Papeete, Tahiti

Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia – February 19, 2014

We boarded a 4x4 Land Rover with friends Larry and Ruthanne for a mountain safari in the lush countryside of Tahiti. The views of craters, waterfalls and high cliffs were breathtaking….and we were even buzzed by a military helicopter. We had been warned by our friend Don while in Pitcairn that there was a dengue fever outbreak in Tahiti….soooooo we smeared ourselves with DEET and wore long sleeves and long pants to keep the mosquitoes at bay. It appears that Larry missed the black pants memo….

Oh….and it turns out that Tahiti isn’t actually where the dengue problem is….it’s in Fiji. So I guess this is just a dress rehearsal for our stop in a few days!

Just like Captain Bligh’s crew, Chuck would like to linger longer in Tahiti…..

Moorea

Moorea, French Polynesia – February 20, 2014

The most enchanting feature of unspoiled Moorea is the color of the pristeen waters that surround it….a veritable symphony of blues and greens. Moorea is a romantic heart-shaped island encircled by a beautiful coral reef. It is believed that James Michener based his mythical island of Bali Hai on this tropical paradise.

We had to be tendered in to the island on our cute little lifeboats.

We boarded a catamaran for a lagoon cruise where we swam with the manta rays and (friendly!) sharks….

….and got up close and personal with the feathered wildlife.

We agreed that this was one of our favorite ports so far….and we were a little sad to see the mist-shrouded peaks of this volcanic island fading into the twilight at the end of the day.

Fiji

Suva, Fiji – February 26, 2014

Well, this is more like it!! Finally….a marching band with all the bells and whistles!! We were spoiled on Queen Victoria’s maiden world cruise in 2008 where we were greeted by entertainment on the quay in every port. (www.waterunderthebridges.blogspot.com) Hearing a rousing rendition of “YMCA,” we rushed from our stateroom out onto our balcony to this sight. Encore! Encore!

Since we had received notification of a dengue fever outbreak currently taking place in Fiji, we slathered on the DEET before hitting the streets of Suva. This city is the largest in the islands of the South Pacific and so was a great place to load up on souvenirs and any needed incidentals. The skies opened up shortly after we disembarked, so our first purchases were some souvenir umbrellas!

The pouring rain bore bad news for our scuba-diving companions, Ginny and Damon. They had planned to stay and dive on Fiji for a week and rejoin the ship in Sydney. But we have learned that there is a tropical depression which is strengthening and could become a full-blown cyclone. Emergency shelters are being set up on the island and flood warnings are out. Fifteen-foot waves are expected and have dashed any thoughts of staying on Fiji. The waves were already crashing on the reefs as we left the harbor of Suva.

New Caledonia

Noumea, New Caledonia – February 28, 2014

Yay….more dancers greeting us on the quay!!

Yummmmmm! We can already feel the French influence here in this very European-like city….even before we take our first sip of cappuccino or our first nibble of a croissant. Who knew that there was a little slice of Paris sitting out here in the South Pacific!?! Yep….Noumea has been labeled as the “Paris of the Pacific.” No surprise there! The trick will be to see how much of our French we can remember.

The barrier reef that stretches along the coast of New Caledonia is second in size to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and was named by UNESCO in 2008 to the World Heritage List. Also like Australia, New Caledonia spent some of its early years as a penal colony.

It is sometimes challenging for tourists to make themselves understood. Our friend Ginny heard about the fabulous snorkeling at nearby Ile aux Canards (Duck Island.) She managed to get herself onto a bus going in that direction, but didn’t know how to tell the driver (who spoke no English) where she wanted to get off. So she started quacking at him….and he seemed to get the idea! As they drove along, she would emit an occasional “Quack, quack!” to remind him of her stop!! And voila!! Ginny enjoyed an excellent day on Duck Island!!

Queen Victoria did not leave the port of Noumea until later in the evening so Chuck and I headed south of the city to Baie des Citrons. This is a beach community reminiscent of the South of France. The long expanse of beautiful beach is lined with open-air restaurants and is known for its nightlife. I read that the beach is clothing-optional….but since we arrived after dark, I can’t really attest to that. While not sounding terribly French, “Duke’s” provided just the atmosphere (and free Wifi!!!) we were looking for….and gave us a good photo to send to our Duke-educated daughter! Sarah, this one’s for you….

Brisbane

Brisbane, Australia – March 3, 2014

Wow! A real city!! We haven’t seen skyscrapers since we left South America. In many of the South Pacific islands we’ve visited, you can’t even build anything that’s higher than a palm tree. I think our necks will be a little bit stiff tonight!

As we’ve always said, “We’ve never met an Australian we didn’t like!” They are just so fun-loving and their mantra seems to be “No worries, mate!” Chuck asked the driver of our shuttle bus into the city if he could take his picture….and, as you can see, this bloke is having fun….and clearly has no worries!!

When we were in Brisbane in 2008 we happened upon a Belgian Beer Café that we really loved. It was the next best thing to actually being in Belgium. They had those unbelievable hand-cut french fries with rosemary and sea salt, and they were served….well, like this…..

Our traveling buddies met us there for an extended lunch and it was every bit as good as we remembered. I guess the only question might be….”Why would we travel all the way to Australia on the other side of the earth to go to a Belgian café??” And we have no answer to that!

On the way to Brisbane we were invited to dine with the Chief Security Officer on Queen Victoria. We had lots of questions and he was very forthcoming. Chuck was curious about the LRADs (Long Range Acoustic Devices) that are positioned on the decks for use in the event of a pirate attack. They basically emit harmful and pain-inducing tones that are disabling to humans. Chuck and Damon have been invited to a private demonstration….and perhaps a duel at 50 paces with the LRADs!?! When we asked if there are weapons on board, we were told that there is no need because the Gurkhas (Nepalese soldiers who make up the majority of the security force) can kill you with a pencil!! I guess when they tell us to queue up we’d better pay attention!!

Chuck, Susan, Damon and Ginny with our new friend, Andy.

Sydney

Sydney, Australia – March 5, 2014

Ahhhh….Sydney!!! Queen Victoria nestled into her berth in the heart of downtown Sydney….right between the iconic Opera House and the Harbour Bridge.

The magazine Conde Nast Traveler named Sydney as the world’s favorite tourist destination ahead of Paris, Florence and San Francisco. Oh, to have more than a day here!

It was a glorious day for a ferry ride to Watsons Bay and lunch at Doyle’s on the beach. We had no idea what kind of surprise we were in store for!! As we waited for our food, who came strolling into the restaurant but our friends Don and Marilyn! Yes!! The same Don and Marilyn who had been on Pitcairn Island since right after Christmas! And it gets even better….because they are traveling back across the Pacific with us on Queen Victoria!!!! So our “tribe” is now eight members strong! We all traveled together on Queen Victoria’s Maiden World Cruise in 2008 and it is so fantastic to be sharing fabulous memories at the same time that we are making new ones.

The Rocks is one of the liveliest and most colorful precincts of Sydney. It is the area where the city was originally settled by the convict colony that fashioned Sydney’s sandstone rock into buildings along the shore. While this historic area has been beautifully restored with charming boutiques and restaurants, history recounts it as “a most unsavoury part of town, a haunt for seafarers, prostitutes and street gangs.” Sounds like the perfect place for our band of eight to enjoy one last toast to Sydney before our sailaway at 9:00.

Milford Sound

Cruising Milford Sound, New Zealand – March 8, 2014

Milford Sound on the South Island of New Zealand is, in fact, a fiord. Its sheer rock faces illustrate the major stages of the early glacial history of this area. Chuck hiked the Milford Track in 1996 so he is especially interested in experiencing it this time from the sea.

The Sound is the wettest place in New Zealand (a recent record is 29 ft of rain in one year!) and is known for its extreme and unpredictable climate. We arrived here at dawn to find ethereal ribbons of mist draped over the landscape. This land of shadows is indeed a study in grays.

It comes as no surprise that Rudyard Kipling called Milford Sound the 8^th wonder of the world.