It's the tropics, mate!

CAIRNS, Australia--Thursday, March 18, 2010

Cairns was one of our favorite places when we visited Australia four year ago. Unfortunately, our tour into the rainforest was canceled on Wednesday because not enough people had signed up for such a strenuous excursion on an amphibious Army Duck that included a Dreamtime Walk and native dancers. On Wednesday night, the tour to the Great Barrier Reef was canceled because of the weather. We know that we are near a cyclone but we feel sorry for the passengers who wanted to take the cruise to the reef. It is the only thing that astronauts can see from outer space--they really cannot see the Great Wall of China--and visiting this natural wonder is a once in a lifetime experience.

At breakfast, Ken encountered Mary and Ed, from Cruise Critic and the Build a Boat Contest, who suggested that we do something together. The four of us ran into our next door neighbors, Doris and Claude, who are table mates of Mary and Ed, and the six of us took off for the Visitor's Center. There we saw Heidi and Dave, from Las Vegas, who also are Mary and Ed's table mates, and we became one, big, happy family for the day so that we could get the group rate for the Skyrail Rainforest Cable to and the Kuranda Scenic Railway from the rainforest to the village of Kuranda. Our guide Steve told us to take the skyrail first because it was to get much windier later in the day. He also suggested that we take our time between stops in the rainforest so we could explore the flora and the fauna. According to Steve, Kuranda was a hippie-type village in the rain forest where we could shop and then play with the snakes, koalas and kangaroos. At 1:30 p.m., we were to walk to the train station to board the Kuranda Scenic Railway. More than 1,500 workers lost their lives while building the railway, which was started in 1886 to connect the coast to the tablelands.

Of course, everyone knows what happens when you plan. The travel brochure stated that "the aerial gondolas soar over the forest canopy and the Kuranda Range offering views of the mountains, Cairns and the Coral Sea" or that's what they normally do but Thursday was not a normal day. We arrived at the the skyrail station to be told that there were mechanical difficulties, and we should look around the souvenir shop. Then the skyrail staff suggested that we take the skyrail to the first stop because the problems should be resolved within one-half hour. The ride up the mountains above the rain forest was breathtaking. We watched as palm trees gave way to pine trees. At the first stop, the nature guide gave us a tour and introduced us the wait-awhile plant that catches people and doesn't let them go and is used for rattan furniture; the Kairi Pine that grows 50 meters in height, can live 1,000 years, provides valuable timber, and has a smooth trunk that sheds bark to clean itself so nothing can usually grow on it; the basket ferns that are epiphytes that attach themselves to trees but do not harm their hosts; the orchids that flower in August and September; big spiders that build humongous webs; and the Southern Cassowary, the biggest bird in the rain forests that is known as the gardener of the rainforest because it eats fruits and poops seeds.

When we got back to the station, we were sure that the mechanical problem would have been resolved. How gullible were we? The guides kept saying that it would only be 10 more minutes. Heidi befriended a group of young men tourists from Busan, South Korea, where we will be on March 30, and Carl, one of the park employees, assured us that the repairs were almost finished because the repairmen were not working as hard. (Is that really a good sign?) At 12:30 p.m., we finally boarded a gondola to Kuranda. Our visit was limited to window shopping in the stores on the main street. Doris really wanted to have her picture taken with a koala. The gatekeeper at the zoo took pity on them after our experience with mechanical difficulties and let her and Claude sneak into to see the koalas without paying the entrance fee and have their picture taken for only $15.00.

We had to catch the 2 p.m. train because it took an hour and one-half to travel back to Cairns and the ship left before the 4 p.m. train would arrive. The railroad goes over 40 bridges and 15 tunnels, making it one of the most dramatic train rides in the world and Australia's answer to the Orient Express. We think we liked the train ride even more than we enjoyed the gondola ride over the rainforests. At one point, we viewed this amazing waterfall on the left side of the train before going over a bridge. We wondered what happened to the waterfall after we went through a tunnel on the other side of the bridge when the waterfall appeared upclose and personal on the right side of the train. Ken took some great photographs.

The train arrived in downtown Cairns 15 minutes late but no one seemed concerned. It's the tropics, mate! We had time to shop in the downtown area and even got to go to some of the stores in the Night Markets that opened at 4:30 p.m. before getting on our ship for another beautiful sail away.

Everyone we talked with seemed to have a good time in Cairns. Lauren and Craig returned to the ship after their trip to Ayers Rocks. They said it rained every day but they really enjoyed themselves. The Red Center has so had so much rain during Australia's summer that they are now calling it the Green Center.

Spectacular Sydney

SYDNEY--Saturday, March 13, 2010, and Sunday, March 14, 2010

Having spent four days in Sydney in March 2006, we wondered if the city would hold the same charm for us as it did then or if we would think, "Been there, done that." Our conclusion is that Sydney is fabulous! Many tour books include itineraries for staying in Sydney for one, three, five or seven days. We will comment on our suggestions for spending a weekend in Sydney if one has already toured the Sydney Opera House, participated in the Sydney Harbour Bridge Walk, strolled through the Royal Botanic Gardens, walked through The Rocks and enjoyed the entertainment at Darling Harbour.

DAY 1: Saturday
Buy a day ticket for the Sydney Explorer Bus with it on and off stops, and recorded and live commentary. Get on the Red Bus at Stop 1 at Circular Quay and marvel at all the sites around the city of Sydney. Especially note Mrs. Macquaries's chair built by one of the early governors of the Sydney Colony for his wife so that she could look at the spectacular views of Sydney Harbour and long for her beloved England; Hyde Park, which is named after its namesake in London; Queen Victoria Building with its beautiful way to shop; Chinatown where thousands celebrate Chinese New Year in February; Sydney Fish Market; the Chinese Gardens; and The Rocks. The entire circuit takes two hours.

Then transfer to the Bondi Explorer or the Blue Bus for another two-hour ride around the outskirts of Sydney for the incredible coastal views. Hop off at Watson's Bay and take the cliff edge walk to the Gap Park to enjoy the great coastal views across to North Head. Get on the bus again and hop off at Bondi Beach, Sydney's most famous beach where the sport of surfing was born. We were fortunate to see our very first surf board contest on the beach where surfing was discovered. A real party atmosphere! Pass the pool at the Iceberg Club where people swim with the ocean as a backdrop. Then follow the coastal path to the beautiful Bronte Beach and hop back on the Bondi Explorer Bus to pass Coogee Beach, the Royal Randwick Racecourse, Cricket Ground and Football Stadium, Oxford Street with it exotic boutiques, Sydney Tower and the Cenotaph, the memorial to all Australians who fought in wars in the United States. End your day shopping at The Rocks Weekend Market that is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with more than 200 stalls.

Day 2: Sunday
Buy a DayTripper past that allows you to travel all on the trains, buses and ferries. If it is Sunday, try to find a child so you can get the Family Funday pass for only $2.50. A woman offered us one of her sons, 4 and 10, as we were purchasing our tickets but the ticket taker refused to believe either boy was part of our family because he had overheard her generous offer. Take the ferry past Luna Park and get off at Darling Harbour for a trip to the Sydney Aquarium, an aquatic paradise that more than 12,000 marine animals call home. Do not feel bad if you do not see the platypus because we waited more than 10 minutes at the first exhibit and never saw it. Enjoy the penguins, seals, turtles, crocodiles, jellyfish and snakes. Get up close to the manatee's cousins, the dugongs, considered mermaids by the early pirates and sailors, in the Mermaid Lagoon. Walk under water in the Sea Aquarium with sharks and stingrays swimming over you. See Australia's largest Great Barrier Reef exhibit. We do not have much experience with large aquariums, having only been to the Baltimore Harbor Aquarium, but we voted this one the best we have experienced.

Spend several hours in the Australian National Maritime Museum to view Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids, the life of a 19-year-old New York boy who sailed from New York to Sydney in 1905, the history of water sports in Australia, life in the Royal Australian Army for both men and women, a replica of Captain Cook's ship Endeavor and the HMAS Onslow submarine. Then take the ferry back to Circular Quay and transfer to the Manly ferry for an experience you will never forget. After a 30-minute ferry ride with every other tourist in Sydney and all the families taking advantage of the Family Funday pass, walk from the terminal along The Cosco, the shop-lined pedestrian strip with its own arts and crafts market, to Manly Beach with its golden sands and rolling surf. Before you take the ferry back to Circular Quay, stock up on Australian wines. Now you know how we spent our weekend, how did you spend yours?

THOUGHTS on SYDNEY: Our ship docked at Circular Quay so we enjoyed the picture postcard view of the Sydney Opera House from our balcony. When we ate in the outside dining facility on Deck 9, we had a view of both the opera house and the Sydney Harbour Bridge with all the miniature-looking people climbing to the top. These views at night with the lights were breathtaking. It is a real plus to have two days in one city. While we loved Sydney, we were surprised at how much more expensive items were than when we visited four years ago. It has definitely become a world-class city with all the benefits and drawbacks.

Typical day at sea--NOT

SAILING to SYDNEY--Thursday, March 11, 2010

How do we spend a typical day at sea on a world cruise with 60+ sea days? After we get up and are dressed, we stood in a long line at the Pacific Lounge for the mandatory Australian Inspection (our deck drew the 8 a.m. slot), ate breakfast at the Panorama Buffet,listened to a port lecture on what to do while spending the weekend in Sydney, and had lunch with an Oscar-winning filmmaker (yes, you read that right, and no, this was not a typical day for anyone). Arnold Schwartzman won an Academy Award for his documentary, Genocide, on the Jewish Holocaust. It probably helped that he had his friends Elizabeth Taylor and Orson Wells narrate the film. He is even better known as a designer of the posters and programs used for the Academy Awards. He was a speaker on the ship and was accompanied by his wife, Isolde, who is a member of Cruise Critic so they came to our last luncheon on the second segment of the cruise. She complimented us on our blog, which she had been following, so we sat beside her, not realizing who she or her husband was. He is a very active 74-year-old whose work was forcing them to get off the ship in Sydney and take a taxi directly to the airport to catch a plane to Los Angeles so he could concentrate on his designs for two museums. Both he and his wife were delightful. We compared notes on how much we had enjoyed our port days in New Zealand, how we were disappointed that the direct feed from this year's Academy Awards program did not work on the ship and how they enjoyed visiting his sister and her family in Perth, Australia, the world's most isolated city.

The sad part of the luncheon was saying good-bye to Harvey and Carol, and Amelia. Amelia's husband, Ken (a very good name), was flying from Los Angeles to spend Saturday night with her in Sydney and then fly back to LA with her. What a great guy! Please remember to follow us and comment on our blog whenever you like. Parting is such sweet sorrow.

Now that we were on a first name basis with Arnold and Isolde, we attended the Art Deco Architecture lecture he gave. Art Deco is his passion, and he has written two books on the subject. Even after the lecture, we are not sure that we can describe the style but we saw a lot of beautiful photographs that he had taken around the world of Art Deco gems. Then we took part in the "Oscar" Auction of Oscar Memorabilia designed and donated by Arnold. Ken bid on the program for the 70th Annual Academy Awards. The front cover centers around a wheel with the Oscar-nominated films for Best Picture that year. It was a very good year for Hollywood films--As Good As It Gets, The Full Monty, Good Will Hunting, L.A. Confidential and Titanic, the big winner. We need to decide how we will display this treasure.

Okay, so it isn't every day one goes through immigration to Oz, considers options for touring Sydney or dines with an Academy Award winner and his wife. But a world cruise is full of surprises and adventures. We feel so fortunate that we are having this incredible experience and wish that all of you who are reading this blog will consider it as a possibility in your future. Our port lecturer summed up our experiences by quoting an Old Chinese proverb, "A man who travels 500 miles knows more than a man who reads 500 books." A trip to the destination of your dreams could be worth an entire library!

Awesome Auckland

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND: Sunday, March 7, 2010

Spending one day in this city of Sails, Sailors and Sailing does not do this clean, peaceful, beautiful city justice. There is so much to see and do that we all wish that the ship was overnighting here. Everyone's day was different but everyone on the ship had a wonderful time.

We decided to buy tickets for the Auckland Explorer Bus that offers hop on, hop off sightseeing for 14 BIG attractions. We zeroed in on three of them: Bastion Point Lookout, Auckland Museum and Sky Tower. At Bastion Point Lookout, we got off to admire the breathtaking views of the gulf and harbor that justifies Auckland's claim that it has more boats per capita than any other city in the world; walked down a path to Mission Bay Beach; and took the path along the waterfront to pick up the next bus at the stop at Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World. The bus driver assured us that we could make it in 35 minutes. What he obviously failed to take into account was that we were not the super-athletic, uber-fit runners and bikers we passed on the path. We have been the championship eaters on a cruise for a more than a month. It took us 40 minutes so we cooled our heels taking in the glorious sights and sounds of the coastline from the shaded bus stop.

While Sara would have enjoyed stopping at the Parnell Rose Gardens, we agreed to proceed directly to the Auckland Museum, which was built in 1929 to commemorate the end of World War I. Visitors could easily spend a full day or more viewing all the exhibits on the three levels. We concentrated on second level that focuses on New Zealand in World Wars I and II. We were particularly impressed with the "Scars on the Heart" section that included a recreation of a World War I trench on the front line, and the restored British Spitfires and Japanese Zeroes of WWII.

We saw MaryAnn and John from Cruise Critic who highly recommended that we take the one-hour Satellite Bus tour that only runs from the museum during the summer. What a great recommendation it was! The driver took us to the top of Mt. Eden, which is the highest volcano in Auckland with outstanding views of the city and the harbor. He even allowed us a five-minute stop for taking photographs. We also passed Eden Park which will host the 2011 Rugby World Cup and the 2015 Cricket World Cup. The stadium is being expanded to 60,000 seats for the events. This mini-tour was worth the cost of the bus ride itself.

Then we took the regular bus to Sky Tower, the tallest building in the southern hemisphere and the source for ultimate adrenaline adventures, SkyWalk and SkyJump. Ken jokingly wondered if Lauren and Craig, our ship's certified adventure junkies, had done either one when we ran into them suiting up in bright oranges suits for the SkyWalk around the tower's outside ledge. Ken documented the event in pictures, and we wished them well on their latest adventure. As we sped up in the elevator the 40 seconds it takes to get to the top observation deck, we did not that we would spend the rest of our time in Auckland living Lauren and Craig's adventure vicariously.

When we got off at the top level, we looked down to see Lauren and Craig being tethered up for their walk through space. Lying on his belly, Ken took photographs of them as they moved around the tower. Mike and Lu, returning from their tour of a sheep ranch, joined us in the dynamic duo's vicarious adventure. Then we returned to the street level where we found Lauren and Craig suiting up in royal blue gear for the the Sky Jump, the longest 11 seconds of the jumper's life. So we decided to observe their adventures from the plaza. The four minutes in between jumpers is for raising the cables and strapping in the next jumper. Ken should provide the attraction with his suggestion of letting someone who only wants to climb up in the world go up strapped in the gear before the next tourist jumps from the top. Lauren jumped down screaming all the way while Craig was completely silent and acted like he knew exactly what he was doing.

After buying several bottles of New Zealand wine, we walked back to the ship and enjoyed another incredible view as the Pacific Princess sailed out of the Auckland Harbour and into rocky seas on its way to Picton on New Zealand's South Island.

Picturesque Picton and Marlborough Sound

PICTON: Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Our tour of Picton and beyond can be summed up in two words: unbelievable scenery! Words cannot do justice to the scenery that we saw so we will let our photographs speak for us with minor commentary from our blog.

Our tour started at 9 a.m. in the small village of Picton and Picton Beach, which is very narrow, if not, nonexistent. The town did have a slight cosmopolitan feel but in fewer than five minutes, we were driving up a winding road with a stop at the top of the cliff that overlooked the area's biggest marina, Wakawa Sound. Our driver told us that once we left this scene, we would not see civilization again for the next few hours. It also was the first time we have ever seen a road sign with a double-S curve with "Next 40km" under it. We wound up a twisty road, climbing higher and higher into the bushland hills, and then, seemingly out of nowhere, this full-blown, spectacular view of the water's edge would appear. One minute, we would be stopping to view the bay, and then after a few minutes ride, we would be at the top of the cliff overlooking the same bay.

We experienced these sensations for the next three hours. Then we came off the unpaved gravel road to the intersection of State Highway 1, a major paved road, to learn we were only 18km from Picton. In essence, we had traveled the equivalent of 6km per hour on the back roads of life.

We stopped at Allan Scoot Wine & Estates Ltd in Blenheim for lunch and a winery tour, which was actually only a wine-tasting. We were perplexed by the sign that stated, "Intoxicated people are not permitted here. If you become intoxicated while here, you will be asked to leave the premises." This area wants to become a major tourist destination but has not yet got its tourist act together. However, with this scenery, no one seems to mind!

On the sail away, we admired scenery as spectacular as what we saw during our tour. While we know we could not afford to live in New Zealand with its high cost of living, we would love to visit this incredible country again in the not-too-distant future.

New Zealand: God's Wonderland

BAY OF ISLANDS, New Zealand: Saturday, March 6, 2010

When we visited Australia in 2006, we thought that it was the most wonderful country in the world, next to the USA, of course. However, all the people who joined our trip in the land down under who had just toured New Zealand kept telling us how fantastic their time in New Zealand had been. Whenever we talked to anyone who had been to both Australia and New Zealand after we returned, they were glad to confirm that New Zealand is the country to see. Could any country live up to all that hype? Now that we have seen the Bay of Islands and Auckland, we are true believers. New Zealand now leads our list of countries that we have visited that we want to visit again.

What made us converts? New Zealanders believe that God saved the best for their country--sensational vistas of sky and sea, pristine beaches, lush vegetation, active volcanoes, picturesque waterfronts. It's like Mother Nature took its finest features and exhibited them all in this island nation. Add to these, the man-made wonders of incredible museums, historic sites, a skyscraper with viewing platforms, beautiful rose gardens, Westfield shopping centres, charming boutiques. Subtract its location on the Pacific Rim that makes it prone to cyclones and earthquakes, and the high cost of living. Well, no place can be perfect but this one comes close!

We took a ferry to the tiny fishing village of Russell, which was known as the "Hell-hole of the Pacific" in the 19th century. Charles Darwin called the residents of Russell "the refuge of society" with their ex-convicts, dissenting sailors, plenty of grog, no white women or children, and houses of ill-repute employing natives. In 1845, a sailor lit his pipe and caused all but two buildings--the Anglican Christ's Church, which is the oldest church in New Zealand, and the Pompallier, a printery whose owners raised sheep and tanned animal skins in the back to produce leather for the books' covers--to burn to the ground. For 10 glorious months, Russell was even the capital of New Zealand. Auckland earned the honor for 24 years until gold was discovered on the south island, and the government shifted the capital to Wellington. Of course, we fell in love with this town immediately!

Being so small, Russell offers a mini-tour, which passes 21 sites, and promises a personal insignt into New Zealand's earliest European history in one hour. Again, there was no hype. The best part of the tour was Jennie, our tour guide, who treated us like we were her best friends who were visiting the island. We had brought good luck and fortune with us. It had been very dry all summer, making it one of best seasons ever for the campgrounds but one of the worst for the farmers, and we brought rain. By the time we jumped in her van, water was pouring off our hats and streaming down our faces. Jennie adapted to the weather by driving barefooted. When we stopped at the attractions for photo opportunities, she advised us to stand in the doorways of the van so we didn't get "spats" on our cameras. At the top of Flagstaff Hill with its sundial and its mosaic tile map of the Bay of Islands, she informed us that the views are great when it's not raining. (We had to take her word for this because it is pouring.) As we neared the cemetery, she said that's where everyone in town "ends up." She was surprised that a funeral was happening because she was sure that if anyone in town had died, she would have known. When we passed the bakery in town that was closed, she concluded that was because of the funeral. The "swallows" who live in the islands during the summer (our winter months) and then buzz-off to their permanent homes in England and the US during the winter were some of her "best six-month mates." The police station has only one jail cell, which is hardly ever used except on New Year's Eve. Jennie's favorite souvenir shop, Just Imagine, boasted signs, "Items broken considered sold so please bring your children." What's not to like about this town?

We met a couple from Sarasota that were doing a one-month home stay in the Bay of Islands in the ideal location. Their hosts own a liquor store, live on the second floor above the store and rent the third to guests. They also agreed that New Zealand is the place to be.

The tour came to an end and so did the rain. As we hopped out of the van, Joyce and Bob, our table mates were getting ready to board. At dinner, we will agree that Russell is a picturesque town. We strolled though the quaint downtown area of Russell and took the ferry across the bay to Paihia, another village with a charming downtown and a marketplace on the green. Then we embark on a self-guided tour of the Waitangi Treat Grounds, deemed "the birthplace of New Zealand." It was at this site in 1840, Captain William Hobson negotiated the Treaty of Waitangi that was signed by 43 Maori chiefs and made the agreement between two peoples to live and work together in one nation. The Treaty House, where the document was signed, was the home of James Busby and his family and depicted colonial life in the 1800s. The original residency consisted of a living room, one large bedroom, a central hall, which doubled as an office, and a small dressing room. A separate building housed the kitchen, store room and servants' quarters. Busby added three bedrooms to accommodate his growing family. In 1932 Lord and Lady Bledisloe purchased the estate, which had gone into neglect, and gave it as a trust to the people of New Zealand.

During the Treaty Centenary Celebrations in 1940, the Te Whare Runtanga Meeting House was opened alongside the Treaty House to symbolize Mauri involvement in the signing of the Treaty and in the life of the nation. In respect to the Maori, visitors are asked to remove their foot coverings before entering. Inside are carved wood panels from all of New Zealand's Maori tribes. The panel from one tribe on the left side connects with the panel from the same tribe on the right side.

At Hobson's Beach below sits a giant war canoe carved out of three full-grown Kauri trees, which rival the California Redwood trees in size. The 35-meter long Ngatokimatawhaorua, which was launched during the Centenary Celebrations, required 76 paddlers to handle it safely. Very impressive!

Some friends from the ship actually took a tour that included a walk through the Kauri Forest and explored a glowworm grotto. Other met a Maori chief or took a catamaran through the bay's "Hole in the Rock." Everyone raved about their day in New Zealand's Wonderland.