Margaret River, Freemantle, and Perth

Thanksgiving and Margaret River

Happy Thanksgiving Day!  On Thursday, 27 November, Jesse awoke at 5:00 AM and downloaded the e-mail; however, he did not return to bed until 7:30 and finally got out of bed at 9:00 AM.  Sally awoke even later.  Since we had slept so late, we had time for only breakfast before boarding a ship’s tender for the 25 km ride to the pier at 11:45.  (Skipping lunch for a change was probably a good thing!)
 

It was raining when we boarded the tender.  When we were landing at the pier, a crew member lifted an overhead awning and nearly drenched us.  We were saved by being only a few inches from the small downpour.  Since everyone had arrived at the pier early for this excursion, we were allowed to board our coach and start our tour 30 minutes early, at 12:30 PM.  Since only one other couple boarded the coach after us, we had a choice of two sets of seats.  This time the tour guide doubled as the coach driver, as he narrated the highlights of Busselton and navigated the small town and countryside streets and roads.

Palmer's Wine Vineyard

Our coach followed the beautiful 18-mile coastline of Geographe Bay to the seaside town of Dunsborough, where we stopped at Palmer Wines for a taste of their award-winning vintages.  Palmer Wines is set in idyllic surrounding, with a small vineyard on the grounds.  Once inside the tasting room, we sipped and savored various wines, and were given an opportunity to purchase any that we liked at a significant “Princess” discount.  (We didn’t buy any.)

Canal Rocks

More Canal Rocks

Back on the coach, we continued along Geographe Bay and made a photo stop at Canal Rocks, a natural phenomenon 700 million years in the making.  These ancient and unusual rock formations of orange-colored granite jut into the ocean and are separated by a series of canals that have been hollowed out by the pounding sea.  We marveled at the ocean's beauty and power from the short boardwalk and bridge that traverse the canals.   At one point, the waves created small, quickly terminated, waterfalls over the rocks.  We were told that there had been many drownings in that area caused by the tides.


Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse

Our coach continued towards the famed Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse, which marks the northern tip of Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park.   Activated in 1904, the 66-foot-tall cylindrical tower was built from limestone quarried from nearby Bunker Bay.  Peering out over Geographe Bay at 403-feet above sea level, the lighthouse boasts superb views of the stunning coastline, the Indian Ocean and Margaret River Wine Region.  (It was not open for entry.)
 

En route to our final stop at the town of Dunsborough, we journeyed past the magnificent surf beaches and quiet coves that sit on the southwest side of the Cape.   As we inched closer to Dunsborough, our coach meandered its way past vineyards, breweries and through the town of Yallingup.  An Aboriginal word meaning "Place of Love," Yallingup is famous as the location of Ngilgi Cave, a revered Aboriginal site and popular tourist attraction.
 

Dunsborough is the northernmost town in Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park, an area of rugged limestone sea cliffs and windswept granite headlands that stretches to the southern shores of Cape Leeuwin.  Perched on the picturesque Geographe Bay, Dunsborough was first known as a whaling station over a century ago; today, the town offers plenty of chic boutiques, beautiful beaches and relaxed eateries.  For a short time, we walked in a small shopping area, where we passed a realty office.  In the window were photos of homes with magnificent views on sale for a bargain price of perhaps “only” one-half million Australian dollars – and several for more than that.

 We recognized the couple seated behind us on the coach, from the dance floor – Kevin and Martha from Brisbane.  Actually, they hadn’t been dancing for a few days because Martha somehow managed to injure her back.

On Princess Tender

When we arrived at the pier, we boarded one of the tenders for our ride back to the ship, and were back in our cabin by about 5:35 PM.  Having missed lunch, we quickly dressed for dinner and headed for the Savoy Dining room.

During dinner, we conversed with Mylene and Vivian from Tasmania.  They were the first couple that we’ve met thus far who actually lives in Tasmania.  We laughed when Vivian said he had a “girl’s” name.  I asked him if he had a story similar to the “boy named Sue,” in the country western song.  They shared a lot of information about the Aborigines.  In Tasmania there are almost no Aborigines because the authorities rounded them up and shot them dead during the early days of settlement.  This was not a proud moment in Tasmanian history, but it is only one of the many horror stories that we’ve heard about mistreatment of the Aborigines.  The only “pure” Tasmanian Aborigine passed away a few years ago at the age of 103.  Today, there seems to be more respect for Aboriginal culture and religious beliefs, but the few who are left still suffer from wide-spread discrimination.
 

Since we finished dinner at 7:45 PM and dancing was not scheduled to start until 8:45 PM, we returned to our cabin for a little while before going to the Wheelhouse Bar.  There we sat with Paul and Mary and danced until 9:45 PM before retiring for the night. 

Freemantle and Perth
 

On Friday, 28 November, Jesse awoke about 6:00, downloaded e-mail, and returned to bed at 7:00.  After breakfast at lounging for a while in our cabin, we left the ship for our tour meet up point on the pier at 11:45 AM.  There, we ran into Bob from Auckland, who was on the same tour.  His wife, Linda, was not with him.  She had taken a fall while disembarking the ship in Albany.  Although she was afraid that she might have damaged her artificial hip during the fall, X-rays did not indicate any problems; however, she was still on heavy pain medication and was unable to participate in the excursion.

Diane, our tour guide, narrated the tour as our driver, Brendon, drove us through the streets of Fremantle and Perth.  The drive took us through historic Fremantle past Fremantle Prison and the Round House, both built in the early 1800's to house prisoners.  At one point, 10,000 prisoners were in Fremantle Prison!  We traveled along the Esplanade en route to Perth, the capital of Western Australia, the largest state in Australia.  It comprises one-third of the continent, land wise, but only eleven percent of Australia’s population.  Founded in 1829 and located alongside Swan River, Perth has a Mediterranean climate, the best of any other Australian city, and a population that is only one-third that of the major eastern cities.  We journeyed through the exclusive suburbs of Mossman Park, Peppermint Grove, Dalkeith and Millionaires Row, where the homes of the rich and famous overlook the river.   We drove past Matilda Bay, the restored Swan Brewery and the historic Royal Perth Yacht Club (once home to the America's Cup).  Housing in this area is very expensive.  Our tour guide, Diane, mentioned that she and her husband had just recently sold their house for two million dollars!
 

We disembarked the coach and visited King's Park, Perth's premiere park which occupies 1,000 acres along the Swan River.  Stunningly beautiful, it features a combination of cultivated botanical gardens and wild, native bush that is home to 319 species of native plants and over 80 species of birds.  We enjoyed free time to explore the grounds of this breathtaking park.  We saw Gija Jumulu, a mighty baobab tree said to be 750 years old!  (Amazingly, it was transplanted from another location only about two years ago and survives!  Although it looked dead to us, our guide told us that it loses its leaves after the dry season – and the leaves will grow back.)  We also learned the identity of the pine trees that look so different from American pines, with long needles that grow straight up; they are Nordic pines.  Also, the common trees with lavender blossoms that beautify many streets in Australia are called jacaranda trees.

Perch Skyline

Gija Jumulu Baobab Tree



Next, we made a photo stop at Cottlesloe Beach with beautiful white sand and azure water.  While admiring this beach, Mylene (from Tasmania, whom we talked with at dinner last night) told us how children in beach areas are taught water safety at an early age because of beaches with drop-offs and dangerous currents.  She and her husband had grown up with this skill, and her husband taught others for many years.
 

At 4:30 PM, we re-boarded the ship and went immediately to the Horizon Court for a late lunch (soup and salad) before relaxing for a time before dinner.


At dinner, we sat next to Peter and Denise from Brisbane; they had only boarded the ship today.  We discussed our travels and future travel plans.  Later, we were joined on the other side by David and Lynn, from Melbourne, whom we had met previously.  We conversed with them until it was time for dancing to start.  In the Wheelhouse Bar, we sat with Paul and Mary again, and danced to the Soul Wave until their break at 9:45 PM before retiring for the night.

At Sea and Albany

At Sea

On Monday, 24 November, Jesse awoke at 6:00 AM again to download our e-mail.  This time, however, he got back in bed and slept until 9:00 AM; then we went to breakfast at 9:30 AM (later than usual) and swam at 10:30 AM.  Because the large pool was sloshing dangerously back and forth again, we swam in the small pool at the back of the ship.  Although the water was slightly heated, the outside air was quite cool.  Sally had worn the Princess robe that the ship provided.  Since Jesse didn’t think it did anything for his figure, he decided to endure the cold air.  (It wasn’t very becoming on Sally either, but she said she didn’t care; she wanted to be warm!)  In the hot tub afterwards, we shared travel experiences with a man from Auckland, New Zealand and a woman, Sharon, from Yorkshire, England.

At 1:30 PM, we went to lunch and, a little later, to an afternoon Tea Dance from 3:30 to 4:30 PM, where the Princess Orchestra played ballroom music.   Since their music is much better for ballroom dancing than either the New Deal or the Soul Wave, we enjoy them whenever we can.  Although we had intended to have only tea, we couldn’t resist the delicious pastries and ended up with several on our plates!  There, we saw a waiter, James, who had served us on our 2011 transatlantic cruise from Venice to Santiago.  James stands out because he is very nice looking and a body builder.  He said he remembered us also.  (We seem to be a memorable couple, too!)  After the tea dance, Patrick and Maureen formally introduced themselves to us.  (We have seen them often on the dance floor.)

At 5:00 we answered a knock at our cabin door to find a delivery of small pastries.  This is another benefit of elite status: on the day before that of a formal night, an order can be placed on the cabin door before 10:00 PM.  The first time, we didn’t see the notice in time; this time, we ordered, and then forgot all about it until it arrived.  Anyway, we received 3 caviar pastries and 3 chocolate covered strawberries – they were very tasty but added more calories to our day of overeating!
 

Savoy Dining Room

Since this was a formal dinner night, we dressed accordingly for dinner.  There, we shared a table with Paul, Carmel, and Daphanie, all from near Sydney in New South Wales.  Carmel and Daphanie, both widows, have taken a few cruises together.  Carmel retired four years ago as an office worker in the sheet rock industry.  Daphanie, always a housewife, likes to garden, but has had problems with someone stealing her expensive plants.  She says if she ever catches them in the act, she’s going to chase them down, even if she’s still wearing her nightie!  Paul spent 12 years in the military, with two years in Vietnam, and retired from the Australian Postal Service.  He thinks the days of postal service are numbered, and soon we will all use electronic mail.

As our ship circles Australia, we have been learning the names and locations of the Australian states.  There are a lot fewer states here than in the USA:  Sydney is in New South Wales; Hobart, in Tasmania; Melbourne, in Victoria; Adelaide, in South Australia; Albany, Margaret River and Perth, in Western Australia; Darwin, in Northern Territory (not truly a state); and Port Douglas, Airlie Beach, and Brisbane in Queensland.  Their last “state” is the Australian Capital Territory where their national capital, Canberra, is located.  That’s a total of only 8 states and territories.  A couple of Aussies have remarked to us that they are amazed that the USA has 50 states!  Of course, we have a much larger population also.

Although dinner was a little slow tonight, dancing wasn’t scheduled to start until 9:00 PM, anyway.  At the Wheelhouse Bar, we sat with Paul and Mary.  We danced with them for a few dances, but Mary has been having foot problems, so she sat and talked with Jesse while Paul danced more with Sally.  Since Paul takes dance lessons five days a week and is a perfectionist (according to Mary), of course he’s a very good dancer.  We danced until the Soul Wave went on break, then talked together for a little while before returning to or cabin at 10:15.  Paul was born in what was Burma, where his father was managing a rubber plantation.  When the Japanese invaded (World War II), he, with his family, escaped to Australia.  Mary was born in Wales.  When she was 8, her family moved to England.  There, her teacher encouraged the other children to laugh at her poor English (because her family spoke Welsh); therefore, she felt bullied and suppressed all memory of her early years of school.

Sally noted that we’ve been gradually staying up later and sleeping later in the morning.  However, we set our clocks back one hour before retiring for the night at midnight.

2nd Day At Sea

On Tuesday, 25 November, Jesse awoke at 6:00 AM again to download the e-mail.  Since service was a little slow, he suspected that not everyone had set their clocks back.  Sally awoke at 8:00 AM and was surprised that Jesse had not been back to bed.  After breakfast, we went for a swim. 

The “indoor” pool had been completely drained and workmen were inside cleaning and painting the liner; however, judging from the amount of sloshing that we saw in the other large “outdoor” pool, it would have been much too dangerous to swim in the “indoor” pool anyway.  We also investigated the pool and fitness center in the Lotus Health and Fitness Center.  To be honest, that was the first time that we have visited the onboard fitness center on any cruise, although we had previously looked in through the outside window.  The pool there was also drained and covered with a net.  Therefore, we went again to the small pool at the back of the ship for our swim.  In the hot tub, we conversed with an Aussie man who lives in New South Wales, about 360 miles north of Sydney.  He has never visited the USA, but has been on several cruises.

For lunch, we had intended to try the British-Style Pub Lunch in the Savoy Dining Room, but when we arrived, the waiter pointed to the clock and announced that they had closed at 2:00 PM.   According to our watches and those of another couple that arrived at the same time, it was only 1:50 PM.  Anyway, we settled for our usual “healthy” lunch in the Horizon Court.  We have been trying to eat healthy on this cruise, Sally more than Jesse.  We usually eat oatmeal and fruit for breakfast, and we split a ham, spinach, mushroom and cheddar cheese omelet.   Sally tops her breakfast off with yogurt, while Jesse tops his off with an “unhealthy” waffle.  For lunch, we try to limit ourselves to soup and salad, but Jesse always end up adding sushi, the dessert of the day, and an ice cream cone.  The food on the buffet always looks so tasty that it’s hard to resist.

At dinner, we conversed with a widow from New South Wales at the table for two next to ours.  She grew up in England, but her father was military, so she lived in several places during her childhood.  She will be visiting grandchildren and great-grandchildren in almost every port during the cruise. 

A little later at dinner, we were joined by another couple, Bob and Linda from Auckland, New Zealand.  Bob’s family has lived in New Zealand for the past five generations, but Linda grew up in England.  Recently retired, this is their second cruise; their first was around New Zealand.  They asked if we had seen the news from Ferguson, Missouri, and then commented that America is not the only place with problems.  Their son who lives in Glasgow, Scotland told them that a nearby town has very high unemployment, and many people there are almost destitute.  When firefighters in that town arrive to fight a fire, they are unable to exit their trucks until policemen arrive; otherwise, they are pelted with rocks by the locals.

Bob and Linda mentioned that, on their last trip to England, they opted to spend the night in Singapore en route.  In Singapore, inexpensive lodging is available in the airport for the night.  Although there are no windows, the door shuts out all of the noise; they were able to get a good night’s sleep before flying on to England.  We spent several hours one night in the Singapore airport last year but were not aware of the possibility to sleep there.

After dinner, we danced for a little while to the New Deal in the Explorer’s Lounge until they went on break.  Most of the other dancers remained in the Explorer’s Lounge for a line dance class, but we opted to dance to the Diamond Princess Orchestra in Club Fusion.  Before retiring, we set our clocks back by another hour.

Albany

On Wednesday, 26 November, Jesse awoke at 5:00 AM to download e-mail; then he tried unsuccessfully to resume sleep.  At breakfast at 9:00 AM, we shared a table with Paul and Mary.

We went ashore about 10:50 AM for our excursion, and boarded our bus about 11:30.   Our tour started with a drive along Stirling Terrace, passing a number of Albany's Victorian buildings, including the Courthouse, Rotunda and Old Post Office. We passed Dog Rock, a large granite formation shaped like a dog's head that dominates Albany's central business district.  Albany has a population of 35,000 with absolutely no traffic lights – just round-abouts!

Mt Clarence Lookout

Sally Rock Climbing

Our first stop was Torndirrup National Park where we visited Stony Hill, the highest point in the national park.  The Stony Hill Heritage Trail is a 500-meter walk which provides a scenic circuit with 360 degree views of the park and the Albany area.  We then ascended Mt. Clarence to the Lookout where we could see Albany, King George Sound, and the Albany Wind Farm.  Renewable energy provided by the wind farm in conjunction with solar panels, provides 95 to 100 percent of Albany’s electrical needs.

Our next stop was the National ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) Center and Princess Royal Fortress.  In 1791, Captain George Vancouver claimed the southern part of Western Australia for the British Crown.  He named the natural harbor the Princess Royal Harbour and King George Sound.  During the 19th century, Albany's port was considered a strategic harbor and a threat to the security of Australia, and so Australia's first federal fortress was commissioned. It opened in 1893 as the first federal defense of Australia and remained operational for 63 years.  During this time, the fort served as a deterrent, yet never fired its guns in defense. The advent of the missile era ruled the fort obsolete in 1956.  These historic gun emplacements, the old granite military rooms, and the weatherboard barracks are available for viewing; however, our tour didn’t have sufficient time for this.  The fortress is also home to the Southeast Asia Memorial, U.S. Submariners Memorial and Merchant Navy Memorial.

The National ANZAC Centre is a newly built, multimillion dollar museum.  In 1914, over 40,000 Australian and New Zealand soldiers left Albany, bound for the Great War.  The Center offers visitors a personal connection with the ANZAC tradition revealed through interactive, multimedia displays, unique artifacts, rare images and film, and audio commentary.  Visitors experience the Great War through the personal accounts of 30 ANZAC soldiers and two of their foes across the renowned battlefields of Gallipoli, Palestine, Sinai, and the Western Front.  The staff provided electronic listening devices to us to facilitate the self-guided tour.
 

Desert Mounted Corp Memorial

Our final stop was the Desert Mounted Corps Memorial which commemorates the World War I Mounted Corps' distinguished service with Viscount Allenby in the Middle East.  This statue of two mounted soldiers, one an Australian and the other a New Zealander, was originally located on the banks of Port Said in Egypt; however, it was toppled in 1956 during the Suez Crisis.  After much lobbying, its remnants were returned to Australia.  The new memorial was unveiled in 1965 and now stands on the summit of Mount Clarence, a memorial to servicemen and women from all theaters of war.

Our return route took us around Princess Royal Harbor, passing the historic brig "Amity" en route to the pier and the cruise ship.

When we returned to the ship at about 3:20 PM, we went immediately to the Horizon Court for a light lunch.  There we ran into John and Phillip, where we discussed our cruise experiences.

Dinner was at a table for two in the Savoy Dining Room, but we conversed with Linda and Gary at the next table.  From Brisbane, this is only their third cruise; however, they have traveled a lot in the USA and Canada.  We mostly discussed travel in general.

After dinner, we danced to the New Deal in Club Fusion.  We formally met another dance couple:  Dick and Peggy from Sydney.  This is their 7th cruise.   Peggy appears to be much younger than the rest of us and has boundless energy on the dance floor.  The New Deal went on break at 9:00 PM, so we moved to the Wheelhouse Bar where we danced to the Soul Wave.  We discussed dancing and politics with Paul and Mary before retiring to our cabin for the night.

At Sea and Adelaide

At Sea

On Saturday, 22 November, Jesse awoke at 6:00 AM, again downloading our e-mail messages.  Although we had planned to swim after breakfast, the sea was rougher than we realized and the water in the swimming pool was sloshing violently from one end to the other, nearly as much as it had a few days earlier.  Jesse decided it would be too dangerous (not to mention terrifying) to swim.  Instead, at 12:30 PM, we danced to recorded music in Club Fusion for 15 minutes, and then went to lunch, where Ron and Cherie’ from Sydney soon joined us at our table.  Typical of Australians (we have discovered), they explained how safe Australia is, and that only a few people each year are killed by crocodiles and sharks.  They assured us that if we obey the signs, such as “No Swimming Allowed” due to sharks or crocodiles, we should be perfectly safe in Australia.  Yeah, right!

While seated there, not far from a window on the starboard side, someone called out “Whale!”  Sally actually saw spray rising three times apparently from whales, as several other bystanders did also, though she never actually saw a whale.  (Later, she sat on our balcony for 20 minutes, watching for more whales but, of course, none appeared.)

At 3:00 PM, we attended a Grapevine Wine Tasting, which was available for $9.50 per person (but complimentary for Elite passengers – like us).  We sat next to another couple that we had met previous, but apparently did not get their names – Brian and Phyllis.  They live in Australia now, but he was originally from South Africa and she was from London.  We tried five kinds of wine, along with some snacks and water.  Afterwards, Sally remarked privately to Jesse that she liked the water the best, although the sweet wine from Chile was a close second.

At 6:30 PM, we ate dinner at a table for two.  We conversed quite a bit with the couple at the next table, Bill and Nola from Perch, Australia.  They boarded the ship at Sydney and will be disembarking at Perch.  After dinner we danced again for about 30 minutes before retiring for the night.

 Adelaide

On Sunday, 23 November, Jesse awoke at 6:00 AM and Sally at 8:30 AM.  We had set our clocks back a half-hour the night before, so we had an extra half-hour of sleep.  After breakfast, we went for a short swim.  Sally thought the water was much too cold, so she went in the hot tub instead.  We went to lunch at 11:30, and then proceeded ashore for our excursion at 12:30 PM.

Our tour guide, Mike, narrated as our driver, Bill, navigated our bus through the streets of Adelaide.  We passed by some of the city's most loved landmarks, including Adelaide University, the Botanic Gardens, the Adelaide Festival Theater, and the striking St. Peter's Cathedral, which boasts ornate spires.  Before leaving the city we stopped at Rundle Mall, the city's wonderful shopping district and a shopper's paradise.  Open for business since 1976, Australia's first street mall is now home to more than 600 shops, and also features several beautifully restored 19th-century arcades.   The mall was adorned with a gorgeous centerpiece fountain, and many contemporary artworks.  

Glenelg Beach

Afterwards, we reconvened back at the bus for the scenic drive to the charming seaside town of Glenelg.  Founded in 1836, Glenelg is the oldest European settlement in South Australia and was named after Lord Glenelg, a member of the British Cabinet and Secretary of State for War.  Famed for its gorgeous beaches, Glenelg is also one of the city's most popular destinations for Australians and visitors alike.  Here, we enjoyed delightful free time to explore the vibrant boutiques, souvenir shops, restaurants and cafés along Jetty Road, named after the original jetty which was constructed in 1857.  There was an arcade there with games and rides for kids (and adults that might be interested).  Then we rejoined our coach for the journey back to the ship.  Someone asked the tour guide about the helicopter flying along the beach.  He said they were watching for sharks; but then he remarked, “More people are killed in car accidents than by sharks.”   Now, how many times have we heard that?

On the bus, we sat behind a couple from Texas that has traveled and cruised a lot more that we have.  They lived in Heidelberg, Germany for four years, so we suspect he may be retired military.

It was 5:15 PM when we re-boarded the ship, and we left our cabin for dinner at 6:30 PM.  We sat at a table for two, next to a lovely couple from Sydney.  They have traveled extensively, but due to declining health, their cruising days are numbered.  We also noticed a young black couple a few tables away, but we didn’t have an opportunity meet them.

Dancing wasn’t scheduled to start until 8:00 PM, so after finishing dinner around 7:15 PM, we returned to our cabin and watched Whitehouse Down on TV for a little while; then we proceeded to the Explorers Lounge and danced to the New Deal until they went on break.   In the Wheelhouse Bar, we sat next to Paul and Mary from near Sydney.  Later, Gloria from the same area joined us.  Paul and Gloria know each other from dance classes in Sydney.  Paul’s wife, Mary prefers walking for exercise, but she does dance during cruises.  Paul is a retired geography teacher and knew quite a bit about the different farming areas and climates in the USA.  We danced until the Soul Wave went on break at 9:45 PM – much longer that previously.  We set our clocks back by another half-hour before retiring.

At Sea and Melbourne

At Sea

            On Thursday, 20 November, we went to breakfast about 8:00 AM – still on a fairly early schedule for us!  We shared our breakfast table with Dick and Chieko, from Colorado Springs, USA.  He retired from the US Air Force in 2011.  They were married in Japan, exactly 50 years ago, today!  They are the second couple that we have met who is celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary on this cruise.  Dick and Chieko experienced quite an ordeal in order to marry.  The way we understand it, with Chieko being Japanese and Dick being of Japanese descent, Dick had to prove his citizenship.  Apparently, if Dick’s father had registered Dick’s birth (in Seattle) into Japanese family records, he would have had dual citizenship, one of which he would have been required to give up before being allowed to marry Chieko.  Luckily, his father had not registered his Japanese birth so Dick only had US citizenship.  After an extensive amount of paperwork, Dick and Chieko were allowed to marry.  Of course, there is always a lot of paperwork involved for US military personnel to marry someone from the country where he/she is stationed.

            After breakfast, we went for a swim, then returned to or cabin for more rest and relaxation (R&R).  We enjoyed lunch from about 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM; then more R&R.

            For dinner, we tried the Santa Fe Dining Room for dinner this time.  Apparently, the décor is the old (US) West, although it wasn’t really very obvious.  There were wrought iron sculptures of a cowboy and a wagon train, and a photo of an old-style revolver.  We chose to share a table but were well into our appetizers before Madine, from New South Wales, Australia, joined us.  She is an artist taking her 14th cruise, but cruising alone for the first time.  A few minutes later, we were joined by Tony and Sue from Adelaide.  Tony is still working in the textile industry, but was able to get away for the 28-day cruise.  This is their 5th or 6th cruise.  After dinner, we danced to the Princess Orchestra in Club Fusion and the Soul Wave in the Wheelhouse bar before retiring for the night.

Melbourne

On Friday, 21 November, Jesse awoke at 6:30 AM because Dick and Chieko had told us that 6:00 AM was the best time to access the Internet.  By the time Sally awoke at 7:30 AM, internet access had slowed to a crawl.  At breakfast we shared a table with Brian, from South Wales, near Adelaide.  His wife, Julia, was still napping in their cabin.  We found many topics of conversation, ranging from politics to hearing aids, so that it was 10:00 AM by the time we left the dining room; we had sat there talking for two hours.

Soon afterwards, we were in the swimming pool, where we stayed until 11:30 AM or so, and then headed for lunch.  En route, we met Brian’s wife, Julia.  By 12:45 PM, we were on shore, checked in for our day’s excursion.

Today, Melbourne is one of the busiest ports in Australia.  As the bus drove us around the city, our tour guide, Leslie, pointed out notable sights, including the ornate Princess Theater.  Built in 1857, it's regarded as Melbourne's home for international musical productions.  Other sights included Melbourne Park, Melbourne Cricket Ground, the Arts Centre, the Grand Prix site, and St Patrick's and St Paul's Cathedrals.

Our first stop was the Shrine of Remembrance.  This memorial is primarily dedicated to the memory of the men of Victoria who served and those who died in the Great War.  Its design ensures that a ray of sunlight falls on the Stone of Remembrance and illuminates the word LOVE at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the exact moment of the armistice ending WWI.  However, there is also space allotted for remembrance of soldiers from later wars, as recent as Afghanistan.



Captain James Cook

Cook's Cottage

Next, we visited the grand Fitzroy Gardens, where we discovered huge formal garden beds, walking paths, a superb collection of trees, and a gorgeous conservatory.  We toured Captain James Cook’s cottage, the only 18th century building remaining in Melbourne.  The cottage was originally built by Cook's father in 1755 from sandstone and brick, and was dismantled and transported from the village of Great Ayton in Yorkshire, England, to its present site in 1933. Capt. Cook discovered and charted Australia's eastern coastline. (He was said to have been tall; however, the doorways are low and the bed, small. In fact, we noted later that the living space in that cottage was not much greater than in our current cruise ship cabin.) 

 

Our final stop was Southgate Pier, where we started our 50-minute cruise on the Yarra River.  Although Melbourne is situated on the shores of one of the largest bays on the Australian coast, the Yarra River is considered the city's main waterway.  However, it can’t be compared in the slightest to the Mississippi River back home either for its size or barge traffic; in fact, most of today’s “traffic” on the Yarra consisted of students practicing their coordinated rowing for future races.  In early times the Yarra was the major food source and meeting place for indigenous Australians.  We sailed past the Royal Botanic Gardens founded in 1846 and the Melbourne and Olympic Park Sports Precinct, considered to be Australia's premier sports complex that regularly hosts some of the biggest domestic and international sporting events. The 1956 Summer Olympics and 2006 Commonwealth Games were held here.

  Our bus driver, Shawn, did a great job navigating through the heavy Friday afternoon traffic.  (Jesse was glad not to be driving, again on the “wrong side” of the road.  Also, since our tour guide, Leslie, walked with a cane, it was Shawn’s job to “chase down” any missing passengers before we departed our scheduled stops.

We returned to the ship at about 5:15 PM and, before too long, went to the Savoy Dining Room for dinner.  This time, we were at a table for two but conversed with first, Jane, and then also Ann, who came to be seated at a nearby table.  Jane is a nurse who has already retired three times but will be starting a new job when she gets back home to Melbourne.  She is travelling with a group of women, but the others were watching the movie Grace of Monaco.   Ann has been on numerous cruises and has been a Princess Elite member for quite a while.  She gave us a few tips on maximizing the benefits of our Elite status.  Ann’s husband was attending a Princess “Showtime.”

It was very late when we finished dinner, so that when we arrived at the Explorer’s lounge, the New Deal was already playing their last song.  We made our way to the Wheelhouse Bar, where we danced for about 30 minutes before retiring for the night.

At Sea and Hobart, Tasmania

At Sea

            On Monday, 17 November, we were both awake by about 7:00 PM.  An hour later, we went to breakfast, unusually early for us.  There, we shared a table with a couple from Sydney, Tony and Joan, although they were originally from London, England.  They gave us a lot of recommendations on sights we should visit in London the next time we’re there.

We ate lunch with a couple, Annette and Graham from between Sydney and Melbourne, and another couple from Melbourne.  (We didn’t get their names.)   This was Annette and Graham’s third cruise, all taken this year; they enjoyed their first cruise so much that they just kept on cruising.

After lunch, we went for a swim in the “indoor” swimming pool.  That area has a retracting roof, and when the roof is closed, the air and water are warmer than the other “outdoor” pools.  However, we didn’t stay in the pool very long; the water sloshed hard from one end to the other, so that it was a little too dangerous.  (We were crossing the strait between Tazmania and mainland Australia, plus there was a very strong wind.  Air temp was 60.8 F, and seas were “rough,” with waves of 7.5 to 12 ft.)  One of the onlookers told us she was afraid that we were going to drown in the pool.  When we walked by a little later, we noticed that the staff had closed the pool.

Since this was a formal night, we dressed in our formal attire before going to the Savoy Dining Room for dinner.  We sat with two couples – Kurt and Karen, and David and Joyce.  Both couples live in a retirement community near Brisbane, and have been married for over 60 years.  The couples were not traveling together, but just happened to be on the same cruise.   Kurt and Karen are both originally from Germany, but met each other in Australia.  David and Joyce are both originally from London.  When we told David that we planned to visit London next August, he recommended a few sights.

After dinner, we danced to the New Deal in the Explorer’s Lounge, and then to the Soul Wave in the Wheelhouse Bar, before retiring for the night.

Also this evening, Jesse had an interesting conversation with a man with a heavy Australian accent.  So far, Jesse is the only person of (obvious) African descent that we’ve seen on this cruise.  The man asked Jesse if he was from Fiji because he thought Jesse looked Fijian, who are apparently large, with curly hair like Jesse’s.  When Jesse said he was American, the man seemed convinced that Jesse must be a musician and wanted to know what instrument he played.  Then he asked if Jesse was a passenger or a crew member.  Afterwards the man said, “You came all the way here just to cruise around Australia?  Good man!”

 Hobart, Tasmania

On Tuesday, 18 November, we woke up to our alarm at 6:30 AM and went to the Horizon Court for a quick breakfast, where we shared a table with Garry and Nola.  This was Nola’s first cruise, but Garry has traveled extensively.  Soon we proceeded to our tour meet-up point in the Wheelhouse Bar at 8:30 AM, where we sat and waited for our motor coach until 9:15 AM.  While waiting, we enjoyed interesting conversations with our neighbors.



Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

Feeding Lazy Kangaroo

           By the way, Tasmania is one of Australia’s states with a population of 500,000, though it is actually an island located south of mainland Australia.  Diane, our tour guide, described the sights as we drove though Hobart (a city of about 200,000) and the countryside en route to the Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary.  Among other wildlife, we saw koalas, Tasmanian devils, and wombats, besides kangaroos and wallabies.  Kangaroos were hopping around in the open, and kangaroo food (it looks like dry dog food) was provided for visitors to feed them.  Sally loved having them eat from her hand.  We also saw a variety of birds, including a cockatoo that was supposedly over 100 years old.

After the sanctuary, we visited historic Richmond.  This beautifully preserved Georgian village is home to Australia’s oldest jail, bridge, and Roman Catholic Church, all built in the early 1800s.  We were given free time to explore on our own.  Sights included the historic jail and many well-preserved buildings that have been converted into shops, galleries, tearooms, and bed-and-breakfast lodgings.  On our return trip to the pier, we made a photo stop at Rosny Point Lookout for panoramic views of Hobart and Mt. Wellington.  Sally was glad she dressed warmly for the Hobart outing.  Although Jesse thought she was overdoing it because the predicted temp was 61 F, there was a very cold wind; the tour guide remarked that this wind was coming from Antarctica.  (However, it’s not quite like Iowa there; we saw a few palm trees in Hobart!)

Mount Wellington Lookout

When we returned to the ship, we were both tired and, after a quick lunch, we spent the remainder of the afternoon relaxing in our cabin.  It was 7:00 PM when we finally made it to the Vivaldi Dining Room for dinner.  This time we sat alone, were served much more quickly than previously, and were finished with dinner by 8:00 PM – just in time to dance to the New Deal in Club Fusion and the Soul Wave in the Wheelhouse Bar for an hour or more.

On Wednesday we made it to breakfast about 8:00 AM.  Although Hobart was a 2-day experience and we were in port overnight, we felt that we had seen enough here; therefore, after breakfast we went for a long swim.  While relaxing in the hot tub, we met another couple from America, Richard and Barbara.  They wondered why we chuckled, until we told them those were the names of our previous spouses.  They are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary on this cruise.  Although they lived in the St. Louis area for 30 years, they now live in Florida.  It turns out that Barbara is very much into science fiction, and actually wears a ring on a chain around her neck that is a replica of the one from the “Lord of the Rings” movie.  (One of our grandsons, Jakk, used to have one, but he probably doesn’t still wear it.)  We talked with them so long that it was 11:00 AM when we returned to our cabin.

We watched the 12:30 PM sail away from our balcony; about 1:30 PM we ate lunch at the Horizon Court; and then Sally rested while Jesse watched action movies on TV.  Since the last time we cruised on the Diamond Princess, the TV has been upgraded from a 20-inch to a 42-inch screen; however, the options no longer include closed captions, which did not make us very happy.  (Channel selection is also very complicated!)

Dinner tonight for us was in the Pacific Moon Dining Room.   Since we found out that there are actually four “anytime dining” restaurants, we’re trying them all and, when we decide on the one we like best, we’ll stick with that one for the remainder of the cruise.  This dining room was very stark, with a lot of echoing, which makes Sally’s hearing even worse than normal; therefore, we probably won’t eat there again.  We shared a table with Dave and Lynn from Melbourne and Phil and John from Sydney.  At first, they talked a lot about Australian politics; then, they talked about the sights in Australia.  Phil said we had already seen the “best” of Australia when we visited Sydney, and Dave said the “best” was yet to come when we visit Melbourne!  At first, they all seemed to say how “safe” we were in Australia.  Then, when Sally started repeating some facts she had read in the travelogue about Australia, In a Sunburned Country, they all started sharing horror stories about their encounters with poisonous snakes, spiders, crocodiles, etc., exactly as described in the book In a Sunburned Country!  Also, Dave had served in Vietnam from Australia (how many Americans know that any did?), and so he and Jesse discussed their experiences.

After dinner, we danced to the New Deal in the Explorer’s Lounge and the Soul Wave in the Wheelhouse Bar for longer than usual (to Jesse’s delight) before retiring to our cabin for the night.

28-Night Round Australia Cruise

Sydney & Embarkation

Tuesday, 11 Nov 2014 – Yes, we have departed for ANOTHER cruise.  This time, we’re sailing on the Diamond Princess from Sydney, clockwise around Australia, back to Sydney again, with stops in Hobart (Tasmania), Melbourne, Adelaide, Albany, Margaret River, Fremantle/Perch, Bali (Indonesia), Darwin, Port Douglas, Airlie Beach, and Brisbane. 

It all started about 4:20 AM at home on Tuesday.  The previous evening, Jesse discovered he could not reserve our seats on the Qantas flight from Los Angeles to Sydney without paying $25.00 dollars extra for each seat until the last 24 hours before the flight.  He finally went to bed.  At 4:20 AM, now within the 24 hours, he tried again.  However, the system would not allow him to reserve seats because of a discrepancy between the way Princess cruises had our names on the airline reservations (i.e., “Jessewendell Ivy”) and the names on our passports.  We finally gave up until we could check in at the Peoria airport.

Although Sally worried that we wouldn’t be able to sit together for the 14 hour 40 minute flight from Los Angeles to Sydney, it worked out okay.  That was good news!  Also, when we went online in Peoria, more good news:  a message from Princess announced that we had received an upgrade to a balcony cabin!!  We had been contenting ourselves with only having a window.

For our journey, our three flights were all on time, and we managed to make it to all gates on time!  We departed Peoria at 5:37 PM, and landed at Dallas/Ft. Worth by 7:30 PM.  After landing there, we soon started walking to the next gate, which was very far away.   However, soon the driver of a “Handicapped Only” airport transport vehicle asked us if we would like a ride.  Of course, we did!   (Sally remarked that her age must be showing, but sometimes that’s a good thing!  She was already very tired.)  When we arrived at the next gate, the plane was already loading.  That plane took off at 9:12 PM for a 2 hour 25 minute flight to Los Angeles.

We landed at LAX at 10:00 PM (Pacific Time) and found a sign that directed us to the Qantas flight shuttle.  We found that place, showed our passports & tickets, and then waited for a few minutes for the shuttle to the international flight terminal.  But the shuttle didn’t take us anywhere close to our plane; we had to walk a long way (it seemed like a mile) to the specified gate.  Jesse suggested that we try to “look old” (which we did, anyway); however, since no handicapped vehicles were nearby, we had to push ahead – walking by gates occasionally, by a shopping center, on to more gates, etc.

Our seats were okay on this long flight.  We had aisle and middle seats, with an Aussie man sitting by the window.  As soon as we boarded the plane, Sally took her “sleep meds” and we shared a few cashew nuts with the non-alcoholic drinks that the airline provided.  At 12:15 AM Pacific time (Wednesday), the plane departed.  Then, when Sally was already half asleep, the attendant came by with menus; they were going to serve us supper!  We were hungry, and it was a good hot meal.  During the next 14 hours 40 minutes, we were in flight until landing in Sydney, Australia at 9:17 AM (Thursday – we had skipped through Wednesday).  Even Sally slept at least 6 hours, but kept waking up whenever her neck had a kink in it, which was frequent.  Jesse watched movies most of the time, sleeping through parts of them.  Sally was sleeping fairly soundly at about 6:30 AM Pacific  Time when the Aussie man wanted to get out.  (We got up to walk to the back of the plane at least 5 times during the flight.)  After that, we were awake for a while, and Sally tried watching a movie (but couldn’t understand much of it without having closed captions), which finally put her to sleep again.  Eventually, hot breakfast was served, and we landed at 9:17 AM (Australian Time, Thursday) to face long customs lines in the airport.  Finally, we took a taxi to the hotel.  (The driver had immigrated to Australia in 1999 from the Burma area; he said it was a problem to get used to driving on the left side of the road here – and the traffic was scary for us to watch.

When we arrived at the hotel at 11:30 AM, we registered and left our luggage.  Needing to kill some time until the 2:00 PM check-in time, we walked up the street about a block to a small café.  We had thought we might split a lunch (though we weren’t really hungry) and then relax over beers until after 1:00.  However, after Jesse ordered at the bar and found the cost for two beers was $10.20AUD, we didn’t have food – just the beers.  At 1:15 PM, we walked back the hotel and were able to get into our room.  This was the same hotel where we stayed in 2012, but this time we paid more to get a larger room; it was more comfortable and had a small refrigerator and coffee maker. 

By then, Sally’s legs were so tired and achy that she didn’t know if she could walk to a restaurant for dinner.  But after getting cleaned up, taking four ibuprofen, and lying down for a half hour, Sally felt she could survive a walk to a restaurant to satisfy her hunger. 

Before starting on our walk, Jesse had used the desk phone to call our Aussie friends that we met on a cruise last year.  Although her husband (Dennis) would be working during the day on Friday, Niona would be stopping by our hotel at 11:30 AM, Friday. 

Jesse said he remembered how to get to Chinatown and that it wasn’t that far away.  We couldn’t take the free “Green bus” at the corner as we did 2 years ago because the route has changed and now that bus goes down a street at least two blocks away.  After deciding that finding the bus line and then a bus stop might take longer than walking, we took off walking… and walking… and walking.  Sally had questioned all along whether we were headed in the right direction, but Jesse kept insisting that he knew the way.  Finally, we stopped and asked a man for directions to Chinatown.  He pointed back the way we had come and then off at an angle!  So, we turned around and retraced most of our steps.  Although Sally usually walks faster than Jesse, this time she kept telling Jesse, “Slow down!!!”  Anyway, we finally found an inexpensive Chinese restaurant, where we ate our dinner.  (We’re almost positive that we ate at that place two years ago.)

On our return walk, we bought breakfast supplies for three mornings (cereal, milk, juice) at a nearby convenience store (cost was $34.00AUD).  There didn’t seem to be any restaurants in the area that served breakfast.
 

Australian Mounted Police

So, Friday morning we had breakfast, coffee, and tea in the room, and straightened up some of the room for the cleaning staff.  We also watched the Aussie news channel (which presents much more “world news” than American news channels, with less repetition and no commercials).  The main topic now was the opening of the big meeting in Brisbane, Australia, where President Obama and other world leaders were gathering for the G20 summit.  It was a big deal, of course, though the Aussies usually downplay things, just the opposite of Americans.
 

Jesse Fantasizing

Niona arrived at our hotel at 11:15 AM and called us from the lobby.  It was unusually hot (33 C or 91.4 F, or more) in Sydney because the wind was blowing from the hot interior.  We had thought Niona was going to drive into the city, but she had taken the train.  Then we walked quite a distance with her, all three of us wearing hats, which helped a little in the heat.  Niona pointed out some of the sights, including fancy stores decorated already for Christmas.  We rode the escalator in one of them, with lots of lit Christmas trees on both sides.   For lunch, we ate at a food court, where there was food from various countries (including McDonalds).  We all ate Japanese while we sat and talked.  Although Niona had intended to walk more, it was hot outdoors and we enjoyed just sitting there, talking.  She is very knowledgeable about American politics. 

Niona remarked that Sydney is expensive.  She said most people who live here make good salaries/wages; however, because housing is very expensive, most people live in apartments.  (It sounds something like Seattle.)  In general, people here seem to be better off than in the USA.  She said that about 9 out of 10 Australians have passports, which seems surprising.   And, as in most other developed countries, they care more about the welfare of their people than in the US.  But they have their problems, too. 
 

Japanese Restaurant

Niona had planned to visit her mother in the afternoon, so she left for the train about 2:30 PM; we walked back to the hotel, where we watched more news coverage of the G20 Summit.  Later, we walked across the street to a tiny Japanese restaurant for dinner.  Though somewhat expensive side ($30.60AUD), it was wonderful food and probably worth the experience.  Except for us, the restaurant was empty, while the “Backpackers” Restaurant next door had a waiting list. (Not sure what’s up with that!)  We were in bed by 10:00 PM.

Sally awoke up about 5:30 AM on Saturday and Jesse was up by 6:30 AM.  We had both awoke the first time at 3:30 AM or so, but went back to sleep.  We had breakfast, coffee, and tea, and watched more news coverage of the G20 Summit.  It appears that President Obama is very highly regarded in Australia.
 

Cronulla Beach

About noon, Niona and her husband, Dennis, arrived at our hotel.  Dennis drove us to Cronulla, where they treated us to lunch and we took a short walk along the beach.  At first, the temperature was cooler than forecast (because it had rained earlier), so that we were a little cool in our shorts and short-sleeved shirts.  Afterwards, Dennis dropped us off at our hotel, where we continued watching more news coverage of the G20 Summit.

For dinner, we settled for “Mama Cups” from the convenience store across the street.  Although neither of us was hungry, we knew that we would be later if we skipped dinner.  Since we were both very tired, we were in bed by 9:00 PM.

We awoke Sunday morning about 7:30 AM, finished off our breakfast supplies, and packed our suitcases, barely making our 10:00 AM check-out time.  The hotel agreed to store our luggage until 1:00 PM, so we found our way to George Street, where we quickly boarded the Green (free) bus going (in the wrong direction for us!) to St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.  Within five minutes or so, the bus driver announced that it was his last stop and that we would need to exit the bus.  When we told him our destination, he directed us to the Green bus going the opposite direction.  Since Australians drive on the left side of the road, directions are even more confusing than normal to us.

We made it to St. Patrick’s for the 11:00 AM Mass.  Although the priest sounded American, we didn’t have an opportunity to meet him.  Masses on Sunday morning were every hour on the hour, so we’re sure he was getting ready for the next Mass.
 

Diamond Princess

On our way back to the Green bus line, we stopped by the pier (Circular Quay) and took photos of our ship.  We also took a short video of an Aborigine playing a long, tube-shaped instrument (didgeridoo?).  (Sally didn’t think he looked like an Aborigine.)  After that, we boarded a Green bus and were back at the hotel by 1:00 PM.

We took a taxi from the hotel to the cruise terminal.  Although it was a short ride to the pier, we had to wait in line at the terminal to unload our luggage.  Slowly the meter clicked up from $15.00AUD to $34.00AUD as we waited our turn.  About 1:30 PM we dropped off our luggage, completed the health forms, and then waited in line until the 2:00 PM boarding time.

By 2:30 PM, we were onboard the ship and all but one suitcase had already been delivered to our cabin.  Our cabin steward, Zaldy, from the Philippines, introduced himself and went over the extra benefits that we would be receiving as Elite passengers (our first time), including a free mini-bar setup and free laundry and dry cleaning.  By then, we were very hungry, so we went immediately to the Horizon Court.   Although of course we had intended to have light lunch, instead we enjoyed our first feast onboard the ship.  A friendly Aussie couple sat at the table next to ours – Mick and Pat, from Melbourne.

Our cabin is in a prime location.  Horizontally, it is mid-ship, and very close to the central stairs/elevators so that we don’t have to walk the distance of a football field from either a forward or aft cabin to that central area.  And we are on Baja deck (deck 11), which is only three decks directly below Horizon Court on the Lido deck (deck 14), where we eat breakfast and lunch – and also where the main pools and Ice cream counter are located.  How convenient!

When we returned to our cabin after lunch, our last piece of luggage had been delivered to our cabin; we took turns unpacking our suitcases and resting.  Since we were both very tired from the day’s activities, we relaxed in our cabin until the 7:15 PM muster drill.

The muster drill didn’t seem to be very organized this time.  After being directed to the appropriate large room, we waited for quite a while before it started; then there were long pauses between announcements and instructions.  On our previous cruise on the Caribbean Princess, veteran cruisers were not required to carry life vests to the room – and the entire procedure lasted about 20 minutes as opposed to 45 minutes this time.

After the muster drill, we went to the Vivaldi Dining Room for dinner, where we shared a table with Val and Marko, from Auckland, New Zealand; and Pat and Glen, from Brisbane, Australia.  Val and Marko were originally from South Africa, but have lived in Auckland for the last 15 years.  This is only their third cruise.  She was in a wheel chair during their first cruise, after falling and breaking her ankle a week earlier.  Glen has actually visited Iowa!  He spent a couple of weeks in Sioux City, Iowa, and also made a brief visit to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

After dinner, we stopped by the Wheelhouse Bar and danced to a couple of songs by the Soul Wave.  We danced one Fox Trot and one Cha Ch; then, still very tired, we returned to our cabin and were both asleep by 10:45 PM.