Now for something completely different

[Blackduck59]

A very dear friend of Lynn's cruised extensively on Princess,  They did a circumnavigation of the world but not a "world cruise". Also several Alaska Cruises, they were just preparing to embark on another Alaska cruise when Liz was diagnosed with brain cancer, she fought hard but passed just days before their 56th wedding anniversary (which is the same date as ours). I think it will be a while before we sail on a Princess ship it's still too fresh, she passed less than a month ago.

[GUT2407]

Just now, Blackduck59 said:

A very dear friend of Lynn's cruised extensively on Princess,  They did a circumnavigation of the world but not a "world cruise". Also several Alaska Cruises, they were just preparing to embark on another Alaska cruise when Liz was diagnosed with brain cancer, she fought hard but passed just days before their 56th wedding anniversary (which is the same date as ours). I think it will be a while before we sail on a Princess ship it's still too fresh, she passed less than a month ago.

Condolences to you and your friend. I have a good friend did multiple Silverseas cruises, her husband had a stroke the day they got home from Antarctica, while she is still young, I doubt she will cruise with them, maybe not at all, in future.

[OzKiwiJJ]

12 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

A very dear friend of Lynn's cruised extensively on Princess,  They did a circumnavigation of the world but not a "world cruise". Also several Alaska Cruises, they were just preparing to embark on another Alaska cruise when Liz was diagnosed with brain cancer, she fought hard but passed just days before their 56th wedding anniversary (which is the same date as ours). I think it will be a while before we sail on a Princess ship it's still too fresh, she passed less than a month ago.

I'm so sorry to hear that, Lyle. My condolences to you all. 

[NSWP]

9 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

Fixed it for you

Where has my motor bike gone? I need to ride north to fix Mr Gut up.🤣👮‍♂️No section 12.

[lyndarra]

1 hour ago, GUT2407 said:

Hey I’ll take ice cream any day of the week

That beats a HAL tile.

[Blackduck59]

Looks like I have Lynn on board for the 14 day Auckland to Sydney aboard Celebrity Eclipse in mid January 2022. Now we have to cancel all the booked accommodation and flights. Hopefully we can get the same premium seats as we had before, assuming Air New Zealand is flying direct flights to and from Vancouver. I guess we will have to wait until they open bookings for flights in Feb 2021.

We may also revert to the original plan to drive between Sydney and Melbourne, we would have the car a few more days but of course there would be the one way fee. Hopefully mother nature will be kind and hold off on the wildfires between now and then.

[Docker123]

I don’t  remember if this bit of driving was discussed previously. Also, depends on how many days you wish to allocate.
 

A few options. Simple one is to get in the car and drive down highway 1 until you get to Melbourne. Stopping, of course, to see the dog on the Tucker box in Gundagai. About 12 hours of not much to see.
 

1a is to pull off that highway and go into Canberra.  Plenty of interesting things there, except the politicians.

 

Second major option, but decidedly longer, is to take the coastal route. Either directly south from Sydney, visiting Uncle Les in Batemans Bay, down through Eden, and then into Victoria with places like Mallacoota , Wilson’s Promontory, Lakes Entrance and on to Melbourne. Could be a week, but some beautiful countryside and ocean frontage.

 

2a is to take the road from Sydney and go to Canberra. From there it is an easy drive to that south coast area.

 

I have one the direct drive and the Canberra to the coast version.  Preferred to coastal one, but we were in no hurry.

Edited August 9, 2020 by Docker123

[GUT2407]

Yep take the long way, much more enjoyable trip.

[Blackduck59]

The very original plan that was before the fires was to drive from Melbourne (the disembarkation point of the original cruise) to Sydney on the coastal route. Then the fires happened and we switched to flying. Of course we didn't have any connections in Oz then and the route was not that important. Now we do have quite a few people we would like to meet so the drive seems the best option. Hopefully people will be close to home when we are there. It would be so ironic if after monthes of conversing on here that everyone we would like to meet are themselves off on cruises somewhere else.

[GUT2407]

3 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

The very original plan that was before the fires was to drive from Melbourne (the disembarkation point of the original cruise) to Sydney on the coastal route. Then the fires happened and we switched to flying. Of course we didn't have any connections in Oz then and the route was not that important. Now we do have quite a few people we would like to meet so the drive seems the best option. Hopefully people will be close to home when we are there. It would be so ironic if after monthes of conversing on here that everyone we would like to meet are themselves off on cruises somewhere else.

I’ve only met a couple of them. And some of those I wish I hadn’t😱, and others wish they hadn’t met me 🤪

[Docker123]

3 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

I’ve only met a couple of them. And some of those I wish I hadn’t😱, and others wish they hadn’t met me 🤪

Beat me to it.

[OzKiwiJJ]

The coastal route is lovely and by the time your cruise ends school holidays will be over. 

 

Plan to do it over a few days, if possible, so you can have a leisurely trip and explore some of the coastal towns. 

[NSWP]

4 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

I’ve only met a couple of them. And some of those I wish I hadn’t😱, and others wish they hadn’t met me 🤪

I have met Mic and Sutho etc.🤐And a few Princess board posters, Americans.

Edited August 9, 2020 by NSWP

[NSWP]

7 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

I’ve only met a couple of them. And some of those I wish I hadn’t😱, and others wish they hadn’t met me 🤪

Gbenjo likes you, he rolls out ye olde red carpet at the OPT. Cause you are Spethial.

Edited August 9, 2020 by NSWP

[Docker123]

2 minutes ago, NSWP said:

I have met Mic and Sutho etc.🤐And a few Princess board posters, Americans.

We did meet at the meet and greet you organised on QM2.

 

[Blackduck59]

5 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

I’ve only met a couple of them. And some of those I wish I hadn’t😱, and others wish they hadn’t met me 🤪

 

Well I'll enter this with an open mind, I may have the same assessment. I guess I'll find out in February of 2022.🤨

[Blackduck59]

4 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

The coastal route is lovely and by the time your cruise ends school holidays will be over. 

 

Plan to do it over a few days, if possible, so you can have a leisurely trip and explore some of the coastal towns. 

 

I liked that plan from before the fires. We want to see more of the country but only have a little over 2 weeks. We had planned 3 days in Melbourne and Sydney but my cut back on that. I have a few must sees, Philip Island, the Apostles and Ballarat. I don't want to just drive all day. I think maybe 5 days for the drive from Sydney to Melbourne. Probably a visit to Canberra and Batehaven. I can stand Mic a descent bottle of wine and see if I can get Uncle Les a glass of Ron Zacappa Rum at the local purveyor of beverages.

[lyndarra]

25 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

I’ve only met a couple of them. And some of those I wish I hadn’t😱, and others wish they hadn’t met me 🤪

Are you one of those that would never join a club that would accept you as a member?😁

[NSWP]

25 minutes ago, Docker123 said:

We did meet at the meet and greet you organised on QM2.

 

My memory fades young Adrian. Ah you were the gent with the sword? Touche...Fence.

Edited August 9, 2020 by NSWP

[GUT2407]

9 minutes ago, lyndarra said:

Are you one of those that would never join a club that would accept you as a member?😁

Yep

 

[NSWP]

1 minute ago, GUT2407 said:

Yep

 

Like an ex officio member?

[Blackduck59]

So is 4 days enough to get from Sydney to Philip Island at a leisurely pace, being able to stop and see some things along the way? 

[By The Bay]

Just now, Blackduck59 said:

So is 4 days enough to get from Sydney to Philip Island at a leisurely pace, being able to stop and see some things along the way? 

I would think you will be using the Princes Highway, stopping at Batehaven? If that is the case, 4 days will allow you to explore a few sites along the way. If you are into caves, there are some at Buchan near Lakes Entrance.

A side trip down to the Southern most point on the Australian mainland to Wilsons Promontory is worth a visit.

[NSWP]

Buchan Caves is worth a visit.

[Blackduck59]

Caves while fascinating are out for us, we are both claustrophobic. Phobias are a strange thing, I don't do heights but will ride up a mountain in a gondola or even on a ski lift. but ladders are a bit of a problem. This is why I'm a cabinet maker not a carpenter.