.......idle jottings

"Yes, the next year and a half aboard SeaDream just might be the only sane option."

 

Well, take a little break from that extended SD sabatical and join us on the Windstar Legend (a former SB little ship). We just booked the March 5, 2016 cruise from Barbados to Aruba. Will be spending a couple of days on Barbados pre-cruise. Managed to snag first class seats from LAX to BGI with American ff miles. But I'm sure those will dry up quick. Still have to book the Aruba to LAX flight, but that is not open to booking yet.

 

And have settled on our "Wine and War" tour. Taking the overnight ferry to St. Malo (on my 60th, ferry has a decent wine list...), in a Commodore cabin at least. Renting a BMW 4-series (old Ragnar has forgotten how to shift a manual, and is way too big for the normal little french clown cars) at the St. Malo ferry terminal, then heading to Normandy for a few nights (with oysters at Cancale and an overnight at Mont St. Michel on the way). From Normandy we'll have 6 or 7 days to work our way to the airport at Lyon for an evening flight back to LHR.

Sorry Raggy, we may even skip the Caribbean at that time of year.

We are having a long December, 2015 to January, 2016 and so we may pop back down to South Africa instead and back for x-ing in mid-April.

Your "War & Wine" tour sounds amazing. Sorry HH wont be there.

That Windstar to Aruba itinerary looks really good. DW loves Bonaire as well. Hmmmmmm.......You might want to check behind yourself as you board. You never know what might be catching up.:eek: Could even be Ho-Hum. Don't say never Mr. Hum, you know I caught you peeking in other than SeaDream windows......:D

Haha

And just as you thought, "hang on, what's ALL this got to do with cruising" ?

Well.........you are quite right. Nothing.

Sincere apologies.

So "getting back on track".

For those who are non-Facebook users, you might like to see a lovely photo of the assembled Sea Dream I crew at Crown Bay Marina posted 18.00 hours GMT, 14 April, 2015.

How many can you name ?

HH spotted the wine sommelier......the rest are a blurr.

A few days earlier Sea Dream also posted information advising that there are an additional 3 ports to the Italian itinerary: currently they do 5 ports.

Bravo Sea Dream !

A real coup as well.

What are the existing 5 ports Sea Dream, can you name them ?

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Your words simply ooze common sense and maturity........so glad HH's ramblings elicited such a sane and refreshing perspective.

HH is grateful.

Well...that appears a tad troubling does it not? Mr Hum is grateful for a "sane and refreshing perspective".

Me thinks HH is in need of some sea air to regain his faculties.

Well...that appears a tad troubling does it not? Mr Hum is grateful for a "sane and refreshing perspective".

 

Me thinks HH is in need of some sea air to regain his faculties.

Well it's funny you should say that MACT !

The "safe house" from the angry Scottish indepentieastas (it's a new word) may not be so safe, so HH (the International man of mystery) is off to the other side of the world from where he boards a mysterious boat with a few other persecuted academics, free thinkers and intellectuals (why always us ?) where we are headed into the empty ocean for a couple of weeks of escape and hiding (except for a blog posted once a day ! To avoid recognition, HH will be undergoing reconstructive surgery into the appearance of an over-weight, flabby, un-fit, ageing, tramp....no one will recognise HH ! Cunning ehh ?).

HH will attribute your flippant remark to youf.

But yes HH's piece may carry a touch of hyperbole but loosen up old chap: maybe you are on a one day on, one day off !

Must have caught you on a "dry" day.

Cheers.

Spread the love, ehh Cabbie ?

But would HH trust him with a gun ?

Hell no......would'nt even trust him with a box of matches !

No, HH jests.

But as per usual, your point is well made.

It baffles us on the "other side of the pond" the love of guns, the type of guns available and those that are allowed them in the fine country of the US.

HH understands (probably wrongly) that the Americans "right to bear arms" was because of us, the Brits.

You dumped our tea into the sea !

Bostonians ! Not exactly known for bad behaviour. Who gave them their "settlement's name in the first place" !

Steady on guys !

Well we realised then and there, the game was up !

"They did'nt like our tea, your Majesty "

"What ! What kind of un-civilised people are these !"

"OK pack up and ski-daddle, don't like tea indeed"

So if we promise, cross our hearts and hope to die, that we wont threaten the Americans or try to re-introduce tea, then they can give up SOME of their guns (keeping guns for sport, huntin', social purposes) BUT what can possibly be the reason for a 17 year old needing a semi-automatic ?

Still want to visit Butch & Sundance for a shoot out !

Yeeha !

Please no gun salute !

I have to say I am a bit puzzled by all this "gun phobia" coming from the UK. The very first person to ever take me shooting was my Dear Uncle Peter in the UK. It used to be very common to go to someones farm and set up targets and shoot. To this day, the first thing most of my English relatives want to do when visiting over here is head to the range. As far as a 17 year old needing a semi-automatic, I have to think it depends on the 17 year old. In my life experience, one size never fits all. I have owned guns of various types and sizes since I was 8 years old. Never shot a person, and very few critters, since. Still love to target shoot with friends. So, explain to me how I will be safer if Big Brother takes away my guns???? I blissfully remember the "Good Old Days" when skeet shooting was offered off the stern of QE2.:D I think A. B. would do well to ditch the virtual golf courses on SeaDream and replace them with gun ranges.:eek:

Jim old friend, HH did say "guns for sport, huntin', social purposes" so we are on the same page here (it's the other ones and the un-restricted and ease of availability)

Well...that appears a tad troubling does it not? Mr Hum is grateful for a "sane and refreshing perspective".

 

Me thinks HH is in need of some sea air to regain his faculties.

Well it's funny you should say that MACT !

The "safe house" from the angry Scottish "indepentieastas" (it's a new word) may not be so safe, so HH (the International man of mystery) is off to the other side of the world from where he boards a mysterious boat with a few other persecuted academics, free thinkers and intellectuals (why always us ?) where we are headed into the empty ocean for a couple of weeks of escape and hiding (except for a blog posted once a day ! To avoid recognition, HH will be undergoing reconstructive surgery into the appearance of an over-weight, flabby, un-fit, ageing, tramp....no one will recognise HH ! Cunning ehh ?).

HH will attribute your flippant remark to youf.

But yes HH's piece may carry a touch of hyperbole but loosen up old chap: maybe you are on a one day on, one day off !

Must have caught you on a "dry" day.

Cheers.

Spread the love, ehh Cabbie ?

Well it's funny you should say that MACT !

 

The "safe house" from the angry Scottish "indepentieastas" (it's a new word) may not be so safe, so HH (the International man of mystery) is off to the other side of the world from where he boards a mysterious boat with a few other persecuted academics, free thinkers and intellectuals (why always us ?) where we are headed into the empty ocean for a couple of weeks of escape and hiding (except for a blog posted once a day ! To avoid recognition, HH will be undergoing reconstructive surgery into the appearance of an over-weight, flabby, un-fit, ageing, tramp....no one will recognise HH ! Cunning ehh ?).

 

HH will attribute your flippant remark to youf.

But yes HH's piece may carry a touch of hyperbole but loosen up old chap: maybe you are on a one day on, one day off !

Must have caught you on a "dry" day.

Cheers.

 

Spread the love, ehh Cabbie ?

A duplicate post no less!

Perhaps you may have started early on your "wet" day.

Away with you at the double and breathe in some sea air!

Now where was I...yes, the day ends in a "y", so large ones all round.

Sea air is fantastic for ho-hum AND gcmv.

On Saturday we can take a deep breathe of it, as Herr and Frau gcmv will be staying at the Baltic Sea for one week.

On our way, we will pass Hamburg tomorrow and will be happy to go on a concert with a very famous English band of the 80ies.

No,no ho-hum - it is not Simply Red - it's a boy group ....:D

SPANDAU BALLET!!!

Gcmv will write some lines on holiday - while taking a deep sea breathe.:)

A duplicate post no less!

Perhaps you may have started early on your "wet" day.

Away with you at the double and breathe in some sea air!

 

Now where was I...yes, the day ends in a "y", so large ones all round.

"Wet" days for HH !

Oh no, HH adopts "wet" half days:

Off: 11pm - 11am

On: 11am - 11pm

Sea air is fantastic for ho-hum AND gcmv.

 

On Saturday we can take a deep breathe of it, as Herr and Frau gcmv will be staying at the Baltic Sea for one week.

 

On our way, we will pass Hamburg tomorrow and will be happy to go on a concert with a very famous English band of the 80ies.

 

No,no ho-hum - it is not Simply Red - it's a boy group ....:D

 

SPANDAU BALLET!!!

 

Gcmv will write some lines on holiday - while taking a deep sea breathe.:)

Ye Gods Ralph !

Spandau Ballet !

Frau gcmv must have been just a child in August, 1983 was when their No.1 "Gold" came out

Well have a great time in the Baltic (Brrrrrrr) and remember Ralph:

"Always believe in your SOUL

You've got the POWER to know

You're INDESTRUCTIBLE, always believe in, because you are GOLD !"

Renting a BMW 4-series (old Ragnar has forgotten how to shift a manual, and is way too big for the normal little french clown cars)

Rag......have a look at the small print...... It may say BMW 4 Series.....or similar....... Somehow or other they will try to squeeze you into one of those little Citroen things.......

Rag......have a look at the small print...... It may say BMW 4 Series.....or similar....... Somehow or other they will try to squeeze you into one of those little Citroen things.......

That or upsell you to the Rolls.:eek::D

Contract shows:

Sample model: BMW Série 4 Gran Coupé aut.(NAV), BMW Série 5 Aut. (NAV)

But..... this photo was embedded in the margin:

Nice wheels. I got stuck with one of the Clown Cars one time. I was heading into Germany. How humiliating to be on the Autobahn in a 1 Ltr. POS. I could barely stay in the middle lane with the pedal to the floor. Oh the Humanity......

Contract shows:

 

Sample model: BMW Série 4 Gran Coupé aut.(NAV), BMW Série 5 Aut. (NAV)

 

But..... this photo was embedded in the margin:

Nice wheels. I got stuck with one of the Clown Cars one time. I was heading into Germany. How humiliating to be on the Autobahn in a 1 Ltr. POS. I could barely stay in the middle lane with the pedal to the floor. Oh the Humanity......

Haha......you two !!

What's a POS ? Sounds more like a PIS.

Another word of warning Raggy !

When HH saw a low cost car rental for an early model BMW, he ended up with this one !

One horse power.

This is what gcmv drives, HH believes.

POS.......Piece Of Sh.............

A little off topic but....GO HABS GO!!!...hahahaha! 😜😝

POS.......Piece Of Sh.............

So much to learn from you .......

A little off topic but....GO HABS GO!!!...hahahaha! 😜😝

So HH"s guessing this is hockey (based on a previous post) but thatss as far as HH can go....is it a college team ? Henley and Belmont School

Back in the Caribbean.

This time no "boutique" hotel, no "Caribbean" hotel, no disgusting fluorescent coloured, sugar watery concoctions of complimentary Rum Punch

Just a plain no nonsense business like hotel that is clean an efficient.

Now note that Blondie and HH whisked through from the "pile" to the airport Lounge and were sipping Taittinger Prelude (yes, no vintage Champagne at all !) within 55 minutes even though there was a terrible queue in Fast Track scan line.

That the plane was very efficient though HH did have to move because a lady (booked into Sandy Lane) laughed like a hyena every 10 seconds at anything (change the HRT darling, if you end up like that) !

And HH asked the Captain to forget saving fuel and put on the A/C, which he did on the second time of asking and after requesting an in-flight comment card, at the same time !

Oslo duly note, some people listen to HH !

Well the ladies (stewardesses) were quite charming and confided with HH that the "Sandy Lane" laughing hyena was "driving them up the wall" too and were on permanent duty running to and fro with champagne !

And the good stuff: L-P Grand Siecle !

They particularly dis-liked hyena lady waving empty glasses at them !

Then leave her the bottle, HH says after grinding up ten sleeping tablets into the bottle !

On leaving plane they suggest meeting up for a drink.

Sounds great.

Cabin crew can be "such fun".

On arriving at Barbados, the very elegant "meet and greet" lady tottered towards us in 8" heels and similarly whisked us thro' Customs and that other thing and into an awaiting A/C Mercedes where the driver offered us chilled water and did not speak one word, except to confirm hotel and "how was your flight" blah-blah and then SILENCE..............aaaaaahh bliss.

HH and Blondie had decided to change our driver of many years after the last visit.

A nice, super-friendly guy but last time he was a late on arrival to collect us, super-friendly guy, who blared out Reggae music over "crackly" speakers until HH told him turn it OFF and then he proceeded to talk about English football incessantly, which drove Blondie mad.

Taxi drivers in Barbados seem to be of two kinds:

Elderly men in clean, un-damaged cars, wearing, polyester, white open shirts with stick on signs attached to the dashboard advocating "Repent to the Lord or go to Hell" and other "chipper" signs.

And there is always the "black book" on the dashboard. They are normally always polite and they are just waiting for you to say "I see you are a Christian ?" And then all hell will be let loose and how God phones him up for advice when the "smiting" list gets sent to HQ !

No HH lets the driver squirm in frustration at telling HH how he too can be "saved"

Too late for that darling !

Anyway HH prefers to hang out with Butch & Sundance !

And then there are the "Rastas".

Always smiling (well they are completely "stoned") who greet you like a dear, dear friend and you, this white, middle aged guy now seem kind of "cool" and hip "in front of your bitch" and are instantly agreeable to anything and begin to speak in a West Indian lilt yourself whilst languidly stretching and similarly grinning

No HH "plays a straight bat" and maybe is a little aloof.

HH just requires a suitable vehicle, good driving, preferably silence and a/c.

But that's not what you get if you play being Mr. Robert Marley Esq. and his Wailers.

So arrive at the Hilton up a rise in the approaching drive and the huge bland building possessing no charm whatsoever but lovely landscaping comes into view.

Definitely corporate looking.

Excellent.

Might get some service this time.

Check in takes 25 minutes !

And after continuing "harrying" by HH !

Arrive in room...it stinks of cigarettes, now we must change.

Second room and now the (paid for) internet does'nt work (HH needs email: high finance you know).

Go to Reception after phone instructions fail to connect to sort out internet.

Wave to a few of the ladies from the British Airways crew who are also having to wait for their rooms.

See chum (who we will be sailing with). HH suggests go to bar and get a round in.

Finally join chum who has ordered drinks.

And wait, and wait, and wait......now there is just one couple in the bar apart from the three of us and there are 8 staff.

The staff look as if they are all trialling experimental anaesthetics.....God they are slow !

20 minutes later Blondie and chum get their drinks: HH's drink, they have forgotten.

So re-order the Banks beer and foam splurts out of the dispenser, they need to check something.

Finally 5 minutes later drink arrives; it is delicious and the lady server is fun at least.

After drinking and chatting a couple of hours we order food from a very limited menu.

Food arrives. HH's tortillas, salsa and guacamole....is awful !

"Not eatin' your food, baby" the lady server says.

Yes she is very familiar but HH likes that. We have had some good banter beforehand and as HH said before she is fun.

Tell her it is awful and request it be taken off bill. She agrees.

Manager comes over, a very nice chap who apologises and enquires what is wrong.

Well:

- size is too small

- tortillas not heated thro'

- lettuce limp

- guacamole not fresh and no chilli

- salsa came from a bottle and is heavily sweetened

Anything else ?

No apart from the size, display and every ingredient on the plate and the interminable wait.

It was wonderful ! The irony was wasted.

He says he will tell the chef. Whatever. As if the "chef" cares; probably lighting up a huge fat joint as we speak !

Well he could have sprinkled a bit of that in it !

So the manager is a young, athletic and upwardly mobile, go getter. HH's exact opposite !

Oh and he is cheerful.

HH is telling you, he's had a lousy meal and you are smiling !

HH was aiming for the mortally crushed response.

Well we end up talking about cricket.

England are playing the West Indies and match was drawn.

The West Indians are "cock a hoop".

Go "Windies" as a certain fellow poster from Canada would say.

It seems he and one of the "English" players went to school together.

No way !

Lovely guy.

"Will you be joining us for lunch tomorrow ?"

HH looks at him incredulously.

"I guess not" he says.

Later book "Daphne's" for lunch.

Best place to eat on island.

Order meal over a few bottles of wine first.....no waiting see.

Pass lady at reception who beckons HH over and says the ladies from the BA crew wont be joining us for drinks as they are all "bushed".

Yes, they too had to wait an age for their rooms ...... much, much longer than ourselves.

HH slept on plane. These ladies had just completed a 9 hour shift !

Shame it would have been fun. Flight crew can be a riot though the Captain looked a bit grumpy. Maybe it was something HH said about the plane's A/c.

Now "how the blazes" does the World & Olympic sprint champion, Usain Bolt ever come to be so good when everybody on the island is so sloooooooooooow !

Oh the irony !

But ALL the staff are marvellous.

Friendly and helpful with no attitude towards HH for his litany of complaints (all fully justified, naturally) and fun BUT so slooooooooow !

Maybe though, this IS the best hotel on the island. Certainly the best staff.

No come to think about it, the Bajans are ALL pretty nice but you know what HH is going to say .........sloooooow man.

Have a fabulous trip Ho Hum. :)

So much to learn from you .......

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CCcQtwIwAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D-hXljnDfVJE&ei=DnAyVc74E46yogSZ-oHwCw&usg=AFQjCNEVh__kHqHnEkMcZYVxa3WjdXzQAA&bvm=bv.91071109,d.cGU

Bon Voyage Mr. & Mrs. Hum. Looking forward to your travel reports. Attached is a Bon Voyage gift for you. After you hear it, you will realize why Mr. Sandler had no singing career. We rented the car he sings about once upon a time in St. Barts.