The last sea day of our cruise. The sun has come out and the seas are calm. At breakfast this morning we got passed by a car carrier with a rather fetching blue hull.
Just another sea day with its usual round of lectures and activities. I was struggling to think of what bit of the ship that I hadn’t already showed you, then I remembered Deck 3. This is the only outdoor part where you can walk a full circuit of the ship.
It’s also where all the ship’s life boats are, so sea views, for much of the circuit are pretty limited.
There is, however, a good view over the stern, but nothing at the bow.
Our last night dining in the Britannia Restaurant so we thanked our waiters, Leno and Sanji, and our sommelier, Bernadette, for all their great work. They have looked after us so well.
We woke up with great excitement as today we were going to catch up with Richard, Elizabeth and Izzy in Brisbane. Unfortunately, while I was in the shower, the Captain came on the PA system to advise that due to high winds they were unable to dock the Queen Anne and would be bypassing Brisbane.
Looking out our window, I could see the wind blowing the tops off the waves. Given the strength of the wind and the fact that our ship is a bit like a floating block of high rise flats, I could understand his decision. It was really sad though missing seeing the kids. Also this was supposed to be Queen Anne’s maiden visit to Brisbane.
At breakfast there were tales flying around about the impact of missing Brisbane. The worst I heard was of a family moving from the UK to settle in Brisbane. They had chosen to travel by ship due to the large amount of baggage they had with them. They will now have to find their way from Sydney somehow.
Offshore from Caloundra on our way to Sydney
It’s interesting, sailing away from Brisbane we had to go up the coast in the wrong direction to almost Maroochydore before the ship could get out to sea and turn in the direction of Sydney.
Another sea day. Jeanette was off working the lecture circuit and I was enjoying a read in the peace of our stateroom.
We did, however, catch up for lunch and a couple of lectures by our favourite art gallery presenter. I loved the example he gave of three people who each paid £125,000 for the right to tape a banana to their wall with duct tape.
After one of these we went exploring around the ship and found there was one bank of elevators that went up to Deck 14. In our wanderings we had previously never got higher than Deck 12. So we hopped the lift for Deck 14.
First thing we found when stepping outside was the Sky Bar. This was a small semi circular bar surround by a single, also semi circular, row of tables and chairs, then a verandah rail looking down onto the pool deck. It looked great but there was absolutely no shade from the sun that was beating down.
Walking around towards the stern we came across a paddle tennis court, then at the stern of the ship, an outdoor smokers lounge, and around on the other side a practise putting green.
This night in the theatre, they did Noel Coward’s play “Brief Encounter”. It was really well done.
We woke this morning to the sound of the ship’s anchor chain going out as we dropped anchor in the waters off Airlie Beach.
Jeanette had a Zoom meeting at 10am so we didn’t manage to get off the ship till around 11am. Cunard had hired a couple of large ferries to shuttle the passengers to and from the ship so our trip ashore was very comfortable.
You could see when we landed that a lot of money is being spent on real estate development here.
As we explored the town, it became apparent this is very much a town catering to the younger crowd. There were numerous bars with large open areas pumping out modern music and there were lots of young backpackers arriving and departing.The place was teaming with people.
Jeanette managed to find a few dress shops so she was in her happy space.
We walked from one end of the town then back again, then we checked out the waterfront.
Jeanette liked this sculpture.
Finally we made it back to the dock where disaster struck. No beautiful ferry to carry us back to the boat, rather there was a ship’s life boat. We were packed in like sardines. There was no leg room, the heat was stifling, there was no air flow and it was supposed to be a 30 minute trip to our ship.
We hung on desperately in the sauna-like conditions, wishing the 30 minutes away. However, after the 30 minutes had passed we hadn’t arrived but rather we were going around in circles and the our boat was bobbing around like a cork. The ship’s landing dock was blocked by a large ferry. And after it departed, a large Police boat took its place to evacuate one of the passengers.
We were now at the 45minute mark of a supposedly 30 minute trip and the lifeboat passengers were showing signs of cracking. A lady in the front of the boat announced she was going to be sick. The people jammed in around her suggested it might be a good idea if she stood up which she did. That got them out of the firing line but she was now standing directly behind me!
I was debating whether to offer her my hat to use as a sick bag as the lesser of two evils when the ship’s crew member got her moved up to the open side door. The lifeboat crew then decided to open two front hatches and finally some air started to flow into the boat. Our clothes were literally drenched with perspiration by this time.
Finally, at around the 50 minute mark, we made it on board. It took us the rest of the evening to cool down to our normal temperature.
We left Darwin and headed into the Arafura Sea making our way thru the shallow seas that exist between Australia and New Guinea. We have a Coral Reef Pilot on board who will stay with us till Brisbane.
Having crossed the Gulf of Carpentaria, on the second day we caught sight of Australia. The skies are cloudy, the humidity is intense but it was special to see Aus again.
Great excitement on the third sea day of our passage to Airlie Beach. Around 7.15am we were due to pass Queen Mary 2 going in the opposite direction. Alarms were set for early in the morning and everyone was out looking.
Despite the fact it was raining, all positions along the rails on the open decks were packed with people; three deep in places.
Eventually the Queen Mary steamed into sight and there was much cheering and waving of Union Jacks as the ships passed, their ships’ horns blasting away. The decks of the Queen Mary were also packed with people waving.
Due to the adverse effect that rain tends to have on her hair, Jeanette chose to watch from inside.
The weather in Darwin was not promising when we tied up as there was a low grey overcast sky. Fortunately, by around 11am, the rain had stopped so we ventured into town.
I have to note that we spent the three sea days getting here with a number of Australian Customs and Immigration officers on board. There were endless reminders about Australia’s strict bio security rules. Notices to this effect were everywhere around the ship, including notices on every dining table. Recorded messages were played hourly over the ship’s speakers, driving everyone nuts.
Then we got off the ship and walked into Australia through the arrival hall with not a solitary Customs or Immigration person in sight. Nobody! I could have driven a herd of mad cows thru and no-one would have known. Welcome to Aus, the home of mindless bureaucracy.
We walked down the covered walkway from the dock to land.
The shore front development with cafes and shops which was booming last time we were here had obviously hit hard times with a number of closed premises and lots of For Lease signs. The pub and one restaurant seemed to be doing ok but it was crickets everywhere else.
We headed into town. Being Sunday, the place was fairly quiet. We found a coffee shop that was open but I think had been slightly overrun by the unexpected cruise ship customers. They had run out of ham and sparkling water by the time we got there. It was a nice lunch though.
We walked on to Bicentennial Park. There were lots of plaques for Jeanette to read so she was happy . Me, I was reminded of an answer I got from one of our granddaughters whom I had picked up from school. She was in Prep at the time and I asked her what she had done at school that day. The answer “Nothing – we just had to sit still and be bored”.
Anyway at the end of Bicentennial Park, you could get a fabulous view of our ship.
We descended the stairs down the cliff to a small parkland and walked back to our ship.
Day 15, 16 and 17 Our three sea days en route to Darwin
Our sea days pass one a lot like the preceding day but they do keep changing the flowers in the foyer.
Jeanette is a keen attender of the lectures offered and she has got me hooked on the series done by the Art Director of Clarendon Galleries, who operate the art gallery on the ship. He is an amazing presenter.
As we wander around the ship we keep finding new places and here is one, the Panorama Pool Deck at the very aft end of Deck 9.
It has an interesting little gallery on both sides that stick out over the sides of the ship giving an amazing view along the ship as it ploughs thru the water.
Around 7am we tied up at the cruise terminal in Bali port Benoa. We were booked on a tour so off the ship around 9:30, got through immigration (my internet visa application having worked) and onto our tour bus.
The first thing we noticed is how low the bus roof was. I was bent double and even Jeanette bumped her head on the ceiling. It became obvious why this was the case as we saw the incredibly Heath Robinson electrical distribution system. Even this bus was barely fitting under the power lines that criss crossed the road. A normal bus would have blacked out the entire neighbourhood.
Our first stop was at the Uluwatu Temple which is claimed to date from the eleventh century. Prior to arrival our guide told us of the problem with monkeys there stealing hats, glasses and mobile phones etc. He claimed individual monkeys specialised in stealing specific items and recommended leaving hats behind, not wearing glasses if you could see without them and hanging on tight to your phone.
I was a bit sceptical and suspected this was just a case of a guide winding up the gullible tourists. Anyway we got off the bus and were joined by our protection (a fierce looking Balinese lady armed with what looked like an old extendable car antenna on a handle) and a ranger.
When we were getting ready in the morning, I had gently suggested to Jeanette that as we were visiting a temple, she shouldn’t wear the sleeveless top she had chosen. My suggestion was of course ignored and it turned out she was fine, my shorts were not and I had to wear a sarong for the visit.
Anyway we formed up in a group with the guide at the front, people who had to wear their glasses in the middle of the column, flanked by non glasses wearing people on the sides and our muscle and the ranger bringing up the rear. I felt a bit like Roman Legionary marching into the Teutoburg forest.
There were an awful lot of monkeys in the road ahead and in the trees watching our progress. Any that dared approach, our protector would yell at and wave her rod threateningly. The monkeys would stay just out of reach and bare their teeth at her.
We got to the Temple and every one went to the wall on the edge of the cliffs to admire the view. There was a sudden shriek and a lady had just had her hat whipped off her head by a monkey who had then retreated up the wall out of reach and sitting with his prize.
We saw the beautiful stone sculptures and gates of the old temple and admired the ocean views
Further along there was another cry of anguish as someone had their glasses taken. We had got around the back of the temple and were heading back to the carpark where we came upon a monkey tearing a motor scooter seat to shreds. All the outer covering had gone and he was systematically tearing the foam off leaving the metal plate beneath. Someone was going to have a very uncomfortable ride home.
There were however some cute monkeys as well
Our next stop was the National Cultural Park or, as it known the GWK Park as it contains giant bronze statues of the Hindu Gods Garuda, Wisnu and Kencana. The statue of Kencana is said to be the fourth highest statue in the world.
It is an amazing place and I felt like I had walked into an Indiana Jones movie. Huge passages and large open spaces had been dug into the limestone rock. The statues remained up on the original levels
Given my dicky knee we took an elevator up to the Wisnu statue first.
Then gingerly descended down stairs to a beautiful area called the Grotto.
Then stairs further down, we walked along till we came to Garuda’s statue.
We climbed up a considerable number of steps to reach him then back down again into the trenches and on to the big one, Kencana.
Our last stop was at a beachfront restaurant. The wind was howling in off the sea and it was a bit like dining in a wind tunnel.
The waves were crashing in from the Indian Ocean and the beach was a driftwood collectors’ paradise.
I have to say I just love Sea Days, and the more that are strung together the better I like it . The world just settles into a lovely comfortable relaxed routine and you can feel all your stress melting away.
For the last couple of days there have been a number of Brown Boobies hanging around the ship so I got the camera out, stuck on my longest lens and managed to get a few pictures of them.
Nature is an amazing thing. As the ship ploughs thru the water it creates turbulance that bring minute food particles up towards the surface which attracts small fish which Brown Boobies dive into the water and catch. I wonder how long it took the birds to figure out it was worthwhile to follow ships.
Still mostly in the cabin working on knee recovery. We had to tackle getting our visas for the Bali visit. This is all done on line and after navigating we think we have sorted it. Time will tell.
We had lunch in the ship’s English pub, the Golden Lion, which made a nice change of scenery.
In the evening, we attended a performance in the theatre by the Maori tenor, Benjamin Makisi. He was so good. When he was singing the classical operatic pieces, it was like listening to Pavarotti.
Hardys’ Travels 