Wednesday 31st May

I'm back.....and nothing untoward....laptop failed to connect with my camera, ship's internet very intermittent, Starbucks coffee left me hyper and frustrated at not being able to connect my laptop and in Dublin everything had to be turned off on the ship so that we didn't interfere with the local television stations....As for the cruise itself... I didn't see what I really went for which were the Scottish Isles and it was due to the real Scotch mist....I didna touch a wee dram for the whole voyage.  I ate too much, will need to go on a diet or mow my lawn every day for a week to start moving the three meals and four courses regularly consumed....nice though.

So what did we get up to.  First day sailing, second Edinburgh, more sailing in the mist and then on to Fort William.  Beautiful place but we had to use the little boats to get us to shore and getting off some of the oldies with there walking frames and dodgy knees proved to be difficult for the crew.  I felt positively spritely helping out the oldies and no comments from the rest of you please.  From there we set sail to Belfast and we went up to the Giant's Causeway, on to Dublin for an overnight so that the crew could let their hair down and I could make full use of the hairdryer to get everything down to my skin dried out once I got back on the ship and after that it became a bit of a blur.  Falmouth, Portland for Weymouth, donkeys on the beach and Mr Punch and we docked this morning....and UK home for one today.  Did I enjoy it?  Yes and no.  I really wanted to see the north of Scotland and the Isles, the food was fantastic and always available, the nightly cabaret was distinctly average and as for the comedian and the impressionist....they didn't really do it for me.  As for the average age of the passengers..it was slightly reduced when a baby boarded in Portland to sail with his mother, one of the management, to Southampton.  The swimming pool was the highlight....I tried to remove the calories but output never exceeded input.....and it was around eighty degrees in the water and it felt like minus ten when you came to get out....a slight exaggeration on my part but it was towel round, fleece on and lift down to the cabin dripping as you went....no use in lingering.

Normal service should now be resumed.  I've got to sort out a whole load of photos, give my latest camera a decent burial at sea unless I can breathe life into it and get it to connect to the pc.....and honest I did prepare one post for Dublin but thanks to the Irish...no connection.  Beautiful weather today, my three loads of washing are still gathering the last rays of the sun and I'm eternally grateful for your concerns.....AWOL without permission was not my intention....  So now I've more or less packed....I return to BG on Tuesday next, one night in Sofia and then down to home.....pretty please, make it quick. Photos to follow.... LN.....New month tomorrow.....LN

Ah glad your ok!

I did send you a text today on your UK mobile, and it did say delivered, so I knew someone must have been alive to charge it lol!  

Thank you Mikey B.....I've not checked my phone yet but I really appreciate the sentiments..Takes more than Fred Olson to kill me off.....or TM.....Back but knacked.....Lots of love to you all.....xx

Normal service resumed then? Good to have you back.

Thanks Trevor....it's good to be back.....