Category: Travel

Australia, finally

My Down Under adventure is under way! I’m writing both for my armchair traveler friends, and for those who are looking for details as they plan their own adventures.

Consultation with friends who traveled to NZ recently helped in my planning, especially since I’ll be exploring a lot of territory. I took to heart the advice to book early, since November and December tend to be a very busy travel time.

I spent a good deal of time working out my itinerary. Luckily, I made certain I booked transport and accommodations with cancellation options. That came in handy as I talked with travelers over the summer. I found that with hotels, the pricing was better if I booked early. What did NOT work to my advantage was my flight; I booked in April only to find prices drop dramatically in September. Fortunately, Delta made a change to my flight and that gave me the ability to cancel and get a credit. I rebooked for several hundred dollars less, and used the remaining credit for a later flight to Hawaii! The same thing with a rental car. I booked a car for Wellington early on, but it was crazy expensive. I was just about to cancel when I got an email about a sale, and ended up booking a car for twice as long, but half the cost. So, my advice is: go ahead and book, but keep an eye on the prices.

First Stop: Sydney

My flight left Los Angeles at 10 pm, arriving at 8:30 am two days later. It was a 15 ½ hour flight, but we crossed the international date line, losing a whole day. I’ll get that day back when I return. At my age I don’t want to lose ANY days! I was concerned about jet lag, and worked out a plan to reduce it. I took a nap the afternoon before I left, and on boarding my flight changed my watch to Sydney time. Then I worked to stay awake until what would be a normal bedtime in Sydney. Then I tried to get a full night’s rest, and was mostly successful. There is no comfortable position when you’re in the cheap seats…

On arrival, customs was looking difficult. Several international flights arrived at the same time, and after bag claim the line to get through the final customs check was several hundred people long and not moving. I have to give credit to the customs staff, though, because within about 20 minutes they had stepped up their process and got everyone through fairly quickly.

The airport train, T8, was easy to use. I boarded at the terminal, and it took me to Wynyard Station in just a few minutes. I used my phone to tap for the fare, and that made it so easy. In fact, as of this writing I haven’t had to get Aussie cash at all, because everyone uses cards or phones to pay. The train station is right below my hotel, the Little National Hotel. Once I got to the street I was confused, because my phone said I had arrived, but no hotel. Then a woman stopped and asked if I needed directions. It turned out I was standing right in front of the very low-key sign on the hotel. Reception is on the first floor, and the desk person was incredibly helpful. She even allowed me to check in at 11 am, since my room was available. Rooms are fairly small, but perfect for my needs. The hotel is new, with all the plugs and amenities you could want. There’s a lovely rooftop bar that serves light food. Proximity to the train was a big plus, although I ended up walking to The Rocks, Darling Harbor, and even to Circular Quay, where the Sydney Opera House is located.

It was pretty hard to identify my hotel by the tiny “LN” sign.

I spent the first day outside as much as possible, trying to reset my body clock and NOT take a nap. I walked to Barangaroo at Darling Harbor and wandered along until I found a restaurant that appealed to me for lunch-there were many to choose from. Then I went to Circular Quay to get my first close look at the opera house. It was altogether a nice relaxing day. That evening I went to the rooftop bar to enjoy a cocktail and a light snack before heading to bed. It was only then that I realized that I wasn’t jetlagged at all!

Exploring Sydney

I had booked tickets for Twelfth Night and Das Rheingold performances on consecutive nights at the Sydney Opera House. It was a real treat, although I was disappointed to find that the opera was not a stage production, but simply the Symphony Orchestra and the singers on stage. To me, the joy of an opera is the staging. Note to self: read the fine print. If there is any.

I did NOT climb the famous Sydney Harbor Bridge.
The Sydney Opera House is lovely at night.

I also took a harbor cruise. It was a small boat, and nothing fancy, but I was mainly interested in getting out on the harbor so I could take photos. I chatted with the guide, and found it interesting that the concept of Black Friday has hit Sydney in a big way. He was a bit unsure of what it is, so I explained about Thanksgiving in the USA, and the fact that most people have the following Friday off and go Christmas shopping.

The Rocks was a favorite-lots of old buildings and little alleyways to explore. They have an outdoor market on weekends, which was fun. I purchased a bottle of limoncello to take to friends in Bendigo after the seller assured me it was legal to take (unopened) alcohol on a domestic flight in Australia. Gotta love those Aussies!

On my final day in Sydney, I stored my bags with the hotel desk after checking out (again, the staff is so accommodating) and took a walk to the business district. My friend Lee told me one of the windows in the St. Andrews Cathedral is dedicated to his great-great grandmother and asked if I might get a photo for him. It took three very helpful people to track down just where the window is, but I did find it and was able to photograph it for him.

By the time I finished the shopping area was in high gear. With hundreds of shopping venues, it brought thousands to the area. I couldn’t believe how busy it was on a Sunday afternoon. While there were many high-end stores in the area, I particularly enjoyed The Strand-mostly for window shopping and people watching.

In the afternoon I took the train back to the airport to fly off to my next destination: Bendigo!

Driving the Alcan

There are some moments that take your breath away.

I began the long drive home from Anchorage at the end of my season as a tour director in late September

. I was tired, I was sick. REALLY sick. And I had forgotten how magnificent the drive is in the fall. The last time I drove this road was in 2019, and I was with my husband. This drive brought back those bittersweet memories, but I could still hear his amazement at the beauty of this area with the changing colors. I spent a lot of time on this trip pulling over and napping, since I wasn’t sleeping very well. Just imagine opening your eyes after a nap and finding Mount Drum staring back at you.

The Value of Travel

Why spend all that money when you can see it all on a screen?

An article about travel in Alaska caught my eye yesterday, so of course I had to read it. I wanted to see how accurate it was, and to be transported to one of my favorite places in the world.

In reading some of the comments at the end, I came across one that said he had seen Alaska in a documentary on TV so he didn’t need to spend the money to go there. It brought to mind the old truism: “You get what you pay for.”

Anyone who has been to Alaska can verify that it’s impossible to get the feeling of vastness, majesty, beauty, and the wilderness unless you experience it firsthand. When you see Denali on a clear day there is a feeling of awe. When you watch a grizzly gorging on berries and ignoring the bus full of people just a few yards away, it’s exciting. If you have to stop in the middle of a city freeway to allow a moose to wander across, there’s delight.

So many events I’ve experienced in my travels can only happen when you are really there.

In Chile I went to a penguin nesting island and was told to stay on the path and not attempt to touch the penguins. Of course, no one told the penguins the rules, and one of them came up and started chewing on my shoelaces.

During a whale watching expedition in Maui a Humpback came to our raft and surfaced just inches from the side, so close I could have touched it (I didn’t.)

In Abu Dhabi, I watched the sun go down, reflecting off the buildings and the water, and heard the call to prayer reflecting across the quieting city.

In Rome, I walked a street used by merchants and shoppers two thousand years before the birth of Christ.

In Montreux, Switzerland, I explored a castle that has stood for a thousand years.

Then we walked into town and came across a statue that looked just like Freddie Mercury (it was him-it turns out he lived there.)

In Dubai, a trip to the spice souk (market) was a joy of sensory overload. The colors of the spices, the lovely smells, the noise of the merchants and buyers, all combined to create an indelible memory.

The most memorable part of my travels, however, is the people I’ve met. People all over the world are, for the most part, kind and welcoming and interesting and funny. Of course the tour guides are like that, but I also like to connect with the people I come across in my travels.

The nice gent at a local craft fair in the Outer Hebrides islands of Scotland, who was selling Harris tweed. He explained that he and his daughter did the weaving themselves, and gave me a lesson in the history of the cloth.

The young man at a market in Peru who was selling watercolors, and shyly told me that he was going to school to be an artist, and that the watercolors were his work.

The waiter in a restaurant in Rome who told us he had lived in Queens in New York, which was why his English was so good. He said his job at the restaurant was to get us drunk. He was good at his job.

The priest I met on a water taxi in Venice who was assigned to work on a refugee plan in Syria. He told me about the country and the people, and how highly he regarded them.

Getting out of your own locale, being open to new places and experiences, connecting with other humans; those are the events that bring us closer and help make the world a better place. Not everyone we meet can speak our language, but they have families, people they love, dreams for the future, and the ability to laugh. And I have always been able to communicate with a person in some way, regardless of their language.

Go. It’s worth it.