As you can probably guess the internet connections are infrequent and not always of the best speed so hopefully this will get through!

End of Day 5

The sun was setting as we left Funchal in Madeira. We managed to call home and speak to Dad and Charlotte and let them know that we were both well and had survived the storm on the cruel sea!

Days 8&9 mainly involved eating and a lot of sun-bathing.

Jane and Val have joined the choir and are preparing for their first concert on the 16th of January. Val has performed before (her CD is still available on back order) but this will be Janes first starring role!

I have entered a few golfing competitions.  These are played on a simulator on the top deck between a group of 15 of us, and are a nearest the pin game.

We have also found time in our busy schedules to attend a few lectures and to see a few shows, with the best so far being Elektra the two lovely girl violinists.

Captains Log Day 8  Mindelo, St. Vincent, Cape Verde.

The Cape Verde islands are a collection of barren islands about 400 miles off of the west coast of Africa.  Formally a Portuguese colony these islands are now independent .

The busy fish market seems to be the centre of the main town.

There is a small crowd on the pier awaiting every boats arrival.

The fish is then bought and taken the short distance to the market where it is prepared for sale.

A short distance across the road is the fruit and veg market where it seemed that lettuce was a popular choice.

Just a short 10 minute walk to the other side of town brought us to this rather run down area.

The Cape Verdes coast guard vessels looked to me like something from World War 2, and the guards on board looked pretty menacing!

After a long walk around the town we found a cafe with great views of the beach and free internet, so we were able to catch up on e-mails and Facebook but I didn’t have time to do my blog. I really can’t understand why, in this day and age, we can’t get free internet in the middle of the Atlantic. I mean to say, what on earth are we to do with ourselves when we are beyond reach of social media?!!!

After a frantic 1/2 hour on the internet it was time for my first swim in the sea of the holiday. The beach had a steep slope into the sea and I was under the water slightly quicker than I had anticipated! The water was warm and very refreshing, and after our walk it was very welcome.

The stroll back to the ship took us past a cruise ship that had seen better days.

At about 5pm we set sail for our next port of call, Salvador in Brazil.

A last view of  Mindelo as we sailed out.

11th/12th/13th/14th January-Sea Days

We have settled in to a nice routine during the sea days….

06.45        Ian has 1st breakfast.

07.00        Ian in gym for stretches.

08.00        Ian on cross trainer

08.45        Ian gets off cross trainer          (yes really!)

09.00    Shower and shave.                     (Jane is ready to go)

09.30    Ian has 2nd breakfast, Jane has 1st.

10.00    Port talk

11.00     walk around deck  (3.2 laps = 1mile)

11.30     sun bathing

12.15     Ian golf, or photography.   Jane choir.

13.30    Light lunch, well for Jane anyway!

14.30     Doze/sunbathing.

15.30    Afternoon tea.

16.30    Game of Scrabble/Upwords.

19.30   Dinner

20.30   Show

22.30   Quiz/disco

00.00    Bed

I have enrolled in a short photography course. Its only when you take your camera off the automatic settings that you realise how much you have to learn.

This is a portrait of Lauren, one of the ship’s photographers running the course. She is far better looking in real life and this photo shows how much more I have to learn!

This a shot of Hayleigh, the boss of the photo gallery. This time I’m trying to create different textures and light to produce different effects.

The office I use to produce this blog varies from dad to day.

Today’s choice is in the shade at the back of the ship with a slight breeze, which is very pleasant.

Later on in the day Kev and Val will be taking part in the deck games of shuffleboard etc, I did want to go and watch but Jane said that it might be classed as “quoitus iterruptus”!

The ship has several themed restaurants, which for a small cover charge you can try for a different “special” evening !

This one was The Beach House, which served excellent steaks and had the added benefit of being outside.