When it’s raining really hard we have sayings like “it’s pissing down” or “it’s hammering down”. What do you say when it’s snowing heavily? “It’s FLOATING down!!!”? Whatever it is, it’s covering the acres of solar panels next door to the port and it’s stopped FLOATING down and the sun’s come out. No wind either so the wind monstrosities on a nearby hill are stationary. Could be worse (or better) I guess – they could be on fire as frequently happens to these useless piles of unrecyclable crap. Actually you’re lucky if you live next to a burning windmill because there’s no electricity (snow on the solar panels) but at least it’s warm.
We weren’t prepared for all of this snow. Mid-teens temperatures were forecast, not mid-tundra. Can’t be global warming. Must be climate change. Or it could be down to latitude and the time of year, said the climate denier who is willing to bet that no country will ever achieve net zero despite the “pledges” (gazillion dollar hilarity ensues). Notwithstanding, it is a nice change for us who have come out of an ultra-humid Queensland summer, especially when you can look at it through double glazing rather than stand in it wearing inadequate clothing.
Met the Skipper and his crew (I was going to call them Gilligans but as we have already struck a respectful chord, I didn’t) last night. The all-singing, all-dancing cruise director was on our last cruise (Africa Through the Bottom of a Glass). Had our photograph taken with the captain and no doubt they will try to sell the picture to us for an extortionate price. Maybe if he’d been Captain Jack Sparrow or Forrest Gump…
Afterwards the cabaret kicked in. The format and participants were similar to previous cruises – four singers, two male and two female and two dancers, one male and one female. The dancers “sang” with the singers but we knew they were lip syncing because they didn’t have those little microphone thingies which are strapped to your head if you are required to extravagantly wave your hands and arms around as you boogie round the stage. They could dance though. Even at my fittest sometime last century when I was playing rugby and working underground I would have struggled to fling around a lithe young lady, even with a run-up – dodgy shoulder, you see. So well-played them.
We just left our second stop – Akita – and they put on a fireworks display that wouldn’t have been out of place on New year’s Eve. Don’t know if they were happy that we visited or happy to see us go.