Where to start...?!

I’m sorry it’s been quite so long since my last blog, but it’s for good reason and plenty has happened in that time as you will soon find out! I start with good news, that our inept DJ left us a few weeks back after being put on a plane back to the UK. However in a cruel twist of fate I had to share her last few minutes on Corfu soil as we shared a taxi to the airport!!

Some of you will already know that I have actually been back to the UK this since I last blogged. Unfortunately by Granddad was taken ill around 3 weeks ago. As soon as I found out I arranged flights to try and get back and see him and the rest of the family. However sadly he passed away as I was flying back to Liverpool. My Dad and sister picked me up from the airport and I spent the next few days with my family. Although it was obviously not in the best circumstances it was nice to see the family and it also meant I was able to see my Mum on her birthday! It was also really good to catch up with a few people, sorry that I didn’t get in touch with more people but as I’m sure you can understand it was tough few days and I was rather stretched for time, or so I thought!! After flying back from Corfu on the Friday I was due to catch up with the ship on the following Monday in Venice. This may all sound like the jet set lifestyle, but in reality it just meant hours and hours of hanging around in airports and sitting in uncomfortable plane seats! After checking my bags and myself in at Liverpool airport I got to the departures lounge only to find out my flight had been delayed by 2 hours which would have meant I would arrive after the ship had set sail! I then had to get my luggage back and hang around waiting for a lift back as the family was obviously rather busy sorting arrangements.

With shows and events being juggled around back on the ship until I returned they were trying to get me back onboard as quickly as they could and so new flights were set up, but because the places we visit aren’t always easily accessible apart from by ship I had to wait until Wednesday when I was supposed to fly to Brindisi, near Lecce in Italy. This meant getting to Manchester airport at 4am, flying to Amsterdam, then on to Rome, then to Brinidisi, arriving mid afternoon and having to tech 3 shows that evening! Thanks again to Joe for putting me up at short notice and driving me to the airport at such an unearthly hour! Unfortunately things didn’t quite run to plan, as when I arrived in Brindisi and waited for my luggage to appear, it simply never came! Now obviously this always a problem but when your ship sails in an hour and there is no way they can locate your luggage let alone fly it out in that time it becomes a bit more problematic. Luckily I had a ‘helpful’ Italian taxi driver who had been booked through the port agent who shouted at the girl behind the desk until he marched off and drove me back the ship. Sparing all the boring details I was going to have to wait a while until I got my luggage back, which included lots of new clothes which I had bought while I was back.

Once I got back all the guys here were lovely and really good to me which I really appreciated as I was slightly tired and fed up after the last week’s ordeal! However when I arrived I was told there was a team meeting and I had to be there despite the fact I would much rather have slept for a few hours! Once again cutting all the details for now, we were told that the Cruise Director (head of all entertainment and our boss) was leaving on ‘compassionate leave’. Without being too harsh or getting myself in to trouble on the chance someone may read this, she was given the push and perhaps not in the best way, but this obviously added more problems with work and caused some problems within the team. Being totally selfish it was the last thing I wanted, I had been hoping just to slot back in without much hassle with my thoughts on flying back to England for my Granddads funeral. Like I say everyone on the team have been great and also back in the office in the UK they have sorted all my flights and travel arrangements which has been great. So a quick rundown of my second trip back involved buying a new suit as I still didn’t have my luggage back from my first journey! I flew from Turkey, meaning I had to buy a visa before taking an hour’s taxi ride from Kusadasi to the airport in Izmir. From there I flew to Munich where I had a 3 hour wait before flying on to Manchester. My Granddads funeral service was on the Tuesday so I arrived late Monday night, and was to fly back on the Wednesday although I was still waiting those flight details. I ended up having catch the same flight I had the week before to Amsterdam this time flying on to Athens before meeting up with the ship in Piraeus. I’d made the decision only to take hand luggage this time which made things rather easier to say the least!

I arrived in Athens only to find out a taxi hadnt been arranged to take me the hour long ride to the ship, so I had to quickly organise one through the port agent as I was rather short for time to make the ship on time! Anyway, I made it back and am settling back into the swing of things! My Mum and Dad had been due to come on holiday to the ship but had to cancel, but have re-booked for this coming Friday so I'm looking forward to that! There's plenty more to catch up on I'm sure, but I'll leave it there for now until I have some pics or something to break up all my ramblings.

Thanks to everyone I saw while I was back, sorry if I didnt get in touch but it'd be good to hear from you soon!