It rained today in Tonga but didn’t dampen our spirits. Fortunately for the first part of our kayaking trip it was dry but going back there was a light spritzing. It was so great to be off the ship after four days. We were unable to dock in Rotorua, New Zealand due to high winds and the next day when we arrived in Auckland it was raining, windy and cold so we opted to stay on the ship. We hadn’t kayaked since last summer and the water was rough so we struggled but made it. Tomorrow we will know how out of shape we are. Last night after the Captain’s cocktail party and dinner we danced (fast, not waltz) for the first time on this cruise and so the hips are a little out of joint ... read more

It’s 5:00pm and we are having trouble keeping our eyes open due in part to drinking wine since 10:00am this morning. After three days at sea, we arrived in beautiful New Zealand. It does remind us a bit of the Adirondacks what with the mountains and pine trees but that is where the similarity ends. What used to be fruit farms are now vineyards. and many sheep farms. The sheep are sometimes grazing between the rows of grapes. Sauvignon Blanc is the specialty in this particular region of New Zealand (Marlborough). I found most of it much too citrusy but enjoyed tasting nevertheless. Four wineries later we visited a chocolate factory where everyone sampled but no one purchased as we really don’t want extra calories. We are getting more than we need each and every day. ... read more

A dream came true today when I saw the Sydney Opera House. Wow - it is just breathtaking. We were docked so close to it. Took a tour with another couple, Bob and Sandra, and we all fell in love with Sydney. The pictures speak for themselves.... read more

It was dark when we tendered back to the ship, not late, but still dark. It gave me time to reflect about the glorious day I just had and realize how luck to be me. We were picked up earlier in the day by the Hamilton Air Company and brought to the airport for our flight over the Great Barrier Reef. Thankfully we all had a window seat and off we went over a breathtaking landscape out to the great barrier reef. Our pilot was so accommodating and took several go rounds so we could especially see and photograph Heart Reef. He did a splash landing into the water and back up again so we could see the reef from different heights. After awhile we landed on pristine Whitehaven Beach where we were given blankets and ... read more

Attended a lecture this morning given by a fellow passenger and author named Betty Jane Wylie, from Canada. She has a quick wit and was full of inspiration for me. She instilled some confidence that I am on the right track as I go forward with this blog. After all, who am I trying to impress? I just want an semi-interesting, somewhat witty account of what we are doing and experiencing on this trip. Am I achieving that? I think so but you can judge for yourself. Arrived in Cairns (pronounced cans) this afternoon. We walked several blocks from the wharf and found a liquor store to purchase a couple of bottles of prosecco to bring with us to dinner at the home of a couple we met two years ago on our cruise around South ... read more