On the 6th, we met for tea in the Queens room at which time I was presented with 3 koala bears and a souvenir of Melbourne, a writing set from QM2 (thanks "ie" Marie), and more kisses and hugs than one usually sees at a high tea where the servers wear white gloves.
It continued in the ballroom and disco until about 1:30 and then we went up to deck 7where food is served 24/7. The "ee" Marie ate 2 full plates while the rest of us just looked on in astonishment- I mean, she is a small person.
John began to tell jokes and later, much later, for the 3rd night in a row, I fell asleep laughing.
Yesterday began sunny so I ventured out and walked around the Rocks, a historic district of Sydney close to the harbor, with many very expensive boutiques. About 10minutes after I got back, it began to rain. You know those news reports of monsoon rains? Looked just like them! It's only the second heavy rain I have seen since December in Curacao and the thunder storm on the ocean. From inside looking out, it was fabulous.
The disco only had recorded music so I sat in the ballroom until midnight when it was officially my birthday and got the biggest hug from Chris.
Five of us decided that we wanted to go to a salsa club and armed with 2 recommendations, we set forth. Two cab rides and about $20 later we were not even close to dancing. One club was not at the address given and the other one was closed. So, three decided to go back to the ship with an agreement to celebrate in Hong Kong and two of us went looking for a bar. Please understand that it was raining hard the entire time. Fortunately, I was born with water-proof skin so what the hell! We found a bar, around the corner from the vessel (!) loaded with others from the ship. I wanted to sit outside under the awning - it was dry enough - so my companion could smoke. See what a considerate ex-smoker I am!
Our table, under the awning, could have been the minority convention as only one(obviously not me)of us was just English. However, the conversation was lively and fun and I met the sexiest man on the ship, obviously skilled in the art of seduction. He showed me how he would put a necklace on a woman and after the demonstration, I was ready to buy whatever he was selling. Thanks, Nathan! And thanks Hamish for buying German cars. God knows we need the money!
We left about 3:30, stopped to get a meat pie (the English person)and then back to the ship where I discovered I was hungry. So, at 3:50 this morning, I sat down to a plate of spare ribs, salad and two cookies with cranberries. The attendants were cleaning and preparing for breakfast which starts at 4 am and one asked me why I was so late (I am usually there for sliced fruit about 1 am after the disco) so I told him I had been celebrating. Subsequently, we had a wonderful conversation about birthdays, traveling, working on ships and health.
I had drunk a coke in the bar and was not a bit sleepy so I cleaned out my closet, brushed my shoes, straightened the bathroom and read until about 6. The first birthday call was at 08:30. What a great way to wake up, no matter how much or little sleep.
At 3 pm I will have a pedicure, my present to me as if this trip were not present enough. This is the best birthday since Michael worked in the harbour packing grapefruit during his semester break. He put about DM 300 on the table and told me to have a party and we did.
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