Portsmouth to London doesn’t require the full day and a half scheduled so the ship is dawdling.  We began by circling the Isle of Wight and then wandered toward France before finally approaching the Thames Estuary. 

Since Britain doesn’t allow the discharge of gray water into the Thames, once we enter we need to be very sparing in our water usage, and the laundry is shut down. 

Being the last sea day of the cruise, this afternoon was the bridge ‘club championship’ with double master points (whoopee…), and Chris and I won!  Nice ending to the program.  I am so appreciative of the 74 (!) bridge lessons and games during the trip.  I’ve learned a lot, made a lot of good acquaintances, and kept busy during all the sea days.  I wonder, if I didn’t play bridge, whether a world cruise’s number of sea days would be too much.

I’ve realized I really hate the end of the cruise.  The knots in my stomach over whether everything will fit in our bags, whether all the luggage transfers (ship to our 2 night hotel in London, to the airport, through the airport & customs, etc) will work, seeing people for the last time and saying goodbye, and a myriad of other concerns drive me crazy.  But I too will survive…