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For Jo-Jo at My New Life at 50

There’s Something About a Martini

by Ogden Nash

There is something about a Martini,
A tingle remarkably pleasant;
A yellow, a mellow Martini;
I wish I had one at present.
There is something about a Martini,
Ere the dining and dancing begin,
And to tell you the truth,
It is not the vermouth —
I think that perhaps it’s the gin.

Cheers, and a Happy Christmas.

I was nominated by my namesake Marie, at Hops, Skips and Jumps for the 10 Travel Photos in Ten Days challenge, a Challenge that involves posting one favourite travel picture for each day and nominating ten bloggers – that’s 10 travel pictures and 10 nominations in ten days. Lucky there’s no text required so I may make it to Day 10 despite Covid and Christmas

It’s hard to decide whether I like a picture because I think it is good or because it reminds me of happy times – sometimes it’s both and that’s a plus.

So today I nominate Alison from TravelswithAli and I hope she/they can find time to join in the challenge – although I’m aware they do a lot of other challenges too. If you do decide you can join, and I hope you can, please ping me back and let me know but there’s no pressure to join if you can’t manage it.

I was nominated by my namesake Marie, at Hops, Skips and Jumps for the 10 Travel Photos in Ten Days challenge, a Challenge that involves posting one favourite travel picture for each day and nominating ten bloggers – that’s 10 travel pictures and 10 nominations in ten days. Lucky there’s no text required so I may make it to Day 10 despite Covid and Christmas

It’s hard to decide whether I like a picture because I think it is good or because it reminds me of happy times – sometimes it’s both and that’s a plus.

So today I nominate T and Ku at journey-junkies and I hope they can find time to join in the challenge. If you do, please ping me back and let me know but there’s no pressure to join if you can’t manage it.

I was nominated by my namesake Marie, at Hops, Skips and Jumps for the 10 Travel Photos in Ten Days challenge, a Challenge that involves posting one favourite travel picture for each day and nominating ten bloggers – that’s 10 travel pictures and 10 nominations in ten days. Lucky there’s no text required so I may make it to Day 10 despite Covid and Christmas.

It’s hard to decide whether I like a picture because I think it is good or because it reminds me of happy times – sometimes it’s both and that’s a plus.

So today I nominate Leighton from Leightonstravels and I hope he can find time to join in the challenge. If you do, please ping me back and let me know but there’s no pressure to join if you can’t manage it.

)

Cargo ships hold a magic for me that no other sailing vessels do, and the best of them were the ships of the South African company Safmarine, known as The Big Whites.

Dreaming of far away places now that travel is impossible, I was looking through my photographs and remembering former happy times, sailing the ocean. Our last trip we were only 6 passengers and a crew of about 20. Crew and passengers mixed, ate together, swopped CDs and DVDs, played Trivial Pursuit in the evenings and did shopping for each other when in port.

Sunday was the big day, Barbie Day. South Africans, like Australians, are devoted to their barbecues and Sunday were barbie days (when out on the ocean). It was dress down day and the crew wore whatever they fancied – even the captain sported a pair of coloured shorts and a battered straw hat! This was Chef Eddie doing his thing somewhere off South America.

I believe the Safmarine fleet has been disbanded now but I shall always remember The Big Whites with affection.