Travelonly with Joan

20/04/2023

Dubai, UAE
Dubai harbour is a busy place, even more so at night, when the locals break out the yachts and party on the water, different music blasting from each of the yachts. The structure you see across the middle of the second picture looks like a pier, but is actually a landing strip for small aircraft.

20/02/2023

Sydney, Australia
And then it was on to Sydney, which has arguably the prettiest harbour in the world, and certainly one of the busiest. We were lucky enough to be moored in Circular Quay, which is in the heart of the harbour, and central to all the activity, the Rocks (a touristy section with bars, restaurants and markets; a great place to wander), the harbor train station, ferry station, Opera House, Harbour Bridge, and lots more! And to top it all off, we were treated to a fireworks display over the iconic Opera House, just before we sailed away. Enjoy the pics.

20/02/2023

Melbourne, Australia
We had to clear Australian immigration in Melbourne, and since a "zero count" was required, meaning all passengers off the ship before anyone was allowed to re-board, and we didn't relish a long, long wait in the terminal, we decided to visit Victoria Market. It's a very large open air (but covered) market with a large variety of goods. Later we learned that there is an accessible tourist tram which does a circle of the city center, which sounds like a good option for next time.

19/02/2023

Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, is a tourist destination on the east coast of the north Island, with beautiful beaches, lots of surfing, and a party attitude. Beer for breakfast anyone? We visited with friends here, so sorry, no photos. It's an easy walk into the center, where the shops and restaurants are located.
The captain came over the PA system during dinner, and when that happens, you know it's not good news. Our next three stops in New Zealand were cancelled, due to Cyclone Gabrielle, so we hightailed it around the southern tip of the north island, and headed for Melbourne to get out of harms way. I was told we just missed an earthquake which occurred after we left Tauranga. When I looked it up, I discovered that Tauranga has had 2 earthquakes in the past 7 days, 5 earthquakes in the past 30 days, and 26 earthquakes in the past 365 days. Holy crap, if we stayed around there long enough, I guess I would get my wish of experiencing a "little" earthquake.

19/02/2023

Auckland has a relatively long approach to the harbor. Here the cruise ship dock is very conveniently located with walk-off access to the heart of the city. Auckland has very interesting architecture and attitude. And this time, instead of dolphins, we were escorted out of the harbor by a convoy of sailboats.

19/02/2023

Bay of Islands is a pretty place, both the landscape and the town itself. There are lots of sailboats and pleasure craft.

09/02/2023

The dolphins put on a show for us as we sailed into Bay of Islands, New Zealand this morning...

09/02/2023

The dolphins put on a show for us as we sailed into Bay of Islands, New Zealand this morning....

08/02/2023

During the evening of February 6, we crossed the International Dateline, and P**F! February 7 vanished. When we woke up in the morning, it was February 8. I guess it was worth losing a day to be treated to a magical sunrise on one side of the ship, and the moon glinting off the water on the other.

08/02/2023

American Samoa
Classified as a Polynesian Island, American Samoa has been a US territory since 1900, when it was recognized as being of strategic importance in defending the Pacific. The Samoans are a boisterous, fun loving bunch, as demonstrated by the crazily decorated buses that ferry people up and down the main street in Pago Pago.

05/02/2023

Moorea, French Polynesia
A very pretty island, with a very distinctive and dramatic landscape, and a beautiful reef lagoon.
I think the buildings you see in the first pic may be a resort with overwater bungalows.

05/02/2023

Papeete
Not a lot here at the cruise ship port, just souvenir shops. Not sure exactly where the resorts are.
If you google "pronounce Papeete", you will find a video that explains how to properly pronounce the name of the capital city of French Polynesia. They speak French here, with a bit of an Island flair.

29/01/2023

I just took a picture...

29/01/2023

So, our techy friend George managed to do this as we crossed the equator. Pretty cool, George.

29/01/2023

I have been trying to get a picture of an ocean sunrise since the beginning of this cruise, and I finally hit the jackpot as we were sailing into Nawiliwili. And an added bonus, a lighthouse! This one will be a painting, for sure.

25/01/2023

It is impossible to appreciate the size of these container ships until you are docked beside them. To give you an idea of the size, the white structure in the middle of the ship contains the bridge and crew quarters. It is approximately the size of a six story apartment building. Unloading is accomplished using enormous port cranes, which clamp onto the container and move it into place on the dock. It can take days to unload a ship, depending on the size and number of containers to be unloaded. it is a fascinating process to watch.

23/01/2023

So, we have had a few rough days at sea, but today is probably the worst, so I thought I would try a video to show those of you who might be interested what it's like. I was standing in the doorway to our deck, and I tried to keep the camera level with the horizon, to illustrate the side to side, and up and down motion, in relation to the horizon. The swells you see on the right side of the video, I can only estimate, but perhaps 20-30 feet.

20/01/2023

Huatulco is a stop that has quite a scenic port. Not much at the port except a few souvenir stores and bars, but the area consists of several bays with many hotels to choose from. A popular spot for a winter vacation for Western Canadians

19/01/2023

Transit through the Panama Canal. We were hoping to go through the new locks this time, but no such luck. Maybe next time. The Panama Canal opened in 1914, and along it's 51 mile length, contains three locks that bring ships from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, or vice-versa. It shortens the trip between oceans by 22 days, as opposed to travelling around the tip of South America. Transit fees are expensive - the fee for our cruise ship was upwards of $360,000. So now you know why Panama Canal cruises are relatively expensive. Always a fascinating experience.

19/01/2023

Leaving Cartagena. It really does have a lovely approach to the harbor. The cruise dock, not so much, mostly industrial.

11/01/2023

Last time we were in Cartagena, we took a tour of old town by horse and carriage. That was lovely, but this time, I just went to the park and marketplace close to the ship. It is a gorgeous little tropical oasis.

07/01/2023

Two of these, then Cartegena, Columbia

06/01/2023

And we're Off!

06/01/2023

Ft. Lauderdale Intercoastal Waterway - beautiful by day, and at night.

05/02/2022

Who wants to go with me?

25/11/2021

Believe it or not, .....mine stays up all year long!

When does your tree go up?

11/07/2021

I love reading about the origins of words and phrases......👍

29/03/2021

Finally...

The Cruise Lines Industry Association, which represents 95 percent of all ocean going vessels, describes the CSO as "outdated" as the vaccine roll-out gathers pace. Following the industry’s voluntary suspension of operations one year ago, cruise lines have been...

03/03/2021

Take a virtual journey with me to glorious Barcelona, Spain. Barcelona is the capital and largest city of Catalonia where culture meets cuisine. There is an abundance of shopping, theatres, cafes and beautiful tree lined streets filled with local colour. A must see is the Bouquerie Market, the heart and stomach of Barcelona, you won't go hungry. Click the link to see the video.

03/03/2021

Take a virtual journey with me to glorious Barcelona, Spain. Barcelona is the capital and largest city of Catalonia where culture meets cuisine. There is an abundance of shopping, theatres, cafes and beautiful tree lined streets filled with local colour. A must see is the Bouquerie Market, the heart and stomach of Barcelona, you won't go hungry.