MMDown Under

Thank you Terry. Tasmania is a beautiful state to visit and Hobart has to be one of the most convenient ports. Just walk off the ship and you are in the CBD. Pleased this brings back happy memories of your visit there.

Wow that is hot for May on Vancouver island!! i have never understood the short stops by cruise ships in Victoria! Americans love it because it is so British, with English souvenirs galore. Vancouver Island has so much to offer overseas visitors. We have travelled from the south to north and east to west. Did I mention I was afraid of bears because two people were killed by bears on the mainland whilst we were there? Oh no, we were told it is cougars you have to be aware of. Cougars? No mention of cougar deaths in Australia. So we looked at books in the newsagent. Found nlots of books on being stalked by cougars. 600-800 cougars live on Vancouver Island. Our bush walks were curtailed!

It is the travel insurance industry’s dirty little secret. I always remember the shock when my travel insurance company would no longer cover me when I turned 70! Little did I know this would continue when I turned 80! When I booked a ferry to TI Insure and Go wouldn’t insure me because it was 4 months out. I cancelled the trip. BTW I have never made a health related claim. I currently insure with Qantas. I’d rather change my travel plans than be ripped off by travel insurance.

Tsunami and earthquakes are my biggest fears. When I asked a Tahitian fisherman how he ended up at Innisfail, he said his sister was washed away from a Tahiti island by a tsunami, so he needed to get away from the island.

Thank you for the information on quakes in the past 24 hours and ships in the vicinity.

I wonder whether passengers on Pacific Adventure felt it.

I last saw a platypus in the wild at Eungella near Mackay. This month Platypus have been returned to Royal National Park after being locally extinct for 50’years.

Seems too early for a heatwave. Probably too early for bushfires also. Sunrise sounds beautiful.

Yes they take a powerful vehicle to tour them. Trouble is they take a lot of room in our smaller caravan parks.

We call a trailer, a small box trailer in which we take rubbish to the dump. Caravans are very popular here. Two of my neighbours have sold their old caravans recently not knowing they are trendy with the young. Another neighbour has a 5th wheeler.

Sounds yummy! Is peach schnapps alcohol made from peaches? I took a neighbour back to Poland to meet her elderly relatives. I explained I didn’t drink Alcohol. However each family offered me their home brew which was delicious. They all roared with laughter re me not drinking alcohol!! Seems it was very strong! I do drink those sweet little half bottles here.

Is a trailer self contained a caravan or motor home?

No transport hassles is just what you want after a long haul flight.

Australian camping is all about being in the outdoors/beach away from the city. Around 5 pm campers will pull out their chairs and a group will gather to talk about their day and the fish which got away, Camping is a social occasion. It would be a wonderful way for you to meet Australians when you travel Down Under. We camp in a tent when we go to music festivals. My younger daughter is currently travelling around Australia in her camper van

I have stayed there. It is a nice business hotel in the middle of the CBD. It is close to Hyde Park and the ANZAC Memorial and shops, Not far to Chinatown and Paddy's Markets at Haymarket. Light rail on George street

True cost of cruises - Aust vs US. We shared a table with a couple of Americans on my last cruise on Carnival Luminosa. They said they were embarrassed to share what they paid for the cruise versus what Australians paid for the same cruise. And my cruise was a bargain to Aussies with no single supplement! I won't consider any cruise charged in US$ from Australia. I don't have a problem paying in foreign currency in countries overseas, such as UK pound sterling, Norway krona, etc.

i think the cutest marsupials are tree kangaroos. Lumholtz's tree kangaroos are found in the rainforest in tropical Queensland in Atherton Tablelands.

interested to hear of your review of P&O. Bon Voyage!

Haven driving on the left in the US numerous times, we find the biggest risk to us is when we are stopped in the left hand lane, on a one way street, turning left. Twice we turned left to see a stream of traffic approaching us!

Florida to Melbourne is a long haul flight. Choose the best option that doesn't leave you exhausted to start your cruise.

I need to be when I wake up around 3 am. Sitting out on the balcony, with my first cup of hot tea, is a perfect start to my day, Agree going from tropical heat to freezing Seattle takes packing skills.

Wilson Island looks beautiful. It is another island I can add to my not seen list. Is it a new resort, as I've been to Heron Island?

Thanks for your brilliant review. I like your clever adaption to keep your coffee from spilling between buffet and cabin. I take a small Thermos flask, which keeps liquid hot for 24 hrs, plus another flask for ice blocks to help keep fridge cold and for a cold drink during the night.

i just received an email from Fast Cover Travel "How to Use Travel Insurance". Covid Cover provided after 72 hours. I bought cover with this company when I needed evacuation cover and found them very helpful. I didn't have to claim. fastcover.com.au

Oops I use Qantas also.