3 JUNE Well, four days to go and we head for Southampton. I went for a facial, eyelash dye and gel nail varnish today. I used to have really good nails, but this year they fell to pieces, so I was told to get gel varnish. I love it; I'm throwing away all my nail varnish . . . now this is all I will have.
	9 JUNE Well, this is the real start. Spent the night in the GRAND HARBOUR HOTEL; very nice. We get a Grand Voyager courtesy car to the ship and we set off on our grand voyage. We have six cases; just as well we are not flying. It's very foggy. but it is 9.00 a.m. so early days yet. I think we sail at 4.00 p.m. and that time yesterday was warm and sunny. Yay, tee-shirt weather at last. R having welcome-aboard champagne
12 JUNE It's 17.00 hours [5 p.m.] and we're having a lager in the Commodore Club; this is next to the room where the wedding will take place. Having a good time so far. We have two very nice couples at our table There is a third couple, but they are at the far end, so difficult to speak to. We're all on the deaf side.
15 JUNE We're anchored of Cannes in south France. It's raining buckets. R took one photo ashore, but it was wet so we came back. Rome tomorrow . . . I hope the weather is better. 17 JUNE Having a nice visit to Italy. Went to a vineyard and LAKE BALSENA, a volcanic lake in MARTA. Rome was too full.
We bought some lovely wine . . .	. . . EST! EST!! EST!!! di MONTEFIASCONE
Went to LUCCA today; loved it . . . little alleyways, old romantic buildings, palace of THE BORGIAS and Napoleon's sister, ELISA. Would have loved to have spent more time there. And the highlight of my day was two Bedlington terriers and a puppy wire fox terrier. (All the places we visited in Italy there were no public toilets. You had to go to a café or pub, buy a drink, then you could use their facilities.) 18 JUNE Just sailing south of MENORCA, Spain. Sailed through a huge storm: thunder, lightning, hailstones, rain, wind. The ship was definitely at an angle. Hopefully the weather will improve. We could have stayed at home and had this rain. 20 JUNE Pic from Gibraltar

THE DRESS