The Golden Jackals' Hit the Road

Well, here we are home at last - well in Australia that is... off to Taree for a few days/week to spend time with the folks.

A much quieter day today, packing and trying to relax for one more day. Not very nice weather so Jakob went to kids club whilst Glenn and Lachlan did a tour of the galley etc. I packed the odd back or two and then relaxed for the afternoon. Lachlan was as usual nowhere to be seen (except to change for dinner) Jakob went back to his last kids club session and Glenn and I went out on our own for our last 5 star dinner on board. Not much of a towel tonight so didn't take any photos.
cheers all
donna & howard boys 3

Hi all - Merry Christmas, Santa came and found us - he even gave out more presents in the Centrum this morning (rather unexpected).
Will update the blog later. See also last nights animal photo - a pig!!
Spiler photos of the day so far -


Welcome to our Christmas flyer for the day – it was an early morning to the rustling of Christmas paper and the peeking into stockings (not Lachlan – he just groaned and rolled over); Jakob was ecstatic that Santa managed to find us out here and even knew to add to his growing collection of Tech decks with a few more decks and some ramps etc. He also got a globe of the world made out of different stones – a lovely gift courtesy of onboard shops – I guess that made it easier for Santa to not have to carry so many presents to the ship.
Lachlan got a book, a globe with clock/barometer set and a game (not that he can play it here) from Santa and from mum & dad a special invite for a ships galley tour tomorrow (Glenn will be lucky enough to go with him). Glenn and I got a ‘ships cookbook’ so we can try out some of the Head Chef’s special recipes at home.
Once we had breakfast we had to line up for another present for Jakob; he got a Ship’s blanket… this was something we weren’t expecting so a nice surprise.
After that Jakob tested out the rock-climbing wall – only 200m above sea level – I just sat and watched….
Back for a BBQ lunch and then off to the room to get Jakob to have a rest for the big night ahead. “I am not tired” turned into a 3-hour sleep!! After waking we found Glenn up on the pool deck reading and most likely checking out the sights. Jakob finally got to go to the arcade to spend his $10 card – another tick in the box as he is trying to have a go at everything on the ship! Not like Lachlan, whom I don’t think has even been in the pool yet?? Way too uncool amongst his friends I think.
A formal evening this evening – so we caught a show which was a juggling act (Jakob loved it and wants to do a show again tomorrow night) and then all went to dine in the main restaurant – a nice change to dining on our own (funny at home we are always trying to get out to dinner by ourselves….). Dinner was fantastic and our Waiters did a few tricks for the boys and gave Jakob a stack of little panda toys – not only did it keep him busy during dinner he got to keep a few.
The towel animal for tonight was a peacock – fantastic pardon the pun..
Well that’s it for Christmas day at sea – we hope you all had a wonderful and relaxing day and look forward to seeing the New Year in soon.
We have one more day at sea (Glenn & Lachlan down to do galley tour whilst I start packing) and then home to Sydney early Monday morning.
Bye for now
Donna & Howard boys 3

Photos before blog - before we get to sea of shitty internet access....PS see day 6 photos too of towel animal for the day (turtle standing on hind legs) and also of Jakob having early night.
As you can see a bit of snorkelling and touring was done - no spoilers other than the photos.
Will update this daily blog tomorrow.
donna

Hello followers

Our last port of call and another ‘native island’ as Jakob would call it – no city, no pollution; just natives, huts and beaches…
It was truly a struggle to get up and force ourselves to go ashore (tired we are) but we managed to get there - Glenn went off doing the touristy thing whilst Jakob and I stayed near the wharf and village. Once again Jakob consumed the juice of several coconuts (the flesh in them here was not that great) and then we went snorkelling. I have finally found something that I can do with Jakob that is not hampered by my neck condition – so we snorkelled and took photos underwater for what seemed like at least an hour or more and I think we both have sunburn to the back of our legs to prove it too!! Glenn came back thinking that we have been long gone back to the ship but we were still there, having played in the sand and then Jakob joined the local kids jumping off the pier.
Back to the ship and Jakob went to kids club for a while and Glenn and I relaxed – caught up with Lachlan and he has been enjoying himself with his mates – still couldn’t seem to get him interested in coming ashore but he seems to be enjoying himself anyway.
Dinner for Jakob was pizza from poolside café and then back to the room to watch the rest of a movie and relax for him. Once we took him back to kids club we went xmas shopping for those last little bits, dragged out the Santa stockings and then went to the main dining room for our dinner.
Yes, the sale of the house ‘contracts’ managed to be faxed through successfully so hopefully there will be no further hiccups and we can put our minds at rest now.
Santa was seen late in the afternoon sleighing down the top deck – so fingers crossed he will visit us tonight…. The towel of the night was a Pig – very clever indeed.
Well that’s it for today – tomorrow we are at ‘sea’ and it will be Christmas….
Merry Christmas to everyone – thinking of you whilst we will be doing it hard enjoying ourselves eating and playing!!
Donna & howard boys 3

Hello blog followers

Toady is Noumea, New Caledonia – I know some of you are looking at the travel map and saying that I got it wrong and today was meant to be Lifou – well then you would be correct! For some reason the ports were swapped about – something to do with Customs etc. I don’t know and don’t care….
To put it in as few a words as possible – Noumea is a bit of a ‘shithole’ and Glenn and I have come to the same conclusion that if we want to visit somewhere where hardly anyone speaks English – just French; then we would rather go back to France!! Jakob’s impression – this place is polluted – just a little understatement….
Glenn, Jakob and I (no Lachlan –sleeping in and day on the ship) went in to the city, bought some tickets for a hop on/ hop off bus service and did some sightseeing – other than the cultural centre and a beach or two there’s not much to see; apparently the shopping is supposed to be good, but I didn’t see any. Between Glenn and I we spent most of our money on water and slushies to cool us down (hot and humid) and also some watermelon… Jakob spent the most out of us – capturing a couple of bargains at the local toy store – buying a set of 2 tech decks and a aluminium box of 4 tech decks with a few accessories (Google it if you don’t know what they are).
Back to the ship by 2.30pm to scrape in a late lunch and kids club for Jakob. Glenn and I sat by the pool with the computer trying to figure out emails/faxes etc. DO NOT try and sell a house when you are cruising – it just isn’t easy!! The sale of our house at Seabrook fell through prior to sailing and now they have another buyer (with a better price too) and we are madly trying to secure the contract – watch this space…
Unusual routine for the afternoon evening – Jakob swim, we took Jakob and dined at buffet then took Jakob back to our room for an early night – he sat up and played with his new toys and watched half a movie.
An early night for us – and Lachlan got in late as usual. The animal tonight was a turtle photos tomorrow.
Tomorrow is Lifou and Christmas eve – hope Santa can find us out here?!
Bye for now
Donna &Howard boys 3