Monday 12th January, our second week on board, 20 degrees with a warm breeze

It was an early start to the day as our clocks went back by yet another hour and the time clock in my head just can’t keep up . I was awake just after 5 and very excited to receive a text from Jo! I quickly tried to call her but then realised our WiFi package did not run to that so a message had to be sufficient. It felt good to be in touch.

So, back to boating….. We turned right (not very nautical but you know what I mean) when we left Cape Verde yesterday evening and we are now heading across the Atlantic for Recife in Brazil. We have had a bit of a disappointment there in that the Christmas present I had bought Keith – a tour of the market and then a well known Brazilian chef’s meal – has been taken off the agenda due to lack of interest. We have gathered from this that there are not many foodies on board…….

We will reach Brazil on Friday.

Anyway, back to today. We decided to get back to our Jo Wicks workout which gave us a good start before our half an hour of deck walking. It was then time for breakfast. I did actually make it today! The ukulele group went back to being shambolic, but I could see 3/4 of the screen today and they played some old faithful tunes of the U3A group so I was able to keep up, I am still troubled by that E minor chord….. hopefully it will improve with frequent attempts at it.

Then bridge was another story. Complete disaster on my part, I think Marie and Keith are getting a bit fed up with Matt and I as partners. I think it is a good thing I am not actually directly partnering Keith, poor Matthew can’t get it right either though. At least he doesn’t have to share a room with Keith. I really must concentrate.

After bridge and a couple of purchases (I needed some sort of head covering) and I ended up with a cap as the best of the options…..

We then went up to the Crows Nest on the 13th floor – we are getting nearer to Godliness each day! It is one of the favourite locations of our dinner table chums, Michael and Penny of a hundred cruises. Incidentally I have to report that they have social engagements for the next couple of nights so it will be back to the naughty boys group of Keith, me, Gareth and Sian.

The Crows Next is the location of the Purls of Friendship (???), basically the knit and natter group. I may get there tomorrow as they seem quite a jolly crowd. At this rate Keith will begin to wonder what I look like!!

You might be interested to learn that we avoided the talk on the Magic of Opals (Keith considered this too financially risky) and the Secrets of a Flatter Stomach (I think we cannot afford to do more exercise or I will waste away!). We did drop by to watch the final of the Shuffleboard Competition – this is the shove halfpenny with sticks game I reported a few days ago. I now know its name!

I have to report that the number of the beached whale looking bodies on the upper decks increases daily. Some of them are developing a very pink tinge …

After lunch it was a brief sojourn in the cabin before attending what we think is the final lecture on whales. This one was about their relationships. A key thing for me was the role the females played – grandmothers often leading a pack of females with their young. These elder stateswomen can live for 80 years while the males who opt for a more solitary existence often die at 30 years.

What is a little irritating is the speaker keeps referring to the number of whales found in the Bay of Biscay – and we saw nary a one. Apparently flying fish have been seen today but not by us. There are several chaps with very important looking cameras who seem to spend all day scanning the horizon – while I have other fish to fry……

Post the ORCA session I decided to dig out the shorts and have a brief session on the upper sun deck ….. and the sun went in for more or less the first time since we have been on board. Curses! Nevertheless it was very pleasant sitting up there doing my daily codeword crossword (thank you Pauline). The temperature continues to rise slowly. It is now 24 degrees. Keith had adjourned to the Crow’s Nest our newly found location for some serious writing. (My writing isn’t serious! Ed) My merry quips not being required I was happy to make my own arrangement …

We had a jolly supper with Gareth and Sian and another sea day came to a close. The equator looms large over the next couple of days.