There is always one.
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 remember one from the last cruise one lady who seemed to spend her whole day at the front of the queue. Another elderly lady doesn’t bother with the queueing……she just goes to the front. The attendants are so patient, but I think some of the passengers would try the patient of a saint.
We have gone from winter to summer in 24 hours. The sun came out today as did the bikinis (yes there are some of those) and although there was someone cold water swimming yesterday, swimmers are out in force today. So I have had to dig my summer wardrobe out from under all those winter clothes. It also means that we are allowed out on deck to get some exercise
People seem to divide into two camps on the deck walk. Hurtlers or dawdlers so there is a bit of jostling for position. You also have to lookout for zimmer frames. I agree to meet Andrew at some point so I go anti clockwise and he goes clockwise and therefore we are bound to bump into one another. I see a tummy I recognize (I share a bed with it) and we collide and break for coffee before we brace ourselves for the formidable bridge teacher.
A quite wonderful classical pianist entertains us this afternoon and although he has a rather strange hairstyle — a bunch of curls in a knot on the top of his head, his playing is pure magic.
There are rather a lot of what I call ‘cruise complainers’. One lady was complaining about our arriving late at our first stop. We had to divert because of another medical emergency and she could not understand why the captain did not put his foot on the gas to make up the time. I was tempted to mutter…….war in Ukraine ……energy crisis but decided it would be pointless.
We had a good tour with a jolly guide. He told us he was one of 11 and he did not know all his siblings and so when he decided to get married he had to check that he was not marrying one of his sisters. He also said that women outnumber men on the island eight to one. So many leave the island when they go on to further education and do not come back. So a haven for single men. The Caribbean always sounded so exotic to me because of tourism but the islands are so badly affected by hurricanes, there are many broken down buildings and clearly many of the inhabitants are not wealthy. However the scenery is spectacular ……….just a pity that Donald Trump and Roman Abramowich are locals.
However I think the locals love the cruise ships as it brings in so much business for them and they are so friendly and we are greeted as we return to the ship by a lively steel band.
