Holidays Down Under

Day 10 - Tuesday, Dec 30 – Travel to Queenstown It was a quick 14 hours in Brisbane, but we accomplished a lot in that time, not to mention getting some sleep. We were up and on the road at 6:50AM. Thankfully we got to the airport early as the process of walking through the front doors of the Departure Hall and getting to our Gate was laborious.  First, check-in at a kiosk (can I just talk to someone?).But Monica is very adept at these things and a “take-charge” girl. After following all of the prompts for passports etc. she got kicked out of the system twice and we had to track down an agent (didn’t I tell you wee needed a person!). The agent came, tried twice, got stymied, tried her magic override passcode, and finally gave up. But not before asking to see our visitor visas for NZ. [Note: we had to apply for those online 2 weeks before our trip at a cost of $100NZD per person!] I whipped out my printed copy that I received via email when I applied (and paid) online. Nope. Tha...

  Day 9 - Monday, Dec 29 – Brisbane in a Day Our flight to Brisbane didn’t leave until 12:20pm so we had a little time in the morning for the kids to go swimming, albeit in the off-and-on rain. We shuttled to the small Hamilton Island airport and took the 1.5-hour flight to Brisbane. The airport requires a 200-yard walk on the tarmac to the plane and a hike up some stairs with luggage to board through the back of the plane. We did see one group board the flight ahead of us, and just as they started the walk to their plane, the tropical skies opened up and the wind was blowing lots of rain sideways. Yikes. We all prayed that didn’t happen to us, and thankfully it didn’t.    We landed in Brisbane to warm, sunny weather. It was refreshing to see the sun again. Our transfer to the hotel was smooth and our driver gave us some tips on what to do, but we were only staying   for 18 hours! Out “hotel” – the Adina Apartments hotel – was the old government building fo...

  Day 8 - Sunday, Dec 28 – More Reefers We awoke on Day 2 of our Reef Stay to clouds and drizzle – that is, no dramatic sunrise over the Pacific. Shucks. We proceeded to a wonderful buffet breakfast. Now, at this point, it is worth noting Noah’s fruit juices. And here is an advertisement (unpaid – I am not trying to become an “influencer”). We had kiwi, which also had mango, and a couple of other fruits I cannot remember, and apple. I guess they’re supposed to be healthier (no added sugar; no preservatives), but the bottom line is that they are really very good. The kids love them and drank them throughout our stay. I have to give Gordon credit for finding these fruit juices and enlightening our family. Well done, Gordon! So, it is early morning (breakfast was at 7:00 – 7:45; the seas are calm; the occasional light drizzle ; AND the day-trippers (for those living in the 60’s and 70’s, this is not what you are thinking) do not arrive until 11AM as we did the day before. Water ac...

Day 7 - Saturday, Dec 27 – The Big Day This was the day we were to experience one of the big highlights of our trip - an overnight stay on a floating pontoon/hotel on the Great Barrier Reef. We started our day with breakfast and the short half-mile walk to the Marina to pick up our boat that would take us to the reef. The boat was quite large and capable of holding 250 people. Most of the people were doing a day trip out to the reef, but there were 27 of us who planned to spend the night on the pontoon. It was a 2-hour boat ride that started with navigating through the channels of the Whitsundays islands, of which Hamilton Island is one. The waters were very calm, and it was a scenic cruise, albeit under very cloudy skies (did I mention it's the rainy season here?). When we got to the open waters of the Pacific Ocean, the waters were a little rougher, but nothing that we couldn't handle. In true traditional English fashion, we were served morning tea.     We arrived at...

  Day 6 - Friday, Dec 26 – Boxing Day The history of “Boxing Day” comes from days of yore in the UK. The servants who waited on their employers worked on Christmas Day doing all the things necessary to help the wealthy families have a nice Christmas. The families would then place leftovers and presents/gifts in boxes and leave them outside their front doors after Christmas. The servants were granted a day off and could pick up these items for themselves and their families. Our Boxing Day morning was spent packing up for the next stop on our journey. But first, we had to take one more walk around The Rocks and Harbor (Harbour? I forget). The Rocks – a quaint area near the Harbor Bridge and Circular Quay – is filled with shops, boutique hotels and restaurants. Monica and Steve were recalling places where they had eaten 16 years earlier, and Steve recalled his days of being there on business trips with Lilly. Aaah! The nostalgia!  We got our transfer from the hotel after ...