Xmas 2020 Canaries Cruise - Madeira Page

We were not berthed & anchored some way towards the East of the town of Funchal. Apparently, Bolette is too big to berth at the Quay. While some lifeboats were used to tender people ashore, the sea was choppy & I assessed the chances of dropping Avis in the drink at 4 - 1, so we stayed aboard. Sammie strongly advised this over the tannoy, anyway. I finished revising Talk 61 but it needs web info to complete. After the usual cursory lunch (soup & pudding but no dinner), we slept until 16:15, then got up.

They “presented” the Haggis in the Neptune Lounge with much free alcohol (not to be refused) & nibbles but no haggis. Just as well as Avis does not like it. At the formal dinner, Avis did not like her duck starter & swapped it for my salmon. The duck was a bit tasteless. We then had pheasant & so was that. The useless Welsh “singer” was on, so we skipped that & a very tired Avis crashed out well before ten. I chatted to a chap, Al, who has had a poor family life until we were kidnapped by one Carol, who wanted a team for the Quiz I normally dodge. We would have done better if we had put all our answers on one sheet, instead of spreading them over two. Finally, we joined the noisy party on the Deck 8 quarter-deck for the fireworks.

I chatted to another keen photographer lady until midnight, when the fireworks, even better than last time, went off. Rather hard to photo, though. This is 5 out of 37. After, there was coffee to be had before I went to bed, waking Avis in the process, who did not know what time it was & was much confused by my still being in black tie. We woke up later & were up for breakfast at 09:15, which we had on the top deck. Five thousand years of making bread rolls & they still cannot get the seeds to stick on top. Priorities. Since we now have 3 days at sea, it was time for this dog to get back to work, although this was much interrupted by telling stories to other cargo members. Avis had a snooze pip emma. After, we chatted in the View Café with a chap who knew what an Elliott 803 was from inside experience. Another obscure connexion. Then, I told, among other things, the Peter-Inez story to a nice old lady. For Year 2022, so far, so good but no paper today, so not very far. Show Team good as usual.

And that is about it, with three day’s at sea, when we used to get a stop in Lisbon. Was the cruise a success? Despite the earlier weather, we were away at Xmas. Hooray! There is more detail about cruising here, as there is less else happening. I could have got more work done if I had not chattered so, often telling stories & getting gags going. Come Tuesday January 4th & chilly weather in Southampton, we were still home by 11:15 that morning, had our 4th Covid test since leaving home in 2021, which proved negative. Real life started again.