First trip to Australia & New Zealand completed

[JJK2008]

Well, we made back home to Florida, USA after being away for about 8 weeks. Our trip to Australia and 2-week cruise around New Zealand far exceeded what we had hoped for. We were very fortunate; our weather was about as close to perfect as it could be for the entire trip. God willing this will not be our one and only visit. Your countries are spectacular!!! We did a lot but barely scratched the surface. So much more to see and do. Before this trip, my limited exposure to Aussies came from a river cruise in Europe pre-covid years. The Aussies on that cruise didn't know each other at the time as they came from different places along the east coast. Yes, we did get to visit with all of them. We all hit it off really well and became good friends quickly. I've written before that in my limited experience, Aussies were Canadians with a slightly different accent. After this trip I am convinced 10-fold that Aussies are Canadians with a slightly different accent. That is the greatest of compliments as we have more Canadian friends than we have American friends, and we LOVE our Canadian friends. We live in a retirement community in Florida with a sister community next door. In total there are about 1800 homes between both communities. At least 1/4 of those homes are owned by Canadian "snowbirds" who spend their winters here rather than in the tundra.

 

We found the people of Australia to be very friendly, helpful and inviting. Our Princess cruise was a majority Aussies as well. I'm pleased to report that we now have a whole new bunch of Aussie friends. More folks to visit on our next trip. All the more reason to go back. I didn't know what a meat pie was until reading about them here. In the USA we have Shepards pie and Cottage pies which are Irish and English respectively. They are on the same idea as meat pies, but certainly NOT the same. I have now experienced meat pies and have become quite fond. I will tell you the Kiwis are more than willing to make the claim that their meat pies are better than any you can get in Oz. I did have meat pies in both places and found them excellent in each place. So, I'll say it's a matter of taste. Can't say I developed a taste for Vegemite. I assume it's an acquired taste. In conclusion, my experience with Australia and New Zealand was off the charts. We're already looking to plan a return visit. To the Aussies and Kiwis, don't take what you have for granted. Your countries are magnificent. Your people and way of life are an envy. Being "down under" and island countries separates you to a degree from a lot of the world's ills. You're so lucky. Enjoy what you have. It is truly special. 

 

Cheers,

John           

[MMDown Under]

21 minutes ago, JJK2008 said:

Well, we made back home to Florida, USA after being away for about 8 weeks. Our trip to Australia and 2-week cruise around New Zealand far exceeded what we had hoped for. We were very fortunate; our weather was about as close to perfect as it could be for the entire trip. God willing this will not be our one and only visit. Your countries are spectacular!!! We did a lot but barely scratched the surface. So much more to see and do. Before this trip, my limited exposure to Aussies came from a river cruise in Europe pre-covid years. The Aussies on that cruise didn't know each other at the time as they came from different places along the east coast. Yes, we did get to visit with all of them. We all hit it off really well and became good friends quickly. I've written before that in my limited experience, Aussies were Canadians with a slightly different accent. After this trip I am convinced 10-fold that Aussies are Canadians with a slightly different accent. That is the greatest of compliments as we have more Canadian friends than we have American friends, and we LOVE our Canadian friends. We live in a retirement community in Florida with a sister community next door. In total there are about 1800 homes between both communities. At least 1/4 of those homes are owned by Canadian "snowbirds" who spend their winters here rather than in the tundra.

 

We found the people of Australia to be very friendly, helpful and inviting. Our Princess cruise was a majority Aussies as well. I'm pleased to report that we now have a whole new bunch of Aussie friends. More folks to visit on our next trip. All the more reason to go back. I didn't know what a meat pie was until reading about them here. In the USA we have Shepards pie and Cottage pies which are Irish and English respectively. They are on the same idea as meat pies, but certainly NOT the same. I have now experienced meat pies and have become quite fond. I will tell you the Kiwis are more than willing to make the claim that their meat pies are better than any you can get in Oz. I did have meat pies in both places and found them excellent in each place. So, I'll say it's a matter of taste. Can't say I developed a taste for Vegemite. I assume it's an acquired taste. In conclusion, my experience with Australia and New Zealand was off the charts. We're already looking to plan a return visit. To the Aussies and Kiwis, don't take what you have for granted. Your countries are magnificent. Your people and way of life are an envy. Being "down under" and island countries separates you to a degree from a lot of the world's ills. You're so lucky. Enjoy what you have. It is truly special. 

 

Cheers,

John           

Good to hear you had an enjoyable holiday Down Under.  The secret of acquiring a taste for Vegemite is to put a smear of vegemite with more butter on toast.  Babies here are brought up with Vegemite.  British and Kiwis have Marmite, but don't let them tell you it is the same.  I went on a school excursion to a warehouse where they made Vegemite.  It smelt just like beer!!

[Ozwoody]

So glad you had such a great experience in your visit down here.

Having visited both Canada & the USA, I found the people up there extremely friendly and very willing to help visitors there as well.

 

There was one slight error in your post, Australians are definitely not Canadians with a slightly different accent, actually its the Canadians that are Australians with a slightly different accent.😁

[JJK2008]

1 hour ago, Ozwoody said:

So glad you had such a great experience in your visit down here.

Having visited both Canada & the USA, I found the people up there extremely friendly and very willing to help visitors there as well.

 

There was one slight error in your post, Australians are definitely not Canadians with a slightly different accent, actually its the Canadians that are Australians with a slightly different accent.😁

I stand corrected. Kind of like the same thing only different😆.

[arxcards]

55 minutes ago, JJK2008 said:

I stand corrected. Kind of like the same thing only different😆.

A bit of a yeah-nah 

[Ozwoody]

1 hour ago, JJK2008 said:

I stand corrected. Kind of like the same thing only different😆.

Exactly 😂

 

But would like to hear of some of what you did on your trip, where did you visit and what you did there.

 

[SinbadThePorter]

As a self proclaimed pie aficionado, I declare the best pie I've ever had in NZ was today from the bakery in Paihia. A truly delicious steak, bacon and cheese pie.

 

Is it better than the best pies I have found in Brisbane? I'll have to go back to Tony's Bakery in Sandgate to find out.😁

[JJK2008]

10 hours ago, Ozwoody said:

Exactly 😂

 

But would like to hear of some of what you did on your trip, where did you visit and what you did there.

 

We had planned to take this trip pre-covid. But of course, that went down the drain. So, we resurrected it this year. This is a recap. LOTS of details in-between. Started in Sydney for 5 days. Did Manley and Bondi. Open house tour at the Opera House. Saw Wicked at the Lyric Theater. Day tour to Hunter Valley - 3 wineries and a distillery (Great Day). HoHo bus tour of Sydney. Chinese Gardens. Tower Eye. Flew to Gold Coast. Stayed in Surfers Paradise (we have friends there). Friends gave us the tour. Home of the Arts Gallery. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Gold Coast 500 (our friend was very involved in the racing circuit...got up close and personal). Tamborine Mountain (Great little town). Drove to Sunshine Coast. Stayed in Mooloolaba (we have friends here too - friends from Gold Coast came along as well - as we all know each other from the European river cruise). Fantastic lunch at the Boat Shed in Cotton Tree. Wonderful beach day. Great dinner and drinks at the Surf Club. Grand tour of the coast and area (our friends were Great tour guides). Drove to Brisbane. Spent time walking to see as much as we could. Next day flew to Cairns. Touring the city. Did Kuranda railway, town. Drove to Port Douglas with stops along the way. Great Ocean Reef tour. Drove to Daintree National Park. Yes, we took the car ferry across the river. Made our way back to Cairns and flew to Sydney. Boarded our ship for 2-week cruise around New Zealand (north and south islands). Back to Sydney after the cruise. Flew to Melbourne. Spent 5 days here. City tours. Started drive to Adelaide. Great Ocean Road (many stops). Phillips Island penguins. Port Jervis. Kangaroo Island. Adelaide. Hahndorf. Finally, back to Sydney and flights home. The trip of a lifetime for us. Don't know if we'll ever repeat it, but we're inclined to give it a try as long as our health holds out. Of course, the whole trip went off like clockwork. We had NO ISSUES. Even the weather was near perfect the entire time. THAT makes a big difference. If we had bad weather or other more serious issues, the trip would not have been as enjoyable. But all of those are unpredictable and uncontrollable. We were fortunate. We only scratched the surface on this trip. Would really like to get to see Perth. On the cruise, we met a number of Aussies from Perth. Looking forward to our return - God willing. Stay Safe & Health.

 

Cheers,

John              

[MMDown Under]

2 hours ago, JJK2008 said:

We had planned to take this trip pre-covid. But of course, that went down the drain. So, we resurrected it this year. This is a recap. LOTS of details in-between. Started in Sydney for 5 days. Did Manley and Bondi. Open house tour at the Opera House. Saw Wicked at the Lyric Theater. Day tour to Hunter Valley - 3 wineries and a distillery (Great Day). HoHo bus tour of Sydney. Chinese Gardens. Tower Eye. Flew to Gold Coast. Stayed in Surfers Paradise (we have friends there). Friends gave us the tour. Home of the Arts Gallery. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Gold Coast 500 (our friend was very involved in the racing circuit...got up close and personal). Tamborine Mountain (Great little town). Drove to Sunshine Coast. Stayed in Mooloolaba (we have friends here too - friends from Gold Coast came along as well - as we all know each other from the European river cruise). Fantastic lunch at the Boat Shed in Cotton Tree. Wonderful beach day. Great dinner and drinks at the Surf Club. Grand tour of the coast and area (our friends were Great tour guides). Drove to Brisbane. Spent time walking to see as much as we could. Next day flew to Cairns. Touring the city. Did Kuranda railway, town. Drove to Port Douglas with stops along the way. Great Ocean Reef tour. Drove to Daintree National Park. Yes, we took the car ferry across the river. Made our way back to Cairns and flew to Sydney. Boarded our ship for 2-week cruise around New Zealand (north and south islands). Back to Sydney after the cruise. Flew to Melbourne. Spent 5 days here. City tours. Started drive to Adelaide. Great Ocean Road (many stops). Phillips Island penguins. Port Jervis. Kangaroo Island. Adelaide. Hahndorf. Finally, back to Sydney and flights home. The trip of a lifetime for us. Don't know if we'll ever repeat it, but we're inclined to give it a try as long as our health holds out. Of course, the whole trip went off like clockwork. We had NO ISSUES. Even the weather was near perfect the entire time. THAT makes a big difference. If we had bad weather or other more serious issues, the trip would not have been as enjoyable. But all of those are unpredictable and uncontrollable. We were fortunate. We only scratched the surface on this trip. Would really like to get to see Perth. On the cruise, we met a number of Aussies from Perth. Looking forward to our return - God willing. Stay Safe & Health.

 

Cheers,

John              

Thank you for sharing details of your great trip Down Under.  Looks like you received lots of advice from locals, as you did lots of things i would have done myself.  Well done!!  Wish I could convince my NY girlfriend to do something similar.   

[Jean C]

10 hours ago, SinbadThePorter said:

As a self proclaimed pie aficionado, I declare the best pie I've ever had in NZ was today from the bakery in Paihia. A truly delicious steak, bacon and cheese pie.

 

Is it better than the best pies I have found in Brisbane? I'll have to go back to Tony's Bakery in Sandgate to find out.😁

I don't particularly rate the regular NZ pies, I much prefer the Aussie ones. Of course, if you have an arm and a leg to invest in the best of the best bakery pies, then you'll find something decent. A guy called Patrick Lam (sp?) who has a bakery in Tauranga, wins our pie of the year award every year without fail 🥧 

[MMDown Under]

10 hours ago, SinbadThePorter said:

As a self proclaimed pie aficionado, I declare the best pie I've ever had in NZ was today from the bakery in Paihia. A truly delicious steak, bacon and cheese pie.

 

Is it better than the best pies I have found in Brisbane? I'll have to go back to Tony's Bakery in Sandgate to find out.😁

It demonstrates just how popular pies etc are that most suburbs have their own specialty pie bakery.

When we lived at Main Beach on the GC, we'd see Keith Williams in his Rolls Royce driving to the local bakery.  He and his mates would eat their pies at a table on the footpath outside the pie shop. The humble pie is a good old equaliser.  It holds its own with fish and chips.    

[Ozwoody]

5 hours ago, JJK2008 said:

We had planned to take this trip pre-covid. But of course, that went down the drain. So, we resurrected it this year. This is a recap. LOTS of details in-between. Started in Sydney for 5 days. Did Manley and Bondi. Open house tour at the Opera House. Saw Wicked at the Lyric Theater. Day tour to Hunter Valley - 3 wineries and a distillery (Great Day). HoHo bus tour of Sydney. Chinese Gardens. Tower Eye. Flew to Gold Coast. Stayed in Surfers Paradise (we have friends there). Friends gave us the tour. Home of the Arts Gallery. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Gold Coast 500 (our friend was very involved in the racing circuit...got up close and personal). Tamborine Mountain (Great little town). Drove to Sunshine Coast. Stayed in Mooloolaba (we have friends here too - friends from Gold Coast came along as well - as we all know each other from the European river cruise). Fantastic lunch at the Boat Shed in Cotton Tree. Wonderful beach day. Great dinner and drinks at the Surf Club. Grand tour of the coast and area (our friends were Great tour guides). Drove to Brisbane. Spent time walking to see as much as we could. Next day flew to Cairns. Touring the city. Did Kuranda railway, town. Drove to Port Douglas with stops along the way. Great Ocean Reef tour. Drove to Daintree National Park. Yes, we took the car ferry across the river. Made our way back to Cairns and flew to Sydney. Boarded our ship for 2-week cruise around New Zealand (north and south islands). Back to Sydney after the cruise. Flew to Melbourne. Spent 5 days here. City tours. Started drive to Adelaide. Great Ocean Road (many stops). Phillips Island penguins. Port Jervis. Kangaroo Island. Adelaide. Hahndorf. Finally, back to Sydney and flights home. The trip of a lifetime for us. Don't know if we'll ever repeat it, but we're inclined to give it a try as long as our health holds out. Of course, the whole trip went off like clockwork. We had NO ISSUES. Even the weather was near perfect the entire time. THAT makes a big difference. If we had bad weather or other more serious issues, the trip would not have been as enjoyable. But all of those are unpredictable and uncontrollable. We were fortunate. We only scratched the surface on this trip. Would really like to get to see Perth. On the cruise, we met a number of Aussies from Perth. Looking forward to our return - God willing. Stay Safe & Health.

 

Cheers,

John              

 

Bloody Hell, don't know who planned your trip, but they did a dam great job of it John.

You packed in an amazing itinerary, and covered some wonderful destinations in the time you were here. Put some of us who live here to shame.

Well done, truly hope you can do another trip, and health and weather treat you equally well.

 

Regards

 

[Ozwoody]

12 hours ago, SinbadThePorter said:

As a self proclaimed pie aficionado, I declare the best pie I've ever had in NZ was today from the bakery in Paihia. A truly delicious steak, bacon and cheese pie.

 

Is it better than the best pies I have found in Brisbane? I'll have to go back to Tony's Bakery in Sandgate to find out.😁

I like the Sandgate bakery next to Woolies, their curry pie's would be hard to beat.

[joejoe 59]

On 12/7/2023 at 8:30 AM, JJK2008 said:

Well, we made back home to Florida, USA after being away for about 8 weeks. Our trip to Australia and 2-week cruise around New Zealand far exceeded what we had hoped for. We were very fortunate; our weather was about as close to perfect as it could be for the entire trip. God willing this will not be our one and only visit. Your countries are spectacular!!! We did a lot but barely scratched the surface. So much more to see and do. Before this trip, my limited exposure to Aussies came from a river cruise in Europe pre-covid years. The Aussies on that cruise didn't know each other at the time as they came from different places along the east coast. Yes, we did get to visit with all of them. We all hit it off really well and became good friends quickly. I've written before that in my limited experience, Aussies were Canadians with a slightly different accent. After this trip I am convinced 10-fold that Aussies are Canadians with a slightly different accent. That is the greatest of compliments as we have more Canadian friends than we have American friends, and we LOVE our Canadian friends. We live in a retirement community in Florida with a sister community next door. In total there are about 1800 homes between both communities. At least 1/4 of those homes are owned by Canadian "snowbirds" who spend their winters here rather than in the tundra.

 

We found the people of Australia to be very friendly, helpful and inviting. Our Princess cruise was a majority Aussies as well. I'm pleased to report that we now have a whole new bunch of Aussie friends. More folks to visit on our next trip. All the more reason to go back. I didn't know what a meat pie was until reading about them here. In the USA we have Shepards pie and Cottage pies which are Irish and English respectively. They are on the same idea as meat pies, but certainly NOT the same. I have now experienced meat pies and have become quite fond. I will tell you the Kiwis are more than willing to make the claim that their meat pies are better than any you can get in Oz. I did have meat pies in both places and found them excellent in each place. So, I'll say it's a matter of taste. Can't say I developed a taste for Vegemite. I assume it's an acquired taste. In conclusion, my experience with Australia and New Zealand was off the charts. We're already looking to plan a return visit. To the Aussies and Kiwis, don't take what you have for granted. Your countries are magnificent. Your people and way of life are an envy. Being "down under" and island countries separates you to a degree from a lot of the world's ills. You're so lucky. Enjoy what you have. It is truly special. 

 

Cheers,

John           

What an epic adventure.  You've probably seen more of Australia then a lot of Australians we know. I hope you get to return one day, but if not you have some amazing memories. 

 

[lyndarra]

If you return perhaps you may explore Western Australia, it's an amazing state, one million square kilometres bigger than Alaska - and a lot warmer. 🥵🌶️

https://iview.abc.net.au/show/bill-bailey-s-wild-west-australia

 

 

[JJK2008]

17 hours ago, Ozwoody said:

 

Bloody Hell, don't know who planned your trip, but they did a dam great job of it John.

You packed in an amazing itinerary, and covered some wonderful destinations in the time you were here. Put some of us who live here to shame.

Well done, truly hope you can do another trip, and health and weather treat you equally well.

 

Regards

 

We get asked that a lot who we use to plan our trips. Actually, we planned the whole trip ourselves. We've done similar trips to Europe, Canada and in the USA a few times. Yes, it's a lot or work but NOT difficult work. With the internet and numerous sites including CC, plenty of info available. Just have to look for it and be willing to ask questions. The CC forums are a wealth of info. Loads of folk willing to help with advice and info. But like all things on the internet you must Verify, Verify, Verify any info yourself. There are many well-meaning folks who put stuff out on the internet (some here on CC) that isn't always the most accurate information. When I post something on here, I always try to leave it with the caveat to Verify the information yourself. Don't just take my word for it. I may have read something wrong or missed something or misinterpreted something. So, Verify for yourself. We enjoy doing the planning ourselves and it is amazing how much you learn before you even go on the trip. Now back home, were going through the process of downloading our photos and videos. Great memories for a lifetime. Looking forward to what is next, whatever it is. 

 

Have a Great Christmas upcoming and a Healthy and happy New Year  

[Ozwoody]

5 hours ago, JJK2008 said:

We get asked that a lot who we use to plan our trips. Actually, we planned the whole trip ourselves. We've done similar trips to Europe, Canada and in the USA a few times. Yes, it's a lot or work but NOT difficult work. With the internet and numerous sites including CC, plenty of info available. Just have to look for it and be willing to ask questions. The CC forums are a wealth of info. Loads of folk willing to help with advice and info. But like all things on the internet you must Verify, Verify, Verify any info yourself. There are many well-meaning folks who put stuff out on the internet (some here on CC) that isn't always the most accurate information. When I post something on here, I always try to leave it with the caveat to Verify the information yourself. Don't just take my word for it. I may have read something wrong or missed something or misinterpreted something. So, Verify for yourself. We enjoy doing the planning ourselves and it is amazing how much you learn before you even go on the trip. Now back home, were going through the process of downloading our photos and videos. Great memories for a lifetime. Looking forward to what is next, whatever it is. 

 

Have a Great Christmas upcoming and a Healthy and happy New Year  

Yes I'm a bit the same way, like to really research the places we intend to go too.

I like to be aware of what's available, but also what to look out for.

Hil sometimes thinks I over do it a bit, but loves the results when we do it.

Truth be told I'm happiest when I'm organising a trip away, local or overseas.

 

You guys have a Wonderful Xmas and an exciting and bountiful new Year.

 

Regards

[MMDown Under]

6 hours ago, JJK2008 said:

We get asked that a lot who we use to plan our trips. Actually, we planned the whole trip ourselves. We've done similar trips to Europe, Canada and in the USA a few times. Yes, it's a lot or work but NOT difficult work. With the internet and numerous sites including CC, plenty of info available. Just have to look for it and be willing to ask questions. The CC forums are a wealth of info. Loads of folk willing to help with advice and info. But like all things on the internet you must Verify, Verify, Verify any info yourself. There are many well-meaning folks who put stuff out on the internet (some here on CC) that isn't always the most accurate information. When I post something on here, I always try to leave it with the caveat to Verify the information yourself. Don't just take my word for it. I may have read something wrong or missed something or misinterpreted something. So, Verify for yourself. We enjoy doing the planning ourselves and it is amazing how much you learn before you even go on the trip. Now back home, were going through the process of downloading our photos and videos. Great memories for a lifetime. Looking forward to what is next, whatever it is. 

 

Have a Great Christmas upcoming and a Healthy and happy New Year.  

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. 

[JJK2008]

This should get a chuckle out of the Aussies here. My DW and I just returned from our first trip to Oz. We were gone for 8 weeks in total with 6 of those in Oz and 2 weeks on a New Zealand cruise. Anyway, early on in our trip we were in Kuranda doing the tourist thing and having a wonderful day. On a little back road through the forest, we saw a sign for wildlife crossing. The sign had a picture of a bird that to us looked like an ostrich. The sign said Cassowary crossing. OK as Americans we had never heard of a Cassowary or what they were. So, a little while later were driving still on this back road and up ahead we see an animal in the road that looks like and is about the size of a chicken. So, we figure that must be a Cassowary. We stopped the car, got out and my DW started snapping pictures. The bird immediately comes toward us and literally came right up to us. Obviously not afraid of humans, probably been fed many times. So, we finish taking pictures and go on our way. A bit later we had stopped an info center. My DW is chatting with the lady there and pulls out her phone, shows the lady the picture of the bird we saw and asks if this is a Cassowary. The lady smiles, sheepishly laughs and says, "No that's a scrub turkey." "Turn around...THAT'S a Cassowary." There in the info center was a life-size statue of a Cassowary. We were then informed that Cassowaries can be very aggressive and NOT to get out of car if we encounter one. Who knew a Cassowary was a big, blue bird that looks NOTHING like a scrub turkey??? Just another funny experience in Oz.

Hope this gives you a laugh for the day....................

 

[Ozwoody]

Those Scrub/bush turkeys are a pain, their often in our back yard, they love to scratch around in the dirt for food.

Which is all well and good, except when its Hil's garden which has had many hours of love and care put into it.😡

Their as big a nuisance as the dam Bin Chickens, who also love to scratch around in the gardens also.

[MMDown Under]

1 hour ago, JJK2008 said:

This should get a chuckle out of the Aussies here. My DW and I just returned from our first trip to Oz. We were gone for 8 weeks in total with 6 of those in Oz and 2 weeks on a New Zealand cruise. Anyway, early on in our trip we were in Kuranda doing the tourist thing and having a wonderful day. On a little back road through the forest, we saw a sign for wildlife crossing. The sign had a picture of a bird that to us looked like an ostrich. The sign said Cassowary crossing. OK as Americans we had never heard of a Cassowary or what they were. So, a little while later were driving still on this back road and up ahead we see an animal in the road that looks like and is about the size of a chicken. So, we figure that must be a Cassowary. We stopped the car, got out and my DW started snapping pictures. The bird immediately comes toward us and literally came right up to us. Obviously not afraid of humans, probably been fed many times. So, we finish taking pictures and go on our way. A bit later we had stopped an info center. My DW is chatting with the lady there and pulls out her phone, shows the lady the picture of the bird we saw and asks if this is a Cassowary. The lady smiles, sheepishly laughs and says, "No that's a scrub turkey." "Turn around...THAT'S a Cassowary." There in the info center was a life-size statue of a Cassowary. We were then informed that Cassowaries can be very aggressive and NOT to get out of car if we encounter one. Who knew a Cassowary was a big, blue bird that looks NOTHING like a scrub turkey??? Just another funny experience in Oz.

Hope this gives you a laugh for the day....................

 

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.  

[JJK2008]

14 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

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.  

We did not see any Cassowaries, just the scrub turkeys that we assumed were Cassowaries🙃. Brolgas??? Had to look that up. Those are Australian Cranes. We may have seen some of those. We did see LOTS of wildlife during our trip. Plenty of Kangaroos, Wallabies, Emus, Koalas, Flying Foxes (Giant Bats) and even a slithering snake that my DW nearly stepped on. Was it a venomous one??? Don't know. Along the Great Ocean Road there was a nature preserve that we stopped at. Loads of Koalas, Emus and a whole bunch of different birds. The Flying Foxes were a kick. I knew about them before took the trip. First night we were in Port Douglas walking back from dinner it was early evening and I saw a couple of the Bats flying. Now mind you the bats we have in Florida are small and fly VERY erratically. The Flying Foxes are HUGE and fly more like an osprey. I'm guessing many who are not familiar with them, see them and don't pay close attention to the wings, so don't realize what they are. I had pointed one out to my DW and remarked that those were the Giant Bats I had told her about. She glanced up but her reaction was almost non-existent. I think she believed it was total BS on my part. It only took a few minutes when one flew right over her head, wings spread and the very distinct BAT WINGS visible. Her reaction was "Holy ***** Batman"!!!!!! Seriously, she REALLY said that. Then her camera came out and she was on a quest to get pictures. Across the street from our hotel was a large grove of trees. There was a dozen, perhaps more of these Bats flying around and landing in the trees. They were very noisy which surprised me. We also saw the assortment of seals along the Great Ocean Road. The blue penguins on Phillips Island. THAT was an excellent stop. Would highly recommend that to other tourists. There are a couple of ticket options for the penguin parade. The penguin plus ticket is more expensive, but you get right up close. We bought these tickets and arrived VERY early. They start letting people into the viewing stands about 5:00. We were first in the line and as such, we were able to get front row seats. The penguins didn't show up until about 8:15. So yes, other than trips to the restrooms, we sat in the stands. But we had researched this beforehand, so we were prepared. Brought water and snacks and dressed accordingly. You are right on the beach at the Southern Ocean. The wind is on the brisk side coming right off the water and it's cold, at least in November. We brought a blanket to sit on and an extra blanket to wrap around us (we bought the blankets at a thrift store for a few dollars - just left them in the hotel when we left). There is so much more to this trip. It truly for us was an experience of a lifetime. The trip far exceeded what we had hoped for. Hope to get back to Oz and see more. Hopefully others can do something similar and experience what we have. Like us, I think many on here are older in years and NOT getting any younger. As long as our health holds out, we're trying to experience as much as we are able. So far, we've been able to do just that. Travelling is sort of our "vice" it is what we like to do. God willing we'll be able to continue. We've had GREAT experiences and met some wonderful people from all over the world, many who have become good friends. For us, that that experience is priceless. Wishing all on CC a Merry Christmas and a healthy and Happy New Year upcoming. 

Cheers all,

John & Nancy

[JJK2008]

On 12/8/2023 at 12:01 AM, lyndarra said:

If you return perhaps you may explore Western Australia, it's an amazing state, one million square kilometres bigger than Alaska - and a lot warmer. 🥵🌶️

https://iview.abc.net.au/show/bill-bailey-s-wild-west-australia

 

 

Perth and western Australia are certainly on list for our next trip to Oz. Not surprising, most of the Aussies we met had never been to Perth or western Australia. Like in the USA, Australia is a BIG country. Many people we know who grew up on the east coast of the USA have never been to California. Even myself, I was probably in my 30's before I had travelled to the west coast of the US. On the cruise we did to New Zealand we met a number of folks from Perth. Would also like to get to Darwin area and Tasmania. Hope we can make all of this a reality. Thank You for the link. A+++++++

[Ozwoody]

John you and Nancy have put a lot of us to shame, you have covered an amazing amount of Australia, more than a lot of us has.

 

Yes Philip Island penguins are a special treat, watching them come in one or two at a time and gradually increasing until large numbers come scampering through to very noisy hungry chicks waiting in their burrows.

 

Did you by chance see the giant earthworm display in Gippsland on the way to Philip Island?

They are the largest earthworms in the world at about 2 metres (6 Ft) long and about 25mm (1 inch) thick, native to that area.

 

Thanks again for your posts they have been wonderful.

 

Regards

 

 

[JJK2008]

17 minutes ago, Ozwoody said:

John you and Nancy have put a lot of us to shame, you have covered an amazing amount of Australia, more than a lot of us has.

 

Yes Philip Island penguins are a special treat, watching them come in one or two at a time and gradually increasing until large numbers come scampering through to very noisy hungry chicks waiting in their burrows.

 

Did you by chance see the giant earthworm display in Gippsland on the way to Philip Island?

They are the largest earthworms in the world at about 2 metres (6 Ft) long and about 25mm (1 inch) thick, native to that area.

 

Thanks again for your posts they have been wonderful.

 

Regards

 

 

Thank You for the kind words, but Please don't look upon our trip with shame. Look at it as inspiration to do more. There is plenty in the USA we have not done or seen. That constantly gives us something to look forward to. We and hopefully you as well are very blessed and living a charmed life. There are many people that we know personally, and I'll speculate people you know personally as well, that will never be able to what we are doing every day for a variety of reasons, health, financial, family and more. Enjoy each day, we don't get a do over.

 

We did not see the earthworms. Didn't remember seeing anything about them. I checked the map and see that Gibbsland was east of Melbourne. We flew to Melbourne and then travelled west eventually ending in Adelaide. So, we never passed Gibbsland. Nancy is pretty good at checking out every nook and cranny of a trip. So, it would have been unusual for her to have missed something like that. Oh well, another reason to come back to Oz😄. The reasons to return seem to keep piling up!!! All Good. All of us on here love to cruise, so who knows, perhaps some of us will end up on a cruise at the same time. It could happen. Stay Safe.

 

John