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. 

Laundry, lunches and loopy Internet

A flight of wines in the Glass House

The evening began with rain. Was this a forerunner of what would greet us at home or, worse, at Ponta Delgada? The sky lowered and the rain dropped off the balcony archway onto the seating below. This is really the first time that we’ve seen proper rain for months. And so we headed to, you’ve guessed it, the Glass House, for dinner as the main restaurant menu was uninspiring to say the least. 

Entertaining ourselves and being entertained. Or not.

Gabrielle with the lovely Janice

We’d been without Internet all day day-before-yesterday and yesterday and it became something of an inconvenience. Apart from the fact that we were unable to post our blogs, we lost touch with the UK at a time of political uncertainty (Brexit and Partygate, again) and in circumstances where we were unable to let anyone know why nothing was happening. And so, there we sat, heading into the North Atlantic and adrift, Internet-less. We couldn’t even check our Premium Bonds!

A peaceful day on the high seas

Enjoying the roar of the wake

No dramas, just observations in today’s account. After our busy three days on land, it was rather nice to know we would be back at sea for a day. Last night we had a swifty prink at The Glass House and a lovely chat with the staff to find out what they’d been up to for the day, a simple meal in the main restaurant and then back ‘home’ for our viewing pleasure and a quiet evening.

On board Aurora: its crew and its entertainment

Phew! Managed to grab a morsel of Internet. It's in short supply down here as there's not much demand among the penguins. Gabrielle has decided she likes being called ma’am, as in ham (not marm as in farm). The unfailing politeness and friendliness of the staff is testament to great training and quality recruitment. They seem largely to be drawn from the Indian subcontinent, Malaysia and Philippines. 

Astonishing, poor Internet and a great presenter

Last night’s “Astonishing” show lived up to its name. A blend of magical illusions, song and dance, it packed a lot of oohs and aahs into around 40 minutes. The enthusiastic troupe of singers and dancers leapt, danced and magicked their way around the stage and we left feeling that we had had our money’s worth.