NOT GOING TOO WELL

 This is a little summary of the days following Le Havre. Due to go to Saint Malo, Falmouth, Cork, Holyhead, Greenock(for Glasgow), Killybegs. We only made it to Cork, Holyhead and Greenock - all the others cancelled. We had a private tour booked at Killybegs, luckily got a refund despite the short notice.

Croquet on deck, Lin wanted to keep the mallet for disciplinary purposes. Crew made her leave it behind.

Met with the locals in Cork, nice walk around town in pleasant weather.

Holyhead, Wales. After a long tender ride into port we took the train to Conwy. A really lovely town with the castle & suspension bridge, pretty harbour and quaint shops & cafes. Visited Plas Mawr Tudor house from 1577. Restored to original condition thanks to the fact it had been owned by the hi same family since it was built. The original owner's wife had a coat of arms that featured the severed heads of 3 Englishmen - nice!

Back into Scotland - and it's raining, no surprise there. Spent the morning in the spa centre, thalassa pool, hot tub, all in the rain followed by sauna & steam to round off. Did get off for a stroll around Greenock, but it was so miserable.

Now mid Atlantic in heavy weather, lots of rock & roll and I've never been on a nosier ship. The banging & crashing in our cabin are so loud.

OFF.....AGAIN

 It must be a conspiracy. We have the driest summer since records began 190 years ago, we go on holiday and it's pouring with rain. Never mind, make the best of it. Started off good with the train journey to Southampton. Got an Uber cab deal £30ish down to Waterloo station, then train to Southampton and shank's to the hotel nearby. We live about 8 miles from Waterloo & it's 70 miles to Southampton, yet both legs of the journey took around the same amount of time - 1 hour 10 mins. Let the train take the strain. Nice time in Southampton, it's got a very decent shopping centre (free breakfast in IKEA with expiring loyalty points) Visited the Tudor house & Gardens, (half price to us) and chatted with some really lovely people.

Another Uber to the ship & unbelievably there was no one at all waiting to get on - never experienced that before! Ship is pretty comfortable and it doesn't look like it's anywhere near full. Cabin is quiet and comfortable. We are in Le Havre and had planned to get a cab to Honfleur, but it was tipping it down this morning, we lost an hour's kip, so went for breakfast in bed and got up at 10am. Been exploring the ship and it's got a nice golf course on board. Went in the nets and then took Linda on. Tomorrow is croquet.

HOME - AT LAST

 World cake day, is there such a day? The ship apparently thinks so.

All gone in ten minutes, four tables like this in the restaurant. 

We had a journey from hell to get back home. All started well, off the ship nicely, cab picked us up on time, traffic good between Rotterdam & Amsterdam airport. Once we disentangled ourselves from the Air Fungus line even got through check-in, security and customs without anything except a minor blip with a wheelchair passenger who was carrying something they shouldn't be carrying. Five mile walk to the gate, which is normal for Schiphol. Unsuspecting we sat waiting. I started to check flight track on the incoming aircraft and noticed problems escalating at Heathrow. Delays and cancellations mounting up, average departure time running over 1 hour late. Usual airport shambles, change gate, change again, don't know when the plane will arrive. We ignored it and bought a sandwich. Plane finally arrived 1.5 hours late. Captain got off and spoke to everyone - "storms lightning etc at LHR, lost our return slots, best to sit tight & board at 5pm, it'll be more comfortable here than sitting on the plane, we're off to get a cuppa" 4pm, the gate chirps up "We're boarding" Cynical me said that's to to stop us going over 2 hours late when compensation is due. So sat in the full plane with the blinds drawn to keep cool for 35 mins. I asked the chief stewardess how the day had gone, she cheerily answered "pass". Finally set off, very bumpy, got in to Heathrow OK & parked up in remote spot. Announced we had to bus in, problem was no buses. Everyone had to sit down again to let those busting have access to the loos. 45 mins later the first bus arrived. Great I thought, we're getting going, let me plan next stage - Piccadilly line closed, bus replacement service, OK, Elizabeth line to Liverpool Street, Weaver line home - lovely. Huge crowds waiting at the platform - there was a Bad Bunny performing at Spurs Stadium. Finally made it home by around 9pm, cheese sandwich and bed. Been up since 5:30am, had no trouble sleeping. Give a thought to all those poor folks losing their flight connections.

DOVER

 Sailed 2 days down the North Sea to Dover. First hot hot day we've had. The sea days have been nice and relaxing. But fog near Newcastle, it's all mine.

Once off the boat took a bus down to Chapel-Le-Ferne to visit the Battle of Britain Memorial situated on the cliff tops overlooking the Channel & Folkestone. It's a really pleasant place, only a fiver to get in. We took in the scramble experience and I had a scramble in the Hurricane simulator. It was very sensitive to fly and I couldn't keep up with my two other section flyers. I found myself upside down and diving at high. I got control back and attacked a kampfgeschwader of HE111s. I was diving so quickly that I went right into them, shot 2 down and collided with a third, killing myself in the process. True to life for June 1940.

There was a Henry Walter Berridge on the list of names who took part in the Battle of Britain.

We met the World Champion Trumper at the bus station, he won hands down for volume, range and perfume!

LERWICK II

 Two sea days cruising have brought us from the North Cape down to Lerwick in the Shetland Isles - it's still grey and rainy, no change there then. We've been chilling, laying in bed, up at 10 for a breakfast snack, hot tub, a leisurely swim, lounge in the pool area, drinks, lunch and off on a little boat ride and a stroll ashore.

Linda loves a dog, huskies the other day and then this bad boy. (lunch time & not dressed yet)

This 9 pounder cannon is in 1600s Fort Charlotte built to fight the Dutch. I've got that Dutch ship in my sights.

HONNINGSVAG

 We are in the most northerly town in mainland Europe, about 140 miles from the Russian border, there be fighter jets here! Didn't go ashore Linda super-subbed for the girls - it's Father's Day. View from breakfast  & dinner.

You see the Hurtigruten boats up here a lot. That's the small red & black boat in the above pictures next to the massive Princess jobby. They do the mail & ferry runs all round the coast. You can go on them, I saw one advertised 34 ports in 8 days. The good thing is they always dock in the centre of town, no tendering, but the downside is that you may only get 15-20 mins in a lot of the ports.

We sailed past North Cape this evening, the most northerly point in Europe. The ship coincides this transit with some sort of weird ceremony, a bit like crossing the line, ( we are shellbacks) This is called the Blue Nose. Essentially, they make the pool cold by throwing ice in it, they open the pool roof, chilly when you've not a lot on, they pour ice all over you, make you do the macarena, then swim round the pool. To cap it all they paint your nose blue if you weren't cold enough.

 

TROMSO

Interesting place, we had tour to visit the sled centre in the forest. The huskies are really sociable and friendly, if a little excitable. You can go on rides with sled teams pulling sleds in winter and wheeled contraptions in summer. Some of the dogs fell in love with Linda.

The most northerly 18 hole golf course in the world is also here, it's only open 3 or 4 months of the year, but you can play 24 hours per day.

Had a nice hot blueberry drink and cake in the yurt afterwards.

They are really big on road tunnels, I guess it's the only way to get around the terrain. The one we were in today had a roundabout in it, routes to harbour, city centre & airport.

Man over board & watch out for Yaks.