered our usual pot of English Breakfast tea and a glass of cranberry juice.  When the tea arrived it was wasn’t even luke warm.  I’m surprised that the leaves managed to infuse into the water as it was that cold.  The replacement pot was boiling, so that was good.  Just for a change, I ordered two fried eggs, sunny side up with the usual trimmings.  When the fry up arrived, the whites of the eggs were still swimming around on the top of the eggs, completely uncooked, so they went back along with the tea.  Everyone, including Cunard keeps telling us that this ship is the dogs do dah for service,well we don’t think so.  Our waiter and waitress for dinner are normally  fantastic, but even they got one of our table companions dinner wrong this evening.  It must be something in the air.

It’s been a very hot day today, so most of it has been spent either in the sun or hiding from it.  We sheltered on the promenade deck after tea this afternoon and spent a couple of hours chatting to a very interesting Australian chap and his wife.  He had worked on cattle stations as a late teenager and whilst they now live in Tasmania, they still make regular trips deep into the outback and stay on cattle stations.  He had lots of really interesting stories and also convinced us that we should visit Tasmania.

We’ve just ordered breakfast in bed for tomorrow morning, as we have to be off the ship and through immigration by 07.40 in the morning for out Tea Plantation trip.

Thursday 9th April

The clocks went back another hour last night, which probably accounts for why we were awake at 05.30 this morning, just in time for the ship to reverse up the mile long channel into Port Louis.  We were alongside and ready for disembarkation by just after 06.30.  We had ordered breakfast in bed for 07.00 as we had to be ready to present ourselves to immigration at 07.40, then onto the tour bus for our day out.

All ran as smooth as clockwork and we were through immigration and loaded onto the coach long before our departure time of 08.15.  We drove, at a snails pace through the capital, Port Louis, experiencing their morning rush hour traffic.  Apparently everyone starts work at 09.00 and finishes at 4pm, so it’s absolute chaos around those times.  

An hour later and we were pulling into our first stop of the day, an old French Colonial plantation house called Domain Des Aubineaux which has been turned into a Museum.  The house is set within a large circle of camphor trees and is also raised some 6 feet off the ground to keep it dry from the almost daily rain they have in this area.  The ceilings are 12 feet high to enable the air to circulate properly as there was no air conditioning in the late 19th century.  The camphor trees help to keep the mosquitos and other unfriendly flying objects at bay.  They also produce camphor oil which they burn and impregnate the timbers of the house to act as a natural deterrent to things like termites.  Very clever use of nature to control pests.

From here we went to another French colonial mansion called Domain Saint Aubin, which produces sugar, rum and vanilla pods.  We started with the vanilla pods, which apparently flower between September and December and after pollinating the flower the pods appear and take some 7 months to mature.  They are then harvested and blanched in warm water for a few minutes, after which they are wrapped in blankets and put into boxes for a day.  It as at this stage that they turn black.  They are then dried in the sun for a period, then sorted out into lengths of the same size before replacing them into boxes for final drying and maturing for some 8 months.  At the end of this period, they’re ready for use.  This long period of production accounts for the high price of vanilla pods.  From here we moved onto the rum distillery and saw the raw cane crushed and the juice extracted.  It then naturally ferments in large vats before being distilled into alcohol.  From there it was into the tasting area to sample the final products.  They seem to make rum with just about every flavour under the sun, so it was rude if we didn’t try them all and it was barely 10.30!   Mauritius wouldn’t exist without the sugar cane industry and they are very grateful for the Dutch introducing the plant.  A stroll through the gardens, then t was time to rebound the bus for our next port of call, which was a working tea plantation at Bois Cheri.  

After about 40 mins of driving through small towns and local countryside it was quite reminiscent of being on one of the well developed Caribbean islands.  No visible raging poverty, but not too many signs of luxury living either.  As we arrived at the factory, workers were loading freshly picked tea into sacks which were hung onto hooks and transported into the factory.  Firstly they are tipped into hoppers which feed giant shredders, which cut the leaves into small fragments.  They then get spread out on a long conveyer and go through a drying process, after which the tea is vibrated to sort out the unwanted bits, before moving onto another conveyor and further vibration to separate the different sizes of leaves.  From here, the tea is sorted into that for use as tea bags, basically the dust! through to the full blown brewed leaf tea.  Health and Safety hasn’t reached here yet as none of the workers wear ear defenders or dust masks and the floor in the vibrating machinery areas is covered in dust.  However, on the video we were shown, all the young girls operating machinery were wearing ear defenders!!

We were then ferried up to a magnificent single story, glass sided building for or late lunch. The view was spectacular, looking straight out to the North across the coast and in the other direction across the tea plantations and a huge lake.  Lunch was excellent and was followed by a tea tasting session, sampling all the teas made to Bois Cheri.  Almost as good as the earlier rum tasting session.

From here it was back to the ship in time for a sailing, just after 4.30pm.  We had to wait for a tour bus to arrive back with about 20 passengers on it, so we were just a little late getting away.  Soon we were clear of the harbour entrance and the pilot was disembarking leaving us to do a left hand down once we were just South of the island and set a course for the next stop, in three days time, of Durban.

Friday10th & Saturday 11th April 

Sea days tend to be quite similar from an activity perspective.  As there are no tea or coffee making facilities in the cabin, we have taken to ordering it from room service to arrive  between 07.30 and 07.45.  Breakfast in the main silver service dining room around 08.30 takes around 45 minutes.  we tried the open dining area on deck 7, but it’s like eating in a works canteen.  You have to queue for the food, help yourself, then try and find a place to sit down - no thanks, when you can be pampered in the main dining room.  

From breakfast it’s back to the cabin to change into swimmer for a few hours on deck 13 worshiping the sun god, weather permitting.  We normally skip lunch and go for a non alcoholic drink and some fruit in one of the sundeck buffets.  Depending on whats on in terms of presentations or classes, we usually indulge in some form of activity, then retire for afternoon tea.  We had been having it in the canteen, but lately, we have indulged in the White Star Service afternoon tea in the Ballroom.  This what Cunard is all about.  The string Quartet strikes up and at exactly 3.30pm the waiters parade into the ballroom with the tea, sandwiches, cakes and scones and take up their positions ready for the signal from the Maitre D to comment serving.  Special tea made by Twinnings specially for Cunard is poured into your bone china tea cups and you are served by waiting staff complete with white gloves.

After tea it’s time for a little lie down on the promenade deck for a quick doze and read of our books.  After 6pm, it’s considered inappropriate to wander around in shorts, so it’s back to the cabin to shower and get ready for dinner.

Tonight ( Sat) it’s one of our table guests 70th birthday, so we’ve all been invited to the Commodores Club for pre dinner drinks.  However, it’s a formal evening so we’re taking advantage and having our photograph taken prior to drinks.  In the Commodore Club, the champagne was ready for when we all arrived and the Bombay flowed up until the time to go down to dinner.  After dining, it is customary for the waiting staff to gather round the table and sing Happy Birthday to the birthday boy/girl.  There was also a special solo by one of the staff, which, much to the embarrassment of Steve the birthday boy, was applauded by the entire contents of the dining room.

From the dining room we all left to go to the show, which had just started in the theatre.  We entered just as the lights were going down and as the act was a comedy pianist, we became the but of his early jokes and were seated right in the front row and therefore continued to be the but of more of his jokes.  This guy was not only a very accomplished pianist, but also a very funny, original comedian and had as in fits for the full 45 + minute act.  We’ll definitely go and see his next show, but we’ll be early next time!

After the show, we retired to the Chart Room for a final birthday drink, before returning to our cabin to watch the live coverage of the US Masters golf.  It was about 2.30am before we finally turned in.

Thursday 2nd April

We awoke having arrived in Fremantle very early in the morning.  At last the sun is shining and there’s not a cloud in the sky, perfect day for sight seeing.  We had an early breakfast and returned to our cabin to phone an old business partner of mine whom we haven’t seen for about 15 years.  Fortunately he answered his phone and we had about a 45 minute conversation before heading ashore in Fremantle.  We caught the shuttle bus into the town, which was only about a 10 minute drive away.  We were dropped right outside the information centre and as usual, they were amazingly helpful and gave us perfect directions to Fremantle Prison, which we had decided would be our first port of call.

The prison was built by convicts sent from the UK in 1850 and was in constant use from 1880 when it was finished through to 1991, when it was decommissioned as a prison and turned into a tourist attraction.  The cells were the same as those used by the convicts back in the 1800’s.  The only difference being that electricity was installed, otherwise everything is the same.  They still had a bucket as a toilet, just as the convicts did in 1880!  It was a similar institution to Melbourne jail and just as foreboding!  It has a gallows like Melbourne and it was last used in 1964, although it cannot boast a hanging like Ned Kelly like Melbourne.  

Whilst we were in the jail, my old partner Peter rang to say that he would meet up with us in Fremantle for a coffee, so that was great news.  We left the prison and headed back to the Cappuccino area for a coffee and our first muffin, this holiday.  Actually, they were huge and more like mini cakes, rather than muffins.  We were just wandering towards the fishing boat harbour when we received a call from Peter to say that he was just 10 minutes away, so we took a seat near the promenade and awaited his arrival.  Bang on time, he pulled up in his Porche Panamera and we enjoyed a happy reunion over another coffee in a nearby cafe.  He had moved a meeting to be with us, so we only had an hour, but it was exceedingly good of hime to make the effort to meet up, since it’s been a long time since we last met.  It was good to catch up, but the hour soon flashed by and we were soon saying farewell to Peter.

We carried on towards the fishing harbour and walked along to the small beach where there was part of an old jetty, where the convicts were bought in and also from where the Aboriginal convicts were deported.  We sauntered back towards the town centre, where there are some amazing old Victorian pubs with wrought iron balustrades and glazed tile frontages.  We had to be back on board for 4.00pm as it was an early sailing and if we missed the ship, it would be a long way to Mauritius to meet up with it again.  Our final mission was to find a supermarket in order to top up with supplies of nibbles and tonics.  We found a Coles supermarket and were able to get nibbles, but it had sold out of tonic water.  I reckon we must have been one of the last passengers to have visited this shop.  However, we were able to pick up another local delicacy that we were introduced to in Sydney by John & Bev.  Last year we discovered the ANZAC biscuit, and this year we’ve discovered chocolate coated liquorish.  Not only is it delicious, but it provides a jolly good work out for the bowels.  John & Bev had bought us some when we left Sydney, but sadly it was all gone before we reached Adelaide, so more supplies were needed.  Regrettably, we could only get the Coles version and not the superior Aldi product.  Never mind, better than none.  We’ll certainly be looking out for it in Aldi in the UK when we return.

Back to the information centre and the awaiting shuttle bus ready to take us on the 10 minute trip back to QM2.  Yet again, just as we were ready to depart, the Captain announced that we were waiting for a second doctor to arrive, before we sail as he wanted a full complement of medical staff before we set off on our six day crossing of the Indian Ocean.  Did he know something that we didn’t?  We waited for 45 minutes before he decided that a second doctor wasn’t necessary after all, as he was still some considerable distance from Fremantle and the Captain couldn’t  or wouldn’t wait any longer.  So finally off we go, starting our 3200 nm journey across the Indian Ocean up to Port Louis in Mauritius.

3rd, 4th, & 5th April

Sea days - These are what you make of them.  There are plenty of talks and clubs that you can join to while away the time, in between eating and drinking.  On the first morning, the sun was shining, so it was up to deck 13 for some sun worshiping.  Sadly, there was a lot of cloud around, so sunbathing was intermittent, but at least the winds that have prevailed from Sydney have mostly abated to nothing more than a force 3 - Breeze.  However, I reckon they must have withdrawn the stabilisers as the ship is definitely rolling more than it did, albeit insignificantly really.  This is a very stable ship with almost no movement, save for a gentle pitch and roll.

One other major plus for this ship is the lack of people on the sundecks.  The demographics of the people on board may have something to do with that, but there is no shortage of space or sunbeds.  After a couple of hours worshipping, we have taken to playing Shuffleboard.  It’s a game played on the deck with  5” bakelite pucks that are propelled by forked poles.  It’s a cut between bowls and curling.  The aim is to get the pucks into marked areas on the deck about 20 yds away.  You are of course allowed to knock your opponent’s puck(s) out of the way, which if you are skilled can work to your advantage.  With us it’s just lucky if you can make the scoring zone. This activity has become a regular event after the morning sunbathing and before a spot of light lunch.  As the days have gone on, the weather has improved and today (5th) the weather has been pretty sunny for most of the day and temperature has been 26 degrees, which is more than hot enough in the middle of the ocean. Also, as we write this blog entry, we are half way across the Indian Ocean and the sea has been the most amazing deep blue colour. It’s hardly surprising as there is about 3500 metres (over 3 miles) of water below the keel at the moment.  One significant event that happened today was a huge pod of dolphins suddenly appeared off the starboard ( right ) side of the ship and I just happened to be gazing out to sea as they appeared.  They were swimming in the opposite direction, so they were quickly out of sight.  Yesterday we saw two birds skimming the surface of the water, which didn’t seem anything out of the ordinary, other than we were over 1000nm from the nearest land.  They were going to have to flap some to find their way home.

On the subject of birds, as we were rounding Tasmania some days ago, we saw two Black Winged Albatrosses flying effortlessly over the waves and round the ship.  They were there for a few hours before disappearing.

I have been attending a watercolour painting class during sea days and an Australian chap has befriended me, which is quite nice as he seems like a decent chap.  However, he calls me Derbyshire as that’s where we come from these days.  I was hoping that he came from Alice Springs, for obvious reasons, but unfortunately he’s from Melbourne!

Oh well, it’s a formal evening, so time to get dressed before pre dinner drinks.

As we entered the dining room this evening, the Palm Court Quartet were playing, just like in Titanic - most off-putting. 

28th March to 1st April 2015

Saturday 28th March

We awoke to grey skies and a stiff breeze blowing white horses onto the tops of the waves again.  Outside it was too cold to sit out and anyway there was not a glimpse of sunshine to be had.  we opted for a sun bed round the indoor pool on deck 12, which has a glass roof and we were therefore protected from the cool breeze blowing outside.  The sun finally broke through for a couple of hours, but only to be hidden again by some black clouds.  The day didn’t get any better, so a stiff gin in the cabin was in order before going to the bar for a pre dinner G&T.  Dinner was, as always, good and the table company along with the waiting staff made for an enjoyable evening.

Sunday 29th March

We docked in Adelaide just before 08.00 and had risen early as we were booked on a tour of the Barossa Valley vineyards and surrounding areas.  Up to the self service restaurant this morning for a good fill up of full English before boarding the coach for our day trip.  

We had an excellent driver and an even better guide, as he was a winemaker in his own right in the McClaren Vale.  He was also a wine critic and writer, so perfect for the tour of Barossa.  It was about a one and a half hour drive before we reached our first destination, The Whispering Wall, which was a dam that had an incredible acoustic phenomenon.  You could stand on one side of the curved dam wall and speak normally into the wall, your voice could be heard clearly, 100yds away by someone  listening at the far side of the curved wall.

From here we made our way to the Jacobs Creek visitor centre for our first wine tasting session, look round the vines and lunch.  Just as we were starting to slow down three kangaroos started hopping towards us on the side of the road and as the driver slammed his breaks on, one of the kangaroos decided to hop across in front of the coach.  Then there were two kangaroos!  Fortunately, we were not going particularly fast, so the roo bars on the front of the coach did their job and it disappeared under the coach, to the sound of a few aaaah’s from the non australians on board.  Once in the visitor centre our guide was in his element, explaining the difference between all the grape varieties, getting us to taste them all and totally taking over from the young lady who was the in house guide.  She didn’t mind at all and probably learned a lot from our man.  Ditto for the wine tasting inside, he explained the mixing of the grapes and what wine complemented what food as well as how to look and smell before drinking the samples.  We sampled 5 different wines, always starting with a sparkly.

We sat down to lunch and the first course was served along with a choice of wines.  Regrettably it was almost an hour before the next course arrived and everyone was getting bit fed up.  By the time it arrived and we had eaten it, there was no time left to look round the visitor centre as we had to get back on the coach for the next destination.  It was a lookout and sculpture area called Menglers Hill , which overlooked the Barossa valley and the Adelaide foothills.  Just as we were exiting the lookout another  kamikaze kangaroo leapt out and tried to commit suicide.  Fortunately we only caught him a glancing blow and with no damage to the coach, both parties carried on their ways.  The final stop of the day was to another very established, family run vineyard called Seppeltsfield Winery.  Again our guide was in his element and continued to enhance what the winery guide was saying as she poured the various nectars that they were famous for.  They ranged from a sparkling white, through to a sumptuous white port, except they we not allowed to call it a port.  This was the best place we had stopped at, including the ones we had been to in the Hunter Valley.  Not only was it the number of wines we tasted, but the breadth of product that they produced was almost unheard of.  After a short look around, it was time to board the coach and head back to the ship for 5.30 and a 6.00pm sailing.  However, just as we were a few miles from the docks, the Cunard rep on the coach received a phone call to say that there was a technical problem with the ship and it would not be leaving until 08.00 the next day.

Once on board, it was confirmed that a problem with one of the engines would not be fixed until 10.30 this evening, but the Port Authority would  not let the ship out of port in the dark, due to the very narrow channel that it would have to navigate.

Monday 30th March

This morning we were up early, ready to watch the sail away and just as they were about to slip the lines, the captain announced that there had been a medical emergency and we were now awaiting an ambulance to take someone to the hospital.  It was about 20 minutes before the ambulance arrived and just as they were bringing the stretcher on board, the captain announced that there had been a second emergency and they now had to wait for a second ambulance.  Unfortunately, there was another ship waiting to come into port and the pilot was needed to bring that ship in, so we would have to wait until 10.30 before departing. Eventually, we departed Adelaide under perfect blue skies and azure seas.  It was our first real day of sunshine since leaving Port Stephens and One Mile Beach almost a week earlier.  This was more like it.  The sea was almost flat calm, but there was a long swell which was the remnant of the last few days heavy winds.  The ship was starting to pitch a little, due to the long swell and the fact that it was now cruising at 20 knots in order to make up the 15 hours that we were delayed in Adelaide.  

 Our first real sunbathing opportunity since leaving UK, so a couple of hours on the rear sundeck were quite in order.  I have enrolled in watercolour painting classes, so it was off to painting in the afternoon and it was kangaroos today.  After class it was time to find Maureen and head off to the Kings Restaurant for afternoon tea and scones, with strawberry jam and cream of course.

After taking a little more late afternoon sunshine and watching the dolphins play alongside the ship, I did seven laps of the promenade deck at a brisk pace, probably feeling guilty after the two scones.  7 laps equates to about 2.5 miles.  After that it was back to the cabin for a rest and a large Bombay and tonic, before changing for dinner.  Tonight is a formal evening, so it’s dressing up time.

Tuesday 31st March

After yesterdays fabulous weather today is grey and miserable.  It’s difficult to see where the grey sky stops and the grey seas begin.  Didn’t even feel like painting today, so skipped the class completely.  We spent most of the day hopping from one inside set of seats to another and just reading.  For the first time we also had a spot of lunch as well as afternoon tea.  For the first time boredom had set in as a result of the totally depressing weather.  Just to add insult to injury it poured with rain as I was about to take my late afternoon work out round the promenade deck.  The swell was also gathering momentum as were the white horses on top of the waves.  We had gone from a force 3 to a force 6 during the day and the long southwesterly swell was giving the ship a little more movement than yesterday.  We continued to head due West at 21 knots slipping between the Great Australian Bight and the Southern Ocean.

Highlight of the day was the humour provided by our Phillipino assistant waitress.  She’s getting off in Cape Town after 9 months on board, so she’s as high as a kite and it’s quite infectious.  

No news of the injured parties that were put ashore in Adelaide, but I’m sure the rumour machine will be working after Fremantle.  If not I’ll start something.

Wednesday 1st April

Yet again the day started grey and miserable and the overnight pitching of the ship continued, but to a lesser extent and has almost gone as the day has gone on.  No sunshine, so it was breakfast followed by art class, while Maureen went to see a chap who painted pictures in a tray of sand.  Whilst that sounds absolutely scintillating, we saw him in the theatre doing his stuff whilst somebody sang and he was absolutely brilliant.  He was a bit like that troupe of silhouette artists who won one of the TV talent shows, except he uses sand instead of bodies and he works on a back lit tray.  Still no sun, so up to the indoor pool and a couple of hours in the near horizontal, listening to the steel band strut their stuff, before heading down to the planetarium for ‘Passport to the Universe’ , a very clever film projected onto a dome on the ceiling, showing where we are in the universe relative to other planets and solar systems.  Not sure where some of the facts come from, but entertaining nevertheless and especially as the sun was not out!  During the day the wind was blowing a more constant force 6 and the white ponies that started the day were now growing into fully fledged horses.

By now it was time for afternoon tea, then a quick sit out on the promenade deck with the dribblers,  before 10 brisk laps of the prom deck, whilst avoiding the coffin dodgers as they woke from their induced comas.

Informal evening for dinner, so no real dressing up tonight.