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

[WCB]

Report # 46 February 18, 2011 Friday Port Arthur, Tasmania Australia Part 1

 

Our last stop in the state of Tasmania was Port Arthur, located in a sheltered bay not too far from Hobart. Port Arthur is most famous for their penal colony that was established in 1830 and closed by 1877. All that remains today are the jail's ruins, with ghostly reminders of the darker history surrounding this prison. In July of 2010, this site has been registered with the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO as part of the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage property.

 

Prison conditions are never pleasant, but this place carries tales from the past involving brutality, beatings, and solitary confinements, even with the least offensive of prisoners. Many of the incarcerated were merely boys, who were isolated from the main population on a nearby island by the name of Port Puer. A much smaller island named Isle of the Dead was reserved for a cemetery of both prisoners and guards.

 

Since we have been here and taken the prison tour several years ago, we decided to go over later, after enjoying a nice breakfast. The ship was anchored and we had to tender over to shore. It was a short and smooth ride. The landing dock dropped us right into the middle of the prison complex, so there was no need to take an HAL tour here. There were welcome people onshore, who handed us a complete guide to the complex. If we needed a guided tour, we could have purchased tickets to do so. If not, we were on our own.

 

This was the perfect place to take a long walk. Even the weather was cooperating with mostly cloudy skies, but comfortable temperatures. We decided to follow a path that led us around the base of the property, into the forest next to the shoreline. It took us to nearby Carnarvon Bay and Township. A nice small sandy beach lined the bay with homes and shops facing the boats bobbing in the scenic harbor.

 

We took our time during this walk, mostly to watch for birds. We could hear them, but not see them. It took time and patience, and finally we got some pretty good photos of native birds. Most of them were very small, but colorful nevertheless. There were some parrots, but they were elusive, blending in with the trees, and constantly in flight.

 

We found ourselves at the highway, but figured it would be a very long walk to make it to the gate of the prison. So we made our way downhill on the convict water supply trail. Eventually, it led to the high end of the 96 acre site. At this end of the complex, we toured through the officer's homes and quarters. The hospital stands tall on the top, but is only a shell of what existed. The asylum, once occupied by those who went insane, is now turned into a museum and coffee shop.

 

The next set of buildings we saw were the houses of magistrate, accountant, medical officer, and the parsonage. Next to these were the remains of the impressive Church, where up to 1100 prisoners attended compulsory services weekly. The stonework and joinery were crafted by the young boy prisoners.

 

That was one redeeming quality here.....many inmates learned a craft such as ship building, furniture construction, blacksmithing, shoemaking, stone quarrying, brick making, and lumber milling. The least cooperative prisoners were used for turning the mill that ground the flour for baking bread. It was so large, that it took 24 men on a treadmill to power it.

 

At the modern information center, displays were set up for each visitor to assume the role of a 19th century convict. With an identity card, you went from room to room and followed what your horrible day would have been like, depending on what card you were given. In one bunk room display, was a menu for the prisoners for a week. The food included junk (salted beef), vegetables, pork, bread and water. Portions were small, which led to poor health and death. A very informative film was also being shown here.

 

On the top level of the Visitors Center was a gift shop, of course, and a fairly large cafeteria. As well as our group being brought here, a local ferry was also arriving every hour, bring more guests. The cafeteria seemed like a good spot for these people to linger while waiting for their ride back.

 

Now on the opposite side of the complex, were beautiful gardens with fountains, roses, and a fruit orchard.....all free from the unwanted presence of the convicts. Eventually, with the end of convict transfers, the prison closed its doors in 1877. The buildings were either dismantled or destroyed by bushfires. Some of the 30 buildings were rebuilt after 1920, while some remained in ruins.

 

We stayed until almost the last tenderboat left at 5:30pm. There was a sailaway, but not many people attended again. Too bad for them, we had the most delicious hot dogs in a crispy blanket with mustard.......always a nice treat when one goes without lunch. Captain Olaf announced that we were going to pass by two Capes once we left the bay. It had not been planned, so it was really great to see the formations of pillars and caves formed by the Antarctic winds and storms that pellet this coastline. It was worth bracing ourselves in the brisk winds that swept across the aft deck. We did get some good photos.

 

Dinner was great. We ordered the 22 ounce ribeye steak once again. It was Pinnacle Grill quality, just as tasty and tender as the first time we ordered them. With steaks like this, we have not felt the need to go to the Pinnacle Grill yet.

 

The group, Black Tie, was the show tonight, much to the guest's delight. They are most entertaining.

 

Captain Olaf had mentioned that we may have some rain tomorrow, but he really did underestimate how bad the day would be.

 

More to follow........

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[RuthC]

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

 

Smooth Sailing! :):):)

Thanks, Ger. It reached 60 here yesterday! :) Monday we're expecting snow early in the morning---just when I'm supposed to leave. :mad:

[MMDown Under]

Mary Ann and Bill,

 

I am looking forward to seeing the Amsterdam in Sydney Harbour today. Hope you have an enjoyable visit to Sydney.

[kazu]

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

 

Thanks Bill & MaryAnn - we loved Hobart :):) don't forget to do a review of this ship tour when you get - forewarned is fore armed as they say when it comes to food :) enjoying our posts very much.

[WCB]

Report # 46 February 18, 2011 Friday Port Arthur, Tasmania New Zealand Part 2

 

Well, here we are at the sailaway party, with frankly, just a handful of people watching from the aft pool deck. Yes, it was windy, but dressed properly, it was still a nice experience.

 

When Captain Olaf mentioned that we would sail around the two capes, many more guests arrived with their cameras ready. Since it was already past 5:30pm and the first dinner was being served, the Captain made it a point to turn the ship around at the first cape for all in the dining room to see without leaving their seats. What he did not mention, was the fact that dozens, if not more, sealions were perched on the rocks below the rock formations. We did not notice that either, until the next morning when we down-loaded the pictures onto the laptop. With the staining of the rocks, we knew something lived there. We thought perhaps a large bird colony, but that would take one whole lot of birds to make that mess. So it fell into place with the presence of the large sealions.

 

The second Cape was equally as impressive. On top of this rounded peak, sat a white lighthouse. When we got closer, we cold see the same pillar-like formations made up that cape as well. Something we immediately noticed, was that the seas were rougher and the waves higher. We would be traveling north now, up the east coast of Tasmania in the Tasman Sea. As the night progressed, the Tasman Sea began earning its reputation as being unpredictable and fierce. So far this trip has been really a smooth ride, so many folks were thrilled to finally experience the real thing, like we know we are on a boat!

[WCB]

Report # 47 February 19, 2011 Saturday Day at Sea

 

Remember we mentioned the weather change last night? Well, we woke up this morning with the spray of the high waves flying by our window. It was not only blowing a storm, but raining cats and dogs as well. You know what? We really can't complain, because we have had mostly wonderful weather this entire trip, so some days like this are good. That way we can appreciate the sunny ones even more.

 

To keep us all busy, many activities took place all over the ship today. One that was sad was the disembarkation talk given for the 107 guests that will be leaving us the second day in Sydney. That happens to included our new buddies, Wayne and Pat, unfortunately. In the 45 days that we have spent together, they have become part of our family of favorite people. Their seats at the dinner table will be difficult to fill, we are sure. We heard by the grape vine that around 92 newbies will be joining the ship in Sydney, so we are hoping that two single gentlemen will join the table, to keep our single gals happy. If not, there will be six ladies and two fellows, and the two fellows are spoken for. All that aside, we shall miss these two Aussies big time.

 

As the day progressed, so did the storm. By the time the Captain came on for his daily talk, the wave heights had reached 10 feet, which was not that bad. However, the winds had picked up to a force 10, closer to hurricane winds. This was at the time the ship was crossing near the Bass Straits, also known for ferocious storms. Once we reached the bottom of southeast Australia, the storm grew less intense, and by 5pm, the sun was actually peeking out and the waves leveled out. The worst was behind us, we hoped.

 

At dinner tonight, Pat explained that even though it is summer in Australia, this time of year is known as the wet season. We are hopeful that the next two days in Sydney will be free of rain. It is such a great walking city, rain would put a damper on that. Of course, when our friends were here about two weeks ago, the temperature was in the 100's. It is what it is, right?

 

There was a variety showtime this evening featuring Simeon Wood and gymnast, Lance Ringnald. We'll give you the comments tomorrow, since we did not attend. We have an early tour tomorrow with our travel group, so we need to get some serious sleep.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[aussieoz]

Mary Ann & Bill,

Thanks so much for the posts ... ENJOYING them very much!

Can't wait to be on the Amsterdam for the 2012 World Cruise with you both next year!

Take care,

Jean & Doug :)

[philly50's]

I am loving all of your posts. We've never sailed HAL. I just happened to be looking around and found this thread and now I am checking it out every day. Thank you for taking the time to post about your adventures on this world cruise.

[BoardwalkBabe]

Your posts are awesome and I am truly enjoying your trip report. Thank you!

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Amsterdam docked at Circular Quay, Sydney, Australia.

 

Just before Dawn local time.

 

 

And her she is asking...

Do you like my new bonnet?:D

 

[CairnsGuyCruiser]

G'Day Bill & Mary Ann

 

Many thanks for your great company over the past 46 days. It was back to reality last night when I arrived home. Missing all the table mob already as I had to make my own dinner. I will have a busy day today with the insurance people geting Cyclone repairs arranged. Hope to catch up with you all on Thursday when you will be in Cairns.

 

Cheers Pat

[WCB]

Report # 48 February 20, 2011 Sunday Sydney, NSW Australia Day 1

 

The Amsterdam arrived at one of the most scenic places in the world, Sydney Harbour, very early in the morning. We are not sure how many guests got up at the crack of dawn to watch the sail in, but we did not. Yes, we have had the privilege of visiting this fabulous city and countryside many times, so by the time we woke up, the ship was docked in Sydney Cove. Directly across from our window was the stunning Opera House. Also right out side our window, were dozens of ferrys zooming past carrying the locals back and forth from the outlying districts of the city. The larger of the vessels had a perfect view of our rooms, more so if the lights were on.

 

In a nutshell, the population of Sydney is over 4.1 million people, which is well over the state's (New South Wales) population of 6.7 million. The city and the suburbs surrounding it cover more than 4000 square miles. It is hard to believe that this spot was established as a penal colony in 1788, which probably accounts for the fact that most of her citizens came from Britian and Ireland. Other ethnic backrounds include immigrants from southern Europe, Sotuheast Asis, China, Hong Kong, the Middle East, and even New Zealand.

 

Since we will be docked here a day and a half, we chose a tour with our travel agency that would take us north, out of the city, to a countryside sheep station about 70 minutes from downtown. The weather today was warm, no, actually it was darn hot and humid. We had wished for no rain, but some rain would have been welcomed.

 

Our group only numbered about 17 plus our hosts Tom and Ellen. We boarded a brand new bus, along with a very knowledgable guide and his good driver. He gave a narrative for the entire ride, pointing out sites that we have never seen before. Our destination was the Tobruk Sheep Station. The ride took us north across the famous Harbour Bridge for over a hour's trek to the countryside. This station is set on 150 acres, surrounded by forests, built on a plateau that overlooks the Hawksbury River. We could see the Blue Mountains in the distant horizon. What a beautiful setting.

 

It would have been a special tour, if we were the only group there. That had been the plan, but sometime prior to arriving here, the owners booked another group as well. The bad thing was this group numbered over 300! In talking with some of the people from this group, we learned that they had all come from different islands in Indonesia. Their company, a baby food/formula factory, had awarded them this trip for their high performances at work. Flying from Indonesia to Sydney about five days ago, this was their final excursion of their trip. And were they having fun? You bet.

 

There were several activities in this interactive ranch program. We were added to a group that was trying their hand at whip cracking. Placed several yards apart, each one got a long whip, then were instructed by a ranch hand on how to use them. As you might guess, this was quite amusing to watch, as they wrapped the whips around their necks and arms. Sure looks easy when the rancher did it over and over, making a very loud crack with the leather. No way that we were going to try this, or we might be wearing a welt across our faces for weeks afterwards. Someone had to film and video this, and that was us. Ellen, our host, tried to crack the whip, but she admitted the whip was too long, or she was too short.

 

Our next task was to learn how to throw a boomerang. The ranch lady showed us how to do it, admitting that she was no good at it. This did look less dangerous, until our guide demonstrated it and almost landed it on our heads. Now one of our guests, who had never done this before, learned perfectly just by watching and listening. He let that little wooden boomerang go, and it circled high and wide, and way past the starting point. He even surprised himself. Who could hold a candle to that? We had wandered over to the paddock, where a three day old lamb stood, all alone, left by the herd and his mama and twin with it. We almost got to within petting distance, when the mama sheep came bolting down from the hillside with her other lamb. We knew to never come in between a mama and her babies, no matter what animal it may be.

 

From this field, we were led to an open-air metal roofed staging area, where a large campfire was cooking our next treat. We sat at picnic tables as far away from the fire pit as we possibly could, but the heat was almost unbearable. Have you ever heard that drinking hot coffee or tea helps to cool you down? Well, we would test that with the metal cups of billy tea we were served. This drink is made from loose tea ,mixed with boiling water from the campfire. They steep it by swinging the hot bucket of water in wide circles, not spilling a drop. Any liquid at this point was welcomed hot or cold. The other snack was damper bread. This was made with self-rising flour, mixed with water, then cooked in a covered Dutch oven over the campfire. This was how it was done by the ranch hands, who had to round up sheep or cattle on stations that are so large, they are the size of small states in the US. They added some salted meat, and they had a meal. This bread was cut into small squares, then drizzled with sweet sugarcane syrup. It sure went well with the tea.

 

Next, we were serenaded by the ranch fellows who played guitars and sang Aussie songs for us. The Indonesian group, half of them, beacause the other half were eating lunch, joined in the singing having a great time. The final thing to learn was a type of group dance we used to call the Virginia Reel. Ellen was one of the first to volunteer, along with two couples from our group, and ten of the Indonesian crowd. They all quickly mastered the simple steps, then danced to the music. This probably would not have been as entertaining had there only been our small group here.

 

Then we dragged our steaming bodies over to the main building, where we sat on the porch to watch the stockman on horseback run his dogs to gather the sheep from the pasture. Two of the dogs were called kelpies, a mixed breed that have the instinct to herd larger animals. Watching these dogs gather the sheep was funny, because it was apparent that they just like chasing them, no matter which way they run. Taking their sweet time, they did manage to direct this small herd into the corrals below the viewing seats on the porch. The stockman then showed us how the sheep are docked (tails cut off) when the lambs are 2 months old. When he picked up the three day old lamb to show how the docking tool worked, all the Indonesia ladies gasped, because they thought the baby's tail was going to be severed right in front of us. No, this lamb was too young. Lucky for him.

 

The last demo was held in a large room with a grandstand to watch the sheep shearing. We chose not to sit, but decided to stand by a side door, where we got at least a hint of a breeze. There were fans running overhead, but were not effective with a crowd this large. It just circulated hot air, along with the smell of sheep droppings in the air. The sheep shearing took almost an hour, instead of 60 seconds, like we saw in New Zealand. Again, the point was to stall as long as he could, in order for the first group to finish lunch. Even the sheep that was chosen to be fleeced was being testy. Gee, she should be happy to lose that heavy coat!

 

Finally, it was time for the promised traditional BBQ lunch. Except, it wasn't barbequed lamb we were served, but a fried steak with BBQ sauce. It was tasty, as were the sides of salad, potatoes, squash, and rolls. You know it was so hot, that the little pats of foil-wrapped butter melted to a liquid state during the lunch. We helped cool down with the ice water and local beers they gladly gave us. A nice treat was the dessert, which was called lamingtons. They were slices of yellow cake, filled and coated with frosting, then rolled in a mixture of finely chopped coconut and powdered chocolate. It's an Australian traditional dessert we understand. Also, all during the lunch, an Aussie gentleman entertained us with his guitar and familiar outback songs.

 

Well, it was time to leave this gathering. You have no idea how good that air-conditioned bus felt when we got ready to leave. Our guide said he would be happy to answer any questions we had about our experience at the ranch. One man asked about the origin and meaning of the song, Waltzing Matilda. Our guide said that he did not know who wrote the music or the words, but it referred to wandering ranch hands traveling from job to job. A matilda was their bedroll with all of their meager belongings tucked inside of it. When these fellows got lonely on the trail, they would dance with their matildas around the campfire. Interesting, but true.

 

We were listening to the guide's stories, more or less....probably less, because most all of us were asleep until we reached the Harbour Bridge. The heat and humidity had done their work on all of us. Oh yeah, the beer and wine may have contributed somewhat to the sleepy state as well. Gosh, it was good to get back to the ship and our air-conditoned room. We must have consumed two quarts of water each! And we were so wiped out, we never left the room until dinnertime.

 

Speaking of dinnertime, it was a bittersweet meal. It would be the last time we spent a lovely evening with our buddies, Wayne and Pat. Wayne was flying home to Melbourne, after being gone for four months. He had joined the Amsterdam after sailing on a small ship to Antarctica. It was a convenient and enjoyable way for him to get home. Pat was headed for Cairns, where he has a home that he hopefully finds in one piece after the cyclone hit there a few weeks ago. He plans on meeting the ship when we arrive there in a few days, since he has arranged to help some guests who want to take a trip out to the Great Barrier Reef. That can be done for way cheaper than the ship offers. And if the weather is bad, they will not be penalized for cancelling, since they did not book ahead of time.

 

And we had a really nice surprise when Ellen and Barb brought two guests for dinner..........Greg and Heo from Sydney. We had shared the dinner seating with Greg in 2007 while on the world cruise, and had a great with him. We had not met Heo, but we felt we knew him well, since we followed his wonderful blog from last year's world cruise. They will both be joining us next year, as they have booked the world cruise from Sydney to Ft. Lauderdale. At that point, we will have a full and fun table for 12. How good is that?

 

Well, we are overnight here, and had the view of the Opera House with the moon over it right outside our window. Tomorrow, we plan on going for a long walk to do some shopping. Sure hope the heat is gone by then!

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 49 Part 1 February 21, 2011 Monday Sydney, Australia Day 2

 

When we woke up this morning, we noticed from watching the ship info channel in our room that the temperature had dropped 20 degrees since yesterday. Yes, it was going to be a perfect day for walking around town.

 

After breakfast, we headed out with a plan to make our way to nearby Darling Harbour, then trace our steps back through the many shops and malls on the way back to the ship. Unfortunately, our time was limited, since the Amsterdam was set to leave at 2pm. Good thing we packed the umbrellas.....it actually rained for an hour or so. Felt good too.

 

We had an excellent handbook of maps and info given to us prior to docking here. From the ads in the book, we noticed that a new Hard Rock Cafe opened up late last year. Since we collect the city t-shirts, that was our first destination. Strolling around this picturesque harbor, we passed several nice restaurants on Cockle Bay Wharf. It seems like we are always here well before lunchtime, so never had the chance to enjoy the cuisine offered.

 

We passed by the Imax Theater with the world's largest movie screen, reportedly 10 times larger than a traditional cinema screen. At the very end of this complex is the Chinese Garden of Friendship. However, the entire place was under construction and boarded off to the public. We remember that this work had already begun when we were here 2 years ago. Must be a massive project, which according to the artist's drawings, will be very beautiful when completed.

 

We located the new Hard Rock, only to be disappointed to find out there were no city t-shirts in stock yet. In fact, the t-shirts they did have included a copy of one that we just bought in Singapore. They substituted Sydney under the design. Hey, that's cheating...... Another thing we noticed was that their merchandise was priced higher than anywhere we have been so far. In fact, everything we looked at was higher priced than at home. For the first time ever, the Australian dollar is equal to the US dollar. No bargains here.

 

Continuing our walk around the harbor, we passed many types of naval vessels docked near the Australian National Maritime Museum. Across the harbor, the Pacific Princess had just docked. We heard later this evening, that two Cunard ships will be in port during the week. Major events were planned for the double docking, which doesn't happen often. Of course, this also means that the city will be grid-locked during their stay here.

 

Time was running out, so we walked across the foot bridge, Pyrmont Bridge, and back to the hustle and bustle of the downtown area. We found our way to the Queen Victoria Building, a century old landmark building right in the middle of downtown. Known as the QVB, it houses some of the most high-end shops one can find in the largest of cities around the world. We loved taking photos here, since the interior has been restored, but still looks like it did 100 years ago.

 

Across the street from the QVB, was Woolworths, where we did some shopping. If I had my way, I would have stored up on Tim Tams, which are a very nice cookie treat in Australia. The downside is the extra calories we really don't need.

 

Coming upon Martin Place, a pedestrian street lined with benches, we stopped long enough to literally smell the roses and flowers being sold nearby. A few very talented street artists were playing their instruments for the resting people, who left some spare change for them as they passed by. All big cities seem to have their share of these fellows.

 

Another spot to sit and watch the passerbys was the pier where our ship was docked. Aboriginal musicians also play their digeridoos on this wharf. A few yards past them, was a group from Peru, playing their flutes. Further down, was a man singing to the tunes of his guitar, gathering a crowd of on-lookers. We sat there for a while until it was time to board the ship at the 1:30pm final call. We never did have the time to walk through Circular Quay or climb the stairs of the Sydney Opera House. Perhaps next year.

 

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

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[windsor26]

So sad This part of NZ has had enough trouble lately and they are still trying to clean up from the September quake. This has to be worse as there are reportedly over 60 deaths due to it happening during the day

 

Prayers for everyone there. They say the Europa which was in port shook and a chandelier fell. They think there were cruisers in the cathedral but no news about this yet.

[WCB]

Report # 49 Part 2 February 21, 2011 Monday Sydney....the Sailaway Day 2

 

There was a complimentary sailaway planned on the aft deck, as usual. What was different was the fact that complimentary champagne and wines flowed freely, along with "formal evening style" hors d'oeuvres served copiously. Do you know how many people that drew to this sailaway? You guessed it......there was barely standing room back there. Many of these guests were new to us, obviously the passengers who embarked the ship today. Usually these parties last 45 minutes, but not this one. What made this special was the addition of a small sailing vessel that was going to accompany us out of the harbor. It was a replica of a 16th century Dutch ship, The Duyfken (Little Dove), that sailed from Indonesia in search of gold and the spice trade. It was not gold they found, but the northern coast of Australia, making them the first Europeans to see and chart this part of the continent. The original ship had been destroyed by sea worms in 1608, so in 1997, funds were made available to rebuild a replica of the Duyfken at the cost of $3.7 million. And we had the distinct pleasure of watching her young crew hoist the sails and lead the way out of the long harbor. It was hard to imagine what it would have been like to experience sailing the seven seas in such a small vessel built out of oak and pine back in 1606.

 

Dinnertime was interesting tonight with the addition of two ladies that joined the ship today. They were Pamela and Ivana, the Go-Go Jewelry experts that will be traveling with us until Hong Kong. Since they had thoroughly enjoyed the sailaway party, they were in top form during dinner with us. They were not shy when it came to having a good time with story-telling for two hours. Too bad Wayne and Pat weren't here.....they would have really liked them. By now, 8pm, we are sure they have made it home safely, and would be thinking of us as we were missing them!

 

And more excitement.......The CEO of Holland America, Stein Kruse and his wife have joined the ship for two days of Mariner Appreciation. But that news will follow tomorrow.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[Aussie Gal]

Also, the towns of Lyttleton and Brighton were completely demolished. I have been watching Sky News all afternoon and the centre of Christchurch is decimated. I haven't heard the death toll as Sky News was very wary about giving out any totals in case they were incorrect but a lot of buildings were flattened and it will be a miracle if someone wasn't killed in this terrible quake which was much worse than the September one. Also, this one happened at 12.49pm, when so many were out having lunch, hopefully not so many were in the office buildings at that time.

 

Christchurch has suffered so much in the past 5 months what with the huge after shocks on Boxing Day. I hope this is the end of the tremors for them.

 

Jennie

[erewhon]

Aussie Gal,

Our Prime Minister John Key announced that 65 persons confirmed dead, it is expected that the number will rise.

It is a devastating day for Christchurch, the earthquake today felt almost as bad as the September quake.

[Aussie Gal]

erewhon,

 

How horrible for Christchurch and New Zealand as a whole. Our thoughts are with you all during this terrible time. The earthquake is very much on everyone's mind here and our TV's are reporting nothing else but the quake.

 

My son and friend were in Christchurch only a few weeks ago and loved the city. My sister and brother in law were there 3 weeks ago when Seabourn's Sojurn visited. Again they loved their time there.

 

Jennie

[SY7DNEY CRUISER]

From a reporter who was on the Europa with the Captain. The boat shook and shook the lights and the chandelier fell down. The amased captain said what is this the reporter replied an earthquake. They looked out the window to see the local cathedral falling down and the cliffs collapsing. The epicentre of the earthquake was in the port of Lyttelton. The town was destroyed.

 

The Queen Mary has cancelled its call to Christchurch.

 

I hope all the pasengers got back to the ship safely

[Northern Light]

My sister and BIL are in Christchurch having disembarked off the Amsterdam in Auckland. They just finished their tour of the north island and are now touring the south island with plans to stay in Christchurch for five nights. They arrived two nights ago and their itinerary is telling me that they were likely out of the city on a tour so hopefully they are okay. Their hotel had been evaculated in the afternoon of the quake and their website is saying they believe all guests are okay. However, my sister has some health issues so I will be much relieved when we finally hear from them directly.

 

My heart goes out to all the residents of Christchurch who have been impacted by this quake.

 

Sandy

[Georgiane]

Thoughts and prayers for all those in Christchurch. What a horrible thing to happen - living in California we are not immune to earthquakes and know the feeling of living through one or two bad ones. They are in our thoughts...

[jbhcw]

Thinking and sending prayers to everyone suffering in the earthquake. Was raised in California...have been through a few.

[wynkys]

Hi Mary Ann and Bill,

 

I'm home safely (and so is my luggage) and missing you all and the Amsterdam.

Pat called me yesterday with the terrible news about Christchurch and it makes it so much more real watching the coverage when we saw and walked through the city so recently.

I look forward to following your future reports and I certainly hope that you were able to enjoy my share of the free drinks.

Safe travels,

Wayne

[WCB]

Report # 50 February 22, 2011 Tuesday Day at Sea Mariner Appreciation Day One

 

Well, today was the first Mariner Appreciation Day where we, the passengers, are honored for our loyalty to the Holland America Line. As we mentioned yesterday, Stein Kruse and his wife Linda are onboard with Gerald Bernhoft, the Director of the Mariner Society, and Sally Andrews, Vice President of Public Relations.

 

During the next two days, many special events will take place. This afternoon, we were invited to a luncheon in the Crows Nest to honor our Mariner status. We have heard that only guests that have achieved the 500 day level are included in this event. A line of guests had already formed outside by the four elevators on deck 9. We would be going through a receiving line, meeting Mr.and Mrs. Kruse once again, as well as Sally, and Gerald, who we had just met while we were in Ft. Lauderdale.

 

Eight tables for seven had been beautifully set with name tags for each guest. We really lucked out and were seated with our buddy Barbie, and Mel and Helen, who we have recently met after sailing on several world cruises together. One other familiar gentleman was also seated with us. Each table had a host, and ours was the chief engineer, Jan Johannes Bloks. In the beginning of the meal, Jan was quiet, but listening. In no time, he was relaxed and talked about his job on the ship. He has been with this company for over 46 years, and is really proud of his responsibilities on the ship. In fact, with the passengers present at this luncheon, there was a combined total of over 46,000 days sailed for HAL.

 

While we dined on caviar, halibut, filet mignon and assorted veggies, our hosts visited with each table for about 10 minutes at a time. They arrived at ours when we were eating the delicious dessert of poached apples with vanilla ice cream. Of course, they lingered a bit longer since we were the last, giving us the chance to question Gerald a bit further in regards to the current Mariner incentive program. Even though it has never been announced, a five star level has been added. And those that have achieved that level, have no idea what the perks are. Obviously, more thinking has to go into the wide space from 200 days to 1400 days, which is the President's Club. It was suggested that a new level may be at 750 days and another level at 1000 days. We were promised that more details will come in time, how long, we don't know.

 

Once we left the sheltered harbor of Sydney yesterday, the waves and the winds have steadily increased. We believe it is from a cyclone in the area of New Caledonia and Fiji. We have been reassured that the storm is heading east, and not towards us and the east coast of Australia. The temperatures have risen, despite that fact that the day remained mostly cloudy. We did spend some time at the aft pool relaxing in what little sun there was.

 

On our way through the Lido pool area, we saw a masive transformation going on there. As in the past two years, the staff has turned this venue into a grand event that will be held tomorrow at 5pm. In 2009, the decorations were done while we were in China, so therefore, a Chinese theme. Last year, we saw photos of an African safari theme, since that was the location of the ship then. This event is called A Taste of Australia, and we guess the main theme will be wines and vineyards. We will have to wait until tomorrow, because the entire staff will not leak any news about it.

 

By the way, if you don't hear from us, it means that we are having either internet problems or problems with our own computer. For the last two days while docked in Sydney, we had trouble even turning the computer on, let alone send anything. We were continually being shut down. Today, it is working again, so we hope the problems were temporary.

 

The next event for the evening was a cocktail party in the Queens Lounge at 6:45pm for the second seating passengers. It was also another formal evening, and everyone who wished, could have their photo taken with the CEO and his wife. Since we had already had a group picture taken at the luncheon, we passed on the photo, and entered the lounge on the port side. Our favorite seats were waiting for us, where we know we always get the best service from the waiters.

 

Around 7:30pm, Mr. Kruse addressed the group with words of welcome, and then brought 10 special crew members on the stage for well-deserved recognition. Some of these gentlemen had as many as 46 years of service with the HAL company. We have had the pleasure of knowing several of them for many years.

 

Joining us for dinner tonight was one of the 1st Engineers. He seemed more at ease with our group compared to the Chief Engineer with whom we shared lunch. The reason could be that he knew our host, Ellen, quite well, having traveled many cruises together over the years. We chose the best entree they have had so far on this cruise........savory veal chops done just right. Everything on the menu was special, notably the high quality of the caviar, which Barb had for an appetizer three times over.

 

A very serious news flash shocked every one of us....the destructive earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand. We want to extend our heartfelt wishes in their time of distress. Having just visited there less than 2 weeks ago, we cannot believe what we are seeing on the news. This same area had been hit by another larger quake less than 6 months ago, and they were still in the process of restoring many sites. Coming from San Francisco, we know there is no perfect way to detect these catastropies ahead of time.

 

The formal night present were two miniature replicas of the Hotel New York building in Rotterdam. This hotel was formerly the headquarters for Holland America Line. These Delft ceramic hotels were made by Royal Goedewaagen.

 

Another busy day awaits us tomorrow.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 51 February 23, 2011 Wednesday Day at Sea Mariner Appreciation Day 2

 

Weatherwise, today turned out to be a bummer.......off and on rain all day, with heavy showers by night time. We did get a good walk on the promemade deck after a nice breakfast. It was really warm and humid out, much like we would expect in Indonesia. The winds and high seas have calmed down somewhat compared to yesterday.

 

It was a good day to catch up on reports and emails. Since we left Sydney, we have not encountered the shutdown problem we had there. Actually, we are not turning the computer off anymore....just putting it into the sleep mode.

 

The Lido lunchtime ended at 2pm today, so the available crew members could help set up the extravaganza for tonight. We split our ham and cheese sandwich, because we did not know when we would eat dinner. It could be early or late, depending on the party.

 

The big event this afternoon, was a special presentation delivered by CEO Stein Kruse. The Queens Lounge filled up quickly by 2:30pm. So many of us were hoping to hear some news, one way or the other, about our transit through the Suez Canal, and our planned stops in Egypt. Mr. Kruse spoke about the latest news with the cruise line, and the hilites of upcoming world cruises before he addressed that subject.

 

Now this sort of confused most of us when he said that the majority of current world cruisers had picked the C itinerary on the 2013 survey we turned in about three weeks ago. That one was eastbound, and absolutely no one we knew voted for that. The final decision was a combination of A and C, with the cruise going westbound. We are sure that the 2013 will start in Florida. It was flashed so quickly on the screen, if you snoozed, you missed it. We do know that New Zealand may be included, but this cruise will go to South Africa, with stops in Brazil and the Caribbean on the way back to Florida. When Mr. Kruse said "westbound", everyone clapped. Now we realized that this itinerary was not any of the three voted on, but a combination of all of them. Go figure? When we get the real itinerary, we will share that with you all.

 

After two short videos featuring the Nieuw Amsterdam, their newest ship, Gerald Bernhoft spoke about the Mariner program. But briefly. We learned nothing new about the different levels and perks. And there was no chance to ask questions. The rest of his talk was about future cruises, the same info our onboard booking gal delivers.

 

Finally, a 15 minute question and answer session followed his talk. Henk Mensink, Mr. Kruse, and Captain Olaf sat on the stage to take inquiries. The most important question was where are we going when we hit the Middle East? The answer was, as of today, it will be safe to take the Amsterdam through the Suez Canal. There is a 50/50 chance that we WILL go on the tours in Egypt. The bottom line? We won't know until we get to that area by the end of March whether or not we go.

 

Most other questions involved the difficulty for the Australians and Europeans booking HAL cruises. The CEO promised that they are working with travel agents to smooth the way for booking trips, however, they would have to deal with their local agents whether they discounted or not. Someone questioned the antiquated backround music we are subjected to on deck 8, inside and outside. That would also be addressed, and we surely hope so, because we totally agree. One lady suggested that those who were widows or widowers should inherit their spouses days. With a round-and-round about answer, Mr.Kruse said NO. The same reply came with the request of Canadian TV. NO. And yet another inquiry was asked about the hidden presence of armed military onboard the ship now. NO. And lastly, one man asked why we were treated like potential terrorists when we boarded the ship in Ft. Lauderdale. He further said that we could not carry explosives big enough to take this ship down. In his opinion, it would take a torpedo! Captain Olaf dealt with that one by saying it was up to the local authorities as to the intensity of the screening procedures. If we thought the security was bad in Florida, just wait until we get to the Middle East and cities like Hong Kong and Singapore.

 

The final spectacular event began at 5pm in the Lido Magradome and Restaurant. It was named "A Taste of Australia", and of course, had a winery theme throughout. The pool itself had been drained, and filled with scaffolding that held a large number of wine barrels. Surrounding this structure, were dozens of potted grape vines. Overhead, a mister had been added for the rain-forest effect. Actually, what that affected was our camera lens', steaming them up immediately.

 

On one end by the spas, sat an Aboriginal fellow, covered all over with the ghostly white paint, playing a huge digeridoo. The room resonated with the sounds that were on the microphone and fed into the many speakers. We had seen one other musician, who we believe would have shared with this performance, but he was seasick and stayed in his cabin. On the other end, was the Snake Gully Bush Band, providing the most "land down under" sounds.

 

The flavors of Australia were met with the offerings of Aussie food and delectable wines from the Yalumba region. One display was the best.........Bruce, the CD, and another fellow were standing in half wine barrels, full of red and green grapes. The were actually stomping them "Lucy-style" for those of you who remember Lucille Ball's famous sitcom episode. At least they were cooler than the rest of us, since they were ankle-deep in cool grape juice!

 

We took our photos before the entire area was inundated with guests, which took 10 minutes after the doors opened at 5pm. Lots of passengers have to be first, you know. Since there were a limited number of tables and chairs, people claimed their territory early on. Then, they never left. Many of the tables in the Lido restaurant had been decorated to resemble beds. They were colorful, but useless to sit at. Most folks had to eat on the run, or use the wine barrels that had been set around the pool with full trays of wine. Did we mention that all of the wine and spirits were free tonight? No wonder 1200 guests were jammed into this spot on the ship!

 

We decided to come back later with the hopes that people would move on. That is just what we did, and it was much less crowded by 6:30pm. We enjoyed our usual cocktails and also visiting with many friends, old and new. We came upon Gerald, the Mariner Society fellow, and asked how many passengers were in the President's Club (1400 days). He said the total number was 42. And those with over 1000 days, numbered around 2300. The average age for the President's Club was 72. We are close, but it will take several world voyages to reach that level, hopefully, before we are 72, God-willing.

 

Around 8pm, we joined our buddy Barbie and went to the dining room for a relaxed dinner. Most of what was served on deck 8, was also available in the dining room. We just chose not to eat on our laps.

 

A great time was had by all, and we appreciated the massive job that was done to create this spectacular event.

 

Now if only the rain would stop............

 

Bill & Mary Ann