Travel

(Wednesday, March 19, 2025) by Ann Silverthorn with Jim DeDad Up and at ‘em for a 7:15 a.m. departure to Milford Sound/Piopiotahi, an estimated eight-hours total on the “coach.” Our tour information said that we’d soak in the “rugged  grandeur” of Hollyford Valley as we cruised through ancient beech forest via the Homer Tunnel on…

(Tuesday, March 18, 2025) by Ann Silverthorn with Jim DeDad On to New Zealand’s South Island! First stop, Queenstown, also known as the “Adventure Capital of the World.” Pick up from our Melbourne hotel was at 6:00 a.m., and it was very nice that they had breakfast boxes for us, since we wouldn’t be able…

(Monday, March 17, 2025) by Ann Silverthorn with Jim DeDad It was cool, but the rain held off as we met with our group at 9:00 a.m. on St. Patrick’s Day. Our coach driver took us on a sightseeing tour of the city with Guide Cam narrating. Here are some interesting takeaways: The Crown Promenade, where we…

(Sunday, March 16, 2025) by Ann Silverthorn with Jim DeDad We were grateful for an easy day, waking at six, enjoying another awesome breakfast, and meeting the bus at eight for our 9:40 a.m. flight out of Ayers Rock Airport (also known as Connellan Airport).  The flight to Melbourne was around three hours. I may…

(Saturday, March 15, 2025) by Ann Silverthorn with Jim DeDad Our long bus ride departed at 7:30 a.m. for the Stuart Highway, then the Lasseter Highway going west toward Uluru, the Aboriginal word for the huge monolith most of us know as Ayers Rock and what I was most excited to see on this trip. I…

(Friday, March 14, 2025) by Ann Silverthorn and Jim DeDad Those who opted for the pre-dawn, hot-air balloon ride were being picked up at 4:55 a.m., while the rest of us, who like their feet on the ground, enjoyed breakfast in the hotel restaurant, before everyone was picked up from the hotel at 8:45 a.m. for…

(Thursday, March 13, 2025) by Ann Silverthorn with Jim DeDad We were up at 3:00 a.m. for a 4:15 a.m. transport to our 6:00 a.m. flights to Brisbane and then to Alice Springs. It was nice that they gave us boxed breakfasts while we waited for the coach. No coffee, though, so that was a…

(Wednesday, March 12, 2025) by Ann Silverthorn with Jim DeDad Another delicious breakfast at CC’s this morning. Jim had enjoyed the waffles yesterday, but today there were only pancakes. The waffles had been especially good, because they were liège waffles, a type of Belgian waffle, that has bits of carmelized sugar throughout. They’re made from a…

(Monday, March 10, 2025) by Ann Silverthorn with Jim DeDad This day, which was also the birthday of our middle child, was the first of our eight flights during our trip, in addition to the ones coming and going to Australia and New Zealand. This three-hour flight from Sydney to Cairns, the gateway to the…

(Sunday, March 9, 2025) by Ann Silverthorn with Jim DeDad As mentioned in yesterday’s post, we had the day free until 4:30 p.m., when we would leave by coach for our dinner cruise on Sydney Harbour. Our tour manager, Cam, had provided many options for Sydney activities in one of his frequent, informative emails, and we…