Queen Elizabeth Sept 2012

Once again it was just over 24hrs at home, it was hard this time as I felt like a visitor in my own home, I couldn’t relax, I felt so stressed. The car came at 7.45am to take me to Heathrow for my flight to Rhodes via Athens, we got to the airport and it was plain sailing getting through security and I was soon having my breakfast in the little pub at Terminal 1, soon we were off and flying to Athens on Aegean Airlines, I have never flown with them before and let me tell you, they are fab, best service I have had for ages, as good as BA and Virgin. We landed on time in Athens and I had nearly 4hrs to wait for my next flight to Rhodes, so Priority Pass came in handy once again, the lounge I used was the same lounge I used a few weeks ago when I had Marie and Sam with me, a very nice room with good food and drink with comfy chairs. Soon I was on the Rhodes flight and once again Aegean were great, we got to Rhodes within the hour and I was soon in a taxi on my way to my hotel for the night, it was a basic hotel but clean and friendly so happy days! After a good nights sleep I woke feeling tired with blocked nose, I’ve had these sinus problems for weeks now, no idea what’s up? My car came to take me to the Queen Elizabeth, which looked splendid in the sunshine with blue skies surrounding her; she is a beautiful ship and every inch a Cunarder of today! My stateroom is lovely and lunch was fab, I then sat in the sun for 3 hours, I rang Marie a few times and she told me the weather at home had turned nasty, so I made the most of it and enjoyed the sun whilst drinking a big bottle of water, I felt so much better after drinking it, I must have been dehydrated because I didn’t need the loo after drinking it, so come on now Mr Doyle, drink plenty of water this trip! My show isn’t for two nights time so at least I can rest. Yesterday we were in one of the most beautiful places on earth, Santorini in Greece, what a place, I have been there about 4 times before but never got of the ship due to one thing or another, but I was so pleased I got off this time, what a place. Once the tender boat docked alongside I made my way to the cable car and made the terrifying journey up the mountain, it was so steep. The other mode of transport was to go up on a donkey, which I declined, I felt so sorry for them as it’s a long way up that mountain. Once up there I was just blown away with the awesome views that were on display, the Queen Elizabeth was down in the bay and she looked so small from up there! I sat in a beautiful café over looking the bay and had a couple of beers chatting to two lovely people from the Forest of Dean and just felt so lucky to be there in Santorini, take a look at these pics…what a place! Today we are in Katacolon, another beautiful place and another sunny day with a high od around 28c, the weather at home has been awful so lets make the most of it. More pics for you of this lovely place Katacolon. My show is tonight in the Royal Court Theatre at 8.30pm and 10.30pm and my rehearsal is at 4.45pm so I am looking forward to that, all I want now is the sound to be good! Yyyyeeeessssss!!!!! It’s a great soundman his name is John and he used to work at the BBC in London as head of sound and I have worked with him before and he’s a good man with a good pair of ears, so now I feel more up for it so to speak. The band are fab under the direction of Tim Faulkner who is leaving life at sea so I don’t know when we’ll see Tim again, I hope our paths cross again, he’s a great MD and a fab sax player. 1hr and 20mins to go for my first show, I want to do very well tonight and go for it, I have a great crowd ahead of me with a great mix of nationalities, but an English speaking audience, which is obviously important to me and to them I guess! Tomorrow we are in Corfu, I was only there a few weeks ago on another Cunard ship the RMS Queen Victoria, the ports of call this voyage are just fantastic, and the weather!

Oh Yes…2 great shows, I could not have done any better, thank you QE, what a great night, let me tell you if I do well I will tell you and equally if I die on my arse I will also tell you and that’s a promise! I met up with old friends Grahame and Julie and John and Judith and we had a few after the show and had a good laugh! Today we are in Dubrovnik Croatia, a beautiful place which I have been to many times, I got myself off the ship and went to the old city and found my usual Irish Bar “Pats Bar” where they pour a lovely pint of Guinness and real chips, I know it’s a bit basic, then so am I. Tonight, Phill Browne and I are part of the “Strictly” Dancing competition and it’s a formal night, so it’s a suited and booted kind of night for us! Tomorrow we are in Venice and we are over night there and I am working as well, so lets hope our guests choose to stay onboard and see my show rather than go and see Venice…no pressure then! Stay onboard they did and I had the best night ever…thanks all who came to see me in the theatre, and I hope I see you again in the future on land or at sea.