Blogs from Pacific, Oceans and Seas
May 25th 2012
A 4 hour plane ride to LA, 16 hour plane ride to Sydney, and 1 hour (but 2 hour delay) plane ride to Ballina, we have reached our final destination in Gonobellah, Australia! It's been an exhausting, but adventurous few days of just getting here. It's always said "getting there" is half the journey, and it has not been nearly half of our month long trip, but yet, myself and the 3 other girls I'm traveling with have already managed to lose a boarding pass to Sydney, had to pay extra money for over weight in kilos, and we flew over a sugar cane field! Some fun first time experiences for all of us. The 15 hour flight is not nearly as rough as some people make international flights out to be. Each seat has a ... read more
May 7th 2012
Bulaaa everyone! Da er vi nok en gang ferdig med et land. Denne gangen Fiji. Det har vært seks dager med total avslapning, noe vi virkelig trengte etter tre hektiske måneder med mye farting. Da vi ankom flyplassen i Nadi, Fiji kjente vi varmen strømme på og det var bare å ta av seg alt av fleecejakker og langbukser. Selv om det har vært flom her for tre uker siden merket vi hvertfall ingenting til det. Igjen har værgudene vært med oss! Etter å ha sovet en natt på fastlandet var vi klare for å utforske de tropiske øyene rundt hovedøya Vitu Levu. Fiji består av i alt 320 øyer, men vi hadde bare tid til to av de. I to netter har vi vært på Beachcomber Island. Da vi ankom øya ble vi møtt av ... read more
May 2nd 2012
A lot of people have asked me what it is like to travel around the world on a ship so I have pulled together some random thoughts on the matter. There are approximately 650 students, from gap year students through graduating seniors; 100 or so faculty and staff from well known institutions like Princeton, Cornell, Stanford and the like to small, to obscure schools that no one outside of the local community has ever heard of; around 50 children ages 2 through 17 who are traveling with their faculty or staff parents; and 150 members of the crew, most of whom we never see. Our vessel is 590 feet long, which means that no matter how hard you try, you can’t get very far away from anyone. We have only a handful of communal spaces – ... read more
April 13th 2012
Hi everyone, well not sure if you have heard from us since we left Melbourne. A day at sea then a day in Sydney with Heather. Today we are in New Caledonia, beautiful arriving inside the atolls and islands, Bill gave the pilot all required instruction. Maureen and Bill have gone off on a tour train ride. Leone and I in this french speaking internet site checking our emails etc, taking a while as everything is different, from keyboard to the answers co,ing back in french. A NEW EXPERIENCE. Never too old to learn them. We will send some postcards. Steph if you read please pass on our love to all,... read more
April 7th 2012
Hi everyone, well what a night, we rode thru a storm with Gale force winds and large waves shaking us all around. We have just come back on board after going into Burnie, I was hoping to get a sim card (Vodafone) but they not have access or a shop here so it will have to wait until tomorrow in Melbourne and with it being Easter Sunday I am not sure what is open will have to wait and see. Last night again Maureen and I went to the theatre for the show, it was 50's and 60's music and the show was called "Unforgetable" it was beautiful. They do an amazing job all the artists. We have been nearly every night to one. After that we went to the Finals of the competition in the ... read more
April 5th 2012
Hi everyone, we are out in the middle of the ocean between NZ and Tasmania. Cruising at 20knots. A little rough, my chair keeps rolling away from the desk and the desk keeps tilting. Yesterday was amazing, Dusky Sounds, Doubtful Sounds and the Milford sounds, some of the landscape we could have almost touched from the side of the ships. The two beautiful waterfalls were spectacular, the Capt turned the ship in a 360deg circle so all sides could see everything. The tops of the mountains still had snow on them and no doubt by the time we get back there will be more snow on them. Met an amazing Canadian couple at lunch today and they have cruised many times over the past 20 years, love NZ so much they rented a house for 2months ... read more
April 2nd 2012
Hi everyone, we arrived into Dunedin at Port Chambers this morning it was overcast and gloomy, since catching the shuttle into the Library the sun has come out and it is beautiful. Yesterday was spent walking around Akaroa, couldnt find Vici's brother David but well worth making the effort. Posted off birthday presents to Michaela & McKenzie. Today we will do a 1/2 day tour and then head back to the boat, the depart we get to see the amazing Albatross nests and birds, perched high in the hills. Ask Bill he can tell you why, where etc. Computer telling me going to cut me off. We are all having a fantastic trip on the Volendam and recommend this form of holiday to everyone. Love from Gail & the Gang... read more
March 28th 2012
Hi everyone, 27th March : We got on board the Volendam at 3pm and promptly met the bar staff. We had dinner together late then Maureen and I went back to the Crows Nest Bar to watch as we sailed from the beautiful Waitemata Harbour at midnight. Leone and Bill headed to bed. Maureen and I were asked to head to bed as we were last in the bar at 1.45am and they were about to close up for the night. (They make a mean Vodka Martini) 28th March : Slow start to yesterday but very enjoyable as we cruised around the Coromandel, Bay of Plenty,Mercury Bay and White Island which of course was putting on a show for us. Lots of photos already on Note Book J9 sent us to use but I have not ... read more
March 11th 2012
After 3 months on Palmyra Atoll, it was time to pass the island and the work to another crew. Its been an amazing experience to live on an idylic tropical isle with only 4 other people, at least for a while. Undeveloped and now protected, Palmyra is an example of what nature can do after man has done his worst. Nearly leveled, contaminated and almost treeless during WW2, the Atoll is now covered in thick lush jungle, and many thousands of coconut palms. Birds nest by the thousands and marine life is in recovery. Still, if you look around, the war relics are ever present, jutting from the lagoon or embedded in the jungle, covered with vines. Its a reminder of a violent past history, and what could happen again if we are not carefull. Palmyra ... read more
February 23rd 2012
Thursday, 23rd February 2012: We had never heard of Dunedin until Cunard decided to take us there but it proved to be the gateway to an amazing journey along the (famous!!) Taieri Gorge. And what made the journey great was the fact it was done on a wonderful old railway. 14 carriages were hauled by 3 old diesel engines and the return journey took us nearly 6 hours. Talk about rugged! There is almost no wildlife here: a few birds, some wild deer and goats and that's about your lot. We only saw 7 houses in all those hours and it's hardly surprising. The gorge makes Cheddar look like toy town. Its steep sides are covered in trees at the bottom of the gorge but it turns to large rocks and then just scree. You travel ... read more
