Jim_Iain Live - 2nd Half World Cruise - B2B Singapore to Down Under 11/25 – 12/21

[NMTraveller]

@Jim_Iain did you have to submit a Singapore Arrival Card before clearing the Singapore Airport?

[grandgeezer]

8 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

I was trying to find something I posted and had to do a search to find it.    It is fun and with all the sea days kept me out of trouble.   Well.   I did get in a little trouble.... Good Trouble.     I've been playing the Penny Slots ---   I think I mentioned before that 'm  terrified of gambling.    Mostly is even the slots I can't figure out what some of them are doing  but they just start spinning and ringing -  

 

This is from a guy that was a day trader for 4-5 years after retirement.      Iain tells me ---that's gambling -  I of course so -  no way  I was controlling my trades.   He laughs and says no way.   He just didn't understand the market.    I was a momentum trader and the only way I would loose is that the market just goes flat.    I would have 200-300 trades a day and loved it.   Finally retired from that also.    Not at huge gain but averaged about 18-20% gain a year.  

I never day traded but, in the mid 90’s I got hooked on low cost stocks, say between $1 and $2 per share. Buy a couple thousand shares, wait until it went up, say $.25 and sell. I was turning a net profit of about $2,000 per month. After about six months I gave up, just too much work and my other regular investments were going through the roof. I had a full time job so the extra money wasn’t really needed.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

9 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

The nice thing about the machine I've been playing,  after about 10 days I think I understand what I need to do to get it to start the wheel sniping and doing automatic plays.   I've pulled about $3,400 of OBC off the account.    Initially I pulled some off and got frozen out from further charges to the room account.   A couple days later I was un-frozen.    My objective was to start taking out  $20 dollar increments playing until  I was up.    Then cash out and put the chit in my little room key holder.    Before I knew I had about 40-50 of those chits -   Then I would take out in 100-200 increments playing and when went above my initial withdrawal -  Cash out and move to a different machine.

 

 

 

 

 

Each ship must do it differently.  On the Silhouette last week, I put in $100 OBC to start and immediately won $50 so I cashed out.  I was then frozen out of my account.  They told me I would have to play with cash to reactivate my account.

[mchell810]

10 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

The one I bought was about 5 years ago so may be different now.   When I was trying to use it You had to connect via I believe Blu Tooth then control the Go Pro - via the phone for trying to capture a time lapse of sailing out of the port.    Then I had to transfer the footage via bluetooth to my phone and then had to put all of the segments together.   Other options was you would connect to your laptop and do the same.  

 

I was wanting something I could just turn on and start shooting.   

 

May also just have been my technical knowledge as my son loved it  and was happy with the gift.   I did notice he used it a couple times and went back to his phone.

 

The scallops were good.    Mushrooms were sauteed with Garlic.  Scallops just seared on both side and succulent

 

Thanks for this.  I, too, just want something to point and shoot. 

 

Can't wait to learn about your day in Port Douglas. 😀

[Whinenowine]

5 hours ago, terrydtx said:

We booked a private Daintree Rainforest tour for 8 of us when we stop in Port Douglas next month.  From Cairns we are doing the train excursion to the rain forest as well. The more I read Jim's reports here the more excited we are getting.

You'll love it, Terry (assuming nothing much has changed in the last few decades).  If time permits, see if you can take a boat through the mangroves and look for salt water crocks.

[terrydtx]

1 minute ago, Whinenowine said:

You'll love it, Terry (assuming nothing much has changed in the last few decades).  If time permits, see if you can take a boat through the mangroves and look for salt water crocks.

I believe part of our Daintree tour from Port Douglas includes a boat trip.

[Exc]

I hear they have now raised the price for Decoy to $19.00. Can you verify this? So few premium wines available and now they price it out of the premium package. 

[Jim_Iain]

As I was getting ready for our Visit to the Great Barrier Reef later today,   I chuckled when I looked at my feet.    Just before our trip I went for my annual physical.   While my Doctor was checking me for skin cancer,  he suddenly said that's funny..   Being concerned I said what's funny... He chuckled .... Your feet are white.  
 

 

 

Edited December 5, 2023 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

Before I get behind -

 

Dinner 12/5    Day 10 Menu

 

 

Corn Soup -  10+   even Iain that generally doesn't like corn gave it a 10+ and wants me to make it when we are home.

 

Tuna Tartar -   10+   We didn't order but Kumar brought two to the table just in case.   Robert liked them so much he ate two.

 

Balsamic Trout -   (OceanTrout)  - 9  Good but ever so slightly dry so I took away 1 point.

 

 

A new Desert - Strawberry Cream -  Bed is Whipped Cream with chunks of Burrata in them --- the do have a couple little tomatoes which sound weird but Tomatoes are are fruit and it reall worked.   10+

 

Chocolate Sphere -  I screwed up and somehow hit the selfie button and took a great video of the ceiling.   Maybe next cruise.

 

 

Aker (Pronounced Iker)  -  MD of Luminae

 

Edited December 5, 2023 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

Earlier that day in Port Douglas -   Rapid fire posting so I keep up to date.

 

 

 

Aboriginal Art Gallery

 

Edited December 5, 2023 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

 

 

 

 

 

 

The boys took a rest under a Banyon tree while I took a walk around the park to get some photos.   

 

 

 

Edited December 5, 2023 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

 

 

 

 

What a great idea.  David said they do it because it is less expensive then sending someone out and picking up all the change.

Edited December 5, 2023 by Jim_Iain

[hcat]

the stores look touristy but after that so beautiful..your smile says it all!

[Jim_Iain]

Next stop along memory lane was the Marina where we had a 50th birthday lunch for me a couple years ago.  Ahummmm..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 5, 2023 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

After lunch we had spotted  an Ice Shop but we stopped at a men's shop.   I got in trouble and spent over $1,000 on some beautiful shirts from Sainte-Troez.   Beautiful Italian Muslin.   I had touchy feeling shopping but when I get in the mood I'm dangerous but luckily it only lasts 10 minutes.

 

Edited December 5, 2023 by Jim_Iain

[Corgi Girl]

On 12/4/2023 at 4:06 PM, Jim_Iain said:

Last night was the 3rd Chic Night --- With so many Chic Nights the formality is starting to be relaxed.    David and Robert did tart it up a bit. 

 

Robert shot this terrible picture of me hard at work.    I couldn't find the email for our car rental.   We know I had it because I showed it to Robert and he thought I sent him a copy of it but couldn't find it either.    Finally went back to the room and used my PC.   Must have gotten deleted as it was in Achieves. 
 

 

 

I love the shirt you’re wearing, Jim.  Fabulous!

[upwarduk]

The fish & chips look fabulous. I’m sure they were tasty.

[Jim_Iain]

Finale- Ice Cream 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 5, 2023 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

Driving back to the Ship

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

We got back with 1 minutes to spare as the tour buses start arriving

 

 

 

it looks smooth in the harbor but once outside the seas and winds started intensifying.   
 

ROUGH  ride to ship and slow disembarkation from tender.  The would only allow one person at a time on the gangway. 
 

We later heard they had to suspend boarding using Magic Carpet due to one of the glass panels shattering. 
 

Some of the tenders sat out there bobbing for an hour. 
 

 

Edited December 5, 2023 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

The waves are being driven by an approaching tropical cyclone.  Captain Matt said we should be out of the area before it hits Australia 

 

[Whinenowine]

9 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

The waves are being driven by an approaching tropical cyclone.  Captain Matt said we should be out of the area before it hits Australia 

 

Good morning, Jim.  Tsunamis and cyclones....but so far the worst is a broken glass panel on the Magic Carpet and a bidet-like toilet.  You lead a charmed life, Jim (and we're not even talking about Iain yet)!

 

Btw--on our Edge cruise last year we were in 11105, but lucky for us there were no tender ports so no anchor noises.  There was, however a prodigious pot smoker either in 101 or 103 (and I DO mean prodigious).  😁

[Cruise Junky]

I just love Port Douglas. We’ve done three land trips there. Great shirts!  

[Jim_Iain]

13 hours ago, hcat said:

I could not eat these.. look raw!

 

Most of the other fancy items do not appeal by their looks..that's why BLU is the better choice for us..Nice to have choices!

I’m not sure if it just this ship or whether they have mad an unannounced change.  The MD has advised us we can order anything from Blu and MDR in addition to the anytime. 

[jelayne]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

I’m not sure if it just this ship or whether they have mad an unannounced change.  The MD has advised us we can order anything from Blu and MDR in addition to the anytime. 

It was that way on legs 1 & 2, but I could get the 4 oz filet anytime.