Cruise ships keep 'em coming

Another 5-ride day marked a busy Saturday for me, but not necessarily a super busy Saturday for the company. We had people in and out all day, but only 3 guides so it could have been busier. We could have had all 5 guides in there, working their butts off... but some days are just slower, I guess.

4 of 5 of my rides were cruise ship, so that made it a bit boring. The same route, the same speeches, the same flotation devices and helmets, the same slow pace... The cruise ship really does limit the amount of fun one can have on these rides! I always feel for the advanced riders, who may not have known they could've booked a faster ride, and get stuck with mostly beginners on a walking-only trail on the simplest path we have. It's something about access for ambulances should we need it, and a certain contract we've drawn up - a painstaking process - with the cruise ship companies.

Got a lunch break, which was cool (didn't think I'd get one), and sat counting the money I'd stashed in my pocket as the day wore on. The first ride I thought didn't tip me anything (all people my age on a 70-strong Christian group cruise) but then found they'd left $10 for me, then the next ride $25, the next another $25, then about $40 from the fourth. So I had hit $100 as I munched on my homemade sandwich/muffin lunch. Sweet.

I was about to help with feeding when a young American couple walked in wanting a private ride, and I was put on it. They were actually a really cool couple and I enjoyed the ride. They couldn't ride that well, so we did a couple of trots and even a canter but I kept it low-key. I could tell the girl preferred walking at any rate.

They were complimentary through the whole ride and I took great pictures of them in the water as the sun came down, so I was confident they'd tip me. They did, a reasonable amount, and I was past the $100 mark, clean n clear! Then a bit of overtime to scurry it along. Fantastic!

N said she'd give me a lift home, but asked on the way if I'd like to go to dinner at a place her friend (who lives next door to me) cooks at. I said, sure, if Polly can come (she was already in the car) and so N, her daughter E and L, who'd just finished a kid's birthday party at Seaside, all went to the restaurant. We sat in the open air for a moment before it started to piss down, and I ran in sheltering my laptop to get wifi without ruining my machine.

Now we'd kissed n made up (oh, if only we could actually kiss!), A was keen to get online with me and I caught him just woken up at my friend's house who he'd met just recently and run into again on the street walking home wasted. They offered to let him couch-crash, since he had no idea how to get home, and so there he was, at the house of the friends I used to hang with in London. A little weird, to be honest.

We video-chatted for a bit then my whole red snapper came and I had to excuse myself to devour it. Had already sent my updated CV off too, to my friend in the travel business. Fingers crossed his recommendation gets me somewhere! Apparently I promised to come back online but I forgot, also couldn't be rude to my company. Spent half the night chastising N's daughter on manners - goodness knows how she ended up like that when N is so lovely.

Polly wandered around, following me if I got up even to go to the toilet, but otherwise finding a place out of the wind and rain to rest. She is so sweet and I wish I could take her to Australia with me - the boss would totally let me as he cares little for the adopted pet - but I think she's 15-17 years old and the journey alone would stress her health to the point I think it could kill her. And this apartment A has found for us is definitely pet-free. Boo. Oh well, only a 3-month contract. Then I can start the menagerie.