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J603 Arcadia to the Eastern Med 16.05.26 – Part 7

Probably the last bit

The Med is currently like a mirror. We have had a couple of nights of slight movement, but that just meant we slept extra well.

In fact, since Ephesus, pretty much all we have done is sleep. We wake, we doze, we have brief conversations, we turn over, and we go right back to sleep.  Remember those Lovely new mattresses? Well, yes, they still are Lovely. Getting out of bed is getting more and more difficult. We’ve even got the room temperature pretty much sorted. I forgot to turn the fan on last night, and regretted it. But we have been getting up at about 3pm, eating a late lunch/ brunch at 4pm, then I have acupuncture at 5 and then we go to dinner.  In fact, if I have been in contact with you recently, and I seemed strangely alert, it’s because Greece, Crete and Turkiye are three hours ahead of the UK. So my 2am has been your 11pm. We went back one hour last night, so we are (a) allowed more sleep (b) getting closer to normal time

Saturday is a little different because I have a hydropool session after my acupuncture session. This is the “proper spa” bit, with the massage jets and salts and stuff. They charge £40 for two hours, but I’m getting it for free because (a) I have spent so much on acupuncture (b) Joel is very lovely (c) Joel is very senior so what he says, goes (d) the other pools do not have steps, only ladders. Even if I didn’t damage my shoulder climbing the ladder last time, no point in risking undoing all of Joel’s needles’ sterling repair work. So I shall descend and ascend a tad more gracefully than before, hopefully.

Last night we found a bit of the ship we had never been to before, even when we lived on here for three months! It has an indoor bit and an outdoor bit. It’s beautifully deserted and sheltered from the wind. If we ever come on here again, we know where we’ll be spending most of our time!

We won the quiz last night. That’s the third time. No tie-breaker. Just outright winning. Largely thanks to me *bows magnanimously*. There were a couple of WTFs: the first ebook ever published being the US Declaration of Independence, despite the fact it’s not actually a book, it’s a single page document, and whether a stye is on the eye or the eyelid. But winning is winning and beating the grumpy professional quizzers is the important bit. Which really is our only goal. Our team mates, Ken and Irene (from Scotland) and Bryan and Doreen (from South Yorkshire) are just as committed as us, in this regard. Our dinner tablemates, Carol and Roy, have decided to hate them vicariously, as well, despite having never set eyes on them, which is nice.

17.05.26

Tonight, we started on -1 – standard punishment for winning the night before – so we just missed being in the tiebreaker, which I would have won (what’s the current population of Gibraltar*), as my answer** was the closest to the correct figure.  Ken scored a spectacular point, being the only person in the entire room who knew the answer! The question was, in television terms, what does PAL*** stand for?

My hydropool session was AMAZING. I had the whole pool to myself and I played in the various jets for about an hour. I was so relaxed afterwards, I could barely stand unaided! Found some interesting ouchy bits, that may warrant further investigation in the future, but it was all mostly idyllic. I even managed to find my scrunchie after it got blown off by a particularly powerful blast! It was truly genius of me to wear a blue scrunchie to get into a blue pool. Sometimes I scare myself. Dad sat by the pool and shouted questions over the noise of the water. He was most perplexed when the steam started condensing on the ceiling and dripping back down onto him!

We have confirmed that tomorrow’s stop in Gibraltar is, indeed, only a half day, and it’s the morning half at that – BOB is 1.30, for pity’s sake, so we are going to skip it. We do like contributing to the economies of British outcrops, but there are limits to our abilities, and frankly, we are probably, neither of us, still quite recovered from Ephesus. Indeed, quite a few people we have spoken to have also decided not to get off tomorrow. I feel bad for Gibraltar’s economy, but rushing around like blue-bottomed insects doesn’t suit this crowd. I’m not sure our other tablemates, Malcolm and Sue, have even disembarked once during this trip. It’s a very laid-back cohort.

My last acupuncture session with Joel was surprisingly painful; much more so than any previous session. I think he wanted to leave me with something to remember him by. I certainly have a fascinating collection of perfectly circular bruises on my lower legs. I actually quite like it when one occasionally hurts. It makes me feel like something is happening. The lack of pain afterwards is an obvious clue, but during, you just have to lie there and hope! At least if I can feel something hurting, I know something is working. And if it hurts, it stops me fidgeting, Which I was not aware I did until now.

The “lasts” have started: last massage, last acupuncture, last port, last formal, etc. We’ve made our list of who gets a tip. Which reminds me, we need to go to Reception for envelopes. It’s a bit more dignified to hand over, rather than just waving pound notes about.

The current muzak in the buffet is What if God Was One of Us, played on a flute and a harmonica. I think the pinnacle (nadir?!) on this cruise was probably Knock Knock Knocking on Heaven’s Door sung as a breathy lullaby. Yikes indeed.

19.05.26

Yesterday was the last formal and today I packed. That’s it. For the whole two days. The rest was eating and sleeping. We gave out our tip envelopes and swapped emails with a few people. My new phone has a very strange quirk. When you add a new contact, it vanishes! I have no idea why or how or how to prevent it. It’s getting faintly ridiculous. I swap info with someone and then I have to chase after them to get it again. I feel like a right muppet. Any suggestions?

The last shorts day was Gibraltar. When we passed through the Pillars of Hercules and turned right, the temperature dropped like a stone. 26 down to 16. So out came the jeans! The forecast tomorrow at home is 20 degrees, which is very confusing. The weather while we have been away has been, apparently, somewhat erratic. Kate Kinsella from BBC weather has done a lovely short piece about how mid-May in the UK is renowned down the centuries for a sudden cold snap, although, unfortunately, she didn’t explain why! We have kept an eye on home, and are well aware of how cold it got.

The sea state has remained ‘virtual millpond’ throughout, until last night. We woke to fair few white horses (force 4?) today, but even they have calmed down as the day has progressed. The usual grey-blue of the Atlantic looks like rumpled silk, its so still. It’s like being in the Doldrums, but without the warmth.

We realised today that, during this entire cruise, not one single announcement has been broadcast through the cabins. So it can be done! You just need the right captain, it seems. You know, one that actually gives a stuff about the passengers. Remember those?! Mercifully, some kind soul has also arranged for the clocks to go back tonight, so we get an extra hour before the 8am cabin eviction. Thinking of the passengers, again?! Careful, P&O Cruises, people will get ideas!

I put all our cases out before dinner, as one is supposed to do. This may be the first time in 27 years I’ve managed it. I usually manage it by about 10pm, but they prefer them by 8. When I got to the table, I was so shattered, I could barely speak, never mind chew. I think, this weekend, I will have a major crash, but I left it free on the assumption I might. Just don’t expect much from me, words-wise! When we got back to the cabin, I realised I had packed all the chargers! Luckily, the cases had only made it as far as the lift lobby collection cages, which are maybe six feet from our cabin, so I nipped out and grabbed back a charger from the vanity case. The list of things I keep finding in the cabin that should have gone in is rather high, but I think we’ll manage.

So ends another cruise. We have had a lovely time on Arcadia, and it has been nice to visit new places and meet old friends and new.  I don’t want to go home yet. Time to look in earnest at making our next booking(s).

*Answer = 28,000

**My answer = 20,000

***Phased Alternating Lines

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J603 Arcadia to the Eastern Med 10.05.26 Part 4

CORRECTION: It’s four ports in four days, not five in five.

If the scales in the gym are to be believed (which is a fairly big IF), I lost over two kilos between Motril and Palermo, just from all the walking we do on board. I forgot to weigh myself today. I’ll try and remember tomorrow.

So, today is Piraeus. The energetic are off on coaches to Athens, to go up. They’ll go Up the Acropolis. They’ll go Up the Parthenon. They’ll plough through Athens traffic, in their (hopefully air conditioned) coaches. They will tootle around in ever decreasing circles while the various coach drivers of the approximately 7,000 cruise passengers and crew*∑ currently moored in Piraeus try not to all arrive at the same sights at the same time. That is, if they made it out of Piraeus at all, as there is a bicycle road race today and much of the port’s roads and transportation are out of commission for the day. Even the Hop-on/ Hop-off is cancelled. It is 24 degrees and very overcast. Not a breath of wind. Very pleasant to sit in, but probably a bit warm for racing. However, Piraeus is now a MASSIVE port, compared to when we came here all those years ago. There is a LOT of concrete here now. Mind you, it’s so huge, it may simply be that we are not in the same location as last time, and it’s all so expansive now, we cannot even see our previous mooring. In fact, the port is so busy with ferries and cruise ships that the sea outside our breakwater is actually calmer than inside.

Apparently, those on the Bridge can see the Acropolis, with binoculars!

Either way, I have had fun using what little Russian I remember to read the names on passing boats and ferries – Saints Cyril and Methodius (Bulgarian brothers, both monks), who invented the Cyrillic writing system in the 9th century to write down Slavic languages, used Greek letters to do it!

Being Greece, both the roads around the ports and a good majority of the passing boats and ferries have names like Poseidon, Antigone, Gaeia, Apollo and so on. But the tug that is going to guide us off our berth is the Christos 42, so either the captain is a Douglas Adams fan, or he’s got through a LOT of previous vessels and is a rotten driver!

OH MY GOOD LORD. WHY DIDN’T SOMEONE TELL ME ABOUT ACUPUNCTURE BEFORE?! Just TWO sessions and my right shoulder has 90-95 per cent recovered. Whereas, three days ago, I could not lift my right arm high enough to scratch my nose, now I can raise my arm all the way up and wave it over my head. I have enough pain-free movement to tie up my hair, reach across for things and even carry things. I’m still nervous about pulling or pushing doors, pressing and holding for the water dispenser, and so on, but the difference is staggering. And not a single needle went into the affected arm, just both knees and ankles and my left hand. I am a convert. At over 100 quid a throw, it isn’t cheap, but it is absolutely worth every penny. And Joel, the acupuncturist, is a Pet Shop Boys fan, despite being an American (it’s okay, he’s from California). Which is nice. Turns out he’s a month older than me.

Things I have learned today #1: The Norwegian Pearl does an annual KISS cruise, for fans of said rock band. Joel has treated a lot of rock stars on various ships over the years, so we never lack for conversation. We both agreed that Alice Cooper is the nicest person of those discussed so far. There’s plenty of chatting in an acupuncture session, as they try to distract you from the needles being put in. They don’t hurt, so I have to watch where they go in, so I don’t damage myself when his back is turned!

The P&O Cruises ‘worldy’ brochure has just come out. January 2027 looks good… 75 nights with ten ports we’ve never been to before. 2028’s only has four new ports.

Heraklion will be 26 Celsius tomorrow, apparently. I’m hoping to get ashore. I’ve never been to Crete, and to be this close to Knossos and not go would feel very wrong. But Dad hasn’t felt very good today, so nothing is set in stone.

Transmission ends.

*MV Aegean Odyssey 396 pax, 180 crew; MV Callisto 34 pax, 18 crew, Us 2358 pax, 866 crew, MV Pegasus 44 pax, 18 crew, MS Galileo 50 pax, 18 crew, and the Norwegian Pearl 2,344 pax, 1072 crew (7,398).

∑ Obviously, not all crew are allowed off at the same time, but you get the idea!

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J603 Arcadia to the Eastern Med 05.05.26 Part 2

Revenge of the Fifth!

And the anniversary of my move from Devon to St Neots. Nineteen years. By far the longest I have lived in one place, ever. Twelve years in Hendon, six years in Golders Green, five in Leeds, one in Caen, two at St Katherine Docks, two in Limehouse, two in Okehampton, and then, in 2007, up to PE19. I’m aware that these figures do not quite add up to my current age, but a girl has to keep some mystery about her. Happy Cinco de Mayo to Kris, Rich and Selena, whom I met nineteen years ago today!

Right, reminiscences aside, welcome to Motril, our first stop of seven. No, we had never heard of it either. It’s in Spain. According to the interweb, it’s a fairly ordinary, modern town, but with an old ‘feel’, whatever that means! According to the Entertainment Officer who ran the Syndicate Quiz last night (Victoria), it’s a lovely little old town, but there’s not a lot to see or do. It’s basically a staging point for trips to Granada and, more specifically, Alhambra, which is an hour each way by coach from the port. In fact, our tablemates, Roy and Carol, tried the (allegedly 2km) walk into town. They met people walking back who said, (a) it’s further than you think, and (b) don’t bother anyway. So they turned around came back to the ship!

Whilst I have wanted to see Alhambra for as long as I can remember, no one at P&O Cruises nor the internet entrepreneurship is interested in helping people with limited mobility to see it. Unlike Ephesus, where we had choice anxiety when booking a tour, this time it is all walking tours, for a minimum of three hours (maximum 6 or 7), thank you very much. So I have reluctantly concluded that it would be one cultural stop too many on this trip. I simply don’t have enough recovery time available before the next port looms (Palermo on the 8th), and I don’t want to crash before Ephesus. M.E. is hard enough to pace without adding unnecessary enforced walking. The fact that the tours I did find had prices “starting from £39 a head” that, once clicked upon, announced that they would be £417 per person, did nothing to convince me that I was making a foolish error in skipping it…

This morning’s startlingly early wake-up call was someone HAMMERING something into place on a metal part of a lifeboat. At 8am Ship’s Time. So that’s 7am BST, or 6am GMT to what little I possess by way of a body clock. Why would 8am seem unreasonable? It’s not like we’re on holiday, or retired, or both, and might not appreciate an early start. Oh, no, wait…

 On the plus side, last night, on our way to dinner, we bumped into our cabin steward from when we were last on Aurora – the lovely Angela. This was cool because, not only did she remember us, but she remembered that I didn’t get up early, and that she had arranged with us to clean our cabin in the evenings, rather than the mornings, so I could have a lie-in if I had had a bad night. When she asked how I was, I joked about having to get up for our current steward, Rajesh. She was visibly dismayed that he had said he could not do a similar evening clean. She said she would try and fix it for us, which was very lovely of her, but I wasn’t going to hold my breath. Today, when I saw Rajesh, he informed me that he had decided he can do our cabin in the evening, after all. Fancy that. So, even here, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know!

I wasn’t planning on blogging every day, but today, when I got up, I found had a craving – to type. Which seems odd. I get cravings to speak French every so often, but that’s apparently very common, because it’s a joy to speak. People often tell me they miss speaking it. But I have never encountered a yearning to type before. I wonder if there are other non-food/ drink/ drug urges that people have. That may be an internet rabbit hole for another day. I don’t think it’s to do with my new laptop. It’s very nice, if a little heavier than its predecessor (which was traded in for a discount), and there are a few bits of Windows 11 that are still a learning curve, along with the, now apparently traditional, disappearance of the Hibernate setting. But I don’t think it’s the hardware that’s causing this particular issue, anyway.

Quick terminology query, if I may: we are sitting in the buffet restaurant on board, watching a bulk carrier being loaded with something. We’re not in a container port (for a change!), but we are still in a working, industrial harbour. We don’t know what the product is, but it’s a very slow process, and thick creamy-coloured clouds of whatever it is are blowing away with every move. We were looking at a nearby JCB for scale. It has a bucket scoop on the front and is moving stuff around the quay ready for loading. I called it a bulldozer. Dad calls it a dump truck. But isn’t that a lorry that tips out its contents? Neither sounds right in my head. Any suggestions? We are currently bodging the issue by referring to it simply as a JCB.

The ship moored behind the bulk carrier is labelled Briese Chartering. It was Dad who figured out what was lying along the top. We’ve decided it’s a turbine blade. It has red marks at the end, which was what was confusing Dad. It looks like a very long cartoon missile, truth be told. I explained that the marks are added so that, when it is rotating, the marks appear as solid circles, which prevents birds from flying into them. Although, I’ve only seen black ones, until today. Red makes more sense, I think, from a bird brain ‘danger’ perspective. Assuming they have colour vision. I assume so, otherwise why would berries bother being red to avoid being eaten? Mind you, with the red bits, the spinning turbine will look like the logo for Target stores in the US, so I hope they don’t start aiming for them instead! I have since spotted another four blades stacked on the quayside, behind some buildings and, the standard fare in every port, hundreds of cars. A quick Google has, in fact, revealed that Motril’s main export is 80 metre turbine blades (about 263 feet, in old money); made by a company called Vestas, in case you’re interested. So our guess was correct! And a huzzah for the spiffy wifi connection for saving the day, knowledge-wise.

The wiffy onboard is SO much faster, more reliable and abundant than in the old days, I almost don’t mind paying for it. Almost. I haven’t found a single Notspot so far.  We are fairly sure that P&O Cruises are the only cruise line that still charge for it, nowadays, rather than include it as a loyalty reward. But it is certainly not like when I started this blog, and I had to type it offline in my cabin and then come up to the buffet to upload it, whilst stressing about the timer in the corner of the screen charging by the second.  Now it really is possible to work from here.

Talking of the Fount of All Information and Lies (FAIL, aka the internet ), I accidentally entered my blog address into Google instead of Chrome, and I got an AI overview, which tickled me. Enjoy.

So now you know!

Of course, it is now siesta time, so all movement on the quayside has now ceased, except for a single motor yacht which keeps tootling back and forth past us – are they looking at us, or do they want us to look at them? Answers on a postcard to the usual address, please.

The water here is more green than turquoise. I can’t really think of a comparator for its somewhat virulent shade. Try visualising it as bright turquoise but with diluted orange squash spilt on top, and then make it opaque instead of transparent. If it was darker, I’d call it teal. The sky is blue with wispy clouds that give a hazy feel to things, at least near the port. Although, having said that, the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains (the real ones, I believe, as opposed to the US copies) are surprisingly clear to see, despite being some considerable distance inland.

I want a margarita. Does alcohol-free tequila exist yet?

Talking of booze, did you know that P&O Cruises now produces its own brand of gins, called Marabelle (beautiful sea – very apt)? Apologies if I’ve mentioned this before, but my memory is not what it was. And that’s without consuming alcohol!

Random waffle ends.