G’Day Mate!

Holler from Down Under!  Stop #1 of Summer Cruise 2009!  I admit, I really do not enjoy being underway, but the world travel does have its perks!  We pulled into Perth, Australia on July 2 and will be leaving here in a few days…just long enough to forget that I’m in the Navy, but not long enough to really have a break.

Pulling into port with our captain is never an easy task and getting off the ship was a tad difficult, but we made it in one piece.  Weeks ago, we (the girls) decided we wanted to do a total “girl” day as soon as we pulled in.  Since DeeDee is the ever-patient Google-er (the internet is typically extremely slow while underway), she found an amazing salon in Perth, that we later found out is rated the #2 salon in Western Australia!  They took such good care of us, making sure that our wine glasses were never empty, waiting on us hand and foot (literally…we all got mani/pedis) and just making sure we were well-relaxed.  It was amazing!  We got our hair done, massages, facials, mani/pedis….it was a fabulous evening…great way to kick start the port visit!

Sadly, the next day I had to go back to the ship for duty, but fortunately I have an amazing section leader and he worked it out for me to leave after I finished giving tours of the ship and head back to Perth for our Wetting Down.  For my non-Navy readers…a wetting down is something that you throw for your co-workers (ie shipmates) when you get promoted and you’re ideally supposed to spend the amount of $$ that is your new pay-raise.  So, in true fashion, DeeDee, Erin and I threw a fantastic Wetting Down where we successfully rallied a bar tab at almost $2000…then between the 3 of us, we split the tab.  It was a fantastic time had by all.

Then, yesterday I did some major shopping. Shopping in Japan and other Asian countries is very difficult because Asian women are very tiny, both height-wise and just the size of their bodies, they are miniscule compared to the average American woman and thus, shopping is very difficult.  So, to say the least, I took advantage of being in a more western-influenced country!  Today, sadly though, is my last free day, because I have duty again tomorrow, so I think I’ll head out to visit one of the big parks in town, maybe some more shopping for souvenirs (maybe an authentic boomerang?!) and then we have an official function tonight to say goodbye to 2 officers who are leaving the ship (lucky dogs!)….my time will come…hopefully sooner than later!

Happy 4th of July to all those back in the States!  Enjoy the BBQs and fireworks!

Until the next port call…

oxoxoxox