Hobart Tasmania...

Tuesday, March 3. Blue sky. 21 C.

Hobart is closer to Antartica than it is to Darwin on the top of Australia. 

A bit of a rocky night earlier, then calm as we entered the long entranceway to Hobart Port. Hobart is a city, no doubts about that. First of all you need to look at a map or know where Tasmania is. It is at the bottom right side, [SE Corner] of Australia and it that large island at the bottom. Population is about 250,000.

Hobart is Australia's second oldest Capital, [after Sydney], founded in 1804 as a British Penal Colony. Many of the earlier buildings are still standing and many of those are in use today. They were built by the convicts themselves, some of whom were masons, and are beautiful specimens of Georgian Architecture. No doubt those who were masons taught other unskilled convicts the trade, and on and on it went.

Tasmania also has the world's oldest trees, the Huon Pine. A 60 foot Huon Pine tree can be thousands of years old. Tasmania is an interesting place to visit, we first came here in 1999. It is the home of The Tasmanian Devil, a rather elusive, ugly looking badger-like creature with an evil sounding shriek, hence the name.

Fellette and I were up around 4:00 am this morning. I was expecting a reply from our travel agent in Vancouver to my enquiry about flying us out at Sydney rather than spend another 36 days as we had planned to do. We had some complicated exchanges and finally we came up with a plan that is now confirmed.

 

We fly out of Sydney this Saturday at 8:30 pm, and land in Vancouver, the same day at 3:30 pm, five hours earlier than when we left, thanks to the dateline. It is a killer flight, 14 hours. We are flying Business Class so the price is also a killer. Such is the price of keeping harmony in our house. My Bad!

A very short trip to Port Arthur, also Tasmania, overnight.  Ship departs Hobart at 10:30 pm tonight.

We will start packing tomorrow sometime. 

Four more sleeps!

An Interesting Day.

View from the ship.

All bundled up with our heaviest sweaters for the apparent cold.

Tasmanian Devil home in a wildlife park. They are inclined to be difficult to find. 2023.

This Kangaroo is fed by us tourists at a wildlife park. They rotate the Kangaroos as they get fat and lazy, as you can see. 2023.

Oversize Bronze Tasmanian Devils, these you can pet. 2023

A lazy Kangaroo, overfed. 2023 

A Kiwi bird. 2023

At Sea on The Way to Tasmania...

Monday, March 2. Rain, fog. 18 C.

A rocking and rolling journey since we left Melbourne yesterday. That was fine since we were basically worn out. As a result of both of those factors we were perfectly fine with staying in bed somewhat later. 

We have a Port tomorrow and the next day, in Tasmania; Hobart and Port Arthur. Again, we were here three years ago with longtime cruising mates, Jim and Gail. These are not large cities or places, Hobart is a small city, Port Arthur is more about the prisons and convict life.

Fellette and I have been going over the itinerary for the remainder of the cruise, [35 days]. We are  thinking that we would have been better to call the cruise endening in Sydney, rather than San Diego.

The rest of the cruise, from Sydney, where we are is a few day has 18 Sea Days and a lot of ports we have already visited, so we are doing some serious thinking about shortening the trip by flying from Sydney in a few days, rather than flying from San Diego in 35 days.

Stay tuned.

A Fond Farewell, My Friend...

Sunday, March 1. Lovely Day. 26 C.

The day went as planned. Lyn picked us up at the Port Gate in her snappy new Red Mazda. Within 1/2 hour we were sitting in Keith and Jenny's living room as if we saw them last month instead of six years ago.

Lyn had picked up some appropriate Australian pastries and sandwiches for those so inclined. The pastries were of a common kind in Australia but not in North America The conversation, although short, was lively. The Stafford's had met Lyn some time ago, twice in fact I believe and is a good mixer, so the time was easy. 

Before we knew it it was time to let Keith and Jenny get on with their day so we were on our way. Lyn took us on a very long scenic drive around Melbourne where she has basically lived all her life. We also went by Rod and Lyn's earlier home in Melbourne, and the place she worked while living in it. We had a very pleasant time with Lyn, who drove 1 1/2 hours each way today to do this for us today. Thank you Lyn!

We ended up at a quaintsy little shop where Lyn and I had milkshakes and Fellette had a Ginger Ale and something else that was very refreshing. I only mention this to let you know that things are similar but different here in the Land of Oz.

As we were having Lifeboat Drill near sailing time, it rained for some time but fizzled out as we headed to sea and Tasmania before ending our a Australian part of the cruise in Sydney on Saturday. 

An Excellent Day!

The Pilot got on board at 4:00 am.

Docked, 'Port side to".

Jenny, Fellette and their dog.

Keith in his Library, he says he has read some of the books 12 times, Good man, he knows how to relax!

The four of us.

Goodbye my friend!

Typical Melbournian Older Victorian home.

Same.

Love this!

Us three at the dock, saying goodbye.

So Long for now Lyn, love the car!

Melbourne Tomorrow...

Saturday February 28. Rain, fog.Chilly 18 C.

This morning around 5:00 we were awakened by a thunder and lightning display that took us over an hour to sail through, even the captain said it woke him up. It has rained all day and is rather chilly out. 'Welcome to Melbourne'  The captain mentioned that the weather will not likely to be so bad in Melbourne, Fellette and I have decided that it is a Long Pants Day tomorrow for us.

By the way, the captain is leaving tomorrow. Hopefully the new boy is a bit more socially inclined than the current one.

Tomorrow is a big day for me. We are being squired around tomorrow by our friend Lyn. We met Lyn and husband Rod on the P & O ship Adonia on a World Cruise out of Southampton in 2004. We became close friends and visited them in Australia as they did at our home in Surrey and Langley. Rod passed away last year while at their summer home in Henderson Nevada.

My friend Keith goes back somewhat further. In 1960 I got laid off during my apprenticeship as a compositor typesetter. I decided to take a chance and live my dream of travelling in Europe before I searched out a lady to spend the rest of my life with. On Valentine's Day 1960, I boarded the train in Downtown Vancouver, went right across Canada to St. John New Brunswick. There I boarded the Empress of Britain to Liverpool, then train to London, then train to Nice France where I met up with a family friend, paid him for half his Vespa 125cc Motor Scooter and started my six month trip of 17 countries in Europe.

Along the way we met this tall lanky Aussie, also on a Motor Scooter called Keith. I got along just super with Keith, but my Canadian friend, not so much. We buzzed around Europe for quite some time together, doing 17 countries in total, not all with Keith.We lost Keith in some city in Europe but we had exchanged addresses and when I got home we connected and have been friends for 66 years. Keith and wife  Jenny made it out to our home in Surrey once, maybe half a century ago. Fellette and I have visited Australia many times by ship and land. However I think we have only met up with Keith and wife, Jenny about six times in those 66 years. Methinks tomorrow will be the last time these two old guys see each other, sad to say. Bittersweet.

A Good Day.

Keith and Doug, Easter Sunday Lunch, 1960, at an under-road crossing, south of Rome if I recall.

Us two after a swim at Lerici, Italy, Youth Hostel, spring 1960. Oh to be that young again!

On Board , Off of Kangaroo Island...

Friday February 27.  Sunny. 24 C.

A reasonably calm night and very pleasant out today. Fellette and I decided to stay aboard today because this is a Tender Port. The ship idled a few hundred yards off the Island and they just keep that distance without an anchor. Kangaroo Island has an interesting history.

10,000 years ago  it was connected to Australia, but the the Ice Age ice melted and it is now an island. Fellette and I were here some time prior to 2007 while touring Australia. We came here from Adelaide where were staying at a hotel. We took a side trip to Kangaroo island from Adelaide via a Tour that offered the Ferry ride to Kangaroo Island and accommodation on the island and a thorough tour of it three days total I believe. We were also here three years ago, almost to the day.

There has been a problem keeping the island viable as a stand alone community for many, many years. After WW l, they offered the returning veterans free sizeable plots of land to encourage the expansion of population, same after WW ll. However, there is no meaningful way to keep the island going, other than tourism. So, they do their best to make things interesting here, but in reality, what is unique about this place, in my humble opinion, is that here you can just witness, first hand, an Island dying because there is nothing here to keep it going. The odd cruise ship and some tours from Adelaide will not make it, again, this is my humble opinion!

Today, for the first time ever, I am going to post some pictures taken on Kangaroo Island, but not today, but taken February 17, 2023, when we were here last with good friends, Jim and Gail. You will then, possibly, understand why we stayed in the comfort of the ship today.

Tonight we move our clocks forward another one half hour, [thankfully]. That means we will be an even four hours behind west coast time, but that damn day ahead! [I think!]

A Good Day.

Remember, all these photos are from three years ago !

This Park was put in many years ago to create something of interest in the barren scrub environment, that tourists may find interesting. Obviously it worked.

Art In The Bush.

A Metal Owl.

Giant Metal Eggs. And Fellette's lunch!

The Park extends across a ravine.

Part of the Park and surrounds.

I remember Jim and Gail taking a long walk down that beach three years ago. It was hot then as it was today, very hot on land.

This Sky-Link Ferry runs to Kangaroo Island  from Adelaide and possibly from other places along the South Coast of Australia.

This is my new Friend Frank. I met him in the Neptune Lounge today. He was sitting in there, alone, and I asked him why he did not go ashore today. It turns out and he is 92. [I am only 90!] He has also been here before. So, our age led to a lengthy chat about all sorts of things. We did so much comparing and laughing, it was just crazy. Wow, that was great for me I tell you.

A Fantastic Day in Adelaide

Thursday, February 26. Warm. 32 C.

We had a bit of a bumpy night but as we got closer to Adelaide it became smooth as glass. We had a light breakfast in the Neptune Lounge and next thing we knew we were on a coach tour compliments of our Travel Agents group. 

It was six hours, which is a bit long for us, but was very interesting and broken into three main components. The first was a visit to The Aboriginal exhibit in the museum of Adelaide. My initial response was Oh no, here we go with the Aboriginal thing! However, the exhibits were exceptionally well done, as good or better than The UBC Museum of Anthropology. Australia, as I mentioned earlier, has gone through what Canada has in trying to make amends to its native population for the earlier mistreatment of its Natives. Well done indeed.

Next we went to the National Wine Institute of Australia, at the University of Adelaide. There we had a rather intensive session, in detail, of more than the average person needs to know about wine. Then we went and had a detailed sampling of sizeable portions of four wines., two white and two reds. Following that we had a substantial smattering of cheeses and other nibbles, and wine, and called it lunch.

Filled with that, we made the quick transition to the Adelaide Botanical Gardens where we wandered through some interesting areas including the Palm Greenhouse. We have been there before, without the wine beforehand, and spent much more time there. It is beautiful.

We then went back to the ship, rested and got cleaned up, went to dinner in the dining room, then to bed somewhat later. The ship sailed from Adelaide at 10:30 by which time we were sound asleep.

A Wonderful Day!

This is where we are!

Exactly where we are!

Aboriginal Art. Large form!

Typical Australian older architecture style. I love it.

War Memorial in the area.

Yup, wine, big business here!

Hard to figure it out, but racks of wine, seen from above.

Nibbles.

Quince, remember that?

I didn't need that!

A fascinating green-house called The Palm House.

Adelaide Tomorrow...

Wednesday, February 25. A bit bumpy but ok. Blue sky.  Cool. 17 C.

Not much change since yesterday. Same ocean, same blue sky. Excellent sleep for both of us for some strange reasons. We updated our monthly calendar this morning. I consider February over, in my mind. This Sunday marks the beginning of March to us here. That is when we will meet up with Lyn in Melbourne. Lyn will take us to see my 1960 friend Keith and his wife Jenny. Lyn has met the Stafford's several years ago. 

I spent some time on my computer earlier today trying to find out when that was. I did not know this 'til today, but I only started to do a Travel Blog in 2007. Prior to that it was the old fashioned way... a photo album with stuck on photos with bits and pieces of Memorabilia and paper, like tickets and napkins as well. [I am going to get them digitized and printed when I get home].

After we updated the calendar today it became evident that 'The End is Nearer Than You Think' is true. After our visit this Sunday with Lyn, Keith and Jenny, we have a busy March. A couple of days in Tasmania, two days in Sydney, eight days in New Zealand and then the journey North East to San Diego after going through French Polynesia to San Diego.

Interestingly, we are at sea all of April, from the 1st to 7th. 

Our clocks move forward again 1/2 hour tonight. That means we will be 5 1/2 hours behind West Coast Time, and a day ahead. We do away with that Dateline Thing on March 22nd.

A Good Day.

Too much relaxing time and, too chilly to walk. This too shall end.

Across The Great Australian Bight...

Tuesday, February 24. Beauty weather and seas. 19 C.

Yup, that's what it is called, The Great Australian Bight. The Bight is the indent in the underside of the Australia continent in its coastline, [in this case between Albany, just visited, and Adelaide, some 1174 miles.] This is NOT the official Great Australian Bight distance, the ship is taking a straight line approach of 1174 miles, even though it takes us some distance from the shore, and, apparently it can get a bit rough out there, but so far, so good. The next piece of land South of us on this 1174 miles is Antarctica and  that is why it is a bit chilly for most passengers to walk the deck. Actually, Adelaide, is 4070 miles away, from Antarctica with nothing in between, so it will be chilly. We tried to walk the deck a bit but it was too much for us, dressed as we were.

Tonight is a Formal Night on the ship. This is to keep the Party Lovers happy on the ship, the reason for the formal night is a Masquerade Party and contest, later in the evening. Some apparently will kick it up a notch by wearing Masks to dinner. We will go to dinner in the dining room, without masks.

We have sort of decided, from now on, we will try and have a later breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill, it is nice and quiet in there but takes longer, however the service is great. We also would like to have dinner in the main dining room more often, for the same reasons. By eating in those places that means that we have less 'Boring Time' in our very nice cabin. With the clocks beginning to move forward now, it all works out just fine for us. It is not unusual for me to get a bit tired of my fellow passengers on a long trip. At home, things are different. We have a very nice mix of neighbours that we see, once in a while. Here, on this ship of Old Folks, I find it a bit depressing to be with them too much. Even though we are one of 'Them!'

Clocks go ahead here another hour tonight.That makes us six hours ahead of west coat time. [Plus that day ahead!].

A Good day.

Calm Seas, Bright Sun.

Ready to order breakfast.

Good company as well!

Before Dinner.

My Masked Companion. The waiter gave us masks.

A Nice Little Town Called Albany...

Monday, February 23. Perfect weather. Full sun. 22 C. 

We had a rough night but it ended up like a Mill Pond. It looks like a nice sized settlement, I use that term because there is serious business going on in the area but not to the point of ruining the place with messiness. Maybe that is the Australian way though. I would say that the Aussies are a bit better at keeping things neat and tidy, even in a messy business, it is just their way it seems to me.

We walked off the ship around 9:00 and took the shuttle to town, a seven minute ride. In a nutshell folks, we walked our buts off, again!

This is turning to be a bit of an embarrassment to me. Fellette says she is 95% better. I am now the one that has to 'recover'. Recover from what though? My hernia wait of six months set me back, then the recovery from that, a bit. But, in the last few weeks on board I have discovered that my body is beginning to feel like it is 90! That is disappointing. I don't over drink, or over eat, we eat simple and as much home-grown and healthy foods as we can. The food on the ship can be over salty and oversweet, but I/we have found ways to minimize that. Nope, I am fearful that at this point it is going to be a struggle to keep Father Time at bay. I know that I will have a better chance at home though.

We enjoyed the walk up and through this neat place called Albany. It turned into a grind for me though but that is why my body needs to get back in shape. I noticed that Fellette snuck in an afternoon nap today, something that she does not normally do, so I thinks she was feeling the workout a bit as well.

I for one am quite enjoying  Australia and talking to its people, they seem to be just a very pleasant bunch of people. Sure there are some rough ones, like anywhere. By the way, Captain George Vancouver came by Albany, notably, in 1791.

We have two days at sea before we hit Adelaide which is a very nice and civilized place to visit, at which point we will be 60% of the way through the cruise, or 40% of the way to go. Going by the weather at home, we are liable to be in a drought situation by the time we get home!

*******

Announcement: Tonight we move our clocks FORWARD one hour. We have another 1 1/2 hours to go in advancing our clocks before we hit Adelaide. Glad to see us sailing fully Eastward to the Pacific Ocean, and home!

*******

A Very Good Day.

5:30 am start!

Sailing in a bit later.

After lunch.

From the ship.

In town, another neat and tidy place.

Just feels good here.

Yup.