Dispatches from Down Under

Sydney

Day One of our 50-day trip.  So far, so good.  After a surprisingly easy 14-hour flight from SFO (arriving right on time), we breeze through customs with no problem (despite the cautionary warnings and tales of sniffing dogs), and find our way to the convenient Uber station to get us to our hotel in downtown Sydney , a very nice hotel in the CBD (central business district).  Doug enjoys a good joke about that.

Hey, it’s hot and humid here. We didn’t quite expect that in So. Australia.  Plus, sunscreen is a must: We’re told the ozone layer over Australia is pretty thin so UV rays are extra harsh.  Doug is all a-sweat.   

First order of business:  The Big Red Bus, providing us with a comfortable “lay of the land” introduction to Sydney.  Our new best friend at the hotel, Carlos the Concierge, personally walked us to the bus stop, giving us a little history along the way.  Friendly and helpful!
 

Then a hop onto the ferry to North Sydney to meet up with Judy Davis, friend from San Francisco.   A native of Sydney, she’s been a world traveler, spending much time in Japan – which shows in her lovely apartment.  Judy gives us a delightful tour of scenic spots and lands us at the dock of the bay at the Sailing Club for a lively sunset supper of oysters, giant prawns, and Australian wine.

We’re enjoying the time with Judy – she’s great company! Fun, stylish, and adventurous.  She’s curious about what the #!?! is going on in the US.  We’re interested to hear what Aussies think of our new administration.  (And, of course, we’re curious how it is that so many great popular actors in the US are from Australia:  Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, Margot Robbie, Naomi Watts, Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman, Geoffrey Rush, etc. )  Lots to talk about and explore.  It seems very civilized and well run here.

After a full day we fall into our beds and sleep like rocks.

Musings: Paula: Why travel?  I love it. It lets me step out of the routine of my life at home: 9 am coffee, connections/wordle/strands/crossword, the news;  5 pm G&T, Fritos and cottage cheese, TV; and the usual ADLs (activities of daily living) in between. Thanks to Doug (travel planner extraordinaire and boon companion) who ensures that the groundwork is laid and the outline is set, we can be free to be present in the moment, being extra attentive, respectful and considerate, and open to those serendipitous moments that come along.  

[Note: no AI was involved in the creation of this dispatch.]

Auckland 

We wake up refreshed and ready to go – off to Auckland, New Zealand!  This time, at the airport, we are greeted by sniffing dogs, but they are such cute little beagles led by such nice ladies!  No problem.  We marvel at the efficiency and organization at the crowded airport, their expertise at people-moving, the helpful and cheerful guides along the way.  Impressive.

Auckland is a lovely cosmopolitan city on the North Island, situated on 50 islands and 48 dead volcanoes, with the largest Polynesian population and more boats per capita than any other city in the world.  We locate our hotel … inside another hotel.  Two hotels in one building. Kind of odd, but the folks are nice and because the A/C is broken, they bring us extra fans.  Luckily, it’s a bit cooler here, with a breeze. It’s a short walk along the harbour (with a 'u') to some trendy eateries, where we are to find the recommended restaurant.  Full.  Doug picks “Hello Beasty” nearby and we stumble in there.  What luck!  It’s a NZ "modern fusion" cuisine and it’s fabulous. Serendipity.

We fall into a friendly conversation with two women at the neighboring table, who give us menu recommendations.  Paula opts for the prawn + crab toast with seared grain-fed eye fillet, sweet + sour sauce, Japanese mayo, green onions, and Doug has the roasted Hapuka with Hokkaido scallop, South Island scampi, chive sausage, butternut pumpkin, edamame, yuzu, plus finger lime butter sauce. (Food details cited with a nod to Ed and Claire.)  Absolutely delicious!   They also review and approve our NZ itinerary and give us some pointers. 

A beautiful evening. 

The next day, we have a leisurely morning, then stash our luggage at the hotel and set off with our day packs on the motor coach for the 4-1/2 hour bus trip to Paihia, where we're booked for two nights at the Paihia Beach Resort and Spa on the Bay of Islands.  Drinks and dinner at the hotel are served by a Canadian transplant who came "on a whim" and takes good care of us.  (Coming to NZ "on a whim" and staying for years is not unusual!)

We turn in for the night and prepare for the dolphin watching cruise and visit to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds tomorrow. 

Paihia/Bay of Islands & Waitangi Treaty Grounds

Paihia is on the north tip of NZ, the first place white people (Dutch) showed up, around the mid-1600s or so.  They thought the natives were "untameable" and left, but not before naming it Nieuw Zeeland, after the coastal province of Zeeland in the Netherlands. It wasn't until the late 1700s that the white folks (British) came back and settled, Captain Cook anglicising the name to New Zealand.  Ask a Māori, though, and he will give you the original name, Aoteaora. 

We set off on our cruise in the Bay of Islands and along the Rakaumangamanga Peninsula to Cape Brett, where a historic lighthouse keeps watch over Piercy Island/Motukōkakoe (a.k.a. our destination: Hole in the Rock.)  But first, a stop at Russell to pick up passengers. Russell was the first European settlement and seaport in NZ, a rowdy whaling town, otherwise known as the "hell hole of the Pacific," due to the "rapscallious" nature of the citizens:  outlaws, whores, you name it.  It was the first capital of NZ, but soon the capital moved to the more respectable Auckland, and eventually to the more centrally located Wellington. 

According to Māori legend, local warriors used to paddle through the Hole in the Rock in their canoes before departing for battle. Drops of water from the cave roof above were a good omen. 
The brochure says "If conditions permit, your skipper will expertly guide the ship through the narrow space ... and if you get dripped on, consider yourself lucky!"   It's a good day, so we cruise through it, AND we get dripped on - whoop de doo!  

Heading back, we’re accompanied by a pod of dolphins.  The bay is so clear, we can see them gliding through the water, occasionally popping up as in this photo:

(Stock photo. Paula couldn’t get a good shot so you’ll have to trust us on this!)

Then a stop for an hour's R&R at Otehei Bay on Urupukapuka Island:  

Back at Paihia Harbour, we catch a shuttle to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. This treaty between the British Crown and the Māori chiefs was signed in 1840, partly as a way for the Māori to have protection from the French. According to our guide, the Māori made agreements based on eye-to-eye contact, and assumed the British respected that, as they put their agreement in writing in both Māori and English.  The Māori interpreted their version to be a partnership between equals, based on mutual respect, and recognizing Māori ownership of its lands and its rights.  But guess what?  The British basically ignored the Agreement. Their "interpretation" was quite different. Not until the 1970s did the Māoris resist. Ultimately, both parties recognized that they coexist in a type of marriage – where divorce is not an option – and came to an understanding of sorts

Next, a "cultural experience" at the meeting house by the resident group Pitowhenua:

Afterwards, we get to chat with the performers.  Doug learns about the creation myth, and Paula learns about the origins of the dance and the meaning of their tattoos.  The dancer pictured above has a tattoo depicting her ancestors and family members (see from her chin down to her chest).

A full day. Tomorrow, back to Auckland.

Hobbiton & Waitomo Tour

Motor coach back to Auckland and our hotel.  And back to the Harbour for an early dinner at Soul Bar & Bistro — lovely steamed market fish in soy-ginger broth for PJ and good ol’ mac&cheese (NZ-style) for Doug.

By the way, we’ve finally figured out the coffee here. Don’t order the Americano (it’s just espresso with hot water), or the Long Black (espresso with less hot water).  Get the Flat White (espresso with steamed milk) not to be confused with a Latte (espresso with less steamed milk but more foam).

Onward…

So, you may know that New Zealand’s North Island is where the Lord of the Rings was filmed.  It’s a Big Deal here.  A must-see. Thus, today we’re headed to Hobbiton, the place where the movie set has been preserved by filmmaker Peter Jackson (more on him later), and open to visitors — lots of visitors.  Our tour guide, Damien, is a fount of information as we make our way down and back …. keeping up a steady flow of informal bits and bobs as well as historical info during the 2-1/2 hour ride.

The location of the film is the largest “green set” in the world and the Shire is only part of the set remaining in New Zealand. We wander along amidst 44 hobbit holes, the Mill and the Party Tree. Prepare to be amazed at the big tree above Bilbo Baggins' house — made by hand (taking weeks, if not months) by Peter Jackson's crew, according to detailed specifications, with thousands of individual leaves made, painted, and tacked on, then removed, repainted and tacked back on. (This tree, which looks marvellously real, has a steel frame covered in expanding foam and silicone and 200,000 individual fake leaves - made in Taiwan - handwired on over 6 months.)  Peter Jackson is famously perfectionist.

The interior of the hobbit hole is truly marvelous, showcasing Peter Jackson's obsessive attention to detail:

 

                                                    (Doug reading Hobbit Gazette whilst on Hobbit toilet)

Scrabble! Good on ya.

After our wander, we end up at the Green Dragon Inn for a stout/beer and hearty buffet lunch.  

For the afternoon, we're in store for more magic:  We head to the Waitomo Glow Worm Caves.  Thirty million years in the making (but who's counting?), the caves are full of eerie stalactites ('t' for top) and stalagmites ('g' for ground), leading to an underground river where millions of little glow worms cling to the top of the caves.  There, we climb into a boat and are instructed to stay quite so as not to disturb the inhabitants.  We are also not to take photos, which will cause the little buggers to turn out their lights. The boatman pulls the boat along by rope through the dark as the 24 of us glide absolutely silently for 10-15 minutes.  Impressive, what humans are capable of. 

(Green screen and stock photos, of course)

On the way back to Auckland, Damien keeps us informed and entertained.  Having heard of the previous Prime Minister who made a big splash on the world scene, we ask about Jacinda Ardern.  Damien happily launches into a seminar. He's clearly a fan. She brought the Labour party back to prominence from its previous all-time low, and when the previous PM stepped down, Jacinda stepped in, a complete unknown — and trounced the opposition. She was the youngest person ever elected PM, at the age of 37, in 2017.  In 2018, she had a baby while in office, which didn't slow her down much.  She addressed almost every controversial issue that previous PMs had put into the "too hard" bucket, says Damien.  In her first 3-year term, she was named among the top three leaders in the world, and was on the short list for Time magazine's Woman of the Year.

Jacinda was so successful, she got 87% of the vote in the next election.  Hugely popular. Then, Covid hit.  Speaking to the public, she admitted she didn't know what she was doing (nobody did at that time) but vowed to save as many lives as possible: You could fix the economy later, she said, but you couldn't bring back people's lives.  She immediately closed the borders; everyone had to quarantine for 10 days until they tested negative three times.  The country went into lockdown.  97% of New Zealanders got vaccinated when it became available, but the 3% who didn't lost their jobs.  Every employed person received a subsidy, but it still wasn't enough.  People got angry, protesting the severe mandates.  A small group of complainers loudly dominated social media. 

Jacinda appeared on TV every day at 3:00 for 2-1/2 years.  Still, the attacks continued on social media.  Ultimately, she stepped down, not seeking a third term; the attacks were affecting her family members. In an emotional speech, she said that she had signed up for the job, but her family hadn't, and they were being personally attacked and threatened.  She couldn't carry on under those circumstances.  

New Zealand was one of the few western countries to successfully contain the Covid virus.   Jacinda had saved 80,000 lives. 

Auckland to Wellington

We embark on the first of our three scenic rail journeys in New Zealand.  We'd read about these wonderful train trips in the SF Chronicle a while back and  were sold immediately.  The Northern Explorer goes from Auckland to Wellington, a 12-hour trip through the heart of the North Island. We'll be taking the Coastal Pacific and TranzAlpine later in the South Island. 

The Northern Explorer takes us over the Waikato Plains, through the rolling hills of King Country, past the snow-capped volcano Ruapehu, through the Tongariro National Park, over the high plains of Rangipo Desert, along the cliffs of the Kapiti Coast.  

One of the defining features of this trip is the historic Raurimu Spiral, designed in 1898 to make the 456-foot ascent onto the plateau possible without a lengthy diversion.

Another is the series of dramatic viaducts (long bridges) along the route.

New Zealand is about 2/3 the size of California and has a total population of about 5 million, compared to California's 39.5 million (7.5 million in the Bay Area alone).  The largest city is Auckland, with almost 2 million. The capital, Wellington, has roughly half a million.  So, there is a lot of space, much of which is taken up by sheep. Sheep used to outnumber people by about 22 to 1 (back in the 1980s) but that ratio is now around 5 to 1. Some of the reasons for the decline are
  • Land previously used for sheep farming has been converted to forestry for carbon offsetting, reducing the area available for sheep grazing
  • The global market for wool has seen a decline, affecting the profitability of sheep farming. 
  • Recent droughts and other weather events have also impacted sheep numbers, particularly in certain regions. 
  • Farmers have been switching from sheep to cattle, as prices for beef have remained strong 

NZ is also known as the "adventure capital of the world," offering an array of adrenaline-pumping activities, from jet-boating to sky diving, bungee-jumping, whitewater rafting, trekking, ziplining, etc. etc.  We leave that to the kids.  One of our guides (Damien) told us about the "DOC huts" scattered throughout the bush.  The Dept of Conservation (DOC) manages about 950 of these huts, which are available for free or at a very low cost.  The huts include bunks, toilets, candle holders, wood, and water. Stay as long as you like, just leave it clean and tidy.  We're also told that there is nothing dangerous in the bush.  NZ is safe ("Nothing can hurt you," says Damien); there are no predators (snakes, venomous insects, crocodiles, etc.)  Wow.  If you do get a non-poisonous bite or scratch, though, just go get some local Manuka honey, which has antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.  It'll fix you right up. 

NZ did have a serious "bird problem," though.  The British had introduced weasels and ferrets to New Zealand in the mid-1800s to control a growing rabbit population (they had brought in rabbits for food earlier, there being nothing other than fish to eat). The rabbits got out of control, causing damage to farmland, so the Brits believed that the weasels and ferrets, as natural predators of rabbits, would help manage the pest issue.  This strategy backfired, however, as the introduced predators also began preying heavily on native bird species, causing massive ecological damage.  

Leave it to Jacinda to solve this problem!  She put innovative practices in place to trap and remove the predators, and effectively shelter and protect the birds.  Result: the predators are gone and the bird population is growing back.  

But back to the train ride.  Over the course of the day, in our "scenic plus" carriage, we get seven meals/snacks — each coming with a new set of biodegradable wooden cutlery.  We are installed at a table, with two other passengers seated across from us.  Doug has no problem engaging in lively conversation with our tablemate Tim, a native of the UK who lives now in the Czech Republic with his Czech wife.  They cover a lot of ground — from politics, world affairs, and conspiracies, to explaining the baffling intricacies of rugby and cricket. Doug notes: one thing about British commonwealth people is that they are never at a loss for conversation.  They are Interesting, well informed, well spoken and love the art of conversation. 

One source of entertainment is our train steward — warm-hearted, demonstrative (to a fault), and lots of fun.

At the end of our journey, he breaks into a lovely Māori song to bid us farewell.

Wellington  

Upon arrival at our hotel last night, we learn that there is a large group coming in, so they've upgraded us to a suite. Sweet!  Serendipity! 
 
Today we are met in the lobby by our guide, Merv, who takes us on a tour of the capital.  First, up to the top of Mount Victoria to see panoramic views of Wellington's city and harbour.  

Then through the main café and entertainment part of Wellington, where the red carpet area was laid out for the premiere of — you guessed it — Lord of the Rings, with a stop at Weta Studios for more LOTR experience/memorabilia.

Merv made me do it.

Now a word about Peter Jackson. Merv gives us the lowdown. Here's an incredibly rich and successful guy who really gives back to his city and country:  He has contributed to charitable causes like Epilepsy Research and the GiveLife organ donation awareness charity; he purchased the site of BATS Theatre in Wellington, securing its future; he has been involved in supporting stem cell research; he has contributed his expertise and support to the 48 Hour Film Festival; he and his wife Fran Walsh invested $10 million in Colossal Biosciences, a company working to revive extinct species like the dodo bird; he has helped the Roy Castle Foundation, a charity that supports children with disabilities; he established a charitable trust that supports charitable causes in the United Kingdom and other parts of the world.  One of the good ones. 

Merv takes us to the beautiful art deco Roxy Theatre.  Built in 1928 to screen silent films, it fell into disrepair and lay vacant for years — until Peter Jackson purchased it and restored it to its former glory:

We continue on to the War Memorial Park, featuring this beautiful work of art:
 

If you look closely through the branches, you can see the silhouette of a WWI soldier. 

Move over, San Francisco -- Wellington has cable cars, too!

Taking us to the top of the city for more views:

Finally, a visit to Old St. Paul's Cathedral, a gorgeous Gothic revival structure, built with native New Zealand timber — kauri, rimu and totara.  

We'd heard about kauri back at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. It's an extremely hard wood that the Māori used to build their canoes:  

Above: Folks standing on top of a kauri stump.  

This canoe was built to mark the centenary of the Treaty of Waitangi's signing and was built by members of Māori tribes. Holding up to 80 paddlers, the waka is launched every year in February as part of Waitangi Day commemorations.

We end the tour with a run by the Parliament buildings:

Old

New

Merv has been so good to us during our tour (treating us to Whittacker chocolates, flat whites and sandwiches, and being so kind and friendly) that he's earned the endearment of "Uncle Merv."  He's told us about his life and his family.  Merv was a career detective, and was one of the responders/rescuers of the 1968 wreck of the Wahine, a passenger ferry, on Barrett Reef in Wellington Harbour, during one of the worst storms in NZ history.  Now, when he's not giving tours of his beloved Wellington, Merv is a neighborhood watch volunteer doing good works. Merv's two sons are hardworking, moral, and successful: one an owner of a large engineering company and the other a school principal.  He's either grown fond of us, or he is just simply an exceptionally good guy, as he extends our tour and even drives us to our hotel and then to the ferry to Picton, carrying in our luggage and making sure we're all set. 

Uncle Merv and PJ

Merv's love of Wellington and New Zealand is contagious. We exchange information — he will be a great resource when we move here!

Yes, we really like it here in New Zealand.  The people are welcoming and friendly; there seems to be a thriving community spirit, with mutual trust and respect; it’s well run and efficient; quality of life is high; it’s clean and safe; there’s so much natural beauty; and commitment to protection of the environment, a low crime rate and great healthcare system. NZ consistently ranks in the top 10 in world rankings on anti-corruption, gender equality, economic freedom, rule of law, peace, safety, and happiness. And the food is delicious.  Added bonus: there's no tipping in NZ! 

The news coming out of the US is so alarming — each day bringing new outrages.  Doug says “there’s a lot of WTF going on.”  Doug is ever vigilant about keeping up with the news, but Paula is almost news-avoidant, only checking in as needed.

Our founding document asserted our inalienable rights to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness — the right to exist, the freedom to make choices, and to strive for personal fulfillment and well-being.  It declared our independence from a King.  And the Constitution gave us the separation of powers, checks and balances — to prevent the concentration of power in any one branch of government, which can lead to abuse or tyranny. What is happening!?! These principles are under attack, or as Doug says, a “hostile takeover.”

Musings: What is happiness? P aula:  Is it contentment, joy, filfillment, satisfaction?  It means different things to different people.  Doug: Happiness is ephemeral, momentary.  I believe we should build satisfaction from good works and good deeds, then contentment from finding out what gives us peace and fulfillment.  That's a sold base to which one can return as life rises and falls.  Happiness is multi-factor and hard to define — the pursuit of happiness might lead you to shallow pursuits of pleasure and distraction.  Joy is another ephemeral emotion — a peak that often is balanced with a valley.  I try to place myself in the calm center, practicing non-attachment and objectivity, observing my participation and reactions.  Am I happy?  I dont know.  But I'm not unhappy and that's enough for me.

Wellington to Picton

The 3-1/2 hour ferry ride takes us from Wellington on the North Island to Picton on the South Island.

On-board recycling machine

Sighting: Woman reading a book!

Picton is a picturesque seaside town built around the sheltered harbour in the Marlborough Sound.

As we disembark from the ferry, a mishap:  Doug twists his knee badly on the long, steep ramp.  We make it to our hotel and take it easy for the evening.  Luckily, Paula has packed a "just-in-case" tube of Icy Hot and massages it liberally and lovingly into the injured knee.  

The next day we lounge at the café on the waterfront and Paula browses through town until it's time to hop/hobble onto our traing to Kaikoura. 

Picton to Kaikoura

We're on the Coastal Pacific train from Picton to Kaikoura. Our tablemates today are Vivian and Warren. When they first sat down, we thought we were in for a bit of a snooze, but they soon opened up ….  They had just come off the 5-day Freedom walk along the Queen Charlotte Track opposite Picton:

Recently retired, they moved from Hamilton in the center of North Island to Raglan on the west coast.  It’s a long shot, but Paula mentions that she knows someone living in Raglan:  Colin Chung, a friend from the 1970s when she and Clyde lived on Maui.  Colin ran the food service program at Maui Community College, where Clyde was Dean of Students/Dean of Instruction.  You'll never guess:  Vivian and Warren know Colin!  “Colin is an icon in Raglan!” says Vivian. He ran a popular restaurant there called Colin’s Kitchen, has written an award-winning cookbook, and is now doing catering and hospitality consulting.  Vivian’s also in a walking group with Colin’s partner.  We are flabbergasted.  Serendipity?  Paula writes a note to Colin that Vivian will deliver when she returns to Raglan.

The Coastal Pacific takes us on a 2-1/2 hour journey to Kaikoura, known for its marine wildlife, crayfish (Kaikoura means “eat crayfish”), groper, and whale watching.  

The nice lady at the front desk of our hotel  gives us an ice pack that just happened to have been left behind by a previous guest, which is a great help for the knee.  After settling and resting, we stroll along the beachfront to The Pier Hotel for drinks (with the local gin) and a wonderful meal (groper) at the pub.

Marlborough Rock Daisy, which grows in the crags of Kaikoura

A Man and his Dog

Whale Watching in Kaikoura

We check our luggage at the train station and board the bus that takes us to our boat. Super comfortable and well-equipped, with a charming woman narrating for us.  Sperm whales are what we are looking for here. We will see only members of the "bachelor herd" — the young males that will eventually head toward where the females are, to mate.  The screen on the boat shows our progress through the water ... we're headed for the deep canyon. 

The crew are using their sounding equipment to locate the whales:

Soon, "thar he blows"!  It's Aoraki.  (All the whales have names; the crew recognize them by the shapes of their tails. We are lucky to see Aoraki twice, as well as a fellow whale, Marama.  Other whales in the area are Tiaki, Zeus, Scarface, Bloki, Mohio, Holey Moley.)  They stay on the surface for about 10-15 minutes, then dive and stay under for about 40-60 minutes. Sperm whales rarely breech, unlike the Humpback whales of Hawaii. 

We also spot some seals and dolphins, and a bunch of seabirds. 

A good day.  Perfect weather.  

Back at the marina, we pick up the Coastal Pacific train again to Christchurch.    

Christchurch

Gorgeous ride on the Coastal Pacific again, from Kaikoura to Christchurch. (No tablemates this time; we've moved to a different carriage for more leg room.)

We have 3 nights in Christchurch — a welcome break. We've been on the go up until now so it's nice to have some time to chill out a bit.  We have just one scheduled tour, and Di, our guide, picks us up the next morning.  

Christchurch is a port city, the main exports being coal, logging, beef, lamb and dairy.  

View from Mt. Pleasant

Heaps of coal

Piles of logs

Christchurch suffered a massive earthquake (6.3) in 2011, and they are still rebuilding.  80% of the city fell, and 185 people were lost. There were 14,000 aftershocks. The city was cordoned off for 2 years. Out of a population of 480,000, 100,000 people left the city. Of the 3,000+ houses lost, Di says, "once they're munted, they're buggered." (Translation:  once they're damaged, they're goners.)  Here are some photos that were taken at the time by someone standing out on her terrace (sorry, photo of a photo of a photo):

Christchurch at the moment the earthquake hit (amazing timing of this picture)

Car sinking in liquifaction

Fun facts from Di:  

• NZ was the first country in the world to give women the right to vote (1893).  Bravo!
• Possums in NZ are not the rat-like possums we know.  They are soft and bushy, and their fur is highly prized for its softness and luxury.  If found in the middle of the road, however, they are known as "squashums."

NZ possum

Di shows us the highlights of the city, including:

The cathedral, still not repaired after millions of dollars spent just to remove the critters squatting inside:

A wander through the Mona Vale Garden:

and a stop at the Mona Vale Homestead & Cafe for a flat white along the way:

Now that it's Monday and we have the opportunity, it's time to get Doug's knee "sorted" (his injury happened on Friday). We're directed to the public hospital (since the incident happened in NZ) where, in a matter of hours, Doug has received a thorough examination by Dr. Chloe, an Xray, a compression bandage, a knee brace, a pair of crutches, and four prescriptions. Total cost: $0. (As mentioned previously, great healthcare!)

Doug finally has some blessed relief and is thankfully rebounding. Paula takes a walk around the neighborhood, and finds Hoi Polloi, a restaurant serving the best lamb in NZ.  We enjoy a takeaway meal back at the hotel — yummy! 

The next day, we plan to rest and recover at the hotel, but at 7 am construction starts right next door, which will last all day.  Also, the internet is wretchedly inadequate, and we're not close to any amenities. Not the best hotel of our trip. So we change hotels. The Chateau on the Park is just the ticket!  And, turns out it's a Hilton hotel and we're Hilton Honors members so we get a discount.  And, they have a lovely brasserie where we enjoy eggs benedict by the garden.  And, they have laundry facilities.  Now we're talking. 

That turned out to be a good call. Doug is a happy camper.  While he rests, Paula takes the complimentary hotel shuttle to the CBD (central business district) for a stroll through the Botanic Gardens:

Punting on the Avon

The World Peace Bell

Ringing the Peace Bell

Roses and dahlias

Earthquake Memorial

Riverside Market, wildly popular with the locals, says Di.

All's well that ends well. Serendipitous timing, that we could have a couple of days of leisure time to recover — and do laundry.

To Queenstown via Lake Tekapo & Mt. Cook

It's now raining.  But we are in a rental car on our way to Queenstown, so no worries.  

We’ve rented a Kia Seltos, a really nice comfortable SUV, but it's pretty bossy. Ding! You haven't put your seatbelt on. Ding! You’re over the speed limit.  Ding! You’ve crossed over a line.  Ding! You need to take a break.  But we get the hang of it, including driving on the left-hand side of the road — except for the habit of reaching for the turn signal only to activate the windshield wiper.  We have the cleanest windshield on the road.

We listen to the late Beethoven string quartets on Spotify and muse on art, beauty, and music as we wind our way to Lake Tekapo for an overnight at Peppers Bluewater Resort.  Noticing Doug's crutches, the front desk lady reassigns us to a suite, that doesn't require stairs to get to.  Sweet.  After a brief skirmish at the bar over their very confusing happy hour regulations and possible overcharge (we graciously give up), we enjoy some fish & chips, then off to bed. 

Lake Tekapo from our balcony

The next day we take a detour up to Mt. Cook (Aoraki), stopping for photos and some local smoked lake salmon!

View of Mt. Cook/Aoraki.  

Glacier at Mt. Cook/Aoraki

Our arrival in Queenstown is spectacular.  Located halfway between the equator and the south pole, Queenstown is a sparkling city on lake Wakatiki surrounded by impressive serrated mountains, called “The Remarkables” —  for good reason. (The Māori call it Kawarau: “many pointed.”)  It started as a gold mining camp in the 1860s but is now a trendy party town.  We’ll be in Queenstown for the next 3 nights. 

Our hotel is right on the water, and we're on the same floor as the bar and restaurant!

Family enjoying the view from the restaurant

Our first day in Queenstown, we wake up to a gorgeous, sunny day. 

View from our room

We book the Million Dollar Cruise on Lake Wakatiki:

View of The Remarkables from our boat

Couple of grebes and their two kids

 
Shallow water in the Narrows in Lake Wakatiki.  Originally the locals had planted willow posts in the water to help guide boats through the Narrows.  The posts sprouted into full-fledged trees growing in the water.

A local coot.

This could be John Wallace!

We enjoy a local beer on the boat ride. 

Not sure what this gal is toting, though:

The best way to see Queenstown is from the top of the mountain by way of the gondola, which we do the next day.  

Sports enthusiasts in their gondola

We enjoy a light lunch in the restaurant at the top, then Paula takes a luge ride.

Back in town, Paula does a little browsing in the harbourside pedestrian shopping zone while Doug does some people-watching in the public park, lined with vendors and cafes.  By the way, Paula is noticing how the locals are dressing, reflective of the lifestyle here.  Women are typically in comfortable loose-fitting leisure wear, or flowing sundresses.  If you see a woman shrinkwrapped in spandex, it's usually performance wear, not a fashion statement.

Queenstown version of Petaluma Pete?

Then we decide to take a water taxi across the lake to the Hilton for drinks by the shore.

We catch the last water taxi back, and the skipper gives us a bit of a joy ride, showing off his boating chops. 

Wanaka

Our next stop is Wanaka, about an hour's drive from Queenstown, meandering through the hills. 

On the way, we stop at the Cardrona Hotel for a little break. 

Note to self: If you're looking for a salad, don't order the Wedge.   This is what you get:

Pile o' potatoes with bacon & cheese

We're soon back on the road to Wanaka, a small town nestled on Lake Wanaka at the foot of Mt. Aspiring.  We find our hotel, the Clearbrook, tucked in a residential neighborhood, next to a babbling brook. Excellent.  It's fully equipped —  even with a washer and dryer!

Doug immediately picks up the vibe here ... it's a special place.  Wanaka means "sacred knowledge."  A good sign. We wander through the neighborhoods in and around town, checking out the stone and wood houses that we love (blue slate rock and dark reddish wood is a beautiful combination).  Turns out it's considered one of the more desirable places to live in NZ — almost Bay Area prices.  However, it's just the right size with just enough of what you need.  Excellent infrastructure, a sense of security and comfort — with inspiring views.  It's definitely top of our list to revisit.

We make our way to "That  Wanaka Tree" which grows alone in the water near the beach.  An obligatory stop, for some reason, for a photo op.  We oblige.

"That Tree"

An elegant sculpture on the beach.

As in most of New Zealand, Wanaka offers a wide variety of sporting activities for the adventurous:  helicopter flights, biking, hiking, trekking, jetboating, waterfall rappelling, kayaking, parasailing, paddleboarding, outdoor climbing, indoor climbing, skydiving, skiing, ....  Turns out that Paula and Doug's big adventure is finding the best Happy Hour in town.

We land at the Lakeside Seafood Restaurant, which turns out to be a classic Chinese place. Dumplings and Chow Mein.  And good cocktails!  

The local crayfish

Afterwards, a stop at the Cinema Paradiso, a classic 3-screen cinema, with a cafe where folks of all ages hang out. "How all cinemas should be" — says  the Guardian.  A comfortable community hub. We order the touted fresh fruit ice cream cones. 

That night, Doug has a reverie about Wanaka.  

Musings:  The Place Just Right. 

Doug: Dreams of a wood and stone house with a porch with a view of the lake, the mountain, and the village.  It has "that" feeling.  The same feeling we had when we first saw the house on Wild Horse, how Doug felt about Paula 40-some years ago ... the calm feeling of inevitability.  "An intimate feeling of infinity," he says.  (It might have been the edible talking).  But, there is definitely something here.    

Paula: Anyone who attended our wedding in 1986 may remember the Shaker song that we all sang: "Simple Gifts."   

" Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight."

We found our Place Just Right in Wild Horse Valley for 26 years.  Could this be our next one??

Franz Joseph & Greymouth, to Christchurch 

Goodbye to Wanaka (for now). We're on the road to Franz Josef.  It's pouring rain, but beautifully dramatic as we climb through the forested mountains, passing viewpoints and waterfalls, listening to Liszt and Ravel on Spotify and finding ourselves in a state of open-hearted happiness (there's that word again!).  It's a 4-hour drive and we savor each moment.

Once in Franz Josef, we check into our hotel, the Punga Grove.  (Punga are tall fern trees.)  We are shown to our room by the friendly local woman and her sidekick.  It has a patio enclosed by the lush rainforest, and a working fireplace - much appreciated in this weather!

Dinner is at the  Alice Mae Restaurant just down the road.  Here's her story:

Alice May Parkinson was one of 12 children born to George and Isabella Parkinson in the back country of the Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. Alice’s family were relatively poor and strongly religious. Alice worked from the age of 14 in the domestic service and after she turned 20, worked as a pantry maid/waitress in a hotel in Napier. Alice fell pregnant to her lover Bert West but after the baby was stillborn her lover rejected her, not withstanding his earlier promise to marry her. After an altercation Alice drew a revolver from her raincoat pocket and shot her lover 4 times before turning the gun unsuccessfully upon herself. Alice was tried and sentenced to hard labour for the rest of her natural life by the New Zealand Chief Justice. The feminists of the Socialist Movement quickly formed a release committee for Alice and gained widespread and popular support. Alice became a household name with public meetings being held in Auckland and Wellington and 2 major petitions circulated New Zealand requesting her release from jail. In 1915, 60,000 people signed the petitions. Finally, after serving 6 years in prison Alice was released in 1921 into the care of her mother. Subsequently Alice married Charles O’Loughlin and together they went on to have 6 children.

The next day we must depart for Greymouth to catch the train back to Christchurch, but we manage to squeak in an early visit to the Waiho Hot Tubs for a soak in the fragrant wood-fired tub, listening to the chirping of the birds in the surrounding forest.  

  
Ahhhh .............................

We make it to Greymouth in time to catch the TranzAlpine train, the last of our 3 scenic train rides.  This one is reported to be the most spectacular, but we'll have to come back for the full experience.  Today, it's raining and overcast and we can just make out the mist covering the mountains. But we have a comfortable 6-hour ride, manage to collect our luggage off the train and find a taxi in the downpour, and make our way to our airport hotel for the night.  Luckily, it's a super-cool hotel with a great bar/restaurant for two of the best Manhattans of our trip and stylish bar food, a fabulous room, and comfy beds.  We'll need a good night's sleep for tomorrow's travel day from Christchurch to Auckland and back to Sydney.  

Our last night in New Zealand.  Kia Ora, Aotearoa!  Hello/Goodbye/Thank You, New Zealand!  We'll be back!

Back to Sydney & On to Cruise

A big travel day, and not much wiggle room to make our connections....

The 7 am shuttle from the hotel to the airport is just about to leave when we get to the lobby; they hold it for us so we can hop on and get to the airport in time to board our 8:15 flight from Christchurch to Auckland. So far, so good.

In Auckland, Doug has had the foresight to schedule "mobility assistance" and boy, that was a good idea!  We have a 90-minute window to catch the flight to Sydney in order to make it to our ship for our Australian cruise.  Our flight 105 is set to board at 10:30.  We have to take a shuttle from the domestic to the international terminal, which takes longer than we’d like.  By the time we get to the international baggage drop, it's 9:45.  We've missed the 1-hour time frame to check our bags.  As luck would have it, the baggage drop lady that day is Lew ... and she has some magical powers. She makes some phone calls, manages to get our bags on the flight, snags a wheelchair for the Dougster and personally wheels him through the airport to security (ushering us through the fast lane) -- a small delay when they inspect Paula's backpack and confiscate her Manuka honey (8 oz jar - too big for carryon: darn!) -- then dashes through the labyrinthine airport (using her secret passageways).  It's 10:30 now and we are hearing announcements on the loudspeaker:  "All passengers for flight 105 must board now.” More dashing to gate 4C which is a ways away and 2 floors down. Paula breaks into a run to the gate, while Lew steers Doug through more of her shortcuts, and we meet at the gate. Whew.  Now.... we have to catch a  shuttle from the gate to the plane!   "Flight 105 passengers are on board! We're waiting for you!" on the loudspeaker.  Lew bids us goodbye as we climb on the shuttle.  Bless her!  We'll be sending a letter of commendation to Air New Zealand for sure.  

We're the last ones on the plane, they close the doors behind us, and we're off to Sydney, on time.  We've had angels on our shoulders today.  😇😇

Smooth plane ride to Sydney, and then off the plane, into a taxi, and onto the ship.  

The Crown Princess.  It’s enormous.  ~3500 passengers and it’s completely full.  We’re checked in at the terminal and receive our individual medallions to wear around our necks  at all times.  The medallion will allow us to exit and re-enter the ship, pay for stuff on board, and it also senses when we approach our stateroom, unlocking the door as we arrive.  Kinda nifty.  But finding our stateroom?  We know we’re in D628, but where is that??  There are 18 deck levels on the ship.  Where’s the map??  Oh, we’re supposed to download the Princess app on our phones.  But there’s no internet access, so … how can we download the app?!?  Now what? 

Turns out, we have to purchase internet access, and we have two choices: purchase "Princess Plus" which will give us access as well as other perks which will add $2600 to our bill.  Or just purchase the internet package, which will be close to $2000 for two devices.  Ok, so now we’re getting flustered and cranky.  No way are we going to fork over all that dough for WiFi.  Not only that, after the long trek on the gangway and the search for our room, Doug’s knee is barking. A crew member finally directs us to our room on level 9 (D for Dolphin level).  Doug’s going to lie down for a while, as Paula dons the medallion and heads out to meet Judy Davis, who’s waiting outside the terminal with the red scarf Paula left in the backseat of her car 3 weeks ago.  What a sweetheart.  Paula and Judy have coffee and a chat until it’s time to reboard the ship; meanwhile, Doug is sending frenzied text messages about downloading/setting up the Princess app, which Paula – well, not ignores, but misunderstands, perhaps?  Back in the stateroom, more crankiness until we get the app thing all sorted out. You get the picture… a dandy way to begin our next 28-day adventure in Australia!

On the bright side, we have a nice mini-suite on board, with two comfortable beds, a sitting area, two TVs, a desk, a large bathroom (with a tub!), and a balcony.   We’re all unpacked and settled in, and won’t have to repack for 28 days.

We’ll get the daily “Patter” which details all the activities for the day – no fewer than 50 (!) activities to choose from each day.  Ye gads.  A lot of them have to do with either games/trivia or shopping.  We are most interested in the spa, and head there first.  We get a complimentary 10-minute massage while they try to sell us on the various treatments.  Doug meets Dr. Koko, who recommends her acupuncture treatment for his knee. 

Back in our stateroom, we sit out on our balcony, take some deep breaths, and enjoy the view of Sydney harbour and the Opera House.  Paula goes in search of G&Ts and ends up in the lounge nearby where there is a special reception for the “Elite” passengers.  Not being Elite (that costs extra), Paula is allowed to sneak in for a couple of drinks to bring back to the room.

The SailAway from Sydney is a big production out on deck 16.  Boatloads of margaritas, energetic music and dancing numbers by the crew, much hoopla.  Festive! 

The buffet dinner is generous and tasty!  We’re getting to know our way around, and have mellowed into a happier mood as we turn in for the night.

Aboard Crown Princess to Hobart, Tasmania

Our first day on the Crown Princess is a “sea day.”  The schedule for the cruise is basically: one day in port, one day (sometimes two-three) at sea.  We’ll have 14 ports of call.

We go to the Princess Theatre in the morning for a presentation by the ship’s “destination expert” Leeanne, who gives a 45-minute talk about our upcoming port of call, Hobart, Tasmania. (Nipaluna to the original inhabitants.)   

For roughly 20,000 years Aboriginal peoples inhabited Tasmania before the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman visited in 1642.  About 125 years later, Britain got the bright idea to empty its jails and ship all the prisoners over to Australia.  So, as with much of Australia, Hobart was founded initially as a penal colony. By the early 1800s free settlers and whalers arrived in Hobart and established themselves, then promptly got into a 12-year war (The "Black War") with the Aboriginals, massacring huge numbers of Aboriginal men and taking the women and children into indentured servitude.  

Hobart was the largest whaling operation in the British Empire and an important center for ship building due to the excellent quality of Tasmanian hardwood. These days, it’s known for its high quality dairy products and stone fruits, and is the home port for Antarctic expeditions.  Also, it's said that Tasmania has the cleanest air in the world, as it's far from major land masses and pollution sources.

After Leeanne’s talk, the afternoon is spent exploring the ship. There are all kinds of places to hang out and pass the time ... We see the pensioners who’ve booked the cheaper interior staterooms and then stake out their spots in comfortable chairs around the ship, playing cards, doing puzzles, chatting, whatever, throughout the day; the regulars at the bars/casino; the enthusiasts at poolside trivia, jackpot bingo, Ballroom/Rumba/Samba dance lessons, elevator roulette (yes, that’s really a thing), gym workouts, the shopping mall, the spa; and the Veterans/Singles/LGBTQ+ get-togethers.  There’s something for everyone.  And live entertainment galore.

In keeping with our determination to be extra-charge-avoidant, we have opted out of any of the excursions offered by Princess, and instead decide simply to see what’s available when we get off the ship.  As it happens, there are plenty of options available right off the pier. 

In Hobart, we catch a shuttle to the Bonarong Wildlife Sanctuary, about 30 minutes’ drive outside of town.  It’s a treasure trove of Australian wildlife!  A perfect introduction to the mysterious marsupials and the famous Tasmanian Devils, as well as other heretofore unknown (to us) species.

Tasmanian devils:  they sound so fearsome but they look so cute!  We’re told that they are basically “scaredy cats” – when scared they emit a wild and hysterical shriek, displaying their menacing teeth which reportedly can chew through bones.  But they are essentially solitary creatures, says the sanctuary volunteer, "except for the two Fs:  feeding and breeding”! 

Wandering around the sanctuary we see the wombats, echidnas, lorikeets, kookaburras, galahs, tawny frogmouths, Tasmanian pademelons, eastern quolls, kangaroos, emus, rabbits and cockatoos.

 

"Beanie" the Wombat

Kangaroos napping after being fed

More food? Not interested.

Echidna

Tawny Frogmouth

Galah

Lorikeets

Laughing Kookaburra (didn't laugh for us... Doug tried several jokes)

Tasmanian pademelon (albino!)  They usually look like this:

Eastern Quoll hiding in nest.  It looks like this:

At 3:00 back at the ship, Doug has an acupuncture treatment with Dr. Koko while Paula goes to high tea.  We return to our cabin to find a huge industrial-strength fan screaming air into the room … The carpet around the bathroom is soaked.  Somehow in the process, our clothes have fallen off their hangers onto the floor and are now soaked.  Well, this is a fine howdy-do!  When we call to find out what’s going on, we learn that a pipe has burst in the wall of our cabin. They offer us complimentary laundry service.  We’ll take it.

Tonight is Formal Night in the dining rooms. Oi. We have brought nothing formal. Paula does have her standby travel reversible skirt and a silk scarf (thank you, Judy Davis), so she goes with that.  Doug gets by with his signature black pants, wrinkle-free shirt, and  go-to jacket. Over drinks in the lounge, we watch the parade of passengers decked out in all manner, from ball gowns and gloves to the elbow, with every type of bling you can imagine, every interpretation of “formal” you can imagine … to the kind of attire we’re in. So we figure we can pass. The really serious formality is probably primarily for the Elite people, anyway, in their Elite dining room.  

Our dinner is in the DaVinci Room (not to be confused with the Botticelli Room or the Michelangelo Room – though the menu is the same in all of them) and the host is pleased to hear we are “happy to share.”  We are seated at a table for 8 and have a lively conversation with our companions who are all from Australia, except for the woman seated next to Doug from Papua New Guinea (extremely shy and soft-spoken).  Almost without exception, Aussies love to chat, and they're very good at it.  There's never an awkward pause or dead end. It's an art, and they practice it constantly.  

Sea Day & Melbourne

Sea Day.  Doug wakes up full of invigorating chi and feeling great after the acupuncture treatment yesterday!  Dr. Koko is onto something.  He makes two more appointments.

Our stateroom carpet is still soaking, and we have to vacate while the fan is brought in again for the day.

Since we don’t have WiFi, Paula looks for a place to plug in the laptop and get caught up on the dispatches.  Long story short: it takes an hour – going from place to place, up and down stairs, level to level, looking for an outlet, until finally – using the chat function on the Princess app – she’s directed to the 16 ^th level to the comfortable and quiet Adagio lounge where just a few “in the know” folks are hanging out. Paula finds her spot with an outlet.  All squared away. No extra charge. Perfect.

Doug goes for a sauna and ends up in an altercation between Red Beard and The Pole:  

Doug: I walk into the sauna to dry out after a steam shower session and I encounter a naked man with a red beard, and on the top “shelf” a lean and mean man obviously from Eastern Europe.  They are engaged in an intense argument / discussion. Actually, Red Beard is Australian and is doing his peace-making thing while the lean man – he turns out to be Polish – is berating him for something.  I found out later that Red Beard, who’s obviously gay, has offended something in the Pole by not being “normal” and for being “woke.”  The Pole is railing against his phony “dance” of amiability (or some such phrase spoken in that great Polish accent with tinges of German and Russian hacky spittle).  When I enter, he ascertains that I’m American and immediately goes off on Americans – how we’re so loud and over-confident and full of s**t.  I break the ice by saying that’s a perfect description of Trump.  Red Beard takes the moment to escape and I’m left with the Polish bully.  Always relishing good verbal banter, I engage him in discussion.  I start by telling him that my Swedish heritage values honesty above all qualities.  My straightforwardness and “straightness” seem to settle him down and we get into this amazingly deep discussion of the world and world history, esp. about Ukraine and Russia and the truth behind most wars (according to him, they are most often triggered and sustained by the greedy war machine, the military-industrial-political complex, with Ukraine being the latest example).  He seems to take Russia’s side and warns me that we have a surprise coming if we directly engage Putin – he says they have terrifyingly advanced weapons, much more powerful than the West.  He lays out facts in such a brutally honest way with such disdain for the “pretty propaganda of the West” I am impressed and confirm a lot of his statements on Google later.  He continues his rants as we both drip copious sweat.  I finally give up and go to change – next to Red Beard, who then engages me in his own truth-telling.  Finally, Jakob the Pole emerges and we all dry off and part amiably. This is the best part of travelling.  The unexpected encounter.

Leeanne had told us yesterday a bit about Melbourne, Victoria.  Ranked among the “world’s most livable cities” in quality of life surveys, Melbourne is the second most populous in Australia.  It’s a melting pot of cultures, and the restaurant scene reflects that (it's said to be the food capital of Australia). The city was founded by John Batman, a former convict, who purchased the land from the Aboriginals, and signed a treaty with them – the only attempt by a European to engage Aboriginal people in a treaty rather than simply seizing the land. (Batman's motives and the validity of the treaty are still the subject of debate.)  Batman lived in the colony with his convict wife and their seven daughters until, being quite the man-about-town, he died of syphilis at the age of 38 (after losing his nose. yuck). Doug got a kick out of Batman Blvd in Melbourne.

John Batman

During the 1850s Victorian gold rush, there was a lengthy boom period that by the late 1880s had transformed Melbourne into Australia's – and one of the world's – largest and wealthiest metropolises. After the federation of Australia in 1901 (when the six British colonies – New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania – united to form the Commonwealth of Australia, establishing a federal system of government), Melbourne served as the interim seat of government until Canberra became the permanent capital in 1927. 

Many of Melbourne's attractions are far outside of town, and thus beyond our reach for the day: the Yarra Valley wine region; the Healesville Sanctuary, the Puffing Billy Train – a narrow gauge steam railway through scenic Dandenong mountains.  It also hosts major world sporting events:  the Australian Open, the Melbourne Cup and the Australian Grand Prix. (The Formula One races had just taken place a few days ago.)  

Our plan to catch the Hop-on, Hop-off buses was scotched – there are none in Melbourne.  Instead, we learn that the tram circling the city centre is free, so we decide to hop on that.  Doug asks two men on the train from the harbor to the CBD for directions to the tram and they personally escort us to the right spot (so friendly and helpful!), advising caution at certain stops where pro-Palestine protests are in progress. 

The tram is bustling, noisy, and slightly uncomfortable but does the job.  

Note the trumpeter at the top of the Princess Theatre

Jenni, this one's for you! (Note the cow)

Traditional meeting spot with times around the world

Art museum

Afterwards, we head to the Royal Botanic Garden, the world’s second largest botanic garden.  It’s a Sunday, and everyone is out enjoying the sun, picnicking, strolling among the palms, ferns, grassy areas, lakes.  It’s a beautiful day.    We sit out on the terrace by the lake for some Melbourne coffee (Leeanne says it’s the best in the world!).

 

Sunday in the Park with Doug

Paula goes for a stroll through the Garden...

 

Bats hanging in the tree branches

At Sea - a survey of the "activities" of fellow passengers

Catching some rays

Scolling


Hot-tubbing while watching the outdoor movie

Double Solitaire

Cards

Playing the Slots

Puzzles

Shopping

Crosswords

Reading

10 minute massages

Painting

Hanging out

Cruise enthusiast at Princess Theatre with cap covered in crew member name badges (1 of 3 in his collection)

Adelaide

Adelaide, South Australia, has the distinction of having the country’s only convict-free history. A planned city, it was surveyed and laid out around the 1830s by Colonel William Light, the first surveyor-general of South Australia, reportedly using various templates for city plans going back to ancient Greece, including Italian Renaissance designs and similar layouts of Philadelphia and Savannah. Adelaide, like these, follows the layout of a central city square, four complementing city squares surrounding it and a parklands area that surrounds the city centre. (See how we’re adopting the local spelling? theatre, centre …)

Named for Queen Adelaide, German-born wife of King William IV, the city was initially settled by emigrants from England, Scotland and Ireland, followed by German farmers who settled in the Barossa valley, an important winemaking region. The quaint-and-charming nearby village of Hahndorf is Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement.

In the 1890s So. Australia suffered a severe economic depression. The story goes that the settlers in So. Australia were called "crow eaters" as, no other meat being available, they allegedly ate crows, parrots, and cockatoos.  Adelaide was not hit as hard, though, as those in the larger gold-rush cities of Melbourne and Sydney.

Light's location for the city was initially unpopular, due to its distance from the harbour. (See? harbour…) Indeed, we have to take a 30-minute train ride from the ship into Adelaide’s CBD.  Once in town, we hop on the nearest free tram, which we had thought would take us around the city centre.  But no... off we go into the wild blue yonder. We decide to stay on and see where it goes.  It takes us through the outskirts of town past several small communities until we reach the small town of Glenelg. Turns out it's a popular seaside destination, and delightful. 

Claire, Jay, Kev:  game on!

Back in Adelaide, we have time before catching the train back to the ship, so Paula goes wandering through the pedestrian Rundell Mall.  Doug befriends the busker pictured below:

Where's Paula?

Then stops in at the South Australian Museum,

 

through the University of Adelaide, the Library, and on down the street to the train station.   

Before leaving, a quick stop at Haigh’s Chocolates, an Australian institution since 1915. Their signature product : dark scorched almonds coated in dark chocolate.  Yum!

On the train back to the ship ...A young one scrolling Mickey Mouse.

Sea Days & Albany

Two days at sea.

Albany, West Australia, is probably best known as the port from which 41,000+ Australians and New Zealanders departed in 1914 in two convoys for Gallipoli, the Middle East, and the Western Front, along with thousands of horses (of which only one - Sandy - returned). The National Anzac (Australian/NewZealand Army Corps) Centre, within the Princess Royal Fortress at the top of the hill, commemorates this time in Albany’s history.

Doug has now come down with a chest cold, so he stays in while Paula goes exploring.  Instead of making the trip up the hill to the Anzac Centre and other memorials, she opts for the walking heritage tour in town.

Albany is the traditional country (boodja) of the Menang Noongar people.  At the Museum of the Great Southern, Paula takes in the “ Looking Through Our Eyes" exhibition, featuring three interconnected installations – weaving together the threads of language, identity and spirituality – showcasing Aboriginal perspectives ...

 ... as well as an excellent permanent exhibition of W. Australian history and culture. Here's Mokare, Menang leader who was revered as a diplomat and negotiator. He shared his cultural knowledge with the early settlers, including Alexander Collie, the first government resident at Albany. Collie so admired Mokare that he asked to be buried alongside him.

Didgeridoos.

Adjacent to the museum is the replica of the H.M. Colonial brig Amity that arrived in 1826 from Sydney with 21 soldiers and 23 convicts to construct a new settlement.  You can go below and see what life was life aboard a convict ship. 

The convicts were put to work straightaway building the Albany Convict Gaol – they had to build their own prison!

Carvings on the wall by sailors and Aboriginal prisoners:


At the gaol, the guide recommends a visit to Patrick Taylor’s cottage, the oldest surviving dwelling in W. Australia – an 11-room cottage built of wattle and daub.  In case you’re wondering, daub is a clay, sometimes mixed with chaff or cow manure, which is packed into the cavities between a woven lattice mats and poles – the wattle.  Local lore abounds with tales of hauntings at both the cottage and the gaol. 

 

Hat rack made with bird beaks

  

On to St. John’s Church, the oldest church to be consecrated in W. Australia.

And back to our home away from home:

 

The next day, we arrive at our first port of the cruise where there is no dock for us.  Busselton is nestled on a sheltered beach surrounded by extremely shallow water, and boasts the longest jetty (at over one mile) in the southern hemisphere and maybe the world.  

 

Still, our ship has to anchor waaayyy out and transport the passengers by tenders (e.g., shuttle boats) to the jetty, which takes 25 minutes.  Those who booked excursions through Princess (extra charge) have first dibs on the tenders.  Others have to wait.  It’s also really hot, and whatever attractions Busselton has to offer don't quite warrant the effort, for us.  Our decision to pass on this port was a good one, as that evening we hear stories of passengers waiting 2-3 hours to get on the tenders, and waiting in long lines in the hot sun (high 90s), with no seating, for the return tenders.

We chill out in our room, Doug is recovering from his cold, and we order room service.  Livin' the dream!

Perth

Fremantle, W. Australia, the port we dock in, is the gateway to Perth.  The town of Fremantle is charming in its own right, but we choose to board the train to Perth, hoping to catch a cruise on the Swan River (named by a Dutch captain in the late 1600s after the native black swans)  Informally called the Swan River Colony in the early 1800s, then later named after the city of Perth in Scotland, the region is known as Boorloo by the Noongar people, who have lived in the area for at least 45,000 years. 

The train into Perth is a comfortable, pleasant ride.  We find the transportation systems in Australian cities really well run and convenient.  From the CBD, we catch an underground to our destination, Elizabeth Quay.

Plaque in the floor of the underground. 

Once at the Quay, we make our way to the Swan River Cruise ticket booth – the cruise has been highly recommended – only to learn that tickets are sold out: Princess has fully booked both cruises that day! Not to be deterred, we look around for an alternative, and find Wild West Charters.  They have a tour going out in an hour, and we put our names on the list!


We have some time before departure, so we have a look around lovely Elizabeth Quay, stop for a beer and WiFi.

Barrack Square with Bell Tower. The Bell Tower is said to be one of the largest musical instruments on earth and was custom built to house the bells of Saint Martin-in-the-Fields Church in London. The bells date back to before the 14th century.

Better photo of the Bell Tower. 

Love locks on the walkway to the Bell Tower

Unlike the corporate-ish Captain Cook Swan River Cruise, Wild West Charters is a homespun enterprise run by Capt. Dave and his merry band.  Ten of us adventurers pile into his boat and take off … literally pedal to the metal (or whatever the corresponding nautical phrase is).  Capt. Dave gives us a lively tour, showing off his boating skills (doing the speedboat equivalent of spinning donuts and popping wheelies) – all the while regaling us with historical tidbits, naturalist lore, and salty tales (“I’m not jerkin’ yer gerkin,” says he).  We get up close and personal to many of the wonders of the river. 

Pelican Point

The Blue Boat House, built in the 1930s, is an iconic feature on the river, and is said to be Perth's most photographed travel attraction for tourists from Asia. Why?!?  Blame it on social media. Images of the boat house have been used in marketing material for Singapore Airlines, Qantas, and in Japanese advertisements (It was the screensaver for Samsung's first smart phone.)   

Dave promises we'll see a gaggle of Asian tourists at the site, and sure enough:

We spot a couple of nesting ospreys:

And the famous black swans, after which the river is named:

Next, a run by “Millionaires Row”:

For sale:  $80,000,000

We have no success in seeing the usual dolphins (it’s a bit too late in the day) but we do see lots of jellyfish.  At one point, Capt. Dave reaches over the side of the boat and nets one of them, which he then lets us all pet (yes, it feels like jelly).  Though a jellyfish sting is quite painful, Dave says he’s been stung so many times he’s immune.  Of course, he could be "jerkin' our gerkin," but we believe it.

We have a playful ride back to the Quay among the watersports fanatics and nature lovers...

This poor woman's dangly earrings are nearly ripped from her earlobes as we tear through the water on the way back. 

Good on ya, Capt. Dave!  That was a ripper!

Exmouth & Broome

Sea day.  Which is a good thing, since Paula is coming down with Doug’s bug, and welcomes the time to take it easy and tuck into a menu of Robitussin and Advil.

The next day's port of call is Exmouth, a remote corner of W. Australia.  It was apparently strategically important during WWII – there is still a top-secret installation here, the Harold Holt Communications Station. That’s about it for Exmouth.

Paula would have liked to visit Ningaloo, Australia’s longest fringing reef, perhaps for a bit of snorkling, except for the fact that it’s about an hour’s drive away from Exmouth, the water temperature is extremely hot (as is the air temperature) and we are not particularly keen to swim with the whale sharks.  We’ll get our reef snorkling in at Port Douglas.

This is another situation where we have to anchor out in the ocean and be shuttled ashore.  After having attended Leeanne’s (our “destination expert”) talk and seen photos of the place, and remembering the problems folks had in Busselton getting ashore and back, we decide to pass and just focus on R & R. 

Sidebar.  Leeanne’s presentations are losing their luster (lustre?) for us.  We much prefer the twice-daily announcements by our ship’s Captain Christopher B. Lye (we love him!) – which are informative, factual, decorous, and delivered in the most dignified manner with perfect British/Welsh diction (think: Richard Burton) – to Leeanne’s chirpy infotainment.  In fact, Doug (being the dour Swede that he is) says the Aussies’ relentless cheerfulness is wearing him down. He prefers the calm New Zealanders/excitable Māoris to the excitable Aussies/calm Aborigines.   End Sidebar.

Another sea day. Crikey. Doug’s bug is now Paula’s peril. (But Doug and Paula are far from alone. There’s a whole lotta coughing going on all over the ship.) Basically isolating since Day 32 (reading books, getting room service), Doug is at the tail end of his cough while Paula is at her hacking peak (no wonder they call it “la grippe”). Not one who does well with respiratory infections, she gets an appointment at the medical centre on board: testing negative for Covid but positive for influenza.  So now, armed with antiviral meds and high-octane cough syrup, she’s on the road to recovery.  It works: The next day, Paula is ready to rock & roll!

Broome

Dinosaurs and pearls: This is Broome, located on Western Australia's tropical Kimberley coast on the eastern edge of the Indian Ocean.  Feeling fit and ready, we book a tour with "Broom and Around" and Candy, our guide, is excellent.  

First, the dinosaurs: Around 120-130 million years ago (Cretaceous period), dinosaurs roamed through the marshland and swamp forests of Broome, leaving tracks in the sandy tidal flats. Over 20 different kinds of tracks can be found along this 50-mile stretch of sandstone coastline, including theropods, sauropods, ornithopods and stegosaurus, for you dinosaur aficionados.  You can access this area from Gantheaume Point, but only when it's low tide. We're out of luck on that score, as it is currently high tide. 

When the tide is low, you can climb over these rocks to the beach.

Aboriginals' "palette" of red ochre for their paintings. 

Aboriginals' "palette" of red ochre for their paintings. 

About the tides:  The Kimberley Coast has the highest tidal fluctuations in the southern hemisphere. The difference between high and low tides is up to 10 metres (32.8 feet).  It's 6 hours between low tide and high tide.  Yesterday was news-making, says Candy, when a King Tide (10.62 metres), the largest in 50 years, swept through the town. Broome is also subject to pretty devastating cyclones, which is why there are no letterboxes (everyone goes to the post office for their mail) or gutters (which get ripped off of roofs).  

Now for the pearls: In the early 19th century, Broome had a thriving pearling industry.  Japanese divers, particularly the "Ama" (meaning "sea-woman" or "sea-daughter"), became highly skilled and renowned pearl divers due to their long-standing traditions, exceptional breath-holding abilities, and endurance, allowing them to dive to great depths and collect pearls efficiently.  They came to Broome by the hundreds, creating a thriving community.  Japantown (now called Chinatown) was a multicultural area, home to Asian and Aboriginal cultures, and is now a heritage-listed area with remnants of the past, including "Sun Pictures," the oldest operating picture gardens in the world. 

Streeter's Jetty, used by pearl luggers to unload their pearl shells. 

Pearl divers' boarding houses

Unfortunately, due to the tidal fluctuations and cyclone activity, it was extremely dangerous, and over 900 Japanese divers died from  "diver's paralysis" (the bends) and are buried in the Japanese cemetery in town.

Broome has a population of 16,000, but during the tourist season, 45,000 visitors and caravaners (RV-ers) come through.  There are 7 caravan parks and 33 hotels just for that season. And no wonder: it's a wonderful place, full of history and natural beauty.  There is a strict building code so that all buildings must look like tin sheds (even McDonald's) and nothing can be built higher than a palm tree. 

A key figure in the history of Broome is Lord Alistair McAlpine, a businessman, politician and advisor to Margaret Thatcher, who arrived in 1979, sensing that Broome had great tourism potential. He invested $500 million on various developments, such as restoring crumbling buildings, fixing up a cinema, and creating the Cable Beach Resort Club* and the Pearl Coast Zoological Gardens to house endangered species (informally known as "the Ark"). He bought a stake in a pearl farm, and helped promote the South Sea Pearl, as well as promoting local culture, including Aboriginal artwork. He also brought in boab trees (a variety of the baobab tree from Madagascar), palm trees, and frangipani (plumeria) trees, which lend an exotic air to the community. 

*Fun fact: Since the 1960s, a section of the famous Cable Beach known as "north of the rocks" was a favored spot of "naturalistes" to sunbathe and swim in the nude.

Boab tree

Cable Beach is also famous for camel rides.  Camels!  Camels were introduced to Australia in the 19th century to assist in exploring and colonizing the inland regions, and they were used for transportation and carrying goods.  Now the camel rides on Cable Beach are a popular tourist thing. 

One last very cool thing:  The "Stairway to the Moon" – a natural phenomenon that occurs when a full moon rises over the exposed tidal flats of Roebuck Bay, creating the impression of a staircase leading to the moon. Here's an art piece in downtown Broome in tribute to the Staircase to the Moon:

The Kimberley

Sea Day. We are now at the northernmost region of Western Australia, known as The Kimberley, one of the world’s last wilderness frontiers. The Kimberley was one of the earliest settled parts of Australia, with the first humans landing about 65,000 years ago. The Kimberley has some of the world’s earliest rock art; much of it in remote areas very difficult to get to. 

Some examples (from the internet) ...

Note the boomerang!

An early 'roo

We spend the day cruising along the dramatic coast and among the islands:

Photos just don't do it justice ...

Darwin

After another sea day, we're now at Darwin, Northern Territory. We're now at the "Top End" of Australia. The tropical climate means it has two seasons: dry and wet. Or, hot and hotter. With up to 95% humidity. It is bloody hot! 

Turns out, there is another cruise ship in port, which has priority over us (Regent trumps Princess) and they get the best parking spot.  So we have to dock at an outer port and take a 40-minute shuttle into Darwin.  Little did we know that we had to pick up our shuttle tickets the day before arrival, so by the time we get to the ticket table, we are assigned shuttle #74!  (So far, 18 shuttles have gone out.) Crew member Julian estimates it will be a couple of hours before we can get on the shuttle, putting a serious crimp in our plans.  Seeing our crestfallen faces, he reaches into his pocket ... pulling out two tickets for shuttle #29 ("because I like you").  Serendipity!  In less than half an hour, we are on the shuttle headed to Darwin.  

There are two events that stand out in Darwin's history:  

WWII.  Around 10,000 Australian and other Allied troops arrived in Darwin at the outset of World War II to defend Australia's northern coast. In February 1942, 188 Japanese warplanes attacked Darwin in two waves. It was the same fleet that had bombed Pearl Harbor, though considerably more bombs were dropped on Darwin than on Pearl Harbor. The attack killed at least 243 people. These were by far the most serious attacks on Australia in time of war, in terms of fatalities and damage. This was only the first of many Japanese raids on Darwin.

Cyclone Tracy.  In December 1974, Darwin was struck by Cyclone Tracy, which killed 71 people and destroyed over 70% of the city's buildings.  It left more than 25,000 out of the 47,000 inhabitants of the city homeless prior to landfall and required the evacuation of over 30,000 people, many of whom never returned.  Most of the historic buildings are gone, resulting, IMHO, in a kind of uninteresting-looking town. Though as the closest Australian capital city to Asia, Darwin has a distinct multicultural flavor, with influences from Southeast Asian food, culture, and people.  We also see more Aboriginals than we have in other places.  

We catch the Big Red Bus (hop on/hop off) for a 90 minute ride through town.  We hop off at the Royal Flying Doctor Service Museum. The "Flying Doctor," as it is known, is a nonprofit organization that provides emergency and primary health care services for those living in rural, remote and regional areas of Australia who cannot access a hospital or medical care, due to the vast distances of the Outback. It was started in 1928 by Rev. John Flynn, who was commissioned by the Presbyterian Church to look at the needs of people living in the Outback.  It has been operating successfully ever since. This museum is also where you can "relive" the 1942 bombing of Darwin Harbour via a virtual reality experience.  Quite dramatic!

Since we haven't seen any crocodiles yet, Doug is keen to visit the Croc Cove in town.  We arrive just in time for the 2:30 feeding.  

These crocs are huge.  The staff are vigilant in backing away carefully, always keeping the crocs in sight. 

You can also have a "once in a lifetime" experience in the tank with the crocs in the "Cage of Death":

The whole place is pretty depressing, in PJ's opinion.  

Next, we visit the reptile house.  

Looks fake, doesn't it?

Doug the snake-charmer

Mysterious image on snake's head

Coiled as neatly as a garden hose

We think this dude is having a nervous breakdown

Paula never thought she'd feel sorry for a reptile, but in this case ....

As with all cultural attractions, the exit is through the gift shop. There seems to be a running theme here...

We're tempted by this as a gift for the Sullivans ...

With all that over with, by this time we are drenched (it is bloody hot!) 

and in need of a cold one at the pub across the street:

We walk back through town to catch the shuttle to the ship, and Paula stops in a local shop to see the Aboriginal art:

Aboriginal dot painting.

 

Didgeridoos

We stop in a pharmacy to pick up some cough drops, and spot this sign:

We'll be sure to be on our best behaviour!

Sea Days

We have three straight days at sea.  We've been told by our Captain that we will have to bypass our next port of call, Fort Douglas, due to bad weather.  It would have been another anchor-at-sea scenario, and the sea will be too rough for the tenders to get us to shore.  Instead, we'll sail straight for Cairns and spend two days there.  

What do we do on sea days?  We're actually not very participatory cruisers. We pass on the almost-daily invitations to art auctions or jewelry sales.  We've only been to a couple of the blockbuster entertainments. One of them was a performance by an acrobat (formerly with Cirque du Soleil) who balanced on a 17 ft pole on the stage with one hand and twirled himself around ... on a moving ship. Talk about showmanship!  The other was a jazz big band, which was quite good.  The leader, Luis, very talented, also plays at Crooners Bar in the evenings, which we frequent before dinner.  We're not into the game events or gambling. Though we did have an interesting conversation in the pool one afternoon with Karen ...  

There are five pools on the ship, and we like the one on deck 14 that is a bit more private and quiet.  Oddly, the pool is uniformly 6 feet deep so treading water is the only option unless, like Paula, you sit on the stairs, or like Doug, you're over 6'5" so you can stand.  On this occasion, there were a couple of women in the pool treading water, looking like tips of icebergs (you can only see their suntanned faces above the water, but when they eventually haul themselves out of the pool you get a glimpse of their enormous bodies).  Anyway, they are friendly and talkative, and conversation centers around Karen and her husband George and their gambling exploits. It turns out, you can do quite well for yourselves at the casino – getting perks and freebies – on cruises, and George the physicist has it all figured out.  He and Karen have a system.  First, they bought stock in Princess (which they did at the end of the pandemic when prices were low) so that they could get ship credit on every cruise. Then they spend time at the casino (craps is their game) and accrue benefits basically just for their "sit time."  That's how it works!  And they don't even need to spend that much time in the casino to make it work. When they win, as apparently they often do, they cash out their winnings, put it in their safe, and continue to pay for onboard purchases with their AmEx credit card to get points, which they use for airfare. As a result, last year, they went on nine free cruises with Princess (out of their total of 14 cruises that year).  Now that's commitment.  You have to really like cruising.

Another source of entertainment is chatting with our fellow passengers.  Now that the worst of the flu is behind us, we can again join the "happy to share" line at dinner.  Last night, we were seated at a table with two other couples.  One guy in particular was clearly in command of the table – we'll call him Alvin (after the initial round of introductions, the names hardly ever stick).  Alvin and his partner – Charles, say – are quite the travellers, and can tell you something about just about anywhere. He shares some interesting travel tidbits, such as, when in Japan, you must take your rubbish with you; there are no garbage bins in Japan. Also, if you ask someone for directions in Japan, be prepared for that person to not just tell you, but take you there personally, even if it's in the opposite direction he's going. Alvin also has a particular knack for correcting improper behavior, saving you untold embarrassment. He'll be the one to tell you that you've been "barking" at the waiter, that your skirt is caught in your underpants, or that, in our case, we have been mispronouncing the familiar name for Australians: it's not "Aussie", it's "Ozzie." He's just full of good advice!  But the one we loved the best follows ....

WARNING:  The following account contains *adult language*.  Reader discretion advised.  

We need to know something about Australians, says Alvin:  they have a special fondness for the word c**t.  They use it liberally.  But, he says, tone and intent are key here, so exercise caution – context is everything.  Of course it can be used as an insult, but it's more frequently employed as a term of endearment, respect, and even admiration: "He's a good c**t."  Alvin knows that to our ears, it's about the worst word you can say, so he's giving us some valuable insight here.  Doug holds his own in this conversation, and at the end of the meal as we're getting up to leave, he says somewhat under his breath, good-naturedly, "See ya later, ya lousy c**ts" and the Ozzies erupt in laughter!  He's brought down the house.  (Doug is a fast learner.)

To balance it out, we've also had some deadly boring dinner companions, like the other night with the dentist and his wife and four other unrelated barely communicative women ... not even Doug could inflate this airless tire. 

We've also had some drama on board.  Early one evening, the Captain put out a call on the loudspeaker for blood donors with either type O-positive or type A-something blood and to come to the medical centre with their donor cards. This made Doug and Paula realize that not only do we not have a donor card, but we don't even know what our blood type is.  But there are a number of people who respond immediately, for which the Captain broadcasts his gratitude. They've found a donor.  We'll have to turn around and head back the other direction in order for a boat or helicopter to reach us and take the patients (there are two) to hospital. Then, about 11 pm, we hear the sound of a helicopter on our port side and sure enough, we watch the helicopter make a number of attempts to maneuver onto the ship. It's windy and the ship is moving slightly, so it's not an easy thing to do.  We learn the next day that the evacuation was successful and the patients were transported to safety. 

On to Cairns ...

Cairns & Great Barrier Reef

Our scheduled stop in Port Douglas having been canceled due to bad weather, we now have two straight days in Cairns (pronounced “Cans” by the Ozzies) in far north Queensland.  Since it's also known as the Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, we look forward to our scheduled trip to Green Island, one of the closest parts of the reef to Cairns.

But first, Doug quickly makes arrangements for a tour in Cairns and gets the last tickets on the Skyway Rainforest Cableway/Kuranda Scenic Railway trip through the Wet Tropics Rainforest, home to the world’s oldest continually surviving tropical rainforest. 

We catch a shuttle to the Cableway entrance and hop on our gondola, gliding above the jungle canopy, a gorgeous 20-minute ride..

The first stop is Red Peak, where a ranger guides us through the forest

 
Tree being strangled by the opportunistic fig tree. These figs grow their roots downwards from the branches, enveloping and eventually killing the host tree. 

 A 400 year old Kauri (still young; they can live to 1000).  The kauri escapes the clutches of the strangler fig (and other vines) by continuously shedding its bark.  Smart. 

Guriguri bunda, or red pittosporum

Fan palms

The next stop is Barron Falls (or Din Din Falls), another 15-minute ride.

And finally, the last 20 minutes of the gondola ride takes us to the village of Kuranda. The Kuranda region has been home to the  Djabugay people  for over 10,000 years. Something we've noticed in so many places, in visitor literature and signage: the indigenous Aboriginal peoples are always given credit as the traditional owners and custodians of Australia, acknowledging their sovereignty and rights, showing respect for First Nations people and their connection to the land.  We're impressed by that.

 Kuranda is now a sort of bohemian village with local markets and restaurants, still reflecting the lifestyle made popular throughout the 1970s by "alternative lifestylers" (i.e., hippies).  We stop in a local animal park to see the koalas:

Taking an early afternoon nap...

Quokkas, also napping

Wallaby

Wombat

Baby crocs

Kangaroo mug shots

Here's the picturesque railway station where we catch our train.

We're in the "Gold Class" car, one of the handcrafted carriages adorned with Victorian-inspired décor.  Our Japanese attendant, Aiko, keeps us entertained ("Get ready for the money shot!" she cries, as we approach a significant photo op – we think she's not quite aware of what that means) and we are given snacks, and glasses of wine and beer to our hearts' content.  The scenery is lush and we relax and enjoy as we pass waterfalls ...

 

Nice day!

The next day is our planned visit to the Great Barrier Reef. But ... darned if Doug hasn't caught another cold!  The first time it was the air-conditioning vents blasting frigid air over his bed as he tried to sleep (until we got the unit fixed); this time, it's the air-conditioning vents blasting frigid air onto his head in the Princess Theatre during the ventriloquist's act. (The ventriloquist was amazing, by the way).  But he's still in the spirit, so we head over to the marina to catch the catamaran out to Green Island.  

But it doesn't look like this today.  It's cloudy and overcast with slight drizzles, and the sea is a bit choppy.  It's about 45 minutes to Green Island, and most of us make it without use of the barf bags.

Once on Green Island, we take a moment for a couple of flat whites in the little village.

Given the situation, we did not bring our swim suits for snorkeling.  As a consolation, we did take the semi-submersible as well as the glass-bottom boat.  Not the best viewing!

Claustrophobic and stuffy!  Paula practically keels over.

Next, we're squished into the glass-bottom boat.

The big reveal. (They throw bait into the water to attract the fish)

We get through that, and then we line up in the rain on the jetty to board the catamaran for our ride back to Cairns.  

Everyone is tuckered out from the day’s exertions:

… except for these two sitting next to us, who chatter nonstop the entire trip back to Cairns:

As Doug says, there's a fine line between adventure and ordeal.  

Hoping for a better day at our last port of call, Brisbane, in two days.

Brisbane

Today's the day of the Crown Princess' last port of call on our trip around Australia:  Brisbane, Queensland.   Brisbane is known for its natural beauty, pleasant weather (the brochure calls it the "sunshine city" – with an average of 300 sunny days a year), extensive parklands and green space, and its vibrant river with iconic bridges like the Story Bridge, and other diverse attractions. Excitement is already building for the 2032 Summer Olympic Games, which Brisbane will be hosting. 

We climb aboard our shuttle into the heart of the city, which drops us off at King George Square, across from Brisbane City Hall. 

Anglican Church from King George Square.  The church offers lunch and dinner services!

City Hall, the heritage-listed building used for local government functions, also hosting events such as exhibitions and concerts.

Inside City Hall

We make our way to the river via the pedestrian mall...

Impressive architecture

One of the many bridges across the Brisbane River.  This one is very cool, with the "Wheel" pictured at its end.  (We're told that whenever Brisbane is at a low economic ebb, they just build another bridge). 

We cross over the Victoria Bridge to the other side of the river where we'll catch our riverboat.  While Doug relaxes by the river, Paula takes a wander and ends up at the Cultural Centre, which includes the Queensland Art Gallery, the Gallery of Modern Art, and the State Library of Queensland. The Asia Pacific Triennial of contemporary art exhibition is showing at the Queensland Art Gallery, and it's free!  

It's a fabulous exhibition!  Lucky for Paula. 

Back at the river, our boat arrives and we climb aboard. It's a pleasant 90-minute ride and a nice way to see the city.  But, remember that thing about Brisbane being the "Sunshine City"?  Not today...  While most of the day has been sporadic sun & clouds, about halfway through the river trip it's downright pouring.  The boat crew hastily battens down the hatches.  Just as we dock, though, the rain lets up serendipitously,  and we grab a taxi back to King George Square and hop onto the shuttle to the ship. But we feel satisfied and happy to have had a good experience of Brisbane. 

Goodbye, Crown Princess

It's now our last day at sea ... and our last day of the cruise before docking in Sydney the next morning.  In all honesty, we are really ready to be off the ship by this point.  We've realized that it's actually, probably, most likely, the cabin itself that's making us sick. We start to imagine, if not directly feel, all kinds of mold/mildew/fungus/whatever seeping out of the carpet and into our lungs. We can't get rid of our coughs.  Complaints are circulating about the inadequacies of the ship. Rumors are flying that seven passengers have died!  We've had our share of ups and downs on this voyage, for sure.  By this time, we've accrued nearly $1500 in credit toward a future Princess cruise in compensation for all the "inconveniences" we've endured.  Will we or won't we take the bait?  Remains to be seen  ...

After our final lunch at the "happy to share" table, we spend the rest of the afternoon in our cabin while Paula reads to Doug the essay that appeared in Harper's magazine in 1996, called "Shipping Out," by David Foster Wallace, describing in hilarious detail his weeklong cruise aboard the Celebrity Zenith.  It's all too familiar: the 4-color brochure studded with superlatives like "sublime," "award-winning," "unparalleled," "state-of-the-art," "iconic"; the promise of perpetual pampering; the Professional Smile of the staff and crew; the cabin steward who seems to intuitively know when you've vacated your room, so he can slip in and restore your room to its immaculate shipshape-ness, without ever once being caught in the act; the acres of sunscreen-slathered (and/or tattooed) flesh around the pool(s) on Deck 15; the floating shopping-mall /structured fun opportunities.   Tears of laughter are streaming down our faces as we wind up our Crown Princess Experience.  

Goodbye, Medallion!