Sydney

Is there an "Old" Zealand?

Because the new one is amazingly gorgeous! Why they got rid of the old one is beyond me. Anyway, we have started our regular run of Sydney to New Zealand, and so far, so good. Te seas have been really rough, but we are battening down the hatches, and hunkering down and praying tor landfall. Seriously, it hasn't been that bad. We did cancel our shows first night out, because it was just too dangerous to be dancing on the stage. Nothing too bad, having been through hurricanes at sea before, but you know these new guys... they just don't have the schpootz for the high seas!

Here are some pics of New Zealand and other parts of Sydney I have recently discovered... enjoy!

Went to the Cadbury chocolate factory yesterday. It was amazing! Yummy yummy yummy! Bought way too many chocolates... they have a chocolate bar with a creme brulee filling... thought of you, Amy! More soon!

JMB

last few pics before the internet card runs out of $$$

Cranes, Peggy!!!

Melbourne and Hobart

This was originally going to be titled "How to feel fat, ugly and old in one flash" but I am in a much better mood now. The steps were going to be as follows:

1. Be sober
2. Go out with young people who are not
3. When you go out, and they lose you in the crowd, leave depressed.

This happened last night during our overnight in Hobart. Nice town. Nice bar, but I was left in the dust as soon as we got to the nightclub. Not fun. So I left and went back to the ship. Oh, sober living is fabulous, isn't it? I am so glad I chose it. (NOT!)

Anyhow, we are heading back to Sydney now. We have done the trans-whatever you call it of the entire continent of Australia. I loved it.

We did our Save The Last Dance show tonight. Got standing ovations. Finally. The hard work is paying off. We'll see when the ratings come in. Hopefully they will be at least a 90. If they aren't I will pull someone's hair out, since I don't have much left, it seems.

Next cruise is shorter, and I will finally get a chance to see New Zealand! I hear it is gorgeous, and I will be sure to let you know.

Enjoy the pics of Hobart... they have awesome scallops, by the way. Just in case you were wondering.

One of the coolest things I have noticed about the Tasmanian cities, and those on the Western part of Australia, is the mixture or different types of architecture, very often all next to each other. There is a very eclectic mix of art deco, with modern, mixed with turn of the century... awesome stuff. My love is definitely the art deco, as you will start to see from most of the pics.

Albany, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Hobart

just pics

So the flies...

You know how you see on TV those pictures of people in the outback or in Africa, and there are flies crawling around their faces? That is the flies of Australia. Those little buggers fly all over you and land in your nose, ears, and on your lips, of all places. They are just the slightest bit smaller than the house fly, but man, they are FORWARD! And you can't get rid of them! That was not fun. The flies. And the ants here are HUGE!!!

Icky flies.

Cool koalas. Cool Kangaroos and kookaburras. Cool black swans and peacocks.

The dinosaur graveyard was the ultimate!

The Koala Tea of Mercy is not Strained

So no, I didn't have any Koala Tea. I did hold one, though and feed it eucalyptus leaves. You know, eats chutes and leaves. It's true. Had an absolutely amazing day in Fremantle and Perth and areas beyond today. Started out a bit on the cool side, but it warmed up. Last night, we (Me, Ben, Ross, Lisa) decided to go to Armadale to see the Koalas since we missed out on them last time. I wasn't going to go, as it cost a bit of money that i really can't afford, but then I started thinking about how I am only here once, and would I regret it, and so I decided to go and do it. It was amazing. Took the train from Fremantle to Perth, which is gorgeous. Perth, not the train. And then from Perth to Armadale, which is out in east nowhereland. Kind of a haul out there. Once we got there, there were no cabs to be found to take us to the Koala sanctuary. So we waited, and found a taxi stand. There were five of us (Bill ended up joining us. He is our guitarist in the show band.). But of course, the taxi can only take four. So, guess who was the odd man out? Yeppers. Bill was kind enough to stay behind as well. So, we only had to wait about ten minutes, which wasn't bad. Got to the Koala sanctuary. What an interesting place.

It looked like it was a children's theme park under construction, or destruction. There was an unfinished railroad with tracks that kind of went nowhere, and crumpled up dinosaurs off to the side. I don't know what the dinosaurs had to do with Koalas, but they were interesting. The place cost 15 AUD to get in, and then additional if you wanted to hold the koalas. Of course, I fell for it and paid out the nose to do it. It was worth it. Have I mentioned that it was worth it yet?

Pics are coming...

We also saw kangaroos... yes, that is my hand feeding them. And a kookaburra, owls, and other little crawly and hopping animals that enjoy the comfort of humans. Got attacked by an ostrich through a chain link fence, and then got eaten by a dinosaur of some type.

Have I mentioned the flies yet?