InvictaMoto's Devall Cruising!

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Home. After the entertainment on Friday night we went to bed, forgoing the midnight feast in the deck 15 buffet. It was around 11pm UK time when when we stood looking out of the cabin windows to see us slipping past Dover harbour.  We weren't that far out and a ferry out of Dover slid across behind us en route to Calais or Dunkerque, When we woke at around 5.10am and had a look out we were on the way probably past Portsmouth.  Later on we were alongside in Southampton.   Not a great view! We had to be checked out of the cabin at 8am and in the muster station for disembarkation at 8.45am. We were breakfasted well in time for the cabin clearance.  Our luggage had been collected the night before. We'd assembled and within minutes we were taken down to deck 6 and off to the terminal, All very quick. We located our luggage and were outside in good time.  Collecting the car was simple too.  The TomTom estimated we'd be home m...

Managed to get to the first session at 8.30pm of Mike Walker. All round entertainment. Really good although glad not in the front row by the stage. Rule 1 of Comedy - never sit in the front row.

Once we had left Bergen, the poor 3G internet was gone. Until Southampton.

Just a few pix... posted from Bloggeroid

Join the queue When we were here way back in 2013 the ship moored a coach ride out from the city centre. Luckily this time we are right on the end of the Bryggen block.  Where we had hoped to land last time has Fred Olsen's Braemar on the berth this time. We set off a out 9.45am just before the lifts went off for testing and maintenance.  Our first stop was the Fløibanen. The queue was pretty long and one of the attendants put out a sign to split ticket holders (us) and those that didn't. Having two shorter queues seemed a good idea. We waited about 15 minutes and got loaded on.  I took a video of it coming into the lower station. I might update with that when we get a connection greater than 2G!! Once at the top we checked out the view. It was quite muggy at sea level but cold at the top. We had a mooch about and retired for a coffee and 🍰 when it began to pee down.  The wind was strong from the north east and bl...

Arrived about 7am. We had a short lie in to let the rushers get up to the breakfast buffet and bugger off and leave it easier to munch. Off out now. More later.

Deck 10. From our cabin looking forward. Still about a third of the ship behind us. It's massive.

Quietly slipping our moorings Azura headed west to open sea and then to turn south for the final stop on this cruise at Bergen. Oddly we have the best telecom internet connection of the week ... It started to rain as we slipped and so everything is covered by a fine drizzle.

The monument outside the town hall to the heroes that worked tirelessly during WW2 to hamper the German occupation of neutral Norway. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_heavy_water_sabotage

After breakfast left the ship and have come across to look at the Ålesund Museum. It's a short walk if you see the signs but longer if you trust the map. Nice little museum. Now across the street in a cafe with a coffee where there is WiFi. posted from Bloggeroid

Arrived whilst it was a little dark and murky. A little brighter now but forecast not too encouraging. Need to take macs with us. The cloud is a little strange.

After the sailaway we sat on the balcony and watched the Innvikfjorden sliding past we went to dinner.  Each evening dinner gets better. Tonight was very good. All courses. And we were finished in good time for the 10.30pm show. Tonight's entertainment in the main theatre was all round entertainer Mark Walker and as billed, he was very good.  Tomorrow, when typing,  is Ålesund.We are due to arrive around 8am. We have until 4.30pm to look around. There are a couple of places we want to see here.

Soon after the ship was secured for sea the pub alongside the jetty began to play Rod Stewart's "Sailing".  This tune grew in popularity in UK after it was used by TV as the theme tune to a documentary series about the aircraft carrier "Ark Royal". At the moment there is not enough bandwidth or even a phone signal to upload my video to FB or YouTube. An hour later we are making our way westwards along the Innvikfjorden heading to the Nordfjord and the sea.  We are sitting on our balcony as we slide between the high sides of the fjord. Both sides heavily wooded with open patches with small groups of houses. Tonight we have decided to have a later dinner.  The entertainment on Monday was very good and we just made it. The group were called "Beautiful World" and were a tribute to Take That. Last night we just made it to the Malabar to watch the reggae group "Accent" perform covers from Bob Marley and others. If anyone with a working internet can...

Some pix. If the signal gets strong enough they might upload .. and if Bloggeroid is over its html errors. posted from Bloggeroid

The app has been playing up over the last few days with it creating html errors when trying to send posts. As an "all in one" post creater the problem has to lie with them  

It's early morning and we have started up the fjord to Olden. By daylight we were deep in. There's still snow on some of the mountains.

Everyone had to be back onboard no later than 4.30pm. By 4.45pm we had slipped our mooring and were heading off down the fjord towards the open sea.  Our next destination is Olden.

At sea.  Lunch was quite unremarkable.  Met some interesting people however at the table again.  Went for a walk round the promenade and by this time the weather was changing.  There were a few white horses appearing on the sea and the sun was quite hazy. We decided to try the afternoon tea today and once again it was Ok.  Met some more nice people who livened up the conversation again! Tonight was the dressing up for dinner event.  We had our invitation to the captain's drinks. Disappointingly we spent the whole hour waiting to have our photos taken ...not sure if we will want copies!  Once more in the queue we got chatting to another couple.  Exchanging views on various cruises is both interesting and helpful. As we wanted to see the "Take That" sort of tribute band performing at 8.45 we had to rush off to dinner.  The restaurants are always busy and we had a lovely table by a window.  Another interesting set of dinner companions! A couple of older ladies, a mother and ...

Stavanger. Arrived about 7am. Looked out to a murky damp day. Went back to bed. Breakfast was quite liesurely and then we got ready. Lashing down as we left. Neighbours towed in Headed for Starbucks to use wi-fi. Onboard normal telecoms very poor sub 3G.  Now off to sightsee as it has eased off.

We rushed to get ready and managed to miss most of the Captain's address and meet'n'greet as we queued for our photo that we most likely won't buy. Then hurried to dinner in the Meridian as Peninsular had a queue miles long. Dinner okay but took ages. Claire wanted to see the Take That Tribute "Beautiful World". Sad to say I also know all the songs. I put the blame on younger cousins Kate and Caroline. Then it was bed time Tomorrow Stavanger 

Up late. Well after 8am anyway. A nice lie in. Looking through the patio doors to see... Not a lot. Just the sea. Later there would be the odd oil rig. Breakfast was in the Peninsular Restaurant where our freedom dining allows us to eat. The freedom bit is time rather than being stuck to a set meal time. Then a wander. Then a snooze. Then lunch again Peninsular Restaurant. I had pate and the veggie pasta option. At both meals we had met and sat with other people from across the UK and at lunch a guy from Texas who lives in England. All very nice and we chatted along. We searched out the promenade deck but it is not possible to do a full 360° trip of the ship. We did find the theatre where we caught the end of the port information. As tonight is Black Tie we need to be spruced up and out to shake the Captain's hand at about 6pm or so. posted from Bloggeroid

From Solent Sky we made the mistake of thinking Ocean Village might be a marina with shops and places to relax. In fact it was a jumble of expensive flats.... Instead we ended up at Town Quay and parked there. It was very hot still with the car registering over 30°C still. We ended up in Starbucks near the Red Funnel ferry terminal. The local football team were at home judging by the variety of different Southampton shirts on display on everyone from kids to old blokes. Good to see so many people supporting their local club. Starbucks was air conditioned. A couple of fraps went down well. I'm glad I had the Canon with me to capture things... Problem being that the 1100D doesn't have WiFi to transfer pix off the SD card. Our parking ran out at 2.20pm and our check in time was 3.30pm before the added hour and a half from the email informing us of the delay. Rather than hang about we decided to go to the Ocean Terminal and see what happened. It was 2.35pm when we joined a q...

Up at about 0815 after hot night. No. Not that sort of hot. The room was like an oven or maybe a sweat box. We had the fan running most of the night. Full English as we have no idea when we are getting onboard ship to start our week of eating and drinking 24/7. First stop Solent Sky Air Museum. Small museum but packed with planes and history. Well worth a visit. Took photos but most of them on the Canon. I'll add them later. Then off to Ocean Village. Not what we had seen on Google. Turned out to be a private swanky housing estate. So off to Town Quay. Parked for a couple of hours .. posted from Bloggeroid

After a lovely fried breakfast we had to decide how to spend the next 6 or 7 hours. I found thanks to Google the Solent Sky air museum which was very interesting. 2 hours well spent. posted from Bloggeroid

After unloading the car at the B&B in our room..... Actually it's one of two rooms in an extension in the back garden, and it looks pretty new. It has a bijou shower room. Getting on the pot is a little bit of a contortionist manoeuvre between sink and bog roll holder but otherwise it's very clean and tidy. ..... We set off for dinner. Choosing a Thai restaurant nearby. Very nice. Some food and a couple of Changs and the stresses of the day evaporated. And then back to watch a little TV and bed. posted from Bloggeroid

Message from P&O: "Due to a medical emergency, Azura will be delayed arriving into Southampton tomorrow. We ask that you add 1.5 hours to the scheduled embarkation time printed on your E-Ticket. Any coach transfers booked though us will run as originally scheduled." Bugger.

Dropped Reggie off at the Kennels... Back a little. Took the car to Fairway's in Dymchurch and phew. Lee brought it back. Checked over and all present and correct Set off and dropped Reggie at the kennel and were on the M20 just gone 3pm. Heavy traffic and at 5.40pm gave up and needed a pee at Winchester Services. Caffe Latté and a millionaire slice posted from Bloggeroid

We are off. Reggie to kennel. Us to fight through M25 traffic...