Big seas, great show and annoying music

The Headliners make a splash on stage on Aurora

Another feature of our wonderful internet is that, if the bathroom door is open, it doesn’t work. Seriously! Many’s the time either of us has shouted “Sorry,” as we went into the bathroom and interrupted a vital online transaction. And being online had been important as we hammered across the watery wastes at 20 knots with Vigo at 299 nautical miles away. The sea was rolling big style with lolloping great peaks and troughs making the ship sway from side to side and up and down. The south-westerly wind was blowing us north-eastwards and helping to create a following swell - apparently the only type of sea that Aurora doesn’t cope with very well. 

So we continue to shake, rattle and roll with the occasional alarming sound of sliding crockery. The wind is consistently pushing the ship over to starboard, meaning that we are frequently walking uphill. This makes our exercise time quite challenging, not because of the uphill nature but because it keeps changing and causes the disorientation that we feel. However, the sun is shining brightly and although the air temperature has dropped to around 18C, our balcony is just a little sun trap. We’re both sitting in the sun in our swimwear - it’s hot! - and all that can be heard is the occasional “Oh my God!” as we reach yet another dramatic point in our books. I’m reading Pelican Brief and Gabrielle is reading Missing You by Harlan Coben. Both are rollercoasters. 

Following our disappointment at not stopping in the Azores we pulled ourselves together and addressed the possibilities of Vigo. The Shore Experiences team had pulled together a rapid list of fairly dull trips so we decided that we would do our own thing when we got there. We’re coached, viewed and sightseeing-ed out. So a wander from the ship to the port terminal and into the shopping centre and then we’ll see what’s what around the town. Or we could pay £26 for a walking tour! How does that work?

Headliners, dazzling as usual

Headliners last night once again dazzled with their slick, professional performance. Giving us songs and energetic dance from a wide variety of shows and contexts, their offering included a whole new take on Roxanne by Sting, a piece from Lion King and a vibrant and exhilarating Can-can. These young people put their whole energy into the event and are complemented by great music and dazzling costumes. The Headliners are the jewel in P&O’s crown and they are a must-see for anyone regardless of musical taste. 

On the other hand, in the various restaurants we are fed musak on a continuous basis. And it’s weird. I’ve described it as “Butchered songs, many-ways” because little of it is original and it varies from strange versions of popular songs to orchestral interpretations, along with context-inappropriate renditions of things you once loved. “Abide with me” for example is not the best tune for a cruise ship with all its Titanic implications; pan pipes playing Beethoven’s Fifth and Foo Fighters greatest hits on penny whistle. Ok, I exaggerate. But only a little bit. Much of it is only vaguely recognisable until you suddenly go, is that so-and-so? We often endure martial music with breakfast: brass bands playing stirring tunes and ending with I Vow To Thee My Country. Who’s this appealing to? Certainly not us. Someone somewhere has actually made a positive decision to choose this stuff. “Oh yes, they’ll love that.” They don’t!

Talking of breakfast, we had an ahem-ahem moment with me pointing out to Gabrielle that she’d left her water bottle behind as we left. Considering that it has usually been grafted onto her, this was an indicator that she must have slept a decent number of hours last night and therefore was probably only marginally with us. As the day has progressed though, she’s slowly become more compos mentis - should be fine by bedtime!