Day 27…Circumventing the Australian continent…Exciting opportunity for us aboard the ship…

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Last night, we’d decided to call it a night early heading to our cabin around 8:30 pm.  We were in awe of the sky view awaiting us from our balcony.

“Sighting on the Ship in Australia”

An interesting piece of art from the ship’s gallery.

More days at sea as we make our way through the rough seas which lessens a little each day.  One week from today, the cruise ends in Sydney where we’ll fly to Tasmania to begin our five hour drive to our new home for six weeks in the town of Penguin.

Much to our pleasure, we don’t dread the cruise ending as many have expressed, that returning to the “real world” is trying for some passengers, many returning to work and responsibilities, others retired returning to less excitement and adventure.

The first Christmas tree we spotted in Adelaide.

With the utmost of enthusiasm we anticipate this next leg of our journey, expectations in check, tinged by a degree of confidence that we’ll enjoy both of the two locations in Tasmania in which we’ll live over these next three months.

From there, another 12 day cruise, a 40 night stint in Sydney and then…we’re on our way back to the US for a nine night Alaskan cruise.  From there, we’re off to Minnesota and Nevada to see family for nine weeks.

The clouds changed rapidly as we shot photo after photo.

One of our readers inquired as to whether we’d continue with our posts while in the US.  Of course, we will!  We’ll be busy with family but visiting many venues in the process. 

Minnesota is a beautiful state. We won’t have any trouble finding plenty of photo opportunities during our six week visit. The final three weeks in Nevada will provide more photos and stories. 

Soon the cloud formation began to waft away.

As for the moment we’re preparing for an unexpected situation we’d hardly anticipated.  The ship’s activities staff has asked us to do a seminar on our world travels tomorrow morning at 11:15 am in the huge Colony Club. We couldn’t be more thrilled. 

Although we’ll only have 45 minutes, it should be ample time to share our story. Tomorrow, our seminar will be listed in the daily Compass newsletter as a planned activity for passengers.

We sure got a kick out of this sign outside Sean’s Kitchen in Adelaide since “streaky” bacon is one of the favorite staples in our way of eating.

Tonight at 7:30 pm, we’ll be interviewed on camera by the both the cruise and activities directors, Steve and Kevin respectively, which will be shown on TV tomorrow morning during the ship’s usual morning show explaining the day’s activities.

We’ll be busy preparing our agenda in the morning and have decided to postpone the usual daily post until later in the day.  At that point, we’ll have an opportunity to share how it went with all of YOU.  Please look for tomorrow’s post approximately five hours later than expected.  Wow!  Go figure!

Bernardo, our cabin steward, made this adorable “lobster” towel arrangement which we found on our bed upon returning to the cabin at the end of the evening.

One never know what to expect in this life of ours.  More often than not, the surprises are exciting and often life changing.  We continue to be in awe and humbled by the opportunities that come our way.

For our friends and family in the US we hope your Thanksgiving was memorable and for those of you who partake that Black Friday sales not too overwhelming!

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Photo from one year ago today,  November 26, 2015:

Our short term vacation condo in Scottsdale, Arizona in November, 2012 where we lived for a few months as we finished the final preparations for leaving the US.  We had the table set for company when two of Tom’s sisters and one brother-in-law (who live in AZ in the winter months) were coming for dinner.  For more details, please click here.

Day 26…Circumnavigating the Australian continent…Rough days at sea continue…Major course changes…

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Our ship, Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas, taken while we walked to the train station.

“Sighting on the Ship in Australia”

The art is exhibited in the galley of the ship.

These past few days have been interesting aboard the ship as we’ve continued along unable to disembark to tour any ports.  With our itinerary changed from visiting the South Island of New Zealand to the North Island, the number of days at sea has been increased to accommodate the changes due to inclement weather.

As described by the captain, the bad weather in the Tasman Sea has required many cruise ships to be diverted to less turbulent areas. Apparently, changing course is not the easiest task for the captain, navigational crew and support staff.

Golf course on the way to Adelaide.

New ports of call have to be determined, tours and transportation arranged, new materials designed and printed and entertainment and other activities rescheduled.

Many entertainers board the ship at specific ports along the way, only staying aboard until their established performance dates are completed.Now, with these changes, several will have to fly to alternate ports of call to board the ship. 

There is an array of manufacturing plants and facilities in the outskirts of Adelaide. 

In some cases, this isn’t possible and the cruise director and support staff will be required to arrange new shows from the ship’s own performers, in itself not necessarily an easy task when many passengers may have already seen several performances. 

In any case, the reason for all of the above, outrageously rough seas, has been instrumental in these and more required changes. More importantly for many passengers has been falling prey to seasickness, which is prevalent among some travelers who are determined to head out to sea with patches behind their ears, wrist bands and medication to avert the horrible feeling of associated with this dreadful condition.

Apartment buildings as we neared Adelaide.

Not only have many passenger fallen ill with the “cruise cough” but now are also suffering with seasickness. Although the cough hit both of us for which we’re now on the mend, we are gratefully free of any feelings of nausea, cold sweats, pale skin and vomiting. For some odd reason, neither of us ever suffers with sea sickness. 

Building near the university.

I wished that last night at dinner, I’d had the camera with me.  The seas were so rough, that plates of food were flying across the dining room. Later, as we walked past the shops, we noticed hundreds of bottles of alcohol in the duty free shop had tumbled to the floor, many breaking.  

War memorial on the corner of King William Road.

It was still light during our Thanksgiving dinner in the Cascades dining room and we were able to watch the approximate 30 foot swells by looking out the many windows. We were on deck 4 and water was splashing on the windows. We discouraged our friend Lois, who suffers from seasickness, from looking out the windows, which furthers exacerbates the symptoms.

Displays in the other areas had also fallen to the floor.  Once we returned to our cabin, we noticed the one suitcase we’d left out in a corner had rolled across the floor. During the night, I had to get out of bed when numerous items we’d left on the desk were rolling back and forth as the rolling continued. 

More older buildings line the boulevard than the more modern.

Walking from the bed to the bathroom in the tiny cabins was challenging it itself, let alone taking a shower, which required hanging onto the grab bar to avoid falling in the even tinier space.

Once we left the cabin this morning, as the ship made its way toward New Zealand’s North Island (where we lived on the alpaca farm for three months ending on April 15, 2016), we noticed a slight decrease in the rocking and rolling.  Hopefully, especially for those suffering, we hope this soon ends.

Another statue near the library.

Today, as always, we’re content and enjoying the final days of this lengthy cruise. Tonight’s formal night. We’ll do our best to dress appropriately.

We celebrated Thanksgiving (US holiday) yesterday, but wish all of our family and friends in the US a very meaningful and enjoyable day. Gratefulness prevails on this day and always.

Photo from one year ago today, November 24, 2015:

A ferry passing in the morning in Fiji. For more photos, please click here.

Day 25…Circumnavigating the Australian continent..Deaths aboard ship…Change in course…Bad weather…Rough seas…

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The Art Gallery of South Australia has many things to offer art lovers.

“Sighting on the Ship in Australia”

Classic car display on stairways.

As we wandered along the main boulevard in Adelaide we were excited to spot the Art Gallery of South Australia.    We were surprised that admission is free because in many cities around the world there are entrance fees. That is not to say we would not have agreed to pay fees. 

Australia’s history is rich, adored by its citizens.

Australia is proud of its rich history and we’ve found that many historic venues are free to enter as we’ve traveled from city to city. Welcomed by an enthusiastic staff as we entered, we were encouraged to explore at our discretion.

Interesting sculpture.

From this site:
“The Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA), located on the cultural boulevard of North Terrace in Adelaide, is one of three significant visual arts museum in the Australian state of South Australia. It has a collection of over 35,000 works of art, making it, after the National Gallery of Victoria, the second largest state art collection in Australia. It was known as the National Gallery of South Australia until 1967 when the current name was adopted.

The art is appealing as well as the thoughtful displays.

The Art Gallery is located adjacent to State Library of South Australia, the South Australian Museum and the University of Adelaide, AGSA is part of Adelaide‘s North Terrace cultural precinct and had 712,994 visitors in the year ending 30 June 2011. As well as its permanent collection, the AGSA displays a number of visiting exhibitions every year, and also contributes travelling exhibitions in regional galleries.

Collection of portraits.

The gallery was established in 1881 and opened in two rooms of the public library by Prince Albert Victor and Prince George, later George V of Great Britain. The present building dates from 1900 and was extended in 1936 and 1962. Subsequent renovations and a significant extension of the building which opened in 1996 added contemporary display space without compromising the interior of the original Victorian building.”

Modern art.

After the gallery we continued on the main road finding more points of interest in the beautiful city of Adelaide. More photos will be presented in future posts.

Wall of Australian leaders and dignitaries.

Now, an update on the ship’s situation. A few scenarios have occurred during this cruise we’d yet mention. Sadly, two elderly passengers have passed away on this 33 night cruise from health issues. One of them, we’d discussed in  a prior post as shown here in early November. 

Antique chair.

The second death occurred a few days ago when we all heard the emergency call, “alpha, alpha” followed by a cabin number on the 8th deck. We were saddened to hear this second person also passed away.

A short time ago, the captain made an announcement that it’s necessary to make a change in course.He stated that bad weather in the Tasman Sea is the reason for the change. But we’re speculating that the recent damage from several earthquakes may have compromised a few upcoming ports of call, particularly Wellington on the South Island of New Zealand.  We may never know.

Variety of artistic glassware.

In the interim, a change in course will result in the ship visiting the North Island of New Zealand, where we recently spent three months living on the alpaca farm.

Statue of two oxen merged together.

We’ll keep our readers updated as we continue on over these next several days.

May all of our readers in the US have a very happy Thanksgiving, enjoying time with your family and friends.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, November 24, 2015:

In Fiji, last year, it appeared that bread fruit trees continue to produce fruit all year long.  For more photos, please click here.

Day 24…Circumnaviagting the Australian continent…What is the meaning of the Thanksgiving holiday in the US?…More Adelaide photos…

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Tom, sitting on the train. He hasn’t gained weight on this cruising forgoing cereals, bread, rolls, donuts, and buns.

“Sighting on the Ship in Australia”

Art work in the ship’s gallery.

The Thanksgiving holiday is celebrated in the US is in two days. For those outside the US who may not know the significance of Thanksgiving, it is a very special day of celebration for the following reasons as described on this site:

“Meaning of Thanksgiving – The Real Celebration
For many of us, the meaning of Thanksgiving usually includes feasting, four-day weekends, football games, floats, family reunions, or a forerunner to Christmas festivities. The “first Thanksgiving,” however, was neither a feast nor a holiday, but a simple gathering. Following the Mayflower’s arrival at Plymouth Rock on December 11, 1620, the Pilgrims suffered the lost of 46 of their original 102 colonists. With the help of 91 Indians, the remaining Pilgrims survived the bitter winter and yielded a bountiful harvest in 1621. In celebration, a traditional English harvest festival, lasting three days brought the Pilgrims and natives to unite in a “thanksgiving” observance.  (Continued below).

Pretty purple flowers blooming in spring.

This “thanksgiving” meal would not be celebrated again until June of 1676. On June 29 the community of Charlestown, Massachusetts proclaimed a day of thanksgiving for their good fortune. Ironically, this celebration excluded the Indians, as the colonists’ recognized their recent victory over the “heathen natives.” One hundred years later, in October of 1777, all 13 colonies participated in a one-time “thanksgiving” celebration which commemorated the patriotic victory over the British at Saratoga. It would take a span of over 150 more years to establish Thanksgiving as we celebrate it — George Washington proclaimed it a National holiday in 1789, Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November in 1863, and Congress sanctioned it as a legal holiday in 1941.”

Me, sitting on the train.

For those of us growing up in the US, most often we associated Thanksgiving with the beginning of the holiday season, a big hearty meal of turkey and dressing (a seasoned bread mixture used to stuff the bird), mashed potatoes, with gravy, sweet potatoes (yams) covered in white marshmallow topping, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce and of course, the popular pumpkin pie.

No word can describe how important it was for us, to be able to do this beautiful celebratory meal to enjoy with family and friends. I especially enjoyed making multiple pumpkin pies, all from scratch, to line them up on the kitchen counter so everyone could take home a pie to enjoy along with their bags of leftovers.

This yellow box is used for registration into the train using the purchased transport card.

After the festivities ended, the next day was the beginning of decorating our home for Christmas which required the three remaining days of the four day weekend to set all the treasured decorations in place on the tree and throughout the house. 

This is Adelaide Station.

It was a daunting, time consuming task, but when completed and the lights on the tree were twinkling, all was good with the world. Do we miss this?    We miss our family celebrations. We are not missing all the work necessary to achieve all of this.

Honestly, at this point in our lives, I can’t envision every going through all that work; not the preparation of the meal nor the decorating of the tree(s) (we had two trees), the month long baking frenzy, the endless piles of gifts to wrap and the often 200 to 300 Christmas cards we sent every year, each with it’s own handwritten message inside.

Memorial statue.

This era has passed for us.  Are we sad?  Not at all. This year marks the 5th Thanksgiving since we left Minnesota on October 31, 2012.    Most countries don’t grow turkeys and with my special way of eating the other dishes require major modifications to be suitable. 

When Thanksgiving was upon us while living in other countries, most often, we’ve dined out or made a chicken dinner with familiar and delicious sides we’ve known and love.

Statue outside the library building.

This year on the ship around Australia, we were told they were going to create a special menu for the 400 Americans on the ship.    Very likely, Tom will be taking part in the offerings while I pass.  Plain turkey doesn’t appeal to me and none of the side dishes will be suitable. That doesn’t bother me one bit. Whatever the chefs prepare for me as they do every night will be all right.

As for the upcoming Christmas season and Tom’s birthday on December 23rd, we’ll continue with the new traditions we’ve established over these past years of world travel; a homemade dinner for Tom’s birthday and on Christmas Eve and dining out on Christmas day, if there’s a local restaurant offering Christmas dinner. That works for us.

Statue commemorating Sir Henry Bragg.

As a matter of fact, I’ve already started accumulating some new recipes for the above occasions and look forward to enjoying them together. We no longer give gifts to one another (our lives are all the gifts we need) and do not set up a Christmas tree and decorations. 

Commemorative statue of Mary Lee.

We send US purchased gifts for the six grandchildren. We send gifts to the U.S. for the six grandchildren. 

Memorial structure in the center of town.

With the date differential here on this side of the International Dateline, Thanksgiving will be celebrated on the ship tomorrow, which is Thursday. In the US, it will be celebrated on Thursday, two days from today.

We have no regrets. For us, every day of our lives, of world travel deserves thanksgiving, however unusual and varied it may be.

Cactus-like plant blooming in spring.

May all of you revel in the joy of thanksgiving for life itself and in the holiday for those who celebrate.

Photo from one year ago today, November 23, 2015:

In Fiji, one year ago, a nursing pig with her piglets. For more photos, please click here.

Day 23…Circumnavigating the Australian continent…Adelaide is quite the city!…Is this cruise too long?

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Once outside the train station we spotted a casino. We weren’t aware that gambling was legal in Adelaide.

“Sighting on the Ship in Australia”

Model steam locomotive on display on the ship.

It’s been a while since we’ve been traveling by train.  In terms of our global travel, most often we will have a rental car or driver that we have arranged for our trips and tours.

View of the river from the train bound for Adelaide.

From time to time, when we don’t have a rental car or driver readily available, we’ll use public transportation when it’s convenient and safe to return to our vacation home at night in the dark which in many locations, isn’t always the best option.

Yesterday, when our ship docked in the Port of Adelaide, we had no other option than to travel by train to the city of Adelaide when it was a long distance from the port.

There are American stores all over the globe.

The train trip began at the port and ended in the city, to continue on the same route back and forth all day into the evening with the engineer walking to the end of the line at the terminal to begin again, driving the train from the opposite end each way.

We giggled over how many times a recording stated, “Mind the gap,” referring to the gap between the train and the platform.

We waited to leave the ship until after we’d uploaded yesterday’s post and thus were able to avoid the crowds.  There was no more than a dozen passengers in our coach.  Not only did the train serve the needs of cruise passengers but also many locals who lived and worked along the route.

  Not only did the train meet the needs of cruise passengers, it also met the needs of many residents who lived and worked along the highway.Homes along the railway tracks.

The cost for one round trip ticket (a plastic bar coded credit card-like pass)included a full day’s pass which may be used for all forms of public transportation in Adelaide was AU 10, US $7.37 each, a reasonable amount considering the distance and the potential of using street cars and buses while in the city.

Passengers are departing the station.

After arriving at Adelaide station, we were surprised by its size and volume of activity. This was a bustling city.    For whatever reason, there was an expectation that Adelaide would be a picturesque historic city.  It definitely qualified as historic but this was no small town. See details below, we gleaned from this site: 

“Population
The city of Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-most crowded city of the country. During June 2014, the city had an expected inhabitant population of 1.30 million. Adelaidean is utilized as a part of a reference to the city and its residents. The city is situated in the north of the Fleurieu Peninsula, on the Adelaide Plains between the Gulf St Vincent and the low-lying Mount Lofty Ranges which encompass the city. The city also boasts one of the biggest cricket stadium in the world.

Demographics
People that were born abroad, make 29.8% out of the aggregate population. Suburbs areas including Newton and Campbelltown in the east and Torrensville, West Lakes and Fulham toward the west have vast Greek and Italian population. The Italian consulate is situated in the eastern suburb of Payneham. Extensive Vietnamese populations are settled in the northwestern of Woodville, Pennington and Athol Park. People from India and Sri Lanka have settled into inward regions of Adelaide including the internal northern suburbs of Blair Athol and Enfield.”

Skyscraper in downtown Adelaide.

We left the station to follow the map we received when disembarking the ship. This map highlighted the major points of interest many of which appealed to us as we took photo after photo as we walked along the main downtown road.

The main road wasn’t too busy while we walked.

The weather was perfect, only warm under direct sunlight. The city, with busy with traffic moving at a good clip, provided an excellent glimpse of what Adelaide is all about; many free venues for tourists; historical buildings, upscale shops, plenty of dining establishments and of course, its own variety of friendly Australian citizens.

Madame Hanoi restaurant on the boulevard.

Although many passersby had their heads down to peruse their phones (typical in most cities these days) we never felt rushed, overcrowded or unsafe in any manner.

Historical old Parliament building on a corner.    The new building is adjacent (see picture below).

Since we’d had a late start and the round trip train ride required about two and a half hours including waiting time, we wandered the downtown area for the perfect amount of time allowing us to get the full flavor of the attractive, spotless city. 

Protests in front of the Parliament building.

By 3:45 we were back on the ship with ample time to dress for the evening to meet our friends for Happy Hour in the Diamond Club Lounge by 4:30 to begin the evening’s activities.

Once again, we had a lovely evening as we wind down the remaining 11 nights on this cruise.

Was this cruise too long for our liking?

    We heard from some of the under 500 passengers who had booked the round trip that it was a bit too long for them. 

Protest signs at the Parliament building in Adelaide,
For us, this cruise will have been our “home” for 33-nights, and none of it has ever been boring or tiring when everywhere we travel we find “home is where the heart is.” How can we ever question that premise?

May your day be happy and fulfilling!

Photo from one year ago today, November 22, 2015:

One year ago, we wrote about the culling of animals in Marloth Park due to lack of rain. It was heartbreaking to hear of this and we pray for, good weather and abundant vegetation for the wildlife as we make plans for the future to return to Marloth Park, South Africa. For more details, please click here.

Day 22…Circumnavigating the Australian Continent…We’re in Adelaide today…Getting off the ship soon…

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Photo of a ship and crane taken from the ship prior to disembarking to see Adelaide, Australia.

“Sightings on the Ship in Australia”

Tiger painting in ship’s art gallery.

As soon as we will upload today’s post, we’ll drop off the laptops at the cabin, pack a small bag with sunglasses, repellent, the camera and an extra camera battery to make our way off the ship and walk to the nearby train station.

We’ll board the train for the 25 minute ride to downtown Adelaide where we’ll wander about taking photos and checking out the historic town, popular among tourists from other parts of Australia as well as those from all over the world.

Its a bright sunny day to get off the ship.  Easy walkway from the ship to the terminal building in Adelaide, Australia.

We can’t believe it’s already Day 22, with 11 more days remaining until the cruise ends in Sydney. Although I was thrown back a bit by the virus I contracted I’m making huge improvements especially after last night’s long sleep.

Although I try to avoid taking Tylenol PM to sleep, last night’s sleep was more important than any concern I may have over taking this relatively effective over-the-counter sleep aid. I took one around 10:30 pm, falling asleep within 20 minutes and a second at 4:00 am when I awoke. 

Overall, I slept more than eight hours, which is more than any night in quite a while.  Please check with your doctor should you decide to use this over-the-counter medication as it is a conflict when taking certain other medications and may be harmful for those with certain conditions.

The onboard Boardwalk Dog House restaurant where Tom’s sampled a few dogs, minus the buns.

Tom is doing well, sitting across from me at the moment, picking away on his keyboard at his favorite sites. We often giggle over how easily we’re entertained aboard ship (and off the ship as well). We’re never at a loss of what to do to keep ourselves busy and entertained.

We’ll be back tomorrow with Adelaide photos, description of the train ride and hopefully much more. Thanks for continuing to follow along with us during these less interesting sea days. 

The past few nights when Tom was hankering for a late night snack he got two bun-less hot dogs. He’s hardly gained any weight on this cruise and has felt better avoiding bread, orange juice and too many sweets.

Over these next 11 days we have six more sea days some of which consist of sailing through Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound and Dusky Sounds in New Zealand which we’d done last January on our way to our three month stay at the alpaca farm. 

Last time we sailed through the sounds it was dark, dreary and rainy. Our photos were hazy and uninteresting.  Hopefully, this time, the weather will cooperate and we’ll be able to share better shots of this amazing area.

Have a great day! We’ll see you tomorrow with new photos of the beautiful city of Adelaide, Australia.

Photo from one year ago today, November 21, 2015:

Handmade fishing and transporting rafts in Urata, Fiji. For more photos, please click here.

Day 21…Circumnavigating the Australian continent…Dodged a bullet!

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Duty free alcohol is sold aboard the ship at good prices, but held until the last night of the cruise to prevent passengers from drinking their own alcohol to avoid buying drinks.

“Sighting on the Ship in Australia”

Painting in the art gallery aboard ship.

Two days ago we wrote about how thrilled we were to have avoided getting sick when so many passengers were coughing and sneezing throughout the ship. I spoke too soon. That evening, while at the 70’s music and dancing party in the Centrum, I started feeling an awful tickle in my throat causing me to cough.

By the time we got back to the cabin I knew I was in trouble when my throat became sore, and the tickle turned into all night hacking. Yesterday morning, I awoke feeling lethargic and awful. Throughout the day, it only worsened.

Preparing audio for this morning’s presentation.

By happy hour and dinner time with friends, I announced I was down with something asking everywhere to sit far from me. This was no bout of allergy as Tom’s sniffles may have been. This was a definitely some type of virus.

Instead of drinking wine and playing pool we returned to the cabin right after dinner while I fell into bed concerned I’d be sick for days. Unable to sleep with the worst sore throat I’d had in years, I soon began shivering. A fever had definitely set in.

This morning’s passengers in the Centrum during a “future cruises” presentation.

Not only was I covered by the duvet on the bed, but I added a fluffy white robe and my travel blanket while I finally shivered myself to sleep. The last thing I said to Tom before he nodded off was, “I think I’ll have to go to the ship’s doctor in the morning. This is bad, bad, bad.”

During the day, I’d taken a non drowsy antihistamine, an 8 hour Tylenol and 3 grams Vitamin C (spread throughout the day), hoping to reduce the symptoms. Exhausted, I finally fell asleep. There was another one hour time change resulting in one hour’s less sleep. Id figured I’d be spending the day in the cabin in quarantine if I visited the doctor and the time difference would have little effect.

Then, the weirdest thing happened. This morning, after a fitful night’s sleep, I awoke at 8:00 am (new time) and I am almost totally better. And I mean, better.  No sore throat, no hacking cough, only the slightest runny nose. What??? How did this happen?

Sale in the Centrum Shops when many items are priced at US $10, none of which has any value for us. The shops are open on sea days only.

I wish I could say I’d figured out some magic formula, but I did not. Is there really such a thing as a 36 hour virus? It certainly appeared to be more challenging than the common cold. 

I’m no wuss as many of our long term readers may be well aware. Often, medical care is sketchy in many areas in which we’ve lived and thus far, we’ve been able to treat any conditions on our own that may have arisen over these past years. That may not always be the case, but for now, it’s working. 

I’ve only been to a doctor twice in the past four years, once in Hawaii with what I thought was a UTI and again in Trinity Beach in 2015 when we both had physical exams to discover all was well for both of us, as we’d expected. 

Logo wear teddy bears.  We’ve only seen a few children on this cruise.

Even during the five months of excruciated back pain from the injury in Bali on June 1st, never once did we seek professional medical assistance. Now I’m completely recovered. Had we gone to a hospital or doctor, what would they have done anyway? Narcotics? No thanks. Surgery? No thanks. 

So, today, I’m cautiously optimistic, hoping I’ve indeed dodged a bullet and recovered in a short 36 hours. We’ll see how it goes over the next several days. With 13 nights remaining until the cruise ends, we can only hope we don’t catch any other viruses. 

Since we wash our hands obsessively, we’ve come to the conclusion that the cruise cough/virus syndrome most likely is airborne most likely a result of tight quarters especially in the elevators where escaping germs from coughing and sneezing is impossible.

The stairways are decorated with an array of artwork.

Today is another day at sea with passengers milling around looking for distraction and entertainment. We’re content in our two chairs and tiny table in the Latte tudes Café where once again, by a fluke, we found available seats.

For the first time ever, Tom had breakfast on his own this morning while I held our table in the café. I just didn’t feel like eating. If later in the day, I feel like something, we’ll head to the Windjammer or another dining venue for a bite. There’s no shortage of food around here.

Besides, don’t “they” say, “Feed a cold, starve a fever”  or is it, “Starve a cold, feed a fever?” Never mind. Eat when hungry. That works for me.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, November 20, 2015:

 In Savusavu, Fiji I sat on a bench waiting for Tom to return from the ATM after I’d purchased data from the Vodafone kiosk. He’s on the sidewalk across the street wearing a white shirt, carrying the Costco bag on his right shoulder. For more photos, please click here.

Day 20…Circumnavigating the Australian continent…In the Navy?…Another era…

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The seagull is scanning the sea for lunch.

“Sighting on the Ship in Australia”

Artistic rendition in the ship’s art gallery.

With a one hour time change last night, surprisingly, we ended up having had enough sleep for a change. After dining with friends last night, we played a few games of billiards. I lost another one, but it was close. Maybe I will catch up to Tom’s skill level by the time this cruise ends two weeks from today.

After playing pool, we miraculously found two seats at the railing, allowing us to look below to the Centrum where the ship’s staff was performing songs from the 70’s. 

Pristine beach in Perth.
The highlight of the evening’s entertainment was the cruise director and his dance team dressed in appropriate costumes performing Village People’s “In the Navy” which certainly brought back memories for us old timers.  Click this link to jog your memory if you don’t recall this song.
A historic street in Perth.

We were literally dancing in our seats as we leaned over the railing to easily view the hour long show. It would have been an extra bonus to be on the dance floor with the mass of dancing passengers, but our two games of pool, left us too late to find space on the dance floor for us to gyrate along with the others.

The energy of the ship was electrifying, as passengers and staff danced instead of walking while singing along with the plethora of memorable songs from an era most of us recall with endless stories to tell. 

Sushi making demonstration in the Centrum.

It’s amazing how loud music can set the pace if the music elicits memories of another time and places we associate with good times and great experiences. Although Tom and I didn’t meet until 1991, we easily combine our love of old music and dancing that takes us back to another time.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have the camera with us and with the crowds everywhere, we didn’t feel like heading back to the cabin to retrieve it. I’m sure you all “picture” the activities of the loud and wild festivities. It’s one of those things that makes cruising such fun.

Our shipmates, Lois and Tom.

This morning the passengers are quietly commiserating in a wide array of seating areas with little thought of last night’s crazy fun, now sipping coffee and tea instead of last night’s dance-inducing cocktails, beer and wine.

And, here we are once again comfortably situated in Latte tudes Café,  lucky to have found a table which somehow we’ve managed to accomplish each and every day, while many staff members and passengers stop by to chat as they pass. It couldn’t be more pleasurable. We never mind the distractions always taking time to engage in idle conversation with whomever happens to stop by.

Our shipmates, Cheryl and Stan.

Today is another day at sea along with tomorrow while we sail toward Adelaide. We plan to get off the ship to tour the historic city. A few days later we’ll arrive in Melbourne (pronounced “Mel-bun” by Aussies) which we also plan to visit.

The days and nights seem to blend into a mishmash of delightful pastime events. We’re never bored. We spend little, if any, time in the cabin other than for sleeping and dressing for dinner. 

Somehow, as is our collective style, we’re easily entertained, while our mutually gregarious natures ensures we’re never lacking in making new friends while relishing in the companionship of those friendships we’ve already made.

Happy day from this side of the world! Hope it’s a happy day in YOUR location, wherever that may be.


Photo from one year ago today, November 19, 2015:

The bright blue sea in Fiji is indicative of a coral reef of which there are many in this part of the world. For more photos, please click here.

Day 19…Circumnavigating the Australian continent..Seven time changes upcoming!…More Perth photos…Sickness aboard the ship…

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Carlo, Michelle, me and Tom at the cruise terminal building in Fremantle, Australia.
“Sighting on the Ship in Australia”
Beautiful artwork in the ship’s art gallery.

We’ve been on this ship for 19 days and there’s still two weeks before it ends. We have had a great experience so far, expecting that the good times will continue until we land in Sydney on December 3rd.

As the circumnavigation of Australia sails along, we’re at a point now where we’ll encounter seven time changes over the next few weeks with the requirement of losing one hour every few nights at 3:00 am, as indicated in the ship’s daily bulletin, the Cruise Compass. Also, as a reminder, they’ll be a reminder notice sitting atop our bed when we return to the cabin each of those nights.

The options in stores in Perth was the proverbial “abundance” we knew in the US.

Gaining an hour during the first week wasn’t nearly as noticeable as is usually the case for most travelers. Losing an hour over these nights, when we already haven’t slept much, will be all the more obvious. But, as always, we roll with time changes and time zones, giving little thought as to what effect this may have on us.

We’ve found the less fuss we make over the potentiality of jet lag the less symptoms we experience. We’ve always discovered that one good night’s sleep, returning to our routines and a bit of sunshine is all we need to stay on course with our biological clocks.

We’re looking forward to shopping and cooking meals again after a hiatus of many months.

Speaking of feeling well, so far, so good. Neither of us have become ill on this cruise. I may be stating this way too early. After all, we still have the equivalent of a full cruise ahead of us.

Many of the approximate 500 passengers from the first leg, still sailing with us back to Sydney, are sneezing and coughing. Tom has had a runny nose for a few days, but we assumed it was allergies when no coughing or sore throat ensued.

This is something new to us, seeing prepared “meals to go” in a shop specializing in this concept. Wow I feel as if I’ve been living in a cave after visiting this huge mall in Perth.

We’ve been far removed from exposure to colds, flus and viruses for so long over this past year, living in areas where the air is fresh, clean and free from smog and dust.  Arriving at all of these industrial ports certainly could trigger allergic reactions for some passengers, including Tom. 

While in Perth a few days ago, we purchased some daytime, non sleepy antihistamines which seem to be helping to alleviate his symptoms. As preventive measures we’ve both been taking probiotics, 3 gr of vitamin C daily (spread throughout the day) and using our own bottles of Nasonex spray twice daily.

Oceanfront view of the Western Australia Maritime Museum in Fremantle.

We’re both diligent in washing our hands dozens of times each day, but continually observe others, even in the restrooms not washing after using the facilities. 

If everyone would wash before and after meals and restroom visits and, after touching railings or any other public areas, covering their mouths and faces when coughing and sneezing and totally avoid touching or shaking hands, there’d be considerably less illness on cruises. 

Across one of many entrances to the harbor in Perth/Fremantle.

If we get sick, it’s usually the “cruise cough,” a relentless virus of one type or another than can persist for months. The worst illness, we’ve experienced from cruising was after the 18-night cruise from Honolulu to Sydney in June 2015. 

That illness was, by far, the worst either of us have experienced in our four years of world travel, lasting for many weeks long after the cruise ended. We were both so sick, we hardly remember arriving in Sydney, flying to Cairns, renting the car and finding our way to the vacation home in Trinity Beach.

Sandy beach in Perth.

Hopefully, we’ll make it through these final two weeks without incident, arriving healthy and fit for our upcoming three months in Tasmania, in two distinct locations. 

People we’ve met have mentioned how they dread the cruise ending, the vacation/holiday ending to return to the “real world” often filled with stress, jobs, piles of bills and mail, tasks and responsibilities. 

Quiet sandy beach in Perth.

We only receive a few pieces of mail each month at our Nevada mailing service, none of which is urgent since we pay insurance and credit cards online. As a result, we never face a “pile of mail.”  We handle everything online with ease as the necessity arises. 

Our “real world” is more world travel, blissfully heading to the next location, the next adventure, the next leg of our worldwide journey. We never forget for one day, how grateful we are to be together, living this fulfilling life filled with one wonder after another.

Main entrance to the Western Australia Maritime Museum.

We hope you have a wonder filled day!

Photo from one year ago today, November 18, 2015:

The Montfort Technical Institute in Savusavu which assists poor children academically and economically to gain skills to prepare them for a productive adulthood. For more photos, please click here.

Day 18…Circumnavigating the Australian continent…Yesterday’s memorable day in Perth with friends…

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Carlo and Michelle standing near their Mustang in the port of Perth parking lot.

“Sighting on the Ship in Australia”

Painting of the Statue of Liberty in the art gallery onboard the vessel.

By 9 am, we easily made our way off the ship to wait for Michelle and Carlo to pick us up in front of the passenger cruise terminal in Perth. In the flurry of activity, we did not ask for a description of their car. 

Tom remembers that they had bought a new Mustang from our on-going Facebook contact since we met them on a cruise in April from Sydney to Singapore. In no time, we saw them both come close to us, arms wide open for great Aussie welcomes and embraces.

Lighthouse close to the harbor.

It was a cloudy and rainy day which didn’t put a damper on our day. They took us through many beautiful parts of Perth allowing us to see their beloved town. The dense clouds hindered our views and photos, but at least we got the concept and charm of some of the many highlights of the Twin Cities of Perth and Fremantle. 

Although the photos were not as good as we would have liked the day spent together was without any doubt the biggest point of all. They had both taken a day off to be here, and we appreciate that. 

Boats at the marina.

After a tour through Perth and Fremantle, we ended up in a large shopping mall as big as any major shopping mall in the US. Tom and Carlo joined us at the mall, later taking off to let Michelle and I do some shopping while he took Tom to his jewelry shop where he and his staff make exquisite custom jewelry with gems and fine metals from all over the world. 

I really needed a few clothes and Michelle turned out to be a perfect shopping companion. It had been so long since I’d shopped in a mall of this caliber, let alone with another woman. I felt like a kid in a candy store, my eyes darting about over the massive number of stores, products and concepts, many of them entirely new in my limited exposure to shopping. 

Rain and fog prevented a clear view of downtown Perth.

We darted from shop to shop. In the end, I found four shirts, a belt and pants that met all my expectations. Although each item was more expensive than I would have liked, most were on sale, of very high quality and entirely wash and wear, a must in our world of travel.

A few hours later, the guys returned to the mall, easily found us per Michelle’s call to Carlo and we all had lunch in the food court. We’d wanted to take them to a special restaurant for lunch, but they insisted they’d be thrilled to eat in the food court. Tom was eyeballing the McDonalds restaurant.

Looking at a park we would have walked if it had not been as rainy as possible.

I was worried that I couldn’t find anything that would work for the way I eat. Lo and behold, there were many low carb, gluten free options and I had a delicious salad with salsa, guacamole, chicken salad and veggies that tasted as good as any meal I’d had in years. I couldn’t remember the last time I ate Mexican in a restaurant.

Of course, Tom enjoyed his cheeseburger and McDonald’s fries while the rest of us dined on items from various places. The last time we’d had a meal in a food court was back in the US at least five or six years ago, long before I began this way of eating. 

Swan River in Perth/Fremantle.

The engaging conversations and the day passed quickly. In no time at all we were back at the cruise terminal hugging, taking photos and saying goodbye. How does one say thank you after such a fine day with two kind, generous, and special individuals? We can only hope that someday our paths will cross again.

Back in the terminal, the return process for the back-to-back cruise was quick and painless with no queues, no check in lines and only one fast pass through security with our new SeaPass cards in hand. Soon we were back in our familiar cabin, dressing for the evening and ready for the 5:00 pm muster drill which is required that all consecutive passengers attend.

Fred, Michelle and Carlo’s parrot who lives in Carlo’s jewelry studio. When Fred saw Tom he squawked at him and then said “Fred.”

By 5:30 we were back on the elevator to the 13th floor to see our friends, Lois and Tom and Cheryl and Stan in the Diamond Lounge for more ‘free” drinks, laughter and more of the pure pleasure of spending time with special people.

Top of our ship to the right.

Once again, our travels find us in the position of feeling grateful and in awe of the people we meet, whether they’re local citizens in a remote location, Aussies from the big city like Michelle and Carlo, Kat and John or the four friends as mentioned above from the USA. 

This was CJ (for Carlo Junior), the family’s Char Pei who took a liking to Tom.

The world is a huge place. When we’ve been blessed to meet people along the way, it becomes small and intimate, not so far removed from the life we left  behind many moons ago.

Today, a new 1500 passengers are among us with the remaining almost 500 of us on the back-to-back for a new total of around 2000 passengers. No doubt, the joy of this fabulous cruise will continue over these next 16 days until we eventually dock in Sydney to fly to Tasmania on December 3, 2016. 

Garden at Carlo’s parent’s adjoining property near the studio.

Living this life on the move isn’t always easy. Nor is it a simple process to plan the equivalent of one vacation/holiday after another, year after year, never returning to a “home” to regroup or repack. 

But, it’s the life we’ve chosen and for us, a very happy life filled with endless wonders and surprises, most certainly enhanced by the people we’ve met along the way. 

Jewelry making workshop.

Thank you, people; those we’ve met, those who travel with us via the web each and every day and those whom we’ve yet to meet. Thank you for your kindness, your acceptance and most of all, your love.

Photo from one year ago today, November 17, 2015:

A few boats at the pearl pier in Savusavu, Fiji. For more photos, please click here.