Yesterday was our last night on the Maasdam, so we thought we'd play in the $25,000 Bingo round, just in case. No, I didn't win the big bingo prize, but I'm getting to the good news.

At lunch Ian & Wendy bought some raffle tickets for a free cruise - mainly because on their Asian cruise two separate couples won a free cruise. I thought, what the hell - three chances for $20.00. Anyway the story starts at the last bingo game, a full card and doesn't Jean win it all - a total of $334.00US. We coerced Jean into Happy Hour at the Ocean Bar to celebrate this big victory.

So onto the draw, when we arrived there was about 10 tickets in the box, but as they streamed in for the bingo session, more people bought the cruise draw tickets - the draw box started to fill up. Well the time came, he shook and he shook and he shook and out came the ticket for Deborah Foise ? - Deborah Waseroo (the man just couldn't pronounce Louise) - could it be - what was the room number - he says 7.......6......long pause and then 1 - WE WON. We won a seven (7) day cruise to either the Caribbean or Mexico. What a deal. Best $20.00 bucks I ever spent.

So now it was really time to celebrate in the Ocean Bar. It was our last dinner in the Dining Room so we got a chance to say our goodbye's to all our new friends. After that, it was time to evoke the packing routine. You have to put all your checked bags out in the hallway before midnight as they take them downstairs in preparation for disembarkation. Our friend Wendy, did such a good job that she packed ALL her shoes and had to come off in a pair of cruise's bathroom (free) slippers. Funny enough, we saw a couple of other people that had done exactly the same thing. Just too many Mojito's I suspect, LOL.

On a sadder note, we've received word that our son-in-law Joe's father Lamar passed quietly after a prolonged illness in Oliver Springs, Tennessee. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of Joe's family during this sad and difficult time.

We arrived at our VRBO home in Owera which is about 35 - 40 minutes north of Auckland. I'd seen it in pictures when I reserved this place some 6-months ago. It certainly lived up to the pictures. It's a five-bedroom home, high on a cliff (some 60' above the Pacific) that overlooks the beach in downtown Owera - awesome view. Check out the pictures. We're planning to head out to Russell tomorrow which is in the Bay of Islands. This will be about a 3-hour drive (one-way) tomorrow, so hopefully we can find some dinner (maybe the elusive Green Lipped Mussels) before heading home tomorrow.