Tuesday 31st October, Amsterdam.

We seemed to have talked a lot since we got here, mostly to the other guys brought on board for passenger entertainment.  We ended yesterday in the Pub, which looks like it is going to be our bar of choice. Peter and I both really like it there, but we couldn't stay long, because we were both so tired.  So it was early to bed.

But not so early to rise, although I did wake to see the countryside and suburbs of Holland go past as we sailed along the waterways to Amsterdam.  At breakfast, we were joined by Andy, the comedian who told us he loved Amsterdam, and it was the only reason he'd got up.  Peter and I have visited before, but neither of us have fallen in love with the place. For us, it is just another city, although it does have a lot of water, weed and sex shops.

We went out for a walk and to soak up the atmosphere anyway.

We were very surprised at the Herons, both on the waterways and in the streets.  They were completely unphased by boats people,cars or bikes as they went past.  This one allowed us to get within a few metres of it. 

<<  And this completely flummoxed us.  We stopped at a cafe for a cup of tea for Peter and a hot chocolate for me.  Peter was served a cup of hot water and this sachet thing.  We spent a few minutes trying to work out what is was before asking for help.  It's a T-stick.  You stick it in the water for a cup of tea.  Novel.  But not the best cup of tea in the world.







We left feeling that Amsterdam is a busy, metropolitan city.  And though very interesting, cities are not really our thing.

Back to the ship about 1 pm, we bumped into the reception manager and then the dutch hosts, which has added to the list of people that we know from previous cruises.  (We recognised security staff, the assistant director, chefs and restaurant staff yesterday).  It's nice to say hello again to so many friendly people. More lunch, a nap and now we are relaxing in the bar outside the Kensington Restuarant, feeling really chilled watching Holland go by as we head back out to sea.

It's an informal night tonight, and it's Halloween, so there'll be an evening's entertainment to match.  The Captain has announced that the sea will be a bit uppy downy, but not too bad.  All is good in our world. 

Monday 30th October. A wander around the ship Magellan

We've had a walk around the ship, just to refresh our memories of where everything is, and what it all looks like.

The sun deck at the top of the ship.  

One of our favourite spaces has to be the Taverner's Bar. It used to be a disco type bar, but they took a load of seating out, and fixed it up to look like this.

and the "Garden", or at least that's what I've called it. which is one of the rear deck spaces.

It's awesome, not least because some of the seats they took from the disco area swivel around like roundabouts.  We were in stitches laughing as we watched bemused couples whirl around as the seats moved unexpectedly.

The safety drill went exactly as expected, culminating in us all lined up on deck underneath our prospective lifeboat and Peter photo bombing the pictures of a group behind us. (I'm gonna have to keep better control of him!).   They had to the good grace to think he was funny.

In all honesty, Tilbury is not a nice looking port.  But, as we sailed down the Thames, everything looked wonderful.  We are very happy with our lot.

Monday 30th October. All aboard the good ship Magellan.

An early start, a long drive hampered only by the car park on the A14 (we managed to avoid most of that queue thanks to the AA and a diversion through St Ives), and we arrived in Tilbury about 12.30.

The port guys are dead efficient.  They direct the cars to unload, and then take the luggage straight from the car for you.  The next time you see your suitcases, they are onboard ship outside your cabin door.  Parking is about half a mile away, so once we'd unloaded, Peter took the van to park it and then catch the shuttlebus back to the terminal.  I waited outside the terminal with all the stuff we can't let the baggage guys take. (We gave them 2 large cases, one medium case and one small case.... so what more could we have!)  So I'm stood there with a tall set of plastic drawers full of art kit for the passengers, a rucksack and a small case.  Some guy walks past with the comment about "taking everything but the kitchen sink".  Thing is, we DID have the kitchen sink, in the form of a plastic kitchen bowl.

Anyhoo, I wait about twenty minutes or so until Peter gets back, and we make our way inside to go through boarding.  After completing the compulsory medical questionaire, we look for anyone in a CMV uniform.  Fortunately the lad we came across knew exactly how to look after us.  As "supernumery's" we get to go straight on board.   Passengers in the queue look on jealously as we go straight to the boarding desk to have our details checked, boarding card issued, and security photograph taken, and then we go on to security.  There has been an occasion when the security team insisted that Peter remove each drawer from the plastic cabinet that he uses, and put each one through the x-ray machine. But not this trip, thankfully.

Through security, we walked along the various corridors and tunnels directed,  We neatly duck past the photography team, who take pictures of the boarding passengers to sell back to them later, and continue onto the last boarding tunnel and the ship.

As always, there is the compulsory cleansing gel to clean your hands with, and the security guys who swipes your cruise card to check you on board.  In reception, the hotel staff are waiting for you, and some young scrap of a lad will be allocated to escort you to your cabin.  Peter wanted to offload the art kit first, so we quickly dispensed with himand got the lift up to the 8th deck where the conference room/Peter's art class room is.

Having dumped the stuff off, we went down to the 4th deck to check out our cabin.  Much smaller than the last time we were here, but nice, with a big window, which I am delighted with.

So that's it.  We're here.  We can relax and take the time to unpack, check out the ship, and do all the things that you do on a first day.  There will be a safety drill, and a meeting with the other members of the passenger enrichment program later on in the day.  But right now, we're heading upstairs to the Bistro for a cup of tea.

Norway here we come.

The Greatest Light Show on Earth.

Lucky me.  My very excellent husband has managed to get himself a few more trips to foreign climes, and I get to tag along.

Our next cruise is back to Norway, to hopefully see the Northern Lights.  We've been on a similar cruise before on the the Marco Polo.  This time we are going on the Magellan, a bigger and (in my opinion), more comfortable ship. 

Will we get as good a light show as we did last time? (A-fantastic-evenings-show )  Who knows?  Peter and I have already worked out how our camera's should be set up in order to take the best pictures, in eager anticipation.  I'm sure we'll get a picture of something. 

And if not, we have all of Norway to look forward to.  We've loved our visits so far, and I'm thoroughly looking forward to going back.  It all starts Monday 30th........   Now.  Where did I put them there thermal vests?