SEA DAYS TO SYDNEY

Day 46 - Tuesday, February 21st - Sea Day: There was no Monday this week as we crossed the International Date Line and sailed from Sunday right into Fat Tuesday.  The Mardi Gras party up on the Lido deck was probably the best ship party we've been to.  The food was great--lobster, huge shrimp, oysters, jambalaya and all different kinds of New Orleans drinks.  They flew people from New Orleans to Pago Pago just for the party.  The entire staff seemed to be working the party, and it was fun figuring out who was who in their costumes.  The parade wasn't much, but the spirit of Mardi Gras was in the air with the beads, coins, etc.  Barbara had her fortune told for the first time ever--the gal used tarot cards but never referred to them specifically.  She told her that in ten years she would be traveling with family and have a granddaughter!  We stayed a couple of hours, which was longer than we expected.  This crowd may be old, but they still know how to party.  There was a lady in her nineties who was all dressed up, wearing a mask, and dancing when we left.

Day 47 - Wednesday, February 22nd - Sea Day: Our cruise days are coming to an end, but we're ready to get off the ship.  People are getting on one another's nerves.  We heard that at trivia a lady was kicked off a team because she wasn't contributing.  Lillian told us at dinner that someone told her that she should find a corner for herself at the Mardi Gras party so she and her scooter weren't so much in the way.  We can't imagine what some of these people will be like after 112 days.

Day 48 - Thursday, February 23rd - Sea Day: Tonight was our last formal night.  The Holland America President and CEO, Stein Kruse, is aboard and we saw him at the champagne reception.  After dinner we went to see the Kent Dancers, a sister/brother pair from Melbourne, who were very good.  We played one last game of "Name That Tune" trivia at 9:15 and didn't do too badly.

Day 49 - Friday, February 24th - Sea Day: Today was very busy with laundry, packing, a disembarkation lecture and two last trivia games with our team of six.  We exchanged email addresses with several people and hope to keep in touch.  Llllian has been saying for days that she is going to "miss us, miss us, miss us." Paul introduced us the other day to the lady he's been spending his time with on the cruise and said she is his sister.  We're so confused! The captain made a slight detour to take us to the volcanic Lord Howe Islands, a World Heritage site.  The Pyramid is about 1,800 feet high.

© JAY DEITCH 2020