Unfortunately, today was kind of an abbreviated day in Sydney; we had to be back on board by 3pm. We’ve had quite a variety in on board times this season, varying by as much as three hours (6pm). I think the run up to the islands is a long one, which forced the early on board time before this cruise. Not that it mattered too much. Despite the glorious weather and the fact that we were both feeling great today (quite a change from last turnaround), getting to an Apple Store- an open Apple Store- and simultaneously using its high-speed WiFi and power ports was our highest priority.
We had breakfast in the Concerto Dining Room before we left the ship. I hadn’t done that in awhile, but, as I’ve said before, the World Fresh Marketplace (buffet) is scary on disembarkation morning. We returned to our cabin, gathered up passports, immigration forms, Opal, credit and ATM cards, Aussie dollars and two iPads and two iPhones and walked off the ship about 9:15am.
G had not yet ridden the new light rail, and since it travels above ground (and right past the Apple Store under renovation), we decided to take it instead of a train (subway) to Central Station. The Apple Store on George St. is still closed (darn it), so we continued on our way. We had a bit of confusion at Central Station, as we usually do when we are looking for the correct bus stand outside the railway stations, but finally found our way. It was just five stops or so and then a five minute walk to the Apple Store on Broadway.
Actually, that was a little confusing, too. This was an older neighborhood, on a street with tightly packed stores, one against another, and not the kind of place we’ve typically found Apple Stores in the past. We couldn’t imagine how this was going to turn out until we suddenly came upon a city mall built in what looked like an older structure that had been gutted and then extended upwards. Four floors of every store imaginable, including a Coles Supermarket, even a Target and a KMart, and, finally, on the top floor, like the promised land, the Apple Store. I am such a product of the Midwest. Land is cheap, things are spread out, we drive everywhere we need to go and malls, where they still exist at all, are short and wide, not tall and skinny.
It’s amazing how easy it is to quickly accomplish what needs to be done when we have high speed WiFi. We updated the operating systems on the iPads, backed everything up, updated apps, checked on the house and financial stuff and I even made a phone call to a doctor, all in less than 20 minutes. And then I started downloading video content from Netflix and Prime Video until I maxed that out. We were soon packing up and on our way.
G lost a swimsuit on this ship (don’t ask; we don’t know either), and was down to just one, so he wanted to check out Target and KMart for a replacement. Target had nothing (Target stores in Australia are not as complete as our Targets at home), but he hit paydirt at KMart. They had racks of them, including some on sale on an end cap. AU $3 each. $3! That’s just over US $2, and they were really very nice. For that price, he bought two of them and then paid for them with the coins he had in his pocket.
Worn with his Princess Transpacific T- shirt purchased on the Ruby Princess, he can be well dressed for a beach day for less than $3.50. What a hoot!!
At some point he decided he wanted to get back on the ship in time to go to lunch in the Concerto Dining Room. Those embarkation day beef tenderloins were calling his name, I guess. So then it was a big rush to reverse course and take a bus, this time to the Museum Railway Station, and a train (subway) to Circular Quay. The train, because it travels mostly underground, is obviously faster the light rail. This was our first time at the Museum Station. It’s smaller and was nearly empty at that time of day, but I’m sure is a different experience during rush hour.
Museum Railway Station
I still can’t get over Sydney’s transit system
It would be entirely possible (and probably preferable) to live here without a vehicle.
Loved the Aeroplane Jelly (American: jello) ad
I saved these notifications to show you how, now that we can use the local cellular network, we get step by step Google Maps directions.
Once at Circular Quay, I told G to run ahead of me. It was the only chance he had of getting through immigration and security, back on the Majestic Princess and to the Concerto Dining Room before it closed at 1:30pm. Besides, I wanted to run to a pharmacy in The Rocks and overpay for a small box of bandaids. If we hadn’t had to abandon the mall so quickly for the possibility of beef tenderloins, I could have got them cheaper there. Just sayin. :-| Besides, since the salmon is no longer on the embarkation day lunch menu, I’m not nearly as interested in rushing back to the ship.
It was a beautiful day, and the buskers were out in force around Circular Quay, providing every kind of music imaginable, including didgeridoo. People were enjoying the sun, the ibises were doing whatever they do, and I found a bench and phoned Mom. She is quite busy planning the Valentine’s Day singalong and putting together the program for that, but still found time to ride the bike for 25 minutes yesterday. You go Mom!
Clear blue skies. So nice to see!
Once back on the ship, I braved the World Fresh Marketplace (using the aft elevators, where there is not the backup at the handwashing station that there is midship) and found some garbanzo bean salad and watermelon to tide me over until dinner. I chose a seat on the open deck behind the World Fresh Marketplace...okay, I am going to take of that right now. If I can’t figure out a shorter name for the open deck behind the World Fresh Marketplace, I am at least going to set up a keyboard shortcut. odb= Open Deck Behind the World Fresh Marketplace. Done. Anyway, I texted G where I was and he soon joined me on the Open Deck Behind the World Fresh Marketplace. The view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge on this smokeless day: priceless!
Lunch on the Open Deck Behind the World Fresh Marketplace ;-)
The announcement was soon being made for the 3:15pm muster drill, so that was my cue to finally return to the cabin (I was still lugging around a tote bag with iPads and swimsuits and bandaids) to shower. It is so nice to again be wearing the tropical clothing that just doesn’t seem quite right on the New Zealand itineraries. This cruise definitely has a beach-y vibe.
Apparently there was a passenger who needed to be disembarked for a medical emergency (we had heard an announcement for the Medical response team to go to a passenger cabin), and that’s always sad. The ship was still berthed at the Overseas Passenger Terminal! Captain Tony Draper, who just took command today made an announcement that, if we could sail before 4:30pm, we would, but if it took longer than that, we’d have to wait until 7pm due to rush hour ferry traffic in Sydney Harbour. I guess things got settled, because by 5pm, we were on our way. It was undoubtedly the prettiest sail away we’ve had from Sydney in months. It still gives me goosebumps. I took just a few photos from the open decks, choosing instead to just enjoy the moment. Besides, how many more photos do I need of sailing out of Sydney? (Apparently, at least three.) :-)
The Sydney Harbour Bridge
Luna Park is such s great photo op
Because the 1273 photos I already have of this building are simply not enough
The Concerto Dining Room was nearly empty when we went at 5:15pm, and it was the first time waiter Cyril and Headwaiter Francesco have had time to really chat with us. Francesco told us he has been with Sitmar or Princess for 43 years this year. What a joy it has been for us to spend time with him again this season. He is a consummate host and a genuinely nice person.
The Welcome Aboard show in the Princess Theater returned to a more traditional format for the first time this season, introducing the members of the Cruise Director’s staff before the entertainment, which tonight was aerialists Susie Q and Toby J. Nothing, and I mean nothing, will discourage me from a bedtime buffet grazing session like seeing these two lithe, muscular, 0% body fat athletes lifting both their body weights with one hand. We need to see them every night. Princess would cut their food costs in half.
We were both excited to have new videos on our iPads to enjoy tonight, but need to watch them sparingly. They have to last for two weeks. But, honestly, I watched The Two Popes so many times last cruise that I feel like I am fluent in Italian and can speak Spanish with an Argentinian accent. It’s time to move on.