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Thread: My 2019 world cruise

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    Default My 2019 world cruise

    This year , Anne and I flew to Miami, got a Limo to take us to Fort Lauderdale and an overnight stay in the Crown Plaza Hotel, before joining the `Amsterdam`,
    We sailed the following day bound through the Indies past the coasts of Cuba, and Jamaica to Santa Marta in Columbia. It was a quaint small town, spoiled by drug dealers asking us if we wanted to buy. The following day we sailed to the San Blas Island.
    Never seen a place like it on earth, very primitive, the Island was packed with bamboo shanties on top of each other the street less than six feet wide, could touch the walls on both sides,
    The People looked very undeveloped, like going back a thousand years, I have always wanted to go to San Blas, I had heard of it and sailed near them between Columbia and Panama, they belong to Panama. It was an interesting visit. Glad I have been at last but no wish to go again.
    Then on to Panama Canal, always interesting to sail through there, The new locks are operating now and saw the BIG 23,000 container ships passing through, after leaving the Canal we spent the day and night in Fuerte Armador near Panama City, a very modern place it is now.
    From there we went to Salaverry in Peru, left the ship early morning to fly to Cuzco in the Andes overnight stay then a train ride up the mountains to the end of the line and then a bus along the rough bumpy tracks to Machu Pichu, the lost city in the Andes, the scenery is out of this world, Incredible place, got lots of photos. then the bus and train back to Cuzco , overnight stay again in the hotel and then the flight down to Lima and Calleo where the ship was waiting. A fantastic trip[.
    We then sailed to Arica in Chile, for a day before the five day voyage to Easter Island, real name, is, Rapa Nui, where the Big Statues are, incredible sights, we went up the mountain where these huge statues are carved Horizontally out of the rock, over 65 feet tall and weigh over 65 Tons, these were carved many centuries ago and it is incredible how these giants were transported around the island, no road, no wheels, no cranes and all lifted into position,
    Hats on some weigh 15 tons and amazing how they lifted them 65 feet to place them on their heads.

    We had been there before on the 2016 World Cruise and was still fascinating.
    We then sailed for three days to Pitcairn's Island, where I met my old friend Jackie Christian, a great welcome as usual, she is the Great grt grt grt grt granddaughter of Fletcher Christian, the Bounty Mutineer, an attractive lady.
    Pitcairn's now only has a population of 38 residents, In 2016 there were 50 people there, The problem is eventually there may be none at all one day. Children go to school on the Island, only five children there now, then continue there education in New Zealand and after seeing how they live in NZ are reluctant to go back to the island.
    Two days later we arrived in Pape`ette, Tahiti, to see my old friends Stan and Eline, I leapt ashore to the phone, He says , we are not in `Pape,` we are in Moorea, So feeling a little sad at not seeing them we went over to Matavai Bay to spend the day there, That is where the Bounty stayed for six months awaiting the Bread Fruit season. before the Mutiny.

    It seemed a little strange walking on the same sand that Bligh , Christian and the crew of the Bounty had walked upon. I got a small bottle of black sand off the beach to bring home, I also visited the Breadfruit tree where I had buried my tooth under it when my Dentist in Bolton, Mr Christian, had pulled a few years ago.
    We had an evening dinner in Captain Bligh's Restaurant, on the sea front with dancing , a very pleasant evening. Captain Bligh's great, grt grt grt grandson had visited the Restaurant a couple of years before and presented a signed portrait of Bligh to them, I took a photo of it.
    At 5 am next day we sailed cross to Moorea, it is only 9 miles away and anchored in Bounty Bay, It was Anne's Birthday, When we landed on the jetty, a crowd of Tahitians appeared from behind the huts and it was Stan and Eline with Fifi and Teko and some of their friends, Shouting HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
    They put us in their cars and took us down to Teko's house which right over the water of a beautiful lagoon, a big table was prepared with lovely food and drinks, They had been organising a Party for Anne's birthday. We had a great day with them, all drinking, great food, fresh caught tuna out of the lagoon, marinated in Coconut milk from the trees in the garden, fresh paw paws and many other items, a true paradise. After several beers, doing the Haka and dancing in the waste deep lagoon, We stayed until sunset and they took us back to the jetty for the boat back to the ship. Anne had a great Birthday treat. Those Tahitians are great generous people. Maybe that is why they had a mutiny on the Bounty, . who would want to come back to a 1790 England after all that.
    We then sailed to the next Island, the beautiful BORA BORA, pronounced Pora Pora.
    On the way on a small bus we stopped off at the famous Bloody Marys, bar for her famous cocktails, a must in Bora Bora, then on to the beautiful beach, the colours were amazing,
    Fantastic scenery, these islands are a true paradise on earth.
    After sailing from Bora Bora a three day voyage across the International Date Line to
    Nuku alofa on the island of Tonga, where the famous Queen Salote came from to attend the Queen`s Coronation in 1953.
    A very lovely friendly island, People were stopping us in the street saying , "Thank you for visiting us" never had that before anywhere. it was the same last time I was there, people love it when you visit.
    Three days later we sailed into Auckland Harbour and moored at the bottom of Queen Street.

    to be continued, my dinner is ready.
    Brian.
    Last edited by Captain Kong; 29th July 2019 at 04:59 PM.

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    Default Re: My 2019 world cruise

    As always Capt great to read your Trips Interesting Itenary and the things you saw and got up to.
    Although I have always said I don't really care for these Modern Ships,i am sure with such Wonderful things to see and do it may well be worth it,i will have to think on all this ! LOL
    however the big thing is the dear Wife,as she is certainly not one for Sea trips,would not get her on any ,so that leaves yours truly LOL

    Anyway great that you once again enjoyed the trip.and I am sure even though we are all getting older there will still be more of that to come for you and Anne.

    So now just relax have a good rest and I guess we will soon be hearing of your planned future trip!
    Cheers
    Senior Site Moderator-Member and Friend of this Website

    R697530

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    Default Re: My 2019 world cruise

    Brian , there is so much world still to see and like you and some others we intend to see as much as we can.
    It is a bit sad that some who have never done what you and I and others do can be so critical of cruising.
    As far as we are concerned here in Oz it is one of the finest ways to see the world.
    Happy daze John in Oz.

    Life is too short to blend in.

    John Strange R737787
    World Traveller

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    Default Re: My 2019 world cruise

    Brian that is some cruise and would love to do the same, but sadly will not happen now due to my mobility problems and my Val suffering from dementia after a attack of Encephalitus a couple of years ago i will just have to follow your excellent post and just dream. Rgds Den

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    Default Re: My 2019 world cruise

    Sorry to hear of your problems, Dennis,
    I wish you all the best and hope you can stay safe.
    Cheers
    Brian
    more later, just been to hospital for a check up and to the Doctors for a prescription, got to keep on going.
    Last edited by Captain Kong; 30th July 2019 at 12:41 PM.

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    Default Re: My 2019 world cruise

    We leapt ashore in Auckland. having been there many times, we just walked around town, all the famous pubs of our youth such as Ma Gleason's, had disappeared, had a look in the Maritime Museum, good to see the Anchor rescued from Pitcairn's of HMS Bounty.
    Then we went up the Tower, we like it up there, always interesting ,over 600 feet up above the city and people leaping off in a bungy jump. I was going to do it but it is quite expensive to do so, and much cheaper going by the lift. so did it that way.
    Next day we were in Tauranga, a pretty little town, After a walk along the Beach promenade was Mount Maunganui, so we decided to climb it , rather a tough climb but well worth it for the views from up there of the peninsular. I was amazed to see hundreds of feet up thick lines of sea shells like coal seams round the mountain around three feet deep. proving that the Mountain had risen from the sea over the ages.
    We climbed down the other side and walked around the base at sea level, there were many seals playing on the rocks and pelicans.
    After all that with a great thirst we found a bar on the sea front and had a very nice cold beer or two.
    Another full day at sea and we arrived in Wellington,
    An old friend on mine, Dave and his wife Marge were waiting for us, Dave is a Kiwi born and bred but I knew him many years ago, around 50 years, since he was a 15 year old school boy. His Grandparents lived in my avenue and when Grandad died he came over to stay with Grandma for a couple of weeks, I was home on leave and to keep him occupied would take him to Liverpool and Birkenhead to see the ships, this was when Liverpool Docks were full of ships before containerisation, He was fascinated with the ships, so when he went back to Wellington he joined the NZ Merchant Navy. He ended up as Master, having worked on the Ferries to Picton and Tankers also retiring after a spell as Master on the seismic ships off Asia and East Africa, He had been over to England a few times and always stayed with us.
    He took us around the area along the Bay having a good lunch in a beach Restaurant and then we went up to the top of the Mountain, fantastic views of the city up there.
    We were coming down the Mountain in the cable car , Marge says to me, "Why is your name , Captain Kong, " I explained that my granddaughter gave me that name when I wanted an email name, and at that moment four girls who I didn't know ,about four seats away, started shouting, Its Captain Kong, Captain Kong. Amazing that I was recognised, it turned out to be girls off the ship who worked in the Lido café. and one of them recognised me. Marge was impressed.
    We had dinner in a restaurant by the waterside and a few beers, said good Bye to Dave and Marge, for a fantastic day out..
    During the night we sailed across to Picton, in South Island, along a fjord, very scenic, The ferries sail from here to Wellington and back with RoRo traffic, very busy they are, there were three of them alongside loading and discharging.
    Picton is a pretty little town, with a good open market on the side of the Bay, so then a few Beers in some very nice pubs and hotel and then back to the ship for the run over to Sydney

    To be continued ……………………… my dinner is ready.
    Brian
    Last edited by Captain Kong; 30th July 2019 at 06:44 PM.

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    Default Re: My 2019 world cruise

    Leaving Picton behind, we sailed down the Sound to the Tasman and three days later we sailed through Sydney Harbour, under the Bridge and moored at White Bay. We were to be here for two days,
    We had arranged to meet Vernon at Circular Quay as usual, so the bus took us to Pyrmont Bridge and then we walked down George Street to the Quay.
    We waited for a few minutes and then old friend and member, Roger Dyer appeared and told us that Vernon had a hospital appointment so sadly we missed him this trip.
    With Roger we walked around the Bay towards to Opera House and took a few photos, and then a taxi to Pyrmont and spent the day in and out of a few bars and lunch in a waterside Restaurant. we never stopped laughing all day, Roger is great fun to be with. Sadly in the early evening Roger had to leave us and get the train home.
    The following day my niece and her husband arrived, she is my late brother`s daughter, at Circular Quay from their home 120 miles south of Sydney. We caught a ferry which took us round the harbour , under the Bridge and back to Pyrmont again.
    Again a few drinks in the bars and lunch in a good waterside Restaurant until it was time for them to catch the train to go home.
    We arrived back on the ship at 5 pm and then went on the after deck we were sailing at 6pm. and on the after deck was the Sailaway party, the band was on deck and drinks being served by attractive young waitresses circulating with trays of wine. We sailed back down the bays and under the Bridge again and then through the Heads and northbound to Townsville, Queensland, three days at sea away.

    "I will go up to Townsville to see Mary O`Keefe
    where we walked hand in hand by the Great Barrier Reef,
    I think of those nights by a blue lagoon
    loving my girl beneath a tropical moon
    and those happy times that we both shared......
    My Mary`s still waiting for me, so I've heard,"

    Fortunately she wasn't, Anne may not have liked it.
    It was a very hot day as usual there so we just had a walk around the water front watching the Pelicans on the beach, then a few cold beers and a lunch in a café.
    We sailed later that evening and the following day and arrived in Cairns.
    Cairns is very similar to Townsville. A lot of the passengers went off on various trips inland and out to the Reef, I knew a good pub, the bar top is a very large carved wooden crocodile, so stayed in there yarning with the local lads.
    We sailed that evening and after a four day trip round Cape York and the Torres Strait we arrived in Darwin.
    A nice little town with a history of the Japanese attack with bombers during WW2.
    Last time we were here we went to see that Jumping crocodiles. so good we went again.
    A couple of hours in a bus down the Arnhem Highway to the Adelaide River, where we got a boat and sailed down the river. There were plenty of crocodiles, around 15 feet in length, and very dangerous, quite a lot of people have been killed by them. The man in the boat had a pole and would tie a chunk of meat on the end and hold it up over the water and the crocodiles would leap out of the water to snatch it off. Very entertaining. Afterwards after landing, we got back on the bus and after half an hour in the middle of the bush was the `Humpty Doo Pub` a real bushman's pub.
    Over the bar was a long set of water buffalo horns, over six feet in length, These were off the water buffalo that appeared in the film `Crocodile Dundee,` which was blocking his path through the bush , he mesmerises it and it falls over. It lived at the pub for 15 years before it died ,so its Horns are preserved on the wall at the back of the bar. Had a few beers to cool down, very hot now. a few yarns with the locals then back on the coach and down to Darwin again. We sailed that evening bound for Komodo Island in Indonesia, to see the Dragons, three days at sea away.

    To be continued. got to go out.
    Brian
    Last edited by Captain Kong; 31st July 2019 at 02:32 PM.

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    Default Re: My 2019 world cruise

    We arrived at Komodo Island at 7 am and had breakfast, got the boat to the jetty ashore. and then saw our first Dragons, two of them were galloping along the beach. around 12 to 15 feet in length.
    There are 1,274 Dragons on the island more than people who live there. We went through the Gate and met our guides, three of them for each party of 12 people, One at the front, with a big long forked pole , one in the middle and one at the back of us each with these long forked poles for keeping the dragons away and then we set off to walk through the Jungle.
    Dragons eat once a month fortunately, usually a whole deer, including the horns. but are still rather dangerous. We came across several dragons, most were lying down sleeping, hopefully well fed.
    I got a few good photos of them.
    We walked through the Jungle for over three hours before returning to the village, all the houses were on stilts so the Dragons couldn't walk into the houses. There was a small market there for souvenirs so I bought a wood carving of a Dragon.
    I have some excellent photos of the Dragons, BUT it will not allow me to post them, WHY????
    We returned to the ship, no use going on the beach with Dragons galloping around. Not safe,
    But a wonderful experience.
    While I was in the Jungle I was bitten on the lower right leg by a red and blue insect, and now 4and a half months later I am still suffering from the bite, the leg swelled up and a big scab formed on it, The scab is over two and a half inches in diameter and then a 6 inch diameter ring around it, I started off with antiseptic lotions and creams, then I have been seeing the Doctor and have been on a very strong Antibiotic for the last three weeks, , it is still there. so that was some bite from a strange insect. I guess it could be worse, I could have been bitten by a Dragon.

    We sailed that evening of Benoa, on the island of Bali
    we did a tour of the island, been there before but always interesting. Had lunch in a restaurant high up in the mountains with fantastic scenery, then down to the Temples, We had to wear a sarong, issued to us, to wear when we went into the Temples, very interesting and some wonderful carved in stone statues. Then bought a couple of good design Balinese shirts.

    We sailed again that evening bound for Semarang in Java two days at sea away.
    I used to know Semarang quite weel when I was on the Euryades of Blu Flu for six months on the Java coast. in 1960, [ I wrote about it in my story of The Spice Islands.]
    The city is built up now into a big city when it used to be just bamboo huts in the old days.
    A lot of people went on Tours inland but we just walked around the city.
    When we sailed that evening Anne had made a wreath for me, out of flowers, [ she used to be a florist] and as we sailed through the anchorage at the spot where I had despatched a Pirate in 1960 I cast the wreath into the sea, where his bones would lay, All is forgiven.

    We sailed north across the Equator bound for Singapore, My son, his wife and little 3 year old granddaughter were there on Holiday, so it would be fantastic to meet up with them.
    To be continued...…………………...
    Dinner is ready.
    Brian
    Last edited by Captain Kong; 2nd August 2019 at 06:11 PM.

  10. #9
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    Default Re: My 2019 world cruise

    Great story Brian, we were in Komodo island a couple of years ago.
    Those Dragons are not something you would want to argue with, and they sure can run just like some of the crocs we have here up in NT.
    Will be seeing them again at the end of the year.
    Not sure why you are unable to upload the photos, better speak with doc.
    Happy daze John in Oz.

    Life is too short to blend in.

    John Strange R737787
    World Traveller

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  12. #10
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    Default Re: My 2019 world cruise

    The photos were taken on my mobile phone,
    They will be closing down Komodo next year I heard, as too many tourists are galloping through the Jungle, so it is to let the jungle recover.
    Those Dragons can run faster than the Deers.
    Cheers
    Brian

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