Today marks a step change in our routine. This is the first morning we haven’t needed to lift the beds and prize the cats from their hiding places; claws firmly attached to the carpets and both of them hissing and spitting. Sheesh it’s as though they think they are going to be trapped in tiny boxes for 7 hours. Today they are actually in for a treat; it’s only a few hours in the box and then 18 hours of blissful freedom in a compact and bijoux ferry cabin.

I’m sure doing the journey with two children would be easier. You really can’t bribe or reason with a grumpy cat.

Waiting for Departure – Truckers and Albanians Boarding at Ancona

The ferry seemed to be carrying just us, 100 truckers, and a group of Albanians with cars packed to the rafters with shopping from Lidl. Being out of season, we therefore had the run of the ship with the exception of the smoking room which was full of truckers and Albanians.

Having thought the cats would relish time out of their boxes, they really didn’t like the enclosed space of the cabin and especially seemed to be spooked by the continual hum of the ship’s engines. Both immediately darted under the bunks. On the plus side, they appear to be bonding over the trauma of the journey, with the number of growls between them diminishing every day.

Bonding Through Torment – Hiding under the bunk on the ferry

When I was a child and we took our overnight crossing on DFDS Seaways from the UK to Denmark, being ‘on board ship’ was as much a part of the holiday as the destination. I suppose when you are 10 and you have a bit of freedom and dance away all night (probably only until 2130) in the disco an overnight ferry seems like the best thing in the world. We could watch a movie, or the three of us could walk the corridors and dip in and out of the shops without parents as long as we didn’t go outside. Yes, when you are 10 everything on the overnight ferry was shiny and exciting. I can’t help wonder if my ‘it’s seen better days’ view of tonight’s ferry with its worn furnishings, shops full of tat, and tired uninterested staff would be the same if I was seeing it through my 10 year old eyes.

Probably.

Tomorrow we will be waking up in Greek waters. The end of the journey is in sight, unlike any of the beautiful islands and land we are passing on our mini cruise – the weather outside is wet and misty. This is marginally worse than the frosty reception we are getting from our feline travelling companions, who I don’t think will ever quite forgive us for these five days of torment.

Day 3 Summary

Distance: 220km

Country Count: Italy

Hours in the car: 2

Cat fights per hour: 1

Total fights per hour: 1