Circumnavigate The Globe in 123 days with Bill & Mary Ann - 2011 World Cruise

[hpf]

What a great adventure you are haveing, and all of us through you. You really should compile these stories into a book. Try the Haggis sometime you never know perhaps yoy would accuire a taste for it. It's not something I would want everyday, although on a Celtic tour of Scotland & Ireland i did have it nearly everyday. It is usually made with only oatmeal, suet and 1 other (edible) ingrident which I forget. Haggis or no Haggis I am so enjoying your trip. Looking forward to the rest of your cruise. Helen

[Skye23]

Haggis is essentially 2 steps left of scrapple, or for that matter some types of boudin sausages. Scrapple of course being pork trimmings, cornmeal (or coarse ground wheat in some parts), fat and spices.

When done properly, Haggis is made from oatmeal, fat, lamb trimmings, lamb heart, liver and (rarely anymore) lungs along with spices. It tastes like a peppery, livery meatloaf or pate. The kind served to tourists almost never has anything more then lamb, oatmeal, liver and spices in it (none of the other organs). Rather a pity I think, but others feel differently. I love it, and I'm prone to finishing off my portion plus any that the less adventurous people at my table don't want. I'd rather eat it then escargot any day :D

[fann1sh]

Skye23, with a good Scottish board name like yours, I'd expect nothing less!;)

[WCB]

Report # 41 February 13, 2011 Sunday Oban, Stewart Island, New Zealand

 

Our last port of call in New Zealand was at a remote island at the tip of New Zealand called Stewart Island. Consisting of 650 square miles, they have a population of about 400 residents. That number increases by 60 people during summertime, when backpackers arrive for hiking adventures. Oban, the only community on the island, is a fishing village with few amenities. There are a couple of stores, the main one being a supermarket. There is one hotel with a bar and restaurant, a visitors center, one museum, a library, and an elementary school. High school and college has to be completed on the mainland, forcing parents to send their kids to boarding schools at their own expense. There are only 20 miles of paved roads around the island, and the rest is dedicated to the Rakiura National Park.

 

The Amsterdam anchored right off of the shores of Golden Bay. We did arrive at about 8am, but decided to have a good breakfast in the dining room before heading out. There were a few shore excursions here, but we wanted to see what was on the island at our own pace. Long story short....we really needed to walk.

 

By 11am, we took the tenderboat ashore. One of us was really apprehensive about the darn tenderboat ride, since when we were leaving Niue, the boat took a deep dip when boarding, and it seemed like forever before the clumsy boarding was made. It was extremely painful landing on one leg, making one of us seeing stars. You can guess who it was. I, Mary Ann, have been nursing the darned hip ever since then. It was a relief to see that there were no waves or low tides interfering with the transfer to shore this morning. Whew!

 

However, the work was right in front of us as we looked up the steep hill we had to climb to reach the town center. No wonder physically challenged passengers were not allowed to come over here today. The walk was rewarding when we saw the numbers of birds flying around in the trees and fields. We had hoped to see the largest kiwi bird that resides on this island, but they really are night birds. And with so many people invading this laid back community, we knew they would never come out of hiding. We did see a field of oystercatchers probing for grubs and worms. On the veranda of a hillside home, we spied a large parrot by the name of kaka, happily eating peanuts from a hanging feeder.

 

We finally made it over the top of the steep hill, then downhill to the town's center. All of the basic buildings were within two blocks, which faced Halfmoon Bay with a small stretch of sandy beach. In the small harbor, were a few fishing boats, probably just back from an early morning sail. They catch blue cod and shellfish.

 

There was one very nice t-shirt store, where we bought the last tan bird printed New Zealand-made t-shirt, hand-decorated by a local artist. There were many other styles , but this one was the best. With our remaining change, we purchased the cutest little wind-up kiwi bird. Our leftover New Zealand money can be exchanged in Australia for their money, so we did not feel the need to use what we had left. While at the landing pier, a local fellow offered to take us to nearby Ulva Island, a smaller, 620 acres of raw land. He was asking $25 NZ each for a ride over, however, failed to mention it would cost another $25 or more to come back. No, there was not enough time to see it all, since the ship was scheduled to leave at 4pm.

 

Many people were paying locals $5. for a ride back to the pier. They did not realize what a hard walk it was until they got over here. We decided to check out some of the local trails we had seen marked on our way to the town. We made a pass through the South Sea Hotel to use their facilities before setting off. Many people had filled the restaurant and bar, either enjoying the local brew or trying the blue cod. Friends Leta and Bill went there for lunch, ordering the battered and fried fresh cod. They said it was the best they have ever tasted....fresh and cooked perfectly.

 

The first path we took looked like it was a shortcut around the steep street. But no, we were wrong. Once heading into the wooded glen, stairways appeared that took us up really high into the bush. Weaving in and out of the glens covered with tree ferns and deadfall, we listened for any sounds coming from birds. More stairways and foot bridges eventually brought us to the foot of the soccer field right next to the main road. There was a sign that pointed to the next trail, but we could not see it. Then, a neat thing happened.....a local lady, the wife of the one policeman in town, came up from the trail we had just hiked, and asked if we needed help. Had to admit, yes we did. That conversation ended up turning into a 30 minute visit with this more than friendly native. She gave us a feeling of what it would be like to live here, isolated from the rest of the country. She admitted that it wasn't for everybody, but only those who love the outdoors, hiking, fishing, or hunting. Hmmmmm.....hunting caught our attention. We did not know that Virginia whitetail deer had been introduced on this island years ago, and are hunted by the locals as well as mainlanders. They thrived in the bush, but multiplied too fast. There was a need to keep the numbers down, so both does and bucks are fair game. That is, if you can find them. This island is as rugged as it gets, and is covered with dense foliage under the massive native trees. Sure would be fun to try it though.

 

She also mentioned that a favorite pastime of the locals is watching the kiwis come out at dusk, where they walk on the roads and beach, looking for bugs. One predator that can destroy the forest of trees is the possum. Can you believe that there are over 80 million of them in New Zealand? Locals have nicknamed them "squash ems", since they are run over by cars all over the country. Possum merino (fur) is actually a combination of the possum fur blended with wool, and is used to make scarves and gloves. The rat is also another predator, which accidently got transported here by boats and ferries. Once detected, they are poisoned.

 

On our walk, we did see many species of birds, including the wood pigeon. They are so large compared to our pigeons, that they look like flying balloons. In the past, they were hunted to almost extinction, but are now protected. Other birds we spotted were ducks, seagulls, tuis, bellbirds, fantails, and robins. The black and white oystercatchers were amusing to watch on the beach as they fought over territory. If you had the patience to stand still long enough, you would see and hear some of these colorful birds.

 

All in all, we really enjoyed this island and town, since it was what we imagined New Zealand must have looked like thousands of years ago....truly an outdoorman's paradise. We caught the last tenderboat back to the ship at 3:30pm, getting back at the tail end of the sailaway party. These seem to have turned into a non-event with little participation. With cooler and windy conditions, most folks go elsewhere.

 

This was the first evening since we reached Auckland that we went to the Crows Nest. Some of the regulars thought we had either left the ship or were ill. No, just pooped out at the end of the busy days touring eight ports in a row! What was surprising, was to see how bright the lounge was at 7pm. Since we are at a lower latitude, the daylight hours are much longer, with the sun setting at around 10pm. It is not unusual to see Jerry, the bartender, wearing sunglasses.

 

In anticipation of Valentine's Day tomorrow, a box of Sees truffles and card were left for us in our room, compliments of our travel agent. There were only six of us at dinner, since the rest went either to the Pinnacle Grill, the Lido, or Canalettos for early dining. The service seems less stressed for our waiters when there are fewer of us.. They are always on the run with the large number of guests they serve. And we understand that there is a limit of eight entrees the assistant waiters can carry into the dining room at one time. Frankly, if they carried ten dinners, they would be walking blindly because they can't see over them. That has created a problem with getting us all served at the same time. We are all polite, and wait until all have their plates before starting to eat. That's the price one pays for having a large table we guess.

 

We need to catch up on the entertainment for the past three days. Soul Mystique performed on Friday, with an act that includes quick changes of costumes, like magic. The show-goers liked this repeat performance. On Saturday, Simeon Wood gave a multi-instrumental show, and we heard he was OK. Tony Pace was on stage Sunday, but we have had no reports about his comical singing yet. Pianist Diane Fast has kept her patrons happy, filling the Piano Bar every evening. Or perhaps, the 2 for 1 drinks from 9 to 10pm has helped her numbers.

 

Tomorrow, we look forward to a day of scenic cruising of Fiordland National Park on the southwest corner of New Zealand. But what that really means, is having the luxury of sleeping in late!

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Thank you for your excellent report on Oban.

Not many cruise ships call there. HAL is the only one.

I am so glad to hear you enjoyed it.

Not many NZ'ers have been there either.

It is quite remote, and the fact that nothing is there ,

is its attraction.

[DAllenTCY]

I hope that you continue to provide such detailed reports every day. I believe that all of us are apprciative of them, and the fact that we don't reply is only because we don't want to take up your internet time.

David

[WCB]

Report # 42 February 14, 2011 Monday Scenic Cruising Doubtful Sound, New Zealand Part 1

 

Our final treat and last memory of New Zealand will be scenic cruising in part of Fiordland National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This is an area of the country where glaciers carved out mile-deep notches into the coast, leaving behind magestic mountain peaks, rivers, waterfalls, and beech-covered cliffs.

 

Doubtful Sound was the first of these waterways we would enter early this morning. It is three times longer than Milford Sound, and is far less visited by tourists. The many mountains here are limestone bluffs, filled with many hiking trails for the hardiest of hikers. We were content watching the passage from the bow of the ship. The weather was cool, and the mountaintops were covered with either fog or a gray haze. Not the best conditions for photo-taking. However, since this area gets over 20 feet of rain annually, we felt lucky to have fog.

 

We kept an eye out for the bottlenose dolphins and seals that are said to be in these fiords, but saw none. There were a few birds, but only in the far distance. What are here, we understand, are swarms of sand flies, which stuck mainly to the shorelines. They must be really a pain to the hikers.

 

The minute that we left the sound, the Dawn Princess was heading into Doubtful Sound coming from the north.

 

There was food being served everywhere today. Between 7 and 10am, fiordland rolls (similar to the Panama rolls) and coffee were served on the lower promenade deck. By 10am, the bar staff came out with their carts full of hot apple cider and chocolate. If that wasn't enough, Dutch pea soup was offered at 11am, even out on the bow. We took them up on that treat, because they make the best pea soup ever. To round out the afternoon, hot bouillon and sausage rolls were passed around the outside decks.

 

Around noontime, we came back to our room and found an "emergency " candy bar had been left on the bed. It was really a special treat for Valentines Day, but we felt an emergency coming on, and just had to taste it! We needed the energy for the next treat.....sailing into the Milford Sound.

 

To be continued.............

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[kazu]

enjoying your posts so much Bill & Mary Ann - thanks for sharing with us and taking the time & expense to do so. :):)

[Georgiane]

Love, Love, Love your daily updates. I look forward to reading them every day, it makes me want to pack my bags and join you... Keep up the great posts and thanks for sharing...

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Update on current position...

 

[WCB]

Report # 42 February 14, 2011 Monday Scenic Cruising Fiordland National Park Milford Sound Part 2

 

The Amsterdam entered the impressive opening to the Milford Sound around 3:30pm under blue skies. How lucky was that?The walls of rock jut up to over 4000 feet in this 18 mile long fiord, making it one of the most visited attractions in the South Island. The highest peak is called Mitre peak and stands at 5,560 feet in elevation.

 

As we slowly sailed along, we came around a corner to spot four kayakers making their way to Bowen Falls. The water cascades from the top, 520 feet down to the gorge below. Nearby on the banks, we did see some seals laying in the warm sun, oblivious to our huge ship passing by.

 

Deeper into the fiord, helicopters and single engine planes were taking tourists on short rides half way up the mountainsides. On most of these steep slopes, trees were barely rooted in the shallow soil, which consists mostly of compost. For that reason, we spotted many slides where the trees were brought down by high winds. Rock slides also eroded the cliffs due to earthquakes. This is Mother Nature at work. But it did get our curiosity going about how this fiord looked to the Maoris who originally hunted and fished in this area thousands of years ago.

 

Maoris found the source of the greenstone or New Zealand jade as they call it here. And they hunted the large flightless bird called moa, which are now extinct. In more recent times, 1865 to be exact, gold was discovered in this area and the gold rush was on. It lasted a short time, but long enough for the settlement of Queenstown to be established. Of course, today that area is well-known for extreme sports enthusiests.

 

We shared the viewing today with several small boats that had the thrill of sailing under the thundering waterfall, probably soaking the people on the top deck. There was also another interesting spot that was pointed out by Barbara, our port lecturer. It was the Milford Deep Underwater Observatory, where you can see red and black coral and other sea creatures from a windowed gallery below the waterline.

 

Once the ship turned around, the wind was quite strong, emptying the site-seers from the bow of the ship immediately. The best spot now was the aft pool area, where we watched the sail out from the comfort of the lounge chairs. The last time we were here, the day remained cloudy, and we never appreciated the beauty of this fiord like we did today.

 

Well, today also happened to be Valentines Day, so the dress code for this evening was formal. That meant we would have an officer at our table, and she turned out to be a young, pretty one by the name of Julie Berndsen, the Human Resourses Officer. She was not in uniform, but allowed to dress formally like the rest of us. That worked for her, since she seldom gets the chance to dress up. But also, she said that meant perhaps she would not have to dance at the Valentines Ball at 10pm tonite, since the fellows would not recognize her out of uniform. We will have to find out how this event went, since we did not attend.

 

Another highlight of the evening was the early performance by the popular group, Black Tie. They consist of two brothers and their wives performing a vocal and instrumental cabaret act. One Black Tie couple will be joining us for dinner tomorrow evening, we understand. Looking forward to meeting them.

 

Oh yes, tonight was gift night. Two stuffed koalas greeted us when we retired to our room for the night. And another gift, was the extra hour we got by setting our clocks back. Boy, did we need that more than anything! That, and two days at sea ahead of us.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[cccole]

This voyage has been so much fun to "join." I am awaiting the news as to where the voyage will take you in the Middle East. It cannot be an easy decision for your captain. Thank you so much for taking us along. Cherie

[Johnny B]

Tell Yuri and Valerie hi from us. Yuri played trivia on occasion with us and was a riot--we are still laughing. They also joined us for dinner (his brother and wife--can't recall their names at the moment, but we all had a great time. Love their show and can't wait to see them (and you guys) next year. Tell Barbie hi!

[WCB]

Report # 43 February 15, 2011 Tuesday Day at Sea

 

We have been looking forward to today, not so much for the activities onboard, but for the simple fact that we did not have to get up early or go anywhere! We were not alone in our thinking as many of our fellow guests totally agreed.

 

Of course, there were many options to fill the day. Three exploration speakers were on the agenda with lectures in the Queens Lounge, well four speakers if you also count Barbara, our travel guide. She gave an overview of Hobart and Port Arthur in Tasmania, while Dan Ostler lectured on naval battles in the South Pacific. Donna Geisler, the star expert, gave a talk on Upside Down Down Under stars in the southern hemisphere. Finally, Robert Schrire delivered a speech about our changing world and the future. A well-educated group these speakers are.

 

Our trip across the notorious Tasman Sea has been rather uneventful, which is a good thing. We have known many people claiming to be immune from seasickness, cave in to the rough and rolling seas here. Strong winds can be dangerous in this body of water, causing damage to sea vessels. Today, she is as calm as a spring lamb. Hope it continues......

 

It has become necessary to split large reports into smaller segments, since the internet has been touchy with trying to send big files. In fact, at one point today, the entire system had to be shut down due to technical problems onboard. That's not been the only complaint of the passenegers. For some strange reason, the mystery of the missing laundry bags has plagued us and others since the beginning of the cruise. Or we should clarify that by saying the lack of available laundry bags has been a problem. We went to the main source, and asked the Chief Housekeeper, Willem, why the bags are not replaced, when you send a full bag out for cleaning? He simply stated that they have run out of bags, since some people are hoarding them. Go figure? Perhaps it is similar to the passengers that squirrel the bananas and Splenda sugar pouches, because there are fewer of them. And also, why weren't we getting replacement soaps and little lotion bottles on a regular basis? Since January 5th, we have gotten two bars of soap. Willem said he would check into that for us. He did say that the small plastic lotion bottles would soon be a thing of the past....too much environmental waste. That's understood by all. He'd check into that one for us too.

 

Well, shortly after our conversation, 2 dozen bottles of lotion appeared on our desk, along with 10 paper bags for the laundry! And two new bars of soap were left on the sink. Yes, Willem had taken care of us once again. He's a great fellow to know and we shall thank him at the first opportunity.

 

We were going to try something different for our dinner seating tonight, with the help of Ellen. She had invited Black Tie members Valerie and Yuri, the group of entertainers onboard, to join us this evening. That would make a total of 12. In anticipation of next year's cruise, we felt that it was a good chance to try the largest table in the dining room, which happens to be table 311 downstairs. Although 4 of our group threatened a quiet mutiny, they did not disappoint us, and did show up for the gathering. And with 12 at the table, we fit just fine. We ordered entrees of Grandma's meatloaf with mounds of garlic mashed potatoes, and the marinara-laden pasta with crispy fried mozzarella cheese sticks. The service here was excellent, since they knew we were coming, and must have added extra waiters.

 

A super dinner was enjoyed by all, especially when it came to cork-forking. The very attentive waiters had removed all of the forks......good try guys, but we still attempted to use our coffee spoons. Yuri suggested that "spooning" just didn't sound the same as "forking". He was right, because the corks don't fly as well using the smaller utensil. After several tries, the waiters took pity and supplied the dinner forks, and the corks flew high and wide. Our guests joined in with us, and with each successful landing in the flower bowl, we all sang the silly song and clapped our hands. Wonder if we annoyed anyone within hearing distance?? Yuri, who has a booming voice, made sure everyone heard us, loud and clear. And no, we did not bother anyone near us since almost the entire lower section where we dined happened to be vacant tonight. What a great way to end the evening.

 

We happened to notice that the Crows Nest had been closed for a private function at 8pm. We heard later that a very nice and generous lady, Ann Marie, had thrown a party for the crew members at 10pm. They were sure looking forward to attending it.

 

The ship was rolling and pitching a bit by bedtime, but just enough to rock us into a deep sleep. The clocks also went back one hour, which we love. One more day at sea, and we will be in Australia!

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[WCB]

Thank you all for your encouraging comments and support. It really helps to keep us motivated to keep you all up to date on our travels.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[waverley7]

Bill and Mary Ann, your cruise sounds so nice. I see you will be in Naples in the future. Should you not have any plans there yet or if you have not seen the Amalfi Coast an excellent tour operator that we used in May last year would love to hear from you. He is Roberto di Palma at Amalficoastdestination.com and he is a great guy and gives the most awesome tour, he is so proud of his country. If you call him, tell him Janice from Canada sent you, he will remember me because that is the kind of person he is. Enjoy your trip and we will all keep reading your awesome journals of your vacation!

[janmcn]

Bill and Mary Ann, your cruise sounds so nice. I see you will be in Naples in the future. Should you not have any plans there yet or if you have not seen the Amalfi Coast an excellent tour operator that we used in May last year would love to hear from you. He is Roberto di Palma at Amalficoastdestination.com and he is a great guy and gives the most awesome tour, he is so proud of his country. If you call him, tell him Janice from Canada sent you, he will remember me because that is the kind of person he is. Enjoy your trip and we will all keep reading your awesome journals of your vacation!

 

I ditto Roberto...terrific guide...gave us a fabulous tour of the area!

[Kiwi Kruzer]

 

 

They have just arrived in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.

[WCB]

Report # 44 February 16, 2011 Wednesday Day at Sea

 

The temperature was a tad bit warmer this morning when we took our walk. It seems that we have left behind the intermittant banks of fog that we encountered yesterday. It was nice to see that we picked up a few friends to accompany us to Tasmania. They were a small flock of albatross that floated across the tops of the waves like jet planes getting ready to land. They never do land, but swoop up on the drafts and continue circling the ship endlessly.

 

Yesterday, we had to retrieve our passports from the Front Office and fill out landing and exit cards for Australia. Today, we got a letter with a number that we will need to present ourselves in person with the passports and cards to the Australian Immigration officials tomorrow morning. This mandatory inspection will commence at 6:30am. They said our numbers will not be called in sequence, so it's anyone's guess as to when you will be called. Bet a lot of people show up in their robes and slippers! We have a tour that leaves by 8:30am, so we will more than likely be in the first groups summoned. And we will have to keep our passpoers with us when we go ashore. We sure do not remember doing this before in Australia. Perhaps security procedures have changed in the last two years since we were here last. Safety has obviously increased everywhere. We do recall that the quarantine laws were very strict here. There has always been a dog and his handler around to check bags for forbidden food items brought onshore. Only bottled water is permitted to leave the boat.

 

The highlights of the day were talks delivered by Robert Schrire (doom and gloom of terrorism), and Dan Ostler (continued World War 2 history). A culinary demo was given by guest chef George Geary. He was making salad drssings today. Australian High Tea was served in the dining room, which we have not had the chance to attend as of yet.

 

Emailing was better today. We don't want to jinx it by saying it was better too soon. That's when it goes haywire again.

 

It was nice enough at the pool to lay low in the "lay-lows" or lounge chairs. A strong breeze was blowing across the deck, but the sun was out, so it was still comfortable. Captain Olaf mentioned in his afternoon talk that we may expect some rain tomorrow in Hobart. At least there is no mention of cyclones in the southern area. Right now, there are two powerful cyclones hitting the west and north coasts in the Darwin area. We will be heading in that general direction, but not for over a week.

 

In the meantime, there has been much speculation concerning the special event coming up after we leave Sydney. Wayne and Pat, while on a tour of the ship's interior, noticed a mountain of boxes pertaining to this event. The crew will be transforming the Lido deck into "something" Australian we suspect. We and several of our friends have received invitations for a luncheon in the Crows Nest with our officers and the CEO of HAL, Stein Kruse. He usually travels with his wife and an entourage from the Seattle offices of Holland America. If the parties go as well as in the past, we should all have a splendid time.

 

There were 2 for 1 drinks in the bars before each dinnertime this evening. That made up for the Crows Nest being closed last night for the crew party. Wayne and Pat were there, as usual, but informed us that they had enjoyed a huge lunch in the Pinnacle Grill, and were going to the Lido for an early dinner. With Ellen, Sue, and Laurie gone elsewhere, there were only five of us at dinner. The service was excellent, as was the food (prime rib again), and we were done by 9:45pm. Perfect.

 

The singers and dancers had a show called Street Singin', which we are sure we have seen before. We heard that Lance Ringnald, a former Olympic gymnast, performed an acrobatic show last night. That must have been difficult with the ship rocking and rolling.

 

Well, tomorrow's port is Hobart, Tasmania, and we have an all day tour. Sure hope it is a good one.

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[SHERGIB]

Thoroughly enjoying your wonderful posts. Question, didn't we have Black Ties on the Volendam grand voyage in 2002 ? We also saw them on QE2. Not to be missed.

[WCB]

Report # 45 February 17, 2011 Thursday Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

 

By the time we woke up, we were already docked in the port of Hobart, Tasmania. We are now starting our Australian portion of the world cruise. Tasmania is an island state of the country, with Hobart being the capitol and most populated city of this state. About 200,000 people live in Hobart, a city built at the mouth of the Derwent River. Originally started as a prison camp, this area has turned into a thriving port that houses historical attractions, national parks, waterfalls, vineyards, and verdant valleys. We would see all of this on our HAL tour we booked for today.

 

Of course, first we had to go to the immigrations check. Although we up and dressed by 6:30am, we were not called until closer to 7:30am to enter the upper dining room and proceed to the customs officials. The check went smoothly with the landing cards collected and our passports marked with an entry stamp. We were ready to meet in the Queens Lounge for our tour.

 

The HAL excursion titled "Wildlife and Waterways", took us out of the city through the Derwent Valley to Mt. Field National Park, a good hour's ride from the pier. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate too well.....the rain began almost immediately after we left the dock area. In fact, the skies remained dark with heavy rain clouds all day. It did not hamper our tour however.

 

It took about an hour to reach our first destination of Mt. Field National Park. We followed the Derwent River for most of the way out of town, then headed into the mountains. The scenery was beautiful as we took in the green valley below. It was planted with vineyards of hops, berries, and wine grapes, surrounded by pastures of cattle and sheep.

 

Our guide gave us one hour at Mt. Field Park, where we hiked a trail that took us alongside a creek that was buried in a forest of ferns and mature native trees. It led us to Russell Falls, the first of three waterfalls. Too bad we did not have time to see more, so we turned around and walked back, looking for signs of platypus in the creek. With so many people walking on both sides of the creek, we knew that would not happen. But we did see more small wallabies in this park, and had the luck of getting up close and personal.

 

The next stop wasn't really a stop, so to speak. It was a drive through the historic township of Richmond, where we saw fine examples of Georgian architecture with the churches, courthouse, jail, and pubs. the most photogenic site was that of the arched stone bridge, the oldest one in Australia. Due to early morning traffic, our tour was running late at this point, so we could not get off of the bus to explore the many shops and cafes.

 

Lunch was next on the agenda. It sure looked promising when we entered the driveway of the Meadowbank wine tasting room and restaurant. Our group numbered in the seventies, but in our opinion, we do not think the restaurant staff was prepared for us. Even though the large tables were set nicely, we sat there for over 20 minutes before the brief wine tasting started. We were served three varieties of wine, choosing the one we liked best for our meal.

 

Now, here's where things got interesting. The meal? turned out to be a shared platter of minimum portions of raw oysters, marinated salmon, procuitto, a fritatta, artichoke hearts, and a bowl of a few olives. A salad bowl, the size of which one of us orders at dinnertime, was passed around for 10 of us to share. If all of us had wanted one of each item, there would not have been enough to go around even once. From our calculations, there should have been two platters on each table. In fact, we had to move all the wine and water glasses in order to pass the heavy platter around the table.

 

Dessert was also interesting. The menu had promised a brownie, but what we got was a large piece of hard fudge, topped with something gooey, sprinkled with cocoa powder. Impossible to cut even with a knive, most guests had to leave them on the plate. There was a small platter of smaller candies, so we happily finished those. Everyone we knew, agreed to inform the shore excursion staff about our not-so-nice experience here. If we don't speak up, they will never know, and will repeat the tour again the next time that an HAL ship comes here.

 

Now the last stop was really a fun one. We stopped at the Bonorong Wildlife Park to see wallabies, koalas, wombats, Tasmanian devils, and a large assortment of colorful Australian birds including the emus. The best exhibit was of the Tasmanian devils. Gosh these little guys are really ferocious creatures....snarling and hissing even while playing with their trainer or with each other. We were able to feed the wallabies and emus, just as long as we did not pet them on their heads. They loved their chests scratched, but not the heads. That is considered aggressive, and their instinct is to kick or punch. One small wallaby had a baby that insisted on going in her pouch to nurse. It sure was a great place to get up close to these animals, except you had to watch where you walked, if you get the drift.

 

We were back to the ship by 5:30pm, but there was no sailaway party, because we did not leave until midnight. What was unexpected, was the Regent's Voyager pulling into the harbor to dock behind us. They are also on a world cruise, but for over 140 days. We do have friends onboard, but since they were not cleared by the immigrations officials, they could not leave the ship. So close, but no banana!

 

Only five of us show up for dinner, so the service was quick, which we all appreciated, since all of us were worn out. There was a local show given by the Tasmania Police Pipe Band and Lahl Irish Dancers. We heard that they were good.

 

We will be in Port Arthur tomorrow, just a short float away.

 

Bill & MaryAnn

[RuthC]

In a couple of days I'll be heading out to board the Volendam for some time cruising New Zealand and Australia. Your reports have given me great info on what I'll see, and especially what to look for.

Thanks so much for sharing your cruise.

[ger_77]

Bill and MaryAnn, I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying your cruise and want to thank you for sharing your experiences. It is especially nice since our weather's been so ugly of late (minus 39 degrees Celsius - which is the same Farenheit - this morning), I'm envisioning myself onboard with you enjoying the warmth, and even the rain!

 

Ruth, Bon Voyage ot you, I hope you have wonderful holiday.

 

Smooth Sailing! :):):)

[LAKEMI1]

We were on the Volendam the day the Amsterdam was in Taraunga. It was a great site to see two HAL ships in port. Hope your having a great time, sure enjoy reading your daily posts. Happy sailing -- we are just a wee bit jealous!

[Aussie Gal]

Mary Ann and Bill,

 

A belated welcome to our lovely country. I know you have visited here before but there is always something different to see.

 

We are in Fiji at the moment, enjoying the wonderful Fijian hospitatility. I hope the trip from Tasmania to Sydney wasn't too rough. I am sorry you are not visiting Melbourne as it is just so lovely and green this year as our drought has finally broken.

 

Jennie