Exploring on the Explorer. Lautoka, Fiji to Broome, Australia

[highplanesdrifters]

Last sunset and one food pic.  I'm totally fired from the Food Pic club.  I can never remember to take pics. But I got one last Coconut  shrimp pic.

 

 

 

[imcpa]

On 5/29/2023 at 11:47 PM, highplanesdrifters said:

Before I forget....

Shout out to the brilliant @Port Power

Clueless dolt that I am, didn't realize that the toiletrie bottles had a flip top until she pointed it out. 🤣

 

OMG.  How did I not know this after four SS cruises beginning with Cloud in 2010 and ending with Moon in January/February of this year, and various hotel stays with Bvlgari?  Thanks so much for posting this.

In between those four cruises, I also squeezed in five on Crystal, three on Viking ocean, two on Seabourn and once on Windstar, Paul Gauguin and Regent.  Two more Seabourn cruises coming soon too!

[highplanesdrifters]

Welcome to the clueless club.   It's very elite.😁

[highplanesdrifters]

Ladies and Gentlemen that concludes our tour.  Thanks for coming along and also to @Port Power and @FauxNom for ramping up the fun. Will do a recap in a few days.

 

Disembarkation was a breeze. Silversea transfered us to Cable Beach Club. We hung out by the pool until our seamless flight to Melbourne. The small, very efficient Broome airport has 3 gates, a little restaurant and a few small shops.  

 

Nice decompressing hang out spot.

 

Your last food porn. Got in around 10pm. Delish room service.

 

Good Morning Melbourne! A stunning fall day.

 

 

Fair winds and a following sea to all.

 

 

[drron29]

Thanks for a great report. The Explorer was definitely our favourite ship so lots of memories triggered.

Have a good trip home.

[jpalbny]

2 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

Good Morning Melbourne! A stunning fall day.

 

 

That looks like the view from the Park Hyatt! We stayed there 5 years ago.

 

Have thoroughly enjoyed your trip report and I am very sad to see that it's over. Thankfully it has tided me over until our trip which starts very soon!

 

Safe travels home.

[highplanesdrifters]

6 hours ago, drron29 said:

Thanks for a great report. The Explorer was definitely our favourite ship so lots of memories triggered.

Have a good trip home.

Thanks for all your stories. Really added an interesting dimension. Also enjoy following along on your trip.

[highplanesdrifters]

5 hours ago, jpalbny said:

 

That looks like the view from the Park Hyatt! We stayed there 5 years ago.

 

Have thoroughly enjoyed your trip report and I am very sad to see that it's over. Thankfully it has tided me over until our trip which starts very soon!

 

Safe travels home.

Thanks JP. It is the Park Hyatt. What a lovely hotel.  Now I get to live vicariously through your journey.   Looks like an amazing itinerary. 

[TLCOhio]

On 5/31/2023 at 9:29 PM, jpalbny said:

Have thoroughly enjoyed your trip report and I am very sad to see that it's over. Thankfully it has tided me over until our trip which starts very soon!  Safe travels home.

 

Yes, YES, appreciate all of these wonderful reports, visuals, videos and follow-ups by highplanesdrifters and others on this cruise.  Looking forward to your final summary from this major adventure.  

 

For J.P., what is your next planned trip?  Where and how?  Like the pix's from your recent trip to PR, San Juan, etc.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Late Summer 2022, many scenic visuals and details from Canada Maritimes doing Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton Island, etc., via a Tauck land tour.  Visual Summary:

www.flickr.com/photos/196555480@N08/albums

[Mr Luxury]

1 hour ago, TLCOhio said:

 

Yes, YES, appreciate all of these wonderful reports, visuals, videos and follow-ups by highplanesdrifters and others on this cruise.  Looking forward to your final summary from this major adventure.  

 

For J.P., what is your next planned trip?  Where and how?  Like the pix's from your recent trip to PR, San Juan, etc.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Late Summer 2022, many scenic visuals and details from Canada Maritimes doing Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton Island, etc., via a Tauck land tour.  Visual Summary:

www.flickr.com/photos/196555480@N08/albums

I prescribe JP

BED REST 😁

[highplanesdrifters]

3 hours ago, Mr Luxury said:

I prescribe JP

BED REST 😁

Sleeping is my superpower. But can always use a professional prescription.  It's 5a.m., I'm on my second cup of coffee, unpacked, my stomach wants a cheeseburger,  and I'm thinking about a nap.

 

@TLCOhio So much to process on this trip. I'm just amazed at what a great job you do on your reports. I need lessons. And, thanks for the welcome home rally Friday. Nice little giddyup in the P&L.

Edited June 4, 2023 by highplanesdrifters

[mysty]

10 minutes ago, highplanesdrifters said:

Sleeping is my superpower. But can always use a professional prescription.  It's 5a.m., I'm on my second cup of coffee, unpacked, my stomach wants a cheeseburger,  and I'm thinking about a nap.

 

@TLCOhio So much to process on this trip. I'm just amazed at what a great job you do on your reports. I need lessons. And, thanks for the welcome home rally Friday. Nice little giddyup in the P&L.

 

You have no need for lessons High!  You did a spectacular job with your play-by-play and awesome photos! 😁

[TLCOhio]

3 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

Sleeping is my superpower. But can always use a professional prescription.  It's 5a.m., I'm on my second cup of coffee, unpacked, my stomach wants a cheeseburger,  and I'm thinking about a nap.

@TLCOhio So much to process on this trip. I'm just amazed at what a great job you do on your reports. I need lessons. And, thanks for the welcome home rally Friday. Nice little giddyup in the P&L.

 

Don't worry, highplanesdrifters, take a nap and relax!!  You need a "vacation" to catch up and recovery from this amazing adventure.  You did GREAT with all of your wonderful visuals, postings, answering questions, etc.  Excellent sharing!  

 

But, since you asked, I will share a few of my "secrets" and/or ways in which I "cheat" a little to help in the posting process while sailing.  First, I do lots of research in advance and have a computer file full of key summary points for each different port.  That way it is easy and quick to do a summary for post the live/blog for each port about its history, culture, background, etc.  Copy and paste is our friend and helpful in posting much, quickly for text about where we are visiting and why it is important.  

 

Second, I started doing these live/blog when we could only post six pictures at a time on Cruise Critic.  That fits with my belief in only showing people the "Best of the Best" for the visuals.  Folks think you are a better than average photographer if you only show the "good ones"!!  Also for composing and editing pictures on a laptop helps much compared to doing those tasks on just an iPhone or iPad.  Editing and fine-tuning pictures makes a difference as you sort through several hundred pictures taken during a port visit.  Making adjustments for framing, lighting, cutting out visual distractions, etc., takes some time, but fortunately I have been experienced doing those steps, quickly, over many years on my MacBook Pro.  

 

Great job!!!  Rest up and we look forward to hearing more when handy. 

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Sydney to NZ/Auckland Adventure, live/blog 2014 sampling/details with many exciting visuals and key highlights.  On page 23, post #571, see a complete index for all of the pictures, postings.  Now at 243,340 views.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1896175-solstice-live-australianzhawaii-many-pix’s-jan-20-feb-3/

[5waldos]

Wonderful report- leaving for a part of the trip in 2 weeks so very excited!

 

Rather late here but wondering what people used for money in some of the remote ports? Do you bring local money or are the locals happy with foreign currency? US $? Australian? 

Edited September 9, 2023 by 5waldos

[highplanesdrifters]

10 minutes ago, 5waldos said:

Wonderful report- leaving for a part of the trip in 2 weeks so very excited!

 

Rather late here but wondering what people used for money in some of the remote ports? Do you bring local money or are the locals happy with foreign currency? US $? Australian? 

For the most part, US$.  But once we got to Australia, AUD.  FYI, Most of the carvings and trinkets were in the $10-$30 range except for one village in the Solomans. I believe it was Mbili. Their carvers were next level amazing.  Some pieces $200 plus.  

 

Which leg and who with?  I need to travel vicariously!  Have a fabulous trip and please report back.

[5waldos]

Silversea- we board in Cairns o the 30th and go as far as Fiji. 

 

About 10 years ago I did a similar trip on Silversea- started in Palau, down through the Federated States of Micronesia to Solomons, PNG, and landed in Cairns. So some repeat sort of- many of the smaller islands will be either different villages or different islands but then to Vanuatu and Fiji- both new to me. 

 

So even on the remote islands US $ were okay- that is good to know. Thanks for the quick answer!

[highplanesdrifters]

18 hours ago, 5waldos said:

Silversea- we board in Cairns o the 30th and go as far as Fiji. 

 

About 10 years ago I did a similar trip on Silversea- started in Palau, down through the Federated States of Micronesia to Solomons, PNG, and landed in Cairns. So some repeat sort of- many of the smaller islands will be either different villages or different islands but then to Vanuatu and Fiji- both new to me. 

 

So even on the remote islands US $ were okay- that is good to know. Thanks for the quick answer!

I could float around the South Pacific for months on end.  We are headed back next year Guam to Santiago, 40 days on board Seabourn Pursuit. We have been on sister Venture and loved her. We though about going to Palau pre cruise.  One of the expedition leaders on our last trip lives there. 

 

 Any Micronesia and Palau suggestions?

 

Fiji - I'm still thinking about Blue Turtle Gin. 

[5waldos]

...

Edited September 10, 2023 by 5waldos

[5waldos]

25 minutes ago, highplanesdrifters said:

I could float around the South Pacific for months on end.  We are headed back next year Guam to Santiago, 40 days on board Seabourn Pursuit. We have been on sister Venture and loved her. We though about going to Palau pre cruise.  One of the expedition leaders on our last trip lives there. 

 

 Any Micronesia and Palau suggestions?

 

Fiji - I'm still thinking about Blue Turtle Gin. 

We lived in Palau for 4 years and another year in the Federated State of Micronesia. The rock islands in Palau are amazing, Been gone long enough that we probably don't know the expedition leader but curious- what is her/his name? Would also suggest stopping in Yap if you go to Palau- still on of the most traditional of the islands. 

[highplanesdrifters]

@5waldos

Thanks for the Palau & Yap tips. 

 

Matt Boyle is the expedition member from Palau. One of the best expedition members we've ever come across. He seems to be part of Apex Expeditions.  We will be lucky enough to have him on board for our Cape to Cape in February. Aside from Marine Biology he does a captivating WWII lecture series. 

 

[5waldos]

Do hope he'll be on my trip- I don't know him but if he lives in Palau I am sure that we have friends in common- it is a small place. We take off for Australia in 2 weeks- recovering from CoVid but will be well by then. After months of waiting it is suddenly coming up quickly!

[LAexNY]

We are on Explorer now and Matt is on board.

[highplanesdrifters]

 

 

Enjoy the last days of SS Explorer.  She will be missed in the fleet.  Any reports much appreciated.

 

@5waldos  I hope Covid is a distant memory when you board!

@LAexNY. Please tell Matt he has reached legendary status, and enjoy the rest of your journey. 😃

 

 

[5waldos]

12 hours ago, LAexNY said:

We are on Explorer now and Matt is on board.

Wonderful! Looking forward to meeting him in a couple of weeks- hoping he is staying on. Certain that we will have friends in common - Palau is a very small place. 

 

Edited September 11, 2023 by 5waldos

[WesW]

Matt was with us from Puerto Williams to Male this April-May