Our World Trip: The Home Run

Well, after over 44,000 miles travelled by sea we are almost back to our starting point, leaving the Med and passing within 2 miles of Gibraltar in the evening sunset, then Northward past Portugal, passing Ushant and St Nazaire (where the ship was built) to starboard and altering course to take us into the Channel Approaches Separation Zones and thence to the pilot station off the Nab Tower early tomorrow morning.

We have spent the weekend trying to fit in all those things we haven’t done already; lunch in Todd English, White Star afternoon tea (with the white gloves) and taking pictures of the things we missed, like the ringing of 8 Bells at Noon on the ship’s bell in the Grand Lobby. Then, of course there’s the dreaded packing. To pass the time we also had the last World Cruise Cocktail Party and a Cunard Country Fair – a bit like Nayland’s Church Fete – to raise funds for the ship’s charities. That was fun and we won another bottle of fizz, a cap and a teddy bear by chopping a carrot (Splat the Rat), throwing rings over bottles and suchlike. Got nowhere near the Daily Noon-Noon run though! Raised over $7000 in total.

Anyway, The Bay of Biscay was a disappointment as a test for THE LINER because the sea is smooth, the sky is blue but we still have a bit of gin and a bottle of wine to finish off!

Very much looking forward to returning home where there is so much to do and there will be so many memories and stories to recount. We could be boring for a long time! Hopefully there will be enough room in the boot for all the luggage – we will be coming home with more than we left!