All at Sea for a Happy Anniversary – Friday 7th August
For years I have mixed up the dates of our Wedding Anniversary and Kaths birthday. I cannot afford to get it wrong this time, today is the big day, our 50th Wedding Anniversary and tomorrow is Kath’s birthday (I hope!). Correct, I got it right! – our cabin door is bedecked with a congratulatory gold banner advertising our big day to everyone passing.
We had a relaxed breakfast, how strange, despite all the late nights and over indulgences, getting up in the morning without any hangovers and enjoying a full english breakfast has never been a problem on this trip. We strolled around the ship, six laps of the deck equal one mile. Sadly, Iceland was receding, a wonderful country, we have not spent enough time there, we must return.
We noticed the swell on the sea was high and increasing. Suddenly, the ship leaned precariously, everything was moving, glasses, plates, crashed all around us and a fellow passenger narrowly avoided being squashed by a runaway trolley – the ship was doing a U-turn at speed in rough seas!
Then came the announcement, the ship has turned around and is heading back to Iceland, one of passengers is seriously ill and will need to be taken to hospital by Helicopter. We are now heading back to meet a helicopter which will be coming out to join us. After four hours the helicopter reaches us and in rough seas, winches the stricken passenger off the ship – a very slick operation, well done to everyone who was involved. However, this ship is now seriously behind schedule (about eight hours) creating problems for passengers who have onward travel arrangement from Liverpool on Sunday. Not forgetting of course the 500 passengers who are hoping to join the ship at Liverpool at about midday (that will not happen now). However, it is comforting to realise, if you unfortunately have serious health incidents no effort is spared to get you the right treatment.
We are now really rocking and a rolling, many passengers take to their cabins, as we head to the piano bar, Anna Maria, one of the more enthusiastic waitresses whom we have joked with before, takes me by surprise by announcing our 50th wedding anniversary to everyone in the bar, it is all good fun.
It is a formal night in the restaurant so time to make an effort, gold dickie to match occasion and Kath in posh white creation after being taken by Sam to a pamper session in the ships luxury beauty salon. Nice bottle of Champagne ordered, table looked well prepared, who put all those little ‘50’s’ all over the table? It was a lovely meal with everyone, how we love our family. Then the staff deliver a lovely cake and sing congratulations to us. A great meal to celebrate this special occasion.
Thank you Liz and Paul who sent us on the Golden Circle Tour from Reykjavik and the Big Cats Photoshoot at Knowsley Safari Park. I gave Kath a ring made from welsh gold and I received a gold pen, so my bills can now be signed off with style.
So onto the theatre, Anna Maria is there again, she makes yet another announcement to the whole audience and I have to make a little speech. Great show tonight and then onto that damn Disco bar, yet again. This time it was a sixties night, music we all love, it was packed. A really great night, non stop dancing (yes, at my age too!), public congratulations from the DJ, he specially played the Beatles number that was top of hit parade in 1965. Finally escaped at about 2-30am. Paul & Liz managed to keep going till about 3am. (Told later it was best disco evening for months!).
A memorable day, so pleased we could share it with our lovely family.
Six Sail to Iceland 