Well, Readers, I’ve lived in London for most of my 66-and-a-bit years, and this is the first time I’ve ever seen Tower Bridge raised! I was sitting with my friend Robin (having a cocktail since you ask 🙂 ) when I noticed that the ‘superyacht’ that I’d seen moored beside HMS Belfast was making its way through the bridge. Very exciting!

The Star Pride had a tug at the front, and a tug at the back, and is apparently a ‘312 guest all-suite luxury motor yacht’, with a crew of 150. I was a bit puzzled when I looked at the pictures of the ship online, until I realised that she’s being towed backwards. I assume she did a three-point turn further up the Thames, where it’s a bit wider.

Now, I know that lots of people (including my Mum and Dad) loved going on cruises, and I’ve been on holidays that involved being on a smallish boat, but the threat of being stuck onboard during a Hantavirus/Covid/Norovirus outbreak does give me pause. Plus, supposing you were stuck with people you weren’t sympatico with? I’m not the world’s greatest one for small talk at the best of times. But it is a great way of visiting lots of different places if you’ve got the dosh, and, as this ship was en route to Norway, I imagine it could save you quite a bit of money in terms of food costs/transport costs.

Anyhow, you can read all about the Star Pride here, should the urge take you….