Day 22…Circumnavigating the Australian Continent…We’re in Adelaide today…Getting off the ship soon…

Photo of a ship and crane taken from the ship prior to disembarking to see Adelaide, Australia.

“Sightings on the Ship in Australia”

Tiger painting in ship’s art gallery.

As soon as we will upload today’s post, we’ll drop off the laptops at the cabin, pack a small bag with sunglasses, repellent, the camera and an extra camera battery to make our way off the ship and walk to the nearby train station.

We’ll board the train for the 25 minute ride to downtown Adelaide where we’ll wander about taking photos and checking out the historic town, popular among tourists from other parts of Australia as well as those from all over the world.

Its a bright sunny day to get off the ship.  Easy walkway from the ship to the terminal building in Adelaide, Australia.

We can’t believe it’s already Day 22, with 11 more days remaining until the cruise ends in Sydney. Although I was thrown back a bit by the virus I contracted I’m making huge improvements especially after last night’s long sleep.

Although I try to avoid taking Tylenol PM to sleep, last night’s sleep was more important than any concern I may have over taking this relatively effective over-the-counter sleep aid. I took one around 10:30 pm, falling asleep within 20 minutes and a second at 4:00 am when I awoke. 

Overall, I slept more than eight hours, which is more than any night in quite a while.  Please check with your doctor should you decide to use this over-the-counter medication as it is a conflict when taking certain other medications and may be harmful for those with certain conditions.

The onboard Boardwalk Dog House restaurant where Tom’s sampled a few dogs, minus the buns.

Tom is doing well, sitting across from me at the moment, picking away on his keyboard at his favorite sites. We often giggle over how easily we’re entertained aboard ship (and off the ship as well). We’re never at a loss of what to do to keep ourselves busy and entertained.

We’ll be back tomorrow with Adelaide photos, description of the train ride and hopefully much more. Thanks for continuing to follow along with us during these less interesting sea days. 

The past few nights when Tom was hankering for a late night snack he got two bun-less hot dogs. He’s hardly gained any weight on this cruise and has felt better avoiding bread, orange juice and too many sweets.

Over these next 11 days we have six more sea days some of which consist of sailing through Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound and Dusky Sounds in New Zealand which we’d done last January on our way to our three month stay at the alpaca farm. 

Last time we sailed through the sounds it was dark, dreary and rainy. Our photos were hazy and uninteresting.  Hopefully, this time, the weather will cooperate and we’ll be able to share better shots of this amazing area.

Have a great day! We’ll see you tomorrow with new photos of the beautiful city of Adelaide, Australia.

Photo from one year ago today, November 21, 2015:

Handmade fishing and transporting rafts in Urata, Fiji. For more photos, please click here.

Day 21…Circumnavigating the Australian continent…Dodged a bullet!

Duty free alcohol is sold aboard the ship at good prices, but held until the last night of the cruise to prevent passengers from drinking their own alcohol to avoid buying drinks.

“Sighting on the Ship in Australia”

Painting in the art gallery aboard ship.

Two days ago we wrote about how thrilled we were to have avoided getting sick when so many passengers were coughing and sneezing throughout the ship. I spoke too soon. That evening, while at the 70’s music and dancing party in the Centrum, I started feeling an awful tickle in my throat causing me to cough.

By the time we got back to the cabin I knew I was in trouble when my throat became sore, and the tickle turned into all night hacking. Yesterday morning, I awoke feeling lethargic and awful. Throughout the day, it only worsened.

Preparing audio for this morning’s presentation.

By happy hour and dinner time with friends, I announced I was down with something asking everywhere to sit far from me. This was no bout of allergy as Tom’s sniffles may have been. This was a definitely some type of virus.

Instead of drinking wine and playing pool we returned to the cabin right after dinner while I fell into bed concerned I’d be sick for days. Unable to sleep with the worst sore throat I’d had in years, I soon began shivering. A fever had definitely set in.

This morning’s passengers in the Centrum during a “future cruises” presentation.

Not only was I covered by the duvet on the bed, but I added a fluffy white robe and my travel blanket while I finally shivered myself to sleep. The last thing I said to Tom before he nodded off was, “I think I’ll have to go to the ship’s doctor in the morning. This is bad, bad, bad.”

During the day, I’d taken a non drowsy antihistamine, an 8 hour Tylenol and 3 grams Vitamin C (spread throughout the day), hoping to reduce the symptoms. Exhausted, I finally fell asleep. There was another one hour time change resulting in one hour’s less sleep. Id figured I’d be spending the day in the cabin in quarantine if I visited the doctor and the time difference would have little effect.

Then, the weirdest thing happened. This morning, after a fitful night’s sleep, I awoke at 8:00 am (new time) and I am almost totally better. And I mean, better.  No sore throat, no hacking cough, only the slightest runny nose. What??? How did this happen?

Sale in the Centrum Shops when many items are priced at US $10, none of which has any value for us. The shops are open on sea days only.

I wish I could say I’d figured out some magic formula, but I did not. Is there really such a thing as a 36 hour virus? It certainly appeared to be more challenging than the common cold. 

I’m no wuss as many of our long term readers may be well aware. Often, medical care is sketchy in many areas in which we’ve lived and thus far, we’ve been able to treat any conditions on our own that may have arisen over these past years. That may not always be the case, but for now, it’s working. 

I’ve only been to a doctor twice in the past four years, once in Hawaii with what I thought was a UTI and again in Trinity Beach in 2015 when we both had physical exams to discover all was well for both of us, as we’d expected. 

Logo wear teddy bears.  We’ve only seen a few children on this cruise.

Even during the five months of excruciated back pain from the injury in Bali on June 1st, never once did we seek professional medical assistance. Now I’m completely recovered. Had we gone to a hospital or doctor, what would they have done anyway? Narcotics? No thanks. Surgery? No thanks. 

So, today, I’m cautiously optimistic, hoping I’ve indeed dodged a bullet and recovered in a short 36 hours. We’ll see how it goes over the next several days. With 13 nights remaining until the cruise ends, we can only hope we don’t catch any other viruses. 

Since we wash our hands obsessively, we’ve come to the conclusion that the cruise cough/virus syndrome most likely is airborne most likely a result of tight quarters especially in the elevators where escaping germs from coughing and sneezing is impossible.

The stairways are decorated with an array of artwork.

Today is another day at sea with passengers milling around looking for distraction and entertainment. We’re content in our two chairs and tiny table in the Latte tudes Café where once again, by a fluke, we found available seats.

For the first time ever, Tom had breakfast on his own this morning while I held our table in the café. I just didn’t feel like eating. If later in the day, I feel like something, we’ll head to the Windjammer or another dining venue for a bite. There’s no shortage of food around here.

Besides, don’t “they” say, “Feed a cold, starve a fever”  or is it, “Starve a cold, feed a fever?” Never mind. Eat when hungry. That works for me.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, November 20, 2015:

 In Savusavu, Fiji I sat on a bench waiting for Tom to return from the ATM after I’d purchased data from the Vodafone kiosk. He’s on the sidewalk across the street wearing a white shirt, carrying the Costco bag on his right shoulder. For more photos, please click here.

Day 20…Circumnavigating the Australian continent…In the Navy?…Another era…

The seagull is scanning the sea for lunch.

“Sighting on the Ship in Australia”

Artistic rendition in the ship’s art gallery.

With a one hour time change last night, surprisingly, we ended up having had enough sleep for a change. After dining with friends last night, we played a few games of billiards. I lost another one, but it was close. Maybe I will catch up to Tom’s skill level by the time this cruise ends two weeks from today.

After playing pool, we miraculously found two seats at the railing, allowing us to look below to the Centrum where the ship’s staff was performing songs from the 70’s. 

Pristine beach in Perth.
The highlight of the evening’s entertainment was the cruise director and his dance team dressed in appropriate costumes performing Village People’s “In the Navy” which certainly brought back memories for us old timers.  Click this link to jog your memory if you don’t recall this song.
A historic street in Perth.

We were literally dancing in our seats as we leaned over the railing to easily view the hour long show. It would have been an extra bonus to be on the dance floor with the mass of dancing passengers, but our two games of pool, left us too late to find space on the dance floor for us to gyrate along with the others.

The energy of the ship was electrifying, as passengers and staff danced instead of walking while singing along with the plethora of memorable songs from an era most of us recall with endless stories to tell. 

Sushi making demonstration in the Centrum.

It’s amazing how loud music can set the pace if the music elicits memories of another time and places we associate with good times and great experiences. Although Tom and I didn’t meet until 1991, we easily combine our love of old music and dancing that takes us back to another time.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have the camera with us and with the crowds everywhere, we didn’t feel like heading back to the cabin to retrieve it. I’m sure you all “picture” the activities of the loud and wild festivities. It’s one of those things that makes cruising such fun.

Our shipmates, Lois and Tom.

This morning the passengers are quietly commiserating in a wide array of seating areas with little thought of last night’s crazy fun, now sipping coffee and tea instead of last night’s dance-inducing cocktails, beer and wine.

And, here we are once again comfortably situated in Latte tudes Café,  lucky to have found a table which somehow we’ve managed to accomplish each and every day, while many staff members and passengers stop by to chat as they pass. It couldn’t be more pleasurable. We never mind the distractions always taking time to engage in idle conversation with whomever happens to stop by.

Our shipmates, Cheryl and Stan.

Today is another day at sea along with tomorrow while we sail toward Adelaide. We plan to get off the ship to tour the historic city. A few days later we’ll arrive in Melbourne (pronounced “Mel-bun” by Aussies) which we also plan to visit.

The days and nights seem to blend into a mishmash of delightful pastime events. We’re never bored. We spend little, if any, time in the cabin other than for sleeping and dressing for dinner. 

Somehow, as is our collective style, we’re easily entertained, while our mutually gregarious natures ensures we’re never lacking in making new friends while relishing in the companionship of those friendships we’ve already made.

Happy day from this side of the world! Hope it’s a happy day in YOUR location, wherever that may be.


Photo from one year ago today, November 19, 2015:

The bright blue sea in Fiji is indicative of a coral reef of which there are many in this part of the world. For more photos, please click here.

Day 19…Circumnavigating the Australian continent..Seven time changes upcoming!…More Perth photos…Sickness aboard the ship…

Carlo, Michelle, me and Tom at the cruise terminal building in Fremantle, Australia.
“Sighting on the Ship in Australia”
Beautiful artwork in the ship’s art gallery.

We’ve been on this ship for 19 days and there’s still two weeks before it ends. We have had a great experience so far, expecting that the good times will continue until we land in Sydney on December 3rd.

As the circumnavigation of Australia sails along, we’re at a point now where we’ll encounter seven time changes over the next few weeks with the requirement of losing one hour every few nights at 3:00 am, as indicated in the ship’s daily bulletin, the Cruise Compass. Also, as a reminder, they’ll be a reminder notice sitting atop our bed when we return to the cabin each of those nights.

The options in stores in Perth was the proverbial “abundance” we knew in the US.

Gaining an hour during the first week wasn’t nearly as noticeable as is usually the case for most travelers. Losing an hour over these nights, when we already haven’t slept much, will be all the more obvious. But, as always, we roll with time changes and time zones, giving little thought as to what effect this may have on us.

We’ve found the less fuss we make over the potentiality of jet lag the less symptoms we experience. We’ve always discovered that one good night’s sleep, returning to our routines and a bit of sunshine is all we need to stay on course with our biological clocks.

We’re looking forward to shopping and cooking meals again after a hiatus of many months.

Speaking of feeling well, so far, so good. Neither of us have become ill on this cruise. I may be stating this way too early. After all, we still have the equivalent of a full cruise ahead of us.

Many of the approximate 500 passengers from the first leg, still sailing with us back to Sydney, are sneezing and coughing. Tom has had a runny nose for a few days, but we assumed it was allergies when no coughing or sore throat ensued.

This is something new to us, seeing prepared “meals to go” in a shop specializing in this concept. Wow I feel as if I’ve been living in a cave after visiting this huge mall in Perth.

We’ve been far removed from exposure to colds, flus and viruses for so long over this past year, living in areas where the air is fresh, clean and free from smog and dust.  Arriving at all of these industrial ports certainly could trigger allergic reactions for some passengers, including Tom. 

While in Perth a few days ago, we purchased some daytime, non sleepy antihistamines which seem to be helping to alleviate his symptoms. As preventive measures we’ve both been taking probiotics, 3 gr of vitamin C daily (spread throughout the day) and using our own bottles of Nasonex spray twice daily.

Oceanfront view of the Western Australia Maritime Museum in Fremantle.

We’re both diligent in washing our hands dozens of times each day, but continually observe others, even in the restrooms not washing after using the facilities. 

If everyone would wash before and after meals and restroom visits and, after touching railings or any other public areas, covering their mouths and faces when coughing and sneezing and totally avoid touching or shaking hands, there’d be considerably less illness on cruises. 

Across one of many entrances to the harbor in Perth/Fremantle.

If we get sick, it’s usually the “cruise cough,” a relentless virus of one type or another than can persist for months. The worst illness, we’ve experienced from cruising was after the 18-night cruise from Honolulu to Sydney in June 2015. 

That illness was, by far, the worst either of us have experienced in our four years of world travel, lasting for many weeks long after the cruise ended. We were both so sick, we hardly remember arriving in Sydney, flying to Cairns, renting the car and finding our way to the vacation home in Trinity Beach.

Sandy beach in Perth.

Hopefully, we’ll make it through these final two weeks without incident, arriving healthy and fit for our upcoming three months in Tasmania, in two distinct locations. 

People we’ve met have mentioned how they dread the cruise ending, the vacation/holiday ending to return to the “real world” often filled with stress, jobs, piles of bills and mail, tasks and responsibilities. 

Quiet sandy beach in Perth.

We only receive a few pieces of mail each month at our Nevada mailing service, none of which is urgent since we pay insurance and credit cards online. As a result, we never face a “pile of mail.”  We handle everything online with ease as the necessity arises. 

Our “real world” is more world travel, blissfully heading to the next location, the next adventure, the next leg of our worldwide journey. We never forget for one day, how grateful we are to be together, living this fulfilling life filled with one wonder after another.

Main entrance to the Western Australia Maritime Museum.

We hope you have a wonder filled day!

Photo from one year ago today, November 18, 2015:

The Montfort Technical Institute in Savusavu which assists poor children academically and economically to gain skills to prepare them for a productive adulthood. For more photos, please click here.

Day 18…Circumnavigating the Australian continent…Yesterday’s memorable day in Perth with friends…

Carlo and Michelle standing near their Mustang in the port of Perth parking lot.

“Sighting on the Ship in Australia”

Painting of the Statue of Liberty in the art gallery onboard the vessel.

By 9 am, we easily made our way off the ship to wait for Michelle and Carlo to pick us up in front of the passenger cruise terminal in Perth. In the flurry of activity, we did not ask for a description of their car. 

Tom remembers that they had bought a new Mustang from our on-going Facebook contact since we met them on a cruise in April from Sydney to Singapore. In no time, we saw them both come close to us, arms wide open for great Aussie welcomes and embraces.

Lighthouse close to the harbor.

It was a cloudy and rainy day which didn’t put a damper on our day. They took us through many beautiful parts of Perth allowing us to see their beloved town. The dense clouds hindered our views and photos, but at least we got the concept and charm of some of the many highlights of the Twin Cities of Perth and Fremantle. 

Although the photos were not as good as we would have liked the day spent together was without any doubt the biggest point of all. They had both taken a day off to be here, and we appreciate that. 

Boats at the marina.

After a tour through Perth and Fremantle, we ended up in a large shopping mall as big as any major shopping mall in the US. Tom and Carlo joined us at the mall, later taking off to let Michelle and I do some shopping while he took Tom to his jewelry shop where he and his staff make exquisite custom jewelry with gems and fine metals from all over the world. 

I really needed a few clothes and Michelle turned out to be a perfect shopping companion. It had been so long since I’d shopped in a mall of this caliber, let alone with another woman. I felt like a kid in a candy store, my eyes darting about over the massive number of stores, products and concepts, many of them entirely new in my limited exposure to shopping. 

Rain and fog prevented a clear view of downtown Perth.

We darted from shop to shop. In the end, I found four shirts, a belt and pants that met all my expectations. Although each item was more expensive than I would have liked, most were on sale, of very high quality and entirely wash and wear, a must in our world of travel.

A few hours later, the guys returned to the mall, easily found us per Michelle’s call to Carlo and we all had lunch in the food court. We’d wanted to take them to a special restaurant for lunch, but they insisted they’d be thrilled to eat in the food court. Tom was eyeballing the McDonalds restaurant.

Looking at a park we would have walked if it had not been as rainy as possible.

I was worried that I couldn’t find anything that would work for the way I eat. Lo and behold, there were many low carb, gluten free options and I had a delicious salad with salsa, guacamole, chicken salad and veggies that tasted as good as any meal I’d had in years. I couldn’t remember the last time I ate Mexican in a restaurant.

Of course, Tom enjoyed his cheeseburger and McDonald’s fries while the rest of us dined on items from various places. The last time we’d had a meal in a food court was back in the US at least five or six years ago, long before I began this way of eating. 

Swan River in Perth/Fremantle.

The engaging conversations and the day passed quickly. In no time at all we were back at the cruise terminal hugging, taking photos and saying goodbye. How does one say thank you after such a fine day with two kind, generous, and special individuals? We can only hope that someday our paths will cross again.

Back in the terminal, the return process for the back-to-back cruise was quick and painless with no queues, no check in lines and only one fast pass through security with our new SeaPass cards in hand. Soon we were back in our familiar cabin, dressing for the evening and ready for the 5:00 pm muster drill which is required that all consecutive passengers attend.

Fred, Michelle and Carlo’s parrot who lives in Carlo’s jewelry studio. When Fred saw Tom he squawked at him and then said “Fred.”

By 5:30 we were back on the elevator to the 13th floor to see our friends, Lois and Tom and Cheryl and Stan in the Diamond Lounge for more ‘free” drinks, laughter and more of the pure pleasure of spending time with special people.

Top of our ship to the right.

Once again, our travels find us in the position of feeling grateful and in awe of the people we meet, whether they’re local citizens in a remote location, Aussies from the big city like Michelle and Carlo, Kat and John or the four friends as mentioned above from the USA. 

This was CJ (for Carlo Junior), the family’s Char Pei who took a liking to Tom.

The world is a huge place. When we’ve been blessed to meet people along the way, it becomes small and intimate, not so far removed from the life we left  behind many moons ago.

Today, a new 1500 passengers are among us with the remaining almost 500 of us on the back-to-back for a new total of around 2000 passengers. No doubt, the joy of this fabulous cruise will continue over these next 16 days until we eventually dock in Sydney to fly to Tasmania on December 3, 2016. 

Garden at Carlo’s parent’s adjoining property near the studio.

Living this life on the move isn’t always easy. Nor is it a simple process to plan the equivalent of one vacation/holiday after another, year after year, never returning to a “home” to regroup or repack. 

But, it’s the life we’ve chosen and for us, a very happy life filled with endless wonders and surprises, most certainly enhanced by the people we’ve met along the way. 

Jewelry making workshop.

Thank you, people; those we’ve met, those who travel with us via the web each and every day and those whom we’ve yet to meet. Thank you for your kindness, your acceptance and most of all, your love.

Photo from one year ago today, November 17, 2015:

A few boats at the pearl pier in Savusavu, Fiji. For more photos, please click here.

Day 17…Circumnavigating the Australian continent…Visiting Perth and Fremantle today with friends…

The super moon over the sea, of a few nights ago.

“Sighting on the Ship in Australia”

Another beautiful piece of art from the ship art gallery.

The first leg of this 33 night tour of circumventing the Australian continent ends today as the ship docked in the Perth/Fremantle area. At 9:00 am, we’re disembarking the ship with a plan to return in the afternoon long before the ship sets sail on leg #2.

Our friends, Michelle and Carlo will be picking us up at the pier once we disembark the ship. They asked if there was anywhere special we’d like to see. We suggested we go wherever they’d suggest. 

Kat and John live close to Sydney will see us in March when we stay in Manley Beach for 40 nights. They are as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside!

Mostly we’re interested in seeing Fremantle and spending time with them catching up over these past seven months since we sailed together on RC Voyager from Sydney to Singapore in April.

This is William, Kat and John’s six month old adorable boy.

We can’t stop smiling. The routine we’ve established on this ship has been ideal for our tastes and desires. We continually visit with people engaging in the most interesting and varied conversations. We eat, we drink, we play pool and attend some activities with other passengers. 

We dance. We revel in the entertainment that suits us. We dine where and when we desire and then, head to our cabin only after we’ve exhausted every moment of pleasure we’ve been able to glean from our surroundings.

Tom’s steak dinner in Cascades dining room.

Could we sail over longer periods of time, perhaps a 90-day world tour? I don’t think so.The novelty of this long cruise is exactly the right amount. Any longer could take away its  feeling special. But, we’d easily consider another month long cruise in the future. 

When we return to the US  by cruise for the family visit in May, that’s a 24-night cruise with a two day break in Vancouver and then we’re off on the 9-night Alaskan cruise resulting in cruising for 33-nights over a period of 35-nights. In that case, it won’t be quite the same as this consecutive 33-nights, but certainly we expect boat cruises to be time well spent.

My nightly plate of stir fried veggies cooked in butter, which is my only side dish to whatever protein source I’ve ordered. Everything is perfectly prepared to my dietary specifications.

Last night was another of those amazing evenings spent with our friends which we anticipate will continue through this second leg. At this point, we’re considering plans to get together next year, along the way of our travels. Details will follow in the future.

The six of us said our goodbyes to Kat, John and little William whom Tom and I will see in March when we’re in Sydney (Manly Beach) for 40-nights. We’ve all exchanged email and Facebook info ensuring we’ll easily stay in touch.

My plate of garlic butter prawns.

Up early this morning, by 6:45 am, I’d saved us seats in the “Latte thuds” café while Tom showered and dressed. This has been and will continue to be our favorite spot on the ship when preparing the post or conducting other online activities. 

Tom visited the 13th floor to the Diamond Lounge to get us each big cup of the complimentary latte offered to Diamond Club members, another of the rewards perks we’ve accumulated as frequent cruisers on Royal Caribbean. With Celebrity and RC owned by the same corporation, these benefits are carried over when we cruise on either line. 

Many evenings after dinner, we stop at the Schooner Bar for entertainment. These two performers are excellent.

We won’t be posting the final expenses and bills (we’ll receive two, one for each leg of the cruise) until the last day at the end of the second leg on December 3rd. We were pleasantly surprised by our modest bill for the first 16 nights of this cruise.

Soon, prior to 9:00 am, as required for back-to-back passengers, we’ll disembark the cruise, to find Michelle and Carlo awaiting us at the pier as we’ll spend the day. 

The city of Geraldton, Australia, where the ship anchored yesterday. With little to do in this small town, we stayed aboard the ship and played pool. Tom is now ahead by four games.  He’s improving  much more rapidly than I. As competitive as we are when playing any game together, I’d better get “on the stick.”

It’s an overcast day forecast for rain so I doubt we’ll be spending much time outdoors, instead exploring Australia’s Twin Cities of Perth/Fremantle, not unlike our former Twin Cities in Minnesota of Minneapolis/St. Paul.

We’ll be back tomorrow with new photos of Perth/Fremantle, new stories and the continuation of this glorious cruise aboard Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas.

Have a glorious day!

Photo from one year ago today, November 16, 2015:

Too often, we’ve been sightseeing on rainy days such as this day one year ago in Fiji.  Photos are much more appealing on sunny days.For more photos, and a review of our travel criteria, please click here.

Day 16…Circumnavigting the Australian continent…Consecutive cruising instructions…Super Moon from sea…

Tom’s final photo of the sunset as we board for our next destination.

“Sighting on the Ship in Australia”

This interpretation of the artist in the ship’s art gallery reminded us of Halloween, the day we got this ship in Sydney, our four-year anniversary of traveling the world.

Yesterday at 1 pm a special meeting was held for the under 500 passengers on this 2500 capacity ship who are continuing on the back-to-back portion of the 33-night circumvention of the Australian continent. 

Although it may seem staying on the ship may be as simple a process of receiving a new SeaPass card, it’s much more complicated for both security and immigration purposes.

In parts, hot Port Hedland felt like the Mohave desert in the US.

Luckily, we don’t have to change cabins as some passengers do when they booked too late to stay in the same cabin. However, we either have to be off the ship by 9:00 am to be out of the way of the final disembarkation of the remaining 2000 passengers, or, we have to stay onboard tucked away in a lounge until the ship is cleared several hours later. 

The Woolworth’s grocery in Port Hedland could have been a market anywhere in the world. We noticed Christmas products already for sale.

We understand and appreciate the need for these strict regulations to ensure no one gets onto the ship that shouldn’t be doing so. Plus, the ship’s immigration staff has made the immigration process easy for those of us continuing on this second leg ending in Sydney on December 3rd.

Once again, safari luck prevails, and new friends, Michelle and Carlo, whom we met on RC Voyager of the Seas this past April are picking us up tomorrow to spend the day with them in Perth/Fremantle.  We’re so appreciative and excited to spend the day with this lovely couple in their beloved home city.

Industrial salt mining in Port Hedland.

When we return to the ship in the afternoon, we’ll be able to avoid the usual checking in process for the cruise or going through customs or immigration, other than to pick up our new SeaPass cards awaiting us at a designated area for those on the consecutive cruises. 

Huge freighters at the port soon to depart.

Our new friends aboard this ship, Lois and Tom and Cheryl and Stan, are also continuing on to Sydney with us.  The nightly activities will continue. And, although there will be a totally new group of 2000 passengers boarding in Perth, all of us have agreed we want to continue to enjoy our evenings together both at happy hour in the Diamond Club lounge where we partake of the free cocktails nightly and later at dinner in the Cascades dining room.

With two empty dining room seats opening up at our standing table for eight, after Kat and John will disembark in Perth tomorrow, and with the addition of all these new people, we’ve agreed to find two new table mates, if possible, for this remaining 17 days. 

More enormous freighters.

It won’t be easy to replace Kat, John and little William but we’ll see how it goes. We plan to see them when we spend the upcoming 40 days in Sydney beginning on March 13, 2017. Here again, it adds so much to the upcoming stay knowing we have new friends nearby.

Equipment at the port used in the mining business.

Recently, we’d both read dozens of reviews written by Amazon readers regarding a book written by temporary world travelers. A comment made over and over again by the readers was how annoyed they were when the authors constantly described their gatherings with friends they met in their travels or, had previously known.

Many tugboats were ready to assist.

We apologize if we’ve been a bit “overly bubbly” about our new friends. After four years of travel, most of it has been spent blissfully alone together. However, without access to friends with whom we may have some common interests, cruises have proven to be a refreshing adjunct to our lives on the move. 

Please bear with us. Within 18 days we’ll be in Tasmania, setting up housekeeping once again in two separate locations at six weeks each, and living life on our terms, always hopeful of making new friends but often not in an ideal scenario to do so. We’ve easily become adapted to “just the two of us” but it’s certainly enhances our experiences when we make friends along the way

The sunlight reflecting on the sea.

We’ve arrived in Geraldton, Australia. The queues to board the tender boats appear to require a four hour wait. Based on the few sites in the small town of under 30,000, we may stay on the ship today knowing tomorrow will be a busy day in Perth.

Have a busy day doing that which brings you bliss! 👫

Photo from one year ago today, November 15, 2015:

Beautiful tree hanging over the inlet, we spotted when we visited the village of Vuodomo in Fiji.   For more photos, please click here.

Day 15…Circumnavigting the Australian continent…Port Hedland, Australia…Horrific earthquakes in NZ, exactly where we’re headed…

Most major resource areas and populated cities in Australia are close to the sea.
“Sighting on the Ship in Australia”
Unusual decanter.
Yesterday, when the ship docked at Port Hedland we were enthused to get off the ship to check out the world renowned port, the largest bulk tonnage export port in the world. 
As appealing as the port itself is, tourists aren’t allowed to wander about to explore. All our pictures were taken on a bus. 
Port Hedland is a mining town.

With little sightseeing in the mining town, we decided to take the free shuttle bus to the last stop, along with many other passengers to stop at a shopping mall to see what the town has to offer.

The mall was comparable to that found in many small towns; market, pharmacy, salon, computer store and hardware and appliance shop. We’d hoped to find a men’s and women’s clothing store to purchase a few items since after unpacking I began to realize I just don’t have quite enough of the right clothes needed for the second leg of the cruise. Tom needs some shirts, too.
The shipyard.

Having tossed a number of old and worn items, we’re both getting down to the barest of bones in our wardrobes which became more evident during this cruise, especially unable to freely wash our clothing. Every evening its a “social event” and we just don’t have enough variety for this lengthy 33 night cruise.

There wasn’t a clothing store in Port Hedland so tomorrow when we disembark in Geraldton to head to town, it appears we may have a more luck in finding a few stores there with a population of twice the size of Port Hedland. After looking on the Internet, we found two shopping malls.
 
 
                        When we got down the steep ramp, we walked towards the buses.

As for Port Hedland, we were surprised that we had never heard of this major export port. Here are a couple of things about Port Hedland, Australia:

    • Known as Marapikurrinya by the local Indigenous people
    • Has a population of approximately 20,000, with a growth rate of 5.5%
    • Is the world’s largest bulk tonnage export port, exporting 372.3 million tonnes per annum, an increase of 29% from last year’s throughout contributes 14% or $4 billion to the Pilbara’s Gross Regional Product
    • Is a melting pot of over an estimated 72 nationalities and cultures.

As much as we’re enjoying each day aboard the ship, it felt good to find ourselves on land. Many passengers were commenting about how hot it was but we found it only noticeable while standing in the sun as we waited to make our way down the very steep gangplanks to the waiting area for the buses. Have we actually become used to the heat after all these years? 

We were surprised by the steep level of this gangplank when so many passengers are disabled seniors.  It took a while to get the passenger off the ship. Thank goodness, my back is completely better. Only weeks ago, I’d have had trouble maneuvering this steep ramp.  Yesterday, it was a breeze.

As it turned out we spent more time getting into and out of the buses than we spent  on the bus or in the town. We’d shopped in the Woolworth’s market for baking soda and coconut oil, which were hard to find in Bali, both of which we use for dental maintenance.  Once we arrive in Tasmania, we won’t have trouble finding any products we use regularly.

Returning to the ship by 1:00 pm and with no movie playing we wanted to see, we languished in the coffee shop, chatting with our shipmates while browsing for future travels with the good Wi-Fi connection we’ve had on this ship.

It was obvious we were docked in a very busy and important port.

Last night, after happy hour and dinner with our friends, we played pool once again. Now, Tom is ahead by one game. Both highly competitive I can’t wait to try to beat him tonight. His learning curve seems to be much more advanced than mine. I’d better pick up the pace.

After playing pool we found good seats in the Centrum area for the evening’s dance party. Since we both prefer “dance” music as opposed to loud rock and roll, we didn’t dance. 

There are a number of modest mobile home buildings near the port.

Neither of us hesitates to get out on the dance floor  when our favorite types of dance music are playing. It seems the Aussies are more prone to dance to rock and roll. By midnight we wandered back to our cabin where we both had a decent night’s sleep. 

Just as we were about to upload this post, we heard about a huge earthquake in New Zealand, where we’re headed on the next leg of this cruise. We’re scheduled to sail to Wellington, NZ where two people were killed in a 7.8 magnitude earthquake. Our prayers for the families of the lost souls and the safety of our New Zealand friends.  Click here for details. 

A flea market type area set up for cruise passengers where trinkets are sold. With no interest in these types of items, we didn’t get off the bus at this stop.

Most likely, today, we’ll hear from the captain on a possible change of itinerary when we doubt we’ll be heading to Wellington after this devastating event. We’ll keep our readers updated. 

Be safe.Photo from one year ago today, November 14, 2015:

In Fiji, a creek with hand made rafts used for transporting locally grown produce and for fishing. For more photos, please click here.
 

Day 14…Circumnavigating the Australian continent….Photo of our new friends!…Off the ship today at Port Hedland…

Our new friends from top, left to right, John and Kat from Australia, Cheryl and Stan and  Lois and Tom from the US and the two of us.

Sighting on the Ship in Australia”

Unusual piece of art on the wall in a lounge corner.

Last night, again, we had a very good time with our new friends, presented in today’s main photo. We all settled down in a fabulous routine of spending nights together.

When we started sailing, we knew we weren’t necessarily going out with the same people night after night. However, after making friends with these wonderful couples its been so much fun we have no interest in changing the routine.

Cake decoration in the Centrum had the crowd howling when the chefs and cruise directors threw icing at one another.

Laughter, conversation, camaraderie and shared interests kept this group completely committed to spending this time together. We all wonder how close we have become in such a short time, hoping that plans to meet in the future, long after this 33-night cruise ends.

The young couple in the above photo, Kat and John with their adorable six month old son, William are disembarking in Perth on Day 17th, while the rest of our group stays aboard for the remaining second leg, ending on December 3rd.

With the huge numbers of passengers watching, it was hard to get close for good photos.

This cruise, back to back, consists of two cruises that run simultaneously from October 31 to December 3, 2016. Only 500 of us passengers out of a total of about 2500, are actually staying through all the Australia bypass.

There’s an immigration process involved in making the transition from the first to the second leg which was started yesterday when we were assigned a time slot to meet with immigration officials who’d boarded the ship to aid in this process.

During the frosting tossing.


The ship staff works hard to ensure this transition is as smooth and seamless for passengers as possible. Other than spending about 30 minutes in line yesterday morning while our passports were processed, its expected to be relatively painless.

This morning we’ve arrived in Port Hedland, Australia, the largest town in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Once we’ve uploaded today’s post, we’ll disembark the ship and take the free shuttle to the town where we’ll walk and take photos we’ll share tomorrow.

Fun was had by all during the presentation.

Have a beautiful day! We’ll be thinking of all of you!

Photo from one year ago today, November 13, 2015:

A mooring spot for the locals in Fiji.  For more details, please click here.

Day 13…Circumnavigating the Australian continent….Best international pricing for rental cars…One last tip for Elaine…

Colorful parasails in Bali.

“Sightings on the Ship in Australia”

View of the ceiling and elevators in the Centrum area.

When our loyal reader Elaine wrote explaining she and her husband had sold their home and stored many of their belongings to begin a two year world travel adventure, we wrote back and asked if we could share her questions with all of our readers worldwide.

When she graciously agreed, the past two days, we posted both her questions and our answers which can be found at these two links, if you haven’t seen them as yet:
 
Post #1:  https://www.worldwidewaftage.com/2016/11/day-11circumventing-australian.html
Post #2:  https://www.worldwidewaftage.com/2016/11/day-12circumventing-australian.html

Tender boats taking passengers ashore in Bali yesterday.

Today, we’re adding information about what we’ve chosen to do about renting cars while we travel the world which has encompassed the following questions for us along the way:
1.  Will we need a car? Can we use taxis for tours, shopping and various outings? 
Answer:  Not every area is suitable for calling taxis. For example, in Madeira, Portugal, we’d researched to discover that in the area in which we lived, Campanario, few taxis were available which could result in high costs and long waits when ordering a taxi.  In the remote location of Pacific Harbour, Fiji, a popular tourist area on the island of Viti Levu,  taxis were readily available with very low rates to most locations, usually under US $5, AU $6.63. With the high costs of rental cars in that location, it made more sense to use taxis. We selected a reputable company online that serviced all of our needs.

2.  What is the cost of using taxis or drivers in any particular area in which we may be living?
Answer:  As stated above taxis fares vary greatly all over the world.  When a driver option is available through the owners of a vacation/holiday home, it’s important to ask rates long before arrival to be able to make a determination as to whether the driver, a separate taxi company or a rental car would be most suitable and affordable. If you’re the type of traveler to go out on long drives, day after day, a rental car is usually the best option. For us, who ventures out about three times a week, we’ve always conducted a cost analysis in order to decide our best route. Long ago, we were willing to forgo a feeling of being trapped without a car in the driveway. Now, it doesn’t bother us at all, especially when a quick call or email brings a taxi to our door within minutes or when we can pre-arrange longer outings as desired.

Passengers parasailing in Bali.  Photos taken from our veranda.

3.  Is driving a rental car safe in some high risk areas? 
Answer: In some countries using a regular driver was a safer option than renting a car, for example in Kenya, where carjacking is a common occurrence even in the most upscale resort areas.  One must consider the crime rates in the area/country before deciding to rent a car. This information is readily available online with a few minutes of research.

4.  What is the cost to rent a car which must be large enough to fit our three large bags, three carry on  bags leaving us comfortable seating?
Answer:  Rental car rates are either affordable in an area or not. In Belize it was US $3,000, AU $3,977 or more for a month. If we’d used a taxi every single day it never would have been one fourth of that rate. We opted for selecting one regular driver with whom we felt most comfortable, tipping him generously at the end of our stay.

This looked like fun, for some.  I must admit, it doesn’t appeal to me, but Tom would like it.

5.  Will both of us be able to drive the car?  Is there an extra charge to add me to the contract?
Answer: In many cases its as much as additional US $10, AU $13.26 per day to add a second driver to the contract. It’s not worth it to us to spend the extra sum when the only time I’d go off on my own would be to grocery shop. As a result, Tom drives me to the market and either joins in on the shopping or reads a book on his phone while waiting in the car. It works for us and we save considerable sums each year. In some cases, such as in Hawaii, there was no additional cost for a second driver. It’s important to verify this information in advance if it’s necessary for two or more drivers to drive the vehicle.

6.  What about liability and car insurance, especially when we don’t own a car of our own? How do we handle the insurance?
Answer: Some credit cards provide insurance for the vehicle if the rental included using the credit card to pay for the rental. This is the case for all of our rentals. Please check with your credit card company as to its particular provisions and rules. Also, our “renter’s insurance” which covers our personal belongings (luggage) includes liability insurance.

Towel penguin on the bed last night.

7.  How does one decide on which rental car company to use?

What site(s) do we use that offer the best pricing, guidelines and customer service? 
Answer: During the first year of our travels we conducted considerable research in order to settle on to an online resource we found best served our needs. This was a time consuming process.  We landed on rentalcars.com which ultimately proved to provide the best pricing, cars and service, especially when it comes to long term rentals such as ours. However, this international service can fulfill and often beat pricing over many other online rental sites.  We usually end up using Europcar.com which were directed through a search through rentalcars.com. If we’d contacted Europcar.com directly, we’d pay a higher price. This is important. Don’t be tempted to go directly to the company for pricing. You’ll rarely be offered a better price. The exception to this will only occur while picking up the car and they offer an additional promo for an upgrade which we’ve accepted on a few occasions. In some cases, we’ve been offered a less costly car than we originally selected, at an even lower price when they see the extended period of the rental. Undoubtedly, over time, one becomes more experienced in this process, ultimately saving money and time.

Heights, falling in the sea?  Not for me, thanks.

Hopefully, this information may be found to be helpful for some of our traveling friends, especially those considering longer trips or extended periods of world travel.

Please don’t hesitate to comment at the end of this or any post if you have questions or concerns. We’re always happy to assist.

We continue to hang out with our wonderful group of new friends each evening for happy hour in the Diamond Club and later for dinner. These past few nights, after dinner when they’ve wandered off to their cabins for the evening, Tom and I have headed to the self leveling pool tables to play. As competitive as we are and as lousy a pool player as I am, somehow I’m ahead. Go figure. 

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, November 12, 2015:

In Fiji one year ago, our single house was located in the far right of this photo, down from the house above that has three rentals, a huge upper floor and two good sized lower apartments. For more details, please click here.