Eddie99

Morning all We’re a bit of a sad & sorry lot here today, what with actual there’s a lot of it about, vaccination effects from not wanting it, or flu, or shingles, plus assorted other medical bits. I’m ok, but the dog has an iffy tummy. Thank heavens for hard flooring and Dettol wipes. Anyway, all the best to everyone poorly. Hopefully kalos’ attempts at humour mean he’s on the road to recovery. As my old Dad would have said, with a west country burr, “I think we’ll rare ‘em”, where rare is a strange pronunciation of rear, and the expression comes from raising livestock. Yesterday was so wet, there was hardly a dry five minutes, but today has dawned sunny (and a bit nippy). Hope your day is good everyone

Yes Josy. This, like all things, will pass I hope things soon start to improve for you all 🤞

Sad to log in and learn the reason for kalos’ absence. Get well soon kalos and best wishes to Mrs k too We have a very wet and windy day forecast. Due to have started already, but so far so dry. Fingers crossed it’ll last another half hour so we can at least get out & stretch our legs. I think there’s a cricket ODI v Ireland due to take place today? 20 September sounds awfully late in the year to be thinking of cricket in the British Isles Have a good day everyone. Be aware that there’s a lot of it about at the moment and please take appropriate precautions

Morning all. It’s hammering down out there. Hopefully will improve as the day goes on, like yesterday. Sounds like there’s lots of vaxxing going on! Mine aren’t till early Oct. Hopefully all will be well till then. I’m in a trial for a new Moderna jab, which I had in July, so the routine autumn one will hopefully top up that protection @indiana123 - hope you get fully well very soon. Be gentle with yourself meantime. @Josy1953 - that sounds awful for your niece. Thank goodness she has family to help out

Morning Was woken from a very deep early sleep by spectacular thunder. Pretty much ruined my rest, so I shall be a grumpy bear till I’ve had my coffee, at least. Going to be a wet day too. That brief reappearance of summer at the start of the month seems so long ago now The saving grace is that it’s still warm

Well, the rain has finally stopped, after a very wet middle of the day. The forecast for the week ahead is less than spectacular, unfortunately. Temperatures are still high but it looks like the sun is taking a holiday My sister is in the Dordogne till the end of the month. Still 31°C there but due to fall from tomorrow and rain from Thursday There seems to be a lot of you-know-what around these parts at the moment. How is it where you are?

Thank you all for the warm welcome back. This has always been a very friendly place There is no real news from my part of the world. It is a bit damp and drizzly, to pay us back for the recent stunning weather. OH is doing a stint at the museum this morning (tour guide, not exhibit!) so the dog and I will chose when we walk to hopefully miss any further rain Sporty Saturday on the tv, plus local junior teams. I suspect one of those will provide our afternoon entertainment Strictly starts tonight? I watched a couple of seasons, way way back, and quite enjoyed it but it’s been going so long now. Perhaps I have a low boredom threshold but it all seems a bit “same old, same old”. Anyway - for those who do like it - Enjoy! 💃

The theatres are beautiful (grab a box for free on non-gala nights); the “flown in” entertainers are top class. Afternoon tea, with waiters in white gloves offering real tea from a real teapot, whilst a harpist or string quartet plays unobtrusively from a corner of the Queen's Room. An on board orchestra. Pub. International guests. Lovely, spacious *buffet*, with staff on hand who insist on carrying trays, fetching beverages etc. And more. A different world, really I think P&O is seeking a different demographic now. Good luck to them. There’s no way we could have considered cruising when we were much younger (and less well off). Good that P&O make cruising a possibility for many more Andy - which QM/25?

Thank you for your interesting review and thoughts I thought we would likely move to Saga if/when we resumed cruising but your experience has made me question that Don’t dismiss Cunard. It’s much less formal than previously, having adopted open dining (freedom) and having removed the requirement for men to wear jackets every night. I’ve just booked QM (yes, Queen Mary!) for what feels like a very good price for early 2025. There are lovely touches - red liveried ‘bus boys’ welcoming you aboard, afternoon tea like it should be done, etc

Well, it’s been a while; I hadn’t realised it had been such a long while since I posted 😳 Anyway - Hello again. I have been reading, if not posting, and would like to say a generic, and sincere, sympathy and empathy for those who have had bad times this last year. Similarly, Hurrah for those who have enjoyed lovely events and anniversaries and Thank You to those who have posted some excellent cruise reviews A big special Thank You to @Selbourne, whose recent review has convinced me to resume my cruising career, with a long-booked trip on Iona in the new year. It will be 4 years since we disembarked Ventura Have also (today) booked Queen Mary for early 2025. Price comparable to P&O - at least it feels that way Enough for now. I think I may be back to being a regular, talking about nothing in particular poster

That sounds hopeful Michelle Good luck with the MRI & potentially a new treatment

Filthy wet morning here, but blue sky now! Madness. We haven’t needed the heating on yet, other than 2 ladder radiators in the wet places on for one hour twice per day. No doubt it will get cold soon but I’m very pleased at still being CH free on 21 November. Perhaps we’ll even make a profit from the govt subsidy (doubt it) This is a peril of this time of year 🙂

Time for a bit of feline obedience training?

Beautiful day here but crazy temperatures for 12 November. I can feel the effect of the sun on my face & see a slight *sun effect* glow. Crazy. I should enjoy it but I worry for my grandchildren

I wonder if it is possible for an update on the current situation? It would be a great help to those booked on cruises during the cold months *cold and flu* season.

Oh shucks - that’s the second time I’ve inadvertently posted a pic Graham posted first. Ho hum - I don’t suppose he’ll be bothered, but I’ll apologise anyway. I found the pic on Twitter, hadn’t seen it here It’s hard work taking part in social media. It’s kinda all or nothing - do it part time & you end up embarrassed 🙂

If I has never done so, this picture wouldn’t tempt me to start cruising 😬 What about you?

One day you’re young. The next you’re sitting on your bed like this…

I wasn’t clear - sorry. I meant a lightweight, folding, manual wheelchair, which of course needs a pusher. Perhaps that rules it out?

I hope someone has a rethink and let’s you take your scooter Failing that - could you hire a lightweight folding wheelchair to take onboard? Not the same, I know, but it could save your holiday and your cash I really hope you work something out. Good luck

Wowzz - you made the best of things! As part of my *winter emergency pack* I’ve got an emergency torch plugged into an unused socket in the living room. In normal circumstances it sits there, power on, doing nothing. If I’m wandering around in the night its motion sensor will turn it into a nightlight. If the power fails it goes into torch mode and shows a strong torch light for several hours. Plenty of time to sort out candles etc, plus a torch for moving around to the loo or whatever. I’m contemplating getting a simple battery power head torch, to give light whilst leaving both hands free Hope it’ll be ticketty boo for you this evening. Enjoy your duck (I’ve got a great recipe for duck legs with cherries, cooked in dark beer)

As well as the ship waiting for you in Barbados should your outward journey be delayed (happened to us. Delay of about 10 hours) there is also an advantage on your return flight. You have the use of the ship (not cabin, unless you pay for a day cabin for the last day) until you are called to catch the coach to the airport. So, should the flight coming the fetch you be delayed, eg by weather in UK, you still enjoy the onboard facilities until it’s in the air and we’ll on its way across the Atlantic. You can swim, sunbathe, eat. You can use facilities in the Spa to shower and dress for the journey home. Personally, unless you want to extend your time in Barbados with an independently booked hotel stay, I can see no advantage to booking scheduled flights. The seamless transfers from P&O charter flights to the ship have been honed over years and years. It is a joy to hand over your luggage at your UK airport and not have to think about it again till it arrives outside your cabin (in case that takes a while, put sandals, sunglasses and Factor 50 (purchased in duty free after UK airport security) in your carry on luggage