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The Trip

OK we're ready as can be! I've packed & repacked my suitcase 3 times, each time leaving something else out ......but it still seems too much . Problems, problems.. what does one take, cold and/or hot weather clothes? how many shoes, laptop (YES!).

Well that's it, no more, we'll just have to hope we've covered every eventuality. Mum finished hers yesterday!!

We're due to be picked up at 12:15 tomorrow(MPV) and then Saga Ruby here we come....!!

Thursday; DOVER - 21 Aug'08

We were picked up at 12:00pm by a 7 seater MPV with only one other couple in it and had a hassle free drive to Dover where the Saga Ruby was waiting. We were 'processed' quite efficiently by the staff having our picture taken, plastic door key given (which doubled as the 'payment' card for anything bought on board) and then quite quickly taken on board to our cabin. All the luggage appeared there and we spent a while unpacking into the spacious cupboards. Cabin quite large with good size windows, king size bed & complimentary bottle of champagne!! Nice way to start....

An hour or so later we were asked to attend life boat drill on deck with the life jackets placed in our room.

After wandering about lost for a while we found the ballroom where afternoon tea, sandwiches and cream cakes were available and we tucked in...! forgetting about the evening meal to come.

Went to dinner at 7:30 and were given a table for 6 (as previously agreed); the two other couples were already there, both seem 'acceptable' ;-)) Jim & Jennifer live in Sunningdale and have the best suite on the ship!! and Charlie & Pat come from Chatham and have a similar one to us. More about them another time......................!!

The meal was great but I'm not sure we're going to manage to eat like this every day without becoming a stone or two heavier, Oh well we are on holiday!!

Friday; AT SEA - 22 Aug'08

All day at sea! we spent most of the time getting to know the ship and lazing on deck in the sunshine...yes sunshine! it was great.

There were a few lectures/talks available and I went along to listen to one about Concorde, given by Les Evans who flew it for the last 4 years of it's life. Well attended and quite interesting.

Afternoon tea was served again in the Ballroom consisting of tea & cream cakes/sandwiches and more very tasty cream tartlets ..!! well we are on holiday.... :-))

Dinner was 'formal' which meant best bib & tucker; me in a tux and Mum in a very nice ensemble.

It commenced with the Captain's Welcome Cocktail Party in the Ballroom where the Captain received the guests but the queue was so long we bypassed it and waited inside with a glass of bubbly. He then gave his speech to us all and he's quite a funny guy!! with a dry sense of humour.

Dinner again was sumptuous and too much really; the waiters Jonathan & Alfredo were perfect!

After this we went to a quiz game followed by a musical recital.

All in all a good time was had by all.....

Saturday; BERGEN - 23 Aug'08

Today the ship arrived at Bergen and we went on an all day coach trip to various parts with lakes & fjords, waterfalls and the weather was brilliant...again!! Initially the coach caught a ferry across to another part of the fjord followed with a trip to a very very old wooden church. A Further stop was to see, and then walk behind, a large waterfall although this did seem to be at the same time as a lot of other coach & car parties so was a bit crowded, to say the least. We then continued and stopped for lunch at a hotel but 3 coach loads (us) of people was a bit of a crush in their dining room, self service if you could get to the food. Everyone did get enough food and quite nice it was, whatever it was !! ;-)

We eventually got back and felt quite worn-out (hard work this enjoying oneself!!) and got changed (only 'casual' required this evening) and once again a full dinner!!! I'm not sure we're going to last out!! will have to miss out one evening!! (no not really).

Didn't want to listen to a piano recital so decided to do this blog and retire to our cabin!!

So that's it for today. Tomorrow we're going to the 'Sunningdale' couple's suite for a pre-dinner drinks and a sausage on a stick, . We only mix with the best people you know..............!!

Sunday; FLAM - 24 Aug'08

Overnight the ship made it's way via the fjord to Flam where we docked at about 8:00am.

We'd signed up for another excursion by mountain railway (cog drive) up into the mountain about 7Km stopping on the way at a tourist waterfall (!) where young maidens danced above us; however, I must have been looking the other way as I never saw anyone!! ;-(

Once at our destination we began the long hike back down! which was more than just a stroll, some people were not very mobile before they started and a lot less when we finished! It took us a good 2.5hrs and covered about 6km walking through superb mountainous scenery with snow at their tops. We walked until we reached a station just before the starting point and rode the rest of the way down. Oh, what a relief........!

We got back to the ship at 1:30pm and just in time for lunch which was, of course, ...........Sunday lunch; Roast beef, Yorkshire pudding etc !!.....lovely, we were starving.

The rest of the day was spent relaxing !!

Of course at 4:15 it was 'afternoon tea' time !! so it was cream cakes and cups of tea :-()......

And then it was time for Dinner although this was a casual attire. However, we had been asked by Jim& Jennifer to their suite (Concerto Suite cabin 2)! for pre drinks first along with Charlie & Pat. Once there we were joined by no other than ....... the Captain himself! ......Philip Rentell .....a charming man who it turns out Jennifer had met some years previously when he was in charge of the Queen Mary liner (..I didn't ask exactly what occurred..) . We were also joined by the couple in the other best suite (Symphony Suite cabin 1) Bill & Maggie...I didn't take to him..

After a few drinks we all made our way down to the main Dining Room for another well earned meal..!!..

Monday; SKJOLDEN - 25 Aug'08

Well overnight was an experience to say the least!! The captain had the previous evening advised everyone that we would be leaving the fjord and taking to the North Sea for a short sail down the coast and into Sognefjord (the longest fjord in the world at 126miles!!) in order to get to Skjolden. He also said that the weather conditions in the North Sea was quite windy!! and we might notice a bit of a swell......well what an understatement! as, even with the stabilisers deployed, the ship's motion was quite up & down to the point that you couldn't get across the cabin without being bounced from one side to side!. Once we'd got into the Sognefjord things were back to normal and we docked at 8:00am. Breakfast in our cabin and we were off on another excursion!! this time by coach up to the snow & ice/glacier area of the mountains.

Getting on shore was by tender and we were met by a local group of school children and a brass band..very uplifting!

The coach wound its way up the mountain roads with a running commentary from the onboard guide.. The weather over us we blue sky & sunshine yet in the distance over the snowcapped mountains it was all dark grey clouds, mist & fog and not where we wanted to be.! We stopped to admire the view and the snow at the road side and then it was off back down and a stop at a mountain lodge for coffee and waffles (yes, waffles with raspberry jam and sour cream!!).

We got back to the ship around lunch time but for once we didn't have much to eat and spent the rest of the day on board relaxing on deck in the sunshine, until....

Yes, 4:15 - it was time for 'a classic Viennese tea'!! which we sampled, as usual..!.

Tonight we ate not in the usual Dining Room but made our way to the View Restaurant, a smaller more intimate place with only 30 tables but still with a superb menu which we both enjoyed; after which we took a turn round the deck and retired for the night.

Tuesday; STAVANGER - 26 Aug'08

The ship made its way overnight to Stavanger on the Lysefjord and at 8:45 we embarked on a boat ride up the fjord taking in all the scenery around, all this at top speed over an hour or so until we reached, in the middle of nowhere it seemed, a mooring where we were served with coffee and..................waffles, raspberry jam and sour cream.... must be the national dish! On the return trip the guide pointed out various very high cliff sides of the fjord with waterfalls cascading down. At one, water was collected from the waterfall and everyone was given some to taste. It was cold, clear and tasted of just clean water with nothing else added, wonderful.

After a light lunch (!) the rest of the day was spent exploring the old part of Stavanger down cobbled side streets and along the quay where some sort of exhibition was set up with a variety of sailing boats etc. Getting back to the ship was a bit fraught at first as we didn't seem to be able to go back the way we came due to another large cruise ship having arrived and forcing us to make a longer detour. However we got back in time for .................... yes, you've guessed it - afternoon tea and cream cakes !!

Dinner was once again a 'formal' occasion preceded by the Captain's Farewell Cocktail Party with more bubbly and hors-douvres . At Dinner we were not joined by Charlie & Pat as she hadn't been feeling too well over the last 48hrs but as usual the 4 of us enjoyed our meal. At the end of which all the serving staff entertained us with a song and dance with firework candles and cake, very illuminating!!

Afterwards we wandered about for a while before retiring for the night.

Wednesday; At Sea - 27 Aug'08

As we were at sea today we spent the day attending various entertainments such as; Napkin Folding Demonstration, Disembarkation Lecture (complete with all the ships staff coming on stage to say farewell) and the second talk by the Concorde Pilot...interspersed with Lunch (!) and Afternoon Tea (!). We also had to face getting the packing done and got everything back in the suitcases.....just! They were to be left outside the cabin and were to be collected in the night and back with us in the morning when we docked at Dover.

And so we came to our last meal on the ship, minus Jim & Jennifer who were in the View Restaurant. We finished dinner and went along to the Team Trivia Quiz (we didn't win!) and a drink, after which it was time for bed.

Thursday; Dover - 28 Aug'08

Upon waking the ship was entering port and we had time for a breakfast before we dis-embarked at 8:35, were taken to our car where we met up with the same couple we came down with. The M25 was clear for a change and we were home by 10:30, to be met by 2 cats who miaowed to say " ...and where have you been?...".

Home again !!