Had a lazy start to the day after a couple of wakeful periods. At 1 am I think half of Copenhagen were partying in the street below my window, well maybe 3 or 4 lol. It was nice and peaceful for a while until the building demolish works started up at 3.30.

A little walk around the square and then breakfast. Headed out again to get a few munzees and realised on the other side of the square that I didn’t have my phone cable as it needed charging already. Back at my room I just did a bit of reading and game playing whilst charging up the phone, and then headed out for the munzees out the front of Tivoli. Mission accomplished, back to the hotel to get everything packed up to check-out. Caught a taxi to the cruise terminal and was eating lunch in no time at all. Chatted to a few people and then headed down to my room. Suitcase waiting outside already. Did the unpacking, met my stateroom attendant and then headed down to deck 5 for our mandatory emergency drill. Across the way was the Terminal building we had all checked in at. There are lots of small yellow-flowered plants growing all over its roof and there are nesting seagulls amongst the plants, including 2 tiny babies. Fascinating how adaptable they are.

Back to my room to grab the camera as my room was also near the seagull roofs. Once the pictures were taken I headed up to the Diamond Lounge, just because I could as I became eligible after last year’s cruise, lol. Chatted with a couple and their daughter for a while then time for dinner. Quick trip back to my room and then headed for the Windjammer dining room, which this trip is the complete other end of the ship, unlike last year’s cruise where we were right under it.

Dinner done, now it’s blog writing time, then shower & bed. As the sun doesn’t set until 10 pm. I can watch the shores of Sweden drifting past as hopefully I drift off, lol. (Just coming up to Elsinore/Helsingborg)

Tivoli front entrance

 No idea, but liked all the flags The roof  One nesting gullSwedenFront view

My stars what a day, not even sure I can remember everything I’ve done in it, lol.

The day started early, it’s almost light at 3 am which is when I woke up to the sounds of someone doing some house renovating across from the hotel. Well it sounded like some sort of building works and as it ceased around 5. I reckon they were doing some personal work before heading off to real work! Went for a walk outside before the 6.30 breakfast. Several homeless sitting/sleeping on benches around the square or on the ground near the buildings, so decided I wasn’t venturing far.

Enjoyed breakfast, especially the pickled herring, the liver pate and the tiny whole potatoes. Back up to my room and then hit the streets about 9. Walked through the shopping precinct across to the botanic gardens and had a wander through them. Then headed towards Nyhavn, but discovered I had turned left at the wrong spot and was on the wrong side of Rosenborg Castle. So headed back and got onto the correct road. I noticed something going on ahead of me in the shape of police and pedestrians all standing around. Then, amazing enough I had timed something right, and the Queen’s guard where doing their shift change, so they came marching along and out through the gate. With a policeman in front and one behind they proceeded to march down the road holding up all the traffic.

Didn’t get to Nyhavn, got munzee sidetracked and then got to the spot where I was meeting the family for a canal cruise. Even though Jesse had phoned and said they were running late (they cycled in from home) we made the 2 pm sailing! It was rather sunny so I think I’m a little sun-burnt, but it was a good cruise, though I think the boys got a little bored. From there we went to the Round Tower. It’s a 9-storey building, but except for the last couple of floors, it is a paved spiral as the king who commissioned it wanted to ride his horse up and down it! The tower features in Hans Christian Anderson’s Tinderbox story with the dog with eyes the size of the Round Tower (I’m going to have a read of it again later tonight!) It was quite a hike, but there were interesting spots to visit along the way, like the privy, who’s contents went all the way down the basement. (Pleasingly not in use any more, lol) Also the gloss floor put in across the hollow core of the building, showing a very long drop down.

After the very narrow staircase at the top we had amazing 360 degree views of Copenhagen and surrounds. Lots of spires and other places of renown. Then the descent back down to the ground floor, easier than the going up!!!

Having worked up an appetite we had a buffet dinner at a restaurant Jesse and Cristina had heard was good. The two boys definitely enjoyed it, and so did the adults! Finally though we had to part company, so I gave them some Aussie gifts (Julius got the little kangaroo for his animal collection) and I wended my way back to the hotel. Bed very soon after this is posted!!!

Breakfast, check-out and cruise ship check-in tomorrow.

 Botanic garden Bed of irises Marching along…   The Round Tower

The family, you can just see the paving

 A tiny viewThe family

Had a lovely wander around the Town Hall block. Had my first meal from a hot-dog vendor, watched an amazing man with 3 strings of loops and a paddling pool of soap create thousands of bubbles to fly around the square in front of the Town Hall. Found that the Hall courtyard garden was open and had a wander through that, lovely rhododendrons. Back to the hotel for a quick refresh and then waited outside for Jesse. Fascinating watching all the cyclists here. Have so far only seen one person out of the many wearing cycling gear, all the rest in their daily clothes, including the man in his business suit! Jesse picked me up and we went back to his place. He normally cycles to work so his car is getting a work out, lol.

Had a tour of the garden, Cristina grows lots of fruit and veggies. They have refurbished their house almost completely from the walls inwards and is looking lovely. Christophe (11) and Julius (8) showed me their rooms up in what would be the attic at home, but not here. Great views!

Had thyme chicken, wild rice and raw carrots for dinner, yummy, and then 3 desserts. Fresh strawberries from the garden, picked and prepared by Christophe, then a whipped buttermilk something which Jesse made, and then Cristina’s chocolate cake. Then we made plans for today (Wednesday)

I was feeling rather tired by 8.30 and the trip back to the hotel, but it was still daylight outside!!!

Bubble blowing

Lovely seaweed/sea urchin over courtyard entrance

The chiming clock of the Town Hall from the courtyard

The fruit & veggie patch!

Gary picked me up at 3 and just 30 minutes later I was at the airport. As I had a connecting flight that wasn’t Qantas based I had to check in manually, almost a novel experience nowadays.

Boarding was a little delayed, at 18.15, but the plane was full. Had a nice man sitting next to me in the centre seat, he was going back to Wales as his elderly mother wasn’t doing well.

Flight was only 16 hours and 22 minutes, according to my logbook, and basically they kept the lights low or off the whole time. We had dinner a couple of hours after take-off and then came the trying to sleep bit. Managed some probably 4-5 hours all up. Played lots of games and read a bit. We breakfasted a couple of hours before landing, which was early, so I had plenty of time to get over to terminal 2 (only person on the bus) and found Heathrow is very quiet that time of the morning. Had to get a boarding pass and I was departing from Gate A26, which of course was at the end of the wing for gates 19-26.

Hour & 20-minute flight and once again trying to find ones way around another airport. Finally got to the baggage carousel and waited for the bags to start appearing, and amazingly, mine was the first off, I assume that means it was the last on, lol.

Jesse was waiting for me at the exit, easy to recognise him. He works at the airport, so that was rather nice. We then walked out to the pickup point and I waited for him to collect his car. I got in and started trying to find the steering wheel to help straighten myself up, just as I do at home, but of course the steering wheel was on the wrong side, LOL.

Everything is so green, it’s lovely. Jesse took the long way around to my hotel, which is opposite a square in front of the Town Hall, complete with chiming clock. It also has Tivoli on the other side of the square. I’m getting picked up again later and going to meet the rest of the family and have dinner. In the meantime, I got into my room super-early as check-in is 3 pm and I got here about 11 am. So, have had a shower and a change and feel much more human. A bit sleepy, but going to try and not do any napping until bed-time. Now that the blog is written I’m going outside for a wander around and to get some photos, so watch this space, lol.

Well as I don’t leave until 18.45 it’s not really the first day, lol.

Anyway, bags are packed, almost all the bins emptied, haven’t quite tackled the floor washing yet, but otherwise ready to go. Gary is picking me up at 3 and taking me into the airport. I have to check-in there as I have a connecting flight from London to Copenhagen. 18 hours non-stop to Heathrow, an hour there and then a short flight to Denmark. I’ll get to the next bit of the blog when I get settled. xoxo

The morning was still very grey, but it did lighten up the closer we got to Aus and the sun was actually out for a part of the day with some largish patches of blue sky which made the water a lovely shade of blue. It is overcast again now though and the sea is rather calm, it’s been a good trip that way, just a pleasant roll now and again, lol.

Had a nice final tasty lunch and dinner was yummy with lots of seafood options. They also made a large cake for lunch which was replaced by a chocolate fountain and a myriad of chocolate goodies for dinner. (The queue was way to long so we didn’t do the chocolate bit, lol)

I downloaded a couple of new games for Mum to play on her tablet, she is now muttering about not enough carrots, LOL. I also discovered a new word game which I can’t leave alone, much to the detriment of the spreadsheet I’ve been working on the last 2 weeks!

Breakfast starts at 6 tomorrow and express departure is before 7.15, so planning on eating and leaving early, taxi to the airport and then we can relax there without the worry of missing the flight.

Catch you all again on the next blog, lol

Very poor day today, no news and no photos. We did see the sun for about 20 minutes and that was it. Foggy first thing and now heavy rain! Mum watched the news channel to see how the weather was in Sydney & Perth. Bet it’s raining in both when we get to them, lol. Mum has nearly finished her third book, so  with the last day of cruising tomorrow, she’ll finish that one as well.

I know, you are probably fed up with the weather comments, but today was awful once again! When it wasn’t raining the clouds were low and now we are out at sea the fog horn is sounding it’s mournful note!

We spent about an hour in each Sound, and they would have been fantastic in the sun. The waterfalls were everywhere and some of them rather noisy with the amount of water rushing over the rocks. We had a 2-hour transit between Dusky and Doubtful and then 3 hours on to Milford. We stopped in the middle of the bay at the end of Milford Sound to collect passengers who had done an overnight tour and then the ship did a 360 degree turn to allow everyone another view and then another 180 degrees to head back out of the Sound and into the Tasman Sea.

2 more days of cruising and then Sydney.

Lots of go today. Watched the clever manoeuvring once again of docking. The ship turned 180 degrees, reversed into our spot and then sideways to meet the dock without feeling it at all.

Had some breakfast and then left the ship about 9 (in the rain!!!!) to wander into Port Chalmers. Very nicely, just across the main road, there was an indoor market place full of home-made crafts and related items. Some amazing and beautiful stuff.

Came back to the ship as it was still raining and I had a 11.15 meet (originally at 9 am) for a tour. Well, we waited and waited (in the rain). Apparently because the train (for another tour) ‘parks’ in front of the bus parking area, the bus can’t get out until the train leaves, which meant they ran late, and so my bus was delayed 35 minutes.

I did a wildlife cruise in Otago Harbour which was great. Lots of cormorants and gulls, terns and swans, little blue penguins kept popping up for a look (they have all been microchipped), NZ fur seals and albatrosses on the headland. Saw 2 different albatrosses, a close-up of white-capped ones, and the royal at a distance as they were sitting on nests. It did finally stop raining, but it was still very grey.

Then back to the ship to collect Mum for a bus trip into Dunedin. Sadly, because I had been delayed so much we caught the last bus out of the port (the only passengers and we got a free trip) and enjoyed the 25 minute trip into Dunedin. This bus was also the last one out of Dunedin, so we couldn’t have a look around, but at least we did get into town.

We have been watching the last of the passengers arriving and we should be leaving very soon. And now the sun is shining!!!!!!!!!

This has been our last NZ land day. Tomorrow we cruise Fiordland and the Sounds, then 2 days cruising back to Sydney.

Well this blog is going to be short and sweet, we didn’t do anything today at sea. Couldn’t even sit on the balcony, it’s got really cold. Not much sun around either so not the best of days. Ship rocking a little more than usual, but Mum seems to be coping with it OK.

Did do some fleeting bird watching, they are amazing these sea birds, how they effortlessly glide over the tops of the waves.

I have a wildlife cruise tomorrow in Dunedin Harbour, as if I haven’t had enough time on water, lol. Then meeting a local munzee hunter, so we will get into the town on a shuttle for that.

The first photo shows the glimpse of sun we had leaving Wellington.