The harsh winds of the Tasman finally started to ease, and the captain turned the ship for home. We had tracked a long way north to avoid the worst of the weather. Today came the left turn, and our heading is now straight for Sydney. We reach the Heads at around 4am tomorrow, then wait for the port to open. We should be alongside by about 6, with disembarkation around 9.
We started the day at the final trivia rounds. General knowledge came first and we scored 13, which was fine. Then came the Harry Potter quiz, and we walked out after five questions. We have seen the movies and Mardi has read all the books, but we were beaten by the questions. What was Harry’s wand made of? And what is the name of Hermione’s cat? The wand is holly, eleven inches, with a phoenix feather core, a feather from Fawkes, Dumbledore’s phoenix. That same phoenix gave exactly one other feather, which ended up in the wand of Lord Voldemort. The cat is Crookshanks, the ginger, squashed-faced half-Kneazle Hermione picked up at the Magical Menagerie in Diagon Alley. Mardi was not happy to have missed that one. We are just not that into the wizarding world.
Back in our room for a pit stop before lunch, we both started with borscht, a delicious Ukrainian beetroot soup. Mardi followed with prawn ceviche and I had a lobster roll.
Then it was time to pack. We have been away five weeks and have picked up a few things along the way. It reminds me of a whale crossing the Pacific. It collects barnacles as it travels, and they are the evidence of the journey. Mardi has some beautiful fabric. Each piece will take her back to a place, and when she wears it she will remember where she found it. I have my photos and videos, and a few new clothes.
The things that matter most to both of us do not fit in a suitcase. At this stage of our lives we want to experience as much as we can, and this trip delivered. We walked the streets of Vancouver and stood at the heights of Whistler and Squamish. We rode out a hurricane in the North Pacific and spent time on the sand and surf at Waikiki. We swam with rays and sharks in Moorea and found fantastic fabric in Papeete. We enjoyed gorgeous clothes in picturesque Tauranga, and finally we will see the sails of the Opera House.
The numbers are big too. According to the ship’s track, we covered 9,194 nautical miles, about 17,000 kilometres, over 28 days and 10 ports. That took us through five countries and territories: Canada, the United States, French Polynesia, New Zealand and Australia. The hurricane detour and the long arc around the Tasman swell added to the distance. From Vancouver to Sydney we shifted 18 hours across the clock, crossed the equator, and crossed the International Date Line, which took a whole day off our calendar.
Above all, the best part for us has been the sea days. They are almost a suspension of reality. No schedule, no pressure, just the horizon and each other. Mardi said it best as we packed: “It’s amazing.” We began half a world away, and somehow we found our way home. We talked about the whole journey as we folded clothes, laughing at the funny moments and a little quiet at the thought that it was ending. We thought about how lucky we are, to be well enough, curious enough and together enough to have done this. We have already had something that cannot be packed, and it will stay with us long after the suitcases are unpacked.
We went down to the final progressive trivia event. A short 15 questions before the winners were announced. We score 11 out of 15. This round didn’t count. And after we finish Brian announces the winners. We end up 4th out of 56 teams. We dropped from third after a bad last round yesterday. Madjag won as expected. The applause was modest. We said goodbye to Rob and Susie our trivia partners and headed to the lounge.
We then spent a little time in the lounge and chatted with Aldo and Rosina before joining them for dinner. It was another great night of tall stories and memories. We have really enjoyed their company. They are a pleasure to be around. As it got late we said goodnight, because the luggage had to go out. We went back to our room and finished the last of the packing.
Then came a quick visit to the casino, to cash out the last few chips and play the slots for a bit. I lost quickly at blackjack, but the wolf was kind and a feature unlocked on the wolf-themed machine for a win of $125. A few more spins, and we called it a night.
What an awesome trip. We love travelling and experiencing the world, and this one was a whole new experience for us. There were lots of sea days and ports we had never visited. We crossed the equator and the International Date Line, and we met a hurricane, high seas, wildlife and the food of different cultures.
You can look at the Pacific on a map and say, wow, that’s big. But when you live it for most days across a month, you really feel the enormity of the ocean. Just like a blue whale collects barnacles across the vast ocean, we’ve collected memories as we’ve traversed some 17,000 kilometres.
We have loved every minute of this epic adventure. Now it is time to re-enter reality, and breakfast overlooking the Opera House and Sydney Harbour is a lovely way to do it. The food and the staff were great, as they have been all trip. But the view is the thing. It is home, or almost, since we still have to get to Canberra. The Opera House is the iconic view of home after a cruise. We took some photos and said goodbye to the wonderful staff, then a final farewell to Aldo and Rosina. We will see them again. They are a wonderful couple, full of life and energy and such good fun.
Thank you, Celebrity Cruises. You have given us a month of memories that will last a lifetime.
