After a pretty uneventful day at sea yesterday which we mostly spent rehearsing for the first show I wake up with a terrible ache in my throat. It was just a matter of time as half the show crew has been sick for days.

The sea has calmed down since yesterday but the weather is still quite cloudy, rainy and chilly in the morning. This not how I imagined the summer solstice in South America.

When I go for breakfast the coast of Uruguay appears on the horizon embellished by a beautiful rainbow. This makes me smile as it reminds me of Homer Simpson reading Uruguay: you are gay.

At noon we land in Punta Del Este the so-called Monaco of South America and luckily the sky clears up offering us an afternoon of long awaited sunshine. The city is a wealthy coastal town with sand beaches, some stunning architecture and a very clean vibe.

It doesn’t really compare to its supposed mediterranean analogue though as the water temperature is ice cold. Just a quick dip will do. In the harbor a family of sea lions rejoices over the leftovers of the fish market.

Tonight we perform our first showcase and I’m very much looking forward to it. I can still feel my cold but I’m happy I was wise enough to bring a jumbo pack of Aspirin Complex.