Garry has a new hat buddy!!

We Still Call Australia Home!!

It was blowing an absolute gale.... We were not due to dock in Sydney till 8am and we got extra hours sleep in as we had to put our clock back an hour for the last time... We were up there early as wanted to watch our entrance into the heads....

They had the ropes up stopping us from going up to the front of the ship due to high winds and everyone patiently waited for them to be taken down but as we saw the city getting closer and closer they were no match for the maddening crowd and down they went as everyone charged up there...... Although the sun was out it was no match for the Wind and Cold.... it was a challenge just trying to hold the camera still to take a photo....

We sailed in and Sydney looked as beautiful as ever... and it was not until we were passing the Opera House and the captain blasted the horn that all our emotions of coming home came to the surface..... As the tears were turning into little icicles we passed under the harbour bridge and another round of blasts, just in case you were not emotional enough.......

Garry stayed up front to video the actual docking at wharf 5 but all my frozen extremities had me back around in the protection of the Riviera deck..... ahh and just in time to grab a glass of free Champoo and orange juice....

Now I didn’t mention on our night of lasts we visited our friends Paul and Linda and helped them finish off the last of their champagne and boy was our boat a rockin.... obviously this head wind we were experiencing this morning was with us all night....

We arrived in Sydney 45 min late..... which of course caused a chain reaction.... we were late getting off , and those boarding had to wait till 3pm to board...

This was no normal disembarkation... this was disembarkation after a world cruise and by the looks of the trolleys everyone had a mile of luggage that had to be taken off and scanned....

We knew this was going to be a challenged as we had 14 pieces of baggage ranging from backpacks to large suitcases.... (Now at least 2 pieces belonged to Colin and Judy that got off in Dover ...... a trade off that they come and pick us up)

Immigration was all carried out on board just after Auckland so the only thing left was quarantine... oops make that 15 cause I forgot the shopping bag with all the declarables.... Now we thought that we had left all the rage on the Ship.... but we forgot about Trolley Rage.... Too many passengers, not enough trolleys.... Here I was standing surrounded by all this luggage, it was not humanly possible for us to move anywhere until we had trolley’s ... meanwhile Ros and Arnold were out in the tent catching up with Col and Judy sending us SMS’s wondering if the luggage police had caught us and taken us away.... Meanwhile Garry is still trying to get a couple of trolleys for us.... well... he said when the baggage handlers were bringing the trolleys in from the car park, people were physically fighting to get a hold of one.... Finally and unscathed Garry managed to get hold of 2 and we were on our way....

When we finally made it out into the public area we heard a cry of “Mum, Dad your home, we miss you ” and we looked up to see Ros running from the back of the crowd with open arms to welcome us ... people must of thought we were nuts....

The best surprise for us was Kirsty and our grandsons Riley and Rorey waiting outside.... I knew but Garry didn’t.... he walked out and saw a sign that said “welcome home Grandpa & Jo.... “It didn’t register with him until Kirsty poked her head out over the top of the sign.... it was a great surprise....

The last challenge was getting the luggage in the car.... Luckily we didn’t have to worry about this as by the time we got to the car Colin and Arnold where arranging everything like a jigsaw puzzle making sure everything fit.... What a day.... Great to be home...... but for how long....

The Day of Lasts....

It was a funny feeling walking around the ship doing everything for the last time... it was the last time that we would sit in the atrium with our coffee and chat to many of the familiar faces that would pass by.... we had our last cruise critic luncheon , we played our last game of canasta with Ros and Arnold, we had our last game of trivia......

Our last pre dinner drinks saw a large crowd in Jammers where we all took turns in describing our most memorable moments and our last dinner with our wonderful wait staff Watchara and Neil... We will miss Maurizio’s smiling face with his “Mama Mia’s” and his ...”Don’t forget to put your clocks forward one hour” and “whatever you choose to do tonight etc etc....” ... There were tears and not just from the passengers... I wonder if you can request Waiters as well as seating on future cruises LOL....

I laid in bed that night and looked around our little cabin, which looked so bare as the pictures were all taken down..... and thought tomorrow we will be in our own bed!! .... it was actually a little scary!!

Dawn Princess County Fair.....

What a wonderful idea.....  Dave, Warren and the gang organised a fair for our last days on the ship... It was a wonderful pick me up as we were all starting to feel a little flat after we left Auckland.... we knew we were heading home but there was also the emptiness of 500 familiar faces that had left the ship.... Even our table waiters noticed the quietness at our table after our 4 New Zealand Buddies had left....

The Atrium was a buzz with activities....There completion Bowling, gold, face painting, name that baby, toilet paper folding and the band played on.... the singers and dancers arrived all decked out in there British Invasion gear and Warren and Dave helped the bar staff with the martini competition... Photo’s are good but the video will be better ..... funny ... we never laughed so much... especially when Warren decided to flare, only to end up being sprayed with alcohol or Dave on deck 5 waiting for some forgotten garnishes to be thrown down from deck 7. It was a great pick us up....

Good onya Boys!!!

The World's here to Play ..... Auckland

With the promise of lovely sail in we woke up early to be up on deck.  Although you could see the lights twinkling in the distance, it wasn’t till we were well and truly in the harbour that the sun rose over the horizon and you could see the city and it surrounds.

We pulled into Auckland Wharf where we were greeted by the occupants of the Hilton Hotel in their dressing gowns on their balconies...  We had heard that those with Balcony cabins on the Starboard side needed to have their curtains drawn or they may have had a surprise when they woke .

There were  lots of families  to greet all the Nanna and Poppa’s home....  You started to feel a little homesick yourself when you are standing next to someone  waving madly and on the mobile phone saying  “ Yes it’s me, up here can you see me!!”

Reality struck when we dinged off as the sign on the gangway said..... All Aboard 1.30pm.... Leaving for Sydney shortly afterwards...

Today we decided to take the ferry across to Devonport to spend a couple hours, then come back and take a wander around the city until it was time to board the ship again...  We were here for such a short time....

Rugby fever has definitely hit Auckland.  Next to the dock they were in the throes of putting the finishing touches to what will be the main tourist area....  Temporary structures were being erected for displays and entertainment.  The whole sides of buildings advertised the world cup ..... and in one supporters store I managed to snap a picture of the trophy.... the real one I don’t know, but there was a security guard standing next to it.

Devonport is a quaint little village only a 10 minute ferry ride across the harbour.  Many Cafe’s lined the main street and as time went by they became busier and busier .  I would have to say that we did have the best Blueberry Muffin in a little cafe here...... We made the trek up to Mt Victoria where we had a 360 deg view of all the surrounding areas....

We had time left so we made our way back to Auckland City and wandered around until it was time to board the ship for our early sail away...

As we left, we had a crowd of people on the balcony of the hotel to wave us goodbye and as we passed the Devonport pier, through binoculars we could just see Paula and Ray waving goodbye to us...

The one thing you did notice was all the newbies that got on in Auckland ... So easy to spot.... all wandering around  looking so fresh and excited making us look so tired LOL.....  it has certainly changed the demographics of the ship....

 

Attention Ray and Paula

The Guessalots won today......  Must of been the new blood LOL

 

Tie Breaker Question

 

“How many  Mr Olympia’s did Arnold Schwarzenegger win? “

 

 

Also we spotted you on the Wharf.... well we hope that was Paula in her red jacket madly waving the flag.....

 

We miss you already!!

Apia, Samoa

Although we still have Auckland this still seemed like our last port.  Maybe because we are spending such a short time there and if it wasn’t for the fact that around 500 passengers are disembarking it seems such a waste to even stop there....

Anyways back to Apia.... we got up early to watch  our sail in..... just like Bora our captain had to manoeuvre his way in through the reef opening. Once in we did a 360 turn and pulled up against the dock.  Our arrival was made even more special by the group of performers singing and dancing for us.

We were sharing a hire car with Ros and Arnold, but as soon as you walk out of the port gates there are heaps of taxis and Vans all vying for your business to take you on tour. 

Once our car arrived and the paperwork complete we were off.... We drove on the road through the middle of the island pass Robert Louis Stevenson’s home stopping at the Papapapai-uta  falls for a quick picture.... As we were up in the mountains we were caught in rain but once again.....

Over the top of the mountain then back down and along the coast road on the other side of the island... We had a quick stop at a little inlet called Paradise Cove. This a little resort that is managed by an  Australian from the Sunshine Coast and was totally destroyed in the  Tsunami and had only just reopened ....

As we drove around this part of the island we saw many remnants of houses that had been destroyed  and those rebuilt.  It seems like the Samoan live in what  you would call alfresco style... Often you would see several buildings grouped together that  just look like square gazebo’s.... One large one with maybe chairs or mats where families would gather and sit... and others with beds that they would sleep on.... some had tarps on the sides that they would pull down in inclement weather.... Another noticeable thing was that families would bury their dead in the front yard..... it is nothing to see a home with a couple of grave stones out the front .... some really elaborate with roofs and others just a concrete block with a small plaque.

We stopped a beach that was recommended to us.  The Beach was lined with Fales that can be hired... these are mini versions of their homes.... a floor raised on stilts with a thatched roof.... for privacy some had tarps drapped around the out edges....

It was so good to finally swim in the ocean.  The water was so refreshing..... we snorkelled a little though the coral didn’t seem to have much colour in it.... we did take along some small packets of crackers from the ship and once you crushed these and dropped them in the water alot of fish came up to feed....

Time was now ticking by so we jumped back in the car and headed back towards Apia.  The road took us back up into the lush mountains were we would pass through more villages.  At this hour school must of finished and we passed lots of school children walking home... all with a lovely smile and a wave as we drove past....

Back in Apia we stopped for a drink at the Famous Aggie Greys  before heading back to the ship.

As usual we were enjoying a liquid sailaway on deck 11 when we notice our ship listing sharply to one side and our wake showed that we doing a u turn....  it was one of those moments (just like a code alpha call) that makes your blood run cold.... Captain Vinnie then made the announcement that we were turning back due to a medical emergency.... We didn’t go all the way back, but were met by the pilot complete with immigration and medical team where a woman and her husband were off loaded. As they headed back to shore we turned and were back on course for our trip to Auckland.

 

Bom-Bora 1