Heading north!!!

Hello Cobbers,

We are now leaving the Southern Hemisphere and who knows when we will ever cross the equator again....it has been an amazing time and thankfully warm. And we are official shellbacks!!!

Exmouth was, as it is on the map...nothing to write home about...so I won't.

As we are leaving Australia, I would like to share with you short primer in Australian vs. American English...have fun with all the new sayings they use down here.

Welcome to "Oz" (Australia)!! Invited to a "shivoo" (rowdy party) with your new Sydneysider "cobbers" (friends)? Or thinking about the chance to "go bush" (leave the city) and head for a "station" (farm or ranch) in the "back o' bourke" (somewhere in the Outback) in the company of " 'roos: (kangaroos) and "mossies" (mosquitoes)? Either way, understanding colloquial "Strine"(that is, Australian) is not always a "snack" (easy task). Struth! (It's the god's truth).


Onto Kota Kinabula, but first four days at sea... and trying to take advantage of everything the ship has to offer...like room service for breakfast...I love it...Ken leaves and eats in the Lido and I do my Bible Study and have some quiet time. We usually attend a lecture afterwards and there have been some great talks...usually educating us on our next city. I usually take one or two dance classes each day...the gentlemen dance host this segment are much to be desired...I think they are learning along with everyone else. I'm still trying to get my five miles in a day and that hasn't been a problem...I love listening to my IPod as I walk the deck. It's a real kick to see all the O's and Q's described by one of the comediennes as the people sleeping and the shape of their mouths, some with their tongue hanging out (those are the Q's). I've thought of taking pics of people sleeping but thought that may be an invasion of privacy so I haven't..yet!!! Ken enjoys his time reading by the pool and occasionally taking a dip in the pool.


Our time at sea has given much time to think also, some heavy thoughts and some very inane useless info...so I came up with the following...yes, you probably can argue some of the points but just go with me and enjoy...it started out as my Top Ten Reasons to Cruise Rather Than Fly...although once I started I found more so more than likely I'll add by the time I am through.

So here goes:
My Top Ten Reasons to Cruise Rather than Fly:

1). You can leisurely board the ship within a four to six hour time frame opposed to arriving at the airport two to three hours before ETD. That is stands for ESTIMATED!!!

2). You may check as much luggage @ any weight vs. one carry on plus paying for the second and third piece of luggage and additional fee for excessive weight.

3). On a ship there is a selection from buffet dining to fine dining unlike a bag of peanuts on a plane!

4). You choose your cabin mate vs. sitting next to someone you do not know or care to know.

5). On a ship our entertainment is a variety of shows that include everything from professional musicians to Broadway shows instead of watching a 7" screen TV with "B" rated movies and sitcom reruns.

6). A choice of thousands of books is available for reading opposed to the airline company's "SKY" magazine.

7). Your luggage is delivered and picked up from your cabin vs. schlepping it to check in and waiting endlessly at baggage claim... hoping it's not lost.

8). The ship leaves on time (unless a crew member is missing...this happened in SF) vs. fabricated delays

9). You are able to sleep horizontally vs. vertically.

10). The only person who cares if you snore is your cabin mate opposed to alerting the entire plane plus... the only person you have to worry about your snoring is your cabin mate.

11). Your view encompasses 360 degrees vs. peering over your seat mate to view through a 12" smudged window usually with part of the wing in the way.

12).To stretch your legs you can walk around the deck (3x= 1 mile) vs. up and down the aisle running into little kids!!

Ken added this one...

13). You can easily find a place to hide from your cabin mate for extended periods of time. On a plane one must politely excuse themselves from their seat mate to go to the lavatory to escape ....until there is a long line of people banging outside the door for you to come out!!!

14). You have your own bathroom...need I say more???

Next blog...Kota Kinabula and "struth"!!!

Sailing in the deep blue...

janet and Ken