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This is not easy but we will get through it! Five ports in five days. We are not trained for it. We like a port and then a few sea days to get some rest and build up the stamina with plenty of food and plenty of Malbec for me.

It was sunny and hot but we had to get back to the ship to get ready for a formal night and dinner at the Captains table. The Deputy Captain Simon Love was the host. He is the man who went to sea as a young man, but after marrying decided to go ashore and join the family business. Some 18 years later he was persuaded to return to sea and after retraining he joined Carnival. He must be well on his way to a command in the not too distant future.

The sun is shining and the 8 metre waves and Force 8 gale have been left behind. We are some 200 miles from Lisbon and will be on our berth in Funchal, Madeira by 0800 tomorrow.

Today we were entertained by the legendary voice of F1 and motorsport – Murray Walker. He was due to speak at 1100 this morning, Wednesday, but the start was delayed as they tried to shoehorn into the theatre the masses of people who wanted to listen to him. He was brilliant, telling plenty of stories about the personalities of the motor racing world and a multitude of tales of his gaffes while commentating. He is of course renowned for his faux pas, many of which he told against himself.

We spent our honeymoon in Las Palmas on the island of Gran Canaria all those years ago. And we also used to come to the island for Easter holidays when Louise and Michael were small. We usually stayed at the Costa Canaria Hotel in San Augustin.

We also had a wonderful holiday with the Holts in Maspolomas when Katie and Louise were toddlers. That place made headlines last week when a boatload of refugees from Africa arrived on the beach amongst a group of naked gay men, who quickly scattered, fearing that the boat people might be infected with ebola.

When Jane and I came to Las Palmas on the maiden voyage of Queen Mary 2 – our first cruise together – in 2004, we decided to locate the honeymoon hotel and were somewhat upset to find that it had been converted into what looked to be a rather run down apartment block!

This time we thought we would take a taxi to the south of the island and find the Costa Canaria, but before leaving the ship I looked at Trip Advisor which revealed that the hotel was in the middle of major renovations. There were some very disgruntled holidaymakers who had sent in negative reviews. So we decided to give the south a miss.

We wandered into Las Palmas and were about to watch some traditional dancing in the square, when the heavens opened. We scurried to a cafe with large umbrellas outside. The dancers fled and we eventually ventured across town, but the threat of more rain curtailed our exploration.

More memories. Jane and I first came to Tenerife in March 1977. Jane was pregnant. We stayed in the dreaded Playa De Americas at the Hotel Tenerfe. We spent most of our time by the pool, but after about a week the worlds worst ever air disaster happened at Los Rodeos Airport in the north of the island.

This time we were docked in Santa Cruz, in the north, and as we approached the town we found that we had joined the Tenerife Marathon. The whole Waterfront area was packed with runners and their supporters. It was sunny and hot, but that didn’t appear to deter those taking part. It was a great occasion. 

While we talked, other passengers came up to talk to him. Did he remember this? Did he remember that? He said he did, although I wasn’t so sure. But he still has a fantastic memory for dates and places and people, despite his 91 years. He certainly doesn’t look that age.

This island should not be muddled with Las Palmas in Gran Canaria. “We have not been here before” I told everyone. Jane thought otherwise. But of course I know best.

But further up the main street we came across a familiar looking square.

I said nothing but Mrs Smith insisted that we had been there before and said she recalled photos we had taken of the square and the buildings surrounding it. I had to protect my position and said nothing, but after turning a corner we spotted a row of coloured townhouses.

I had to admit that I was wrong. We had been to La Palma before. It must have been on tha maiden voyage of Queen Elizabeth. It must be an age thing. Mrs Smith is, of course, much younger than me.

This week the parties have come thick and fast. The Cunard World Club party for frequent travellers and two days later the Senior Officers party. Exactly the same format for both, with the Commodore making a brief speech at the end to signal the fact that it was time to leave the free alcohol and go to dinner!

It was Samuel Cunard’s birthday today and there was the inevitable cake!

We had not been to La Coruna before. It is the gateway to Santiago de Compostelo which is about 40 miles south and it is said that in the Middle Ages no shrine was more venerated than that of St James the Apostle of Compostelo.

La Coruna is known as the ‘Crystal City’ because of the glass-enclosed balconies which cover the apartment buildings which overlook the harbour.

La Coruna is a lovely city and we explored on foot. Suddenly the street would open into a vast square with stunning buildings surrounding it.

We found the Old Town too hilly for the wheelchair (well, for the pusher rather than the chair) and we turned right towards the harbour to find that the City authorities were opening up the waterfront, with enormous promenades replacing less than attractive buildings.

The large hotel facing the harbour had 4 outdoor swimming pools and large numbers of senior citizens were to be  seen performing water aerobics and swimming lengths in the bright sunshine.

Round One came to an end on Sunday. I managed to get ashore by 9.00 am leaving Jane with the Sunday papers, her laptop and iPad. Mark collected me from the cruise terminal and took me home. The house was immaculate as it always is when Linda is house sitting!

I had a list of 12 things to do and find. I succeeded with 11 items despite losing the list. At the appointed hour of 10.30 am Jean and Tim Whitehead arrived. Jane and I had met them on the QV earlier this year and they had decided to join the ship again for this cruise to the Med.

Tim and Jean are to my right at the Captain’s table.

Jean and Tim live in Brixham but Jean grew up in Southampton and Tim read geography at Southampton University. Jean was a teacher and Tim was Director of Tourism, first at Southampton, then Poole and finally at Torquay. He is a keen sailor and we all have plenty in common. We sit together for dinner in the Britannia restaurant. They met at Fridays – a nightclub on London Road, Southampton!

This used to be Fridays but its name has changed a number of times since then.

“An update on Position Progress and the Weather”. That’s how the Commodore starts his midday broadcast. Today, Wednesday 26 November, he told us that we would be entering the Straits of Gibraltar at about 1600 hours. The sun was shining as we saw Morocco on our starboard side.

 

The Officer of the Watch pointed out Tangier and Tarifa (the southernmost Spanish town) and some 30 minutes later we were passing Ceuto in Morocco with the Rock of Gibraltar on the Port side.

        Ceuto

    Gibraltar

As I returned to the cabin with my camera, the Commodore made a further broadcast. He told us that a gale was buiding up in the Med to the north and that it had been decided that to avoid horrible weather for our calls to Barcelona and Toulon, our itinerary was to be rearranged:

Thursday 27th.- Cartagena, as planned

Friday 28th.     – At sea instead of Barcelona

Saturday 29th. – Livorno instead of Toulon

Sunday 30th.   – Ajaccio instead of Livorno

Monday 1st.    – Barcelona instead of Ajaccio

The net result is that we miss Toulon and have an extra day at sea. It seems that the forecast indicates that we would not have been able to berth safely at Toulon on Saturday.

Just before hearing the Commodore’s report, I bumped into David Ellis-Jones on deck 3. He told me that he and Pat (Bob Sperring’s sister) have recently moved from Bishops Waltham to Winchester – to the Barracks where Michael and Posie Yeomans live. Their cabin is on Deck 7 as is ours.