Our recent trip nearly circumnavigating Australia (Melbourne to Perth over the top) was our fifth visit to this diverse island nation. Living in New Zealand, it’s only a 3-hour flight from Auckland to Sydney. While I typically share photos of the dramatic landscape, seascapes, and architecture, today’s post is about the Australian animals that we […]
2016 Photo Highlights: 4 Continents, 9 Countries, Lots of Transition
In February, when both our girls said goodbye we wondered what our empty nest would be like. After 18 years of living, learning and travelling together as a homeschool family of four, would hubby and I have anything to talk about once the girls left? The answer is yes. We rose to the occasion, to […]
Grampians to Melbourne: Kangaroos, Skinks, Waterfalls and More
Waterfalls and wildlife, our days in the Grampians region were filled with natural beauty. Inland from Victoria’s southern Australian coast, Grampian National Park is a perfect base for exploration. Best shared in photos: Practical Information: The Grampians National Park is located in Victoria and is comprised of rugged sandstone mountain ranges and forests. We barely […]
J-Ward: Inside a Lunatic Asylum for the Criminally Insane
I could feel a chill run down my spine as I walked through the corridors of J-Ward, a former gaol (jail), later transformed to a lunatic asylum for the criminally insane. Nestled in the small town of Ararat in Victoria Australia, J-Ward closed in 1991, and many former employees and patients still live nearby. Our guide was […]
A Convent Turned Luxury Hotel: Explore Australia’s Great Ocean Road (Part 3)
Looking up at the words “Convent of St. Patrick” in the stained glass over the entry door, I had to wonder what I was doing here. In truth, my confusion began as we turned onto the drive and I looked up at the classic architecture while hubby announced, “this is where we are staying tonight.” […]
Discovering Street Art in Perth, Australia
It is the enormity of the street art in Perth that turned my head. Massive works of art appear on seemingly random buildings, mostly in laneways and alleyways. Unlike Melbourne street art that filled up every inch of the laneways it covered, the street art in Perth seems to focus on one image at a […]
Inside the Sydney Opera House: Touring an Australian Icon
I love the look of the Sydney Opera House on a bright day, the white tile glistening against the blue background. This was our third trip to Sydney, and the first time we went inside the iconic Sydney Opera House. It wasn’t to see a show, although we were quite tempted to see My Fair […]
Cruising on the Swan River to Artistic Fremantle, Australia
Black swans dot the banks and give the Swan River her name according to the commentary on board the hour-long Captain Cook cruise from Perth to Fremantle in Western Australia (WA). It was a late spring day with a light breeze. The river sailing was smooth and the commentary identified key sights like the Royal […]
A Cow Parade and Other Interesting Sites in Perth Australia
Perth was our port of disembarkation on our recent Royal Caribbean cruise, allowing us several days before we flew home. Our first time in Western Australia and of course we already want to return for a much more elaborate exploration of the region. We did have time for a city tour, a river cruise to Fremantle, a […]
Photos of Kings Park and Botanic Gardens in Perth Australia
Western Australia (WA) is quite different from the cities in the east we travelled to on our loop over the top of Australia (Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Caines, and Darwin). WA is home to half of Australia’s plant species, and most are endemic to the region. Located in Kings Park, the Western Australia Botanic Gardens is a […]
Highlights of a Day in Geraldton, Australia
I wasn’t sure why the ship chose Geraldton as a port of call outside of wildflower season, but it turned out to be an enjoyable day in a charming Western Australia town. With only a few major sites to visit, it was easy to hit the highlights in a day on our own, even if we […]
Quirky Artwork Onboard Radiance of the Seas
Eclectic, random, unpredictable, and often bizarre describes the artwork onboard the Radiance of the Seas, the Royal Caribbean ship we have been sailing from Sydney to Perth around the top of Australia. The ship itself, while showing its age in a few spots, is beautiful. It’s the attention to detail, interesting artwork around every corner, […]
Docking in Port Hedland Australia? What to do in this Mining Town
I’ll admit, I wasn’t too enthusiastic about visiting Port Hedland, a small city in Western Australia known for iron ore mining. However, it turned out to be fascinating. Here, we opted to take an excursion offered by Royal Caribbean, and we went on an iron ore tour. All tours at BHP Billiton are via bus, and there […]
Dining at the Chef’s Table: A Royal Caribbean Treat
Specialty dining options have become a common feature on modern cruise ships, and the Chef’s Table on Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas is the best we have tried to date. The days of true “all-inclusive travel” are long gone. While the cost of sailing includes meals, Royal Caribbean, like the other lines we have sailed in […]
How to See the Highlights of Darwin Australia in a Day
As the Radiance of the Seas pulled into the port of Darwin, I really didn’t know what to expect from this tropical capital of the Northern Territories. The ship offered options like a boat tour to see jumping crocodiles, a discovery of the untamed countryside of Litchfield Park, an interactive eco-adventure tour, as well as […]
Initial Impressions: Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas
We love cruising. Currently, we are about halfway through our adventure around the top of Australia from Sydney to Perth on the Radiance of the Seas. It is the first time we are cruising with Royal Caribbean. This is the sixth cruise line I have been on and each has its strengths. This ship, Radiance of […]
Celebrating my Birthday in Cairns, Australia
Cairns Australia, on my birthday. It was perfect. The Radiance of the Sea dropped anchor in Yorkey’s Knob, just north of Cairns. There are so many opportunities here. The ship offered options of rainforest tours, trains, markets and of course, the Great Barrier Reef. We made a better choice and spent the day with good […]
Brisbane as a Cruise Port: Sailing with Royal Caribbean
Brisbane is Australia’s coolest city, or is it? I am not sure how any city that holds the world record for going to bed and waking up earliest can call itself “cool.” Either way, it is a city with quite a lot to offer, and it was our first cruise port off of the Radiance […]
Sailing out of Sydney Harbour on the Radiance of the Seas
Docked in Sydney harbour with the famous Opera House as a backdrop, Royal Caribbean’s cruise ship Radiance of the Seas sat waiting for a new load of passengers. Along with 2000 others, we stepped aboard, ready to begin an exciting adventure sailing over the top of Australia including a brief stop in Bali, Indonesia. Our cabin […]
More Photos from the Great Ocean Road: Explore Australia (Part 2)
If my photos from the Great Ocean Road earlier in the week didn’t inspire you to hop on a flight to Australia, maybe the next portion of our journey will. Those were from Torque to Apollo Bay. These are from Apollo Bay to Point Fairy. It was my favourite portion of the Great Ocean Road. […]
Driving the Great Ocean Road: Explore Australia (Part 1)
Leaving Melbourne Australia, we headed South towards Torquay and the start of the Great Ocean Road. Like our recent road trip in Oregon (USA) we drove slowly, stopping frequently, hiking, looking, photographing, and just taking it all in. Here are a few of the highlights as we drove from Torquay West towards Apollo Bay: Practical Information: […]
Melbourne Street Art: Explore Australia
Hubby and I spent last weekend in Melbourne Australia drinking coffee in laneway cafes, walking the neighbourhoods, and exploring Melbourne street art. Australia’s second largest city is internationally known for its colourful and eclectic street art found on “approved outdoor locations” throughout the city. Here are a few of the 100+ photos I shot: This […]
Top Travel Bloggers Explore New Zealand and Australia Street Art
Street art crosses cultures, language, and continental barriers. I love all of it, although I tend to gravitate towards the brighter, happier images. Today I share a collection of interesting New Zealand and Australia street art. It is part of a travel blogger collaborative series highlighting street art from around the world. Enjoy this collection: The […]
Albom Adventures 2015 Photos: A Year In Review
Looking back through our 2015 photos, I can see this was the year we fell deeper in love with New Zealand, our adopted country. Our overseas travel was limited as I was unwell for much of the year (I am cleared now). Plus both of the girls had good reason to stay around. Melissa focused on her […]
Sarah’s Sunday Snapshots #36 – Sydney Textures
Last weekend we decided to hop the ditch and take a weekend over in Sydney, Australia. One of the first things we did was to buy a few new camera lenses, and I had plenty of fun over the weekend trying out my new wide-angle lens (Canon 24mm) on some of the Sydney textures we saw. […]
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