Annual musical event in Penguin…A night to remember…The remnants of having household assistance…

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Terry, at the band concert. He didn’t learn how to play sax until a couple weeks ago! 

It’s ironic that a year ago today while we were in Fiji, we wrote about working out at health clubs as we travel the world. I had hoped to join a club here, but for the last nine days, since we arrived in Tasmania, we’ve been so busy that it hasn’t turned out. 

Zooming in from the fourth to last row in the theatre, I was able to get this shot of Terry (without flash) during his part of the performance.

Instead, we are doing a lot of walking although we need to pick up the pace. There are too many things to see in Penguin that keep us from taking a quick stroll as we continue to stop to look, take pictures and chat with locals.

View from Marge’s living room window in Burnie.

Then, suddenly, we do laundry, shopping, cooking, making the bed and cleaning after ourselves after a long hiatus from the housekeeping help included in our rent. Is that exercise?

Have we become a little lazy? I don’t think so, nor do I beat myself up when five of the seven or more months we had household help (and didn’t cook either) while I was suffering with the injury to my spine is now totally healed and pain free. 

Too cute!  Marge and Terry pose for the camera.

Even today, the penguin house will be cleaned for us. I ran around last night and this morning cleaning up clutter to ensure nothing is in the way. I stripped the bedding, started a load of laundry hanging it outside when done, emptied the dishwasher and showered and dressed.

This lemon tree, next door to Terry’s mother-in-law Marge’s home had the biggest lemons we’d ever seen.

With the thought in mind that we have an 11:00 am appointment to visit a local B & B belonging to Terry’s next door neighbor Gerard, whom we met a few days ago when he and Terry stopped by for a hello, I felt a need to get moving very early this morning. 

Our intention on the road is to promote local businesses wherever possible. Some of our worldwide readers may choose a holiday/vacation, in locales in which we’ve lived considering some of the recommendations we may have rendered along the way.

Burnie Regional Museum.

Over these past four plus years, our philosophy has been to only highlight those businesses and events that we’ve found pleasing. We’re not here to bash a single visit to a restaurant, barber shop, market, shop or other venue. 

If we don’t care for the quality of an experience, we don’t say much, if anything at all. Maybe it was an off-day. Who are we to criticize the owner and staff of a hard-working establishment that may have trouble running a business? 

Terry has owned this sax with case for the past 50 years and only a few weeks ago learned to play for the Burnie Civic Center 30th Celebration Concert.

We do not post negative comments on TripAdvisor or other travel-related websites. Didn’t enjoy the experience? Mums, the word from us. We realize that other travelers desire to read honest negative reviews about traveler’s experiences and we appreciate that. There are others who gladly write their negative opinions on any experience they may have had, on any of the reviewing-type web sites.

 There are varying levels of experience in the wide array of groups, including the above adult learners (as shown in this phot0), junior band, junior learners band and senior band.

If we have a bad experience, we don’t ignore it. Instead of writing a review, we contact the owner by email to explain our experience. We avoid asking for any compensation which we’ve found enhances the validity of our opinions. It’s not a perfect system, but it works for us.

As we busily attend one Penguin event after another we’ve found ourselves thoroughly and genuinely enjoying each experience. The charming demeanor of the locals and their businesses readily presenting the “small town” feel has left us reeling with a pure sense of belonging while in awe of its special people.

Musicians were highlighted by special performances.

Yesterday, we attended the weekly Sunday Penguin Market, open from 9 am to 3:00 pm each week. Although only a few farmers were in attendance, offering produce for sale, overall the market revolves around handmade merchandise, antiques and unique items. Soon, we’ll share those photos.

After the market, we visited a local park only walking distance from our vacation home for more beautiful photos. In time, we’ll share those as well. We’d considered taking another drive to the countryside, but decided to spend the rest of the day at “home” which we haven’t done since our arrival with the exception of one rainy day.

The Segway singers performed a few times.

Gosh, dear readers, we’re trying to stay on top of events verses posted photos but it’s just not possible. Each day presents one, two or more photo worthy experiences which we attempt to share as quickly as possible. 

We’re still behind on posting photos of the countryside from our drive from Hobart to Penguin over a period of two days.

They come to you in time, along with amazing countryside photos we took in the area only a few days ago. Please bear with us. 

David Turner is the musical director and is very talented.

On Saturday night, we attended the Burnie Civic Centers 30th Celebration Concert as we mentioned in a prior post. Terry, our landlord, an experienced musician (among his many other talents) had learned to play a saxophone only weeks ago for this special presentation. He, among, many other musicians, from grade school aged kids to seniors put on quite a performance. 

Georgia, a talented young lady performed a solo.

It started at 7:30 pm, ending three hours later. It was a long time for us to sit still but we managed and had a great time. We drove with Terry in his well maintained 33-year old car. On the way we picked up his lovely mother-in-law, Marge and we all attended the event together.

After the event ended, Terry showed us a few houses elaborately decorated for Christmas each year that he thought we’d enjoy. As we drove up to the first of three houses, my energy level increased at the prospect of taking photos of these colorful displays. Here again, photos will follow.

David, the musical director and his son Nick performed the Cat Stevens song, Father Son.  Well done!

As I hurry along to complete today’s post in plenty of time for our 11:00 am meeting at Gerard’s B & B, Tom’s watching the Minnesota Vikings Game. It’s in the 4th quarter and at the moment the Vikings are ahead.  \We’ll see how that goes by the time, we’re done here today.

Have a fabulous day! Thanks for traveling along with us!  (BTW, the Vikings won!

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

Wherever we may travel water views always present a photo op and scenes we love including this pond at the Pacific Harbour, Fiji Arts Centre. For more photos, please click here.

Another busy day in Tasmania…This region keeps giving and giving…

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Upside down Christmas tree exhibited at the Makers Workshop.

Yesterday morning, after uploading the post, we took advantage of a beautiful sunny day and headed on foot to the local IGA market down the road, a pleasant 15 minutes leisurely walk.

Papermaking display area. What’s that Christmas tree on the right doing upside down? Check today’s main photo for details.

I say “leisurely walk” since it’s impossible for us to walk down the cheerful and interesting Main Road in Penguin without stopping to window shop, talking to passing locals and gazing out at the crystal blue sea.

Beach view on the way to Burnie, Tasmania on the cloudy day we visited Makers Workshop.

Along the way, we stopped at the Madsen Hotel, a popular spot for tourists to stay in the center of town and met the owner, a former prince of Laos, to arrange a future get together for a tour of his charming boutique hotel after the busy holidays have ended.

Upon entering the Makers Workshop, a tractor, and hand carved figures above.

From there, we meandered down the road to the five (or six) aisle market for a few items we needed before embarking on our next weekly shopping trip to Ulverstone. We needed baking soda to use when brushing our teeth, but after checking two markets in town we weren’t able to find any in Penguin. Most likely we’ll find it at Woolies in the next few days.

Custom made paper rolls at least two meters tall.

We took a few photos, we checked out the baked goods at the bakery (Tom didn’t buy anything) and we stopped at the pharmacy for a few toiletries. Each stop we made, left us walking out the door, smiling over the friendly and kind shopkeepers and other shoppers, always quick with a genuine hello and words of welcome.

Paper Mache displays.

Once back “home,” realizing that Tom does like some downtime, I hesitated to ask if we could jump in the car and drive around the Penguin area to explore  neighborhoods we’d yet to see. I gingerly mentioned the prospect anyway and he was thrilled to do so. 

Woodworking… Making musical instruments.

Moments later, we were perusing neighborhoods, admiring the variety of styles of homes, rarely two looking alike. As charming as Penguin is, there’s nothing “cookie cutter” about it, not its buildings in the center of town, not its homes, and most of all, not in its people.

Custom made costume jewelry display.

The only commonalities they share is their pleasing Aussie accents, their inborn friendly personas and their mutual love of their state and town, qualities that couldn’t be more appealing. 

Exquisite handmade violins.

Ah, would that all citizens of the world felt such innate passion for their homeland and one another.  What a world this would be! No doubt, living in Tasmania is far removed from the education we’ve gleaned living in undeveloped countries with a plethora of cultural differences.

This appeared to be a giant roll of toilet paper when in fact, it was a thick paper.

However, these resourceful, practical and earth friendly people can teach us so much about their gentle ways. And, its this varied knowledge and experience that rounds out the vast opportunities in ways we never imagined for our continuing personal growth as we carry on in our world travels.

Potatoes made of wood on display.

In no time at all, we found ourselves driving into the countryside where one farm after another dotted the landscape of rolling hills, mountain and sea views. We even stopped to take a video of tall grass “rolling” in the wind. We’d never done this in the past. Soon, we’ll post that video.

A bell, the lower half of a clock.

Moving grass? Video worthy? Yes! It’s all a part of the adventure of embracing Mother Nature in every way possible. She has so much to offer and we only need stop, take a deep breath, tune our ears to the sounds, our sense of smell to the wafting aromas of the countryside and the never ending sights so pleasing to the eye.

Attire from another era made in Paper Mache.

Back later in the afternoon, armed with loads of photos and stories piling up that we’re anxious to share, we attempt to complete where we left off in yesterday’s post with the final photos of our visit to Makers Workshop.

Gingerbread houses and supplies for sale.

In the evening, Terry picked us up to take us to Burnie where we collected his sweet mother-in-law Marge and the four of us headed to the Burnie Civic Center where Terry was playing saxophone with the Burnie Concert Band. 

We aren’t sure what these are.  Any comments?

It was a delightful day and evening for which we look forward to sharing many photos of the details along the way; beautiful horses, buying walnuts from a nut farm, sheep munching on trees, homes decorated for Christmas and a concert we’ll always remember.

Lumber mill on the return drive from Burnie to Penguin.

A special thank you to all of our new readers from the recent cruise and, all of our new readers from Australia, Tasmania, and Penguin as we see our numbers grow to record breaking heights.

We appreciate each and every one of YOU!

Photo from one year ago today, December 11, 2015:

The market in the Arts Village in Pacific Harbour, Fiji had only a few items suitable for our diet, but could be ideal for others with lots of “western” snacks, chips, soda and other processed and packaged items. They didn’t sell real butter, only tub margarine, which we don’t eat. For more details, please click here.

Makers Workshop…Burnie, Tasmania…Another wonder in this special area…

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Locally crafted dress made of paper.

We’d planned to lay low for a few days to recover from the early mornings and late nights on the 33 night cruise which ended a week ago today. It hasn’t been possible. We’re entranced by Penguin and its nearby towns.

We’d considered buying cheese at the Makers Workshop but instead, yesterday we placed an order to be shipped to us in Penguin from the cheese factory, Pyengana Dairy, that we visited on our way from St. Helens to Penguin last Sunday. We’d purchased a block of caraway cheddar and were hooked. It was the most delicious cheese we’d ever had.  We ordered three kilos which should arrive in a week, especially now that I won’t be baking a sugary treat for Tom.

This amazing small town and surroundings has kept us heading out the door as often as possible to see yet another interesting aspect of this quaint community and its nearby towns each with their own personality. 

Dairy farming is prevalent in this region.

The only day we stayed in it was pouring rain, cold and windy. As we acclimate to cooler weather after spending the past several years in tropical climates, this 18C, 64F, requires a bit of adjustment. We don’t wear our jackets when going out in an attempt to toughen up a bit. But, we do wear our newly purchased flannel shirts with layers.

We’d hoped to find caraway cheddar here, but none was available, resulting in the order we placed from the above mentioned dairy.

A few days ago, we headed to the neighboring town of Burnie, a pleasant 20 minute drive from Penguin on the oceanfront road which has proven to be a worthwhile scenic means of traveling from town to town along the ocean as opposed to taking the quicker inland highway. Who’s in a hurry?  Certainly, not us.

Locally made wines, olive oils, jams, jelly and condiments are offered for sale at Makers Workshop.

Burnie has a population of 25,000 as opposed to Penguin’s less than 4,000. As we made our way to Burnie as mentioned in a post of a few days ago to head to the Harvey Norman store for a computer power cord, we were amazed by the highway complex in the relatively small town.

Many possible holiday gifts are available at the Makers Workshop.

The downtown area was impressive in size with multiple shopping options, although parking was at a premium and we had little interest in walking in the rain and wind with neither of us wearing coats.  Instead, after purchasing the replacement power cord, we headed to Makers Workshop as planned and suggested by Terry, described below from this website:
 
Burnie’s newest visitor attraction Makers’ Workshop is a place that honors Burnie’s history, makers, innovators and artists. Opened in November 2009 this contemporary structure is a new concept for Burnie, part contemporary museum, part arts center and visitor information center. The building won the Tasmanian Architectural Award in May 2010.

Locally made wines and waters.

Volunteers at the information counter will help you find your way around Burnie and beyond.You can shop for some interesting locally made gifts and mementoes in the gift shop or check out the latest Tasmanian exhibition in the gallery.

You are invited to try your hand at making paper under the guidance of experienced and informative paper makers. Depending on the day, there may be one or several makers working on site, producing any number of interesting things.

Handcrafted cutting boards and cooking planks.  These were hard for me to resist. But there’s no room in our luggage for wood.

You are encouraged to meet the makers and have a chat about what they’re making or see their objects for sale in the gift shop. Discover what makes Burnie tick from the interpretive displays or simply appreciate the stunning giant sepia images taken by Wolfgang Seivers, still recognized as one of the world’s finest industrial and architectural photographers.

Grab a coffee, a plate of fresh local fare or enjoy an all day breakfast and reflect while enjoying the view. ”

More expertly crafted wood products, some for the kitchen, some as decorator items and some toys.

The moment we entered the architecturally interesting building, our eyes widened in wonder of the impressive décor, design and wide array of options to peruse. Our plan was to take photos, which we’d done enthusiastically while wandering through the massive building to investigate the purpose and intent of this well planned venue for both locals and tourists alike.

Another woodworking display, including this necklace, coasters and candle holders.

Although there are many items one could purchase, all but a few were geared toward those “with a home” to adorn with the creative and artfully made and manufactured products, many handmade on the premises. 

Extensive display of more appealing wood products.

Of course, we don’t qualify to make such purchases, but over these past four plus years we’ve learned to become avid window shoppers, inspecting each item with enthusiasm and appreciation for quality workmanship and the dedication exercised by each craftsperson. How we admire such skills!

Adorable handmade dolls in felt-like pockets.

We wandered from area to area occasionally chatting with a vendor while they worked and yet remained sensitive to the fact that many were engrossed in their particular area of expertise.

Poppy/opium is farmed in Tasmania for medicinal purposes accounting for 50% of the world’s product.

Over the next few days, we’ll continue to share photos from the Makers Workshop. We can’t help but encourage tourists and locals who’ve yet to visit this unique space to head to Burnie for an interesting (no entrance fee required) look at this impressive concept. Ample free parking is available.

Decorative waterfall at office building in Burnie.

Speaking of Burnie, tonight we’re headed to a concert in Burnie with Terry, our new friend and landlord and his mother-in-law.  He’s playing in the concert and we couldn’t resist the opportunity to watch him and many others perform. Photos will follow! Please check back!

Ferry in Burnie, Tasmania. Many ferries are available in Tasmania for passengers, cars and shipping purposes.

Be well.  Be happy.

Photo from one year ago today, December 9, 2015:

A resort in the Pacific Harbour area in Fiji was in the process of renovation. For more photos and details, please click here.

A local annual holiday event in Penguin…Penguin Surf Club…Locally owned business…

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This health and wellbeing exhibit by Belinda at Natural Intuition caught my attention.
To contact Belinda, email her at:  naturalintuitionwellness@gmail.com The little case in the center of the display was filled with therapeutic grade essential oils. If I had space in my luggage, I would have wanted one. Again, practicality prevails. We had a chance to chat with Belinda. She was warm and welcoming and we enjoyed every moment. Had she not be going to Queensland for the holiday, we have no doubt we’d have been getting together. 
Another view of Belinda’s health and wellness display.

When Terry, our new friend and landlord, dropped off a flyer for the Penguin Surf Club Christmas Market occurring on Thursday evening from 5:30 to 8:30 pm, we were excited at the prospect of attending.

Upon entering the Penguin Surf Club we knew we were in for a treat.

Although we had no intention of making any purchases at this local annual holiday gift and arts and crafts sales event, we thought it would be fun to mingle with the locals and take photos.

Handmade aprons, pot holders and more filled this area.
We chatted with Leone, the local rep for Tupperware.  She was delightful and welcoming us to her town. There was an item here, I’d have loved to purchase, that red pull chopper. Again, no room in the luggage for kitchen gadgets. To reach Leone for Tupperware, call her at 040-921-7730. 

We’d already purchased all the Christmas gifts for our six grandchildren in the US. Long ago, we’d decided to forgo gifts between us and our adult children due to the inconvenience of receiving, shipping and purchasing items from around the world.

Adorable flannel its including baby blankets and bibs.
A variety of locally made olive oil and products filled this pretty table.

For the grandchildren, we always purchase items and gift cards from US vendors making returns simple and uncomplicated. Within 24 hours of our arrival in Penguin, I sat down and got to work and within a few hours our online shopping was completed.

Cute stocking stuffer items.

Yesterday, we made a late lunch of cheesy scrambled eggs, bacon (the best bacon we’ve found anywhere!) and a favorite; low carb, grain, starch and sugar free coconut pancakes. We’d found maple syrup sweetened with Stevia at Woolies to which we added to the glob of delicious grass fed Tasmanian butter.

There was a wide array of adorable handmade items on this table.
Several tables offer spa and bath products.

Each time we make this meal I always say I could have this meal every day and love it. But, in an attempt for variety we only make it every so often, especially since in many countries we can’t find coconut flour although, coconuts are commonly found in many warm climates.

Hand carved wooden toys and games filled this display.

Satisfied after the great meal, at 5:30 we headed out the door for the 10 minute drive to the edge of town to the Penguin Surf Club where Terry has been an active member for many years. 

I hadn’t seen a Mary Kay display in years.
As we perused the facility beyond the multitude of booths with holiday offerings, we noticed his name over and over again on many plaques and awards. Having lived in Penguin all of his life, he’s been actively involved in community activities and events.
Tom really got a kick out of these lighted glass blocks. Clever idea!
I flipped over these “map of the world” shoes.  But, practicality always prevails in our lives.  They weren’t meant for lots of walking and each of my five pairs of shoes are practical except one pair of dress shoes which I’m considering giving the heave ho.

At the entrance to the building, we paid a “gold coin” each for an entrance fee equivalent to one AU dollar (US $.75). The place was packed, the energy, uplifting and holiday-like and we couldn’t have been more thrilled to be a part of this small town’s special seasonal event.

Tie dye baby clothing.  Too cute!
This chair and cover were made to look like a toy stove.  Cute!
We began wandering from display to display, some containing homemade gifts, foods and holiday décor and others packed with more traditional commercial items. Many were unique as we both giggled over spotting the same items simultaneously.
I always loved these handmade dolls.
Wall décor made with rocks and wood found in nature.

If, we had a home or were living near family, there were many items we would have been tempted to purchase. But with the high cost of shipping items to the US none of it made sense, especially when our grandkids have no interest in craft items nor do their parents want their homes filled with more “stuff.”

Colorful scented Play Dough.  Fun!

Being able to chat with a few of the vendors was the highlight of the event. We took photos of their wares, offering to post photos on our site today. Had it not been so busy, we’d have had a greater opportunity to talk to more vendors to later share their products and information.

Scents and hand and body sets, perfect for holiday gifts.

Today, cool, windy and cloudy we plan to stay in, work on future travel related tasks. At long last, we’re making our low carb gluten, starch and sugar free pizza after finally being able to find all the ingredients needed for our recipe. We haven’t been able to make the pizza since we were in New Zealand almost a year ago. 

An oar we spotted in the food area where Terry was one of the crew for an event. 
The bar wasn’t busy yet, but give it a few hours and it would have been packed. Food was offered for sale in this area, including burgers, brats and hot dogs.
Watch a movie? Eat pizza? Yep! That’s fun too! Enjoy your upcoming weekend!

Photo from one year ago today, December 9, 2015:

Walkway from one area of the Arts Village to another while in Pacific Harbour, Fiji.For more photos, please click here.

Adaptation to life in Tasmania…Easier than many…More photos of downtown Penguin…Poppy Seed Strudel recipe…

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Could it be tourists at the top of those rocks at the beach?

Compared to many places we’ve lived in over the past four years anymore, it’s easy here at Penguin, Tasmania. Sure, today it’s raining in buckets and we’ll stay indoors most of the day until 5:30 pm when we’ll head to a local social event which we’ll share in tomorrow’s post.

The Penguin Food & Veg stop.

We haven’t found a single insect in the house yet. The cool weather must be a factor which is typical year round. Now, as it approaches summer, we’re a bit surprised to find it as cold as it is. Here’s a chart of average weather in this immediate area, from this site:

Tabular view for temperature and precipitation per month in Penguin, Tasmania
Temperature*
Months Normal Warmest Coldest
January – 21.1°C 13.2°C
February – 22.1°C 13.6°C
March – 20.8°C 12.6°C
April – 18.2°C 10.8°C
May – 15.3°C 8.7°C
June – 12.9°C 6.7°C
July – 12.3°C 5.9°C
August – 13.0°C 6.4°C
September – 14.2°C 7.6°C
October – 15.8°C 8.8°C
November – 17.7°C 10.4°C
December – 19.2°C 11.8°C

*Temperatures are listed for Celsius. For example, the December’s high of 19.2°C is equal to 66°F and the low of 11.8°C is equal to 53°F.

Penguin Memorial Library. At the back of the library, there is an open-air reading area overlooking the ocean.

By examining this map of Tasmania its easy to see why its cold here based on the proximity of Tasmania to the Antarctic as shown on this map below:

Image result for map australia antarctica
Map of the southern part of Australia, in Tasmania, as indicated for Hobart and the Antarctic.

In 13 months we’ll be in Antarctica where, of course, it will be much colder than it is here requiring much heavier clothing than we have available. We’ll be renting outerwear through the cruise line which we’ll be wearing on frequent visits to ice floes via Zodiac boats. 

Another penguin statue.

New Zealand, where we lived from January 19, 2016 to April 15, 2016, was nowhere nearly as cool as here in Tasmania.  However, as shown in the above temperature chart, January will become warmer as it moves further into summer in this part of the world.

  However, as the temperature chart above shows, January will warm up over the summer in that part of the world.

Are we uncomfortable? No, not at all. Thank goodness for the warm shirts we purchased a few days ago, the heavy socks we have in our bags and the blankets we’re using as needed to stay warm indoors.

These items aren’t for sale. They were donated by locals for display purposes only.

The house has a multipurpose air con/heater in the lounge (living room), but we make every effort to avoid using extra electricity unless it’s an absolute necessity. So far, so good.

Next door to the Penguin Post Office is a café, the Letterbox. Notice Tom on the right wearing his new flannel shirt.

As an island, a sunny day in Tas (as the locals describe) can easily turn into a rainy day, which we experienced yesterday when we hung three loads of laundry on the outdoor clothesline. 

More penguin items donated by locals which also are “not for sale.”

Before we headed out for the afternoon when it had begun to drizzle, we took everything off the clothesline bringing all the wet clothing indoors to hang on a tiny free standing clothes rack. It’s still wet today on this humid day and may not dry until tomorrow. 

We’d seen this type of pine tree in Madeira, Portugal in 2014.

Yesterday, we headed to the neighboring town of Burnie with a population of 25,000 to stop at the Harvey Normal store to purchase a new power cord for one of our laptops. During the recent cruise the power cord died. We could either order one online or find one locally

Penguin statue.

Based on the fact these cords are in two parts, we could purchase an Australian plug in the power adapter and use only the part with the black box, continuing to use the same US plugin with our universal adapter. Once we leave Australia at the end of April, we’ll only be using US plugins for a while. 

The device was only slightly higher than it would have been ordering it at Amazon in the US. Priced at US $74, AU 99 at Harvey Norman in Burnie we avoided tax and shipping costs. With multiple plugin tips as a universal device this will work for us for these laptops and, as a backup for future laptops we’ll purchase when in the US.

The Madsen Hotel is owned by an exiled Prince of Laos.  More on this later.

After shopping at the Harvey Norman store, we headed to the Makers Mart, an architecturally interesting center in Burnie where artisans and contractors display their unique wares. Photos will be presented in a future post. It proved to be a unique environment we’re excited to share.

As for adaptation, we have experienced the lack of a baking product always readily available in the US. Since Tom had only gained a few pounds on the cruise and with his birthday and Christmas on the horizon, I offered to bake a special treat for him, one of his favorite Christmas baked goods, Polish Poppy Seed Bread.  (See the recipe below).

Penguin themed seesaw the local playground.

After visiting the largest Woolie’s store in the area and talking to the store manager, he explained he’d never heard of nor carried “canned poppy seed filling” and it it’s unlikely we’d find it anywhere. As a result, I had to forgo making this for Tom. 

Penguin outside the Penguin Barber Shop owned by Linda, Terry’s sister.

I asked Tom what he’d like as an alternative and to my surprise, he said, “Nothing. I’ll just have our usual food (meaning low carb, gluten free, grain, sugar and starch free foods). I don’t need sweets.” Of course, I’m thrilled with his response, always concerned for his health and well being.

Christmas wreath decorations in Penguin.

Today, as you can see we’ve posted the remainder of our photos from our walk through downtown Penguin. We’ll be back with more new photos tomorrow after tonight’s social event.

Beef marrow bone for sale in local grocery story. 

Here’s our recipe:

Polish Poppy Seed Bread (Strudel) Recipe
An Eastern European dessert table would invariably include something sweet made with poppy seeds, either ground or whole. This poppy seed strudel is made with a yeast dough and is known as makowiec (mah-KOH-vyets) in Polish. Canned poppy seed paste is available in the ethnic or baking aisle of most supermarkets. 

Makes 2 Sweet Polish Poppy Seed Breads
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours
 
Ingredients

       1 package active dry yeast
 
       2 cups warm milk
     8 cups all-purpose flour
     3/4 cup sugar
     1 teaspoon salt
       5 eggs
     4 ounces (1 stick) butter, melted
     3 (11-ounce) cans poppy seed filling
Frosting
    4 cups powdered sugar
    1/4 cup 2% milk, starting with 1/4 cup milk until you have an easy to spread frosting
    1 tablespoon real vanilla

Preparation:

1.   In a small heatproof bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of the warm milk.
2.  In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and eggs. Add remaining 1 1/2 cups warm milk, butter and yeast mixture. With the paddle attachment, or by hand, beat until smooth. Dough will be sticky at this point.
3.  Scrape dough into a clean, greased bowl. Sprinkle the top with a little flour and cover. Let stand in a warm place for 1 hour or until double in size.
4.  Punch down dough and turn out onto a floured surface. Divide dough in half and shape each half into a rectangle.
5.  Spread 1 can or half of the filling you made on each rectangle of dough and roll up like a jelly roll. Turn ends under so filling will not leak out.
6.  Place on a parchment-lined or greased pan, cover and let rise again until double in size.

 7.  Heat oven to 350 degrees. Brush tops with additional melted butter. Bake   
     45 to 60 minutes or until strudels are golden brown.  Don’t overcook.

8.  Remove from oven and cool. When totally cooled, neatly frost with above frosting recipe or use canned white frosting if preferred.
We tripled the Poppy Seed Bread recipe three times, making five loaves extra large.  See here in this original post on Tom’s birthday in December, 2012.
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Photo from one year ago today, December 8, 2015:

View of the pool and patio from the veranda at our vacation rental in Pacific Harbour, Fiji on the main island of Viti Levu where we stayed for one month over the holiday season. For more photos of this property, please click here.

A walk into town like none other…Penguin…A Norman Rockwell painting come to life…Tom’s Irish Cream recipe..

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Penguin statue on the beach made of penguin dressed with Christmas clothes and various locally inspired pins and decorations.

Moving temporarily to Penguin, Tasmania confirmed that we like small cities. Feeling at home with some of the most friendly people on the planet with a culture all their own has provided us with a powerful sense of being welcomed within only a few days of our arrival.

Penguin information signs posted at the beach next to the above Penguin statue.

Yesterday morning, a long walk through the whimsical main street, a few blocks from our six-week holiday home, left us shocked with a profound sense of belonging.    The theme of the penguin was everywhere as our pictures show.

Monument to WWI, the Great War in downtown Penguin.

As we entered the small eccentric shops, buying a few grocery and pharmacy items along the way, we were greeted as if we had been here our whole life. While walking on the sidewalk, each passerby made a kindly comment, “How’s it goin’ mates?, “Ga day to you both.” We couldn’t stop smiling.

We stopped in the Penguin Visitors Information Centre to take photos to be shared in another post.  Notice the penguin statue and the penguins on the trash bins.

The influence and population of Fairy Penguins in the area (we’ve yet to see any but surely will soon) are the influence of the name of this special oceanfront town with its own population of around 4000 residents, many who’ve lived here all their lives, including our wonderful and helpful landlord Terry.

Terry’s sister Linda owns the Gents Hairdresser where Tom will eventually get a haircut while we’ll visit with Linda.

Within a 30 minute drive, we can reach many larger communities where there’s ample shopping, dining and entertainment venues within easy reach by driving along the scenic ocean view route. 

A memorial  for Troopers Thomas William Barker and Geoffrey Hugh Brownm who died in South Africa in 1900.

About Penguin from this site:

“History of Penguin

Penguin first settled in 1861 as a timber town, and proclaimed on 25 October 1875. The area’s dense bushland and easy access to the sea led to Penguin becoming a significant port town, with large quantities of timber shipped across Bass Strait to Victoria, where the 1850s gold rushes were taking place. The town was named by the botanist Ronald Campbell Gunn for the little penguin rookeries that are common along the less populated areas of the coast.

Sulfur Creek Post Office opened on 1 January 1867 and was replaced by the Penguin Creek office in 1868. The latter office was renamed Penguin in 1895.

Penguin was one of the last districts settled along the North West coast of Tasmania, possibly because of an absence of a river, for safe anchorage. Nearly all travel in those days was by boat as bush made the land almost impenetrable. Many of the settlers probably emigrated from Liverpool via landing in Launceston then sailing west along the coast.

White sand beach in the center of town.

Trade began when the wharf was built in 1870, allowing timber and potatoes to be exported. Penguin Silver Mine, along the foreshore slightly to the east of the town opened in 1870 but failed a year later. Neptune Mine, a tad further along, likewise failed. The rail from Ulverstone arrived in 1901, after which trade by sea declined. Passing of the Local Government Act in 1906 saw Tasmania divided into 48 Municipalities. Penguin’s first Council was elected in 1907.”

Penguin’s rich history is evident in every aspect of its pleasing center of town, homes along the coast and inland and, its people, all seemingly happy and grateful to live in this charming coastal town.

Zen House Studio which includes Buddhist Arts & Crafts.

With the intent of a walk along the boulevard, one side of the street each way, we found ourselves engaged in conversation with shop owners and employees being asked where we’re from and why we’ve come to Penguin. Two hours quickly passed as we reveled in each interaction.

The pink building is the candy shop where Tom bought the fudge. The yellow building is Penguin Fruit & Veg, an organic produce and health food shop.

When hearing morsels of our world travel and how long we’d be in Penguin, consistently they smiled, offering a warm, “Good on you!” often followed with…”If you need help with anything at all, please stop by.” Wow! Could we have felt more welcomed?

Local bar with outdoor seating.

We purchased mushrooms at the Fruit and Veg shop, hydrogen peroxide at the pharmacy, double thickened fresh cream, shampoo and conditioner at the IGA market while Tom couldn’t resist a small package of homemade fudge at the candy shop.

Fairy Penguin shaped cakes in the bakery on Main.

Enjoy today’s and tomorrow photos and of course, many more photos we’ll continue to share during our remaining 40 days in this special location. Had we known how much we would have loved it here, we may have chosen to spend the entire three months right here at Penguin.

Penguin Fire Department.

Then again, we need to spread our wings and experience as much as we can as we continue on in our world travels. It’s easy to settle in, embracing a sense of “home” as we meander from location to location.

Christmas penguins are for sale in many of the shops.

With the holiday season upon us, Tom had promised many of our newly made recent cruise friends that we post his “Lyman’s Irish Cream” recipe (compared to Bailey’s Irish Cream). 

Beach in downtown Penguin.

It’s easy to make and is excellent for serving as well as bottled gifts. We don’t imbibe, but know many of our readers may enjoy making this easy recipe.  Here his recipe:

Tom Lyman’s Irish Cream (Comparable to Bailey’s Irish Cream)

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 pint ½ and ½ or real whipping cream

3 pasteurized eggs (important for safety)

1/8 teaspoon coconut extract

1 tablespoon chocolate syrup

1 cup Irish Whiskey or other bourbon or whisky

Blend all ingredients in blender for 2 minutes, then add 1 cup whiskey, measuring into the empty can of sweetened condensed milk in order to remove every last drop of the creamy sweetened condensed milk.

Blend for another 30 seconds. Pour in a glass bottle with tight fitting cork.

Keeps refrigerated for 30 days.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions regarding the preparation of this recipe. We’re happy to assist! Enjoy!

Photo from one year ago today, December 7, 2015:

It was one year ago today we moved from Vanua Levu, Fiji to Viti Levu, Fiji the main island in Fiji, flying in a small plane to from the tiny airport. For more details and vacation home photos, please click here.

A trip to Woolies turned into a sightseeing adventure…

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Many small islands lie near the shore.

Woolworths grocers, known as “Woolies” are popular in Australia. We went shopping at the Woolies in Trinity Beach during our 3 month stay beginning in June 2015. 

For our first big grocery shopping trip, we decided to forgo a farmers market and meat market for the purpose of getting the staples we’d need during our three month stay in Tasmania.  Anything left after this first six weeks will be taken with us to the Huon Valley for the second six week stay at the other end of the state.

View on the road to Ulverstone to do some shopping.

We realize that many of our readers are perhaps not interested in our grocery and/or food purchases and for that, please be patient with us. For us, with our way of eating it becomes very important and, for many of our readers who have written to us, they’re curious as to food products available in other countries.

With the winding narrow road, I had to take photos while we were moving.

I should mention that even in large market Woolies most vegetables are organic, most meat is grass-fed and chicken is organic and free range. The labels clearly indicate the origin of the products available for sale, including indications for farmed fish, which we do not consume. 

The head of lettuce we bought required a lot of washing and eliminating insects. What does it tell you? No pesticides. It was misshapen and uneven. There again, indicating true organic products. We easily found chemical-free eggs, free range, directly from the Woolies farm. In essence, we could, if we so chose purchase all of our food from this market.

A large house sits at the tip of a peninsula.

However, we plan to visit the upcoming farmers markets, mostly available on weekends, grass fed meat markets and locally caught fish markets while we’re in Tasmania. Doing so becomes a huge part of our enjoyment in an area giving us an opportunity to mingle with locals and hear about and see their farms. 

The beautiful road to Ulverstone.

Planning our meals and shopping for ingredients becomes an integral part of our desire and pleasure in living in rural areas, visiting farms, learning the culture and blending in as much as possible.

Our host and landlord Terry has been so helpful. Not only has he provided this impeccable property for our use over these six weeks, but he delivered three bottles of his homemade purified/distilled water for our use, although tap water is safe to drink in Tasmania.

Although we won’t be able to see sunsets from our location, the morning sun offers a stunning view.

The kitchen and property is so well equipped we avoided the expenditure of many staples we usually buy including many spices, quality olive oil, herbal teas, vinegars and toilet paper.  We created a grocery list with these items in mind and headed along the ocean to drive to the next town of Ulverstone where the Woolies is located.

Ulverstone is at a distance from this spot.

Penguin has a few markets, but they’re small and less well stocked. Also, the smaller local markets have higher prices, making it worth the drive to Ulverstone to the popular supermarket. 

In future visits, we’ll get out and explore this reserve.

Little did we know, the 20 to 25 minute drive was much more interesting than we’d anticipated. Terry suggested we take the coastal route if we were interested in some amazing scenery.  He was so right! With the bright morning sun shining on the sea, the scenic route took our breath away. For that reason alone, we’ll be looking forward to returning to Ulverstone for grocery shopping in the also quaint 7000 population town.

We’re excited to see the trains pass by our view several times a day. 

The temperature here is considerably cooler than we’d anticipated. With no warm clothing in our tiny inventory, we both needed to find something in the way of a sweatshirt or flannel shirts while in Ulverstone. In Australia, sweatshirts are called “jumpers.”

Parking on the main boulevard where literally all the stores are located, we found a few shops, one where we each purchased soft flannel shirts, both men’s sizes, Tom’s an XL, mine, a small for US $20, AU 27. I found a perfect hooded jumper in another nearby store for US $15, AU 20 which I’m wearing now, feeling cozy and warm on the chilly morning.

Historical Furners Hotel in downtown Ulverstone. There are many other small towns we’ll explore while in Penguin.

A visit to the pharmacy, a stop at a dollar type store for a pitcher for our iced tea and a few kitchen supplies including parchment paper, tin foil pans and environmentally friendly laundry soap rounded out our shopping. 

Then, we drove further down the same road to a computer store where we’d hoped to purchase a power cord for one of our laptops which quit working while on the cruise. They didn’t have such a cord available, but suggested we drive to Devonport where surely we’ll be able to make the appropriate purchase. In the next few days, we’ll make the 40 minute trip.

The main street in Ulverstone where all the shops can be found.

Lancaster House, another historical building in Ulverstone.

Back in the car, we drove to Woolies, finding every item on our list. Our total bill including enough groceries for eight days, totaled US $209, AU 280. In most new locations we’ve easily spent 30% more.

Back on the scenic road, again we stopped for photos when possible on the narrow oceanfront road. We can’t wait to make that drive again soon. Today, we’re sharing some of the photos from yesterday’s drive. In time, we’ll continue to share more photos from our two day road trip.

Again today, we continue to wash and hang our clothing after all the germs on the ship. It’s the first time in four months, we’re doing laundry. Tom helps with the hanging and heavy lifting while I sort and fold.

Tom’s busy catching up on all the Vikings games he missed during the 33-night cruise with the poor streaming signal on the ship. He’s catching up on several games he missed using his membership in NFL Game Pass. The WiFi is excellent in this property and he’s watching a game as we speak.

Tom commented that the gauge (the distance between the two rails) is considerably smaller in Australia than in the US.

We’re busy making plans for the upcoming few days/weeks, including an exciting Saturday night social event with our landlords which we’ll share in a future post. Thanks to all of our loyal readers for “traveling along with us.” It’s been delightful sharing our travels with all of YOU.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, December 6, 2015:

What can I say? This was my favorite photo we’d taken in Fiji. It so bespeaks a life in Fiji, the freedom of barnyard animals to roam, to thrive and grow. The fact that we find barnyard animals so worthy of mention only enhances our experiences throughout the world. For more details, please click here.

Hello, Tasmania!…Little did we know…

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The fine white sand of the beaches of Tasmania invites leisurely walks and endless observation

Why did we choose to come to Tasmania? I suppose looking back 16 months ago when we booked this location we had visions of wildlife, clear blue waters, unspoiled terrain and a slow and easy pace. We aren’t disappointed.

This morning’s view from the living room. It’s a cool, sunny day.

In order to illustrate the fulfillment, we’re deriving and will continue to derive from this unusual island, its imperative we share a few facts we gleaned from this site.

“POPULATION OF TASMANIA
Tasmania is also known as Tas.This Island state is situated 240 km towards the south of the Australian mainland. It is the 26th largest island in the planet and about 334 more islands. Tasmania had a population of about 507,626 in the year 2010 and around half of the population lives in Greater Hobart, which makes the metropolitan area of the state capital and the city of Hobart. It is known as a natural state and around 45% lives in national parks and reserves. 

DEMOGRAPHY OF TASMANIA:
The population of the state is more homogeneous as compared to other states of Australia, the maximum of the people residing here is of British descent. The state has this tendency to receive less immigration compared to all the other states of the country. It is being recorded that around 65% of the inhabitants out here are descendants of a projected 10,000 founding families from the time of the 19th century. Around the year 1996, 80% or more of Tasmanians were born in the state and around 90% born in Australia, Great Britain, Ireland and also New Zealand. The homogeneity of the state makes it an appealing as well as attractive, place to find out about population genetics.
POPULATION DENSITY AND GROWTH OF TASMANIA:
The population density of Tasmania is 7.5 people per square kilometer.  Tasmania lacks a good growth and has been clearly the reason for its lack of any significant demand drivers for civil infrastructure and also a reason for poor economic performance of the state. The national population grew by 1.6 percent in the year 2013-14, Tasmania on the other hand recorded a low of 0.3 percent. As compared to other states in the country, the growth out here is very low and that is hampering the economy of Tasmania a lot.
FACTS ABOUT TASMANIA:
  1. The first novel of Australia was published out here in Hobart.
  2. The very first legal Casino to have opened was the Wrest Point Casino.
  3. The first city to introduce parking meters was Hobart.
  4. The very first Australian city to have an electric tramway was Hobart. The tramway started operating by the year 1893.
  5. Around 42% of Tasmania is a World Heritage area, marine, national park and forest reserves.
  6. The state of Tasmania is almost the size of Sri Lanka as well as Ireland.
  7. The state was the first Australian colony that made a compulsory education system in the year 1868.”
View from other living room window.

When we arrived in Hobart a few days ago after picking up the rental car, our intention was to take the shortest route to Penguin in order to get situated as quickly as possible. Once we began on the road, in awe of the scenery, we asked ourselves, “What’s the hurry?” We had all the time in the world. 

Ocean views along the highway.

And, after 33-nights at sea, to now be traveling on land through some of the most exquisite scenery in the world, it wasn’t a difficult decision. We approached the coastal highway signs and were on our way, looking at each other smiling from ear to ear, knowing we’d made the most sense and worthwhile choice.

White sand beaches with rarely a human in sight.

If we took the time to see the east coast of the on our way to Penguin, we’d avoid backtracking later on when we’d want to see more. Plus, when we leave in six weeks to head to the Huon Valley for another six weeks, we’ll have the opportunity to take yet another route along the western coast as the roads allow.  

Traveling through Tasmania we discovered endless bodies of water, including while driving on inland roads.

We’ve discovered its not a simple drive around the perimeter to travel the coasts of this Australian state. Adequate roads are sparse in many areas of this low population state. As a result, the route didn’t allow us to see every part of the eastern coast due to inaccessibility but we managed to see as much as we could. 

We drove through many mountain ranges we spotted on the horizon.

It wasn’t many kilometers/miles from Hobart to Penguin via this route, but it was slow going through many winding mountainous roads, oftentimes reminding us of the roads we traveled in the mountains of Tuscany, Italy, many moons ago.

Forests, fast moving rivers, streams and ocean inlets enhanced the views.

Also, from time to time, we became reminiscent about New Zealand and its lush rolling green hills, panoramic ocean views and picture-book farm after farm of sheep, cattle and horses. 

We hardly encountered any other vehicles on the road over the weekend drive.

On a few occasions, we even spotted the unusual Belted Galloway cattle (see our post here) that we’d seen nearby the alpaca farm where we languished in pure pleasure for three months beginning this past January.

From one area to the next the scenery changed.  With almost half of Tasmania’s entire population living in Hobart, most terrain consisted of the untouched areas of pure beauty.

Over these next few months in this special land, we’ll make every effort to ensure a good experience to share with all of you both in story and photos. Each day, we’ll be on the watch for the unique, the outside-the-box adventure and those special occasions when the simplicity of life in itself provides an inside peek to a new and exciting morsel that warms us to the core.

Winding river.

We only ask ourselves to achieve a modicum of understanding, a depth of emotion and the gift of the essence of life in Tasmania we’ll always carry with us in our hearts and minds forever. For now, once again, we are home.

The ocean surrounding Tasmania is bright blue as compared to sandy brown waters we’d seen when we lived at Trinity Beach, Australia beginning mid June in 2015. Was that really a year and a half ago?

More photos of our vacation home will follow in future posts after we’ve had a chance to put all of our stuff in order.  Soon..

Photo from one year ago today, December 5, 2015:

On our three years of travel anniversary in Fiji, we posted this photo when we’d visited the Namale Resort for a tour and luncheon celebration. For more photos, please click here.

Tasmania…Breathtaking beauty…We’re still on the road…Most perfect travel day yet!

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View from the veranda of the Pelican Point Sanctuary in St. Helens, Tasmania.

It was a perfect travel day. We disembarked the ship with ease, found a porter to assist with our awaiting luggage, breezed through immigration, picked up our confiscated power strips and were on our way to the airport, all within 30 minutes.

As we’d expected, we arrived a little too early at the domestic airport, even having to wait for 30 minutes to check our bags. Jetstar has a requirement that bags can’t be checked any sooner than two hours before departure. 

The bed and duvet in the suite were comfortable and warm. The room had a kitchen, spacious bath and large entry room.

The 30 minutes breezed by as well as the waiting period for boarding. In row 4 on the plane, we were comfortably situated in our seats in no time at all. The 90 minute flight was routine and seamless.

Seated area near the large flat screen TV.  Free Wi-Fi was included.

The small domestic airport in Hobart appeared to have only one baggage conveyer. Within 15 minutes we were on our way down the road with the bags on a trolley and anxious to get on the road.

The exterior of the highly rated Mohr and Smith restaurant in St. Helens.

The goal was to make it to our new vacation home in Penguin, Tasmania by yesterday afternoon. Once we began the four hour drive in the new well equipped rental car from the Hobart Airport, which was the fastest rental car process we’d ever experienced, our plan changed.

The atmosphere was trendy and inviting.

With a full sized map book in hand, given to us by the friendly rep at the counter, we made the decision to forgo the shortest route across the island and take the scenic route along the ocean. Doing so, doubled the time required to get to Penguin.

By 5:00 pm, stopping many times for exquisite photos, we decided to spend the night in St. Helens, an ocean/lake town.  We were hungry and tired from the long travel day, having disembarked the ship by 7:15 am, flown from Sydney to Hobart, hauled our bags to the rental car facility, and drove for four hours, we were ready to pack it in for the night.

After 33 nights of complimentary cocktails and wine at the Diamond Club on the ship, neither of us had any interest in drinking alcohol. Most likely, we won’t drink again until the next cruise in three months.

With another four hours of driving ahead of us, we used our Australian hotspot, got online in the car and booked one of three hotels available in the area. We choose the Pelican Point Sanctuary, the highest rated (four stars) in the area at US $156, AU 209, a night (with tax) and couldn’t have been more pleased.

Locally caught thick white fish atop a bed of asparagus and a sautéed zucchini patty. It was delicious and worthy of a five star review on TripAdvisor. 

The quaint resort was surrounded by lake, mountain and ocean views with cattle in the backyard, ducks and geese on various ponds and frogs chirping through the night. We couldn’t have been more at home for the night.

Tom’s meal consisted of Chicken Kiev atop a bed of garlic mashed potatoes, pea puree and roasted carrots.

The manager arranged a dinner reservation for us at 6:15 at the popular restaurant, Mohr and Smith, a short drive from the resort, where we had a perfectly prepared gourmet meal for US $53, AU 72. We were so thrilled with the meal, we wrote a review on TripAdvisor as soon as we returned to the resort. By 9:30, I was asleep, Tom shortly thereafter.

Tom ordered fries as a side while I had a crunchy salad of mixed greens and sprouts.

It’s 6:45 am now as I prepare today’s quick post.We’re anxious to get back on the road to take more photos during one of the most beautiful drives we’ve ever taken in our four years of world travel. Tasmania doesn’t disappoint.

Cattle in the back yard of the resort.

By 8 am, we plan to be on the road to head to Binalong Bay and then, back on the scenic route along the coast to Penguin.  Once we’re unpacked and situated in the house, we’ll grocery shop with a plan to make our first meal in over three months. 

Last night’s waning sun from the resort.

For the first time in months, we slept without air con, bundled under a fluffy duvet. Although it’s almost summer in Tasmania (starts on December 21st) we have no doubt it will be cool over our three months on the island.

There was a pond outside our room with three ducks.

We’ll be back tomorrow with many fabulous scenic photos and the ongoing story of our getting settled into yet another home in our world travels. Stay tuned, dear readers, it will quite a show at this special location!

Photo from one year ago today, December 4, 2015:

Savusavu Bay and Nawi Island, in Fiji, a site atop a hill in the village. For more photos, please click here.

Final cruise expenses…Day to disembark….Off to Tasmania this morning…

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Our friend Stan’s photo of the sunset on our last night aboard the ship. Well done, Stan, thanks for sharing!

“Sighting on the Ship in Australia”

Miniature representations of schooner located in the Schooner Bar.

Today, as you read this post, we’re at the Sydney airport awaiting our upcoming flight at 10:35 am in Tasmania, Australia. Without a doubt, we appreciated each moment of this long cruise.

It took a while, but we got these figures together to share with our readers which now will include many wonderful people we’ve met aboard the ship. We’d love to see what others may have spent during their cruise, if any of our new readers would like to share. We can certainly keep it confidential if you’d prefer.

Photo in camera shop.

The cost for the 33 night Australian cruise was as follows:

Total Cost of Cruise  $9,105.74,  AU $12,269.65

Total Cruise Costs: US $11,249.58,  AU $15,161.36		 Total Cruise Bill: $582.04, AU $784.28

Cost for Cruise for Balcony Cabin #9030

Cruise Charges                                              $7,291.00
Senior Rate
Taxes                                                      960.04                                            
Prepaid Gratuities                                    854.70*        
                                            –
Total Cost (US)                                  $ 9,105.74

As for incidentals we spent when off the ship:
Clothing & Perth Visit:                                 340.00  
Sydney Pharmacy (toiletries)                       199.00
Grand Total for Incidentals:                $  539.00

Total Transportation/Hotel Costs:
Airfare Bali to Sydney:                                690.26
Hotel Sydney                                              272.54
Taxi Sydney Airport to Hotel                          60.00
Grand Total for Trans/Hotel              $ 1,022.80

Breakdown of Cruise Bill
Wi-Fi Voom for both legs                              747.66
Laundry (3 times)                                          74.97
Beverages not inc. Diamond Club                  174.10
Shuttle bus                                                    20.00
Shopping                                                     222.95
Luggage                                                        42.46
Cabin credits                                              – 700.00
Total cruise bill                                      $   582.04

Grand total for all expenses:         US $11,249.58  AU $15,161.36
Average cost per day:                    US $     358.53  AU $      459.44

* In the past 24 hours we handed out additional cash gratuities of US $200 spread among several staff members, including the dining room manager who facilitated my meals; our cabin steward; the bartender in the Diamond Lounge; Richardo our Diamond Club rep;  and our waiter in Cascades dining room. Although we’d paid the above mentioned US $854.70 in the cost of the cruise itself, we felt these extra gratuities were warranted.  This additional sum is not included in the above totals.

Painting in the gallery.

This morning, thanks to our host Richardo in the Diamond Club, we were given early disembarking tickets (#2) which easily facilitated the necessity of making it to the airport at least one hour before our scheduled 10:30 am flight to Tasmania. As it turned out we arrived a little too early and had to wait 30 minutes in order to check our bags.

The card room where bridge and other games are played.

Last night, we left our checked bags outside our cabin door where they were whisked away to the baggage collection area at the Port of Sydney once the ship docked early this morning. 

Once we disembark we collected our bags, grabbed a taxi and were our way to the airport, a 30-minute drive with little traffic since its Saturday here today. The process of disembarking the ship was seamless with no stress or worry.

Painting of wood boat.

We’ve had a most extraordinary cruise, made many new friends, including Lois and Tom and Cheryl and Stan and many more; spent time with old friends Michelle and Carlo in Perth; experienced some lovely ports of call; dined on excellent food; and during this entire period, we did exactly what we wanted to do each and every day.

We’re anticipating this next leg of our journey with enthusiasm and a sense of adventure. I can’t wait to spot our first Tasmanian Devil. Photos will follow, of course. Tomorrow, we’ll be back with photos of our new home and others, we’ll have taken on the almost four hour drive from Hobart to Penguin.

Happy day to all!

Photo from one year ago today, December 3, 2015:

With Savusavu, Fiji located on a mountain, steep roads are required to access most properties. For more photos, please click here