One of the guests to our Holiday at Home schemes, run by Erica Roberts, felt moved to pen a poem about her experience.

Reproduced with permission.

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Going to the Med
June 2017

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Apologies to 'The Owl & the Pussy Cat' by Edward Lear.

We went to sea on a cruise we did, to Italy, Turkey and Greece.
We all had pasta. We couldn’t eat faster,
And laid in the sun for some peace.

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 First we went in the steps of St Paul, and started off in Rome
On the Spanish Steps and St Peter’s Square.
We all felt far from home.

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 Erica’s ship went round the Med. We did as the Captain said.
We played deck games and learned new names,
Till our sunburn turned us red.

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 And so to Greece and islands blue, where a great many Syrians dwell
In camps and tents and shabby shacks
Where tourists once lived so well.

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Our final day was furthest off, in Turkey on the Bosphorus sea.
In Ephesus and Artemis,
Early Christianity.

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Cynthia and Pat Morton supplied the moussaka (some aubergines in sight)
The crew brought out Greek yoghurt desserts.
Not forgetting the Turkish Delight.

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Captain Erica gave us a marvellous lunch; a pretty girl painted our nails.
Quizzes, deck quoits, chairobics, & photos and film;
‘Second Wind’ played, as we sipped pinkish cocktails.

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On virtual MS Highfield, Ron showed us card tricks. Don’t be late!
For the excellent strawberries, scones, cream, jam and tea.
From the Officers Childs, Stephen and Rachael, of course the First Mate.

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So once again we thank the crew, who gave us that wonderful trip.
We might not visit those countries again
But we travelled on Erica’s ship.

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Thanks in Italian
Grazie
Efcharisto in Greek
Tesekkur ederim in Turkish

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Gillian Gain