October 29, Brisbane Australia

October 29, Brisbane Australia

Brisbane is the state capital of Queensland and is the largest city in that state, and the tird most populous city in Australia. Located on the Brisbane River, about 50 miles from the ocean, it was named after Sir Thomas Brisbane, the Governor of New South Wales from 1821 to 1825.

The city was the South Pacific headquarters for General MacArthur during WWII. Postwar Brisbane grew rapidly and became a destination of interstate migration. Some of the city’s history is preserved in buildings dating back to the 1820s.

The City Botanic Gardens, Brisbane Forest Park, and Portside Wharf are among the places worth a visit. The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary opened in 1927 and was the world’s first koala sanctuary.

The area where the ship docked was not close enough for most people to walk, so the local Port Authority offered complimentary shuttle service down to Elizabeth Street, in the center of downtown. We were lucky enough to get off the ship shortly after we were cleared and managed to get on the first shuttle.

I had purchased hop-on hop-off tickets in advance through the internet, so once we got downtown we had to figure out where to pick up the bus. We found the post office first and popped in to buy stamps and postcards. Found some really nice stamps to take back there.

The main thing we really wanted to see was the botanical gardens, which was one of the stops on the hop-on hop-off bus. Once at the gardens, we arrived just in time to join the 11am guided tour there. The gardens are really beautiful, with many different species of plants and trees there. In addition, keep your eye out for all kinds of birds, and even a lizard or two.

Back onto the bus and then got off at Chinatown. From there we strolled slowly back toward city center. The downtown area is quite interesting with a mixture of modern skyscrapers and 18th and 19th century building mixed in. There is also a pedestrian mall area where a portion of Elisabeth Street has been closed off to traffic.

We enjoyed our stay in Brisbane, and only wished that we had more time there. At 5pm we were off for a day at sea before our three day stay in Sydney.

October 25-26, Cairns Austalia

October 25, Cairns Australia

A century ago, Cairns (pronounced “kanz”) was a wild-west style gold rush town. The pioneer legacy lingers in the city’s airy, plantation style buildings. But modern Cairns also has a first-class wharf and the international airport is just a short drive away.

There is a wide Esplanade along the river front lined with picnic tables, a park area, jogging and bicycle paths, and inviting benches. The northern part of the city is located on Trinity Bay and the city center on Trinity Inlet. Some of the city’s suburbs are located on fertile flood plains while its center is located on a mud flat.

The city has developed into a railhead and major port for the exportation of sugar cane, gold, precious metals, and agricultural industries from the surrounding regions, and is the stopping off place for tourists interested in snorkeling or diving on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR).

We arrived at 5pm, ate dinner and walked into town for a short evening stroll. As we left the dock area we were met by two of the local bird population also taking an evening stroll. Continuing on we walked along the Esplanade and found the Central Market area, where we spent some time looking around. While we didn’t buy anything there they did have some pretty good deals on various T-shirts and other items. “Authentic” Australian stuff however seemed very expensive.

The next morning we were off the ship around 7am to walk down to meet our boat for our GBR snorkel trip. While it was about a 2.5 hour ride out it was worth every minute of it. We had a beautiful day with smooth seas, very few clouds, and clear water. In fact the sun was so bright that underwater photography was difficult. But we did manage to get a few good pictures while there, including one of Sharon actually hand feeding some batfish!

We spent about 2.5 hours there, had a really nice lunch and then departed back to the ship. On the trip back they served up some cheese and crackers, fruit, and wine. All in all we really enjoyed it, After getting back and finding out how disappointed some folks that had booked HAL’s GBR tour were, we would suggest that anyone coming here do your research and book your own tour. They are much cheaper and go where the fish and good coral are.

Next is two days at sea as we make our way down the coastline to Brisbane, where we have hop-on hop-off tickets and will wander around on our own.

October 22, Port Vila Vanuatu

October 22, Port Vila Vanuatu

Port Vila is Vanuatu’s largest city. Located on the south coast of the island of Efate, it has been inhabited for thousands of years. The first Europeans, from Spain, arrived in 1606. In the 19th century French settlers established the municipality of Franceville, and declared independence in 1889 and became the first elf-governing nation to practice universal suffrage without distinction of sex or race.

France and the United Kingdom claimed parts of the country and in 1906 agreed to jointly manage the archipelago. An independence movement was established in the 1970’s, and the Republic of Vanuatu was created in 1980.

Fish, taro, yams, papaya, pineapples, mangoes, plantains, and coconuts are plentiful, and there are almost no poisonous insects or reptiles on land or in the water around the island.

A total of 19 of us booked a private tour with Gilbert here; an all day around the island tour. Leaving Port Vila we went counter-clockwise around the island, making our first stop at a local “community house”. These are found in each village, and are where the village chief holds meetings and decisions are made affecting the whole village. From there we went to the Blue Lagoon, a beautiful small lagoon with crystal clear water and surrounded be lovely flowers.

As we continued around the island our guide pointed out the various agricultural areas where not only the fruits were grown but also the many cattle grazing grounds. Our next stop was at a local primary school where we met a few of the children and they sang some songs for us.

There is no government supported primary schools on the island. Each village has there own that is entirely supported by the village. The schools are very basic with no chairs or tables, and the children sit on a hard concrete floor. School supplies are very limited as well. Given all of that we were pleasantly surprised and the command of English the children had.

We also made a stop where we were treated to some local dancing and a demonstration on how they use all the different parts of a coconut. Nothing is wasted even the husked are used.

We made a lunch stop at a delightful little beachside setting, where we were served some local foods which were very tasty. After a couple of other “scenery” stops, we drove through the town and back to the ship.

The town itself seemed very crowded which given it’s the only real city on the island isn’t too surprising. We were just as glad that we went on the tour instead of going into town on our own. Unfortunately we didn’t have the opportunity to get to the post office so we couldn’t get stamps of the country. But we enjoyed the tour, and now it’s 2.5 days at sea as we make our way to Cairns Australia, our next stop and our tour to the Great Barrier Reef.

October 20, Suva Fiji

October 20, Suva Fiji

Suva is the capital and largest city of the Fiji Islands. It is the chief seaport with excellent harbor facilities, making it the primary stop for transpacific shipping traffic. Duty-free shipping, tropical scenery, and unusual hotels attract thousands of travelers each year.

We were quite surprised to see as we arrived the local Police Band was on the dock and welcomed the ship with about a 20 minute “concert”, moving up and down the dock while performing several formations. It was a delight to hear and well received by all on board.

We did not book a tour here, and opted to walk around on our own. We docked at the container facilities, which are just a block away from downtown. The immediate area surrounding the docks are typical and not in the best of repairs. Leaving the dock area we walked along the sea wall a couple of blocks to the post office where we discovered that they do not accept US dollars. Most shops do however so we were able to purchase a couple of postcards to mail back once we return to the ship.

We then walked up to the central avenue and headed out to the Thurston Gardens and Fiji National Museum. Walking at a slow pace it was about a 20 minute walk to the park. A small park but kept up quite well, with several different plants in bloom we really enjoyed walking around it.

The National Museum is in the park, and as we went up to it we saw several folks from the ship that we on a ship’s tour. After talking with them we decided not to visit the museum, headed back towards the dock area and the ship.

The local people seem quite friendly and most would say Bula (Fiji’s traditional greeting) as you passed by. It was interesting to see the style of dress that was worn as about 45% of the population is actually Indians. So while English is the main language spoken, you also will hear Fijian and Hindustani.

Tomorrow is another sea day as we make our way to Port Vila, Vanuatu.

October 17, Pago Pago

October 17, Pago Pago

Pago Pago is the capital town of American Samoa and is actually a village. Located on the island of Tutuila, it is a territory of the United States. Tuna caning has a huge place in the economic picture and provides employment for about a third of the population. The harbor is surrounded by cliffs, which plunge almost straight into the sea. The summit of Mt. Alava in the National Park provides a fantastic view of the harbor and town.

Unfortunately, the island was hit by a tsunami a couple of weeks ago, and the local people are still recovering from the devastation. While great strides have been made, it’s quite obvious that there are many months to go before a semblance of normalcy returns.

About 34 lives were lost, four of which were children. There were 39 of us who had booked a tour with Tisa’s Barefoot Bar and Restaurant. As we left the dock area and circled around the bay the devastation was obvious. We saw many houses and buildings totally destroyed, and numerous vehicles crushed like bugs.

But cleanup was ongoing, and great strides have been made. Holland America and the Amsterdam donated over $15,000 worth of clothing, bedding, linens, etc., that were dropped off today.

While taking our pictures today, we purposely did not take any of the destruction, but concentrated on the beauty that still existed. With flowers blooming and fantastic views from the mountain tops, there are still great and wonderful things to see. The people are very friendly and wave to you as you pass by.

As we sail away from the island this evening, we do so with a much better understanding of the people of Pago Pago and know that they will rebuild as soon as possible with the assistance of the United States.

Next up is Suva Fiji, another island hit by this terrible tsunami.

Rarotonga, Cook Islands

October 15, Rarotonga Cook Islands

With craggy green pinnacles rising from the island center, and deep verdant valleys Rarotonga provides all of the elements of paradise. The mountain slopes are fertile, and every known color is represented in the flowering plants. Some are familiar while others are ethereal but all seem to belong.

The rugged Te Rua Manga, known as The Needle, juts dramatically skyward. Add the multi-hued lagoon that encircles the island, and it’s easy to “let go” and slip into the moment.

Avarua is Rarotonga’s capital and largest community. Stretching eastward from the airport along the waterfront, there are a few restaurants, boutiques, and an internet café. There are no high-rise hotels, no beach buggies, and no traffic jams.

Just opposite the town’s much discussed traffic circle, a cluster of seven coconut trees stand as a local landmark. The roundabout and the trees are used to provide relational directions.

We didn’t book any tours here and simply wandered about on our own. The tenders docked at the west end of town, and we strolled along the ocean towards the downtown area. We did some window shopping and wound up at the Salsa Café where we had a couple of Matutu beers which are made on the island. Very good and they were cold. We found the post office and bought stamps and sent off a couple of post cards to the grandkids.

By 1pm we found ourselves back at the dock and returned to the ship. Unfortunately we are here at the wrong time of the season to see a lot of the flowers in bloom, so it wasn’t as pretty as we had expected. Fortunately only three more islands to go before we hit our first New Zealand port.

Next up, Pago Pago (which is actually pronounced Pango Pango!).

October 11-12, Bora Bora

October 11, Bora Bora Day 1

Everyone says that Bora Bora is fantastic, and the best island of the French Polynesian islands. Well guess what? THEY ARE RIGHT!!!!

Novelist James Michener described the island as the world’s most beautiful island. The coral reef surrounding the island defines a spectacular lagoon, and Mount Otemanu towers magnificently above it.

WWII fueling stations, American battlements can still be seen around the island. The South Pacific’s wealth in diverse marine life can be observed in their natural habitat and it is not necessary to be a scuba diver to enjoy it. Most of the species live in shallow water from 3 to 9 feet.

About 30 of us from Cruise Critic had booked a private tour to go out snorkeling. What a fabulous time we had. We made our first stop in relatively shallow water (10-15 feet), and saw plenty of small reef type fish including butterfly fish, angel fish, tiger fish etc.

Next it was out beyond the reef to deeper water (30 feet plus) to swim with black tipped sharks. While there we even saw a couple of lemon sharks lurking along the bottom and were able to get a couple of good pictures of them.

We also made a stop in waist deep water to play with the stingrays for a while. It’s amazing how gentle these creatures can be. While most were about 2 or 2.5 feet wide there were others that exceeded 3 feet across.

From there it was off to lunch on one of the motu’s where we dined on lobster, mai-mai, pig, vegetables, wine, and beer. From there it was a gentle ride back to the dock area and the end of a perfect day.

The second day we had booked a 4x4 half day tour. Lasting a little over 3 hours it went around the island with three trips to higher elevations for some magnificent views overlooking the waters surrounding the island.

We left Bora Bora at 5pm headed for our next destination, Raiatea!

October 10 - Moorea

October 10, Moorea

Just a little more than ten miles north-west of Tahiti, Moorea is Tahiti’s little sister. Shaped like a butterfly with mountain-lined wings, the island’s steep crags cast a silhouette against the dual expanse of South Pacific sea and sky.

Atop the peaks, you will find maraes (stone temples) where the ancient rite of maohi was practiced. Views from the highlands are magnificent.

One of the best views overlooking the shoreline is from Belvedere Lookout. Rising from the Opunohu Valley it offers splendid views.

We took a half day Culture and Nature Tour. We visited most of the important natural and cultural sites on Moorea, including a stop at the University of California Berkeley’s Gump Research Station.

This is a tender port, and where the tenders dock, there really isn’t much. From there you would need to take a taxi over to Cook’s Point to do any shopping etc. The island itself is quite beautiful, and a tour around the island is well worth the money.

Tomorrow we dock at Bora Bora for two days and are snorkeling the first day and then doing a 4x4 half day tour the next. Hopefully tomorrow I will have some nice underwater pictures for your enjoyment!