Well the good news is that we are home again, the bad news is that our driver was 3 1/2 hours late picking us up so we didn't get home until 4.00pm and had to stand/sit/walk around the Ocean Terminal for all that time. Needless to say that I was pretty fuming when he did arrive and said "it's all my fault, I overslept."
We had been given strict instructions by Colin Maxwell to be on the first wave of people exiting the ship so we were up very early (around 6.15am) so that we could be at the Conservatory restaurant when it opened - in fact we didn't get there until it had been open for 30 minutes and had great difficulty getting a seat. Hilary bagged a couple while I got me some fried eggs, beans, mushrooms, fried bread and toast. good job too considering the wait that was to come. With bellies full we hung around then for over an hour waiting to be called and as soon as Pink came up I was down the stairs at a trot and into the baggage hall. The bags were easily found (we only had two that we checked) and we were out to the lounge by 9.05am. No driver but "he will be there by 9.30am" we had been reassured on the way up so no panic on our part just a little disappointment that he hadn't arrived early.
By 10.00am we were getting antsy and I was looking for a public phone as we had left our mobile at home (well we never use it anyway!), so it was up the escalator to Enquiries and yes the nice lady said she would call the number for me. Two goes and she got through - "sorry about that Mr Woollard, the driver was late leaving, he will be there by 10.45am". Much snorting by me but nothing we could do about it. The time he was due came and went, so back to Enquiries, this time a different lady who lent me her personal mobile. "Isn't he there yet Mr Woollard? Let me check with him..... "he's at Ringwood, be there in 30 minutes." Another hour goes by and Hilary is about to book a different taxi when I persuad the first lady to let me use the Enquiries phone again. This time I go the driver's mobile so that I could talk to him direct - "I'm at Ikea, be with you in 15 minutes," well of course 30 minutes go by and back to the second lady who lends me her personal mobile "I'm stuck in traffic, I can see the security men in yellow coats, be there in 5 minutes". By now Hilary is on first name terms with the security men outside who are directing all the people arriving for the next cruise on Oriana due to to leave at 5.00pm and I am only half joking when I think about trying to book to go on it!
The driver John eventually turned up, took the blame for the delay, said that he had a late call the previous day and got to bed at 2.30am and didn't wake up for his alarm at 6.00am to come and get us blah, blah, blah. We drove home in total stony silence, non-stop, no tea break, no pee break just the two of us in the back silently thinking "let's get this bloody nightmare over with." We arrived dead on 4.00pm and put the kettle on! Now all we have to do is unpack, grab a swift meal and fall in bed.
The really, really good news in all of this is that I now have a broadband that works and I can post this in seconds. Night all....
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