On route to Barbados Photos from Funchal (click on image to Inlarge)

Its now two and a half days into our five day crossing from Funchal to the Caribbean and its been smooth sailing all the way. I am not sure how many people are on board, but, the majority of people are Frogs French people that is. We have been told that we are two of about 100 aussies onboard. A couple of other Aussies that we know are two woman from Alice Springs, they seem to be having a great time from the din we hear from their dinner table. When they arrive back home they fly into Darwin arriving around midnight, when asked how the were going on to the Alice one said she rides a bike and we said but you are staying in Darwin for the night, and was riding back in the morning. We said that's a good idea with the likes of hitting a Kangaroo, she said its not the Kangaroos that's the worry its the locals you have to watch out for. We have a dinner table with a New Zealand couple they are retired sheep farmers. I have resisted all those New Zealanders and sheep jokes, but, I am sure they are well aware of them. They are very interesting to talk to as they are like us very well travelled so we have a lot in common. The weather has changed and the cold of Europe is now well behind us, its not real hot but, warming up ready for our arrival in the Caribbean. Yesterday we could see birds flying about 120 meters from the ship, we both said that they were a long long way from any land, it was them that we realised that they were not birds but, large flying fish having the time of their lives. Time has progressed and we are now one day and one night from our first Caribbean port. The weather is hot and sunny with quite a lot of wind in the afternoons. When one tries to walk around the open decks one has to climb over French bodies lay ed out trying to catch every ray of sunshine. At dinner time the results of the days sun bathing are on display with hundreds of bright red people seated waiting to be served dinner. Teresa has dislike for several sea days in a row at sea, two days she is quite happy with, but, five days or more is a real killer for her, she likes to be kept entertained with activities and MSC have failed badly in this department with very little or none on offer. Yesterday a large CAT sailed by and quite close to our ship, I missed it, but, every one was talking about it as we have seen only a few other vessels during this crossing. Now with six or seven days in a row in a different port each day of the Caribbean things are starting to get exciting, lets hope it all stacks up to our expectations. I'm sure it will. T and M