NORWAY IN A NUTSHELL

So we left the house after saying bye bye to our girls. They left with their new friend M, who promised she would look after them and give them two hourly walks per day. I packed their beds, dish and food as well as their leashes and vet books just in case the inevitable occurred. She had a large van but before she left she went to see a neighbour who she knew, I kind of wished she had just driven off as my babies were still in the van on our drive. I wanted to grab them out and say sorry and I was not going on holiday so they didn’t have to be packed off like garbage. But eventually she drove off and we did our last preparations for our holiday.

 

Took a taxi, it came on time, thank God as two days before, a taxi came at the same time I booked him for our holiday, just two days early. So I was rather anxious that they would forget. They have a new system on their computers and they can’t get anything right at the moment. Off to the station. We knew it was going to be busy as our city was hosting the Tour De France that weekend. So we gave ourselves plenty of time.

 

On the train, teen with us and three suitcases in the shelves provided. Really I hate that about trains. Anyone can pick up our cases and we wouldn’t know? Can you imagine that? Got there and no cases?

 

It was a very long journey. Four and a half hours.

 

We had to stay in a hotel the night before as train times were a little close to departure we thought to come the next day.

 

It was a Holiday inn express. So cheap, but you are guaranteed clean sheets and furniture. I hate staying in a dirty hotel.

 

We went to see what the restaurant had to offer as we were in the middle of nowhere. So no choice.

 

Well, you know I said a cheap hotel? Hmm. Yep, it was a very interesting dinner. Let’s say, it was actually in the reception of the hotel and café like tables and chairs with the sounds of ping in the background from the microwaved food. But we didn’t starve and prepared ourselves for the delights of the cruise to come.

 

Had a good sleep. You are guaranteed a good night’s sleep too in those hotels. I don’t know how they do it, as the hotel was full of little brat’s haha, no just excitable children looking forward to visit a park for kids where their TV character Pepper Pig lives of course. It was not too far from the hotel. But we didn’t hear one child’s voice through the night. No traffic coming to the hotel it was silent  the beds are so comfortable. The only thing is, the room was so hot, and we had to keep the fan on all night.

 

Next day took a taxi to the cruise port. It was sunny a good start. The forecast was not good for Norway, our destination.

 

Well my friend had been on the same cruise the week before so I know she had to wait for a couple of hours in the waiting room. Nothing glamorous about it. We were so lucky. Dumped our cases, yep, really, dumped them. A man took them off where? Not sure, who was he? Not sure, but teen said he had a yellow vest on, so he must be OK right? Haha. Again, would we ever see our cases?

I visualised myself for a week wearing the same clothes.

 

We went straight onto the ship. How lucky was that? I was so anxious what will it be like? What will the clientele be like? How will they talk? What would be expected of me? My Hub used to go on cruises all the time with his ex and she was a go getter and was not afraid of life like me. She did all the tours and climbed the highest mountains swam through the waterfalls and hand glided to dinner.

Well, OK, not quite to dinner, but breakfast perhaps?

 

She fed the turtles and for sure did dangerous sports. God, what did he see in boring old me?  Not my fortune that’s for sure. So would he be bored? Would teen be bored? It had to be right for my boys. If they are happy, I’m happy.

 

I had already heard from my doggy sitter. The girls had been on a walk and a river swim. They were settled in. Well, she said. I mean, I had to trust her.

 

Onto the ship. Gosh, it didn’t move. Not sure what I was expecting, a rocking boat? Really, it was as though stepping into a hotel. There was a fountain in the entrance. The ship was called

“The oceana”

There were no staff fussing over us as I thought there would be. It was very smooth and we were given a card to spend on bored. Teen was delighted thinking he could buy whatever? And we would pay for it at the end of the week. Oh that was a funny story.

More later on that.

 

Our small slim room had two beds. Single beds. Oh God, they haven’t got a bed for teen? My fear as really I questioned this before I left twice as his details were rather vague.

 We asked the guy who was appointed to look after our cabins. Well, he didn’t have a clue what we were asking. Almost all of the staff were Indian and couldn’t speak English or understand it. They nodded a lot teen said.

 

Then we did a lot of pointing and he told us he would “get key and pull down.

 

Say what? Hahahah

Well he did, the bed came from the ceiling. I told Hub he was sleeping under teen’s bed. I didn’t trust it; also the cabin was already a little claustrophobic as of course we couldn’t open the window. We got a window for teen and I’m glad we did, though it cost £400

Must be good double glazing right?

The shower room was like a cupboard. Not as clean as I thought it may be. But OK.

 

A small bottle of shampoo and shower gel was to last the three of us a week as we didn’t get new.

 

The fridge had two complementary bottles of water in.

There was loads of tea and coffee. Only one UK plug but this we knew as I looked up reviews on the net.

Lots of hanging spaces and six small drawers. Clean bedding apart from the blood stained spare pillow

 

There were lots of packets of biscuits ginger, I guessed for sea sickness. A flower, it was real. How did I know? I knocked it over and water went everywhere. It was at that point I learned that the carpet in the cabins were water absorbent, as I felt to clean it up and it was bone dry. Had the salt got to me already? Was I going madder? No, it was real. Kind of a daisy. Not sure of the colour, just the one flower in one of those skinny vases for one flower. There was a TV but we didn’t have it on once. As we didn’t really like being in the cabin.

 

We unpacked our clothes and began our holiday.

Oh so much to investigate and a week to do it.

 

So day one. We went for lunch, oh it was help yourself buffet. Teen kindly got our food. We offered to help, but he said he wanted to do it.  Hub said he would get a member of staff to help, but teen was adamant to help. What would I get? What would Hub get? It was all in the hands of our seventeen year old.

 

The huge restaurant/cafe was on the top floor. It was packed. Well, I got potatoes, rice, green beans and popadongs. Very healthy, right? Oh my diet? I weighed myself before I left and I was ehem, stone and ehem, pounds. What would I be on my return?

 

As for Hub? Oh boy. He had meat, meat and more meat as well as fish and some fish. Now what kind? I think some of it was tuna, but not sure about the rest.

Teen had the same but we knew he would work it off in the gym, if he would be brave enough to do it solo?

 

There were loads of cakes but I’m not a cake person unless it’s homemade cake, like coffee and walnut cake, yummy. These were cream cakes, yack and double yack.

 

Left there and had a walk around. The clientele? Well, it was a little early to notice really, but as for age? I was surprised there were quite a few young people on the ship. One baby, a couple of toddlers and a couple of children under ten. Then half a dozen of kids a little under Teens age and a few a little older than teen. There were a few people about ten years younger than us, then some about half a dozen again our age and older, then the rest were Nana’s and Grand Pops.

So a big age gap after us. About thirty years. I wonder why? Of course, this is me using my hearing remember, but that is quite accurate.

Well, until I have the MD from PnO cruises contacting me putting me in my place? Hahahaha.

 

The Captain introduced himself as we entered deck seven I think? To see the ship leave the port. I must say, he sounded rather dashing. He was dry as he said that the ship were preparing to untie the big bits of string. Of course he meant rope.

I, hope?

 

Most people headed for the twelth deck as that was where the big party was happening. Flag flying and loud music, not us, we were on the peaceful deck.

 

Teen found it rather funny that there were a couple of Japanese ladies on the ship waving British flags. Then the best thing happened. Our ship tooted its horn once, then the ship leaving at the same time as us, tooted back, then silly old me went into my make believe Fifi imagination and before you know it, my mouth spoke allowed before my brain caught up.

 

“Oh listen, the ships are talking to each other!!!!!!!!”

Oh God, it was one of those moments as I had tears in my eyes with the relief of the past two weeks or two years of absolute hell, when Hub did his chuckle as he does, followed with a

“Oh, bless!”

OK, Fiona, behave yourself. I told myself and act normal.

Normal? Mwa?

I have never been normal, if I started that game, I would be someone else. Hub says he loves my silly moments, me I just cringe. I really believed for a millisecond that they were talking to one another and had little personalities. Hahahaheheheeheh.

 

OK, Bloggets, back to business. So all the passengers teen said waved to our ship, so we waved back. I hope in the right direction?

 

It was a great moment I won’t forget. I was with the two most loved people in my life and away from troubles of back in the UK. As far away as I could get please?

 

No cleaning, no cooking no worrying about reading the mail, if there was a stain on the clothes I was about to put into the washing machine, what colours was I putting in our washing machine? No ironing, floors to clean, dusting cleaning bird seed, asking teen to fill his Canary’s, Irish you know, water and check his food? Wondering where my boy was and who he was with? Brushing the dogs, feeding them their particular foods at the right times? Then cleaning up what their bodies were rejecting? OK, that’s a little gross, but you know what I mean, as I hate doing the dog run. Three dogs equals a lot of you know what’s.

No being alone in my big empty house. Having two very intelligent people to talk with. This was going to be great right?

 

 

First night we went to the theatre to watch the production. Of what? I’m not quite sure, but it was blooming awful. The singers really couldn’t sing. I have an allergic reaction to people doing a job badly. I have a bigger one when they do it in front of so many people. And as for the person who picked them? Obviously they had no music ability ear or bone in their body. The girl singers actually hurt my ears. They sounded like a squeaky door, going back and forward. Just two tones.  Every song they sang was a sad one. They talked about Whitney Houston’s Mothers words she was supposed to say at her daughter’s funeral and what John Lennon said before he died and wrote about and why? And so on, I can’t remember how many times they talked about death, but more than I would have liked on my holiday?

 

But one good thing was afterwards and this was so funny.

We went to look for a nice bar. There were plenty but hard to find a seat, at last we found some luxurious leather seats and the Philippine waitress came to take our order. I ordered a Pino colada, as it tastes like juice from paradise rather than alcohol. We said we would buy teen a cocktail as he did so well in his college exams. He ordered a one with jinn and Hub got his Singapore sling. No he hadn’t broken his arm, it’s a cocktail apparently.

 

The waitress was giddy, I did wonder what she had been sampling, but we learned that the staff can be breathalysed and if found drunk, they are enclosed in a cabin and at next port, sent home and dismissed. She was coowing at my teen. He knew it too. I really was waiting for her to give him a lap dance? I had my hand bag at the ready. Hahaha. But then the best thing happened. Teen went into his pocket to grab his card, remember we were issued plastic credit cards on our arrival? He of course wasn’t going to pay, but he could offer his card. She looked at it and rejected his payment. Said she would have to get another card from his parents. Hub handed his card over and she went off with it. I hoped not past the designer watch shop? Hhaha

Well, teen was well miffed.

“How did she know I wasn’t eighteen?”

I sat there with a big smile on my face as really now days, there are no rules very irresponsible parents who host birthday parties and feed the kid’s drinks knowing they are under age and bars and night clubs just letting kids in to drink. It’s very wrong, so the ship had a responsibility.

 

He looked at his card then asked for mine. I asked was the ink a different colour after learning our date of birth wasn’t on. He said no. He was there ages, looking to see how the lady knew he was under eighteen. Our card returned Hub signed a bit of paper and teen then looked at Hubs card. No, he couldn’t see the difference.

Then, the penny dropped. His name had a line underneath it. A green line.

 

Well he tried for a couple of days to scrub the line out. Haha haha. It was as stubbing as him on a night out after me telling him not to drink.

 

Then he joked saying he was going to go to the Rolex shop and buy whisky in the other shop and the finest aftershave. But all holiday it bothered him. I just thought it was great and so good for him. I have to give in to one drink or two per day, but at the end of the day, I’m a responsible Mother who doesn’t like to poison my child. Those who chose to do so, well, it’s to their kids, and if they wish to do this to me it shows that A, they don’t care about their children and B, they as adults lack in intelligence themselves too.

 

I also know that my Son is spending a week in Amsterdam and will be killing enough of his brain cells whilst away and before that,  has a party to go to where drink will be fed to him too, so a week without it is only a good thing.

 

But when he took a spoon to wipe out the line that did make me smile.

 

Everywhere we went Teen was talked to. Elderly people thought he was lovely, young girls and ladies chatted to him, but that’s as far as it went, but they couldn’t have been more obvious how they fancied him.

 

As for me and Hub? Hahahahah. Well, as teen commented, I did pull if you like in the lift one night. Oh yes, Fifi still has it going on…..

 

A man moved to stand behind me in a rather provocative manner. Then as it was his turn to leave the lift, he said some words, placed two hands either side of my hips as he unnecessarily squeezed from behind me to leave….

 

OK, as teen gloated, he was about five foot four, tall and wide, without much hair, false tan and we think his teeth were his own, but he was in his seventies, so not sure. But Bloggets, he was dripping in gold…. Hahahahahaha. So in the end, maybe I don’t have it going on…. Oh and as for Hub, yes, I will tell you about his lady friends in a later blog…  Hmm. Yes. He did better than me…

 

Back to our rooms, teen without the seven girls who wished his attention and me without my Granddad. We had a lovely sleep. Well, the boys did, I had my normal three hours, but whereas at home I’m a wreck, instead, we had a view of a wreck. Haha. I was calm; my heart pain stayed behind in the north of the UK and the salt carried me off

 

 

First port of call, Old Stavanger.

So there must be a new one right? Hmm. Not sure but the old one was lovely.  A neighbourhood of old wooden houses dated from the 18^th century and all the cottages are painted white and often decorated with flowers. They are all resident so you can’t look inside, but people frequent them les now days as only used for water sports, skiing and day trips, as we are too used to our comforts, there is no electricity in the houses or running water. That’s outside as is the bucket like toilet…. Sounds like the old Datchers I used to visit in Russia. Quaint and full of family feeling, but in Russia now, the rich have turned their little houses into palaces and I bet they don’t have the same feel?

Best for First-Timers: The three-hour Lysefjord and Pulpit Rock Cruise takes you into a scenic fjord too small for our cruise ship to navigate. View countryside, high cliffs and gorgeous waterfalls as you head to the towering Pulpit Rock. On the way back, you'll stop for coffee, tea and waffles at the Lysefjord Centre. This would have been lovely, but we didn’t want to ask our Son to do too much and had booked one tour before we left England. That was at our next port of call. So we just took a walk along the waterfront, sat on the decking and watched the peaceful world go by. The fresh air was amazing. If there could be a smell called purity, it would be Norway. Everyone was so calm. Happy and respectable. No one shouted, it was just a pleasure to be among humans who could act in a correct manner. It restored my faith in the horrible humans we are becoming. Teen made me smile as he said he could spot the Norwegians from a mile away. Why? The way the dressed and their jaw line. Hahahaha. A true pure race I guess, whereas England is a huge mixing bowl with lots of ingredients in. Do you know in London now, one in three people are immigrants? I was watching a program last night and this fact shocked me. If I was to guess that answer I would have said about one in twelve. Anyway, I digress. On with Stavenger. As teen watched the massive jellyfish in the sea, the sun covered us with delight. The trees whispered fairy tales and I was taken off to a land of calmness. I wanted to stay there forever. My shoulders relaxed, my pain in my heart that I have had for so long now it’s become normal, just left my body. Wow, what was this medicine? How could I bottle it? Let me lay on a pillow of silk and be the mermaid of Stavanger!

Back to the tour book. Best for Repeat Visitors: For something a bit different, choose the three-hour Utstein Monastery and Music Recital tour. Travel by coach through an underwater tunnel to the 13th-century Utstein Monastery, located on an island. After a tour of this well-preserved medieval monastery and its cloisters, you can enjoy a music recital and refreshments before heading back to Stavanger.

 Sadly we had to head back. We had one hour of wonder. But I was so afraid my boy would be bored and I knew the gym would be calling for him. Also we wanted to book a massage for him. So onto the ship we went.

 Of course I thought some more food was in order too? And a cool drink please? First to the spa. There was a pretty young girl on their funny enough she shared the same name as the Olga we know from Russia, well, teen thought she was from Spain, but with that name? Oh my word, she ate him up. I mean, this is truly a new generation. Girls just don’t care…. No shame… I bet teen was red with blushing, it was so funny. She was on reception and Hub joked with teen that she’s a receptionist today, but she will be up all night taking that course to be a masseur. His massage was for the next day.

 

£91 lighter, we left the spa and headed for lunch. Well, once again, for vegetarians, it was really poor the choice of food, but whilst Hub tucked into his dressed crab and veal, Teen chicken salad and steak, me?  Em…. For starter I had tomato soup, that had never seen a tomato. As for my choice for my main? “Egg and spinnage”

Say what?

 

Fruit salad for dessert and then cheese, four small pieces and a lovely coffee. Most days apart from the last night, I lived on potatoes. There was no imagination at all went into the vegetarian food. It was simply disappointing. For some reason, I imagined swans made from ice on the table, plates with flowers on and presented so beautifully, but none of that. Hub said how it had changed since he last cruised. I mean, if you eat meat, its fine. He loved his food, as did our Son. The boys as specially Hub got a little tense with me saying I was awkward but the fact is, we went for afternoon tea one day, for meat eaters, there was ham, turkey, crab or salmon. For me?  Now wait for this one….

Coleslaw.

Yep, a coleslaw sandwich. Thankfully there was a crumpet and a toasted tea cake, so I didn’t starve, you can’t starve on a cruise, and there is around the clock food. Another day I had five bean soups…. Let me tell you it was identical to the tomato soup… But it had a couple and I mean a couple of beans floating around the bottom. Hahahaha. Hub had that choice that day and couldn’t eat it. It was so much the same soup as the tomato, even tasted sour the same. For breakfasts, there were no vegetarian options, unless you ate eggs. I don’t at home, but did on holiday. I really didn’t enjoy them though, but never made a fuss. Teen used to ask why my plate was still with food on it, then that started Hub off but I was quite happy knowing they were enjoying their food. But Hub hates the fact that I’m not. Well, the good news was I wasn’t going to put as much weight on as I thought I may?

 

Next day Flam

 

Oh this was our tour day. First we looked in the gift shop. Oh my word. There was absolutely nothing there. I mean a plain white egg cup? Say what? And clothes from your Grandmothers bottom draw. Oh and something that turned my stomach but Hub found it wonderful, was a fully skinned poor wolf. Oh when teen told us he thought from a distance it was a sheepskin, I went to touch it, to see how soft it was. It was horrible. So cores. The fur was like bristles and it even had its poor paws and ears on. Oh really who would buy that?

My Hub? Em, no. Not happening. It almost felt like our dear Longchops back in the UK.

 

Oh you should have seen Hubs huu’uuge smile? From ear to ear.

Out of there and onto the Flam train ride. A two hour journey, up into the Fjords. £186 for the three of us. I’d only twelve miles too, but takes a while as there are stops and people getting on and off also you have a five minute stop at a humungous waterfall. So this train journey doesn’t really appeal to us, but I wanted teen to see more than the water front without having to guide us. He said it was beautiful, spectacular too. I kind of knew this as this is what the information said that I read before leaving the UK.

Surrounded by steep mountainsides, roaring waterfalls and deep valleys, Flåm is a paradise for everyone looking for a one-of-a-kind experience with nature.

Take a train ride to see the water falls, or an inflatable boat. It is a small village with goats.

 I had read about the mysterious lady who comes out at the waterfall and sings and dances, and there was an announcement on the train telling us in three languages about her, saying that the men of the village used to be under her spell and have been known to be taken away by her. I joked with teen saying he would be best to hang on to me so she couldn’t do this? He laughed I’m sure thinking of its Mum and her silly stories again. Well, the train stopped, we got off followed by a group of Japanese ladies who stood behind us, not good considering Teen is six foot two, I’m five foot nine and Hub is five eleven. They were so tiny bless them I felt bad it’s not like we could see what was going on, but I guess there was room if they wanted to get closer? The water from the enormous waterfall, splashed us it was the Norwegian angel, kissing us. Pure again and refreshing on this boiling hot day. Then it happened. She came out. The music was very eerie, Teen said she wore a red dress, had blonde hair and was very pretty. She danced and the Japanese ladies went crazy. They screamed and were so cute with the way they responded to the beauty before us.

 

Back onto the train and back down the steep hill. The man opposite us told his wife there was a snow ledge on the side of the track. For the winter so the trains were not bothered by falling snow. I’m sure what they saw from the window was amazing; teen for sure said it was.

 

The entertainment that night was fantastic. A comedian. Oh he had us crying with laughter, something you just don’t get now days. He was brilliant and teen too was laughing. Cocktails, well, one after the show, and back to our comfortable bed. It was like being a child again, teen in the top bunk. He was so funny too, my Son showed some humour I haven’t seen for so long and this gave me a peaceful night.

 

Each and every morning, Teen woke up. He opened the curtains from his bunk and said. “Wow. A new port, but the beauty must have been different? Eidfjord was our next port of call. We didn’t sadly get off on this day but this is what the information said about the place

Eidfjord offers a unique natural environment. With large contrasts and short distances you can experience most of what Norway has to offer – and also the best! Large open spaces and towering mountains. Deep valleys and blue-green fjords. Glaciers, mountain lakes, rivers and waterfalls. Our visitors can experience peace and silence in the natural environment in addition to visiting many of our activities and attractions. Eidfjord is the gateway to the Hardangervidda, the largest high mountain plateau in Europe and Norway’s largest national park. Eidfjord opened a new cruise port in 2005 and is able to handle ships up to 350 m in length. Fjord, mountain & waterfalls – all within a 30 minute drive from Eidfjord.

Teen said this was the most beautiful of all. From the ships view. Again the air was amazing, my nails were so shiny soft and I felt so free. The weather was red hot but because we were near the sea, not horribly hot.

Teen had his massage and the best thing about it, was it was Olga who gave it to him. Hahaha, we did laugh about this. As I am sure the day before she was on reception, but obviously not, but a good joke. Teen had an hour and loved it. I’m glad, as I really don’t like someone else touching my body, Hub loves them and obviously so does my boy. So we booked him one more for our last day on our cruise. This time a much cheaper one. An Indian head massage, again he loved that. He came back just so relaxed from it. I was so happy for him. I felt bad Hub didn’t have one and I know why he didn’t, because of the money. Shame he does for others but never for himself.

 

Kristiansand, was our last port of call. Oh my God why? If you can avoid this place it would be a good idea. OK, if you take a tour then different but having said that, everyone we spoke to was not really over enthusiastic about the tours that day. It is a smelly port. Industrial. You can pay £15 per person to go on an open train two miles into the town and to the beach. That will get you back too, but for that much for two miles? I would hope it would get me half way back to England?hahhaha.

 

So a very quick, I’m talking fifteen minutes off the ship. Again, we could have walked into the town, but again, not wanting to bother Teen so in the end, it was just a busy city and I was so relaxed. This holiday was for sure the most relaxing I have ever had. Why?

1, because of the normal things you get on holidays, no housework or cooking, but on a cruise you don’t even have to search streets for a restaurant it’s just there, even if you go fully inclusive, you still have to hope that there is a space? On a cruise, you will always find a seat in one of the restaurants.

2, the fresh air. No pollution on most of the cruise.

3, you are in the middle of the ocean, I thought this would scare me, but it didn’t. I just didn’t think about it. Only when Hub kept teasing me telling me how deep the water was and how far we were from land, but I just ignored him… No one can hurt you, you feel so safe. Where ever my Son was, I could sit on the deck with my Husband and I knew he was fine, he had met a lovely person called Sash and is so chatty, it was good for him to be about on his own.

4, going back to no pollution and safety, there are no roads obviously, so no need to worry about cars/traffic. On holiday, you venture out, and the traffic is so dangerous. Even when we did a little walkabout, the few cars were so slow. Also very few if any in most places, no steps…

And 5, there is, something magical about a cruise. Would I do it again? Hmm……….

 

Tomorrow, our journey back home and what happened with our dogs. X

 

 

I forgot to mention the birds on holiday. Oh my word the seagulls? When we went to Stavenger, I swear they were the mafia of the bird world! The noise they were making was just ridiculous and absolutely unnecessary. Helene. Teen said they were enormous as though they had coats on. I said it was their black leather jackets, they just needed their sunglasses and they were ready to visit the Cod Father….

Oh my jokes get cheesier by the day.

I guess they have big coats on them for the winter? Or do they migrate? Not up on seagull’s funny enough…

But I tell you, they could kill you with once sweep.

 

Anyway, our last cocktail had been drunk; we ate in the lovely Marco Pierre White restaurant on our last night at sea, feeling so sad to be leaving our lovely peace. Hub had his humungous meal as did teen, I had a lovely pizza and delicious starters, nice vegetarian food was served there but there was a cover charge, of about £7 each and I tell you to order what Hub ordered in a restaurant in the UK, would have cost five times all three charges. Then dessert. Well, it would be rude not to? You know us Brits, “We’ve paid for it, and we are going to eat it.” \oh my God. There were three small desserts on an oblong tray. I couldn’t eat them. Managed one, Hub ate one of mine, as well as his own three and one of teens so he’s now known as 5 puddings Pop and I really did think we would pop that night.

We had to pack our cases and leave them outside the night before not outside floating on the ocean, but outside the bedroom door. Our cabin was F334 so just above the loading deck, but the rest of the time, our deck was the best and most peaceful, but all night it was noisy. We had to vacate the ship at latest ten to nine. I can’t believe the security there. My God that needs looking into? We left the ship within ten minutes not once being searched or showing our passport, we were in the taxi.

 

Got to the station, we that’s Hub and I came home on our own. Teen was off for a week elsewhere.

 

All in all, it was a lovely week good for our health, would I do it again? Not for a few years. Having said that, never say never, I quite liked the Italian one, but that was too long to leave my girls and they of course would be pining for me? Or would they?

 

Almost five hours later we returned home. M brought the dogs around, from her van she shouted

“Fiona, get ready they will be around your neck. They may knock you over.”

 

Back against the wall, knees semi bent.

What a fool I looked as three dogs, one by one, just calmly walked by. Ignoring Hub and myself. Oh. My. God!

They were as pleased to be home as a child in a sweet shop would be, without any money.

 

They slept for two full days. So M had them shattered or drugged them. Hub said trust me to even think of the latter.

 

She was lovely; she said she would miss them. I for sure would have her again as I’m sure the dogs had a great time, I know they swam in the river too as well as two big hourly walks per day, all but little BB, she just did the one. Bless her, but it’s great to know I can trust this lady and her company.

 

I love having them home. It’s lovely.

 

Still a little in shock that Fifi has been on a cruise, but really it’s no way as near as pretentious as I first thought it would be. Hub said it has really changed since the days he went. And we didn’t go to the black tie dinner. Thank God. I feared that night like you would not believe. Teen didn’t want to go and there is no way we could have done that on our own, as the Indian staff really didn’t understand us, this is a shame as they just knotted and teen got upset as he felt like why should they serve us? Who do we think we are? I agree but as I told him, it is a job and a life getting away from possible poverty.

 

Would our Son go on another cruise? Hmm. I doubt it unless it was a short one to Amsterdam with the lads, but he loved the scenery and massage as well as the food. It was a lovely family week. I now know why my Russian friends used to visit the black sea to recuperate. There is something about the ocean.