Sunny periods, 25 degrees.
Happy Valentines Day!
We arrived in Newcastle this am. The port is about 20 mins from the centre and the council has laid on free shuttle buses to take us to and from the town centre. It seems a real effort has been made to attract cruise ships and encourage tourism.Volunteers man the buses cheerfully giving local information. Also as it is on the Hunter river it is a good base for wine tours to the Hunter Valley - of which quite a few passengers had undertaken today.
A pelican and friends floated by as we walked along the path overlooking the Hunter estuary.
The town is trying to improve its industrial image - a new tram route is running and there is evidence of new build commerce and housing being built. An Australian band called Silverchair originated from the town (of whom Ben was a big fan in his teens in the Noughties) - but sadly no reference was made that we could see today...
It is rather delightful - walkways along the sea accessing a lovely surf beach,
there is a light house,
an old fort and lots of information boards regarding the site of barracks used to house convicts sent from England to work on the building of the town. As usual there are information boards - here proudly stating the town was the first to have signage in aboriginal language although the indigenous people were either killed or forcefully moved to make way for the European pioneers!
We had coffee at the old custom house - now a hotel and restaurant which was very tasteful and the coffee was tasty.
And then engaged in some retail therapy - Graham needing some lighter clothing (I knew I should have supervised his packing! - C)
Thankfully the prices here are more reasonable than both UK and Sydney city prices!
Then back to the ship for a quick sunbathe, swim before dinner. Travelling can be such a hardship....
Fri 15 th Feb.
Sunny periods, 28 degrees
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A sea day today. Lots to do including a meet and greet with the cruise critic crowd, latin line dancing for Carol (more like a Brazilian work out! - C ) a lecture, sunbathing, swimming and liberal sampling of various bars and restaurants.
Tomorrow we are in Brisbane.
Sat 16 th Feb.
Sunny periods, 30 degrees.
Many of the ship’s passengers went on an excursion to a Koala sanctuary today, but as we had had such a great time at the wildlife park outside Victor Harbour in Adelaide we decided to do a city walk. The port is 23 kms away from Brisbane centre so it took just over 45 mins to get in there via shuttle bus.
We walked a circular route - starting in the Botanic gardens - an oasis of calm and greenery in the City centre. With the obligatory ibis - the australian city pigeon equivalent it seems! All very nice with lakes, grassy areas and exotic trees. Some of the trees had plants growing like a fungus out of them, the same plant on different trees.
The parasitic looking tree growths
A series of lily ponds grace one end of the gardens
An area of rather large bamboo
A memorial to policemen who died in service.
Then over the Goodwill Bridge to the Southbank.
What an excellent example of city leisure planning. A city beach, several fresh water pools (called lagoons) with water features just waiting for children to splash in, bars, restaurants, city boat pontoons, a big wheel, loads of benches and picnic tables. (It was hotter than it looks in the photos).
A coffee and obligatory cake in a café overlooking the wheel and Nepalese Pagoda.
Back over Victoria bridge into the city centre
We like Brisbane very much - the best city we have visited we think. The pathways were wide and litter free and it was not overwhelmingly busy. ( Think we may have had our rose tinted goggles on today!)
The walk was about 6kms and took a leisurely 3 hours with lots of bench sitting stops and a coffee break. Followed by more retail therapy - another shirt for Graham - what’s going on!
Back for a very late lunch, sunbathe, swim, pre dinner drinks, dinner, show, post show drinks etc etc .... and tomorrow’s another sea day so we’ll not go in to that again...!
Monday we will be in Airlie Beach, Whitsunday Isles.
Mon 18 th Feb.
Sunny 32 degrees
After a day at sea we anchored off Airlie Beach Whitsunday.
A tender journey of about 30 mins took us to the Marina. It is hot, hot, hot.
We had hoped to catch a ferry to one of the islands but time is against us - the last tender to the ship leaves at 4pm.
We walked into town via a new Marina and surrounding appartments - very clean, posh and quiet. Just up Graham’s street!
Here he is modelling his loud shirt purchased from Brisbane, ruined after 15mins in 35+ deg.
Airlie Beach is a base for travelling to the surrounding Whitsunday Islands catering for backpackers, yachties, up market tourists alike.
The sea and beaches look tempting but it is “stinger “ season and after a lecture yesterday on the sharks, crocs and deadly jellyfish found in these waters we chose to visit the purpose made bathing lagoon.
The Norwegian Jewel in the background of the lagoon.
We continued on to Abel Tasmin marina and had our obligatory coffee and cake stop overlooking the marina. This one appears to be used for charter boats and trips but we saw a good few superyachts also.
Failing to find a ferry we took the next best thing - a homemade dragon boat/catamaran! A leisurely hour and half paddling but mainly under outboard motor we pottered between small islands into Turtle Bay. We saw several loggerhead turtles - well their heads anyway, popping up and then the almighty splash as they dived - no photos though! We saw them - honest! Graham was given the waterproof camera and he took a few snaps but only of Carol and Penny our fellow paddler from China. The proprietors, (and boat builders) Michelle and Steve kindly sent them on by email.
And here we are
A lovely girl called Penny from China was a fellow paddler. She had done a skydive earlier in the day and was going on a helicopter trip tomorrow to see a small famous heart shaped island. (We think her parents must have had deep pockets!)
Tomorrow on to Cairns - gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. We doubt it will be as nice as Airlie Beach.
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