Aurora World Cruise - Singapore to Sydney

Monday 13 February – Singapore day 2

Weather: Dry, good visibility, 6/8 cloud
Temperature: 28C
Wind: Force 4

As my heel was still very painful I decided to go to the medical centre to see if there was anything they could suggest. Meanwhile my friend went off ashore to explore some more. To my surprise and horror, the doctor suspected I had partially ruptured my Achilles tendon, which might result in being medevac’d home! I was put into a wheelchair, forbidden to walk and wheeled back to my cabin to await transport to hospital for scans. I was to collect my passport, money and insurance documents. Someone arrived about 12.20 and I was taken out through immigration and the cruise terminal to a people carrier and my escort, Annie. She took me to a large hospital behind Orchard Road and got me to my 1.30 appointment on time. Then I was sent for a scan – the consultant wanted an MRI but there wasn’t time so I had an ultrasound (eventually). Then I was wheeled to the desk to pay and back to the consultant. I was beginning to panic as we waited for the report from the radiologist which came at 3.35 – back on board time was 4.30 and it was at least a 30 min journey to Aurora! Thankfully it wasn’t a rupture but tendonitis, so with strapping on ankle and two lots of pills plus anti-inflammatory patches, I made it back just in time. The doctor was even waiting by the gangway (with my by now worried friend) for me! In the event a tour was late back so there wasn’t the desperate rush I thought there was but it didn’t do much for my blood pressure! After I had been taken back to the medical centre and given the reports to the doctor, I was free to go. I was very stiff from being in a wheelchair all day so dumped my paperwork and bag and limped up to the promenade deck. We were delayed further because some people hadn’t handed their passports in to P&O as required at the airbridge. I went back down to change and then we went into dinner to meet our two new tablemates , one of whom had been on my table on Artemis on the Greenland cruise in 2007. After dinner I went to bed as tired and the ship was rolling quite a bit which made walking with my injury, extra painful.

Tuesday 14 February at sea

Weather: Dry, good visibility, 6/8 cloud
Temperature: 28C
Wind: Force 5
Sea state: Slight

Got up and had breakfast in the Medina Restaurant to save me walking too far.  The seas were a little rough initially but by midday had improved considerably. When we returned to the cabin after breakfast we discovered two red roses as it was Valentine’s Day. It was mainly a day spent pottering and running errands. I went to the medical centre to get my tour ticket for Semerang stamped so I could get a refund. There was no way I was going to get around Borobudur! Chatted with one of the solos, had lunch in the Medina Restaurant and then found a spot at the back of Deck 9 to watch the Crossing the Line Ceremony. That is I found a spot but when I asked a Welsh lady on the left to kindly move one inch further over so I could get a chair in the space, she loudly moaned that she had got there early so she wouldn’t be squashed. As if an inch was going to squash her!! She did however move!  It was great fun watching the two teams – officers v pirates (aka the entertainment team) – undertake various tasks set by King Neptune, which all ended in a Kissing the Fish ceremony for those crossing the line for the first time. Although I have crossed the line before, this was my first ceremony but I didn’t bother to go down.

 

Wednesday 15 February - Semarang

Weather: Dry, good visibility, 4/8 cloud
Temperature: 30C
Wind: Force 2/3

A quiet day. Did some laundry as the ship was quiet with most ashore. I had a text from Caryll to say there were stalls in the terminal so eventually I went down to the gangway and limped to the terminal. There were some local Indonesian musicians so I sat down and listened to them for a while, used the free internet and then browsed the stalls selling local handicrafts.

I bought two batik fans and a poker-work duck. I was also persuaded to buy a set of musical whistles for $2– I guess they can go in my Christmas Shoebox! It was really pleasant sitting there. A lady was doing henna painting but I declined. A few cats were about but not friendly. As I was walking back to the ship I felt a few spots of rain and looking up saw very black clouds on the horizon. We are here in the monsoon season and every afternoon there could be heavy downpours. As it was I made it back easily, climbing the very steep stepped gangway and moving airbridge. Once on board I left my purchases in the cabin and went up for a sandwich and a drink. I heard thunder and saw the dark clouds but it didn’t rain on us, though clearly was further inland. Then I went back to the cabin to catch up on photos – I hadn’t downloaded any since Cochin so there were quite a lot to do. 

Thursday 16 February at sea

Weather: Dry, good visibility, overcast
Temperature: 29C
Wind: Force 2
Sea state: Slight

Another lovely sea day before we get to Bali. This morning I went to a workshop on how they make Balinese Shadow Puppets. It is painstaking work. Once the outlines are drawn on heavy parchment, they are cut out by tiny chisel. The details are then applied, each puppet taking hours of intricate punching with a stiletto. They are then painted and mounted on a stick. Whilst we were watching and listening to the explanation, another man was playing a traditional musical instrument.

 

I had a sandwich outside but it is overcast and extremely hot and humid today. We lost another hour at lunchtime and at 2pm I went to a performance of the puppets by Jro Dalang – The Mahatmabara Story. This lasted an hour and, I have to admit did become rather monotonous. I would have loved it at half that time.

I then went to the cabin to sort my case out under the bed. I wanted to properly pack away the souvenirs I have bought so far and place them in one side of the case and zip it up.  I also took the opportunity to email a friend who is meeting us in Fremantle and double check with the tours desk that I could opt out of aspects of tomorrow’s tour in Bali if it became too much for my heel.

Friday 17 February - Bali

Weather: Passing showers, good visibility, 5/8 cloud
Temperature: 29C
Wind: Light airs

We arrived in Bali early and dropped anchor. As our tour muster time was 8.30am we had a room-service breakfast while getting ready. At 8.15am went up to the Curzon Theatre to collect our tour stickers and then down to the tender pontoon on Deck 4 where we boarded a large catamaran shore tender so it only took about 10 mins to arrive on land instead of the 45 mins we had been told it might take. Then it was just a short walk through the cruise terminal (where Regent Seven Seas Voyager was berthed) to the coaches. Our first stop was at Klungkung Kertagosha – a complex built in 1710 with a magnificent ‘Floating Pavilion’ among other architectural gems. I took a lot of photos, leaving others to clamber up uneven crumbling steps to explore inside. We had been told not to hold onto the walls etc as they are now fragile!

There were several small attractive birds I was able to watch but we were all rather pestered by women trying to sell batik fabric lengths! I did buy three but that only encouraged others to try and sell me more! Back on the coach and it was to Gianyar, famous for Balinese hand-woven and dyed ikat fabric. We watched the ladies at work and then had the opportunity to purchase from the large shop but I restrained myself.

Next was Kemenuh where wood carvers turn local teak and ebony into beautiful carvings. There we were served a rather strange buffet lunch of rolls, local fruit such as rambutan and Balinese coffee. We needed a lesson in how to eat the bright red, hairy rambutan but it was simple – squeeze it till the skin split open and eat the white flesh inside.

Our final stop was at Ubud, supposedly famous as an artists’ colony with studios, galleries and museums. However, as we drove through the main street towards the coach park, it reminded me most of somewhere such as Cheddar Gorge with shops full of cheap-looking tourist souvenirs. The only sight of interest to me were the monkeys (from the monkey forest) roaming the street in search of fruit and snacks dropped by visitors. The market also looked interesting but that was a long way back and we were only given half an hour here. I opted to stay on the coach. People who did get off said I had done the right thing as it was incredibly hot and humid and not worth the effort involved in wandering the hilly streets. We then had an hour’s drive back to the terminal, through small towns and villages. Every home appeared to have one or more temples or shrines to their ancestors in their garden. The roads were lined by hundreds of stone carvings for sale – obviously very popular with locals.

 

The traffic mainly consisted of motorcycles. At one point we passed a cemetery and open-air cremation site. A funeral pyre was still smoking! One at the terminal I delayed boarding the tender in favour of browsing the inevitable stalls of souvenirs. Here I bought two silver pendants – a Tree of Life and a red-enamelled turtle. Then I boarded the Bali Hai II shore tender back to Aurora. Whilst waiting in the queue I looked over the Regent ship.

 

She was about to depart but left while I was on the tender so I missed the photo opportunity. Caryll took a later tender, which was delayed until Voyager had left. Aurora was also delayed leaving by an hour due to a tour being late back. Bali was not as I had expected. I realise we didn’t get to see the beautiful palm-fringed beaches or the mountainous green interior, but the parts we did see – village after village and hundreds, and I do mean hundreds, of temples didn’t inspire in me any kind of emotion that I thought I would feel in Bali. Every second building appeared to be a temple and every garden as crammed with them as well. That is not to say I didn’t enjoy it but I would not be in any hurry to return.

Paddy fields

 

Bali sunset

Saturday 18 - Monday 20 February at sea

Weather: Dry, good visibility, 3/8 cloud
Temperature: 28C
Wind: Force 2
Sea state: Slight

The Saturday was a warm and sunny sea day, although overcast later in the day. In the morning I went to talk by Capt. Martin Reed about his role on Canberra during the Falklands Conflict. It was entertaining and illuminating. At the end I went to introduce myself as he had helped with our P&O 175 book. I then had lunch outdoors before wandering slowly back down to the promenade deck for the afternoon. When it became too hot and sticky I returned to the cabin to download my Bali photos. In total I have over 3000 now so plenty of work to edit and back up. It was a formal night tonight so I got ready early and went to the jewellery shop where I had an invitation for drinks. After dinner we did the quiz but just missed out on winning. If we had only got Ronnie Scott playing the trumpet we would have been in the tie-breaker. The other two days were mostly spent watching out of wildlife and soaking up the glorious sunshine.

Aurora at anchor at Bali

Tuesday 21 February - Fremantle

Weather: Dry, good visibility, 6/8 cloud
Temperature: 20C
Wind: Force 6

So, after three days at sea with barely any wildlife to watch aside from a few seabirds skimming the waves and flying fish escaping predators (and the ship), we arrived in Fremantle. The weather looked a little threatening with black clouds in the distance but in the event was a delightful sunny day, although the locals thought it cold! To me it was perfect for city sightseeing – not so hot and after the 90% humidity of the previous ports – fresh and bright. We berthed at Victoria Quay around 8am. This is the 1960s passenger terminal that has been fully restored to its original appearance. We had an early cabin breakfast so were ready to disembark for 8.30am and meet my friend, whom I hadn’t seen for some 30 odd years. He was waiting outside the main door and took us across to his car. He took us first on a short tour around Fremantle before dropping us off at the Western Australia Maritime Museum while he had to go attend a dedication ceremony. It was very nice being treated as VIPs and given a guided tour by a staff member. It is a state of the art new museum and fascinating to see Western Australia’s early settlement history. We then had a coffee and cake before another kind staff member took us in her car to the Shipwrecks Museum.

 

Preserved wreck of the Batavia

I had particularly wanted to see the display about the Batavia, as well as other finds from shipwrecks around the coast. My friend  picked us up again about 11.15 and took us into the centre of Fremantle where I was able to buy a lens cap to replace one I had lost on the ship. The town centre was old and interesting, the street lined with colonial-style buildings with cast-ironwork balconies and arcades. I loved it.

 

Then we drove through Cottesloe, where we stopped at the Indiana Tearooms for a coffee http://indiana.com.au/. Ironically we saw lots of P&O passengers there.

 

Next we drove through other suburbs to Perth to Kings Park, one of the largest inner city parks in the world.  Here we strolled around, looking at the State War memorial Cenotaph and the over to the stunning views of the city.

There were Carnaby’s  and Red-Tailed Black Cockatoos everywhere and one kindly posed for a photo for me.

I wasn’t so lucky with the Rainbow Lorikeets though! I paused for a rest while the others went along the aerial walkway. We then repaired to the gift shop where I bought a print of cockatoos and we all had an ice-cream.  Our tour continued around the Swan River area where we saw the famous Black Swans before stopping for a cold drink.

 

We had booked a table for an early dinner at 6.15 at Cottesloe at a lovely restaurant overlooking a white sand beach http://www.barchetta.com.au/. There we sat out on the beachside verandah watching the sunset- although sadly it began to cloud over so we didn’t see the best of it.

My crab spagghettini was delicious, washed down with Western Australian wine. We then drove back to the ship for 8.30pm – fortunately we had a late departure that evening allowing us to at ashore for a change. We bid goodbye  to my friend and walked back through the terminal to Aurora.

After a quick change I went up to the Crow’s Nest to listen to Chris Frame’s talk on Fremantle and say hello to a fellow writer. Afterwards we went on deck for our sailaway in the dark – past the Maritime Museum and out into the Southern Ocean. It had been a wonderful day – I was finding it hard to accept I was finally in Australia and loving it. After the dirt, dust, heat and humidity of our last few ports, and much as I had loved India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Malaysia, I have to admit it was wonderful to be back in a first world country for a while.

Wednesday 22 February – Friday 24^th at sea

Weather: Dry, good visibility, 6/8 cloud
Temperature: 18C
Wind: Force 3
Sea state: Moderate – Slight

The three sea days between Perth and Adelaide were cool and grey with lumpy seas – not at all conducive to sitting outdoors. We had another Round the World coffee morning on the middle day and I had an interview with Capt. Dunlop on the third. We also had an invitation to join friends for drinks in their suite on the third evening. Other than that I treated them as admin, laundry and rest days.

Saturday 25 February - Adelaide

Weather: Dry, good visibility, 1/8 cloud
Temperature: 18C
Wind: Force 2

We arrived at dawn just as the sun was rising and it was beautiful. I was on an early tour to Hahndorf, the oldest surviving German settlement in Australia. Caryll meanwhile was going to the Cleland Wildlife Park.  I had a cabin breakfast and then went to the theatre to get my sticker before going down to the coach on the quayside. Whilst waiting there I saw more Rainbow Lorikeets and White Cockatoos. The coach drove out through Port Adelaide and the outskirts of Adelaide up to the 2100 feet high Mount Lofty from where we had a panoramic view over the whole city to the sea.

We then drove out to the settlement of Hahndorf, established in 1839. This looked like a typical outback Australian town but with German overtones – bier kellers, bakeries and a shop selling cuckoo clocks and Christmas decorations etc. Here we had two hours free time so I wandered up and down the main street, admiring the jewellery and other goods on sale and taking photos of the historic buildings before settling down in a café for a coffee and huge slice of German apple cake.

We then reboarded the coach, which took a different route back via the Eagle’s Crest Road and told us to look out for Koalas which are known to live in this area. Sadly the most I spotted was a Koala Crossing road warning sign but some people saw one or two. Their grey fur is the same colour as the bark of the Gum Trees they doze on so they just look like a grey lump! Once back in the city, a few of us got off at the Rundle shopping mall where I met up with Caryll. We wandered up the wide pedestrianised street with fountains and street performers.

There were several souvenir shops and I bought some presents and a nice shopper. Looked at the opals in the shops but they were very expensive. We paused for a cold drink s by now it was a beautiful hot and sunny day. I then caught the ship shuttlebus back to Port Adelaide, sitting and chatting with a lovely Indian waiter whose dream was to go to Jerusalem. In the shops in the terminal I succumbed to an Australian black pearl ring from Broome, then went to the cabin to change into a sundress and sit out in the late afternoon sun for an hour or two with a cold glass of cider. Caryll was still not back! Apparently there were issues with too many people for the final shuttle, leaving some crew stranded. We eventually left however, and not too late.

Sunday 26 February – Kangaroo Island

Weather: Dry, good visibility, 1/8 cloud
Temperature: 17C
Wind: Force 6

Kangaroo Island was a tender port and as we were on a private tour leaving at 9am, I set the alarm for 6.30 and we had a cabin breakfast. The sea was looking a little choppy and I wondered if we would even get ashore but in the end all was well. We presented ourselves at Reception as arranged and the staff kindly got us onto the first tender. It was a very high step up boarding the tender and a bumpy crossing but not so bad getting off in the sheltered harbour. As we walked up the jetty we spotted a huge black and white pelican sitting in the road – my first photo of the day.

It then transpired that as the ship was taking a while to get people ashore, our tour had been put back till 10am so we had some time to kill. At one point they even stopped tendering to reposition the ship to create a lee. Whilst Caryll set off for the market, I wandered down to the pretty beach where I had spotted signs warning that it was a penguin nesting site.

Sadly for me, the local Little Blue Penguins are nocturnal so I wasn’t likely to see any.  I also took some photos of the CMV ship Astor which was lying at anchor but not tendering.

Eventually Daniel, our driver, appeared and seven of us set off in his minibus to see the eastern part of the island. Our first stop was at a honey farm where we tried the most delicious honey ice cream. Then we drove – always at high speed – past fields where kangaroos were grazing – to the island’s main own of Kingscote. After a brief drive around we had an hour free time to explore. I managed to buy a new sun hat, some penguin souvenirs and, more importantly, some new walking sandals as back-ups for the ones I had glued together! Once again it was a typical Australian outback town with two-storey verandahed buildings and old hotel.

Eventually it was time to board the minibus back to Penneshaw via Reeves Point, site of the first official European settlement in South Australia. Because Daniel had been driving everywhere so fast, we asked if we could stop at Pennington Lakes and also anywhere he spotted kangaroos as we couldn’t get photos. We achieved this eventually.

 

Daniel dropped us off at Penneshaw cruise ship market. We popped into the supermarket to stock up on supplies, then browsed the market stalls. I was pleased with a purchase of a blue/grey quartz drusy pendant. We found a small café and had a cold drink while chatting to a mother and daughter who lived there. After some time we set off towards the jetty. At the end of the road Caryll went off to the right while I turned left towards the tendering point. At the landward end of the pier I decided I needed to go down onto the beautiful beach for better photos. The sand was white and studded with shells and the water a transparent blue/green and turquoise.

 

After a while I headed back along the pier and boarded a tender for the 10 minute trip back to Aurora. Once there I changed and sat on the promenade deck, backing in the later afternoon and early evening sunshine until all the tenders were back and stowed and we left around 7pm. Changed for dinner and after the meal went down for an early night as tired out.

Monday 27 February at sea

Weather: Dry, good visibility, clear skies
Temperature: 18C
Wind: Force 2
Sea state: Slight

Usual sea day activities – mainly bird watching. There was an amazing fog bank at one point where you could clearly see the edges of it.

Tuesday 28 February - Melbourne

Weather: Dry, good visibility, clear skies
Temperature: 30C
Wind: Light airs

We arrived early. As I looked out, the sun was just rising and a dolphin greeted us in the harbour – magic. Today I am going bush-walking! My tour was leaving at 8.15, so I got up before Caryll and ate my cabin breakfast. One I had collected my tour sticker, I wandered down through the terminal (a very long walk indeed!) and down to the coach (despite being asked not to), and even then I wasn’t the first! We met our ranger guide Michael and koala expert Emma and set off through Port Melbourne and then out through the grasslands of the Great Western Plains to the Serendip Sanctuary.

This is an open range area of savannah grasslands and bush with billabongs. We were given a briefing (we must on no account stand still at any time as ants will swarm up your legs, but no worries about snakes as they will hear us coming and move away!). At least I was wearing proper walking shoes – I couldn’t believe the footwear some ladies were wearing – I mean flipflops??! Then, we set on a short walk through knee-high grass, and past emus, towards a group of kangaroos, one of whom had a joey.  

I was in heaven seeing the wild version of Australia. This is what I wanted – not to see them in zoos. It was however extremely hot and one elderly gentleman partially collapsed in the heat. He was Ok once back on board the coach.  We then drove past wallabies and more emu to a clearing where Michael offered to take us on a short bird-watching walk to a large billabong – this was optional and not part of the tour but I jumped at the opportunity. It was along a proper track and we saw a Wedge-tailed Eagle, Whistling Kite and the huge Cape Barren Geese.

The coach was waiting at th end of the walk and we drove to a picnic clearing where tea, coffee and cakes had been laid out for us. There was also a toilet block and I have to admit to checking under the seat before using after all those stories of Red Back Spiders hiding there!! Whilst we ate and drank, White Cockatoos were flying through the trees above us.

After around 45 minutes we set off again to the You Yang Ranges to hunt for koalas in their natural habitat. This is a wild koala study area. One there we set off walking through a eucalyptus forest with Mel King, a local expert, to see Pat, a 10 year old female, and Gurren, an 8 year old male. Both were fast asleep high up in their gum trees, looking adorable as only koalas can! Another magical moment.

Finally it was time to return to Melbourne. Throughout the morning, as well as the kangaroos and koalas, we saw wallabies, emus, White Cockatoos, Ravens, Australian Magpies and a Kookaburra.  I felt my heel had stood up well so it was a bit alarming, once at the cruise terminal, to be met by people offering me a wheelchair to the ship! Did I really look that bad? Admittedly I was extremely hot and quite tired but I declined and browsed the few stalls in the terminal, once again buying a few gifts for people back home. Once on board I showered and changed and went for a cold drink and sandwich. Then I sat in the shade until it was time to go to Carmen’s Lounge for a performance by the Yarra Yarra Aboriginal Dancers. I have really enjoyed all the different local folk dancers that have performed for us this cruise. They performed a traditional smoking ceremony, a Welcome to Australia ceremony and traditional songs and dances accompanied by digeridoo.

Afterwards I sat out on the prom deck chatting with a couple of the solos before changing for dinner, after which we went to the quiz.

Goodbye Melbourne

Wednesday 1 March at sea

Weather: Dry, good visibility, 4/8 cloud
Temperature: 21C
Wind: Force 4
Sea state: Slight

I woke up feeling as if I had caught a cold – headache, scratchy throat, tickly cough. I thought it might be best to nurse it for the day so I am OK for Sydney. Ate mainly fruit all day and relaxed in the fresh air. In the afternoon I downloaded my Melborune photos and then washed my hair and showered before our formal Black & white night. It is the last formal night for the table before the others disembark in Sydney so I didn’t want to miss it, but returned to the cabin after diner for paracetamol and bed.

Thursday 2 March - Sydney

Weather: Dry, good visibility, moderate in showers, 6/8 cloud
Temperature: 25C
Wind: Force 2

Woke up at 7am to find us already at anchor in Sydney. I was a bit cross I had missed seeing us sail through the Heads but it would probably have been dark anyway. Aurora remained at anchor all day until Queen Mary 2 left the berth at Circular Quay late at night, at which point we then docked. On the plus side – the view from our cabin was spectacular – the Opera House, QM2 and the Harbour Bridge! We had breakfast and then got a tender ashore, once they were opened up to those not on organised tours – about 9.30. The tender dropped us off right beside the Opera House so we began our exploration there. It truly is a spectacular building – large but not overpowering and the white tiled roofs glisten in the sunshine.

Once we had been inside (so Caryll could book a late afternoon tour inside) and round he exterior, we walked up to the ferry terminals at Circular Quay, browsing the shops along the way and watching the street performers.

Once at the end I bought an Opal public transport card and we caught the ferry from No.3 wharf to Manly. The journey took about half an hour and gave us first rate views of QM2, the Bridge and Aurora at anchor.

On arrival at Manly we looked in at the Tourist Office and bought tickets for the Sealife Sanctuary as I reckoned it was going to be the only way I was going to see Fairy or Little Blue Penguins. They were delightful, and made a noise a little like a duck – so I quacked back and had quite a conversion with one!

We left and had a coffee and muesli cookie at the café just outside before wandering up the Corsa – the man street - towards the famous and beautiful surfing beach.

It was the week of the Open Surfing Championships, but we didn’t see any competitions.

Once we had admired the beach, we turned back and returned to the ferry to go back to Sydney. One ashore, Caryll left me to go to her opera House tour whilst I walked slowly back. I met up with one of the solos near the Opera House so we decided to sit and have a beer outside in the Opera House Bar.

The weather was beautiful (and had been all day aside from a heavy short shower early in the morning), the view to die for, the beer good – it all summed up P&O Cruises’ slogan perfectly – This is the Life! Eventually I caught the smart two-deck shore tender back to Aurora and showered and changed. After dinner we went out to watch QM2 sail and Aurora move to the Overseas Passenger Terminal around midnight. The air was full of the sound of cicadas and a huge black locust(?) landed on my skirt! It was a beautiful sight sailing past the Opera House with the lights of Sydney all around.