SYDNEY TO FREMANTLE

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March 29th 2024

Published: April 5th 2024

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John and Gloria Travels

SYDNEY HARBOUR

Its a spectacular harbour to sail out from

Well home long enough to catchup with the kids, wash and iron clothes, swap cases and we are on our way again. Flew to Sydney Tuesday 26th March and met up with everyone and we all stayed at the Sofitel Sydney, Pat and Gordy came up from Leongatha Sunday, Jude and Chris flew from the UK and arrived Saturday and Ivan and Renate from Brisbane met us at Sydney Airport Tuesday and we caught a taxi together to the hotel. Dinner was excellent at the Atelier Restaurant Sofitel and we met for Happy Hour in the Champagne Bar at 5.30, so lucky they had a posh champagne company doing tastings of their whole range of champers....we all certainly had our fill with gorgeous charcuterie as well! Winning! Breakfast Wed morning was delish and John spotted our niece Carlie with her daughter Lola, what a big surprise, they had come up to Sydney from Shellharbour for the night as it was Lola's birthday so nice to see them. Check out at 11am and down to circular quay...could spot the gorgeous Resilient Lady from afar.....it is something else! No kids, no buffets and a very modern ship. Most of us on Deck 14

DARLING HARBOUR

View from our room

mid ship. Time to unpack and freshen up before the sailaway party (free champers), then dinner in The Wake, prob the best restaurant onboard. Lots of glitz around the ship and lots of relaxing spots to sit and read, have a drink or just meet up! 1st stop Eden...been there a few times so just took a walk into town and bought a couple of things, there from 10-6pm and set sail for Fremantle. The ship is well set up with 6 sit down restaurants of all different cuisines, Steak and Seafood, Vegetarian with a few naughty things (non vegan) on the menu, The Test Kitchen is the most out there of the restaurants but so different and delicious. The menu just gives a small clue as to what is on the menu with a list of the main ingredient, Mushroom, Egg, Scallops, Venison/beef, Blue Cheese, Chocolate. Absolutely amazing experience at Test Kitchen, Extra Virgin is the Italian, Gunbae is Korean BBQ and Pink Agave is the Mexican but with a lot of different types of food on the menu. Then they have the Galley which is about 12 different food outlets, like a food court, that have a range

SOFITEL DARLUNG HARBOUR

Delish dinner at Atelier by Sofitel

of food as well, all cooked to order no buffets, there are Tacos, Sushi, Sandwich Press, The Dock which is Greek and bites, The pizza place, The Social Club Diner, The Sweet Side, Lick me Till Ice Cream, Diner and Dash, the Daily Mix, Well Bread and a few more, you would have to be hard pressed not to find something you like! Entertainment is also very good with a good mix and variety. We need to be entertained as there are so many sea days now we have been rerouted around South Africa instead of heading north into Asia and Middle East, anyway it is what it is and with eight of us we are always catching up and have our happy hours each afternoon. Arrived in Fremantle Tuesday 2.4.2024, arrived to sunrising and an absolute cracker of a day, it was sunny, warm the perfect day to take a stroll around Freo which we all did and John and I met our mate Paula for lunch a very old pub in town The Norfolk, lots of character and great food set in a lush green beer type garden room. Had a great day and all aboard for Mauritius

ATELIER BY SOFITEL

Pat and Gordons Anniversary

at 4.30pm. Though from our balcony we did see a couple come up the gangway just before they had the crane to lift it back from the ship, boy that was close! Especially hearing about the Norwegian ship that left a group on an African Island when they were late back to the ship and they had to try an catch up a couple of days later. Its Friday the 5th and we are just over a third of the way to Mauritius, we arrive there Wednesday 10th, it will be a much awaited stop for the day, the sea days seem so long, and as time goes on there doesn't seem much going on in the ship as far as movies, shows etc during the day, its more fitness, shops having lectures on their wares and the hard sell on body products or potions and pills! Not our thing at all. Anyway it all gets a lot better once we get to Mauritius, not as many sea days in a row. Get up late, have brunch, do a good walk, find something to watch and then before you know it, it is happy hour then dinner!

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