Day 4, Cairns, and we weren’t in a hurry to rush ashore. We’ve been here so often (we do live only a few hours south) and we have pretty well everything we want on board Legend of the Seas.
In any case we had breakfast, spent an hour in the gym, showered and stepped ashore. Shane & I headed to the post office to send a gift home to Karen. We can’t give away what it is yet but we’re sure it will compliment her Army uniform. (Photos please Karen!) From the Post Office we shot straight down to the Esplanade and a coffee at Gloria Jean’s before strolling to the RSL.
It never fails to impress me that after 46 years all the guys I joined the navy with at just 15 years old just enjoy each other’s company so much. We truly are family. At the table this time was Eddie & Gloria Hinspeter, Jeff & Cheryl Dennis (who tell me they travelled 2000kms just to be here with me!), Alastair & Ingrid Lunan, Peter & Jenny Metcalf and of course Shane & I. We were apparently so engrossed in each other’s conversation that even the barman mentioned to me that it was obvious we had a tight group. Turns out he too was ex-navy having only separated from pussers only a month or so ago.
Time flew by and before we knew it we were off to the ship leaving the party with heavy hearts. It wouldn’t be long now and we’d be off to Darwin.
Before sailing, Shane & I grabbed a glass of champers (there’s been a bit of that flowing in our cabin) and headed aloft (don’t you just love all this maritime language) to the 10th deck. In the photo taken from the 10th deck of ‘Legend’ (at the top of this post) if you look closely there’s a straight pathway heading away from the ship towards town. Where it reaches the road there are two figures crossing the driveway to the left. That’s Jeff & Cheryl. True! You can take my word for that.
Anyway we got away on time and set sail north through the reef towards Darwin. There’s scant internet reception between here and Darwin so this post (and no doubt some posts to come) has been compiled ready for uploading as soon as I hit Darwin.
Catch you later.
Garry