Sunday September 22^nd Malaga, Spain 

I had forgotten to change my phone clock forward an hour, so I woke up to the telephone ringing and it was Bori asking where I was. Luckily I was right on time as disembarkation had not even started yet.

I stood and played a game with myself that I called ‘English or Spanish?  There were 140 British passengers on board this week so when they walked towards me I tried to guess if I should say, ‘Bye’, or ‘Adios.’ I was actually very good!!

When I finished my duty, I ran to eat and change before walking by myself to the beach, no one else wanted to go, or they had left already, or they were doing Embarkation and couldn’t leave.

It was so relaxing to go alone.  I only had an hour, but it was so good to be able to lie in the sand and put my feet in the ocean. A couple next to me were smoking weed.

I noticed the sand was very dirty, more like gravel.

I saw some ships that had Mario Lopez on the side of them.

I made my way back to the ship, stopping by a little kiosk to eat a sandwich before returning on board.

We had our PAX drill at 230pm, once again it was very hot and people were very chaotic.  Luckily after drill we had pool party and no one joined in, but it was still very fun! Capello, Javier and Filipe came and they were going insane, it was hilarious!!

We had rehearsal right afterwards to remind ourselves what we had changed since Manu left. No time to sleep before shows so I just sat in my bed and spent a long time doing my makeup.

We had our welcome show, it had been ages! It was all going very well, until both Norbi and I forgot what we were doing right in the middle of the stage!  We improvised a lift where I do a back walkover move with him and he didn’t drop be but he didn’t catch me either so my butt was in the air and I was kinda stuck which was funny to us, but it probably looked terrible from the front.  Then he poked me straight in the eye with 3 fingers which obviously hurt really badly!

One old man stopped to have his picture taken with me, then more and more people wanted a picture. I felt famous!

I didn’t eat any dinner, but I changed to go up to Formentera and spoke with the spa lady to ask where the hairdresser was?  She told me that she had disembarked because she had seen her son off ship and found out her husband was in the hospital for back problems and she freaked out and literally just walked off the ship that day!

I went to crew bar for a little bit, it was karaoke night, some people were all right but some were terrible! The back drop playing behind the singer was of scantily clad ladies; no kidding they were barely wearing anything!  I’m not sure why that was the background but I didn’t appreciate it so I left.

A few of us ended up in Slava’s cabin. We were so beyond quiet, it was insane. Someone would start to speak and someone else would shush them!

I went to Danny’s (chief animator, a girl) cabin, which is my old cabin. A couple of us hung out there and we put ’50 First Dates’ on. It was in Spanish, but because I know the movie sooooo well I enjoyed it!!

Super quiet party night!

Monday September 23^rd, At Sea

I woke up at 1250pm to eat and have a cup of coffee, I went to the crew bar and had a delicious cappuccino.

At 230pm we had an entertainment meeting in the theatre. It was a safety briefing in case we had a bomb somewhere in the theatre. So we had to do a ‘drill’ and look for the bomb.

Then we had a chat with Cyprian about the possibility of a fire in the theater. Everyone was very disrespectful and the cruise director, Anuska wasn’t even there.  Gustavo, the one who told me to take the picture of a cabin party down from Facebook, even spoke back to the safety officer. It was chaos. No one respects ANYONE

We had our run at 4pm which was basically straight after the meeting. We did the entire show, then cleaned certain numbers. We were there until 6pm.

I then made some coffee in my French press and ate some shortbread; I keep forgetting about the food I have! But now I only have sweet things, so when I crave salty, I’m outta luck!

It was Gala night and none of the passengers were taking direction!  The captain came up to me and said, ‘oh this is the girl who is making all my officers on the bridge go crazy’…he meant because they can see us when we are on deck 7 forward swimming or sunbathing.  He was joking! But it was so funny!

I ate a bit of pasta with marinara sauce. Then I went to put my face on and do my hair. I was very tired, but I was successful in both shows. However, the first one, there were 3 gross men in the front row whistling, hooting and hollering. It made us all very angry and feel uncomfortable. It had never happened before. Somehow during the 2^nd show I hurt my thumb. After the first number, I walked off stage and I couldn’t move it. Now it is black and blue and I still cannot move it.

In the elevator the other day, some waiter said to me and Ivan, ‘food is power!’

During the presentation a few days ago as people are leaving we stand by the doors and laugh and clap and scream. We are always very loud, but then we saw a Dad carrying his sleeping baby, so we all hummed a lullaby!  Then when he was out of the door, we increased the volume again!

There are shoes that almost all the passengers wear, they must be very popular in Spain.

Tuesday September 24^th Trapani, Italy

I found out today that we are not allowed to have a hairdryer or straighter in our cabin, or really, anywhere on board. How many more restrictions will they put on our lives? We have to take down all of our pictures and things on the wall, because people from Costa, the company buying Mistral, are coming to do an inspection.

I am also feeling like I really don’t enjoy living with Lidi. I don’t know what it is, but we barely speak and we are both dancers, you would think we would talk.

I am getting very irritated by the fact that none of us can communicate effectively.  Although I try to clarify pronunciation and meaning!

I am finding it extremely stressful.

I had color today so I woke up late, ate late, made coffee late. Then I started my laundry and laid in the sun alone!

There seemed to be 20 men outside, and I was the only girl!  Oh well! At least I now have a bronze glow!

Then my dryer (clothes) wasn’t working, I tried and waited 50mins twice!  (That’s how long it takes to finish its cycle.)  But still wet clothes!  I gave up and hung everything around in random spots in the cabin. Then I took a nap.

I watched Capello’s show, the magician, in preparation for taking Natalie’s place next week!  In between his shows I watched a Charlie Chaplin film in the crew bar. It was very funny!

During the 2^nd magic show, I stood backstage and found out all the reveals of the tricks, it was amazing to see!  Hush hush!

I brought the food from the passenger buffet down tonight by myself, because my partner was Manu and she is no longer here. I was Miss Strongo and brought the containers down by myself!   As a reward, I ate some lamb and a ‘succulent’ tomato again! Now I am in bed watching Friends and thinking about my future, my brain never stops here.

This is the code for wifi onboard that I have to pay a fortune for,

The water on this ship is terrible for teeth, hair and nails. Most of the guys have bald spots on their heads, my nails are breaking every 4 mins and my hair is so…blah!! I dunnnnnnno whether this ‘ship life’ is for me…

Ivan, pronounced Eevan, the pianist who studied in Boston and has good English, and I were talking to Javier.  Ivan doesn’t speak Spanish either. So it was two against one!  Here is how part of the conversation went:

Javier: No possibly.

Ivan: Not possible.

Javier: Not popsicle.

So cute!!

Also Ivan says, ‘you think Capello is funny!  I mean I do too, but you think he is, piss in your pants funny.

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