purple room vents: CRUISING IS NOT FOR THE INFIRM..PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY OR HEALTHWISE

Over the years as I have travelled around the world many times with Spod, conversations would arise with various people about travel. Most had never cruised before.

I remember one lovely evening sitting on my sister's neighbour's deck on the river. There were four of us out there in the soft evening visiting and sipping.

The subject of travel came up, not by me I might add, but by a very urbane well dressed man in his sixties. I was asked where in the world had I travelled. I answered that I was very fortunate to have travelled to many countries and cities over the last few years. How? I was asked. So I said my husband and I had done many many cruises. I went further to say it was my husband's favourite mode of travel as he was much older than me and having to unpack just once was definitely easier for him.

That man...that urbane well turned out man, went on the attack. He proceeded to say that cruising wasn't really travelling. He stated that getting on and off a ship for short little visits did not constitute real travel. I tried to get a decent word in but he wasn't having any of that.

I did finally demand equal time and he did have the grace to shut up for a few minutes, no eye contact though. I explained that whilst we could we drove all over Britain nine times, Europe three times, Italy and Greece once and a month long driving trip in Portugal, Spain and Morocco. I felt that all those trips gave me a unique opinion of cruising verses trekking the Himalayas...which he had NOT done! But he would not let up. That was when I realized I had a choice. I could either gracefully get up and go inside and stop the silly conversation or...and this is what I not only wanted to do but I am very very good at...go in for the gnangs and nail the bastard. It wouldn't even been hard as he had been NOWHERE!!!!!

But I didn't. I put a filter in place and quietly said, "It's a shame you have done little to no travelling yourself. From where you sit you have no real game in this conversation, no knowledge beyond your narrow borders, no validity in your opinions. So if you will please excuse me I must go and find other interesting people to visit with.' And I left the deck.

But even with the ease of cruising, having mobility issues really makes it difficult. Plus a number of couples I have visited with, were with spouses that had dementia and the spouse that didn't have it was exhausted.

In Kahului after getting off the boat we were told it was a short walk to the nearest mall. There were no taxis right at the ship. Well we walked and walked and walked, in 90 plus heat, til a number of oldsters were turning around...unable to go that whole distance. Short is an ambiguous word! In the end it was basically a kilometre which is a long long way for old people with arthritic hips or other issues.

In cruising you run into these long walks that not everyone can handle. To go to the back of the boat where all the food is, from the front and back again is over 3,000 steps, and we are on a smaller boat. Wheelchairs and walkers are great but you can't get down the hallways when the cleaning carts are there. It really does become awkward, difficult and painful. If you are going on tours you have to be able to hoist yourself up into buses and out and in and out and in. Lots of older infirm people just stay on the ship and don't move around much once they are situated for the day.

I guess my take on it is get your travelling in before you can't. I don't know if I am going to go on another cruise or not. Whomever I go with I will definitely be slowing them down or leaving them to their own devices a lot. I think I am still up for driving trips...if sugar cane runs are in the works. Those of you out there with experience with me will know exactly what I am talking about right there!!

Well I got my taste back in the night. I still can't smell. Now Monte has whatever our sickness is. He isn't feeling well and can't smell or taste. This trip was definitely a bust. I think he did have a good time going off by himself. He tends to be a loner anyway.

So home in five days. I know I cannot go without coffee that long. So I am going to go find the closest possible coffee. TFL. TTYL