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Alison rang us on the way home at about Bacchus Marsh to tell us that our cat Henrietta is dead. While we were sailing across the Great Australian Bight she was hit by a car in Foote Street. We are devastated.

Day 23 at sea - last day

600 people got on in Adelaide and they're like a blood transfusion - new faces at dinner and livelier feet in the corridors: I think they've lowered the average age to 65. As happens with Adelaidians we have friends in common with our dinner companions.

We were awake early keen to see if Cape Douglas would be visible from the ship - but no, grey fog obscured the shore. At about Robe a cray boat zoomed out of the fog to take a look at us: they travelled much faster than we did.

I saved the best till last - abandoned bridge in favour of a classical concert,  the Duo Avante Garde from Hungary who play violin and piano. They were terrific, the best thing on the whole trip, wish I had ditched bridge for their previous three concerts.

Afternoon tea in the Queen Mary Room was unusually popular - obviously Adelaidians get afternoon tea. Another lovely last experience with our favourite Hannah the harpist playing.

The last variety show was fantastic!  The singers and dancers have enormous talent and energy: this show was only the second in 23 days - you have to wonder what they do all day...

Duo Avante Gard

Afternoon Tea

Hannah the harpist 

Day 22 leaving Adelaide

Adelaide turned it on as we left also. David and I decided to forgo the coveted early dinner in favour of farewelling Adelaide from the top deck and it was terrific when we finally left. We waited half an hour for a late man then after the gangway had been pulled up he arrived and hammered on the gates. The kind captain let him on - how embarrassing it must have been!

People lined the Outer Harbour southern breakwater, cheering and waving and a flotilla of small craft on each side accompanied us about 3 kms out to sea which was bathed in a pearly grey light. 

The magic continued after late dinner as we stood on our balcony with the golden glow of Adelaide in the far left distance, a brighter glow that must be Noarlunga, ashore was the dark bulk of the Fleurieu Peninsula sloping down to a string of orange lights that had to be Cape Jervis. We glided gently through Backstairs Passage with a warm wind in our faces and twinkling stars in a velvet sky.

Day 22 ashore in Adelaide

Son Jon picked us up at Outer Harbour where Adelaide turned on a lovely welcome for QM2 passengers with a bush band playing Australian songs. 

We had lunch in the City Centre and bought blankets for Beechwood - no doubt it will start getting cold soon, but a warm day in Adelaide, lots of people around for the Adelaide Cup holiday. 

Back on the ship for afternoon tea in the Queen Mary Room and there was Ruth Mutton on board with her book group until Sydney.

Day 21 at sea off Port Lincoln

Today I collected my prizes for winning bridge - three Cunard pencils: we certainly weren't playing for sheep stations!

We have achieved a permanent seat at table 222 first sitting in Britannia Dining Room.

I paid another visit to my favourite paintings by Rebecca Lardner in the Clarendon Art Gallery. I'm not buying one because the frames are too heavy. 

Britannia dining room

Day 20 at sea Great Australian Bight

It's rough today, rain lashing the promenade deck and a Force 9 wind to keep everyone inside.

Dinner is at Todd English restaurant on Deck 8 aft for which you have to pay extra for each course - and it turns out to be a delicious meal. The service is over-attentive: I don't need to be asked if every course is OK when I am obviously tucking in to it. My entree called Todd's Potato Love Letters was exquisite ravioli containing potato and truffle swimming in butter. 

We drained our wine bottle to the last drop,  a ritual we learned in Europe last year with Bill and Ann then went off to hear a NZ pianist called  Carl Doy who is very good. 

Todd's Potato Love Lettersgetting Bill's drop

draining Bill's drop 

Day 19 at sea

Bananas are back. The news went around the ship like wildfire - which shows you how little real news there is.  Apparently we couldn't take them on board in Darwin as theirs suffer from brown spot.

The Shirley Bassett tribute concert tonight was well received.

Grand Lobby deck 3