Melsea's Adventures of First.. part 2

[melsea]

Well folks, sorry for the delay on my report of our most recent trip. One day after our return Bill got what we thought was going to be just a cold but it turned into something not very good, 4 days I started to get a sore throat then next day wallop I got the bug. The next 17 days I was laid out in what can only be described as a having a kind of flu, completely flaking one out, In fact I would say it was worse than flu. The residue of this awful bug is a cough which happens without notice. So I hope no one else gets this dreadful bug.

So onto my report, here it goes.

Second Day, 17th oct. Salerno, Italy.

We woke up fairly early but did not get up straight away. We went to the Lido Restaurant for our breakfast where they have a buffet it was very quiet as most people had left the ship by then.
Bill opted to stay on board and I ventured off. At this particular port we were docked by the commercial port so there were shuttle buses laid on by the port authorities as it is not allowed for non personal or passengers to walk around. The shuttle bus was originally going to drop us by the bus station and the pick up was nearer to where the dock is but unfortunately the lady at the port did not know this as when we got to our drop off point it was the same place as the pick up point. At some point it had been changed. It was rather confusing as when we arrived we thought we were at one place but in fact it was somewhere else. We were only given this information when we arrived. Most of us had to ask where were we on the map as it didn't make sense at first but once we knew, we were safe with the knowledge that we would get back to the ship okay.
The weather was a surprise as I thought it would be a lot cooler than it was, a very pleasant 24 degrees. I made my way towards the town and started walking through the back streets to find where the shopping area was, well I didn't actually get to it until later as the small roads and alley ways were not easy to navigate as neither the Cunard map or the one we were handed to on the bus had many names on them and so you had to find your way by keeping an eye out for the streets that led towards the sea and that way you knew where you were. Many of the these streets had very pretty light decorations in preparation for Christmas they were all colourful flowers. As the norm in these parts of the world there were churches everywhere and it wasn't long before I came across a large one that had a large court yard at the front of it and the inside was very bright with white ceilings and walls. I continued on towards what said on the map an aqueduct, I wondered what I was going to find. It was an old roman one that was not in use and was used as a through road for the traffic and it was covered in places by foliage. I eventually found the main pedestrianised street where the shops were. I went into Bijoux Terner shop that has lots of colourful costume jewellery. I spent a little while here looking and choosing a couple of bits and pieces. I ended up with a couple of earrings, bracelets and a necklace in different colours. By the time I had finished in there I went into another shop and was busily looking around when the lady of the shop said she was about to close. I was taken back as we are so used to shops and such like to be open all day , this threw me especially since this isn't even summer and I just thought they change their hours when it's not summer. I seem to remember that when we were on a cruise earlier this year when it went to Spain, France and Italy namely Naples, the shops stayed open. I don't know if I have become immune to the idea of an 'all day shopping' culture but I would have thought that in the present climate that such places would try to open as long as possible? But I guess if that was the case they would not go back to having their siesta and of course in Italy eating is a serious past time and so they wouldn't in all likelihood ever change that. Anyway moving onwards towards the coast having walked myself in circles around this rather pleasant little place I started to make my way back to the bus pick up point by walking along the promenade that goes all the way along the front but not before I spotted an ice cream place. I checked out the prices and thought not bad but did wonder what I would actually get for this small price, 2 scoops in a tab. I was presently surprised to find the scoops were of a good portion and my ice cream was just 2 euros. The walk back was very nice and in the lovely sunny warm weather it was a really nice thing to be doing.
I had just missed a bus when I turned into the corner of the where to catch the bus. The young man who was there this morning and was helping with queries and getting people back to the ship was still there. I spoke with him for a short while and it was at this time I found out that they had changed the drop off point that morning but he did not know why. I think it may have been because there were road works going on and also I noticed that the bus station area had very little room and I don't think it would have been an ideal place to have people congregating and disturbing the local transport of the locals. He also told me, as I asked him about the building that was going up at the shuttle bus stop. Apparently it will be for luxury apartments and will form part of the new port and harbour that is being built. This will mean that when finished it will be a large place for cruise ships to dock and will no longer need to be docked at the commercial one, also it means passengers will be right on the site of the town without having the need for shuttle buses.
Got back to the ship at just after three, went to the Lido buffet and had a little bit to eat, I really wasn't feeling all that hungry.
Evening meal was a pleasant one and we had moved around the table which the others approved of, it meant we could talk to someone new. We had waited to see our other table companions but alas they have not turned up so we are still a table of six instead of eight. Hope this isn't going to be a pattern as our last cruise had the same thing.
The meal was delicious again and hot. The meals are plated on Cunard which I don't think is a bad thing as there is plenty on there and you don't have to wait for the waiters to start serving the extras you don't need while your meal goes cold. I have become quite impatient these days waiting for the waiters to finish, it sometimes goes on for far too long, especially if you have a table of 6 or more. Didn't go to the show which was multi-instrumentalist 'Kenny Martyn'.

Third Day Messina, Sicily Italy. 18th Oct.

We arrive to a very sunny Messina. We forgoes breakfast and went out just before 10am. We were meeting a friend of mine who I was at college with and have visited in Sicily a few times over the years. She lives south of where we are docked and her journey was 2 hours. We found each other and she had a cousin of hers with her and we spent a good 3 hours with her, she had commitments of business in the afternoon, so had to head off early. It was though really lovely to see her and very nice that she drove all this way to see us. We said our goodbyes and we would be catching up with her at Christmas as she will be over in England to see her family who live in the UK. Her parents are from Sicily and they emigrated to UK back in the fifties and had two children, they never went back to their homeland but my friend went on holiday and met her husband and never came home.
In the afternoon Bill went back to the ship I took the city bus hop on hop off bus and went round the route, what I did not know and I was not told was that the bus was doing the last run. Had I been informed of this I would not have got it. Fortunately it was not a lot of money 10€. I only ended up doing three quarters of it. I got off at a high point for the view over the harbour.another couple also got off and they too were not best pleased as the bus seem to go round and round the same two stops at the beginning and so they did not have the full ride they were expecting. He seems to be a recurring thing they do. When I asked at the beginning about the bus and when was the next one the lady at the stand that was across road from the ship, she telephoned to find out and she then directed me to where the next one will be, she did not say this was the last bus, this was almost 1pm. As I was walking towards a bus some people looked as though they were getting off and they seem to be asking the bus driver in an agitated state but when I got closer they seem to stay on. I realised later that they were annoyed they had only just gone round the corner and back again and in fact that is exactly what happened after it left when I started the journey, in fact I was looking at the map and couldn't work out where we were going. We then pulled up where I got on 10 minutes earlier and he picked up more passengers. I could not believe it. We finally went on our way. We went a bit of a distance and as we climb up the hill to where I ended up getting off I ask the driver when will the next one be by and he said this was the last bus. At no time did they say it was the last bus. So do check when you get one of these buses. I walked back to where I started which did not take very long and I wanted to go and find one of the bus stands to ask them about what had happened and why they did not mention it. Of course when I got there, there was no sign of any of them. Live and learn I suppose.
The ship was very close by so did not have that far to go. Something I'd forgotten to mention for yesterday's port and it happens here too, was that before you start to make your way onto the ship Cunard provides cold water for people to drink having been out on shore and it has been rather warm. P&O have done this but not that often.
Bill ordered tea & coffee when I got in as there is no tea making facilities in the cabins. Once ordered it is delivered very quickly.
This evening at dinner we were a table of four, our American couple had not turned up. We had a pleasant evening and once again the food was excellent. Tonight we had lamb shank, sorry P&O but Cunard do it far better than you and we had proper thick mint sauce with it too. I like also that the plate is all served and no extras are provided, there is plenty on the plate along with the rest of the food that comes during the evening. So far the food has been exceptional and a few notches better than P&O. Having said that we feel for what you pay for with Cunard one would expect this difference but we are more than happy with what P&O provide, and so the difference is what we would have expected. I would though like P&O to provide hot meals as this has nothing to do with cost.
The after dinner petty fours are way beyond what P&O provide and just wish they would scrap it as it is just an insult and a waste of their time & effort. Only my opinion I must add.
I went to the show which was called Sing Sing and it had the four singers from the Cunard performers troop. They sang an array of songs from different eras. Some of it was a little cheesy and others good. I thought the young ladies were very good and although the young lads were good they didn't look right, lady and the tramp look came to mind. One of the guys was a cheesy looking type and the other just looks out of place. I will reserve judgement for now until I have seen them with the whole cast.

[emjay45]

Sounds a very nasty bug you and your husband have suffered Melsea. I'm glad you have both recovered. I've been very interested in your comparisons between P&O and Cunard. Thanks again for your reports, I do enjoy them.

[Belle53]

Just catching up with your reports, very interesting as always thank you, glad to hear you are well again, keep up the good work.