Christmas Day.
We were up before Sam and couldn’t wait for him to wake up so we made some noise and soon he awoke, he shouted “Mumma Dadda he’s been”…he ran into us with his filled stocking and was on cloud nine, we then crept down the stairs, I had the Christmas Tree on the timer so that was on and twinkling away in the still of the morning, “Dad he’s ate the mince pie” Sam said with excitement in his voice, we open the living room door and we all walked into a magical Christmas moment, Sam’s face said it all, we did laugh when he said “see that big present, that’s my Bat Cave”.
It took a few hours to open everything, I had a lovely jumper, a shirt and some Ted Baker socks, Marie loved her things too. We were enjoying Mulled Wine by 10am and as soon as the bird was in the oven we went up the pub for an hour and had a couple with friends. We had in my opinion the best Christmas Dinner ever and it was chicken, fantastic ,well done Mrs Doyle.
Boxing Day was a strange day, I felt I should have been working by 2pm as for the past 22yrs I have been in panto, I did work that night at the Towers Hotel & Spa Jersey Marine near Swansea and we had a great night, Mark Bailey brought a big group from Trade Centre Wales and Sarra, Lesley, Meryl and Roy came too so had a great night.
We went to Wolverhampton to see my son Toms Panto Snow White with Sam Kane and Linda Lusardi, it was sensational and Tom had some tricky stuff to do, he had to fly Linda up and out into the crowd over peoples heads, Linda said she puts her life in his hands everyday. We had the best welcome ever and we stayed at the Premier Inn Bluebricks in Wolverhampton and I recommend them to anybody
With only one day left at home and so much to prepare for the cruise Marie and I went for a nice quite drink down the WaterMill in Ewenny. Marie’s mum arrived on the train from Bath and I packed to go away.
4am and my car was on the drive to take me to Manchester Airport and my flight back to sunny Barbados.
Arrived at Barbados having had no sleep on the plane and soon at the Ventura and a brilliant welcome by Hughie Taylor and Dee who are Cruise Director and Deputy, we went out for a meal that night and we were joined by another great mate Richard Agg and his partner, great meal but boy was I tired. When we got back to the ship we were greeted with the news that the main man in the Theatre Company had broken his ankle playing rugby and was signed off and will have to be flown home. I went to bed and fell asleep as soon as my head touched the pillow.
Good morning and another day in Barbados, I was up by 9am and had breakfast with a great mate and brilliant act Louis Hoover who flies home today, I always enjoy his company, he is playing the London Palladium on the 13th February so good luck to him. I am working tonight in the Arena on Ventura two shows 8.30pm and 10.30pm then there is a big party on deck to bring in the new year, strange because it will be 2012 at 8pm here as we are 4hrs behind the UK. My rehearsal is in 50mins…see you later and if not…HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Ha ha I’m back, just had my rehearsal and it went really well, brilliant soundman Peter Hughes who has worked with my brother Phill on Thompson Cruises, what a great soundman. It’s 5.25pm here and 9.25pm at home so 2012 will be there before it is on Ventura, very strange!
Both shows went well but found it harder than usual, people were tired from the flights and were doing their best to stay up for the New Year, I watched London on the Telly and saw the New Year in but it was only 8pm here, very strange, I don’t think I will go away for New Year again, I am missing my family too much.
It’s 2012 and what a busy year ahead for me, I’m travelling around the world on some of the most luxurious ships in the world, Caribbean with Azura and Ventura, Canaries on Independence of the Seas, South Africa on Silver Spirit, Australia on Queen Mary 2, USA on Queen Elizabeth and so it goes on, it all sounds amazing and I am very lucky to be doing it, but I will miss my wife Marie and my sons Sam and Tom very much also the rest of my family.
Today we are in Curacao, I was here only 2 weeks ago with Azura, weather is a mixed bag sunshine and the chance of a few showers but nowhere near as bad as it is back home, Marie told me it’s awful at home, poor thing she had an awful New Year with me not there and pouring with rain and she has a cold, it’s hard on us sometimes as a family living apart for most of the time, it breaks my heart from time to time.
I have my show again tonight in the Arena Theatre at 8.30pm & 10.30pm so rehearsals at 4pm I think. I have ¾ packed and just waiting to go home really, if it wasn’t for my friends Hughie & Dee it would have been so hard for me this cruise, I dunno, New Years always makes me feel a bit strange, roll on February! Oh dear doom and gloom I’m sorry!
My tour starts back up again in February with Theatre Severn Shrewsbury then Brecon, Porthcawl, Swansea Grand, Towers Jersey Marine and the Muni Pontypridd, I’m even doing the Neath Workingmen’s Club, a club I once used to work a lot back in the day, I even won a club award there alongside a great singer Wendy Kane so great memories of this club.
Both shows went great and the crowds were fab, all rested up after their long flights and were really up for my show, I really enjoyed it.
I am now sat at the gate for Miami at Aruba Airport and a long day/night lies ahead of me, I do hope I get some sleep on the Miami to London flight.
It has been a very short visit to Ventura and the Caribbean but I had the most enjoyable time, thanks to Hughie, Dee, David Shepherd (Executive Purser) Captain Charlie Carr, Richard Agg and his lovely lady, Wayne Denton and his lovely wife, Vlad, Akos and the boys in the band, Pete Hughes for the best sound ever, and thanks for the amazing lighting what a finale last night, I thought I was onstage in a rock concert, thanks boys.
It’s 3pm here and I won’t be home till 1pm tomorrow afternoon.
Thanks for reading my crazy blog; I don’t half pour my heart out at times…sorry!
Don’t forget the tour picks up again in February.
I’m now at my gate at Miami Airport and boarding soon, I really hope I get some sleep this time as the last flight back home from San Juan was a disaster, I just sat there watching the clock, awful!
I had some lovely tasting pizza a while ago and washed it down with a nice pint of Samuel Adams Beer which is a Boston Beer, it was quite nice but nowhere near as nice as Brains Bitter, what can you do, when in Rome!
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