Burnie, Baby, Burnie

So... not much to say from the Burnie side of life. Got up early to go ashore, and lo and behold, there is no Burnie out the window. The currents and winds were too strong that we had to skip the port. And I had planned to go to the Penguin rehab center! Bummer.

So on to Hobart. We get in tomorrow around 6am, and all I have planned is to go eat some good Chinese dumplings, get a pin and a patch, and wander the streets taking some more photos. Anything to save some money. Taking pics is free.

Speaking of pictures, thanks for all the input about the photo contest I am entering. It looks as if I am going to be entering three photos, and I will post them as soon as I decide which one to toss out. I have four that I am favouring right now, and I can't decide on just three. Tough choices. There is one that is an amazing photo, but not quite in focus, so that may be the one that gets put off. The upside of the photo is that the out of focus-ness is what gives the photo the impressionistic quality that I like.

In other news, shows are going well. We did our second night of Shimmy tonight, and it went well. I have been singing on a very sore throat, so only having one show tonight was truly a blessing. Strange thing, this sore throat... it is scratchy, has been for a little over a week now, and doesn't seem to be going away. No fever, no other symptoms, just soreness. Hopefully it will go away, but I only have one day off before the next show from hell: Save The Last Dance. Very high, and lots of singing.

Missed Mom's birthday, but called and left her a message on Dad's voice mail. Hope she got it. Don't know. They didn't email me to tell me. But that's okay, I have yet to send off the first postcard.

Still working on setting up some audition workshops through an agency in Sydney, and of course, I misplaced the email address, so poop on me.

Overnight in Hobart. Then back to Sydney. The Tasman sea is supposed be very unfriendly these days, so we'll see how things go.

Oh! Forgot to mention Noro virus! We've been on red level for about five days now, meaning no crew can go into public areas unless it is work related. That means dinner in the crew mess (yuck). Long story short, I have been eating lots of frosted flakes.

I will try and post some pics from Hobart tomorrow evening, as I need to get another internet card. More later! Love ya! -JMB

Latest Pics...

From Albany, Adelaide, and Melbourne

more in the series

some more for consideration...

Perth Pics

The others are from Fremantle.

Happy Perth-day!

Great day today. Started the day out by not sleeping at all last night, yet again. Not sure what's going on there, but insomnia is a pain in the neck, I tell you!

Got into Fremantle this morning to the horrific sound of something scraping right outside my portholes, then an awful snapping sound. Not fun. Scared the bejeezus out of me, so I figured might as well get up and start the day.

Was in the Ward Room last night, which is the bar for officers and staff, and those of us "privileged" enough to pay the membership fee monthly. The cast was all there talking about what they were going to be doing today. The last I had heard before i went to bed was that we were going to take the train into Perth and spend the day there gallivanting around.

Of course, everyone BUT me got trashed after I had already gone to bed, so the plans fell through. Surprise surprise. They all got up late, so I ventured out on my own again. Some of you (Mom) have been wondering why there aren't any pictures of me and the cast posted yet. Well, that's simple. I don't hang out with anyone. I try, but it's that invisible person syndrome I seem to have. I sit in the group and try to make conversation, but eventually the backs turn to me, and it becomes more important who is going to pick up who that night and take them home to their cabin, where they think everything is secret, but nothing is. These walls are paper thin, hunnies!

Anyhow. Toodled around Fremantle, looking for my pin and patch. Got the pins and the Perth patch (in Fremantle) but no Fremantle patch. They don't make them for some reason. They probably had one at the maritime museum, but by the time I got there they had already closed, it being Sunday and all.

Did some grocery shopping for the weeks ahead. Maynard's wine gums and the like (sorry, Mom). Smith's potato chips (sorry, Dad). Yummies. Then I went to the train station. Got on the right train, believe it or not, and made my way into Perth.

Walked all around Perth, from the CBD (Central Business District) down to the waterfront esplanade. It was really an amazing experience. Down by the waterfront there was an arbor COVERED in wisteria that was so amazingly fragrant, I could smell it blocks away. Took some pictures of the Swan's Bell Tower, which houses the bells of...oh crap, I just lost it. It'll come to me.

Came back to Fremantle on the right train, which is better than taking the wrong train. The sun was starting to set, so I got some really interesting photos with amazing light. As I was walking, I was distracted by a very grumpy or chatty group of wild parakeets, all rainbow colored. My camers has a sucky zoom, so I couldn't get a good photo of them. Also chatted with a Kookaburra, and that pic is posted...

We don't sail for another couple hours, and there is an incredible churro place that has melted chocolate with all kinds of spices to go on the churros. Tempting, very tempting, but I am broke. Enjoy the pics from Fremantle and Perth! Tomorrow we are in Bunbury. Bunno, as the Aussies call it.

Still have not heard hide nor hair from Michael... if anyone has info as to his whereabouts, please let me know.

last ones

more photos for consideration

photos for submission continued

Which photos should I submit?

Waste of a day...

Broome, Australia. Because of port regulations, the ship had to disembark passengers from the gangway right onto the buses. This took 6 HOURS! We arrived late, around 12:30pm, and by the time the ship was clear for crew, it was already getting dark, and 6pm. Got into "town" around 6:30, and needless to say, everything was closed. Found one store selling hemp and hemp products, and strangely, patches and pins. Got a patch and a pin, avoiding the hemp and hemp products. Saw some HUGE bats flying around. Watched Bryant eat his fish and chips. Got back to the ship by 7:45. What a fun day. Next time, I am getting on a tour so I can see it during the daytime hours.

Other news: I am entering some photos in a photo contest/exhibition-thing. I need to hear form you which photos are the most artistic and which ones should I enter for the show. I will post at least ten of them... please let me know which ones you think I should pick. Thanks! They are pictures from all around my travels thus far.

JMB

Oh, we are going to be in Bali tomorrow! Very excited. Better than Broome, anyway.

Port Douglas, or...

The Tortuous Torrid Tale of Tender Seventeen:

9am: Alarm goes off. I put it on snooze for a while.

11am: Finally roll out of bed. We are in a tender port, so it should be clear for crew by now. Skip the shower, since I might be heading to the beach.

11:15am: waiting in line on the M1 to get on board the tender. That song is running in my head:

The minute you pulled up to the ship
I could see you were a boat of distinction!
A real big tender!
Good lookin', so refined.
Takin' a hundred fifty passengers at a time!

Okay, so there were only about 18 of us. Sixteen crew, and two passengers.

The tender ride is going to take about fifteen minutes to reach the shoreside dock.

11:20-ish am: get on board the tender. The sun is out, it's a beautiful day.

11:35am: the tender comes to a halt. We have run aground on a sand bar. Engines rev in reverse and forward. We are stuck. Rocking gently back and forth. The tide is coming out.

12:00NN : The emergency life boat comes to rescue us and pull us from our predicament. No luck. We are stuck. The tide continues to go out. The water is getting shallower around the boat. The waves are gently lapping the new shoreline.

The rescue boat tries to pull us out. The rope breaks. It is decided to take us off in groups of five. Passengers first. I'm thinking "It would just be easier if we all got out and walked."

12:45-ish pm The boat stops rocking. Sand all around. The rescue boat gets stuck trying to get the passengers off. Mario the first officer gets out of the rescue boat and pushes it out into deeper water.

1:15pm Still waiting for help. There are several other lifeboats waiting to help us. Over the radio we hear "Tender 14, continue routine." Tender 14, our savior boat, goes ashore, leaving us behind. We start singing "Help, we need somebody! Help! Not just any body! HELP!" as other little boats go by, everyone taking pictures of us and laughing and pointing.

1:45pm Abandoned. Just me and the Filipinos. Maybe a Serb or two. Not many of us. Mario comes back and shouts for us to get out and walk to shore. I told you so.

2:00 We start to abandon ship. Well, abandon boat. Take off shoes and socks, cause it's gonna be sandy. Carrying shoes and socks, and camera. Thank goodness I didn't bring my backpack and my computer. All I wanted to do was go ashore and get a nice lunch at that really cool restaurant with the awesome spring rolls.

2:15 pm start walking. It's a long way down from the boat to the shore. Jump. Oy. Start walking.

2:30 pm Start sinking. Mud. Everywhere. Deep mud. Starts out ankle deep, then shin deep, then knee deep. Then thigh deep. So much for the clean shorts I had on. Why in the world is Igor wearing jeans? Dumbass.

2:45 pm arrive at the mangroves to be picked up by Mario again and Mark, the other officer in the rescue boat. Pay no attention to the sign about the crocodiles...

So the last tender for crew is at 3:30. My journey started at 11:30am, and it is now almost 3pm.

3:00 pm: arrive on the dock. My feet are bleeding from the cuts that the shells in the mud have given me. Country show tomorrow. Ugh.

Just enough time to get my pins and patches and then get back on board the tender heading back to the ship.

Next time, I'll just swim. It is now almost 5pm, and the poor tender 17 is still stuck in the sand, waiting for the tide to come in.

En route to Port Douglas

Just felt like posting some of the pics I took from Brisbane this past week. The weather was awful, but the day was fun. Hung out with Lewis, Sarah, and Dani. Had fun. Sang in the rain.

News from Down Under

We have started our trip around the entire continent of Australia! Sydney yesterday was kind of gloomy, but ended up being a nice day. Today at sea, tomorrow in Brisbane.

Stopped watching the news after all the pictures of Christchurch, New Zealand in rubble. What an amazingly beautiful city. It saddens me to think that this gorgeous town is crumbling. Thank goodness no one was killed! We are thinking of you, New Zealand!

Been working on my plays, and they are coming along really well. I am excited to have them read out loud, and maybe even finally performed!

Can't say for sure what I am going to do tomorrow in Brisbane, other than probably take the water taxi to the park and see what kind of toruble me and my camera can get into.

Attached are some pics of the past few ports I have been in.

Okay, i am not bored, but I have made it through two seasons of Bones, the first season of Dexter, and the first season of Pushing Daisies. Working on The Mentalist now, followed by season two of Desperate Housewives.