Solstice Live: Australia/NZ/Hawaii, Many Pix’s, Jan. 20-Feb. 3

[Adventurous Grandmom]

Thanks Terry for the great pics of the Solstice--We board her in a few weeks for an Auckland to Perth Cruise. Your pictures heightened the anticipation! kathy

[bapaleg]

Hi, Barb! Sorry that I am the "guilty party" in keeping you up late at night reading my posts. Yes, happy to answer more questions. Just post your e-mail and I can follow-up from adventures on this ship with many pictures and other details on its many optionsZealand sailing.

 

My email is bapaleg@aol.com

Terry, I would also like the tour guides that you used for the wonderful tours that you did at the ports. It sounded like you really had a great time and I want to do the same

Thanks

[TLCOhio]

Thanks Terry for the great pics of the Solstice--We board her in a few weeks for an Auckland to Perth Cruise. Your pictures heightened the anticipation! kathy

 

bapaleg: My email is bapaleg@aol.com Terry' date=' I would also like the tour guides that you used for the wonderful tours that you did at the ports. It sounded like you really had a great time and I want to do the same. Thanks [/quote']

 

Appreciate these nice follow-ups from Kathy and Barb. I have sent a note to Barb. Most the tour guides/connection that we used have been posted earlier on this live/blog. If one is missing and/or you can't find it, let me know and I will post it here. For Kathy, good luck with your upcoming "adventure". Please post here after your trip with any special highlights and super loves to share with others.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 34,629 views for these postings.

[bapaleg]

Terry,

What was the tour company that you used in Napier. I would really like to visit the sheep farm and my husband would like to see the golf place. This family sounded really nice to show your whole group around and I wondered if they do that often as a tour.

Thanks

[TLCOhio]

Terry, What was the tour company that you used in Napier. I would really like to visit the sheep farm and my husband would like to see the golf place. This family sounded really nice to show your whole group around and I wondered if they do that often as a tour. Thanks

 

Appreciate, Barb, your excellent question and follow-up. I had figured out early in my planning that Cape Kidnappers would be a super location to visit and desired to do something at the "Farm" and its dining place. Our travel agent put it together and it was one of the "Best of the Best" highlights from our total trip. We really had the feeling for being a part of the "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous".

 

From being there and talking with the General Manager on site, plus following-up by e-mail with her later, she said that anyone could contact them and they could work to set-up a similar tour of the property, the gannett nesting areas and then doing lunch at the main dining facility. Their general e-mail is: info@capekidnappers.com.

 

As that time, Hannah was the General Manager and her direct e-mail was: Hannah@capekidnappers.com

Not sure now as to whether or not she is still running their excellent facility. At that time two years ago, the cost was 200pp New Zealand dollars. This included the pick-up at the ship, the tour around the property, our three-course luncheon, tax, etc. The only thing extra was coffee, tea, liquor. And what we bought personally when stopping at the golf pro shop.

 

The super plus and good luck was having Jo as our guide given her family connection to this property and knowing its history and background so well. It was a super visit, meal and tour that became totally spectacular due to her personal involvement and the excellent hospitality by Hannah.

 

Need more info for her and/or any other locations?

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 192,221 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[bapaleg]

Terry,

Thanks for letting me know what their email was. I am just writing down all the info that I can gather and then will see here I go from there. About the other I have contacted her.

Barb

[TLCOhio]

For those in locations where the winter season is getting kind of old/cold, here is a live/blog link for our current travels in South Africa and Mozambique. We have just completed visiting Durban as we are now sailing back towards Cape Town. First time in Africa!!

 

Here is the link to a series of posts/pictures from my live/blog as we sail and travel. Lots of great visuals from dramatic and scenic Africa!! Much more to come as we are next visiting Victoria Falls and Botswana after Cape Town and Johannesburg. Feel free to post any questions, comments, suggestions, etc. on this live/blog. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

 

Feel free to skip through to see the various, interesting pictures. Many more posts from Cape Town, of African animals and birds, etc., to be posted during the next couple of weeks.

 

Below are two quick visual samples for what we have seen most recently during our first visit to Africa.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

If Venice is one of your future desires or past favorites, look at this earlier posting for many options and visual samples this city that is so great for "walking around", personally seeing its great history and architecture. This posting is now at 57,467 views.

Venice: Loving It & Why??!!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

 

 

Here is one picture where I needed a little "help" to be "soaring like an eagle"! My secret? It's riding in a helicopter to travel around Cape Town, the nearby mountains, being south of the town, going along the beaches, over the Winelands, etc. Like the views? Table Mountain is clearly so dominate in the way it towers over Cape Town and the nearby areas. Recognize the Cape Town Stadium? Our pilot said it has a nickname down here and they call it the "Giant Toilet Bowl"!! Does kind of have that look!!:

 

 

 

From Addo Elephant National Park near Port Elizabeth, we saw several ostriches, including the adult male and female, both with very different colorations/coats. But, I also managed to get several shots of just of their three “babies”. This one view is a top favorite as their three heads are aligned in special and very interesting angles. Agree that this one picture is a “super keeper”?

 

[TLCOhio]

Results are in..

43.2% in favour of new flag

56.6% in favour of retaining present flag

 

Appreciate this above update from Kiwi Kruzer on the other Aussie/NZ board. From the New York Times this morning, they have this headline about this voting: "New Zealand, Unmoved by Bionic Kiwi and Starry-Eyed Sheep, Keeps Its Flag".

 

Here are their story reporting/highlights: "The judges weighed 10,292 options — including a flightless kiwi bird firing lasers from its eyes — and the country spent two years thinking about it. But in the end, New Zealanders chose decisively to keep their century-old flag, a blue ensign with Britain’s Union Jack in the upper left corner and the four stars of the Southern Cross in red on the right. Preliminary results of a nationwide postal vote, which pitted the incumbent against the final challenger — a flag known as the Silver Fern (Black, White and Blue) — showed on Thursday that 56.6 percent had voted to keep the existing flag flying, despite the assertion by Prime Minister John Key that it symbolized a colonial era whose time had passed."

 

Interesting situation, questions and background.

 

Full story at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/25/world/asia/new-zealand-flag-vote.html

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 36,839 views for these postings.

[TLCOhio]

For those who might want to complain and/or worry about the long, long distances to reach locations such as southern Africa and/or Australia, this profile and reporting from the London/UK Daily Mail today might offer some "perspective".

 

They have this part of a headline: "12-day flight to Brisbane in the 1930s to the digital age" with these highlights: "Almost 100 years' worth of rare British Airways maps have been compiled into a fascinating new book. Mapping The Airways reveals the intriguing charts that guided aviators. From early advertisements for routes from London to Paris to state-of-the-art on-board moving maps, the 160-page book reveals 92-years' worth of intriguing aviation history."

 

This story has this key summary: "This map demonstrates two of the furthest Imperial Airways routes in the 1930s. London to Brisbane, for example, a trip that today takes around 24 hours to complete, took 12 and a half days and stopped off 11 times along the way. Another lengthy trip was London to Cape Town, which took at least nine days - a lot longer than today's 11-hour flight to the South African capital."

 

Interesting history, background details from an era when virtually none of us on these current Cruise Critic boards would have had to experience. Since the "jet era" arrived in the late 1950's, things have improved significantly!!

 

Full story at:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3535971/From-12-day-flight-Brisbane-1930s-digital-age-Fascinating-new-book-traces-rare-British-Airways-route-maps-adverts-going-dawn-aviation.html

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

AFRICA?!!?: Lots of interesting and dramatic pictures can be seen from my latest live/blog at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

Now at 12,096 views for this reporting and visual sharing that includes Cape Town, all along the South Africa coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Delta area.

 

 

Here are a couple of graphics associated with this Daily Mail reporting and the new book out on this era of international flying. First, shows the map, days required and stops in going either to Australia or Cape Town/South Africa. WOW!! That would be lots of flights and stops!! The second graphics shows one of their late 1934 promotional posters and the potential locations that this British airline could reach.:

 

 

 

[TLCOhio]

From earlier this week in the London/UK Daily Mail, they have this headline: "tourist haven that might tempt you to emigrate: Sydney's glittering metropolis, beautiful beaches and laid back suburbs" with these highlights: "City life doesn't get much more vibrant than in Sydney. Wandering from one chic, cosmopolitan suburb to another, or emerging from the clear waters of one of the many beaches, you very quickly understand why Australia’s biggest city retains its top ten position as one of the ‘best in the world’. Around the glittering centre of The Rocks and Darling Harbour, skyscrapers, bars and boutiques jostle for position among galleries and theatres, and you could happily sit and people-watch with the lights of the city shimmering on the water until sundown."

 

Many, many great details, options and potentials are listed and shown in the glowing profile from this UK news source. Fun reading!! Lots of nice pictures including in this profile.

 

SHIP DISCOVERING AUSTRALIA??:

Also from the London/UK Daily Mail, they have this headline: "Researchers share new details of why they believe they have found the wreck of Captain Cook's ship the HMS Endeavour" with these highlights: "The wreckage of the Endeavor, the storied British ship that Captain James Cook sailed through the uncharted South Pacific, may lie a few hundred feet off Rhode Island's coast in Newport Harbour. The 105-foot long, three-mast ship had been hired out by the British Royal Navy as a troop transport when it was one of 13 ships deliberately sunk by the British in 1778 in an effort to blockade the harbour. It was sent out to explore the Pacific Ocean in August 1768. The ship departed from Plymouth with 94 people on board, including Captain Cook. It travelled down the coast of Africa before cutting across the Atlantic and arriving in Rio de Janeiro in November of that year. The boat then set out to round Cape Horn. In April the ship reached Tahiti, where it stayed for the next four months. After months exploring the Pacific for islands, the Endeavour reached the coast of New Zealand in October, becoming the first European vessel to land on the island in more than 100 years. Captain Cook spent six months exploring and mapping the coast of New Zealand and claimed the land for Great Britain before sailing west. In April 1770 individuals on the ship first spotted Australia and on April 29 the HMS Endeavour became the first European vessel to make landfall on the east coast of the island. Captain Cook spent four months charting the coast and at one point ran into trouble when the ship struck part of the Great Barrier Reef."

 

This article provides so much interesting history and connection about Captain Cook that ties with the various places we visited on Lizard Island in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef, plus near Napier/NZ for Cape Kidnapper, etc.

 

Full stories at:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-3536350/The-tourist-haven-tempt-emigrate-Sydney-s-glittering-metropolis-beautiful-beaches-laid-suburbs-never-fail-enthrall.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3573579/Wreckage-Captain-Cooks-ship-Endeavour-U-S-harbor.html

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 212,105 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[TLCOhio]

From the London/UK Daily Mail earlier this past week, they have this headline: " 'No-one sells Australia better than Australians': Chris Hemsworth's sexy voice is doing more for Australian tourism" with these highlights: "Tourism Australia Managing Director John O’Sullivan saying the campaign has made a huge impression in the United States and even more in China."

 

With this new ad and promotion direction, they are saying that the "actor's involvement in the latest campaign for Tourism Australia has generated 2000 media stories, equal to $55 million in marketing dollars." The story reflects how much more this new effort has scored compared to what had been done with naturalist David Attenborough and his Great Barrier Reef coverage. With this story, you can access and see a 90-second version of their promotional message. Loved watching this commercial!! Lots of nice visuals reflecting the excitement and fun of Australia!! Great visuals of the Australia coast, its beaches, wildlife, great food and even a portion of it showing the Remarkable Rocks on Kangaroo Island that we visited. Great memories are brought back nicely!! Check out the video. Looks and feels spectacular.

 

It was the excitement of Australia that attracted my interest in the video not just the sound of Chris Hemsworth's voice. This Aussie actor is most known for his roles in The Avengers, plus Snow White and the Huntsman.

 

Full story at:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3593715/Chris-Hemsworth-s-sexy-voice-doing-Australian-tourism-naturalist-David-Attenborough.html

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 198,494 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[BINDY31]

I only just discovered your posts today...but thank you for such an interesting and detailed story of your holiday. we are doing a Sydney round trip New Zealand cruise on Solstice in November. your photos are absolutely beautiful and I am now even more excited than before about seeing some of these places for myself.

 

we are new to cruising having only done a 3 nighter earlier in the year and this cruise is a retirement celebration for my husband. we are now planning more cruises further afield including Alaska...

 

cheers

Belinda

[TLCOhio]

I only just discovered your posts today...but thank you for such an interesting and detailed story of your holiday. we are doing a Sydney round trip New Zealand cruise on Solstice in November. your photos are absolutely beautiful and I am now even more excited than before about seeing some of these places for myself. we are new to cruising having only done a 3 nighter earlier in the year and this cruise is a retirement celebration for my husband. we are now planning more cruises further afield including Alaska... cheers Belinda

 

Appreciate, Belinda, your very nice comments and follow-up. Good luck with your first major, longer cruise. Happy to share more, answer any questions, etc. What NZ ports will you be visiting? What are you most seeking, like to enjoy/experience? Are you going to be able to do Queenstown on this trip? Tell us more!!

 

Clearly there is debate on the pro/con aspects for doing New Zealand by a cruise ship versus a land tour. Make the most of this first cruise and sampling the NZ wonders.

 

From Auckland's Fairfax newspaper earlier this month, they have this headline: "10 reasons you will fall in love with New Zealand " with these highlights: "New Zealand, like any great love, is easy to fall for and difficult to get over. Her natural beauty can rarely be competed with and no matter how many times you've had her, you always want her more. After living in New Zealand for two years I have seen almost everything the country had to offer and never once did it disappoint."

 

Here are a few more highlights by this writer about the experience there: "New Zealand is without a doubt the most jaw-droppingly beautiful country I have ever visited. How many other countries in the world are home to glaciers, volcanoes, geysers, geothermal pools, white sand beaches, caves illuminated by glow worms, waterfalls, mountains and much more? New Zealand really is home to every activity you can imagine. I adore the cafe culture in New Zealand and the standard of food is incredible, I have had some of the best meals of my life in this little corner of the world."

 

Full story at:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/destinations/nz/79862868/10-reasons-you-will-fall-in-love-with-new-zealand

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 39,452 views for these postings.

[BINDY31]

Appreciate, Belinda, your very nice comments and follow-up. Good luck with your first major, longer cruise. Happy to share more, answer any questions, etc. What NZ ports will you be visiting? What are you most seeking, like to enjoy/experience? Are you going to be able to do Queenstown on this trip? Tell us more!!

 

.

 

 

we will be cruising the sounds.... Dunedin, Arkaroa, overnighting Tauranga, Auckland and Bay of Islands then back to Sydney.

 

we will not be leaving the ship and travelling to Queenstown,although it does look lovely. we have day tours booked for all ports and on the second day at Tauranga we will be wandering and exploring ourselves. In Bay of Islands we are looking at the tour from the ship that involves paddling a Maori war canoe!!!!! I am certain that we will fall in love with NZ and will probably visit again, whether another cruise or a land based tour not too sure at this stage.

 

 

cheers

Belinda

[TLCOhio]

From this NZ Fairfax newspaper story in mid June, they have this headline: "Things to do in Wellington, New Zealand: A three-minute guide" with these highlights: "Wellington is a city that can be explored via the glass and its gastronomy. Floriditas in trendy Cuba St offers a scrumptious brunch and a counter laden with house-baked goods (floriditas.co.nz ), while the Leeds Street Bakery (leedsstbakery.co.nz ) is famous for its salted caramel cookies and coffee, courtesy of Red Rabbit Coffee Co next door. In this artisanal enclave you will also find the tempting Wellington Chocolate Factory (wcf.co.nz) and handmade soda producer Six Barrel Soda Co (sixbarrelsoda.co.nz). "

 

Lots of excellent ideas and details are offered. Here are a few more highlights: "Wellington is a city best explored on foot. Stay central and you can comfortably navigate the whole city by pounding the pavements. Not only will you find hidden treasures down the city's many laneways but you'll also avoid the confusing network of one-way streets."

 

Full story at:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/destinations/nz/80798424/things-to-do-in-wellington-new-zealand-a-threeminute-guide

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

AFRICA?!!?: Lots of interesting and dramatic pictures can be seen from my latest live/blog at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

Now at 15,655 views for this reporting and visual sharing that includes Cape Town, all along the South Africa coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta area.

[StLucia]

At the top of these boards, it says “write a review”, so here goes, in live, blogging style. Below you can see links to our last two cruise blogs. One at nearly 159,000 views from the Med on the Solstice, while the July 2010 Norway coast review is at nearly 132,000 views. It seems that the visuals make a big, interesting difference, sharing the beauty and drama from these wonderful areas. Tell me what you like, any questions, suggestions, etc.

 

Our party and experiences?: We are traveling with five other couples from Central Ohio and one we hooked up with on the Norway cruise from the DC area. That adds to fun and sharing for this 14-day cruise to be with good friends and wonderful, smart people.

 

Our past cruising?: We have done just four cruises. Late June 2006 on 204-passenger Seabourn Spirit, Athens to Istanbul, enjoying the Greek Isles over seven days. Late July 2008 on the 940-passenger Crystal Symphony, Dover to Stockholm, enjoying the Baltics and Russia. July 1-16, 2010, was an adventure on the 296-passenger Silver Cloud from Copenhagen seeing the dramatic Norway coast, above the Arctic Circle, Land of the Midnight Sun, etc. Then, June, 2011 from Barcelona for Italy, the Croatian Coast on this same 2850-passenger Celebrity Solstice. All four lines are different and excellent with great service, fellow passengers, staff, etc. What’s best? The honest answer is . . . “It depends!!!”. Ports, schedules, timing and prices vary much, especially right now with this economy, high airlines costs, challenged dollar values, etc. You need to seek what best fits your exact personal needs, budget and interests. We enjoyed sampling a larger ship and we booked early for this early 2014 Australia-NZ trip to get the locations/rooms we desired.

 

KEY DOWN UNDER PLANNING QUESTION: It is a long, long way (plus costly) to get down to this unique part of the world. You do not just want to fly here, do a cruise and go back home. That's why you'll see that we planned out carefully our options and schedule for pre and post cruise. AND, you cannot do it "ALL" in Australia or New Zealand on your first trip. Big, big areas with lots of diversity and great places to experience. Fortunately, we were able to do most all of our 15 airline flights via American Airline Frequent Flyer miles, and First/Business class. That saved lots and lots of money and helps fly the long hours in better comfort.

 

OVERALL SCHEDULE/PLAN:

 

Before arriving Sydney for our Jan. 20-Feb. 4 cruise, we departed Columbus on Thursday, Jan. 9 and had two nights and 1.5 days in Honolulu to break up these long flight times/distances, plus to be able to visit Hawaii for our first time. Then, we had three full days and four nights in NE Australia’s sub-tropical Cairns area, seeing the Great Barrier Reef, snorkeling the coral formations, hiking rainforests, visiting Port Douglas, etc. Then, going to southern Australia to visit Kangaroo Island, 70 miles southwest of Adelaide. More than half of this island has never been cleared of vegetation, and a quarter of it is conserved in National Parks, Conservation Parks, and five Wilderness Protection Areas. Our travel agent calls Kangaroo Island "the way Australia used to be before settlers from outside came”. She was right, but there is so, so much more there to learn about the wilds of Australia, it animals and birds, etc. Then, we are going this morning to Sydney on Sunday, Jan. 19 for 2.5 days before our Celebrity Solstice cruise ship departs from this super scenic harbor.

 

Here are the more complete cruise/port schedule during these fourteen days:

 

Jan. 20-21, 2014, Monday-Tuesday: Sydney, Australia; boarding cruise ship mid-day Monday, then after being docked overnight on this ship sitting next to the billowing white sail roofs of the famed (now forty-years-old) Opera House, we will sail away Tuesday at 6:30 pm. We will also be docked next to Sydney’s landmark, arched Harbour Bridge (famous for New Year’s Eve fireworks). Sydney is the South Pacific’s busiest port and one of the world’s most scenic harbors. Australia’s oldest and largest city was born in 1788 with the arrival of an initial 760 British convicts.

 

Jan 22, Wednesday: Cruising Tasman Sea south to Tasmania; sea day on Solstice.

 

Jan. 23, Thursday: Hobart, Tasmania, 8 am-6 pm docked. We will have a private tour to visit the Port Arthur penal colony with its historic reminders of its prison days, then to Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary with wombats, emus and the famed Tasmanian devil, plus a little time to sample the 90 waterfront buildings with National Trust classification. As Australia’s second oldest city, Hobart has a a population of 214,000, sets in a scenic natural harbor and is at the base of the 3,600-feet-high Mount Wellington. Does an island with a name like Tasmania sound exotic?

 

Jan. 24-25, Friday-Saturday: Cruising Tasman Sea to New Zealand; two sea days on Solstice.

 

Jan. 26, Sunday: Cruising New Zealand’s Fiordlands National Park. We will get off of the Solstice in the morning during our visit in Milford Sound and go on a two-day ship excursion with an overnight stay in Queenstown. This community, with its dramatic setting on a large lake and facing a massive, sawtooth mountain range, is known as the “crazy capital of the world”. Why? This is where bungee jumping was invented 25 years ago. Plus, many other extreme sports started or are practiced here. We will stop and see the stone, suspension bridge crossing a scenic river gorge where it all started. But, no bungee jumping for us!! We will also see an old gold-rush town, a winery and a ranch sheep/dog program. Others on our ship will sail to Doubtful Sound & Dusky Sound. Lots of natural drama and sights here with the fjords, mountains, water views, etc.

 

Jan. 27, Monday: Dunedin, NZ, 9 am-7 pm docked. For those doing the Queenstown excursion, we will re-join the ship in this town that means Edinburgh in Gaelic. This town retains its Scottish roots and has Victorian/Edwardian architecture, a legacy of New Zealand's 1860’s gold rush.

 

Jan. 28, Tuesday: Christchurch/Akaroa, NZ, 8 am-6 pm tendered. Given the slow re-building after the major earthquake damage at Christchurch, we are not visiting this town. We will be taking the TranzAlpine rail trip to Arthur’s Pass National Park in NZ’s Southern Alps. We will then sample a high-speed JetBoat ride on the twisting Waimakiriri River gorge. We will also be sampling a little of this French-styled harbor town of Akaroa where our ship is tendered in its dramatic bay setting that is surrounded by mountains and major hills.

 

Jan. 29, Wednesday: Wellington, NZ, 8 am-6 pm docked. Hugging the hillsides around a horseshoe-shaped bay, Wellington reminds many visitors of San Francisco. It is the NZ capital and is the southern most capital city in the world. There are a number of different museums, dining and exploring options in and near Wellington. Have not finalized our exact plan for this day.

 

Jan. 30, Thursday: Napier, NZ, overlooking Hawke’s Bay, 8 am-6 pm docked. An elegant, art-deco city of 55,000, it has 19 miles to the south, Cape Kidnappers. This jagged promontory is near where Captain Cook anchored in 1769. Late January is the prime time to see here the 20,000 young and mature yellow-headed Australian gannets surf the wind currents. After the beach/cliff bird visit, we will head up above to a working sheep ranch and world-class golfing resort that overlooks this coastal setting for a private lunch of local specialities.

 

Jan. 31, Friday, Cruising NZ eastern coast; sea day on Solstice.

 

Feb 1, Saturday: Tauranga, NZ, 5:30 am-4:30 pm docked. This port is nearby for Rotorua, the geothermal wonderland that is also the heart of native Maori culture. We will visit Te Puia for a Maori concert. We will be focused in Rotorua that has been developed inside a crater. The area has 16 different lakes with dramatic scenery and wonderful photo opportunities.

 

Feb. 2, Sunday: Bay of Islands, NZ, tendered, 7 am-6 pm. About 110 miles north of Auckland, this historic bay/island region has a charm connected with its unspoiled, simple character. Our Central Ohio group will be doing a private sailing adventure on the 60’ racing yacht named the Zindabar. We will travel around and along these scenic coastal areas, stopping once or twice for beach exploring, snorkeling, swimming and having a custom luncheon at sea. Lots of options and flexibility for seeing bird, wildlife, coastal sights, etc.

 

Feb. 3, Monday: Auckland, NZ: arrive 6 am, completing our Solstice cruise trip. With 1.4 million residents, 31 percent of the country's population, Auckland is New Zealand’s largest, most urban city. It has a diverse population, including large numbers of Asian and Polynesian residents.

 

We will have two days in and around Auckland, including Tuesday visiting via a 40-minute ferry ride to Waiheke Island for their stunning coastal vistas, as well as hillside vineyards, sweeping sandy beaches, an outdoor sculpture garden and various quaint shops/art galleries.

 

Home? We depart Wednesday, Feb. 5, from Auckland and fly to Hawaii (at no extra flight cost due to using Frequent Flyer miles). This helps break up the long flight distances going back home. We will have four days on the Big Island there before returning to Columbus on Feb. 10.

 

To come next, earlier pictures/details from Hawaii, NE Australia and the Great Barrier Reef and then amazing Kangaroo Island near Adelaide.

 

Don't be shy!! Feel free to share your comments, insights, questions, etc. I love this "interactive" way of communicating back and forth. Our time sailing and touring will be a little limiting for being able answer all questions quickly, but I will try my best, especially on sea days on the ship. Love to get your feed-back, comments and suggestions based your experiences in these areas.

 

Ready to roll!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Celebrity Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 158,547 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now over 131,830 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

We are booked on this cruise for October 2017. If you have details of any of the companies you used for your DIY tours that would be really great. Do your think the overnight out of doubtful sound is worth doing, I have been looking at it but not cheap considering you have already paid for that night on the ship.

[Champagne Cruiser]

I am so glad to have found this blog and have just finished reading through all your posts! Thank you for the great travelogue. We are heading to Australia on April 3,2017 (Melbourne, GBR, Sydney) and then boarding the Solstice on April 20 for the repo cruise to Hawaii with stops in New Zealand and the South Pacific. We will then spend 3 nights in Honolulu followed by 5 nights on The Big Islsnd. If you could share any of the names of the tours you took I would greatly appreciate it.

[May B]

We are booked on this cruise for October 2017. If you have details of any of the companies you used for your DIY tours that would be really great. Do your think the overnight out of doubtful sound is worth doing, I have been looking at it but not cheap considering you have already paid for that night on the ship.

 

I believe Terry has already answered at least once, but I'm sure he'll be back soon to chime in again.

 

Mr. B. and I did that overnight and were very happy. It included things we enjoyed very much that we'd never have paid extra to do, such as the winery visit and the sheep shearing and sheep dog presentations. The whole thing was done beautifully and extremely enjoyable. My only regret is that I didn't go up top on the boat that took us from the ship to the dock. I would've enjoyed that drop-dead gorgeous scenery more, outside.

 

It's not cheap considering anything, but it was an experience that we truly were happy to have done.

[TLCOhio]

We are booked on this cruise for October 2017. If you have details of any of the companies you used for your DIY tours that would be really great. Do your think the overnight out of doubtful sound is worth doing, I have been looking at it but not cheap considering you have already paid for that night on the ship.

 

Champagne Cruiser: I am so glad to have found this blog and have just finished reading through all your posts! Thank you for the great travelogue. We are heading to Australia on April 3' date='2017 (Melbourne, GBR, Sydney) and then boarding the Solstice on April 20 for the repo cruise to Hawaii with stops in New Zealand and the South Pacific. We will then spend 3 nights in Honolulu followed by 5 nights on The Big Islsnd. If you could share any of the names of the tours you took I would greatly appreciate it. [/quote']

 

May B: Mr. B. and I did that overnight and were very happy. It included things we enjoyed very much that we'd never have paid extra to do' date=' such as the winery visit and the sheep shearing and sheep dog presentations. The whole thing was [b']done beautifully and extremely enjoyable[/b]. My only regret is that I didn't go up top on the boat that took us from the ship to the dock. I would've enjoyed that drop-dead gorgeous scenery more, outside. It's not cheap considering anything, but it was an experience that we truly were happy to have done.

 

Appreciate these kind requests for added information. Many of these items are spread though out the live/blog, but by putting things together in one location, it might speed the process and make things easier. I will also try to do an "index" to speed finding what is posted where on this long, long series of text, pictures, questions, comments, etc.

 

YES, May B has summarized well some of the pluses for doing the Queenstown overnight excursion. It is costly and lessens your other sights in other sounds. BUT, in those various sounds, the weather can be somewhat of a roll of the dice as to how things will look and what you can see that well. Sure, by doing this excursion, you are missing a night for which you will have paid or on the ship. BUT, you need to consider this "adventure" as a once in a lifetime experience and what you will see on the NZ South Island that cannot been done at any other place in the world.

 

Keep up asking such good questions. Happy to share more!! The only "dumb question" is that the one you do not ask. Don't be shy!!

 

1. Honolulu/Oahu: Stayed at Aston Waikiki Circle Hotel, 2464 Kalakaua Ave., phone 1-808 923-1571. Not a new, large and/or fancy hotel, but its location is super great right across from the great beach areas with wonderful views. Lots of shopping, dining, etc. are close. They have rooms with balconies, allowing wonderful views early in the mornings, at night, etc.

 

2. Cairns/Australia: Stayed with two other couples in a large three-bedroom, three-bath unit at Jack and Newell Apartments, 27-29 Wharf Street, Cairns. E-mail to: info@jacknewellcairns.com.au. Very helpful staff with lots of room to relax after our long flights and to have as a “base” for doing much nearby with the Daintree Rainforest, Great Barrier Reef, etc.

 

3. Lizard Island/Great Barrier Reef: For our flight/adventure to this historic island in the middle of the GBR, we used Daintree Air Services. Their e-mail contact is: info@daintreeair.com.au. Worked with chief pilot and owner Greg Letondeur. Their website is http://www.daintreeair.com.au. Seeing the Great Barrier Reef by air makes a big difference, plus it saves time. Being on this island in the middle the GBR, doing lunch on the beach, have such snorkeling fun, etc., was super awesome!! Per Insight Guides, Lizard Island is is 19 miles off of the shore and 157 miles north of Cairns. It is a dry, mountainous island with very diverse vegetation and terrain. Its gentle beaches and clear water uniquely allows direct, easy access to the reef, coral and fish life. Per Fodors, this is a 2,500 acre island with Cook’s Look at a high point of 1,180 feet where Captain Cook in August, 1770 found his way out of this challenging reef region. Its coral reefs and marine life are considered among the best in the world.

 

4. Adelaide: Stayed two different nights, before and after visiting Kangaroo Island, at Franklin Central Apartment, 36 Franklin St., Adelaide, SA 5000. http://www.franklinapartments.com.au

 

5. Kangaroo Island: For what is called South Australia's Galapagos, we used guide Craig Wickham. Here is a link to an excellent video to prepare and learn more for visiting there:

Craig's website is:

http://exceptionalkangarooisland.com

On Kangaroo Island, we stayed at Stranraer Homestead, a 1290 hectares working property, producing prime lamb, wool and grain. 22 Lades Road, MacGillivray, just east of White Lagoon. Their e-mail: Stranraer@kin.net.au Phone: 61 (0)8 855 38235. Their names/contracts: Graham & Lyn Wheaton

 

6. Kangaroo Island air flights: From Adelaide and back, be sure to book in advance!! The best times fill up early. See more at:

http://www.rex.com.au

 

7. Sydney hotel: Stayed for one night at the Four Seasons that has a very handy location nearby to the key attractions and the cruise ship terminal. We were able to use a special rate through our travel agent that made this stay more reasonably affordable.

 

8. Sydney Bridge Climb: With 360-degree views of Sydney, including the Opera House, the attraction is rated by many as the number one “adventure” in town. Rates vary depending on the time of day or evening when doing. Loved this exciting climb up to the top, seeing upclose the unique history for how this bridge was built, etc. Website at: http://www.bridgeclimb.com

 

9. Tasmania: Worked with Judy Livingston of Eye See Personalised Tours, e-mail to eyesee@netspace.net.au, to design a custom schedule that worked for our group to the historic Port Arthur prison site and Bonorong Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary. Plus, a wonderful lunch, etc. For this popular wildlife area, you can see more at: http://www.bonorong.com.au.

Judy’s website is: http://www.eyeseetasmania.com.au

 

10. Queenstown: Our two-day, overnight tour to Queenstown was done through our cruise ship. It is not possible to set-up this tour independently as the ships do not dock or normally stop at a location in middle of Milford Sound. Although this Queenstown option is not cheap and lessens some of the potential sights in certain of the other sounds and scenic fjords, we super enjoyed this “adventure” that provided a wide sampling of New Zealand’s scenic South Island.

 

11. Akaroa: With Christchurch’s re-building so slow and uncertain as to when “things” will be finally fixed, the tendering at Akaroa is scenic. BUT, its distance limits private tour options from here, especially if you seek, as we did, to do the Tranz Alpine Express to the heart of the Southern Alps/Arthur’s Pass National Park. We also super enjoyed the exciting jet-boat ride on the scenic Waimakiriri River.

 

12. Wellington: As a scenic, urban, compact area, we did not believe that we needed a guided/firm to be arranged. BUT, we were creative in chatting with the taxi drivers, picking one with “personality” to offer the two of us a two-hour “introduction” to the NZ capital. This involved going to the key hilltop area overlooking the port and seeing key areas in several directions. We then drove around the town, seeing and stopping at several key attractions, including St. Paul's Church and the Parliament buildings. For the two of us, this worked super well in learning the basics here from a “local” who shared many wonderful details about this country, its people, their history, etc. Then, on our own with those from our ship, we did lunch at a top local dining place in the Cuba shopping area, visited the Te Papa Museum in the afternoon, walked back to the ship, etc.

 

13. Napier/Hawke’s Bay: For our "Cape Kidnappers and Gannet Safari” private tour and luxury lunch, we made arrangements through Hannah Butler, the General Manager at this resort. Their website is http://www.capekidnappers.com. We did a tour around Cape Kidnappers and then had a custom lunch at this luxury, rustic lodge built in 2007 atop the summit of the 6,000-acre working farm. We saw the famed Cape Kidnappers golf course with the Pacific Ocean on the horizon. This golf course has most recently been ranked as the 22nd best in the whole world. Among recent honors for this resort include the "Gold List" from Conde Nast Traveller for "best for food in Australasia & South Pacific". This is a sister resort under the same ownership (Tiger Fund hedge-investment billionaire Julian Robertson) to the ultra world top ranked Lodge at Kauri Cliffs near Bay of Islands.

Through this website, you can see two different videos that give more details on this lodging, golf, etc., resort:

http://www.worldgolf.com/photo-galleries/farm-at-cape-kidnappers-lodge-hawkes-bay-new-zealand-13764.htm

This Forbes magazine story gives more background on Robertson and his NZ interests:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/annabel/2012/10/22/julian-robertsons-empire-down-under/

 

14. Tauranga-Rotorua: We used Grumpy's Transfers & Tours at http://www.grumpyslimo.co.nz. We set up to visit one of the famed thermal parks, including the Maori*culture-focused Te Puia that is near Rotorua city (about an hour from where our ship docked). This trip included some wonderful scenic drives. Te Puia has a geyser, mud pool, Kiwi Birds, a Maori carving and weaving school and a Maori concert inside a genuine Maori Meeting House.

For more on the Maori cultural/natural area:

http://tepuia.com/attractions_geysers_pohutu_geyser_rotorua.htm

 

15. Bay of Islands: For doing charter a sail boat/yacht, we worked with Captain Anthony Browne. At http://www.zindabar.co.nz, you can see more on his 60’ yacht named Zindabar. BUT, I am not certain if and/or how available this ship will be for the future. I have sent them a message and will update as I get added information. Doing this sailing, landing on the remote island, seeing the dolphins in the wild, having lunch at sea, etc., it all added up to a great, highly-memorable adventure.

 

16. Auckland: When arriving, those in our group had made arrangements through alan@elitetour.co.nz for being picked up at the dock and being given an introductory tour around this scenic town. Then, we were transported, with our luggage, to our hotel, Skycity Grand, 90 Federal Street. All worked well. We stayed two nights in Auckland. Maybe the best dining for our entire trip down under was at O’Connell Street Bistro in Auckland. We discovered why this small, quaint dining place has gained such high ratings.

 

17. Waiheke Island: Super enjoyed this island that only about eleven miles from the largest city in New Zealand. You can check ferry schedules at:*

http://www.fullers.co.nz/tickets-fares/timetables/waiheke-island.php

We had a rental car from Fun Rentals Waiheke Ltd. and visited a winery, beach and spent the most time at the Cornell Bay sculpture park. See more at: http://www.connellsbay.co.nz. Advance reservations are needed to visit here, plus your own transportation.

 

18. Hawaii’s Big Island: For our four days here, we stayed at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort. Its handy location worked well and you definitely need a rental car here to explore and enjoy the many, many options on this large island where much of it is still back in the 1950’s. That laid-back style is a major plus here. We put over 500 miles on our car in exploring here.

This includes visiting Volcano (or Volcanoes) National Park during a private tour with Hank from Lavaland Hawaii Day Tours. Hank's knowledge, enthusiasm and skill were great and made such a big, big difference. You could walk these areas on your own, but will you know and understand what you are seeing, why it is of value? Their website is: http://www.lavalandhawaii.com. His firm is ranked at the top for activities in the Hilo area by TripAdvisor.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

If Venice is one of your future desires or past favorites, look at this earlier posting for many options and visual samples this city that is so great for "walking around", personally seeing its great history and architecture. This posting is now at 61,135 views.

Venice: Loving It & Why??!!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

[ISLABONITA]

Did you encounter jellyfish at this time of year in the Barrier Reef?

Edited July 3, 2016 by ISLABONITA

[TLCOhio]

Did you encounter jellyfish at this time of year in the Barrier Reef?

 

Appreciate this good question on the jellyfish in the Great Barrier Reef. May it was us and our tough, old "meat" that we did not see any of these "stingers" during our time at this one location. BUT, the GRB runs a total of 1400 miles and conditions can vary at different times of the year, for each specific locations, etc. If you are working with good local guides/experts, they will be aware of conditions. We had on a type of wet suits to protect us, just in case!! More questions?

 

As promised and intended long ago, below is an "index" to make it easier to find more details and visuals from our various stops in Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii. Due to the busy schedule and having so many great options to be enjoying during this adventure, it was impossible to be perfectly "timely" in posting all of the pictures as we traveled. Plus, the Internet options were not always instantly available for many travel periods as we were doing so much and going to various locations. Hopefully this listing will be helpful for find any areas/locations of interest.

 

In doing this live/blog, many experienced people either living in these regions and/or smart from having traveled here also offered nice, helpful items of information. Later in this live/blog are many different links to key media stories and reports have been made available. Don't be shy!! Please feel free to share, provide your personal comments and insights.

 

Page One: Initial overview for the total schedule/plan. Posts #5-6 have various Honolulu pictures and nearby highlights/details. Posts #7-10 are illustrated with many pictures for arriving Australia, Cairns, Great Barrier Reef, Rainforest, Port Douglas, etc. Posts #15-16 gives a small sampling of Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, etc., plus Lizard Island pictures, etc.

 

Page Two: Posts #22 and #33-34 features many Sydney visuals, details, etc.

 

Page Three: Post #52 has Sydney sail-away pictures and sights from around this great city. Post #54 reflects Sydney Harbour Bridge climb pictures, details, etc.

 

Page Four: Post #61-63 provides Sydney Opera House details, experiences and lots of visuals; shows the handy Four Seasons hotel where we stayed. Posts #69-70 has heading to Queenstown and on-ship visuals. Post #72 shows more from Sydney, our sail-away, around this town, etc.

 

Page Five: Post #86 shows our Solstice Bridge Tour. Posts #88-91 provide a wide variety of ship food, entertainment and other fun visual samples. Posts #93-94 shows visiting Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary in Tasmania near Hobart with many unique animal pictures.

 

Page Six: Post #103 provides the rocky Tasman Sea crossing and weather details, answering various questions, etc. Post #118 has us getting ready for Queenstown, Milford Sound.

 

Page Seven: Post #127 has more updates and text details on this trip, answering various questions. Posts #128-129 and #131 provides many, many pictures from the historic Port Arthur site and the other areas nearby to Hobart on Tasmania.

 

Page Eight: Posts #142-143 documents our exciting JetBoat adventure and details on Wellington activities.

 

Page Nine: Posts #163 and #176 provides starting details on the Cape Kidnappers and our "Gannet Safari” adventure.

 

Page Ten: Posts #189-192 provides many more details and a super collection of pictures from our Napier visit, seeing Cape Kidnappers, the gannets, a world-class setting, great food, etc. Post #196 for added general travel details and a preview for what was planned at Bay of Islands.

 

Page Eleven: Posts #208 and #210 reflects arriving in Auckland and plans for Waiheke Island. Post #215 has a detailed, text summary for what we did on Waiheke Island. Many pictures later for this location and in Auckland.

 

Page Twelve: Post #233 shows arriving on Hawaii’s Big Island with wide range of pictures. Post #234 has one visual from Bay of Island, plus other samples of food and fun on the ship. At this point, we are starting to catch up from earlier pictures not yet posted. It starts with post #236 for the Auckland and Waiheke Island visuals. Post #240 has the start of Connells Bay Sculpture Park at the eastern side of Waiheke Island.

 

Page Thirteen: Posts #241-42 provides more from Connells Bay Sculpture Park on Waiheke Island. Post #248 has details on Volcano National Park on the Big Island. Post #251 shows sunny Hawaii hotel pictures and how we were getting ready to depart to the Midwest.

 

Page Fourteen: Posts #262 and #264 has us getting home and the detail for taking more than 8,000 pictures during this trip, currency rates, etc. Posts #265-268 starts the “catch up” phase with many fun and exciting pictures from Rotorua, showing their Maori culture, highlighting the Pohutu Geyser, etc. Posts #270-271 and #273 have many visuals on the Bay of Islands sailing adventure day. Post #277 has ship towel art. Posts #279-280 provides varied visuals for in and around interesting and cosmopolitan Auckland.

 

Page Fifteen: Post #281 has Auckland Art Museum pictures. Post #285 shows Napier's Art Deco downtown. Posts #286-289 and #293 gives a comprehensive visual sampling for ALL of the many and varied sights and wonderful experiences from the NZ Capital of Wellington. Posts #295-297 show Akaroa and the Tranz Alpine rail trip to the Southern Alps. Posts #299-300 illustrate the start in Milford Sound and heading towards Queenstown.

 

Page Sixteen: Posts #301-303 include info and many visuals related to NZ sheep, Arrowtown (the Gold Rush town), Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu, etc., on the South Island. Posts #305-309 include many pictures and details for the coal-fired, historic TSS Earnslaw ship sailing near Queenstown, the Walter Peak Station with dinner and sheep shearing, Queenstown itself, the bridge that was the starting location for bungee jumping, visiting a winery, going to Dunedin, etc. Lots of great pictures from the NZ South Island!! Post #311 has more Dunedin and departing from that location visuals. Post #319-320 start the more in-depth series of visuals and details for Kangaroo Island.

 

Page Seventeen: Posts #321-324 and #326 complete the detailed series of visuals and text about what we did and enjoyed on amazing Kangaroo Island. Lots of fun food pictures, unique birds and wildlife, too!! Post #330 has some great Solstice ship food examples. Posts #339-340 have various samples of ship sights, activities, food, entertainment, etc.

 

Page Eighteen: Posts #343 and #346-351 provide a wide variety of visuals from Hawaii’s Big Island. This includes whale watching, walking across their volcano, seeing many flowers, doing a Sunset Luau, experiencing waterfalls, enjoying their food, etc. Post #359 shows from Auckland what might have been our best dining experience from this entire trip.

 

Page Nineteen: Post #390 has a variety of visuals from Honolulu’s USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor. Post #395 has a couple of “welcome home” to Ohio winter weather, snow sights.

 

Page Twenty-Two: Post #423 has a nice range of information from CBS-TV on the Sydney BridgeClimb, etc. Post #430 provides details for how Australia got its name, plus added pictures from Kangaroo Island for Flinders Chase National Park, etc. Post #439 offers added Wellington “eye-candy” that had not been posted previously.

 

Page Twenty-Three: Post #441 has some interesting cruise ship Asian food delight visuals. Post #443 has added Sydney Opera House pictures and seating/auditorium aspects.

 

Page Twenty-Five: Post #495 has pictures and details from a Smithsonian Channel documentary program on our Solstice ship, its crew leadership while doing a sailing around Australia.

 

Page Twenty-Seven: Post #527 has many added details and visuals on “The Rocks”, the older, more historic area in Sydney with a variety of shops, dining options, etc.

 

Is this helpful? Other suggestions and/or info needs?

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 199,904 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

Edited July 3, 2016 by TLCOhio

[SoloCroozer]

Loved your review, thanks!

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[TLCOhio]

Loved your review, thanks!

 

Appreciate this nice comment and follow-up. Glad you enjoyed!!

 

From the NZ Fairfax newspapers down under earlier this month, they have this headline: "Waiheke Island in New Zealand has been voted among the world's best islands" with these highlights: "A New Zealand island has been voted one of the world's best, ahead of Bali, Hawaii and the Greek Islands. Auckland's Waiheke Island was named the top island in the South Pacific and number four in the world."

 

This was done by the readers of the US magazine, Travel + Leisure, who ranked their best destinations, accommodation, airlines and other travel-related categories as part of the World's Best Awards survey. This story also noted that Waiheke Island was: "included in Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2016 as one of the world's top 10 regions to visit for 2016 and listed as the fourth best island in the world by Condé Nast Traveler for 2016."

 

Full story at:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/destinations/nz/81890233/waiheke-island-in-new-zealand-has-been-voted-among-the-worlds-best-islands

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 40,595 views for these postings.

[TLCOhio]

Appreciate those who have dropped by and visited this thread. Yesterday, this live/blog went over 150,000 views. Glad to know there is so much interest in both Australia and New Zealand. They get the credit for being so wonderful, amazing and scenic. Plus, both countries having nice, fun people there.

 

Don't be shy in asking any questions, sharing your background and experiences there, etc.

 

Currently, one Australian Dollar costs just 75 cents. When we were there 18 months ago, that currency cost was about 88-90 cents. Two or three years ago, the cost for an Aussie dollar was up to about $1.05. Today one New Zealand Dollar costs about 70 cents.

 

Clearly based on these rates, it offers another very good reason to be visiting these two wonderful nations.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

AFRICA?!!?: Lots of interesting and dramatic pictures can be seen from my latest live/blog at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

Now at 17,719 views for this reporting and visual sharing that includes Cape Town, all along the South Africa coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta area.

 

 

Per http://www.xe.com, below are the five- and ten-year trend charts of the value of the Aussie Dollar versus the U.S. Dollar. Interesting shifts and opportunities?:

 

 

 

[TLCOhio]

From the Washington Post today, they have this headline: "New Zealand vows to kill every weasel, rat and feral cat on its soil".

 

Here are some of the story highlights from this top U.S. newspaper: "New Zealand is a nation that takes its birds seriously, and it’s got very special ones. The country’s currency is adorned with images of winged species found nowhere else. The logo of the national air force is stamped with the famed kiwi. But many of those birds and other native wildlife are under assault from species that showed up with settlers to the island nation 200 years ago. On Monday, Prime Minister John Key announced that, generations after they came, the invaders would have to go. New Zealand has adopted the 'ambitious goal' of eradicating its soil of rats, possums, stoats and all other invasive mammals by 2050."

 

When in wonderful New Zealand, we clearly sense that this nation was worried and on-guard for invasive predators. They view that these foreign creatures have "surpassed poaching and deforestation as the biggest threat to New Zealand’s wildlife". This article has these added details and background: "New Zealand already spends about $40 million a year on invasive species eradication programs, and it’s cleared more than one-third of its 220 islands of predators. But Key suggested Monday that the traps, airdropped poison and fencing already in use haven’t been cutting it. He said $2.3 billion had been devoted to the new plan, some of which would go to a new public-private partnership that would come up with new technologies to defeat the enemies."

 

There is more in this highly-detailed story about how there are challenges as to how NZ people do not like the use of rat poisons to deal with this challenge, nor efforts to limit the numbers of cats.

 

Full story at:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2016/07/25/new-zealand-plans-to-kill-every-weasel-rat-and-feral-cat-on-its-soil/?hpid=hp_hp-more-top-stories-2_animalia-newzealand-240pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 150,479 views for this posting.