Thursday, 15th January, 27 degrees a sea day. We reach Brazil tomorrow

Another very early morning waking, but we put the clocks back yet another hour last night – I think the body clocks just can’t keep up. So off to an early start – Jo Wicks was completed before 7.00 a.m. and we were on deck promenading by 7.45! Phew!

It was a beautiful day and there were birds! This is the first time we have seen birds of any number so far away from land. There were frigate birds and I am reliably informed, boobies. Now, I don’t know about you but I think this a very unfortunate name for a bird and I cannot think how the poor creatures were blessed with it, but there it is….

have to report that having clocked up three miles around the deck and had breakfast I had to change my shirt when I went back to the cabin to collect my ukulele. This is getting ridiculous – on to my second shirt by 9.00 a.m.! It could be a four outfit day at this rate as we are going for a meal in the India restaurant (which you have to pay for) so I guess it counts as a date night! We take these things seriously so it’s an ‘on parade’ outfit – again!

However, before we leave the ukulele behind….. Keith produced one for the album …..

Bridge went well again and a couple of contracts were achieved, but we had to bid our partners farewell for a couple of days as we are on a tour in Recife tomorrow and on Saturday we have booked a Behind the Scenes tour of the ship. Hopefully this will give Keith a chance to see the kitchens as he is fascinated by the fact that really good food is produced on such a grand scale, every day – how do they do it…… hopefully we shall see!

Next there was a flurry of laundrette activity. Basically we were told at our ukulele session (where else would you learn about laundry issues?!?) that you are not allowed to use the washing machines while in Brazilian waters. Whether this proves to be true or not, i was fearful that Mr. Gregory was going to run out of underwear so another lot of washing had to be done….. one thing to wash my undies in the cabin and dry it in the bathroom but quite another to have Mr. G’s smalls draped around, So I sent Keith off to find where out of the three laundrette’s there might be a free machine, One was found in a different laundrette than we had previously used and before long the washing had been done, it was tumble dried while we were eating lunch, a bit of ironing and we are good to go for another week!

So, our underwear in order, we dropped into a ‘Newcomers to P and O’ session. I don’t think that was what it was called but never mind, we basically went because the invitation were dropped into a prize draw and there the chance to win a meal in one of the restaurants which are fee paying. So we sat through a pretty tedious selling session with a pretty lacklustre glass of fizz, I was all set to leave half way through…nevertheless we stayed AND WON!! Our prize was a free meal at the Sindhu restaurant where we had booked to go this evening! A result!

To celebrate I decided to do a spot of sunbathing. After a brief spell on the upper deck where I went the whole hog and borrowed a towel – not to swim you understand but to lie on my sun bed. I felt I had arrived as I had all the accoutrements of a serious sun worshiper. I have to share a secret here. I am probably the only person on board without a swimsuit. (Apart from me! Ed). I don’t actually own one and felt it might be a step too far for me to expose the aging carcass. Having seen some of the other bodies on parade, I decided earlier in the day to dally in the ships shop to see if I could make a purchase in the sale. I was horrified!! I guess the left-over stock indicates the size of their usual customer – which I can only describe as HUGE😳. And these were bikinis. I retired, shocked, vowing never to darken the sale rail again…..

We discovered that our prize at Sindhu, the Indian restaurant on board, included a three course meal AND a bottle of wine. I have to report that It was amazing; delicately spiced and very tasty. We had a splendid evening. I wouldn’t mind going back there again. And even paying for it!

As it was a date night we then went to the theatre to see the Rambling Rovers an Irish/Scots due who play Irish and Scottish folk tunes at a very fast parcel. It was a full house with people standing, They are amazing musicians but their reportorial even played at a pace is a bit tame.

And that was it for us. We reach Recife in Brazil tomorrow and we are off to see the old town, However, we have been given so many dire warnings about what to expect in Brazil that we are slightly apprehensive. Once again, we shall see. For now it is finishing my writing for the day and a good sleep… Zzzzzz