Wednesday July 31
This afternoon, "J" and I met her parents at a restaurant, York River Landing. It's pretty nice; we've been here before. I had yummy fish and chips.
J and her father competed to pick up the tab, reminiscent of when my father and grandfather did much the same.
On the way back to the cabin, we stopped for more groceries. We also ( Read more... )

This morning, the Oosterdam put into port at Brisbane. It tied up at the freight port, rather than the passenger port, because another Holland America ship was scheduled for the passenger port. It seems like a city of two million would have space for more than one cruise ship in its passenger port, but maybe the cruise line only has reservations ( Read more... )

This morning "J" and I took our time at breakfast, since we didn't have any immediate plans until a bit later in the morning.
four lectures

The main events for the day were lectures of various sorts, two provided by the cruise line as part of their "Explore Our World" activity series, and two provided by the tour company's Sky & Telescope ( Read more... )

This morning, "J" and I woke up very early, and even so we had to rush to do our packing. J phoned the hotel desk for a taxi, and one arrived while I was checking us out.
The taxi driver was a Sikh, just like most of the airport taxi drivers in Seattle. The ride was quick and inexpensive.
terminal confusion

Unfortunately, we got out at the ( Read more... )

Today, "J" and I went on a packaged tour. It began when a bus picked us up at our hotel. A tour guide pointed out an assortment of things on the bus ride. One was a poinciana tree, one with red-orange flowers that we see all around here. We also passed a cricket field.
Update: When we got to Brisbane, the opening of the cricket season there ( Read more... )

Today was the tenth day of SIFF press screenings, and the second day of the third week. As usual, "J" and I got there and back by way of the transit center and bus. I replenished the balance on my bus pass, but the balance hadn't shown up in the account yet so I had to pay bus fare with cash. It's the same price that way, so it was no big deal.
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I opened the clothes dryer this afternoon and there was an interesting scent. I couldn't identify it, except that it smelled a bit minty. Even more puzzling than the scent was why there was a scent at all. I started unloading the clothes, searching for a shirt of the type I had in mind to wear, not for the answer to the mystery.
However, I found ( Read more... )