| Thanks to a dozy American lady who put her cruise card into the slot for Diamond Club instead of Concierge Lounge by mistake and kept asking if it was my card, I got to peek at the latter and see the few changes they'd made to the old cigar bar. I'd spent almost every night in the equivalent on Jewel in 2009, though to listen to my then boyfriend as I gave up smoking in January 2008. Afterwards I headed out to meet for the tour. Our guide was called Frank and driver was also Frank, but was referred to as Francis to avoid confusion. Our first stop was the Inverawe Native Garden, where the owners, Bill and Margaret Chestnut, have planted about 200 native plants. If you wanted refreshments it cost AU$5. Unfortunately, due to my knee, I wasn't able to see much and what I did all looked the same. So I headed out to take photos of the Margate train, which just sits there. We had half an hour here, which really wasn't long enough anyway, but were allowed on the bus about twenty minutes before time. As most of the tour group were elderly, they went back like I did. Then it was up to Mount Wellington, unless visibility was crap then we’d go elsewhere, Frank said. The road is extremely narrow but we got to the top. It was freezing but a gorgeous view, especially of the fabulous Radiance. Being afraid of heights, I got as far as I felt I could before going back. A brief photo stop to see the facade of Cascade Brewery, the only original part left then on to Rosny Point Lookout for about 15 minutes, short drive through Hobart and back to the ship. Before reboarding, I went to take some photos and was told, in no uncertain terms by one of the security guards as I posed, "See those ropes? The ropes will snap and we’ll have to give you mouth to mouth resuscitation." That’s a new one and instant cure for being garroted! Tell the medicos immediately! Then it was back on and I was pointed to the deck 4 gangway, which was mountaineering and no fun with a bad knee. I needed sustenance after my near-death experience with secure ropes so headed to the Diamond Club. |
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| Our departure was 7pm but a tour bus turned up fifteen minutes beforehand. It was getting chilly as the sun was setting, so the first time my winter jacket came out. It was such a beautiful evening and fairly quiet as we sailed away. Dinner was the usual oneupmanship and when I told them most of the gardens looked the same, I got, "To the untrained eye" from Howard. Says someone who never saw it and probably expected it to be full of flowers and not what could be just a wood somewhere. Idiot! Carol and Dave always chose tours involving booze. At one point we discussed football. Ann and Howard support Fulham and not many around the table liked Harry Redknapp. I said I didn't like him, not because Southampton went down, but because of what he did to other clubs by bankrupting them while being untouchable. It was unanimous no one wanted him as England manager. Ann assumed Portsmouth hadn't won the FA Cup and when I pointed out they did in 2008 and that's what made them go bust, she retorted, "We all know why you don't like Harry Redknapp." She really is a rude bitch who likes the sauce too much! The show was billed as The Sparkling Guitar of Bob Howe, which I skipped judging by the rehearsals I heard before scooting to Diamond Club to escape since they always began at 4pm and Diamond Club nibbles was fifteen minutes later! So I went to the Quill & Compass for a quick drink before bed. |
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