MMDown Under

I understand. When my NY girlfriend first visited Australia, she was only entitled to two weeks' leave. I told her to tell her boss (who had met me) that I said it is too far to travel to Aust for two weeks leave. He let her have three weeks' leave. Unheard of. Not that he wasn't generous. He even gave me free travel dollars. She is now coming out again in Feb. 4 days in Auckland, 4 days in Brisbane and 4 days in Sydney. So things haven't changed on the amount of leave front.

Yes I know it can be mild or severe. Mine was painful, but mild, like a belt around my waist. The bush brother I volunteered with had three months off work. Cases on the face seem more severe.

Are you all together on board now?

Always the way!

Glad you daughter's family has missed the fires. After the last big floods in Brisbane, Suncorp Insurance put insurance rates up significantly. I phoned up and said "I live on top of a hill", why has my insurance gone up? He replied your property is high risk because you have bush at the back. In addition you have tall gum trees on your boundary, which can't be trimmed/removed. We weren't so worried about bush fires then. Like you said, bushfires can be in the suburbs. We've never had an evacuation plan.

Nice to see your little port a hive of activity. I used to envy Vancouver for the number of ships which pass through there.

Mandurah is a really beautiful place, but culture? Tell me more!

I've had shingles, so I hope I don't need to have the vaccination. I first saw signs to have shingles vaccinations in NY. I'd never heard of such a thing. My NY girlfriend said oh yes she'd had it. Everyone has it who are close to mothers giving birth.

Never mind you might be like me, with not enough points to buy the cruise on offer. My points are with Qantas who I'm not happy with at present. Chat is useless!

Yes but they mightn't have the soft drinks Colin wants. I had trouble explaining to an American barman on a cruise that ginger beer wasn't beer, so I settled for ginger ale under another name.

Thanksgiving Holiday staff have leave.

No I haven't looked at the Ap, but I'm going to book today on line so wish me well. Any free cruise which includes Sydney is good value, as Sydney has gotten so expensive. My 11 day cruise from Auckland to Melbourne has two nights each at Tauranga and Sydney, which was the hook. Plus I'll spend 2 nights at Auckland before the cruise and four after at Melbourne. Melbourne has great atmosphere in January because of the Aust Tennis Open. I used to attend annually. Plus Aust Day in Melbourne is special. Such a shame your daughter doesn't have enough leave to cruise with you. Did she ask for leave without pay. My daughter worked extra days because her small business was extra busy with Black Friday. She elected to take leave without pay which she will take with the Christmas/New Year close down. Both management and her were very happy with that arrangement.

Happy to share the rain, Les. Rain up here in the tropics means higher humidity, as well as overgrown lawn.

How magical seeing your ship from the air, as well as meeting up with your family members. You are going to have such a wonderful time. My daughter arrived in NY today. Her original plans fell through, but she has seen the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade for the first time, and has met up with a work colleague for Thanksgiving lunch. She just sent me a text of dinner on the rooftop overlooking high rise buildings and the famous Chrysler building. Bon Voyage!

Oops hat, although a hut at Airlie would be nice if you could handle the occasional cyclone. I visited there once and there wasn't a leaf on the trees from Proserpine and the island resorts were wrecked.

Good luck with your hut purchase, I visited the markets and lagoon before heading back to the ship to be collected by my driver. I rescued him from the Auths questioning him why he was parked there. I heard him say I'm picking up a passenger as I arrived. Were they surprised!!

I can already see the Ap is going to be a learning exercise for me without my adult daughters. Bon Voyage. Where is your domestic cruise going? I saw the Velocity points deal. My cruise is 11 nights from Auckland to Melbourne on 12/1.

The markets will be on at Airlie. I went to Cape Gloucester Resort for lunch on the beautiful beach, as it was my birthday. We have holidayed at Airlie Beach a few times for a fortnight and Gloucester is my favourite place, apart from the ferries to the islands. Oh we saw a dugong in the water, after getting off the public bus close to Shute Harbour.

Thanks. I'm cruising on Virgin's Resilient Lady on 12/1. However my daughter is staying the weekend so I'll tell her.

My daughter is flying back with Air NZ economy sky couch (4 seats). she couldn't afford business class from NY. She just flew over from Thailand to NY on Qatar business class. Voted best business class

Not raining today on GC overcast

It light rained all week on GC, but not torrential rain. We have booked the Works on Air NZ because we can't check in until afternoon, No bottomless buffet for us. 2 nights accommodation in Auckland prior to cruise on 12/1. Any recommendations for Auckland accommodation. We usually stay at Parnell unit with a view close to Rose Gardens and the Museum, Do you have anything booked for AirlieBeach? I chartered a car for a solo booking from a local bus company. Fabulous!

The best cabin I ever had was a guarantee cabin which I got allocated on the wharf. Big upgrade from an inside!

Bon Voyage. Showers Friday, Sat and Tues, sunny Sun and Mon. Where is your cruise heading? Freewifi yes! Have my seat booked on Air NZ for my cruise from Auckland on 12/1.

That is why the Medicos had the front page on the Courier Mail, before any Govt announcement. With numbers of covid cases in hospitals increasing, they didn't want to be inundated with Covid cases at Christmas.