Our New Adventure Begins,

Steve kindly gave us a lift to the station,

but we missed the train,

and being Sunday there was not another one for 40 minuets, so we had the station totally to ourselves, not a soul on any platform, like yesterday we went to Victoria Coach Station and caught a coach,

and when we arrived at our destination 2 hours and 20 minuets later this is what we saw, Harmony of the Seas, no we were not going on this one,

so first stop for us in Southampton, a bite to eat, TGI Friday looked good, it was closed,

but McDonald's was not,

so burgers all round, then a trip to the Mayflower Dock,

and our first glimpse of the ship that will be our home for the next 17 days, the Ventura,

it was huge,

and Diana was all smiles, well we both were,

we made our way into the atrium,

through the gallery,

decked with artists pictures,

we were on the 10th. floor, as near to the front of the ship as we could be,

it was a long way to the far end of the ship,

our suitcases had already been delivered to our room,

at 4.15 the ship's alarm sounded and we all made our way to our designated assembly point,

to try on our life jackets we had taken from the room with us,

it was great fun,

as soon as the drill was over we were on deck looking at the mooring as we powered away from it,

then it started to rain,

I should have mention it got cold,

so cold in fact that it started much go Diana's delight to hail, the white on the grass is ice,

so we made our way under cover,

no prizes for guessing where I ended up,

then the rain and hail cleared,

by now we had turned 180 degrees, the captain looking towards,

the huge Harmony of the Sea,

and huge it was,

guests on the balconies waving to us as we passed,

just a couple of the features it boasts on show, a waterside in the middle,

and one at the end of her,

we left her at the mooing,

as we continued down Southampton Water, with well wishers and ship spotters on the shore,

further along another cruise ship,

then from out of nowhere a rainbow,

it some how kept up with us,

Diana went outside as well,

it looked like this boat was going to go into where the rainbow hit the water,

the boats crew seemed happy enough, you have to hand it to P & O, hailstones, rainbows, they certainly know how to arrange a send off!

we wandered around looking at the pool,

then it was time for our evening meal,

we passed the bar,

and had a table for two by the window in the Cinnamon restaurant,

our menu for the evening,

talk about spoilt for choice,

a prawn cocktail for Diana,

a Lancashire hotpot for myself,

on to desserts,

a kiwi fruit and mango meringue for myself,

a sticky toffee pudding for Diana,

back to the atrium,

we were going to take in a show or two,

we made our way to one of the stages,

where a duet,

entertained us for a hour or so,

back outside,

we made our way back to the atrium,

and listened to the resident pianist, 

next into the main theater,

which seats 800 or so people,

a show was about to begin,

and what a show,

the three singers dressed as 1940 army girls,

started out with,

the Bugle Boy from Company B,

it was just like being back home on a Saturday night listening to the Andrews singers, but this group was called the Spinnetts,

they were all just so good,

they all dressed,

looked,

and loved the part,

what a great show and what a way to start our trip,

there was also a casino on board,

but Lady Luck was not kind to us,

so with that,

back to our room and we were off to bed.