Behind the scenes again!
Wednesday presented itself to us with a block of free time before our allocated boarding slot of 3:15 pm. What better opportunity to catch up with Wallsy’s daughter Felicity, currently working in Sydney in her operations role within the Australian Ballet.
We located a conveniently located café for brunch, called Bennies, which was in close proximity to her workplace at the Opera House and there we met for a lively chat and tasty brunch. Following brunch our local guide, Felicity, offered us a backstage tour of the Dame Joan Sutherland Theatre at the Opera House – home of the ballet for their NSW season.
We felt very privileged to be given yet another behind the scenes tour. We saw the huge lift which transports scenery to the stage, and the costumes, ready for the day’s matinee of the Nutcracker. We had a sneak view of the dancers working and rehearsing on stage, saw the wig room and various workstations with the best views of the bay. As for Hamilton, this tour provided us with remarkable insights into the work that goes on to bring these amazing productions to the stage.
After leaving Felicity to get on with her work, we took the Light Rail up town where Wallsy did a little shopping to enhance his costume for the gala evening on board the Queen Elizabeth. We wandered back via the Queen Victoria Building, one of my favourites in the city, to collect our luggage from the hotel and join the check in queue at the International Cruise Terminal.
The whole process was quick and efficient, so that we were soon settling into our Stateroom, number 1079. I felt right at home, having spent the first three days on our only other Cunard voyage way back in 2019, in a time before the world changed forever, on board the Queen Mary with a ship’s map of the Queen Elizabeth in error! No wonder I was confused and perpetually lost, until we discovered the mistake. I settled in much more quickly this time, confidently navigating my way around.
We stood on the upper deck and farewelled the harbour bridge and the opera house in the traditional manner, as the ship turned and we made our way towards the Heads. Wallsy and I attended the Britannia Restaurant then, for a rather late dinner before retiring to our cabin, much too tired to attend any of the evening entertainments.
We located a conveniently located café for brunch, called Bennies, which was in close proximity to her workplace at the Opera House and there we met for a lively chat and tasty brunch. Following brunch our local guide, Felicity, offered us a backstage tour of the Dame Joan Sutherland Theatre at the Opera House – home of the ballet for their NSW season.
We felt very privileged to be given yet another behind the scenes tour. We saw the huge lift which transports scenery to the stage, and the costumes, ready for the day’s matinee of the Nutcracker. We had a sneak view of the dancers working and rehearsing on stage, saw the wig room and various workstations with the best views of the bay. As for Hamilton, this tour provided us with remarkable insights into the work that goes on to bring these amazing productions to the stage.
After leaving Felicity to get on with her work, we took the Light Rail up town where Wallsy did a little shopping to enhance his costume for the gala evening on board the Queen Elizabeth. We wandered back via the Queen Victoria Building, one of my favourites in the city, to collect our luggage from the hotel and join the check in queue at the International Cruise Terminal.
The whole process was quick and efficient, so that we were soon settling into our Stateroom, number 1079. I felt right at home, having spent the first three days on our only other Cunard voyage way back in 2019, in a time before the world changed forever, on board the Queen Mary with a ship’s map of the Queen Elizabeth in error! No wonder I was confused and perpetually lost, until we discovered the mistake. I settled in much more quickly this time, confidently navigating my way around.
We stood on the upper deck and farewelled the harbour bridge and the opera house in the traditional manner, as the ship turned and we made our way towards the Heads. Wallsy and I attended the Britannia Restaurant then, for a rather late dinner before retiring to our cabin, much too tired to attend any of the evening entertainments.
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