Getting to the World Explorer

We both had a broken nights sleep where we were wide awake at 4am-6am and then fast asleep until 08.30am when we managed to wake up.
Downstairs for breakfast at 9am. The breakfast was a bit average but as it was included in the hotel price it was better than nothing.
The day was sunny and dry which was an improvement on yesterday.
After leaving our luggage we headed into town to buy an extra couple of bottles of wine and a small whiskey to toast Ernest Shackleton at his grave site on South Georgia when we get there.
By 1pm we were back in the hotel lobby using their WiFi until it was time to leave to meet the bus that would take us to the World Explorer.
Whilst sitting in the lobby we met 2 lovely Australians Wendy and Greg who are on the Ocean Diamond tmrw for the same trip but 15 days not 20. They had only decided on Monday ( now Friday) to come as they got a discount offer also. This was their 3rd trip with Quark so they already had their jackets which was good as they didn’t get theirs included with this trip like we are.
Next we met 2 x brits Sue and Ray who are loud drinkers who have sold their house and everything to travel for the rest of their lives in their motor home which is currently parked in Paraguay. They were nice but we hoped not to have to spend too much time with them.
At 3pm we left them to finish off their bottle of wine and walked our luggage through town down to the meeting point.
Once there our passports were checked for any recent Chinese travel- luckily our 3-4 Chinese visas/ stamps were dated last year so we were clear.
Then we had to hastily fill out an additional health form before we were allowed to board the bus.
Once on the bus we were able to people watch the rest of our fellow passengers from various nationalities organise themselves ( or not!) to get on the bus.
Judy and David ( whom we met at the airport) were one of the last to arrive.
The bus soon departed and drove us 4 mins onto the wharf and to our new spanky home for the next 18 nights.
Blimey we really were about to board this Beauty.Leggi altro