When we were small, my family always saved up for treats. We would be encouraged to save our pocket money, or what was left of it. My sister had a ceramic pig dressed in a smart banker’s suit. I had a similarly jolly little number. After the decision was made as to where we would be travelling, then the savings campaign would kick in! It must be said that our efforts were boosted big time by grandparents who obligingly sent money for us. These holidays were spent down on the south coast of England at a favourite little holiday village that had a handful of ex railway carriages – these were great fun with slightly more modern and comfortable bunk beds in one compartment, then along in the next space were the wash rooms. Memory defeats me as to where we ate any food or cooked it, for that matter!

Today we revel in cruising holidays – sailing across the Atlantic to Canada and then on down the coast of New England and onto New York was especially thrilling. The cruise line was one of the better quality; the food, service and entertainments were all absolutely out of this world. Having only been tested on a 3 night shortie to Hamburg to ‘see if I had sea legs’, and amply proving that I had, I was then invited to join a family group going on the aforementioned Canada/USA jaunt. Because we sailed both ways, there were 8 days either end spent at sea, which was wonderful. We took full advantage and visited all the floor shows; fashion demonstrations; gym days etc. Oh and back then, the ships still had properly recognisable promenade decks i.e. decks in the middle of the stack that offered a wide open air walking space around the outside of the ship, which from the ‘ship’s bell’ signal near door 8, was 3.5 complete promenades around the entire ship on the prom deck, and thee were many a serious cruiser who insisted on proving a point. On the days not spent entirely at sea, we visited the major spots within the Canadian and New England catchment areas. It was simply fantastic.