Author: davidscruise

Airlie Beach

A few pictures. Daily position indicated on stateroom TV Web Cam image from the bridge, taken in my stateroom. Looking towatds Airley Beach No wonder I liked the Museum! Loco built Leeds 1916, worked in France before being exported to Australia for use in Sugar cane industry. There are still 600km of 2ft gauge railway still in use today in this industry.

13/3/2018 Airlie Beach.

What a lovely day. I walked from my stateroom straight out onto a sundrenched open deck and looked accross to distant islands giving me an instant desire to stay for a number of days rather than just a few hours. We were anchored off Airlie Beach thus necessitating the use of tenders and hire craft for transfer to the harbour. The warmth was uplifting rather than oppressive. The tender transfer was only slightly chaotic. Nevertheless, an air of over-the-top disgruntlement for the most minor of inconvenience was enough for me to join in the conversation with something along the lines of “sorry, but all this is fabulous…..” The Chelsea faces frowned disappaprovingly as if to indicate I was easily pleased! Eventually, we were escorted to a tiny boat in which we would venture out into the shallow waters in search of turtles. The expectation was that we would see hundreds making momentary appearances. That was the raison d’etre of this excursion. The tour guide, who must have been hugely embarrassed saw just three, another participant two, and me just one for a split second. Neither the guide nor Cunard came in for criticism over the lack of wildlife, but the $70 price tag was frowned upon. I kept out of that one! On arrival back at the harbour, we went our separate ways, me to the local snack shop for a tuna and cottage cheese baguette….now, that really was a rip-off, but I wasn’t bothered. This World Cruise works out at 66p a nautical mile!

In the afternoon, I joined a second shore excursion “Airlie Beach, Sights and History”. I regarded this as a “time passer” and jumped on the coach, making my way to a decent window seat near the back. Immediately, we were in fabulous green countryside. We had sugar cane and coffee fields as well as other stuff pointed out. Eventually, we arrived at the Proserpine Historical Museum. My expectations were not high. But this place housed a wonderfully presented archive of the town, population around 10,000. There were artefacts from people who fought in recent wars and conflicts. There is too much to describe right now, but do Google Proserpine Historical Museum; perhaps you may understand my unexpected enthusiasm. I wasn’t expecting coffee and cake to be part of the deal. This was a gem of a tour in a lovely distant part of the world. Perhaps I will come this away again; they want volunteers at the museum. I just wish I had some appropriate skills!

I returned to a sofa in the Carinthia Lounge where the “easy on the eye” harpist was serenading a handful of passengers. She finished her shift despite a guest’s request for her to keep playing. It’s almost 7pm. I have been sitting here well over an hour, comfortable, content and with a pre-paid de-caff latte to savour. Next and final port of call in Australia, Darwin, after three welcome days at sea. I enjoyed New Zealand and Australia enormously and can’t wait to come back..

Thanks for reading. Very best wishes, David.

12/3/2018

At sea en route for Airlie Beach.

Being my first time on such a lengthy voyage to the other side of the world, I feel I owe it to myself to see as much as possible in the limited time available at each port of call. This can be exhausting and very occasionally, counter productive, although I am satisfied with what I have seen and done so far. And I discovered that doing my own thing in Brisbane could be equally rewarding.

Yesterday, (I am writing this on 13th March) we were at sea, a marvellous opportunity to get up when I felt like it and enjoy just taking modest excersise, and enjoying the ever increasing warmth of travelling north. I did little, gave the casino back some of my modest winnings and watched the last part of a movie before going to bed. Also, after dinner, I relaxed in the Chart Room with a smoothe live jazz band serenading the few guests who had stopped by. All very nice, and today I feel all the better for having chilled out yesterday. But, I will never learn…I am on two shore excursions today at Airlie Beach.

Many thanks for reading.

David.

11th March 2018

I don’t know how many times that I have written how superb this voyage is. Travelling to the other side of the World “the old fashioned way” is something I could only dream of. But, here, I find myself in the Carinthia Lounge in the area on board QM2 once occupied by the Winter Garden, my least favourite venue at that time. The Carinthia Lounge is infinitely better unless you are not keen on shades of brown and beige with splashes of different shades of blue here and there. A harpist, whose face is easy on the eye, serenades a small but appreciative audience. I feel relaxed, content and pleased with my all too brief shuttle bus ride into Brisbane, around 40 minutes away. I got to talk to the owner of her sizeable bus company, a vigorous enthusiastic and proud lady. I was duly impressed. I got to watch trains momentarily at Brisbane’s Central Station. I was assured of employment there and still could be tempted. Then I remembered which decade of my life I had just entered!

The one sea day from Sydney found me for the first time slightly daunted at the prospect of another 60 days. I had no such negativity today. For once, rather than rely on a Cunard shore excursion to make the most the limited time available at each port, I chose to do my own thing in Brisbane. While enjoying a late breakfast, the heavens opened, only the third downpour of the voyage. A cut on my finger which I had tamed with difficulty last night decided to let rip during breakfast in the Kings Court. Because I am on blood thinners for a heart condition, it takes forever for any bleeding to stop. At about 2pm, I felt confident enough to venture into the city. I enjoyed the journey in both directions. I would visit the railway station and ascertain rail possibilities for my voyage to Sydney in February. Needless to say, being a Sunday, such information was not available! And, of course, it’s Lent!

The harpist is on her break; lift music permiates into tranquillity of the Carinthia Lounge. The cough which I have mentioned occasionally, lingers with irritating and annoying persistence.

In December 2003, I travelled with a small number of ship enthusiasts to see Queen Mary 2 just being finished off at St. Nazaire. Little could I imagine that eventually, I would travel half way around the world on this amazing vessel. And so, I look forward to the next 59 days with a degree of pleasure.

Many thanks for reading.

Best wishes, David.