To Sleep or Party?

We made a last minute booking on a super ferry from Stockholm to Helsinki. We boarded for our overnight trip without a cabin being available. Should we try to sleep or should we party?

We selected a quiet bank of chairs around a table at the very back of the ship. The sun was bright and sparkling on the water. We spent hours watching an almost endless string of islands. We dozed in the sun. It was still bright and we were wearing our sunglasses at 10.30 pm.

We enjoyed drinks from the bar and later adjourned to dine. The ship was obviously packed and so were the restaurants. We settled for a tapas bar with interesting snacks and good wine. (It could not have been Spanish).

Near where we were sitting was a stage. Early in the afternoon we glided on silver seas past islands scattered like pearls in the sea. We dozed. Then suddenly the children's entertainment began. We no longer dozed. We endured for an hour.

After dinner just as we were thinking of dozing off, the karioke began. If you are at a pub, you can always walk out the door. What do you do on a ferry? Actually they were of a good standard even if there were a lot of Tom Jones soundalikes.

After dinner just as we were leaving the last of the Swedish islands behind, they opened an extra bar. Sleep was looking less of an option. The professional performers hit the stage. We found ourselves applauding as we sat in the evening sun, still wearing our sunglasses. Just as well there were a few good jazz numbers. We fitted into the scene.

Just as the pink horizon showed the last traces of light and the reflections of the night club were lighting up the ocean behind us, the magician came on the stage. He lacked the necessary magic for a top act.

We arrived at the Aland Islands and stopped at Mariehamn. We were in Finland and our watches went forward one hour. Now it was really night club hours but there were still no cabins available.

The drinks kept flowing... Lapin Kulta beer with Jagermeister, cocktails and shots. The poker machines rattled, the roulette wheels spun and the blackjack cards were slapped onto the table.

We gave up and searched for somewhere quieter. We found a conference room and crawled amongst about 30 others to take the last two floor spaces. We are too old to be true party animals. Sleep had won.