Day 26, off Baja California (Mexico)

So we're almost into countdown mode with only two last nights to go. So what of today? Cloudy this morning and then some sunshine in the afternoon. And it sounds like the rain and only 14C in L.A. is moving away for Tuesday.

So had a bit of a "British" day today - pub lunch and fish in chips in the Golden Lion where we met Alex and Frances who were originally from Scotland but now live in Florida, and discussed curry houses in Glasgow amongst other things tartan.

Then we attended something so very British - an afternoon Tea Dance in the Queen's room. Unbelievable. An afternoon band, waiters go around with white gloves serving tea, sandwiches and cakes, and people dance on the dance floor all very seriously. Felt completely out of place in my shorts and flipflops and I'm sure had a number of critical glances. But every song the dance floor was full - including "gentlemen dance hosts" who invited the single women up to dance. Let me make it clear most of these ladies were not under-50 shall we say, but respect - they could do a rumba when they wanted to.

Then a late afternoon frazzle to top up the tan. Off now to have a drink and get ready for the last formal dinner. Until next update...

Day 25, going loco down in Acapulco...

... or so the Four Tops song goes!

Arrived like clockwork at 7.00am, and took the 8.30am tender boat to Acapulco. So here I am in the internet cafe still to see the place, but giving our blog followers time to catch up with last week's photos! Anyway here's a few from this morning already...

Some views from the ship, the QM2 looking back on the tender boat into the sun, and with Alan and Vivienne heading out to look for this internet cafe!
















So after a spell in the internet cafe, we wandered along the coast and spent some time on the beach watching the fishermen pulling the fish from their nets. Not much of a sight but the amazing thing was... around 50 huge pelicans wandering around only feet away! Watch out for the picture update when we get to L.A.!

We then wandered around the town, took out some Mexican pesos (20 to the pound), and had a look in the market. We then grabbed a taxi and headed up to the cliff divers, these nutcases who jump 40 metres down a cliff face into the water. An amazing spectacle. Oh, had to have a Corona in a local bar as it was so hot (understandably).

We then headed back to the town, bought some bits and pieces in another market, found our way back to the port and had a couple of Mexican margueritas (as you do). Spent the last pesos on another t-shirt and headed back to the boat (picture below). Nice place Acapulco!

Days 22 to 24 - at sea

So the ship has been following a straight line between Callao/Lima and Acapulco which saw us cross the equator and re-enter the Northern Hemisphere about 6.15am on Thursday. Interestingly the last two days have been a bit rough at sea as we hit the more open waters. Prior to that the Pacific Ocean (and for those of you who didn't know, named by the Spanish because it was seen as being so peaceful) was as calm as a millpond.

Yesterday brought with it cloudy weather and rain, but as all meteorologists would know this is the equatorial zone where convection creates clouds and rain (!). Today it has cleared up and we have a perfect blue sky and 28C or 82F - but with a 25 knot wind, the boat going at 28 knots and the rough conditions (8 to 12 feet waves), it's pretty windy and blustery out on deck! Nice for a salt water shower as you sit on the deck!!

Yesterday I succombed to something dodgy which I must have eaten (or the traditional dodgy pint?!?), so have not been feeling so great today. So an early night ready for Acapulco seems a good idea tonight.

Hope all is well at home - I hear ice hockey training has been cancelled tonight due to the snow - so things pretty bad in Bristol and Swindon I understand?!?

Look out for a longer update and pics from Acapulco tomorrow...

Oh, here's a nice sunset...

Day 21 - a day in Lima, Peru

So with military precision the boat pulled into Callao yesterday at 7am ready for 2,600 punters to offload and have a look around Peru's capital Lima and the surrounding area...

So how did the "Grand Tour of Lima" pan out?

7.45am - breakfast
8.45am - line up in the Grand Palace theatre waiting for your bus number to be called - we're yellow 25
9.00am - get on the bus with Eduardo the driver and Ernesto the guide
10.00am - arrive Monastery of San Francisco in Lima
10.45am - walk to main square in Lima and visit cathedral











11.15am - back on bus, told off for being late













11.45am - visit Miraflores, posh bit in Lima with view of Pacific coast















12.15pm - lunch in nice restaurant with good nosh and wine
13.15pm - back on bus
13.30pm - visit Indian market















14.15pm - back on bus
14.45pm - visit Lima Gold Museum; an awesome collection of pre and post-Inca gold
16.15pm - back on bus
17.30pm - back to QM2
18.00pm - boat leaves!

So no time for internet cafe I'm afraid, so I will need to leave the photo update to Acapulco, Mexico on Saturday. A great but busy day!!

So now for three days at sea - spent this afternoon sitting on the deck looking for flying fish, whales and dolphins... your snow (the Daily Mail had seven pages of it yesterday I see! We get the papers transmitted to us) looks amazing but with a blue sky, 26C and warm sunshine here it all seems a million miles away!!

Thanks for the messages - please feel free to send some more!!

Day 20 - off the Peru coast...

So it's warmed up, 24C or 75F so a bit of sunbathing off the deck this afternoon while hopefully looking for whales and dolphins! We're currently at 17N and 76W, if you can get your atlas out and find our position!

A bit of a disaster earlier - Ricky our cabin steward over zealously cleared an area around our bin including all Santiago postcards! So sorry guys, none coming from there!!

We have our second successive 25 hour day today as the ship readjusts its time from Santiago time (GMT + 3 hours) to Lima time (GMT + 5 hours), and more to follow as Los Angeles is eight hours different!

I'm now down at the internet checking deadline day transfers, sad I know... I hear you've got a bit of snow back home?!?

Oh, and off to the evening. Time to say goodbye to my two buddies from New Jersey, Al and Alan who I enjoyed a full evening of beer drinking and the Superbowl yesterday... and here is Chris and fellow barman from the Golden Lion...

Day 19 at sea, overcast and cloudy...

... I know, your hearts bleed for us! Apparantly due to a low pressure, the Lima current (you know it well) and the cool air coming down from the Andes. Oh well. Apparantly some dolphins spotted over the port side this morning.

So some more indoor activities and I finished my Rio at Night picture. Off to the pub for lunch soon and then will be watching the Superbowl, after attending the Commodore's cocktail party first.

A great day in Santiago yesterday - will post some more pictures when we hit Callao/Lima on Tuesday.

An early post today as I've just checked the Toon/Mackems result - 1-1 with a dodgy Shola penalty equaliser I read.

Thanks for the comments and please keep them coming - It's great to read them in dodgy Internet cafes in South American city back streets!!

And in the evening, time for the Superbowl... and what a game!

Two new foll0wers - hi Rosie - and Black Star, please tell me a bit more about yourself and how you got the link? Until next time...