Where do I start?

Having never sailed from Tilbury,the priority was to ensure to get to the port on time. So in the morning on Sunday 22nd October having checked all the possible information on the internet,took a lovely bus ride to St Pancras to see how easy it would be to negotiate the steps,the elevators and to purchase a train ticket.With absolutely no information counter anywhere,I found out by default there were no trains from the station to Tilbury.So all the internet information was outdated.But the St Pancras station was a revelation.Aspinal,of all shops, I certainly never expected to see there.The White company,another British jewel.And many more.The hotel inside the station appeared to be beautifully restored,I would love to stay there one day.But I had more pressing matter on my mind. A tube ride to Fenchurch Street,where, I was assured, I get the only train from London to the port.If ever there was a station less suited for a train other than an underground train,it must be Fenchurch street.No lifts, countless steps, no porter to help.Cruise & Maritime provide a bus from the Victoria Coach station to the ship, but as much as I love buses, as far as any travel outside London is concerned, I prefer the train.Or a taxi. And a taxi it ended up to be.I have used the same firm for a long time. Yesterday well before 14.00 a beautiful salon car came to pick me up.Spotless inside and out,as was the driver - out,of course!I hope he picks me up on 14th December. The moment I got out of the cab a porter approached me and took my 2 suitcases. People often ask me how big a tip I give where I think a tip is deserved. The taxi ride cost me £65. The driver got extra £10. To the porter I gave £5.I think he was quite shocked,he said I do not have any change,oh,it is for you, I replied,thank you so much for taking care of my luggage,thank YOU,he said. The check in procedure was a breathe,no queue anywhere,I literally walked through and alone in the lift I was in a flash on the 11th floor,cabin 11140.JUNIOR SUITE,in fact.I only realized when I was preparing luggage tags yesterday morning that I was upgraded from a de luxe cabin [there are 28 of them on Columbus] to a JS. Columbus is a 3 star ship.And I see why it is a 3 star ship.But any-one sailing for the first time would not be aware of the grade. Th ship has everything all 4, 5 and 6 star ships have, but not quite so elaborate.And in the case of Silversea Cloud, a 6 star Italian vessel, the Columbus wins hands down,at least the way the Cloud was several years ago when I sailed on it from the Tower Bridge to Scandinavia and Russia. For me to have a wonderful cruise I ask for two things - a balcony,where I can sunbathe in the nude and a small table just to myself when dining in the evening.The balcony I have. The table is going to be unlikely.The seating card waiting for me showed table 146 for 4 people.I was too tired last night go and see if a change could be made,had a meal in the self-service restaurant.And excellent it was,too.Vegetable curry and rice,but no extras like a chutney and other condiments [ this is where the 3 stars show ],still hungry as I had no lunch,had a bit of vegetable pie, equally good and could not resist a slice of freshly cut white bread with some cheese and a salami, Lovely.In the cabin opened a bottle of gratis red wine.As an almost 100% teetotaller I drink now and then red wine because it is good for the heart.And the odd coctail only when I cruise.

My husband used to say that there is nothing more wonderful about being away

than coming back home.And that is the way I felt last Saturday evening when I returned home from being almost three weeks in Slovakia.It was the most wonderful evening, warm,34 letters waiting to be opened, the flowers barely alive,,the bird feeding bowls empty. Life is wonderful.

29 October am sailing on Columbus to South America and Caribbean.

The final itinerary came several days ago,as final as a final itinerary after the havoc the hurricanes had caused,can be.The grief and misery suffered by the people affected is unimaginable. As I have been away the last almost three weeks and only returned on Saturday,have not had the chance yet to compare the new sailing plan with the original,but there appear to be more days at sea.Disappointing,of course, but understandable. The moment I had seen the cruise marketed by one of my favourite travel agents I knew I wanted to be on it.700 or so cabins and only 28 with a balcony.Yes, one of them will be mine,I thought.And it is.I have never been on a 3 star ship.It sounds conceited,but I believe you only get what you pay for.This is a newly refurbished ship newly owned by a very reputable and respected company, Cruise & Maritime. I decided to take a chance. 45 nights at sea [or thereabouts,it was booked about a year and a half ago],the gamble may pay off. I believe in nothing ventured,nothing gained and cannot wait to get on board.I have,in fact checked the number of nights and it is 46.

Have you sent your luggage ahead,

asked the taxi driver taking me from the Southampton train station to the Cruise Terminal. No,this is it. But you are going for a week,he replied puzzled. Yes,I know. But the suitcase cannot weigh more than 8,9 kilos,he continued incredulously. And I probably won't even wear everything,I said laughing. And I did not.A short black dress with a massive bouquet of wild flowers,embroidered to perfection at the front of the dress bought on my very first visit to Lisbon, was not used, as I did not go to a formal dinner one evening,neither did I wear two blouses.I always feel aggrieved when I get off a ship knowing some items were not worn,feeling I had packed too much and wowing never to do it again,but if course I do, every trip. What can I say about the cruise? In spite of Ventura's shortcomings I had a wonderful time and wished could have stayed another week at least.I had met the couple who had remembered me from a Royal Caribbean cruise, several times.They danced every evening in the atrium [and they were lovely movers],giving me a wave and a smile as I was sitting in the corner of the coffee shop adjacent to the atrium.It was truly the nicest way to spend an evening - sitting with my HP Pavilion,browse and write.Oh,yes,I have my little Toshiba chromebook back, am using it now.The repair shop had erased everything, everything.but somehow am managing to get it all back.It is kind of coming back by itself, getting used to me.And as long as I can access my blog,I am happy. One morning in the self-service restaurant a waiter approached me,hello,he said, do you remember me?I looked up quizzingly. You were on Oceana at Christmas three years ago. Yes,of course, and is Buboo here,too,I asked. Buboo was the second waiter who served me every dinner, I had the most excellent table,but this is so wonderful about Oceana,they go out of their way to make a single traveller happy.Baboo is on Azura,the waiter said[I remembered him as Buboo].Yes, they were the nicest of the nicest waiters and every time I said a liked something - be it a cake or a crackling, they brought me another portion.Aaaah,my waist.It was truly the most wonderful Christmas.I had bought both of them Ives St Laurent after shave lotions. Baboo said it was the first time he was given a present on ship. This year it is going to be spent on the Queen Victoria. My sister does not know yet. Her son,my nephew will be moving to his newly built house in December and the whole family will gather there on Christmas day.Since my husband's death seven years ago I have not had Christmas with my family, I want to be totally independent, make my own life, build my own future.My family cannot understand it,but this is the way I want it to be.But I try to welcome the New Year with them,succeeding sporadically. Yes, I had a lovely time on Ventura and cannot wait to go back.The ship is going to be refurbished next spring,

Yesterday was a sea day,

this means we sail all day and the evenings are usually formal.Most of the travellers don on their best.There are some,uninitiated to the cruising world, who did not realize when packing,what the life on a cruise ship is all about.In the evenings you put on your finery.No-one does it better than Cunard patrons and I know it better than most,have a platinum Cunard grade,not the highest,but almost.Have seen it all,the smart and not so smart,the plain and plain awful, beach sandals worn with evening robes, women not carrying a handbag, dresses too short,too long, too see-through,too much make-up.From sublime to the ridiculous.People have their photos taken, portraits made.There is not a photographer who would take a picture of me I would like.My sister knows.She took 700 on one cruise and I erased them all.At the end of the cruise her friend asked - are you there alone? I thought you were going with your sister! Maria sighed a sigh of despair. But clever as she is,she installed on facebook old photos of me,some taken years earlier.People were none the wiser. So yesterday was a formal evening.The kitchen staff were working overtime.The renown chef Marco Pierre White on board,giving food demonstrations,signing his cookery book, the menu was partly created by him.And I did not go.It was the first time ever I had missed a formal evening's dinner.Ever.The bed was so warm,comfortable,I thought later,later,but later never came.And that is the way it should be on a cruise.You please yourself.There is nothing you HAVE to do.Otherwise it would be no fun at all.The entertainment on the cruise provided was varied and catered for every age.There were beatbox classes-how to create the sounds of drums.You could exercise to the beat of zumba or learn how to dance salsa,or cha-cha,or practically every other dance.There was a talk how to look 10 years younger.Dream in a pipe.There are films every day and various quizzes and sport activities.Life on board is varied.It is what you make it and it can be wonderful. I had a phone-call thanking me for my honesty in the questionnaire the guests were asked to complete.We give various grades to the services rended and are encouraged to add suggestions. I never need any encouragement.The worst TV system at sea.The internet follows closely.Stained carpet throughout.Threadbare towels. I was given excellent news - Ventura is going to be refurbished next spring.Not a day too soon. There is another dance class taking place as I write.Soon I will be going to have lunch.I need to be amongst the earliest diners if I want a small table to myself.

Guernsey

This is my third visit to the island.Third time unlucky.[Or is it fourth? How the time flies]]The sea too choppy,the tenders cannot be used, we are staying on board and I do not mind at all, even though have been looking forward to getting some Hotel Chocolat sultanas soaked in brandy, dipped in chocolate.Teetotal most of the time. I do have the odd cocktail or a glass of red wine or some liquer chocolates.And these particular ones are in a class of their own.There used to be a Hotel Chocolat branch in Kensington High Street in London,but closed 2 years ago now.I came across another branch when running to my Citi bank appointment in the City of London,once,but had no time to stop.And then there was The Hotel Chocolat smiling at me on this lovely little island.Alas, it does not look like we are getting off the ship today. Am sitting in the atrium of Ventura, the entertainment department has lined up some amusements for the disgruntled travellers.Why should any-one moan when things happen that are simply beyond the ship's powers,I will never understand.There is a film in the theatre,Moana,if I remember correctly the name,then there will be a lecture on Yorkshire ripper.Well, what do you want at such short notice?!And as I write there are dancers twirling and spinning on the dance floor, the line dance class provided by a true professional.And here I am sitting with quite palatable small americano,a biscuit,my HP Pavillion and the world is a wonderful place.I wish I did not have to go back home tomorrow.One day,one day I will be travelling to my heart's content.One day soon. I am re-reading on 19 August all my posts Re the cruise on Ventura,to ensure the information I give is double-checked and correct.We did get off the ship eventually,the tenders were deployed from about 12.45.I never did go ashore,though.

A blog about compost

Have not yet mastered the way to access this part of the blog,HP Pavillion has a mind of its own and it responds either very,very fast,or very,very slowly.The blog page I usually get does not have the COMPOSE on it and this time I typed to search BLOG COMPOSE.Microsoft ever so helpful responded immediately with A BLOG ABOUT COMPOST.Thank you,Microsoft.You are wonderful,but too clever for me by half.