Trivia team back to full strength and achieved our best score to date – 15. Winning score was 17, so still some distance from a Cunard T shirt.
Hot and sunny for our daily three laps of the deck.
Gala night tonight, so best frocks but free glass of champagne seems to have disappeared.
It is also Burn’s night and haggis on the menu, as a starter. Gave it a try – not bad but think it was an IKEA meatball in disguise.
Walked on to the ballroom after dinner but no dancing, as they were in the final stages of addressing the Haggis, which we had sadly missed. Probably have to sweep away entrails before start of dancing.
Bright, sunny and warm again. Captain says that, technically, we are still in the Atlantic and will not enter the Caribbean until we cross some imaginary line parallel with Haiti.
Trivia team back to full strength but score still not improving. One team member has annoying habit of saying “I said that”, when answers given and we have written the wrong one.
This morning’s lecture was a question and answer session with David Coulthard. It was interesting but largely based on his book – conveniently on sale in the lobby. I must admit that I was a little put off, when he told a couple of risqué and totally unnecessary jokes. Obviously bombed, given the age of the audience.
Had lunch in the buffet and sat with the German couple from a couple of days ago. More smiling and trying to recall the words but we managed.
They are Caribbean regulars and complaining about increase in prices. Husband is also an avid chess player – apparently, there is a group of 5, who play every afternoon.
Walked around the deck, sat in the sun and looked at the birds following the ship. Some photographers had their long lenses out, so must have been interesting. Someone said they were Brown Boobies but looked like Vultures to me.
Wanted to get back to the cabin to get ready for Captain’s cocktail party – doesn’t start until 7pm but if we get in the queue by 5, may get a glass of wine.
Unfortunately, Lynne starting with my cold, so missed it and had early dinner.
Surprisingly undeveloped, with no large hotels or tourist traps – apart from specially built cruise terminal.
Activities are limited to tours, snorkelling and boat trips.
We chose to hire a golf cart from one of the two stalls in the terminal. The two owners were competing and the price quickly come down from 120$US to 80.
It was a bit tatty and I can’t imagine it being road legal anywhere else.
Managed to get it going, with back seat passengers still on board. As we left the terminal, noticed that there were rows of shiny new carts and realised that it would probably have been better to look around a little more.
Chugged along, with passengers hanging on and complaining, as we bounced over speed bumps.
We had asked how much petrol was in the tank, as the cart did not have a fuel gauge, or dashboard. The answer was “not much” and our priority was to find a petrol station.
We finally found one and realised that “not much” meant “fumes”.
The attendant was very friendly and suggest that we should visit the lighthouse, at the North of the island first and return via the beaches – compass bearings are probably unnecessary on an island this size, left, right, forwards, backwards would suffice.
The road to the lighthouse was quite narrow and bumpy, with houses, in various stages of disrepair, on either side and rubble on the plots in between. Although there was plenty of vegetation, populated by groups of grazing donkeys, there was no evidence of any agriculture.
The island was badly damaged by a hurricane in 2019 and rebuilding is taking some time.
More donkeys at the lighthouse, with warnings about not to get to close to them, as they are bad tempered.
Found our way back to the town and stopped at a pharmacy to buy some Nightnurse and pills for my cold – 50$US. Don’t know how the locals manage – perhaps they are immune to illness, or there is a special tourist price.
Stopped at a beachside bar for lunch but was only serving American style fast food. Ordered Enchiladas with chips, without really knowing what to expect – 3,000 calories of pure Cholesterol. Very tasty but only made it half way, or maybe two thirds, way through. Wobbled back to the cart for a bit more touring and return to the ship.
Quite surprised to find such an undeveloped island but I suppose that the size means that it can’t support much tourism.
Two days at sea coming up, before reaching Barbados.
Back to Trivia but seem to have lost two team members and down to 4. Today’s questions were a little obtuse and score at the lower end of our range.
Bright, sunny and warm. Walked around the deck and spent time outside.
Dancing class was Jive. O.K. but Sergei makes the easy seem difficult, with his over complicated explanations. Hasn’t said “Simples” yet but occasionally calls us “Peoples”.
Red and Gold gala ball tonight, where passengers supposed to wear those colours. Couldn’t find anything red and shop selection of bow ties looked like they were made for clowns – would have bought one, if they had anything that lit up, or rotated but not available.
Realised that, my newly purchased, MAGA hat was a vivid red but my plan to wear it was vetoed.
