MMDown Under

American friends have raised the same question with me, so we are talking about potential American passengers as well as Australian passengers who would love to cruise further in the South Pacific or north to Darwin, Northern Territory and PNG. It amazes me that other cruise lines haven't developed their markets here. Australians are amongst the top travellers. Australian have recreation leave of four weeks annually, plus longer if they work in the bush (eg miners). We are used to flying long haul to travel, but people are less keen now following Covid. Bon Voyage for cruise in July.

It appears a milder cyclone so far, but you can never second guess a cyclone. Its hasn't diverted from its path heading to the Far North Queensland Coast. My great aunt and uncle lived on an island in the Whisundays. They built their sturdy little cabins to meet cyclone conditions and they did. I find the most frightening is being in the eye of the cyclone.

Cycloner Jasper intensifies to Category 2 and starts to cross the far Nth Qld Coast The eye of the storm is expected to cross the Coast between 5 an 6 pm. If the cyclone crosses water, it is likely to increase further, bom

We caught the train from Florida to Canada. The power stopped working and my daughter pointed out the man in front of us had shower caps on his feet! They tried to make passengers get off the train and take busses which was dangerous in the weather conditions. An American lady told everyone to not get off and that they'd have to put all the luggage back on the train if no-one claimed it. They got the power going so cabin was cozy and no-one wanted to get off and travel by bus in icy conditions. When we reached Toronto, Canada, everyone was standing in the aisle anxious to get off asap. But the carriage lurched and the "lead lady' fell backwards loudly hitting her head on the floor. My husband tried to help her up but she said automatically "Don't touch me! The bastards got me! . I might have to sue." Everyone burst out laughing. A nice way to finish a trying journey. Moral of the story, don't travel long distance on their trains in winter. If so, take those little heat things skiers put in their shoes/gloves.

Do you think they might have thought he'd had one too many? Les - I hope you can see Resilient Lady as she cruises past your place from Sydney to Melbourne on 21/1 or 22/1/2024. Do ships come close enough to the Coast to see with binoculars ? Melbourne arrival 23/1/2024. .

My cruise on Resilient Lady was half price for a solo. Chiildren under 18 aren't allowed on this ship so half price for January summer holidays is a bargain.

Yes, Our first visit to NZ was on a car hire and accommodation package basis. It couldn't have been more relaxing. We had a couple of choices of basic accommodation in each place. Our hardest decision of the day, which motel and whether we ate in or out. I fell in love with NZ on my first visit. I was originally against visiting NZ because I thought I'd never go any further. And I was born to travel, the only one in my family.

Yesterday, We did a car trip to Fingal and Kingscliff in Northern NSW. Like you, I engage with strangers all the time. At Fingal, I chatted to a young father watching his children playing in shallow water below. I asked him how he was connected to Fingal, a little backwater place on the Ocean and River He said his family had driven down Friday nights from Brisbane, for the weekend all his life. What an ideal childhood! Looking for the Fingal Lighthouse, I chatted to people along the way. Not a single sign, you have to ask. One lady, who used to live in Fingal, was at a family reunion. She was a wealth of knowledge. We have driven across USA several times and I love US National Parks and their sense of history. Once we had booked to stay at the Big Ben National Park on the border, I think there was a chilli ? festival on. So the cops were out. We got pulled over in the dark by two cops, one the good guy and one the bad guy. The bad guy reckoned we had been speeding. We had a cheap rental car which would have fallen to bits had we gone too fast and I told him so. The younger child started to cry, so time to tell him we were visitors from Aust. Then It all turned on a dime and they couldn't have been friendlier, said to watch out for the bad guys, and sent us on our way.

Oh no it is all about the destination!

how many passengers on Silver Muse, which looks more my size.

I don't doubt the amount of sinking may be no more than other South Seas Islanders. I met an islander fishing at Innisfail once, and got talking as I often do. We were staying in the last house at the end of a spit where all the old beach shacks had been washed away. I asked him how he ended up from Tahiti in Innisfail (he was one of those fierce looking people you wouldn't want to mess with, who go into jail cells to calm the situation). He told me his sister got washed away in a tidal wave, and he couldn't live in Tahiti anymore. He was a gentle giant, His island in Tahiti is on my ferry wish list in memory of him. The first basic South Pacific Island I visited was Aitutaki in the Cook Islands. I loved the local people with voices like angels and danced with beautiful hand movements. I'm currently planning a return visit for my half birthday, but that is another story.

We once did an around Australia business class trip by air on 30,000 points. Wished I'd used my points in that fashion more often, as their value has depreciated big time since then. It was a great way to cover the long distances in Australia. Sydney - Cairns - Thursday Island - Ayres Rock - Broome - Perth - Sydney. I had a further flight booked back to Brisbane, but I used another airline for my husband from Sydney to Brisbane. That airline went under, so it was cheaper for us to hire a car form Sydney, stop overnight at Port Macquarie, to Brisbane. I got every leg of the journey because I booked tickets the day they became available. That was my choice, but you could make bookings of flights to places you want to visit. Then you can use the places as hubs, eg from Cairns we visited the beautiful Daintree and Cape Tribulation, Atherton Tableland, Innisfail (Italian Festival) and Mission Beach, a tropical paradise where we saw a mother and baby Cassowary cross the road. Planning is half the fun!

I researched that country following the publicity and it just appealed to me. The Pacific Region is getting smaller and I think Aussies can support these paradises close to Australia.

After driving across the Nullarbor, we camped at Lucky Bay in Cape Le Grand National Park to discover the most beautiful beach in Australia. White sand beach with turquoise sea and kangaroos on the beach, plus there were spectacular wildflowers in the sandals just behind the beach. Queensland, the sunshine state, has beautiful beaches but this beach is a notch above! We met a group who travel across from SA to WA, and camp at Lucky Bay. They told us of all the special features which we missed. So we checked them out on the way back east. My younger daughter recently drove around Australia for 7 months in her camper van. Probably visited about 3/4 of the country. It is a BIG country, so pick a region which appeals to you and visit that region.

What a close call! I think every Australian family, who lives in tropical storm territory, has a family survival story similar to this. Mine as told to me by my grandmother. The storm seemed to have passed them by. They had taken a new poddy calf under the farm house built up on stilts. Well, the storm turned around and came back and a big bolt of lightening struck under the house. She must have survived the storm as she told me the story. The moral was never stand under a tree thinking you were safe from lightning. House rules during a storm, or a storm approaching from cooee, no phones, no touching any metal, no eating with metal utensils, no showers, no movement near windows, and an invitation to join my grandmother under her bed with her china potty. My grandmother knew of someone who had died from "everything", which was possibly true being isolated in the bush. My country heritage has never left me, despite being born and bred in the big city. I voted for roll bars being compulsory on farm vehicles which the CWA takes to Government. Any overnight visitor to my house had to adjust to his car being protected from hail storms by a big blanket and his reversal windows wrapped up. As you can see I survived to tell my family stories!

Yes, very impressive how they handle guests who don't leave, but new guests have taken their tourist accommodation. We had a lady in our accommodation who shifted into staff quarters until the next flight out. For those who haven't visited Lord Howe Island, it is one of Australia's hidden treasures. Only 500 guests are permitted a one time, on the island. They have some lovely old fashioned customs where your accommodation host takes you to your restaurant of choice and the owner brings you home. It is lovely to see families return from the Mainland at Christmas.

I did that on a small hop from Boston to JFK to join a business class return to Aus. It was worth it - extra luggage free, assistance on the long internal airport transfer, with some pretzels thrown in. (I don't know why Americans like pretzels not to mention pickles which come in a bowl!)

That might have been a good guess.

Did you see a real cassowary on your Travels? We have scrub turkeys in the city. They make huge nests and don't care if they are in the middle of a busy road. It is nothing to see my elderly neighbour clapping her hands encouraging the scrub turkey to continue on his way. I was lucky to see a cassowary and baby crossing the road in Mission Beach. Another time I saw a family of emus crossing a major road and climbing under a fence and continuing on their way. Did you see any Brolgas in your travels? We came across a dancing pair south of Yeppoon. Seeing animals in the wild is a magical experience. I saw my last koala in the wild at Magnetic Island off Townsville. However I know there are Koalas in the bush near here. Locals put posts against the high fences so koalas can escape up the post if a dog appears.

Like you, I find independent planning half the fun. I'm like a sponge, as I soak up information from experienced travellers to use at a later date. When someone plans a trip I'd do myself, I know to pay attention. Richard Branson recently offered half price cruises in our peak season of January school holidays, because there are no children on his cruises. I booked as soon as I saw a one way cruise from Auckland, NZ to Melbourne Victoria. Then I worked out how long I could stay at both places before and after the cruise. As you say, researching the possibilities is half the fun.

We used to fly long haul to US annually. We chose to spend a stopover on different South Pacific islands en route - Fiji, Cook Islands, Tahitian islands,Hawaiian islands, LAX to JFK. These were my favourite flights to the USA. I dream of returning to all of them. Aitutaki, Cook Islands is curry rently top of the return list. I'd also like to visit TUVALU before it disappears into the ocean. I haven't flown on Hawaiian Airlines or Fiji Airlines recently, however we found them very basic airlines, but with first class staff who were a joy to fly with. We flew to Hawaii from Fiji to join a cruise to Australia, whilst my girlfriend flew from Fiji to Hawaii via the US mainland. The choice of routes is only limited by your imagination.

My daughter has just returned from JFK to Auckland to Brisbane with Air NZ. She said their skycouch was more comfortable than their Business and Premium Economy. She flew with Qatar to JFK Business Class and gave them top marks. It is too expensive for Australians to fly business class from the US to Aust/NZ. So she thought their sky couch wa a good compromise. My daughter missed her connection to Brisbane in Auckland, so she recommends not forward travelling on the same day, but enjoy a break of journey in Auckland.

Jasper is now a Cyclone 4 heading towards the North Qld. Coast. The main area of concern is between Cooktown and Mackay, BOM

Oh it was. I have personal memories from age 2. I saw koalas swim between the islands, watched adults eat big oysters straight off rocks, ate delicious freshly cooked tropical fish cooked on a single ring metho cooker, used to sit quietly and listen to the stories of fishermen who used to come to my aunt's island for cooked fish and drinks. I used to start pestering when are we leaving on the Sunlander. We always left before the school holidays to enable my grandmother to get train tickets with a sleeper. We also returned home early to avoid cut rail lines due to cyclones.

Yes I heard the staff had been evacuated. Wouldn't be much protection on the island.