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  • NjerdWalking

Australia Tasmania New Zealand

2026 Holland America Cruise too Read more
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  • Trip start
    February 12, 2026
    NjerdWalkingAustralia Tasmania New ZealandTraveler
    4
    We took this picture from the bridgeGelato1Sulfur crested cockatoosDogs trained to chase away the seagulls at Circular QuayChris taking a close-up video of a bin chickenAustralian Ibis aka “Bin Chicken “ 🤣Bird cages over a cute alley. Also bird calls were being played over the speaker

    Arrival day Sydney

    February 12 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 21 °C

    We left SFO at 8:30 PM and arrived into Sydney 6:10 AM two days later! We made it to our Airbnb in the central business district early. Then met our Gilroy friend Diana, who moved back to Sydney last year with her family, and she was the most awesome tour guide! We walked over Sydney Harbour Bridge, took a ferry, walked to the Opera House and Botanical Gardens. Shocked we walked over 14,000 steps.Read more

  • NjerdWalkingAustralia Tasmania New ZealandTraveler
    We got an up close Koala photo encounter. So cute 😊
    1This is a cute Short Beaked Echidna1This Bearded Dragon was smiling for the camera1His name is Banks, the 8 year old Koala2A Goodfellow's Tree Kangaroo who loved his blankieFunny Kangaroo scratching. We didn't know she was pooping 🤣1The Platypus seemed to be hopped up on caffeineOn the way back we stopped for a matcha and snack and a break1Queen Victoria Building in the backgroundThe Darling Harbour and zoo area

    Sydney Day 2 - Wild Life Zoo

    February 13 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    We took a short walk over to WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo at Darling Harbour today. Great cool weather for summer. Saw lots of adorable animals!

  • NjerdWalkingAustralia Tasmania New ZealandTraveler
    2Several groups playing volleyball2Had a bitter, and fish and chips at the Beehive1

    Sydney Day 3 - Bondi Beach

    February 14 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Took the train and bus to the famous Bondi Beach. On the way back we visited the Phipps on their beautiful rooftop and our Gilroy friends, the Paces, who happen to be here in Sydney too!.

  • NjerdWalkingAustralia Tasmania New ZealandTraveler
    NSW State Library Gallery
    NSW State Library GalleryMassive Reading Room - NSW State LibraryRainbow Lorikeets outside NSW State Library Gallery4Chill Spot - NSW State Library GalleryOur ship! The Noordam2Our room2

    Day 4 - Start of Cruise

    February 15 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Today we checked out of our room, hung out at the New South Wales State Library for a bit, then boarded our ship. It should leave the dock around 9pm and will pass under the Sydney Harbour Bridge and by the Opera House before starting our way south towards Melbourne.Read more

  • NjerdWalkingAustralia Tasmania New ZealandTraveler
    Formula 1 Race Track
    Fitzroy GardensConservatory at Fitzroy Gardens1Begonias in the ConservatoryShrine of RemembranceYum1

    Day 6 -Melbourne

    February 17 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Today, we visited the city of Melbourne, Victoria. I would say it’s a lot like most big cities with its parks, museums, memorials, art district, and sports. We toured the city by bus and got to drive on the Formula One track since it is coming to Melbourne in March. A lot goes into preparing it with the stands. We made a stop at the Fitzroy garden, which is a large grassy park with pretty trees and garden areas. Their Conservatory was filled with blooming begonias. Next stop was the Shrine of Remembrance. It was originally in memory of WWI veterans, but they changed it to be for all the veterans of conflict. The shrine has a memorial that says “Greater Love Hath No Man”. Wouldn’t it be greater to not have these conflicts to begin with?
    We returned to ship and tried out the Dive In burger place, where we split a burger and fries. Very good!
    We have been enjoying having dinner in the Dining Room. Service is always excellent and food is good, but maybe not excellent. Still very enjoyable and much better than cooking.    Read more

  • NjerdWalkingAustralia Tasmania New ZealandTraveler
    16CapybaraKookaburra1Blinky3Kangaroos and wallabies were gentle and we bought some food to feed them1

    Day 7 - Tasmania

    February 18 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    This morning we docked in Burnie, Tasmania. We had nice cooler weather in the low to mid 60°s and took an hour bus ride to Wing’s Wildlife Park. We had heard elsewhere that you can’t pet a koala but it’s not true!
    Debbie was able to give Blinky, a 3 year old male, some attention! We learned they can live 18 years in captivity. At the end of this fun day, the ship left port and we are headed to New Zealand! It will take a couple days at sea before we see land again.    Read more

  • NjerdWalkingAustralia Tasmania New ZealandTraveler
    We ate at Canaletto specialty dining Thursday.
    12My birthday mai taiIt's formal night, and we decided to take our own selfieThe Pinnacle Grill speciality dining for my birthday.1

    Day 8 & 9 - Tasman Sea

    February 20, Tasman Sea ⋅ 🌬 17 °C

    We are on our way to New Zealand! It will take 3 days at sea to arrive. Here are some pictures from days 8 & 9. We get confused what day it is, so it’s nice the elevator floor tells us 😆 Today was my birthday here (since we are on this side of the date line, so in US it will start soon). I got a birthday cupcake delivered to the room, and an extra special cake at dinner tonight!Read more

  • NjerdWalkingAustralia Tasmania New ZealandTraveler
    Me waving from the aft end of ship
    Milford SoundMilford Sound2Debbie and Me (Melissa made me this beany 🩷)1

    Day 11 - Fiordland National Park

    February 22 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    We woke up before sunrise to get up on deck for our arrival. First stop was Milford Sound (which TMI warning: is really a fjord, not a sound, and fjords are spelled “fiords” here in NZ). It was beautiful - so many waterfalls, snow capped peaks, glaciers, and cliffs. We went through two other fjords as well.
    Significant parts of Lord of the Rings were filmed around here. Now we’re heading to Port Chalmers / Dunedin New Zealand for tomorrow’s adventure.    Read more

  • NjerdWalkingAustralia Tasmania New ZealandTraveler
    Waiting for our wildlife tour boat
    NZ sea lion thrashing its octopus lunch back and forthShag (NZ cormorant) colonyFir seal pup 🦭ShagNorthern Royal AlbatrossDebbie at the "Little Blue Penguin" colonyBut they are hunting in the ocean all day, only coming back after darkCaroline Bay BeachOyster Catchers2Time for a chai in the library

    Day 12 & 13 - Port Chalmers & Timaru

    February 23 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Yesterday we docked in Port Chalmers NZ, next to the huge lumberyard. We took a small boat tour out to see the Albatross colony and other wildlife. The captain / guide was great and quite a multitasker as she had no first mate. Today in Timaru we took our own little walk around the beach for some birdwatching. It has been a little cooler than we expected. The food on board this Holland America cruise has been OK not outstanding, but the service is excellent. We have grown attached to our waiter and room steward.Read more

  • NjerdWalkingAustralia Tasmania New ZealandTraveler
    Sunrise over the South Pacific
    1Bus driver and guide was awesomeThe cliffs at Cape KidnapperDriving up to the colony1Fuzzy chick in the middle11Another colony down belowAnd a 3rd colony way down belowSome vintage cars showing off by the ship1And today was Cake Day!

    Day 15 - Napier

    February 26 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Today we had a short few hours in Napier. I took a tour out to a gannet colony (gannets are closely related to the seabirds known as boobies.) Debbie decided to stay back and chill today. Napier looks like a cute town. It was partially destroyed by an earthquake in 1931, and rebuilt with much art deco style. The gannets were over an hour drive at “Cape Kidnapper” sanctuary. So I saw some nice NZ landscapes through what the guide said is the fruit basket of NZ. The gannets had 3 colonies on a cliff area. The colony we drove to had ~3000 gannets. Usually no fuzzy chicks this time of year, but we were lucky the weather has been odd and there was a small late batch of fuzz balls. If you look close you will see some fuzzy babies.

    (Warning) Sad thing about gannets: when they are old enough to fly, they are not real good at “taking off” and need to fly for days without stopping to islands near Tasmania. (If they rest in the ocean at this age, they can’t get airborne again) Only a quarter of them will survive their first journey there and back. 😢    Read more

  • NjerdWalkingAustralia Tasmania New ZealandTraveler
    11The tree above Bilbo's house is fake!2Hobbits like pie several times a dayA stout and a beef and ale meat pieOur guide and bus driver today, showing us silver fern NZ official plant / emblem3Me with my Foe-Hammer4My daily "pain killer"

    Day 16 - Hobbiton / Rotorua

    February 27 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Today we went to Hobbiton and visited the Shire to see Bilbo Baggins’ house. When the Lord of the Rings crews built the set of the Shire, they took it apart when done. But when they filmed the Hobbit, the owners asked if they’d build a permanent structure for visitors to see. They did a magnificent job!Read more

  • NjerdWalkingAustralia Tasmania New ZealandTraveler
    Our first stop, Motuarohia islandMe checking out the tide poolsHeron catches a snack!Cap'n backed us into this cave!This rock is out in the deep ocean!Hole in the RockA Tight Fit!So many bait fish coming to the surface!We relaxed on Urupukapuka island for a bit1Saw a rare Banded RailFeeding the fish

    Day 17 - Bay of Islands

    February 28 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    We took a wildlife and island tour from Paihia around the hundreds of beautiful islands here. We stopped to get off the boat and explore two islands. And at one point our captain backed the boat into a big cave on a tall rock of an island, then he squeezed us through the star of the trip, a “Hole in the Rock” amongst thousands of fish surfacing around the rock. It was spectacular!Read more

  • NjerdWalkingAustralia Tasmania New ZealandTraveler
    Visitor center overlook
    Our only kiwi sighting 🤣Very windy day2Karekare fallsSilver Fern1Piha beachPiha beach

    Day 20 - Aukland Waitākere Ranges

    March 3 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    We have been chillin in Aukland the last couple days. Not too much picture worthy. But today we got a guided tour of the Aukland region mostly the Waitākere Ranges. Our guide Kenneth picked us up and took us out to the Waitākere visitor center, Karekare falls, and Piha beach black sand. It was all spectacular.Read more

    Trip end
    March 4, 2026
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