Day 60: It’s all about your hat!

This post is two months in the making. On December 23, 2023, in Fort Lauderdale Donna and I made our way to the hotel ballroom to await our bus to take us to our new home (the Viking Neptune) for the next 139 days. We sat down at a table joining another couple already there.

Proudly sporting an amazing Australian hat with a full beard to match, we met our first fellow travelers; Brian and Sue. They are from Walkerston, Australia which is a small suburb about 10K outside of Mackay.

So, Brian is use to this - his hat becomes the ice breaker to startup a nice conversation with these folks. Many people offer to trade their hat for his or to pay cash out right on the spot. Brian taught me about the Akubra “Cattleman” which he was wearing. It is bush style hat made out of rabbit fur felt with a wide brim. The history of this hat goes back to 1874. There is a great Wikipedia page on Akubra hats for more details.

Here I am not even on the ship yet - already knowing I wanted to by a real Hawaiian shirt in Hawaii and now I just added to the “Things to buy on the cruise list” a real Australian hat - an Akubra like Brian wears when we are in Australia,

In a couple of the ports I did see some Australian hats - they looked okay - but they weren’t Akubra - When I looked in side and it said “Made in Indonesia” - “Naaaa that just isn’t right!”

During our first day in Sydney we did the included excursion - had fish & chips and a beer at a nice little place - then walked George Street - We needed to go to two different Hat Shops. A bit of hike - we got our steps in that day. We found the “Holy Grail” a size 62 Akubra “Cattleman” hat …. Donna also got an Akubra in a different style. Thank you to our salesperson, Loui, who helped us get the right ones, the right size, and steamed it to shape adding some foam padding to might it fit just right.

The next day while on the ferry to Manly, Donna and I were chatting with a couple of Australian locals - and without my prompting the gentleman says “I see you found the right hat, I’ve got one of those. Aukbra is the best hat to have. They last for ever.” I smiled broadly all of a sudden the hat was worth the price. When an Aussie you don’t know says “He likes your hat.” Life is good.

A couple of days later (Brisbane, I think) Finally - the photo opportunity I was waiting for. Brian & Sue were coming on to the ship as Donna and I were leaving - they smile at me, Sue was laughing - they saw the Akubra right away - I handed Donna the iPhone - she took at pic of me and my new “mate” Brian with our Cattleman hats.

This is why you do a World Cruise. This is why you travel. This is why you don’t be afraid to meet new people. It’s the people and stories we create on the journey that make the adventure memorable.

I will go back home and tell my friends of this Aussie bloke Brian and his lovely wife Sue and my new hat. Surely embellishing the tale each and every time I tell it. Brian and Sue will go back to Walkerston and tell stories of this weird American guy they met who wants to become an Aussie.

See ya later mate!Read more