Two Up! ‘Meet on the helideck at 11.15 and bring some coins with you!’ was the somewhat unexpected email from Bob ‘the undertaker’ Aussie. ‘I’ll show you some traditional Australian entertainment and all we need are two coins and a stick!’

I guess if you are in the Australian outback and trying to entertain yourself, even that might be difficult to find!

So obedient are we, that a number of us trouped down to the helideck with a few spare coins (of very disparate denominations) and there was Bob with a plastic ruler (he couldn’t even find a stick!) and two coins.

Above the sound of the engines, which are located just below our new ‘arena’, Bob shouted out some rapid (30 second) instructions on how to play the game in his wonderfully strong Australian accent.

Bob then proceeded to start playing the game while most people stood around looking totally bemused. One person sidled up to me and said ‘Can you explain that in an English accent, please?’ But there was no time!

Bob had laid out a number of smaller coins on the ground before him and was shouting wildly and throwing the two large coins up in the air. ‘There!’ he said triumphantly, ‘Two heads – I win!’ What?

He quickly explained the rules again and people began to match the coins on the ground and I even won – I’m not sure how or why – but the game was too short – all too soon we all had to go back indoors work again.

But what we got out of that game was far more than understanding any rules to a new game. Most importantly we laughed together and spent some R & R (rest and recreation) time out in the sun.

One of the great joys of this trip has been getting to know people, making friends and sharing experiences together. That short episode on the deck helped to build those new ties of friendship which I hope will last well beyond the few weeks we spend together on this ship.