For those of you remembering Larkin was in quarantine, she was released by Australian authorities about 11 am February 29th as we sailed in to White Bay Cruise Terminal. Therefore she was a GO for attending SIX the musical. In October Michael and I found ourselves in Sydney on both ends of our Golden Gate Wine Society wine trip to Australia. We dropped by the opera house to find out what was playing. We bought tickets for SIX for February 29th in October. The Leading Men, a quartet of singers from Australia on our cruise told us they heard SIX was great but they couldn’t get tickets. It was sold out! We felt lucky. We met another couple in the Observation Lounge that went to the matinee on the 1st. We all felt blessed – What a fun show.
Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived; Aragon, Boleyn, Seymour, Cleves, Howard, Parr – two Catherines, one Katherine, an Anne, an Anna and a Jane. I think if I try hard I might remember the women and their stories. Without these six women Henry the VIII wouldn’t have been as famous. The music was empowering, the banter humorous and the story well written. If you get a chance to see it in the states – GO!
The first night we saw a Norwegian Cruise Line ship sail away and another empty Norwegian Cruise Line ship we had passed earlier in the day pick up passengers and sail away. We found out this was a free thank you trip for the fireman who are mostly volunteers that had fought the recent fires. It was wonderful to see these families line up to sail on this ship!!! We had heard that some passenger ships were used to houses fire fighters also.
Our full day in Sydney we boarded a brand new beautiful luxury bus for the Blue Mountains National Park. We only had 18 people so we could spread out. Larkin enjoyed the two hour ride by napping stretched out on the back seat. When we got to Echo Point near Katoomba we found the loo and walked to this stunning view. The folks in orange are the State Emergency Services. It was clean up Australia day and they were vertical rescuers so they practiced rappelling down and picked up bags of trash that had blown off the vista. The three sisters are weathered sandstone peaks that were formed through thousands of years of erosion. The valley below is the Jamison Valley. The blue haze is the eucalyptus oil dispersed in the air – no pollution. Once again it was a very rare stunning day. Interesting that we were told our bus would have to move away while we enjoyed the views then they noticed there were no Chinese tourist due to the Corona virus so there was room to stay parked. Nice to have some nice things occur positively with this famous virus!
Scenic World which is private property in the Blue Mountains was a short ride away from Echo Point. We took the Scenic Skyway down to a previous area where they mined coal. We walked along a flat trail among the rain forest trees and palms, past coal mines to the old almost vertical train to ride back up to the top. Once we were vertically challenged back up the hill, we rode the Scenic Cableway across the forest. There were opaque floor tiles that would go clear as we rode across. The view of the forest whizzed past. We knew when we went back across we would stay on the uphill side and enjoy the waterfall views.
Very much like what the Americans did to our native Americans, the British decided to tell the Aboriginals that they must not have fires in the forest like they always did in their historical past. The fires were the only way that eucalyptus trees reproduce just like California redwoods can only procreate with those fires! So part of Australia’s issue with forest fires are the same as ours. When fires cleared out the brush periodically that is the best way to manage the forest. Speaking of fires, we saw no burned out areas but we were told there were a couple of towns nearby that were affected. The British also never thought to ask the Aboriginals how to cross the blue mountains because they knew better…it took them decades to figure it out! Hint-stay along the ridges!
On our last day in Sydney we took an Uber with a fabulous woman driver to the Queen Victoria building and found our favorite Aboriginal art gallery/store. Larkin found a stunning cotton blanket that she has quickly embraced…!!! Of course I found a scarf or two. Larkin also chose one small original painting and we found another one for our house. We walked down Pitt Street and into a restaurant called Spice Temple that Michael and I had been to in October. Its unique with a great atmosphere down old stairs to a basement. However, the food was salty and not as flavorful as it could have been and all the dishes were very spicy. Our last dish was lamb and fennel dumplings – the highlight dish if there was one. We walked to the Quay from lunch and headed back to the ship via Uber.
Our last afternoon in port when we arrived back from downtown Sydney saw Larkin sleeping as she needed more rest to recover. Michael napped and I decided to don a swimsuit and head to the pool. After a drink and settling into Ellen Crosby’s The Sauvignon Secret, I was nearly blown away by a gale that didn’t stop. Everyone on the pool deck packed up and headed in. So much for a swim or a hot tub.
As we sailed out about 6 pm we went to the Observation Lounge to enjoy the sail away. The wind had not died down and the clouds had taken over the skyline. We passed the Crystal Serenity and a Celebrity ship moored in the harbor using tenders to get ashore. Their dinner views were off the Sydney Opera House…not a bad view. The Queen Elizabeth was at the Circular Quay Dock when we sailed away.
Our next blog will be from Tasmania…the first few hours of our sail was bumpy once again and the wind is still howling, but the seas have calmed. There might even be a sunset tonight! Buona Sera!
THE TRAVELING MARTINI'S 
Pictures deluxe. Sounds like a great time in the Sydney area. Did Michael get a blue Akubra hat? They’re legendary!!!!!
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The clocks in the Queen Victoria building are stunning! I think my older sister was on the Celebrity ship you passed. Too funny!
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