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Cruise Days–Cartagena, Fort Lauderdale and Aruba

Posted on November 2, 2011

Welcome to the third post in a series of four posts which will look at the ports of call for the 28-day Panama Canal cruise which I was onboard earlier this year. In this post, I will cover the next three ports in a little more detail than the summary post here “28 Day Panama Canal Cruise Summary.”

Looking for the other parts? Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 4

After completing the Panama Canal Transit, the sea did turn out to be a little rougher. It was not too bad, although the first real movement I had noticed since boarding. There was a sea day before we arrive into Cartagena, followed by two more sea days to Fort Lauderdale. Fort Lauderdale is the half way point for the cruise and will be followed by two more sea days to Aruba.

Cartagena – Colombia

Cartagena was not what I was expecting. There is quite a mix of old and the new, however, done in a very haphazard way. I booked for a tour in the old city here. I figured this would be the best way to see some of the city without any safety concerns.

The tour was a walking tour of the old walled city. It started at the main gate which is a large concrete structure with three separate entrances. Once inside there is a definite colonial feel to the architecture. There are a lot of archways and balconies that are self-supporting wooden constructions. The streets are all quite small and narrow, with cars trying to make their way through the streets crowded with people.

Some of the most interesting sights here were not even the oldest or the buildings. But the way of life for some of the local people. Seeing a man with a donkey pulling a wagon was not uncommon. While the most surprising sight was a man, who chose to swing from the doorway of a moving bus. He landed on the road in front of the bus and made it clear to the other side without getting run over. The most annoying aspect though is the number and persistence of people trying to sell everything. From shirts, bags, tablecloths, curtains, cigars and beer, all from a bag over their shoulder or a cooler on wheels.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida – USA

From the tour brochure, there were not many tours available in Fort Lauderdale. Initially, I thought that this could be due to being an embarkation/disembarkation port. However, when renting a car, a group of us found there is little to do in Fort Lauderdale.

With few options, we decided to make what we could of the day. The first stop was a place by the name of Swap Shop, a vast flea market. I honestly believe you could have found just about anything that you could want here. There was always another corner to turn with something different for sale. I do not know how they were able to offer some of the items so cheap, five printed t-shirts for $10? Or three ties for $10, I took advantage of this offer. There was more than enough perfume, luggage, fashion, tools, electronics and just about anything you could want.

The other stop that we made was Fort Lauderdale Beach. With the sun shining and a few clouds in the sky it seems like the perfect place to be. The only problem we had not planned for swimming and just enjoyed a walk instead. We made use of the car for the rest of the day, driving around to see some of the canals and massive boats. But soon enough it was time to return to the ship for the remainder of the cruise.

Oranjestad – Aruba

The start of this port call you could say was a little wasted, as I decided that I needed to try and get online. My search for Wi-Fi did give me a chance to see a little of the town, but also wasted a lot of time. The problem is everywhere has wifi, but I just could not connect.

Even with this first mistake I still managed to rescue the rest of the day. I wandered along the main street for about 1km. You do get to see a variety of buildings from new modern to some of the older buildings. Unlike some other ports, it does all sort of meld together quite well.

Near to where the ship was docked, there was a small market selling a variety of souvenirs. Then towards the end of the main street of Aruba, I found a small park with a mixture of lizards and birds. It would be quite a nice place just to spend some time relaxing without the pressure of needing to do anything.

Finally, there was a beautiful open air shopping area just opposite the ship. Architecturally it was quite an impressive building, mixing a couple of different styles together. I found a couple of interesting shops to wandered around as well as some more souvenir stores. Before stopping at one of the cafe/bars to enjoy the local interpretation on Nachos. Corn chips with a cheesy dipping sauce and a salsa type sauce, along with a local beer.

Still To come

While the cruise has just passed the halfway mark, there is just one more post to come. In the second half of the cruise, a couple of aspects are duplicated, such as the second Panama Canal Transit and revisiting Huatulco. Additionally one of the ports, Acapulco, Mexico I chose not to go ashore, so there is little to say.

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Cruise Days–Guatemala, Panama and Panama Canal

Posted on October 30, 2011

Welcome to the second post in a series of four posts which will look at the ports of call for the 28-day Panama Canal cruise which I was onboard earlier this year. In this post, I will cover the next three ports in a little more detail than the summary post here “28 Day Panama Canal Cruise Summary.”

Looking for the other parts? Part 1 | Part 3 | Part 4

Departing Puerto Chiapas left just two more port calls before transiting the Panama Canal. The first was in Guatemala and was a little disappointing, with the second port in Panama. These are two countries that are great to experience for the first time as part of a cruise. Both ports also provided a different experience to what I was expecting.

Puerto Quetzal – Guatemala

Puerto Quetzal was a perfect example of how expectations can at times be spoiled. Although this was as much due to circumstances as anything else. The day we docked in Puerto Quetzal was Good Friday and all tours were cancelled. The only option available was a transfer to the city of Antigua. However, I left it too late to partake in this option. Instead, I spent the day between the small port area and onboard the ship.

It did not turn out to be a completely wasted day with some things around the port area. A small pop-up market with local crafts and jewellery was my first stop. I found a couple of small souvenirs to buy for family and friends here. I also spent a little time at the bar/cafe to check emails and update people on my travels. While I did not get to see a lot of the country, the part I did see was very nice.

Fuerte Amador – Panama

The port call in Fuerte Amador was quite late in the day, arriving as the sun was setting. A couple of tours were available. However, due to the time of day and cost I opted to stay near to the ship. Especially consider it was night time and there is not much to see in the dark. An added difficulty here was the need to tender from the ship to shore. It is not quite as flexible as other ports where you can just walk ashore.

In the end, I decided to just to go off for a short while and look around the area where the tenders dropped passengers off. There were a few restaurants and some small souvenir shops here. So just chose to stop at one of the restaurants and have a light snack and a local Panama beer. Being the only night port, this was the only opportunity to see the ship lit up at night.

Panama Canal – Panama

The Panama Canal transit is an all day event taking around 8-10 hours. The ship started the approach to the locks on the Western side of the canal quite early in the morning. Both ends of the canal have three locks to raise and lower ships. The Eastern side all three locks are in series, while on the Western side they are separated. The first locks are the Miraflores Locks with two locks together. The third lock is named Pedro Miguel locks and is a single lock. Each lock is a pair of locks side by side, which can operate in the same or opposite directions.

The actual transit is a great thing to watch from just about anywhere on the ship. You get to see a lot of rainforests, and there are a number lighthouses along the way. There are a reasonable number of ships going the other direction as well. The only problem I found the climate rather hot and humid. It can make it a little uncomfortable at times, however, not too different from Brisbane. Combined with the rain we had around lunch time wasn’t the greatest.

The final step of the transit through the Panama Canal is the transit of the locks on the Eastern side. These locks are named Gatun Locks and are a series of 3 locks together. After around an hour moving between the three locks we were now in the Caribbean Sea.

Still To Come

Transiting the Panama Canal is one of those experiences that is worth every moment and one that very few people do get to experience. There is another sea day before we arrive into Columbia, followed by two more sea days and the half way point. There are two more parts to come which will cover the port visits in Columbia, Fort Lauderdale, Aruba, Costa Rica, Mexico and returning to San Diego.

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Cruising Destinations

Cruise Days–Puerto Vallarta, Huatulco, and Puerto Chiapas, Mexico

Posted on October 28, 2011

Welcome to the first post in a series of four posts which will look at the ports of call for the 28-day Panama Canal cruise which I was onboard earlier this year. In this post, I will cover the first three ports in a little more detail than the summary post here “28 Day Panama Canal Cruise Summary.”

Looking for the other parts? Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

After departing San Diego, the ship was at sea for two days before arriving into Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, the first of three ports in Mexico to start the cruise. The other two ports are Huatulco and Puerto Chiapas. I was excited to visit Mexico, with such a different culture to other countries I have visited.

Puerto Vallarta – Mexico

Cruising into Puerto Vallarta, you would think that it is just like any other city. Especially in the predawn, where you can just see strings of lights around the shoreline. Even after the sun had risen it looks just like any other city. There are buildings, road’s, and cars driving around. Along with all the natural sounds and looks of activity, you would expect anywhere.

However, it is when you get closer that you start to see what the differences are. The mix of vehicles is vast from new to quite old. The streets are a patchwork of different surfaces from bitumen, concrete, and even cobblestones. But possibly the most prominent difference is the architecture. Some of the newer buildings have a familiar look. There is a very local flavour to the vast majority of buildings.

Puerto Vallarta was host to my first tour. The tour seemed like a shopping experience of sorts. However, I did get to see some of the countryside. We started with a drive and short walk through the town area of Puerto Vallarta. There are some interesting sights to see as well as one of the local churches.

The vast majority of the countryside here is rather dusty and dry. Almost everything is covered to some degree in a layer of dirt, turning it a shade of brown. It was also here that you see the greatest distinction between the new and old. On one side of the road a house ready to fall down and the other a brand new shining service station. At the Tequila Factory, the process of refining and processing the raw agave is explained. Of course, this was followed by what most were waiting for, the sampling of various tequilas.

Huatulco – Mexico

Huatulco is a much smaller town, about one-fifth the size of Puerto Vallarta. With nothing too inspiring in the tour offering here, I was happy to make this a beach day. With a warm sunny day, this turned out to be the perfect option.

Before heading to the beach, I enjoyed a short walk around the town area to see what was around. The area has a very relaxed feel, kind of like a getaway from the city. A lot of bars/cafes, all overlooking the beach, a lovely open air church, and a small group of shops. The most prominent feature was the strong security presence. A mixture of police and security personnel was mostly carrying machine guns. Whether this is just a show of force to put tourists at ease or if there is some real threat I am unsure. However, I think it alarmed just as many people as it put at ease.

I did stop at a small cafe here for a couple of drinks and a chance to access my emails. Of course, the beach was calling so time to the ship and change into beachwear. The sun was shining and the air and water temperature both around 28 degrees Celsius it was the perfect way to finish the day.

Puerto Chiapas – Mexico

The final port in Mexico before heading further south was Puerto Chiapas, which was quite different to the first two ports. The first thing you notice is how much greener everything is, which is due to a more southerly location and a more tropical climate. Its location is also one of the most southerly points in Mexico, just 30-40 minutes from the border with Guatemala, which we got to see on the tour I was on.

I choose a tour here called Mayan Tree of Life and Chocolate Discovery. The first part of the tour was a visit to two Mayan sites. The first site is a collection of stone carving’s which depict a few different scenes, including the Mayan Tree of Life. The second site was the Izapa Ruins which is a grouping of stone and earth pyramid shapes with flat tops. Both sites were kind of interesting, and I am glad that I managed to get on the tour even though it was a last minute choice.

The Second part of the tour was the Chocolate Discovery. After a short ride on the bus, we arrived at the centre of a nearby village where they demonstrated the local very manual process for making chocolate. This process does create a different style of chocolate. Nothing like the mass produced product that we buy in the supermarket. However, it did have a very similar taste, just a different texture.

Still To Come

Visiting these ports has been a fantastic way to see a new country without the challenges of figuring out transport and hotels locally. There are three more parts to come which will cover the port visits in Guatemala, Panama, Columbia, Fort Lauderdale, Aruba, Costa Rica, Mexico and returning to San Diego.

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Destinations

My Second Overseas Trip And First Cruise

Posted on October 17, 2011

After returning from my first overseas trip, it was not long before I had the start of another trip booked. In the beginning, I had some rather grand plans for this trip and making it a rather long adventure. With a little planning, it the end it was downsized to 2 months in America with a Central America cruise.

When I look back on this trip now, I think the shorter version end up being, the better option. I do not believe the longer trip I had initially consider would have been a good idea for me at the time. Plus My first cruise was exciting and a highlight of the trip.

The Stats

On this trip, I may not have physically travelled around the world, but I did cover more distance than my last trip.

There were stops on two different continents, North & South America.

I visited seven different countries, United States of America, Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Columbia & Aruba.

The flights totalled 32,500km (20,300 miles) across nine flights, two international and seven domestic within America.

Additionally, I cruised 16,800km (10,450 nm) spending 28 nights at sea.

For a total distance travelled of 49,300 km (30,750 miles)

With a total of 29 nights in Hotels Seattle (1), San Francisco (6), San Diego (8), Dallas (6), San Francisco (3), and Los Angeles (5). I also spent six nights staying with a friend in Seattle.

I finished this section in my last post wondering if there was a better way to spend five weeks. I can say with certainty that this two months has done that.

Seattle, WA, USA

7 Days – Hampton Inn Downtown (1) Stayed with Friend (6)

I had such an amazing time on my last trip to Seattle that I had to revisit the city. The greatest benefit though was having met a new friend on the last trip who would help me explore the city.

To make things easy for my friend, the first night I stayed in Seattle and filled the first day. I opted to take a tour of the Boeing Factory, which is fascinating to see just what goes into making an aeroplane.

Having done a little research, I found that the best value to see the sights in Seattle is a Seattle City Pass. The pass covers six different attractions around Seattle for one smaller fee. The attractions included The Space Needle, Pacific Science Center, Seattle Aquarium, EMP Museum, a Harbour Cruise and the Museum of flight.

In addition to seeing these attractions, we also spent a day to visit the Olympic Peninsula. While this is a gorgeous area of the Pacific Northwest, the day was rainy and miserable, but we still made the best of it.

San Francisco, CA, USA

6 Days – Radisson Fisherman’s Wharf

From Seattle, I headed south for my first new city to explore on this trip. Working out just where to stay for my six days in San Francisco came with some problems. It turned out to be rather difficult working out the best area to stay in, but in the end the Fisherman’s Wharf hotel I booked turned out perfect.

When I arrived in San Francisco, I did not know anyone in the city. As such, I figured this was the perfect opportunity to try out meeting people through Couch Surfing. In the end, I attended two different events, met a lot of people, and still keep in touch with at least two people I met at these events.

I am thankful that I did some research before arriving in San Francisco and booked my tour for Alcatraz. It seems this is a very popular attraction and depending upon the timing of your visit well worth pre-booking.

San Francisco has a city pass available much like the one in Seattle, and I took full advantage of the inclusions. Included in the pass is California Academy of Sciences, Aquarium of the Bay, Bay Cruise, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and Exploratorium. However, an important part for me is the 7-day pass for Public Transport that is included with the pass.

San Diego, CA, USA

8 Days – Hampton Inn (4 Days before and 4 Days after Cruise)

The embarkation port for my Panama Canal Cruise is San Diego. As such I decided it would be good to take some time to explore the city before and after the cruise. Like in San Francisco I made use of Couch Surfing to find a local event and to meet with some locals to explore the city. It honestly makes exploring a city much more enjoyable because you get a real local perspective.

Although meeting people is great, there were also some attractions that I visited. The Maritime Museum, The San Diego Zoo, and The USS Midway are a few of the main sights I visited. I also spent some time exploring San Diego Old Town, the Downtown area, plus a visit to Coronado Island. San Diego is also a perfect place for Photography. It was only at the end of my visit when doing a small photo walk with a local that I realised this.

Panama Canal Cruise

28 Days – Holland America Line MS Statendam

Many people take a cruise just because it is an excellent way to relax. However, I found for me the cruise to be a great way to see some amazing destinations that you may not travel to alone otherwise. I do not think I would have chosen to visit any of the countries on the cruise as a solo traveller. Of course, this is not to say that other don’t do so, but it is just a personal choice.

The cruise had a total of 12 port calls. Mexico was the predominant country for port calls with six stops in total. The ports included Puerto Vallarta, Puerto Chiapas, Acapulco, Cabo San Lucas and two visits to Huatulco. The remaining ports were all one off ports for each city. They included Puerto Quetzal – Guatemala, Fuerte Amador – Panama, Cartagena – Columbia, Fort Lauderdale – USA, Oranjestad – Aruba, Puerto Caldera – Costa Rica.

Of course, the highlight of the cruise is transitting the Panama Canal Twice. The cruise was two 14 day cruises back to back. The first was eastbound transit travelling from San Diego to Fort Lauderdale. While the second was a westbound transit travelling from Fort Lauderdale to San Diego.

Dallas, TX, USA

6 Days – Hyatt Summerfield Suites

The second part of the trip after the cruise turned out to be very last minute. In fact, it was not until I had arrived back into San Diego that I even decided to visit Dallas. The choose end up being because I had a friend I could visit in Fort Worth, which is close to Dallas.

Having booked the stay quite last minute without much planning, my choice of hotels was far from ideally located. Everything did work out in the end, but one thing I failed to account for was how spread out Dallas is. So getting around did not turn out to be the easiest thing.

Even with this in mind, I did get to see some interesting and historic spots around Dallas. Places like the Sixth Floor Museum, which is dedicated to John F Kennedy. I spent a day exploring the Dallas Heritage Village, which includes many examples of businesses and houses from the last century. Finally, a lot of time walking around the various downtown areas, seeing what was around.

San Francisco

3 Days – Hampton Inn Airport (1), Doubletree by Hilton (2)

My original plan did not include a return visit to San Francisco. However, when trying to fit together the last week of my time in the USA only a few days prior, it turned out the easiest option.

I am glad that there were still a few other things I wanted to see and do in San Francisco and these few days gave me a chance to do some. I also took myself on a day trip by train down to San Jose, which was something a little different.

Los Angeles

5 Days – Hilton LAX

Los Angles to me had always been just a place to transit flights while travelling somewhere else. I had heard stories about the various area’s not being safe, and I did not get the hype of Hollywood. However, after meeting a couple of new friends on the cruise, they convinced me to come and see Los Angeles. It also helped they offered to show me around the city while I was here.

Without the aid of my friends, plus a couple of new friends I made through Couch Surfing I doubt I would have seen as much as I did. I got to Santa Monica Pier, Venice Beach, Manhattan Beach, Hollywood, Rodeo Drive, Downtown, The Hollywood sign, and Mulholland Drive.

In the end, I did not have any problems with feeling safe; it seemed ok to me in the areas I visited. The bigger problem is how long it takes to get anywhere with public transport and traffic. However, with Los Angeles being the second largest metro area in America, it is understandable. On the note of safety, I did not venture out too much at night, and I suppose it could be quite different.

Another Great Trip

I am extremely glad that back in October 2010 I took that first overseas trip. If I had not made that choice, I likely would still be working away in Australia having never got to see the world. The trips and places that I am getting to see are amazing, and the new experiences are great. If there is one thing, I can highly recommend it is travelling if you have the means take the time to go and see the world.

Destinations

Looking Back – First Time Overseas

Posted on October 13, 2011

When I look back at the last year, it ‘s hard to believe that just 12 months ago is the first time I travelled overseas. In fact, the 12-month anniversary was the 10th of October, just three days ago. I left Brisbane International Airport bound for my first stop in Vancouver, Canada. At the time it seemed like such a huge step, and yet now I have completed three overseas trips.

First Overseas Trip – The Stats

The trip was nothing small or straightforward and took a little bit of planning.

There were stops on three different continents, North America, Europe and Asia.

I visited six different countries, United States of America, Canada, Germany, England, Switzerland & Hong Kong.

The flights total roughly 42,000km (26,000miles) across ten flights and some 50+ hours in the air.

Spending 35 nights in hotels, Vancouver (10), Seattle (4), Las Vegas (9), Toronto (2), Various English towns (5), London (2) and Hong Kong (3)

I am not sure there is a better way I could have spent my first ever five weeks overseas.

Vancouver, BC, Canada

10 Nights – Empire Landmark Hotel

For some reason, I got in my mind that Vancouver was a city I wanted to visit. As such when I first decided to go overseas it was one of the three specific destinations I picked. A decision that I am happy about now.

Vancouver is a rather beautiful city, and it turns out an ideal place to start my journey. It is relatively easy to find you way around, plenty of food choices that are not too different and a lot of sights to see.

I looked to make the most of my time in Vancouver and took three different tours. There was a city tour, a visit north to Whistler and another across to Victoria on Vancouver Island. I managed to visit numerous attractions like Vancouver Lookout, Vancouver Aquarium, Capilano Suspension Bridge and Stanley Park. Plus visiting some areas such as Gas Town, The Waterfront, Granville Island and the many sculptures around the city.

Seattle, WA, USA

4 Nights – Hampton Inn Downtown

Even though I have come to love Seattle and visited the city three times, on this trip, it was more a convenience stop. I made full use of my time in Seattle taking two tours; the first was a rather interesting city tour. The other tour turned out to be an excellent choice and visited Mt Rainier, which is about two hours south of Seattle.

Seattle did not turn out to be quite as easy to navigate as Vancouver but is not bad once you understand the layout. There were a few landmarks I managed to visit as well including the Space Needle and Pike Place Market. Although I stayed four nights in Seattle, with the two tours and travel to and from Seattle, there just was not enough time. Maybe this is the reason I have returned on my recent trips.

Seattle – Mount Rainier

Las Vegas, NV, USA

9 Nights – Planet Hollywood

When talking about my trip with people, the question came up, “Why so many nights in Las Vegas?” Of course, this a fair question considering I hardly gamble at all. There were three days that I had booked to attend a conference, but this still left another six days. In hindsight, the extra six days might have been a little to much time.

I managed to make use of my time in Las Vegas, though, exploring the strip and the many casinos. There was also a full day tour to visit the Grand Canyon and another tour to look at Hoover Dam. For those who like gambling or shopping, there are also a lot of options, but these were not for me. Otherwise, I would have been fine with just two days in Las Vegas I think.

Toronto, ON, Canada

2 Nights – Metropolitan

If my original flight plan had worked out, I never would have got this far east. However, in working with the travel agent taking the route of basically flying around the world end up working out a good option. Even than Toronto was just to be a transit stop between the USA and Europe. But a little look at my plan and I managed to squeeze in two nights.

Like the other stops, I made full use of my time in Toronto. I started with a day trip to Niagara Falls, which are just an amazing sight. The next morning I made a visit to CN Tower, one of the tallest public observation decks in the world. Spending the rest of my time just walking the city to see what is here.

Various Towns in England

5 Nights – Various Travelodge Hotels

I took a slightly different approach to my time in England. I did not want to spend all of my time in London but also did not want to be flying between cities. The logical choice was to rent a car and explore a little bit of the countryside.

I had only planned the first two nights when I left home, booking Travelodge Hotels in Amesbury and Devizes. Booking a night ahead each day and end up staying in Plymouth, Dartmouth and Dover. There were numerous English Heritage sites that I visited with some incredible history. From castles to ruins and made sure not to miss Stone Henge. In the end, I travelled some 900+ miles and had a fantastic time exploring England.

London, England

2 Nights – Rydges Kensington Plaza

I could not be in England without spending at least a couple of nights in London. London did not do the best job of capturing my heart and at this point, two nights was enough for me. The traffic was terrible, and if it were not for the rain, I likely would have walked instead of catching the Hop-On Hop-Off bus.

Even with this being the case I did not lock myself in my hotel room. Although that could have been a reasonable option consider the way the media were reporting some small scale riots in the city. It turned out to be only about one block and well over two miles from the hotel.

I still managed to see some of the sites even with everything else considered. There was a visit to London’s Tower Bridge, The Natural History Museum and Harrod’s Department Store to name a few.

Hong Kong

3 Nights – Salisbury YMCA

I had planned to visit some family while in Hong Kong, but that did not eventuate. So I end up booking two different tours. One was more of a sales/shopping tour around the city, although I did get to visit Victoria Lookout which was good.

The second tour was called “The Land Between” and was a great look at the small piece of countryside between Hong Kong City and China. I had never thought of Hong Kong as having countryside, but there is a little there, and it is quite a beautiful area as well.

I also spent some time walking the city and exploring what is best described as culturally different to home. One evening I got to see the City of Lights display on Hong Kong Harbour.

One Great Trip

I am extremely pleased that my first overseas trip turned out as it did. If I was booking the trip again with hindsight, there is very little that I would change. I would take a few days off my visit to Las Vegas and add them onto either Toronto or England. However, there is in my opinion little benefit in looking back. There is only experience to use towards planning and booking future overseas trips.

Destinations

Sydney Chinese Garden Of Friendship

Posted on October 12, 2011

Today is to be the last day in Sydney and the last day on what has been quite an incredible journey. Crossing the Pacific Ocean by cruise ship has been a fabulous experience and one that I hope to repeat in the future. I have had a chance to meet some amazing people on this trip and ones that I hope to remain in contact with into the future.

In saying that today I find myself able to get into exploring a city on my own again which I am looking forward to. I do very much enjoy exploring with friends but also find that I go a little slower than when I am on my own. Sometimes this does work out well, and even though we move slower, we see more. But at other times it also leads to indecision in the group, and we don’t get very far at all.

Chinese Garden Of Friendship

The first place I wanted to visit today was the Chinese Garden of Friendship. It will be the third Chinese Garden that I have visited on this trip, and each of them did have some unique differences. The garden is located near to the area known as Darling Harbour and is the most extensive of the three gardens I have visited. I must say it is a very beautiful slice of tranquillity in what is the middle of a very busy city.

ANZAC War Memorial

After leaving the Chinese Gardens, I headed across the city to Hyde Park. I did visit this same park yesterday just getting to see the bottom end of the park. But did not get a chance to visit the ANZAC War Memorial at the top end of the park.

Sydney Harbour

I found some lunch on the way to taking a little walk up onto Sydney Harbour Bridge. Along with working out the best way to fill in the time between now and getting to the airport. I managed to get the photo below of the view over Sydney Harbour from the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Sydney Observatory

I found a great spot to fill in the time I had available at the Sydney Observatory, which is not far from the Sydney Harbour Bridge. There is a museum here that showcases the tools and history of observing the stars. The entry to the self-guided tour is free, and it is a rather interesting way to spend a couple of hours. Plus there are some very nice older buildings here as well.

Eventually, it was time to make my way back to the hotel to collect my luggage. Before finding my way to the station and catch the train to the airport. Even though this trip is now officially at the end, I do have another trip in the planning for next year. So keep watching for updates on how the plan is going and just where I will be visiting. Spoiler, it may include a cruise crossing the Atlantic Ocean.

Needs Photos

The Good and Bad Of Shore Excursions

Posted on October 11, 2011

If you have never had the opportunity to take a cruise, first thing is why not? But the second thing is to explain what a shore excursion is. A shore excursion is just a tour that the cruise line has organised for a set price. There is a range of positives and negatives which I wanted to share with you from my experience of shore excursions.

I have not kept an exact tally, but I have taken somewhere around 20 shore excursions across the cruises I have taken. All of which I would recommend to anyone travelling to the same areas. But let’s get into a little more detail on the good and bad points.

Positives of Booking Shore Excursions

Booking a shore excursion can make your time in port much on a cruise much easier. All you have to do is make the choice on which tour to book. Although that can be a challenge at times to pick one out of so many great options. But once you are in port with a tour booked you are good to go and make the most of the time.

No Missing The ship

One of the primary benefits that I like is the certainty of being back onboard the ship. As I understand it if the tour does not return on time and the cruise is due to depart it will either wait or arrangements to rejoin the ship will be made. On the flip side if you organise your own tour and miss the ship it is on you to get to the ship and they generally will not wait. Obviously, this does not happen all that often but it can be a good safety net.

The closest I got to this being a reality was with a tour in Costa Rica. The tour I selected was a Zip Lining Experience and it was listed as an eight-hour tour. The port time in Costa Rica was between 6 am and 2.30 pm, with the tour meeting at 6.15 am. That leaves a narrow margin to be back on time for the departure. In the end, the tour arrived back at the ship just around 2 pm, with ample time.

Simplicity

The last benefit that I have found is that it saves doing a lot of research into somewhere you might spend just one day. By picking a tour there is a good chance you will get to see some of the better sights in the port. All you need to do is show up at the assigned meeting place at the assigned time and follow the guide for the rest of the day. But this can also be a bit of a negative as well, which I will discuss in a moment.

Negatives of Booking Shore Excursions

As with all good things, there are also some negative aspects to shore excursions. Continuing on from what I have just discussed, simplicity is in some ways a negative as well. In some cases, shore excursions can be rather lacking in their depth. Giving a rather brief overview to an area instead of going into depth.

Shopping

One of the biggest downfalls for me is the number of tours that specifically include stops for shopping. I do understand that for some areas a large part of the local economy comes from the tourist trade. But at the same time, I would like an option, instead of being taken to all the shopping points. Especially in some areas where the shopping is totally unrelated to the local trades.

Not Flexible

I do want to preface this point with the fact that I understand how a tour works. I know that you basically do what the tour is listed as. However, the lack of flexibility in the tours organised by the cruise line is frustrating sometimes. Even to the point that the guide has described something we are passing and even state they wish they could stop but cannot.

Whereas if you were too organised an independent tour things can be more flexible. With a shore excursion, you go with the tour bus everywhere it goes.

Price

The price of shore excursions is another point that can be a problem from what I have seen. I have not found any of the tours I have taken to be that badly priced. However, there are times where you can get the exact same tour cheaper when you walk off the ship. So while a benefit might be no need to research the port, especially for more expensive tours, I would suggest a little research before hand.

Like anything everyone has their own choice in whether they purchase or not. That is if they feel the price is acceptable for what they are going to get. But you also need to take into account all of the value that you may gain from a tour. For example, the assurance you will be back on the ship.

So do you book Shore Excursions or not?

So far every tour that I have taken while travelling onboard a cruise ship has been a shore excursion. With a rather mixed bag of experiences, from ok to great.

The Good

One of the best tours that I have taken was in Costa Rica to go Zip Lining. The tour was an eight-hour tour that maximised the time in port and cost $139.00. Included were the bus transfer to and from the ship to zip lines, a gondola ride, ten zip lines and lunch.

The Not Great

On the other hand, I booked a shore excursion when I was visiting Hilo in Hawaii. The tour was described as Waterfall Spectacular and suggested seeing three waterfalls. Technically the description was true, but the reality maybe slightly different. The first waterfall was great. The second waterfall I was the only one on the tour to see because the guide did not think most would cope with the walk. The third waterfall was supposed to be one of the most beautiful but because of a hydroelectric project, was barely a trickle. The tour cost $84 for just three hours, not such great value.

Look To The Positives

The choice ultimately lies with you on which tour option your choose, but I hope the above points have given you something to think about.

Do take the time to read the description and understand what is included.
When looking at the price consider if you feel that the tour seems valuable for what is offered.
Consider if you are comfortable with the risks associated if you take a tour not provided by the cruise ship.
Be prepared for something not being quite as described.

The only warning I may offer is that my experience has been with Holland America Line, shore excursions. When it comes to other cruise lines your experience may differ. Especially when it comes to the difference in price and value for money. Even though I have suggested above that a benefit of shore excursions can be no need to research. If you feel that something is a little expensive do a quick bit of research around tours in the port.

Destinations

Taking A Walk Tour Around Sydney

Posted on October 11, 2011

Sydney - View of Botanical Gardens and Sydney Harbour from Sydney Tower

Today was a chance to take a walk around Sydney and get to see the capital of New South Wales. The walk was with a few people from the cruise ship. In total there was seven of us, two from Australia and five from the USA and Canada.

I was just as interested in taking a walk as those from Overseas. Even though I have been to Sydney, it was quite some years ago when I was a child. So while I might remember the main sights, it is still all essentially new to me.

Circular Quay

We started off meeting near Circular Quay and walking around past the Sydney Opera House towards the Royal Botanical Gardens. Looking across at the Overseas Passenger Terminal where we disembarked from the MS Volendam yesterday is another cruise ship the Dawn Princess.

Sydney Opera House

The first spot we came to is one of the two most recognisable landmarks in Sydney. The Sydney Opera House with its distinct sail-like roof was built between 1959 and 1973. Along with the Sydney Harbour Bridge, it is a very distinctive part of the city.

Royal Botanical Gardens

We continued through the Royal Botanical Gardens seeing some interesting sights along the way. Including a tree growing sideways, the skyline of the city and a fountain.

Historical Buildings

After leaving the Royal Botanical Gardens, we continued along Macquarie St. There were some impressive buildings that we passed including the State Library of NSW, Parliament oNSWSw and Sydney Hospital.

We made a stop at a rather beautiful church, called St Mary’s Church. The interior is stunning with some beautiful stained glass windows. However, photography is not allowed so only have a picture of the outside that I captured from the top of Sydney Tower.

Walking, Lunch & Markets

We continued the walk through the park across from St Mary’s Cathedral before passing through the Queen Victoria Building. We headed into Chinatown for lunch where we found a good buffet style restaurant for lunch. It was a very good idea with seven of us each choosing a dish and enough provided for everyone to try a little of each dish.

After lunch, we headed down to Paddy’s Market, which is like a giant flea market. There are many different stalls selling everything from souvenirs, phone covers, t-shirts, wooden ornaments, gadgets and gizmos. Much of this did not interest me though, and I did not need to spend long here at all. A good hint though the souvenirs seemed to be reasonably priced.

Sydney Tower

Our group split up after the visit to Paddy’s Market and I went with one friend from the cruise. We both wanted to visit the Sydney Tower Observation Deck, while the rest had other plans. At 304 meters high this is far from the tallest observation deck that I have visited. However, it is one of the best locations to get a view of Sydney City.

Along with the picture above of St Mary’s Church, I also got a great photo over the Royal Botanical Gardens and Sydney Harbour.

Today turned out to be a much longer day than expected, but it was with some great people, and we saw many great spots. Tomorrow I fly home to Brisbane, but the flight is quite late in the day. I don’t want to overload the day too much as I will be carrying a bit around with me. Plus I will need to arrange to be back at the hotel to collect luggage and head towards the airport at a reasonable time.

Destinations

Exploring Sydney And Darling Harbour

Posted on October 10, 2011

Today it was time to disembark from the cruise ship and get settled into my hotel for the next couple of nights. The unexpected time in the city yesterday was very beneficial allowing me to have some idea of the city layout. It made it easier to get started today, having some idea of where things are located.

The disembarkation was quite early, and I had to be off the ship around 8.15am. I waited for another friend also to disembark before we headed for the hotels. A quick stop at his to drop off his luggage and then on to my hotel, where I was surprised to be able to check in right away. After a stop for coffee, we headed a little out of the city to the fish markets.

Sydney Fish Markets

The first visit for the morning was to the Sydney Fish Markets. The timing turned out quite good as we decided to make this a stop for an early lunch as well. I must say it is a much more interesting and inspiring fish market than the one I saw on Apia in Western Samoa.

Getting to the Sydney Fish Markets is not overly difficult and only took around 25 minutes. It is definitely within walking distance of the city if you are so inclined, and the option I would usually choose. However, to make it easier for my friend we took the light rail.

Darling Harbour

After lunch, we caught the light rail back and made a stop at Darling Harbour. The area would have been a great second option for lunch, and there are many other attractions here as well. Including The Australia National Maritime Museum, Sydney Wildlife World, Sydney Aquarium, IMAX Theatre and Chinese Gardens of Friendship. However, we did not make any stops here just walking through the area to see what was here.

Bon Voyage

From Darling Harbour, we made stops at both our hotels before walking down towards Circular Quay. We explored the area a little following around the foreshore of Sydney Habour under the Sydney Habour Bridge and found a spot to get a drink. There was some time we needed to fill in while waiting to see the MS Volendam departing Sydney.

Although it is a little sad seeing a ship departing without you. Especially when you have been onboard and enjoying the ship so much for 26 days. But at the same time, it is also a great opportunity to capture an image of the ship with a landmark, such as the Sydney Opera House.

While wandering around the area of Circular Quay, we also capture some night time photos. The one below is fountain not far from the ferry terminals.

Tomorrow is going to be an interesting day, exploring the city with a few other friends from the cruise ship. I am not quite sure on where we will be going, but it should be a great day.

Cruising

Cruise Arrival And Exploring Sydney

Posted on October 9, 2011

After departing Noumea, there were two days at sea, before arriving in Australia, at Eden and Sydney the following day. The first day at sea went well. However, that evening it started to get a little rough and only got worse by the following morning. At lunch on the day before we were supposed to arrive in Eden, the Captain still expected we would arrive on time. However, there might be some problems with the ability to Tender.

It was around 7 pm during dinner service that the Captain made an announcement. Due to the weather and sea conditions only getting worse it would be unlikely we would make it to Eden on time. As a result, they were redirecting and expecting to arrive in Sydney one day early. As I understand there was a round of applause from almost everyone on the ship. I would have enjoyed seeing Eden as there is some family history there. However, I am sure there will be another chance in the future for me to visit the area.

Sydney, Australia

Besides Brisbane where I live, Sydney is the next closest capital city to home. However, I have spent very little time here, maybe 1 or 2 days in total. Where in comparison early last year I spent a whole week in Melbourne, and months overseas.

Coming into Sydney a day early was kind of like a bonus. I did have a hotel for a couple of nights after the cruise. But having a chance to explore a little without the first task being to sort out luggage and hotels first.

Arriving into Sydney harbour was rather early, just before the sun would rise. As a result, with an overcast morning, the photos were not great. However, there was just enough light as we were arriving near the Sydney Opera House to get the above photo.

Watson’s Bay Ferry

Having never been to Sydney to explore the area, I let a friend from the cruise take the lead. It was decided to catch the ferry from Circular Quay to Watson’s Bay. The ferry takes around 30 minutes and gives some great views of the harbour along the way. It cost around $10.60 return, which is much cheaper then the tour options available.

Watson’s Bay is a small community with some nice spots to walk. With a park and some places to eat nearby to the ferry, you also have the option to walk up to the Southern Head. The Heads are the entry point from the Pacific Ocean to Sydney Harbour and offer a great view. You can see out to the Pacific Ocean, while also getting an amazing view back to the Sydney Skyline.

On the Southern Head are two pieces of history that are linked. The first is Hornby Lighthouse, which was erected in 1858. The second the lightkeepers cottages also built in the same year. They are both a very interesting piece of history, and sure to have saved many a ship over their time. But often never visited by many visitors to Sydney.

Sydney By Night

It has been great being in Sydney a day early, especially being onboard MS Volendam overnight. It allows you to get some rather unique views of the city. Such as the below photo taken from onboard the ship.

After the last dinner on board the Ms Volendam, a group of us went for a walk around Circular Quay. To see the area by night, capturing some images of the Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge and the ship by night.

There will be a little more to come from me about Sydney over the next few days. I am booked in to stay for a couple of nights and have a little time to explore the city more.

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Panama Canal – Panama

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Puerto Vallarta – Mexico

Huatulco – Mexico

Puerto Chiapas – Mexico

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The Stats

Seattle, WA, USA

San Francisco, CA, USA

San Diego, CA, USA

Panama Canal Cruise

Dallas, TX, USA

San Francisco

Los Angeles

Another Great Trip

First Overseas Trip – The Stats

Vancouver, BC, Canada

Seattle, WA, USA

Las Vegas, NV, USA

Toronto, ON, Canada

Various Towns in England

London, England

Hong Kong

One Great Trip

Chinese Garden Of Friendship

ANZAC War Memorial

Sydney Harbour

Sydney Observatory

Positives of Booking Shore Excursions

No Missing The ship

Simplicity

Negatives of Booking Shore Excursions

Shopping

Not Flexible

Price

So do you book Shore Excursions or not?

The Good

The Not Great

Look To The Positives

Circular Quay

Sydney Opera House

Royal Botanical Gardens

Historical Buildings

Walking, Lunch & Markets

Sydney Tower

Sydney Fish Markets

Darling Harbour

Bon Voyage

Sydney, Australia

Watson’s Bay Ferry

Sydney By Night

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