Follow along with Cruise Specialists Voyage Hosts, Steve and Wendy Bodenheimer on Holland America’s 94-day Grand Australia & New Zealand Cruise aboard Volendam.
February 3, 2024:
Brisbane is our first stop as we start our circumnavigation of Australia. It is the capital and fastest growing city in Queensland, about 575 miles north of Sydney. Noted for its parklands, art museums, and diverse cultural opportunities, it is a city worthy of multiple days to visit. We opted to spend our time outside the city proper.
After a quick face-to-face meeting with Australian officials, a comfortable bus took us along with 38 fellow travelers, to the Tamborine Mountain Rainforest. Our first stop was the Skywalk, a 1.5 KM walk through the forest canopies. A combination of high-tech steel bridges, forest floor trails, and a very neat cantilever bridge made for a fascinating 45-minute wander. The sound of cicadas hidden in the trees accompanied us.
From there we headed to the Cedar Creek Estate Winery for a walk through their fascinating glow worm cave. Glow worms are a form of insect larvae that are bioluminescent, meaning they produce and emit light naturally. They are found in caves throughout New Zealand and parts of Australia. Seeing them in their natural habitat is like watching a twinkling star show in the night sky.
A wine tasting and then a lunch was included in our tour – lunch had many choices, plentiful portions, and everything was fresh and tasty. And then it was on to winery #2 - Sirromet, the largest in Queensland and winner of many awards for their wines. We were able to taste 6 of their wines, and for the first time ever on a wine tour, we each were given a free bottle. We had a choice of three from the 6 we sampled. It was an enjoyable day.
Townsville, in North Queensland, is home to the oldest surviving rainforest in the World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is something for everyone here.
The Strand esplanade, with its piers, beaches, restaurants, and water park, is a great place to wander. The Reef HQ Aquarium, when it reopens, has marine life and coral from the Great Barrier Reef for those who won't be making the trip out to the reef itself. The Billabong Sanctuary wildlife park is home to koalas, wombats, and crocodiles. Magnetic Island, reachable by ferry, has coral reefs and a national park full of wildlife. Castle Hill, the pink granite mountain in the middle of the town, provides challenging hiking and great views.
We have been here at least 3 times and have always enjoyed it. We like how accommodating the city is with free shuttles, a nice local market at the cruise terminal, and golf cart-type vehicles to transport some of the less able passengers from the ship to the terminal and back.
A highlight of our walk was a very large complex at the end of the Strand called the Jezzine Barracks. It has artwork, boardwalks, museums, beautiful parklands, and lots of historical information commemorating both the military and aboriginal significance of the area.
We were able to continue our wander until the heat got the best of us and we had to quit. We discovered there is Uber in town, so that's how we returned to the ship. And being the good tourists we like to be, we did leave some money at the local tourist market - our way of saying thank you for the hospitality.
February 10, 2024:
We're told that Cairns is the 4th most popular tourist destination in Australia, after Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. It's all about the Great Barrier Reef - the ultimate snorkeling and diving destination. The reef is a UNESCO site and one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World. About 100 guests from the ship took the 90-minute catamaran ride to the outer reef for a day on and in the water. We heard it was spectacular - perfect weather, not too crowded, good food, and the magnificent reef. One of our guests who is an avid snorkeler said it was one of the best days of his life!
Perhaps lesser known as a destination is the Village of Kuranda, high up in the rainforest. It is a charming place to visit - cafes and restaurants galore, endless shops for jewelry and local crafts, a Butterfly Sanctuary, Bird World, Koala Gardens, and walking trails.
There are several ways to get to Kuranda, but the most popular would be the Kuranda Scenic Railway. The next best way up is on the Skyrail RainForest Cableway, where you travel above the forest canopy in a 6-person gondola. There are two stops along the way where one can get out and walk through an interpretive trail. It's a beautiful and ultra scenic experience.
Our Cruise Specialists tour today, was a bus ride up to Kuranda village and a ride down on the Skyrail. We drove through the city of Cairns out on the highway and up the very long and winding road to Kuranda village. We had almost 2 hours to eat, shop, and sightsee in the village before making our way to the Skyrail station.
As we all got in line for boarding the gondolas, an announcement informed us that due to a lightning storm approaching the area, operation of the Skyrail was being suspended. After two hours, they concluded that they could not safely operate the gondolas and we would be bussed back to the ship. Almost everyone was understanding and considered it part of the adventure!
After leaving Cairns, we began the Great Barrier Reef Experience. A special Great Barrier Reef Pilot is onboard, and he pointed out a series of notable places like Cape Melville, Restoration Island, and the Piper Island Group.
It will be three more days at sea before we reach Komodo Island. Komodo is a bucket list item for lots of people. It is one of the 17,000 plus islands that make up the country of Indonesia and requires a visa for all visitors, even if you do not plan to get off the ship. The island, with about 1,800 residents, is a national park. It is very carefully regulated to protect the large population of Komodo dragons that live there. This is a rare opportunity to see these dragons in their natural habitat. Those who do want to see them must take an organized excursion - no independent wandering here. Although we have been here before, we decided to take the tour again.
Armed with four bottles of water filled with ice, umbrellas for shade from the sun, sunscreen, hats, and long sleeve shirts, we took the 5-minute tender ride to the island. We were scheduled for a 2-hour walk which took place with a guide, two escorts, and 25 fellow guests. We walked on a natural path on a circular track, through dense foliage. We saw 6 dragons - 3 relaxing at the waterhole, two walking through the forest, and a final one that kindly posed for pictures with us - from a distance of course. The end of the tour brings you to the local market for a shopping opportunity. It was an interesting experience, and the park is well organized to keep visitors comfortable and safe.
This week's entertainment included a delightful night of music. The Night of Music was a collaboration of all the very talented musicians on board. The repertory company singers performed with the Ocean Band. The classical duo played Queen with the dance band. Two of the pianists played four hands on one keyboard and so on. They played jazz and Broadway and rock and country - something for everyone. This all took place in two lounges on one deck, where people could wander back and forth to see what was going on. There was even room to dance in one of the bars, so we did. It was great seeing these performers able to step outside their normal roles and routines to have some fun. Kudos to the planners of this event!
A few words about our ship, Volendam. The comment we hear most often from our guests is how comfortable it is. There is something about the laid-back atmosphere that has made people really relax and enjoy the excellent service, wonderful food, and seemingly endless activities. We have a wonderful Hotel General Manager, who has set an especially friendly and approachable tone for the rest of the crew. Our Cruise and Travel Director is a sensation - so smart, knowledgeable, and wildly funny. His lectures and interviews are not to be missed. For us personally, the addition of a second dance floor and a second band has been a major improvement. Including this voyage, we will be spending the equivalent of 9 months on this ship over the next year and a half, so having this great atmosphere is so wonderful.
We're now headed back to continue our circumnavigation of Australia: to the city of Darwin, another two sea days away.
February 13, 2024:
The city of Darwin is right up at the Northern border of the country, in what is called the Northern Territory. Because of its strategic position, it was mostly destroyed by Japanese bombs during World War II. More bombs were dropped on Darwin than on Pearl Harbor. As a result, it is a modern city, having been completely rebuilt and one filled with the history and artifacts of that historical era. The Military and Aviation Museums are popular attractions. There are tons of crocodiles to be found in the waterways here and several parks and tours provide opportunities to see them up close. There is a beautiful oasis-type area near the port called the Water Precinct - with restaurants, a wave pool, a swimming lagoon complete with kids’ playground in the water, a covered walkway across the water, and attractive areas for lounging. Further afield is the Litchfield National Park, famous for its termite mounds - a collection of hundreds of 6-foot-tall mounds in an otherwise empty space - looking somewhat like tombstones. It is a very unusual sight and over one hundred guests made the 1.5-hour trip each way to see them.
We decided to stay in town to get a glimpse of the artistic side of the city as well as the historic areas. We walked through the parks that border the waterfront before making our way up a 116-step staircase to the central business district.
The highlight of our 7-mile walk was the collection of gorgeous murals painted on the sides of buildings - some many stories high. They celebrate the natural world and the aboriginal culture in vivid color and remarkable detail. What a treat to find these on so many buildings wherever we walked.
Our next stop is the small city of Broome in Western Australia. A shuttle took us from the port to the center of town. From there it was possible to find local tours and transportation to some of the area attractions like Cable Beach, Reddell Beach, the Dinosaur Footprints at Gantheaume Point, or the Broome Historical Museum. You could also just walk around Chinatown, which is at the heart of downtown, to eat, shop or see Sun Pictures, advertised as the world’s oldest picture garden showing multiple films every night.
Broome was put on the map by the pearl industry in the 1880’s. They were famous for making pearl buttons and had an international work force of divers harvesting pearls. That industry was ultimately replaced with the more affordable and easily produced plastic buttons used today. Now the pearls found here are part of expensive jewelry collections. But the legacy of the Chinese, Japanese, and other foreign workers involved in the industry is still very apparent throughout the city.
A few things to note about Broome - it is flat - not a hill in sight. There is some spectacular flora we passed our travels but more prevalent were fields of red sand. It is very hot this time of year, but today it was cloudy with a light breeze. So, we managed to walk about 5 miles including a visit to the very large and interesting Japanese Cemetery.
Continuing around Australia, our next stop is Exmouth, a small town, requiring us to tender to shore. Still in Western Australia, we’re sailing in the Indian Ocean.
Exmouth is so small it begged the question, why do we stop here? The answer is the Ningaloo Marine Park with its coral reefs, colorful fish, and whale sharks. It is also home to the Jurabi Turtle Center, where you can see the habitat of several species of endangered turtles including green and loggerhead.
Since we are not going snorkeling or out in a small boat, we decided to make this a relaxing self-declared sea day. We will miss seeing the Big Prawn Statue, a 13-foot high, 4,400-pound sculpture of a prawn that celebrates the history of the town’s fishing industry!
It is also Valentine’s Day here, a day later than where most of you are and we’re looking forward to a romantic Pinnacle Grill dinner tonight.
February 20, 2024:
Fremantle is the port city and could easily be overshadowed by its big brother Perth, capital city of Western Australia and just a half hour train ride away. But it has so much to offer on its own, we chose to spend most of our time in Fremantle and its surrounding suburbs.
On day one, we hit a lot of the highlights of the city:
- The Fremantle train station - just down the road from the port entrance.
- The Western Australia Shipwrecks Museum - housed in an 1850’s era restored building - it is an acclaimed maritime archeology museum with hundreds of relics including a dozen historic anchors decorating the front lawn.
- The Round House - a twelve-sided building, constructed as a prison, and the oldest surviving structure in Western Australia.
- The South Mole Lighthouse - out on a long jetty - it is a local fishing spot and has great views of incoming ships.
Further down the coast, we visited the town of Coogee, with its beautiful beaches and park areas. We also explored the Woodman Point Regional Park, a lush conservation area full of wildlife, birds, and scenic wetlands.
We managed to walk almost 14 miles before catching an Uber ride back to the ship for our evening excursion.
We were booked that evening for a Dinner Cruise on the Swan River in Perth. This was our first visit to Perth and the small part we saw was impressive. We were taken downtown by bus, surrounded by the modern buildings that line the shore - many beautiful hotels and restaurants made for an inviting scene and since it was Friday night, the clubs were in full swing.
Our dinner cruise was great fun. Although not exclusive, the party-style boat was not crowded. The staff was more than generous with wine and champagne, leaving whole bottles on each table, with refills as requested. There was an awesome buffet dinner, with hot and cold dishes (the lamb ribs and fresh barramundi were highlights), complete with live music and even a place to dance. As is often the case, we were the first to take advantage of that opportunity. Much to our surprise, some of our fellow Holland America guests joined in with younger guests on this cruise for some lively disco dancing! We were also able to spend time on the outside decks to take in the Perth skyline and enjoy the mild, clear evening.
Our second day in Fremantle found us going a bit farther afield. Uber has been a great resource here, as we travelled into the suburbs. Today we visited:
- The Peace Memorial Rose Garden - a lovely oasis in the suburb city of Nedlands, honoring those who died in war.
- The Karrakatta Cemetery - 250 acres of incredible history - the second largest cemetery in Australia with 201,000 graves of all religious denominations.
- The Walter Johnson Nature Reserve - a gorgeous park with excellent family friendly facilities; boating and swimming on the Swan River and miles of walking and biking trails.
- The Queen Elizabeth II Medical Center - a huge modern teaching hospital and research facility.
Even with several Uber rides, we managed to walk 8 miles. As you might have guessed, these unusual places to visit were geocaching driven. It does make for an interesting, if not very traditional day.
We still missed a lot though. We heard fun reports about the Fremantle Markets, with lots of fresh foods, souvenirs, and local cuisine. We passed by but did not have time to go into the Western Australia Maritime Museum, but we were able to see a real submarine on display. There were great reviews for the Perth Mint Tour, the government facility for refining gold and silver and producing investment grade coins and jewelry.
What we did see were some of the biggest and most unique single-family homes both in the city and out in the suburbs. When situated near the water, they are of startlingly large size, mostly modern in style, perfectly manicured and surprisingly close together.
We very much enjoyed our time in Fremantle/Perth and would definitely recommend it as a destination.
February 27, 2024:
At the bottom of the map but still in Western Australia sits Albany. With only 40,000 population, it is mini compared to the 2 million plus in the Perth metro area. But we had a great time here.
The weather has moderated to high 70's without the stifling humidity, so walking is now a pleasure rather than a chore.
Our first destination today was the National ANZAC Center, set high up on a hill overlooking King George Sound. ANZAC stands for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, a group of 40,000 soldiers who were sent to fight in Turkey during World War I. They are revered in both countries as evidenced by the number of parks, monuments, and historic displays devoted to their legend.
The center is in a multi-acre park and museum, beautifully landscaped, and full of emotionally moving displays, artifacts, symbolic artwork, and monuments. Even the location is symbolic, as it is the place where the convoys gathered before leaving for the conflict. And the view from the lookout down to the King George Sound was spectacular.
Our favorite part of the visit was the Avenue of Honor, an impressive planting of hundreds of trees, each dedicated to a fallen soldier and including specific information about each personal history. There are 547 such avenues throughout Australia recognizing the lives, the service, and the sacrifice of all those lost to war.
Returning downtown, we had a pleasant walk through the central business district, full of stores and restaurants. We wound up at the waterfront to visit the Brig Amity. This is a replica of the sailing ship that brought the first white settlers to Albany in the early 1800’s. Heading back toward our ship, we passed through the ANZAC Peace Park - another of the beautifully maintained tributes to the legendary soldiers of World War I.
We found Albany to be a warm and welcoming small town. It’s not easy having 1,000 Guests descend on your small city for a day but they handled it well. We heard they served some excellent fish and chips!
We also had an awesome day in our next port - Port Lincoln. This is an even smaller town, perhaps part of what we liked about it, with a population of only about 14,000. They are all about fishing - tuna, sardines, prawns, and king fish among the largest catches.
Huge fishing fleets line the harbor as we approach. And equally important is grain as evidenced by the giant silos, conveyors, and storage containers that overshadow everything in the harbor.
Our ship is docked at the end of a very long working jetty in Boston Bay. Free shuttles were provided to the end for those unable to walk and then a pay shuttle would take people into town to the main shopping areas.
We chose to leave the ship very early and walk along the shoreline. After you get around the giant silos, the flat path turns into a lovely waterfront promenade with statues, benches, playgrounds, and attractive grassy park areas. Right across the street are small hotels, restaurants, and shops which seemed popular with the locals as well as the visitors. We only had about 2 hours to spend as we needed to return to meet our tour for the day, called "A Taste of Port Lincoln".
It was an excellent tour. Our local guide has over 20 years of experience in the fishing industry in town. We got a very detailed tour of the harbors and descriptions of how tuna is caught and processed - a surprisingly manual operation. After driving around town, we were ready for our visit to the Boston Bay Winery. Set high up overlooking the bay, we were greeted in their lovely garden with gazebo, picnic tables, and inviting spaces to relax and take in the great views.
We were served a refreshing sparkling Pinot Noir (who knew there was such a thing?) and our first snack of grilled calamari and fries - yummy! That was followed by samples of their Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc paired with King fish sashimi and fried prawns respectively. Anyone wanting to sample reds could do so by going to the bar. They were so welcoming and the food and wine so good, we would have liked to stay longer.
On our return to the port area, some were dropped in town for shopping but since we had already been there, we headed out in the opposite direction to follow the Parnkalla Walking Trail, along the shore in the opposite direction from our morning outing. It was a lovely walk but with little shade, the sun was making it uncomfortable, and we returned to the ship having fully enjoyed our day in Port Lincoln.
This was a small town with a big personality - just the kind of place we like best. We did bring back a bottle of that sparkling Pinot Noir we enjoyed so much.
We next had another busy day, this time in Adelaide, the capital of Southern Australia. We docked in Outer Harbor. A half-hour train ride will get you to Port Adelaide, the city that used to be the port before ships got too big to go that far up the river. 30 minutes further by train takes you finally to Adelaide, the city. There were no shuttles being offered since the train is inexpensive and very reliable.
We had booked an excursion to the German Hill town of Hahndorf. Settled by German immigrants in the early 1800’s, it still retains some of the look and feel of a village in Bavaria.
We did get to ride through Adelaide to quickly observe some of the wonderful architecture, both old and new, with commentary from our guide. A quick photo stop at Mount Lofty provided a panoramic view down to the city and many miles beyond.
Arriving at Hahndorf, we had 2.5 hours to roam around and eat, drink, shop, and people watch. Many of the restaurants are German or heavily German influenced. Wursts of all kinds, schnitzels, sauerkraut, and other German specialties are the must order items, accompanied by a vast selection of German beer. We had been told about the German Arms Hotel, so decided on that for lunch. In the interest of variety, we ordered the German Sausage Platter to share. It was enough food for 4 people. Very good but so filling. After lunch, we searched for a few geocaches, shopped in the German Pantry grocery, and looked unsuccessfully for a t-shirt to commemorate our visit.
Southern Australia has been fun. Now moving on to the state of Victoria and her capital city of Melbourne.
March 4, 2024:
Some general observations about Melbourne:
- Very big and bustling. On a business day, the streets are teeming with people in a hurry. Think New York City.
- An excellent transportation system based on trams, buses, and trains, with the trams totally free within the Central Business District.
- A dazzling array of unique, super modern buildings, contrasted with well-preserved old hotels, train stations, university buildings, churches, and homes.
- Very big on arts and culture. Dozens of festivals are held every year and lots of money invested in their museums, arts centers, and public spaces.
- Great use of the Yarra River that runs through the city - with wide promenades, interesting sculptures, and cafes galore as well as scenic river cruises.
Our Cruise and Travel Director had told us this is his favorite place in Australia and that he had trouble narrowing down his usual "Top 10" list to only ten. Places like the Immigration Museum, The Yarra River Discovery Walk, and the Royal Botanic Gardens were high on his list, as well as the Melbourne Zoo, the Sea Life Aquarium, the Melbourne Skydeck, and the beachy neighborhood of St. Kilda. How to choose?
We purchased our all-purpose Myki travel card, good for any travel we wanted to do into the city and took the express bus that was provided for the cruise ship passengers. The bus dropped us off just on the edge of the Central Business District and we set off to explore on our own. We walked 10 miles and were dazzled by the architecture, both old and new. The riverwalk was pleasant. Our favorite place was the Victoria Central Public Library, a huge facility with a gorgeous domed reading room. We wandered through the Central Station, across Federation Square, down a bunch of famed alleys called "laneways", and through a rather large Chinatown, with a staggering number of restaurants.
Next up, Tasmania! We were so glad to have the opportunity to return to the island of Tasmania. It is a beautiful place, and our two days here did not disappoint. For 50 years, it was a penal colony, with 76,000 prisoners having been sent here from England. There is much history to be explored related to the prisons and prisoners.
Our first port stop was Hobart, the capital, where we would be docked overnight. We started our visit by taking a group of our Cruise Specialists Guests out of the city for a visit to the delightful Georgian village of Richmond. About a 45-minute drive from the city, it is filled with handmade brick and stone cottages, sandstone buildings, charming shops, and lots of history. Established in 1825, it is home to the Richmond Gaol, Australia’s oldest existing colonial gaol, or jail, now operated as a historic site. A self-guided tour was the first item on our agenda and then we had free time to roam around the village.
We wandered through their unique shops and charming streets, and many found interesting snacks, like lavender ice cream.
Then we headed to a boutique winery for a tasting of the wines produced in the Coal Valley. It is called Every Man and His Dog. Jack, the dog in the name, was a wonderful highlight of the visit. Our tasting included two rare vintages, only grown in a few places around the world. We also sampled the chocolates produced at their factory which were so good, many of us purchased some to take back.
Returning to the city of Hobart, we had plenty of time to explore and remember why we fell in love with this city before. The waterfront is spectacular. It’s full of fascinating sculpture, inviting seafood restaurants, and beautiful views in every direction. Many of the old buildings have been preserved and well maintained. The city has something of a bohemian vibe that is very appealing and low key.
There is much to keep you interested here - visit the Cascade Brewery (Australia’s oldest), view the city from above on top of Mount Wellington, walk the Battery Point sculpture trail, commune with the animals at the Bonorung Wildlife Sanctuary for an up-close view of kangaroos and Tasmanian devils, and don’t miss the Hobart Botanical Gardens and the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.
Wandering into downtown, we found the typical malls and shopping meccas, but also streets set aside for pedestrian traffic only. Not much in the way of skyscrapers or ultra-modern buildings either. We spent a very pleasant afternoon wandering around.
We had an overnight here, allowing Guests and crew to spend the late evening in town if they wished. But we did not have a second full day there. We left at 5:00 am for our next stop at Port Arthur, the historic site that houses the remnants of the large penal colony that operated here until 1877. Many Guests spent the day wandering the ruins of the 30 buildings that comprised the prison grounds and enjoying the expansive Visitors Center.
Since we had explored the grounds before, we decided to take another kind of tour called, Geological Panoramas of the Peninsula. Leaving from the visitors center, we were driven to 3 unique places, all very scenic and fun. The Tasman Arch is a former sea cave whose roof collapsed and left an arch as a frame to the sea - just beautiful. The Blowhole is a sea tunnel that “blows” wildly when the sea is rough. It was quite active the day we were there. The Tesselated Pavement is a series of sculpted surfaces that form a flat checkerboard pattern at sea level. We were able to walk down 70 steps to see it up close. The landscape here is quite remarkable, and our geologist guide was able to talk at length about how it all was formed.
Back at the historic site, we ventured along a pleasant path by the bay to the Stewart’s Bay walking track, in hot pursuit of two geocaches. One turned out to be a real challenge when the trail disappeared, and we had to fight our way through the woods for a quarter of a mile. But the mission was successful.
Back on the ship we watched more of the dramatic landscape go by as we sailed out of the harbor on our way toward Sydney. Tasmania was a wonderful stop, well worth a longer stay.
We’ve almost completed the circle around Australia. Watch for our two-day Sydney adventures, our final port in this country.
March 5, 2024:
We have said many times that giant cities are not our favorite places to visit. But there are exceptions - and Sydney, Australia is one of them.
It starts with one of the most spectacular sail-ins we have experienced. We pass right in front of the famed Opera House and then sail under the iconic Sydney bridge, exchanging waves with the adventurous climbers standing at the top. We have a perfect view of the towering downtown skyline. Because we are small enough to sail under the bridge, we are relegated to the less desirable dock location at the White Bay Cruise Terminal. Our Cruise Director jokes about it being an award-winning building with absolutely no facilities - not even Wi-Fi. We are a 20-minute free shuttle ride into Darling Harbor for those not doing ship excursions.
Now Sydney is an amazing city with a long list of must-see attractions - so much more than anyone could do in our 2-day stay. Here are just a few: Royal Botanic Gardens, Bondi or Manly Beaches, Taronga Zoo, China Town and the Chinese Gardens, the Sydney Opera house, Sydney bridge for a walk across, a walk under or a climb up, Circular Quay and The Rocks neighborhood, the Australian National Maritime Museum, and Darling Harbor. We have been privileged to have visited here multiple times in the past and have made it to most of these places.
Another iconic destination just out of Sydney is the Blue Mountains. It is famous for the Three Sisters rock formation, and gorgeous scenery and we had an all-day tour with some of our Cruise Specialists Guests to explore this great area.
It started at the Featherdale Wildlife Park, home to 2,000 native Australian mammals, birds, and reptiles spread out in a 7-acre facility. It is a zoo but access to the animals is easy and contact experiences are encouraged - like kissing a Quokka or hand feeding little penguins, kangaroos, goats, and various bird species.
Our luncheon spot was the Hotel Mountain Heritage in Katoomba. It featured a choice of steak or crusted chicken and a pavlova dessert, along with wine. Wine is always a hit at lunch!
After lunch we had a short ride for a fun afternoon at Scenic World. This was a new place for us and great fun. It’s not quite an amusement park but it does have some very cool rides. First, we had a ride down the world’s steepest railway, a 310-meter descent at a 52-degree angle, where we were sealed in a glass train car, with padded roll bars for our knees to hold us in place. From there we walked in the lush temperate rainforest on the elevated boardwalks. We then took a huge 100-person plus cable car back up the valley to the top - the steepest in the Southern Hemisphere. And then finally, we took the very beautiful skyway ride, floating above the Jamieson Valley, with a view of the Three Sisters in the distance. We were in an 84-passenger fully enclosed cable car.
From there we headed into the Blue Mountains to see the Three Sisters up close. The weather cooperated and we were able to view the formations from the scenic lookout across the valley.
It was a long but fun day and very well received by our Guests. Many Guests slept on the 2-hour ride back to the ship.
Day 2 in Sydney was just a walkabout, but we discovered some new and fascinating places just by accident (thank you geocaching).
The shuttle took us to Darling Harbor. From there it is possible to get one of the many ferries to Circular Quay, the Opera House and on to the beaches, zoo, or surrounding suburbs.
We chose instead to walk through the city and came upon the Queen Victoria Building. It looks a bit like a castle, but it is actually now a shopping mall. Stunning stained-glass windows and two massive centerpiece clocks are among its attractive features.
Our second discovery of the day came after we toured the campus of Sydney University and explored Chinatown. We wandered into a massive structure that looked like a restored warehouse from the outside. In the town of South Everleigh, it is the largest surviving intact railway workshop dating from the steam engine era.
This is where they built locomotives. Officially known as the Everleigh Works, hundreds of machines and thousands of tools have been preserved or restored and placed throughout the structure. Around those items they have constructed offices, stores including a supermarket, a brewery and restaurants. The history of the industry and the era is told through well placed information boards both inside and out. We stopped for a beer and a light snack at the Brewery before taking an Uber back to Darling Harbor.
Darling Harbor itself is a nice place to roam around. The Pyrmont Bridge in the middle is just for pedestrians, has great views and connects the two sides of the harbor. Boat tours and ferry rides are plentiful here as this is the way to get to the busy tourist areas by the opera house and the bridge.
Back at the ship, the President of Holland America Line, Gus Antorcha, was making a brief visit to announce the 2026 Grand World Voyage itinerary. Much to everyone’s surprise, that voyage will take place on the Volendam, a much smaller ship than its current home on the Zuiderdam. The new itinerary is a traditional circumnavigation, without any other long voyage scheduled at the same time to compete with it.
Our two days in Sydney flew by and we started our three day journey across the Tasman Sea to New Zealand. The South Island of New Zealand awaits us tomorrow!
Fondly,
Wendy and Steve
Grand Australia Voyage Journal, part 1 | Grand Australia Voyage Journal, part 3
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