Nice and goodbye to the Star Flyer

At the moment I am in the hotel, trying to get to grips with the fact, that after 76 days !!!!! I am on my own again, nobody to talk to, just heaps and heaps of fond memories.
Ruth and I were both itchy this morning, we don't like to say goodbye to so many nice crewmembers. They really give you the feeling, you are part of the family.
At the railing we received the VIP treatment: Captain Brunon, Mariusz the Chief mate, Mateo the hotel manager, Oleg officer on watch and Eldrin, the crewmember handling the gangway. Many, many hugs were exchanged, not to speak about the kisses. They all wished us a good trip home and hoped to see us again very soon. The goodbyes started last night and went on this morning in the dining room. Saying goodbye to Kemik, Daniel (Benjamin), Godwin, Daniel, Iwan, Darwin (who took care of my sunny sides up nearly every day to perfection), the pastry chef who made me delicious desserts day after day, and Aime was not easy. When you are so long on the ship you get to know them very well, you'll exchange information of your family, they do that as well about their home situation. It bonds.
We took our last Prosecco at the bar and thanked Danny for his songs, his jokes and I personally thanked him for telling me I have a lovely voice! I sang with him last night, the final version of "Sway with me". It was also a personal thank you to someone, who made this trip a very special one. Yesterday I could sing it the way I wanted it, the day before, during the talent show, my nerves got the better of me.
We also said goodbye to Joey, Ashton (I hope your so called cold is gone now we both are no longer there!) and Ariel.
When we left the ship, we hugged each other, emotions flying around everywhere. We headed off to the exit, and were nearly there, when we discovered we did not take our suitcases! So back we went. We waved to everybody on the ship and ordered a taxi, to bring Ruth to the trainstation in Monaco, and me to my hotel at the airport in Nice. It was again a tearful goodbye at the trainstation.
I really feel if I have lost my soul. Will take some time to get adjusted to normal life again.
I want to thank Ruth for the daily Tai Chi lessons. It really helped me a lot and I will do it at home with the help of your dvd! Miss you already!
I know Ruth will do the crossing from Athens to Sint Maarten this fall on the Clipper, but I honestly have no idea if and when I will be able to do another crossing and/or long trip. My priority at this moment is finding a new job. For the ones who are reading this blog, please keep your fingers crossed I will succeed. If so, I will let you know.

My flight home is tomorrow morning, and I hope to be back home at about one. Friends of mine, who have been taking care of my house and the mail, will be picking me up. And then in the evening I have to prepare a dinner for the first time in 80 days! My goodness, come to think of it, it is Sunday, no shops open, and I have no idea if and what I will find in my freezer. I am not going to worry about it now.
Although the amount of food on the ship is endless, having three meals a day, not to mention the afternoon snack and the midnight snack (which I have never eaten), I still managed to loose weight! I always do when I am on the ships. Being at sea, being on the ship, probably activates my system. I am not on a diet, other than lactose free, but always manage to loose weight. I should be on board for another year. Nobody will recognize me!
Keeping your balance when seas are rough, takes a lot of energy, the last week was the exception. The sea was as flat as a pancake. I sometimes even wondered if we were moving.
Well, Muslim now has time to change the carpet in "my" cabin, he can take away the extra mattress and the person who will stay in "my" cabin, can do so nicely since in Cadiz (I think) the new mattress arrived.
I have not made many photo's this last trip, so as soon as I receive some from Ruth I will post them in my blog. If we went ashore, it most of the time was just for a short period of time.
Yesterday, when we were in St. Tropez, we had the sundeck to ourselves. Just the two of us! Could not get any better.
Well, I am closing of now. Just my first impressions of a new day of my life.
I hope Captain Brunon and his crew are doing fine at the moment. They are having another survey going on today. Captain Yuri will be arriving in Nice in the afternoon, to take over from Brunon.
When the take over is finished, Captain Brunon and some other crew members, can finally go home for a very well deserved rest period.
In the meantime, thank you again for reading my blog. As soon as I am at home I will try to finalise it and add some names to the photo's which are already on my blog.
Take care.
Ineke

Just a message for Sophie. Wish you all the best and goodluck with the draw for your maritime education. I know you will make a good captain in the future!