We're on our way....

We are on our way! We flew to San Diego yesterday from Toronto via Calgary where we had a happy meeting with Theresa and John Mueller. We wanted to pack them up and take them with us again...we shall miss them hugely.



Security was easy compared to my worried imagination, everyone was pleasant and sensitive...the young RCMP woman who 'frisked' me even asked if I had any paricularly sensitive areas on my body....I wanted to say Everywhere but restrained myself.



Taking a step back I had a most unpleasant and untimely attack of food poisoning on our last night in the Airport Sheraton in Toronto. Fiona, John, Bryn and ourselves had stopped for lunch in Oakville where I had a delicious chicken curry and I fear that was the cause of the problem. I had the feeling of impending death I can tell you! I can't ever remember having such pain and sickness. In between visits to the loo I thought I shall never make it on to the plane, I shall have to join George somewhere else....oh God let me just die! You know the feeling...



However....I woke up from a deep sleep at 3.30 am feeling much better, not strong enough to have a much needed shower but nevertheless able to get myself dressed and stagger to the shuttle at 4.10 am. George coped with everything and thanked goodness we had requested wheel chair assistance from Air Canada when I still had the haematoma in my leg. I was so very grateful for it . We had help everywhere.



So we have woken up to a beautiful San Diego day. MV Explorer is not in port yet but many ginormous (gross) ships are...they have absolutely no look of the sea about them to my eyes...just like gigantic concrete blocks, so unromantic! Whilst our ship is a vessel of great beauty....again to my somewhat prejudiced eye! Believe me there were occasions on or last trip when it was sheer heaven to catch a homecoming glimpse of her.....most especially I remember after my 10 km trek through the jungle (old Vietkong trails) in Cat tien National Park in Vietnam....but actually every time we returned to the ship there was feeling of joy and relief to be home!



We have had delicious morning coffee in our great Queen sized beds feeling like Royalty...same coffee maker as yours Tessa so we know how it works! The sunlight on the beautiful skyscrapers against a soft blue sky makes a wonderful backdrop to our day. We have some urgent last minute shopping to do: an electrical coil to boil water on board for tea (strictly illegal) but much as I love them one thing the Americans cannot do is make a decent cup of tea so it's absolutely imperative. I have brought my own tea with me too as the on-board Liptons is insipid to say the least.....no more whining Maggie. On with the day!