Well this cruise holiday seems like a distant memory now but I've still got to tell you about the second part of it so I'd better rack my brain...
The trip down to Tasmania was the one we were most excited and apprehensive about. Excited because Nick and I had never been to Tasmania, apprehensive because we had to cross Bass Strait and had heard that it could get pretty rough.
As we hit open seas after departing Melbourne it did seem like we could be in for rougher waters - there was a definite increase in the swell - and one of our party even found herself suffering from some seasickness. But that was the worst of it (well, that and being "mooned" by a diving boat) as the swell didn't pick up any after that. I had also prepared myself for not seeing any land for a while but instead there were lots of gorgeous little islands dotted along the way. Although the most amazing landscape unfolded the next day when could see the coast of Tasmania. It is unbelievably beautiful and pretty unforgiving looking as well. Nick and I could completely understand why it would be attractive as a penal colony all that time ago.
Once we docked in Hobart we, along with a few thousand other passengers, decided to get off the boat and have a look around. The weather was pretty crazy that day, raining earlier, nearly cyclonic wind conditions as we got off the boat and then reminiscent of a heat wave as we walked around Hobart. A group of us went and had a coffee in the city centre before Nick, Ollie, Evie and I broke off to look around Salamanca Place where we found a great playground for cabin fevered Ollie to blow off some steam. We stopped off and had some delicious fish and chips at Constitution Dock on our way back to the boat. Once the small people were sleeping I nipped down to the dining room for supplies and was the subject of many curious stares as I left armed with two bottles of wine and more food under cloches. This was all gobbled up from our beautiful balcony which unfortunately that night had the view of a working port, complete with shipping containers and seagulls.
We thought the vibe around Salamanca Place was truly wonderful so we made the effort to get back there the next morning for some more sticky beaking. Some of our favourite places were the heavenly bookstore that had something for each of us and saw Ollie lazing on the ground flicking through "Where's Wally" books, the gorgeous arty stores that inspired me beyond belief, the great little coffee shop that had fabulous vintage tea cups and souvenier spoons and the cozy little deli place built under a set of stairs that had me wanting to curl up in a park with a wheel of cheese and a bottle of cider. Oh Tasmania, I think we are in love with you. We definitely hope to get back there again sometime in the years to come - either for a nice little driving holiday or to pack it all in and live in the cold and grow our own veges!!! (nice fantasy of ours but in reality we'd starve as I'm a terribly gardener and I'd probably forget to feed the chickens).
Back to the boat. Lots more eating, lots more drinking. Nick impressed us all by coming second in a texas hold'em poker tournament. That was the extent of our gambling. I did watch craps for a while and I really did intend on putting some money into those real pokie machines where you have to (or at least can choose to) pull the lever. But I'm just too frugal for that. It was enough of a gamble playing in the video arcade!!
On the second last night they had another formal night which we were all able to make it along to. Evie and Ollie scrubbed up quite nicely (both in outfits Pa & Nanna Kaye had brought back last visit) and we all enjoyed a nice grown up dinner. Seriously? Not a chance. Ollie carried on like a pork chop until sedated with the iPade and Evie had to be passed around the entire table in an attempt to entertain her long enough for me to enjoy three entire courses. Amazingly it did happen, but shortly thereafter Nick and I retired to our cabin to put the noisy people to sleep.
We did come out of retirement later on that evening when the grandparents came back in so we hit the atrium bar for a few drinks served by Mick's favourite barmaid (she was more than happy to pour incredibly strong drinks if tipped well!). Sufficiently boozed up we stopped by the 11pm chocolate buffet but were deterred by the other 2000 people wanting to get in. Instead we decided the dodgy revolving nightclub was calling our name yet again and after knocking back a few more cocktails and scotches we proceeded to make complete asses of ourselves on the dancefloor to such gems as Rick Astley "Never going to give you up" - always a winner in the Dower household!
We enjoyed our last full day on the boat while nursing ever so slight hangovers. But we soldiered through as we all wanted to get the most out of the boat's facilities. There are some things I just didn't get around to doing - like swimming in the main pool (although I did enjoy a cocktail on a sunlounger in the middle of one of the days) but there were plenty of other things we did do - like playing mini golf on the top of the boat, running on a treadmill while compensating for the rocking of the sea, having LOTS of drinks with my lovely family members, and eating WAY WAY WAY too much food (fried chicken for afternoon tea? why not?).
It was a fantastic trip. I enjoyed it much more than I could have even imagined. Travelling with such little people definitely put some restrictions on what we could get up to on the boat, but that is life in general with little people. We knew that when we signed up for the deal. But I think we will hold off going on another cruise until Evie is at least three so we can ditch her at boat daycare too.
And the only downside to spending seven nights out in the middle of the ocean? The sea legs you return with. It seriously took about three days for me to stop rocking from side to side. And Ollie kept describing to me his "wobbly legs". Not sure how Evie felt but she must have had some of it too. But this was a small price to pay for such a wonderful holiday. Thanks Nanna Freddy. You can take us on holiday anytime you like!!!
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