MMDown Under

Yes all my cruising and land travel have been from my superannuation.

I didn;'t want to join Superannuation when I joined the Public Service because women only received their premiums and interest if they left (unlike men). Fortunately they changed the rule and I joined. This was the best financial decision I ever made. I have lived off my Super as a self funded retiree for 17 years and continue to do so. I would recommend people leave their money in Superannuation so they will have money for their retirement.

Packing list doesn't open.

What a secret! What wonderful memories! Good for her. My MIL who I got travel insurance for a car trip in the USA, in her 80s, is still going strong at 100 this year.

What a great photo of a special birthday. I didn't know the red carpet treatment was real.

I have found I get better prices closer to the date (unless there is an event on).

I've had some funny experiences answering that question. Once our flight to Japan was delayed and I didn't know where we would be staying, so I put the name of the company which arranged the accommodation. Another time I didn't know where I was going to be staying because my friend who was meeting me had shifted. The guard on the train from Canada to US put something down which caused amusement in the train station where I had to show it.

No

Italian custard sounds yummy.

We pulled our daughters out of school for a year when youngest was pre school and elder one would have been year 4. It was the best thing we ever did as a family. Our travels would still work now. We swapped houses and stayed in farm cottages off season. We leased a car for five months. It would be much easier to organise now with the internet. Ours was all by mail. Enjoy your planning l

No. I have followed world cruise blogs for years. Not everyone was rich. One loved her world cruise so much she did it again.

They do testing before boarding small ships. I recently cruised on a small ship in Australia where their excellent “sail safe plan” included a PCR Test 72 hours prior to departure and a RAT on day of departure. If either test was positive you couldn’t board the ship. In addition a nurse took our temperatures every day. We had no positive passengers on our cruise. However the same ship has recently returned to Darwin with positive passengers

I am a frequent traveller. I’ve just returned from ten days on the Sunshine Coast. Prior to that we drove to three music festivals in NSW. However I don’t think it is worth the risk of being denied boarding on a small ship from a port I haven’t visited before, on my own. I am in the official over 70 vulnerable age group. Will I visit Ireland again? Probably by ferry when I next visit the UK.

In a moment of weakness I put an option on a cruise on a small ship around the Emerald Isle then went on holidays. Then Fate stepped it with the small ship I recently cruised on returning to Darwin with positive passengers. Knowing their first class sail safe measures, I understood how impossible it would be to keep Covid off ships. Remembering how nerve wracking it was trying to not catch covid for a month prior to my last cruise, I decided three months would be impossible, so cancelled my option. Payment was in full. Imagine Flying long haul from Australia to England then not being permitted to board the ship! Would you take the risk in these times?

Sounds good. I'm going to try.

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers. I've have had an enjoyable Mother's Day weekend on the Sunshine Coast. Do they do anything special on Mother's Day or Mothering Sunday (UK) on cruise ships?

Thanks I thought so as I have one emailing me regularly

Happy Birthday. Love the cake. Was it fresh cream?

plus the risk of catching covid at the airports or the plane.

I don't like it. I feel uncomfortable tipping people. I also don't like the attitude of some people who expect preferential treatment when they tip in advance.. I also don't like when cruise lines say "no tipping" then leave a box for tips out as you leave. I think you have to be born to it!

Richie's Bakery Tewantin - What a find! We spent $50 on traditional Cornish Pasties, gourmet bread, cakes, slices, Portuguese tarts, and muffins. They are located at the back of a garage so not easy to find. richiesbakery.com.au

Impressive!

I'm surprised so many passengers become positive after leaving Broome on a Coral Geographer Kimberley cruise to Darwin. This is a new small ship. Are Authorities going to tell people in Darwin which hotels positive passengers/crew have been transferred to? And what precautions have been taken by the hotels to protect members of the public? I recently cruised on Coral Geographer from Cairns to Darwin. Their sail safe plan included PCR 72 hours prior to cruise, RAT on day of departure and daily morning temperature checks by a nurse. There were no positive cases on my cruise.

Hurtigruten are currently offering no single supplements on select departures to Antarctica, Svalbard and Norway. Good time for solo travel.