It absolutely poured with rain yesterday, there wasn’t a single minute of sunbathing to do. It was OK, though, I sat on deck with friends and they patiently tried teaching me a card game they enjoy playing called ‘Phase 10’. I think I’ve got the hang of it, but all will be revealed when I sit down to play without help.

I ventured back into the spa for a facial, my first-ever and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Elisa is amazing! I have rosacea, so it was tailored for my skin and it feels great. While the mask soaked into my face, I was given a hand massage which just added something extra to the overall experience. I had the Thalgo Discovery Facial which is one of the express moisture options and it’s infused with marine ingredients. It lasted for 30 minutes and for me, that was just the right length of time. I could relax without the worry of falling asleep.

Last night, we had a private party with some friends in the Owners Suite. What a night! All I can say is that it’s a good job the only neighbours they have are in the suite downstairs and they too were at the party. We laughed, we ate, and just had the best time. It was a formal evening elsewhere on the ship, but we went casual and enjoyed our own little shindig with pizza and fried chicken. I think it could end up being a regular event.

Lunch for me yesterday was in The Secret Garden. The selection is always varied, there’s always at least 2 vegetarian options, and I love the pasta sauces. They’re simple but full of flavour. I went in just before they opened so I could take a few pictures before everyone dived in to eat.

We’re in Port Blair for 2 days from tomorrow and I think we have a themed party night at some point, so I’ll check in with you again very soon.

My tour in Sabang was cancelled. They’ve had a lot of rain here in recent days and it has increased jellyfish numbers in the water, so the local tour provider advised the snorkelling trip should be scrapped.

I didn’t book anything else, I decided to just have a leisurely walk ashore. The locals really went above and beyond for our day here. We had a big welcome performance for which our Captain was the guest of honour, and other live music throughout the day.

I left the ship and walked along the seafront. There were lots of colourful buildings and the locals were all waving and saying good morning. They were clearly happy for us to be here and I felt very comfortable exploring on my own and very welcome. The odd motorbike rider or tuk-tuk driver would stop and ask if you wanted to do a tour, but they accepted your reply when you said no thank you. I can’t stand it when in some ports they just don’t give up and then follow you around. The people here were very respectful of you and your answer.

I didn’t get right into town, after walking for a good 35 minutes in the heat I was boiling. I stopped for a rest on a bench and then made my way back. It was pleasant. I enjoyed the stroll, having no plan and just watching people go about their daily business. I also made it back to the ship in time to hear the call to prayer echoing around the port. There are 2 mosques quite close to the ship and the sound from both was hypnotic.

AT SEA (December 1st)

My day started incredibly early. I woke up at 4:20am and put the TV straight onto the Bridge Cam. The sky was electric, flash after flash of lightning. I got up, washed and dressed, and made my way up to Deck 7. I was hoping to do a time-lapse video of the storm but sadly, by the time I got upstairs it had all stopped. Typical! I did get to enjoy a very quiet ship, though. I took advantage of a photo opportunity with a passenger-less pool deck and the swimming pool lights reflecting off the aft decks. Isn’t she pretty!

I decided to spend my morning wisely and before 8:30am, I’d tidied my cabin, put up my Christmas decorations, did a load of washing and some ironing, read part of my book, wandered around the ship and had breakfast. I was ready for bed again by 9am, but I resisted. I put up all the Christmas decorations that I have, but it’s not enough, so I’m now on the lookout for more and a nice tree. Wish me luck! I put my tinsel around the picture, Santa Claus on one porthole and a small tree in front, my little tree ornaments around the edge of the room and, of course, my advent calendar is on the wall beside my bed.

I’ve spent the afternoon getting everything ready for tomorrow (we’ll be in Singapore) and chatting with my fellow all-rounders. I also had a browse in the shop and a peek at the photographs in the photo gallery. It’s been overcast all day and we’ve had some quite heavy showers. It’s not been a day to enjoy the great outdoors unless you had some cover. I did have some excitement. There was a bird on Deck 9 forward and he was having a difficult time getting his bearings. I don’t know what type of bird it was, but it was very pretty and just couldn’t see the glass. It was the glass that was keeping it trapped, to an extent, in the same place. I decided to get a towel and my idea was to grab him and move him further along the deck, so he could either rest or take flight. By the time I returned with the towel, he’d gone and I was a soggy mess. I imagine it’s probably still onboard, somewhere.

DECEMBER 2-3 – SINGAPORE

My first visit to Singapore was last year on Black Watch and I crammed as much into one day as I physically could, so I decided to take this visit at a more leisurely pace and do something different.

Yesterday, I went across to Sentosa Island on the Singapore Cable Car, which is celebrating its 45th year. It seemed like a great idea until I boarded it. I’m terrified of heights, but I keep putting myself through these things! It was worth it, though. I had a great view of Boudicca and a fabulous view across the island. The cable car network extends across Sentosa Island and then into the city. If you have time, get an unlimited pass. This way, you can experience them all and also use it to get between attractions on the island, in the harbour and in the city. It’s worth it.

The weather forecast for the day wasn’t good, but when I arrived on Sentosa it was hot and sunny, so I made my way directly to Universal Studios, which was my main reason for going over to the island. I hadn’t been to a theme park in years and I felt like a child when I swiped my ticket and entered. It was Christmas for as far as the eye could see, I was in my absolute element. The ride wait times were quite long, so I had an easy walk around the park first and thought I’d do the rides on my way back, that way I’d covered all of the other fun things to see and do. It was like being in a magical kingdom, I loved every second of it, and the Christmas music that was being played all over the park. My favourite themed section was Jurassic Park. I am a big fan of those movies and I loved the way it had been designed, and all of the dinosaurs, of course. Second to that was Ancient Egypt, that was hugely impressive!

Sadly, my itinerary wasn’t meant to be. The heavens opened and it absolutely poured with rain. Not long after came the incredible thunder and lightning and it went on for several hours. Sentosa was completely washed out. I’ve never seen a place go from Times Square busy to desert empty so quickly. It was actually quite fun, though. Dodging the torrential rain, hiding from the fork lightning and trying to get to the monorail to get back to the city – there was no way I was getting in a cable car in that storm. The monorail is free from the island back the Harbour, so it was a no brainer, and very quick.

If you want to do something different on your visit to Singapore, I definitely suggest Sentosa. You need a full day (maybe more) and aside from Universal, there are also several beaches and other attractions, including Adventure Cove Waterpark, Butterfly Park & Kingdom, S.E.A. Aquarium, iFLY Singapore, Palawan Beach, Mega Adventure Park and Wings of Time. Some attractions are free, others require payment.

My plan today had been to do the hop-on hop-off bus, but I wasn’t feeling too good this morning and the sun was very intense, I couldn’t stand it. So, I decided to spend some time in the mall, and I’ll do the hop-on hop-off bus when we visit again in January. Nothing has been lost.

Vivo City mall is right next to the cruise ship terminal – you don’t even need to go outside to get from one to the other – and it is huge. I went in last year and completely lost all sense of direction. I thought I must try harder this time and I was better, but I still ended up off course. I’d passed a food court on my way in that had an Indian food counter. I decided that’s where I’d go for lunch, so I did some shopping and then made my way back to where I thought it was. Could I find it? Could I heck. I went around in a circle 5 times and eventually gave up and went to KFC. I passed KFC 5 times on my Deja-vu journey of Vivo City, so I took it as a sign. I had completely lost my bearings. I have no idea where that food court is. I was quite disappointed, I really wanted some Indian food but by the time I did lap 5, I was hungry, tired and losing patience with myself. I WILL find it next time.

We have 2 days at sea now before we arrive in Semarang.

AT SEA (December 4th & 5th)

I’ve been super busy over the last 2 sea days, they’ve sailed over – pardon the pun!

We had a get-together in The Observatory for those of us doing the entire Grand Voyage and it was the perfect opportunity to meet other people that I’ve not seen or spoken with since our first party at the end of October. There were free drinks and lots of nibbles, including prawns with a sweet and sour sauce, satay chicken with peanut sauce, smoked salmon sandwiches, scones and mince pies. I could have happily stayed there all morning and ate my way through everything. We’ve now also been given our own dedicated section in the Morning Lights Pub each morning for tea and pastries, and in the Four Seasons at lunchtime. I thought that was a very nice touch. It means we have specific times and places to catch up with one another.

I had my first pedicure experience in the Atlantis Spa, so my feet are ready for more pavement-pounding excursions. I’m really not a spa person, but I’m enjoying my little pampering sessions with Elisa, she makes me feel very relaxed and comfortable. I booked the Luxury Pedicure which is a 60-minute treatment. It begins with an aromatic foot soak, followed by a heel scrub, cuticle care, nail filing and shaping. Once this was complete, Elisa rubbed a magic potion all over my feet and lower legs, placed my feet in bags and then into heated booties. I had these on for around 5 minutes before she removed them, cleaned the lotion off and then moisturised my skin and painted my nails. I’m very pleased with the results and although I can’t stand feet or people touching my own, I enjoyed it because of Elisa. She’s just amazing.

The Poolside lunch special today was Indonesian Stir Fry. I’m not a great fan of stir fry, but I could smell it being cooked and when I ventured down to Deck 6 and saw the chef making it, I was sold. It was really good! Not too spicy, so I could enjoy it without feeling like I was being cooked from the inside out. I can’t do spicy food.

Oh, before I forget. I now have a real Christmas tree! Well, not real as such, it’s not an ACTUAL tree, but it was a gift from a fellow passenger, and I love it. My cabin feels (almost) complete now for Christmas.

I have a 10 hour tour tomorrow to Borobudur Temple, so my next blog will come on our sea day. I’ll likely get back home tomorrow and fall asleep!

DECEMBER 6 – SEMARANG, JAVA, INDONESIA (+ December 7th Sea Day)

I’m a day late with updates. I was exhausted after my tour yesterday and by the time I arrived home it was time to shower, change and meet friends, although it was only for an hour. I’d been awake since 2am. We had a huge electrical storm and the crashing of thunder woke me with a start. I couldn’t get back to sleep after that. We’re at sea today and Lombok tomorrow, but let me fill you in on Semarang.

I went on the 10-hour Borobudur Temple tour. We left the ship at 06:45 and hit the road at full speed. It takes approx. 2.5 to 3 hours to get to Borobudur from the port and we had a Police escort there and back, to get us through the traffic quicker.

Borobudur is a 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist temple in Central Java, built during the reign of the Syailendra Dynasty, that is a shrine to the Lord Buddha. There are nine stacked platforms, six square and three circulars topped by a huge central dome. There are around 500 buddha statues decorating the temple. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991, following a huge restoration project between UNESCO and the Indonesian Government.

Temperatures reached 33° Degrees Celsius and humidity was at 99%, but we were all raring to go and explore. I decided to break away from my group and go at my own pace. We entered from the east side and slowly started the ascent. The temple is beautiful, covered in intricate carvings, and buddhas are scattered everywhere, some with their heads and some without. I went level by level, eventually conquering all 150 steps and reaching Nirvana, the highest point of the temple. It was very busy and incredibly difficult to get photographs without dozens of people also being in them, but I persevered.

After the temple visit, we were due to meet back at the restaurant on the east side for our buffet lunch. I retraced my steps back to where we had entered the complex and was told by a guard that I had to exit on the west. I tried to explain I was part of a group, but we were both lost in translation. I could see the restaurant and coaches from this point, but eventually, I gave up and made my way west to the official exit. Nothing looked familiar and there was no one around to ask for directions, so I followed the signs marked ‘to the temple’. It had to be taking me east, I told myself. I walked and I walked, and then I came across 5 Sumatra elephants. By this point I was tired, hot and the sweat was running down my face, but this was the reason I’d been sent this way, someone didn’t want me to miss the elephants. They were beautiful, happily walking around and munching their food. I sat watching them for 10 minutes before continuing on my journey. I’d completely forgotten in those few moments that I had no idea where I was or how to get back. I was just lost in the sight of these majestic beasts.

I carried on walking for another 20 minutes and finally, I spotted the coaches. I’d arrived. I sat down and gulped every last drop of Sprite from the bottle I’d ordered. I was so thirsty. Once I’d cooled down, I went and helped myself to some food. It all looked very nice, but the only thing I found that I liked were the fried noodles, so I had an extra spoonful, as I’d skipped breakfast. As we ate, we were treated to traditional music and dance from several locals and it ended our tour perfectly.

It was a fabulous day. Tiring, but certainly worth it. Another option that I’m adding to the ‘recommended by CruiseMiss’ tours list.

I’ll check in with you again in a day or so. We have 5 port days back-to-back from tomorrow and I’m booked on tours for each, so please bear with me. I’m using today to catch up and get everything ready for my tours.

DECEMBER 8 – LEMBARK, LOMBOK, INDONESIA

Every single day of this cruise is nothing short of incredible. Yet another fantastic tour today, this time via a local boat from Lembar and across to the islands of Gili Nanggu and Gili Sudak.

We stopped at Gili Nanggu first and had our first snorkelling experience of the day. The coral was fantastic, and the fish were beautiful. I could have stayed there all day. The only downside was the jellyfish. They were only small but there were hundreds of them close to the shore and I must have been stung at least 40 times. They felt like tiny pin pricks. By the time I left the water, my entire upper body was tingling. I’ve showered since and my arms are still stinging. They weren’t even big monsters, either. They were about the size of a crisp, but they were also clear, so I couldn’t see them, only the shadow they cast on the water at the last minute. They were in my face, my hair, everywhere!

At Gili Sudak we could snorkel again, but, unfortunately, my own snorkel was letting in water and the spare masks the guides had were also letting in water. I relaxed on the beach instead and that was fine by me. The scenery was gorgeous, and I found a hermit crab and several starfish during my trek. I tried my best to photograph the starfish (excuse my shadow) but he had covered himself in sand and was difficult to see because of the sun. I did try with the GoPro, but he was too near the surface, so he just blurred.

We had lunch on the island and just like all the other buffets we’ve had since being in this part of the world, it was very good. I had fried squid, rice, sautéed vegetables and barbecued fish. We had an incredible view. It was a lovely place to be and a nice way to end our tour.

DECEMBER 9 – KOMODO ISLAND, INDONESIA 

My first visit to Komodo Island was during a World Cruise last year on Black Watch. I went to see the Komodo dragons and then to the Pink Beach. The dragons were impressive, but it was the Pink Beach that stood out for me. The coral and the fish were out of this world, I couldn’t get out of the water, I was completely transfixed by the beauty. At that time, I didn’t have an underwater camera and I was gutted. I couldn’t share any of that incredible experience, so yesterday I made sure I changed that, when I went back to the Pink Beach.

I didn’t recognise the island at first. Last year it was so green and lush, but this time it was dry and brown – the rain hasn’t arrived yet. The one thing that did let me know we were in Komodo were the local kids. They jumped in their boats and came across to the ship to sell their crafts and ask for food, a few parcels were thrown down for them by passengers. They were happy and smiling, swimming around the ship and pulling alongside the tenders to greet us and hopefully make some money. They just wanted to see the people that had arrived to visit their island.

The beach wasn’t as pink as it was last year and boarding the boat was a somewhat challenging experience that I didn’t enjoy, but I couldn’t wait to get back in the water. We had 2 hours at leisure, and I spent all of that time swimming with the fish. My photographs still don’t do it true justice, you need to see if for yourself to really appreciate it, but for my fellow marine-life lovers out there, I do hope you enjoy what I managed to capture.

We’re heading for Bali at present and will dock at 3pm this afternoon. We’ll stay in Bali until the 12th, although, we will move from the berth tonight to an anchorage position until tomorrow night. I have 2 days of tours to enjoy and I’m very much looking forward to them. I’ll be back soon.

DECEMBER 10 – 12 – BALI, INDONESIA 

Bali has been a great adventure and a head-first dive into the culture of the island. It’s an amazing place.

I went on tour yesterday to the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary in Ubud and Ubud Market. The Monkey Forest is beautiful, a real safe haven for numerous flora and fauna, and the monkeys, of course. They were everywhere and quite placid, not bothered too much by our presence. There are more than 1000 monkeys in total and they’re split into different groups across the forest. This allows them to have their own territory, just as they would in the wild. The forest is also home to three temples, one of which we got to see during our walk around.

Ubud Market was a nice experience and I’m glad I can say I’ve been. I had heard a lot about it from friends and I was excited to get in there and do some shopping. I liked the hustle and bustle, but the sellers were inflating their prices dramatically. I bought myself a beautiful wooden elephant wall mask and that was it. I refused to pay the prices they were asking for things such as bracelets and clothing. Instead, I went back to the small stalls at the port and bought what I needed from there. The prices were much better, and more importantly they appreciated the business. I don’t mind paying a little more, but they were really trying to con people at some stalls in Ubud and I don’t like or appreciate that. The sellers at the port are a little more ‘full on’ with their selling tactics, but it’s they just want to make a living. If you politely say please just leave me to look, they will.

On our way back to Benoa, our guide dropped us at a restaurant for lunch. He’d recommended it as an alternative to spending 3 solid hours walking around the market in the heat. It was just on the outskirts of busy Ubud and what a gem it was. Gorgeous inside and out and the food was five-star. I ordered the Ayam Kasalan (a mild curry infused with coconut and lemongrass) and I cleared my plate. The restaurant is called Semar Kuning.

Today, I went on the ‘Scenic Bali’ tour and our first stop was at the vast royal temple of Pura Taman Ayun, a beautiful temple built back in the 1600’s. The grounds are breath-taking and there was a real sense of calm throughout the complex. It’s surrounded by a wide moat and was the main temple of the Mengwi kingdom until 1891, when it was conquered by the kingdoms of Tabanan and Badung. Extensive restoration work was carried out in 1937 and it is without doubt one of the most attractive temples in Bali.

We then went on to a traditional Balinese compound. The home of a local family, basically. It was nice to see the home and how the family live and pray. Every family compound has its own small temple, each village also has a temple, and so on. There are more than 4000 temples across Bali from family to public. Just incredible. Their religion really is a huge part of their lives. Most in Bali are Hindu and from what I’ve seen during my time here, they practise what they preach.

Our final stop was at a vast rice field with lovely views. When we come back to Bali in January, I’ll be stopping at the big one! Today was enough for me and I was flaking in the heat by the time we’d made it to the family compound. We arrived back to the ship almost 45 minutes earlier than we should have, but there were no complaints. We’d seen what we’d booked to see, and I think everyone just wanted to get back into the air conditioning of the ship.

We have 2 sea days now and I’m ready for the break from tours. I just want to relax. The heat has exhausted me over the last few days and I know it’s only going to get hotter once we reach Australia.

AT SEA (December 13 & 14)

I’ve spent our two sea days relaxing and reading my book. I needed some downtime after five hot and hectic port days. We also went through Australian immigration this morning and I’m so glad they did that onboard this time, instead of when we arrive in Broome. It makes things much easier and means we can just go straight off the ship in the morning and start exploring.

The Christmas decorations are now up throughout the ship and I’ve photographed a few of my favourites to share with you, including a seriously impressive gingerbread house. It’s huge and takes pride of place outside the Four Seasons restaurant on Deck 6. It even has a little train track around it.

We had a special Asian lunch buffet today in the Four Seasons, Tintagel and Indian Ocean restaurants. It looked amazing. I love a themed lunch and there was so much choice! Various dishes from Indian, Indonesia, Philippines and more. There was also an offering of delicious exotic fruits, some of which I’ve enjoyed since being in Indonesia, and a variety of dishes for those that don’t want to indulge in the Asian offering.

We call to Broome tomorrow, our first Australian port of many and another new one for me. I enjoyed Australia very much last year and I’m looking forward to being back, although, slightly terrified about the heat! 34° is forecast for tomorrow and it’s even hotter in other parts of the country.

DECEMBER 15 – BROOME, AUSTRALIA

We’re in Broome today and my goodness, it’s hot! Actually, hot really isn’t the word, it’s like being on the surface of the sun. It was 30 Degrees Celsius by 8:30am this morning and it got hotter and hotter. Temperatures across Australia are incredibly high at the moment, some places have seen 50+ and of course, that really doesn’t help the bushfire situation. I feel so sorry for the people and animals that are being affected.

I didn’t book a tour for this port. I used the shuttle service into town, but as it’s Sunday, a lot of places were closed. I had thought about going to the beach, but there are a lot of box jellyfish around, so there really was no point. I can’t go to the beach and not get in the water. I’ve basically used today to re-stock on things such as shampoo, conditioner and shower gel, as the supermarket was open. Plus, with the heat, it was uncomfortable being outside for too long. I’ve never been so grateful for air-conditioning in my entire life.

I will say that where we are docked offers a stunning view. The water is a gorgeous shade of turquoise and on the way back to Boudicca, I spotted 2 huge turtles in the water. The hills are also an intense shade of pink and red, it really is beautiful. i just so wish I could have taken advantage of the beach. In hindsight, I probably should have went on a tour.

We have 3 sea days ahead before we arrive in Perth and I’m so looking forward to my tour there, I just hope the temperatures drop a little as currently, it’s plus 40+ Degrees.

AT SEA (December 16-18)

It’s been quite choppy out there for the last few days and the air temperature dropped by around 10° overnight on Monday. It’s been a hugely refreshing break from the searing heat and humidity, so we’re lapping it up because we know it won’t last. Sitting in the sun has been far more pleasant.

A few nights ago, some passengers decided to make a snowman, but it’s definitely not your average snowman. He looks great, but also slightly terrifying. I’m surprised it wasn’t taken down by security or the deck boys. Someone is obviously in the Christmas spirit and told them to leave it alone. Just for the record, I had nothing to do with it, but I did enjoy sitting watching it come to life.

I had breakfast at the Poolside Grill this morning and my poached eggs were perfect. I ordered Eggs Benedict but without the Hollandaise sauce, I’m not a big fan of that stuff. It’s the first time I’ve had breakfast there this cruise and it won’t be the last. It’s a simple menu offering mainly egg based dishes, fruits and cereals. A lighter and healthier option.

Chicken stir-fry was the special on Monday and I had to try it. It’s not something I usually eat, but they’ve been really tasty on Boudicca and I can’t say no. Maybe because I can smell it when I’m sitting on Deck 7. The smell hypnotises me and before I know it, I’m sitting with a plate full. I also like watching the chef make it.

I’ve started putting my Christmas presents out around my little tree, there’s no way I can put them under it, and I heard Christmas songs around the ship for the first time today. It’s my first Christmas away from home and it does feel very odd, but I’m looking forward to the festivities onboard next week!

Fremantle is our port tomorrow and I’m heading to Rottnest Island for the day, hopefully to find the Quokkas!

DECEMBER 19 – FREMANTLE, AUSTRALIA (plus December 20th sea day)

I’m a day late as I didn’t get back to the ship yesterday until after 6pm. I went over to Rottnest Island for the day and it was something else!

The ferry ride takes approx. 45 minutes and both of our crossings were quite rough. I can’t say everyone enjoyed it. I didn’t particularly enjoy the crossing back to the mainland. Anyway, as soon as my feet touched the island, I went in search of the famous Quokka, the happiest animal on earth. I didn’t quite get my ‘quokka selfie’, but I did try. They’re used to humans, so they will approach you and rummage through your bags if they think you have something they can eat. I spotted one enjoying a dollop of ice cream that someone had dropped. They’re native to the island, but outside of a sanctuary, you only find them in the wild in Western Australia.

We had just under 3 hours of free time to explore, so I spent time enjoying the quokkas, the birds, the stunning beaches and a quick lunch. I had planned to snorkel here but decided before leaving the ship that today would be a ‘dry’ day. It was cold and windy, and I didn’t think walking around in wet clothes was a good idea. I soon regretted that when the sun came out. The water was out of this world.

Following our free time, we had a 1.5-hour private bus tour around the entire island. There was no way we could have explored it all on foot in the time we had. We admired Geordie Bay, the lighthouse, Salmon Bay, Catherine Bay and more. This has to be one of the most impressive places I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting. It’s simply breath-taking. Please put the island on your ‘MUST do’ list if you’re ever in Fremantle, you won’t be disappointed.

We’re at sea today and we’re rocking and rolling, it’s quite a heavy swell and it’s been keeping us company since late last night. The air temperature is also quite low, but I’m sure we’ll be hiding from the heat again in no time, and the pools have been emptied. I’m keeping my update for today short and sweet as I’ve quite a lot I need to do. I’m hoping to bring you some slightly different and exciting content in the coming weeks, so I need to try and get those arranged. Wish me luck!! I’m basically on a mission today to book in appointments and then prepare for my RIB ride tomorrow morning – sea conditions permitting.

DECEMBER 21 – ALBANY, AUSTRALIA 

Boudicca is docked in Albany at the minute, Western Australia’s oldest town. It’s a quaint little place and walking through the town felt like stepping back in time. There are a lot of modern buildings, but they maintain the older buildings from many, many years ago.

I had mentioned yesterday that I was doing a RIB tour this morning, but because our call time here was quite short, I decided to cancel it and re-book for 2 other of our Australian ports. Turns out I made the right choice, as it was quite choppy this morning and the RIB’s were only out 15-minutes before they had to turn around and come back to the ship.

I didn’t book a tour; I just used the shuttle bus service. Our call here has been relatively short, so I physically didn’t have time to do everything or check out any of the lovely beaches. I wandered around the town, stopped at the farmers market and then had pizza. I also managed some clothes shopping (obvs) and stocked up on essentials, like crisps and Fanta! It was a nice way to pass the time and it hasn’t been too hot.

I’ve now got 2 busy sea days ahead of me. I’m hoping to share some things with you that are not normally explored, so watch this space…

AT SEA (December 22 – 23)

I’ve been a very busy cruiser over the last few days, trying to cram in as much as possible to share with all of you lovely people, so let’s get to it.

Yesterday, Christmas came early for me as I went below deck to see Boudicca’s incredible engines. I was like a kid in a sweet shop. I felt hugely privileged to be standing there, watching these beasts power our lovely ship through the Southern Ocean. Boudicca has 4 main engines for propulsion, 2 powering each propeller, and they are MAN B&W engines. They were spotless. The power these things generate is unbelievable. The young engineer and I couldn’t verbally communicate, that’s how loud they are, but with hand gestures he managed to explain certain aspects to me. For example, to the right of the image you can see a round white vent, this leads up to the ships funnel. It was good fun, we had a giggle during our adapted moment of charades.

There are also 6 auxiliary engines for power, and they include MAK M20’s, Vasa 32 Wartsila’s and 2 Vasa 24 Wartsila’s. The latter are the smallest and they’ve been on the ship since she was built in 1972, how cool is that? It was pretty incredible to see them and given their age, they looked to be in rather good condition. They don’t make these engines anymore, so parts are hard to come by. I imagine at some point they will be replaced with something more modern, but for now, they’re staying put, sitting downstairs with pride of place like yeah, we’re the originals!

I also had the chance to see the steam generator for the galley, one of the water desalination tanks and the engine control room. It was amazing, just amazing. I went for my spa appointment grinning like the Cheshire cat. The image below shows the panel for controlling the heat and air conditioning onboard.

I decided to try the Thalgo eye treatment this time as I’ve not been sleeping well recently, and my eyes are so puffy every morning. It was relaxing, but also quite weird. Elvisa cleansed my eye area and then massaged some cream beneath my eyes and then on the eyelids and across my eyebrows. Next, she placed a mask over my face that looked like on of those virtual reality devices. This machine essentially massages the eye area and pressure points. It was very relaxing, and I could see an instant difference. This morning, there was definitely evidence that it had worked. I had to share some photos with you so you could see it, but apologies for the close-up!

All this hard work and pampering had me eager to get into the Four Seasons for the special curry lunch and I filled my plate. I really enjoy Indian food and they had 2 of my favourites, onion bhaji and tandoori chicken. It was so moreish, but I resisted temptation, well, I had to, in a way. The Maître d’ approached me with a bowl of fresh strawberries just as I’d thought about getting up to get more chicken, and I could hardly say no, so I enjoyed those with a sweet orange mouse. I was stuffed to the brim. I wobbled out of the dining room.

Today I spent some time with our Executive Chef in the galley. I had planned to do some time-lapse videos of service, but we both agreed I should go back for a dinner service one evening and really capture the hustle and bustle of this incredible space, and the team of chefs when they’re at their finest moment. So, on that note, watch this space. The young man below was preparing the vegetables for tonights soup.

When I was in the galley, I’d spotted one chef plating up some chilli con carne, so that’s what I then ordered for my lunch. It came with jalapenos and guacamole, but I don’t like jalapenos and I can’t have anything with avocado, so I asked for my meal without those but with extra sour cream. Oh, it was good! It was really good!

There’s a crew competition on at the moment. Some of them have been making the most incredible Christmas themed lanterns out of rubbish, basically, and some of them are insanely good. I voted for number 3, I think the message around the outside of it speaks volumes about the world we live in today, plus, it looks very impressive.

For the rest of today I am doing nothing. We’re at anchor off Kangaroo Island tomorrow and I know the next few days of festivities are going to include too much food, too much partying, too many late nights and whatever else comes our way, so I’m taking the rest of the day on a as it comes basis. Having generously been given some wrapping paper from the girls at guest services (because I’m SO unorganised) I may go and wrap a few presents, once I’ve been back to see them to borrow some Sellotape! 😉 I know, I’m so demanding!

DECEMBER 24TH – PENNESHAW, KANGAROO ISLAND, AUSTRALIA

Well, it’s Christmas Eve, that came around quickly! We’ve been at anchor off Kangaroo Island today, but it’s been a bit of a funny day. My tour was cancelled and then because of the swell, the crew had to relocate the pontoon several times. It meant that independent passengers without tickets for the tenders didn’t get the opportunity to go ashore until noon. Not the end of the world, as we’re here until 7pm. Still plenty of time to explore.

I hadn’t been feeling 100% all morning, so I decided in the end to stay on Boudicca. I didn’t want to get all the way ashore to then realise I should have just stayed on the ship and taken the day easy. I don’t want to feel under the weather tomorrow. Don’t worry, I’m not unwell, I’m just not feeling like myself. I’m hoping I’m not getting cold because of all the temperature fluctuations we’ve had in the last 2 weeks.

So, what have I actually spent my time doing today? Well, I’ve trekked the decks taking some photographs of the Christmas decorations on cabin doors. Some of them are brilliant and make mine luck utterly pathetic. Never mind.

I’ve also wrapped the rest of my presents for people and I’m now looking forward to enjoying some of the evening before having an early night. Santa Claus won’t visit my cabin if I stay up until the morning hours. 😉

December 25th – At Sea – MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

This was my first Christmas away from home, so naturally, I was quite apprehensive. Some days it felt like Christmas and other days it didn’t, it was weird. I just didn’t know what to really expect.

Christmas morning was great fun. The sun was shining, and we had a deck party from 11am. Everyone was out, enjoying the mulled wine and egg nog that was going around the decks. There were games, music, dancing and more. I really did enjoy myself and it was nice to sit on the deck and exchange gifts with passengers and crew. Now, it felt like the big day. It was a great atmosphere and the crew went above and beyond to ensure everyone got into the Christmas spirit, even the few scrooges around the ship managed to crack a smile and whisper ‘Merry Christmas’ as you passed them on the stairs or in the lifts.

There was a lovely Gala Buffet in the afternoon, complete with a chocolate fountain and various meats, cheeses and nuts. It all looked amazing. They were also serving glazed ham in the dining room and I was so tempted but decided to save myself for dinner.

Our main Christmas meal was served at dinner time and the tables in the restaurants looked lovely. We had crackers to pull and jokes to read, and a menu that offered something for everyone. Of course, I had to order a traditional turkey dinner and I’d also made a request several days in advance for some Yorkshire puddings. I couldn’t have my Christmas dinner without them, and the galley team were more than happy to oblige. I also asked for extra sprouts and I’ll be honest, that was the first time I’ve had sprouts on a ship that were cooked exactly how I like them. There’s nothing worse than a hard sprout but these were perfect. I know, you’re probably not bothered in the slightest, but I REALLY like sprouts.

In all, I thoroughly enjoyed my first Christmas at sea and haven spoken to a lot of people that have celebrated at sea before, they all said how good the party on Boudicca was. They hadn’t expected it to go on for as long as it did, or for the crew to get right into the heart of it and let their hair down. They were all throwing each other in the pool, dancing with passengers and generally having a great time. It was nice to see them enjoy the day for a while without the thought of work.

DECEMBER 26 – 27 – MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

Our arrival into Melbourne was cold and grey, but the sun soon came out to play. I used the shuttle service into the city from the port. It’s $15 for the initial card, but you can top this up as you go, and use it on the trams within the city. Although, there is a section of the tram network that is free.

It was bedlam. Boxing Day sales were in full swing and the streets were crammed several deep with people hunting for bargains. I stopped off at one mall complex, walked in, turned around and walked straight back out, I couldn’t face that many people. I walked back through the city, dodging the crowds, stopped for some lunch at Mad Mex (one of my favourite places to eat in Australia) and then made my way towards the shuttle pick-up point. This was conveniently right next to Southbank, a beautiful waterfront area on the opposite side of the bridge to the bustling city. I took a walk right along the river front, admired the view and then stopped for a drink before heading back. It was nice to explore under my own steam. I hadn’t realised that there’s a nice mall there. If I’d known, I would have stopped to look as this area wasn’t as busy as the city centre.

Boudicca is docked within walking distance of South Melbourne beach, so when I spotted that the weather forecast for today was going to be warmer and less windy than yesterday, I knew where I’d be going, but then I changed my mind. It’s a huge beach and the waterfront is gorgeous. There are shops and restaurants to enjoy along the way, but I just wasn’t in a beach mood by the time I decided to head ashore. Instead, I decided to use the rest of my credit for the bus and go back into the city, this time in the opposite direction to yesterday. I walked, stopped for lunch, browsed some shops and then made my way back. It’s quite hot out there now and I was ready to come home and enjoy a Diet Pepsi on deck.

AT SEA – December 28th + HOBART, TASMANIA – DECEMBER 29 + AT SEA – December 30th

The last few days have been busy, busy, busy. I’ve been doing more behind-the-scenes things so I can share them with you, but we’ve also visited Hobart since I last checked in.

Let’s get going. So, on the 28th, I was kindly allowed to go and visit the ships main laundry. I was desperate to get in there and give some recognition to these people that we never see, yet they’re always there, making sure we have clean bedding, clean towels and everything in between. It was smaller than I expected it to be, but it was a hive of activity. Towels were being washed and dried in the HUGE industrial sized machines, there were 2 people pressing garments that passengers had sent down, a man who was repairing crew uniforms and a young man pressing the napkins. It’s a non-stop operation that continues around the clock. I’d arrived at relatively calm moment – clean bedding day was the 29th. Before I left, I thanked them for all of their hard work and assured them that it doesn’t go unnoticed. It’s easy to sit down at dinner every night, unfold your clean napkin and enjoy a delicious meal before retiring to your clean bed, without giving any of it a second thought. We should all remember the lad’s downstairs making all of this happen and how very important they are.

We docked in Hobart yesterday and finally the sun came out! I began the day with a RIB ride around the harbour and it was brilliant. Perfect sea conditions, probably the best so far. We stopped at a few points along the way and were given information on the area, but there was also plenty of time to enjoy the thrill of speeding through the water at 30 Knotts. I’ll definitely be doing it again. I’ll also take my phone with me next time to get some clearer photos – lighting wasn’t too good for this budding photographer.

During the RIB tour, we passed Roseberry mine, Signal Station, several residential areas and a zinc factory. It was nice to see everything up close. We also had the opportunity to go under the Hobart bridge, that was exciting! At one place we stopped, we noticed an old shipwreck. We didn’t know anything about it, but our Coxswain, Scott, kindly put some information together for us to read. It turns out that the rusting vessels were old landing crafts from World War 2. They were taken to Incat shipyard for repairs, but after being deemed unrepairable, they were taken to the shoreline and left as breakwaters for the road behind.

After the RIB tour, I walked into town and spent a few hours exploring and having lunch. We’d arrived at the end of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and everywhere along the waterfront was crammed with people. It was a nice atmosphere, but the main town was almost deserted. Not that I cared. I actually came back to Boudicca a few hours before the back onboard time because we had a special show on the aft deck from the Hobart Police Pipe Band. I really wanted to see them, so I cut my shoreside time short, made my way home and took my seat for the performance. They were excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

We’re at sea today and I have been up to the bridge, just to check we’re on the right heading for Sydney. It’s quite windy out there, so I couldn’t get any video footage, but I will try again. I spoke with the 3rd Officer and she was telling me all about the equipment. She explained the auto-pilot system, showed me our predicted route into Sydney and pointed out the all-important button for the ships horn. She also explained the thruster system, noted the panels on the bridge for monitoring the ships’ 4 engines and mentioned a very small device that notes the ships degree of list. I’ve not been shown that before on any ship. It was really interesting. Today, we have a head wind, so the gauge was virtually at zero. Very cool!

Below shows our current location and one thing that is noticeable today is the smell of the bushfires in the air. There’s also a thick haze across the sky. So sad. I feel so terribly sorry for the people and animals that have been affected. It’s roughly 20 Degrees Celsius today, but by the time we get to Sydney tomorrow, it’s set to peak at around 35!

Some people have asked if the behind-the-scenes things I’ve been doing are available to all as a tour and sadly, they are not. I’ve been granted special permission to access these areas in order to bring you some info and images, so we can all enjoy it. As I’m sure you can appreciate, taking a group of people into these areas is not practical and it’s not something any ships tend to do. Regardless, I hope you’re enjoying it all.

DECEMBER 31 – 2 – SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

Sydney was an absolute pleasure! It was my second visit, but it included the iconic New Year’s Eve celebrations this time.

We arrived late morning on December 31^st and it was very hot and muggy. We could also smell the bushfire smoke in the air and for a brief time, we’d had a blanket of it covering us as we sailed towards to the port – it was very eerie. Nevertheless, our sail-in was spectacular and compared to how it had been there in previous weeks, we were very lucky to arrive on what was a relatively clear day in the city.

I stayed onboard on the 31^st because the ferry services were only running for a few hours, so I relaxed and prepared for the evening ahead. It was a formal evening and there was a gala dinner offered in the main restaurants, so I donned my glad rags and off I went to the Tintagel for what was a very nice surf and turf dinner. I left the restaurant shortly before 7:30pm and made my way out onto the open decks to meet up with friends and get ourselves ready for the fireworks. There had been a lot of people in Australia who were against the fireworks going ahead this year, for obvious reasons, and I could fully understand where they were coming from. We’d all been talking about it onboard and said that if they were cancelled at the last minute, then they were cancelled. Simple as that. A big part of me was surprised that they went ahead, especially as the wind in the evening picked up dramatically.

Midnight crept ever closer and then, the countdown started. It was a spectacular sight, it really was. I’d spent hours researching options for viewing points and getting in and out of the city, deciding at the last minute to stay onboard. I’m glad I did. We had a brilliant view of the harbour and could see 95% of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. I’ve watched Sydney’s New Year’s Eve fireworks on TV for as long as I can remember, but to actually be there was something else. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I’ll never forget it.

After a night of celebrations, it was time to drag myself out of bed and head ashore. Boudicca was docked at White Bay, but there was a complimentary ferry service running between the ship and Darling Harbour. I boarded the ferry and off I went. It was warm and sunny, but not uncomfortable for exploring, so once we arrived at Kings Wharf, I started my walk towards Circular Quay. Surprisingly, I could vaguely remember the route I had taken last year when I visited on Black Watch, I only had to check Google Maps once to make sure I was heading in the right direction.

Once I made it to Circular Quay, I stopped for some lunch before beginning what would be a five-and-a-half-hour trek around Sydney. I went everywhere, including along the dock at the International Cruise Terminal because there was no ship in port. That was a nice change and I managed to get some nice images of Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House.

I stopped to buy a drink and watch the world go by for 10 minutes before heading into The Rocks area and then along George Street and back into the city centre. Before boarding the ferry back home, I walked along the front in Darling Harbour, it hadn’t changed much since last year and it was packed with people enjoying the start of a new year. There’s so much to do in Sydney, but I did everything I’d wanted to do. Had the weather been a little better, I would have taken the ferry across to Manly and enjoyed the beaches there. Yes, it was warm and sunny, but in the wind, it was quite chilly. One can’t enjoy the beach with goose pimples.

I was well and truly shattered by the time I got back, and in the evening, my legs and feet were aching. I treated myself to a night of relaxation time with a movie and room service.

AT SEA – January 3rd

We’ve had a sea day today and in between washing, ironing and topping up my suntan, I’ve been back to the Atlantis Spa to see Lorraine and have the BIG chop. My hair has been so dry and coarse for weeks because of the sun and saltwater, and I just couldn’t stand it anymore. I have a habit of growing my hair very long and then having it cut to shoulder length, and that time was way overdue. It’s one or the other for me, there’s nothing in the middle. I’m so pleased with it (it’s nice to not look like a scarecrow anymore) but Lorraine was far too happy about chopping it all off! 😉

We’ll be in Brisbane tomorrow and I’m booked on the ‘Gold Coast on Your Own’ tour. We should get around 4 hours of free time and having never been to the Gold Coast before, I’m very much looking forward to it. Time to charge the batteries, pack the bag and then meet on deck with friends to enjoy what I’m hoping will be a spectacular sunset.

JANUARY 4 – BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA

Brisbane was heaps of fun. I went to the Gold Coast for the day.

I boarded the Kangaroo Bus and off we went. It took one hour and thirty minutes to get there and when we exited the coach it was 30+ Degrees. The first stop just had to be Surfers Paradise beach. It’s huge! It goes on for miles in each direction, and it was packed with people enjoying the summer break. I could see where it gets its name from, some of the waves were pretty big and it was a bit too rough for me to want to swim. I was happy just sitting on the sand. When I felt like I was starting to boil from the mid-day sun, I moved on.

I walked around the shopping streets and stopped for lunch before going back to the beach for a while and then back into the town. I have no idea what came over me, but I decided at the spur of the moment (literally 20 minutes before I had to be back at the coach) to get another piercing in my left ear. I had that done at Celebrity Ink. It was weird, a huge tattoo and piercing parlour in the middle of a shopping mall! It gets great reviews and many of their tattoo artists are world renowned. I’m happy with my little stud and thanks to Chef Neil, I have pure sea salt to clean it. Talk about above and beyond!

AT SEA – January 6th and 7th

I’ve spent our 2 sea days doing my chores and relaxing. I had 2 unscheduled days, basically, no set places to be or things to do. I’ve lounged in the sun, ate my way around the ship, coloured my hair, prepared my bag for my outing tomorrow in Townsville and managed to get the rest of my washing done. Honestly, you really need to use your sea days wisely on trips like this. They become your job/rest days, but they don’t last for long. You blink and the day is gone.

We had a seafood lunch buffet yesterday and if there’s one thing Fred. Olsen knows how to do properly it’s seafood. It was amazing! Lobster, crab claws, shrimp, clams, you name it they had it. It’s always one of the most popular buffets and the main dining rooms were quite busy from the second the doors opened.

I’ve been craving a burger for days, so I had to make a stop at The Grill. They do really nice burgers onboard, never greasy, and this one comes with a red onion marmalade and brie. Although, I swap out the brie for mozzarella, it melts better than the brie and is there anything better than melted mozzarella? I don’t think so.

We’ve enjoyed some scenic cruising today, through the Whitsunday Islands. It’s very humid now and it briefly rained, but the sun is trying to break through the clouds again. It’s stunning out there. So many gorgeous islands and most of them are uninhabited. it’s nice to sit on deck and just watch the world pass us by.

Townsville tomorrow and I have a date with some local wildlife.

JANUARY 7 – TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA 

Boudicca has been docked in Townsville today and for a short stay, I’ve crammed in quite a lot! I really enjoyed my time here, it’s such a nice place and there’s so much you can do.

My first stop was the Billabong Sanctuary which is an approx. 20-minute drive from the port. I had a private tour here and spent my time learning all about the animals with a wonderful man named Ray. This guy knows everything about the animals at the sanctuary and it was a privilege to be hosted by him. I also met Bob, the owner of Billabong. He and his wife officially opened the sanctuary in 1985.

The first animal cutie I met was Wonda, the bear nosed wombat. She was huge and happy snoozing on the bench as Ray told me all about her and wombats in general. They have a hard shell-type plate at the bottom of their lower back, and this helps to protect them from predators. They can shuffle their bum into the entrance of their burrow, blocking it completely and protecting the softer tissue with that hard plate. I felt it. It was solid!

I also met Banjo, an older koala who was quite content sitting in his tree, waiting until it was his turn to meet the visitors. The koalas at Billabong only work for 30 minutes a day and only 3 days per week. They have photos taken with visitors and there are feeding demonstrations. Ray explained that legally they can show the animals 6 days per week, but they don’t like to do that here. Animal welfare is top priority.

Kangaroos, crocodiles, wallabies, and numerous bird and reptile species can also be found at Billabong, but you must not miss the friendly Dingo’s! I was fortunate enough to go inside their enclosure and it was such a nice experience. They were super friendly, I even had kisses at one point. There are 2 females and one male, and morning walkies is at 11am. I’ve walked around all day with a muddy dingo paw across my foot, they were that excited to say hello when Ray opened the gate.

The sanctuary offers daily shows, including crocodile feeding, hands-on with reptiles (education-type classes), koala feeding, turtle feeding and more. Check out the website for full information as even the kids can get involved with Little Rangers programmes to learn more about animal conservation.

From Billabong it was back into Townsville and to The Strand for lunch, but first a quick stop at Castle Hill to admire the view.

There are several restaurant options in The Strand, but I went to Cbar and it was superb. Make this your lunch option if you visit, you’ll not be disappointed. The menu has a varied selection of fish, meat and vegetarian dishes and the view across the bay of the beach and across to Magnetic Island sets the tone perfectly. The owner also told me that it wasn’t uncommon to see turtles, reef sharks and whales in the bay. How’s that for dinner and a show!

The food at C Bar was something else! I ordered starter dishes, instead of one big meal and my taste buds were blown! The tempura soft shell crab with coconut curry sauce was exquisite. The nicest soft-shell crab I’ve ever tasted, so much flavour! I also ordered scallops with a butter bean puree and they too left me wanting more. Even the beer battered chips were moreish.

We’re sailing for Cairns soon and I have more packed days of exploring to enjoy.

JANUARY 8 -10 – CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA

Cairns is now on the list as one of my favourite places in Australia. There’s so much to see and do, and we had the perfect berth, right in the heart of town and within walking distance of numerous bars, restaurants and shopping centres.

If there’s one thing you must do when you visit, it’s take a trip to Kuranda, the village in the rainforest. Kuranda is the world’s oldest living tropical rainforest and is home to the Djabugay people. The rainforests here are protected and were added to the International World Heritage list in 1988, to ensure their preservation.

I started my visit with a trip on the SkyRail. I am terrified of heights, as I’ve already told you, and although the views were spectacular and the sounds coming from the rainforest below hypnotic, I really didn’t enjoy the ride. I don’t know why I keep putting myself through these things. Maybe I’m scared I miss something, but that’s it for me now, I am not doing another SkyRail. I was that person that smiled at the people in the passing cabs, then shut my eyes and prayed for mercy once they’d gone. Anyway, there are 3 SkyRail stations. The first is Red Peak and here you can do a short rainforest walk with a ranger and learn more about the vegetation and tropical climate. The second stop is Barron Falls which allows the perfect opportunity to admire its namesake and you absolutely must alight here and go and see this incredible natural wonder. It’s stunning. The third stop brings you to Kuranda, and this is where the fun really begins.

The village is packed with markets and dining outlets, but there’s so much more going on for you to enjoy, including the butterfly sanctuary, art galleries, the Koala Gardens, bird world and a fossil and gemstone museum. You need to allow yourself a full day to do everything.

There are several markets, but the original one opened in 1978 and the Honey House was the first store to begin trading. The honey they produce is delicious and you can see the bees in a glass fronted hive. They are free to come and go as they please. Make sure you stop and sample some of the honey they produce and if you can’t resist, buy a few bottles to take home. My favourites were Blushwood and Moreton Bay Ash.

I spent most of my time enjoying the markets and some of the art galleries. I stopped near the Koala Gardens for lunch, at a restaurant named Frogs. They had lots to choose from, including huge burgers and share-size pizza, but it was the curry that caught my eye. I had a small serving of spinach and chickpea and it was very nice.

My next visit was to the Koala Gardens and just as I entered, the heavens opened. It wouldn’t stop raining for the rest of the day, but that didn’t matter. I had my umbrella. There’s lots of different wildlife here, including kangaroos, crocodiles, koalas (obviously), nocturnal creatures and reptiles. You can also pay to hold a koala and have your photograph taken, which I did. He was so sweet, but half asleep. It was so humid that most of the animals were asleep, taking a break from the heat and just relaxing.

I sheltered from the rain before making a break for it and exploring the other markets and slowly making my way towards the Kuranda Railway Station, which was constructed in 1915.

I had a Gold Class ticket which meant my journey included drinks and nibbles. It was probably the most spectacular train ride I’ve ever been on. It takes one and a half hours to get from Kuranda to Freshwater and the views at points are breath-taking. There’s so much natural beauty. The best view is at Barron Falls where the train makes a 10-minute stop for photographs. Barron Gorge National Park was established in 1940 and it’s considered one of Queensland’s most picturesque parks. The best views are from the left side of the train, if travelling from Kuranda.

Construction began on the railway in 1887 and there is 37km of track between Kuranda and Cairns. It took 1500 men to build the railway, most of Irish and Italian descent, and the ascent brings you to 327 metres above sea level. Most of the carriages today date back to the early 1900s and they are made from Silky Oak timber. It’s just remarkable.

Cairns as a city is a nice place to explore on foot, most things of interest are within walking distance and you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to food and shopping. I spent some time walking around and I came across a tree on Abbot Street that was alive with sound. As I got closer, I could see that it was full of fruit bats. They are protected here, but apparently the locals aren’t too keen on them. They are noisy and they smell. The tree they call home overhangs the street and it looked lovely, it was a nice photo opportunity, but there was no way I was walking down it. The fear of being pooped on pushed me into the heat of the sun on the opposite side.

During my walk, I essentially went around in one big circle, starting at the Esplanade and ending way out on the other side of town on McLeod Street. A stroll along the Esplanade is a must. The tide was out when I went on my walk and there was a dozen or so pelicans relaxing on the sand. I also noticed that the sand seemed to be moving, and it was! There were hundreds of little crabs foraging for food and dragging what they found down into their little home holes.

I Googled ‘cheap eats in Cairns’ and a place called The Roti Shack popped up. As our back onboard time was 1:30pm today, I decided my main focus would be lunch, so off I went in search of the above. I had a chicken curry roti with curried potato and rice. It was the nicest roti I’ve had outside of the Caribbean.

We have one day at sea now before our first call in Papua New Guinea.

AT SEA – January 11

My sea day between Cairns and Alotau was uneventful. I spent most of it trying to figure out HTML coding for something on my blog and fixing a software issue on my camera. The camera is now fixed, but I’m still no further forward with the coding. That, quite literally, was my day. On that note, I’ll just jump straight to our first call in Papua New Guinea.

JANUARY 12 – ALOTAU, PAPUA NEW GUINEA

I’ve always wanted to visit Papua New Guinea to learn more about the tribes and their history and now, here I am! We have 3 calls in all, but our first was today.

We are docked in Alotau which is the capital of the Milne Bay province. The town and the surrounding water comprise the site of the 1942 battle of Milne Bay, where the invading Japanese Special Naval Landings Forces encountered its first defeat in the Pacific during World War II. This was mostly at the hands of the allied forces, predominantly the Australians.

I booked the ‘Milne Bay Village Life’ tour and it was fantastic. Boudicca had a traditional welcome from several locals on the quayside and after a few minutes enjoying that, I was on my tour bus. We had 2 guides plus our driver, and they were a fountain of knowledge. They had an answer to every question that was asked and clearly take great pride in their work and their origins.

We passed the local airport and made a stop at one of the world’s largest palm oil plantations, but the highlight of the tour by far was Bibiko Village. We were welcomed to the village by way of a traditional Kundu drum ceremony which is part of the Tawala culture. It was so energetic. Those performing were from a neighbouring village which is a 2 hour walk away!

The area is vast, and you can enjoy walking around the grounds, chatting with the locals and admiring the huge war canoe which sits to the back of the village. Everyone was incredibly friendly and happy to chat with us about their culture and way of life. Our guides had told us all about the cannibalism days, when tribes would kill the men from other tribes and keep their women. They even joked that their ancestors would pass around messages to other tribes in the area telling them not to eat the legs of the men, as the meat wasn’t very lean. They were very open when it came to telling us about their ancestors and how they lived in those days. After all, this is the historic cannibalistic hinterland.

I was also surprised to learn that although there are over 80 languages spoken across Papua New Guinea (each tribe having their own) the official language is English. Another interesting thing our guide told us was that the men can make decisions on various things, but it’s the women who have the final say on everything. Woman is boss here.

During our time at Bibiko, we also had the chance to learn about the foods the local people eat and how the Western world has influenced them over the years. We sampled mango, papaya, yam, pumpkin, taro and even a fresh fish soup. Things such as the yam, pumpkin, Taro and banana are all steamed together in the same clay pot which is covered with leaves from the trees to keep in the heat. It was very interesting because although it was all cooked together, the flavours didn’t seem to mingle, not to my taste, anyway. Fire is still created by rubbing wood together and they demonstrated that during our time there. It quite literally took one man less than 35 seconds to get an ember burning and once he added the dry inner of the coconut, he soon had a healthy fire. That would have taken me at least the entire day!

Papua New Guinea has not disappointed me and I’m now even more excited for our next ports. It’s a poor place and it can be somewhat of a culture shock, but the people are incredibly friendly and very welcoming. I felt quite relaxed and at home. I absolutely recommend this tour if you visit. It’s a MUST.

AT SEA – January 13

Before I give you an update on my sea day, I want to share with you the efforts of those onboard to raise funds for the Australian Bushfire Appeal. A few days ago, we had a fundraising event on the aft decks of Boudicca which also included a silent auction for a navigational chart of Australia, signed by the Senior Bridge Officers. I’m delighted to tell you that Boudicca guests and crew raised a whopping £3,500!

Fundraising efforts continued at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ head office with a dress down day, raffle and bake sale, taking the total raised to £5,000.

We all felt we had to do something. We’d been so incredibly lucky during our Australian trip and we left Kangaroo Island just days before the island was devastated by fire. They lost half of their koala population and several people were killed.

The funds raised onboard Boudicca and at head office will be split equally between the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park, which has taken in hundreds of native wildlife and injured koalas, and the South Australian Bushfire Appeal.

Struggling to find time to go back and forth to the guest launderette, I sent a bag of clothes to ships laundry the day before yesterday and it was delivered to my cabin last night. I was tired and couldn’t be bothered to deal with it, so I left it until this morning to put away. I sent several t-shirts and below is how they were returned. I love it, so neat and tidy. I’ll send them again just for the presentation. I’m easily pleased.

I went along to the cooking demonstration earlier today by Executive Chef Niel Myles. He was cooking dishes from The Grill menu, Boudicca’s speciality restaurant offering steak and seafood. I love The Grill and it was nice to find out more about the ingredients used and the cooking methods. I try to cook at home, but I always make a mess of everything. He made it look so easy and managed to cook scallops, steak and seabass within just a few minutes. If that were me, I’d either have them way undercooked, or so overcooked they would be inedible. I’m not gifted with culinary skills, I’m only good at eating the food.

I’ve also been to Reception and RSVP’d to my invitation for a special party that’s coming up on the 16th for Platinum and Diamond Elite guests. I’m very much looking forward to that. We’re promised some exciting entertainment. Watch this space…

It’s poured with rain for most of the day, but we’ve all got our fingers crossed that it stops by the time we reach Madang tomorrow.

JANUARY 14 – MADANG, PAPUA NEW GUINEA

There’s so much poverty here, more than 80% of those in Madang are unemployed, but they are some of the most welcoming and happy people I’ve ever met. Everyone waves as you pass, they will shout ‘hello’ and ‘welcome’, and the kids can’t contain their excitement at seeing these visitors from distant lands.

It’s been another incredible day in this amazing country. My tour today was changed slightly at the last moment. There is an ongoing land dispute at the village we were supposed to visit, so we ended up going to a village named Siar, which is on the northern side of Madang.

Although I went to a village in Alotau, it was very different to Siar. Here, we were right in the heart of the community, surrounded by homes and people going about their daily chores. There were dozens of children running around, all excited to see us and desperate to have their photographs taken. I asked 3 younger children if they wanted to do a selfie. They didn’t really understand, but once they spotted themselves on the screen, they were giddy with excitement. Further along the village, several other children asked if we could have a photograph, they were shouting and telling all of their friends to join in. I had to use every ounce of strength in my legs to stop myself from falling over, they virtually mobbed me. It was hilarious and we all loved it.

Our group enjoyed a traditional dance from the villagers, but it was far more relaxed than what we’d experienced in Alotau, not quite as energetic and far less aggressive – that’s the only way I can describe it. That’s why I booked village tours, to see and experience the different traditions and tribes. Just because it’s the same country doesn’t mean it’s all the same thing, one community can be very different from the next.

We were also given a canoe carving demonstration, shown how they make the local alcohol (Kava) and offered food treats of corn on the cob, yam, potato and more. All of the food had been cooked together in a pot with coconut meat and milk – delicious!

We were welcome to try the Kava, but it didn’t look very appetising and in 90% humidity and 31 Degree heat, it was the last thing any of us wanted. Kava root is used to make this drink which has sedative, anaesthetic, and euphoriant properties.

I don’t know what the original village we were supposed to visit is like, but I left Siar with the feeling I got an honest look at traditional life for hundreds of thousands of Papua New Guineans. Most of the village properties in Siar are thatched roofed wooden huts, one looked like it was about to fall down, but this is home for them.

I feel hugely privileged to have been there and welcomed by the community. I got the impression that many of the children had never seen Westerners before, they wanted to touch us, speak to us and give high fives.

Papua New Guinea is one of those places in the world that I wish everyone could visit. Maybe if we all had the opportunity in life to experience cultures far different from our own, people would be more tolerant of each other and ultimately the world would be a nicer place.

JANUARY 15 – WEWAK, PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Wewak was another interesting port in Papua New Guinea, but sadly, I didn’t see a great deal of it, which I was hugely disappointed about. I had a terrible thirst and headache all morning and I just couldn’t stand the heat and humidity. I did get the shuttle bus into town, but I wasn’t there long. There was little shade and I think my body was telling me to go home, so I did. I spent the rest of the day in the air conditioning or if I did go on deck, I sat where there was a slight breeze and some shade.

We did have some locals on the dock who were singing and dancing in their traditional tribal wear. They were brilliant, but their outfits were quite scary compared to others we’d seen on the island. Their style of dance, to me, was also far more aggressive, almost like they were gearing up for battle. I thoroughly enjoyed the enthusiasm and effort they put in for us.

AT SEA – January 16-18

We had a tug of war on our first sea day, but it was postponed briefly due to a massive downpour. The teams were introduced and then our Cruise Director stopped play just before the heavens opened. We did manage to have it in the end and although they didn’t win the overall competition, the bar staff won 2 rounds for the first time in years! The winning team was the Chief Officers who knocked the engine boys off the top spot. It was great fun.

Oceans is Fred. Olsen’s loyalty club and a few days ago I went from Gold to Platinum, so I was invited to an exclusive cocktail party. It was fabulous, we had canapés, drinks and our Executive Chef was cooking garlic prawns at the live cooking station – they were amazingly good! If there’s one thing Fred. Knows how to do it’s put on a good party and the ones I’ve enjoyed on this cruise have been brilliant. We also had a cabaret show with several crew members showcasing their vocal talents. I’ll be bringing you the Crew Show in the coming weeks, so keep an eye on my Facebook page for the video!

During our time in Papua New Guinea, our chef went ashore and bought a variety of fresh local fruits, so they were the star of the show for our Asian buffet. Everyone was desperate to try the different offerings. I’m still hoping to get my hands on a coconut. Wish me luck!

A Deck 6 fashion show and ‘surfing the line’ party were yesterday’s highlights and what a fabulous time everyone had. It was very funny, and a rain cloud was nowhere to be seen. Not only were we treated to seeing our Captain and our Cruise Director modelling matching dresses (I almost choked on my drink when Captain Degerlund strutted his stuff along the deck in his dress and ladies’ orange hat) we enjoyed an afternoon of live music, rum punch and dancing. We didn’t actually cross the equator, hence the name of the party. We sailed along it for the entire day, so our location was 0 degrees north and 0 degrees south – the first time I’ve experienced that on a cruise. We won’t cross the equator until we sail from Bali and head for Singapore.

It’s 33 Degrees out there today and there’s barely a breeze. I managed to enjoy the sun for one hour before admitting defeat and freshening up. My task for the rest of today is to transfer files to my hard drive, I have thousands of video and image files that need to be backed up, so that’s going to take me some time. I must also stop by the photo gallery to pick up some pictures I ordered, and I need to exchange some money at reception, ready for our call to Ambon tomorrow. I barely brought any foreign currency with me. I much prefer to exchange onboard when I cruise with Fred. Olsen because they give you a very fair rate. One of the only cruise lines that does, in my opinion.

JANUARY 19 – AMBON, MALAKU, INDONESIA

Boudicca has been docked in Ambon today, the capital city of the Indonesian province of Maluku. Ambon was actually the first city in Southeast Asia to be recognised as a UNESCO City of Music, in 2019.

It’s quite a small place and as it’s Sunday, so a lot of things were closed. Nevertheless, I enjoyed our time here. It’s what I’d call a ‘real’ place. There’s nothing flash and fancy, and no huge department stores on every corner. It’s an honest look at life in this amazing country.

We received a very warm welcome from the locals, with live music going on throughout the day on the quayside. There were even banners up right along the main street welcoming us all. I’d never seen that before.

I walked around for a few hours, stopping at the local market to admire the seafood, spices and vegetables. Most places in the market would only accept local currency, so shopping there was out of the question as all I had were US dollars. I enjoyed the walk and speaking with the locals, everyone is so incredibly friendly. I wish all people in the world were as welcoming as they are in Indonesia.

The main street is just a short walk from the ship, so I had a wander up to the main town square. I did want to see the Christina Martha Tiahahu Monument, but it’s a one hour walk and I wasn’t jumping for joy at that in 40 Degree heat. Sometimes you have to be sensible and appreciate what you have right in front of you, so that’s what I did.

I was stopped no less than 20 times today by locals who wanted to take a selfie with me. Of course, I always said yes, but it got to the point where I could barely walk 100 yards without someone asking for a photograph. I should have asked why, really, but I’m guessing it’s because of my rosy cheeks. Who knows?

We are hoping to have a BBQ on deck tonight, so I’ll share that with you tomorrow. I can’t wait!

AT SEA – January 20th

We had a very nice Indonesian BBQ on Deck 6 last night. The smells wafting around the decks wouldn’t let anyone walk away without at least having a look. There was a varied choice of foods, including beef skewers, grilled fish, sausages, fried rice, spiced chicken and spareribs. Everything looked so nice, especially the exotic fruits that chef Niel has been buying over the last few days. They’d opened some of the coconuts and the meat inside was so thick. I managed to resist, but then a friend onboard whipped one away for me and I sat and enjoyed it while listening to the lovely keyboard sounds from Martin Fernandez. I love his style and he’s a nice person to sit and chat with.

Today, I’ve been back behind the scenes for you, this time learning all about Boudicca’s food stores. Levy is the ships storekeeper and his job is one of the most important onboard, he is responsible for ordering all of the food provisions and keeping a check of stock levels to ensure the ship doesn’t run out of anything. It’s a massive responsibility and I can appreciate how challenging it must be on cruises such as the Grand Voyage. Obviously, not everything is as easy to get in some ports as it is in others.

I had a peek inside the stores, fridges and freezers, and they were packed with vegetables, seafood, condiments, flour, potatoes and more. You name it, it’s onboard. I can also confirm that the freezers work, my goodness! I’d been out on deck earlier and it was 33 Degrees in the shade, going into the freezer was a massive shock to the system, but I could have stayed in the fridge all day and kept cool.

Everything was super tidy and easily accessible. They’ve been making space as we’re due to take on more supplies in the coming days. It’s incredible how much food we consume, and in a relatively short space of time. To give you an example, this is a rough idea of what was devoured in approx. 15 days:

Fish – 3,905.19kg

Beef – 1,282.46kg

Poultry – 4,101.04kg

Vegetables – 11.44 tonnes

Fresh eggs – 30,280 pieces

Milk – 6,110.00 litres

Cheese – 689.77kg

Another Gala Buffet was the lunch highlight today. We were spoiled, yet again, with a huge variety of seafood, but it was a particular chocolate cake that caught my eye. It looked AMAZING!!!! There was a slice already cut, but it was the entire cake that I was tempted to walk away with. Absolutely delicious!! The cakes onboard have been incredibly good. Everything onboard has been very good, I can’t fault the food at all. I don’t think anyone can.

Passengers who have been attending the art classes displayed some of their works today outside The Secret Garden. All I can say is that there are some seriously talented people onboard. They are fantastic! I especially like the one of the man in the middle of the image below, and the turtle to the left of him. Actually, I really wished I’d known they were doing paintings like this as it’s something I would have enjoyed getting involved with. I’ll be keeping a much closer eye on these classes from now on, maybe I can showcase some of my own work, although, I doubt it would be as good as these!

We’ll be back on Komodo Island tomorrow and I’m off to visit the local village of Kampung. I can’t tell you how hard it was not to book to go back to the Pink Beach, but then again, we’re expecting rain tomorrow, so maybe it was meant to be.

JANUARY 21 – KOMODO ISLAND, INDONESIA

We’ve been back to Komodo Island today and my tour was to Komodo Village (also known as Bugis) just on the other side of the island from where they take you to see the Komodo Dragons.

It was a short boat ride to get there, no longer than 20 minutes, and our group was very small, only 8 of us including our escort. Perfect.

The village is home to around 1000 people and it’s like stepping back in time. These people literally have nothing, they’re not even allowed to grow fruits and vegetables because the land is owned by the government and it’s prohibited. I find that very sad. Most of the men here are fisherman, some are also wood carvers and they carve the Komodo Dragons to sell to the tourists that visit the village, and those that visit Komodo National Park. The island has no electricity, the locals rely on a generator that is switched off each evening.

We started the tour at the local primary school and the children were so full of energy, they were excited that we were there, and they were desperate for photographs and selfies. Education here is provided for free until a certain age and after that, it’s the parents responsibility to find the money to pay for further education, so that the children can hopefully attend university one day. If the family does not have the money, the children will likely become fishermen, just like their fathers.

When we left the school, we were supposed to have 2 hours walking around the village, but it was so incredibly hot. There was no shade and nowhere for us to rest, so as a group we decided to cut the tour short. We’d seen what we wanted to see and met many of the lovely locals, there was no point dragging it out for the sake of it. Plus, I was quite worried that someone might end up with heat or sun stroke, which would have ruined their tour.

Before leaving, we did continue a short walk and passed the island cemetery and many of the local houses, these are mostly made from wood and the majority of them look like they are about to fall down. The houses are of a Panggung design, which means they are raised from the ground and hollow underneath. This is mainly to prevent flooding if there is a very high tide and to stop animals and Komodo Dragons from entering the houses.

This was the only tour I hadn’t been on in Komodo and I’m incredibly glad that I finally got to do it. If you visit places such as this and don’t leave with a massive appreciation for what you have in life and, to a degree, how easy life is for us in the west, then there is something seriously wrong. You know, when we were in Cairns, I passed a family and the youngest girl was having a tantrum because she didn’t like the game her father had bought for her. She was crying, shouting and screaming, and saying she just wanted to throw it in the bin. I come here and meet these children who have absolutely nothing, but you put a pencil and a notepad in front of them and they are the happiest souls on earth. It’s such a contrast. Travel really does open your eyes and I also think it makes you a far better human being. Well, it has made me a better person, and it’s made me far less tolerant of many people.

JANUARY 22-24 – BALI, INDONESIA 

One of the things I like most about this cruise, as an all-rounder, is having had the chance to visit some destinations more than once, including amazing Bali.

We’ve been back for 2 days and I’ve been here, there and everywhere. My trips this time were with Tours by Locals, I’ve used them before and highly recommend them if you want to have a day of exploring that you can essentially create yourself. There are set tours as well, but mine were crafted to take in the things I really wanted to see and enjoy. My guide’s name was Nyoman and he was absolutely brilliant, a real fountain of knowledge and very accommodating. I made a few changes to the original itineraries simply because of the heat and humidity (I was struggling), but it wasn’t an issue.

I’ll take you through each place we stopped at and give you some information. I’ll not tell you everything because that would then leave nothing for you to learn on your own visit to Bali.

Puja Mandala is just a 10-minute car ride from the port and it’s an exceptional place to visit. Known as the domain of worship, there is a Catholic church, Protestant church, Islamic mosque, Buddhist temple and a Hindu temple. Each of these places of worship stand side-by-side across a two-hectare site and it’s a wonderful example of religious tolerance and people living together peacefully.

The Uluwatu Temple, known locally as Pura Luhur Uluwatu, sits on the west coast of Bali, right on the coast and at 70-metres above sea level. It’s literally on the edge of a cliff. I couldn’t enter the main temple area, this is reserved for locals that wish to pray, but it’s definitely worth visiting. The views are stunning, and it has a sense of calmness. The temple is regarded as Sad Kahyangan (one of the six holiest places of worship in Bali) and is dedicated to Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa (Supreme God of Indonesian Hinduism) in his manifestation as Rudra. The complex is also home to Macaque monkeys and they’re not always very friendly. If you visit, please keep your valuables safe! Apparently, if they snatch something from you, they can be persuaded to return it if you offer them fruit. They’re definitely not stupid!

Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) is Bali’s most iconic landmark and it can be seen from miles around, it is huge. The statue depicts the Hindu God Wisnu riding the mythical eagle (Garuda), the national emblem of Indonesia. It stands at 120-metres tall and is higher than the Statue of Liberty.

In Hindu mythology, Lord Wisnu is seen as the protector of the universe and Garuda represents loyalty and selfless devotion. Kencana means gold and both Wisnu and Garuda are adorned with golden crowns. It was designed by Balinese artist Nyoman Nuarta, took 25 years to build and is made from copper and brass. The GWK complex covers a 60-hectare area and there are numerous other statues to admire, cultural performances to enjoy, shopping and dining options.

Tukad Cepung Waterfall is one of the most unique spots in Bali and if you’re fit and active, you must visit! It’s located near Ubud and sits within a cave, so there is a good walk down to get there and there are some quite steep steps. The journey down was fine but getting back up took me a little longer. My legs are aching today. Anyway, back to the waterfall. Once you reach the bottom, you have to walk along the riverbed to reach your ultimate destination and that for me was heaven. It was so hot, but the water was cool and refreshing. I squeezed my way through a very small gap between the rocks and on the other side, there it was. It is magical, truly breath-taking! It’s become a famous Instagram spot in recent years because of its location and beauty. The sound of the water falling, mixed with the birds chirping was so peaceful. I could have stayed there all day. I felt very calm and at one with nature.

The Tegallalang Rice Terrace is another impressive thing to see if you’re in the Ubud area. This is not Bali’s biggest rice field, but it is the most scenic. It’s famous for its terraced layout, which is a traditional Balinese irrigation system known as Subak. There is a small cost to enter and as the fields are owned by numerous families, you may be asked to make a small donation at each field. The rice fields are part of the Cultural Landscape of Bali Province UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Batuan Temple is a Hindu temple located in Batuan Village. It was built in 1020 AD and is a Puseh Temple based on the concept of Tri Kahvangan taught by Mpu Kuturan around the 10^th century. Tri Kahvangan includes 3 main temples:

Desa – to worship the God Brahma (the Creator)

Puseh – to worship the God Vishnu (the Preserver)

Dalem – to worship Lord Shiva (the Destroyer)

The temple, known locally as Pura Puseh Batuan, is the oldest in Bali and is another must see during your time here. The people in the village take great care and pride in preserving Batuan Temple, its architecture and environment. It’s typically Balinese in architectural style and features 3 courtyards. You don’t need to spend a lot of time here, taking just 30-minutes out of your day is enough to walk around, admire and take some photographs. You will be provided with a Kamben Bali (sarong) to wear during your visit. This is to show respect and to honour the temple.

The Batuan Temple is within the district of Sukawati and it’s only 5 minutes away from Sukuwati Market, known locally as Pasar Seni Sukuwati. It’s mainly visited by locals, but if you want to do some shopping for souvenirs, clothes or artwork, this is the place to visit. Prices are far cheaper than those in Ubud and if you aren’t put off by the locals asking you to browse their items, you could pick up some lovely things for a very good price. It’s row after row of stalls selling just about everything you could imagine and there are street food vendors selling cold drinks and snacks.

As I said at the beginning, I’ve loved our time in Bali and I’ve been fortunate to see so much. This is definitely a place I want to visit again, next time spending even more time out in the beautiful countryside.

AT SEA – January 25-26

Alan is back onboard! My friend from the beginning of the cruise. I’ve spent the last few sea days catching up with him and helping him with his iPad and Wi-Fi connection. It’s so nice to see him again, it’s like he never left. We’re going to plan another date at The Grill.

There’s a man onboard whom we call Mr Grumpy, he refers to himself as Humbug, he’s another all-rounder. He’s always complaining about something and nothing. To be honest, he’s a very nice man. Most of his grunting is done in a joking fashion, he has a lot of interests which I enjoy hearing about and I like chatting to him, but there are times when he gets on my nerves and when he does, I tell him. A few days ago, he was back at it, huffing and puffing. I said please will you shut up, you’re getting on my nerves, it’s too early in the day for this. He winked, I smiled, and I suddenly had a brilliant idea. He likes to paint and it’s the only time he’s quiet, so I gave him a task. I said to him you are only happy when you’re painting, so please will you paint me a picture? Maybe something from your wildlife photographs, that will give you something positive to focus on for a while. He agreed and I thought to myself excellent, five minutes peace. Yesterday morning, I came on deck and there he was with brush in hand. My plan backfired in a way. He had been there all morning when everyone else was sleeping, so by the time he finished we were all up on deck and he was back to his usual grumpy self, but look what he did for me. Isn’t it lovely? We’ve called him Charlie.

We had a predominantly Indonesian menu in the main dining room an evening or two ago, and it was fantastic. I can honestly say that I have no complaints about any of the food onboard, it’s been very, very good. I ordered the ‘Ketoprak’ to start which is glass noodles with bean sprouts, green beans, tofu and peanut sauce. For my main course it had to be the chicken skewers with rice and picked vegetables. My table is right next to the window and as I sat eating, I was watching the sun go down behind the mountains. It looked beautiful and I was desperate to get outside before all the light had gone. I ate my food like I’d never been fed in my life and flew up to Deck 7. I just couldn’t miss it.

Did you know that Boudicca has a Flower Shop onboard? I thought I’d share it with you because it’s not something you see on many ships these days, and it seems to be quite popular. I’m not a flower person myself, but if I were, I could go in and speak to the florist about flower arrangements and gifting a bouquet. You can order anything from lush and lavish to something as simple as a single rose.

There’s another crossing the line ceremony today but as I’ve watched it several times now, I’m going to the spa for the ‘Happy Feet’ treatment. I had this on Black Watch last year and my feet were so soft, I really did like it. I’ll give you an update on that during our next sea day.

Before I go, I must tell you that I was reunited with my FFC (Fred. Fried Chicken). I absolutely love the stuff and it’s the best fried chicken I’ve ever eaten, on land and at sea. I’m slightly addicted, but I’m managing to control myself, for now.

For the rest of today I have work to do, people to hunt down and arrange appointments with, a spa visit, my hair to wash, my bag to arrange for tomorrow and I must back up the rest of my files. I need to do all of the above and then get to The Secret Garden tonight before it opens for dinner, so I can photograph the Chinese buffet before everyone rushes in for dinner. If I make it, I’ll share it with you very soon. We’ll be in Singapore tomorrow and I’m off to Gardens by the Bay & SkyPark.

JANUARY 27 – SINGAPORE

I’ve visited Singapore several times and never made it to Gardens by the Bay, so that’s where I went yesterday during our day in port.

We were forecast rain, so our guide decided we’d stop at the Sands SkyPark first, which was also on the itinerary. That turned out to be a wise decision.

The views across the city are impressive and even though it was quite cloudy, we could still see for miles in each direction. I’d told myself I wasn’t going to do any other trips that involved heights, but I really did want to see the view for myself. I was a bit wobbly, but as long as I stood back and didn’t look down, I was composed. The SkyPark is the only area that’s available to enjoy at the top of the Marina Bay Sands for people that aren’t guests staying at the hotel.

We left the SkyPark and made our way to Gardens by the Bay. It covers a huge area, you’d need at least two or even three visits to see it all, so the focus for our tour was to visit the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest. In the image above, you can see them both on the left side.

The Flower Dome is insanely beautiful and in 2015, it entered the Guinness World Records as the largest greenhouse in the world. It features several gardens, including the Australian Garden, South African Garden, Californian Garden and the Mediterranean Garden. It is 1.2 hectares in size and can accommodate up to 1000 people at a time. Inside, the temperature is set to a cool 23 Degrees Celsius, mimicking the semi-arid subtropical regions from which the plants are from. This also makes it comfortable to explore and you need to allow yourself at least 45 minutes to see everything and enjoy the sights. It’s one of the most beautiful flower gardens I’ve seen. Until February 23rdthe Flower Dome is showcasing more than 70 Dahlia cultivars alongside hundreds of other flower and plant species.

If you buy a bundle ticket, which is what we had, you can also enter the Cloud Dome. This greenhouse shows plants, ferns and orchids from the cool-moist Tropical Montane region and the highlight is the 35-metre tall mountain and waterfall. The humidity inside is between 80% and 90%, which is exactly what these plants need to thrive and flourish. It’s very different to the Flower Dome, but just as impressive and interesting. The Lost World is the highest point and you can enjoy walking high above the mountain, admiring various species of plants that are usually found at 2000 metres above sea level.

The above comes with an admission cost, but you can walk around Gardens by the Bay free of charge. The Supertrees are certainly worth seeing and as I had some time left before our group had to meet, I decided I’d find a short trail and explore more of the grounds. I walked up 5 steps to begin my adventure and down came the rain. It absolutely poured and was soon followed by loud claps of thunder. It stopped me in my tracks, I would have been drenched within minutes.

All I can say is I now have a reason to go back. I’m annoyed at myself for taking so long to visit in the first place. Visiting Singapore yourself? Add this to your list of things to see/do.

AT SEA – January 28th

We’re cruising the beautiful deep blue sea at the moment, heading for Thailand, and I’ve been up since the early morning hours. I like to enjoy the ship when everyone else is sleeping. It’s quite eerie when you go down to make a cup of tea and the restaurants and bars are in complete darkness, and everywhere is silent. I had to laugh at myself, though. I came out on deck with a cup of tea and as I went to sit down, I spotted a pair of legs on the stairs out of the corner of my eye. Thank goodness I’d already put the cup on the table because I almost died from fright. Don’t worry, the legs were attached to a crew member, it wasn’t a ghost!

Alan and I had another tech lesson at 6am this morning. We’ve established that he needs to upgrade his phone and we need to book another session of iPad learning. You know, I think I might start my own classes onboard, teaching people how to use social media. I’m serious. The amount of people that hunt me down to ask about Facebook, Twitter and Instagram is crazy.

We had a very nice Chinese buffet a few days ago. I said I’d give you an update on that. There were noodles, fried rice, chicken with cashews and pak choi, and several other Chinese-style dishes. It all looked very nice. I really have been impressed with the variety of food. The galley team have done a great job sourcing so many local ingredients to give us all the chance to enjoy the flavours from this part of the world.

I had a ‘Happy Feet’ treatment with Pear in the Atlantis Spa and it was very refreshing. I like Pear; she makes me laugh. She’s the Fitness Instructor onboard, but she also does a few spa treatments that involve massage. I sat down and she applied the ‘magic potion’ to my legs and feet. Once it was dry and my feet had soaked for a few minutes, she massaged each leg and each foot. There was only myself booked in for the treatment and as she said my muscles were so tense, I had a few extra minutes of massage. She said I need to do exercises to help release the muscle tension in my feet, so I’m doing as I’m told. Well, I will at some point.

There was some unscheduled entertainment on deck this morning and I was so engrossed in what they were doing, I missed the Secrets to Beautiful Skin seminar in the Lido Lounge. I’ll not say too much about it now and I’ve deliberately covered the paper because I want you to see it when they’ve really started bringing it to life. I’m promised by the Chief Officer that it will look great when it’s finished. As I’ve been on quality control of it for an hour or two this afternoon, I’ll now agree. Watch this space…

I had some ‘me time’ today. I sat on deck with my laptop and watched a movie. That’s how I like to relax. Having been up so early and spent seven solid hours writing, sending emails and going around the ship to tick jobs off my list, I just wanted to sit and do nothing for a while. I’d also eaten too much at lunchtime, so that stopped me in my tracks. I’m really enjoying the curries onboard. One of our head chefs is from Mauritius and a Mauritian chicken and potato curry was on the menu, I could smell it as soon as I walked into the Four Seasons, so I had to try it. I could say I had 2 servings because my first attempt at plating it up to show you looked like a 3-year-old child had dropped it from about 60 foot in the air, but that would be a bare faced lie. I had 2 plates because it was so good! I’m not that person who asks for a plate of salad. It’s almost dinner time and I’m still very full.

Thailand tomorrow (so excited) and I’m on the ‘Cultural Phuket’ tour. It looks like it’s going to be another hot and humid day.

JANUARY 29 – PHUKET, THAILAND 

Our second visit to Thailand was just as pleasant as the first, but we only had one day in Phuket this time, so I did the ‘Phuket Cultural’ tour. It included stops at the Big Buddha, Chinpracha House and Wat Chalong. To be honest, I only booked the tour to see the Big Buddha as it was the only trip that offered it. I didn’t know much about Chinpracha and I’d already visited Wat Chalong.

Chinpracha House was built in 1903 by Prapitak Chinpracha (Tan Ma Siang). He was born in Phuket in 1883 and at 20-years old, he built the house. It’s in a Chino-Portuguese style and it’s a perfect example of how a wealthy Phuket family used to live. Our guide informed us that he made his fortune from tin mining. It’s still lived in by the sixth-generation descendants of Prapitak Chinpracha. Most of the furniture came from China, but some was also imported from Europe, such as the Italian floor tiles. If you like antiques and architecture, then this is a must-see place during your visit to Phuket. I felt like I’d stepped back in time, it was incredible. So much to admire and enjoy.

Wat Chalong was in the midst of a celebration and the grounds were filled with market stalls selling food, clothing and electrical goods. There was even a food stall selling deep-fried critters, such as crickets, grasshoppers and worms. As I’d visited back in December, I decided to spend some time trying to get more external images, but it was difficult because of all the stalls. I also did some shopping and left with three new blouses.

Big Buddha was the highlight for me, that’s why I booked the tour, and I wasn’t disappointed. It’s huge! It was built for the ninth King of Phuket and construction began in 2004, it’s still ongoing. The Buddha depicts Gautama in a sitting position and is 45 metres tall. It’s made of concrete and covered with Burmese white jade marble and faces towards Ao Chalong Bay. The marble is so bright in the sun that I was blinded, I couldn’t take my sunglasses off otherwise I couldn’t see. I thought the views from here were just as impressive as the Buddha. The statues official name is Phra Phutta Ming Mongkol Akenakakiri, which in English essentially means the glorious honourable Buddha on top of the hill of Naga. There are dress codes in force, but I wasn’t stopped and asked to wear a sarong because I had shorts on. It’s not so much that you ‘must’ cover up here, but you can’t enter in very short shorts or things like vests or strapless tops. Sarongs are provided free of charge.

They had an information point at the Big Buddha, but I think they need to tell their assistant that it’s rude to sleep on the job! I wanted to read some of the booklets, just to see if there was anything in English that I could buy to take away with me, but I didn’t have the heart to move her. She was in a very deep sleep.

AT SEA – January 30th

We’re heading for Myanmar now and having a much cooler day at sea. It’s a refreshing change.

Last night there was a small party at the Marquee Bar for Platinum and Diamond-Elite guests. It was a nice set up with free drinks and numerous canapés. Captain Degerlund also made an appearance and thanked everyone for their continued loyalty to Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines before mixing and mingling with people. I didn’t stay too long, I felt quite cold, there was a strong breeze up there. The crew have put in such a great effort for all of the different events and gatherings, there’s not one that I haven’t enjoyed.

We had yet another dinner menu with a difference last night. The dishes were mainly Thai offerings and I had the Nasi Goreng which was delicious. I haven’t really had the chance to taste local foods in some places because of tours and what not, so to come home after a day out and be offered a menu that gives us a chance to sample some of the more recognizable dishes is a nice treat.

I’m going to stay on the subject of food for another minute, it really has all been so very good and I find it quite exciting. I always look forward to popping into the buffet and reading the menus. I like to see what new things await and what things I can try that in some cases, I’ve never seen or heard of before, let alone tasted. We had more fresh local fruits today at lunchtime, including Rambutan and Mangosteen. I’m hoping and praying that we have some special menus during our time in India. Oh, before I forget, I had a caramelised apple pie for dessert after my lunch today. Naughty, but nice!

Pear was in the Lido Lounge this morning giving a talk on fluid retention and swollen ankles. It was very interesting. She gave advice on how to bring the swelling down and what exercises you can do to help combat the problem. They were quite light exercises, too. Simple things such as specific leg movements, some of which you can do sitting down. I used to suffer terribly with swollen ankles when I first started cruising. I think a mixture of the heat and lots of walking used to bring mine on, but thankfully, I’ve not experienced it much in the last 3 years. I think everyone in the room found it very helpful.

I’ve got 2 full days in Myanmar coming up, so I’ve been getting some of my jobs done this afternoon, including my ironing. It dawned on me that I don’t think I’ve shown you the launderette, even though I’ve mentioned how much time I tend to spend in there so, here it is. Along with a snap of the three blouses I bought for myself in Phuket.

My tour in Yangon on day two is 9.5 hours in duration, so I’ll be back with a blog update on our time there during our first sea day. Keep an eye on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for quicker updates and remember, it’s almost the weekend!

JANUARY 31 – FEBRUARY 1 – YANGON, MYANMAR

Mingalaba! That’s the standard greeting in Myanmar and that’s where we’ve been for the last few days. Myanmar is an interesting country and one I enjoy because it’s relatively untouched by mass tourism. What you see is what you get and very little has changed over the years. We docked in the port of Thilawa and my tours took me back to old haunts and a few new places, including the township of Dala.

I booked the ‘Local Life by Trishaw’ tour and once we reached Yangon, our first stop was Nanthida jetty, where we boarded a local ferry for the 10-minute journey across to Dala. It was great fun, I loved the hustle and bustle, and the authentic glimpse into daily life.

Once we reached the township, we boarded our individual trishaws for a ride through the village, where we stopped at the local market. This was also a hive of activity with dozens of people selling and buying. There were beauty products, bags of crisps, toys, fresh meat, seafood, fruits and vegetables. Again, I was in my element. I like seeing the real side of life in places when I travel, it’s often a real eye-opener, but it’s authentic and un-staged. Even if we don’t always like what we see, we take something from the experience.

We continued our trishaw ride through residential streets before arriving at the Shwe Sayan Pagoda. It’s a small but beautiful pagoda and it’s home to the mummified body of a monk. I tried to take a photograph, but he is in a glass case which is then covered with metal bars, it was virtually impossible. After around 30-minutes at the pagoda, we boarded our trishaws for the journey back to the jetty and then the ferry back to Yangon. We stopped at a restaurant for some light refreshments and then made our way back to Thilawa.

Day two took me back into Yangon, on the ‘Yangon Delights’ tour. I visited the Shwedagon Pagoda last year and was hypnotised by it, so I was looking forward to going back. The tour started at 6:45am, which was ideal. It meant our time at the pagoda was spent in the cooler hours of the morning. The official name is Shwedagon Zedi Daw and it is the most sacred Buddhist pagoda in Myanmar, thought to have been around for 2,600 years. The 326-foot-tall pagoda is believed to contain important relics of the four previous buddhas of the present Kalpa – the period of time between the creation and recreation of a world or universe – and they include a piece of the robe of Kassapa, the staff of Kakusandha, the water filter of Konagamana and eight strands of hair from the head of Gautama. The crown is tipped with 5,448 diamonds and 2,317 rubies, sapphires and other gems, and 1,065 golden bells. A flag-shaped vane comes before the very top where you will then find the diamond bud, which is tipped with a 76-carat diamond. It’s absolutely breath-taking in every respect.

The National Museum of Yangon was next on the itinerary and it reminded me a lot of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. A lot of artefacts and relics are out in the open, there’s nothing protecting it from being touched or damaged. It’s filled with various different things, including robes once worn by the King and prehistoric finds that have been made in the country, but one of the main things to see here is the Lion Throne. It’s over 150-years old and made from Yamanay wood that has then been gilded. It’s impressive and was used by the King to adjudicate law cases. Sadly, it’s the only intact throne left, the other 8 were all damaged or destroyed during World War II.

By now, it was coming up to noon and some of us were starting to feel quite hungry, so we made one quick stop at the local park before heading to the Excelsior hotel for lunch. The lunch offerings on our tours have all been quite impressive and yesterday was no different, it was more like a royal banquet! We were served a very nice noodle soup, vegetables and two different types of curry with a large portion of steamed rice. We were all full to bursting and could have easily taken a quick nap, but we had one more stop to make before heading home.

Bogyoke Aung San Market (also known as Scott Market) is one of the largest and busiest in Myanmar. It’s home to over 400 stalls with vendors selling everything from semi-precious stones to souvenir t-shirts. We didn’t have much time at the market, but I knew what I was looking for. I broke from the group and made my way to the craft area. I left with several wood carvings, including the one below, and collectively they cost a mere £35. Ideally, you need a few hours to enjoy everything the market has to offer.

These are both tours that I would recommend. It’s a chance to experience the city and the countryside. The journey into Yangon from Thilawa takes around 1 hour, depending on traffic, and from experience, I’d say that it’s best to do an organised excursion here. Taxis are available outside the port, but it’s so much hassle to arrange prices, places to stop, pick up times and so on. Leave the stress behind and just book a tour with the excursions team.

AT SEA – February 2 – 4

Our three days at sea have been absolute bliss. I think we were all ready for some down time after 2 busy days in Myanmar. Well, partial down time. There’s always so much happening onboard and I’m not someone that can sit still for very long, so I’ve been ducking in and out of various things.

I sat and listened to the choir on Sunday. Mark and Penny are very good and considering most of the people in the choir have only been here for 2 weeks, they sounded brilliant. Mark is patient and very clear with his instructions. There’s nothing worse than a bad or impatient teacher and his approach is why the group blends together so very well and in such a short space of time.

The Grand Tea Dance was one of the Daily Times ‘not to be missed’ events on Sunday afternoon. I went in a little earlier than everyone else so I could take some photographs of the delicious cakes. They all looked too good to eat. It was busy within minutes of the doors opening. The Boudicca orchestra and Malou provided the live music and crew were going around with drinks and finger sandwiches. There was also a chocolate fountain for those that wanted to dip strawberries or marshmallows. I like that Fred. Olsen still keeps some of these more traditional events, they’re lost on many ships these days and it’s sad, as so many people still thoroughly enjoy them. I like to go and people watch. I don’t dance, but there’s something special about watching others embrace the foxtrot, cha-cha or waltz. I don’t know. I can’t really describe it. I guess it makes me wish my grandma was still alive, so I could have persuaded her to try a cruise and get involved with things like this.

There have been lots of different themed evenings in the Lido Lounge, including Gin nights and James Bond themed Martini nights (I’ll cover those soon), but last night it was Salsa & Sangria. I think these are a great idea. There’s no charge to reserve a table, you only pay for your drinks, which are offered from a special menu that has been designed to complement the theme of the evening. There are hot and cold canapés to enjoy, live music and dancing. It’s a nice alternative to just having a singer or pianist in there, it breathes life into the space and creates a lively atmosphere. Everyone was enjoying themselves.

Ena’s craft class was at 10:30 yesterday morning, so I went along to see what the ladies were working on. I met Ena on one of my tours in Myanmar and we had a good chat and a giggle. Poor Barry, he was roped into helping her, but his job is mainly to put the needles back into the material pouches. He seemed quite happy but we both agreed that it was better we refer to him as the roadie instead of the gofer. Once we get into Indian waters, I’ll go back, as Ena promises me they’ll be working on some very exciting things. At the moment, they’re making stuffed owls which were quite sweet. I think once finished they are pin cushions. Far too technical for me to get my head around.

There was a curry lunch again yesterday and guess who was at the front of the queue? Yes, that would be me. I had chapati bread with Bombay potatoes, tandoori chicken leg and some of the sauce from the chickpea dish. It was nice, very nice. I had 2 helpings, again! We only live once, that’s my excuse.

I had quite a lazy morning today. I didn’t leave my cabin until after 9am, which is late for me. I was quite happy lounging in my bed watching the Bridge Cam. When I did finally start my day, I spent a few hours on deck doing some work and watching the world go by, and then I stopped off at the passenger drama performance and talent show.

The drama group did a really good job, they were absolutely hilarious!!! I didn’t manage to catch all of it, but what I did see was superb. They clearly worked very hard and put in a lot of time and effort. It was a spoof of the Captain introducing various members of his crew. One speech was along the line of sheets. Guests were only allowed 3 sheets in the morning and 3 sheets in the evening and when you were finished you had to put your sheets in the bath. All I’ll say is that sheets was pronounced with an accent that made it sound like something else. I’ll let you use your imagination on that one.

The talent show was also very good, and I’d gone specially to show support to one of my fellow all-rounders, Mr Grumpy. He was the last person to perform and his was a comedy sketch. For someone who’s always miserable, he’s very good at making people laugh. The audience loved him. You could feel the nerves come through a little bit at the beginning, but he soon dusted those off and got right into the flow of his performance. Great job, Chris! You did us all-rounders proud. By the way, just for the record, Chris knows I have been mentioning him in my blog. I told him about my update a few days ago with the painting he did for me and he was crying with laughter. He agreed it sounded exactly like him.

Before I go, I wanted to share a few more amazing cake creations with you. I really don’t know how they make these look so beautiful, I’d be lucky if I could decorate a cup cake! I always feel bad when they cut into them. All that hard work for it to be demolished. I know it’s only a cake, but they’re just so creative!

I’ve got a few things lined up for later today and I must go and get myself ready, so I’ll be back with more updates very soon. We’re in Colombo from tomorrow, this time for 3 days.

FEBRUARY 5-7 – COLOMBO, SRI LANKA

Our time in Sri Lanka was hot, very hot. I was quite pleased I’d only booked short tours.

Kelaniya Buddhist Temple is one of the most sacred in Sri Lanka, so naturally I had to see it. This tour was only 3 hours in duration, and it was just the right amount of time. Our visit started with a one-to-one with a Buddhist Monk and that was a huge privilege. He told us about Buddhism and what it means to be a monk. In some countries, men can practise as a monk for a short time, maybe a month, one year or two, but in Sri Lanka you’re a monk for life. That’s a huge commitment by any standards. Once he had finished teaching us more about his religion and lifestyle, we had a short meditation session. It felt quite surreal. There were only about 15 of us on the tour, so it was very intimate. I think we all left feeling quite peaceful and that we’d experienced something very special.

The temple itself is impressive to look at from the outside, but the inside is out of this world. The paintings and carvings are so detailed and intricate, it’s stunning. Many of the paintings depict Buddha’s life and Buddhist civilisation. It’s believed that on Buddha’s third and final visit to the country, he sat and preached on the gem-studded throne that was enshrined within the original stupa. It’s not known exactly when the temple was built, but it is thought to have been before 543 B.C., although it’s been destroyed and rebuilt many times. It’s definitely somewhere you should visit during your time in Colombo. I like temples very much, but even if it’s not something you’d usually do, I’d be surprised if you weren’t blown away by the beauty and importance of this place.

I had planned on going into Colombo on our second day, but it was over 30 Degrees by 9am and it’s quite a heavy walk in that heat. Instead, I stayed onboard and enjoyed Boudicca. I did some work and transferred some image files, and then I made my way down to the stalls on the quayside, to stretch my legs. I ended up coming home with a rather large and very impressive wooden carving of Ganesh. I actually bought it from the same man I purchased Kumari Elma-Bo from (my elephant) when we stopped here in December last year. He remembered me, which was nice, and sent me on my way with a few freebies.

My walking tour this morning through old Colombo was excellent and our guide was very funny, he really brought the tour to life. I was worried about the heat, but there was a haze this morning and a cool breeze, so it ended up being very pleasant. We walked through the Pettah district, one of the oldest districts in Colombo, and into the local market. It was packed to the rafters with fresh fruits, vegetables, spices, dried fish and more. The smells were quite intense sometimes, but the aroma from the spices softened the air. You really can’t beat a market, it’s a chance to see all the locals buying and selling, and we were the only tourists there. It was great fun. Each street in the district sells different things. One street was mainly textiles, the next was spices and so on. There was a distinct smell of curry in the air when we walked down the street that was mainly spices, I wish we could have stopped to try some. Once I smell curry, that’s it. I can’t get it out of my head. Good job there was a curry option on the lunch menu when I returned home, so I had korma curry sauce and chips. I had to satisfy my desire.

Anyway, back to the tour. We also stopped along the way at Jami-ul-Alfar Mosque and my goodness, it is stunning. A slice of architectural magnificence nestled between shops down a side street on one side and a busy main road on the other. Other places we passed included the Khan Clock Tower, Old Fort, Dutch Hospital and the Cargills building. A tea break was made at the Grand Oriental Hotel and the highlight of that visit for me was the view of my lovely Boudicca.

I’ve enjoyed our 3 days in Sri Lanka and it’s definitely got me in the mood for India.

AT SEA – February 8-9

I’ve had 2 very relaxing sea days. It’s been the first time in more than a month that I was comfortable enough to sit and enjoy the sun, rather than the shade. It’s still very hot, but there was a lovely morning breeze. I sat both days until noon before calling it quits. That’s when it suddenly seemed to get much warmer. It was nice doing nothing for a change. I felt like I needed some down time before I immerse myself in everything India has to offer. Some people sit out there all day, but I can’t do that in this heat.

Yesterday, there was a special Sri Lankan lunch at the Poolside Grill. Naturally, I was there at the front of the queue waiting to try it. The smell literally dragged me down the stairs and I enjoyed it so much that I had two plates of it. I know, I’m so greedy, but I’m really enjoying all these tasty and interesting dishes. It breaks away from the norm. I told the chef numerous times how nice it was, I think he blushed at one point, but I wanted him to know that it was delicious. In fact, I asked if he could just deliver the entire wok of curry to my cabin.

We’ve spent most of today cruising through the Northern Maldives Atoll, it’s been very scenic. I wish we could have stopped somewhere, as these islands really are idyllic. If you had to define paradise, it’s right here! We passed Malé at 1pm, that’s where we stopped last year at the beginning of the cruise and I had the most amazing day snorkelling.

Egg and bacon butties were making their way around the decks at 10am, so I grabbed one and enjoyed it with my Diet Pepsi while watching the world go by. I could sit and look at the sea all day. We’ve not seen much wildlife, but I’m always on the lookout.

I may have already mentioned the recently introduced Gelato Bar, but I’m now getting you ready for a truly epic ice cream sundae. I am desperate to try the ‘Honeycomb’ one, but I’m waiting until it’s a little cooler. Until then, feel free to drool over the flavours, which include strawberry, vanilla, mango and passionfruit, chocolate and salted caramel.

We’ll arrive at our first port in India tomorrow, Kochi. I’ll give you an update on my time there once we leave, but following Kochi, we’re back-to-back with 3 ports, so there might be a short delay in my updates over those calls. I have lots of tours, including an evening dining at the beach!

FEBRUARY 10-11 – KOCHI, INDIA 

It feels so nice to be back in India, I’d say it’s one of my favourite countries. There’s so much to see and do and I had two busy days in Kochi.

My first tour took me to Kumbalangi Village, India’s first and only integrated tourism village project. It was set up in a way to allow visitors to experience traditional Indian village life in one place.

Our journey to the village started by coach before we transferred to a small traditional country boat and made our way across the river. It was a different experience for me. The boats are pushed along the river by men with huge bamboo sticks. It’s hard work! I certainly wouldn’t have the stamina to do it.

Arriving at the village, we were greeted with fresh coconuts from which we could drink, it was very refreshing and super hydrating. We then made our way through the village, having demonstrations along the way of pot making, clam meat processing, basket making, rope making and more. The people were very friendly, and it was nice to see how they literally use everything. To give you an example, they drink the coconut milk, they eat the coconut meat, then they soak the coconut shell in saltwater for several months and when it’s ready, they take the husk and turn it into rope. Even with the clams, they eat the meat and then use the shells for things such as fertiliser, cement and medicines. Nothing is wasted.

My favourite part of the village experience was the crab catching. At first, all of the baskets were empty, but then one turned up a huge mud crab. He was a feisty thing, displaying his claws like a God. The man there that is in charge of this section showed us how they tie them up, ready for export. I wouldn’t like to have that job. I’d lose a finger or toe within minutes. He made it look so easy.

Our tour ended with a thrilling tuk-tuk ride through the streets before we boarded our coach and made our way back home.

Yesterday, I had a full day ‘Kerala Cuisine’ experience. It was a highlight tour combined with some amazing food. We visited the Dutch Palace, which was built by the Portuguese in 1555. It’s not visually impressive from the outside, but the inside houses some incredible murals of various Hindu God’s. You can’t take photos of the murals, so I can’t show you, you’ll have to go and see them for yourself.

We also made stops at St Francis Church, the oldest European church in India, which was built in 1503, and where Vasco Da Gama was buried from 1524 until 1538.  Jew Town, where we explored the Spice Market. Dhobi Khana, a local outdoor laundry. The fish market, where there were dozens of Chinese fishing nets and locals selling their catch. And finally, we drove along Mahatma Gandhi Road to view the Shiva Temple.

In-between all of this, we stopped at the family home of a local couple named Oscar and Jeanett. This was where we would have our cooking demonstration and lunch. They are a lovely couple and I personally felt very privileged to be welcomed into their home. Jeanett showed us and explained how to cook perfect coconut rice and I can tell you that you don’t use any water, only coconut milk and coconut oil, and you leave it to simmer for up to 3 hours. The smell was amazing and by this point my tummy was growling. I’d skipped breakfast. We were served a substantial buffet on the second floor of their home. There was Kerala chicken curry, spiced prawns, coconut rice with cashews, spiced fish, spinach and beans, and fresh chapatis. I was in Indian food heaven.

I enjoyed both tours and would definitely recommend them. I did think we would have a more in-depth cooking demonstration at the family home, but the tasty food soon took my mind off that. Everything about both tours was traditional and authentic, and that’s exactly why I booked them.

AT SEA – February 12

We’re at sea today and I’ve not had a chance to partake in any activities, I’ve been super busy with one hundred different things. I had my Kochi blog to write up for you and images to transfer, but I’ve also been going around the ship seeing people and making appointments. I went to the spa for a patch test, as I’m going to book with Lorraine for a cut and colour in the next few days. I’ve coloured my hair myself for years with dye from a box, but I ran out over 6 weeks ago and I’m now starting to look like Cruella de Vil, something needs to be done and I trust Lorraine to make me look beautiful again. I also stopped by Reception to pick up my passport and ask if I could use some super glue, as my flip flop is nearing death and I don’t want to get rid of them. They didn’t have any, but I have to go back later so they can send it to someone onboard who many be able to repair it – how’s that for service! What else? Oh, yes, I’ve been trying to help Alan with some apps on his iPad and I stopped for lunch at noon.

There was a stir-fry lunch special in the main restaurant and that was what I had, with a side of spinach and potato curry. Hey, don’t judge me. I’m aware that I’m probably going to turn into a curry in the next few days, and that brings me to my next update, a special Indian evening at The Grill 2 nights ago.

It was a nice change and a menu for one night only. I booked for 6:30pm and within minutes of me sitting down, several other tables were full. I ordered a starter of onion bhaji, vegetable pakora and vegetable samosa. They were each packed with flavour and I could have eaten more. For my main course, I had chicken korma with saffron and almond rice, and spiced spinach. It was one of the tastiest curries I’ve had since being onboard and very mild, exactly how I like it. I love Indian food, but I can’t handle a lot of heat in a curry. There were several dessert options, but I was too full to eat any. I did, however, manage to get my hands on an Indian inspired rice pudding, so I could show you the wonderful presentation. I hope we have another special menu night at The Grill, I’d definitely book.

It’s so hot outside today. I did sit in the sun this morning (before 9am) to have some time to myself, but I only lasted 20 minutes. The open decks have been empty all day, the majority of people are taking shelter inside and making the most of the air conditioning. Even sitting in the shade writing this, I’m melting, but I refuse to sit in my cabin when I can be out in the fresh air.

At some point before 7pm I also need to go and see the girls at the tours desk. We dock in Mormugao tomorrow, for tours to Goa, and I had arranged for a friend to take me out during the day. Sadly, the plan fell through because his work contract was extended but I’ve only just found out, so I’m going to see if there are any tours with availability I can book that will still give me enough time in the afternoon to shower and change before I do my ‘Evening at ZeeBop by the Sea’ trip. We’ll see what happens.

On that note, I’m going to love you and leave you. I’m craving something sweet, so before I do everything else that’s on my list, I’m going to treat myself to five minutes peace, some chocolate from the onboard shop and a large diet lemonade with grenadine. I suppose that ordering a diet lemonade and then filling it with a sugary syrup defeats the point of it being diet, but never mind. We all have our flaws.

FEBRUARY 13-14 – GOA, INDIA

Happy Hearts Day from the beautiful Boudicca!

Goa was a new destination for me, and I managed to book myself onto the morning ‘Old Goa and Walk Through Panjim’ tour at the last minute.

Our first stop was at St Cajetan Church – also known as the Church of Divine Providence – the only domed church that remains in the city and it’s beautiful. It was completed in 1661 and is part of the World Heritage Site, Churches and Convents of Goa. It’s modelled on St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City. The interior teak carvings are incredible. It also had that wonderful smell of warmed wood. I could have sat all day admiring everything. We also had a very good tour guide, so that added to the experience.

The Basilica of Bom Jesus was our next stop within the World Heritage Site and it too is an impressive structure. It was built by the Jesuits in the 16th century and became India’s first basilica in 1946. The body of St Francis Xavier is embalmed here in a marble mausoleum, which can be seen from the inside. His body is put on display every ten years for locals to pay their respects.

When we left the churches, we stopped at a local shop and it was chaos. We were docked with Costa Victoria and every coach was stopping at the same place. There must have been at least 15 coaches at one point, and everyone was trying to cram into one small space. We were supposed to have 45 minutes there, but most of us were back on the coach within fifteen. If it had just been our 2 little coaches from Boudicca it would have been fine, but the Costa lot arrived and took over.

Our walk through Panjim was very pleasant. I wish we could have skipped the shop and spent more time there. It was beautiful, full of old Portuguese architecture and very friendly locals. I thoroughly enjoyed it. We walked through little back streets, came across a gorgeous church, lots of lovely residential properties and a few restaurants. I also spotted the biggest caterpillar I’ve ever seen. He was quite handsome and happy munching his way through the leaves on the tree.

I’ve enjoyed all of my tours on this trip and yesterday was no different, minus the shop stop, but I’m mentioning it to highlight how important it is that you let the tours team know if there was a problem. If you don’t tell them, they can’t make it right for future guests. I informed the girls as soon as I was back onboard.

I had to cancel my evening tour, sadly. I think I’ve overindulged in rich food in the last few days and I felt bloated all day yesterday, I couldn’t get rid of the discomfort and I was also incredibly tired, I have been for the past week. The evening tour included a meal and my body couldn’t take more spice. I decided the best thing was to let someone else take my place. Ironically, I cancelled and the lady right behind me booked my spot, so I’m happy that she could go and enjoy it. Instead, I enjoyed a peaceful early evening onboard, a hot bath and an early night. I wake up every morning between 3am and 4am and I usually can’t go back to sleep. Last night, I turned out my bedside light just before 9pm and I woke up at 6am this morning. I clearly needed the rest because I never sleep for that long and I feel much better for it.

We sailed at 3pm today, so I stayed onboard and had a quiet morning and afternoon. I sat and had a chat with Alan, Moira and john, and then I took myself off for some lunch. I kept it quite simple, I ordered the calamari starter from the menu and then had some pasta and tuna. I was tempted by the desserts, but I need to be good for a few days and let my body go back to normal.

Mumbai tomorrow! I can’t wait! I love Mumbai!

FEBRUARY 15-16 – MUMBAI, INDIA 

The trip I’d originally booked for our visit to Mumbai was cancelled the evening before, so I had to pick something else. One option that had caught my eye when I first browsed the tours brochure was ‘Unexplored Mumbai’ and that’s what I ended up doing. I was so glad that I did, it was a brilliant tour and we had a very good guide.

Banganga is an ancient sacred water tank surrounded by 400-year-old temples and that was our first stop. It was hugely impressive, and you’d never know it was there. It’s right in the heart of a small community in the middle of the city and according to local legend, the water in the tank first sprang up when Lord Rama asked his brother Lakshman for water during the search for his kidnapped wife. Lakshman fired an arrow and when it pierced the ground, water began to flow. The water in the tank is said to be a branch of the Ganges River and it is believed to have healing powers. It was surreal to see this huge body of water right in the middle of the town.

As we walked through the streets, we passed small barber shops, locals selling all sorts of food produce and other goods, and we even spotted a lady that was taking a cow for a walk. It felt like real India and everyone was very friendly and happy for us to be there. I’d noticed a small flower stall on our way down to Banganga and on our way back, I asked our guide if the seller would accept dollars. I wanted to buy some flowers for my Ganesh and as luck would have it, he did accept dollars. Now he’s complete. One of the room service boys onboard has already commented on how much he likes him, especially now he has his floral offerings.

The locality of Girgaum was our next stop, and we visited the residential area of Khotachiwadi. It belongs to the community of Christians from Mahrashtra and Goa, and it’s all in typical Portuguese-style. It was quite incredible to be honest. We walked through a bustling city suburb that was alive with activity and then we turned into these picturesque and very quaint and quiet streets. It was still very much India, but so relaxed compared to everywhere else in Mumbai. We walked along several streets and stopped to buy some crisps from a man that is locally famous for his potato chips that are fried in ghee. He offered us a sample and several of us bought bags to bring back to the ship. He had all kinds of flavours, including masala, garlic and cheese, but I stuck with his traditional salted recipe.

Before returning to the coach for our drive back to the port, we enjoyed some refreshments in the very beautiful home of a famous local designer. They served us lemonade, home-made vegetarian pizza, coconut macaroons, butterscotch and more. It was a nice way to end the tour. As we left the house, I noticed a dog that was quite possibly the most comfortable in all of India. He was taking up the entire public bench and he wasn’t moving for anyone. He made me laugh.

Our evening on Boudicca continued with the Indian theme and we had a 4-hour Bollywood party. Some local men came onboard and they were teaching us how to do different dances, it was fabulous. The ship looked gorgeous (again) and everyone in some way got involved. I loved the music and dancing, so much so that I’m going to try and download some of the songs when I get back to the UK. They danced to traditional songs and one or two that sounded more like rave tracks. It really was excellent. I always enjoy the local shows and events onboard and we’ve been spoiled with them throughout the Grand Voyage. I think it adds an extra touch of authenticity to the overall experience and of course, you have the opportunity to see things that you probably wouldn’t see on a shoreside tour. It’s also nice to see the crew dressed up for the occasion.

AT SEA – February 16

We’re at sea today and there’s a noticeable drop in temperature, which is very welcome. I think Captain Degerlund said it was 25 Degrees Celsius, far more comfortable than the 34 Degrees we had yesterday.

I lifted my spice ban at lunchtime and ordered some vegetable pakoras to enjoy with my tandoori chicken. Yummy, that’s all I’ll say because I’m sure you’re probably bored with my curry escapades by now, but I’m still enjoying them.

My bed didn’t get to see me until very late last night. OK, this morning, so my day has been relatively uneventful and quiet. Well, to a degree. Something has cropped up with regards to disembarking and my journey back to Newcastle, so I’ve been trying to sort that out. I think my friend and I have found a resolution, but we’ll go over it again nearer the time. I don’t want to think about it too much right now. The thought of leaving this ship in Dover makes me feel utterly miserable and I don’t have time in my schedule for that negativity at the moment.

I sat on deck enjoying the sea view for a while and refreshed my memory on my tours in Oman and Jordan. I also contacted my guide in Dubai, as I have a private tour there and we still had a few things to arrange.

When I did get moving, I went up to Deck 9 to find out what ‘Bullseye Baggo’ was. I’ve noticed it a few times in the Daily Times and thought to myself I must go up and see what it is. Basically, it’s a round wooden board with holes cut out of it and the object of the game is to get as many points as you can. Each player has different coloured bean bags and they need to throw them through the holes. Red equals 3 points, blue is 2 and white is 1. The border of the carpet marks the line that you must stand behind before throwing the bag. So simple! It was good fun and you don’t have to think about anything, just get your aim right and have a giggle for half an hour.

My plan for the rest of today is to try and get more video footage. As we’re at sea, the ship is quite busy, but I’m playing with some ideas and as I have 2 full batteries, I’m going to experiment with those ideas.

I also need to wash my hair, again! I bought some coconut hair oil yesterday. I was told it’s very good for moisture and it will help tame the frizz that the humidity has been kicking up in my roots. Although it feels nice, it absolutely stinks! I also think I used far too much because my head feels like a grease pan! Never mind. Better luck next time. I wouldn’t care, but I only washed my hair last night, as yesterday was clean bed day, so I most definitely cannot get into it before washing out the oil. What a life! 🙂

FEBRUARY 17 – PORBANDAR, INDIA 

Porbandar was very different to anywhere else we stopped in India, and it’s very poor. It doesn’t have a big tourism structure, so you get a very real look at life here and the people.

Most of the tours were relatively short, but it’s only a small place, so they were just the right length. I went on the ‘Porbandar City Tour’ and we made our first stop at the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. It’s a stunning building and when we first arrived, it was relatively quiet. It made for nice pictures of the courtyard, but within minutes it was teaming with locals and you could hardly move. I enjoyed it, I liked looking at all the beautiful clothes and jewellery that the women were wearing. Everything is filled with colour in India and I could have happily sat there all day admiring the people. Gandhi lived here until he was 12 years old and the room in which his mother gave birth to him is nestled in the middle of the surrounding building, which was constructed around the house to symbolise his 79 years of life. A swastika on the floor marks the spot where he was born. My photograph of this isn’t great, it was full with people by this point and it was literally the best I could do before I was pushed aside so someone else could see.

From here, we boarded a tuk tuk for a short ride to the Sudama Temple. The temple was constructed between 1902 and 1907 and is dedicated to the childhood friend of Lord Krishna, Sudama. It’s one of the most historically significant sites in all of Gujarat.

Our tour concluded with a short walk through the local market and my goodness, it was a hive of activity. As I said, Porbandar is not a typical tourist destination. It wasn’t a market that, as a Westerner, you’d shop at, it was a place to simply enjoy walking and seeing people going about their daily activities and buying and selling.

I think Porbandar is a destination that you either love or hate. Personally, it’s the kind of eye-opening travel that I enjoy. It’s the type of travel that I wish everyone could experience and if we did, maybe the world would be a better place. We’d be more tolerant and accepting of one another. I think I’ve said all of the above before, but I do wish that were the case.

AT SEA – February 18-19

Usually, I’d update you on everything I’ve been doing on my sea days, but today, I’m going off-piste and it’s only about food. Why, I hear you ask? Because filling my face is more or less all I’ve been doing for the last 2 days and the food I want to share with you has been EXCEPTIONAL.

I’ll start with my visit to The Grill last night. A few of us decided to have a girls evening, so off we went, and we ordered a selection of dishes to each try. The menu changed a few days ago, so we were all quite excited.

Before I get to the main event, I have to mention the garlic bread. It’s without doubt the nicest garlic bread I’ve ever tasted in my life and it’s served warm. Now, I know you’ll say it’s just bread, but when something simple is done so very well, it needs to be said. It’s light and fluffy and oozing with flavour. Every evening when I’m out on the deck I can smell it. One night, I couldn’t contain myself and I cheekily went down and asked if I could have a piece. I think the desperation plastered across my face made the waiter oblige.

So, back to the main meal. I ordered my favourite to start, scallops, and I followed that with a 10oz rib-eye steak. I’d usually order a filet mignon, but I wanted to try the rib-eye for a change. It was cooked exactly to my request and it was perfectly tender and juicy. I enjoyed every mouthful. The ladies with me ordered the grilled lobster with glazed potatoes and the grilled Halloumi risotto. We left 3 clean plates behind us. It was all absolutely divine.

When it was time for dessert, we couldn’t decide what to have, so we ordered one of each and shared them. I wish you could have tasted them; they were both perfection for your taste buds. Chocolate bon bon’s filled with grated coconut and a very light but extremely satisfying berry compote with pastry and cream. The latter isn’t something I’d usually order if chocolate is on the menu, but next time, that will be my dessert choice. I couldn’t get enough of it.

We had another gala buffet today, for those disembarking tomorrow, and as usual, that too was very good. Again, the cakes looked too good to eat. There was a variety of seafood, fresh fruits, pork pie with pickles and fresh bread. The trademark chocolate fountain was also there waiting to be devoured.

This afternoon, there was a special gelato event in the Lido Lounge, that was something new. The ice cream is very good, reasonably priced and there’s at least a dozen flavours. You could have it with a cone, in a bowl, with plain or chocolate waffles, fresh fruit, doughnuts and more! I had a plain waffle with a scoop of berry ice cream and Liz, well, Liz gave me food envy when she sat down with her choice! A plain waffle with salted caramel ice cream, caramel sauce and chocolate sprinkles. Liz and I are not friends anymore! 😉

I really need to stop eating everything!

We’re in Dubai tomorrow and then we have 2 calls in Oman, so I’ll get back to you as soon as I get a chance to sit down and write.

FEBRUARY 20 – DUBAI, UAE

My whistle stop tour of Dubai with my guide Nara from Tours By Locals was excellent. There wasn’t time to see and do everything, but we stopped at the places that were highest on my list. I guess I was the typical tourist in some ways, but when you’ve seen it on TV and the internet for so many years, you just want to see it for yourself.

We stopped at numerous places, including the Al Qasr Hotel which is one of the most incredible hotels I’ve ever stepped foot in. I didn’t know which way to look, everything was just out of this world. It also gave me a great view of the Burj Al Arab Hotel, one of the most luxurious in the world. You can only go inside if you have a reservation and apparently, it’s not cheap, as you’d expect. I admired that one from the outside and took advantage of the photo opportunities.

The Gold Souk was also unlike anything I’d seen before. In fact, I’ve never seen so much gold in one place and some of the pieces were huge. I don’t know for what kind of occasion someone would wear some of it, or how they could stand upright whilst wearing it. There was also souvenir shops and people selling spices, textiles and shoes. It wasn’t all about the jewellery but that was clearly the biggest seller.

I had a ticket to go to the viewing deck at the Burj Khalifa (which I’d arranged separately from my tour), but sadly, it was very hazy all day and at times, I couldn’t even see the building itself, let alone anything else. The Burj Khalifa, at 829.8m, is the world’s tallest building and was completed in 2009. It was originally named Burj Dubai, but this was changed in honour of the ruler of Abu Dhabi and president of the United Arab Emirates, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. It was designed by Adrian Smith, whose firm also designed One World Trade Centre in New York City. It’s quite impressive but surrounded by other skyscrapers and construction sites. Nara managed to get me into one area where I had an unobstructed view.

We decided to stop at a local mall for lunch, where there was a small restaurant named Tent Jumeirah that serves mainly Emirati cuisine. I really wanted to try something here and away from the tourist trail, as I’ve never experienced Emirati cuisine before. I’d say it’s a mix of flavours but with a big Indian influence. We ordered 2 dishes to share, Markoka and Fareed. Markoka is Emirati chicken stew that’s served with paper light bread. It reminded me slightly of an Indian bhuna or chat. It was very light and deliciously flavoured. I could have eaten the entire plate along with the bread! The Fareed is local bread served with chicken saloon and vegetables on top. Salona is just another type of stew, but certainly not as we know it in the west. It too had delicious Indian inspired flavours but the chicken in this was chunky rather than shredded. I suppose you could say it had a curry-like consistency. We also purchased a saffron cake to share, but we couldn’t eat it, so it’s currently sitting waiting for me in my cabin.

We also passed the Dubai Frame, Emirates Towers, Dubai Creek and Palm Jumeirah.

This was the third time that I’d used Tours by Locals and again, it was an excellent experience. Everything can be tailor-made to suit you, so even a set plan can change last minute, as did mine because of my own timings and deciding I wanted to stop for food. I really enjoyed being with Nara, she knows a lot about the UAE as a whole and had answers for all of my questions. She pointed out everything of significance and despite the fact she is actually from Uzbekistan, she is hugely passionate about Dubai. She told me how Dubai went from a piece of land in the desert to what it is now, all within the last 48 years! I had no idea it had all risen so quickly.

FEBRUARY 21 – KHASAB, OMAN

Boudicca was at anchor off Khasab on the 21st. We didn’t think we had any more tender ports this cruise, so it was a nice surprise to read the Daily Times the evening before and even better when we woke up to flat calm waters.

There was a free shuttle bus service into town from the tender drop off, so off I went to explore.

Khasab is in northern Oran’s Musandam Peninsula and as it’s a Muslim country and it was Friday when we arrived, most places in the town were closed. However, the few places that were open offered local goods, food, drinks and there was a supermarket that I enjoyed walking around. I always like to visit the local supermarkets in different places, just to see what the locals like to buy. The dates were very cheap, $3 for 2 big vacuum sealed packets.

It’s a small place, but it’s very quaint and clean. The mountainous backdrop is actually quite stunning, it reminded me in some ways of St Helena. I was only ashore for a few hours. I walked around, stopped for a drink and to watch the world go by, admired the beautiful mosque and then I came home. Lots of people went out on tour, so I enjoyed having this beautiful ship virtually to myself.

I sat chatting with Alan for a while in the afternoon, he really does make me laugh and I’m understanding more and more of his unique comments. He mentioned something about the time he was in three James Bond cabin. That translates to when he was in 3007 on his previous cruise. It’s like we have our own little language.

Before leaving, we had our Safe Haven drill. I’m looking forward to our blackout nights!! I find it all very exciting, it’s part of the overall experience when cruising in this part of the world. We’re now officially on pirate watch until the 27th. Outside lights during the hours of darkness are either switched off or dimmed, and all passengers in cabins with portholes, windows or balconies must keep their curtains closed between sunset and sunrise. The crew are on a 24-hour watch.

FEBRUARY 22 – MUSCAT, OMAN 

Muscat was brilliant, I’m really enjoying Oman. I was on the ‘Mystical Muscat’ tour and it took in various places of interest throughout the city, including Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque.

My goodness, what a structure. It’s stunning! The women’s prayer room is far smaller than the men’s, but that too is impressive. The detail in everything is amazing. There’s a chandelier in the men’s section and it is magnificent. You’d really need to see it for yourself to appreciate the size and beauty. It’s 46 feet tall and covered in approx. 600,000 crystals!

It’s built from 300,000 tonnes of Indian sandstone and the main musalla can accommodate 6500 worshippers. The women’s area can accommodate 750 and the outer grounds, a further 8000. In total, there’s space for 20000 people to pray at any one time, this includes the interior courtyard and passageways. The carpet in the men’s musalla is the second largest single piece of carpet in the world.

The dress code here is very strict and there are no exceptions. Women must cover their legs, arms and head. I was absolutely roasting by the time we got back to the coach. I couldn’t wait to take my jacket and head scarf off.

The Muttrah Souq was our second stop and it’s the oldest in Muscat. I’ve seen a lot of markets in my time, but this was something else. Hundreds of vendors selling everything from frankincense to t-shirts. You could easily spend several hours in here and still not see it all. I left with a lantern. I couldn’t help myself.

The private museum of Bait Al Zubair was very interesting. Formerly a residence and now a place dedicated to Omani heritage and culture. It opened in 1985 and is still funded by the Zubair family. There are weapons on display, stunning traditional dresses for men and women, cooking tools and more. In 1999 it received the award for architectural excellence by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos. It’s well-worth a visit if you’re ever in Muscat.

I finally made it along to the Wine & Cheese event in the evening. This is another new concept and it seems to be popular. I’d been meaning to go for weeks, but every time, something else came up that I couldn’t miss, and as I knew I’d have the opportunity to do this one again, I had to keep changing my plans. You have to book a table in advance, and it’s held in the Observatory. There’s a charge per person for the wine, but everything is designed in such a way that the selected wines compliment the cheeses and condiments being offered. It’s something a bit more relaxed than the excitement of the Salsa & Sangria and Shaken Not Stirred nights.

We also had a live screening of the Six Nations Rugby in the Lido Lounge. I must admit, I’m not a fan of rugby, I only went down to get some sausage rolls as someone said there were snacks. I can’t say no to a warm Fred. Olsen sausage roll. Within minutes of the match starting, the lounge was packed. I could hear them all cheering and booing, they were all enjoying it. The room was also treated to a short musical performance from Keith, one of our dance instructors who has his bagpipes onboard with him.

February 23 – AT SEA

We’re at sea today and I’ve spent virtually all day writing and resizing images. I stopped at noon to have lunch at The Grill and then I went on my people search to try and arrange more ‘Behind the Scenes’ things for you. I have 2 things confirmed, so they’ll be coming up on our next stretch of sea days after our call to Salalah.

I did manage to go along to the afternoon talk today and it was all about Fred. Olsen and 170 years of innovation. I’ve done my homework on Fred. Olsen as a business over the years, it’s one of my favourite cruise lines, so I like to learn about the heritage and the people. The fact this business is family owned is one of the big things I enjoy about the cruising experience with Fred. Olsen. You know there’s still a big involvement from the family. It’s very much hands on.

The company originated in Hvitsten in Norway, in 1848. Three Olsen brothers – Fredrik Christian, Petter and Andreas – bought several ships and started their shipping company. The company went from strength-to-strength and invested business in other areas and now, more than 150 years later, the family is into its fifth generation and operates several other companies along with having interests in offshore energy industries, electronics estate management and more. If you’d like to know more, then this history page is certainly worth reading.

One thing I’m ashamed to say, especially given the amount of time I’ve spent on Fred. Olsen ships is that I had no idea the large picture in the Morning Light Pub is actually of the three brothers – Fredrik Christian, Petter and Andreas – and that the pub takes its namesake from the largest sailing ship that Fred. Olsen purchased in 1892.

The Tanzanite talk was on when I went to Reception to get some US Dollars, so I stopped there for a few minutes and had a listen and a look at the jewellery. I’m not big on jewellery, but it was nice to see all the beautiful rings, bracelets and necklaces that were on display. Did you know that Tanzanite was first discovered by the Masai tribes of Africa in 1967? I had no idea.

Captain Sartela caught up with me this afternoon. He came back onboard in Dubai and it was nice to see him, so we had a chat for a while. He kindly complimented me on my work and images. It’s always nice to get some feedback, especially when it’s from the Captain.

My plan for the rest of today is to wind down and try and capture a nice hyperlapse of the sunset from Deck 9. Wish me luck! It’s quite hazy at the moment and if it stays like this, it will ruin my plan.

FEBRUARY 24 – SALALAH, OMAN

We had our final call in Oman yesterday, in the port of Salalah and I spent the afternoon on the ‘East of Salalah’ tour.

Our first stop was at Ayn Razat, a spring that offers a lush green oasis with freshwater mountain springs. It was beautiful and a surprise considering we were right in the middle of nowhere in what is essentially the desert. The water is crystal clear and there were thousands of fish swimming around.

Next, we made our way to Taqah Castle. It was built in the 19^th century and is very well preserved. It was built as a residential house for a tribal leader, but today it’s a museum that showcases numerous weapons and cooking tools. We didn’t stay here for long, but it was just enough time. It’s quite impressive to see this mini castle in the middle of what is now a residential area.

The ruined city of Sumhuram is a palace where Queen of Sheba is said to have been excavated and it was originally founded as an outpost for the kingdom of Hadhramaut. In the first century AD it developed into a city and became a major trading seaport. It was inscribed in 2000, along with other sites along the Incense Route in Oman, as part of the World Heritage site “Land of Frankincense”. It’s an impressive archaeological site and although our tour description stated that we’d only have an external visit, we did manage to spend a short amount of time inside. I broke away from the group so I could explore almost all of it. I knew if I stayed with the guide, we’d only walk through the middle and I wouldn’t see the temple. It doesn’t look like a temple now, but I still wanted to see it.

No tour in Oman would be complete without a visit to a local souk and in Salalah, we stopped at the Frankincense Souk. Each stall offered more or less the same things, including frankincense, burners, pashminas, magnets and bags. We had 40 minutes here and that was more than enough time. The locals were all very friendly and you could barter with them for a better price. I didn’t buy any frankincense; the smell is too strong for my nose to handle.

Our final stop was a quick photo opportunity at the Al Hosn Palace, the personal residence of His Majesty, the Sultan Qaboos of Oman. You can’t really see anything here to be honest, the towering walls block the view.

Our guide filled us with information, but one thing he mentioned made us all laugh. Salalah has thousands of roaming camels. They are all owned by people, but they let them roam free. Accidents between cars and camels are not uncommon, especially at night as they like to sleep in the road, and he mentioned that if a driver hit a camel in the city, then the driver would be responsible for the damage to his car and the cost of the camel. However, if a camel is hit in the countryside, the driver’s car insurance will cover the costs of the damage to the car and reimburse the owner of the camel. This is because the camels, even though they roam free, are still expected to stay within the countryside. That’s my useless piece of information for the day.

Oman really did charm me. I liked the landscape, culture, history and the people. Everyone is very friendly and helpful. It’s definitely somewhere I’d like to visit again.

AT SEA – February 25-28

Our 4 sea days were packed with food, events, exciting blackout evenings and more. There was so much going on, I didn’t know what to do!

I’ll start with our Middle Eastern lunch buffet because that was different and very nice. There were lots of local fruits, dates and various hot dishes to enjoy, including jewelled rice, marinated chicken and a beef and herb curry. I still need to find out what was actually in the rice, it had a sweetness to it, so I suspect it was some kind of fruit. Either way, it was new for me and delicious. They also had a selection of dips and pitta bread. I tried the Shakshouka and Salatet Adas, both were very flavoursome.

The crew swimming competition was Boudicca’s first and what fun it was! The whole ship was out on the aft decks cheering for the various departments. My ears were ringing by the end of it from all the screaming. A lot of crew also came out to watch and they were adding even more atmosphere to the excitement for us passengers.

Shrove Tuesday brought pancakes and ice cream to the Marquee Deck. I’m not a big lover of pancakes, but everyone else seemed to be enjoying them. I’m still saving myself for the sundae I want to try when the weather cools a little. I couldn’t eat it fast enough before it melted in this heat.

We’ve left the pirate waters behind us now, so we can have light again in the evenings, much to my disappointment. I really like it when the ship is dark, it has an unusual atmosphere and people tend to speak in softer tones, as if we have to whisper in case anyone hears us. You’d have to give your eyes a second to adjust to the light when you came outside, but soon enough you could see those sitting opposite you.

I had to go to the spa and see Lorraine yesterday because my hair colouring was long overdue, I couldn’t stand it anymore. I hadn’t had my hair coloured at a salon in more than 15 years, I usually just do it myself, but it was so nice to sit back, relax and let someone else do it for a change. I went for a darker shade than usual; I love it and it feels and looks so much healthier. They use Schwarzkopf hair colours onboard, which is what I used to use when I first started colouring my hair. When Lorraine washed and treated my hair, she used a range of products that are infused with Argan Oil and Barbary Fig and it smells incredible! My hair is so soft.

I did have one plan for today that I was really excited to share with you, but sadly we’ve had to postpone. I was going to take you behind the scenes in the Neptune Lounge and give you a tour with Chloe of what preparation goes into the shows by the Boudicca Show Company. Worry not, she and I are going to arrange another day and we’ll give you a full and exclusive tour.

Before I forget, I HAVE to mention the Boudicca Orchestra because they are superb. We had a Big Band Show on deck yesterday and it was excellent, I really enjoyed the music. I think everyone enjoyed it.

We’re on our way to Aqaba now and we’ll stay overnight tomorrow. I’m going out into the desert for the ‘Wadi Rum at Sunset’ tour. I’ll be spending the rest of today rearranging appointments and then I’m going to sit and enjoy the party later tonight. I might even grab myself an hour in the sunshine with my book.

FEBRUARY 29 – MARCH 1 – AQABA, JORDAN

Our call to Aqaba allowed me to tick another thing off my bucket list and that was seeing the sunset at Wadi Rum.

We docked just before 3pm yesterday afternoon and those of us booked on the tour were soon on our way to the desert. It takes around 70 minutes to get from the port to the Visitor’s Centre at Wadi Rum and when we arrived there was no hanging around, we were sent directly to our awaiting jeeps and soon started our drive with the Bedouins.

The landscape is out of this world, you could look at all the photographs of it in the world, but to truly appreciate it, you need to see it for yourself.  Wadi Rum is also known as the Valley of the Moon and originally became famous during the Arab Revolt, which was led by T.E. Lawrence.

Many Hollywood movies have been shot here because of the moon-like landscape, including Lawrence of Arabia, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and The Martian. I watched The Martian earlier in the cruise. It’s one of the movies on the cabin TV list and I had no idea it had been filmed here. If you’ve ever seen it, you’ll remember the white dome tents that featured, well, some of those are still there and they are in the process of building more to use as tents for tourists.

We arrived at a viewpoint to watch the sunset and were treated to glasses of champagne as we took our spot for the spectacle. It was magical and just at the right moment a Bedouin appeared in the distance with his camels. My only wish was that we’d stayed another 15 or 20 minutes to really see the colours across the sky change. Saying that, once the sun had set the wind kicked up and it became incredibly cold. I couldn’t feel my fingers by the time we made it back to the coach. If you do this tour, please take a coat and gloves, and wear long trousers!

There was one young camel and he kept losing his herd. He made us all laugh. He was following one group and then stopped to graze before realising he was actually with the wrong herd. He left them and moved on only to be distracted again by food. Finally, I think he realised that he had to get a move on, and he ran between our jeeps to catch up with his group. We passed him again on our way back to the coach and he was still trailing behind because he wouldn’t stop eating! There’s always one!

Today, I boarded the shuttle bus and had a walk around Aqaba. I wasn’t looking for anything in particular, I just wandered along a few streets before stopping to grab food with one of the crew and then coming home to catch up on my blog. It’s a nice place and very safe. I was on my own most of the time and didn’t feel uncomfortable at all.

We’ll sail later tonight and start making our way towards the Suez Canal and our next port which is Ashdod, Israel. The air temperature is much cooler now, I guess it’s a sign of things to come, and I have less than 3 weeks left on this lovely ship. I’m desperate to stay here!

AT SEA + SUEZ CANAL TRANSIT – March 2-3

Yesterday, I spent most of my time sitting on deck in the sun. It felt so nice to be able to enjoy a few hours of Vitamin D without feeling hot and uncomfortable. I will return with a tan, although it will probably only last a few days once I’m back in grey and wet England.

The highlight of the 2 days was without a doubt our transit of the Suez Canal and what beautiful weather we had for it! This is my second transit through the canal and it’s just impressive this time as it was the first time. It’s a change of scenery and I enjoy watching the local ferries go back and forth.

The canal was constructed by the Suez Canal Company between 1859 and 1869, and officially opened in November 1869. Originally, the Suez Canal was a single-lane waterway with passing points in the Great Bitter Lake. In 2014, the Egyptian government began construction to expand the Ballah Bypass within the Great Bitter Lake and this opened in August 2015. In February 2016, the new side channel was opened, and this serves as a terminal for berthing and un-berthing ships.

The canal was in fact owned by the United Kingdom and France until 1956, when the President of Egypt nationalised it. Today, it is owned and maintained by the Suez Canal Authority.

One thing I didn’t know was that the Statue of Liberty was originally destined for Egypt. The plan was for her to stand at the northern entrance to the Suez Canal. The statue, originally titled ‘Egypt Bringing Light to Asia’, was designed to represent an Egyptian woman with her arm upraised and with a torch in her hand. I don’t know the full story, but I thought that was very interesting. Definitely something worth doing more research on.

More delicious sweet treats were on offer at lunchtime and I can’t tell you how difficult it was to walk past without taking a bit of everything. They even had warm churros to dip in the chocolate fountain. I wish I had the skill to make some of the cakes that have been offered, they’re just incredible. We had an extra special one today for Dante. He’s our Bar Manager and he is celebrating his birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DANTE!!!!

I had a very nice and quite a light lunch. I helped myself to some tuna and salad from the buffet, then I ordered the garlic mushrooms with aioli. I can’t say no to a breaded and deep-fried garlic mushroom, I was actually tempted to order two portions, but I managed to calm myself down and resist. They were delicious.

My intended plan for the rest of today is to enjoy more time out on deck as we continue sailing through the Suez Canal and then I’m going to get myself ready for our day in Ashdod tomorrow – I have an early start.

MARCH 4 – ASHDOD, ISRAEL 

Jerusalem, what a place to visit! Of course, I know it was where Jesus was crucified, where he held the Last Supper and the other religious aspects behind the city, but my tour yesterday (and another excellent guide) was a real insight into this incredibly religious and important land and I feel very fortunate to have had the chance to go and see it for myself.

We made our first stop at the Mount of Olives which offered spectacular views across Jerusalem. We stopped here for quite some time, as our guide explained exactly what we were looking at and where we’d be going on the rest of the tour. This is also where Jerusalem’s holiest and one of its oldest cemeteries is located, it’s an impressive sight.

Next, we stopped at the Gardens of Gethsemane, which is where Jesus prayed after the Last Supper. It’s filled with olive trees, one of which is over 100 years old. Right next door is the Church of Nations and we made a brief interior visit. There was a ceremony taking place while we were there, so I couldn’t get great shots of the pulpit area, but the ceiling was stunning! The intricate detail and colours looked gorgeous when the light shone through the stained-glass windows.

I didn’t really know what to expect from the Western Wall (Wailing Wall) but it was smaller than I thought it would be. It wasn’t hugely busy during our visit, aside from the area of the wall where the women pray, you could barely move. It was quite emotional watching people pray, touch the wall and leave their notes between the bricks. Several people left with tears running down their faces and many walked backwards away from the wall. Apparently, because the wall is so sacred you shouldn’t turn your back to it. I didn’t know that at the time. The Western Wall is the most sacred site in the Jewish world and Jewish worshippers have gathered here to pray for centuries.

Our tour concluded with a visit to Mount Zion, which is where King David’s tomb and the room of the Last Supper are located. It felt very surreal being in that room if I’m honest. I’m not a religious person, but to be standing right there, it was truly something else. King David’s tomb is quite small, but inside is a coffin which is believed to house the remains of the third king of the United Monarchy of Israel and Judah. There’s also a catholic cemetery on Mount Zion, where Oskar Schindler is buried. He saved the lives of more than 1,000 Jews during the Holocaust; you’ll also remember him from the movie Schindler’s List.

If you’re ever in Ashdod, you absolutely MUST visit Jerusalem and I’d recommend you do it as part of an organised excursion as the traffic can be very heavy. I did Fred. Olsen’s ‘Jerusalem’ tour, but they also offered ‘Jerusalem and Bethlehem’ combined.

MARCH 5 – LIMASSOL, CYPRUS

We’re in Limassol today and my goodness, coming out on deck this morning was a shock to the system, it was so cold and breezy and now, the sky is a heavy grey colour. The kind of colour that at home would push you into a movie and duvet day. I was last here 11 years ago and not a great deal has changed. I walked along the winding streets and into the main town before turning around and coming back on myself along the sea front.