• Linda Hoover
  • Linda Hoover

Australia/New Zealand

A 33-day adventure by Linda Read more
  • Trip start
    December 9, 2022
  • San Francisco

    December 9, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 52 °F

    Leaving on a jet plane for Singapore then Meet cruise ship in Bali for Australia/New Zealand

  • Singapore Airport/Overnight stay

    December 10, 2022, Great Barrier Reef ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    After 17.5 hrs from San Francisco we land in Singapore. The most beautiful airport, so decorative for Christmas. Since it's overnight, we have a tiny room for about 4 hrs of sleep, I think I got 30 minutes. The Singapore airplane was even decorated. The stewardesses were so beautiful.Read more

  • Lombok Indonesia

    December 12, 2022 on the Philippines ⋅ ⛅ 84 °F

    Today saw alot of different stages of rice fields, very populated and crowded. Lots of people using small scooters. The people are primarily Muslim and have the largest mosque in Indonesia and is known for over 1000 mosquesRead more

  • Thursday Island

    December 18, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 86 °F

    Arrived on Sunday morning, walked off the boat, rode a hot& stuffy tender to this island , found out that only a few stores were opened, the only bar was up a long hill, turned around took the tender back to the boatRead more

  • Sailing the Coral Sea

    December 19, 2022, Great Barrier Reef ⋅ 🌧 84 °F

    86F / 30C
    Rainy
    Arrive: 8am
    Back on board: 5pm

    CAIRNS (pronounced “Cans”), AUSTRALIA
    Queensland's seaside resort town, Cairns is the gateway to a rich array of natural beauty onshore and off.
    Catamarans and other ships take marine lovers to the Great Barrier Reef; stretching for 1,400 miles, it is the largest continuous coral reef system on Earth. Inland, the wet tropics have given rise to Daintree and Kuranda National Parks, vast rainforest systems of extraordinary biodiversity and a profusion of birdlife. For all its appeal to outdoor enthusiasts, Cairns' thriving culture is a pleasure to absorb from outdoor cafés or along the scenic waterfront promenade. The city's rich history lives on in its many heritage-listed buildings and memorials, many of them lining popular Abbott Street.
    Read more

  • Welcome to Sunny Townsville

    December 21, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 84 °F

    Oh my goodness, so nice and 🌞 Our tour guy said they had 350 days of sunshine! Even in their winter months its about 50-60 degrees.No humidity today. The picture below is of our guide, he served 2 tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. I asked him why he would fight a war that basically America was hit, he said because America is our Allie, we have to protect our Allies.Read more

  • Sailing to Newcastle

    December 25, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 79 °F

    A sea day. Rained off and on most of the morning. Sun came out in the afternoon. A nice time to catch up on stuff. We set the clocks up another hour, now we're 17 hrs ahead of home!

  • Welcome Sydney

    December 27, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    I wanted to watch us come into Sydney, naturally the ship came in earlier, so I missed it. A friend barely got a few pics, so she sent them to me. More pics to come. Sydney has the world's largest natural harbor, and Sydney was founded as a penal colony in 1788.Read more

  • Sydney (New South Wales) Australia

    December 28, 2022, Bass Strait ⋅ 🌬 63 °F

    A sunny beautiful day walking around the pier, ferry boats went back & forth all day transporting people around the harbor. We walked to the Opera House, watched them setting up for New Years Eve, did some shopping in an area called The Rocks, a district named for the sandstone from which its original buildings were made, once hosted drunken sailors & ex-convicts, now shops & markets. Got 13,000 steps in. We will have to come back, too much to see. Extremely clean and friendly place. They are expecting over a million people on New Years Eve!Read more

  • Sail the Tasman Sea

    December 29, 2022, Tasman Sea ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    A full day at sea on our way to Melbourne. The Tasman was named for Dutchman Abel Janszoon Tasman, the first European to set foot on New Zealand & the island of Tasmania in the 1640's. Overcast day, very windyRead more

  • Melbourne (Victoria) Australia

    December 30, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    Capital of the Australian state of Victoria, Melbourne has been called the world's most livable city. It enjoys a scenic setting on the large bay of Port Phillip. Today it's celebrated as the country's cultural capital of the arts and exudes a rich and lively British flair. St. Patrick's Catheral, cost 500,000 to get married there, so choose wisely! Gas is about $3 a literRead more

  • Last Day in Melbourne

    December 31, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 82 °F

    Melbourne is often described as Australia's "most European city". Broad tree-lined boulevards,beautiful parkland and botanic gardens, and Georgian municipal buildings. This is a very sports minded city, lots of areas 111, sport arenas, grand prix, Australia Open. Lots of walking, biking. So impressiveRead more

  • Day 2 of theTasman Sea

    January 2, 2023, Tasman Sea ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F

    Second day at sea, very cloudy till around 11am, mostly sunny the rest of the day, took a nap around the pool, worked on a puzzle with other puzzle enthusiasts, ate dinner with new friends, went to a show to see Tom Ward, a finalist on Australia's Got TalentRead more

  • Day 3 at Sea

    January 3, 2023, Tasman Sea ⋅ 🌬 63 °F

    The best weather day at sea, sunny but windy. Had to move clocks up another hour. Now we're 19 hrs ahead of home! Read, cat napped, sunbathe around the pool.