The Amazon and back

The final review Tilbury to The Azores via Amazonia and the Windward Islands

We arrived back in Tilbury on time, disembarking at around 09:30 passing through customs and border control without stopping and finding our lift back to the car awaiting us. Five hours later we are home

I’ve found it difficult to sit down and write this. 
Mainly because I’m not certain if my audience has had enough of my writings, and therefore bored stiff, or if you are seriously interested in my views on cruising.
Anyway, here goes, straight off the top of my head, as usual.
Firstly I should say the idea of a cruising holiday has not been removed from our what to do for holidays list, because on the whole we pretty much enjoyed everything about it.
Sure, we could have some moans and groans particularly about the level of staff training, and the lack of English understanding, even up to waiter supervisor level, and indeed our maitre d’.
I still didn’t get a properly set soft boiled egg!  
What we both agree on is that we are not suited to long stretches at sea. 
Not wanting to be in the choir, or learn the ukulele, playing bridge, beanbag bowls, puck pushing, craft and creation, bingo, or to enter 3 quizzes and variations of the kind a day, didn’t suit our personal situation.
But, on the good days when we weren’t in the teeth of a gale, reading a few more books on deck 10, than we usually would, didn’t do us any harm, and made time pass that much quicker.
Our options therefore are to review shorter cruises, or fly cruise. 
The benefit of non fly cruising being that weight restrictions on luggage are not imposed. 
So something to consider for next time.
Generally entertainment on board was good with one or two exceptions, but that’s to be expected.
Our lectures were in the main were very good, and two of the presenters shone out. 
An unexpected run of lectures on tigers, and details of the geography of our cruise and the locations to be visited, were excellently put forward by two very good presenters.
All in all, despite the lack of boiled eggs, the food was very good, the lead chef, an Indian, not only had a knack with curry but all the other dishes under his control were well cooked, especially the fish dishes.
No over cooked steaks or lamb cutlets were witnessed.
The sweets left a lot to be desired and took the form, in most instances, of the American sweets where you look forward to a certain flavour but seldom find it. The cheeses and ice creams on offer were good though.
The tours on the whole were well organised, a sort of whistle stop tour of the locations highlighting locations which would be worth a revisit.
I have to say those revisits would probably be for the crash out holiday that Pauline and I no longer need.
One place that I would recommend is steered well clear of though is Manaus. This is the capital of the state of Amazonas
You may recall this was the place we were forced to endure an extra day whist the lifting gear was fixed.
Despite all the warnings about ostentatious parading of wealth, around 30 individuals were robbed or mugged of their valuables. 
One a waiter, who got separated from his drinking pals, got relieved of everything but his underpants, and he kept them because his pleadings to his assailants fell on at least on one thoughtful set of ears.
Fortunately none of those robbed was injured, physically at least.
Our cabin was pretty good, we had plenty of room, wardrobe space and a window overlooking the sea. 
The bed was comfortable, although with both of  us at sometime trying to cough our lungs up, we didn’t get a good night's sleep throughout the cruise.
So, there you have it, I don’t think I’ve missed anything out. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask.
I’m still sorting through the many photographs.