Raina's blogging again. An Asian Expedition - Legend

[Hobart Hurricane]

Didn't realise you were off on another cruise after posting in the xmas roll call for next year I just happened to come across this :) wish I was off doing this, however have another week of teaching before the school holidays start. Look forward to hearing more

[JamesEM]

Have been following along, BIG thanks for your reviews and photos.

[AussieVisi2r]

Thanks all.

 

Sorry I went AWOL!

 

But the internet is almost scary at home. Everything happens SO fast! :D

 

Raina

[AussieVisi2r]

Day 18 was a sea day and Thanksgiving.

 

Didn't do much toady - just relaxed.

 

It was great fun to be on board for Thanksgiving. And we had a great turkey dinner, with pumpkin pie for desert.

[AussieVisi2r]

Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia Day 19

 

Kota Kinabalu is on the island of Borneo. Home of the Orangutans.

 

We had a lovely welcome with singers and dancers.

 

We had a tour planned with a group from our Roll Call but due to worry over times the trip was cancelled. We were going to the Shangri la to see the free range Orangutans. When this was cancelled I booked a ships tour.

I asked a few times if we were going to the zoo or to the free range orangutans. And I was told a few times that were were NOT going to the zoo.

So off i went.

 

First was the Mari Mari Cultural Village very interesting. It was a collection of huts form the 5 different tribes of the Sabah area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There was also the Kota Kinabalu Museum which had some interesting exhibits. (I don't think our ship tour included entry into this as I seemed to be the only one who went in - oops).

[AussieVisi2r]

Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia Day 19

 

So we all jumped back into the bus and off we headed to our "Wildlife Encounter" as the RCI advertising billed this trip.

 

You can imagine my surprise when the guide said that it was about 15 minutes to ...........the zoo. "What" says I. Yes the zoo. Not the free range guys as I was told!

 

Now, our roll call group had done a lot of research and cancelled the trip rather then go to this zoo after reading reviews of it.

 

We arrived at a nice modern facade of the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park. We would be here for 2 1/2 hours. Not happy but in I went. And not for long. I walked up towards the Orangutans and was disgusted!!

 

The most revolting 1960's style zoo with pitiful cages. Yes cages not pens. And totally unsuitable! Emus ( a desert animal) standing in mud. 10 Elephants in a 1/4 acre pen. They were all weaving and trumpeting. Orangutans (a jungle animal) huddling under poles to get shade and a leopard in a 3x5 pen with no direct sunlight. Of course I stormed out after 15 minutes, left the tour and caught a taxi ($40 US!) back to the ship to "express my disgust" which I did clearly!

WHEN IN ASIA (or anywhere) PLEASE DON'T GO TO PLACES THAT EXPLOIT ANIMALS.

 

When lodging my complaint at the tour desk I was asked what I would like as an outcome. "I would like the word ZOO in the literature and for the RCI ethics people to maybe have a look at the reports about this zoo before taking people there."

 

 

Not a happy day.

 

BUT I did talk to many people who went to the Shangra La and had a fantastic day. They booked on line before hand (about $60 ish US) then got a taxi at the dock (about $50). They went up, looked at the resort, watch the one hour presentation of the rehabilitation Orangutans (who will be released into the wild when they are 6) and back to the ship in plenty of time.

 

Looks like I will be doing this trip again! So much to do in the Philippines!

 

Back on the ship we sailed past many oil rigs. many were burning off the gas. It did look good.

 

 

Then into a lovely sunset.

 

 

I guess we were going west!

 

[AussieVisi2r]

At Sea

 

Crossing he Equator is always a fun day.

 

 

But awfully muggy. The camera was not happy when I first walked outside.

 

 

 

Lots of fun days and nights.

 

 

Thanks to the great staff.

 

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Bali Indonesia, Day 23

 

Booked a car and driver for the ay from Ubud Drivers. Great car and driver. $70US for the day.

 

Kopi Luwak coffee. the beans are eaten by this wild 'cat' thing, pooed out, collected and made into super coffee worth a fortune

 

 

Just going for a drive in Bali is fascinating. So much to see. we drove up to Ubud. It is the less touristy part - still many many tourists but a bit less 'spoilt'.

 

 

 

 

Most places have small temples and offerings are made. At some places the offerings are put on the path. Dogs love it. They were walking along eating hte best part.

 

 

And then in the middle of all the crowded streets would be rice paddies.

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Bali

 

We then went to the Monkey Forest. So good.

 

 

 

 

A bag of bananas was a dollar - so much fun. Some of the monkey were a bit rude...but still fun.

 

 

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Bali.

 

So many lovely sites

 

 

 

 

 

 

We went and had amazing massages. 60 minute "4 handed" massages with two people massaging at the same time. Amazing and a whole $10US.

 

Then lunch at a beautiful place.

 

 

A great day.

[PCWalton1]

Raina,

Thanks for coming back to this report. I love seeing the sights in the Philippines. I spent 7 years there and it brings back so many memories. :)

[goodycruising]

Fantastic pictures again, thanks :) I see that you are heading off on Legend again soon, I hope that is a good trip too. I am looking forward to your Antarctic pictures next year. You are keeping busy!

[oceanbabe]

Raina: Have been looking at your amazing pictures and writings. Would love to do exactly the same trip and see all the options you did. Will look at RC for next year or 2017 and try to find a slightly shorter and less expensive trip. Have done the South Pacific and Australia/ New Zealand. Will love to add Asia to my bucket list. Please continue to update any new travels you do. Thank you for all the preparation you did for these reviews,

[gaechann]

Hello Raina

Thanks for continuing with this wonderful review! As we are doing this cruise in reverse next April I'm very interested in your shore activities & recommendations!

Enjoy your present Christmas cruise back on the Legend! You must be almost an honorary crew member by now! [emoji319][emoji319][emoji319]

Gae

[tigger-ttfn]

Love your Blogs. Keep it coming. Happy Holidays

[AussieVisi2r]

Well this is a bit embarrassing..........

 

I DIDN'T FINISH THIS BLOG>>>>>>

 

I could come up with lots of excuses......or or could just finish it now.

 

I'm so sorry.

 

 

Raina

[AussieVisi2r]

Day 26 - Darwin.

 

A group of us went off together and caught the hop on hop off bus.

 

Tip - walk away form the port one stop. Only about 500 metres. We walked straight on. Next stop at the port had about 100 people waiting...obviously they all didn't get onto that bus.

 

We Visited the Museum.

 

 

 

Is this modern art??

 

And then off to Crocadillius.

 

This is the place where people pay lots of money to go into a tube and feed the crocs.

 

 

I will admit - it isn't nearly as scary as i though it would be. Outside the tank we were almost as close.

 

 

This really is a great place and so worth going too. You get up very close and personal with the crocs.

 

 

Tip - there is a tank you can go into near small crocs (around 1 meter long). You are separated by a perspex wall. So it looks like you are in with them. It's free.

[AussieVisi2r]

Darwin is really pretty. Great to look around.

 

 

 

 

 

Sailaway was through a long channel - in the opposite direction. It was great.

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Sea Days 27 and 28.

 

Izumi cooking class was really great fun. $25 for a 2hr lesson and feast. Excellent.

 

 

 

I went to lots of good activities. Captain Corner, lectures ...

 

Lunch with an officer was great. Captain came along.

 

 

With the BEST desert I have ever had on a ship.

 

 

When I went to the casino I saw an amazing thing.....

 

 

The ball bounced up ontot eh centre and just sat there!!!!

[AussieVisi2r]

Day 28th was sailing through Torres Strait. The captain slowed the ship down so that we got there at day break. yay - up at 5am.

 

The pilot commentated the whole way through. Fantastic.

 

The Torres Strait is a strait which lies between Australia and the Melanesian island of New Guinea. It is approximately 150 km (93 mi) wide at its narrowest extent. To the south is Cape York Peninsula, the northernmost continental extremity of the Australian state of Queensland.

 

 

Torres Strait is the home to one of the groups of our Indigenous Australians - the Torres Strait Islanders.

 

It was fantastic.

 

 

It's a fairly treacherous waterway with many shipwrecks.

 

 

This is smack in the middle of the shipping lane.

 

Cape York - The northern most point of mainland Australia.

 

 

And it's incredibly windy. This is a panorama shot into the gale winds. LOL

 

 

The Strait is very narrow with major oceans squeezing through. Apparently there is a height difference of the water at each end.

[AussieVisi2r]

Day 29 Cairns.

 

Cairns is amazing - so much to do and see.

 

Last year I did the Skyrail trip where you ride a cable car up above the rainforest to Karunda up in the mountains, then back in an old train. Brilliant trip. At Karunda there is a super butterfly house and an animal park where you can hold a Koala. (there are very few places where you can hold a Koala). So if it's your first time to Cairns this is a sensational trip. Easy to organise yourself. Book on line. Half the price of the ships tour and so much better.

 

BUT on this occasion I hired a car and we drove up to the Daintree Rainforest.

I had never been up there and Dad wanted to see it again.

 

The Daintree is where the "Reef meets the Rainforest".

 

The drive up was about 90 minutes and beautiful.

 

 

 

 

We got to go across a car ferry (only a few left in Australia).

 

 

 

[AussieVisi2r]

The Daintree Rainforest.

 

In the rainforest is a 23m high canopy tower above and through the rainforest. Spectacular.

 

 

I set Dad up in the cafe with a brilliant view and a "Bush Tucker Platter" .

 

 

I went exploring and it was SO GOOD!

 

 

 

 

[AussieVisi2r]

The Daintree

 

 

 

 

 

Where the Reef meets the Rainforest.

 

 

When we got back to the ship the Tourist Board had a free tropical fruit stand. Amazing. Mango, Pawpaw, Pineapple....... Everyone (passengers and crew) stood around eating heaps.

 

 

Fantastic day.

[AussieVisi2r]

Day 29 Airlie Beach.

 

Another brilliant day. A group of us form CC did a Segway trip through the Whitsunday National Park Rainforest.

 

They picked us up at the ship and drove about an hour up into the forest.

 

We then had lesson, were given our packed lunches with amazing brownies and muffins, fruit, nuts and drinks.

 

Then off we went on our amazing 2 hr ride through steep, pristine forest. The guide know everything and we often stopped to talk and look at things.

 

(I had ridden Segways before but many in our group were beginners. It is not too difficult at all).

 

 

 

 

 

 

The place was amazing. The sites, the smells the sounds!!!!!!!

[AussieVisi2r]

Airlie Beach

 

More 'cause it was just so stunning.