Thursday 26th February, a sunny sea day with quite a swell 27 degrees

I think today’s diary could deliver slim pickings as I have had a rest day! Unheard of but necessary I felt. Contrary to my usual activities, I did not walk the decks this morning or go to ukulele although both were available to me. Instead I had a lie in and read a book!

Author’s Note: the remainder of this post is a stream of consciousness probably best avoided. The normal service will be resumed tomorrow. (How will we notice the difference? 🤪Ed)

Keith walked the decks but as I found out when I went out later, there is a warm but brisk breeze on the deck and even the Captain gave a warning at his lunch time briefing that care needed to be taken walking anywhere on the ship today.

We did go to Bridge and, despite being assured of a game after the lesson bit of the session, that did not exactly materialise. We did get our hands on the cards, but after bidding and after much advice re-bidding, we really did not have time to finish the game. I really have to admire anyone who masters Bridge. It is a game like no other!

Keith went off for the further adventures of Mr. St Paul in the theatre but I chose to have a short saunter on deck 7 before lunch.

Walking is definitely a challenge for the hair follicles as depending on which side of the ship you are the wind is either in your face inhibiting your progress or pushing you along. All very stimulating but not very comfortable. Apparently it is likely to be like this for the next couple of days. (Trade winds in The Caribbean. A very normal, natural occurrence in these here parts. It’s a lot bouncier than The Pacific. Ed)

Despite these challenges the deck painting by the maintenance crew continues apace, with men up ladders or applying paint on long brushes all over the promenade deck. I guess rust is a constant issue. The ship is, of course, constantly battered by sea and spray.

Despite this the deck furniture looks smart – not sure of the standard of the life-jacket contents, but hopefully we will never have to try them out!

In addition to these wooden rather uncomfortable edifices there are plastic chairs that can be sloped back for sunbathing comfort if you don’t mind the ongoing pounding traffic of the deck walkers. Serious sunbathers head to the upper decks of 13 or even 14 or gather around the pools. It is worth noting that the rear pool has had its roof removed again. This is something of a relief, because although we only use it as a thoroughfare, when it is really hot there is a chlorine-y steamy ‘fug’ that builds up in there and it is hard to breathe let alone sun bathe. (Some people have endured the trip so far and will only be happy once we get to the Caribbean Islands. These are the very people who sunbathe all day whilst the rest of us get on with other activities. Ed)

It is remarkable that we are still seeing new people. Every day seems to bring new faces to our attention. It is amazing. Where do they come from and indeed where do they go? Sometimes we see people once but never again! There are a few hardy annuals who have adopted the same rhythm of life as us who we might recognise – but other than that there are always new faces … it is absolutely fascinating.

I did actually go out on deck again for a short time after an aborted effort to find misplaced items in the chest of drawers in the cabin. Boredom alert! I have just sunk to a new low in my mutterings! This involved removing the bottom drawer to see if anything had fallen behind it. It hadn’t. But getting the drawer back was a big issue. I thought it really needed a do-it-yourself/handyman type of person. You will be pleased to hear that, despite being slightly under par today, I rose to the occasion. Although I did not find the lost items, I am now fairly proficient in chest of drawers demolition and reinstatement.

I really am blithering on now, so I will close here and hopefully have more exciting news to impart tomorrow when we have visited Aruba, the first of our exotic Caribbean islands.