Meeting two Captains

Thursday 30 October 2008 - At Sea

In the morning Nana and Aggie (Evie's great aunt) took Evie, Oscar (The Longlevens Infant's School Ted) and Rex (my aunt's work's rhinocerous teddy) around the ship to be photographed. Meanwhile Campbell and I rendezvoued with an old friend - Retired Commodore Ronald Warwick. The name Warwick is synonymous with QE2. Ron's father, Bil, was the first Captain of the QE2, and Ron himself was QE2's Captain for many years before transferring on to Queen Mary 2. I think Ron is wonderful. I remember my first meeting with him. It was just after I'd published my Queen Mary book and I had had a bad review from a magazine. I was really down in the dumps about it because the magazine had totally misread the market my book was aiming at. It was a real hatchet job. Ron said that I shouldn't be bothered with them and that they didn't understand what I was trying to achieve - my books are for joe public not rivetcounters (the cruise ship equivalent to trainspotters) and that I should write my next book just to show them I can do it. I did. My books have sold over 16,000 copies. If it hadn't been for Ron I would never have written my second book.

Later his wife Kim joined us. Kim is originally from Hawaii and is absolutely beautiful. She has always made me feel so welcome when I was on QE2. The is a real first lady and the perfect Captain's wife. Ron and Kim's friend Linda also joined us. Linda is on her 89th cruise and her list of cruise ships made my eyes water. All I could say was "I wanted to travel on that one!!!". Linda gave Kim some craft advice about making Kim's QE2 40th Anniversary bag stand up, as Kim always was scared of losing it. Linda also had a top on that she had made from a Cunard polo shirt. She really was a mine of craft information!

Campbell took Evie off to the outdoor pool. The shallow end is 5ft deep and Evie had to swim! She now can say she learned to swim on the QE@!

In the evening we had the Captain's Cocktail Party in the famous Queen's Room. I gave him a signed copy of my book, and Evie took Oscar along to meet Captain McNaught. Captain McNaught also thought my cruise ship handbag was very cool! I introduced Ron to Nana and Agnes. 

Off to Cagliari in Sardinia tomorrow. Will try to post soon!

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