2/28-29 Bali (Benoa), Indonesia

Bali is the most popular Indonesian island - known for its natural settings, scenic beaches, traditional culture, rich history, creativity, arts and crafts, and the genuine warmth of the local people. We have been fortunate enough to be here several times; every time is a new experience. We had already seen the attractions in Bali that we wanted to see and it was sweltering hot and humid, so we stayed close to the ship and enjoyed the air conditioning. We did wander around the little town a few times and enjoyed the local surroundings. It was a very relaxing and enjoyable visit.

Sunrise over Bali

Catur Muka Statue depicting the Hindu god Brahma

Rodney at Port of Benoa

Sheryl at Port of Benoa

Statue along street

Statue along street

Temple across from cruise terminal

2/27 Komodo National Park (Rinca), Indonesia

Spanning 670 square miles, Komodo National Park encompasses 26 small islands and the three larger islands of Padar, Komodo, and Rinca. These volcanic islands are inhabited by a population of around 5,700 giant lizards, whose appearance and aggressive behavior have led to them being called 'Komodo dragons'. These giant lizards exist nowhere else in the world and are of great scientific interest, especially for their evolutionary implications. They are the largest living species of lizard, growing to a maximum length of 3 m (9.8 ft) and weighing up to 70 kg (150 lb).

The last time we were here, we went to Komodo Island (the largest of the Komodo Islands). This time we went to the lesser-known Rinca Island. It was very nice with wooden walkways and a great museum. The Komodo dragons were not as large as those we saw on Komodo Island but were equally intimidating!

Baby Komodo Dragon

Two Komodo dragons resting under a tree

Rodney at Komodo National Park (it was sooooooo hot!)

Jessica and Mr. X at the park museum

2/23 Thursday Island, Australia

Thursday Island is an island of the Torres Strait Islands, a group of at least 274 small islands in the Torres Strait. It has an area of about 1.4 square miles. The highest point on Thursday Island is Milman Hill, a World War II defense facility, standing at 341 feet above sea level. It has a population of approximately 2,805 people.

We were greeted by a lovely group of locals who took us to their community center for a wonderfully educational talk by some of their elders and a great performance by children from the local high school.

Welcome from local leader

Educational talk by local elder

High schooler's traditional dance performance

High schooler's traditional dance performance

What their flag stands for

War memorial

2/21 Cairns, Australia

We had been to the beautiful city of Cairns before but had not been to their amazing aquarium, so that is where we headed. And it certainly did not disappoint! With over 16,000 animals in 71 different habitats, it is by far the largest and most incredible aquarium we’ve been to. They are dedicated to the conservation of the animals and plants that live in two adjoining World Heritage-listed areas, the Great Barrier Reef and The Wet Tropics of Queensland. The aquarium is set up uniquely as well. Upon entering, you follow the journey of a drop of rain as it descends from the mountain ranges down into rivers and streams, through the rainforest, across the mangroves, into the shallows of the reef, and finally into the depths of the Coral Sea. It was a very enjoyable experience and a must-see if you ever have the opportunity to visit this wonderful city!

Amethystine Snake

Rankins Snake Neck Turtle

Honeycomb Moray

Crocodile

Seahorses

Coral and Starfish

Sharks, Stingrays, and fish, fish, fish

Longfin Bannerfish, Blue-spotted Spinefoot, Lemonpeel Angelfish,
Fox-faced Rabbitfish and Yellowback Anthias

Longhorn Cowfish

Canary Wrasse & Longnose Butterfly Fish

Singray and Scissor-tail Sergeant

Painted Crayfish

2/20 Whitsunday Islands (Airlie Beach), Australia

74 islands make up the Whitsundays. They are located between the northeast coast of Queensland, Australia, and the Great Barrier Reef. Most of the islands are uninhabited and boast dense rainforests, white sand beaches, and many hiking trails.

We opted for a scenic boat tour around these beautiful islands.

Whitsunday Islands

Whitsunday Islands

Whitsunday Islands

Whitsunday Islands

2/9 & 2/15-16 Sydney, Australia

We were scheduled to do some scenic sailing through Milford/Doubtful Sound on 2/7 and then arrive in Tasmania (Hobart), Australia on the 2/10. Unfortunately, there was a scheduled Pilot’s strike due to happen on the 10^th. Viking tried to get us in earlier in order to miss the strike but had no luck in doing so. Therefore, they re-routed us to Sydney, arriving on the 9^th, as we needed to arrive at a port in Australia where we could have a face-to-face interview with the Australian authorities. While it was a disappointment to miss the Milfort/Doubtful Sound and Hobart, we love Sydney and it was great to get to spend extra time there.

On the 9^th, Viking set up a wonderful, and very informative, water cruise around Sydney Harbour. After the tour, we had a delicious lunch at Lotus Barangaroo in Darling Harbour and did a little shopping.

On the 15^th, we enjoyed a very nice bus tour around the city that stopped for close-up views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge (which we walked across the top of in 2008) and Opera House, Mrs. MacQuaries Chair and spent time at beautiful Bondi Beach.

The 16^th, we took the local ferry down to The Rocks and walked back to Darling Harbour, where we enjoyed yummy fish and chips for lunch at love.fish.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Sydney Opera House

Luna Park

Mrs. MacQuaries Chair

Rodney w/Sydney Opera House & Harbour Bridge

Bondi Beach

Crown Casino (recently opened)

2/14 Eden, Australia

We were scheduled to dock in Eden today. Unfortunately, the waters were too rough and we were unable to do so. On the upside, the chefs on the ship created a beautiful and yummy display of chocolates to celebrate Valentine's Day.

Chocolate Buffet

Chocolate Buffet

2/12 Melbourne (Geelong), Australia

We took a great tour out of Geelong to see the famous Twelve Apostles – a collection of limestone stacks off the shore of Port Campbell National Park in Victoria. While it was a very long day (11 hours), it was a day well spent. We drove along the Great Ocean Road and stopped at some beautiful beaches, saw some Koalas in the wild along the highway, had a wonderful lunch in Apollo Bay, and arrived at the Twelve Apostles around midafternoon. They are beautiful limestone stacks of which there are seven, not 12. We learned that there actually weren’t 12 when they were named – evidently, that was a marketing ploy, LOL! There were nine at the beginning of the 21^st century; one collapsed in 2005, and another in 2009, leaving seven. Of those, more will wash away and others will form, along with arches and bridges, with the crashing of the rough waves along the coast.

We then stopped at Loch Ard Gorge along Shipwreck Coast, the site of the most famous shipwreck along this 130 km stretch of coastline that has been the final resting place of around 700 ships. The Loch Ard ship ran aground crashing into Mutton Bird Island in 1878 when traveling from England to Melbourne, killing 52 of the 54 people on board. The limestone cliffs were gorgeous, and one could easily see how dangerous the rough seas along the coastline were for ships.

The Great Ocean Road

The Great Ocean Road

The Great Ocean Road Sculpture

Beach along The Great Ocean Road

Koala along The Great Ocean Road

The Twelve Apostles

Sheryl at The Twelve Apostles

Shipwreck Coast

Rodney at Shipwreck Coast