Queen Mary

Hi to you all,
I have realized another tick off my "bucket list". I have long wanted to travel on the Queens with Cunard, and have achieved that now. I had high expectations as Cunard was supposedly up there with the best in my expectations, unfortunately it didn't quite make it. Don,t get me wrong it was a marvellous experience, but I thought it would be better. I had looked forward to the "gentlemen hosts - dancers" however they left a lot to be desired as they seemed to dance only with the same 15 or so women . I attended bsp;the ballroom dance classes, hoping that that would bring one to their attention, however although they danced with one during the classes, come the real thing and tada, only the same women got asked. Eventually when I was about to explo, I got invited up on the floor a couple of times. Otherwise dancing was a complete washout. I must be getting too old. One of the highlights was afternoon tea in the Queens Ballroom, complete with white gloved waiters, silver service sandwiches, cucumber salmon etc. And the most beautiful little cakes and gorgeous scones and strawberry jam and clotted cream,,,!!! VERY DECADENT. We only had 4 fromal nights in the 15 night cruise. Poor Rob hated getting trussed up in his suit and bow tie, of course Carol and I loved the dress up. In some respects there was not as serious formal wear as on Aurora, but I might be prejuidiced. On board it was hard to find places to sit and read (or sew) as in my case, most of the public rooms were bars, rather than lounges, and it was hard to get a seat. I only got to Trivia once and that used to be my love, but you couldn't get a seat. i joined the choir again, and we did a great performance in the main theatre, very nice too!, I also found a lovely bunch of ladies who met for "unhosted" craft gettogether, mainly knitters and crocheters, but I got 10 blocks of my "farmers wife" quilt done out of the 15 I took with me. 3 blocks I was missing bits from or cut out the pieces back to front! I indulged my self a little in the shops as usual, got a nice watch, and a new ring. (I had to buy it, it fitted me!) The layout of the ship was quite confusing, there were several half decks that meant you were going up a deck and walking along a bit and then going down in the next lift some parts I never got to find properly. One of the best bits was, I won the easter egg raffle! The casino sold tickets and I bought 3, as you do, and one time I was in the lift with a couple who were carrying this monster egg, and they said they had won, I said thats nice, and they said there were 3 prizes, and so off I went. the next night at 10 pm, the phone rings in the cabin, I am in bed in the top bunk, and Rob answers and they ask for Mees veeki, any way long story short. i won the main egg. It was huge about 2 kgs of gorgeous dark chocolate, beautifully decorated. And they delivered it that night. I don't have any face on, in my nightie and they want photos!!! I took it to dinner the next night for our table companions to help us eat it, we were on a table for 10 (actually the captains table, but he used it at late dinner and we were early!) I also gave a big chunk of it to our table stewards and the cabin girl, but still we are eating it here in Capetown,,,. So it was a great experience, but I probably won't be busting myself to sail with her again, I prefer P and O or other lines. A lot of emphasis is put on the "upper echelon" people, it might be a classless ship, but if you pay so much for your cabin you are entitled to different restaurants, and lounges, and if you are a "round the worlder" well!!! One of the comediens, a guy called Mike Doyle just was fantastic, he took the mickey out of the ship through his whole show. The upper echelons are called the Princess Grill or Queens Grill passengers, those are the restaurants they use, and he was calling them the mixed grills" I will never be able to see a mixed grill in the same light again. Any way all good things come to an end, and we disembarked at Capetown, South Africa on Wednesday, and we are in a most luxurious apartment with 2 bedrooms and bathrooms etc, very posh, right near the VA waterfront. So I will leave with something to tell you in a weks time as we go safariing during the next week. god bless all those who need it Love to you all Vicki