Merry Christmas and Thank You

With very best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Thank you so much to everyone who has supported this blog in 2011. Please keep clicking in in 2012.

An Intoduction to Dalian

Introduction and History

Dalian is the second largest city in North East China. As well as being an important port, it is also a major destination for Chinese tourists. Located at the Southern tip of the Liaodong peninsular, and in its own sub-peninsular, it boasts a natural coastline dotted with fine beaches. Dating from 1898, Dalian’s development stems from colonial occupation by Russia, and subsequently Japan.  China regained control in the 1950s. With less emphasis on heavy industry and a combination of parks and green hills, Dailian is considered to be a more pleasant city to visit and live in than many Chinese cities of comparable size. Dalian is divided into 4 main districts: Zhongshan (financial/commercial), Xigang (government), Shahekou (residential), and Ganjingzi (universities + airport)

Population:       6 million                                                                                Currency:    Chinese Yuan

Visa Requirements:      Multi-entry visa required if visiting more than one Chinese port           

 Likely Weather (April)    15 degrees  (High)     

Local Food: Seafood, pancakes, dumplings           

Shopping: Jade sculptures, shadow boxes, calligraphy scrolls, Peking opera masks

 Health   Currently no compulsory inoculations, consult your GP for advice

Language   Mandarin                  Distance from Port to Town: Depends on berth, but                                                                                                                    close with possible shuttle bus

Easy Transport Options Taxi/ local buses/tourist bus/tram

Link to site about tourist bus
http://www.chinatouronline.com/china-travel/dalian/dalian-transportation/dalian-bus.html

Suggested places of interest

Squares, especially Xinghai Square in Shahekou District (largest square in Asia), Russian Street, Forest Zoo (pandas),Beaches, Laodong Garden with Reach Sightseeing Tower (20 min drive from Dalian)

IMPORTANT

Expect to haggle in smaller shops and at market stalls.

When ordering seafood, you might want to avoid seaslugs and fisheads

Take great care when crossing the roads...cars will NOT stop for you. China has the greatest number of road fatalities in the WORLD 

Useful Links
http://www.itourbeijing.com/china-tour/dalian-port/

Link to printable map
http://maps.yahoo.com/print?business=&location=Dalian%2C%201160%20Liaoning&lat=38.92115575246808&lon=121.62517547607422&width=&height=399px&zoom=14&radius=1902&start=1&count=&pm=location&highways=&tolls=&mvt=m&trf=0&conf=1&unit=m&tl=38.93447656102069%2C121.56500816345215&br=38.90783244260865%2C121.65289878845215&ml=38.94381%2C121.576523&q1=Dalian%2C%201160%20Liaoning&q2=&startLat=38.94381&startLon=121.576523

An Introduction to Singapore

Introduction and History

Singapore is an island city state in Southeast Asia. There are two bridges which connect it to the mainland of Malasia. Singapore became a British trading colony in 1918 through a deal struck by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles. Briefly surrendering to the Japanese in 1942, Singapore was returned to the British in 1945, and self-rule followed in 1955. Full independence from Malaya was granted in 1965. It is now the second most highly populated principality in the world (Monaco is first) and has grown into a highly prosperous country combining impressive modern skyscrapers with traditional influences.

Population:  Chinese, Malay, Indian, Eurasian                                 Currency:     Singapore Dollar

Visa Requirements:      None for UK           

 Likely Weather (April)             30 deg C (day) 24 deg (night) Humid, occasional rain

Local Food   Chinese/Malay         Webcam Link    http://www.marina-bay.sg/webcam.html 

Health   Currently no compulsory inoculations, consult your GP for advice

Language   Mandarin/English            Distance from Port to Town: Minimal

Easy Transport Options Taxi/metro/bumboat/walking

Suggested places of interest

Riverside (Museums, theatres), Orchard Road (shopping), Chinatown, Little India

IMPORTANT

Not allowed in Singapore: Handcuffs, feeding pigeons and monkeys, Malaysian newspapers, homosexual activity, chewing gum, strong painkillers or sedatives without prior permission, non-locally sold cigarettes (local cigarettes are stamped SDPC)

Drug trafficking carries a mandatory death penalty

Useful Links  http://www.cruisedirect.com/departureport/dp_singapore.php

Link to printable map http://uk.maps.yahoo.com/print?mvt=m&ioride=uk&tp=1&stx=&fcat=&frat=&clat=1.29378&clon=103.853256&mag=4&zoom=15&trf=0&radius=1.74768&&q1=singapore&bminlat=1.2684662763665193&bminlon=103.81626297326659&bmaxlat=1.319093471054767&bmaxlon=103.89024902673338&v3=0

December 2011 to April 2012

During the next four months, I will be researching all the ports of call on our magical journey, and posting the results on this blog. I hope the information is useful. The first entry will be Singapore.
Claire

Go it Alone....How to decide

If you don't want to book a ship's tour, you should really do a bit of research. My first recommendation is that you find out how far the port is from where you want to visit. Sometimes, the port is over 2 hours away from the nearest large city.
1. A good start is to check the 'on your own' ship's tour. This will often tell you how long the coach journey is to your destination. If there's a walking tour from the dockside, you know the port is close to the town. 
2. Go on a reputable cruise forum site like Crows Nest or Cruise Critic and ask. Someone helpful is almost certain to answer your questions.
3. Download a map of your destination port.
4. Check out tourist buses, such as 'hop on hop off'. Is there a bus stop near the port?
5. Is there an easily accessible train station near the port? How frequent are the trains? What about weekends and public holdays? CHECK YOUR RETURN TIMES.
6. Is someone on a reputable website offering to share a taxi, or organising a private tour? Be careful to ensure they are genuine. Don't pay any money upfront or give card/bank details unless you are 100% sure that this is not a con. If you have any doubt at all, be extremely cautious.
7. Check out taxi sites. Sometimes you can book a taxi in advance, without any advance payment, but the company will agree a fare in advance. This can be a cost effective option. If you just choose a taxi at the dockside AGREE YOUR FARE IN ADVANCE
8. Have fun planning. This can be an enjoyable start to your holiday.  

Ship's Tour or Go it Alone?

When choosing your activity in the port, this has to be your first decision. Cruise organised tours are safe, well organised, friendly, experienced....and if the trip is delayed the ship will wait for you.

They are also expensive, have a tendency to 'herd' you, and are often impersonal. If you know the port, speak the language,are fit and well and have loads of energy then it's a no-brainer, do it yourself, don't book a ship's tour. For the rest of us, decisions must be made.

In order to make a decision, you really need to investigate the alternatives. If you don't book a ship's tour, what will you do?? Keep logging on for a considersation of all the options.
Claire   

Planning your Ports of Call

Unless you are really, really rich, and most of us are not, a cruise is a very special treat which we need to make the most of.

Days (or nights) in port are often a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience not to be wasted. So how do you decide what to do in each port of call?

Basically, you have seven options.

1.       Stay onboard and enjoy the lack of ‘crowds’ onboard

2.       Pay for a ‘ship organised’ tour

3.       Pay for a private tour

4.       Explore the immediate port on foot

5.       Catch a local tourist bus

6.       Go it alone by train, bus or taxi

7.       Hire a car or meet up with local friends   

In the next few blogs I will compare all the options and try to take account of individual needs. If you are planning your trips at your ports of call, then please click in regularly for the next few days.

We will consider:

Cost

Energy levels and health

Experience  

Safety

Individuality

More tomorrow......

Planning Has Begun

With less than 4 months to go, more detailed planning has begun. In particular we are considering:

1.       Visas

2.       Jabs (hopefully not)

3.       Currency

4.       Trips

5.       Transport to and from Heathrow

6.       Shopping

7.       Leaving the house/insurance

8.       Medication

These are the places we will be visiting:

Singapore, Bangkok, Vietnam (Ho Chi Min), Vietnam (Nha Trang), Hong Kong, China (Shanghai), Japan (Nagasaki), South Korea (Busan) twice, China (Beijing), China (Dalian), Vladivostok, Japan (Sapporo), Alaska...Anchorage, Hubbard, Juneau, Ketichikan, and finally Vancouver...oh and, of course, Heathrow.

The Science of Diabetes

There are two types of Diabetes. Type 1 (often juvenile onset) is more serious than type 2. But both types start when the pancreas stops functioning properly. The pancreas is a small organ located just behind the stomach. Its main function is to produce insulin in just the right amount to maintain constant glucose levels in the body.

 Although glucose is not of much use to the body in the bloodstream, or in the fluid that surrounds the body's cells, it is still something that we need. In fact, it is glucose that is the body's main source of energy, but glucose must get inside cells to create the energy that the cells need to function. The problem is that cells have a membrane or covering around the outside that won't let glucose in. This is where insulin becomes important, because it is insulin that opens up cells to glucose.

Maintaining a constant level of glucose is a delicate process that is controlled by the pancreas and the insulin it produces. Under normal conditions, this process is almost like a dance. Glucose levels in the blood lead the pancreas to release just the right amount of insulin to keep the amount of glucose in the blood stream and surrounding the cells at an even level.

 The cause of abnormal pancreas function in diabetics is insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is when the cells stop responding to insulin, meaning the door which allows glucose to enter won't open. Because the cells aren't allowing glucose to enter, the amount of glucose in the blood gets higher and higher. As long as there is too much glucose in the blood, and too little glucose in the cell, the pancreas will continue to produce insulin until the glucose level goes down. However, if the cells in the body have become insulin resistant, the amount of glucose in blood will never go down. The pancreas will continue to try to lower glucose levels by producing more and more insulin, but eventually it will wear out. Often this is the first cause of diabetes.

The increased production of insulin can some times help the cells to allow glucose to enter, but eventually the pancreas wears out and cannot match the body's demand for insulin. When the pancreas fails to produce any insulin, blood glucose levels rise above normal. Eventually, with insulin failing to open cells so glucose can leave the bloodstream, glucose begin to build up in tissues such as the kidneys, eyes, heart, and around nerve endings. This build-up has very serious short and long-term complications.

Once your pancreas packs up, or at least 'goes slow' it is important to avoid unnecessary sugar in your diet, so the pancreas doesn't have to work too hard. But sugar is everywhere in our diet and finding enjoyable sugar free recipes is quite a challenge. So watch this space in the next few weeks for low sugar recipes which have worked for us. More to follow.....

 

How to Choose Your Cruise

There are so many cruise lines now, and so much choice. So how do you make a decision.....?

The information below is based on my personal experience or the views I have read from other cruisers. My views are likely to appeal to British cruisers, though comments from other nationalities would be very welcome. If a ship or cruise line is not included, this is because I don’t have enough information to post an opinion. It has no bearing on my opinion of any particular cruise line. Please feel free to comment, and I will take your views in to account in any updates to the blog.  

1.       Budget

When choosing a cruise, budget is a very important factor, not only what you can afford, but also what you are prepared to spend. You can keep costs low by:

a)      Choosing a shorter cruise

b)      Choosing a budget cabin

c)       Choosing a budget cruise line

d)      Booking at the last minute

If you do this, you will still get to visit some fabulous locations, and, in most cases, have access to the same facilities as passengers who pay more. This is definitely an option to consider.

 Low budget cruise lines include Thomson and Island Cruise lines. They both receive high ratings from their customers.

Cheaper cabins are normally on a lower deck without a window. If this doesn’t bother you, then it is a value option...but book early. Most of these cabins sell out fast.

Book a weekender or 5 or 7 day cruise. You still get the ‘cruise’ experience’ and you pay a lot less!

If your timetable is flexible, then keep a case packed and take advantage of a last minute bargain. This is how cruise lines fill up cruises which are not fully booked. You don’t get to choose your cabin, and may have to travel at a few days notice, but you can often nail a real bargain.     

Cabin

If you are worried about seasickness, book a cabin which is on a low deck and midships. If you want the best views, then port side and forward is probably a good bet. If you don’t like to be shut in and enjoy a bit of privacy, choose a balcony and check if it is overlooked. For real luxury, book a suite, but expect to pay a lot extra. For some people either a bath or shower is important, so check out the plumbing before you book. The longer the cruise, the more time you are likely to spend in your cabin, and the more luggage you will need to fit into the limited storage space.

 Fly Cruise versus Sail from UK

If you don’t like flying, this is an easy decision, but bear in mind that, when sailing from the UK, you will spend several sea days reaching your destination. A long haul flight will save time, and often money, although your luggage will be severely restricted. Think carefully before booking a 7 day cruise with 2 long haul flights...you will be tired from long flights and jet lag with very little time to recover. One option is to fly out and sail back...but these cruises normally sell out very quickly.

 Where to Sail?

The further you travel, the longer it takes! It is probably a good idea to take a short cruise first before investing large sums of money.

For winter sunshine, you probably need to sail at least as far as the Canaries.

Which Cruiseline?

Choice of cruise line and ship is important. Your ship will be your ‘home’ for the duration of your cruise. Here are some considerations....

Balconies tend to be less expensive on larger ships, and there are more facilities.

Smaller ships are more intimate, with greater access to more remote ports.

Some ships, such as Arcadia and Saga ships are child-free. For family friendly go for ships such as Ventura, Azura, Aurora RCL. In school holidays there will be more children on board.

If you want a truly British environment, consider P&O or Fred Olsen. For a multi-national ship, try Azamura, MSC or Costa.

Cunard has strict formal dress codes, Princess is an example of a slightly less formal ship, though still having some formal nights.

Some ships, such as Fred Olsen and Cunard provide dancing partners for single passengers. On RCL there are dedicated facilities such as a ‘flow-rider’ for more athletic passengers and teens.

If you want a truly luxurious all inclusive experience, then consider Regent or Siverseas. Thomson also offer an all inclusive drinks package on some ships.

I LOVE THEM ALL. WHICH WILL YOU CHOOSE?   

  

All About My Blog

Welcome to Claire's Blog Page, and thank you for supporting a worthwhile cause. This blog has many purposes, and will hopefully be of interest to anyone who enjoys travel, especially cruising or anyone who wants to keep in touch with the implications of living and travelling with diabetes. The site is completely free to read, but does have a fundraising link in two ways.
Firstly it is registered for GoogleAds, and if enough people click on the site, then ads will start to appear. Any revenue from advertising will be donated to DiabetesUk.
Secondly, the blog is part of a fundraising challenge called '50 Bloggin' Days'. This is a 50 Day Blogging Challenge, which will restart in Singapore on 15th April 2012. Readers of the Blog are requested to make a small donation to DiabetesUK via www.justgiving.com/ClaireBaldry   .
Please continue to visit the blog, and I will endeavour to update the content at least twice a week between now and the middle of April.
  

Redesigning the Blog

Before I start another publicity campaign for interest in my blog, I am experimenting with different designs. Please don't be put off if the layout keeps changing. It will only last for a few days. Any comments on the new designs would be greatly appreciated.
Claire

In an attempt to raise more funds for Diabetes Uk, I have registered my blog to allow google advertising on my blog. The idea is that I will immediately donate any revenue raised to Diabetes Uk but, as I'm not writing the blog at the moment, no-one much is clicking and so no-one is advertising. Therefore, I promise to update the blog at least weekly between now and April, but could you, valued readers, please click on my site TODAY and then at least twice a week, if possible. This small action should help to raise funds for charity.
Thanks, as always,
Claire

Additional Photos

If you haven't already seen them here are the links to my photos so far

https://picasaweb.google.com/117902327079935340480/GrandPrincess2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCOThxb6QzZGI0wE#56 66329276682663826
https://picasaweb.google.com/117902327079935340480/Cadiz1?authkey=Gv1sRgCPOEj_eg7dbalgE#
https://picasaweb.google.com/117902327079935340480/Gibraltar?authkey=Gv1sRgCNXX3fbg2ce4Dg#
https://picasaweb.google.com/117902327079935340480/Venice?authkey=Gv1sRgCMOX-p2T3ZiS_wE#
https://picasaweb.google.com/117902327079935340480/20111014Dubrovnik?authkey=Gv1sRgCNeEiISpk5S6rgE#
https://picasaweb.google.com/117902327079935340480/Split?authkey=Gv1sRgCMjKpsS7hO_FZQ#

Day 20 See You in Singapore

Oh dear, what a sad day. The cases are packed and awaiting collection. We need to vacate our cabin by 8 am tomorrow morning and travel back to Bexhill ready to hibernate for the British winter. It has been an eventful cruise.

The train allegedly ran out of fuel in Eastbourne on our way to Southampton.

A freak wave broke through a window on deck 5 sending sea water in to the ship

We were confined to our cabins, while the ship changed course to repair the damage.

The weather around Malta was so bad that we missed out that port altogether. It was replaced by an amazing afternoon sail into the Venice sunshine.

The rain in Corfu was constant and torrential.

The faulty plumbing in our bathroom flooded our whole cabin, the corridor outside, and part of our neighbours’ cabins.

We were given a free meal in the speciality restaurant, Sabbitinis (beautifully presented and served, but perhaps the quality of the food was overstated).

We have been onboard for 17 days and travelled 5993 nautical miles.  I don’t want to go home.

If you have taken the trouble to read this blog, I thank you sincerely for your interest. I have now reached day 20 of my 50 day blogging challenge and will complete the remaining 30 days in April and May 2012, as we circumnavigate the globe via the Far East and Alaska. By the end of next week, I should have added a few more photos and links to my cruise photo album.

Reading this blog is entirely free of charge, but if you would like to make a donation to my chosen charity, this can be done by visiting www.justgiving.com/ClaireBaldry   

 

Day 19 A New Carpet

As we left our cabin this morning, the maintenance team with a roll of brand new carpet were waiting outside the door to recover the floor. Apparently they have rolls and rolls of the stuff tucked away in the ship’s equivalent of the basement. Take note ‘Carpet Right’, a new carpet fitted in less than 24 hours. This cruise has been full of unexpected excitement.  Last week we were not allowed out of our cabins due to bad weather. This morning we are not allowed in due to carpet fitters. I shall head up there in about an hour to see if the work is finished.   

So I have time on my hands. Tomorrow I will write a short review of Sabbatinis, the speciality Italian restaurant, and then give my overall impression of the cruise and the ship, which, although rather eventful, is largely positive.

For today, I will take a detour into the world of diabetes, and explain why it is my chosen charity for this blog. Diabetes has many forms, but can be divided into 2 main categories, Type 1 and Type 2. The most common, Type 2, usually affects people as they get older and is frequently, though not always, linked to lifestyle choices such as diet and body weight. Type 1 diabetes is a far more serious chronic condition, which is usually diagnosed before the age of 30. The cause is unknown, but because the pancreas becomes so ineffective, it can only be treated with daily injections of insulin, and requires frequent measuring of blood sugar levels. It is this condition that my husband, Chris, has dealt with for over 30 years. He gives himself at least 4 injections a day, and now suffers from some side effects such as retinopathy which has badly affected his eyesight. In addition, Chris often receives no warning of hypoglycaemia (low bloodsugar) so can unexpectedly drop from consciousness at any time. This means that they took away his beloved driving license, and he retired from work earlier than most people. Nevertheless, partly thanks to DiabetesUk, the condition is now easier to manage. Large sterilised needles have been replaced by insulin pens, and new treatments are likely to emerge in the next 20 years, giving hope the unlucky numbers of children who are diagnosed in  their teens or even at primary school.

If you have enjoyed reading my blog, then please consider making a small donation to DiabetesUk. You can do this by visiting www.justgiving.com/ClaireBaldry , which is a secure site for charity donations. If 200 people donate at least £5 each, I will reach my £1000 target. Your donation, however small, will make an enormous difference to the quality of life for thousands of diabetics throughout the world.       

Day 18 Gibraltar

It is 5.30 pm ship’s time. The sun is blazing down on our balcony. The hillsides of Morocco  are rising up from the South.  On the starboard side of the ship, the Spanish coast is visible to the North. We are sailing away from Gibraltar at a rate of over 22 knots. It has been quite a day. 

The minibus driver and courier were Bert and Ernie, comfortingly British. They drove us through the town to the base of the rock.  We then took a ship’s tour up the rock on the cable car, squashed in a little glass box suspended from the overhead wires. The views from the top were breathtaking.

We strolled through the nature reserve in the land of the Barbary Apes. We watched them, they watched us. With uncanny  human characteristics they carefully investigated each and every  tourist.

There followed a long walk through St Michaels caves. We were amazed by lengthy stalactite  filled passages which penetrated the hillside. 

Then we explored the siege tunnels, built by soldiers to ward off invaders.  It was an exceptional trip. Ernie and Bert filled us with history, until they finally dropped us in town to do the necessary ‘duty free’ chores. Another 15 minute walk took us to the ship for a late lunch and a well deserved rest in our cabin......or so we thought. As we approached our cabin, 6 maintenance men were clearing water from the corridor. Where on earth was that leaking from??? Uhem...where do you think....from the toilet in our cabin. So, yes, I am sitting on the balcony in the sunshine leaving Gibraltar, but inside our cabin a large blower is drying out the carpets, which will apparently be replaced tomorrow. We could have moved cabins, but I’ve grown rather fond of the place, wet carpets and all. We could no doubt make a massive fuss, but for now the free specialist dining meal we have been offered in Sabbatinis is enough to look forward to.

Sorry we never got to meet up, Anthea. Hope your sister is okay. Chris and I loved Gibraltar. We will return.      

Day 17 What sort of Cruiser are You??

Today we met some old friends....well it felt like that. Actually we met them for the first time less than 2 weeks ago at our first cruise critic meeting. Having promised to arrange a second meeting, Chris and I played postman yesterday evening and delivered a suggested time to each member’s cabin. Hey presto! They nearly all turned up. Everyone looked relaxed and was in  jovial mood.  We shared experiences by scoring different aspects of the ship out of 10. Unsurprisingly, there were different experiences, but two main themes emerged, as follows:

Service and food were largely considered to be excellent.

Entertainmen and especially communication by Princess were not so well thought of.

Nevertheless, most of us said we would go on Grand Princess again, and there was a general feeling amongst the group that the quality of a cruise is partly what you make of it.

 I’m having trouble loading photos tonight, but when this improves, the cruise critic group picture  will appear below.   

After 13 days at sea, I am beginning to feel institutionalised. We wake, we breakfast, we walk round the deck, we lunch, we take photos, we quiz, we dress up, we eat, we drink, we watch a show, we sleep. Occasionally, a port visit or other activity interrupts the routine, but that more or less sums it up. Today Chris and I were trying to categorize different groups of cruisers. This is what we came up with......

The Grumblers These are people who spend their whole cruise moaning about everything. It doesn’t seem to ruin their cruise, but it’s not much fun for the people with them

The Sunbed People They grab a towel and stake their place on the sun deck regardless of the weather. They stay fixed on those sunbeds risking both sunburn and hypothermia.

The Fitness Fans You never actually see these cruisers, but I am told they do exist. They rise before breakfast, spend at least an hour in the gym, eat all the healthy options onboard, treat the promenade deck like a running track, and their clothes still fit at the end of a cruise

The Serious Quizzers These people are incredibly knowledgeable, but don’t join their team and get a question wrong. They won’t let you forget it.

The Cruise Eaters I mean the real cruise eaters. They get calorific value from every meal and snack.

The Navigationally Challenged  Easily spotted as they wander out of the lifts without direction. The horizontally challenged cannot differentiate between port and starboard and fore and aft. The vertically challenged always leave the lift on the wrong floor.     

There’s something of me in several of these groups. Does anyone recognise a bit of themself?

Gibraltar tomorrow.

   

Day 16 Launderette Wars

Today was supposed to be a quiet day. No ports, no significant entertainment, just time to visit the launderette, and prepare for tonight’s formal dinner. I will gloss over the formal dinner. If you are an experienced cruiser, you will know all about it. If you don’t cruise, then it will probably be of no interest.

The launderette was far more exciting. Each deck houses one small laundry room for use by guests at a small fee. To summarise, there are 2 washers and 2 driers, and on sea days they are in high demand. Having waited my turn, I got my washing in okay, but intercepted a MAJOR row between two other guests. Apparently the ‘gentleman’ guest had removed the ‘lady’ guest’s washing without folding it, and she was furious, swearing, abusive, quite manic, as I hid behind my book listening. I think they both need a holiday!     

Apart from that, there’s not a lot to tell really. Chris and I toured the ship and took photos of Sir Francis which I will upload to his website on our return. We are also trying to find a word to describe passengers who spend their time complaining about everything and anything. I find this surprising, since it doesn’t seem to stop them booking more cruises. One man in the lift told me he was writing a list of things wrong with the ship to give to the Captain when he next saw him. This included  complaints about the sea conditions and the weather. I bet the Captain can’t wait!! My favourite phrase  so far is ‘cruise grumblees’, all other suggestions welcome.

Claire

Day 15 Nice Weather for Ducks

The weather forecast for Corfu said......’Partly cloudy with occasional showers’

The partly cloudy transformed into completely cloudy, and the occasional shower started at 6 am and has continued all day to descend with enthusiasm on this usually sunny Greek Island. Not to be daunted, Chris and I unfurled the Pac a Macs and caught the shuttle bus to the edge of the port, thence a 1.5 euro bus ride into town. Rivers of rain tumbled down the cobbled shopping streets as we made our way through town taking shelter where we could. Despite the dangers of slippery footpaths and numerous umbrellas, we managed to spend a few Euros on presents, before gratefully sharing a taxi back to the ship with another drenched couple.

The coats are hanging up throughout the cabin to dry out, the socks will take longer, and I am considering testing the hairdryer on my very damp boots. 

Thankfully, this was not our first visit to Corfu, we have been there before. We know it to be a pleasant, but not remarkable location, and could tolerate the rain with good humour. Some other cruisers found the whole situation unbearable, and, combined with the cancelled Malta visit, are determined to hold the Captain personally responsible for global weather conditions...more of that in a later blog entry.

So, we reach day 15 of this 50 day Blog. We have two more sea days, followed by our planned ascent to see the apes in Gibraltar, thence the long sail back to Southampton. The end of this cruise will take the reader to day 20 of the Blog, with the remaining 30 days to start next April when Sir Francis, the duck, will accompany us as we circumnavigate the world via the Far East and China.

The Blog is, of course, completely free to read, but we are hoping to raise some money for the charity DiabetesUk as part of the 50 day challenge.  If you have enjoyed reading the Blog so far, there are several ways you can help.

1.       Please click on the blog as often as possible. This increases the number of visits and helps us gain publicity.

2.       Please tell your friends about the Blog. Add a link to to your social network page on facebook or twitter, or click the facebook icon on the blog. You can do this more than once.

3.       If you haven’t already done so, become a follower by clicking on ‘Join this Site’ and following the instructions. Please ask your friends to join too. If we get enough followers, we can use this as evidence for more publicity.

4.       Our aim is to raise at least £1000 for DiabetesUK by the end of the 50 days. If you would like to make a donation, however small, you can do so by visiting     www.justgiving.com/ClaireBaldry

Thank you, especially, to those readers who have made a comment on one of the Blog pages. It is extremely encouraging to know that someone is taking the trouble to read as I write.

See you tomorrow, Claire

Day 14 Dubrovnik When Harry met Francis

The Dalmation coast of Croatia has always been a favourite of mine. Dark green mountainous fiords are interspersed with scattered villages and towns.

 The buildings are steeped in history and offer a wealth of discovery to their visitors. Dubrovnik is no exception. Founded in the first half of the 7th century by a group of refugees from Epidaurum, their settlement was established at the island and named Laus. Opposite, at the foot of the mountain, Slavs developed their own settlement under the name of Dubrovnik (named by "Dub" - type of wood). The settlements were separated by a channel which was filled in 12th century, and since then the two settlements have been united. At that time the city walls started to be built as a protection from different enemies (Arabs, Venetian, Macedonians, Serbs, etc.), who wanted to conquer Dubrovnik.

So, it was close to this city that our ship sailed this morning, arriving over an hour late as another ship had temporarily ‘stolen’ our berth. This was not my first visit to Dubrovnik, but I was struck with how the city had developed since our last view of it shortly after the end of the war. The city walls were cleaner and had been repaired. It was also thronging with tourists, and far more expensive than a few years ago.

We caught the 10$ shuttle into the city and joined the crowds to tread on the wide marble pavements and admire the architecture. Fortunately we had remembered to bring Sir Francis and decided to allow him to ‘pose’ on a statue. Just as we did so, an American gentleman, sat a small teddy beside him. ‘This is Harry’, he said, ‘He travels all over the world with me’.

We also spent some money, on us, on a grouper fish made of palm leaves, really. It sounds mad, but I will upload a photo when we reach home. It is currently ‘bubble-wrapped’

I swam again today in the afternoon. The weather is due to break tomorrow, so this was probably my last chance to mitigate against the impact of some of the eating with a gentle swim. I doubt I lost much weight, but I did feel the effects of the sun.

Tomorrow we visit Corfu, weather willing. See you there.   

Day 13 Split, a City of Contrasts

At 10.00 am this morning we dropped anchor in the bay just outside the Croatian City of Split. As our ship is too big to find a berth in the harbour, this is the one port of call where tender boats are used to transport us to land. As we approached the bay it became very evident that, although only about 200 miles from Venice, the contrast in terrain and construction is vast. Chalky green hillsides dominate the coast while a slightly incongruous mix of old and new architecture rises up from the city.

Split is the economic and administrative centre of Middle Dalmatia, with about 200,000 inhabitants. It is also the jumping-off point for exploration of the coast and islands of the beautiful Croatian Adriatic. The site was first settled when, at the end of the third century AD, the Roman Emperor Diocletian built his palace here. This palace now has UNESCO world heritage status.

Split is a busy port, with ferry services to the nearby islands filling this section of the Adriatic.

We left to catch our tender boat shortly after 10.00 am and were ushered aboard very quickly with very little queuing. The tender took us to the luxurious palm lined esplanade worthy of any South European resort. At this point there was very little evidence of the country’s Communist heritage or more recent war. However, as we walked into other parts of town a very mixed picture of wealth and poverty began to emerge. The expensive cruisers and yachts floated in a harbour which sometimes smelled of poor drainage, and designer shops accompanied buildings and flats in poor repair.

For 10 euros each we took a bus tour of the surrounding area, and saw similar contrasts, as in the UK, but more defined.  

This was an amazing day, full of hope for the future tempered with the inheritance of a troubled past.....See you in Dubrovnik tomorrow.

Day 12 A Taste of Venice

What more can I say about Venice? Having slept later than we intended, Chris and I took the shuttle along the Grand Canal to St Mark’s Square to arrive just before midday. We sat in the open at the front of the boat. The sun was shining, and the canal was full of water buses and taxis. I now genuinely believe that I prefer Venice even over Florence. Like Florence it exudes history but it flaunts it less. Venice has nothing to prove. It knows it is special. Venice is a small city, extremely concentrated, every corner, monument, Church or museum contains a piece of history, a tale, or a tradition.

 It takes years to train to be a gondolier, yet they stand on street corners and sell their services like second hand car salesmen. The shops are overfull with high quality souvenirs from Murano glass or with Harlequin connections. Contrary to what we expected they are not excessively over-priced. We spent a considerable number of Euros on the grandchildren, and rather less on ourselves...can’t say what we bought in case the family are reading this!! Having arrived in town late, we stopped at a little bistro type cafe in an outer alley way near St Mark’s Square. The pasta was freshly made to order and of very, very high quality. Chris said it was the best Lasagne he had ever tasted.

So now, it is dark. We are sailing out of a moonlit Venice ready to disembark in Split, Croatia at lunchtime tomorrow. See you all then,

Claire   
 

Day 11 Sailing into Venice

 

Today we sailed in to Venice. The sea was calm. The sky was blue. The city looked wonderful. The pilot boarded just before we entered the lagoon, and every building and rooftop seemed to come straight off the pages of a travel book or the scene of a romantic film set. I felt as if I was sailing straight into the Merchant of Venice.  We could see into the canal ways and look beyond the bridges. We watched the gondolas bobbing in the sunshine. It was almost too real to be real.

We ate early evening  on the ship then took a taxi boat to the centre of town where we strolled around St Mark’s Square now lit up at night. We admired the Murano glass in the shop windows and watched the restaurant musicians as they serenaded their diners. Venice is indeed a very special place.

Tonight we sleep on the ship while berthed at the dockside. Tomorrow, we return to the city to step beyond the square explore the narrow streets and alleyways.

Day 10 A Force 8 Gale

Here is the weather report. Overnight and earlier this morning we hugged the coast of Sicily and Calabria and headed into a moderately choppy Ionian Sea. We then moved away from the coast to work our way around the ‘heel’ of Italy, before regaining our northerly direction into the Adriatic towards Venice. It has been reasonably sunny, but with 12 foot waves and sporadic giant bursts which engulf our balcony. Chris spent some time on the balcony playing ‘chicken’ with the waves until he got completely drenched. Because the sky is so clear the view of the sea is very dramatic, and I have some amazing photos, but I feel very sorry for people who suffer from seasickness. The buffet was very quiet at lunch.  Having completely missed Malta, the Captain is hoping we will arrive in Venice late afternoon tomorrow ready to disembark for an evening ashore.

The weather has brought some interesting challenges.....how to walk to our cabin without grabbing the handrails....and washing my hair, the latter being achieved only after covering the bathroom floor with foam and water.

We watched a very funny comedian and impressionist last night, Gary T Thompson, apparently sometimes on TV, though I’ve never seen him. Tonight, thanks to our cancelled Malta visit, we get to see our favourite magician again, Andy Leach. He was supposed to disembark in Malta, so is still with us. I wonder if they’ll double his fee.  If I have time tomorrow, I will try and add a few more photos to the Cadiz blog, and download a picture of today’s waves. This is much easier to achieve when we are closer to land.

So hopefully, folks, we will reach Venice tomorrow in time for a couple of much needed hours on land. Wish us luck,

Claire

Day 9 Confined to Quarters

It is 7.45 am ship’s time and we are not allowed to leave our cabins for 2 hours. It was very rough overnight and at 4.00 am this morning a freak wave pushed in 2 windows on deck 5. I was asleep but Chris tells me it sounded like an explosion (we are on deck 9). Sea water entered the piazza and the ship turned South to be closer to the African coast in order  to seek more sheltered conditions so that the windows could be repaired. It is comforting to know that we are now closer to Libya should a further crisis occur.

So this is our current situation......

No one was hurt and we are all safe. The windows have been replaced with metal plate. Decks 5 and 6 are closed while they replace the carpets. The ship is now turning North  towards Sicily in high seas. Everyone has to stay in their cabins as this is a difficult manoeuvre and the ship is rolling unpredictably.....and it IS rolling unpredictably.  I am trying to ignore the creaking and other strange noises. Fortunately, I have my travel kettle and a store of ship’s cookies to keep us going until they let us out.

Sadly we will not now be visiting Malta, but we are allegedly heading past Sicily and straight up to Venice. If I have further news I will add more to the blog later today.

Afternoon Update

The sea is much calmer and we have been released from captivity in our cabins. We will now be arriving in Venice tomorrow afternoon for an overnight stay. The ship is largely functioning as usual minus one bar and some of the central lifts. Shame about Malta, though I understand the weather there would not be welcoming. Might book ourselves an evening trip in Venice when the details are published. Photo of damage below

Day8 Wet and Windy

What a difference a day makes. We are heading due east,  north of Algeria. The clouds have gathered and occasional rain showers are invading the balcony. Chris sat in the cabin for almost an hour watching CNN and waiting for some news of the F1 qualifying. Just as a picture of Sebastien Vettel  appeared on the screen, the rain cut the satellite signal and we lost the picture. When the picture was restored it was baseball. He is not happy!

So it’s a quiet day. I tried to upload some more pictures of Cadiz to yesterday’s blog, but the connection is so slow that I am using too many internet minutes. Some of the photos have landed in the wrong place as well, but I will wait until we are closer to land before I try to sort it.

We don’t arrive in Malta until Monday, so in the meantime here’s a bit more about the ship....

Grand Princess was refurbished in Spring this year. She lost Skywalkers nightclub, which was the large iconic spoiler at the back of the ship. The rear of the ship does look odd now, but as the nightclub used to shake in the wind, I think its demise was probably timely. The atrium has also been reorganised with the addition of an International Cafe, extra pizzeria, and Vines Wine Bar. As we are already feeling excessively overfed, I doubt that the pizza will attract us, but maybe we will feel differently if the rain follows us to Malta!

For those of you who know the Grand Princess, I think the best alteration is the reorganisation of the Horizon buffet. As I already mentioned, there are extra entry points for toast at breakfast and puddings at lunch. This prevents a lot of unnecessary queuing (and people moaning). If the weather is dull tomorrow, I plan to do a photographic  tour of the ship, but it may not be possible to download the photos until our return, depending on the signal. 

This afternoon I decided to burn off a little of the eating by walking around the promenade deck. Each lap is a third of a mile so I went around 3 times at a reasonable pace. On my third lap the sun appeared momentarily and the Algerian mountains rose up on the horizon. We are quite close to the North coast of Libya, but there has been no sign of Colonel G. in an escape boat.

A final note for kindle users...there was a perfect 3G signal in Cadiz, which meant I could read my emails for free.