The life and times of Libby Withnall

We didn’t wake until 8am this morning (though it was really only 7am as the clocks went forward one hour). We read for a bit until the girls woke around 9am then we headed to Windjammers for breakfast (just as we arrived in Helsinki). You can now serve yourself at Windjammers again so that makes things much easier, and quicker. We enjoyed breakfast sitting on the back deck watching the boat next to us unload cars, trucks and buses. We couldn’t believe how many fitted into it.

Amy left us to go to kids club as she decided she didn’t want to do todays tour.

At 10.45am we met for our tour to Santa’s Summerhouse. We boarded the bus and headed into the countryside. Christy was excited because Anna and Alyssa were also doing the tour. It looks like a lovely city – modern and very green and lots of cyclists again. Our guide told us a lot about the history, the country and it’s people on the way out. Then we were met by an elf – who was too cute and just wonderful with the girls (it was just the three of them on the trip).

It was such a lovely area.

First they had to collect water and carry the tub up to the wood sauna.

Boy, was it smelly (just like a campfire). Don’t think I’d want to sauna in there.

Then it was off to visit Santa. Christy really enjoyed this. Santa told them what he does during his Summer – basically eat and rest, sometimes fishing, and a bit of surfing.

We then enjoyed a snack of tea and a cinnamon roll – which was yummy!

I also posed for a photo with Santa .

The girls played games, then it was time for a little woodland walk back to the bus.

We had a drive through the main town on the way back to the ship. Then a bit of shopping – I got a few nice crystal pieces to add to my collection. Christy had fun trying on the fur hats but there is no way I would buy one.

Then it was onboard and a late lunch at Windjammers. Another salad for me today. Christy went off the kids club. Kevin and I got changed and went to the thermal suites.

At 4.30pm we collected the girls and took them for a swim and play on the waterslide.

Then it was time to get ready for dinner – another formal night.

It was a little stressful with my girls tonight – Christy’s eating and Amy’s mood. Hoping so much they behave in Russia and don’t spoil our time there.

I woke up at 5.30am just we were entering the Archipeligo on the approach into Stockholm. I managed to go back to sleep for a bit and got up around 6.30am to go up on deck. It was just gorgeous. Cute little (and some not so little) houses on the islands.

I enjoyed a cup of tea as I enjoyed the view and later sat and had a donut and another cup of tea.

Around 7.30am I went back to the room. Amy & Kevin were awake. Around 8am we woke up Christy and got out the door. We got breakfast at Windjammers and ate it on the back deck I only just discovered this morning. Today I had a delicious vegetable & cheese omelet.

At 9am we arrived in Stockholm and it was amazing to watch the ship turn before docking. We met for our tour – A Day in Stockholm. First stop was the council building which is where the Noble Prizes are given out every December. It was beautiful and very interesting.

We drove around a bit more, then stopped in the old city center where we visited the Royal Church – which housed a Royal wedding just last weekend. Here is the bride and groom!

It was a beautiful church – nice and bright with a St. George and the Dragon statue that dates back to the 1300s.

We then went to watch the Royal Guards walk by on their way to the Changing of the Guard. It was a bit of a fizzler after waiting 15mins. We should have skipped it or gone to watch the whole ceremony. Oh, well, it gave our feet a break.

We then went off in search in food – stopping to admire the stunning narrow streets and beautiful buildings.
We found a place to have lunch that took VISA and had English on the menu.

Amy and Kevin orders Swedish Meatballs – which they really enjoyed, and I had a cheese & spinach quiche – which was quite nice.

After lunch we wandered the main street and the girls bought soft bunnies – yes, bunnies, from Sweden!!!

We met back up with guide for a tour of the old city center but the girls were tired and grumpy so Kevin waited with them while I went on the tour. A shame really cause I think they would have enjoyed it. We saw the narrowest alleyway in the town and a piece of a Viking Rune which was used to stop a buidling from collapsing and is the only Viking aritfact in the country(???) because a persons belongings were burned with their bodies upon death.

After leaving the old city center we were shown some more sights before heading the Vasa Musuem. This just blew my mind. The Vasa sank on it’s maiden vogage in the 1600s and was only found in the 1960s. It is old complete ship in the world and is incredible. i couldn’t believe how big it was.

Here’s a model of what it looked like. It must have been amazing in real life when it was painted in all it’s colours.

It apparently sank because the King kept ordering them to make it bigger after it was already built which meant it was very unstable. We didn’t have long here but managed to see a bit of a film about the ships recovery which was very interesting. Then it was back on the bus for the trip back to the ship. I really feel like we got a good taste of Stockholm today, though more time at the Vasa would have been great.
Back on board we all all hungry so went to the Seaview Cafe for a snack. We ate all the nachos and both Kevin  & Amy had some fruit tart as well.

We then headed back to our room for showers and to get ready for dinner. Tonight I had delicious breaded mushrooms (which I remembered from our last cruise) and a potato Curry. And a yummy low fat mango mouse.

The girls headed off to the kids club and Kevin & I retired for the night. I typed up todays diary  and then did a bit of reading. When Christy came back from kids club she looked like this…and she wasn’t in a very good mood.

Woke up with a headache at 6.30am, read for a bit and went back to sleep (!!!!), woke again around 8am. Boy, must I have needed some sleep. Still feeling woozy and lightheaded. Around 9am we were all up and had a late breakfast at 9.30 at Windjammers. I just had a bagel and donut. The girls went to kids club, Kevin and I visited the shops then went back to our cabin where I read and slept (yes again). The girls just wanted to hang in the room for a bit so we waited till 1pm then went and had lunch at the Seaview Cafe. Loved this place and we all enjoyed our meal.

The kids went off to kids club again and I was starting to feel better finally. We went to visit the thermal suite, then had a cocktail while relaxing in the spa.

We then collected some tea and went back to the cabin for some more relaxing. As you can tell it’s been hard day. Amy came home early around 40m. I had a shower and got ready for dinner. Amy picked up Christy at 5pm and they also got ready.
Tonight was semi-formal night.

I woke up at 5.30am which was really 6.30am.  When I looked out the window I could some island and wind turbines. Shortly afterwards I got up and ready for the day. We had to wake up Christy. Around 7.45am to headed to breakfast. We ate in the dining room today which was much better.

After going on deck to check the weather we decided to pick up an extra jacket for Christy then we went to meet for our walking tour of Copenhagan. I loved the skyline – so different from our modern cities.

Immediateley upon leaving the ship we met with our tour guide for our walking tour. Unfortunately Christy wasn’t feeling the best and we had evil Tween Amy with us today so there was a lot of whinging going on. It is a beautiful city – full of sculptures and locals riding their bikes.

We saw a video screen of the Little Mermaid showing it’s current setting in Shanghai.

We also saw quite a swans and signets.

The highlight would be the royal palaces. We saw the Queens Winter home and that of Princess Mary. We’d been telling Christy the story of the Australian girl who married a Prince and became a Princess – not realizing she was the Princess of Denmark. Royality here live a much more normal life than that in Britain.

This is to be Mary’s Winter home now that it has been renovated.

We had a stop at this lovely old palace for a softdrink.

We saw lots of screaming/running high school graduates.

And some guards…

And I had an experince when trying to go the toilets – and I didn’t have any money to pay! Thankfully another tourist was kind enough to pay for us all to go to the toilet .

After the walking tour we hopped on a boat for a tour of the canals. We sat outisde for a bit but when it got a bit too cold moved inside, where both girls promptly fell asleep.

The cruise ended back at the ship so went back onboard, had lunch at Windjammers and took the girls headed to kids club. Unfortuanately I hadn’t been feeling well all day so we just went ashore to look at some shops briefly before I went back to the cabin to relax (read and sleep) and Kevin went back into town to get an adapter so we can charge things up.
Another lovely dinner tonight. So pleased the girls all get along as do us adults.

Still feeling unwell (lightheaded and achy) so it’s an early night for me.

I awoke around 6.30am. When Christy woke we all got dressed and went to breakfast at Windjammers. We sat outside again but it was a bit cooler today. Christy’s watermelon was very juicy so Kevin improved a sleeve for her to wear.

After eating we wrote some postcards and then took the girls to Adventure Ocean (kids club). Kevin and I then went to check out the shops and buy a few bits and pieces. Kevin then bought a cup of coffee and check e-mail. Internet access is very expensive and very slow .

The lobby….

We then went back to our cabin to change for the thermal suite. LOVED this. We spent about an hour reclined on hot beds and enjoying the steam rooms. We’ve bought a pass for the cruise so to enjoy it most days. I hadn’t been feeling the best this morning (with a head cold)  but felt much better after this. We then went back to our room to wait for the kids to return from kids club. So glad they are now old enough to sign themselves in and out. Amy wanted to have lunch at Windjammers but it was a mistake. It was busy and slow (with having to be served). By the time I got Christy’s food sorted I was stressed and feeling unwell again and couldn’t be bothered lining up to get myself some lunch. After everyone else ate we took the girls to the pool. They had been going to use the outdoor slide but it was too cold so they went the Solarium – where they were pleased to find Anna and Alyssa (from dinner).

I managed to get some pizza – one vegetarian and one banana and mango (which was really yummy).

Then it was time for them to get changed again for kids club. Kevin took them back to the cabin while I went to pick us up some teas. Once they left I lay down on the bed to read for a bit, then had around an hours sleep. I hardly ever sleep during the day and usually not very well so I really must have needed it. I felt so much better afterwards and read for another hour before it was time to ready for Formal Night. The girls returned and got ready as well. We took a few photos before heading in to dinner.

Another nice meal – potato curry and coconut layer cake.

Once again we enjoyed Melissa and Osbourne’s company and were amongst the last to leave the dining room.

The girls had all headed off to kids club earlier so Kevin and I headed back to our cabin. Christy came back from kids club just before 9pm and Amy is due back at 10pm.

We are absolutely thrilled with the size of our room and glad we didn’t get the balcony – as that extra space is in our room .

After getting our bags unpacked and everything sorted and put away we went for a wander around the ship. It’s quite a nice size – big but not too big. But because we’ve not sailed this class before it’s going to take us a while to learn our way around.

At 4.30pm we had muster but we didn’t have to take our life jackets and we just went to the theatre – very civilized. It’s amazing how different places have different regulations.

Since sailaway was scheduled for 6pm – right when we’d be at dinner – we had our ritual cocktail beforehand. Amy and I had virigin pina coladas.

We enjoyed those then went back to the room for a little while before heading to dinner. It was caotic getting into dinner – with everyone having to be taken to their tables the first night. I was happy to be seated next to the window and the best part was our lovely table companions from Canada, Melissa and Osbourne, and their two little girls,, Alyssa and Anna, who are 7 and 9.

Dinner was delicious – Onion tart, vegetable quesadillas and strawberry pavlova.

We had planned to go to the Welcome Aboard show but it had already started by the time we left dinner. The girls wanted to go for a swim but when we went down the outdoor pool was closed for maintainence and they were not allowed to use the indoor pool (it’s only available for kids at certain times). So I got myself a cup of tea (no tea making facilities in our cabin – shock horror!!!!) and we went back to our room. We’re looking forward to a fun day at sea tomorrow.

Leaving Harwich…

Day 1

Day 2 – at sea

Day 3 – at sea

Day 4 – Airlie Beach

Day 5 – Cairns

Day 6 – Port Douglas

Day 7 – at sea

Day 8 – at sea

Day 9 – Brisbane

Day 10 – at sea

Detailed report coming soon…

Detailed report coming later

on board Diamond Princess. Detailed report coming later.