The Captain came overhead to tell us to please not take pictures and hang around being a nuisance (not his words, he was kinder). He told us she would be here in under 5 minutes and as he switched off the intercom the sirens of her police escort could be heard making their way onto the dock. A couple of motorbikes led three white SUVs, the second of which flew a flag from it, so we could pick out in which one she was in. They pulled up to the gangway and stopped. A bevy of men hurried forward and her door was opened and out came HRH, followed by her husband and a group of people whom we surmised to be from the British High Commission, and some bodyguards. She wore a pale lavander dress and white gloves, and strode up the gangway to greet the Captain and have her tour.
Now, I didn't see her anymore, but I'm told by people on the wards that she did stop for a long time and chatted with nurses and patients, asked good, pointed questions about the patients and in general was a jolly good sport about the whole thing. She was gracious and also talked at length with our Sierra Leonian day volunteers and various people along her tour of the ship. She asked about them personally, if we treated them well on the ship, and about Sierra Leone.
Now, had I stuck with plan A to see her, which was, hang out in the midships area and I might get to see her up close, apparently was the winning plan 'cause she talked with several people in midships while passing through. I, however, had rejected plan A for plan B, which involved rapelling down the side of the ship in an effort to be taken down by 007 and at least getting a cross look from the dear lady. Sigh.
I've had "Hail, Brittania" stuck in my head for two days now.
1 comment:
Thank you for taking me out of my misery and telling us how the day went with the visit of the princess..
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