MMDown Under

I think cruise lines should change the cancellation date to longer than 6 months in these uncertain times.

That was a brilliant idea. I only buy hot pies direct from pie shops so hadn't thought about heating up pies. However I was tempted by a big slice of Spanakopita at Kings Cross markets yesterday - heated it in oven yesterday, then in microwave today.

I agree the bonus of travelling alone is you meet so many interesting well travelled people. When I was young I travelled on my own by Greyhound bus on a three month bus pass throughout USA and Canada. I'm just sorry I couldn't take up all the hospitality which was offered to me. Yesterday I went to a brilliant cabaret at Hayes Theatre, Potts Point - "Bad Guy: Hayden Tee" - on my own.

Smart idea as it is a direct route from there.

We used to be AirNZ FF and always found them an excellent long haul airline. One time our flight from Canada was delayed and we had a lengthy stopover at Auckland Airport. When we heard our names called, my heart missed a beat. Yes, we had been upgraded to business class, as had all our fellow passengers from Canada. What a thrill as we had only flown economy long haul at that stage.

Thank you

I usually avoid waterfront places which are usually overpriced due to location. However I noticed all having early coffee/ breakfast were locals. Maybe more visitors later. Certainly a nice place to stop on long walk along the esplanade. A elderly local lady had left her dog tied up to a table in the park while she ran in to get a coffee. Before you could blink, a ranger was there asking who owned the dog. I'd love to have a BBQ near the pool. Puts GC to shame!

That is good news indeed. How do you check on website? Just checked my opal cards - Senior exp 6.3.19 senior exp 12.7.19 senior exp 21.6.17 adult no date senior no date - both in same folder These two might be OK. house senior cards no date (2)

My criteria is "made in Aust from at least 95% Australian ingredients". I don't care who owns company but I do care how healthy my food is. Where I'm staying, ALL the food is organic!! I was told most of the food on ships was pre bought from USA. I guess it depends what can be frozen. However I saw lots of fresh produce on the wharves.

Accommodation and food in Fiji was cheap, certainly cheaper than expensive airfares for a family of 4. We toured Fiji in a truck with the locals. Now I only fly business class because of my legs so glad I travelled a lot overseas when I was young!

I have a pile of Adult OPAL cards which were the only ones they sold at the airport. Then I go to Central Railway Station to sort out my Concession OPAL card. Now I just read you have to put $35 on Adult OPAL cards because passengers were putting a small amount on, then throwing their card Away.. Ill have to allow lots of time at Railway Station to sort out my OPAL Cards tomorrow. If they have expired I'll use the house adult OPAL cards until I can organise Concession Cards. BTW Adelaide has a good system. You just show the Tourist Office your State Concession Card and they will issue a local one.

That is good policy. One of the joys of travel is trying drinks from other countries.

With flights so expensive, you might like to consider making your flights part of your holiday, which we have done in the past. Eg fly Fijian Airways to Hawaii with a stopover in Fiji. Everyone is being effected by the higher airfares. I recently spoke to a friend who used to fly from Brisbane to Adelaide monthly. She no longer does because of the high cost of flights.

Thank you That trip will be on my next visit to Auckland.

Hopefully Australia will move away from buying the cheapest from China and look at the big picture re full employment.

Welcome Home on a wet Queen's Memorial Public Holiday. Bon Voyage to passengers boarding today.

Sounds wonderful How do you get there from Auckland?

Bon Voyage for your cruise on Majestic Princess. Thank you for all your excellent work on this interesting thread. I miss Kiwi Kruzer (David). Kiwis like you, and David, with your wealth of knowledge re cruise ships bring a lot of pleasure to passengers.

That is interesting as one of my daughters is an engineer, so I have learnt to view things through different eyes. I'm always surprised at how long major infrastructure takes and the cost! Then, when it is finished, you wonder how you coped without it.

Yes we had the reverse experience on Rhapsody's first cruise to Australia from Hawaii Out with the grits, sweet pastries and cakes for breakfast, flavoured teas, etc. To be replaced with real tea from Tahiti and Fiji, paraded around Bomb Alaska style!

Do you think so? Surely the cruise line can adjust the rules to suit the home base and majority of passengers. eg Smoking is a big issue for countries like Australia.

It is a long time since our family stayed in Tahiti, but you can live less expensively like locals, by eating at the food trucks, and riding on le trucks (forms in back of a truck). I recall we even went to an island night at a top hotel, where we just had to buy a drink, rather than the expensive island night meal package.

Last night I almost got run over by passengers guiding their luggage on those special wheels as they hurried to express pickup at Sydney Airport. Seemed a long way but don't know how far.

There were so many touching photographs of the Queen's Funeral Procession, captured by brilliant photographers, it is difficult to pick one. For me the most moving photo was an aerial of the Queen's Fell pony, Emma, which stood between flowers on the long walk with the head groom, and one of the Queen's scarves folded across the saddle. When the Queen's coffin went past Emma lifted her foot. I'd like to book a cruise from England which fits in with the King's coronation next year. The last time I was in England was for Harry and Meghan's Wedding at Windsor.