World Cruise #12

World Cruise 2018 #12  Date: Mon, Aug 6, 2018

Here we go again, We had two sea days before arriving in Albany, a cute little town with a busy seaport on King George Sound.  Albany grew up around the whaling industry and has wineries nearby, with tours regarding both, but we just wanted to visit the town.  

It was a short shuttle ride to the main street which had a lot of historical buildings and shops.  There was a little arts and crafts market and we talked to a fellow there that made and was selling boomerangs.  I regret not buying one.  He explained to us that they really aren’t a toy to throw and have it “come back” but is actually used as weapons or decoys for mostly bird hunting.  And they aren’t made to return to the thrower necessarily. 

 We had another question we had been searching for an answer to, and this guy seemed likely to know, so we gave him a shot.  Where did the Southern Ocean end and the Indian Ocean begin?  Albany is very close to 35 degrees of latitude south and as you travel north from there you initially go west and around Cape Leeuwin and you are in the Indian Ocean.  It’s probably one degree, or sixty miles north and west of Albany.  If you look at a world map, Albany, Western Australia and the tip of South Africa are at almost the same latitude.  

Joyce and I like to know where we are at all times...lol.  We definitely wanted to know when we were in the Indian Ocean and now we would.  We both thought being in the Indian Ocean was very cool and commented on it many times.  “I can’t believe we’re here in the Indian Ocean..oh my!!” 

 Next we walked up (and it was up hill) through Albany and back down to the Albany Hotel where we had lunch outdoors.  I was looking for a suitable and dressy white top to wear on an upcoming gala white night and was driving Joyce nuts with my stopping in every shop.  Seemed like an easy task but proved to not be the case. After lunch we needed to find a grocery store to buy a couple Australian items we’d been told about.....the famous Tim Tam  Outlook cookies and these biscuits that I can’t remember the name of.....I called them Anthrax but of course that’s not correct.  Hahaha.  

Then we sought out the winery that Mike and Donna told us was in town.  Naturally, when we arrived those two were there!!!  Never fails.  The wine was good and we got a couple bottles and successfully got them on board later without being fined. 

Albany had a nice feel to it and the people were really great.  That is until they got behind the wheel of a car!!!  They’d run you down even if you were Donna in her chair....I saw one get pretty close to doing just that...scared me.  They didn’t seem to have a lot (any?) crosswalks and a fair amount of traffic, so you just waited.  Funny the different driving habits in various places.  

We sailed away past the ships loading grain and all the logs piled up waiting for a ride to somewhere.  The little stone house on the point was very pretty and I wonder what the story is about that place.  It was all alone but there were a couple hikers, or whatever, checking it out. 

 Our next stop was to be the next day afternoon at Fremantle, near Perth, and we would spend the night and have an additional full day to see the sights.  I remember the America’s Cup being held here years ago and was interested to see the area.  I had heard that it was beautiful and remote with islands and such.  We passed one on the way in called Rottness Island which I’m told is a fun place to visit.  We even thought we may do so but decided that there was plenty to see right where we were in Fremantle.  It’s apparently smaller and more quaint than Perth and it was very very nice.  

That first evening we got off to walk to the waterfront and ran into our friends, Marilyn and Rodney, and their family.  They live in Perth and their daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren were there to greet them and then take a tour of the ship.  So the pretty blond lady is my friend Marilyn, with her two adorable grandbabies.  So cute.  

Unlike John and Mary, when we hit their hometown they jumped ship, Marilyn and Rodney were on for the long haul.  Yay....cause I like them. 

 Joyce and I made our way down to the waterfront area (taxi) that has a big boardwalk and all kinds of entertainment and restaurants.  We had a drink before walking to the Cappuccino area of town that is back a few blocks and is a busy restaurant and shop area.  We found a busy bar in an historic hotel and Joyce went for sparkling white wine but I had a red called Leapin’ Lizard and it was good.  Never found it again.  But this was our last stop in Australia so didn’t have much chance to look. 

We wound up walking all the way back to the ship with a stop at a grocery store for snacks. No show tonight so we had a good dinner and went to bed.  More Fremantle tomorrow.

I shall return, Gayle