day 39, Feb 20, Adelaide

Hi Everybody,

I haven't put anything on the blog for a few days because we have been at sea and there hasn't been a lot to write. We were in Freemantle 2 days ago but due to engine trouble we were 4 hours late in getting there which messed up all the tours. There were about 1000 people trying to get off at the same time so Dad and I said, "Forget it!" for now and went back to our room. I wasn't feeling too well(still have a bit of a stomach problem - there is a virus going around that causes stomach pain when you eat and stomach pain if you don't eat. It also makes you very sleepy.). So anyway I took a nap for an hour and then we got off the ship easily. We took a shuttle bus to the town center and walked around and did a little necessary shopping ata drug store. After the tours in South America and Mauritius, Freemantle was lovely - clean and pretty.

We said goodbye to Craig and Julie who  sat on one side of us at dinner. They got on in Capetown after a holiday in South Africa and were returning home to Perth - just a mile or so from Freemantle. They were on the ship for 12 days but it seemed very brief to us. They were delightful people and we made up a trivia team with them which was a lot of fun even though we never won. The trivia competitions in the Lion Pub at 11:30am and 4:30pm have been so popular you have to get there early to get a seat. Tempers get a little hot if some people disagree with the answer. One man even yelled out, "I'm going to report you to the Captain!". Fortinately everyone burst out laughing which reduced the tension.

Right now it is 5:30am and we are having coffee. We arrive in Adelaide at 7:30am but just for half a day. We are going to a wild life park so hope to get pictures of kangaroos, koala bears, wombats, dingos, etc. Our friends from Toronto, Jim and Karen, who sit on the other side of us at dinner, are on the same tour. They are going right around the world too.

It's hard to believe it is 2pm on Saturday (it is Sunday here) where you are.

We have traveled about 7000 miles from Capetown and about 1400 miles from Freemantle. What a big world we live in. And so much water!

We go to the Churchhill Lounge which is one of the few places to smoke but we have to watch out for "Sam the devil man" who is a young man in his late 30s traveling with his mother who smokes cigars. How weird is that! Any way he has a conspiracy theory about the Masons taking over building the QM2 and putting secret pictures of devils around the ship. He is also flirting with Mom and wants us to change our dining table and eat dinner with him. Mom says she is almost old enough to be his grandmother! We keep an eye out for him so we can escape through the other door if he shows up!