Here was to be yet another adventure of Podge (His Podgeness) & Tubbs (The Duchess) as they continued to cruise the Seven Sea and yes, we do know there are actually more than seven seas.
We had actually planned two cruises for 2020, one in March on the Britannia around the Caribbean (booked March 2019) and one in August on the Iona visiting the Fjords (booked December 2018). The Caribbean Cruise was set, in our minds, to become our annual holiday in the sun on the ship that we loved while the Fjords Cruise was to be on the new Iona and was also a birthday celebration for The Duchess: As it happened, it turned out that Gary Barlow was also scheduled to be on the same cruise in his role of Music Director for the 710 club on the same ship and as P&O Ambassador. The Duchess was overjoyed when she heard that Gary was to be there for her birthday.
Then [IT] happened. Through January and February the news was more and more about the Corona Virus (Covid19) that was sweeping the globe. Then Through February and March the news was awash with stories of Covid on board cruise ships and cruise ships not being allowed to dock in most sea ports. It didn’t take a genius to work out that our March Cruise was starting to look in serious jeopardy.
Unrelated, but in a way, related, we took delivery a new bed in late February when one of the delivery men noticed our collection of P&O Teddy Bears:
“Oh” he says, “I see you like Cruising, we’re going out to the Caribbean for a cruise next month”. Wow, we were also due to do exactly the same but it turned out he was going the week before to join the Azura while we were to be joining the Britannia. As far as I knew, he did fly out but I suspect the cruise didn’t go as planned.
Given that the government said that from Friday, school trips abroad will be banned, and older people (such as His Podgeness) and those with pre-existing health conditions (such as His Podgeness) were told not to go on cruises, our cruise was canned. All Podge and Tubbs could do was what they both excelled at, which was to sulk, really sulk, for at least eternity or until cruises recommence.
So that was it, no Caribbean Cruise this year for the rest of the year.And, certainly no Gary Barlow for The Duchess’s birthday.
But, for all said and done, we were ok and remained so through all of 2020 and beyond 🙏.
Addendum:
Well, 2020 wasn’t the kind of year anybody had been expecting was it. Just like most people, Me and Mrs Me, had so many plans for 2020. Just like most people, hardly any of the plans came to fruition: In particular the two cruises we had booked, one in March, from the Caribbean back to the UK (a repeat of the March 2019 cruise) and one in August to the Fiords. We also had another cruise in March 2021, from the Caribbean back to the UK. One by one, the cruises were cancelled due to Covid. Hopefully, we’ll get back normal in 2021 / 2022.
There was however somewhat of an upside to this new way of ‘life under Covid’ whereby Me and Mrs Me discovered a website for virtual walks and rides. Using this facility (myvirtualmission.com) we were able to complete two virtual walks, Hadrian’s Wall and the Inca Trail, without travelling outside of the boundaries of Sleepy Hungerford. In addition, I (His Podgeness) was able to cycle, again in a virtual world, Lands End to John O’Groats and The great Ocean Road. In total, Me and Mrs Me walked 142 miles and His Podgeness cycled 1,255 miles. Having now been bitten by the virtual bug we then [virtually] walked The Ring of Kerry walking 124 miles through the mystical Iveragh Peninsula in Ireland followed by The Mount Fuji Virtual Challenge of just 46 miles after which plus many more. For my part, I also [virtually] cycled Route 66 (2280 miles across the USA) and St Francis Way (312 miles from Florence to the Vatican). Why virtual you may ask! well, Podge’s COPD (Codger’s Old Puffing Disease – see endnote) is now rated as severe with overlapping Chronic Asthma with a lung effectiveness of just 44%: Even walking round Hungerford can be a struggle and the virtual rides on a static bike mean I can stop whenever I want / need to. Poor Podge.
I, His Podgeness, also planned to escape Obesity during 2020. Well, I’m here to tell you that [despite all the exercise] Podge did no such thing. Despite walking and cycling all those miles, and not going on any cruises, Podge is still a Podge. Poor Podge.
EndNote:
COPD doesn’t really stand for Codger’s Old Puffing Disease it actually stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
The Adventures of Podge & Tubbs 