Start of new year 2016

Here I am,March 1st, 2016, and where did the end of the year go.? So I stayed in west Australia,  for several months after coming home from the world cruise. Spent lots of time visiting mum, son and daughter and grand children. In December , my friend kath and I went off to Indonesia on a 15 day Christmas cruise, on Sun Princess. Got back to W. A.on Jan 4th.  I had parked my motor home at kaths  friend tom's farm at yarloop while we cruised. Lucky we came home when we did, as 4 days later yarloop burnt to the ground. Tom lost sheds and his caravan, it was lucky I had moved my van away. 

The fires delayed my departure, as 2 highways were closed due to  the damage. I eventually was ready to leave on 24th January. I started  slowly as I was pretty tired. Took 3 nights to cross the nullabor.  I had nice weather, luckily, not too hot. I had problems, Again!  Water Pump stopped, just a switch, fixed in port August a.  Fridge playing up, had that looked at in port August a,  but still problems, need to get to adelaide.  The gps died. Oh well, what's New? 

I drove to a delayed via Laura,  to visit with yvonne and Ken,  then south to Elizabeth,  to visit Geoffrey and adele.  Thank god for good friends, the fridge was going to take at least a week, 40 degree heat, whoa, cant live without a fridge. So I moved in with Geoffrey and a dele until it was fixed. Finally sorted and I am on my way again. Now I am trying to  catch up with friends who are sewing hexagons.  I visit Bute, Robe, and then stop off at Portland.  Visiting Hazel and Graham. While there the hot water system Died!  I get that fixed and leave to head north to visit some more sewing ladies. So I called into balranald,  and then Talbot,  Where I had some lovely times with my hexagon ladies.  The photo is of my hand made hexagon quilt, I am on the last 3 borders. I have also become a member of an international hexagon swap. Having a great time sewing them and posting around the world.  Am presently at loch, in victoria, visiting my good friends Glenda and ray, with their son Brad,  who has just sorted out my photo problem. Yeah. N ow let's see if I can do it again, next  blog!  I am stopping now while I am in Front!   Wishing you all good health and good luck!  Vicki

Merry Christmas, Early!

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

Bonnie Scotland

HI Folks,
here I am in bonnie Scotland, getting ready to leave continental Europe behind, and head for the Americas. Since leaving Greece, we have sailed into Turkey at Kusadasi and Istanbul l,  also visited Anzac Cove for a moving ceremony, then on to Venice. I just wandered around on my own at Kusadasi,  but in Istanbul Hazel and Mike and I went into the city on the shuttle, and explored the Blue Mosque, and the grand Bazaar! It hasn't changed since 2003. Loved it then and loved it  now, at least I didn't buy any more Carpets!  Then it was Venice!  What can I Say!  Fantastic! We walked my feet into the ground, I was absolutely kNaked!  Bought quite a bit of venetian glass, " murano" . We stayed overnight there and the next morning,  hazel and mike and I did a trip to mural island to see the glass blowers in action,shockingly Expensive!  Then we went over to Brand island, where the lace workers Are!  Gorgeous, but we didn't have enough time to explore thoroughly.
After leaving Venice we stopped at Dubrovnik, my legs were playing up, after all the Venetian walking, so I can celled my tour and just went into town on the shuttle and wandered for a few hours, then came back on board for a well earned leg massage and treatment. Absolutely Fabulous!  I booked more for after the big shore Days!  To keep me mobile. I have discovered that cobblestones are murder on your legs and Ankles! The walled old city of Dubrovnik was fascinating, another place to ad to the bucket list.
 Instead of getting smaller as I travel, it is actually getting Longer! Then we had Rome, livorno,  for Florence and Pisa, then Barcelona and Lisbon. WELL Barcelona just blew me away. What a lovely city, mostly architecturally art nouveau period, different from art deco, really beautiful buildings, and the laws don't allow anyone to change the front ages , at least. Which means the whole place is protected. I did a tour up into the mountainside to Montserrat,a benedictine monastery, where I tasted their wine/liqueur, tasted like our benediction,  but cheaper, so I bought a bottle. Also fantastic cheese and salami, for my pre dinner drinking nibbles. Have been able to pad out my minibar supply with a few from ashore, so that is a blessing.
Oh backtracking, when in Rome, the Vatican square was blocked off, Andre Bocelli was giving a concert for the Pope.  Wasn't that what happened when we were there last time, with John and Judy,  JEAN?  Our train was beautiful, red leather seats, and air conditioned,  thank god, we had the hottest weather while in that part of Europe,  36,so and 37. Pretty warm. I was absolutely wet through all day. !
Lisbon was a pretty place to visit too, Hazel and I just did a bit there as Mike has hurt his knee. Then after a good crossing of the Bay of Biscay, we landed at Le Havre, where I did a tour of Monet's Garden. Beautiful. Took a lot of photos, but there were so many visitors that I ended up buying lots of postcards, as I always had some Jap, s o head in mine. Lovely lunch in a mill house,  converted to a restaurant.  Then on to Rouen, Joan of Arcs Cathedral, where she was burnt at the stake. Finally crossed the channel to Southampton, then over to Cobb,  Dublin and today, Greenock Scotland. Very disappointed as I hoped to catch up with my granddaughter who has come over to Scotland to be with her boyfriend,  but she started training for her job at the festival in Edinburgh so she couldn't come. Never mind.
Well friends, I hope this reaches you all and finds you in good spirits.  I have visited many churches and cathedrals so far and  I say a prayer for you all in every one. Until the next blog, love and hugs, Vicki

Ancient Greece

Hi every one, here  I am in Greece, . We arrived nearly 11 hours late, as we were delayed in Suez,  with the US navy getting precedence, with 5 ships, and then us. So almost the whole transit was in the DARK!
We have been having an interesting trip so far, dramas and small problems, but I am still enjoying It!  WE had very hot weather in Dubai and Oman, my friends, Hazel and Mike, nearly killed me with getting around in those 2 places, but it was still enjoyable. I managed to restrain myself in both places and only spent small in the gold Souks! !, Hazel and I are busy making our trademark necklaces and bracelets, it took a while, but once the first item sold we have been kept BUSY!  I am keeping a separate wallet for my sales, so I can tell how much I have made when the trip is over,have made a couple of rings, and sell them as fast as they get made, otherwise we find bracelets are popular, and the lanyards have been slow to take off.
We had a small fire alarm a few days ago, but it turned out it was only a fuse SMOKING!  That was nice,  still, people are steadily injuring themselves, we have had a lot of rough weather, as we dodged a cyclone off Karachi,  on our way across to Dubai, so broken arms, upper arms, and one young lady who is in a rather serious wheelchair contraption, broke her foot, dropped a carpet bowl on It!  I have been in the choir,  we performed to a sellout crowd, before Dubai, next performance is at Gallipolis Cove, then before Southampton.
Have just started a repeat of my day CLOTHES!  So that means they are lasting, found 2 pairs of shoes are too small, so they will go out in the op shop we have before we LEAVE! ! Also some of the clothes I brought on board, although I tried them on, when I sit, it's another Story!  Must remember that trick next Time! Hazel and I had lovely photos taken last night, it was formal, so that was nice, but we are, the buying Yet?
So now we start a run of a different port every day, with Greece,  turkey and Italy all one after the other.
My love and prayers to you all , I hope you are keeping well, in the wintry weather in Australia!  Love and hugs,
vicki

I am OFF!

So everyone, it will be a bit hit and miss over the next 4 months, as I sail away around the world. Toady is day 8 and we landed in Sri Lanka at 7.30 this morning, have been walking around the city for a few hours and finally stopped at a lovely tea and coffee place with free wife.  So wow I am IN!  Spent 22 minutes the other day on board getting one email out, so that will have to IMPROVE!
So I have an inside cabin, at the far end of the ship cabin 201, on 9th deck, the lifts are halfway down so I am getting plenty of EXERCISE!  My friends Hazel and Mike are the other end on deck 11, so that means we have a long Haul?  So far we are beading each morning, getting plenty of interest but no sales Yet!. I joined the choir, we have our first performance day before Dubai. A bit of excitement, they made a call for blood donors and a positive, so that was me, I had my card with me so about 50 or more answered the call, and after 3 hours of testing etc, finally 6 of us, including me gave a unit,, apparently a bleeding ulcer, but that could be just gossip. Captain thanked us and so did the wife as she passed through, but it made us feel good. So that was the excitement, of the cruise so far.
Anyway, I will write as often as I can, but probably about weekly. Love to you all, and I pray for those of you who are poorly.  Much love
Vicki

Home in WA

Hi All!  Well, once again its been a while, I just looked back and last post was March!  Things are gonna Change!
I finally came back to the west,  in mid April,  after a great run home, visited friends along the way in Victoria, and so.  Picked up my credit cards in leongath a in Victoria, and I was back in Business!  finally. Spent easter at Laura in sa. Caught up with Yvonne and Ken,  they just arrived back in Sa.  after being in Wa !   Stopped and caught up with my cousin in Kimba,  in SA. Then on to ceduna, where I watered and fuelled ready for the trek across the nullabor.  A fellow brings fresh oysters into the Foreshore Caravan Park, for sale 8 dollars a Dozen! Yum! Bought some, But!  They were not Shucked!  So I go , I can't do that, and he tells me  Way! Freeze them, and when you thaw them they Open!  And it's easy to cut the muscle and get them Open!  I thought I had died and gone to Heaven!  They  were divine! So I ate some the next morning and brought the rest back with me in the Freezer!
These days, quarantine at the sa/wa border is getting Stricter!  They made me open all my inside hatches, not just the pantry and fridge, and also my external hatches!  Major pissed off, as one wouldn't stay Shut after!  Had to stop about 3 times in the next hour to re close it, but finally it stayed shut.
Visited farming friends in Jerramungup, on my way passed, had some fun in the sheep Yards! The countryside was looking good, I had never seen the nullabor look so on green, I drove with the windscreen wipers on intermittent for a couple of days. Lots of water lying around. Then on to Lowden , near Donnybrook, to catch up with Ray an Glenda, we went off to Balingup small farm day, where I caught up with a few old friends from my Donnybrook days as well. Bought fabulous cheese from a annum sheep Cheesemaker!  Yum! Again! We ate the last of my ceduna Oysters!  Delish! While I was there,I made my first visit to mum in Busselton,  he is getting frail, but she was in fine for , very chatty, had me in stitches with some of her Comments!  But thank heavens she still remembers me, even though it is 3 /4  months since I saw her last, after her awful fall in January. I spent several days back and forth to bun bury,  buying tubs for storage, and emptying out my excess stuff from the motor home, and stacking it in bun bury Storage!  Unbelievable how much I was Carrying!  Semi planning on selling this one, b UT still deciding.
 Arrived at sister jeans, with a couple of days to spare to Anzac day. We  went to the dawn service in pinJarra , very moving, very Cold!  It's been a big year for Anzac,  100 years .A sea of red poppies every where you went. Then it was off to Jurien Bay for our patchwork retreat. I had found so many ufo,s as I unpacked the motor home,  I wasn't worried about what to sew, I  had  a lovely time finishing off a Few. They are now in pinjarra for Sale!  Went up to geraldton, after and caught up with son Ben,  also doctor, dentist, hairdresser,etc. All getting me squared away before  my Cruise!  So, I am packing, repacking, Culling! True! Managed to get everything into 6 Cases! They are not all Big!  2 large, 2 medium, 2 small. I think that's pretty good for the time I am Away! So now I am down to countdown,after this is posted,1 Sleep!  Yee Ha!  Finally got my cabin no yesterday, was beginning to think I might be sleeping in the medical Centre!  But no I have a Cabin!  So next you hear from me will be hopefully, frequently, and from my ports of call.
I wish you all good health and happiness, and my prayers go with those of you in  need . Love
 Vicki