Monday, February 16, 2009 - Australian Immigration onboard!
Sunny and cool – about 60 degrees
Two computer classes and seafood buffet! Had lunch with the onboard film historian, Barry Brown. Piano and violin concert in the Queens Room with Helen Leek and Ellie Fagg, computer work and broken dentures! We have a dentist onboard, one level up, how convenient can it be! It is amazing what is available on this ship. Dentist could not quite resolve the issue but we are in port tomorrow and in Sydney in a few days to figure it all out.
Lectures by Military Historian Alan Titheridge, about “Antarctica, the Early Exploration” and Mr. Brown discussed “Hollywood Down Under”.
We even had Australian government employees onboard to process our immigration paperwork! They have been onboard since Tonga -- how efficient! -- and what a treat for the civil servants! It took less than 20 minutes for the paperwork and in-person meeting. Australia has strict quarantine regulations that prohibit the removal of any ships stores from the vessel. Fines are severe for all passengers on both airplanes and ships. They do this to protect their island country from foreign diseases to their plants, trees and animals.
Semi-formal night and we had the comedian again, name not worth remembering (how awful to write that!) and the wonderful singing of Robert Meadmore again.
Photo is on Kaloni, our driver, from Tonga. I have tried and tried to down/up load photos and it does not work. The server is too slow at McDonald's or it is me...I can send one at a time so I will attempt that method!
