FROM THE PEN OF JANE

TO CRUISE OR NOT TO CRUISE

JEGNov2022

My good friend asked me to go on a cruise And being great mates it was easy to choose But I knew I wasn’t a cruise sort of girl Even before COVID took over the world Let’s sail to Melbourne & go to The Cup Different theme nights when we could dress up 8 days of relaxing & nights of fun And enjoy The Cup in the warm Spring sun

Then the world shut down for a couple of years I have to be honest I did have my fears Our cruise was postponed again & again Isolation on a cruise ship would drive me insane Then the world opened up, we got the green light Still a bit wary but the forecast was bright With all precautions taken we sailed away Happily looking forward to the big day

3 days of smooth sailing & then we were there We’d met lots of people with stories to share Weather predictions got worse by the hour It would be more than the occasional shower We got through the gates and placed our bet Then found some shelter so we wouldn’t get wet Right at the Finish Line we has a great view Till the heavens opened & the crowds went askew

Hairstyles & hats blown all over the place Driving rain ruining both feathers and lace The coldest Cup for 100 years But the crowd stayed put with boozy cheers Now that was an experience I have to say Vastly different to how I thought it would play We sailed back home with lots of tales to tell Days of relaxing with nary a swell

Back to busy life when suddenly, whoa! Coughing and sneezing was the way to go Could it be hay fever, could it be viral? I’d better test before things start to spiral Of course, of course, it was positive! Although I’d hoped so hard it was negative Now I’ll remember that cruise in so many ways More for the time spent with my mate from school days