Thursday, 24 November

Eden and Merimbula, NSW, Australia

It's the end of a lovely day along Australia's Emerald Coast, south of Sydney. On a four-hour shore excursion, I visit two small towns, Eden (a'den), where the Westerdam is docked, and Merimbula, about 28 kilometers north. I am looking forward to a special Thanksgiving dinner in the Dining Room tonight.

Wednesday, 23 Nov 2022 

Sydney, NSW, Australia

After a treacherous two-and-a-half day journey across the Tasman Sea, we arrive at Sydney's Overseas Passenger Terminal three hours late but to bright sunshine and warm temperatures.

Taken from the Bow of the Westerdam as She Follows the Pilot Boat into the Harbor

A Panorama of Sydney's CBD from the Bow of the Westerdam

Turning to Port as We Pass the Opera House and Enter Circular Quay

Moving Sideways Toward the Dock at the Overseas Passenger  Terminal

View from the Bow as Westerdam Ties Up at the Pier

I don't have a large agenda today, especially since transit passengers aren't allowed to debark until almost 11am. Interestingly, every passenger must leave the ship by 1pm--even those continuing on another 14 days as I am--and cannot re-board until after 2:30pm. Don't ask why.

I don't intend to re-board until later, so I head for a nearby Starbuck's for a large iced latte (it is a warm day). I never made it inside the Museum of Contemporary Art (whose facade appears in the earlier blogs from Sydney), prior to the cruise, so I enjoy a visit to the permanent collection today. There are some very interesting pieces to contemplate:

From the Museum I ride the Light Rail (all city transportation is free this week, and thus, quite crowded) to the Town Hall stop, where a number of department stores (David Jones, Mecca, and others) are joined by every kind of storefront imaginable. I find a large discount pharmacy where I am finally able to purchase Biotine toothpaste and mouthwash (remember, Security at the Tucson Airport confiscated my supply), as well as other things Holland America no longer supplies, like cotton swabs.

And its beginning to look like Christmas in the CBD:

Town Hall Christmas Tree Competes with Flowering Shrubs

From Town Hall I ride Sydney Rail to the south end of Hyde park to see the Anzac Memorial (Australian and New Zealand combined forces in WWII), and take a short walk along Oxford Street, the center of GBLTQ life in Sydney, just to revive memories of 30 years ago. Its getting close to time for sail-away, so I take a quick taxi ride back to Circular Quay.

Sydney Rail Station at Circular Quay (above),
and View of ms Westerdam and the Harbour Bridge from the Station (below)

Anzac Memorial in Hyde Park

And this evening, precisely at 6:30pm, the Westerdam pulls away from Circular Quay, backs partially under the Harbour Bridge, and then picks up speed as she moves forward out of the bay and into the Pacific Ocean. So tonight, we all get the departing views we missed when we first left Sydney two weeks ago.