Bit of a Blog : Solstice : Auckland – Fremantle – Sydney : February 14th 2016

[NorbertsNiece]

The road to WA is sealed across the Nullabor Plain - South Australia to WA.

 

When I first visited to Ayers Rock (as it was then in 1981) the road from Alice Springs to Ayers Rock was still a corrugated rough dirt road. I also climbed to the top of the Rock.

 

We have come a long way since then. Local Aboriginal ownership' date=' in conjunction with government (there is a board of governors with specific representation), has really enhanced the experience of visiting this beautiful part of the continent.

 

I'm interested to see the Valley of the Winds walk was closed. Don't suppose you know why? That is the walk we did last time we visited in 2010. Couldn't do it now. It was tough enough then!

 

Great photos - you have done a fantastic job of sharing an otherwise unseen part of Australia.[/quote']

 

No idea why the walk was closed. Was quite windy.

 

I do recall that the governorship of the area is made of 4 Anangu men, 4 Anangu women and 4 others.

[edmonton2]

I''m really going to miss this blog! I started reading when we returned home from the Caribbean and you have been my cure for the post-cruise blues!!! And since we are planning an Australia/NZ cruise in a couple of years, I have been most interested in your travels. I will go back and re-read your blog many times, I am sure! Thank you for all of the detailed information and great pictures - and your commentary has been very entertaining! I look forward to following along on your next adventures - wherever that might be. :)

[NorbertsNiece]

Thank you :D

 

No plans in place for further cruises.... really yearn to head off to South America.... or the Far East.... I've a bucket list.... :)

 

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I received my missing case back this afternoon and the damaged suitcase is going to be replaced by the airline (?) this week.

[cruisincha]

All I can say, is thank you so much for your postings. They were so informative and entertaining and will be missed. Thanks again!!

[PCWalton1]

Linda,

I know I have said this several times already but it bears repeating. Thank you so much for taking us along. I do not know if Marie and I will ever make it to Australia so your detailed accounting of your travels is precious.

 

Thanks again,

[NorbertsNiece]

All I can say, is thank you so much for your postings. They were so informative and entertaining and will be missed. Thanks again!!

 

Linda,

I know I have said this several times already but it bears repeating. Thank you so much for taking us along. I do not know if Marie and I will ever make it to Australia so your detailed accounting of your travels is precious.

 

Thanks again,

 

Thank you so much.

It's been a pleasure.

Beats laundry and the ensuing ironing.

[MMDown Under]

Love your take off in London photo. It is just how I think of London, yet it is one of my favourite cities to visit. Always planning a further visit!

 

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences and photos of a wonderful trip, full of happy memories, no doubt.

[MicCanberra]

Thanks for a wonderful review and great pictures.:D

[NorbertsNiece]

Love your take off in London photo. It is just how I think of London, yet it is one of my favourite cities to visit. Always planning a further visit!

 

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences and photos of a wonderful trip, full of happy memories, no doubt.

 

Thanks for a wonderful review and great pictures.:D

 

Thanks.

 

So there's an interesting post cruise reaction going on here..... Slept well last night..... woke with purpose and energy. Supermarket. Laundry. Made soup. From scratch. Chicken in oven. Booked car in for work. Called Celebrity Customer Services booking line. They called me back. Celebrity isn't doing Cruise Tours to South America. Princess does. Emailed my TA.

[I'm from Oz]

Linda,

I know I have said this several times already but it bears repeating. Thank you so much for taking us along. I do not know if Marie and I will ever make it to Australia so your detailed accounting of your travels is precious.

 

Thanks again,

Well you had to back out of the Radiance cruise - you never know you may get the B2B chance one day and go all the way :rolleyes:

[I'm from Oz]

Thanks.

 

So there's an interesting post cruise reaction going on here..... Slept well last night..... woke with purpose and energy. Supermarket. Laundry. Made soup. From scratch. Chicken in oven. Booked car in for work. Called Celebrity Customer Services booking line. They called me back. Celebrity isn't doing Cruise Tours to South America. Princess does. Emailed my TA.

Oooooo - we have our eye on that one, but Sydney to Sydney.

 

Princess announced a circumnavigation cruise for 2017 but we had already decided we would do the Kimberley.

 

Hoping it won't be a one off. :)

[NorbertsNiece]

You thought it was all over....... it is now..... (replacement suitcase received this morning)

03-03 - Perth, Australia (Welcome).pdf

03-04 - At Sea 1.pdf

03-05 - At Sea 2.pdf

03-06 - At Sea 3.pdf

03-07 - At Sea 4.pdf

03-08 - Darwin, Australia (Day 1).pdf

03-09 - Darwin, Australia (Day 2).pdf

03-10 - At Sea 5.pdf

03-11 - At Sea 6.pdf

03-12 - At Sea 7.pdf

03-13 - Willis Island, Australia.pdf

03-14 - Cairns, Yorkeys Knob, Australia (1).pdf

03-15 - Airlie Beach, Australia.pdf

03-16 - At Sea 9.pdf

03-17 - Brisbane, Australia.pdf

03-18 - At Sea 10.pdf

03-19 - Newcastle, Australia.pdf

Edited March 31, 2016 by NorbertsNiece

[Jason12]

[emoji1376][emoji1376][emoji1376] a round of applause for one of the best travel bloggers around, thank you for showing me what I missed.. :)

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[cricketts]

A standing ovation for the best "live" blog ever!!

And, thank you for all these PDF's that you just added - they are extremely helpful :D

[seafarerliz]

Here's what it looks like now

 

 

Here's the other one..... not seen it in a while

 

 

Au revoir Sydney

 

 

I spent some time taking pics of the journey graphics on the onboard TV. Three and a half hours later we are still over Australia.

 

And this is take off in London......

 

 

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I'd like to thank each and every one of you for taking the time to read, comment and post here over the past 7 weeks. You made it so much fun for me to do. Valerie has been super with her suggestions and friendship as have all of you who shared your experiences. Back to my real world of taxes, car insurance but best of all 3 big girls and 3 little boys who are a gift.

 

The first 15 seconds of

says it all but the whole track makes me smile and takes me back to simpler times....

 

Oh and I was singing along.....

Hi Linda,

I love your blog, could not see it on board because of the rubbish wifi but have caught up with it now. We arrived back on the 24th and have just about got over the jet lag now. I did the Uluru trip with three children in 1992 and stayed at the Sails in the Desert, your photos bring back so many memories. We were with a small group, just 10 in a little bus with a trailer for the luggage, Kakadu tours. We did climb the rock (you did in those days) but the hand rails were not there then, just chains against the rock to pull yourself up with. I hope you are adjusting to being home, the ship seems such a long time ago! Heather

[NorbertsNiece]

Heather :D Lovely to hear from you.

 

Lagged today. Super energetic yesterday then the grandsons visited!!

 

Memories of you rescuing me from eating an entire plate of petit fours on my own!!!

 

[seafarerliz]

Yum! I remember those petit fours well, they were so delicious :D I can taste them again just looking at this picture :D

Heather

[Beanb41]

Linda

Thanks for your blog. We have just returned home form the 10 day South Pacific cruise following on from your trip around NZ and Australia.

A legacy of your trip is the Cruise Critic luncheon which you started on the Solstice. We had one as well and speaking with Brenda it will now become the norm for Solstice cruises. We have requested a CC luncheon when we join the Constellation in Rome in two weeks and provided it can be fitted in I am advised it will also be arranged. Only two sea days may cause a little difficulty.

[NorbertsNiece]

Linda

Thanks for your blog. We have just returned home form the 10 day South Pacific cruise following on from your trip around NZ and Australia.

A legacy of your trip is the Cruise Critic luncheon which you started on the Solstice. We had one as well and speaking with Brenda it will now become the norm for Solstice cruises. We have requested a CC luncheon when we join the Constellation in Rome in two weeks and provided it can be fitted in I am advised it will also be arranged. Only two sea days may cause a little difficulty.

 

That's wonderful :D

 

I have to confess the idea isn't mine.... Not sure which RCL cruise it was (Navigator perhaps) the invitation just appeared and I assumed it was generic throughout the fleet to discover that it isn't. These two were the best attended to date of ones I've organised and certainly the most efficiently run and the hors d'oeuvres were a delightful surprise.

 

Do you happen to know if Brenda went on leave yesterday? I know there was talk of putting it back......

Edited April 2, 2016 by NorbertsNiece

[One_plus_one]

Thanks for your fantastic blog Linda. It was great to go on the trip with you. Please do another one soon ;)

[NorbertsNiece]

Thanks for your fantastic blog Linda. It was great to go on the trip with you. Please do another one soon ;)

 

Next cruise and 'Bit of a Blog' will be on Princess I'm afraid. I'm itinerary focused and my TA, who put this cruise package together, has put an awesome bucket list cruise tour together for South America that includes Macchu Picchu.

[cricketts]

Next cruise and 'Bit of a Blog' will be on Princess I'm afraid. I'm itinerary focused and my TA, who put this cruise package together, has put an awesome bucket list cruise tour together for South America that includes Macchu Picchu.

 

Sounds like you've got an excellent TA!

[delondin]

We did these cruises but as two separate cruises spread over two years. You brought the memories back so thank you.

[NorbertsNiece]

I put together a set of photos on FB of one pic for each day away..... it really brought back the memories of the very early days of this adventure..... time and brain conjoin to only have so much space at any one time so the taking of so many pics really serves a great purpose. Can not imagine ever being able to do anything this ambitious with a Kodak..... really would like a better camera for night time and dark interior shots though.....

[janabelle61]

Next cruise and 'Bit of a Blog' will be on Princess I'm afraid. I'm itinerary focused and my TA, who put this cruise package together, has put an awesome bucket list cruise tour together for South America that includes Macchu Picchu.

 

Linda - Count me as an avid follower! You're an inspiration to those of us who travel 'solo' :)

 

Following along on this trip has cemented my desire to return to Australia (went for work a few years ago) when I have time to truly explore that amazing country. South America and Macchu Picchu are also high on my bucket list so I anxiously await traveling their through your eyes!