Just after I wrote on Tuesday our sealegs were holding up Andrew started feeling a bit queasy. First indication was he didn’t want anything to eat or drink so obviously something wasn’t right. There is a small section in one of the shops with medical supplies but all they had were some magnetic bracelets. I bought them anyway and he managed to eat a couple of ham rolls that I smuggled out of the buffet. Still feeling a bit rough the next day we asked reception about sea sickness tablets and, for around the price of a prescription, they opened a cabinet full of them. Given the conditions it might have been helpful to have had an announcement that they were available. I honestly don’t think it would have caused a rush on reception as the restaurants still seemed continually full of people eating.
The tablets seemed to do the trick thankfully and Andrew started to feel a bit better but we decided to give the second formal night last night a miss regardless and ate with the casual people in the buffet again.
After skipping a day I went back to the art class to find the teacher had recapped on skies the day I missed – got it wrong again! However he patiently showed me and I completed my painting. Reasonably happy with my sky but my sunset definitely needs working on…… he said it looked like the sea was on fire and I couldn’t disagree!
I also ventured to the gym, just for a bit of yoga stretching and a walk on the treadmill. Great view as the gym is right at the front of the ship but a very strange feeling when you can see the horizon moving up and down and feel the motion of the sea so strongly as you are walking and holding on tight.
I’m writing this on Thursday 9th and the weather has been pretty relentless for several days and nights making sleep quite difficult. This morning during breakfast there were several loud crashes and clearly quite a lot of plates and bowls didn’t make it through to lunch. At lunchtime Andrew had to catch a lady who had her hands full with plates before she overbalanced and sat on my salad! But generally people out and about are in good spirits as we are all walking around clinging onto whatever we can to stay upright which can be quite entertaining although I do feel for the people with limited mobility.
There have had to be some changes to the entertainment programme for safety reasons. The “unique theatrical performance” by Duo Esencias a beautiful love story told by a professional Flamenco dancer and a multi award winning violinist has just been postponed for the second time – undertandable as I’m sure it wouldn’t be anywhere near as beautiful performed on a very wobbly stage. The guy in charge of entertainments cheerily blaming “the motion of the ocean” didn’t get many laughs surprisingly.
BUT the big bad news this morning was….. due to forecast conditions being, as our Captain described them, “far in excess of safe operating limits” on Saturday, we aren’t going to Bermuda. Now I know it is currently cold and snowing back home and next stop Bahamas sounds ok…but it is pretty disappointing that we are missing one of our two overnight stops and not seeing Bermuda at all.
I really wasn’t planning to waffle on as much as this but as we won’t now touch dry land until next Tuesday at the earliest….. I hope you can bear with me as it’s giving me something to do!
As I said, people seem to be taking things reasonably well as I think even grumpy old KIAC’s acknowledge the weaather is out of P&O’s control, however I did hear one person comment “they’ll lose business because of this” A more positive comment I saw on Facebook was “we do it every year and have never had it this bad, so don’t be put off” – hmm not sure if that makes it better or worse!
I should say that we are absolutely fine and apart from the odd unplanned dance move (think its good for the core having to constantly keep your balance) we know our trusty ship has seen it all before and is currently keeping us very safe and reasonably comfortable!
HOT OFF THE PRESS… Captain’s just annnounced he expects conditions to improve tomorrow so we might actually get to sit out on the deck for the first time – there may be less time filling waffling going on here!
Ah ha, now I can leave a comment.
Firstly, well done Phil for such entertaining writing – it sounds as if you are doing well to keep spirits up. It must be so disappointing not to be able to dock in Bermuda, I was imagining the weather there would be calm and nice and sunny. I will keep my fingers crossed for calmer waters in the next day or so. We had a blizzard this morning when I drove to work but by lunchtime the snow had all gone and the sun was shining although it’s very chilly!! Glad Andrew is feeling better now – I bet it will feel very strange when finally you can step onto dry land again.
We are missing you, I will relay suitable bits of your blog to Mum when I see her tomorrow.
Lots of love to you both and take care ???? xxxxx
Oh ????’s inserted themselves!!!
Your blog is really entertaining Philippa. Sorry to hear about the rough weather conditions though. It must be quite annoying that you missed Bermuda.
Enjoy the rest and hopefully the weather will calm down for you. And yes. It’s back to full-on winter here. ???? xx