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Buenos Aires to UK via PanamaBuenos Aires to UK via Panama
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A 46-day adventure by Browning Retirement Fun & Rubber Shark Read more
  • Browning Retirement Fun
  • Rubber Shark
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Around the world, Car, Couple, Cruise ship, Luxury travel, Nature, Photography
  • 44.4kkilometers traveled
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  • 46days
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  • Buenos Aires to UK via Panama
    One of the 400 pictures that actually got dolphins in it!
    The other one 😀We are here! Google Maps is confused. We are going directly north.Sexy babe that keeps turning up in my cabin!

    At Sea - Lima to Manta, Ecuador

    March 27, 2024, South Pacific Ocean ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Proceeding at a leisurely pace in a northward direction towards Manta in Ecuador. Only about 1,100km south of the equator now but still not as hot as would be expected. Mind you if you stand in the near vertical sun it's a tad warm.
    Getting to the northern limit of the cold Humbolt current so the temps should ramp up soon. Sea is calm and there is fish, bird and dolphin activity everywhere. Not big pods of dolphins like last cruise but lots (and lots) of smaller groups, often right up the the ship, playing in the wake then shooting off for a snack. Not easy to get pictures on the phone.
    One grump I have to have to have is the apparent willingness of people on this ship to share their germs. The coughing sounds like a seal colony and extends to the excursion buses to the extent that the guide yesterday asked if the AC on the bus was too cold. A few people have masks, but they are not the coughers, some of who give you the stink-eye treatment when you mask up. We are avoiding the deck 10 lounge which we have dubbed the 'Sick Bay'. You would think that a boat load of Seniors would have learned something from the pandemic or at least have a bit of consideration. Guess that's too much to expect.
    Tomorrow we just have a 'see the sights' excursion. Have to cover up as it is likely to be hot and sunny. I'll file a report when we come back.    Read more

  • Buenos Aires to UK via Panama
    This mornings location. Rounding the bum of South America.
    CalmThat chicky-babe againCoast near BayovarBig pod of dolphinsNeed to stay hydrated!

    At Sea - Lima to Manta Day 2

    March 28, 2024, South Pacific Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    OK yes I said we would be in Manta today. Wrong! It happens when you get old and don't check your itinerary.
    Calm day, still cooler than I thought as we are closing rapidly on the equator.
    No dolphins, whales, etc. A few birds and small fishing boats. We can see the coast in the haze at the moment.
    Passed through some fog earlier, complete with fog horn. We probably have to do some more crosswords.
    Update: I take it back about the dolphins. A huge pod just went past. Too far away to get anything on a phone camera. I was able to tirelessly transfer an image from the 'proper' camera. Hi tech stuff!
    Update 2: diesel was $8 a gallon in Peru, not $8 a litre. Seems they use the metric system, but fuel is in gallons. 😕    Read more

  • Buenos Aires to UK via Panama
    The new had made hat.The thing that makes the string into the start of the cloth for the bags.El Chorrillo town centreEl Chorillo Main Street. Manta in the distance.Da shipTuna boats and Montecristi in the distanceFishing boats and townWe are here!Panama Hat market and my 👉

    Manta, Ecuador

    March 28, 2024 in Ecuador ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    In Manta, our only stop in Ecuador. Warm, about 35 degrees but with a nice breeze. We are about 100km south of the equator, so will be in the northern hemisphere by tomorrow morning.
    Had a morning excursion that included a place where they process Ivory Nuts which are palm nuts that have a core that looks like and is as hard as ivory. They make buttons and stuff out of them. The nuts look like rocks. Also went to a place that makes real Panama hats from a type of palm fibre. Expensive for a good one ($500) but you can roll them up and transport them in a small box or tube. Angela bought a budget end ladies Sun hat. The weaving process looks hard on the back and chest. It looks like having big boots helps. See pictures.
    Finally to a place that makes Hessian cloth and bags but out of agave fibre. The machines they had to make the thread and weave the cloth were amazing. All hand made out of steel angle, hardwood, regard etc. Genius!
    Did also go to a museum but we didn't go in.
    Still amazed at how many people get on the tour bus coughing there lungs and other vital organs up. Not giving a single eff about other people seems to be a big trait on this ship.
    Anyway just had lunch and a strong bow each. Last one was a 500mil can. This was a 330mil bottle. Same price. Who knows?
    Off to Panama City tonight. A day or two at sea. That is our second last stop. I'm beginning to stress about US immigration and airport security but I'm looking forward to the Panama Canal and Aruba where we have some mystery hi octane action in store.
    Geek Fact : A few hundred km east of Manta in the Andes is Mt Chimborazo. Due to the fact that the earth bulges at the equator due to its rotation the peak of Chimborazo is the furtherest land point from the centre of the earth. So if you were on Mount Everest you would be further above 'sea level' but closer to the centre of the earth.    Read more

  • Buenos Aires to UK via Panama
    We are here at the moment
    CalmThat chicky- babe again. Not that I mind 😀See! I take her out to posh places occasionally!

    Day at Sea - Manta to Panama City

    March 29, 2024, North Pacific Ocean ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    Crossed into the northern hemisphere last night. You could tell the exact moment by the sound of all the sinks swapping from the water going down clockwise instead of counter clockwise (joking).
    Seriously though, the water in the swimming pool is sloshing gently too and fro where yesterday it was the other way around.
    Dead calm. I mean a complete glass off. I don't expect any dolphins or whales as we are out of the confluence if the cold Humbolt current and warm El Niño currents. No Drashigs so far. Also quite warm. I hope they open the roof over the pool soon.
    PS - they did. Life saved :) Otherwise turned out to be a quiet day.    Read more

  • Buenos Aires to UK via Panama
    Miraflores Lock Control House and the second lock.The first of the Miraflores set. No ships. 😞Old Panama CityThis altar was hidden from pirates by making it look like dirty old wood.The old town squareNew Panama City. Very high rise.

    Fuerte Amador : Panama City

    Mar 30–Apr 3, 2024 in Panama ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C

    Second last stop on the cruise. The city is very high rise, most of which has popped up since the USA handed back the canal zone in 2000.
    Went and had a look at the Miraflores Locks at the Pacific end of the canal. No ships 😞 They went through early in the morning and no more expected while we were there. Oh well, we will go through tomorrow so I guess I'll see a ship go through then.
    Did a walking tour of the old town. It was getting run down as there was no tourism much in Panama until 2000. Been mostly renovated and is very nice. Bought a shaved ice with coconut as its hot and humid. Got an indigenous embroidery called a 'mola'. Small but a good souvenir as the guide said the lady makes them herself.
    It's been interesting looking at the cars in different places. Most are the same as Oz but in some places with more Chinese brands I have never heard of. Saw a Chevy corvette zr6 parked during our walking tour. Tolerably interesting. Not something you see every day. Then I saw a couple of Polaris Slingshots. Drool! Very unusual and interesting. Unlike the Chev they rated some photos 😀
    We will be going through the Panama Canal tomorrow. Waiting to hear what time our slot is. I am going to try and get a time lapse of the whole trip. Its funny to think that 'América' is only 80km wide here.    Read more

  • Buenos Aires to UK via Panama
    MulesThere is not a lot of spare room for us in there.Exiting the high part of the CanalIt doesn't actually fill that fast, OK?NOT the Sydney Harbour Bridge1Some old guy that stands out in the sun and wind so he can see ALL of the canal.Gatun Lock ControlTight fit eh?

    Transit the Panama Canal

    March 31, 2024 in Panama ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Unlike yesterday we saw ships go through the locks on the Panama Canal today. One of them was ours.
    Up before Sparrow Fart this morning (5:30am) to make sure I caught the action. Unlike the Suez Canal, where we missed the start, we entered the Canal at first light.
    Going through the locks is quite interesting. Due to the squeeze tolerances you get pulled through the lock by these electric locomotives called 'mules'. Bearing in mind how complicated the whole process is, it's pretty quick. About 90 minutes at Miraflores which is two lifts. The set after at Pedro Miguel is one lift but it took ages to get the ship in. The wind was really strong and was blowing us around. We had to use the ships thrusters plus get a shove or two from a tug to get in. Even then we bumped the side a couple of times.
    The first part of the canal from Panama City above the locks is fairly narrow and is a cut through a small range of hills. Pretty impressive for a job started in the 19th century. Then you pass into a big freshwater lake that was made by damming a river. Then drop down another set of locks (Gatun Locks) to the level of the Caribbean ( or is that Caribbean 🤔). Then is about 8km through a wide dredged channel to the sea.
    I was out in the wind and sun for 7 hours. Wasn't going to miss any of it. Angela got me drinks etc coz she knows I'm nuts and loves me anyway.
    I think I flattened every battery in every device that can take pictures I had.
    In the process I saw a couple of shimmy lizard things that would not have been out of place in Australia. 3 or 4m long. I heavily suspect them to be American Crocodiles. Yes there is such a thing.
    So we are now in the Caribbean ( or is that Caribbean 🤔) and heading for the island of Aruba, which is our last stop. Boo hoo! Then two days at sea to Miami, Florida, US of A where we plan to clear migration asap, go the the airport and bugger off to Sunny Wales.
    Sorry about the lack of pictures. I was busy taking pictures but not on the phone.
    So in summary we crossed the North American continent and a range of hills in a ship in 7 hours.    Read more

  • Buenos Aires to UK via Panama
    Dash cam
    We is here!Bit lumpy

    At sea, Panama Canal to Aruba

    April 1, 2024, Caribbean Sea ⋅ 🌬 27 °C

    Well the Caribbean decided to be a bit lumpy today. Does not match the holiday brochures.
    It will be crosswords, reading etc for the day. Might have a look at deck 10 as the upsy downsy weather might have thinned out the ranks of coughers.
    Aruba tomorrow, which is our last stop.
    Geek Fact: we are going to go past the most lightning prone place in the world but it might be too far away to see if it is going. They have lightning from 120 to 160 days per year. If you want to know more look up Catatumbo Lightning.    Read more

  • Buenos Aires to UK via Panama
    The Pretty Mama of legend
    The Caribbean (or is that Caribbean 🤔) in a better moodThe mighty vehicle. Dakar prep maybe?The north side of the island. Yes it's pretty dry.The beast. 1000cc, CVT, Dual range 4WD, rear diff lock.We are here! Mainland is Venezuela.Straining for the shutter. No selfie stick.

    Aruba

    April 2, 2024 in Aruba ⋅ 🌬 29 °C

    In Aruba today, as in 'Aruba, Bahama, c'mon pretty mama'. Quite a small island and along with Curacao next door were once Dutch possessions. Neat little place with lots of colonial Dutch architecture. Also lots of shops if you like Bvlgari, Gucci etc. Was tempted to try one of the waterfront restaurants for lunch, but I was starving by the time we got back.
    Anyway, this was our last excursion, and we booked a hi octane, non turbo charged adventure driving a side by side off road buggy thing to see the sights of Aruba. Sounded great, then I find I am going to have to drive on the road as well, and they drive on the wrong side here. To add to the fun, we drove out to the back blocks via the main road and multiple roundabouts where you have to remember to give way to the left. The locals have obviously decided that not killing tourists is a good idea, and they stop and let you through.
    The off-road bits were quite fun except for the person in front of us in the convoy that thought the throttle was an on/off switch. Every time he accelerated, we got filled in.
    Did a really steep hill. Had to climb up and over. Lots of ruts, rocks (big), and washouts. I found we have no footage of that as the camera person had her eyes closed for most of it. We are going to have to have a talk about what constitutes good content.
    The last stop was quite a nice sheltered beach (Savaneta Beach?). Angela parked herself in the shade, and I went for a paddle and looked at the tropical fish in the shallows. Nice.
    Anyway, we got back in once piece, dirty, hungry, and somewhat stressed out but wouldn't have missed it for quids.
    That's the last stop. Sigh... two days at sea, then the U S of A, where we get off and flit off to the UK.    Read more

  • Buenos Aires to UK via Panama
    We is here.
    Tongue out = intense concentrationTwo old people misbehaving (not really)Cruising the beachThe hills of Haiti

    Aruba to Fort Lauderdale - Day 1

    April 3, 2024, Caribbean Sea ⋅ 🌬 27 °C

    Day at sea on the way to Fort Lauderdale, end point of the cruise.
    Did a fair bit of packing today. Don't want to have a last minute panic.
    Other than that it's the usual routine. Find a corner away from the germ distributors, crosswords, books, and get photos off devices. I've added a couple of pix from yesterday, I got off the 360 camera if anyone is interested.
    Going to pass between Haiti and Cuba later today. It's probably too far away to see anything.
    Cooks are putting on an Indonesian lunch today. 😋 Hope I can get some chicken rendang or ikan bilis. Probably not. I'll settle for whatever I can get.
    PS - they are listening. They just played 'Cocomo' by the Beach Boys on the background music. Never done that before. Why is that creepy? Google the lyrics.    Read more

  • Buenos Aires to UK via Panama

    Final Day- At sea to Fort Lauderdale

    April 4, 2024, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Last day today. Have done 90% of packing and weighed the cases. Didn't buy many souvenirs, so we are well within weight.
    I have run out of books, so I did 4 crosswords so far today. No whales, etc, so there is not much to photograph.
    Off the coast of Cuba ATM. Not as high as the coast of Haiti, so we see only glimpses. The sea is pretty calm. I think we are sheltered by the Bahamas.
    We're just having a hot dog for lunch . Food on this ship has been a bit ordinary, but the hot dogs are nice.
    Weird food observation. They have sweet Danish pastries and iced doughnuts on the buffet for breakfast but not for morning or afternoon tea. Um, why is that?
    Hoping everything goes OK with immigration, customs, etc, with all my meds tomorrow.
    Oh, the pool area was invaded with towel animals again. Have to be careful around the crocodile.    Read more

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