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Sunday, 17th February
The weather was certainly quite rough last night as the Captain had to put out the stabilisers. Then it was OK, but the ship was certainly rolling beforehand. Since being on board we have been to the Orangery, a self service restaurant for breakfast. This morning we decided to treat ourselves to a “silver service” breakfast in the Medina Restaurant, a much nicer experience. Today was basically our day of leisure with visits to the computer room to register our computer, to the Orangery for a light lunch, and the afternoon was spent lazing around the Terrace Pool. Although there was no sun, there was a nice cooling breeze and it was very pleasantly warm and relaxing. We then returned to our cabins to prepare ourselves for our first formal evening. Geoffrey in his tuxedo and Doreen in her Ann Balon. We shook hands and spoke to our captain on arrival sitting down to another five course dinner. The show this evening was a new production called Happy Holidays, and involved the 15 young ships company to entertain us with a fast moving song and dance variety show, which was well received by everyone. We then adjourned to the bar to have a drink with Tony and Barbara (cousins to our friends Carol and Richard), who seem a very nice couple.
Monday, 18th February
As advised by the Captain last night the weather had deteriorated further and all excursions for the day were cancelled, including our planned trip to the Great Barrier Reef, which was very disappointing. However, we were able to take a tender ashore to Hamilton Island, which is a newly developed island with hotels, marinas and some very expensive apartments. As it was raining very heavily we decided to hire a “golf buggy”, which everybody uses to get around the island and braved the weather going up and down the steep hills to explore all four corners of the small island. After a pleasant four hours ashore we returned to the ship a little wet and guess what, !!!! prepared ourselves for our evening meal. Entertainment tonight was a comedian called Ian “Sludge” Lees, who turned out to be very funny (and clean).
Tuesday, 19th February
We awoke to find the ship at anchor off Yorkeys Knob (near Cairns), and pleased to say the weather, although overcast, was at least dry and the sea calm. We had a quick breakfast before boarding the small ships tender (lifeboat) for the 3 mile trip to Yorkeys Knob, where coaches were waiting to take us up to Karunda. Firstly, we were to visit a Butterfly Sanctuary, which was filled with hundreds of highly coloured tropical butterflies – they were absolutely beautiful, and after a walk through the obligatory shops and craft market we boarded the start of a 17 ½ kilometre cable car ride, which was split into three legs. The first to Baron Falls, which after heavy rain over the last few weeks was in full flood and absolutely spectacular. The second leg of the cable car was over the top of the rainforest with spectacular views of basket ferns, stag horn ferns and other epiphytes clinging high on the many native trees and despite Doreen being petrified of heights she had to admire the lushness of the vegetation. The final leg took us higher into the rain forest before we dropped down through thick cloud to Carabonica at the base of the mountain, where our coach was waiting to take us back to the dockside. We then boarded the ship’s tender for a twenty minute ride back to the ship. Now it is that time again to get ready to go down for dinner.
Tonight we realised that we are leaving Australia for the last time on this trip, we feel very sad as we have only scratched the surface of what New Zealand and Australia have to offer and I am sure time and money permitting we will revisit these countries again in the future.
Speak to you again soon.
The weather was certainly quite rough last night as the Captain had to put out the stabilisers. Then it was OK, but the ship was certainly rolling beforehand. Since being on board we have been to the Orangery, a self service restaurant for breakfast. This morning we decided to treat ourselves to a “silver service” breakfast in the Medina Restaurant, a much nicer experience. Today was basically our day of leisure with visits to the computer room to register our computer, to the Orangery for a light lunch, and the afternoon was spent lazing around the Terrace Pool. Although there was no sun, there was a nice cooling breeze and it was very pleasantly warm and relaxing. We then returned to our cabins to prepare ourselves for our first formal evening. Geoffrey in his tuxedo and Doreen in her Ann Balon. We shook hands and spoke to our captain on arrival sitting down to another five course dinner. The show this evening was a new production called Happy Holidays, and involved the 15 young ships company to entertain us with a fast moving song and dance variety show, which was well received by everyone. We then adjourned to the bar to have a drink with Tony and Barbara (cousins to our friends Carol and Richard), who seem a very nice couple.
Monday, 18th February
As advised by the Captain last night the weather had deteriorated further and all excursions for the day were cancelled, including our planned trip to the Great Barrier Reef, which was very disappointing. However, we were able to take a tender ashore to Hamilton Island, which is a newly developed island with hotels, marinas and some very expensive apartments. As it was raining very heavily we decided to hire a “golf buggy”, which everybody uses to get around the island and braved the weather going up and down the steep hills to explore all four corners of the small island. After a pleasant four hours ashore we returned to the ship a little wet and guess what, !!!! prepared ourselves for our evening meal. Entertainment tonight was a comedian called Ian “Sludge” Lees, who turned out to be very funny (and clean).
Tuesday, 19th February
We awoke to find the ship at anchor off Yorkeys Knob (near Cairns), and pleased to say the weather, although overcast, was at least dry and the sea calm. We had a quick breakfast before boarding the small ships tender (lifeboat) for the 3 mile trip to Yorkeys Knob, where coaches were waiting to take us up to Karunda. Firstly, we were to visit a Butterfly Sanctuary, which was filled with hundreds of highly coloured tropical butterflies – they were absolutely beautiful, and after a walk through the obligatory shops and craft market we boarded the start of a 17 ½ kilometre cable car ride, which was split into three legs. The first to Baron Falls, which after heavy rain over the last few weeks was in full flood and absolutely spectacular. The second leg of the cable car was over the top of the rainforest with spectacular views of basket ferns, stag horn ferns and other epiphytes clinging high on the many native trees and despite Doreen being petrified of heights she had to admire the lushness of the vegetation. The final leg took us higher into the rain forest before we dropped down through thick cloud to Carabonica at the base of the mountain, where our coach was waiting to take us back to the dockside. We then boarded the ship’s tender for a twenty minute ride back to the ship. Now it is that time again to get ready to go down for dinner.
Tonight we realised that we are leaving Australia for the last time on this trip, we feel very sad as we have only scratched the surface of what New Zealand and Australia have to offer and I am sure time and money permitting we will revisit these countries again in the future.
Speak to you again soon.
1 comment:
What's an Ann Balon?... One of her expensive posh frocks no doubt!
The 17 km cable car sounds great - especially the rain forrest bit!
John jnr
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