EMERGENCY DRILL AND MAGIC BAG DAY
Today we have been at sea, and for the third time this cruise, we’ve had yet another Emergency Passenger Drill. Doing this every two weeks over a 10-week voyage just seems slightly bizarre to me, but hey… that’s the law n’ all.
It was also ‘Magic Bag’ day. Yeeeey!
The Marco Polo doesn’t have a passenger laundry room. It’s probably just as well, since they always seem to be the source of a lot of anger and aggression on ships that have them. I don’t know why that is, but every ship I’ve been on, there are always stories from the Laundry that would make your toes curl; it isn’t just harsh words that are spoken; it’s been known to end in fisticuffs and passengers being ejected from the ship… that bad.
Instead, the Marco Polo runs a laundry service, whereby you place your washing in a bag to be collected by the cabin steward, tick off what’s in there, and then pay per item for them to be washed. Ironing services are also available, at extra cost of course. Sending stuff to the laundry isn’t cheap, and if you have a large amount of stuff to be washed, the bill can mount up quite a bit. Enter ‘Magic Bag’ day…
Every couple of weeks or so, a notice is placed in the daily programme, advertising the ‘Magic Bag Laundry Service’, whereby you can cram as much stuff as possible into the allocated plastic laundry bag and have it washed and dried for only £12. There was much whooping and a hollering in our cabin this morning, I can tell you.
Sea conditions have taken a slight turn for the worst today, and the portholes have been closed off as a result; Boooo! It’s necessary in rough conditions, of course, but they do seem quick to close them and never quite so quick to open them.
I’m pleased to say that another good nights sleep has made me feel much better today, with almost all of my cold symptoms having disappeared. Unfortunately, with the rocking and rolling of the ship, it was Tracey’s turn to take to her bed.
The general forecast is for the weather to improve and the seas to calm down over the next couple of days. Everyone has their fingers crossed that the seas are favourable to us when we arrive in the Falkland Islands on Monday.
