Location map and sunrise 7.20

Starting to get a bit scary this daily routine of pool exercising, lol. Anyway, pool wasn’t heated again, the breeze wasn’t quite as cold, and it didn’t rain!!! I had had a quick chat with a lady wearing a nice swimsuit coverup, and she said it was only $10 down in the shopping precinct. So after pool, shower & brunch I headed down to deck 5. Lots of pretty things, jewellery, watches, etc., all with pretty prices!!! I found the rack of clothes she had been talking about and found a coverup still available, so that’s my first cruising purchase this holiday!!!

Carl and I played Tantrix. It’s a colour match game I’ve had for many year’s, which can be played solo or with 2-4 players. It’s always in my holiday bag to take away. Played a proper game and then made up our own rules for another version. Carl then had a go at some of the single puzzles.

Once again we have a time change tonight! We get these little credit card sized notifications in our door lock! I’ve changed the computer, just need to do the watch & phone when I’ve finished here.

It’s our second Saturday in a row, having crossed the International Date Line. Now Perth is in tomorrow land, lol.

Only 3 problems with the pool this morning! The heater hadn’t been turned on so the water wasn’t anywhere near warm. It rained so got even more wet and the wind was cold, so it wasn’t pleasant standing around in it trying to dry off a bit! However the nice hot shower made up for it!

I’m still having smoked salmon for brunch! Very yummy. Did quite a bit of family tree, have now done 500 pages of the 1939 Register. Still a way to go though.

Carl was up most of the night, so he slept in very late, lol. But we did finish the jigsaw. It took us about 9 hours to do it. I’ve got a game we can play for a change and then we can do Maria’s edge puzzle.

The elevators all have the day of the week in the floor to help us keep track of the days. This is the only day the staff didn’t have to change the day, as it stayed the same!

It looks like it is Miss Piggy day today as well!

Location map and sunrise 6.15

Once again in the pool this morning. I’m sure this won’t last, having the pool open on time, lol. The room attendant did his thing whilst I was in the pool, much easier than later when I have wet bathers hanging in the shower! He’s been doing it after I’ve showered and having brunch!

Carl popped in after his lunch and we spent another couple of hours doing the jigsaw It’s coming along nicely!

Carl then went off to the gym and I did my usual nothing much, lol.

Managed a sunset tonight, I was too late for yesterday’s.

Not quite sure when we are actually crossing the International Date Line, but we are repeating today tomorrow!

Location map and sunrise 6.30

We had to add another hour to our clocks last night, so now everything, including the sunrise is later. We are now 4 hours ahead of Perth.

Once again did the pool exercise, shower and brunch first thing. Then nothing much until Carl joined me for a bit more jigsaw. A couple of hours is enough for us. Carl brings in the table from the balcony. I sit on the bed and Carl on the only chair! But it is working well! Here are the start and finish photos for today.

Carl went up to the gym whilst I went to dinner! Bathroom was flooded again!!!!!!! My bear obtained eyes this morning, lol.

Location map and sunrise at 6 am. Including a westerly view as there was a touch of colour!

Solarium pool was open again at the proper time, so more exercises. This time because it was cold they started running heated water into it. Not overly warm, but at least not as cold! It was a rather grey day for a while!

Carl and I made a start on the jigsaw. I had a thought or two at 3 am about what to use to sort out pieces as nowhere to put them out. I had 2 bowls from my evening fruit salads and used the box Maria’s jigsaw was in. Also the empty rubbish bin until I finish tonight’s fruit salad! Spent a couple of hours on it!

After a relax, I only just managed to get the sunset, went to use the facilities and my bathroom floor was flooded!!! So headed upto the dining room a little earlier than planned.

I mentioned that I was doing the ‘Behind-the-scenes’ tour tomorrow when Carl said there are lots of steps! When I booked it I wasn’t using this wretched crutch, so had to cancel it. I had been really looking forward to it!!

Back to a dry bathroom, blog & fruit salad, lol.

P.S. for last cruise. There were 1100 children on it, only 100 on this cruise!

Location map 6.15 and sunrise

We had to put our clocks forward an hour again, so even though it was 6 am it did feel like 5 am!!

Headed up to the solarium and the pool was actually open!! Spent a chilly half hour exercising and then back for a nice hot shower. The water pressure is amazing, way better than home!! Brunch and then another day of doing nothing much.

You know the boat is rocking when the horizon disappears occasionally! The variation of visible water was very noticeable sometimes!

My location right next to the orange dot this time!

Met up with Carl for dinner and talked about a large variety of topics. AI, satellites, books, the state of the world, you know, usual stuff, LOL.

Location maps at 4.20 & 5.20 and sunrise!

Well today was a bit different! Finished packing and then did a bit of family tree! Left my room and headed for the Star Lounge where the consecutive cruisers were meeting. There must have been a couple of hundred people! We all had to have a numbered sticker and our passports labelled with our new room number. I was sitting chatting to a couple of American guys when the organiser asked if anyone needed a wheelchair and one of them raised his hand and said I needed one! Well it was really just as well because it was a long way off the ship, into the terminal, out onto the concourse and then back into the terminal. Had to hand in our incoming passenger declarations and then sat and waited for the immigration people to start work. What did we do before games on phones to pass the time? Then through passport control and back up the long series of ramps to the ship. Where we had to leave our passports for the French Polynesia part of the trip! Had an early lunch whilst waiting to be allowed into my new room. This one is on the other side of the ship next deck up, so now I’m completely turned around when getting out of the elevator. However, it’s identical to the last one, LOL.

Carl popped in for a chat and then we were going to meet in the WIndjammer for dinner. Out signals got a bit crossed as we waited for each other in different spots, but I’m sure it’ll be sorted before the 25 days are up!

This guy surprised me at lunchtime, moving around the outside of the ship!

Location map at 5 am.

I was on the wrong side of the ship to get a full sunrise this morning, but got a bit of colour out the back!

I did some more family tree this morning and then sat a while in the Crown Lounge breakfasting on smoked salmon!

Packed up the jigsaw and thought about the rest of my stuff but didn’t get to it! I have thought about leaving it until the morning but it will be the one day I don’t wake up between 3 & 4 am! Will probably do it after I’ve finished writing this!

Very cleverly I managed to leave my key card behind when I went off to dinner. Just as well the stateroom attendant was out there! It was a Greek theme tonight. The moussaka was very nice. They also had some seafood, their idea of a prawn cocktail is Shrimp salad to which you add Mary Rose sauce.

I did manage to get the sunset though as I was on the correct side of the ship for that!

At least I don’t have to leave my case outside, so maybe some now and finish in the morning!!

Location map and not much of a sunrise!

Another quiet, though rocky day. It’s rather disconcerting when walking along and the deck isn’t quite where your foot expected it! Sitting has it’s own sensations, lol.

I had to go down to deck 2 this morning to have my passport and visa checked. Apparently the passport is retained by the ship, after going through Australian Immigration at Brisbane, for the French Polynesian visit. It should be back by Hawaii for the US immigration check there. I just can’t seem to get the sunset. The daily newsletter said 6.05 pm, but it was dark at 5.30, so obviously way too much cloud!

One more day of cruising. Have to pack all my bags tomorrow, but I can leave them in my room when I go down to Immigration and they should be in my new room when I return! I’ll have to text Carl my room number so he can find me!!!

Another quiet day, what a surprise, LOL.

Location map at 5.15 and sunrise at 6.

As it was very pleasant outside and a nice calm sea, the flatest it’s been, I decided to stay out on the balcony after watching the sun rise and finish the jigsaw. I had already done half of it, so thought it a good opportunity to finish it. I will admit I took a shortcut. It was just too hard to do the normal way, as not able to have all the pieces spread out and visible. It has numbers on the back of the pieces, so I did a hundred at a time. I only used the numbers to sort, didn’t look at them whilst assembling!!! It has 501 pieces, 438 of them edges! It only just fitted my board with a little scrunching! Will do it properly when it gets to Helen’s jigsaw room!

Had a very late breakfast and then only the usual occupations until dinner! Here’s a panorama from the balcony once we had docked. The tenders were in use again, but unlike Mystery Island there was no early boarding. It took 2.5 hours for everyone to get to shore. All that hanging around just didn’t appeal to me.

Today was elephant day!

2 days cruising now back to Brisbane. Another time change tonight, back an hour!