Random thoughts from the sea
Days 45-48, 2025 Grand World Voyage Tuesday to Friday, Feb. 18-21, 2025; Cairns, Queensland, Australia, and At Sea. Three consecutive sea days! What a welcome – and lazy – break. It’s not that we have been overly busy with a long string of port days. But the ship atmosphere changes
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Day 43, 2025 Grand World Voyage Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025; Airlie Beach, Queensland, Australia. Airlie Beach is a small resort town in Australia’s Whitsundays, a tropical island group that not only is a beautiful vacation spot, but also one of the gateways to the Great Barrier Reef. We are here
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Days 38-39, 2025 Grand World Voyage Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 11-12, 2025; Sydney, NSW, Australia. As the bug slowly made its way across the floor of the mall bathroom stall, all I could think as I lifted my feet was the passage from one of my favorite authors writing in
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Day 35, 2025 Grand World Voyage Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025; Nouméa, New Caledonia. The Shard in London. The Pompidou Centre in Paris. The Nemo Science Centre in Amsterdam. The Regal Princess cruise ship. And the Tjibaou Cultural Center in Nouméa. What do they all have in common? Each was designed
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Day 32, 2025 Grand World Voyage Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025; Nuku’alofa, Tonga. The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus said “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” I’ve learned the truth of this philosophy applies to port experiences.
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Day 29, 2025 Grand World Voyage Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025; Rarotonga, Cook Islands. The elements came together today for a lovely opportunity to paint ashore. I found a stone seat in the shade of the visitor’s gazebo to sketch, ink and paint a view of Avarua on the island of
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Days 25- 27, 2025 Grand World Voyage Tuesday-Thursday, Jan. 28-30, 2025; Tahiti, Moorea and Raiatea, Society Islands, French Polynesia. Not much can top the beauty of South Pacific islands. Sandy beaches, breaking waves on reefs, lush vegetation, tall palm trees and soaring peaks. And the water – every blue in
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Day 22, 2025 Grand World Voyage Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025; Pitcairn Island. I’ve been to 94 countries, according to my count. I track them on the app Been, which creates a neat map. Obviously, a stop in Canada, Russia, China or even Greenland makes the map more impressive. Tiny island
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Days 18-19, 2025 Grand World Voyage Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 21-22, 2025; Hanga Piko, Rapa Nui (Easter Island). There might be more remote spots on earth, but not many, and not with the mystery and magic of Rapa Nui, or Easter Island as it is known elsewhere. Even Britannica (as
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Day 12, 2025 Grand World Voyage Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025; Lima, Peru. I seldom spend the evening ashore, even when we stay overnight in a port. I always say I’ll go back at night, but it doesn’t usually happen. I’m either tired after a day of touring and exploring or
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