Updated Jan 09, 2025 9:45:28 pm

Updated Feb 17, 2025 2:02:29 pm

Updated Feb 17, 2025 2:02:29 pm

Updated Mar 09, 2025 9:59:43 pm

Updated Mar 09, 2025 9:59:43 pm

Wow, what a city! Our second stay in Sydney was full of iconic sites and the vibrant feel of the city. Here is the quick hit list. So fortunate we made the time to come back for the extra three days.

Hyde Park and the Art Deco ANZAC Memorial.
An afternoon and lunch at Bondi Beach with a walk along the Bondi Coastal Walk.
Hyde Park Barracks - former prison providing a look at the lives of convicts in the 1800's and St James Church across the street built by convicts.
The Art Gallery of New South Wales and the Australian Museum.
The Mint -Sydney's earliest surviving public building that is still a public building with the old vault and coin press.
St Mary's Cathedral
Queen Victoria Building
Barangaroo Reserve and walk along the Harbor
Chinese Garden of Friendship, Chinatown and Paddy Haymarket
Manley Beach with evening ferry ride back to Sydney and the rising of the blood moon.

G'day Mate

A few days to recharge and enjoy Fiji's Coral Coast.

We are ending our first of two visits to Sydney. Started with an Opera House tour and then a play, The 20-Sided Tavern, that night. We spent the next day in the Blue Mountains, unfortunately the rain and clouds severely impacted the views. Even with the weather, it was obvious it is a beautiful national park. On the way to the Blue Mountains, we made a stop at Calmsly Hill City Farm. It is a unique mix of farm and rescue education center. The cutest moment of the day was meeting Wally the baby wombat.
I wrapped up our weekend with the Sydney Bridgeclimb before we wondered the streets and The Rocks street market.
So glad we are coming back in a few days, as there is so much more to see.

Our last stop in Tasmania was Hobart, along the way we stopped in the little town of Sheffield to see the murals. Hobart is a nice port city with lots of pubs and eateries, but the highlight of the stay was a day trip to Port Arthur and the Tasman National Park coastline.

We took a three hour scenic boat ride out that explored the highest vertical sea cliffs in the Southern Hemisphere at Cape Pillar, as well as interesting rock formations, archways, and deep-sea caves along the coastline. We were amazingly fortunate, the weather was perfect with minimal winds and the guides were even amazed with all the variety of wildlife we saw. We had a large pod of playful dolphins that escorted us out and then greeted us again when we returned to the inner part of the passage, there were also a few juvenile humpback whales, two colonies of fur seals, some
albatross and sea eagles, cliff-nesting cormorants and as we were returning to the jetty, we saw a couple of large blue fin tuna jumping out of the water.

The next stop was a tour of the Historic Port Arthur Penal Colony. We had a great tour guide and it is so interesting and sad to hear about the people and the struggles that are part of Tasmania's convict history. It is a really well done historical site, wish we had a little more time there, as we weren't able to explore all the grounds.

Next up our first of two visits to Sydney...........

Pristine mountain air and fortunate timing to have clear skies were the theme of our stay in Cradle Mountain National Park.
The first night we went of an animal spotting drive and were to see Bennett Wallabies, Padimelons (marsupial smaller then the wallaby) and wombats. The next day, we hiked and visited scenic spots in the park. Many locals commented on how lucky we were to have such great visibility, that frequently the summit is shrouded in clouds. That evening we went to a feeding tour at Devils@Cradle sanctuary. The sanctuary is a conservation site focused on three species: Tasmanian devils, Spotted-tail quolls and Eastern quolls, all of which are either threatened or endangered and local to the Cradle Mountain area. They also rescue, raise and release orphaned or injured wildlife.

We had a short visit in Melbourne, I could see coming back to explore more. We took a great walking tour through the small back lanes and arcades, it is a wonderful blend of the old and modern. The city has a strong arts district, street art and heavy with sport enthusiasts. I am not sure how many times being the home of the Australian Open was mentioned. We also took time to visit the Shrine of Remembrance, honoring all Victorians serving since WWI.

Some amazing shorelines, lots of wallabies, spotting the elusive Echidna (quill covered, egg laying mammal), the Little Penguin Parade at dusk and a magnificent view of the milky way in the crystal clear night sky. That is the quick recap of our afternoon and evening on Phillip Island.

We continued our journey in the outback with a stay in Alice Springs. Known in as a pivotal link in Australia’s overland telegraph line, by connecting Darwin and Adelaide in 1871. Bridging Australia’s cities but also connecting it to the telegraph network of the British Empire. It is hot and rugged, can only imagine the hardship of their time.

We also visited the Royal Flying Doctors Service. The RFDS provides 24-hour medical emergency services that can reach anywhere in Australia, no matter how remote, within hours. With over two thirds of Australia's population spread out in remote areas, it is critical link for emergency medical care, as well as general health care. There is also a TV series on their services, that I might have to give a look.

But the highlight of the stay was our evening visit to the Kangaroo Sanctuary. I thought we would just see some rescued kangaroos in a paddock. I never expected to hold and carry baby roos, giving a bottle to an older one or take a twilight stroll with them. I must admit I am a little smitten with the joeys. What Chris has done with determination and dedication of volunteers to rescue these orphaned joeys is awe inspiring. Definitely an aha moment of the trip.

We made it to the outback in central Australia to visit Uluru / Ayers Rock and Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park. Let us say, we found the heat. It was 104 when went for our short walk about to hear the creation story. Was a tad cooler for our viewing of sunset against the rock.

We've been a bit busy, so I am a couple of stops behind. We spent a very full day on Kangaroo Island with a local guide. With his expertise, we saw some beautiful sites and animals.

Kangaroo Island is about 8 miles of the southern coast of Australia and is home to one of only three remaining colonies of the Australia Sea Lion. We had a guided walk with a ranger and were able to go on Seal Beach with a respectable distance.

We also met Rex, an orphaned joey whose mum was killed by a car when he was 4 months old. He now lives Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Oil Farm. As he grows, he is getting more freedom to be a kangaroo but in the mean time he knows the store doors opens when he gets close and he wanders the area.

Next up was Flinders Chase National Park, where we walked on Remarkable Rocks, visited Admirals Arch, saw fur seals and enjoyed the beautiful coast line views.

Throughout the day, we saw Koalas and Kangaroos in their natural and wild habitat. What a wonderful opportunity.

After flying from the top to the bottom of Eastern Australia Mainland, we had a afternoon to explore Adelaide. You know how much I like glass art and by chance there is a Chihuly exhibit at the Adelaide Botanic Garden. So after a visit to the seaside village of Glenelg, I wandered the gardens.

The ocean and the rainforest were the focus of our stay in Cairns, (pronounced Canns). We started with an after hours tour of the Cairns Aquarium, followed with a catamaran trip to the Great Barrier Reef the next morning. It started out sunny but very windy as we headed out and the weather only went down from there. After a very rough ride out to the pontoon platform, the winds had picked up and then the rain started. We still snorkeled but the visibility was low and the planned helicopter flight over the reef was canceled. You can't change the weather and not everyday can be bright and sunny. We spent the next day visiting the rainforest and the small rainforest village of Kuranda. We rode the Skyway Cableway up and over the Barron Gorge National Park and the vintage Kuranda Scenic Railway back down. In between the rain showers, we enjoyed a walk around rainforest with a ranger, the butterfly sanctuary and the street art. We saw our first Wallaby in the wild too.

We started our Australian adventure with a 5 night stay in Brisbane. It was nice to have a couple of extra days here to stay in the same hotel long enough to unpack. 😀
They have a great ferry system and pedestrian bridges so exploring the city center was easy. Here are some of the highlights:
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and our Koala Moment.
Australia Zoo, the free flight birds and roaming Kangaroos were great to see.
Views from the Sky Deck.
Strolling through the Botanic Gardens with lots of Iguanas.

Our return to Christchurch marked the end of our small group tour. After a farewell dinner, we spent the next couple of days enjoying the sites and history of this charming city. The impact of the devastating 2011 earthquake can still be seen. While much has been rebuilt and restored there are several historic buildings still under restoration.

Here are the highlights of our stay.

Arts Centre Tour of the historic Canterbury College/University campus. Canterbury University is New Zealand's second oldest university and the original campus buildings are now Category 1 Heritage buildings, covering a entire city block. The Victorian era Gothic Revival buildings are beautiful.

Continuing the English feel, we went Punting on the Avon from the historic Antigua Boat Sheds. We sat back and enjoyed the relaxing ride as our punter provided commentary on the history of the sites.

We also walked the lovely Christchurch Botanic Gardens, located within Hagley Park, which is one of the largest city parks in the world. The Botanic Garden was started in 1863 with the planting of an English oak tree to commemorate the marriage of Queen Victoria's son, Prince Albert. We were told, it is only one of only four trees left that were started from the acorns given to dignitaries attending the wedding and it is inspected annually by the royal garden people. Not sure if the last part is true but makes a good story.

The vintage electric tram was a great way to see the sites. A few others areas we visited included:
New Regent Street, a beautiful street built in the 1930s with 40s, the pastel colored Spanish Mission style buildings make a nice place for a meal and people watching;
Victoria Square;
Riverside Market, with lots of food stalls;
Bridge of Remembrance for those killed in WWI;
Canterbury Earthquake Memorial for those killed in the 2011 Earthquake;
And finally, an afternoon visit to the Christchurch Art Gallery (Te Puna o Waiwhetu)

We really enjoyed Christchurch, hence all the pictures.

En-route back to Christchurch we made a couple of enjoyable stops. The first was in the city of Oamaru, famous for its limestone and as a result historic limestone architecture with buildings from the 19th century. It is also home to the Steampunk HQ and lots of quirky art around town. We also played a bit on the playground, who says you have to act your age. The barrel wheel is trickier than it looks.

We continued north to Pleasant Point Museum and Railway for a short (very short only 7 KM of track) ride on a steam powered railroad, followed by a quintessential local sandwich lunch that was amazing. Then a walk through an eclectic collection of memorabilia from times gone by. The highlight was of the visit was a ride back to the station in a Model T rail car. In one of only two replicas of a Model T Ford rail car built from the original plans from 1925. The original Model T Ford rail cars were experimental and designed to offer improved passenger services on country branch lines but did not prove as successful as hoped.

Next up in our tour of New Zealand was Dunedin. Dunedin is often referred to as the "Edinburgh of the South" due to the strong Scottish heritage and architectural similarities to Edinburgh. It is the oldest university town and depending on who you ask, the oldest city in New Zealand. It has some stunning Edwardian and Victorian architecture dating back to the gold rush of the 1800s. While there, we walked up and back down Baldwin Street, the world's steepest street as measured by Guinness World Records. The slope of Baldwin Street is 19° or 35% grade.

The next morning we had a guided tour of Larnach Castle, where we heard the tragic and sometimes scandalous stories of the castle’s history. After that we, we enjoyed "high tea" in the Grand Ballroom and then wandering around the beautiful gardens.
We returned to Dunedin to walk about town, exploring the street art and enjoying the architecture and ambiance. Then back out to the tip of picturesque Otago Peninsula, where we were lucky to catch a glimpse of a Royal Albatross in flight before visiting a secluded cove to see Fur Seal moms and pups in their natural habitat, resting and playing. We also saw penguins in their burrows that had barriers built on the backside to allow viewing windows.

Calm and serene is a an accurate description of our time over the last two days in New Zealand's Fiordland National Park.

First up was the Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise, which provided an opportunity to see the remote and mostly untouched wilderness of Fiordland. The trip started with a boat ride across Lake Manapouri to West Arm, then a bus over the breathtaking Wilmot Pass. Once arriving at Doubtful Sound, we boarded the Fiordland Navigator. We traveled through the Sound out to the edge of the Tasman Sea, where we saw Fur Seal moms and pups on the rocks. On the way back down the Sound, we saw a pod of Bottlenose Dolphins before settling into a cove that provided a secluded sanctuary for the night. Overnight rain brought out the waterfalls for our return journey the following morning, where we had more dolphins playing in the wake along the side of the boat throughout most of breakfast.

From there we went to Te Anua for an overnight stay. While there we visited the Te Anau Glowworm Caves which are located on the western shore of Lake Te Anau in the Fiordland National Park. The caves are home to thousands of glowworms, which create a light show unique to New Zealand. We took another boat across Lake Te Anau for a guided walk through the caves, and a boat ride into a grotto where the glowworms can be seen. (no photos allowed in the cave) The island is also home to the once thought to be extinct Takahe bird.

There were a lot of boat rides during the two days but the sites and sounds of the beautiful Fiordland Park were magical.

We spent a very full day exploring the Queenstown area. We started with Skippers Canyon, considered the the back country of Queenstown with landscape views only accessible down Skippers Road. The road was built between 1883 and 1890 in four sections and was considered a engineering feat in its day. It clings to the sheer cliff side and is an adventure high above the Shotover River, but the awe-inspiring scenery from high above the gorge are worth it. The Shotover River was known as the richest river in the world in the days of the gold miners. Gold is still being found today.

Next up was the Shotover River Jetboat with a combination of beauty and power. It was an amazing blend of pristine natural landscape and a high speed ride at 90 km/hr through the high walled narrow canyon. The crystal clear fast moving water has created a spectacular canyon with grand views.

In the evening, we took a scenic cruise on Lake Wakatipu on the Steamboat TSS Earnslaw, a historic steamboat that operates on Lake Wakatipu. Built in 1912, it is the only remaining commercial passenger-carrying coal-fired steamship in the southern hemisphere. As part of the cruise we had a fabulous dinner at Walter Peak Station, a working Merino Sheep farm. After dinner we watched a sheep shearing and dog herding demonstration. We ended the day enjoying a beautiful sunset on our cruise back to Queenstown.

Fun and adventure was the order of the day. We started with a glorious morning helicopter flight over the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers. The beauty of the mountains and the early sun were mesmerizing and awe inspiring. It was a fantastic start and anytime Ed can be back in a helicopter is a good day.

We followed that by a jetboat ride on the Haast River. These boats are fun, they only need 4 inches of water to speed across the river. Set in a remote part on the West Coast of New Zealand, the trip was informative with tidbits of information on the natural history and the people of the area, with a few 360s mixed in along the way.

We ended the day in Queenstown, with a spectacular view of Lake Wakatipu from our balcony.

Photos of the beautiful landscape from yesterday's journey from Christchurch to Arthur's Pass on the Transalpine Rail, and then from the drive to Fox Glacier.

On our first stay in Christchurch, we had a fantastic tour at the International Antartic Center. Some of the highlights included a blizzard simulation and a ride over an obstacle course in a crawler, the vehicles used to transport people in artic conditions. We also learned about the rescue and rehab they provide to New Zealand peguins, particularly the Little Blue and White Flippered Peguins.

Whew, yesterday was a full on travel day. We did not have planes but we had ferries, trains and automobiles.
Morning ferry from Wellington to Picton, which is a lovely little village. Then the Coastal Pacific Rail from Picton to Kaikoura, the pictures do not due justice to the beauty of the coast but the train was moving at a fast pace. We ended our day's journey with a coach ride the last three hours to Christchurch.

We arrived in Wellington on Saturday evening and took a short walk to the wharf and enjoyed the harbor views. We started Sunday off with a drive up Mt Victoria (really a hill), which provides stunning 360 degree views of the city of Wellington, the harbor and the ocean to the south. There is a monument to Rear Admiral Richard Byrd, American aviator and polar explorer. He used New Zealand as his base for his many Antarctic expeditions for over 27 years.

We then visited Te Papa, New Zealand's National Museum. The highlight of the museum is Gallipoli: A Scale of War exhibition. It features astounding sculptures that are 2.4 times life-size and is a collaboration between the museum and Weta Workshops, known for their work on films like "The Lord of the Rings.". Through some amazing technology, it brings to life the stories of eight New Zealanders whose experiences were well chronicled in journal and letters. The sculptures are a wonder to look at, down to the minute details of individual hairs placed on the arms and the glistening of sweat on the brow.

Wellington is the capital of New Zealand, so no visit would be complete without seeing the Parliament building. We enjoyed a walk through the Parliament grounds which includes the Parliament Library, Parliament House and the Beehive (executive branch). It was Sunday, so we could not go in but it was interesting to see the progression of buildings through the 1880s, 1920s and 1970s. I bet you can guess which building goes with the appropriate time period.

We spent time enjoying a beautiful afternoon with a ride up the Cable Car and then walked back down to the city via the botanical gardens and Bolton Cemetery. Bolton is Wellington's first cemetery dating back to the 1840s and has some beautifully crafted monuments and statuary.

We left Wellington this morning on the ferry headed to the South Island through the Marlborough Sounds to Picton.

After a stopover back in Auckland, we heading south toward Rotorua, in the middle of the North Island. Rotorua is known for geothermal activity, mineral springs and healing mud.

Our stops along the way included a short scenic ride on a restored vintage steam train before visiting the National Kiwi Hatchery, for a tour of the world’s largest kiwi hatchery. We were fortunate to see a chick in the process of pipping his way through his shell and another one that had hatched the day before. Amazing conservation efforts this organization is doing to increase the likelihood of a chick serving in the wild.

The next day we took a gondola ride up Mt Ngongotaha overlooking Lake Rotorua, to enjoy beautiful views of Rotorua. While up there we took a couple of fun "luge" rides, somewhat like go carts. Ed managed to wipe out, trying to go just a little too fast, but he is okay. While in Rotorua we spent an afternoon at Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa, enjoying the geothermal mineral springs, steam and mud treatment. On our last evening in Rotorua, we visited Te Puia to see the boiling mud pools and the awesome geysers that Rotorua is famous for. We had a Māori Hāngi, a literal feast and then enjoyed a cultural performance.

Next stop Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. Along the way, we enjoyed a beautiful stop at Huka Falls.

Kia Ora, from the Northlands of the North Island of New Zealand. We've had a busy since arriving in Auckland on Saturday evening in a rainstorm, which hung around on Sunday. We still wandered around Auckland but skipped some of the scenic outdoor parks and sites we had hoped to see. Weather happens and you just go with it. We were able to see some of the sites through the windows as we were leaving on Monday to head north.

On the way north, we stopped in Matakohe to enjoy a visit at the Kauri Museum. Kauri are huge and amazing trees that can live 2000 to 3000 years but were almost deforested to extinction. The ones we saw were "only" 600 to 800 years old.

From there we went to Paihia, in the beautiful Bay of Islands. We had an excellent guided tour of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, the location of the signing of the treaty between the Māori tribes and the British. They have a very informative and well curated museum.

While in Piahia we also visited Russell / Kororareka (Sweet Peguin). It is a lovely little hamlet that is also home to the oldest surviving church in New Zealand, that survived the sacking and burning of the Battle of Kororareka in 1845, but still bears the musket ball holes.

We ended or stay in the scenic Bay of Islands with a catamaran ride to visit Otehei Bay, cruise to Cape Brett and sail through the famous ‘Hole in the Rock’ of Piercy Island.

What a wonderful start to our New Zealand adventure. Lots of photos..........

Our visit to Samoa has been full of sightseeing on the islands of Upolu and Savaii. Lots of waterfalls and opportunities to swim in the beautiful pools at the base of the falls. We also took a dip in The Trench, a sinkhole similar to the Cenotes in Mexico but saltwater versus fresh. We had a wonderful local tour guide for two days that took care of getting us to some beautiful locations off the beaten path and access to some homes to see local traditions, like coconut harvesting and amazing mat weaving skills.
Some of the other sites we saw on our own included a museum at the homesite of author Robert Louis Stevenson and the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, with its amazing woodwork ceiling.

Definitely glad we opted for taxis and a driver, driving on the lefthand side and trying to find places would have been an adventure, but not the fun kind.

Definitely the furthest we have traveled in our quest to visit every US National Park.

One of the tourist websites included in their description that "American Samoa rewards intrepid travelers with astounding natural beauty". It is a true statement, the stunning landscape is verdant and vibrant, and as a traveler you need the ability to appreciate you are in a different part of the world. Only comprising a total of 77 square miles and with 90% of the islands covered in untouched tropical rainforest, it is easy to explore the accessible portions of the island. For us, the beauty of this tropical island was worth a short stop.

Factoid: As an unincorporated U.S. territory, American Samoa has its' own government structure. However, the territory is noted for having the highest rate of military enlistment of any U.S. state or territory; as of 2021, the local U.S. Army recruiting station in Pago Pago ranked first in recruitment. They are very proud of their military service and support.

Today we cross the international date line when we head to Samoa. We have a 30 minute flight that departs at 1:00 PM on Monday, January 20 and we arrive at 1:30 PM on Tuesday, January 21. I guess there really is time travel. 😃

Thanks for the birthday wishes. It was a great day.

Our short stay on Ohau flew by. This was a planned one-night stop so we could catch the flight to American Samoa, which only goes out twice a week. We made the most of our 28 hours on the island.

The must do for us was the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites. The museums and the somber visit to the USS Arizona, work to honor all that were killed on December 7, 1941. We included the NPS Ford Island tour to visit the USS Utah and USS Oklahoma memorials. The NPS ranger did a fabulous job with the narration and weaving in stories from the day. One large take away for me, while we call it the attack on Pearl Harbor, the whole island of Ohau was under attack, with so many bases spread around the island. Unimaginable the terror and destruction the people on that day experienced.

We also managed a quick trip to Diamond Head to enjoy the view, a beautiful sunset and peaceful morning beach side, and a little time on the North Shore to see some surfers.

Whew, this evening's flight will provide some quiet time.
Next up, American Samoa.

In our last couple of days on Maui, we were fortunate to see some of the quintessential sites and enjoy the natural beauty. Explored the west side; including Lahaina, which is well on the way to rebuilding after the disastrous 2023 fire. We also saw the Dragons Teeth and the Nakalele Blowhole.
On our last day took the very winding and at times narrow road to Hana, with all its' waterfalls. We also took a couple of short hikes in the Kipahulu section of Haleakala National Park, which is very different than the volcanoe side, with waterfalls and beautiful coastal views.

Maui did not disappoint. On to Ohau for a very short stay.

Did someone say Hawaii? It was a balmy 47 degrees and winds that pushed you around at the Haleakala Crater and the Summit at 10,000 ft. Even saw a little snow in the shade. The amazing views were worth being battered by the winds. We could see Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea over on the Big Island.

Our week long stay on the Big Island is coming to an end. We spent the last two days on the west side and were treated to great sunsets.
A high surf advisory changed some of our plans. Our night snorkel to see manta rays was canceled and Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park was closed but we found other things to see. Some of the stops included Paleaku Gardens Peace Sanctuary, Hulihe‘e Palace and Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park.

This morning's journey takes us to Maui. Aloha Maui.

Wonderful start to our week on The Big Island. We spent two days at Volcanoes National Park, just missed the recent eruption by 36 hours but it was still an awe inspiring visit. During our stop in Hilo, we toured the Lyman Museum and Mission House, very good presentation on Hawaiian history. Drove the Hamakua coast up to Honokaa, stopping along the way at Rainbow Falls, Akaka Falls State Park, and Laupahoehoe Point. We've also hit up some black sand beaches and the true Southernmost Point of the United states.

On to the west side tomorrow.

So fortunate to be on this journey with my wonderful husband.

Happy New Year to all, wishing you a 2025 filled with joy, health and love.

After an extended stay in The Woodlands, the truck and Rocco the RV are tucked in for a winters nap.

So with that, we begin our 10 week version of planes (lots of planes), trains and automobiles with a few ferries added in, as we meander and island hop our way Down Under. First up, The Big Island of Hawaii.
Aloha

Happy Birthday! 🎁🎉🎈

Happy Birthday! 🎁🎉🎂

Happy Birthday! 🥳🎉

Happy Birthday! 🎊🎈

Happy Birthday, Linda! Sorry a couple of days late. 🥳🎈🎉

Happy Belated Birthday.

Happy birthday! 🎉