Ahmet Erkun

Ahmet Erkun

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Türkiye 2023
Art @ Ahmet Adnan Saygun Art Center
September 13, 2023 in Turkey ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F
The three siblings — that would be me and my brother (Deniz) and my sister (Aylin) — took the light rail today to go to the Ahmet Adnan Saygun Art Center clear across town in İzmir’s Güzelyalı neighborhood.

We went not for a concert or stage production, but to see a couple of exhibits … all interesting and different from each other.

Münir Yücel’s “54 Years of Adventure” featured semi-abstract canvases that take the viewer on the spontaneous journey that inspired him to create the pieces on display.

İrfan Ertel’s “Enlightenment from Our People” featured 66 portraits of Turkish men and women who contributed to the enlightenment of the people during the building period of the Turkish Republic.

Cüneyt Gürbulak’s “My Dreams at the Tip of My Finger” featured fingertip paintings he created of his dreams on his phone in Instagram Stories. I found this last exhibit particularly interesting, but the glass in the frames made it impossible to get decent photos of his work.

The final exhibit featured some of the costumes worn by Türkân Şoray, a Turkish movie actress/writer/director. Posters from some of her movies were also part of the exhibit. That I had seen some of the movies as a little girl made the exhibit all the more interesting.

We wrapped up our outing with lunch at Ülver Teyze … a café/bakery that has a variety of savory and sweet pastries on the menu. Yummy!Read more
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Türkiye 2023
Celebrating İzmir's Liberation
September 9, 2023 in Turkey ⋅ 🌙 75 °F
The liberation happened 101 years ago ... and brought to an end the Turkish War of Independence. But the events of 9 September 1922 are an important part of the city's history and the day is still celebrated joyfully every year.

With a new strain of the Coronavirus rearing its ugly head around the world, we opted to watch the aerial performances by "Solo Türk" (the single aircraft F16 demonstration) and the “Türk Yıldızları” (Turkish Stars) team demonstration from mom's terrace instead of joining the crowds on the waterfront as we did in 2017.Read more
TravelerGlad you were still able to view the show - thanks for sharing some of the celebrations!
9/10/23Reply
TravelerI would always opt for you mother's balcony view, rather than joining the crowds! Maybe because I never fancied crowds that much. I guess you can very much relate to this feeling! 😅
9/10/23Reply
Two to TravelYes … away from crowds is always my preference. We just need to chop down two of the buildings that block the view a bit 😁
9/10/23Reply
TravelerOh, let Mui do that "little job" - shouldn't be a problem and I am sure the owners wouldn't mind - hahaha!!
9/10/23Reply
Two to Travel😂
9/10/23Reply
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Türkiye 2023
İzmir Culture & Arts Factory
September 9, 2023 in Turkey ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F
This is how the "Factory" we visited today is described on the website ... "The İzmir Culture and Arts Factory is a new meeting place for residents and visitors of all ages and a new generation culture and art center that will shape the cultural and artistic landscape of the city."

Meeting up with the family, we started our day with a leisurely walk to the "Factory." Those of us who have achieved the "magic age," were given free admission tickets ... the rest purchased their "MüzeKart," which might as well have been free since admission to the "Factory" alone is TL 200 (~$7.45) and the Türkiye-wide annual museum card (for Turkish nationals only) costs TL 60 (~$2.25).

We started off with breakfast at the Simit Sarayı ... a café on the grounds. A selection of pastries and Turkish tea got us off to a good start and gave us the energy to wander several of the buildings to enjoy the exhibits.

The "Factory," which opened in April 2023, is housed in the buildings that were re-purposed from what was once the Tekel Cigarette Factory. The 140-year-old facility is an important part of the city's industrial heritage and I was happy to see the grounds put to good use.

Exhibits in the museum run the gamut from archaeological finds and ethnographical pieces to paintings and sculptures. There are several libraries housed in the buildings that we did not get to today, including the Turkic World Music Special Library. Cultural and art workshops are also held on a regular basis. And there is an open-air movie theater as well.

With so much to see, methinks multiple visits may be required to do the place justice.Read more
TravelerLove your pictures..... Thanks for posting those.
9/9/23Reply
Two to TravelMy pleasure ... hopefully more will come as we continue to enjoy our family visit.
9/9/23Reply
TravelerIt is interesting to see sides of Turkey we never visited. We spent time in Istanbul but got no further. Thanks for the “ visit.”
9/9/23Reply
Two to TravelYou should plan a land-based trip to Türkiye ... follow the ancient routes mentioned in the Bible.
9/9/23Reply
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TA HAL Oosterdam 2023
ADB-IST Flight ✓
September 8, 2023 in Turkey ⋅ ☀️ 90 °F
We purchased our airfare from ADB [İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport] to IST [İstanbul Airport].

Since no other family members were interested in joining us for a quickie getaway in İstanbul, we decided to fly in on the day of embarkation … 21 October. We have, after all, spent quite a bit of time sightseeing in İstanbul in the past … no reason to add extra expenses by flying in early.

It’s unusual for us to not fly into the port of embarkation at least a day early. In this case, however, there is no risk of missing sail away. For one thing, Oosterdam is not scheduled to arrive at Galataport until 4:00p on the 21st. And it is staying there overnight for much of the next day.

Now to decide how we are going to get from IST to Galataport. And how we are going to kill time until embarkation since we will have luggage with us and likely nowhere to leave it.Read more
Have you tried using the "Bounce" app to find a local luggage storage shop? We used this app with great success in Barcelona. [Bob]
10/17/23Reply
Two to TravelThanks for the tip. Will check it out.
10/17/23Reply
Additional detail from my blog: We ended up with a couple of hours between leaving Viking Saturn and our Barcelona apartment check-in time. We didn't want to deal with our luggage during this time so we looked for a luggage storage location near the Cruise Terminal. We used the "Bounce Luggage Storage" app on my iPhone and found a luggage storage location about a block away from our apartment address. Bounce pre-arranges luggage storage through local businesses, such as a small store. Storage payment is done online with Bounce via credit card. There is no cash transaction with the actual storage location. Our luggage was locked in the office of a small grocery/convenience store office. A photo of our luggage was provided by a store employee to document luggage acceptance. [Bob]
10/17/23Reply
Two to Travel👍🏻
10/18/23Reply
TravelerThanks for that useful hint!
11/16/23Reply
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Türkiye 2023
Practice for 9 September
September 8, 2023 in Turkey ⋅ 🌙 79 °F
Caught the Türk Yıldızları (Turkish Stars) — the 6-man Turkish Air Force demonstration team — practicing again for tomorrow’s 101st anniversary of İzmir’s liberation from Greek forces on 9 September 2023 … and the culmination of the Turkish War of Independence.Read more
See translation
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Türkiye 2023
Free Transportation
September 7, 2023 in Turkey ⋅ 🌙 79 °F
Par for the course, since arriving in İzmir Tuesday evening we have been spending most of our time with family ... at my mom's condo. When we are not there, we are settling into our home base a few blocks away and running errands all over the city.

One of those errands took us downtown this morning to pick up an "İzmirim Card." This is a contactless smart card that can be used to pay fares for all means of public transport in the city, including buses, trams, metro, and ferries.

I've had one of these cards for years. What made the one we picked up today special is that because I have reached that "magic age," I no longer have to pay to ride public transportation in İzmir. No need to top off the card or worry about whether there's enough money for a ride anymore. Just tap and go. 😁Read more
TravelerThe benefits are definitely nice.
9/7/23Reply
TravelerThat is a nice benefit!
9/7/23Reply
12 likes
Türkiye 2023
Got Where We Were Going
September 5, 2023 in Turkey ⋅ ☁️ 73 °F
Two days of travel from the USA to Türkiye via Canada ended this evening when we arrived at the apartment we use as our home base in İzmir.

We took off from IST in the rain … and wind. Not sure that either was the reason for the 30-minute delay, however. It seemed like garden variety rain to me … but who knows what the radar may have been showing.

The droplets that obscured our vision as we rolled down the tarmac could not withstand the take-off speed of the aircraft. Thus we got a clear view of the coast as the plane climbed up to altitude. Through cloud banks we went … to be greeted by puffy clouds and blue skies once the aircraft leveled off.

A 45-minute flight … and we still got a full blown meal. I abstained, but Mui accepted the tray … laden with all kinds of goodies, including a salad topped with beef brochettes and grilled tuna as the main course. Oh, and a tres leches cake for dessert. Of course, the cockpit announced that we were beginning the descent into ADB almost at the same moment that the tray was set in front of Mui. No leisurely meal this one.

A beautiful sunset accompanied our landing at ADB … the tarmac damp from recent rains, but the sky otherwise clear and dry.

Another 30 minutes to walk to baggage claim and grab our bags. And then we were in a cab, rolling towards Alsancak … the neighborhood where the apartment is located … and where my family lives.

After dropping off the bags and refreshing ourselves, we walked the 10 minutes it takes to get to the condo building where my mom and my sister & brother-in-law live. A happy reunion ensued … with the bonus of having my brother there as well.

Now to get a good night’s rest. I think we deserve it after a trip that was nearly 5,500 air miles long.Read more
TravelerReunions are always worth the trip! ...even 5,500 miles.
9/5/23Reply
Two to TravelWe can rest for six weeks now 😉
9/6/23Reply
TravelerENJOY!
9/6/23Reply
TravelerSo wonderful to be back with family.
9/7/23Reply
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Türkiye 2023
Landed at IST
September 5, 2023 in Turkey ⋅ 🌬 79 °F
The title of the footprint and the “artistically blurry” photo of the award-winning control tower at IST — with an airplane taking off to add motion — says everything.

Next step … to transfer through to the domestic terminal for our flight to ADB at 6:00p.Read more
TravelerSleep deprived?
9/5/23Reply
Two to TravelToo much speed … and I mean the aircraft 😁
9/5/23Reply
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Türkiye 2023
Two Hours to Go
September 5, 2023 in Romania ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F
Uneventful flight thus far. The Atlantic is well behind us … we are over the Balkans at present. Total flight time will be somewhere around 9 hours and 15 minutes when it is all said and done.

We were wheels up around 11:30p EDT … 45 minutes behind schedule. Wined and dined. And then it was time to sleep. While the lie-flat seats on this B777-300 are not the most comfortable, they beat trying to catch a couple of winks while sitting upright. I think I managed about 4 hours of 😴.

With two hours to go to IST, the cabin is slowly waking up. Breakfast service is about to begin. I think I’ll go with the pancake option instead of the omelet.

Our delayed arrival into IST is still showing 3:35p Türkiye Time (GMT +3). That means we did not make up any of the delay leaving YYZ. No matter … still looking good to make our connection to ADB.Read more
TravelerThe business class/lie flat seats make a world of difference to your trip!
9/6/23Reply
Two to TravelNo doubt about that.
9/6/23Reply
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Türkiye 2023
Boarding Completed
September 4, 2023 in Canada ⋅ 🌙 77 °F
The aircraft doors are about to be closed. We are an hour behind schedule … and counting. Still looks good for making our connecting flight!

See you all on the other side of The Pond!
10 likes
Türkiye 2023
Toronto: Maple Leaf Lounge … Delay
September 4, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 88 °F
Into our second travel day it seems some delay must fall!

After a great day of touring with Kadi and Brad, they dropped us off at Union Station in downtown Toronto. From there, we caught the downtown to YYZ UP Express train — the UP (as in the opposite of down), if you want everyone to think you are a local. Quick and easy … and no Labor Day long-weekend traffic to deal with.

After killing an hour at the Sheraton Gateway Club Lounge, we collected our held luggage and set off for the “zoo” that is Terminal 1 at YYZ. Having taken this THY flight from here to IST before, we knew where to go … what to do. In no time, we were checked in for what was to have been a 9:45p departure … now scheduled to depart around 11:00p instead. Sigh! The good news? Our planned long layover in IST means that we’re good to make our connection to İzmir (ADB) … for the time being at least …🤞🏻.

The queue at the security checkpoint was long. Business class tickets in hand, we were able to bypass that line. Then, spotting a QR code promoting “security checkpoint reservations,” I decided to try it to see how it works. All of one minute to provide the requested info. We were given an immediate jump-the-line time to use the express lane. It didn’t make too much of a difference today. But this is something to definitely keep in mind if we come through YYZ with economy tickets in the future.

We are now ensconced in Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounge. It’s crowded as usual. But the comfy chairs and tasty tidbits — not to mention a glass or two of wine — will make the extra wait time before we can embark TK 18 more bearable.Read more
TravelerFYI - if you are a Nexus or Global Entry member there are designated security lines in most Canadian airports. We were at YYZ 2 weeks ago and the only ones in the designated line. Enjoy your family time. Carol
9/4/23Reply
Two to TravelWe’ve got Global Entry and used it last time … but the lines were long and they still made us remove our electronics. So, we didn’t even look for it this time. Now we know better.
9/4/23Reply
TravelerCanada has introduced changes so passengers in Nexus security do not have to remove laptops, electronics and liquids to clear airport security. Also not required to remove shoes, belts or jackets.
9/4/23Reply
Two to TravelYes, that’s what we are used to with Global Entry, but last summer it did not work that way when we went through the security checkpoint here at YYZ. No matter … as long as we were able to bypass the long lines, we were good.
9/4/23Reply
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Türkiye 2023
Toronto: Lunch … Distillery District
September 4, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F
Next up on the plan devised by Kadi and Brad today … lunch.

But along the way, we stopped at Riverdale Park East, near where they used to live when their son was still a wee little boy … and where they made many special memories. From the park, one gets to enjoy the beautiful skyline of Toronto … a little hazy today, but still great to see.

Founded in 1832, Gooderham & Worts began as a windmill in the wilderness and grew to become the largest distillery in the world. Today, it is at the heart of the Distillery Historic District … widely regarded as Canada’s premier arts, culture, and entertainment destination. The district was designated as a national historic site because the “complex is an outstanding example of Victorian industrial design in terms of integrity, historical association, and aesthetic qualities.”

We didn’t dally with our sightseeing here as Kadi had made a 1:15p lunch reservation for us at Cluny Bistro & Boulangerie … billed as not being “your parents' French Bistro!” The food was delicious (and plentiful) … the raspberry mimosa a surprising twist on the usual orange juice and bubbly … the company simply delightful.

We had a wonderful time with Kadi and Brad today. They were wonderful hosts during our short time in their city.

Until we meet again …Read more
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Türkiye 2023
Toronto: The Brick Works
September 4, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 88 °F
From the Aga Khan Museum, we made our way back towards the city, stopping along the way for a short walk at the old brickyard … re-purposed as a city park.

The Don Valley Brick Works — commonly referred to as the Evergreen Brick Works — is a former quarry and industrial site. In operation for nearly 100 years, the bricks produced here were used in the construction of many of the Heritage buildings around the city, including the Ontario Legislature.

Seeking shade where possible — it was a broiling 95F under the sun — we strolled along a few of the short trails, stopping at the ponds to look for frogs and turtles playing hide and seek amongst the lily pads. It was quiet and peaceful … except when the jets participating in the Labor Day Air Show flew over … even glimpsed a lone Blue Angel from the US Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron zooming across the clear blue sky.Read more
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Türkiye 2023
Toronto: Aga Khan Museum
September 4, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F
A good night’s rest. A quick continental breakfast in the Sheraton Gateway Club Lounge. We were zipping up our overnight bag when I received a text from our friend, Kadi. With no traffic en route, they were ahead of schedule. No problem. We had plenty of time to check out from our room and work with the concierge to hold our luggage before meeting up with them.

We stepped out into the Sheraton driveway to find Kadi and Brad pulling up. Hugs and greetings. A happy reunion. And we were off to the Aga Khan Museum.

The website describes the museum as a place that “… provides visitors with a window into the artistic, intellectual, and scientific contributions of Muslim civilizations to world heritage.” In addition to the permanent exhibits, there was a special exhibit billed as “a visual journey through the life and legacy of a Sufi mystic” … the mystic in question being Jalal al-Din Muhammad Balkhi … better known as Rumi.

The exhibit celebrates the life of Rumi — one of history's most famous poets — on the 750th anniversary of his passing. To say that we were all wow’ed by the exhibit would not be an understatement.

We, of course, also enjoyed the other exhibits … as well as a wander through the grounds … a highlight being an art installation of what looked like random words mirrored on the ripple-free reflecting pool. Very creative.

Then right on time — Kadi had us on a schedule — we left the museum at 11:30a to continue our sightseeing …Read more
The Rumi exhibit looks fantastic! I really enjoyed your photos and the peek inside the various displays. Journey on :) [Mary O. Greenberg]
9/5/23Reply
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Türkiye 2023
At the Sheraton Gateway YYZ
September 3, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 88 °F
An uneventful travel day. Every step went like clockwork. No delays. No mishaps. What more could we ask for?

We deplaned at YYZ around 3:15p and processed through immigration quickly … partly because we were directed to the automated kiosks by a harried woman inundated by passengers descending on immigration all at the same time. Methinks, we made a wrong turn somewhere as we ended up at a counter manned by an immigration agent. No matter. He smiled, scanned our passports, and gave us a slip of paper that got us through without hassle.

Collecting our bags, we handed in the slip of paper to a customs agent and exited out of the secure area. Before long, we were on the inter-terminal train to the Sheraton Gateway at Terminal 3. A few more minutes to check in and get our room keycards. Thus we put a period at the end of our travel day.

Since we have access to the Club Lounge, we have settled ourselves there … waiting for the “included appetizers” to make an appearance. A light snack instead of a heavy meal seems like the way to go. Maybe with a glass of wine to accompany the food!

And that’s a wrap for today. Tomorrow we have some sightseeing with friends to add fun to our day before we begin the long haul across “The Pond.”Read more
TravelerAh. On the 'road' again. What a great start to your trip.
9/3/23Reply
Amazing to have your schedule run like clockwork. Either you schedule yourselves perfectly or the gods knew you were coming! [Marilyn Tietjen]
9/4/23Reply
Two to Travel😁 we do like a relaxed schedule so always give ourselves plenty of time. But still at the mercy of weather and airline gods. It’s nice to have them cooperate with our plans.
9/4/23Reply
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Türkiye 2023
On Our Way to YYZ
September 3, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 90 °F
As I begin to write this footprint, it’s 12:49p EDT in Toronto … two hours ahead of where we are currently … flying over Nebraska aboard our United Airlines flight UA 1874.

(In case you are wondering, Nebraska has two time zones. While most people in the state use Central Time, we are still over the area that is officially on MDT.)

After an uneventful drive up I-25N, we turned our “less-than-compact” Toyota Tundra rental into Avis around 7:30a. The shuttle bus then whisked us to DEN without delay. By 7:41a, our bags were tagged and checked. Less than 10 minutes later, we were on the secure side of the Jeppesen Terminal … thank you TSA Pre✔️.

The 1.5 hours we had on hand at the airport passed quickly … hot beverages at Caribou Coffee, a couple of scones, people-watching. Before we knew it, we were being alerted by the UA app that boarding for our flight was about to begin. A short walk to Gate B44. Quick boarding thanks to the priority status afforded by our credit card.

For this short flight, we opted to fly economy … with an upgrade bundle that scored us seats in the exit row. UA 1874 pushed back on time at 9:53a (MDT) … 20 minutes later we were in the air, winging our way East. The good news? The cockpit advised that the flight time will be about 30 minutes shorter than originally scheduled. (Yeah … I know … there’s always a buffer built into the published schedules.)

Since the distance to YYZ is over the 500-mile threshold for snacks, we received our little packets of goodies and our cold beverages shortly after UA 1874 leveled off. Since I’m all caught up with our day so far, I’m going to sit back and enjoy the rest of the flight.

See you all after we are settled in our room at the YYZ hotel …

P.S. By the way … for those who have been following our “it-ended-six-weeks-ago-world-cruise,” I will continue writing and posting catch-up footprints. So, while it may seem at times like we are all over the world, we will in reality be in Türkiye for the next seven weeks … once we get there, of course.Read more
TravelerEnjoy your family and friends time in Turkey, I wonder if we get to see you on your way back during a stop in Tenerife or will you fly back this time?
9/3/23Reply
Two to TravelWe are cruising back on HAL … but this itinerary goes via Funchal with no stop in the Canaries this time 🥲
9/3/23Reply
TravelerOh, that's a pity - but more interesting for you to see different places 😆
9/4/23Reply
Two to TravelWe’ve done all the ports before, so the cruise is transportation with sightseeing benefits.
9/4/23Reply
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Türkiye 2023
That’s A Compact?!?
September 3, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F
Time for another overseas trip!

This year’s annual trip to Türkiye to visit family starts today with a flight to Toronto (YYZ), where we will stay overnight before the long haul to Türkiye tomorrow night.

Why are we flying through YYZ? Because this Turkish Airlines (THY) gateway has the best prices. Since we can’t fly nonstop from Denver (DEN) to İstanbul (IST) — at least not yet — we might as well take the most wallet-friendly option. Besides, laying over at YYZ will give us a chance to spend time with a couple of friends. That’s a bonus.

Believe it our not, this Toyota Tundra is what we got for the drive up to DEN this morning. It’s definitely not the “compact” we booked through Avis, but it will get the job done.

P.S. By the way, the plan for this trip is to use FindPenguins as the app designers intended. Short snippets as warranted instead of one long story each day. Not sure what will happen after we get to Türkiye since a family visit doesn’t always yield footprint-worthy activities. Until then … well, the stories will just have to unfold.Read more
TravelerLooking forward to following along on your next adventure!. 🙂
9/3/23Reply
Two to TravelHappy to have you along.
9/3/23Reply
TravelerI love following your trips! Safe travels
9/3/23Reply
Two to TravelThank you and welcome aboard.
9/3/23Reply
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Adventuring Down Under
RV’ing Across Three States
August 31, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 91 °F
We’ve got three roads trips planned — loosely, I might add — interspersed amongst other modes of travel to explore Australia.

One is a road trip around Tasmania. This one will be by car.

Another road trip will take us from Sydney up to Cairns. Also by car.

Between these two will be a road trip from Melbourne to Perth. This one will be by RV.

We were hoping to book a camper van, but none were available for our dates in February. So, we booked a 4-berth Class C motor home instead. The extra space will come in handy for luggage storage and such, so that’s perhaps not a bad thing.

Not sure what our pace will be. Some say the Nullarbor Plain is dull and boring. If that’s the case, we’ll speed across it. Others say the Nullarbor is amazing and beautiful. If that’s the case, we’ll slow down as we drive across it.

Aside from wanting to visit a few specific places, we really have no concrete plans, so we can jiggle our way across Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia.

Loosey-goosey is the name of the game for this part of our overland trip.Read more
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Adventuring Down Under
AusPan Hobart Disembark Approved
August 25, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F
Our decision to return to Tasmania after disembarking Regatta in Sydney, prompted us to consider leaving the ship in Hobart instead.

I did some research, contacted the ship’s agent in Hobart, and he got approval for us to do so from Australian Border Forces.

But then we needed to put the request to leave Regatta early through the official channels at Oceania. Getting a response took a bit of time. In fact, I had to light a fire under Oceania’s Port Operations Department by sending a second message saying that I already had approval from Border Forces.

That did the trick and I got the official OK from Oceania today. We now have the approval to leave the ship in writing … with the caveat that once we leave Regatta we will not be able to return. No worries … we don’t plan to.

True, we will be missing one port of call and one day at sea on the ship en route to Sydney after Hobart. But we won’t have to then fly back to the island for our road trip. We consider that a “win.”

Now the question is … should we extend our time in Tasmania by the two days we have gained, or should we add those days somewhere else in our overland trip?Read more
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Adventuring Down Under
Kimberleys: Price Drop
August 24, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 91 °F
Received an email from Coral Expeditions last night. I thought it was in response to a query I had submitted. I was wrong.

Turns out that in conjunction with publishing the 2025 itineraries, Coral Expeditions eliminated the price differential between their vessels for both 2024 and 2025. Thus reducing the fare for our April 2024 expedition.

Price drops for cruises are not unusual. In fact, I’ve managed to save quite a bit over the years by going back to the cruise line after the initial booking and having a price drop applied.

But in 20+ years of cruising, this is the first time that the operator has notified us of their own volition and applied the drop automatically. Now, that is unusual … at least in our part of the world.

The new rate for our Kimberleys expedition saves us almost $2,100 over the original pricing. This is more than the “every penny counts” savings we’ve managed for other bits and pieces of our Australia adventure.

Thank you Coral Expeditions!Read more
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Adventuring Down Under
GBR Liveaboard ✔️
August 21, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 91 °F
Mui loves snorkeling.

So, of course, he’s going to snorkel the Great Barrier Reef [GBR] when Regatta call on Cairns in December … as he did when Insignia stopped there on RTW2017.

But a day trip out to the GBR is not all that he will be doing on our Australia adventure. No, this time we’ll be doing a “liveaboard” as well. What that means is that we’ll be staying a couple of nights on a boat anchored at the GBR rather than going back and forth on day trips so that Mui can get his snorkeling fix.

What will I do while he’s snorkeling? Why relax on board the boat, of course. A little reading … a little writing … a little photography … a little doing nothing. And who knows, maybe Mui will convince me to get in the water, too! (I wouldn’t hold my breath on that if I were you 🤔.)Read more
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Adventuring Down Under
The Ghan Booked
August 19, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 93 °F
The Ghan — which runs through the “Red Center” of Australia — is regarded as one of the world’s greatest train journeys.

Alas, it was another thing that we were going to have to exclude from our plans due to timing issues. It wasn’t “the wet” that was a problem for The Ghan. It was the heat … just too hot to run the train during the height of summer.

But then we extended our trip to include April. And suddenly the train journey became feasible to include in our plans.

Instead of booking the 3-day/2-night trip, we booked the 4-day/3 night expedition because the itinerary includes a couple of fun and important-to-us off-train events … and only on departures out of Darwin and not out of Adelaide.

Thus, we are now booked on another Australian train journey. And unlike on the IP [Indian Pacific] trip, Mui and I will share a gold-premium twin cabin on The Ghan.

P.S. For those eagle-eyed readers who might notice the optional upgrade shown on the map to include Uluru … we won’t be doing it. A day trip would not only be incredibly tiring but also not a good cost-benefit value (for us). Instead, we have some other ideas we’re pursuing to visit that iconic landmark, which has great cultural significance to the traditional owners of the land.Read more
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Adventuring Down Under
Kimberleys by Sea
August 18, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 93 °F
Exploring the Kimberleys, the northernmost region of Australia, was one of the things we had to exclude from our original itinerary due to timing.

It wasn’t that we didn’t have time to add it to our plans. Rather, the area is difficult to navigate during the wet season, so tours and such don’t operate until later in the year. We considered flying in, but even that proved to be logistically difficult.

When we added the entire month of April to our plans, however, we looked at our options for the Kimberleys again. Land tours were still outside of our time range, but cruises were not.

After doing a bit of research we settled on Coral Expeditions, an Australia-based company that comes highly recommended. That they have smaller ships than companies like Le Ponant, Seabourn, and Silversea was a bonus.

With the operator selected, our next decision was to pick an itinerary and ship.

First, we limited our options in April to the 72-passenger Coral Discoverer, the smaller of the two vessels sailing during our time frame. Then we decided to sail from Darwin to Broome instead of vice-versa.

And voilà. We are booked!Read more
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Adventuring Down Under
Extended … Again!
August 17, 2023 in the United States
Yes, we decided to add more time to our Australia Overland … again!

The primary reason for extending was so that we could add a few things to our itinerary that our previous in-country dates were forcing us to exclude from our plans. But I’ll write about those additions once the details are worked out.

I should note that there was one other reason for considering the extension. Mui’s been saying that there will be a lot of driving without much downtime. That is simply not our style.

As things stand now, between the pre-cruise in Sydney + the AusPan circumnavigation + the overland, our trip will be a total of 138 days … not counting the travel days to/from Australia. This is still way short of our 6-month Australia visa, but if we extended any further, we’d have to give up our RV trip in the USA next year … which we don’t want to do.

Instead of canceling and rebooking all of our flight arrangements, which would have cost considerably more, we simply changed our return. Making the change was easy peasy and only cost us $4.50. What a bargain!!!Read more
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Adventuring Down Under
Australia Visas Approved
August 16, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 91 °F
So much for a 22-day processing time frame!

We received our visas within three working days.

I don’t know if this faster approval is just the norm for US residents. Or if all the extra information we provided regarding dates and such made a difference. Regardless of the reason, we’re delighted to have this all-important step behind us.Read more
TravelerI received mine in 90 minutes🤣. Wonder if it’s because I’m Canadian, another colony…
12/12/23Reply
Two to TravelDid you do the ETA for 90 days? I know that is faster.
12/12/23Reply
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Adventuring Down Under
AU Visa Applications ✔️
August 12, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F
Received a UA flight change notification today. No big deal; except that we are now leaving from COS @ 7:40a. An already long travel day is now going to be even longer. It is what it is.

For some reason, the notification prompted us to check the length of our stay. Turns out that between our 7-day pre-cruise stay in Sydney + our 35-day AusPan + our 58-day overland, we are going to exceed the 90-day limit for the Australian ETA [Electronic Travel Authorization]. Darn!

So, this afternoon we applied for the Australian tourist (subclass 600) visa. We requested multi-entry for up to 6 months. There is a higher cost to this visa vs the ETA. But it is what it is … the cost of travel.

The funny thing is that although today is the 12th here at home, ImmiAccounts — the online portal for visa applications — is showing the date as the 13th. That IDL [International Date Line] thing at play again.

According to the website, 90% of the applications are processed within 22 days. Fingers crossed as we wait to hear back.

In the meantime, at least we know that we will not have to go through a mandatory health screening prior to getting our approval. And perhaps the best news? The visa will be attached digitally to our passports, so we won’t have to send them in for processing.Read more
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