The weather looks a bit perkier today – the Mayor of Punta must have sent his prayers to the right gods – as we have sunshine! I have no idea what we did in the morning – sorting email stuff I expect – all good though! We had to be at the Yacht Club for 1pm to catch one of the buses to the Fundación Pablo Atchugarry Sculpture Park. Everyone has been invited so there are loads of buses filling up as we arrive. We are all rather like excited school children going on an end-of-term outing. The Park is beautiful and the whole essence of it reminds me of Cass Sculpture Park. Music is playing and after a few drinks the local band strikes up. With enticing South American music, couples start dancing, laughing and swaying to the music. I am sure the alcohol and relaxed atmosphere helped! Carne, carne, carne is piled high on everyone’s plates – that is what most people have been looking forward to coming to South America for. Just because I don’t want to eat it, doesn’t mean others shouldn’t! I take a stroll around the park and lay on the grass relaxing until some little bug nips me so hard on the ear that I decide to return to the group and be friendly to everyone. I recognise that it is hard for the crew as they try to be super friendly to supporters, but there really isn’t much to talk about and quite naturally they want to have a laugh about funny things that have happened on board. But I am also aware that so much of this talk even amongst the crew seems very forced and rather artificial. The sun continues to shine and there is a wonderful party atmosphere. I rather regret now that I didn’t wander round the park as much as I probably would have liked, but Tom seemed to think I was going off because I was irritated with him. I wasn’t at all – there was just no point in me smiling and making small talk. All in all a lovely afternoon.
The evening becomes a little bit strained though – my fault entirely as I stupidly get upset when I am introduced to Susan, who Tom met on his Level 1 training. I had really hoped not to have to meet her – but she bounded up and flung her arms around me as though I was a long lost friend and immediately invited me to stay with her when I’m next in Northumberland. Yes she was more than a little plastered and why not, I’d had more than normal too – I’m sure she is very genuine and probably under different circumstances I would become good friends with her. But actually meeting her, stirred up terrible feelings that I like to pretend I have successfully buried. Tom had returned from that first week of training all fired up and had related how much he had been able to comfort her during the week as her Dad had just died…… I managed to get the lid back on, but the evening was a little strained and we ended up in the Moby Dick for a very dull dinner trying to chat to others with music thumping and hand dryers blasting!
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