‘Do you want a piece of toast?’ I joked to the man next to me on deck, as the ship manoeuvred into Havana harbour. The man in question was John Lenahan, comedian and magician whose cv in the ship’s daily programme revealed that he was also the voice of the toaster in comedy sci fi continue reading »
We’re heading south again, down the Pacific coast. In the last few days we’ve called at Acapulco, then Guatemala, then Nicaragua. By the time the cruise is over we will have dipped our toes into every Latin American country from Colombia to Mexico; each visit is frustratingly short but fascinating and now at least I continue reading »
Arriving in a new country by air, everywhere looks very similar. Arriving by sea is a slow reveal, especially when we approach in daylight. Our first view of St Lucia was of glorious forested mountains, neat multicoloured houses and small harbour and bays. Port of Spain, Trinidad was a noisy city, Aruba affluent and low continue reading »
They say there are two stages to seasickness; the first is when you’re afraid you’re going to die and the second is when you’re afraid you’re not. Conditions were not particularly severe in the Bay of Biscay on Oceana’s first day out from Southampton, just a bit of an echoing swell from storm Barbara further continue reading »
It’s nearly time to run away to sea again, working my passage as art tutor on cruise ships – P&O Oceana to begin with. It will be the first time I’ve spent Christmas alone with strangers; I don’t think I mind. It will certainly be different to any Christmas I’ve had before and we’re at continue reading »