Sydney, Australia - Day 2

Still in Sydney. We have a ship sponsored event tonight so we decided to go shopping this morning. We left the ship with the Kapels. There was supposed to be good stores of all kinds around us starting a block away. As we left the ship we should have turned left but Bobbi jumped up and down and threw a tantrum that we had to go right. It was very hot out. It got to well over 100 degrees later. After walking about a block it turns out that we should have gone left. After walking up a steep hill we came to George St. It was all stores and restaurants from junk shops to Gucci. The first store we entered was full of all kinds of locally made junk. Bobbi bought everything and Muriel bought sun glasses and Art went back to the ship. I got more hats. I had too. I’ve now gained so much weight that even my hats don’t fit me. Bobbi wanted a Didgeridoo. It was beautifully decorated and weighted only 70 pounds and was 4 feet long. No way Jose. I can’t even carry me let alone an over priced hollow log. I told her to order one from Sears when we get back. I got a hat for Bob Kramer too. He too is now as happy as a pig in doo doo. He even paid me an Aussi dollar more then it cost.

We did a few more stores but it was getting so un bearably hot, we had to go back to the ship and besides we would get back just in time for lunch. Can’t miss one of those.

At 6:30 PM was the ship sponsored big event for world cruisers. The brochure lists a dinner cruise aboard a magnificent glass island that cruises through the beautiful harbor where we were to be entertained by a Variety of acts from opera to didgeridoo players while savoring local taste sensations of a delightful dinner. Exclusive floating stage performance by a Sydney jazz band. Performers were to enter from boats to entertain aboard.

This description turned out to be just a little off. We walked off the dock from our ship to a large barge with all glass walls. It looked really cool but it also looked like there were more people then they could fit aboard. Silly me. Of course they could fit all aboard. The interior was filled with tables, all made up with silver ware, nice glasses, candles, and plastic flowers. The chairs were hard soda fountain tiny little suckers. I think I am still pulling pieces out of my … donkey? They had tables for 6 set up for 10 people. I got to know the lady next to me far better then I cared to. There was no room to walk by and waiters and others were constantly bumping those seated. The exotic food was some chicken that had been running marathons for the last 10 years. My shoe was more tender.


The barge floated around the harbor while the far too few waiters tried to serve us in a room the air-conditioning could not keep up with. We finally floated over to a band shell by the opera house where an 18 piece band was playing something for us. I have no idea as I couldnot hear a thing. After abut 10 minutes of this the police came, ticketed the barge because it was not allowed to park there and we left.

We did have a few musicians playing aboard the barge but not one promised act showed up. It was getting hotter and hotter and more miserable until it looked like there would be a mass mutiny. Dessert was ready to be served. It was all lined up on a lower level. They never got to serve it. As soon as they reached the dock people were trying to get off before we were even tied up.

That was the worst I have ever seen. What a bunch of clowns. Not one idiot running this fiasco had the foggiest idea how to run an affair. Tough chicken being fed to people who have had only the finest food for over a month is real bright too.

It was now about 10:00 PM and all the restaurants were closed, but there was room service. It was quick and just as good as the restaurants.

Didgeridoo Sherm Out

(Posted on behalf of Sherman Rootberg)