Travel The World with Bill & Mary Ann HAL's Grand World Voyage 2007

[Southall]

Bill and Mary Ann,

 

I am enjoying your account of Amsterdam's World Cruise. We have a friend on this sailing but he is not computer savvy and doesn't do e-mail, so we are tracking his adventures from your postings. If you run into Trent Landedberger from NC, tell him hello from Steve & Yong.... It sounds like you are having a great time (with a few expected bumps in the sea, of course) Like many others here, we would love to do what you are doing.

[joangg]

We took a world cruise in the late 1990's on the Rotterdam, her last!! It was wonderful and we have enjoyed thinking and talking about it ever since. It started on the west coast and ended in NYC. Our next to last port was Lisbon before heading off across the Atlantic with only a quick stop in the Azores. Before we sailed from Lisbon, we were delayed and found out later that a 90 + gentleman who had sailed many times was in a bar as usual when he died. He was traveling alone, didn't need to pack for the end of the cruise and nearly made it all the way. Not too bad a way to go. One can only hope that he didn't have concerned family at home. Ummm, Maybe not, it's sad to be too alone in your 90's.

[WCB]

Report # 27 2-16-07 Friday, Australia

 

We've been lucky to have nice weather in Sydney these past two days. It is warm, but there is a beautiful breeze coming off the water in the harbour. On our last trip here, we had thunder, lightening, and driving rain, so these sunny days are a blessing.

 

After a leisuurely breakfast, we walked up George Street, and headed towards Darling Harbour. It is situated on the other side of the Sydney Harbour bridge, and houses the Sydney Aquarium, the Powerhouse Museum, the Maritime Museum, and more eateries and shopping malls than you can possibly see in one day. If one is in the market for opals and pearls, this is the place to buy them. However, we have noticed that prices here have climbed over the years, and there aren't many bargains.

 

Our destination was the Market Place near Chinatown. This huge three story building has 250 stalls of fashion, art, crafts, and jewelry. Most all the vendors were Chinese or Vietnamese. We did not see or hear any bargaining, but the prices were already good. T-shirts and shoes were packed high to the ceiling! We found a few goodies, but already have the T- shirts, so passed this time. The produce and fish markets were situated at one end of the building. Everything in this market was as fresh as can be. We even found an affordable bouquet of lilies and daisies, and packed them all the way back to the ship. (Felt like Queen for a Day!)

 

Part of the fun of exploring on foot, is watching the local people. The majority of walkers were from the financial district, and were going out to lunch. They grow them "big" down under. Many fellows and the ladies too, are well over six feet tall. The best, though, are the groups of young school kids we passed. Every school has different uniforms, and are colorful. With teachers leading the pack, it reminded us of our little chicks following the hens at home.

 

Needing a rest, we had a quick light lunch, then headed out again to walk the waterfront. Native Aboriginal fellows were playing their didgeridoos, and street artists were singing and juggling for dollars. Ice cream must be the afternoon treat, since every other person we passed had one. Walking around the bottom of the Opera House, we entered the Royal Botanical Gardens. This park is an oasis, much like Golden Gate Park is in San Francisco. Once inside the tree-lined paths, it is as if the city is miles away. The park is home to a variety of birds. The most interesting are the ibis and yellow and white cockatoos. The ibis are much like a seagull, scavenging for food. They have such a long beak, that they can reach into the middle of a garbage bin!! Disgusting to us, but smart for him. One crazy male cockatoo was dive-bombing people's heads as they walked up the paths. These birds can be very destructive, since their chewing habits include wood, wires, rubber gaskets, or anything hard. We had an experience with owning a bee-bee parrot...a very short experience. He chewed the mouldings of the doorways, and squawked so much, we found him a new home!!

 

Our time was dwindling, so we walked back to the wharf, looking for a kangaroo leather wallet. The ones we found were not the same quality as the one we bought in 1998. So off we went to The Rocks, a former prison-turned-shopping village. Mixed with historic pubs and restaurants, The Rocks is a neat place to shop for souvenirs. However, we had no luck for finding the wallet here. We will have two more stops to look in Cairns and Darwin over the next week.

 

The ship left a bit late under cloudy skies. We were flanked with sailboats and taxis filled with Aussies waving us farewell. As we turned to sail out towards the sea, we had a good view of the Harbour Bridge. Way on top were several climbers dressed in overalls doing the bridge walk. Barb, our tablemate and a few friends accomplished the climb this morning. She said it was incredible! She had pre-booked the climb well before she left home. And that was smart, since the shore excursion office was asking $249. to do it with them! Wow!!

 

We're looking forward to a few lazy days at sea now, since we're exhausted after our two day stay here. In order to see the city completely, it is a must to spend at least a week here!

 

Until later,

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

Report # 27 2-16-07 Friday, Australia

 

We've been lucky to have nice weather in Sydney these past two days. It is warm, but there is a beautiful breeze coming off the water in the harbour. On our last trip here, we had thunder, lightening, and driving rain, so these sunny days are a blessing.

 

After a leisuurely breakfast, we walked up George Street, and headed towards Darling Harbour. It is situated on the other side of the Sydney Harbour bridge, and houses the Sydney Aquarium, the Powerhouse Museum, the Maritime Museum, and more eateries and shopping malls than you can possibly see in one day. If one is in the market for opals and pearls, this is the place to buy them. However, we have noticed that prices here have climbed over the years, and there aren't many bargains.

 

Our destination was the Market Place near Chinatown. This huge three story building has 250 stalls of fashion, art, crafts, and jewelry. Most all the vendors were Chinese or Vietnamese. We did not see or hear any bargaining, but the prices were already good. T-shirts and shoes were packed high to the ceiling! We found a few goodies, but already have the T- shirts, so passed this time. The produce and fish markets were situated at one end of the building. Everything in this market was as fresh as can be. We even found an affordable bouquet of lilies and daisies, and packed them all the way back to the ship. (Felt like Queen for a Day!)

 

Part of the fun of exploring on foot, is watching the local people. The majority of walkers were from the financial district, and were going out to lunch. They grow them "big" down under. Many fellows and the ladies too, are well over six feet tall. The best, though, are the groups of young school kids we passed. Every school has different uniforms, and are colorful. With teachers leading the pack, it reminded us of our little chicks following the hens at home.

 

Needing a rest, we had a quick light lunch, then headed out again to walk the waterfront. Native Aboriginal fellows were playing their didgeridoos, and street artists were singing and juggling for dollars. Ice cream must be the afternoon treat, since every other person we passed had one. Walking around the bottom of the Opera House, we entered the Royal Botanical Gardens. This park is an oasis, much like Golden Gate Park is in San Francisco. Once inside the tree-lined paths, it is as if the city is miles away. The park is home to a variety of birds. The most interesting are the ibis and yellow and white cockatoos. The ibis are much like a seagull, scavenging for food. They have such a long beak, that they can reach into the middle of a garbage bin!! Disgusting to us, but smart for him. One crazy male cockatoo was dive-bombing people's heads as they walked up the paths. These birds can be very destructive, since their chewing habits include wood, wires, rubber gaskets, or anything hard. We had an experience with owning a bee-bee parrot...a very short experience. He chewed the mouldings of the doorways, and squawked so much, we found him a new home!!

 

Our time was dwindling, so we walked back to the wharf, looking for a kangaroo leather wallet. The ones we found were not the same quality as the one we bought in 1998. So off we went to The Rocks, a former prison-turned-shopping village. Mixed with historic pubs and restaurants, The Rocks is a neat place to shop for souvenirs. However, we had no luck for finding the wallet here. We will have two more stops to look in Cairns and Darwin over the next week.

 

The ship left a bit late under cloudy skies. We were flanked with sailboats and taxis filled with Aussies waving us farewell. As we turned to sail out towards the sea, we had a good view of the Harbour Bridge. Way on top were several climbers dressed in overalls doing the bridge walk. Barb, our tablemate and a few friends accomplished the climb this morning. She said it was incredible! She had pre-booked the climb well before she left home. And that was smart, since the shore excursion office was asking $249. to do it with them! Wow!!

 

We're looking forward to a few lazy days at sea now, since we're exhausted after our two day stay here. In order to see the city completely, it is a must to spend at least a week here!

 

Until later,

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 28 2-16-07 Saturday

 

Today and tomorrow should be a good chance to give you all an idea of what keeps us busy on sea days.

 

We participate in the Walk A Mile event at 9 am, however, our walk starts at 7:30 am and we cover over six miles. Well, OK, at least one of us does that much. That is the beauty of sailing on a Holland ship - their wraparound teak promenade decks. We miss this on most other ships. And we had a surprise that made our day this morning...........a large school of dolphins jumping and swimming around the ship! Besides seeing a few flying fish, this was our first sighting of sealife since we left Ft. Lauderdale. Sure hope to see a lot more as the trip progresses.

 

Breakfast is always in La Fontaine Dining Room, although, many go to the Lido or have room service. We have not tried room service yet, but it may work out well for port days when we have early tours.

 

A mandatory muster drill was cancelled at 10:30 am, due to inclement weather. We were asked to watch the drill in our stateroom on our TV's. This drill is always done either before or after a new segment begins. In this case, it would bring the 60 new passengers up to speed.

 

While games like shuffleboard, pingpong, and ring toss are being played, we enjoy our time by the pool, usually reading our books. There seems to be the same group of passengers doing just what we are doing there, and we've gotten to know some of them well.

 

Lunch is usually in the Lido around 2 pm, and we try to keep it light and healthy. We do cheat by splitting a yummy chocolate chip cookie.

 

Then we try to walk it off with another Walk a Mile jaunt at 2:30 pm. Love getting paid the Dam Dollars just doing what we do anyway.

 

Writing the journal and selecting the photos takes a bit more time than you would think. So between 4 and 6 pm, we create, write, and e-mail from the atrium area of the ship. Sure would be nice if Holland added the internet hot spot to all of our staterooms. More passengers would probably use it more if they had their laptops along for the ride.

 

Cocktail hour and dinnertime end our day by 10 pm or so. Many people go to the show or go gambling. So far, we have only heard of a few shows that were outstanding, and the gambling experiences have been on the negative side. Best to stay away from there!

 

And, like tonight, every few days we get to set the clocks back one hour as we head west. Works for us!!

 

2-17-07 Sunday

 

The total dstance from Sydney to Cairns is 1344 nautical miles. Not sure the conversion to miles, so we will let you do the math. We have been flying at the speed of 22.5 knots since we left Sydney Harbour in order to accomplish traveling this distance in two days. The seas have been choppy with moderate waves of 7.5 feet. The easterly winds are force 7, a near gale, but the temperature remains warm and humid at 79.2 degrees. How do we know this??? We can read the information on the huge map that dots our progress on deck five near the Ocean Bar, or on our TV in our room.

 

Today we had a Cruise Critic meeting in the Crow's Nest, hosted by "Blue Whale", Dorothy and her husband George. They are the nicest people you would want to meet. We have a very lively group on this cruise. Dorothy invited us to share any interesting stories that have occurred while on the Amsterdam so far. We could think of some good ones, but can't repeat them in mixed company. Maybe later...... No officers were present, like we had on the Maasdam last summer. We couldn't believe that the captain, hotel manager, head chef, guest relations manager, a nurse, and several other officers greeted us in the lounge. What a nice surprise. We suppose that this ship has different priorities. As a group, we have the power of reaching out to thousands of people worldwide, and it should be in their best interests to humor us for a few minutes. Hope the word get outs!!

 

By the way, Happy Chinese New Year! The only mention of this occasion is a Chinese High Tea in the Crow's Nest this afternoon. A large styrofoam dragon and a decorated Buddha were being arranged in the Crow's Nest while we were at our meeting.

 

Judi, our tablemate and neighbor from Pleasant Hill, is celebrating her birthday today. They have invited all of us to their suite on deck seven for a cocktail party before dinner. Should be fun............they are a nice, friendly couple, and we're all nosey to see their 556 square foot cabin with verandah!

 

Tomorrow................Cairns, Australia!

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[WCB]

AussieGal,

 

The Veggiemite wasn't so bad for the first time tasting! Similar to what I use for a beef gravy base at home. The sultanas were good.

 

As for the extra Dam Dollars used for getting prizes, maybe saving them from previous cruises is what they did. Makes sense.

 

Sorry for the double post....the internet went down, then came back.....

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[Aussie Gal]

Bill and Mary Ann,

 

So glad you enjoyed your time in Sydney. It is my second favourite city after my home town - Melbourne. The Bridge Climb is so much fun and if any of you C.C. members ever get to Sydney, make sure you book it early as it is the most popular tour in Sydney.

 

You are now on your way to lovely Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef. We went north in January on the Pacific Princess to Vanuatu and New Caledonia and had Force 6 seas. Unfortunately, it is that time of year up north when it rains and often cyclones are present.

 

I have been enjoying your posts and picturing where you have visited. I look forward to your next report.

 

Jennie

[Moe&Curley]

Happy New Year!:)

[Hflors]

Bill and Mary Ann, Thanks for your posting. I have enjoyed the cruise so far and am looking forward to the day when I may be lucky enough to copy your example. Please don't stop posting, your post fell to the second page and I was in a panic when I open the Hal threads and didn't see your posts.

I had better let you get back to your wonderful trip.

 

Thanks for sharing!

 

Helen

[WCB]

Report # 29 Monday Cairns, Australia

 

Cairns, Australia is our port of call today. Once the settlement for gold miners in the 1800's, it was also the place for exportation of sugar cane, precious metals, and agricultutal products. Today, their claim to fame is being the stopping off place for snorkeling and diving on the Great Barrier Reef, one of the world's greatest natural wonders.

 

Even though the daily program said the weather forecast called for a chance of rain, we think this was printed way before we arrived here. On our sail into the area last night, we encountered a huge thunder and lightening storm. The rain was still with us as we entered Trinity Bay. The surrounding mountainsides were hidden behind black clouds. No wonder they are called a rain forest. We are sure that hundreds of people have booked the pricey Discover the Barrier Reef tour ($259 each), and may be disappointed if the water is murky due to the recent storms. And by the time we arrive to a port, it is too late to cancel or change your tour without penalties.

 

Since we have snorkeled the reef on two separate occasions, we opted to take the Green Island tour. Two busfuls of us were dropped off at the Reef Fleet Terminal, just a few blocks away from the ship. Here we waited for an hour in the misty rain for the ferry to arrive. One factor that we did not consider, is the fact that Sunday was Chinese New Year, and scores of Asians are on vacation here. And it became clear that many of them had the same excursion planned to Green Island. It felt like we were in Tokyo or Bejing instead of Australia!

 

By 11 am, we were allowed to board the luxury catamaran for a 45 minute ride to the 6,000 year old coral cay. And what a ride it was!! The winds, rains, and giant waves, had us all yelling, " Ride 'em cowboy ", as we were almost catapulted off of our seats! And to add to the thrill, all the people sitting on the sides in the back of the boat were getting drowned from the spray! Two Asian teenagers,sitting in the back side seats were soaked to the bone. They just kept wringing out their T-shirts, and drying their hair, and laughing the whole time. Even though they did not speak English, their antics were universally understood!! Glad we did not sit there!!

 

This beautiful island is a one stop tropical experience. However, most of us were surprised that we were given no instructions as a group for the day's itinerary. We were basically on our own, which is not a good thing for the shore excursion department. Prior to boarding the boat, we had been handed two red canvas backpacks for a souvenier, and tickets that outlined what we were entitled to when we reached the island. This was our guide for the day, we guessed.

 

Our first stop was at the information booth, where we studied the map of the island. The buildings were arranged near and around bungalow-type hotel rooms. A few stores had souveniers, a dive shop that had our complimentary snorkeling equipment, and the swimming pool with nearby bathrooms and lockers. The rest were a pool bar, ice cream booth, and two restaurants. One was fancy for hotel guests, and the other Canopy Grill was a buffet (both regular and Chinese food). That was where we ate lunch later on. We were supposed to have the opportunity to go on their glass bottom boat, but it had been cancelled due to murky water. So instead, we had a free pass to the Marineland Melanesia Crocodile Habitat, usually costing $12.50. We strolled through there after lunch, and we saw giant sea turtles in large ponds, a variety of aquariums filled with reef fish and corals, and a fascinating collection of artifacts and treasures from the Coral Sea. But the best part were the numerous crocodiles they had in separate wired enclosures. Some were small, but others were giant. We all had a chance to hold a young one, and have our picture taken with our own camera. Of course, they also took the same picture, which was for sale before we left the complex. Then the guide went into the enclosure of the monster croc, and fed both the male and smaller female raw chickens from a pole. These crocodiles came alive when they saw the birds dangling from the line, and slowly moved in for the treat. We would not want to run into one of these animals in the wild! There was a shocking display of a crocodile that had attacked and eaten 14 people not too many years ago in Australia. It was a little too graphic for us and the many young children that were there. Good reason to fear these creatures! Glad we got to see this section of the island.

 

Since the water was not clear, and the sun was obscured by clouds, the snorkeling was out. We decided to walk the beach that surrounded the island. At one point, we lost the beach, and had to walk the slippery rocks. One poor lady slipped and cut her knee badly. That was probably why there was a first aide station on the island also. As we continued on walking in the surf, we came upon the helipad with a helicopter about to land. Many of the Japanese tourists were lined up to go. We found out that it cost $125. for a 10 minute flight. Wow!

Beyond the helipad, was the jetty where we started.

 

Having walked enough, we joined a couple from the ship and sat on the lounge chairs on the beach. There was a posted sign that they cost $10 a chair, but since the day was almost over, no one bothered us for the money. Actually, our tickets stated that we had the use of day visitor facilities, so we figured that applied to the chairs. It was relaxing enjoying the almost sun, and watching the Asian tourists snorkeling and playing on the beach. Then we saw one of the funniest things we have seen people do! An Asian man actually picked up a huge chunk of coral from the water, and carried it up to the beach to show his wife! It only took 15 seconds for the lifeguard to come over and tell him he could not do that. He asked him to return it immediately, but the Asian man just answered him in rapid Chinese. The lifeguard then had a backup ranger join him, who also insisted that he put it back. With a lot of arm-waving, the man finally said "OK". We think he did understand, but was pretending not to. So he brought the piece back and deposited it where he found it. About a half hour later , while they were packing their stuff to leave on the ferry, we saw them reach into their large beachbag, and discard two more large chunks of coral. What part of "Do not collect shells and coral by threat of law" did they not understand?? By the way, we found out the rangers had passed out brochures written in English, Japanese, and Chinese. Now we know why. Eventually, the entire island would disappear!

 

Our day on Green Island ended by 4:30 pm when our catamaran arrived to take us back. While walking out on the jetty, we saw a blue spotted stingray, among other fish, large and small. Some coral was visible as well since the tide had gone out by then. Since the rain has stopped, the ride back was much smoother. We are sure that many passengers were happy for that, since on the ride over, several got sick. The timing was right again, because by the time we reached the buses, it began to rain heavily. Once we got back to the ship, we decided it was too late to take a walk back to town.

 

The ship left at 10 pm, an hour earlier than expected. We watched the quiet sailaway from our balcony. It was still very warm that late at night, and once the pilot had climbed down the rope ladder to get onboard his pilot boat, the rain came down in sheets. Guess we got lucky in Cairns today, even though we did not snorkel, the weather was tolerable and the day enjoyable.

 

We look forward to three days at sea on our way to Darwin. Oh yes, we received two Holland America beach bags with the 2007 World Cruise logo on them last night. Just love these gift

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[bobpatj]

I've come late to this thread, at last having time to read all 11 pages of your review. How wonderful to travel along with you! Thank you so much for taking us along with you.:)

[Aussie Gal]

Bill and Mary Ann,

 

What bad luck it was raining whilst up in Cairns but then this is the wet season for that area and also the cyclone season so you were lucky that there was not one around. The far north is experiencing a very wet summer this year, we all wish some of that water would come down south!

 

I was so upset when I read about the Asian tourist taking some of our precious coral. I wish they would realize that soon there will be very little left not only because it is being taken but also due to Global Warning. What hope have we got if tourists are so selfish and feel they need to have a souvenir to take home!

 

Jennie

[WCB]

Report # 30 2-20-07 Tuesday Day at Sea

 

The Amsterdam will be traveling 1437 nautical miles from Cairns to Darwin over the next three days. The captain mentioned that in order to navigate these waters, we have an Australian pilot onboard. Despite several showers today, the temperatures remain warm at 82 degrees, and getting more humid by the hour as we sail north towards the Equator again.

 

Today happens to be Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, and is celebrated worldwide. That applies to us here in the middle of the Coral Sea! We learned that the official colors of Mardi Gras are purple (justice), green (faith), and gold (power). Fat Tuesday is always 47 days before Easter Sunday, based on the lunar calendar used by the Catholic Church.

 

When we entered the dining room for breakfast, we could see the decorations were already in progress. Drapes, balloons, masks, and streamers of purple, green, and gold were strung everywhere. It's going to be a fun dinner tonight, we suspect.

 

A rumor has been circulating that Dick Cavett, the late night TV host from the 60's, was joining the Amsterdam. And, this time, the rumor was true. Today, our stateroom TV had a clip from his famous interview with Katherine Hepburn several years ago. Tomorrow, he will be the speaker in the Queen's Lounge, giving the history of his career. It is apparent that he was a favorite of the older crowd here, since they are excited about his appearance.

 

As we expected, the dinner tonight was a festive occasion. All the maitre'ds and waiters were dressed like jesters in colorful costumes. Many guests also donned the colorful masks you would see in Carnival. Tri-color necklaces awaited us by our plate settings. After the main course was served, there seemed to be a lull in the service. Then we realized that all the waiters and their assistants were gone. Out of the blue, we heard the trumpets playing, pots clanging, and trays clinking as the parade of the kitchen staff wound its way through the upper and lower dining room! What fun for all. We had seen this on the Maasdam last summer, but we think this is the first world cruise to do this new activity. It sure made the passengers happy as they clapped and whistled to the song, "When the Saints Go Marching In".

 

To be continued..........

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[DFD1]

I, too am a Dick Cavett fan and enjoy seeing re-runs of this interviews from time to time. He was on morning TV here a day or so ago. Like the rest of us, he is showing his age, but still sharp-witted.

 

Thanks again for keeping us up to speed on your incredible journey. Reading each post is a real delight.

[WCB]

Report # 31 2-21-07 Wednesday Day at Sea

 

This morning we woke up to see azure flat seas with small islands or shoals on the horizon. We are guessing that the ship is sailing in the area of the Torres Straits, a point of Australia that comes wthin 350 miles of Papua New Guinea. The waters here must be shallow to reveal such a beautiful color of water. And this also explains the reason we needed a reef pilot to navigate here.

 

Our speed has been reduced to 18 knots creating little breeze on the outside decks. Our port lecturer mentioned that from here to Darwin would probably be the hottest, wettest, and most humid part of Australia that we would experience. We can agree to that, since when we opened our balcony door, the mirror immediately fogged over, and the ceiling dripped like rain. Better not do that again. That can't be good for the camera, computer, and the printer. It also keeps us from taking pictures or video when we want, because the cameras are room temperature, and will fog up until they reach outside temperature. It's quite frustrating!

 

All afternoon long, we sailed this beautiful, peaceful strait. We did see a few flying fish, but the best sighting was a sea snake. He surfaced briefly to get air, then dove down out of sight. Glad we are not swimming here! Even though we were surrounded by the darkest of rainclouds, we remained in the sun. And it was HOT! By late afternoon, we were out into the open water once again.

 

We have had the chance to talk to many more people that took the Great Barrier Reef snorkeling tour in Cairns two days ago. This included Judi and Bob from our table. They all reported similar stories of mass sea sickness on their 90 minute catamaran cruise to the pontoon. Some were so sick, that when they arrived to the reef, all they could manage was laying down flat on a lounge, covering up with a towel, and sleeping it off. A buffet lunch was served, but very few were able to eat anything. They said they could forget the snorkeling, because the waters were murky. One fellow told us that a group of passengers asked if they could be helicoptered back to shore. The answer was NO, unless they were critically ill. We imagine that when the tour desk opened the next morning, all of the unhappy campers were lined up to lodge complaints. They felt that if the tour operators knew that the conditions were so bad for the ride, and not to mention the snorkeling, they should have cancelled the trip. Apparently, Holland America must have agreed, but only to the tune of a 10% rebate per person. Better than nothing, we suppose.

 

We were invited to the first evening CSI party at 7:15 pm in the Crow's Nest. We decided to go about 7:20, not wanting to be the first at the door. Surprise..........most everyone was already there with drinks in hand! Our group took over half of the lounge, and it was fun visiting with our fellow travelers and our gracious hosts. We did notice that the bartenders poured good drinks, which is a bit different from their regular service. We have gathered that early-on tips helped some people get preferential treatment. That's too bad for the rest of the crowd.

 

Mark, the security officer, joined us again for our formal dinner. He feels a bit more comfortable with our group now, as he talked about our upcoming ports from the security point of view. And he assured us that as of today, all of the promised stops will happen. We have been curious about the docking procedures in each port. So Mark explained that the choice of starboard or port docking depends on the decision of the pilot. He knows the tides, currents, and positioning of the gangway set-up. Very interesting.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[DFD1]

When I came to your thread this morning, I noticed that it has been hit more than 20,500 times. That's a lot of people interested in reading about your wonderful cruise.

 

Your reports are beautifully done and great fun to read. Thanks again.

[WCB]

Report # 32 2-23-07 Friday Darwin, Australia

 

The Amsterdam arrived to the port of Darwin, the capital of the most populated city of Australia's Northwest Territory. This has got to be the hottest and most humid places we have visited yet. We understand that this time of year is called "The Wet". Despite the high temperature of 90 plus degrees, it felt that it could rain at any moment. And if we lug our umbrellas on our tour today, then maybe it will not rain.

 

The tour we chose this morning was to Litchfield Park and Crocodiles. Lucky for us, Ken and Gloria also booked the same tour. This should be a fun day! There were three buses waiting for us, and compared to previous stops in Fiji and Samoa, the buses were comfortable, air-conditioned, and had lots of leg room.

 

We passed by the area near the pier where new docking facilities were being built. It was a muddy mess. Good thing that the ship is running a free shuttle today. Our buses made their way to the Stuart Highway, passing the old World War Two airstrips and army camps. We also followed a railroad track, which our guide said took 100 years to complete. It goes from Darwin to Adelaide, a distance of 1400 kilometers. We arrived at the old mining township of Batchelor, where we had a brief comfort stop. This camping ground area is popular for the "gray nomads" or what the Aussies call their senior citizens who caravan in their trailers for vacation. Hmmmm, come to think of it, that's probably what they are calling our buses right now!

 

Next, we drove to the magnetic and cathedral termite mounds. The magnetic mounds can reach 12 feet, and oddly resemble tombstones. We stopped to take pictures of the huge cathedral mounds, which towered up to 20 feet. These are created by the secretions from the termites, becoming hard over time. Even monsoon rains do not destroy them.

 

We passed through miles and miles of wetlands of Litchfield Park, a 700,000 acre forest of eucalyptus, jim-jim, and mahogany trees. Tropical foliage and grasses fill in the spaces giving the area the look of a lush, green rain forest this time of year. The park is home to wallabies, crocodiles, ostrich, emu, and tropical birds like the cockatiels and kookaburros (sp?).

 

At the top of Table Top Range, we stopped at the majestic Florence Falls, where we walked a short distance to a viewing platform high above the water. We could see a few people swimming in the deep pond below the falls. Sure would have felt good to do this, but there was no time. Actually, we were told later, that one fellow did sneak down there from bus # 2, and kept the people waiting while he slowly came back. He probably got "booed"!

 

The next stop was at Wangi Falls. This time we were at the bottom of the falls, looking directly at the pool under the falls. This area was taped off, due to crocs in the water. No swimming here! The boardwalks continued through the surrounding tropical jungle where we spotted several black fruit bats called flying foxes. They were hanging upside down, sleeping. That is until we invaded their territory, making them restless. We got some good video and photos as they unfolded their large wings, and climbed through the branches fighting with each other. It was so hot here, that we figured that they were cranky! We continued to the spot where the wooden walkway stopped, but as we went on, it was apparent that no one had used the trail for awhile, because Bill got tangled in a nasty, sticky yellow spiderweb! Judging from the size of the web, we did not stay around to see the size of the spider!

 

Continuing on, we drove to a nice outdoor restaurant near the falls, and were treated to a steak or barramundi lunch. A long table was set with potato and macaroni salads, green salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions, and fresh slices of bread with butter. Watermelon was the dessert. And we had a choice of soda, wine or beer. We took the beer and it was ice cold Victoria Bitters. Boy, was that good!! We enjoyed eating with Ken and Gloria, recalling our good times on the 2005 world cruise.

 

After lunch, we had a two hour ride to Crocodylus Park, near Darwin. While listening to nice up-to-date music on the bus, we passed orchards of mangoes, cattle stations, farms, and ranches. One ranch had a collection of water buffalo. Some of the largest bulls were trying to cool off under trees, while some young ones were rolling in little ponds. Sure would not want to mess with those bulls! We briefly spotted a few wallabies in the forest, but since it was so hot, we think the animals sleep days and are active at night.

 

After a brief comfort stop again at Batchelor, we arrived to Crocodylus Park and Zoo. This park is one of the world's leading crocodilian research facilities with a breeding program for crocodile harvesting. At 3 - 4 years of age, the crocs are harvested for their leather, meat, and fat. The hides are turned into very, very expensive leather wallets, belts, and purses. The meat is shipped to restaurants, and the fat is exported to Japan, where they make it into a delicate face cream. Nothing is wasted. We saw the many pens and ponds of the breeding adults, and the huge lagoons of one to four year old crocs. We had been told that we would arrive too late to see the feeding, but the park rangers arranged a special showing just for us. They let us dangle a chicken wing on a fishing pole, and get the big crocs to jump for it. And that they did! In a heartbeat! Boy, do they move fast. Even the young ones. They literally propelled themselves out of the water to snap the chicken off the string.

 

We broke away from the crowd and saw some of the other attractions such as the iguanas, peacocks, wallabies, emus, and birds. While at the souvenier store, we were able to hold a small croc ( snout taped ), and have our picture taken. This time, we both did it separately. The poor little croc was comatose after being handled by dozens of people!

 

We had about an hour drive back to Darwin, where the driver took us through town past the few surviving buildings of the 1974 cyclone, the downtown area, and hotels and restaurants. Bicentennial Park lined the Darwin port, making for a scenic drive back to the ship.

 

The ship left around 6 pm, and headed out to sea and into a dark thundercloud of lightening and rain. After dinner, we walked the promenade deck and ran into a new addition to the deck...............a LRAD, short for the long range acoustic device. We will have to find out about this tomorrow. Hope we're not expecting pirates?????

 

Until then,

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Thank you all for your positive remarks to our reports! They are graciously accepted!!

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[Mary Ellen]

We've been immensely enjoying your daily reports! I haven't wanted to reply since the beginning, as I don't want to take up your $$$ internet minutes. But I imagine kudos are always appreciated.

 

DH and I are LOVING sailing vicariously with you on the WC.

[Love Cruises]

Bill and MaryAnn ... I look forward every day to checking in and reading about your adventure. You have a great writing style and I wanted to let you know how much we appreciate your sharing your world cruise with us.

 

We also check in on Barbara and Orlin's Adventure in Cruising log and were pleasantly surprised to see a picture of you both. Now we have faces for the names.

 

Keep enjoying yourselves and WISH WE WERE THERE with you!

[WCB]

Reports # 33 and # 34 2-24-07 and 2-25-07 Saturday and Sunday Two Days at Sea

 

Report # 33 2-24-07

 

Since leaving Cairns five days ago, we have had two one half hour time changes back. This occurs only in a few areas of the world. Why? We don't know. That's just the way it is. Also, we received more gifts. Two boxes containing Sharper Image Ionic Breeze Personal Air Purifiers were waiting for us in our room after dinner. And the gift givers even included batteries! We will have to try these to see if they work like the commercial claims. The 2007 world cruise logo was printed on them as well.

 

Now, back to the mysterious LRAD (Long Range Acoustic Device) This large wafer-shaped device is supposed to emit an eardrum-shattering sound wave up to 75 meters away. Today, the machine was positioned and secured on the aft promenade deck, facing the ocean behind us. Two guards were patrolling the starboard and port sides of the decks. This confirms our suspicion that the Amsterdam is in dangerous waters as we sail towards Indonesia. On our tour yesterday, our guide mentioned that thousands of illegal refugees from Indonesia pour into Darwin from the nearby Timor Sea. We passed a large prison where they are held, and eventually sent back to their home.

 

So as we walked this morning, we kept a lookout for strange boats or ships. We saw nothing, thank goodness!

 

Later in the afternoon, the promenade deck was closed in the forward area. We noticed that workers were mounting brackets to hold yet two more LRADs. Wow, what is going on here??? None of the other passengers seem aware of any danger, so maybe this has become the normal procedure on cruise ships nowadays.

 

The day slipped away as they always seem to do, and we celebrated today, February 24th, our son's birthday, at the Pinnacle Grill restaurant. Happy Birthday, Ken! Wish you were here!!

 

Until tomorrow,

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

Report # 34 2-25-07 Sunday Day at Sea

 

The total distance between Darwin and Bali is 955 nautical miles. The ship has been holding the speed at about 18 knots, and the seas have been smooth. The weather remains the same...........cloudy, hot, and humid as we get nearer to the Equator once again. The daily program has been predicting rain showers, but we have not seen them yet. Although, during the last two evenings, the sky has been lit up with lightening strikes on the entire horizon. It's neat to watch.

 

Having been on the ship for 41 days now, several stories about crazy things passengers do have come to light. The strangest so far is about an elderly lady, who started the cruise by wearing a skimpy yellow bikini that should only be worn by a teenager! All the people sitting around the aft pool dropped their jaws when she took off her robe. Not a pretty sight!! Anyway, this went on for a month, when somehow the top of the bikini, which was in a plastic bag under a lounge chair, suddenly disappeared. That same day, we happened to be by the front desk where this lady was going into a tirade about someone stealing her swimsuit. When the staff giggled, she pounded on the counter and demanded that every cabin be searched. No kidding! They said that they would look into the matter later, while rolling their eyes behind her back.

 

The next day, we were told by good friends that this lady accused them of stealing the ugly bikini. She lied by telling them that their suite had been searched. The sad thing about this, was that this wonderful couple had befriended this crazy lady, feeling a bit sorry for her. Immediately speaking to the hotel manager, they were assured that no one searched their cabin, and they knew of this lady's antics. Must happen every year. The bottom line here is .................we would all like to give a medal to the person that disposed of the bikini top! It forced the old gal to buy a decent one piece suit!! And now that she has alienated the entire aft pool population, we hope she goes to the indoor pool from now on!

 

Apparently, before a show was to start in the Queen's Lounge, there was a pushing fight between two older men. They were fighting over seats! The funny thing about that, is that the showlounge is sparsely filled at the late show! We heard the comedian used the fight as part of his act. He said that the people came to see the passengers fight, and not to see his show!!

 

We heard a rumor today that someone was put off the ship for shoplifting. That can so easily be done when tables of jewelry and watches are set up in the hallway outside of the stores. Don't people know that cameras are set up everywhere??? We will have to verify this story, and let you all know if it is true.

 

On the upside, we see several ladies knitting and crocheting items for the Gifts of Love program. It is nice to see people doing what they like to do for others not so fortunate.

 

The clocks went back 1 hour again tonight. We are now 16 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time until March 11th, which will be daylight savings time back in the USA. We understand that this is the earliest daylight savings has started for as long as we can remember.

 

Tomorrow, Bali, Indonesia!

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[TedC]

Much thanks Bill and Mary Ann for your very interesting reports.

 

We were on the segment from FLL to SYD and saw the acoustic devices set up on lower prom - once was in Sydney and I can't remember the other port. In Sydney there were yellow banners stating "Security Zone stay 30 m away."

 

The numerous ferries and tour boats at Circular Quay didn't seem to be impressed by the suggestion. A police boat also was patroling the area.

 

 

As I recall, a Seaborn ship used sound blasters to repel attackers in the Middle East in 2005. This was the first time we'd seen them on a HAL ship. (Now "pirates" will have to wear ear plugs as well as eye patches.)

[candbgirl]

Thank you so much for sharing your travels. Immediately after checking my email I check this thread and the blog of your shipmates. I am so enjoying reading about your adventure.

[wander]

Mary Ann and Bill,

 

I have really been enjoying your reports. Thanks for sharing.

 

Two times we have sailed in the area you are now and there were special precautions due to Pirates. One experience there was in the late 90's, way before 9/11 and "terrorists". The other was post 9/11 but it was still Pirates. Several years ago there was an article in National Geographic about the area and one thing they mentioned was the Pirates in the area and the ships (smaller ones) that they had boarded. That made me a believer. (No mounted boxes then, only patroling security folks and special flood lights.)

 

This fall off the coast of Nigeria we had the same routine on the Prinsendam, only they also closed the Lower Promonade deck to passengers, turned off the deck lights had flood lights on the waters and patrols walking the deck. (We could still walk on the top deck by the Crow's Nest.)

 

I look forward to reading your future reports.

[Mary Ellen]

For piracy, the Straights of Malacca (in your current area) is tops. :rolleyes: I've seen maps showing the numbers for piracy, no place comes close to that area around Indonesia and Singapore. In the past, pirates have targeted cargo and private yachts (which is probably what they thought the Seabourn ship was), but HAL is certainly wise to protect their passengers/crew/ship.

[codyody]

Who knew? Obviously, many of the knowledgable-more-than-I contributors to this forum. While I had heard of modern day piracy, it somehow never occured to me that cruise ships could be targeted. Everyday I learn something new.:)