So when I left off, we had boarded the Pacific Sun and set off on our high seas adventure! It was terribly exciting, watching the tug boats push us off, the kids getting terribly excited (Bethany though decided it was an appropriate time to try and hide on the deck)
- finally we were off on our adventure! But then the first little hiccup struck, something that really shouldn't have affected me, having grown up on boats - but did. You see, when sailing on the ocean, the tide rolls high...
And roll it did! Coming out of Newcastle harbour! The waves started to get quite large, and although it wasn't really rough, by any standards - it was enough to have myself and my sister Mel feeling somewhat seedy - and just before dinner!
The family had adjourned to the Burgundy dining room for dinner that night. On board the Pacific Sun there are 2 dining rooms - Burgundy and Bordeaux - they both serve the same food but the Bordeaux is just that little more (allegedly) up market - so you usually have to make a reservation. We couldn't get one, so the Burgundy it was - which was fine - but when the ship is a-rocking and a-rolling, and you start to feel a bit off - well, that's not when you want to be ordering a 3 course meal! I think I managed the chicken soup and that was pretty much it... Fortunately, my sister Beck is a walking chemist, and she had come prepared with a whole swag of Stemotil, which Mel and I eagerly wolfed down - and instantly felt a whole lot better.
That evening was our first at exploring all the ship had to offer. I decided to go check out some of the night time activities - as advertised in the Pacific Daily, the newsletter that they give you each night advertising the next days' activities. Firstly we headed off to the Atlantis lounge to see the show - it was Ugly Dave Grey - and whilst it was ok, it wasn't really that funny. After that, according to the Daily, there was a "singles mingles" event in the Oz Bar, so off I went. Unfortunately, I suspect I was probably the only single on the cruise - cos no one else turned up! So I set off to explore the ship anyway... There is just sooo much on board - there's a gym, the 'oasis' (childfree, with sauna and spa), a beauty salon (for hair and so on), the Lotus Day spa (lots of massages and treatments), the Oz bar, the Terrace lounge, the Atlantis lounge (with 2 shows nightly), smuggler's bar, the casino, two pools, the buffet... lots of stuff! Plus a library that by night becomes an amazing steakhouse, and the speakeasy bar - with a bench designed like a piano (leading actually to the piano). So much to do....
The next morning, after enduring a sleepless night of Mum and Dad snoring (I was in a cabin with both them and Lach), I got up early (I couldn't sleep anymore anyway with all the snorts and whinnies from M and D). I'd decided that I wanted to go to the gym. Unfortunately when I got there (at 6.30am) it was totally busy - all the equipment was in use - so I decided to go looking for the so-called running track. As I was looking, suddenly the gym guy Tim (from Sweden) comes out, and asks if anyone is there for boot camp. I thought, why not - so I joined in. It was really good actually, but very hard work - you try running around the deck of a rolling ship raising a car tire up and down above your head! However what I hadn't realised, was that the boot camp was a charge activity - which cost me $10. Worth it, though.
That day was a day at sea, but unfortunately the weather was unpleasant - so whilst there was technically a lot on, according to the daily, I quickly realised that there wasn't a lot on simultaneously - so if you weren't interested in belly dancing at 11, then you didn't have anything else to do at 11. Fortunately Beck and I were, so we checked it out. And prior to that, Mum and I checked out the church service (which was somewhat brief - 2 hymns, a prayer and a poem - but still it was something). Other activities that I participated in was line-dancing, which surprisingly I really enjoyed - plus it is really quite tricky to do when the ship is rocking up and down! Gives a whole new meaning to the word 'grapevine'...
The next day, Monday, we were in port - in Brisbane. When we originally booked the trip, the boat was going to Brisbane, but not taking on passengers there. However they eventually opened up bookings to Brisbane so we did get some 300 new passengers on board. Mel had been feeling unwell though, and I had been feeling cold (with the rain) so when we arrived in Brisbane, we disembarked and spent the morning at Toombul - Mel at the doctor, and I in the flat getting a jumper. We made it back for lunch and spent the afternoon playing scrabble and other board games.
We also had the opportunity that afternoon to catch up with Grandma and the Heads. They came down to say hi so we had coffee at the wharf - which was really nice. Plus then they got to wave us off, as we finally set off for the high seas....
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