MMDown Under

Thank you for sharing. That song is so moving and beautiful. I hadn't heard it. When I hear Canadian songs, I understand why Aussies feel so close to Canadians. Our shared heritage!

That is good to hear. Would be moving on a ship.

That would have been moving. When I worked, we used to go to the Old Lands Building, with its original wooden remembrance board to staff who had lost their lives in the war, to remember.

My daughter took my NY girlfriend a coffee mug with poppies and poem In Flanders Fields on the box, which I bought from RSL volunteers, Just heard a vocal version.

That is good to know. I'm surprised more people don't stay at the beach when they visit Sydney. My elderly neighbours used to stay three weeks annually at Manly Beach. When they got older, they shifted their annual holiday to the Gold Coast.

Was this taken from your home? Beautiful lush garden.

Reminds me of the mossies in the south of NZ South Island which were like little helicopters. We bought the biggest collection of Mosquito Repellant in NZ that I had ever bought. Who thinks of mossies in NZ, not to mention getting sunburnt. A country of surprises.

Watching Remembrance Day Service live on Channel 2. How times have changed. A woman is calling the movements. I love the ceremony I like how they pick one solder to feature his service to the Country in WWI. My American visitors are always impressed with how Aussies remember those who have fallen in past wars. Reminded my daughter, who will be on a flight to Phuket, to remember those who have fallen at 11 am. Do they do 2 mins silence on cruises on Australian cruises?

you'll be able to find plenty of shade at Manly. I sat at a table on the waterfront on the Manly Harbour side and watched all the young boys on small boats watching all the young girls on the beach. Then I walked down the Causeway to the Ocean front and sat on a chair on the waterfront there before I walked to the Fairy Bower, recommended by Jean C above. You can put up a beach umbrella on the beach. Just avoid the middle of the day at the beach in Australia and NZ. Agree you can get burnt on a cloudy day.

That is the terrifying part - wondering if the ship is going to right itself. I didn't find the rough seas (Atlantic Ocean) where furniture flew from side to side as scary as Bay of Biscay's unpredictable big waves.

How does the Great Australian Bight compare?

That is interesting. We eat Cornish pasties hot, as well as pies.

What makes the Bay of Biscay unique, it is like being in a washing machine. I've been in rough seas crossing the Atlantic where you had to hold a rope to cross the lift wells, so you didn't fly across the ship. But the Bay of Biscay was far worse.

Everyone was sick on my ship crossing the Bay of Biscay, including me, much to my surprise. It is something you never forget.

Sounds like you had a wonderful adventure in Alaska. We had really good weather in August but mid September, we caught the last ferry from Skagway, It was too late in the year, so too cold with snow and muddy driving conditions from Skagway to Whitehorse Yukon return. Wow I'm impressed that you camped on The Spit at Homer, with its beautiful views. We enjoyed the seafood at the Kenai Peninsula.

Saga's Spirit of Discovery had to return to Portsmith because of 30' rough seas crossing the Bay of Biscay.

Why I always take two different credit cards plus local cash with me everywhere.

Reminds me when we stayed at the Pioneer Guesthouse at Prince Rupert, a young guy poked his head in the door and asked is this accommodation just for pioneers or can anyone stay here? Yes I looked like a pioneer. VIA rail from Prince Rupert to Jasper is a daylight only train, so requires an overnight stop at Prince George on the way. When we arrived at Prince George our accommodation lady wasn't at the railway station to meet us. I thought we were going to have to stay in the Railway Station. However, a kind sole hunted the lady down and all was well in the end. We loved this scenic rail journey.

We booked all ferries, accommodation, and a course at Petersburg, before we left Australia. We picked where we wanted to stay first, on the Alaskan Marine Highway route, then checked accommodation availability and booked, then booked ferries. Most of the ferries ran regularly as a service to the locals. We caught a taxi from each port of call to our accommodation. We also booked car hire and truck camper rental in Anchorage. We didn't need to book camping accommodation as the season had ended and booked land accommodation when we had hire car, as need be.

I never bet, but the thrill is picking a winner.

I was following that horse with jockey in yellow from the beginning. A Freedman horse. Replay should be good!

I just cancelled an appointment which I made when I forgot it was the Melbourne Cup. I stay glued to the TV all day. I miss joining all the work sweeps, to increase my chances of getting one of the winners. I even ran a 5c sweep, with money back for last horse!

Thanks for the photos of the inside of the Opera House. I agree it is a good idea to go to a show at the Opera House to appreciate how special the Opera House is.

Agree Alaska can be visited cheaply. We did that and spent a few nights in a number of different ports on the Alaskan Marine Highway. We enjoyed the food. I loved how the smaller ferries could cruise into the smaller ports. Also we enjoyed meeting the local Alaskan people, as well as adventurous travellers. We also hired a car and a truck camper for land travel. We loved Alaska and its people who we found to be like Aussies.

Good Luck. I found the cruise with flights.