Still catching up

Overnight in Sydney
We both woke before dawn and had problems going back to sleep. Perhaps it had something to do with the ship picking up a pilot very early (4:30 am?) and the different motions of the ship. We finally got up around 7 am and we were already docked. The sun hadn’t come up fully and we both started getting ready. Promptly at 7:30 am the rap on the door told me that the room service was here and immediately the phone rang with our wake up call and Ed’s iPhone went off with his alarm. Since we didn’t have to be in the Cabaret Lounge to meet for our tour until 9:15 am, we took it easy. I read a little and Ed does whatever Ed does including watching some news show.
The sun was out when we started our drive around Sydney; later in the day, there were threatening clouds and so it was essentially overcast for most of the day. I don’t really mind this from a comfort perspective, but it means that the photos aren’t quite so dramatic in color.
Blue Mountains tour
We marched off the ship as a group and encountered Australian folks asking what was in our bags; no fruits or other food stuffs. We found our “motor coach” which was actually quite nice. A smile came over my face when I saw the signs in the first 2 rows of seats saying they were saved for folks with disabilities and in parentheses at the bottom and large type “not motion sickness.” This harks back to the imperious woman of the other day I’m sure. It is just ludicrous that one would be on a rocking ship for days and then insist on a prime seat in a bus because of car sickness.
While we were a good sized group, there was enough room for Ed and I (and a few others) to have 2 seats to ourselves. Our guide, Carmel, had a lovely voice and a wise sense of humor. We drove for about an hour while she told us about the sites: the various harbors, bridges, some buildings, “motorways” –translation: freeways or expressways—and eventually we came to our first stop.
Featherdale Wildlife Park
This was a real treat. It is a very large area totally devoted to indigenous animals in Australia. Here we saw scads of Koalas, most of whom were sleeping which they do 22 hours of the day. They roll themselves into little furry balls in the nook of a tree and snooze away. Here they had two koalas on display and one could have a photo made with them for not charge but Ed and I had lost each other at this point. Along the way we saw Cassawaries—such a funny looking bird. Think a cross between an ostrich and perhaps a turkey. Wombats: oh Nancy you would love these little guys. From above, they look like very furry, small pot-bellied pigs. They are marsupials (that is, they carry their young in a pouch—just a review here) but their pouch points backwards! This is because they are tunneling animals and they’d bury their young in the dirt if the pouch opened toward the head.
Kangaroos were everywhere and you could feed them by putting the special food into an ice cream cone. There was a very ugly, and not very happy crocodile. Wallabies and Emus, ghost bat, Bilbies, Cockatoos and many other gorgeous birds and other fowl, (for example, golden pheasant which I haven’t seen since I was a kid and we used to raise them to sell for restaurants).
I missed seeing the penguins (not sure what the story was here), Tasmanian devil (they were asleep/hiding), echidna (same story). So many of these animals are nocturnal and so they stay in their burrows. They also had a reptile exhibit with skinks and other oddities you don’t see often. Ed bought a soda in the souvenir shop and each cashier pointed him to another that would give him change for the currency he was carrying. They all lied it seemed so he charged a diet coke on a credit card. This isn’t the first time we’ve had to do this. He used our left over New Zealand currency for tips; Aussies don’t tip and don’t expect them but we still tip.
Blue Mountain Scenic World
We were paraded through a maze and many got lost along the way. Eventually, we wound up in a queue for “all you can eat” buffet. Sure, you can eat all you want if you can get to it! What a mess and we had only a discrete period of time to eat and at least 3 bus loads of revelers to feed. We first put our stuff on a chair to secure a space and to free our hands. Oddly, the buffet line began with desserts. When his plate was filled, Ed couldn’t find his chair. He hadn’t noticed that the center of the restaurant rotated and by this time, his chair was on the opposite side of the room. It was further confusing because the room was square but the rotating disk was round of course. So there were stationary tables in the corners of this room but all the others turned. Well we survived that and clearly didn’t starve and we headed off to try to discover where we were to be next.
We were given the choice of going up and down on the “train” (more later), up and down on the cable car, or doing one of each. We opted to go down on the train first. This is actually a former coal chute down the mountain at a 51 degree angle according to a man who seemed to know what he was talking about. It’s not much short of just dropping straight down. For most of the trek, it is through a tunnel I think of foliage but it’s pitch dark none the less. We were led to believe this would be very frightening and many (young) voices were heard to start screaming even before we left the station. It was fun but not frightening though I can see how it would be disconcerting to many including me in my younger years.
At the bottom of this “ride” there was an elevated wooden walkway and along the way were displays related to mining and signs telling us about trees and other forest unique things of interest that we might otherwise miss. This reminded us of some of the elevated, wooden walkways in the Amazon jungle and the foliage here was equally as thick with many trailing vines and huge tree trunks. There was an additional 20 min. side walk that one could take but our time was short so we stuck to the meandering path we were already on and eventually we arrived at the station for the cable car where we waiting in queue until it returned. This was quite a large cab and Ed got at the rear so he could get the view as we went back up this steep (well actually I truly think the mountain just simply dropped straight down at this point but the cable car took a more sloped trajectory back up to the top. I have no idea how far this distance is) climb and I got in the front so I could see down from where we had been. There is a lady (well I’m being kind here) who insinuated herself between myself and another man at the front window under the pretense of striking up a conversation with this man. It was really to push herself into this space so she had the perfect view. She’s done similar things in other settings before. I often wonder about such folks. This is also the woman who doesn’t want any photos because she had plenty of good ones in her youth. She’s actually not a bad looking woman in her mid 70s (by her own admission) and I suspect she was really a looker in her youth and can’t stand to see maturity. Anyway, the trip up was calmer but no less dramatic in many ways, than the drop through the chute earlier.
There apparently is another option which wasn’t available to us and that is to take a train that zig zags down this mountainside. We’ve done some like this before, in Norway and in Cuzco, so we were somewhat disappointed that we couldn’t do that one too.
Ed says I’m to tell Nancy that he danced with a naked Aboriginal woman on the way out of this venue. She’ll have to see the photos to get the real story. (now I have to remember to include that photo in the ones I put on Picasa).
The Blue Moutains themselves
Well they’re simply breathtaking. This is Australia’s “grand canyon” and one can see why but it isn’t anything like our Grand Canyon except for some colors in the sides of the escarpments which can be quite striking. The trees are gorgeous and carpet all of the hillsides with only a few exceptions. The fire danger is real and is fueled even more by the volatile oils of the abundant eucalyptus trees.
When the first settlers tried to cross these mountains (there’s some controversy about whether they truly qualify as “mountains” but the maximum height is 1,100 meters for those who care) they tried to do it as they did in the Northern Hemisphere by following rivers. Here, the aborigines followed the ridge line. Again the white man ignores the wisdom of peoples who have long occupied a site. So now the road does follow the ridge line so that at one point, the highway is only 2 lanes wide. This creates a lot of chaos since the development in this area continues to grow, and I can see why. (However, keep in mind it’s very susceptible to fierce fires. New homes must be made of steel, have sprinklers on their roof and have the So Cal requirements about the types of trees around the periphery and the distance from the structure). As a result of this ridge, one can see long distances at clearings and the streets and lanes fall to each side of the roadway.
Cute little towns
This environment is ideal for wonderful gardens and the Brits who originally colonized this area, either because they were convicts or freemen, brought a love of their gorgeous gardens in Britain. There are lots of cute little cottages of various kinds and many second homes for the Sydney folks. Many buildings are over a hundred years old. This would be a place where it would be fun to spend several weeks and live like the locals. We saw many B&Bs along our trek.
Echo Point
This was a photo stop and an opportunity once again, to experience one of their small villages. It had begun to mist and sprinkle; also, we didn’t have much time here but we got more gorgeous photos of the mountains and hillsides. While at this point a young fellow approached me to ask if I’d do them an “awesome” favor and take a photo of him and his friends. One camera eventually turned into 3, each of which I had to learn to operate. Little did they know of my visual “challenges” but I had them check each camera as I got the photo of the 6 of them on their respective cameras. Ed came up about this time, and I told them they owed me a photo. So I snuck in the middle of them and the youngster, apparently they were all traveling together from Britain, to my right snuggled right up to me. Ed took the photo and the original kid suggested they trade cameras; this kid was no dummy: Nikon D90 for his point and shoot. Ed’s answer was a knowing smile. We left with good laughs all around.
Ed stayed to take a few more photos and I started toward the bus as it had begun to sprinkle more and I didn’t want the camera to get wet. Along the way, I saw this aboriginal man sitting in front of a gelato parlor. He had a full beard and head of hair and was very striking looking but I was hesitant to approach him for a photo. Ed did on my behalf after striking up a conversation with him, and the fellow was most cordial.
Back to Sydney
As soon as we got back on the bus, it began to rain in earnest. The guide put a DVD on a single screen at the front of the bus (better than nothing) about the various animals unique to Australia. It was very well done and accompanied by the appropriate classical music which in many instances made the scenes humorous.
Back “home”
We barely got into the terminal to go to the ship when it began to pour and I mean a real deluge! We had some thought of going out to walk around the “Rocks” area nearby but not with this rain unfortunately. The last time we were in Sydney, we got various degrees of rain but we managed to walk all over as it was off and on.
Dinner
We had to run to make dinner without being too late. I gave Ed my bag and washed up in the lady’s room while he went to the room. We were all there except for Bob. He started running a fever in the night and was quarantined for the day. So Nancy cancelled their tickets to the Blue Mountains. When it is for medical reasons, they will refund the money. She should have gone as Bob wasn’t that bad and the MD and RN on board had him settled down pretty soon. So he stayed in the cabin and watch Meerkat Manor, and caught up on Fox news. ;-) There were lots of hugs and admonitions to have safe trips back home. Barbara was off to finish packing as their bags had to be out in the hallway for pick up by 10 pm. We weren’t the last out of the dining room tonite, which was almost empty anyway, but there weren’t many folks left when we headed out.
Davidia and Chris Watkins
I enjoyed both of these entertainers more this evening than when they appeared alone in their own shows. Each presented alone this evening and then they did a song together. Davidia had a video with a song about her teenaged kids and every parent in that room could identify. It was very funny. You’ve seen the original song on Youtube but I don’t recall how to describe the title.
Before the show started, JJ and Susan danced a lovely waltz. I had seen them practicing for several mornings and it was really lovely. There are some dramatic touches many of us would like to see left out, but it was beautifully done. Susan and her husband have been teaching dancing on their own for some time now and they do a nice job with the folks who make terrific progress under her tutelage. She sometimes joins our trivia group.
At the end of the show, JJ sang a lovely song and when he finished, Franci, who is leaving the ship, showered him with women’s panties a la a Tom Jones or Travis Tritt concert. It was hilarious and we all had a good laugh from it.
Trivia
No trivia today or tomorrow of course since we’re in port. John and Nancy have both promised to send back 20 questions for a trivia session and I have promised to pass them along to the staff and then report the results back to them. Chuck is off on an overland to Uluru (Ayers Rock) so he won’t be back until Cairns (pronounced by the locals as “cans”). There are 250 new folks coming on in Sydney so we’ll have some new bodies to break in.
Sunday March 15, 2010
I woke just before 7 and Ed seemed to be awake so eventually I went to take a shower. He got up eventually. The area near the Ocean Passenger Terminal (OPT) is rather dark on our side as the sun is to the port side. So the sun lights up the buildings up higher on the area called “The Rocks”. It is a great scene. From the balcony, we can see the metal bridge that is the second best known symbol of Sydney and which is colloquially known affectionately as “the hanger”. Except for the hook at the top, it does look like a hanger.
Cameras
I’m glad to see Ed taking more photos and with some frequency, many are very striking. Mine are more hit or miss and I just hope for good luck when I look at them on the computer. He’s using the Nikon D90 much more and we still both love that camera and have no regrets about “gifting” it to each other. The P90 that he bought is lighter and has a lens that is a little wider angle, but the response time of the trigger means that many photos are missed in the lag time. This has been my main complaint about point and shoot cameras: by the time the camera responds to the push on the button, the original target has gone.
Street Fair
I had told Ed that I was going to leave at 8:45 am to visit a multi-block street fair that was being held this weekend just 2 blocks from the ship. To his credit, he was ready and we left at 9 am after eating in the Panorama Café. This was a great opportunity to see what Aussie’s value and wood products are right up there. I’d love to have gotten some – I was especially enamored of their wooden trivets which are similar to intertwining puzzles. But then what would I do with it? Would we ever use it?
So we sampled our way through the foods and picked up a pendant for me that I had wanted for some time. At least I had wanted one made like that and so I succumbed and will be delighted to wear it. It is such a pleasure to not to have high pressure salesmen swarming all over you! There were lots of families out with young kids who were having fun on their bikes. All were dressed in cute outfits but simple ones.
Eventually, we settled on a German restaurant and sat outside. I ordered an iced tea. When it came I asked for sugar substitute and was given Equal (which I really dislike,but) and it went into the glass. When I began to drink it, I realized that it was already sweetened. I only thought that happened in the American South! I wasn’t sure about refills and wanted to be sure it wouldn’t be an additional charge since this glass was $7 Aussie. Alas, it is a completely new glass and charge. We ordered sausage and sauerkraut with a small salad on the side. It was all tasty and we checked out a grocery store for sodas but it was more like a 7-11 with no prices listed. I picked up a Sunday paper here and was delighted to see an article about Helen Mirren inside.
We walked briskly back to the ship and dumped all our unnecessary burdens and went down to the side of the terminal to wait for our tour of the city. There were only 16 of us so it was a nice treat to have plenty of room and time. We were taken to many sights, some of which we had seen before either on yesterday’s trek to the Blue Mountains, or on our previous visit where we simply walked and walked all over the neighborhoods. The driver was Allan, the funny guy from yesterday’s trip. We learned more about the coat hanger (the harbor bridge) and Madonna’s bra (another bridge named for obvious comparisons) and many diverse neighborhoods from very wealthy (think Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe) to ordinary (Chinatown and Spanish town). The architecture varies tremendously here and includes all kinds as the city has been developing over many years. Many buildings have been declared heritage sites so they can never be demolished. You can see the British influence of the early days in the homes and buildings.
We went to a park where we wandered around taking glorious photos of the Sydney Opera House with the coat hanger bridge also in the distance. Here is Mrs. McCorkale’s (I just know the spelling is wrong) bench, a seat that was cut into the rock for the wife of a former governor who was very homesick (and probably depressed) for Britain. Later we went to a point where it is about a kilometer wide and this is the sole entrance for everything into Sydney Harbor which is acknowledged to be the greatest natural harbor in the world. It is also a favorite point for suicides (and homicides disguised as suicides). I noticed what looked like a phone booth but it had only two buttons: one surrounded in red which was to call 911; and a second surrounded in blue where one could push for counseling. I then noticed a sign saying there was continuous video recording. The guide and driver said this was all new.
Manly and Bondi Beaches
Manly means exactly as it reads. Bondi of course is very famous but while it’s a nice beach, I don’t understand the hoopla. We spent about 45 minutes here and Ed and I shared a smoothie and some chocolate hazelnut concoction that satisfied me after one bite. Ed obliged by finishing it.
Overall, this was a pleasant afternoon. We also stopped at another site where tour busses are forbidden to stop so I’d be killed if I told you. The photos were well worth the “risk” though. Ha.
Our new dinner companions
Well, we’re now surrounded by Aussies! Two couples are from Brisbane but did not know each other. The other couple are Kiwis who have lived in Sydney for a long while. They are all our age or older and we had nice discussions trying to get acquainted. I doubt we have to watch about stepping on touchy American politics.
Entertainment tonite
The ship didn’t leave until just before 10 so the entertainment tonite was a movie in the Cabaret Lounge. Ed and I went to the library (our exercise from the 5th to the 10th floor) for the daily puzzle, and then to the internet café to check our emails. Richard the technician is enduring the ritual of frustrated newbies who don’t know how to get their emails on the ship or how the charges work – despite flyers available in the internet area.
Ed went up to the upper decks for the sail away but quickly came back to the cabin and joined me as the ship pulled away from the pier and sailed away. It was pitch dark and so our photos of the bridge and Sydney + the Opera House won’t be winners but will be good enough for us.
Computer glitches
I’ve been suggesting to Ed that he set up the back up on the computer as I am downloading thousands of photos onto the hard drive. With increasing frequency, I’ll be typing and the blue screen of death appears and tells me there are hardware problems and to contact our hardware provider. Well if I weren’t so ticked at it all, I’d be howling on the floor with laughter. So now I’m manually saving my typing so as to prevent my continual retyping of this blog. Tomorrow is a quiet day so I’ll try to encourage Ed to work on it. Otherwise, I’ll download the pictures from today and make attempts at editing them so I can eventually upload them.