Our final full day on board today and a full day at sea. We are crossing the Timor sea heading up to Kupang in Indonesia to then catch a flight back to Darwin and eventually home to Brisbane. It seems all ‘foreign owned’ vessels must make one of their voyage ports out of Australian territory for whatever reason known only to maritime law. The Captain thinks the whole thing is crazy but as he says, that’s the law!

Our ships captain has been unlike any I’ve ever seen – absolutely amazing, very approachable, sits down at mealtimes with anyone and everyone, joins in the entertainment at night and at the farewell drinks last night, gave us, in his words, ‘my valedictory speech’ and on an up and down motion “pack your bags” and across “and get off my ship!”  Laughter all round of course. The crew of Phillipinos once again did their entertainment rendition of 3 songs (they love to entertain!) and had us in fits as well.

So all up, a fabulous ‘expedition’ cruise and certainly not a ‘pleasure’ cruise as many are.