The fourth of January was the day that we were to board our ship. We didn't have to be there until 12:30 so we were able to see some more sights of Sydney on foot. I had high hopes of getting into the Maritime Museum but after walking all the way over to it we decided that we better not for time was getting short. We enjoyed our walk across the Pyrmont walking bridge over Darling Harbor by the Cockle Bay Wharf when it started to rain. Luckily, we brought our umbrella and enjoyed a nice walk in the rain:)
Here are some shots of the city behind us as we walked.
We happened upon a little shopping mall and had to go in to find a restroom. While perusing the shops we found this gem of a bakery. Rick bought a blueberry lemon scone and a filled pastry. I have fallen in love with scones! (I'm telling you we have eaten so much bread these past couple of weeks to get us through the whole year!!) Can't pass up a good bakery, though!
After packing up we got a taxi to take us to the White Bay Harbor to board the Sun Princess. The boarding process went pretty smoothly and we were on within an hour. It was exciting as we pulled out of Sydney Harbor. Rick and I were on the top deck of the ship (Deck 14) as we pulled underneath the Sydney Harbor Bridge. It felt like if we reached up our hands we could touch the underside of the bridge....(not really, but almost:) Just as we got underneath the bridge the captain rang out the ship's horn. He blasted it about ten times as we glided underneath the bridge.
It was so loud and so exciting to hear!!
Anyway, getting into the open ocean we got settled into our room on the eleventh floor in room A702 on the port side of the ship. It was your typical stateroom but we had a nice balcony to enjoy the passing scenery. We familiarized ourselves with the ship's layout and most importantly, where to find the restaurants! HAHA! We did enjoy the nice meals that were prepared for us:) We mostly had our dinners in the Regency dining room which was anytime dining. We did not have a certain time for dinner and that was nice because we didn't necessarily need to be on a strict time schedule. Most nights we sat in Nicola and Ana's section. They are from Serbia and are engaged to be married. We sure enjoyed their wonderful service and the conversation from these two. Our last night with them we talked religion:) We are sending them a Book of Mormon!
Here is a picture taken with them on our last night of the cruise.
While we didn't get involved with a lot of the extra curricular stuff on the ship we did enjoy a few shows and some of the entertainment. Here are some pictures of Rick helping out in the juggler/comedian show. This guy was pretty talented and just a little annoying!
The before dinner entertainment was very nice. These two ladies from Russia were amazing violinists. (Duo Voce) They went to school together in Russia and were very professional. We listened to them nearly everyday because we enjoyed their music so much.
Another before dinner entertainer was a concert pianist. Her name is Anna and I can't even begin to pronounce her last name. She was from somewhere in Eastern Europe as well. We sooo loved listening to her soothing music to pass the time. I wish I would have gotten a picture with her:)
The after dinner entertainer was a boy from Kansas. He played more contemporary piano and sang to his own accompaniment. It was nice that he took requests from the audience. I thought he did very well. He wasn't Rick's favorite but because I wanted to we listened to him a couple of different nights.
We did see one show. It was with the Princess Dancers. It was a country show with gook old American country music and dancing. It was a fun show but I could have done without the skimpy costumes the girls wore:(
On our second day at sea I was able to get a bamboo massage at the Lotus Spa. I've never had a bamboo massage before. The therapist uses bamboo poles soaked in essential oils and then rolls them across the muscles for a soothing effect. The therapist also uses her hands in regular fashion to massage the muscles. While it was an interesting experience I most likely would not choose this type of massage again. I prefer it the good old fashioned way:) The therapist (Natalia) was very nice and we had some good conversation toward the end of the treatment. The topic turned to our mission in Uganda which opened up the door to teaching some basic principles of the Gospel. I felt like it was a good missionary experience:)
One morning while we were at sea we had a culinary class with the Princess sculptors. They made fun carvings out of fruits and vegetables. It was really fun to see their creative creations......
Our formal night was the third night at Sea. It was a lot of fun dressing up for a "night out on the ship"! I got to wear my bright red shoes that I bought myself for Christmas! I love these shoes!
I only wish I would have brought my red neckless to finish my outfit!
We did not have any professional pictures taken but just took a few of our own:)
It was a wonderful night!
The next day (Sunday) we cruised through the fiordlands on the South Western side of the South Island of New Zealand. We took quite a few pictures but as we all know, pictures of landscapes on an iPhone just do not do justice! The fiord lands were breathtaking with waterfalls, sheer cliffs, islands, towering mountains, and rich vegetation.
First we cruised into Milford Sound and then back out the same way we came. A few hours later we went into Thompson Sound and out through Doubtful Sound. We saw two more fiord valleys but I can't remember their names! I know... awful, right? Hmmm
So this is the end of the first cruise post:)
Next will be our next three port stops, of Dunedin, Akaroa, and Wellington.
But that's tomorrow's business because tonight ....... I'm tired:0
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