At Sea En Route to Funchal, Madeira

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Friday 30th January, 2015. At Sea En Route to Funchal, Madeira

We overslept and ended up having breakfast in the buffet. This was not a good experience. The sea was still very rough and, without waiters delivering the items to your table, was quite dangerous with hot tea and coffee all over the place and cups, plates and cutlery launching themselves across the room as the boat rocked. After breakfast we sat in our cabin and read for most of the morning as there was nothing going on that tickled our fancy. We had already missed the lecture and were not in the mood for Bean Bag Bowls or Jakkaio (whatever that is!). We would have walked a mile but it was too cold and rough. Some brave souls were doing it although the formal 'walk a mile' with one of the C & M team had been cancelled because of the rough sea.

We went for lunch in the restaurant and afterwards D made for the Auditorium where Rosie Cook was giving a lecture on "The One and Only Billy Knight" which was proported to be the story of the ture gent of English footbal (who D had never heard of). Luckily our trusty Cruise Director, Richard, came over the loudspeaker and corrected this to Bilyl Wright - who D had heard of - which is why he went! M went to the craft and made a rather nice wreath decorated with the Kusadama flowers that we had learned how to make in the previous session with Billie.

At 5.30 pm there was a special event laid on in the Captain's Club for MV Van Gogh Cruisers. As mentioned previously D had bumped in to Julie Thompson who was our Cruise Director on the back to back Round the World Cruises we did in 2007/08. We had left a note inviting her to meet us for a drink. She had gone one better however and arranged a special event as there were a few of us onboard. It was really great to catch up with her and some of the other passengers. We reminisced about the Travelscope collapse, the ship's arrest in Madeira, what the Van Gogh was doing now and what had happened to many of the crew and passengers. It was really good fun.

We returned to our cabin and D went to meet Patty and Roy while M got changed for dinner. Dress code tonight was informal but she needed to change and freshen up. In the bar we caught up with Roy and Patty and another couple called Dave and Sam. Then we all went to dinner where we joined our normal tablemates. After dinner we went to see the show with Roy and Patty which was Gerry Graham who is a UK comedien. He was hilarious and we all had a good laugh. All in all a very good sea day.

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Comments

[Sheila Cordery]

Hi
On several cruises since Van Gogh days we have met quite a few Van Gogh passengers some of them have been bridge players and have popped into our bridge class to say hello, we're still hoping to see Mandy and David again as they seem to do as any cruises as we do. I thought I'd just tell you our itinerary this year, let us know if we are doing a cruise that you will be on. May 11th. Black Watch. 31st August Aurora. 21st September. Saga Sapphire. 23rd October Adonia. 26th November Black Watch. 10th December Braemar. 23rd December home for Christmas. Happy cruising from Tony and Sheila Cordery, Bridge Teachers.

[Sheila Cordery]

Hi
On several cruises since Van Gogh days we have met quite a few Van Gogh passengers some of them have been bridge players and have popped into our bridge class to say hello, we're still hoping to see Mandy and David again as they seem to do as any cruises as we do. I thought I'd just tell you our itinerary this year, let us know if we are doing a cruise that you will be on. May 11th. Black Watch. 31st August Aurora. 21st September. Saga Sapphire. 23rd October Adonia. 26th November Black Watch. 10th December Braemar. 23rd December home for Christmas. Happy cruising from Tony and Sheila Cordery, Bridge Teachers.