CURRENTS

So, not a huge post today, but we had to include it because it was the last Country Fayre of the cruise. We didn’t actually take part, but afterwards there was the Around the World travellers’ group photo, which was something we didn’t want to miss.

The day began with breakfast in our room and a very lazy start after enjoying rather a few drinks the night before. It was nice to slow the pace for a change.

At around 11:00am we wandered up to the pool deck, where Peter and Jason were just finishing the raffle ticket draw. As soon as it ended, we noticed all the sunbeds had been returned to their usual positions. Lorna and I immediately did what can only be described as an Olympic-speed power walk to our usual spot. Thankfully, all five loungers were still empty, so with a quick strategic placement of towels and personal belongings on ours, along with Kole and Kim’s beds, we were back in business and ready for another relaxing day.

Kole soon arrived and looked a little surprised to find his sunbed already “occupied”, but once we explained we’d saved it for him and Kim, he happily settled in while waiting for her.

Meanwhile, Peter was calling for all the Around the World guests to gather at the end of the pool deck for the official group photograph. It was a little chaotic, with everyone trying to find a place, but eventually order was restored and everyone who was supposed to be in the picture managed to squeeze in.

At the beginning of the cruise we’d all been given white Oceania Around the World vests, and Peter had asked everyone to wear them for the photo. Now, without wishing to sound too harsh, we both agreed they were absolutely hideous. We’d only worn ours once before for a sarcastic photo in our cabin, and there was no way we were putting them on again. Besides, we figured we’d be much easier to spot wearing our own clothes!

Once the photos were finished, everyone dispersed and we returned to our regular spot by the pool. Kim had arrived by then, and we spent a lovely afternoon chatting with both her and Kole. We learned so much about them, and it really made us wish we’d had these conversations much earlier in the cruise.

D, meanwhile, was being his usual mischievous self, appearing every so often with another drink in hand. It certainly helped the afternoon drift by rather effortlessly. Craig and Joyce also stopped by for a chat and a couple of beverages, making for another thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.

I had a haircut booked for 4:45pm, so I was making a conscious effort to stay on the right side of sober before heading to the salon.

One highlight of the day was finally trying our first-ever cannoli from the famous Mike’s Pastry in Boston. It was rich, sweet, and incredibly filling. One was definitely enough, and many thanks to Kole for bringing them along for us to try.

Eventually it was time to head to the salon for my monthly haircut. The last one I’d had was in Madeira because the ship’s stylist hadn’t exactly inspired confidence after managing to finish the entire haircut in just nine minutes. This time I was booked with a different barber and was hoping for a much better experience.

Thankfully, I wasn’t disappointed. I was shown to a proper barber’s chair, which already felt like a promising start. He took his time, spending around 45 minutes carefully cutting what remains of my increasingly precious hair. I left very happy with the result, although my wallet was considerably lighter to the tune of $69.

Back in the cabin, it looked like Lorna had successfully managed to cram one suitcase completely full of clothes. The big question now was whether the second suitcase would somehow swallow everything else we’d accumulated over the past four months. Tomorrow will be the real test of our packing abilities, and whether we’ll have to leave anything behind. Somehow, I suspect the souvenirs will win.

Dinner this evening was in Red Ginger, and it was just the two of us, which made a nice change. Lorna had already admitted she was feeling pleasantly tipsy from the afternoon, so we wisely kept things under control and limited ourselves to just a single glass of wine with dinner. Despite the fact it was getting topped up each time it neared the end.

Afterwards, we quietly made our escape back to the cabin, skilfully avoiding any encounters with friends because, as experience has taught us, “just one quick chat” inevitably turns into several more drinks and another couple of hours disappearing from the day.

We successfully negotiated the stairs without incident and were back in our cabin by around 10:00pm, ready for a well-earned night’s sleep.