PANDEMONIUM

...that's what we're in trying to get ready to go. Senility is not helpful when you're trying to remember where you've put stuff to pack, what your trying to pack and the details of your trip. I guess all will turn out fine, it usually does. Its been a busy build up - Elsie's birthday, complete with Princess cakes - a trip to the theatre, that was Wicked! You can see what a day with Sue & Lin does to my stress levels. Never mind.

Anyway, ready or not we will be off. We are starting at Bloc, which is one of these Jap style hotels in South Terminal Gatwick, you know, lots of room facilities, but no windows. Next stop is Cocoa Beach to board the Noro Oasis. Royar Carib had a sale on and I booked a zip in Haiti. The longest zip over the sea. Apparently they throw you off a mountain. When we get back to Florida, we are staying in Seaworld & then with friends, looking forward to it.

DONE AND

Dusted. Well we are off the ship into the welcoming arms of SW train strike (again) and signal failure at Woking. Still, we got a much earlier train & are on route. 

Two sea days - got struck by lightning - force 7 again in Biscay, but all good. The vivid colours of the food were startling, guess it was full of E numbers to keep the elderly clientele buzzing. They needed it. More people taken to sick bay, someone said 3 deaths. Lin got frightened by the 'phantom flush'. I pressed the toilet flush several times to no effect. It eventually flushed 1 hour later when Lin was in the loo. The comedian said he flushed the same time as his neighbour & they swapped cabins. The ship really suffered from vibration, in the aft lift it bounced so much that no matter how tight the bra straps, the ladies couldn't stop excessive movement. Perhaps that's what caused all the medical problems with the old men.

GIB

Left Corfu for an eventful 2 sea day trip to Gib. BTW, did you know Corfu was really close to Albania. You could get a 60mph hydrofoil ferry ticket very cheaply. Dunno if I want to visit unless my name was Wisdom.

On 2nd sea day ship changed course & Captain said we were doing a helievac for a sick passenger. They were winched off causing a 2 hour delay. Suited us as we didn't have to get up so early. Run in to Gib good as about 100 dolphins performed for us at breakfast.

I think Lin's trying to get rid of me as she put a snack in my ruck sack that the ape fancied, mugged me & ate my lunch. That's following the scissor episode with Italian security. The tour was good, up the rock, in the natural caves now used for concerts, the 1790 drive caves & the WW2 tunnels. It's Trafalgar day so the the RN is put in force, very patriotic here. Cheapest duty free - litre of scotch £7.

Lin's birthday so off to nice restaurant tonight before the show. 2 more seadays, then Southampton.

Signing off from Jabil Tariq.

CORFU, CORF, CORF

Lots of people are doing it & now Lin's at it - cough, cough, cough. Here we are in Corfu. It's a bit of dump in Corfu town to be honest, every corner is an excuse to throw your rubbish, makes London look like a palace. Very hot here today, took a stroll into town but didn't stay long. Took to the pool and hot tub and now chilling with drinks on the back deck. I am stealing myself for a thrashing at cards, where's Paul when I need him.

IN WITH ROYALTY

Kotor in Montenegro today, that's the country that always votes for Greece in EuroSong. Lovely morning run into port through narrow, steep sides valleys - very picturesque. Docked in port with royalty, the Queen Victoria & a Thompson boat. Thompson don't pay enough & the Queen has a fat backside, so we got the prime spot on the quayside. They both had to tender & Thomson was probably a mile away. Kotor is a tiny walled city so was heaving with 3000 visitors. Nice place & beer is pretty cheap. Saw dolphins feeding in the harbour, lots of fish around. Apparently there's a nice castle & church about a mile away, trouble is it's straight up 45 degree hill. You can see some intrepid travellers on the hillside in one of the photies. Not for us today in 27 celsius. But it is dinner on the deck under the stars tonight as we leave tonight. 

ZADAR

Where? Did I hear you say. It's a coastal town in Croatia, quite built up along the coast & has a small walled historic town that goes back to Roman towns. It's been extensively rebuilt over the years because of wars with the Venetians, and loads of other local tiffs. Most recently WW2 & then Yugoslav independence caused much destruction.

Nevertheless, it's a nice town, very clean & looks prosperous. What do you think Lin is sitting on in the picture?

M

VENICE, ONLY IN ITALY

Another smart dress sea day, murder lecture by Set Super - Hanratty was hanged, but did he do it?

Took Lin on Hidden Venice tour - the bridge is the new constitution bridge erected against strong public opinion & uproar. It joins the main railway station to the car hire centre & the cruise terminal. Never mind the design, would you like to drag your cases up and down all those steps - only in Italy! We found the dipping pen & quill pen centre, not on most itineraries, the First. Never got to the Church of the Curvaceous Mary, but did solve the gelato mystery. Next stop Zadar.