Carole & MaryLou's Excellent Adventure-continues

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We’re Back!

When last you heard from us we were leaving Indonesia and heading back to Australia. As we headed south the seas in the Indian Ocean became rougher and after two sea days the Captain had to cancel our port call in Exmouth. The seas were too high and the winds too strong to lower the tenders. We did a quick sail into the bay and then waved goodbye to the last snorkeling opportunity of the trip. Well, that leaves two more sea days to endure. Right!!! The pool is now a wave pool and it’s delightful to bob back and forth in the surf. The sun is still strong and a short time in the sun followed by a bob is heaven. Trivia is still fun and I came in second in the Hold’em Tournament.

On November 6 here in Australia the Melbourne Cup is run, the horse race that stops a nation. The entire country comes to a halt, ladies don their fascinators (fancy hats) and other finery and people who never place a bet take a fling on the cup. On board the Casino ran a sweepstake and one could wager $10, $20 or $50. There were 24 horses running and each block contained 24 tickets. So in the $10 pool, $240 was collected and the winner got 50%, place paid 30% and show paid 20%. My horse was named My Way to Peace and MaryLou picked Green Moon and …………… the winner is GREEN MOON!!!!!!!! There was some question as to whether the ship would televise the race but in the end it did. Interestingly, a gasp filled the room when the camera showed Prince Charles & CAMILLA. Someone said, show us the horse. Guess she isn’t too popular here. While all this was happening, American’s were getting ready to go to the polls.

November 7 in Australia.

When we woke up the polls hadn’t closed. We stayed by the TV and watched the results roll in. There was an audible sigh of relief when the projections for Iowa, Nevada and finally Ohio were made. Governor Romney’s concession speech was gracious. MaryLou and I headed to the Sports Bar where the TVs were still showing election returns and enjoyed a celebratory drink.

It is amazing to me that all the various nationalities aboard follow American politics so closely but as they said, “If American catches cold, the rest of the world gets pneumonia”. With apologies to my Republican friends our new friends seemed relieved with the results.

The evenings have morphed into a routine. We enjoy our dinner and relive the day with our tablemates. Then we head to the Crow’s Nest for our Happy Hour Stingers, buy one get one for $1. If there is something we want to see we wander to the Showroom, if not we head for our cabin to read. The exception is Aussie Sing-a-Long night. The Crow’s Nest was standing room only. Song sheets were passed out and the Piano Man, Glenn, chose the tunes. Of course Waltzing Matilda was first. Our friend Jan had translated the words of the song for us and we finally understood what waltzing Matilda really means. It has nothing to do with dancing. It refers to the backpack that moves or waltzes on the shoulders of a bloke walking in the bush.

Now this bloke is resting by a water hole (billabong) and boiling water for tea (watching his billy boil) when a sheep (jumbuck) wanders down for a drink and the bloke grabs it and puts it in his tucker bag (food bag). We the rancher and the law catch him and he jumps into the billabong. You’ll never take me alive says he and his ghost may be heard as you pass by the billabong. “You’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me”. We tied me Kangaroo down and saluted the Kookaburra in the old gum tree. It was a fun night.

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