Sunscreen and Hats - Necessary Evils

 

Having been off the boat for so long and in cooler climates, we have to remember to use sunscreen and wear hats before we head out for a walk or work on deck. Conveniently placed on a salon shelf, we now have a liter jug of sunscreen with a pump and it's becoming a habit to slather some on before heading out. We also hang our hats on a hook near the ladder, so they're easy to grab.

I do not like sunscreen nor hats, but I've found that both are necessary evils. There's nothing worse than taking a shower and feeling squeaky clean, then smearing yourself with greasy, white sunscreen. Add a little bug repellent and you smell and feel as if you'd never taken a shower. Now, put on a hat to add sweaty hat hair to the mix and you've really got a look. The alternatives, however, are more unpleasant. Nothing like a good burn with bug bites to enhance your daily enjoyment quotient. If the burn happens to be your scalp, it's even worse.

If you wear make-up, it's pretty nasty putting sunscreen on over it. I've found that some make-up has its own SPF (sun protection factor) component to it, but it's so low, it's pretty ineffective. Luckily, we cruiser girls usually opt not to wear make-up, so it's a non-issue. Instead, I've become inured to the greasy sheen provided by a thick layer of sunscreen all over my face, ears and extremities. I tend to think of it as my daily moisturizer.

Sunscreen in Boston, Massachusetts, though necessary at the beach or while hiking, is not half as important in the northern hemisphere as it is in the southern hemisphere where we tend to crisp up in minutes. Heading on a short walk to the supermarket on a sunny day, we sometimes feel as if we were burning within minutes after we've left the boat. We've learned to return to Cups to get bigger brimmed hats and more sunscreen if we start to experience that sizzling feeling.

It's that “hole in the ozone”, closer-to-the-sun-in-summer down here that causes the problem. School kids in Australia are required to wear sun hats or they can't go outside for midday recess. In South Africa, I remember they announced a “burn factor” on the radio each day to remind folks that wearing sunscreen was so imperative. Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, with two in three Australians developing some form of skin cancer before they reach the age of 70. That's serious.

Australia health officials recommend:

Slip – on sun-protective clothing. Make sure it covers as much skin as possible.

Slop – on SPF (sun protection factor) 30 (or higher) broad-spectrum, water resistant sunscreen. Apply 20 minutes before going outdoors and reapply every two hours.

Slap – on a broad-brimmed hat that protects the face, head, neck and ears.

Seek – shade.

Slide – on wrap-around sunglasses that meet sun protection standards.

Our Peruvian friend, Gonzalo, works for a company that manufactures an SPF 100 sunscreen that's non-greasy and doesn't smell. It is not currently available for sale in the States nor in Australia unfortunately. He sent us a supply before we left the States. We keep it in our backpack and we're finding it a godsend.

Making Plans for the Return to Adelaide

 

David left for Adelaide on 16 December with the intent of finishing up the galley/fridge project in time for my return. Knowing him, he'll work day and night and still not have it finished when I return. He's a workaholic and a perfectionist, so I may have to take drastic measures when I get there to insure he balances work and play. With that in mind, I've begun getting ready for my return trip to Australia.

First, I had to get a new passport. It wasn't until a couple of weeks ago that I realized my current passport expires next summer, so it was time for renewal. Most countries, including Australia, require at least six months left on your passport. Additionally, Australia, unlike most countries, requires a visa in advance of arrival. The application is available on-line and unless you plan to stay for more than three months (like us), it's free (except there's a $20AUD service charge for processing). Though it can take up to a few weeks to process, both David and I got our approved one-year visas within 10 days of our application via return e-mail. It's totally electronic and pretty painless (except for the fee part).

I've booked my return flight from Boston to Adelaide for 4 January on United/Qantas via San Franciso and Sydney. Another positive about David's early return is that he can figure out all the things we didn't order and I have a couple of weeks to gather it all together for my return. I keep looking for positives since this holiday separation is the pits. When he called from LAX, he'd already thought of something I needed to bring with me.

Having worked out all the logistics, now comes the fun part. Though there's lots of work to be done on Cups, we all know that “all work and no play make a dull boy” and a cranky wife. So as Nine of Cups' social director, it's my job to seek out what Adelaide has to offer and make sure there's adequate time to see it all. Lonely Planet has just named Adelaide as one of the top 10 cities to visit in 2014. How fortuitous … that's where we'll be. So far the Cleland Wildlife Park, the Botanic Gardens, the South Australia Museum and the Art Gallery of South Australia top the list of “to-do's” in addition to our usual city exploration. Frog cakes and pie floaters also require investigation. Stay tuned … we're in for some fun … along with all the boat work.

Sydney, Australia: 11 Things to do on a Budget

 

Sydney … vibrant, breathtaking, exhilarating … what a city! As we sailed past the Sydney Heads and the Macquarie Light and entered Sydney Harbour for the first time, we had to pinch ourselves. We were really here and just in time for the holidays and the world-famous New Year's Eve Fireworks celebration.

We learned quickly that there's so much more to Sydney than the fireworks, the iconic Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge (though you don't want to miss them). Australia is expensive, especially with the soft US dollar at the moment, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy yourself thoroughly. Here are our top 10 picks for fun and interesting things to do in Sydney … even if you're on a limited budget.

1. Ride the ferries.

Buy a day pass and ride all day and well into the night. A unique mass transport system, riding the ferries is the best and most scenic way to get around this historic seaport city and see the sights.

2. Walk across the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge

Walk across the bridge for outstanding views. Walk under the bridge and check out the girders and structure that supports one of Sydney's great icons. Sail under the bridge … just take a ferry. You can even climb the bridge if you're brave enough and want to spend the bucks.

3. See the eclectic street art …

for free ... just by walking around. It's like a city-wide scavenger hunt to find the most unusual pieces of art in the most unusual places.

4. Chinatown

Colorful,cultural and great fun. Chinatown offers just what you'd expect: restaurants, Chinese dragons, Foo dog statues, tiny shops. On your way, check out the imaginative window dressings in the upscale stores along George Street as well as QVB (Queen Victoria Building), the Town Hall and the very gothic St. Andrew's Cathedral.

5. Paddy's Markets

Just across the tracks from Chinatown is eclectic Paddy's Markets. Like a huge, indoor flea market, this long-established market has a zillion little booths to browse through. It's great for fresh fruit and veggies, as well as great low-priced, souvenirs from t-shirts to boomerangs to those clip-on koalas everybody loves.

6. Royal Botanic Gardens

It's not just flowers, plants and trees, it's a whole lot more. Pleasant, shady paths, artwork, outstanding views of the harbor and it's located right next door to the Opera House. Admission to Australia's first and oldest botanical garden is free.

7. Sydney Opera House.

You don't have to buy a ticket or take a tour to get inside although to see behind the stage, you do need to shell out some bucks. The outside is interesting, too. Just climbing the stairs to the entrance is a hoot. I took a close-up shot of the Opera House tiles and use it as wallpaper on my computer. If you've got the time and the bucks, see a show.

8. Take a self-guided historical walking tour

Sydney is an historic city and there are reminders of its history everywhere. From the Welcome Wall listing thousands of immigrants welcomed to Australia's shores (free), to heritage-listed Cockatoo Island (free admission, access is only by ferry), former convict prison and shipyard to the Australia National Maritime Museum (admission charge) to Mrs Macquarie's Chair, a sandstone promontory with great views of the harbor. Well-marked signs and placards enhance your walk and your knowledge of Sydney.

9. Watch the buskers that congregate on the ferry dock.

Get entertained. Watch jugglers, clowns, acrobats, musicians, even Aborigines playing didgeridoos. It's all there and it's all fun and free. If you like the entertainment, it might be nice to make a gold coin donation though!

10. Bondi Beach

Only 7 km (a 15 minutes bus ride) from Sydney and you're walking in the sand and surf at world-famous Bondi Beach. From surfing, to swimming, to “beachie” cafes, restaurants and boutiques, it's worth the trip.

11. Have a pint at Sydney's oldest pub.

Some may argue which pub is the oldest. We bellied up to the bar at the Fortune of War on George Street in The Rocks right downtown. They had 15 beers on tap, the barkeep was friendly and so were the other patrons.

If you go:

Public transportation (bus, ferry, train) is really a bargain in Sydney and gets you virtually anywhere you want to go in the city and the suburbs.

There's so much more to see and do in and around Sydney, but these topped our list and fell within our budget. The Sydney tourist info kiosks provide lots of information and maps plus tons of options for enjoying the city.

As always, we had our Lonely Planet with us. We had Lonely Planet Australia , but there's a specific one for Sydney as well.

Though we had the luxury of having our hotel and restaurant with us and didn't need a room, we noted lots of inexpensive backpacker hostels that were centrally located, reasonably priced and basic. We tend to shop at the fresh markets and local supermarkets for each day's meals which cuts down tremendously on restaurant costs and allows an occasional splurge, like at the pub, for instance.