Phew!!

Well I haven't blogged for a few weeks because I have been away on back to back cruises. First, as I reported, was the wonderful Regent cruise then four days later the Holland and America MS Veendam. This was a seven day trip of which five were on the ship and the other two travelling.
This was an adventure!!! I flew good old BA to Amsterdam then from there to Lima in Peru. A short 6000 mile trip. It started ok with a quick 40 minute flight to Amsterdam and then a two hour lay over there and a connecting flight with KLM to Lima. I was told at Gatwick that my bags would need to be rechecked in Amsterdam so I dutifully went to baggage reclaim to collect them. Nothing came out of the hole where cases come out. S**t I thought and went to the KLM desk to ask if I should expect them as I was connecting to one of their magnificent flying machines. "No," said the desk attendant looking at my luggage labels, "you will pick them up in Lima, be off with you," in a Dutch accent. "Are you sure?" I asked, "yes it says on your labels now go forth and catch your plane!!"
I did that as told and sat for THIRTEEN HOURS on the plane arriving in Lima around 7.00pm completely shattered for some reason even though I did not actually do anything!!
I waited at the luggage carousel for a while and then over the tannoy came, "Mr Worgan please come to the KLM desk, that's Mr Worgan to the KLM desk." I went and was confronted by a disheveled looking man in a KLM uniform who delighted in telling me that my luggage would not be arriving and was still in AMSTERDAM. No apology, no words of comfort just that. Well, we had a discussion about things, man to man. You know the sort of conversation you would have with an uncaring foreigner who has just told you that you are 6000 miles from home, about to join a ship for 5 days and perform two 45 minutes Comedy Cabarets, that you don't have any clothes or props. It was a loud conversation but fruitless. I was told that it would arrive the next day at 6.50pm, which was great considering I was sailing at 5.00pm. I went by cab to the ship where I poured my woes on the reception and Cruise Director staff. They lent me a T shirt and a pair of tracksuit bottoms so that I could send the clothes I was wearing to the laundry. Clothes being a shirt, boxer shorts, pair of socks and blue jeans.
Next day I went into Milflores and purchased some underwear and socks so that I could walk about without a strange smell for the next few days. Over the course of the following five days they lent me a dress suit for the formal night and a shirt so that I could perform my show in. Yes, despite no props,I did carry a few items in my carry on so I was able to perform one 50 minute show, which went very well indeed. As for my luggage, I never picked it up until I left the ship, when I arrived at Santiago airport it was waiting for me in Lost Property. A much relieved person was I as 48 hours later I was flying out to Miami to join the beautiful, MS Seabourn Legend.
This cruise left Miami and went for 28 days or so around the Caribbean down the Panama Canal and back to Miami. I was only on for five days but this to became seven!! I did my two shows as scheduled to very appreciative audiences and was due to disembark in Roatan, Honduras. This was all going well except for the day we reached Roatan. It had horizontal rain and no visibility, which meant it closed the airport, which in turn meant I could not fly out. So I stayed on the ship for a further two days, performed another show, this time my comedy Close Up magic and then on the last night a show for the crew. I eventually got off in Costa Rica and flew home from San Jose. Overall, if I was to be stranded anywhere, it was the best place to be, on board the elegant Legend. Only 160 passengers with 12 different nationalities but all very nice and very appreciative of my performances. Despite being two days late I had a great time.
For the rest of this year I am in the UK but hopeful of more dates for the New Year. I will keep up to date with my adventures in the UK over the coming weeks.