Tag: australia

1. South Pacific Cruise

We’ve been home too long so off we go again; this time to 29 ports around the South Pacific and New Zealand. Many of the ports we have lived and worked in over the last 75 years; you’ll hear about them in the days to come.

Back in March last year, our daughter Sharlee noticed the cruise we are doing in a Facebook ad and quickly copied it to us. She and Paul would have loved to have come but 6 weeks is a bit long for those poor employed people. We depart from Melbourne Airport after a night at the motel across the road. Our brother in law provided transport from home as long as he had half an hour in our room to watch aircraft movements, for payment.

Having a hidden disability enables us to get extra special care when checking in and getting on board the aircraft; we are thankful for the “sunflower foundation” membership I have. As experienced when checking in on past cruises, we have been told the same care will be given at Circular Quay. (So if you have a hidden disability, please join the foundation by going to their website for good service, when traveling especially)

Our flight was delayed half an hour due to a problem with the braking system on the new Airbus A321-XLR Qantas has recently started receiving to replace the aging 737 they have had since before “the flood”. Yes, it is comfortable and quieter. We need brakes, so waiting is a better alternative.

The 5th Ashes test has commenced in Sydney during our flight and we just may have to find something better to do. Cricket is just another diversion from enjoying an ocean cruise, don’t you think?

Holland America Noordam
29 ports
Sydney 4 January Sunday
Moreton Is 6 Jan Tuesday
Brisbane 7 Jan Wednesday
Townsville 9 Jan Friday
Cairns 10 Jan Saturday
Cairns 11 Jan Sunday
Alotau 13 Jan Tuesday
Kiriwini Is 14 Jan Wednesday
Honiara 16 Jan Friday
Luganville 18 Jan Sunday
Vila 19 Jan Monday
Mystery Island 20 Jan Tuesday
Lautoka 22 Jan Thursday
Suva 23 Jan Friday
Dravuni Is 24 Jan Saturday
Vava’u 26 Jan Monday
Nuku’alofa 27 Jan Tuesday
Bay of Islands 30 Jan Friday
Tauranga 31 Jan Saturday
Auckland 1 Feb Sunday
Tauranga 2 Feb Monday
Napier 3 Feb Tuesday
Wellington 4 Feb Wednesday
Timaru 5 Feb Thursday
Port Chalmers 6 Feb Friday
Hobart 10 Feb Tuesday
Burnie 12 February Thursday
Melbourne 13 February Friday
Sydney 15 February Sunday

Just a few pics as we walked around the ship at circular Quay

The emergency drill was fairly normal. The captain asked we all report to our muster stations at 4pm. I say “fairly normal” meaning we waited an age for late comers. It just so happens we have hardly anyone under 50 on the ship (they weren’t the latecomers). We haven’t seen any kids prams but many wheel chairs and walking sticks, no doubt belonging to our age group and bordering on “infirmories”. Yes I checked the dictionary and it is a yours truly’s word.

On our departure from Circular Quay, I used a mirror to create a different perspective of both the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Using my iPhone and placing a mirror across the lense, and with a little bit of a juggle, we can get a reflection of the objects in view. I tried this on our recent break on the Murray River and came out with some very satisfying photos.

Sydney icons on reflection

The weather has been kind but dull and a little humid. As we venture towards the heads and to ocean waters and on to Moreton Island, we inadvertently got to know some fellow travelers; a couple from Melbourne were also, like us, on a cruise of nostalgia having lived in Port Moresby, Honiara, Port Vila, Lautoka, and Nukualofa. In a short “trip on Sydney Harbour”, we made some friends with similar past roles and interests, he with a bank. Another couple on the deck rail, are from Canada and want to meet up for a meal and hear of our exploits living in Papua New Guinea and pacific islands. (We have plenty of time, six weeks, to complete that assignment). Our lives, busy at the time, now make an interesting life tapestry for others to be intrigued with our life stories and hopefully, we with theirs.

On board, is a couple of friends from nearby Yarra Junction. We haven’t traveled with them in the past and they are less experienced cruisers. Our dinner time was spent with them going through “what happens on a cruise to fill in a day”and how to use their phone in accessing the ship’s app, features of the ship and the daily program. (They are disembarking in Auckland).

We have a “sea” day on the way to our first port, Moreton Island.

10. Great Life lapping Australia 2024

Darwin Northern Territory

We’ve decided to separate in Darwin for a rest and to do all the touristy things in our own time. There is much to see and Lyn and I saw most of it last year and just have a few spots to add to tick off our list. We enquired about going over to Tiwi Islands and having a day of island culture and entertainment but at $490 per person, we shied away from that idea. Lee Point is a campground to the north of the city about 15-20 minutes drive. We have learned that the campground was constructed after cyclone Tracy. The builders and trades workmen lived here for two years while the massive rebuild took place.

Each site has an en suite for the ‘tenants’.

We benefit from a sea breeze for much of the day and evening. The breeze takes away that clammy, humidity feeling. Because one in our group is waiting for a medical procedure to be done at Darwin Hospital, we will be staying here for who knows how long.

Last year we chose a favorite restaurant; the Cool Spot at Fannie Bay. The reason? Fabulous rocky road ice cream. I guess you agree we have made an excellent choice. When in Darwin, don’t leave without trying one; you’ll be surprised. (I’m not getting paid to make this promotion)

While in Darwin last year, we had heard about the Darwin Waterfront and thought it was just the jetty where the Royal Flying Doctor Museum, and the bombing of Darwin exhibition is. One day this week, we ventured further and discovered a beach and water playground. Around the perimeter were many eating places, too many to choose from really. I guess the late evenings have seen numerous rowdy parties there. Above the restaurants are holiday accommodation units and motels.

Royal Air Flying Doctor Museum and Darwin Bombing memorial display

Lyn and I had visited this spot last year but it still impresses us to experience again. The bombing in 1942 was catastrophic as was the cyclone in 1974. The good work the Flying Doctor does, is worth another look and donation.

To represent the experience of the bombing of Darwin

There are a bunch of underground tunnels just under the city itself. You gain entry through a small opening near the Darwin waterfront buildings. These tunnels were built to house oil and other fuels as a storage facility instead of the large above ground tanks we see at oil refineries today. The walls of the tunnel we toured, tell of the history of the building and problems associated with having such a large storage facility that if penetrated during war, would destroy the port of Darwin. I’m not a person who always remember facts and figures associated with museums and exhibits, so I suggest you make the time to visit the tunnels when next in Darwin. Ex servicemen are treated with a discount on entry.

Hopefully, the next post will have more exciting locations to review, but we’ll wait and see.

4. Great Life lapping Australia 2024

Evans Head NSW

We had spent a week at Evans Head last year and felt it was worth more time to explore the area. It worked out a good place to stay as one of our party had their drivers licence suspended due to an error on the GP medical report to the licence authority. The authorities needed some time to sort out the problem and correct what had been reason for the suspension. We enjoyed the meals at the surf life savings cafe; John found the lentil burgers were his favourite. The town is in need of increased retail trade to get it ‘going’ again after a long lay-off of holiday makers. There is an RSL with a busy restaurant and also the bowls club has an asian menu most nights of the week.

Evans Head NSW

While driving north towards Evans Head, Earlene called to say they passed a Paradise Motor home in a rest area, so we pulled into the same rest area and parked beside the Paradise. Paradise owners tend to have lots in common and since I run a Facebook Page for Paradise Owners, we were on to meeting up with these guys. After an hour of chit chat, we said good byes and on to Lennox Head.

Lennox Head NSW

Lennox Head is another coastal beach town in the northern part of NSW, just south of Byron Bay, the young people’s capital of Australia. We noticed each day, schools had surfing and board riding classes for sports activities; how lucky they are. An hour before sunset, the surfing zones were very busy as the sun was setting. Pelicans gracefully pass to another location to sit out until it was time to vanish for the dark hours. ‘Dive-bombing’ marine birds were very busy gathering feed for their young on their return to the nests hidden somewhere.

Byron Bay is an expensive yuppie town. There are many good eating places run by the alternative lifestyle fraternity. Housing is expensive as is the camping facilities for visitors. We took the bus up to Byron, and first strolled through the alternative, or natural, farming markets before going across to the beach to meet up with a surprise visitor from New Zealand. You may remember our story of meeting up with another guy with a brain injury, and his wife, in Zurich. Well, after Lyn posted to Facebook that we were in Lennox Head, MerryLynn noticed the post and called to say they had come to Australia for a family meetup and holiday at Kingscliff just north of Byron Bay. We had to meet again. They drove down to meet us for a meal at Manna Restaurant. What a catchup again … and the food was excellent too. The plan is to meet up again in Tauranga in January while we are cruising New Zealand.

Next are we are visiting is the south west corner of Queensland.

1. Great Life lapping Australia 2024

A lap of Australia in our motor home GR8L1F, has been on our bucket list for quite a few years. Covid prevented us from doing it when we wanted to but we have set this year as the year for us. Many in Australia plan to do it sometime in their lifetime either as quick as possible (I’ve heard some in 3 weeks) others, 10 years. We have decided to leave near the end of April and return around the end of October. There is a map of Australia suggesting the best months to be in various parts of the country. We are going to follow that as a basic plan.

There are various ways to do the lap, but most do it clockwise or anticlockwise. Doing it anticlockwise, some say, uses less fuel because of the following westerly winds across the Nullabor plains from Perth towards Melbourne. Doing the lap clockwise uses up noticeably more fuel. Fuel prices on the Nullarbor become very high at some roadhouses.

The list of things to do before departure becomes longer as you get closer to the day of departure. We have a pristine garden, and enjoy working it, but we still like to have it in good order for the gardener who cares for it while we are away. The hedges need a ‘final’ trim, the edges of the lawn make a good yard a better yard when trimmed right. The motor home and Suzuki 4wd, which we tow, need to be washed and polished (did you hear there is less drag when the vehicles are polished?). We try to leave with only clothes for all seasons that will be used many times before, maybe, throwing them out on our return.

We were busy getting our garden ready for absolutely no one to enjoy. Isn’t that silly?

Our itinerary is only ‘rough’ as we leave, but generally, we will firstly head north to Stuarts Point in New South Wales (NSW) for an annual Grey Nomads convention we attend each year. Our daughter lives in Grafton NSW so a few days of catchup will take us there. Then our lap really begins. We plan to head up to Toowoomba, Queensland (QLD) then to central west QLD and on to Mt Isa. From QLD we will slowly move through the Northern Territory (NT) to Darwin, then across to West Australia (WA) down to Perth. In October, we then take the Nullarbor Highway back to Melbourne.

I’ll start posting a weekly blog each week. I hope you enjoy and make a decision to do the same when time allows.