Christmas trees are popping up everywhere, there is an enormous one in the lobby and one round every corner it seems. They are beautifully decorated though. There is the added bonus that Cheltenham Festival of literature has arrived and with it loads of celebrities. I go to the talk by…

Although the doctor suspects that Andrew has had the dreaded Norovirus, he is now clear and is allowed out which is good timing as we arrived in New York today. We decide not to go on a tour but to go to the Met (art gallery not opera) and we…

Struck by a tummy bug Andrew is feeling sorry for himself and makes for the medical centre. They send an escort of two staff to accompany him and me to the medical centre. We go in the staff lift and can’t help noticing a sign saying Free Condoms…….presumably for the…

After a short but energetic tour in St Kitts where our colonial past is writ large. We visit a fortress where there was only one way in and one way out. First the French blocked the entrance and starved all the British and then the British got there revenge and…

The first day our tour was at St Maartens (of 8 woman to each man fame), yesterday was Barbados and today was St Lucia. Yesterday was amazing. We set off on a catamaran and were handed snorkels and lifejackets. The six Caribbean crew got everyone loaded on board. I was…

As we queue to ask about tours or the wifi, there is always an elderly white haired lady at the front of the queue. Fortunately there are 6 attendants on the pursers desk and two on the tour bookings…….because once she is there , she is there to stay. I…

I awake to seeing the statue of liberty at 6.30am from the balcony. We all pile off the boat for the New York Highlights trip. However there is a log jam at migration. All the kiosks apart from two are empty and the staff are struggling to get their computers…

As we did not make our assigned table for dinner for the first two days, we turn up on the third and met some interesting people. One lady was a 999 ambulance controller, and she had some colourful stories to tell both about her own life and about the ‘Is…

Am I likely to answer yes to either of these questions should I be one? I am asked this after much queuing when we arrive at Southampton and as we just about reach the check in we get asked, ‘have you got your esta? Our what! It turns out that…