Cape Verde – St Vincent

Overall impression?  It’ll be lovely when it’s finished!  Through my spoiled first world eyes it seems to be quite a poor nation, certainly in the area we strolled through.  There were lots of street vendors selling the catch of the day whether that was some very pungent coriander by the handful, two zig-zag tailed fish head down in a bucket or some indescribable ‘meat’ (which I’m sure was still fish), I just hope the vendors didn’t charge for the 4oz of flies that were swarmed on top!

I’m getting a bit fed up of feeling ropey though; I’ve never experience sea-nausea on a cruise before and I’m hoping the sea legs kick in soon or else I’m walking back from New Zealand!

We’ve met some super people on here, the benefit of willing to share a dinner table rather than isolating on a table for two.  People in general are fascinating.  There was one chap who, whilst on Tenerife, caught the bus to the airport because he loves to watch planes take off … he was travelling alone and could please himself.  I’ve been surprised at how many solo travellers there are … Linda from Northallerton who knew a family that we knew – what are the chances?!  I think we have a few covert celebs too … there is a chap called Peter who has more than a passing resemblance to the mature grey-haired Richard Gere and another chap stops me in my tracks every time I see him because he is Andy Warhol’s double!

I think this is our tenth cruise, and our longest yet, but the amount of people who seem to hop from one straight onto another is amazing …. “Oh, yes, we were on XYZ in October and spent Christmas on ABC” … over Christmas??  We sailed on 6th January!  You can barely have had time to rinse your smalls!  And they’re aghast that the 2028 world cruise is apparently sold out 🤦‍♀️

The food is relentless … I’ve heard people complain that it’s repetitive but I wouldn’t like to have to be creative with six meals a day, for a hundred days for two thousand heads.  Maybe they’re not being adventurous enough themselves because I’ve not had the same thing twice yet … there are only so many ways to cook a sausage! 😊. And how repetitive are dinners at home?!

There are not as many mobility aids as I’d been led to believe but there are far more creaks and groans when standing up, and that’s just me and Chris!

I think the only thing I feel the need to complain about (but won’t) is the music.  The senior leadership team need to look at the demographic on this ship and realise that 50s, 60s and maybe 70s music will be far more appealing to this clientele than the never-heard of bands or soloists from the 2000s and later.  A good soundtrack can make or break an afternoon by the pool.  The live duo on here leaves something to be desired too, and they need to find the volume control.  Again, for this demographic it needs to be background music and not (badly executed) raucous disco beats from 6pm where you can’t hear yourself think, let alone converse with new friends.  These people could be next year’s holiday! 🤣

A little further down the Cape Verde archipelago tomorrow, Praia, and we then have a day at sea before getting into the exotic stuff … Dakar in Senegal on Sunday!