Off and Away - round Two of our Travels

Right people, we are away! Lovely friends John and Ev were up early to get us to the airport so we could book the bags through then coffee, then coffee on the plane, then coffee at Auckland airport ….. so all hyped up and ready for the long flights and times awake ahead.

We flew Singapore Airlines – first time ever – with lots of leg room for Dave (paid extra) and lovely looking ladies in perfect make-up and waists that were all  12 inches across! Honestly I think there must be some kind of waist restriction to become a Singapore Airline lovely lady! Dave reckoned they all need a good feed! (even the male ones!). Service was great – hot towels and water every 5 minutes. Food OK – pretty disappointed actually. Drinks, including Singapore Sling, made up for that.

Got a free $75 voucher to spend because my handset wouldn’t work (no mention of an up-grade tho).

10 hours, 3 movies later, Singapore airport for 5 hours wait. Spent a neat time going on the shuttle trains between the terminals! Amazing terminals – one has got little rain forest, flowers, carp ponds to walk through. Quite cool!

Also went to the lounge place where you can have free food, drinks, wifi, showers, massage chair for $20 for 2 hours. Not bad.

The second flight we were stuffed with about 12 hours ahead of us. About 4am our time. So sleeping pills went down, sleep came on, food got eaten, sleep, then wide-awake. So another sleeping pill (yes I know, I have become a druggie!) and one movie then Rome airport quite refreshed. Bags were actually there, great relief then on-board to our shuttle (driven by the most delicious Italian – love them already!) to the port of Rome about an hour away.

Port of Rome

Nice place – medieval type town with lovely promenade and walk ways along the beach. Huge number of cafes and restaurants. We arrived about 9.30am couldn’t book in, left our bags at the hotel, so we went walking. Lots of walking, along the beach, through the town, along the old roman city walls, pass a beautiful church then realised why no one was really around. It was Sunday and they were at church! By lunchtime there were the locals out and about having their coffees etc. We need real food so had a 3 course meal for 20E including beer! Lasagne and pizza and yum gelato. Then more walking with lots more people around. Totally knackered by 1pm, arrive back at the hotel to be meet by all these yelling, screaming Italian women attending a Wedding planner conference! Very pushy and waving 10E note in front of the one concierge to pay for something. I just stood there surrounded by these women, (Dave decided it was better to sit this one out!) In the end I put my hand up and yelled ‘I’m next’ to the guy, then a big loud women yelled and waved her money in front of me at him. So I pushed her away and said ‘my turn’ even more loudly than her! That shut them all up (deathly hush fell). He kindly gave me the key, and shooed me away. God! They were a nightmare!

Our room was classed as ‘heritage’ in that it was old but done up, with a lovely view of the beach and walk-way. Sleep came on us and we both slept till 8pm then out for dinner at this lovely restaurant nearby by the sea. Family run, with the patriarch in charge – definitely Mafia type face- quite scary until he smiled and then winked at me! Lots of his family around, grandkids he danced with, grumpy face wife who was in charge of the money, gorgeous grand-daughter waitress (dark skin, hair with piercing blue eyes – if she was a metre taller she would be top-model material). Any way lovely evening and very cheap again! Can’t get over it, no tax, no charge for service, quite like this place!

 

 

Next morning, up and walking around again.

6 or more cruise ships in! then quite excited as to which one was ours!

 

Got a shuttle to the ship – quite a way and lots of people all trying to get on 6 ships. However very impressed how organised it all was. 3000 people max on our ship, all trying to board over 2 hours. All went well until Dave had to show his credit card – no wallet! Oh it’s in one of the big bags said he. Gave mine over but concerned.

We got shown up to the 14^th deck for lunch as rooms not ready. My god! Food, food, and more food! Free beer ……. Great start to the ship. Had a look around – quite amazing places to see.

 

Ok – first problem of the trip ….. no wallet! Dave rings up the hotel and it was left in the safe there! This is at 4pm, the siren sounds for a safety life-boat drill, the ship is to said at 5pm ……….. In the end he said for them to keep it in their safe and he would have to get it when we dock again in 11 days time!  Bit stressful! Then the boat leaves ….. pretty exciting to stand up on deck watching.

Drinks by the pool, house band playing by the pool, starting to relax and enjoy. Yummy dinner and then show (great singer from New York) and sleep in our cabin. No noise but vibration if you sit in a chair!)

 

Day At Sea!

Wake up to pull back the curtains at 2am to thunderstorm and lightning flashing over the sea quite close by! Raining (it has been gorgeous weather the whole time) but so warm. Quite scary about what happens when lightning hits a bit ship???????

Next time we wake up and cruising past the coast of Italy heading south. Walks around the deck after food – really need to walk this food thing off.

Really cool when we have Sicily on one side close, and the end of Italy at the other side and we are going through this narrow gap.

Rest of the day is at sea. Swimming, spa pool, watching people, food, drinks, band, dinner, nana nap, show …… it was chic night (when people dress up) talk about all the cocktail dress, bling, tuxedos, …. And here is us extremely under-dressed! Didn’t care, and then didn’t after. Tho next time I must get
Dave out of his jeans!