[SIZE=“7”]Welcome back!
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I, for one, missed you! I can’t wait to read the above, but now I am the one trying to head out of town, running around like a chicken with my head cut off, so I will savor your report and respond in kind later this evening. I just wanted to catch you before you were off to bed. 
How lovely to get away from the cold dark winter for a bit Bob
It is good to have you back, I miss your journal even though I don’t get time to post in it.
Having just made that same itinerary in reverse, I do have to say that I understand a bit of disappointment having missed an inshore excursion here and there, but as you have said, sometimes some good relaxation with your toes up and your eyes on an aquamarine horizon with your favorite people is worth it. I will tell you that I too that the luster of cruising is not quite what it used to be.
I can’t help but ask, but did you see the Pitons in St. Lucia from a distance? I have a friend who has a place on the bay near there and I found them stunning. What about seeing the islands as you passed by at night? With a healthy imagination, I loved sitting on the balcony or sometimes the promenade deck taking in the diamonds on the horizon and imagining the lives of those not so far away islanders.
As for walking/running the promenade deck, I’m pleased to hear you made a go of it. I always found it to be one of the less crowded areas on the ship. I ran those ovalslike a religion, though I can’t imagine what the diners were thinking as I sped past the dining room windows every evening 
.
News of your piriformis is disappointing, and while I sound like a stuck needle are you to the place yet in which you need to consult a professional?
In all, you look none the worse for wear, and I am sure that in all your family had a great time together, affording you all a chance to get to know your future SIL better. Plus you now know how that Patterson book ends…
Enjoy the last stretch home and sleeping in your own bed!
Such a shame it didn’t turn out as expected Bob, I kept thinking about you wondering what you were up to.
I bet you have a great tan though better than mine after a week in a very cold Majorca last week. Never mind summer is on it’s way.
Thanks Meg, although I was unable to post en route, now I’m back I’ll fill in some of the blanks as soon as I’ve caught up with the gossip… Missed you guys too…
It was still a most enjoyable holiday Summer, but I didn’t seem to do some of the things I’d planned. We usually cruise with some friends about the same age as Mrs Fox and me and plan things well in advance…They are also a bit more interested in the cultural and architectural side of travel, although I don’t mind settling on a nice beach now and then.
Would the ‘Pitons’ be the beautiful shaped hills in the distance Surfermom. They were just begging to be climbed…
I suspect we haven’t seen the best of the Caribbean, there is still some work to be done over there. Unfortunately the James Patterson book left me hanging on, and there is a follow on book, I believe some writers create a series of books continuing where the last one left off…:-(…A bit disappointing if you ask me…
You are perfectly correct in your assumption Surfermom, my painful Piriformis has been going on far too long and come Monday I shall make an appointment with my GP, see what he has to say. And you are also correct about my looking forward to shuffling under the duvet of my own bed…Some supper now, and I’m outa here until tomorrow…Thanks for looking in everyone…
After an eight and a half hour flight sitting behind the ‘family from hell’ loads of misbehaving children running up and down the isles climbing on the seats…And a singing Piriformis muscle, it was good to spot my first view of Bridgetown, Barbados. The larger of the two ships is actually the Azura…Our ship… Sorry about the slightly misty shot, but the captain wouldn’t let me open the window…:-(…Spoilsport!
http://www.over50sforum.com/picture.php?albumid=1357&pictureid=11558
Welcome home Foxy.
I have now caught up on the posts.
Internet on ships!!! Never any good.
I hope you are seeing your GP soon, get that sorted.
Lovely pic from the plane.
Thanks Sweetie Pie, it’s good to be back behind the keyboard and with friends…:hug:
Yes, we have all been waiting to hear from you.
I bet you are glad, that snow has now gone.
A little sunshine to top up your tan eh?
Yes Sweetie, it was quite a surprise when we arrived home to find no snow after hearing reports of massive snow falls closing schools and roads. Especially the ‘Woodhead Pass’ which is my prefered route over the Pennines. But to our surprise there was hardly any snow at all, even on the pass there was little evidence of snow. Just goes to show, don’t believe anything you read in the news…
The pilot of the Boeing 787 managed to find a piece of runway flat enough and long enough on the small island of Barbados to put us down safely…
Just a mention about the Boeing 787 or ‘Dreamliner’ as it is called…
Depending on the model it can deliver between 242 - 335 passengers at a speed of almost six hundred miles per hour for a range of 10,000 miles ish. You may have just heard that a Dreamliner has just made a non-stop flight from Perth in Australia to London in seventeen hours. If you have been impressed by its performance you can pick one up for a snip at 239 million US Dollars…:shock:…The engines were manufactured by Rolls Royce…;-)…And just look at their size…:shock:
http://www.over50sforum.com/picture.php?albumid=1357&pictureid=11561
It was just getting dark as we departed the airport. Security seemed non-existent, but the sound of steel bands were echoing around the great warehouse used to process passengers for embarkation on the ship, and all around were flasks of Tea, Coffee and drinking water. My first impressions were of a very happy and friendly people, some officials were even swinging and dancing to the music…Not something I’ve noticed at Manchester Airport recently…
The heat was incredible, and after such a long journey was beginning to wear me down, but as we stepped out on to the quayside and my first view of this mighty ship made me realise that although I’ve been on a couple of cruises previously, the first sight of the ship never stops the butterflies and hairs on the back of my neck from rising. I can’t imagine how my daughter is feeling on her first cruise…
http://www.over50sforum.com/picture.php?albumid=1357&pictureid=11562
The insides of the ship aren’t too shabby either, this is the cabin where I’ll be spending the next two weeks…:-D…Pity about the internet though…I guess I’ll have to muddle through…
http://www.over50sforum.com/picture.php?albumid=1357&pictureid=11563
Oh, I so love this thread Foxy.
Yes, I saw on the news about the nonstop flight to Perth, a mere 17hrs!!!
The internet is always rubbish on ships. Not worth paying the extortionate rate they ask for.
Thank-you for the lovely pics.
You’re very welcome Sweetie Pie…
Your posting style is impeccable. Beautiful pictures .
Your vacation sounds memorable.
Learning from Sweet Pea… thank you for sharing. 
Thanks Bratti, appreciate your comments…
What a lovely series of photos! I first went to Barbados as a young girl, and the development there now is stunning an now confirmed by your aerial shot. It’s become so - urban!
I am sure you were all excited to see your ship in port as you made your descent and the steel drums with the lighting of early evening must have put you in the right Caribbean mood for what could have been a cattle call embarkation. That’s a nice cabin too; isn’t it remarkable how well thought out every space is? They seem to think of everything and despite the limited space, it all seems to work somehow.
I know it takes a while to upload, describe, and post your photos, but it is purely enjoyable to take these little vicarious adventures with you and the rest of the Fox leash - plus one.
Foxy as a matter of interest, how did you find the food on the cruise?
I found the self-service better than the restaurant food.
Maybe that is just fussy me.
I love the fact that there are many venues for entertainment on these large liners.
Thanks Surfermom, it’s nice to be appreciated, and I do believe there are many who look in to Bob’s Bits but don’t comment, well that’s fine, everybody is welcome to spend time on my bits…
I enjoy doing these ‘write ups’ because just for a moment I’m back on board the ship or lazing on a beach, and to be honest, I just enjoy writing on the forum, it encourages me to get out and do something interesting (I hope you find it so)…
The ships are certainly well designed Surfermom, with everything you could ever want, especially the cabins. Although I could never cruise in an inside cabin…
…I’d rather spend a week in Skegness!..Well…perhaps not Skegness, but you get the idea…
Hello Sweetie Pie…
…The food in the restaurant?..Absolutely scrumptious…We ate in there every night being served by the amazing Jubi and Bryan, nothing was too much trouble for them, and they even served second helpings if someone really liked a particular dish…Since I came home half a stone heavier though, but I’m beginning to wonder if it was a favour after all. We certainly had no reason to eat anywhere else. And what a wonderful experience to ‘dress for dinner’…I could get used to that…:-D:-D:-D
With no time to unpack we collapsed into bed on the first night. We couldn’t waste a day while docked in Bridgetown, so after a breakfast that would take three days to digest, and still not unpacked, I foraged around in my case and found my snorkel and swimming costume…
http://www.over50sforum.com/picture.php?albumid=1357&pictureid=11572
We left the ship and marvelled at the size…:shock:
http://www.over50sforum.com/picture.php?albumid=1357&pictureid=11573
And in 30 degrees C of heat we went looking for a beach…
Several people had the same idea, so we followed them. I walked for a while with a fella from Sweden, and in broken English we discussed engineering (we both had been one before retiring) and the EU. He thought we were very brave to go up against the mighty EU, and were admired by many other countries in Europe. We eventually parted company and found a beautiful sheltered spot on a white sandy beach.
After trying out the snorkel, posing for photographs and just worshiping the sun, we decided to make our way back to the ship for a late lunch. There were places to eat on the beach, but I’ve never been a fan of the smell of cooking, and I don’t like to take chances with me food…I managed to take this shot of the family before we left. That’s Mrs Fox on the left, Little Fox in the middle, and her intended on the right…
http://www.over50sforum.com/picture.php?albumid=1357&pictureid=11574
I did find time to unpack upon our return to the ship, and after dressing for dinner we went topside to watch the bonds severed that held this mighty ship and she sailed off into the night and on to our next destination while we slept…
The dream liners are really comfi arnt they and so much leg room. What amazes me is the colour of the sea in Barbados it’s just breathtaking. Looks like you had a good time:)
