Explora Journeys - 3
There was a ‘real’ troubadour on the house party that opened EXPLORA III, sailing from Rome to Barcelona last week. The word is Occitan, composition, the heritage is 11th and 12th centuries, the wandering singing poets of western Europe. EXPLORA III’s troubadour of modern times, sometimes wearing a pie hat, always carries an outline-only electric guitar and a portable foot pad to pump more air.
This troubadour, apparently from Colombia, had the knack of uttering the right words exactly, even to president of Explora Journeys, Anna Nash, as she daintily made her way into breakfast in the gigantic emporium buffet, a buffet that can seat nearly 900 people if the ship's full, as it will certainly be, and everyone wants to eat at the same time. Anna could have been at one of the two gyms or taking part in the Explora running or walking clubs. Take part in one of these, doing the deck round, four circuits of a marked lane, and you've done a mile. You'll also be given a commemorative T-shirt.
There are events the whole time during the house party that is the ocean state of mind of sailing on EXPLORA III. There are wine tastings, get to know your gins, get to know your stars, and just enjoy one of the five pools or the numerous hot tubs that are dotted around here, there, and everywhere. There's also padel. On the culture side there are nightly shows and, at all times, Clarendon Art Gallery, an extending, extended winding roadway with two full-time gallerists. Currently, they're showing a Banksy-style Mr Brainwash, aka French artist Thierry Guetta. Girlahead did transatlantic zoom meeting from the gallery – sitting opposite a framed antique map over-scribed with big letters, SAIL AWAY. That anonymous artist, and the onboard gallerist who hung it right there, have a sense of humour. The entire experience of EXPLORA III was, and is, thoroughly valuable worthwhile fun. No maybe allowed…..
