After both Tom and Steven had left for their individual days of work and school Emily and I had time for a trip to McLelland Park and Sculpture Garden. It was very lovely and we wandered around the lakeside and looked at the large sculptures - some of which were baffling in their names and shapes, and others like the glorious tree which, I am told moves gently in the wind. We chatted as we walked and then went into the very elegant coffee shop for a snackette. As it was my final morning I decided to completely ‘sin’ and have a cake ! It was just delectable, a flour free fig, date and ginger cake with a slice of fig crowning the top, and a final Melbourne coffee - the flat white, if you remember was invented in Melbourne and the whole area teems with classy coffee establishments just begging to be entered ! Emily had a large and fluffy scone made with lemonade, and jam and cream. Dee........licious!
After getting home and packing the car we left for the port. The sea road is very attractive and we passed so many of the beautiful Edwardian and Art Deco houses which must have been the dwellings of the Melbourne gentry in those eras. We decided we were all in the wrong business to ever be able to afford these elegant homes, but one can wish !
Emily was able, due to very fine logistical control of traffic, to drive almost onto the ship, and I am only half joking ! We said our goodbyes and my luggage was taken by lady handlers and whisked away to my cabin. I waved a final and sad goodbye and turned to go into the check in area. It was chock a block but I was able to go to the priority check in as I have done a few Princess Cruises in my time, which helped with the queuing. In 30 minutes I was onboard and breathed a sigh of relief to reach my cabin after the squash.
This is an up and down place, where up is down and down is up, the cold wind is the south wind and the warm wind is the north wind, where I look on the map and feel as if I am cruising upwards ! It feels as if my Northern hemisphere body has to transpose the travel into another key. My brain says West is west but I have to think of it in opposites.....it is all very confusing, and I think I may just have to give in to it and not use my brain at all !
My cup of Australian Tea on the balcony at dusk.
We have a sea day tomorrow, and this evening when the captain welcomed us he did say there would be some swells as we sailed it of the shelter of the harbour and turned ( east, west....who knows..). It did swell a little, but nothing too tricky at all and I smiled as we passed French Island, which is the adjacent island to Philip Island where we saw the fabulous fairy penguins. I am sitting on my rather chilly balcony and it is getting dark, the lights of Melbourne have disappeared into the distance, the rest of the ship is probably eating in a restaurant or watching a show or imbibing lots of G &T’s, but I wanted to just sit and think about the truly wonderful time with Emily, Steven and young Tom.
Thankyou the Gallop family, and lots of love.
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