Hello Everyone!
Even I should be ashamed of Myself! 4 months gone since I last Blogged! So here I go trying to catch you all up with my coming and going!
Since July and Scotland, we cruised to Iceland , and had the most fantastic swim in the hot Blue Lagoon, very weird, with icy cold air and hot hot Water! Some people smothered their skin with white clay type mud, apparently good for skin conditions. No Thanks! The change rooms were a struggle, Scandinavians being totally Uninhibited! The aussies trying to change under a Towel! Haha! We missed going to Halifax in Canada as we had to travel quite slowly due to the amount of ice in the sea lanes, Never mind better safe than doing a Titanic! NEW York was a great time, arrival a nightmare the yanks decided we had to all clear the ship for immigration purposes before we could re board. At 1.00 am. Very hot and not at all comfortable in the "terminal"! Hazel and Mike and I made up for it the next day, getting ourselves more beading stock from the garment district. Then we did a cruise tour to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Next port was Charleston, southern Belles! Beautiful architecture, the homes were lovely I did a horse carriage ride. So saw them up close.
After a few days at sea we came to the Caribbean, dropping into Curacao, remember blue lagoon/blue moon Cocktails? A lovely spot with many colourful buildings. Then on to Cartagena, home of Emeralds! , Hazel and I did a jewelry making excursion there, raw cut emeralds and silver wire, I was very awkward, but we had Helpers! Then on to the magnificent Panama Canal, we could see the new canal being built beside the 2 current canals, should be opened in a year or so. I believe.
South America was next on the agenda, somewhere totally new to me. I finally got the chance to buy myself my Panama hat, which I have been hanging outt to do for years. Always been to stingy to key one before. But decided to bite the bullet and get One! Ha ended up with 4, some of course are Gifts! But I love them, watch do he people weaving them, take some a couple of days To each to make each one, and the amount they get paid for them is pretty small. The beauty of them is they fold up and don't break, Beautiful. So that was Ecuador, then on to Chile, and I took a few days off ship to go to Macchu Pitch, an expensive trip but a big tick on the bucket list. We were warned about preparing for altitude sickness, no booze before and while we were up there. That was a Drama! We were also advised to drink the coca tea whenever offered as it would ease the Symptoms! Didn't notice that, but it could have been Worse! So I drank gallons of coca tea, ate packets of coca lollies, and hoped when I got home and had my blood test, I wouldn't look like a crack Head! The symptoms were pretty horrendous, of altitude sickness, heart banging like mad in my chest, breathless, of course, huge headache, but I wasn't nauseated. We had b oxygen pumped into the hotel room at night, so got a bit of sleep, but over all it was still with the Discomfort! I Think! The scenery up the mountains was spectacular, amazing how the incas built these places, but I didn't realize it was only about 600/700 years Old! I was under the impression it was similar to the pyramids, but all the same the history and stories were fascinating. Glad to be back on board 3 days later at the next port. Then more sea days and Easter island, again very interesting. Pitcairn island, had the islanders coming out to the ship, for a show on board and they brought their crafts for us to buy from them.
Then on to Tahiti, Samoa , Nz, and finally Sydney, where there was a big turn around of passengers. Including me losing the company of Hazel. Mike had flown back to to Australia, from Chile as his mother was very unwell. There but for the grace of God could have been Me! I helped Hazel off ship with their double lot of luggage, but Mike was waiting at the terminal to take it off our Hands!
I traveled on around the north of Australia, with many new passengers, and our dining table finally had a full complement. Some more lovely people to interact with. Although we missed out on going in to Geraldton, too rough for Tendering! We arrived back in Fremantle, 114 days after leaving , and a bit extra Luggage!
Next day Jean took me down to Busselton to see Mum, who turned 101 in august, I was thrilled she still remembered Me! Wanted to know when I was going to settle down and put all this travel behind me and "get a job"? I am still laughing about That! But she has got it into her head and every time I see her she asks, get a job Yet? No Way! I have caught up with many friends and all the family, as I write this, and am back into the swing of my motor home. I went to the solo rally at Wagon, and followed it up with the National motor home rally at Albany, which was disappointing as it drizzled all day everyday. But the company was great. Been up to Geraldton to visit my friends and son Ben and his family, caught up with Genevieve and newish, grand daughter Jamaica, who was 1 last month. What a cutie, red haired and gorgeous.
I have been patchwork in with my pinjarra and Geraldton friends, getting stuck into my insanity quilt, which is moving along nicely, got my 2 border nearly finished, only about 6 more to go.
Kathy and I have booked a Christmas cruise from Fremantle to Indonesia, so will be away for Christmas, back on Jan 4th. Then it will be off east to make the big push into North Queensland. And maybe finally finish the lap Around oz!
On a sombre note, I am devastated at the news from Paris and the tragic events there. I pray the world will find peace before we end up in another world war. For all my friends and family suffering in any way, may you have a peaceful and healthy and happy Christmas.
love
vicki
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