Flying to Sydney

MS Volendam in Sydney
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We had an early start, so got everyone up at 5 am without any complaints! This worked well and all got up & ready promptly. Then the boys had a last minute email check which lead to a flurry of activity. First Jack found an email accepting him for a summer computing course at the University of Sydney. The forms had to be filled in & returned before we were due to get back, so there was a mad rush to print them all out and fill them in. Luckily John was on hand so he got the job of getting them all to the post. Next was David who discovered an email about his preferred summer course: "Serious Oboe Fun". This time it was only one form, so that was not too bad, and again, we left John to arrange delivery.

Leaving Sydney
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The maxi taxi arrived on time at 6:15 and we loaded up and headed for Coolangatta airport. The new Tugun bypass took us by surprise as it takes you on the inland side of the airport. We checked in, passed security and waited for our plane.

The plane was delayed and was about 20 minutes late taking off, but we had left plenty of time so that wasn't a problem.

Once in Sydney, we got another taxi to the terminal at Circular Quay, nestled between the bridge and the Opera House. There was a long queue outside the terminal but they took our suitcases for direct loading while we went through the boarding process: passport control and then the ship's check-in. By about 12:30, we were on board.

The ship must have only just docked as the state rooms were not ready yet, so we all went up to the Lido deck and had a buffet lunch in the Lido restaurant. After that, we explored the ship until our rooms were ready. We have 2 inter-connected rooms, officially with one parent in each, but actually with the three boys on their own.

Our luggage turned up during the afternoon and Jack was finally able to get the swim he had been dying for. We discovered the ice cream bar, so the boys are in heaven.

At 4:45, we had lifeboat drill, and yes, women & children did go first :-)

The ship was due to sail at 6 pm, but was a bit late. I think this was partly due to the enormous Dawn Princess which left at around that time. We watched it squeeze under the bridge with inches to spare. It looks like a block of flats and not at all like a ship, so we prefer ours.

Finally, they cast off and eased away from the dock. The ship was moored bow in, so had to reverse quite a way before turning so the stern was almost under the bridge before heading for the open sea. We passed the Opera House, Garden Island dockyard and the Garden Island fort, then out into the wider part of the harbour. There seemed to be a sailing race going on, but we didn't run anyone down, thanks to much very loud tooting of the ship's horn. Then out through the heads as the sun set behind the city.

At 8 pm, we went for dinner in the Rotterdam dinning room. This is a Dutch ship and mostly crewed by Indonesians (Indonesia was formerly the Dutch East Indies). We had a table right at the stern, so we looked out over the wake while we ate.

After that, we were all worn out after our long day, so we retreated to our state rooms, the boys with a DVD and the adults with a bottle of wine.