Shipmates

These are our ship buddies Jaki and Robert from northern California. One of the highlights of this trip has been meeting them and discovering over the two weeks that we really enjoy each other's company and share pretty much the same sense of humor.

As you can see from the picture, though, Jaki and Robert aren't inclined to share their gin and tonics.

Actually, our table didn't look much different. Each night from 5 to 6 is happy hour, and the lure of 2-for-1 drinks is too strong to keep veterans like the four of us away. We have even trained the waiter to come over at precisely 5:59 to take one last happy hour order. And that's when we end up with a table full of drinks.

We both brought bottles aboard and could be having 2 for none free drinks in our rooms, but there are only two places on ship where you can smoke. Needless to say, one is a corner of the bar where they have happy hour.

We have enjoyed each other's company so much that we have both promised to visit the other in coming years, and I think it's very likely we will stay in touch. I realize a lot of shipboard friendships don't last once everyone goes home, butI know Jaki and Robert want to come to Australia because they're both divers. So we have a big lure to get them to come down.

Neither Linda nor I dive, but Robert has a solution for me. You need to know that he is the anti-Don. He's very good with tools, loves to figure out how make something that he's never made before, and finds no mechanical task too daunting. I, of course, find the instructions from Ikea too complex.

So I told him I would go diving with them if he made me one of those big-helmeted, Robbie the Robot style diving suits. I meant it as a joke, but from the glint in his eye I think he is considering it. He has also talked about making a turkey fryer to add to our outdoor cooking collection, and I suspect customs will be scratching its head over that one some time next year.

All these building ideas have come about because we are talking about starting a web site/blog where I challenge him to build something and he figures out how to do it. I think it will be fun, but I haven't decided whether I want to challenge him to make practical stuff or the sort of devices Dr Evil comes up with. In either case, I recognize that I will be the Gracie Allen of this relationship, but that's OK.

Yesterday we were in Marseilles, but didn't get off the ship. It was very cold and a hard rain was coming down. The tourist books all struggled for something nice to say about the port other than the fact that you could get great bouillabaisse. And from The French Connection, I have a distinct memory that some pretty bad characters lurked in the dock area. We decided to see if the rain would let up, and by the time it did we were deep into our naps. Anyhow, no pictures and no report.

We are docking in Mallorca right now and will spend the afternoon in the town of Palma de Mallorca before heading to our final port of Barcelona.

Time to switch from "deux bierres, s'il vous plait" to "dos cervezas por favore."