Around the time I knew my step dad really was passing I booked a cruise, I thought it was going last year, and would be a time to reflect on his life but I got it all wrong and instead I went this year and in many ways the trip became a route for me from work to retirement! It was also fun.
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| Tulips of Amsterdam |
If you were to look at the pictures of the trip you would say it was all about the flowers, flowers in The Netherlands, flowers on Scillly Isles and flowers in Monet's Garden and all of that would be true, it was partly the range of outings that sold the cruise to me (apart from the connection to my step dad/dad) However, in reality the thing that also makes a cruise is ship board life and whilst I couldn't do what some people do, go from cruise to cruise, I really enjoy that process of dashing around the ship, trying to work out where one is, looking out of the window and seeing the sea stretch away in the distance or land ahoy, chatting to people fleetingly in the lifts or at lunch and then there are the opportunties for excerise and luxury. I did not finish my book, but I did watch 4 movies, go to four shows, join in with about 5 quizzes and even won one on musicals. I swam a few times, did three art classes, did three exercise classes, joined in with the line dancing and even on the last day was one of about a dozen people up dancing to New York, New York with some of the cast. So it was pretty full on, and then there was the fun of dinning each night with the other solo travellers and the joy of eating by the pool or in a fancy restaurant. Out of 8 days, 4 were at sea, I was in the spa this time when we passed by Guernsey, last time we were going up a fjord. So there is something about the process of cruising that appeals to me, there is a silliness to it, a kitchness and a joy to it. Though I have not had experience of bad weather so that might shift my perspective. Also having no wifi it is wonderful to be away from the world, though news of the Pope's death was of course on the TV.
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| Wildflowers on St. Mary's Scilly Isles. |
But I was also lucky because the trips were glorious. I was in heaven up to my eyes in tulips after tulips at the Kuenkenhof, then on St. Mary's I sat on a wonderful beach, my back against a huge granite boulder and spent some time with dad, before walking through flower covered fields to the grave of Harold Wilson and back. And then Monet's garden, a stupid distance from the ship, just shimmered in the sun, just like one of his paintings, except that there were no water lilies! About 30 years ago my sister and I had peered over the walls, because we had gone on the day it was shut!, but now I have been. Entry is very reasonable, but not if you go from a cruise ship and have to have a meal en route, and everything there is much more touristy than when I last tried to get there, and I have learned of course how much is a recreation rather than exactly how he left it, but it was still worth it as it was spectacually beautiful.
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| Giverny |
So having hesitated and felt silly to cruise to such nearby places instead I am very very grateful for a lovely time in the sun, seeing great places and meeting lovely people And as a bonus, before hand I got to the Roman Wall near what was Sycamore Gap, climbing the hill ,was hard work especially in the cold and the rain and then I visited the roman fort of Vinlanda.
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| Hadrian'sWall, near The Sill, Northumberland. |
Tomorrow it is polling day, online everyone is saying Reform, but let's hope the people of Hertfordshire turn out to be better than that and keep the Green Party councillors in power.
