Just in case you wonder why there are no posts from Thursday Island, it’s because we couldn’t stop there on our way to Darwin.   The sea was a bit rough, so the tender boats could not safely ferry people to the island. And plans for Bali and Shanghai have changed; we will have less […]

Darwin, AUS                                    Friday, Feb 26, 2016 (2 pm local time) Yesterday we visited Darwin, at the “Top End” of Australia. Darwin’s proximity to Asia and its position at the top of the outback country give it a very […]

Sunday in the Whitsunday Islands, AUS                Feb. 21, 2016 Early this morning our ship anchored in the Whitsunday Islands, off the northeastern coast of Australia, and we took a smaller boat from Hamilton Island to explore the Whitsunday passage. This area is magnificent, and it’s hard to find the words to describe how this small […]

We are anchored off Hamilton Island, one of the 74 islands that make up the Whitsunday chain. Along the way we have done a lot of sightseeing in Sydney, in Brisbane, and sailing around Hamilton Island. Here are some photos. Joe

Brisbane, AUS (“Brizzy” to the locals) Feb. 19, 2016 We visited Brisbane yesterday, and saw another penal colony success story, a’ la Sydney. Brisbane is north of Sydney, still on Australia’s east coast, and it’s about half the population of Sydney (approx. 2 million, vs. 4 million in Sydney). It’s got a beautiful wide river […]

Two busy days in Sydney. Among other things, we toured the iconic Sydney Opera House. We visited an Australian wildlife reserve. And we walked along the Sydney Harbor on a walking tour of “The Rocks” a section of the city. Joe

Day 2 in Sydney                                                                    Feb 17 2016 4pm Another lovely day in Sydney – weather was breezy, sunny, dry and warm.   We left the ship early, and took a short tour of Sydney’s Rocks District. This is the area near Sydney Harbour where the “First Fleet” landed in 1788; 11 ships carrying 776 prisoners (male […]