12th January 2014

After a snug, warm, and comfortable night’s sleep (seriously, I’m tempted to take this bed home with me), we woke quite early, having gained an hour thanks to the ship’s clocks being set back. Just before 8 am, we found ourselves among the first in line for breakfast in the restaurant. While there were several buffet options scattered around the ship, we hadn’t thought it through and simply chose the one just down the corridor and one deck up.

As luck would have it, the next people in line were the same couple we had dinner with the night before, so we opted to sit together again. It was waiter service, meaning we had to select individual items, but my brain still felt like it had fallen in love with the pillow and was struggling to contemplate anything complicated. So, I asked the waiter if he knew what a full English breakfast was, to which he replied, “How full do you want it?” Naturally, my stomach chimed in with a resounding, “As full as it gets!”

Disappointingly, there was no black pudding, but as a substitute, there were two eggs, and somehow my coffee cup never seemed to empty. I will keep a closer eye on it tomorrow to see how it is done.

We had a brisk walk around a sunny deck, a long conversation with a lady from Sheffield and then a look around the shops (again), discovering that the dollars we had brought on board were of no use as everything went onto account. Following that, we strolled through the art gallery, feigning the airs of seasoned collectors as we commented on the exhibits. I may have even dropped a casual remark about how $13,500 was a reasonable price for such an impressive piece of art, though I did wonder aloud where we would put it, as our wall space was rapidly dwindling!Sue attended a lecture on Tanzanite jewellery that sounded utterly fascinating; thankfully, it wasn’t quite enticing enough to convince her to part with any cash! Meanwhile, I found myself captivated by a fencing class for a while and then tested my trivia prowess with a few quiz questions in the Golden Lion pub before my stomach finally won the argument and beckoned me to lunch.

We opted for one of the restaurants with a lovely window table, where we managed to squeeze in a few more calories. However, a bit of bad luck struck Sue: just as she was getting her dessert, I, along with a lady at the next table, spotted a couple of dolphins swimming alongside the ship. Naturally, by the time Sue returned, those cheeky dolphins had made themselves scarce! It seems they had a knack for making a splash at just the wrong moment!

After a rather lively evening, I found myself joining Sue in the cabin, both of us seeking solace from the choppy seas. While the aft dining room felt like a scene from a nautical rollercoaster, our cabin was a welcome haven of stillness, allowing us to recover in peace. With the storm outside, it seemed like a perfect opportunity for a cosy afternoon nap.

Sue, feeling a bit more chipper despite the ship’s erratic swaying, decided to brave the evening show in the main theatre. The entertainment featured a singer-guitarist from Indiana belting out a medley of tunes from the ’50s to the ’70s. While Sue was tapping her feet and humming along, I must admit I was less than enthralled; it wasn’t quite my cup of tea.

As the performance ended, the ship’s motion intensified, and our charming compere delivered the somewhat ominous news that tomorrow’s performance of Vanity Fair might be a washout thanks to the unpredictable sea conditions. Rather than risk any potential mishaps at the Grand Ball, where dancing on a moving floor could easily turn into an accidental game of bumper cars, we decided it was wiser to retreat to our stateroom while we were still upright and coherent.

As we nestled into our plush sanctuary, we couldn’t help but chuckle at the day’s adventures. Tomorrow promised calmer waters and perhaps a bit of whale-watching magic if we are lucky!