The Opera House and reflections

‘Sydney is one of the 3 most beautiful ports in the world’, we were told by our eccentric cruise director Naosan. We docked in Clarke Quay, prime real estate. To my right was the Sydney Opera house, on the left the Sydney harbour bridge. The day was not entirely mine; I’d volunteered for the GET challenge tour, basically a day round Sydney with students. I made the most of a few free hours in the morning though, and saw the central sights with Risa. With the students, the idea was we cruise the city with a check list of things to do and find, and speak only in English. My lads did well and although it wasn’t free time, we made our own fun. We finished up in the late afternoon at Coojie beach and we had a bit of free time before beer and burgers with the others. I seized the chance to have a swim and was loving it for all of 30 seconds. I felt a sharp, stinging pain shoot through my left arm. I was shocked to see a blue bottle wrapped completely around it. I pulled the bugger’s tentacles off with my other hand and swam in. Some people say pee on it, others say ice. The ice didn’t work, but some gels that the restaurant had on hand cooled the burning feeling. (more…)

With P, floating home.

Kiwis are well represented on the 59th voyage. We rock! On the South Seas to Auckland, I noticed familiar changes: the sun’s light was sharper, the weather became changeable, and the Southern Cross appeared in the night sky.Risa, P and I woke early before dawn. The Peace Boat silently passed by Rangitoto and the first shards of morning light began to emanate over Auckland’s Eastern Suburbs. This was a special sunrise (ok, the only sunrise), that we woke for on the voyage. I was coming home for Christmas. (more…)

Moorea Island, Tahiti

How cruel to sail across the vast Pacific Ocean to stop in tropical Tahiti for only one day. We ferried straight to Moorea Island, some 40 minutes from Papeete. Meg had sleuthed out a dive shop and they drove us around coast of the island. We gazed out to the intense teal colour of the shallow reef and craned our necks to marvel at Moorea’s cliffs, jagging vertically up from the dense tropical jungle. It might just be the most perfect tropical island I’ve seen in my life. It was about to get better. (more…)

The Peace Boat anchored off Rapa Nui

Oh, the sacred sight of land! The Peace Boat anchored a mile off the exposed coast of Rapa Nui, Easter Island. The weather and swells cooperated and tender boats shuttled tour groups to the island 8 at a time. I hoped I would be just as lucky the next day when I had my chance to get off. So, for a day I just hung out on board and watched the coast near Hanga Roa. A Rasta local came on board to teach the Japanese how to stone carve for $30. The day’s highlight (other than just relaxing beside the pool) was the stonking cultural performance that night by a Polynesian cultural group. It rates as one of the best I’ve seen. (more…)

Huacachina sandboarding

I was pumped for Peru. This was one of those all too rare overnight ports. Risa and I jumped off the Peace Boat at 7am and into a taxi. From the notoriously dodging port area we cruised into central Lima overtaking loaded people movers painted up like football team buses. Inconveniently there is no central bus terminal in Lima, so after getting it wrong once Risa fluently asked for the right directions. In no time we were charging down the dry and barren coastal desert watching a ripped DVD of Troy. After 4 1/2 hours we changed to a taxi in Ica, which took us to the doorstep of a little slice of paradise. (more…)

Iguana Park

For a day we were in the middle of the world and I was the center of attention. I had my 28th birthday on the equator in Ecuador! To think that for the past 5 years I have had my birthday in 5 different countries…Wow!

We headed into the port city of Guayaquil early Sunday morning and walked the new waterfront promenade known as Malecon 2000. Friends spontaneously jumped out from behind corners and sung ‘happy birthday!’ just so I couldn’t forget all day. No one was keen to eat Iguana empanadas but we all wanted to see iguanas. A few blocks away in Park Bolivar, we were astounded to see 20 or 30 big’ins roaming the park without cages, being fed, drinking from ponds, climbing trees and basking in the sun. Very cool. (more…)

Tattooed tribeswoman selling woven bowls

Rough seas delayed our passage down to Colon, Panama. Colon’s reputation for crime and muggings is infamous, driven by high unemployment, poverty and the easy pickings in a port city. Though no longer as dire as it used to be, we were barred from walking outside the port area. So, what to do? There was the option of taxiing to the Zona Libre, the world’s second largest tax free ‘island’ where the multinationals and banks of the world have a presence inside 4 metre high security walls. (By the looks of it, very little of that wealth ever reaches the city outside those walls.) We could’ve stayed confined in the port shopping centre, or hook up a taxi tour and head out for the afternoon. Phil, Gabi, Julia and I were the only ones game. Our drive out to Portobello village an hour away, was well worth it. (more…)

Coro Cathedral

Two days after Cuba we arrived in Puerto Guaranao, Venezuala. Around the start of the voyage this port of call was changed from Maracaibo because, I heard, this area is more pro Chavez and because it suited the organised tours better. From a tourist perspective Guaranai town offered nothing. The shuttle buses were late and then dropped passengers off in a no-mans land at the port entrance at the mercy of extortionist taxi prices. Perhaps unsurprisingly there was a mugging there and so the drop off point was changed. We caught a cab off the road into town and 7 of us piled in. In town Gaby, with her native gift of Spanish, negotiated 2 wide arsed, 1960′s, pimpin American rides for us to Coro, an hour away. We pulled over on the highway and ate our first empanadas (savory, filled thingys). (more…)

A warm Cuban welcome

Why couldn’t we dock in Santiago de Cuba? Finally, after a 4 hour wait, we had the all clear to enter disembark. Gaby, Adi and I walked up the hill from the port to the Parque Cespedes flanked by colonial architecture. Stalls lined the side streets waiting for Japanese passengers. The beautiful architecture here was in need of a lick of paint. We stumbled onto a cultural performance put on for Japanese passengers, but soon left to find the local cafes and live house scene. We had a beer in a few courtyards and saw 2 live bands in the afternoon. They were good. Really tight. Think Buena Vista Social Club. We met some guys who helped me cut a deal for some cigars on the black market. The price of cigars is regulated for tourists. Tourism is especially good for Cuba’s economy as tourists are obliged to use the special ‘CUC’ currency rather than the local Pesos. The high rate of this ‘tourist’ currency is controlled by the government and this makes it the most expensive country in Latin America for tourists.
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The Acropolis

We’ve been cruisin! A week and half through the Med had us pulling into a new port every other day.

From Kusadasi we arrived in Pireaus the next day. Our little group caught the subway to the Acropolis which was dispairingly being renovated. The Parthenon, the 2500 year old ‘must see’ of Athens, was worthwhile for its sense of history and power and for the amazing dominating views it affords, but not really for its present condition. Stu and I spent little time walking the old lanes of Plaqa beneath the Acropolis and instead caught up with some Greek friends of his who drove us around the Aegean coast to a great little seafood restaurant near the temple of Poseidon. The day’s excursions were great and plenty of red wine gave it a nice after glow.
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