The ferry (or "mini-cruise", as it is marketed), was much livelier than I had expected. I had thought the crossing would be primarily for transportation/business purposes, but it serves a cheerful crowd of daytrippers and weekenders, both Geordie and Dutch. A good proportion of the English contingent were there to savour various experiences not legal in the UK and were in high spirits. This made for a raucous evening, the highlight of which was watching a drunken Geordie repeatedly heckle the family-friendly live band to "play some Alice Cooper" before trying to wrap himself in the stage curtain. Not much sleep due to all-night partying going on around us, and half the ship still drunk the next morning. At least meant I didn't dwell on home too much.
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