1st October. Into
town after breakfast with the other three passengers. Delma stayed on board as
she was feeling the effects of all that walking yesterday. I wanted to get one
or two things we missed yesterday with us being too late for the shops, and see
if there was an Optician open. No luck there as it was ÒCupÓ day and a public
holiday. It was very interesting to see the number of people flocking into
Flinders Street railway station to go to the races. All got up in their finery
walking down the road with a bottle of beer in their hands at 10:00 AM in the
morning. I have not seen so many women wearing so few clothes in my life
before. Still they wouldnÕt want too much on as it was hot at that time and
went up to 30o C
at 3:00pm and 32o at 3:45. The four of us met up at 12:30
for lunch then back to the ship. If we hadnÕt known where to find the terminal
it would have been yet another taxi driver lost. The ship was to sail at about
5:00pm but the wharves in Melbourne are as efficient as the taxi drivers and we
finally got away at 9:30pm, next stop Sydney. I understand our ETA is 1:00 AM
Thursday so a lazy day tomorrow. Sydney 3rd November. Well
after a lazy day at sea we awoke in Sydney to a nice cool morning. After
breakfast it was time to say goodbye to Karin and Ose who are leaving us here.
It will seem quieter with just the three of us going on to Auckland. It also
brings to the front of our minds that our trip will be ending soon. The time
has gone so fast, it seems to be only a couple of days ago that Louis was
showing us up to our cabin. But we didnÕt have much time to reflect as the free
bus run by the SeamanÕs Mission was due and if we missed it, it was a case of a
long taxi trip as the next bus was after lunch. We checked our email at the
SeamanÕs Mission in town (free service) 68 to go through as we hadnÕt had a
chance to check them since La Spezia, then off up town for a look around. We
took the mono-rail to Darling Harbor for lunch and while I had a look in the
Marine Museum Delma had a browse through a clearance shop nearby.
Unfortunately, as I had forgotten to take my tablets in the morning, we had to
go back to the ship earlier than we wished, so we caught the 3:15pm bus back. 4th November. Left
Sydney around 1:00pm for a quiet cruise north to Brisbane. The weather today
did a complete turn around. From shirt and shorts weather to jacket and longs.
A cold and misty morning. As we had to pass the end of Sydney airport we had
hopes of a good photo of a plane taking off from underneath as the wind was
blowing in the right direction, but no luck. Brisbane 5th November. Another morning day at sea, nice and warm again. We were to take on the Brisbane Pilot at 12:00 as there was no sign of the pilot boat at 11:56 the Captain called Brisbane Harbor to confirm his ETA and was told he would be aboard at 12:00, I heard the Captain remark to himself ÒWas their clock wrong?Ó |