Another totally boiling day. My mum's birthday. She would have been 96 today and I still miss her so much and often picture how she would have enjoyed certain things I am doing. I can't believe it has been over 2 years since she passed away, although dementia had taken her a few years before that in many ways. She was an amazing woman who supported me totally and always. Her drive for life has made me determined to live every minute as fully as I can and e...

A lovely hot sunny day. We spent the whole morning lying by the pool and soaking up the rays. Well, actually, we did have to make a launderette run but that went off smoothly. I had a rehearsal at 11 and we read through the play again starting to put in some bits of business. It is getting better now as the others are getting more confident. I laughed out loud a few times today which is a good sign as I've read it about a million times now. LOL The capt...

And still we plough on across the emptiness towards Easter Island which we will reach by about 4pm tomorrow…… temperatures are increasing and sunshine hours are also ramping up. Unfortunately, I spent most of today indoors…. This has got to change! Firstly, 2 hours of bridge class. To be honest, I am not enjoying this much anymore and if it were not for Bob, I would have stopped by now. I'll keep giving it a go until we reach Auckland and then, I ...

A day much like yesterday in terms of weather and empty seascape. We found a place on deck and sunbathed and read all morning. I finished a great book on the legacy of Roman Britain. The afternoon art project was a scene from Valparaiso of houses grouped around the bay and on top of the hills with a funicular link. Better than yesterday. Went to the am-dram rehearsal. Had one heart-stopping moment when one of our little foursome didn't arrive and it l...

Warm, sun and cloud sea day with little wind but a long rolling swell, visible from the decks. This part of the Eastern Pacific is an empty vast wilderness of water with nothing to stop the waves in their progress. Just the odd rock or tiny islet here and there, and then nothing else, all the way to Easter Island, 3 days steam due west…. Again it makes me reflect on the bravery of the old maritime explorers. Our only comparable adventure is space, and we do...