9th Day Akaroa

A pretty frustrating morning here at Akaroa. We thought we were doing the right thing by waiting till the tour groups had got off on the tenders and went down to get our tender ticket at 10 am and ended up sitting in the dining room waiting for well over an hour. They told us there had been a medical emergency which took out our use of at least one of the tenders so what could one do. luckily we weren't planning to meet anyone here today. By the time we arrived on land ( more than a 25minute ride) the small village was overrun by us and also the passengers from the Sun Princess which we only just beat into this lovely harbour by a whisker. Whilst the shops were overrun, I heard some say they weren't selling much. We wandered around, had a coffee, bought some stamps to send postcards to the kids and the men did their thing on the IPads etc and Eric found somewhere to put a bet on the Melbourne Cup ( to no avail) and then back to ship for a late lunch and a nap before dinner. The Showtime comedian, Simon Palamares was a bit weak. We listened to music in Wheelhouse Bar and had a cuppa at Horizons before bed about 11pm.

8th Day Wellington

Right, well here we are in the NZ capital and at first the wind was not too bad but whew! Did it change its mind around lunchtime. It was so strong that I nearly fell over a couple of times. Just as well we aren't still sporting beehive style hairdos. We docked around 8am when it was quite calm although last night the winds were around 150kph and it was thought we may not be able to dock a at all. We enjoyed Brekky while docking and then walked off at 9.30 for a 25min walk to city centre. We took the cable car $4 one way up the mount where we took photos, had a Capp and a look over the Tramway Museum. Then we took the walk down through the Botanical Gardens seeing lots of different sections and colours of foliage etc including some very pretty rhododendrons. One delicate one reminded me of coconut ice. The huge rose gardens are all in bud but very few flowers out yet - a bit disappointing. There also seemed to be fewer plants in the Begonia House and I was so looking forward to that. We continued on down to the city and eventually found a coffee shop with wifi where we had a bite to eat and got our emails and sent some too. The men then came back to ship and Bev and I looked in a few fashion stores - such lovely summer colours this year. Eventually we found our way back to the ship though it was quite a struggle in the wind. We went to High Tea (without Eric) for the first time and that was very pleasant. Maybe dinner will have to be light tonight!

7 th Day Napier

The ship arrived in Port at the planned time of midday and we were on the second shuttle bus for a 10 minute trip to the info centre in the centre of town where we met Lyn and Dennis.Lyn was there to seek us out and then gave us the option of staying in town for lunch or driving down to their place at the beach which was 50ks south or about 40mins each way. The beachside won out so off we went hurtling round the bends in the winding road on the more scenic route to Wairama(?) what a gorgeous drive there and then on a different route back. The mountains were lush right to the top - just some magic views everywhere. They live within about 50metres of the beach with huge picture windows overlooking same for an unimpeded view from kitchen and living areas..But wait, there's more - we then were treated to a delicious lunch of fresh crayfish caught out the front that morning! What more could you want? 

We caught up on what our families were doing etc and talked of the different trips we have done. Lyn loves gardening and has a great display of flowers and shrubs and also a healthy veggie plot. Her own house suffered a severe flood in 2011 with up to a metre of water through so they have had to do a lot of work there inside and out too. 

Back to ship by 4.30 and then no time till it was dinner gong and off we went again. We decided we wouldn't go to Showtime at 8 so just sat in Wheelhouse bar and listened to music for a while. Then we thought maybe we would go to the late session at 10pm so asked how the show was and got differing views so went anyway and it was pretty good - Danny McMaster and Grant Galea with impressions and singing. The first show has become a bit of a problem with not enough seats with queues getting longer and people standing for too long. With a ship load of 2000 and 700 seats in theatre, they really need a third show each night and they did for the first 3 days.

Off to bed around 11pm - no late cuppa tonight.

Day 6 Tauranga

Well, we had a really lovely day today - the weather was great though with a strong breeze. After docking at 9am, we took shuttle to Tauranga - about 10mins - and had a walk around the main shipping street. There were loads of lovely shops for fashion and gift wares etc. We eventually settled on a spot at Starbucks where there was free wifi. Quite a few of our group also arrived there to enjoy coffee and check emails etc. It must have been about 12.30 when we got back to ship and had a light lunch up on the deck. After having crowds of people around all the time, it was nice to have lots of space everywhere as lots of people went out on organised excursions - most to Rotorua or Hobbiton. Everyone seemed to enjoy their day. 

After lunch we walked over to Mt Manganui shopping area which was quite a surprise in size. Once again there were lots of fashion shops with really beautiful garments. However we weren't tempted and gradually found our way to the beach. It was lovely to see so many people enjoying the beautiful day. Then it was off to do the walk around the base of the mountain. I foolishly briefly entertained the thought that it might be a good idea to climb to the top!!!! Luckily the thought soon passed and we headed off. Oh, was I glad we were not climbing as I found the hour walk pretty taxing - supposed to be 40minutes only. Oh well, I guess we don't travel too fast these days. We then settled for a coffee/cold drink at a cafe before starting the walk back to the ship. Whew, was I glad to get back and spent an hour on the bed to recover. I didn't even go to dinner, but made up for it after the show tonight. The show was very slick with lots of singing and dancing with lightning fast costume changes.The theatre has been packed each night - have to be there at least half an hour early to get a seat.

Day 5 continued Auckland

After our coffee we walked around the Square and then chose to walk up to the Skytower for a look. Made a decision to take the lift up to the 60th level from where we had a great view of the city. A few scuds passed by and that gave the view a different perspective. Apart from that the view was clear and  we only neede a light jacket while out, so we were lucky to have such a fine day. The city centre didn't seem much different from most others, although today being Halloween, there were quite a few people dressed in weird costumes wandering around. We got back to the ship around 2pm and had a light lunch before retiring to our room for a bit.

Tonight all the waiters and other workers were all in costume to add to the atmosphere and the atrium was decorated with carved pumpkins and streamers and also a witch ice carving. Quite a few passengers got in to the spirit of things and it was good fun to see. There was also a comp for best dressed. I think by the time the main show finished, a lot of the older witches were tired and off to bed as most have a big day tomorrow when there is. 9 hour excursion to Rotorua.

We enjoyed our walk up town, feeling good in the cool, fresh air. However we were a bit disappointed to see quite a number of beggars in the street.

Day 5 Auckland

Well we woke up just as we were docking - so smooth. We aren't in any hurry to leave so went to Buffet for Brekky with all the hordes. Because the ship is sold out there are people around all the time. We walked off after 9 and of course Eric had to have his bag searched as he had had some bananas in his back pack. The weather is changeable with cloud and sun and a slight mist as well - just for good measure. It is not cold tho I have now put my shower proof jacket on just to cut the breeze in the canyons of the buildings. This picture was taken just as the storm was about to hit as we were leaving the dock.

Day 4 Thursday

We were warned by the captain that it would get a bit rough during the night and it so it did. However, because we slept well it didn't trouble us. When I woke this morning I knew it was going to be a bit tricky for me. We had ordered Brekky to our room so at least I didn't need to get dressed and go out and fight the uneven ship movement. I was able to have some food and then I went back to bed and stayed there till midday when the swell lessened dozing on and off. Eric went out wandering around the ship and checked out our photos from last night's Formal. They aren't too bad. We met up with Bill and Dell and had a bite to eat with them for lunch and plan to join Bill and Margaret tonight.

Tonight's entertainment is a male singer highlighting the Frank Sinatra/Elvis era. This should be good to listen to. 

Day 3 Wednesday

Our second full day aboard. So far the seas have been very kind ( or so they tell me) but of course someone like me still feels queasy on and off.

We just took it very easy again. Firstly we had Brekky in the restaurant with Jim and Bev and Julie and Peter from our village as it is Peter's 70th birthday. Today was also the main Outlet Sale where there was lots of "stuff" for sale from handbags, shirts, dresses and jewellery but nothing that caught our attention. There was also a fruit and veggie carving demo which attracted a lot of attention. We joined Geoff and Debbie for a light lunch out on deck and later went to the wooden horse races where Eric came out a whole $1 ahead!

Tonight was our first Formal Dinner and it was great to see everyone dressed in their finery. Once again we had our photos taken so that will be interesting to see tomorrow. The show in the Princess Theatre was titled Soul Music and was a very lively, energetic show with music and dancing. The theatre is packed each night and we have been having 3 shows as the ship is at capacity. After the show we caught up with Bill and Margaret and listened to the band in the Wheelhouse Bar which was very loud so moved to the Vista Lounge for the" finish the lyrics ". After that we retired to our Stateroom and moved our watches forward one hour for the third night in a row,

Day 2 Tuesday

Today was a bit of a discovery time to see where the different venues are situated and how best to access same. Of course, with my sense of direction I will still be floundering around on the last day. 

We went to Brekky and then back to our room. I felt queasy so lay down and dozed for a couple of hours till Bev woke me and then we went for a 4 lap walk around Promenade Deck which felt good.

This afternoon seems much calmer. The latest weird idea for sea sickness is to wear a bandaid over your belly button!!!!! Anyway I am willing to try it as others are too. Would that be a Furphy or not? The so called solution came from the Medical Centre! Do you think they may have an excess of bandaids on board and they are trying to clear same? We'll see!

I must say it is lovely to know so many of our fellow travellers - about 60 I would say so far. There is always someone to catch up with for a chat etc.

We have no complaints about the meals or anything  else on board so it is all hunky dory so far. I guess it may be different Thursday when all these wheelchair people are trying to disembark for tours. We haven't booked anything and will just go with the flow.

Day One New Zealand Cruise

Well, here we are enjoying a coffee waiting for "Margaret's Taxi" to arrive in an hour to whisk us off to Portside to board the Sea Princess for our 14day cruise around N Z. We are hoping it will not be overhot waiting for check in in the big tin shed. However, the temp is supposed to be around 36 deg so I guess it could be a bit uncomfortable. Those who are so inclined could jump in the pool when they board couldn't they?

New Zealand Cruise

On Monday 27th October 2014 we will be boarding the " Sea Princess " in Brisbane for a 14 day cruise to New Zealand and return. We will be travelling with a group of 40 people who are mainly from our Motorhome Chapter, Logan and Moreton Ramblers so will have plenty of company on board. 

32nd Day - Vancouver- Los Angeles - Brisbane

Nearly Home - After 10 separate flights and 2 cruises over the last 5 weeks, we are now sitting in the boarding lounge at LA Airport awaiting our final boarding for Brisbane. The boarding at Vancouver was a breeze and the cleanest airport we have struck. When we arrived here at LA, we then got on a bus which shuttled us to Terminal 4 where we walked for about 15 minutes to try and find our next boarding point. We eventually found it after asking a couple of times and had to go into the Arrivals Terminal and take a lift to the 3rd floor, but no signage outside as a guide. Then we had to line up to go thru security again- emptying out every pocket,taking off jackets,shoes and belt being x- rayed etc. Oh, the joys of flying and finding ones way through all these terminals! After all that we then had to find our boarding gate by walking another long distance. We eventually got here with about 90 minutes to spare, so it was just as well we had plenty of time. All is going well now and our aircraft ( Qantas ) is apparently on time. This now concludes our final Blog for this trip. Hope the Blog has kept you up to date with our itinerary.

31st Day - Vancouver

Well it is 8.45pm and the sun hasn't set yet and it is a perfectly beautiful evening. We have just returned from visiting friends Tom and Joan Hampton along with Joan's Mum, Lillian who is 99yrs old. Her mobility is not the best, especially as the nerves in her leg have been damaged by a bout of shingles. Note to self - make sure to get script for vaccine when we get home. However, her brain is pretty sharp so that is good and her eyesight is fine too - no glasses. Tom and Joan picked us up at the hotel at 11am and took us to their home for lunch and then they went and brought Lillian over from her respite place which happens to be only 100mts from their house. The afternoon was spent chatting and then we went to the local hotel, The Black Bear for dinner and that was only 200mts away. After, we walked back to respite (Lillian in her wheelchair) so Joan could settle Lillian and then they drove us back to our hotel. All in all it was a really lovely day catching up after 11years. Tom and Joan had made the effort to drive back from their Green Lake house (5 1/2hour drive) to meet up and I guess to see how Lillian was coping in the facility.
Well it is to bed now and think about the packing to be done tomorrow (for the last time) which will be good. We will go to airport about 2.00pm and our flight from Vancouver to Los Angeles departs at 5.45 and will be about 3 hours . We then have 3 hours in LA to get to the international terminal then another 15 odd hours before home so no doubt we will be very tired and not looking forward to it.

30th Day - Vancouver

Up at 4.15am for cab to airport at 5am -$35. This hotel advertises as an airport hotel and yet it still took us another 20 mins to terminal - false advertising I say. Then of course you line up here and told to go somewhere else and get in another queue and then take off your shoes and belt etc to go through scanners. Only 2 more airports to go through all the rigmarole. We took off pretty much on time and luckily I checked with hostess if there would be a time change between Montreal and Calgary and had to put our watches back 2 hours. This meant as we landed on one aircraft our next flt was boarding so no time to dawdle. Then the next flt we put time back another hour so we feel that we are going to meet ourselves somewhere along the way. This meant after travelling 41/2 hours on first flt and 1 1/2 pm second, we arrived in Vancouver at 10.30am - very confusing. There are no shuttle buses from airport - only trains - so we took another cab $35 to hotel.
Our second flt from Calgary to Vancouver was just magical looking down onto the snow capped Rockies - a rare treat. And we could see a heavily snow covered Mt Robson without any cloud on top. How's that?
We are now sitting in a lovely hotel/beer garden enjoying Pizza and beer (Eric) waiting for our room to be ready.Later...........Checked into our room at 2.00pm and went straight to bed for a couple of hours. Walked a few blocks and went to church . Arrived there at 5.30 but missed half of service as it had started at 5.00pm. After that we walked back down Granville St.which was very busy as some of shops stay open till 8.00 on Sunday night. At our Comfort Inn just off Granville St there is an Irish Pub called Doolins , so had fish and chips. There was a crowd there as Pub Bingo ( whatever that is ) was just starting up, so had to sit on stools at the bar and eat.

29th Day - Montreal

Up early so we could have our Brekky before leaving the ship - can't forego any of those meals! Because we were willing and able to carry all our own baggage, we were allowed off as soon as we docked. We caught a taxi about 7.30 for our hotel near the airport. This proved to be a $50 trip. Our room was ready to our surprise so we settled in and then had to get to the city for our tour. There was no shuttle bus or train from here so we had to call a cab again ($40). The first stop was the Grayline depot where we picked up our tour voucher and, as we were right in the city, we wandered around looking at the shops as well as having a coffee and finding an ATM. As our tour was to be 3 1/2hours, we had some soup and a drink before boarding. Just as well, as there wasn't anywhere to buy a snack at our tour stops. Our tour guide was a real mine of information and easy to listen to, making it very interesting with his little jokes etc. we really felt the tour was well worth it as we saw such a lot of the area. There are some 3million people with tourism and education some of the major income earners. Some of the highlights were the Olympic Stadium which has an "arm like" support 50stories high, the Casino, Notre Dame Cathedral (where Celine Dion got married with 3000 guests ), St. Joseph Oratory, the Royal Park, a massive bridge structure, a Fun Park, McGill University and lots of other landmarks It was hard to believe that the streets often are under 10ft of snow and the tourist season can be as short as May to September with snow in the streets in Sept. Summer, or spring, has come late this year and the tulips are just ready to open. The council workers can be seen planting out all the seedlings on the roundabouts and parkland. There should be a good showing in a few weeks. After the tour we found the entrance to the massive underground shopping centre and had a look around there and had a meal before getting a cab back to our hotel ($45). We have booked a cab for 5am tomorrow for airport. As I ( Eric) forgot his camera today ,no photos were taken so purchased a few post cards and these are attached .

28th Day - Quebec City pm

Well here we are in Quebec (pronounced K Beck by the Americans) waiting to go on our tour of Historic and Modern Quebec ( about $50 US) for 3 1/2 hours. After Eric did some IPad work earlier we went for a walk around the Old Town because we are docked right in the centre of it. The views of the very old buildings at the top of the very steep slope are spectacular to say the least. There was a Funicular up to the Chateau Frontenac but, like quite a few things here, it is not working till Summer (about the end of June) so we trudged up the slope zigzagging along looking at the old buildings along the way. The Chateau above was absolutely huge from every angle. I guess it is a hotel these days but, like a lot of this historic area, there are workmen everywhere sprucing everything up for the summer visitors.We were told it has 618 rooms! On the boardwalk there were glassed in areas where you could look down on to old fortress ruins. The Holy Trinity church was really stunning inside and we were told the main pipe organ was comprised of over 3,000 pipes. I couldn't find the Holy Water as we came out and then a lady told me it was an Anglican Cathedral, so there.The area really appealed to us. There were a few spits of rain but then it cleared while we had our Baked Spud for lunch but then another shower was coming through. This afternoon we had the tour but were somewhat disappointed with it and it was raining on and off. One of the main attractions was the Citadel and we were walking in the rain for about one hour and did not get any info from the guide, mainly because of the rain. We were taken to the 31st floor of a building where we walked around the Observation Deck to get a great over view of the city and also the city on the opposite bank of the river which rarely got a mention. Got back to the ship at 4.30 and sailed at 5.00pm. Had our " last supper " tonight, listened to cool music then retired to our stateroom for packing. We leave the ship in the morning at 7.15 in Montreal and have the day and night at our hotel near the Airport. We have booked a city tour again so hope the guide speaks English! In Quebec all children have to go to French speaking schools so the language will be preserved. Really we would have liked a few more days here to explore a bit more. It reminded us of some European cities. No wonder really as the British and French were the first rulers here. Oh well, the bag is packed but not closed yet - here's hoping the zips will do up!

27th day - Sailing

Last night we sailed from Charlottetown and into the Gulf of St.Laurence and this afternoon moved into St.Laurence River and heading for Quebec City. We will arrive in Quebec at 7.00am tomorrow and have a tour booked for the pm. This should give us a good overview of the old and new city. Today has been a "sea day" where we have been sailing all day. This means that it is busy everywhere with everyone aboard - and hard to find a good comfortable chair in a quiet spot. There have been auctions, trivia and numerous activities to keep us busy but I was more interested in finishing the book I got from the library so I could return it. I will have to remember the author , Jennifer Weiner. We received an invite to attend a luncheon today at the Captains request ( with just about everyone else) but it was very nice anyway. We had Corn Chowder Soup followed by baked glazed salmon and then a berry pie and cream for sweets.Dinner tonight is our second formal night so will have to put on the " glad rags ".Oh, and we did get to mass at 8am for Ascension Thursday. Tonight is titled Showtime in the theatre so I guess it will be very musical.

26th Day - Charlottetown

Today we arrived at Charlottetown, the capital of Prince Edward Island Canada. The Island is small and 280km in length with the population in the Capital about 22,000. Yesterday we decided we would do a coach tour on the Island of 3.5 hours at a cost of approx $60.00 each to see some of the area and glad we did because the countryside is beautiful with lots of cultivation and farms. The main crop grown is potatoes but they have to rotate crops every 3 years with grain, hay etc as potatoes take out a lot of nutrients from the soil. The tour took us along the Southern Coastal side of the Island to the Confederation Bridge - a huge bridge opened in 1997 and running a distance of 13km to the mainland of New Brunswick ,Canada. The toll for cars is $45.00 return. Also on the Island is the home of Anne of Green Gables and although we did not go there, we did visit one of their themed shops in Charlottetown in the morning,very briefly as we were running out of time. There was a Clam Bake on board but we decided to forego that as we needed to get ready for our afternoon tour. Our guide pointed out that PEI as the island is known, is often thought of as Potholes Every Inch when the roads are needing repair after winter. It was somewhat of a rush to dress for dinner in 15mins but we made it. After we were entertained by a comedian. We sat in the back row in case it was a bit trite but ended up really enjoying it and staying till the end. After we joined Jamm, The Piano Man where his show was highlighting Frank Sinatra and The Rat Pack music. He is ever so talented and amazing to watch. How such a muscled guy can play and sing in such a sensitive way! If only we could stay awake till 11pm when he has another show - tonight Freddie Mercury and Queen. He is so diverse.

25th Day - Sydney ( Canada )

Today was very cold with a chilly wind and odd showers. We docked in Sydney at 10.00am and after checking emails and doing the Blog in the terminal , decided to walk uptown and check the place out. I guess it really is just a village. I wandered into a shoe shop but didn't find anything I really needed so off we went again. There were quite a few shops now empty and we were talking to a local who told us that 3 of the local Catholic Churches were closing down shortly even the main one here in town. It is a lovely building and very well maintained. She said as soon as the young ones graduate from school they have to leave to find work as the industries which were around, such as coal mining, have all closed down. It does seem familiar to home, doesn't it? There was a lady called Ruth McNeill singing (busking) on the dock and as I watched from the comfort of the ship (only about 14deg outside) I wondered if she might be related to Rita MacNeill but apparently not. However I did find out that Rita passed away about last November. Surprise surprise! I did go into an Op Shop type store and bought a jumper. Now I have washed it and finding it difficult to get dry! Oh well! When Eric was sitting with IPad he found some other Australians from Rocky. They were going for a walk up town also but when we came out of the terminal she was sitting in a wheel chair with medical and security people around as she had slipped and fallen on the steps and damaged her ankle. They were to take her for treatment so I don't know what resulted. They told Eric they had a Sunday Mail and would leave it at reception but haven't yet. The sun finally came out just before we pulled away. Our entertainment last night was titled Unforgettable and we heard lots of well known show time numbers which were really well presented by 6 very able singers. After we sat in the lounge and listened to the Jazz trio whom we really enjoy. In the next lounge a very talented song man was singing the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber - wow! He was to do Barbra Streisand from 11pm but we couldn't wait that long.

24th Day - Halifax

We were told to expect a cool and possibly windy day and when we went out about 9.30 we sure felt the chill. Luckily we were dressed warmly. After listening to some suggestions from a tourist ambassador, we decided we could easily walk around the area so off we went. My hands were a bit cold but we soon warmed up. We met an old lady who offered some advice and directions and then bit us for a "donation to clean up the city"?, whatever that meant. We made it to the shopping centre and had a look around before getting a coffee at Maccas while Eric tried to connect to wi-fi which proved to be hopeless.Also it seems that the cellular chip for the IPad purchased in USA will not work in Canada where we are now. So from now until we leave for home we will have to rely on just the Wi-Fi which can be very slow at times. The centre was looking less than prosperous with many closed businesses. It then started to rain so Eric had to buy an umbrella as there are no covered walkways. We paid a visit to the cathedral and then to the Farmers Market which had very few stalls - mainly fast food, jewellery etc. There were lots of people sitting around working on their computers and phones so we decided that might be a good spot to try again. While Eric did this I walked on and looked through all the shops in the terminal building and bought myself a pair of earrings. It was about 1.30 when we boarded again. Luckily we had our drivers licence with us as we saw we had to have photo ID to reboard! Up to the Buffet for lunch and that was it. Tonight our concert is supposed to be a bit Scottish to complement the area. There was to be music up around the pool but the rain has really set in now. As I sit here in the library I am looking out on an island where there is a lighthouse and 2 houses It makes you wonder how old the houses are and what vagaries of weather they have experienced over the May years as they seem quite exposed.
Tuesday morning - Still sailing between Halifax and Sydney ( Canada ) and raining and foggy with temp. expected to be 8oC so the warm clothing will come out today. We are due to arrive in Sydney at 10.00 am. Last night the Showtime was a trio of piano,pipes and violin playing Celtic jigs and reels for an hour and whilst they were very good they seem very repetitious .

24th Day - Halifax

We were told to expect a cool and possibly windy day and when we went out about 9.30 we sure felt the chill. Luckily we were dressed warmly. After listening to some suggestions from a tourist ambassador, we decided we could easily walk around the area so off we went. My hands were a bit cold but we soon warmed up. We met an old lady who offered some advice and directions and then bit us for a "donation to clean up the city"?, whatever that meant. We made it to the shopping centre and had a look around before getting a coffee at Maccas while Eric tried to connect to wi-fi which proved to be hopeless.Also it seems that the cellular chip for the IPad purchased in USA will not work in Canada where we are now. So from now until we leave for home we will have to rely on just the Wi-Fi which can be very slow at times. The centre was looking less than prosperous with many closed businesses. It then started to rain so Eric had to buy an umbrella as there are no covered walkways. We paid a visit to the cathedral and then to the Farmers Market which had very few stalls - mainly fast food, jewellery etc. There were lots of people sitting around working on their computers and phones so we decided that might be a good spot to try again. While Eric did this I walked on and looked through all the shops in the terminal building and bought myself a pair of earrings. It was about 1.30 when we boarded again. Luckily we had our drivers licence with us as we saw we had to have photo ID to reboard! Up to the Buffet for lunch and that was it. Tonight our concert is supposed to be a bit Scottish to complement the area. There was to be music up around the pool but the rain has really set in now. As I sit here in the library I am looking out on an island where there is a lighthouse and 2 houses It makes you wonder how old the houses are and what vagaries of weather they have experienced over the May years as they seem quite exposed.
Tuesday morning - Still sailing between Halifax and Sydney ( Canada ) and raining and foggy with temp. expected to be 8oC so the warm clothing will come out today. We are due to arrive in Sydney at 10.00 am. Last night the Showtime was a trio of piano,pipes and violin playing Celtic jigs and reels for an hour and whilst they were very good they seem very repetitious .