At Sea enroute to Melbourne
Today was the first sea day of this leg of the trip.  I am not sure if I told you that the Discovery Channel is filming on here called "Mighty Ships".  When we returned to our room last night there was a brochure for the World Cruise Olympics.  Today was sign up.  Bill and I went down to sign up and get our shirts.  Bill then went to the lecture and I was walking by the shops when Josef the hotel director walked up the steps and stopped and asked me about the Olympics what I signed up for all that.  So you all know that I am shy and quiet (Right and the sun never shines in AZ) anyway what I did not know was that they filming this.  So after Josef told me to have a great day and went his way.  Someone from the film crew came running up to me to sign a waiver letting them use me in the film. My thoughts and of course it came out.  "You were filming I didn't know that I would have fixed my hair or put on make up.  I have been wearing makeup almost everyday not today.  Today was a lazy day I really wanted to just stay in bed!!!!  Their answer was yes we are glad you didn't know it made it more realistic. So if it makes it into the film or on the cutting room floor only time will tell. Yesterday we had our second life boat drill.  usually when you are on for back to backs you don't have to go down except once a month but I asked James today and he said the law has been changed since the accident of the Costa ship.  James is the Shore Excursion Manager he is also in charge of our lifeboat.  I did tell him that this was one excursion I was not taking and I would not pay for it if he insisted on taking us.  We had a great laugh over that.  He said he will schedule that excursion after I get off the ship in April~! After the lecture Bill and I played backgammon then had lunch then played again.  Now I won't say who won but it was 7 games to 2 and Bill is not happy.  We both signed up to play Backgammon in the Olympics, we both signed up for shuffleboard and I signed up for Free Cell and Bill signed up for basketball!  After all this Bill took the golf lesson and I went to my Memoir writing class.  It was the first class since 3 of our memoirs have been read so they spend the class rehashing them and finding out all the good things in them...  Now I am back in the room and tonight is a formal night so this will take some work.  Of course there is another cocktail party this evening.  Not sure I am going.  Last night I had two martinis and I think that is why I wanted to stay in bed today.  While we were sitting in the bistro this morning Tom Farrante came up to us.  He is one of the lecturers on this segment and he remembered us from our South America trip!
I am going to go and get myself presentable for dinner and the show.
Tomorrow we will be in Melbourne and we have a full day in the Australian Bush, we get home and  have a little while to freshen up and change for our World Cruise Event which is "Moulin Rouge at the Regent Theatre".  There will be heavy canapes, Australian Wines and Beers, Soft drinks, cofffee and tea.  Just so that we are not starving they are setting up a buffet in the Crystal Cove when we return around 9pm.  God Forbid we go more than 2 hours without food!  Yesterday when we were in Sydney, the Celebrity ship was there also and they are riding almost along side of us.  The waiters tell us that tomorrow after lunch our crew is going to play soccer against their crew.  If I didn't have the excursion I would go and cheer them on.
If I have a chance I will post more later if not.
Good night and God Bless!

Pulling out of Sydney harbor

Harbor Bridge

view from Balcony on sailaway from Sydney

Sydney Sailaway

Sydney harbor

Bill on Veranda leaving Sydney

Bill, and I with Rick the cruise director

Pat, Becky and I At Cruise Critic meet and mingle

My Osso Bucco from Prego

New dessert in Prego Leminocello cloud

We had another fabulous day in Sydney.  We did sleep a little later today as we got home from the opera pretty late last night.  We headed out to the Apple store as we were told that they would upgrade us to the newest version.  Well it seems that they never set Bill's up right in Honolulu so we had to spend a few  extra minuts getting that set up.  We started to walk back to the ship and went the wrong way so we took a cab.  We had lunch n the ship and Bill headed back out to walk around again.  My feet were still swollen from last night so I figured I walked enough.  I realaxed and had our IPADS configured for the ship and sat in Bistro drinking tea and answering emails.  We had a mandatory lifeboat drill for everyone on board.  Then we went back to our cabin to get ready for this evening.

The Discovery channel is making  a movie on board about the ship After we set sail from Sydney they were above us in a helicopter filming.  Tonight was the meet and mingle from Cruise Critic.  Not too many people showed up it was at the same time as the show.  Rick Spath the Cruise director, David and Karen from entertainment, head housekeeper and a few other crew members were there.  We actually had more crew than guests but it was great.  We had asked Becky if she would like to join us at Prego this evening so right after the cocktail party the three us headed to Prego where we had great food and great converstaion.  Needless to say I had two martinis and we all know 1 is my limit so it was FUN.  Now it is after 11pm Wednesday February 8,th and I am heading to bed.

Tomorrow we will be at sea and it is a formal night.  There will be a cocktail party with the captain Welcoming everyone aboard,then Friday we will be in Melbourne.  Bill and I have an all day tour of the Australian Bush, Koalas and Kangaroos.  Then at night we have a special World Cruise outing.  So until next time 

Good night and God Bless!

The Opera House
We went to see The Magic Flute.  What a great opera for Bill's first time.  It was light and in English.  He even enjoyed it.  We were picked up by limo and driven over to the opera house.  We can see it from our balcony but you have to go all the way around to get to it.  After the opera there was suppose to be a bus.  We waited almost 30 minutes and still no bus.  Some people walked.  My feet were so swollen at this point I could not walk.  Some nice couple who got on today were not happy with the wait they went up to the shuttle driver who was done for the night and asked him if he would take us.  He took as many who would fit.  Poor James is going to get a lot of complaints tomorrow!  When we returned they had a lovely buffet set up in the Bistro.  Prime Ribs, mashed potatoes, veggies, sandwiches, shrimp, salad, fruit, and desserts.  With beverage service of course!  So it is now 11:30pm Tuesday night and I have been up since 6am.


I am going to sleep
Good night and God Bless!

Arriving into Sydney at 6am this Tuesday am.

Sydney Harbor from our veranda

Bill on our veranda with Opera house

View from our veranda

G'day mate!  Hello from Sydney, Australia.  We arrived here quite early this am

before 6am and we were up to watch.  There are some ports  Sydney, New York, Venus, Hong Kong that are just so spectacular to see coming in that you need to be up.  So up we got had room service so we could sit on our balcony and watch.  The only problem is we will need a nap as we have the opera tonight!

We do not have any tour today as we had done them last time so we can walk around on our own.

Now yesterday I said I called the kids and talked to them now I am not saying which son but one of them said "I thought you had to be important to write a memoir"  Now I truly understand why my grandmother use to say "Better I should have raised a pig at least I would have pork chops".  Luke did I tell you that you are my favorite son!!!!!!!!!!!

Last night we were invited to the Captain's quarters for cocktails.  I stuck to the champagne but I didn't eat as it was caviar and I am not a big fan.  Anyway there were about 25 of us and Captain Glen greeted each of us at the door and then came around and spoke individually to each couple.  I met a couple he is 95, she is 91 ad they are on their 7th World Cruise.  He told me his son just retired from work!  The ship's doctor was there.  He was the doctor on the Symphony last year when I and my scooter went over and he remembered me!

Well I am going back to bed for a little while nothing is open yet as it is just 7:30am Tuesday morning here.  We have two full days here so lots to see and do.  I will report about the opera tomorrow.

Have a great day.  And Mike I told Captain Glen your thought for the day and he loved it.

Super Bowl Monday Feb 6,2007
Today we arrived in NewCastle, Australia.  Bill opted to stay on the ship to watch the superbowl.  I took the shuttle to town when I departed the shuttle I asked the bus driver where I could find free internet and if this is where I could find the bus to return to the ship  It was right in front of the Queens Tower.  He said Mam if you get lost just head for the tower.  I said thanks, did my husband tell you that I have no sense of direction.  He said no I figured it out your a blonde!  So that started me laughing.  Well the tower is beautiful (no pictures because this blonde left the camera card in the computer and didn't even think to use her iphone or ipad.  duh I guess I am blonde!  Anyway it was a long way up the tower (not steps thank God) and then across a bridge (over the rail tracks) in the center of the town.  Shops lined both sides of th street and a one lane of cars down the middle.  the best thing is they had park benches where you could sit and get free internet.

When we docked this am I immediately called the kids.  Spoke to all the kids except for Luke left him a message.  When I got into town I downloaded Skype for my IPAD.  Then I couldn't get on good thing Melissa was on Facebook and told me my sign in name.  So it was great here I was sitting on a park bench in NewCastle Australia and seeing and talking to the kids~~  Returned to the ship and went into the theater where they were showing the game on the big screen and the Giants were losing by 2 left and came up to the room to drop off the stuff and read a little.  Went back down and now the Giants are winning with 17 seconds to go.  Not wanting to jinx them I left and stood outside where they had the hot dogs, popcorn, free beer and soft drinks till the game was over!  WAY TO GO GIANTS~  Only if New England had 11 and the Giants their 21 I would have won $1000.  Oh well.  I know I said this before but just in case some of you have not read this.  4 years ago we were on this same ship when these teams played each other.  Patriots actually were undefeated that season and we beat them that time too~~~~~.  Okay I am recovering from the nerves of having an excerpt of my memoirs read aloud to a large audience.  Bruce McGill (the actor) came up to me later and said it was a great story.  I said I was so nervous he said  welcome to my world it's not easy being judged and I said yeah but you get paid for it.  He laughed and said good point, it still is nerve wracking though~
Yesterday we had lunch with Becky a friend of mine from Cruise Critic and she took a picture which I copied from her so that will be below.  Have to go get dressed for a cocktail party in the captain's quarters this evening!  Tomorrow Sydney and at night the Opera!

It is not letting me post the picture outside the theater oh well.  Tomorrow is another day!

Tomorrow is a turn around day.  People are leaving the ship and new people are getting on.  The first leg of 5 legs of the world cruise is over and I can't believe how fast it went.  Especially since we had 7 sea days in a row.  Blink your eyes and it is gone.  Amazing.  We now begin the voyage Sydney to Singapore!  Bring it on baby I'm ready!
Since it is not bed time here only 6pm I will sign off with
That's all folks..................

Brian.  All the waiters had funny hats put came bearing drinks!

Elise World Cruise Hostess

Entertainment staff

Rick, Cruise Director

Scene where they sang "Gonna wash that man right out of my hair"

Beverly and Curtis The dancers on the ship

As promised here are some pictures from the party.  The entertainment was a couple of scenes out of South Pacific but they changed words.  They are all so talented.  I had a Bali Hi and it was really really good.  I have found it is better to upload pictures early in the am rather than late at night so I might try doing this from now on,

As I said last night the show was hysterical I just wish he was going to be on again.  Tomorrow New Castle Australia and we have not been there before so I am looking forward to that. Did cancel our tour since it will be the superbowl but we dock right in the town and my mission is to find free internet~~~  Going to breakfast have a great day!  Tonight is a formal night I will try to post some pictures of us!

Saturday February 4, 2012
Wow another really busy day at sea.  There are so many things to do and not enough time.  With all these extra hours I awoke really early this am and Bill slept in so I went to breakfast by myself.  I had a 10:00am meeting with Joe Kita,  Joe is a journalist and tv personality who is teaching the memoir writing course and we needed to discuss my writing.  After that Bill and I went to the lecture about the future of the world.  Yesterday I was at the movies and half way through my hearing aid battery went and I didn't have my purse.  Today I wished it would have gone.  Not my cup of tea but that is okay.  By the time that was done we headed down to lunch but the menu in the dining room was a heavy seafood so we headed up to the American buffet.  After lunch we had to meet with Australian immigrations before we dock there on Monday.  I think that took all of 60 seconds.  Then I popped in on Bruce McGill's last lecture it was actually a question and answer session and before anyone asked he did the thing on his eck that he did in Animal house.  He played the guy on the motorcycle.  After Bruce's talk I headed over to the Name that Tune and wound up with just one other lady.  All the other teams had 6 but we didn't do too badly.  Then was my memoir writing class. Tomorrow he is having some entertainers come in and read excerpts from 4 stories and mine was selected.  A little nervous having it read out loud.  Anyway that's tomorrow.  Today we had Robert Adams who is a literary critic from Canada come in and tell us what makes a good book and what doesn't. Then it was back home to rest before we had to get to the 7:45 show.  He was a musical humorist is name is Dale Gonyea and I have never seen him before.  All I can say is that it should have a disclaimer that women should not wear mascara.  He was so hysterical that my eye makeup was runnign down my face.  He wrote three songs about Noumea, New Caledonia and they were all hysterical.  He came out on stage with his life jacket on I knew this was going to be exceptional.  It was a fantastic show.  Great dinner again.  Bill had the dover sole I had sweet and sour pork.  Augusto made me bananas foster for dessert.  Then it was run to the Liar's Club.  We had first encountered this on the Symphony in Novembr of last year.  The panel was James, shore excursion mgr, Dale, the comedian, Rabbi Morrie and Bruce McGill.  They come up with 5 words that no one has ever heard and they each give a meaning and you need to pick the one who is telling the truth.  Well All I can say is it was hysterical to say the least and Rabbi Morrie was so funny we want to go to one of his sermons.  He kept saying he knew the word because he studied it in Rabinical school  Now I am hear writing this and getting ready for bed.  I will post some pictures tomorrow.  As Scarlett would say
I'll worry about that tomorrow.  tomorrow is another day.
Good Night and God Bless

Noumea, New Caledonia

As we were pulling into New Caledonia we kept hearing beating drums.  We looked out our Veranda and as the ship was going sideways into the dock the top pictures are what we saw.  They were also dancing for us.  Unfortunately, it started to rain and continued all through our tour.  Bill said they looked like they were trying to find out who was going to be dinner.

We had a tour of the city and then aquaraium.  Lots of different kids of fish they have here.  Took lots of pictures but I am  not going to post.  

We went to the afternoon movie "Midnight in Paris with Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams.  Now I carry my little purse all over the friggin place today I went to the movies without it and of course halfway into the movie my hearing aid battery died.  It was like being in the 20s and seeing a silent film.  I didn't want to get up and leave because I would disturb anyone.  So I sat there and closed my eyes.  Bill said it was a good movie.  I did enjoy all the scenery of Paris and even picked out a few of the places we ate one was where we had the best Chocolate mousse ever!

We are getting ready to sail and then tonight we have a party for the World Cruisers "Colors of the South Pacific"  will report more on that later.

Thanks for the great comments those of you who are commenting.

well as Bugs Bunny says

"That's all folks!

Bill and I tonight after dinner

Augusto our head waiter making us Caesar Salad

What a great day at sea.  Too many places to go and not enough time.  We put our clocks back an hour last night and will do the same today.  The only problem is I keep getting up earlier and earlier and if this continues I will meet myself getting into the bed.  Someone asked the time difference.  Who the hell knows I don't even know what day it is.  Actually Augusto tells me that we are 17 hours ahead of NY that would be 15 hours ahead of AZ.

We had a nice breakfast outside in the Lido today since yesterday the weather was so horrible we decided to sit out and relax.  The minute I walk into the Lido and pick up a plate, Bryan, Demi and Liebert call come running and try filling the plate and make we sit.  One brings me the tea.  The other brings my juice and the last one gathers whatever food I want.  I want to bring them all home with me!

After breakfast I went to the computer lab and printed my revised copy of my memoir.  Then it was a choice between using the IPAD 2 camera class and a cooking demonstration.  I of course chose the cooking class.  I did stop into the IPAD class and was assured that they were taping it and would run it for us.

The cooking demo was called "A Taste of Italy" but I must say I was disappointed as you did not get to taste anything.  after that I met Bill we had lunch and I was off to my hot stone massage!  Hah life is good.  Then it was on to my memoir writing class.  Apparently near the end of each segment they have some celebreties come in and read 4 of the memoirs.  Mine has been chosen.  So we will see.  That is not till Sunday. Dinner tonight I had the filet mignon and Bill had a veal chop.  I started with the cream of sweet corn soup.  Bill had a salad.  I had a chocolate dove cake ala mode, Bill had a coffee hazelnut zambione he said it was delicious!

 Tomorrow Fri,Feb 3 we will be in Noumea, New Caledonia which is in the South Pacific and was a huge place for us in the War  The big one as Archie Bunker would say. After not being on land for  awhile everyone is ready to get on land.  We have a tour of the aquarium.  They have a large barrier reef.

Last night we were invited to the Captain's quarters for cocktails but he cancelled due to the weather so tonight we got another invitation for Monday evening.

Tomorrow night there is a Colors of the South Pacific party for the full world cruisers.  and we just got an invitation for a party and entertainment in Melbourne Australia on the 10th of February.

I think I said yesterday I won a prize for calling into the morning show and correctly answering what the name of the movie was from 4 pictures that they showed.  It was Lethal Weapon.  Anyway I got a really nice wooden case with a pen and pencil.  I tried to call in today but people beat me to it.

We are having such a great time and I really can't believe how fast the time is going.  so I am turning my clock back and headed to bed we have a full day tomorrow.

Good night and God Bless

Bill with his special Pasta tonight

Cheltan our waiter took this!

Cheltan our senior waiter

Javier our waiter

Our World Cruise Polo Shirts and Dateline crossing certificates

Close up of certificate

Another great day at sea.  Last night the captain took us many many miles west because the weather was going to be rough.  It was not that bad during the night.  We did put all glass stuff away on the bottom of the closet.  But during the day it started to get a little more windy and they cancelled the big production number and had a concert pianist instead.  They had one show at 7:45 before dinner when I got up to leave my cane went one way me the other and unfortunately a glass on the table was a casualty.  We were suppose to go to the Captain's quarter this evening for a cocktail party but due to the weather it has been postponed and will be rescheduled.

Yesterday Josef the hotel director sent out cards asking for feed back from the whole world cruisers.  I said everything was wonderful but I didn't care for the new chocolates.  It is a small box of chocolate covered dried apples...  Today I got a call from him telling me that he sent my comment on to LA.  They really do take you seriously,

Still working with James on Toyko.  We have to cancel the tour for Newcastle Australia as that is when the superbowl is and we had a full day tour.  No problem I will just stroll around town and try to find free internet to play my games!

We went to the movies today as I did not memoir writing class.  Of course I did have to rewrite my paper.  All that red but it is coming along.  I edited and wrote more so when I give it to him tomorrow I will probably get it back on Saturday  We will be in New Caledonia on Friday whch is Thursday for you guys.  Talk about confusing I have no idea what time, what day where the hell I am.  Oh yeah somewhere in the south Pacific Ocean.

Last night when we came back to the room there were magnetic pins for us and tonight we got our World Cruise shirts and Dateline Crossing certificates.  I like finding presents....  I must find out about my trivia present.  I called into the morning show this am with the correct answer to the movie it was Lethal Weapon....  Well we are gaining an hour tonight and another one tomorrow this is good.  Last night the piano player in the Avenue Saloon played a tribute to Billy Joel and it was quite good.  Tonight I am going to bed early.  Tomorrow Bill and I are both having hot stone massages~~

The captain's quote for the day:

JUST REMEMBER WHERE EVER YOU GO THAT'S WHERE YOU ARE!

Good night and God Bless