Discovery

Hi All, I am sending this from Darwin, I hope!

I am aboard MV Discovery, out of Sydney to Singapore, over 21 days. A great last minute bargain, it pays to keep your passport valid! The ship is only carrying 580 passengers out of a possible 650. Not a bad ship, a bit tired, it was the original LOVE BOAT! sold by princess a few years ago. It evidently goes into dry dock at the end of this cruise when it reaches the UK. I have to say it needs a bit of work done, but that besides, it is not too bad! A funny deep swimming pool, you feel like you are in a well! The food is a bit variable, but that means I don't eat too much. So far I have weighed myself in the gym and appear to have lost another kilo! so that is promising. I am glad I am the only one in the cabin, (a triple), but it is quite "compact" The beds are comfortable, and the pillows are really good! the telly doesn't move very far so I can't lie in bed and watch, but that is ok as they don't have very good tv programs! They have an enormous amount of lecturers on board, sometimes 5 a day. I have been attending the photography ones, we shall see whether I can put into practice what I am learning!
I get really peeved when I hear the so called experts bleating about australia and they aren't australian! Quite a few mistakes too!! A really great one, was by a scottish surgeon, about "mercy hospital ships" I was fascinated, and might look into doing a stint on board. They take the ship to 3rd world places and operate etc. They do a lot of cleft palates, a bit like Operation Rainbow, but on board a specially fitted out ship.
I have met an American, Marylou, a nice lady from Florida, we kick around a bit together, and as she is not a shopper, that has kept me on the straight and narrow! She has been to some amazing places, she has just been in Burma for  a month and after the cruise she is going to Taiwan for a month! She is amazing, she travels with just a roll-aboard piece of luggage. wow! I could try and learn something from her!
Today I did the aussie tour guide thing. 5 of us hired a people mover vehicle and I drove us down to Litchfield National Park. We did about 380kms, called into all the waterfals, they are very much in full flood, we climbed down 135 steps to the Florence falls plunge pool, and had a lovely swim, it is the only waterfall you can swim at because of the danger from crocs! gorgeous place to swim at, a bit rocky but very pleasant. We saw lots of wildlife on the way down and around the park, so that was good. Our companion s were 2 POMs and 2 Yanks, so they were pleased to see lots of kangaroos/wallabies? a family of wild pigs, a group of brumbies, a few gorgeous birds, absolutely terrific colours , and some sort of "kite, or hunting bird".
 When we stopped for lunch, about 330pm, an absolute cloudburst occurred! buckets and buckets of water drumming on the tin roof of the cafe, thunder and lightning, I was glad we were stopped and I didn't have to drive through it! It must have dropped several inches, as all the creek/river crossings were now flooded! it rained/drizzled all the way back to the ship. We took lots of photos of the termite mounds, but weren't sure whether we saw the Magnetic ones or not!
Wednesday the ship has to move from the dock, as the Queen Mary is coming in, so our second day in Darwin will be at anchor and tendering ashore! I know I am a mad patchwork fanatic, but I have met a woman, a yank, of course! , who is travelling with her sewing, machine and yards of fabric, she wants to go to the Darwin shop, Dragon Fly. I think I ought to give it a miss as I have been sooo good in the shopping department on this trip , so far!
I just have to figure out adding my photos and then this will get sent off to you. Much love to you all
vicki