World cruise 22

February 18

At sea in the Bight of Australia, i.e. sailing straight across the part of the southern coast where the shoreline curves northward. And, yes, it was still pretty bouncy off and on, but we did get periods of almost sunshine through the day.

Otherwise, it was like our other sea days: eating, knitting/crocheting, watching a lecture of some sort, eating again, playing cards/dominoes, watching the waves, more eating, reading, sleeping, etc. This one was a little longer than most because we had set our watches back over an hour, so we woke up a lot earlier than usual. (Yeah, I know, it's a tough life.)

February 19

Albany, Western Australia is located on a large natural harbor called King George Sound. It was founded in 1826 and was a booming community in the days of the whaling industry right up until 1978. now the main products are agricultural.

Unlike most of the huge state of Western Australia which is hot and dry, this little corner of the continent is cool and wet. Thus Margaret went off to tour one of the few remaining patches of the rain forest that once covered most of Australia. Most of the other areas of remaining rain forest are along the east coast.

I was originally scheduled for one of several tours going to a whaling museum, but mine was canceled, and rather than join one of the others, I decided to just take a free shuttle into town.

Within a 2 block radius I found everything I was looking for and then some. After an ATM stop, I was wandering around in a pharmacy hoping to find birthday cards, preferrably some of those wonderfully snarky Aussie ones. The cashier directed me around the corner to a totally fabulous shop called "Icky Finks." I could have easily spent all afternoon in there! Art and craft supplies from beads and yarn to large stretched canvases and oil paints. Party supplies from boas to body paints. Miniature dinosaurs (I almost bought some of those). Cards and stationery (both snarky and non-snarky). Kitchen supplies (I bought a soup ladle). Glittery costume jewelry. And I think I saw some small hardware items off in the distance. I felt like a kid again going into Woolworth's on a Saturday morning with my little allowance in my pocket! That was waaaay better than some stuffy bus tour to a whaling museum and almost exactly 99% cheaper!