Champagne Bay, Vanuatu and return to Sydney - Rhapsody of the Seas

Our final place to visit was Champagne Bay, Vanuatu.  Beautiful weather.  We decided to go off on one of the first tenders of the morning so we could snorkel and walk the beach before the sun got to hot.  I burn very easily.  :-)

A tender load of people heading to Champagne Bay.  It wasn't until we were here that I discovered that the tenders were in fact life boats off the ship.  Not sure where I thought these smaller boats came from. :-)

Champagne Bay is the tiny bit of white sand you see in the left of this picture in the cove.

Champagne Bay before the onslaught. :-)  We were so happy that we went over early and found a spot at the south end of the beach under a huge shady tree.  We snorkelled twice, the water temperature was just perfect.  Normally, I take half and hour to get past the belly button but here I just went straight in.  Beautiful fish and coral.  A small market was set up here and a was much more relaxed …the people were not pushy at all.   We only took a small amount of money…. had we realised that they would be cooking up lobsters that could be bought we would have taken and little more.  (approx $30 - $50)  Anyone that had one enjoyed it.  By lunch time we decided that there were too many people on the beach for us so we headed back to the ship.

The end of the day the tenders doing their final runs.

Since I discovered that the life boats were our tenders I was keen to see them come out of the water……and here it is.

Again, we timed it perfectly with the weather because as we were leaving a shower was coming through.

Now for three sea days.  For me, I can handle two sea days no problems the third day I was ready to go ashore somewhere. :-)

Between 5.30am and 6am this was our view.  It was weird waking to silence….no engine noise or vibration.  It was the only time I woke up and wondered where I was.   

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Sydney Opera House

Circular Quay

Sydney Opera House

Sydney Harbour Bridge

We all had to be off the ship early as they had to restock and had guests boarding ready for a cruise up the Queensland coast….yep they were in Cairns the following week.

We had a little time to spare in Sydney and as it was a drizzly rainy day we found the Mordern Arts building which was dry and free.  Although, some of the artwork did not help me with my land legs.  It took me five days to stop rocking like I was on the ship and I found it very hard to concentrate.  Was so tempted to find a ship/boat somewhere so that I could feel normal. :-)

Anyways, this is one of the artworks at the gallery.  Looking from the left you saw this lovely face then…………..

……walk to the right and this is what you saw.  Clever hey.   There were three pieces.

This was just interesting.  It is a full size mannequin in a spiderman suit looking at the weird head off the wall.

I just loved the colours in this collage…..

These were very clever.  A whole room of photos cut in half and matched with other photos or postcards.

We watched this interview being filmed outside of Channel 7.  I can't remember who but he has something to do with soccer. :-)

Well that is the end of our trip, so no more photos.   I bet you are all relieved.  

Now we just have to get through this cyclone (Ita) who is not being very nice.   The rains have just started and by tonight it shall be very windy indeed, going by the forecast.  We have food, water, batteries for torches and radio.  Just need to put a couple things in the shed and then we will be ready to sit through it.  Yes, just a tad nervous as I don't think I have been through one that has come from the north before and this is a monster.

Back soon with some cards.