Odyssey Auckland to Sydney: The Grass isn't always greener

Our final stop was more of a wine sales point/art garden/restaurant. Sadly the restaurant was closed as the menu looked interesting. The staff dealing with the wine had the enthusiasm that I felt had been missing from previous wine stops on this cruise so that was a welcome change.

The menus for the restaurant

After leaving Geelong our next day was our final sea day. No longer do they do the Galley Market Lunch (IMO not a loss, it didn't feel very luxurious to squabble over table space when exiting the galley). Instead they do an on deck (weather permitting) epicurean event, right before the restaurants open for dinner. Then the crew comes out and comments are made. I like the idea, I'd just prefer they do it at a different time.

Mr. Awesome

We were on that trip with you and have enjoyed your pix and reliving some fun times. thank you

Posting on the right thread now.

Hi Emperor,

 

Really enjoying the pictures and posts of the cruise. It is bringing back good memories for me. I ate some of the hot sausage in the picture in the Epicurean event and I agree, it was only mildly hot to me.

 

Did you meet Sandro? He came from Sojourn to help out and is one of our favourites.

 

Julie

I did, I was very happy to have him and Sonja join in Melbourne.

So whats left, oh my time in Sydney. We came into Sydney later than expected (Chef Rajat had thought we would arrive in time for him to get to the fish market early-ish in the AM). It was a very nice sail in - one I'd like to do again. The downside: The weather. Hot. Hot. Hot.

Initially I stayed on the ship which proved to be an interesting experience. They were cleaning the pool deck which meant the pool bar was closed (something they forgot to mention in the Herald - it claimed the bar would be open all day). Thankfully the bartender just opened the Sky Bar early for us. It was my first time actually patronizing the Sky Bar this trip. Perhaps this is where people were congregating during the day rather than the tumbleweed infested Pool bar. Like on the little sisters the Sky Bar does offer weather protection. Further it also allows smoking. Oh well.

Deck furniture, whee

IIRC there was an issue with the shuttle bus where we were taken to Darling harbor rather than a different part of the city that I can't recall ><. Darling harbor reminded me very much of Pier 39 in San Francisco so after a quick walk about in the oppressive heat it was back to the ship.

After that it was time for a final TK dinner (chop house again, this time the vegetables were much better and you could actually taste the horseradish in the horseradish mash) and then a lazy late disembarkation.

A final goodbye from Seabourn Square

Disembarkation was a bit wonky. You walked off the ship and then into a tent.

There you waited for a shuttle to the actual cruise terminal. Once at the terminal it was like a small zoo. Thankfully it only took about ten minutes to get a cab. I was taken to my hotel (the Shangri-La) where it seemed the entire hotel was in the process of checking out. I must have looked very hot as when I entered I was immediately offered a bottle of ice cold water. The room I had selected allowed for in room check in (yay). However I was informed I was too early and the room wasn't ready (boo). Instead of being stuck waiting in the lobby I was able to wait in the concierge lounge (yay). The lounge still had breakfast going to I was able to relax in a somewhat quiet (noisy children running amok) air conditioned environment while enjoying breakfast with stellar views of the Opera house and Harbor bridge.

After checking in I went out to see the neighborhood. Drat. Once again I had a great location but the hotel was on the wrong end of a hill. After spending a few hours walking around in the heat I called it a day and retreated to the a/c of the hotel.

Dinner was in the concierge lounge via their happy hour. The views again were amazing. The children again were annoying, excessively noisy, running around, spilling things, grabbing things with their bare hands. I was about to say something to one little beasties mother when I saw that she herself was just grabbing things with her bare hands and then stuffing her mouth, dribbling crumbs all over the tables and back into the serving dish. There was supposed to be a dress code of smart casual, but it seems that homeless chic would also work (eg: a pair of shredded jeans that exposed more than they covered). The food was good for a hotel happy hour, the drinks were decent. The only downsides were the other people and the lack of dress code enforcement.

The weather report for the next few days was essentially the same "Deep Fry".

A little bit of America (though in America it would be called Burger King).

Needless to say I was enjoying the architecture

My initial destination was the Queen Victoria building. I was looking forward to seeing some Victorian architecture.

Along the way I came across what appeared to be a very narrow Victorian mall, the Strand Arcade.

This shop would vex me for the duration of my trip.

Their chocolates were excellent. However I was afraid that by the time I got them back to the hotel they'd be a gooey mess. I also thought about taking some home but thought they wouldn't make it through NZs bio-quarantine (it seems you skip this if you're just passing through from Australia at least - ymmv). Next time.

It appears our Robber Barons are doing well down under.

The joke is usually "everything is bigger in Texas". It seems Australia was challenging that claim. (Yes, I know these were for the Chinese New Year)

The Queen Victoria building

A little bit of stained glass

Interesting clocks

Fluffy animal bonus

Not quite Abbey Road

Questionable shade provider

I never did make it here for dinner.

After my stroll in the heat it was time to return to the a/c of the concierge lounge (thankfully it seems after the weekend most of the irksome guests had departed for parts unknown).

After the temperature seemed to have dropped a bit I went for a late lunch at the Morrison Bar and Oyster Room. I forgot that here it was summer (not the best time for oyster consumption). The service was ok until the manager took the bartenders away. The beers were nice, but the cider was probably the best thing there (though I think the ciders in NZ were better, even though this one was from NZ).

Dinner was in a pub on the hotel property. They didn't have a/c and I think I was more than wee bit dehydrated at this point. Like a lot of pubs in England they don't have table service. You order at the bar and take a number to wherever you go and then they deliver to you.

The jalapeno poppers were hotter than expected but the dipping sauce was probably the strangest version of ranch dressing that I've had.

I learned something here. I'm not a fan of Kangaroo meat.

I couldn't quite figure out the point of what appeared to be banister toppers sticking down from the ceiling.

Probably the most interesting tilework I've seen in a WC

Another day, another chance to walk all over the place. Todays destination was the opera house.

Either tea is still a big seller or this is a well maintained old advert.

The even used the old version of the word (when did they switch over to jail?)

I didn't realize they had Rednecks in Australia (rather I thought they used a far different term for them: bogans)

For once, the terminal was vacant of shipping traffic.