Friday, 9th January. 19 degrees

We gained an hour last night – which took Mr Apple by surprise as he had not noticed the time change but Cape Verde is an hour behind us and that is where we are headed next. All very confusing!

If anything, today’s ukulele session was more chaotic than the previous one! There are probably at least 30 people there but no teacher and just two ukulele enthusiasts who take the lead or not depending on the tune! Everyone talks fondly of ‘Ivy’ who has taught them all on previous voyages – some of them still sport the plastic ukulele she sold them. Bring back Ivy, that is what I say!

I got up in time to promenade but not breakfast so I arrived at Ukulele exercised but not fed – my choice!

From ukulele I moved swiftly on to bridge where I continue to feel the dunce of our table, but in my own way I learn something new every day……

For the sartorially interested, you might have noticed that I have given up having a separate ensemble for promenading. Standards have slipped so early on. Quite honestly I have not got time!!

After bridge we went along to the tour bookings desk as we have been advised by our experienced cruiser friends that we ought to organise tours for the days when there are ‘tenders’ (please note that my nautical terminology is improving) to get us on and off the ship. This is because they will get those people with trips organised to get on their tour as a priority otherwise you are left languishing in the ‘tender’ queue and who needs that?. Another ‘who knew’ moment! Doing as we have been advised we booked two new outings and also a ‘behind the scenes’ tour at what seems an exorbitant cost – but I think it needs to be done – if nothing else, to keep my public informed!

After lunch our paths sent us in different directions again. I went off to the Spa to have a pedicure and manicure – all I wanted really was toe nails and fingers nails painted, but this seemed the only way to get there. Keith went off to the final instalment of the ORCA talks. Who knew that modern day whales came from the same root as the hippopotamus!?! Fancy!

While Keith was having all this erudite learning, I was having the spa treatment of a lifetime! My feet and hands had never been so pampered. They were snipped and raked and salt washed and stone rolled and hot towelled until I was losing the will to live – and then the nail varnish was applied, which is what I had gone for in the first place!

I also got a lot of hot cruise gossip from the initially tight lipped Tonia (her spelling) who in the end was laughing and just rolling out the stories. She has worked for P and O for 6 years and seemed to have a lot of brothers and sisters, some also working on cruise lines.

2 hours later I returned to Keith, hands and feet thoroughly cleansed. He had just returned from another fruitless whale watch and could not be enticed to a couple more circuits of the promenade deck, insisting that he had to prepare physically and mentally for yet another dressing up night for dinner. I tell you this cruising is something else…….

In the end we both brushed up well although K said he had never seen my outfit – which is true. Desperate for outfits for formal evenings I had dug deep into the clothing archives, Tonight’s outfit was probably at least 25 – 30 years old. The Shanghai Tang jacket was purchased on a work trip to Hong Kong and is probably something like 1998 vintage!

If you look closely you might be able to glimpse the red toes peeping out from my shoes which were equally old and heeled beyond my current balancing capabilities, I clutched heavily onto Keith;s arm to get there and back to the dining room, Hopefully others saw it as affection rather than the necessity of a desperately unbalanced woman….

We decided to pass on the Ball that started at 9.15 – we had had quite enough excitement for one day, so adjourned to out cabin to rest. Tomorrow we will attempt the laundry……

The purists may be interested to learn that I have already had my spray starch out to iron Keith’s dressing up shirts. I knew it was a holiday essential!