Viking Australia Cruise - December 15

As we entered the harbor of Newcastle, Australia, we were greeted with a cannon salute from Fort Scratchley, a custom apparently to welcome cruise ships making their first docking.

The cruise ship port is rather in its infancy, with a tent serving as the point of disembarkation and security arranged with temporary fencing.  But it worked.

We arrived late in the morning, so it wasn't until after lunch that our included tour was ready. Our driver-guide made sure that we learned a few facts about Newcastle as he made his way through the Saturday traffic.  Newcastle was founded in the 19th century after coal was discovered in the area.  At first it was a penal colony, with the convicts sent from England put to work in the mines. Thus coal became its first export, but now that commodity has been supplanted with grain and aluminum.

The city is a modest size, built up on the hills surrounding the harbor.  Prominently visible is Christchurch Cathedral, surrounded by parks and other civic buildings. Many of the older buildings are being renovated as is the whole waterfront, enhanced by a new light rail system.

Newcastle is proud of its beaches, and were shown two of the best - Merewether and Nobbys. One of the features of the beaches, beside the beautiful sand and waves, is ocean baths - sections of the ocean enclosed in barriers to make swimming safer even as the waves crash around. (The photo was taken at Merewether Beach.)

We visited Fort Scratchley, built in the early 20th century to protect the city and coastline from an anticipated invasion from Russia which never took place.  During World War II, a Japanese submarine surfaced and began shelling the city.  Guns from Fort Scratchley returned fire and the submarine retreated.

Tonight we sail for Sydney, Australia.  We will see only a glimpse of the harbor as we will disembark at 7:30 a.m. for a trip to the airport.  We will fly to Houston and then Newark, arriving home (weather permitting) on Sunday evening.

I hope you've enjoyed this trip with us.  You can see all the entries (in reverse order) at <https://jarchronicles.blogspot.com>

Viking Australia Cruise - December 14

Today we are at sea, on the way to Newcastle, Australia which will be our last stop before we disembark in Sydney early Sunday morning.

Our daily routine has been pretty consistent: up early, breakfast in the World Cafe (they have a homemade muesli which is great), checking the morning schedule.  We skipped the early lecture in favor of taking a walk on the jogging path. Later as we sat in the library, we spotted a small school of dolphins, leap-frogging in front of the bow!

The afternoon lecture by the Resident Astronomer on meteorites, comets and asteroids and the levels of threat they pose to earth.  Of greatest concern of course is the asteroids; he emphasized the importance of the work by astronomers in identifying the ones that might come near or collide with the earth, and the work that is being done to develop a way to intercept a future asteroid on a collision course.

The Viking Orion has an app for our phones which we've found useful in keeping track of our excursions and things like our onboard account.  There is a second related app which we chose to use this afternoon: a self-guided tour of the artwork which is to be found all over the ship.  Matching a number with the app generates a description of the artist and the subject of the work.  It was a pleasant diversion for a quiet afternoon.

This evening we had our second visit to the Chefs Table restaurant.  It was another fabulous meal, a five-courses inspired by China's Cantonese and Hualyang cuisine. The photo is Jan enjoying the hot and sour soup. Each course is small but absolutely delicious. And as a happy coincidence, a couple from White Plains, NY, a DKG sister of Jan's and her husband, were seated again next to us. Good conversation ensued.

The evening was completed with the Captain's Farewell. Just one more day and our journey will be over.  Still, more to come...

Viking Australia Cruise - December 13

We entered Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, by way of its namesake river. The Viking Orion docked riverside at a recently developed cruise ship terminal, including shops and apartments looking directly into our cabins. The residents seemed to be as interested in our presence as we were in theirs.

We left the ship for a scenic panoramic look at the city by way of a motor coach.  Brisbane is a bustling city - lots of construction and renovation going on in older areas of the city - with skyscrapers and a mix of old and new architecture in the city center.  Our coach stopped atop Mt. Coot-tha, the highest point in the city, for a great view of the city and the river which snakes its way through it. The weather was sunny and warm which made the outing that much nicer.

After lunch we returned by Viking's shuttle bus to the downtown area. Our first stop was St. John's Anglican Cathedral, a beautiful gothic structure begun in 1906 and completed in 2009.  Inside we found some unique art: life-size figures of the Christmas story, from the Annunciation to the visit of the Magi, made of cardboard.  In the photo is Jan standing next to one of the wise men.

From there we made our way to the Queen Street Mall - several long blocks sealed from traffic with hundreds of stores, restaurants, bars, boutiques - and crowds of people enjoying the sun and the Christmas decorations. And being from the northern USA, it is still a wonderment to see them without snow or at least cold weather! In Australia, Christmas falls in the beginning of their summer.

We did a little shopping and more sight-seeing, logging about 6 miles before returning to the ship.  Later tonight we begin another day at sea on our way to Newcastle.  More to come...

Viking Australia Cruise - December 12

Today was spent at sea, making our way toward Brisbane, Australia.

The days at sea are good for exploring the various options available on the ship.  For breakfast, we ate at the World Cafe, for lunch we ate at Mamsen's Norwegian Deli, and for dinner we had reservations at the Chef's Table, one of the two specialty restaurants available.

Then the events in the main assembly room called the Star Theater: in the morning was a cooking demonstration by the head chef and the pastry chef, demonstrating the cooking of Mediterranean sea bass, and the creation of chocolate truffles. (Recipes were provided.) In the afternoon was a presentation on the Bayeux Tapestry, significant in the Viking world as William the Conquerer was a descendant of the Vikings who had settled in the region of France. The Resident Historian traced the history of the English kings portrayed in the tapestry, images of portions of the tapestry adorn the walls of the stairwells. (The photo is of the presentation.)

Between all these events were some time spent walking the jogging path around the second deck, cappuccino in the lounge,and, in the evening, a star-gazing outing led by the Resident Astronomer outside on the top deck.  In other words, there is much to do, even without shore excursions.

Tomorrow we reach Brisbane.  More to come..

Viking Australia Cruise - December 11

Our destination for today was Hamilton Island, one of the Whitsunday Islands off the east coast of Australia.  It is a private island, complete with an airport, condos, private homes costing in the millions, a huge marina, hotels and a beautiful beach.  The weather had turned surprisingly pleasant after the last few days of rain.

The Viking Orion anchored at a distance from the island and we were transferred to the marina by the ship's tenders. Once on the island, we decided to skip the lines waiting for the shuttle bus and walked up and over the center of the island to reach the beach.  On the way we found a tiny wildlife park, with a collection of Australian animals, including koalas, kangaroos, wallabys and dingoes.  Of course we had to check it out and it was definitely worth the admission. (The photo is of Jan with the koalas just over her right shoulder having breakfast of eucalyptus leaves.)

We continued on to the beach for a stroll, then decided to go exploring again.  One of the highest points of Hamilton Island is the One Tree Hill, so we climbed it.  The view atop was amazing; the trip back down was long and when we got back to the marina (a total of four miles) we were ready to take the tender back to the ship.  Once there, we headed straight for the ship's pool to cool off and work out the kinks.

The rest of the afternoon passed pleasantly.  Today's lecture by the Resident Astronomer was on "Time - The Strangest Thing". While he was never able to give a firm definition of time, we got a thorough grounding on how time zones were established, how time is kept, and the role of astronomy in establishing the world's precise time.

Tomorrow is a full day at sea on our way to Brisbane.  More to come...

  

Viking Australia Cruise - December 10

The picture says it all.  It was another rainy day as we visited the city of Townsville, Australia.

The day was not a total loss.  The included offering was a motor coach tour of the city, including the landmark called the Castle Hill.  (In the photo we are standing at the top of Castle Hill looking down at the harbor.  The Viking Orion can be seen in the center of the photo just above the railing.) Townsville is a medium-sized city by Australian standards but it also includes a Royal Australian Air Force base (RAAF) and a large military barracks. The tour was a good introduction and Jan fell asleep only once.

The rain would not let up, so we abandoned plans to go back to the city.  Instead we worked on our Christmas letter and went for a swim in the main pool.  The evening included an IMAX theater 3-D movie on the ocean's whales and dolphins and the environmental threat to their existence, and later, another outstanding dinner.

Tomorrow we travel on to the Whitsunday Islands for an outing on the famous silica sand beaches of Hamilton Island. More to come...

Viking Australia Cruise - December 9

Today was a total washout. The weather turned to heavy rain and thunderstorms.

The much-anticipated chance to go snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef did not happen. We docked in Cairns, Australia right at 8:00 am, but before we could go ashore, we were informed that because of the bad weather, the excursions to the Great Barrier Reef were cancelled.  We were bummed, to say the least.

However, Viking, true to form, was ready with Plan B.  All those holding tickets for the reef were invited to visit the Cairns Aquarium and to be transported there and back by bus. It was a good educational experience, and probably we saw many more tropical fish than we would have snorkeling on the reef.  In addition, we learned some amazing facts: fish moving from fresh water to salt water can change sex, which is part of how some reproduce. And we were given the inside story of how the rise in ocean temperature leads to the whitening of some coral beds.(The photo was taken from one of the exhibits.)

After another delicious lunch at Mamsen's, we decided to redeem the day with a swim in the main pool which, amazingly, we had to ourselves.  A nice swim, a chance to read by the pool while watching the rain pelt the glass roof, were somehow appropriate.

Tonight, the Viking Orion is en route to Townsville, Australia, where hopefully the weather will be better.  More to come...

Viking Australia Cruise - December 8

There is nothing more relaxing than a day at sea. And our cruising today on the Coral Sea confirmed that statement.

After an early breakfast outside on the deck we spent some pleasant time on our balcony just watching the blue water roll by. Then it was time for the lecture by the Resident Astronomer Alan Wright who traced the development of NASA from the space race to land a man on the moon to the International Space Station.  He reported on the latest NASA project dubbed "Orion", coincidentally the name of our ship.  

Then there was lunch.  I've mentioned before our favorite spot for lunch, a Norwegian "deli" called Mamsen's.  The luncheon menu is simple and always the same open faced sandwiches: steak tartare, roast beef, gravlax, and shrimp. There is also a savory waffle, which Jan likened to a grilled cheese sandwich, and several pastries for dessert. (The photo shows the sandwich collection.) We like it because the setting is intimate, quiet and the food is delicious.

In the afternoon was a second lecture by Dr. Peter Donovan on "Australia's Convict Era Legacy". He was addressing the perception that Australians still feel the effect of being a nation built on and by convicts sent there from the British Isles essentially as a way of getting rid of them. The result, he said, is a strong egalitarianism - "Jack is as good has his master, maybe even better", avoiding the class differences of other civilizations in the northern hemisphere.

Tonight, the Viking Orion continues to cruise the Coral Sea on our way to Cairns, where we will finally get to see and snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef.  More to come...

Re: Viking Australia Cruise - December 7

Very cool! What a great trip!!!

On Fri, Dec 7, 2018, 6:43 AM John Rollins <jarollins42@gmail.com wrote:

The long trip from Darwin to Thursday Island continued through the morning, but as usual, there was plenty to keep us occupied.

Two lectures took up most of the morning.  Dr. Paul Scully-Power, the first Australian astronaut and an oceanographer by training, traced the evolution of the study of the oceans from plotting currents by dropping instruments from research vessels (time-consuming) to viewing the oceans from space via satellites or manned spacecraft. Since something like 90 percent of the world is covered by water, his recurring mantra was that a thorough understanding of the oceans is needed before knowing the future of our environment.

Dr. Alan Wright, the Resident Astronomer, gave a fun lecture entitled "Facts, Fallacies and Fakes in Astronomy".  He explained the difference between astrology and astronomy, the nature of gravity and "black holes", and the possibility of faster-than-light travel.  This got a little gnarly as it involved Einstein's General Theory of Relativity and the speed at which the universe is expanding.

We finally reached Thursday Island about noon and anchored at some distance from the little settlement there. The photo is of one of the islands, along with Thursday Island, that make up the northern-most region of Australia. Those who chose to go ashore to explore were taken by the ship's tenders. We took a pass on this opportunity and instead spent the afternoon walking on the running track, reading, knitting, and swimming in the outdoor infinity pool on Deck 7. Shortly after our swim, a major thunderstorm passed through and confirmed the wisdom of our decision to stay on the ship.

Tonight, as I write this, we are beginning our cruise of the Coral Sea, heading southward toward our next stop, the port of Cairns.  More to come...

Viking Australia Cruise - December 7

The long trip from Darwin to Thursday Island continued through the morning, but as usual, there was plenty to keep us occupied.

Two lectures took up most of the morning.  Dr. Paul Scully-Power, the first Australian astronaut and an oceanographer by training, traced the evolution of the study of the oceans from plotting currents by dropping instruments from research vessels (time-consuming) to viewing the oceans from space via satellites or manned spacecraft. Since something like 90 percent of the world is covered by water, his recurring mantra was that a thorough understanding of the oceans is needed before knowing the future of our environment.

Dr. Alan Wright, the Resident Astronomer, gave a fun lecture entitled "Facts, Fallacies and Fakes in Astronomy".  He explained the difference between astrology and astronomy, the nature of gravity and "black holes", and the possibility of faster-than-light travel.  This got a little gnarly as it involved Einstein's General Theory of Relativity and the speed at which the universe is expanding.

We finally reached Thursday Island about noon and anchored at some distance from the little settlement there. The photo is of one of the islands, along with Thursday Island, that make up the northern-most region of Australia. Those who chose to go ashore to explore were taken by the ship's tenders. We took a pass on this opportunity and instead spent the afternoon walking on the running track, reading, knitting, and swimming in the outdoor infinity pool on Deck 7. Shortly after our swim, a major thunderstorm passed through and confirmed the wisdom of our decision to stay on the ship.

Tonight, as I write this, we are beginning our cruise of the Coral Sea, heading southward toward our next stop, the port of Cairns.  More to come...

Viking Australia Cruise - December 6

Today we are at sea, between Darwin and Thursday Island, crossing the Arafura Sea.  According to our Resident Historian, this area in pre-historic times, before the melting of the glaciers, was dry land over which early people migrated from Asia to Australia. Now we are sailing over that history.

Even though there are no excursions to be had while at sea, there is no end of things to do aboard the Viking Orion. On Deck 8, just around the corner from our cabin, is the ship's library. Windows facing forward in the front of the library give a stadium view of the ship's progress.  It is also our favorite spot for knitting and reading. In the photo, Jan is at work on a Christmas present.

After sitting a while, we can take a leisurely walk on the ship's running track which circles the craft on Deck 2.  Four times around the track equals one mile. Or there are two swimming pools, both indoor and outdoor areas to work on one's tan, a sports deck with miniature golf, shuffleboard and other games, or a fully equipped gym with treadmills on Deck 1.

There is plenty of entertainment, too: movies, musicians appearing at various venues, and on the Viking Orion, new to us, is a miniature "IMAX theater" called the "Explorer Dome", showing short presentations about space and nature.

Tomorrow we anchor just outside Thursday Island, the northern-most part of Australia.  The included tour doesn't seem very interesting, so we're going to spend more time enjoying the ship.  More to come...

Viking Australia Cruise - December 5

One of the things we love about Viking cruises is the opportunity to have some free time to explore places on our own.

Today the Viking Orion remained in the Darwin port so after breakfast we struck out to find the historic center of Darwin.

Once there, we checked out the Christchurch Anglican Cathedral. As was the case of many historic buildings in Darwin, a terrible cyclone in 1974 destroyed parts of the cathedral.  All that remains of the original building is the main entrance, which you will see in the photo. The modern structure was built after the cyclone.  We also saw the skeletal remains of the old city hall, a rebuilt stone warehouse now converted into a theater, and the offices of the territorial legislature.

The historic section merges smoothly into the heart of the city including a pedestrian mall.  There we saw the streets decorated for Christmas, without a bit of snow to be seen. Walking further up and down the mall, we saw banks, pharmacies, clothing stores and restaurants - with no names we recognized.  The one exception is Woolworths - long gone from the US, but going strong in Australia.

The rest of the day was the usual pattern of lunch, a mid-afternoon lecture by the Resident Astronomer on the stars that make up the constellation of Orion, and dinner.  The Viking Orion left Darwin at 1 pm to travel through the night and all day tomorrow through the Arafura Sea in order to reach our next port of Thursday Island. More to come...

Viking Australia Cruise - December 4

We arrived at the port of Darwin, Australia about noon, after sailing through the night.  Darwin, named after the naturalist Charles Darwin, is the largest city in the continent's northernmost region. As cities go, it is relatively small, but it has a rich history which includes its role in the defense of the country during World War II.

The morning's lecture was given by the Resident Historian on the history of Australia from earliest times through the European settlement which included the convicts from England.

 The afternoon's activity was the city tour by motorcoach - mercifully air-conditioned, as it was 94 degrees outside.  Highlights of the tour included a stop at the East Point Reserve, which gave us a sweeping view of Darwin's harbor and the Timor Sea, and a stop at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northwest Territory. (The photo  shows the red cliffs of the Reserve).

The museum had on display an exhibition of the art works by Aboriginal artists including pieces made using the bark of trees. On the way to the museum we got our first glimpse of wallabys - smaller kangaroos.

The day was completed by another delicious meal in The Restaurant - one of five places aboard to find Viking's excellent cuisine.

Tomorrow we remain in Darwin for the day, so our plan is to walk into the city for a closer look at some of the historic buildings there.  More to come...

Viking Australia Cruise - December 3, 2018

Today was spent entirely at sea, leaving Komodo, Indonesia and heading for the first port in Australia - Darwin. 

However, the day was filled with fascinating activity.  First off was a lecture on "The History of Astronomy" by the Resident Astronomy Lecturer, Dr. Alan E. Wright. In a fast-paced hour, he traced the path from ancients' star-gazing to satellite technology to radio astronomy, which is his particular field of expertise.  

The second fascinating lecture was delivered by Dr. Paul Scully-Power, the first Australian astronaut. He flew in the first Challenger spacecraft to be on a scientific mission and had great stories to tell.  His observations of the excitement of the loaunch and the incredible views of earth from orbit were made real from some photographs he personally took while on the mission. Viking has a knack for choosing eminent individuals for their guest lecturers and we are the beneficiaries.

And the third guest lecture was by Dr. Peter Donovan on "Australia's Aboriginal History". With some minor variations, the story seemed to be very much like the treatment of the Native American Indian population, except a century later.  He reported on recent progress in the national recognition of the place of aborigines in Australian society, with much more to be accomplished.

Interspersed between the lectures were our appearance before an onboard Australian Immigration Officer to take care of the immigration and customs details, a delicious lunch at our favorite place - an elegant snack-bar called Mamsens, a walk around the ship's running track and mid-afternoon cappuccino. And this evening, we will dine at Manfredi's Italian restaurant, one of the two specialty restaurants onboard.  Passengers are allotted one, two or three reservations at these places according to the cabin level.

The photo is of the sundown over the ocean last evening.  Tomorrow we land in Australia. More to come...

Viking Australia Cruise - December 2, 2018

On our third day, we saw the famous Komodo Dragons.

Getting to seem them was not easy.  Even for a ship as small as the Viking Orion, it was not possible to dock on Komodo Island.  Instead, the ship had to anchor at a distance, and we and our fellow passengers had to be taken there by the ship's tenders (the motorized life-boats which hold about 200 people).  Needless to say, this took several trips, and we we in the last group. Once on the island, we met our guide and his two companions, armed with forked sticks to be used in case a dragon decided to charge. Happily this did not happen. (The photo is at the spot where we sighted the dragons.)

The dragons' habitat is a jungle, but somewhat dry in the winter. They are cold-blooded, but can run up to 20 mph.  However their method of "hunting" is to lie in wait at a watering hole, camouflaged as they are the color of mud, and when an animal trips over them, they bite.  The bite infects the prey which dies several days later, thus providing a meal for the dragon.

It was hot, and once we were back on board, a shower and change of clothes was in order. The rest of the day was much more what one expects of a cruise.  We were able to relax, enjoy the good Viking lunch, spend some time on our balcony knitting, and watch the scenery pass by.  And the evening meal was outstanding.

Tomorrow we spend the entire day sailing between these Indonesian islands and our first port of call in Australia. Several interesting lectures on on the schedule, so we will not be bored. Tomorrow you will hear all about that. 

Photo

Viking Australia Cruise - December 1, 2018

The second day our cruise started early. While still docked in Benoa, we had an early morning bus ride into Denpasar (the capitol city of Bali) first to see an art market.  It was stocked to the rafters with all sorts of artwork, some of which may end up on motel walls. Mercifully, we arrived early so that not all the sellers were ready, so we could easily look but not buy. (The photo is of Jan in the art market.)

The second stop was a museum of Indonesian history and artifacts.  It was a nice collection but poorly displayed in old, non-air conditioned buildings; nonetheless, interesting.

The third stop was a magnificent Hindu temple dedicated to the most prominent god in the Hindu pantheon. Basically a large courtyard with the monument in the center with smaller structures used in the worship ceremonies, our guide took time to explain how the temple system functioned.

The city of Denpasar and surrounding areas were filled with temples of all sizes - family temples, clan temples, community temples, city temples and state temples.  In each there were daily offerings of incense, fruit, flowers and food placed before the representations of the Hindu deities.

In the afternoon, the Resident Historian onboard gave a summary of the Indonesian culture and religious strands that make up this archipelago nation.  In the evening was the Captain's Welcome and introduction of the officers of the crew of 400 who make this voyage so effortless.

Now, as I write this, we are sailing to the island of Komodo where we will have a chance to see the famous Komodo Dragons in their natural habitat.  More to come...