Melbourne

I didn't actually make big plans for Melbourne. There were a number of shore excursions available, but I decided to opt out. Mom, however, went on a really fun one that I can describe and post some pictures she took (without TK, of course). I will do a separate post for that.

In the meantime, I got my stuff together to go on shore (namely, the computer so I could TRY to do some catching up with my blog). It loooked so nice out the window of my cabin - sun shining brightly, water looking beautiful, beaches shimmering in the distance. I am dressed in capris and a t-shirt, tote bag slung over my shoulder, and getting ready to 'walk the plank' and head to town. As I get closer to the gangway, I see a crew member wearing a heavy jacket. Then I start FEELING the coldness. As I walk up to him, I say something like 'it's cold out?'. DUH.

So I march all the way back to my cabin and change into jeans and a sweatshirt with a jacket on top and switch out my flipflops for sneakers.Heading back out, I realize I am leaving a little later than I wanted to, but I know I have plenty of time to be back for our 5:30pm curfew (you will see why I chose that particular word in a minute).

As I was walking through the cruise terminal, I look over and see some familiar faces. Patti and Nancy, who were on the ship until Sydney, where the disembarked. Nancy is Patti's mom and they were actually MOVING to Australia. Dad was already working in Adelaide, and it was time for the girls to join him permamently.

The thing is, I was so busy in Sydney, I never got to say good-bye to them, so the fact that they were in Melbourne just blew my mind! Well, we got a chance to exchange contact info, and I found out why the made the ten (yes, TEN!) hour drive from Adelaide to Melbourne. There was a secret aboard the Amsterdam, and Nancy told me what it was. Patti fell in love with a (nameless for now) guy who works on the ship. They came to where the ship was so they cold spend one last day together (but they weren't 100% sure he was going to be able to have the day off- I hope he was able to...

We did get to visit for a while and then I was off to the city center of Melbourne.I bought a ticket for the tram and rode into the city. It was a nice ride, nice tram, and took maybe fifteen minutes. I got off and walked arround, checking out the architecture, shopping, and of course, people watching. I found a nice Greek cafe that had internet access. I ordered a sandwich and got a connection on my computer, to - you know- try to get this blog caught up! I was still trying to get my pictures downloaded, and it has been futile so far. I didn't take too many pictures for this post anyway, but I may use mom's photos (sans TK, of course) that were from her excursion to a gold-mining town, among other things.

So, here's the DRAMA from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia...Do you remember my post from Port Vila, about me losing my hearing? Well, it really hasn't come back yet! I KNOW, it SUCKS! And, as most of you know, I am not a watch-wearing girl. With that said, after answering e-mails and blog posting, among other computer stuff, I head out to explore a little more and do some shopping (my last chance for Aussie souvenirs).

I bought a hot chocolate from Starbucks because I was kind of cold, and decided to try to make some phone calls with the phone card I had. So I found a payphone and made some calls. Mainly I left voicemails while warming up with the hot chocolate.

I hit another store or two and figured I should start to head back to the ship. I asked a guy what time it was and he tells me - or rather - I HEARD four o'clock. Plenty of time to get back, so I start meandering toward a tram station. It was pretty busy, as I figured it was getting near rush hour and the whole area seemed to be swarming with students because I noticed numerous campuses around.

So here I was, finding my way toward the tram stop, and I happen to see a clock-and it says 5:15. WHAT?!?! I have to be on the ship in FIFTEEN MINUTES?!?! YIKES. I hurry to the tram stop and start asking people which one I need to be on. A really nice young gal named Jane was kind enough to help me out.

I KNEW I wouldn't make it by 5:30, but the ship didn't actually leave till 6:00, so I knew I would make it by then. Of course, it's stinkin' rush hour and it takes forever for people to board and disembark. I was getting just a bit nervous, but when I changed to the second tram, there weren't as many people, so we went a little faster. Finally, I get to the end of the line, the pier where my ship is docked (and the huge P & O ship was docked on the other side). I literally run off the tram and start bokking it toward my ship. At this point it is 5:40pm.Of course, you have to show your ship ID card to get through security, so I quickly dug around and found it and got through.

Then, there was a long parking lot, and really, this pier is HUGE! I went past an Australian Navy battleship - or something - and the boys in their cute uniforms. I keep running on, shifting my HEAVY bag from one should to the other, every so often. There were some security people scattered here and there, and they were looking at me with those looks of 'that sheila is gonna miss her boat', but I kept running.

At this point I was getting close enough to the ship to hear this over the loudspeaker 'Will Ms. Allison Hendrickson from stateroom 2698 please call the front office'. (I found out later that they had called the stateroom TWICE, looking for me.) Since your card is scanned as you get off the ship, then again on the return, they know if you are back on the ship or not. They just need to make sure I didn't get back on the ship without the card getting scanned properly.

Anyway, as many of you know, I am not know for my running talents, so I am getting out of breath at theis point. I am also hearing the engines of my massive home away from home revving up, with smoke billowing from the giant smokestacks.

There were a couple more security people and I ask them the quickest way to get boarded back on my ship. They tell me to head up the escalator where I basically run up the stairs as I'm riding and I'm thrilled to come to the X-ray machine so I can take off my bag and catch a three second breather. I grab my bag and zig and zag to the doorway that took me outside and sprinted the last 30 feet to the gangway.

I run up the plank and I hear the announcement again, and I'm saying ' that's me! that's me! sorry I'm late!!' then I say 'my mom's having a heart attack right now!!!'. They scan my card, push me through the double doors while someone's calling the front desk to tell them I'm back and no less than a dozen guys pull up the gangway and close the doors - and all the other stuff they do. It is 5:50pm.

I go back to the cabin, and I am COMPLETELY out of breath. You know, it would have been way more fun to be telling this story-about how out of breath I am- if I had been chased by a croc or even a tasmanian devil, but no, I'm just sidetracked and irresponsible.

So I get my keycard and go into the cabin, where mom is waiting for me and says 'WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!?!'. (um, I'm a grandmother and my own mom is giving me a hard time for missing my curfew!!)

I can barely talk, but I basically relate the story and she is a little disgusted, but is laughing at me. I think I also hear a muffled giggle coming from Tiny Kona...

Just about then the ship starts moving and we are on our way to TASMANIA! I made it kids, and you all thought I was gonna miss the boat!

TINY KONA'S TRUISM of the Day...Your choice Allison, either buy a watch or get a hearing aid.