Day Twelve.

Sea Day. At last.

Slept nine hours last night. We all feel a bit weak and wobbly/drained today. I call it barely upright. Scorchingly beautiful hot, sunny day today, blue skies, the works. Must enjoy it while it lasts, because we’re heading west and once we turn north, things will probably cool down pretty sharpish. People in contact with the UK have been using words like snow. This may be the last day I wear shorts for a while. Dad and I even sat on deck and ate Magnums, which was nice.

Last formal tonight, so had to spend time washing hair, dressing up – new dress bought in Gib – jewellery, makeup, all that nonsense. Felt very nice when all done, but, by ‘eck, it is a hassle getting there.

No quiz tonight, because the crew are doing a show. But we had a drinks party before dinner, and I managed to drink a good litre of orange juice – the only free cold/alcoholic drinks on P&O – so that was a job well done (you can have all the tea and coffee you want, as long as you’re happy to make it yourself). Didn’t win the crystal sweetie bowl, but not hugely gutted, frankly – how are you supposed to get these things home?! When they gave us all crystal vases a few years ago, they had to arrange shipping to everyone’s home address, because they weighed more than some people’s entire baggage allowance!

Then dinner, which was very nice. I had salmon, for a change. Everyone enjoyed their meal today, even Eddy, and he ordered a steak, which if his previous experience was anything to go by, was a risky choice. He ate every bit, although he said it was quite tough. But at least it didn’t get sent back, like the last one!

Tonight, in view of the weather we have been promised on our return to Blighty, we all told our stranded in the snow stories, and I told mine about the freak blizzard in Leeds, when I walked to work in t-shirt, shorts and sandals on a lovely sunny Easter day, worked in the basement for eight hours and came out to find four inches of snow on the ground and buses sliding backwards down the hill.  Mary and Eddy come from Scotland originally, so they had some tales to tell on the subject!

We turned right during dinner, and are now heading north. We are definitely moving about a bit more than before. Welcome back to the Atlantic, everyone. Maybe that’s why I can’t keep my eyes open – I’m being rocked to sleep!