Saturday 28th March
We awoke to grey skies and a stiff breeze blowing white horses onto the tops of the waves again. Outside it was too cold to sit out and anyway there was not a glimpse of sunshine to be had. we opted for a sun bed round the indoor pool on deck 12, which has a glass roof and we were therefore protected from the cool breeze blowing outside. The sun finally broke through for a couple of hours, but only to be hidden again by some black clouds. The day didn’t get any better, so a stiff gin in the cabin was in order before going to the bar for a pre dinner G&T. Dinner was, as always, good and the table company along with the waiting staff made for an enjoyable evening.
Sunday 29th March
We docked in Adelaide just before 08.00 and had risen early as we were booked on a tour of the Barossa Valley vineyards and surrounding areas. Up to the self service restaurant this morning for a good fill up of full English before boarding the coach for our day trip.
We had an excellent driver and an even better guide, as he was a winemaker in his own right in the McClaren Vale. He was also a wine critic and writer, so perfect for the tour of Barossa. It was about a one and a half hour drive before we reached our first destination, The Whispering Wall, which was a dam that had an incredible acoustic phenomenon. You could stand on one side of the curved dam wall and speak normally into the wall, your voice could be heard clearly, 100yds away by someone listening at the far side of the curved wall.
From here we made our way to the Jacobs Creek visitor centre for our first wine tasting session, look round the vines and lunch. Just as we were starting to slow down three kangaroos started hopping towards us on the side of the road and as the driver slammed his breaks on, one of the kangaroos decided to hop across in front of the coach. Then there were two kangaroos! Fortunately, we were not going particularly fast, so the roo bars on the front of the coach did their job and it disappeared under the coach, to the sound of a few aaaah’s from the non australians on board. Once in the visitor centre our guide was in his element, explaining the difference between all the grape varieties, getting us to taste them all and totally taking over from the young lady who was the in house guide. She didn’t mind at all and probably learned a lot from our man. Ditto for the wine tasting inside, he explained the mixing of the grapes and what wine complemented what food as well as how to look and smell before drinking the samples. We sampled 5 different wines, always starting with a sparkly.
We sat down to lunch and the first course was served along with a choice of wines. Regrettably it was almost an hour before the next course arrived and everyone was getting bit fed up. By the time it arrived and we had eaten it, there was no time left to look round the visitor centre as we had to get back on the coach for the next destination. It was a lookout and sculpture area called Menglers Hill , which overlooked the Barossa valley and the Adelaide foothills. Just as we were exiting the lookout another kamikaze kangaroo leapt out and tried to commit suicide. Fortunately we only caught him a glancing blow and with no damage to the coach, both parties carried on their ways. The final stop of the day was to another very established, family run vineyard called Seppeltsfield Winery. Again our guide was in his element and continued to enhance what the winery guide was saying as she poured the various nectars that they were famous for. They ranged from a sparkling white, through to a sumptuous white port, except they we not allowed to call it a port. This was the best place we had stopped at, including the ones we had been to in the Hunter Valley. Not only was it the number of wines we tasted, but the breadth of product that they produced was almost unheard of. After a short look around, it was time to board the coach and head back to the ship for 5.30 and a 6.00pm sailing. However, just as we were a few miles from the docks, the Cunard rep on the coach received a phone call to say that there was a technical problem with the ship and it would not be leaving until 08.00 the next day.
Once on board, it was confirmed that a problem with one of the engines would not be fixed until 10.30 this evening, but the Port Authority would not let the ship out of port in the dark, due to the very narrow channel that it would have to navigate.
Monday 30th March
This morning we were up early, ready to watch the sail away and just as they were about to slip the lines, the captain announced that there had been a medical emergency and we were now awaiting an ambulance to take someone to the hospital. It was about 20 minutes before the ambulance arrived and just as they were bringing the stretcher on board, the captain announced that there had been a second emergency and they now had to wait for a second ambulance. Unfortunately, there was another ship waiting to come into port and the pilot was needed to bring that ship in, so we would have to wait until 10.30 before departing. Eventually, we departed Adelaide under perfect blue skies and azure seas. It was our first real day of sunshine since leaving Port Stephens and One Mile Beach almost a week earlier. This was more like it. The sea was almost flat calm, but there was a long swell which was the remnant of the last few days heavy winds. The ship was starting to pitch a little, due to the long swell and the fact that it was now cruising at 20 knots in order to make up the 15 hours that we were delayed in Adelaide.
Our first real sunbathing opportunity since leaving UK, so a couple of hours on the rear sundeck were quite in order. I have enrolled in watercolour painting classes, so it was off to painting in the afternoon and it was kangaroos today. After class it was time to find Maureen and head off to the Kings Restaurant for afternoon tea and scones, with strawberry jam and cream of course.
After taking a little more late afternoon sunshine and watching the dolphins play alongside the ship, I did seven laps of the promenade deck at a brisk pace, probably feeling guilty after the two scones. 7 laps equates to about 2.5 miles. After that it was back to the cabin for a rest and a large Bombay and tonic, before changing for dinner. Tonight is a formal evening, so it’s dressing up time.
Tuesday 31st March
After yesterdays fabulous weather today is grey and miserable. It’s difficult to see where the grey sky stops and the grey seas begin. Didn’t even feel like painting today, so skipped the class completely. We spent most of the day hopping from one inside set of seats to another and just reading. For the first time we also had a spot of lunch as well as afternoon tea. For the first time boredom had set in as a result of the totally depressing weather. Just to add insult to injury it poured with rain as I was about to take my late afternoon work out round the promenade deck. The swell was also gathering momentum as were the white horses on top of the waves. We had gone from a force 3 to a force 6 during the day and the long southwesterly swell was giving the ship a little more movement than yesterday. We continued to head due West at 21 knots slipping between the Great Australian Bight and the Southern Ocean.
Highlight of the day was the humour provided by our Phillipino assistant waitress. She’s getting off in Cape Town after 9 months on board, so she’s as high as a kite and it’s quite infectious.
No news of the injured parties that were put ashore in Adelaide, but I’m sure the rumour machine will be working after Fremantle. If not I’ll start something.
Wednesday 1st April
Yet again the day started grey and miserable and the overnight pitching of the ship continued, but to a lesser extent and has almost gone as the day has gone on. No sunshine, so it was breakfast followed by art class, while Maureen went to see a chap who painted pictures in a tray of sand. Whilst that sounds absolutely scintillating, we saw him in the theatre doing his stuff whilst somebody sang and he was absolutely brilliant. He was a bit like that troupe of silhouette artists who won one of the TV talent shows, except he uses sand instead of bodies and he works on a back lit tray. Still no sun, so up to the indoor pool and a couple of hours in the near horizontal, listening to the steel band strut their stuff, before heading down to the planetarium for ‘Passport to the Universe’ , a very clever film projected onto a dome on the ceiling, showing where we are in the universe relative to other planets and solar systems. Not sure where some of the facts come from, but entertaining nevertheless and especially as the sun was not out! During the day the wind was blowing a more constant force 6 and the white ponies that started the day were now growing into fully fledged horses.
By now it was time for afternoon tea, then a quick sit out on the promenade deck with the dribblers, before 10 brisk laps of the prom deck, whilst avoiding the coffin dodgers as they woke from their induced comas.
Informal evening for dinner, so no real dressing up tonight.
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