Blowholes on Tonga

 After the entertainmeht we headed over the other side of the island, its only small but does have a population of 60,000 with another 40,000 on the smaller five islands.

Hundreds of blowholes.

Tonga

 After five days at sea, it was time to get off. The third day was supposed to be spent at Norfolk Island buy the seas were too rough to launch the tenders. Warren had a walking trip organised and he had bouggt some chips for breakfast as he had to be on deck at 7am. 

I settled down for a sleep in when an announcement came over to say that Norfolk was cancelled. 

So on the fifth day it was goid to get on land. We had a bus trip organised and made ourxway off the boat and on to small buses. First stop was a resort where we sampled fruits of the island and watched dancers.

Very sweet bananas, the papaya had coconut on it, only way to eat it apparently.

The female dancers, they were students from a local school but they looked in their twenties

Then the men. The guy on key boards was 70% blind.

Cruising to Fiji

 Seemed a long time in the lead up but finally had arrived.

Warren did a parkrun and was home in time to say goidbye to Lucy as she went off for her two week holiday. We hadnt heard the car pull up but heard the car door shut, went to get Lucy from back yard but she had already gone through the house and was in the front seat of Larelles car. No worries then about her for the time we are away.

They have taught her to swim! She was always afraid of the water, the smallest wave would have her jumping back away from it. Then she learnt that she liked going in the water with the other dogs but she would only go in up to her chest and walk. Glen, dog sitter, took her into the water and taught her how to swim. They are brilliant dog sitters.

We drove to the parking fir the cruise and jumped on board tge bus, it was about a 20 minute trip on the bus. A new terminal has been built since our last cruise making it closer to the river enterance and of course further from the parking. 

Then it was line up and shuffle along, photos then customs and finalky border force and then on to the ship, we were sent to the right along the deck, had to check in at our muster station, then we could find our room. We are mid ship, quite close to a set of lifts. The boat is 290 metres long, dining is at the back end and the entertainment is at the front. 

Jigging/walking track is on deck 7, unfortunately there is a smoking area on one side fir apprix 50 metres, not too good when trying to exercise.

Our dinner time is 5pm and alternate between the three restaurants or we can go to the Pantry for a buffet.

Gladstone parkrun.

 This was held at a park, everyobe met there and walked through the carpark to the start. It was an out and back route with a one way bridge on the way. I followed behind for awhile before turnibg back. I had reached a small bridge and thought it was ths obe way bridge, it was only about a metre wide and went over a little bit of water for about three metres.

No, that was not it, apparently the one way bridge was only wide enough fir one person at a time. Wish I had continued on for a bit now.

I found these.

In the park. What looks blurry is actually water spray coming out of the structure. It goes over the pathway and beleive me, you can not miss getting wet. The spray starts a coupke of paces away from the arch and continues until you are through and out the other side.

Another structure.

I saw a blue tree so nosy that I am, I went to investigate further.

It is a "R U OK" tree. A reminder that not everyone is okay all of the time.

Bedside cupboard of a sickie

 Feeling a bit out of it, I went back to bed. This is how my bedside cupboard looked.

Glass that had held a disprin for headache and temperature. Cough drops for the throat, tissues for the running nose, Vicks to help the nose to breathe and there had also been a coffee cup with the remains of a hot chocolate. Cough syrup and cold/flu tablets were on the kitchen bench.

All of these were needed at some point over the last three days. Needless to say I am feeling remarkedly better tonight, in saying that I have taken my night cold and flu tablet which is designed to clear my nose therefore allowing me to get a good night sleep, we will see.

As Warren tested positive for covid on Sunday, we had been isolating at home and I did go to have my covid vaccination on Wednesday afternoon. I did a test twice for covid and both were negative.

Hopefully tomorrow will be a good day. I did go to parkrun this morning, it was good to get out in the fresh air but needed a sleep once we got home.

Cistern chapel

 We headed for the local park and saw the sign post for the Cistern Chaple. Interesting.

There was a Flusher Usher at the base of the steps. This was a volunteer to make sure that the toilets were not in use when someone just wanted to have a look. 

Apparently the public toilets were dowdy and outdated so a few people decided to do sonething better. A committee was set up for ideas and fund raising. It is now a tourist haven as much as a set of toilets can be a haven.

Ladies toilet

Chardeliers and clouds on the ceilings.

The gold throne, the second toilet was more normal. A guy joined us while we were in there. We had said we were just looking and had to convince him to come right in to see the above.

This was the entrance to the mens.

What a great idea.

Art gallery.?

 On a trip to Gladstone we dropped into one neighbouring towns for lunch.

What we discovered was a bonus

This was a parenting room, Mary Poppins is flying down in the middle of the painting.

This scene was on the back of a door.

The artwork was incredible.

A quick trip to Gladstone

 We stopped off at a beach and had to walk out on a pathway.

There were a couple of mosaic tiles along the way until the path run into a gate and then a bush path.

I needed to do a selfie to prove I was therel, not a very good one but I was there.

Sheridans photo was much better.