Death at Sea… So Close and Yet So Far!

Today was to be a “Big Day.”  We have been floating through many seas, oceans, whatever for what seems like days on end.  But today we were supposed to get to a port – Darwin, Australia.  This was to be our last stop in Australia.  For many of the guests, already disgruntled that they did not get to swim at the Great Barrier Reef, it was the last chance for Australia to redeem itself.  Having read about Darwin, the northernmost point of land in Australia, I did have my doubts!  But, hey, after bouncing along for many days, I must admit I was kinda excited to have a chance to get dry land under my feet!

Now, about Darwin.  This city is nothing to write home about.  In fact, the parts of Australia we have seen other than Sydney, I have wondered why people even live in these godforsaken places!  Darwin’s moment of glory was during WWII when the Japanese attacked the area and we Americans put up 100’s of air bases here to defend the country.  And, at one time, there were 100,000’s of American soldiers based here.  The other notable fact is that they had a cyclone through here in 1978 that flattened the town.  So what is here is relatively new. But there is not much here, if I’m being totally frank. People:120,000.  What they do here?  I think it is mining mostly and, right now, that can be lucrative, as they send it all to China and India.  And HOT.  Yes, the theme of this cruise is HOT and HUMID!

But, on to the cruise from He…. Yup.  I really mean it.  We were anticipating getting off the boat at around noon.  We had already been told we were half a day late getting to Darwin, a fact disturbing to most of the guests.  But, we were just happy.  And we traipsed up to the Observation Lounge with our kindles and scrabble board, to pass the morning.  At about 10 a.m. the ship’s captain announced a “code” on deck 3, which is the ship’s doctors dispensary.  Seems one of the young beautiful singers passed away.  We guests do not know what happened. The crew just shakes their collective heads and says, “What a shame” and nothing else. We may never know what happened.  Mystery:  was it foul play, health, drugs, etc etc??  But, when we finally reached shore, the local police, lots of them, marched on deck, forbidding anyone to get off the ship. Land .. so close and yet, so far!!  And hours passed.  And passed.  And passed.  Dinner time came.  Finally, at 6 p.m. the ship got clearance to come ashore.  But the busses to take us to our sites had left.  The croc cruises were closed.  The animal park was closed.  The stores were closed. And the ship takes off for our next adventure at 7:30 p.m.  So, here we sit, on the boat, waiting for another sea day to take us to our next mythical stop on the cruise from He….  See why I mean it??

For those of you who like mysteries, what are your thoughts on what happened?  The count now is: one man with a heart attack, left in Brisbane for open heart surgery\  one older lady falling in the cyclone, off the ship for x-rays of her broken leg/ one singer-dancer, dead of unknown causes.  When are we supposed to get home????  How much longer??????????