Rodrigo Round Cape Horn and from Chile to Chilly

After Robin's arrival in LA, he didn't catch a flight home to the UK, but instead made the long journey to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Unfortunately he didn't have any time to explore this exciting place, (but will be back there later in the year), as he had to immediately board Cunard's QM2 as she set sail.

Nor was there much time to acclimatize as his first concert was the very next day.
So it was straight down to some serious practice to get the travel weary fingers in perfect working order.

Despite feeling decidedly jet lagged the concert went very well and made an immediate impression on the audience, many of whom attended the other two solo concerts he performed.

But Robin was also reunited, albeit temporarily, with his old friend Izzy Cooper. You can read more about Izzy here, 'Review: Robin Hill & Izzy Cooper' and 'Post Rodrigo Adagio'. Alternatively, if you type Izzy Cooper into the 'search this blog' function at the top you will find all the references I have made.

A musical collaboration did take place as Izzy asked Robin to join her to perform Rodrigo's 'Aranjuez Mon Amour'. He did, and it was a huge success.
Shortly after Izzy left and another friend, also a soprano, Annette Wardell, arrived.
I have previously mentioned Annette here, 'Soprano, Socialising and Nova Scotia.'

The headline acts tend to stick together, as there are only a couple on board at any one time, and Annette certainly helped out during Robin's last concert when she manned the computer to 'bring in' the orchestra as Robin performed the entire movement of Rodrigo's 'Adagio', from the Concierto de Aranjuez.
Annette did well, and coped with the tricky orchestral entrance after the second cadenza.
Having said that, Robin also did well and was rewarded with a standing ovation and request from passengers to perform more concerts!

Whilst all these musical events were taking place the QM2 navigated the trecherous seas around Cape Horn.
This was actually Robin's second experience of Cape Horn and it was relatively calm as opposed to his last experience when they were 40 foot high and breaking windows of the lower decks...see 'Stormy Weather' to refresh your memory.

Fianlly Robin arrived at Valparaio, Chile, and was driven to Santiago to begin the long and tortuous journey home.
Whoever books the flights certainly likes him to suffer for his art as he endured a 12 1/2 hour flight to Madrid, 4 hours to London, Heathrow, then just time for a quick coffee on the 40 minute flight to Manchester.

Thankfully he avoided all the snow which hit us the following day.