Thursday night & Friday

It was time for the naming of our calico signature bear and he is now officially named “Whatawhey” which is Norfolk for ‘How are you?’ Our winner was very pleased with the calico bag she received so that little bit of fun went over well.  Time to get on the coach for our Fish Fry dinner.  As we head off we are told that there will be about 125 people there but that there will be no shortage of food.  As we got closer to Puppies Point where we were to have the dinner (it is a park on the coast) the sky got darker and started a fine mist of rain.  Then as soon as we arrived the rain got heavier and we all huddled under pine trees for about 10 minutes or so until the rain passed and then it was beautiful slue skies again as the sun set.  The rain was still very light so no one was particularly wet, it was just a bit of nuisance value and we had to wipe down our seats and table.  Then it was time for the food and they certainly weren’t exaggerating when they said there would be plenty of food.  There were buckets worth of salads and more than enough fish, that kept getting replenished.  We could go back as many times as we wanted, but most were satisfied with 1 plate and then there was dessert of coconut pie and cream.  I didn’t have dessert but I did have 2 lots of the fish.  We were entertained by one of the locals who sang and played a guitar.  Then we had 4 young girls doing what is probably best described as Hawaiian style dancing.  It was really nice, and the sunset was lovely.  Then back on the coach to our hotel where we had about 15 minutes before we were on another coach to take us to the ‘Mutiny on the Bounty’ show.  We were taken to a part of the forest that has been set up as an outdoor theatre where locals acted out the Bounty mutiny.  It was very well done and was about 90 minutes long. Then back on the coach towards our hotel.  It has certainly been a big day and we’ve fitted heaps in.  We were all very quiet on the return drive, so quiet in fact that the driver turned off the main street and as I was up near the front, I asked him which way was he taking us as I knew it wasn’t the way to our hotel.  He laughed as he pulled the coach over to the side of the road and did a u-turn to get us back on track, as he had forgotten we were all still on board and was driving home to his place!!! So back to our hotel about 10pm and so ends our last day in NI.

In the morning it is a 10 a.m. checkout and most have ventured up the street for a last cuppa while we await our 11.30 coach to the airport.  Weather is a little bit steamy this morning but again brilliant blue skies.  All are boarded onto the Air New Zealand flight for our 2 ½ hours flight to Sydney.  I’ve watched a movie, had my beef casserole lunch and even have time to pen these lines.

Hope you’ve enjoyed the Norfolk Island tour.  When I get better internet access I’ll upload some photos.  Just to make you work a bit harder, I’ll put the photos in with the appropriate day’s jottings so you may just have to re-visit the earlier blog entries to see what I was trying to describe on occasion. It has turned out to be a fairly busy 8 days and that’s about long enough for NI I reckon. I would certainly come here again, but not for a while as nothing will have changed quickly.  The shopping isn’t nearly as good as I had been led to believe and food can be expensive as it is all imported.  But the place itself really is a bit of paradise and well worth adding to your itinerary.

Am now at Sydney airport waiting for our Adelaide connection which is currently going to be 45 minutes late departing.  When we touched down onto the runway in Sydney a booming voice immediately behind me (Big W) asks "Is this the airport?" What the heck was she expecting? Sydney bus terminal??? Give me strength.

Then when we all get through Customs and Immigration which was relatively easy, I finally lose little A.  Hers was the first luggage off the carousel so I told her to go through Customs and Immigration and then wait inside the sliding doors.  Well, we all wander through to the Virgin check in  and no little A.  Finally she shows up having gone through the sliding glass doors out into the main terminal; asked directions from some fellow who tells her to walk to the right; when she gets to the end of the terminal she comes back and asks a woman who directs her to the Virgin check in which was immediately left of the sliding glass doors, but inside them.  Forget about giving me strength... just give me alcohol and lots of it!!!  Crisis averted and I think that as we are on the home run, I am okay.  But booming voice Big W announces that she needs to go to the toilet while we are waiting for the coach to take us to the domestic terminal.  The toilets are in the main airport area so I tell her that she can go and find them, but if the coach comes I am not waiting for her and she will have to get the next one and then find her own way through the domestic terminal.  She tells me that she can wait but might actually wee her pants!!!  As she doesn't have a volume switch, all in Virgin check-in are now aware of her urinary needs.  anyway we all get on the coach as she announces in her dulcet tones to the poor fellow sitting near her that she desperately needs to go to the toilet and that I wouldn't let her and that she may end up wetting her pants!!!  The entire bus now knows her predicament. We thankfully get off the coach at the domestic terminal and I tell all to go through the screening entry and head for Gate 40.  Big W starts going through the screening but announces to all and sundry that she just has to go to the toilet and so I send her off towards the nearest loos. We all go through the screening entry and I patiently wait for her (well as patiently as I am capable of at this late stage). She finally waddles through but even that is not without drama as she sets off all sorts of alarms  and insists on trying to come through the body screen with a backpack still on. After a personal body scan she is finally allowed through and we set off towards our Gate but then she decides she is hungry and is going to stop to buy food.  I have now reached my limit and it is soon going to get very ugly so I remind her to aim for Gate 40 and she assures me that she is right on her own and knows where to go.  I then find the ladies, go into a stall and do a silent scream, feeling much better and start to wander to gate 40 just in time to meet up with Big W and a group of our ladies, with Big W telling them that we are to go to Gate 48. Where's that alcohol???

We are now advised that we are actually at Gate 39 and the plane is delayed so I have had time to vent to you and catch you up totally on our tail end of the trip. Should the plane be delayed much longer I will not be responsible for my actions. Gripping stuff isn't it?

Anyhow, If you are already wondering, “Where to next”, then at this stage you need to set your sights on Kangaroo island.  However should I win lotto before March, then all bets are off and Europe here I come!!! You are welcome to come along too, as long as you don’t expect me to carry your bags...