Thursday 12 March, at sea, very sunny, 20 degrees

Well here we are. This time next week we will be disembarking. Or “getting off” to use landlubbers terminology. However you say it, our voyage will be over.

But we still have a week before that happens. The moon was still in the sky when I woke up this morning. Although I had put the clock forward – correctly as it happens – we still put the television on (as recommended by Penny) to check that we really had got it right today. And we had. Phew!

It was another beautiful sunrise.

There were the usual suspects out, including the cleaning crew – we had wondered why they weren’t around yesterday. Keith and I decided to run through the stopping points on the cruise to see how many we could remember – it was a bit of a challenge!

After a a slightly shorter walk this morning for me, I had my breakfast alone while Keith got a few more laps in. I went back to the cabin to shower and prepare for the day. Unusually I decided to put on sparkly earrings – not the order of the day before 6.00 p.m. normally – to brighten the day and ward off the dread of ukulele and Bridge.

There really are 1800 people on this ship – they were just not breakfasting outside then – honest!

Ukulele pushed the boundaries again. With five more chords introduced and a two part harmony, but this time to a tune that the majority of those present had never heard of let alone sung before. Just perfect! It was good for me to increase my range of chords, but I had great sympathy for those coming to grips with the three or four basics. The discordant ukulele player was headed off at the pass as the chair he sat on yesterday was moved so he could not sit on it – he is now sitting behind us. Probably preferable.

Dare I say it, but Bridge was perhaps a little more understandable today and teacher told me my opening bid was correct! Alleluia! We left the lesson after making arrangements to meet up again this evening with our Bridge partners and hopefully get a meal in the Glass House. It is not bookable, so once again fancy footwork will have to be employed to make it happen. We will see.

It did happen! We had a sneaky laundry session after lunch. We are now at the stage where some washing will be left until we get home, but some things that were essential were done. Probably our last battle with the laundry. Definitely counting down!

After that I went to the back of the ship for my sun session and crossword while Keith had some quiet time writing, No disturbance from rain this afternoon, but there was an incident. The incident was that a yellow balloon appeared in the swimming pool. Now swimming pools, as we know are not my bag, but I became conscious of the buzz around me about yellow objects in the pool. The next thing I know is that ‘officials’ arrived with a blue net to put over the pool area and it was off limits. A foreign object in the shape of a yellow ball had been sighted in said pool. I will keep my ear to the ground as to what it is/was. Leave it with me.

Back at the cabin, we needed to be out by 5.45. So a shower, hair wash and change saw me ready and we set out on time, armed with our pisco sour drink from Chile, some olives and a couple of glasses from the cabin. We met Maria on the way. Matthew had been sent for ice.

We registered our interest in a table in The Glass House and opened the bottle of Pisco Sour. Maria had a gin and tonic. As always – it was great fun!! It seemed in no time that we were told that we had been successful in securing a table, so we went in to eat – before 7.00. First prize to us. I think Matt and Maria are used to eating much later.

We had a great meal and lots of laughter. They have been a very special part of our holiday and we are very fond of them. It was a very late night for us – back in our cabin at 10.15! Quelle horreur! I am going to be in pieces in the morning for the three part harmony and Bridge!

Never mind. It was a great evening – good company, good food and a good occasion. We are now in are last week. (Eeeeek! Ed)