carole & MaryLou's Excellent Adventure-continues

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November 1

I haven’t blogged for a couple of days since we were cruising and basically read, slept, ate, read, slept and ate some more. The weather has been lovely but Hot, Hot, Hot and the seas calm. We did attend a show, a combination of a comic violinist and a wonderful concert pianist. The pianist was wonderful and her selection of material was familiar and accessible to a wide audience.

I am enjoying a delicious bowl of orange slices and ML is off for a scalp massage. We are now on our way to Indonesia.

Yesterday we visited Darwin. The temperature was between 80 and 90 but the humidity was very high. We took the shuttle into town. It is a lovely small city, impeccably maintained, no graffiti and parks manicured. We stopped in the PO and hit a couple of shops then headed to the bus terminal for a bus to Farrie Point where the casino is located. That’s what did me in. The bus stop was in the shade but we waited about 45 minutes for the bus and I began to melt and feel a bit dizzy. Finally the bus came and I was grateful that it was air-conditioned. By the time we reached the Casino I was feeling better.

The Casino is quite small, no poker table just table games and slots…. very stingy slots. We immediately headed to the bar and drank large glasses of water. We ere the only customers, if you can call us that, and the bar maid chatted us up for a bit.

This is one of the things I love about Aussies. They seem truly interested in you, where you are from and what you plan to see in their country. All have asked how things were at home and how our families made out in the storm. I wish I could answer them. Heard from Bill and Cathy, Joan I. and Joanne my cat sitter. No word from Joe or Pat, Todd or Darci or Laura. I assume everyone but Laura is out of power since they just bought a generator.

We finished our water then made a small contribution to the stingy slots and taxied back to the ship, changed into our bathing suits and stepped into our private pool up to our little necks. Everyone still seems to be off on tours so we enjoyed our private yacht, had a slice of pizza and a Guinness and vodka tonic and sat in the shade and read.

Tonight’s dress code is “Spooky”. The ship is decked out for Halloween and black cats and bats, skeletons and ghosts have appeared on doors and railings outside the cabins. One generous guest had Milky Way Bars taped to their decorated door.

The bar staff in the Crow’s Nest really got into it. There was a costume party later but we didn’t stay for the merriment.

Komodo Island is next on the agenda. After my experience in Darwin, we are going to bag that. I was looking forward to the snorkel part of the tour but the two-hour walk through the rain forest is a no go. MaryLou feels the same way so we will observe from the ship and still may see a dragon. I am going to see if we can take the tender in as far and the dock and then come back. Should be doable.

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