Blue Mountains

February 16 & 17 For two days, we enjoyed a Hop on – Hop Off bus around the Blue Mountains to give Gary a break from driving. The bus had 29 stops and covered most of them. We experienced Scenic World and their Railway, Skyway, Cableway and Walkways. We did bushwalks to waterfalls, and cascades. We went to Echo Point, the Aboriginal Culture Center and several of the Blue Mountain communities. At night, we stayed with a delightful lady who’s home was in rural Katoomba. While sitting on her porch, dozens of cockatoo’s would fly overhead. It was yet another delightful Australian Experience. Tuesday afternoon, it was off to Wollongong for our last night in Australia.

Exploring Sydney

February 14& 15, 2015 We had two days to explore downtown Sydney. Saturday was magical as there were weddings everywhere. We took a trip to Darling Harbor to explore and locate where our evening Dinner Cruise would depart from. The cruise was nothing short of exquisite, a fabulous meal, romantic Sydney skyline and great music for dancing. We were the first and last one’s on the dance floor. Sunday, we took the ferry to Circular Quay and throughout Sydney Harbor. We strolled through the craft markets at the Rocks, saw the Chinese warriors that glowed for us the night before and toured the Opera House. Gary also assisted a street performer in front of hundreds. We then drove to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains for two days of exploring this UNESCO site.

Back to Sydney

February 13, 2015 We arrived safely back at Sydney and are staying with a delightful couple. She is American and he is from Austria. They are both very well traveled and quite the hosts. The view from their home looks right at the Opera House. The Prime Minister’s home is two doors down. They greeted us with an Aussie Barbeque on the rooftop where we met their neighbors and watched fireworks go off across the harbor at the “Rocks” district. A little later we saw another Holland America ship pass under the Harbor Bridge and on its way. While the drive was long and hard, the greeting we have received has been magical. Tomorrow we explore Sydney and go on a sunset dinner/dance cruise in the harbor for Valentine’s Day.

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

February 12, 2015 The 14 hour drive getting north was too ambitious for one day so we decided to check-out of our condo a day early and start working our way back south. We stopped at a Koala Sanctuary for some intimate encounters with the local animals. It was the perfect thing to feel like we were experiencing Australia. We fed kangaroo’s held a Koala; saw wombats, platypus, kookaburra, Tasmanian devils, feed lorikeets and so much more. It was an enchanting day despite the rain. We managed to be under cover watching an animal presentation for most of the down pours. The rain just seems to keep following us since Tahiti. After a delightful “Animal Fix” we drove a couple hours south and stayed with an enjoyable nurse in the charming beach town of Palm Springs through a place I found on airbnb.com. This will make the drive back to Sydney tomorrow only nine hours.

Golden Beach, Queensland

February 11, 2015 The sail into Sydney yesterday was amazing. We disembarked the ship and were on the road in great time. The drive north took much longer than we had anticipated because of many construction zones and detours. We were up at 5:00 am and didn’t arrive at the resort until 11:00 pm. Getting accustomed to driving on the opposite side added to the stress of the drive. In addition, I had not realized there is a time change between Sydney and Brisbane. The really sad news is that once again, the the weather didn’t cooperate and not only was I not able to get my last two dives in to complete the certification, but I was also not able to dive the barrier reef at all. Because the drive was so grueling coming up and I knew the dives were not going to happen, we decided to take two days to return to Sydney. We spent today, detoxing and relaxing. The day included a walk on the beach (between showers) and lots of relaxing on our balcony overlooking the water. While I am deeply disappointed that the dive goal will not happen, I will look at it as an excuse that I must return to Australia again in the future. Our time here is definitely not enough to see the country. The journey continues to be such a gift that I must not let the dive frustration get in the way of a wonderful vacation.

Arriving Sydney

February 9, 2015 Tomorrow morning we will complete this portion of our journey when we sail into Sydney Harbor just as the sun is rising. We will dock just opposite the Opera House in the heart of downtown. We have cruised 9,844 nautical miles since leaving Fort Lauderdale 35 days ago. As soon as we clear customs, we will pick-up a rental car and continue on the next leg of our amazing journey as we drive up the coast to Golden Beach in Queensland. Tomorrow will be a very long day. It is a 12 hour drive covering 1,027 Kilometers. Holland America has gone above and beyond to make this a “Grand” cruise. I now understand why 70% of the passengers are staying on for the full 114 days and why many of them have taken this same world cruise numerous times. It has been a wonderful experience and we have met so many new friends. Enjoy a few photos of this elegant ship, always decked out with fresh flowers, smiles and warm greetings from the staff. This ship and cruise has confirmed once again, that we prefer smaller ship sailing.

Bay of Islands

Waitangi, New Zealand February 7, 2015 Our final stop in New Zealand is at the Bay of Islands and the town of Paihia. We took a tour through the countryside where we saw lush hillsides, dairy and sheep farms. Our first stop was the Kawiti Caves where we viewed a glow worm grotto. I was not able to take any photos inside the cave, so the entrance is all I can share. We walked nearly 200 stairs thru the woods. It was well worth the effort. Following the cave we took a snack and restroom break at the interesting town of Kawakawa where a local artist by the name of Hundertwasser has created some interesting art including a restroom that has been featured on several television shows. When he passed, he left all his money to the town. The local officials work very hard to insure his art and memory will live on. The final stop on our tour was the Waimate North Mission House – the second oldest surviving building in New Zealand, built in the 1830’s. The house, church and cemetery were all well kept and filled with interesting history. Once back at Paihia, we wandered around town and through a craft market before catching a tender back to the ship for a fabulous sail-away party that included complimentary New Zealand wines and beer.