Adjusting from being in work mode to being in holiday mode is a difficult transition for all of us. Personally, i generally sleep for much of the first day, which is my system’s way of not so much slowing down as completely shutting down and rebooting. When I awake, I am in my system’s Safe Mode, minimal services necessary, no bells and whistles. This is holiday mode and i have adjusted. Confusingly, I had a few days in London before we sailed but after I had packed, so I did my sleeping then. So by the time I got on board, my system was quite confused. I have been sleeping badly and having very odd dreams.

I am definitely in holiday mode, though. The standard method of testing is getting in the lift and not pressing the close doors button.  The lifts on Oriana are currently exhibiting almost Zen-like behaviour. They don’t tell you if they are coming, they don’t always tell you that they are coming, they don’t always come, they don’t tell you where they are going, some don’t even tell you where they have arrived at. And the time between pushing a floor button and door closure could be measured in geological increments. The urge to push the door close button is a sign that you have not yet slowed down enough to be considered to be in full holiday mode. There is nowhere you need to be that quickly on a cruise ship.

But although I am resisting the close button already, after only 24 hours on board, I have not yet shaken that nagging feeling that I should be doing something. That sitting on a sofa with a book in one hand and soft drink in the other, and a parent asleep in the seat next to me, cannot possibly be the correct behaviour. I should be doing a thing. Given the recent hectic rush of not just work, but also exams, i supposed i have a lot further to wind down this time than usual, but it is odd.  Last night was a formal, with all the primping and prepping that one would expect for going to a black tie do. But I was ready on time, arriving early at the venue, even, which is most unlike me. I’m clearly not unwound just yet. Which considering the amazing massage I had after lunch, does seem odd. I should have been fast asleep. But instead, my brain just keeps on whirring. I think it will take me a little longer to unwind than i would normally hope, this time. Still, it means i’m awake at 1am to type this!

I think am the youngest person on this ship who is not crew by at least twenty years.

P.S.  My WordPress page has a rainbow banner. Nice!