Back to life, back to reality...

Boo hoo hooo here I am back on dry land. Nancy and I wanted to sit on the floor, wrap our arms around one of a cruise staff member's legs and hold on for dear life wailing "We don't wanna leave" at the top of our voices as they dragged us off the shop. But we were good girls and didn't...

Yes, it was a nice cruise. (Glad you asked) We had a cabin with a window overlooking the Royal Promenade, an inside "street" with shops and bars and a cafe which was pretty much the heart of the ship. We had a pretty laid back time - slept in, didn't do a heap of activities each day and generally just hung out. I was fairly well known on the ship from Day One when I arrived with a pirate's hat on which I didn't take off all day. Even my security picture at the boarding machines had me with a hat and it was great fun seeing the double take on the operator's face when they saw it as I left and boarded in Bermuda.

Bermuda was pretty. We went "outside" (shipspeak for off the ship) the first day we were there.Spent the morning exploring The Royal Naval Dockyard where we docked and chatting with a lovely Turkish chap in one of the stalls in the shopping precinct there. Then we took a local bus into Hamilton. At a cost of $4.50 this 45 minute trip has to be one of the best ways to get a cheap looksie of the island.In Hamilton I discovered a Marks and Spencer so had to see if they had the Extremely Chocolatey Biscuits Yarnstorm has been raving about. And they did (just don't ask how much they cost, OK??). While in Hamilton I also picked up a pirate T to go with my hat (Arrr me hearties!) and that was about it.

Took the ferry back across to the ship, had lunch on board then headed out for a locally brewed beer sampler pack at The Frog and Onion pubbefore checking out the (rather lame) onshore carnival that night. And getting a lovely temporary pirate tattoo to complete my transformation to Mad Pirate.The following day the weather was a bit iffy so we stayed on board, hung round reading, ate a bit, had a drink or two. You know, the usual...

Yesterday we were at sea all day so did an art workshop in the morning and in the afternoon we went to the ice showfollowed by a tour of the onboard oceanographic and atmospheric labs on board.Then we had to (waaaaaaah!) pack.

And all too soon it was over and we were deposited back on the dock.

B arrives this afternoon to join me for the next leg of my adventures.