Days 50 and 51 -  Sydney, Australia

Saturday, March 1

Awoke at 6:15 to watch the sail-in to Sydney.  It was very overcast with an occasional shower.  We have a huge banner saying, "Happy Mardi Gras" in honor of Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras today.  Vanity Faire, a drag queen whose name is actually Ben, rode into port on a giant stiletto.

We docked around 8 am and could disembark at 9.  I waited until closer to ten.  Walked around The Rocks market (held every Saturday and Sunday), found an ATM and then bought a few things. I found some beautiful hand-dyed silk yarn that I am going to make into a shawl during Needlework/Knitting group time.

The Visitor Information Centre has free wi-fi - not very fast but free is free. Spent over an hour trying to get some tax information (unsuccessfully) my daughter needs to complete my taxes.

Tried to find a drug store nearby but all that is near Circular Quay are convenience stores with sky high prices.  I'll leave it for tomorrow.

Got a coke in McDonalds (A$2.95 for a medium) - free (very slow) wi-fi but no toilets!  (Have I mentioned recently how much I love Comcast and its high speed internet?)

I was going to ride the Hop-on Hop-off bus today but decided to wait until tomorrow in case the weather is better (didn't get really good pictures in San Francisco because of the weather).

Went to the show by Indigiearth, an Aboriginal group, but they were late arriving so I left early so I would not be late for dinner.  I could have stayed for the show since I was the only one (at a table for 11) that showed up.  I was finished by 9:15 (dinner starts at 8:30) when usually we don't finish until 10 at the earliest!  Decided to sit on my balcony and look at the Opera House.  It was raining but it did not blow into my balcony.

Sunday, March 2

Today was disembarkation day for about half the passengers (if the rumors are true) and the same number will be getting on.

I woke up at 8:45 and was on Hop-On, Hop-Off bus by 9:20.  I did a complete circuit first to decide if I could find the places I needed (My original plan was to get a haircut and pedicure in Sydney but I did not see any nail salons and only one hair salon - so I will be making appointments on board at about three times the cost at home).

Went back to the area of the CBD (central business district) around the Queen Victoria Building.   I found a drug store and stocked up on more hairspray, toothpaste, etc.  There was a Westfield Shopping Centre and I was hoping they would have free wi-fi like the one in San Francisco but my iPad did not pick up a signal.  I did have a sandwich in the food court.

When I went outside it was pouring.  Luckily I had the rain poncho that I had been given on the HoHo bus in San Francisco in my bag.  I only had to wait about 10 minutes for the next bus but it was standing room only because nobody wanted to sit on the open upper deck.  After about a half an hour people got off and I had a seat for the remainder of the journey.
Got back to the ship just after 4pm and went to the Lido for tea.  (BTW, as I have been typing up today's entry I have been sitting looking out at the Opera House.). The muster drill for new passengers was held at 4:45.  Once you have done one in your embarkation port you do not have to attend another (unlike some cruise lines).

There were three ships in port today (all cousins since they are all owned by Carnival Corp.) - HAL Oosterdam, Costa Deliziosa, and the QE.  We had pride of place with our berth at Circular Quay (the Costa ship was anchored in the harbour and the HAL ship was docked on the other side of the bridge close to Darling Harbour).

Sat on my balcony and looked through the excursion booklet trying to decide what I will do when we get to Japan and China when I was not looking at the Opera House.

Because sail-away was scheduled for 9 pm, I ate in the Lido looking at the Opera House (reading back over this I have mentioned the Opera House frequently but it is one of those iconic structures, like Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty, etc. that is so amazing when you see it in person).

The drizzle stopped just before we pulled out and it was a beautiful sail-away.  I decided to watch the port presentation on Brisbane on the TV and make it an early night.  I also purchased more internet time (hopefully the last I will have to buy when the free time I get is added on).

Vanity Faire

The Rocks

The Rocks Market

The Rocks (where Sydney started)

Circular Quay (taken from my balcony)

Queen Victoria Building

late 1800s homes

Darling Harbour

people climbing the bridge

the "Coat Hangar Bridge, QE, and the Opera House

Smooth sailing until next time!