Alaska - Day 10, Seward & Anchorage

• I didn't want to eat the super bland breakfast at the hotel, so I walked down the street to the Sup... Bakery. Not a big selection. But the strawberry muffin and latte were wonderful. Ate outside and chatted with another visitor. 
• Stopped at the Ace Hardware (Seward's "Walmart") and bought DayQuil for Ruth. She took a turn for the worse overnight.
• Took bags downstairs to the bus. 
• Drizzly out, but not cold.
• Dropped us at the Alaska Sealife Center. Had 1.5 hours on our own to explore. Like a mini Monterey Bay Aquarium.
• Ate our pre-ordered lunches while we listened to a lecture on cephalapods. He dissected a squid which made some people squeamish, but I found it cool.
• Bus to Anchorage. 2.5 hours, including 1 stop.
• Took group photo at a restaurant area.
• Checked into hotel. Arranged for early breakfast and shuttle pickup.
• Ruth and I walked a little to see the seaplanes landing and taking off. Neat!
• Rested a little.
• Ruth received a note from Kari, asking her to isolate. So she skipped dinner.
• Bus to 49th State Brewing (where I ate lunch a couple of days ago).
• We had our own dining room.
• Had 1 beer (blonde ale). Pre-ordered salmon (the best I had this trip). Amazing blueberry pie! 
• Kari recited a super cute poem. A few of us spoke. 
• Bus back. Said all our goodbyes. 
• Ruth was awake, so she ate her dinner that I carried back.
• Said our goodbyes as she'll be getting up at 1:15am for her flight. 

5 quick lines:

• Something I saw: 
• Something I heard: 
• Something I smelled: 
• Something I tasted: 
• Something I felt: 

Alaska - Day 9, Seward

• Breakfast at hotel.
• https://majormarine.com/tour/6-hour-kenai-fjords-national-park-cruise/
• Bus to boat launch. Waited for a few minutes in their waiting lounge.
• Efficient boarding.
• Saw a bald eagle before we even left Seward.
• LOTS of wildlife. Add more notes here ... Bald Eagles, Sea Otters, Harbor Seals, Stellar Sea Lions, Puffins, Cormorants, mountain goats, ORCAS. Glacier.
• I had an iceberg ice "margarita". Waterfalls. Calm seas, no sun, no wind. 
• Early lunch on board.
• Walked back to hotel, stopping at Ace Hardware, the "Walmart of Seward".
• Drying off and nap. Ruth thinks she's gotten a cold.
• Met Carol in lobby for dinner.
• Walked to Chinook.
• I had 2 glasses of Kendall-Jackson chardonnay, snow crab claws (a little tough), crab cakes (very good).
• Walked back to hotel. Early to bed.

5 quick lines:

• Something I saw: 
• Something I heard: 
• Something I smelled: 
• Something I tasted: 
• Something I felt: 

Alaska - Day 6, Denali & Anchorage

• Breakfast at DEC.
• Walked to Village lobby. Waited for a few minutes. I was the only one in the van. 
• Got to heliport, checked in, weighed. Ice boots over mine. Had to store backpack. 
• Had to wait a little while for fog to clear.
• Asked us to sign a waiver, allowing them to use my image in future brochure. They filmed our entire flight.
• Pilot Marco from Austria. 3 other people. I got to sit in front!
• https://temscoair.com/denali-glacier-landing/
• We did 2 landings! West Fork Glacier and an Alpine lake. 
• Both spectacular. 
• I was a little nervous when we got close to some of the peaks, but I got over it. 
• I was unable to drink glacier water (none easily accessible/drinkable due to silt). 
• Glaciers were less blue than I expected, as yesterday's snow covered it. 
• Total flight time about 2.5 hours. Supposed to be 1.5 hours
• Had a van/driver waiting for me. Drove me to train depot.
• Lunch (burger) & dinner (cod) on board. 2 free drinks (Alaska Brewing Amber Ale).
• Very slow for a while due to yesterday's snow.
• Beautiful views except no Denali.
• Arrived at Anchorage after 9pm. 
• Got bags, short bus ride to Captain Cook Hotel. 
• Reorganized bags.
• Turned out lights 11:00 pm.

5 quick lines:

• Something I saw: 
• Something I heard: loud helicopters
• Something I smelled: 
• Something I tasted: 
• Something I felt: 

Alaska - Day 8, Anchorage to Seward

• Really early wakeup.
• I got coffee in hotel.
• Bus to Anchorage Train Depot. Lots of people there, but very organized.
• 4.5 hour train ride. Best leg of the ride, based on the scenery.
• Watched the sunrise from our breakfast table.
• I had a mimosa (why not?) And biscuits/gravy. 
• Went back up and admired the scenery the whole way.
• Got into Seward, took our van to the hotel. We dropped off people who weren't feeling well.
• Took a walking tour of some of Seward's 35 murals. Paintings are done by community members.
• Had lunch with Ruth at Seasalt Alaska Bar & Grill. Good beer. OK cod fish & chips. 
• Walked a little of the seaside trail, admiring the statues commemorating the Iditarod dogs and gushers.
• Went back to the Sealife Center.
• I bought seaglass pendant and earrings.
• Got on bus and drove to Bear Creek where salmon were running. They had an "elevator" for them to get higher. Very interesting. LOTS of fish.
• Back to hotel and took a nap.
• Bus to dinner at Zudy's. It was the original train station. They opened just for us. Delicious halibut with macadamia nut crust, risotto, asparagus, salad, rolls, berry cake, chardonnay. All delicious. 
• Back to hotel, early to bed.

5 quick lines:

• Something I saw: 
• Something I heard: 
• Something I smelled: 
• Something I tasted: 
• Something I felt: 

Alaska - Day 7, Anchorage

• Breakfast - tried reindeer sausage. Didn't like it; tasted like greasy bologna.
• Bus ride to Alaska Native Heritage Center.
• Cool outdoor recreations of various tribes' homes.
• Heavy descriptions of "boarding schools". 
• Loved the demonstrations of games and dances.
• Bus back to hotel. Walked straight to 49th State Brewing for lunch with Ruth. I had their Pale Ale (Didn't like it much). Grilled cheese/crab sandwich either tots. Very good huge portion. And cheaper than 1.5 pounds of king crab for $165!
• Walked to Anchorage Museum. Impressive. 2 wings, 1 with 4 floors. My favorite exhibits were on the mush dogs and The Cold War.
• Walked back to hotel and it was raining.
• Long, luxurious nap.
• Met the group in the lobby and walked to Glacier Brewing. I had 1 glass of chardonnay sourdough bread, Caesar salad, salmon, mixed desserts.
• Holly had arranged for a local author to speak to us about the history of the Iditarod. Ruth bought her book. 
• Walked back to hotel. Early to bed, due to very early pickup tomorrow. 

5 quick lines:

• Something I saw: 
• Something I heard: 
• Something I smelled: 
• Something I tasted: 
• Something I felt: 

Alaska - Day 5, Denali

• Rain turned to SNOW!
• Breakfast at DEC.
• Lecture - Wildlife of Denali by Toni
• Break
• Lecture - This Land Is Your Land, by  Keith Reimink (Program Director). Great speaker. Interesting subject. I want to read more.
• Lunch
• I was told that all helicopter rides today were CANCELLED. Later others told me their 4:30 flights were going. Just not my 2:35. Asked about tomorrow morning. Put me on the list, but they need at least 2 other people. Will confirm with me by EOD. Didn't call me back until 7:40 pm.
• Karie drove Ruth and I to the Visitors Center. We watched 2 short films, both good, but I liked the one about the mush dogs better. Not much time to see anything else. Caught the bus at 3:30pm. 
• Lecture - Farming in the Subarctic by Tom Zimmer. He was enthusiastic, but the subject matter wasn't that interesting to me. 
• Back to room where I showered and packed.

5 quick lines:

• Something I saw: 
• Something I heard: 
• Something I smelled: 
• Something I tasted: 
• Something I felt: 

Alaska - Day 4, Denali

• Early alarm for early breakfast.
• It was lightly raining. 
• Saw an incredible double rainbow. So vivid. I ran down to the "beach" to get a better view (picture above).
• Lecture - Geology of Pretty Rocks, by Natalie. She wasn't the best speaker, but provided a lot of information. Now I know why the road isn't open yet.
• Back to Riverside Hall where we each packed our to go lunch. Cute "bento box" that I put in my backpack. 
• Loaded onto bus for our trip into Denali National Park and Wildlife Preserve.
• They divided us into 2 groups. I went on the hike with Toni on the McKinley Station trail. Only 1.6 miles and 100 feet elevation. Learned a lot about the park's trees, geology, birds, history, etc.
• Ate our packed lunches on the bus.
• Then drove further into the park.
• Saw 2 moose (female and her calf) right by the bus! On the return trip we saw a single male, with huge antlers. I couldn't get a good picture. I'm sure other people will share theirs.
• Bears - I couldn't really spot them the first time. Saw them very well on the return trip.
• Caribou - huge antlers.
• Dall Sheep - just outlines on a horizon. 
• Wolves - the last of the Big 5. Didn't see any but didn't expect to.
• Saw a bald eagle at the end. No pictures, as we were driving quickly.
• Made a couple of stops. Very windy! Not cold. Light rain on and off.
• Back to the cabin for a few minutes.
• Dinner was excellent (salad, lasagna, garlic bread, tiramisu). I brought my wine.
• We all sang Happy Birthday to my roommate, Ruth (70 years old).
• Lecture - 70 Mile Kid by Tom Walker. Excellent presentation.
• Back to cabin. Turned out light by 10:00 pm.

5 quick lines:

• Something I saw: 4 of the Denali "Big 5" animals.
• Something I heard: 
• Something I smelled: 
• Something I tasted: 
• Something I felt: 

Alaska - Day 2, Fairbanks

• Only 30K people in Fairbanks. 
• Alaska Natives, not First Nation.
• Most extreme weather in the states. Up to 100 down to -40
• Cross heaves (bumps in road from permafrost)
• Dry cabin = no plumbing
• 800 mile oil pipeline from Pruhoe Bay to Valdez.
• Thermo segments to keep ground frozen.
• North America caribou. Asia reindeer. 
• Same species.
• Solid animals. Biggest: Kirk, had personal space issues.
• Lots of flies. I pulled down my mosquito net. Boy was I glad I had it.
• Cute gift shop in the yurt.
• Waited for our 2nd group to finish.
• Bused back to Fairbanks, to Golden Harp Square.
• Disbursed for lunch.
• I went to big Daddy's BBQ with Sue and Carol.
• I had 1 beer, 3 sliders (pulled pork, brisket, chicken) with a slide of tater tots. All good.
• Back to square.
• Jordan drove me, Sam, and Diane to the Fountainblue Automotive Museum.
• Look forever to get in as the person selling tickets was also in charge of the gift store.
• Museum was incredible. Meticulously restored cars and period costumes. Highly recommended.
• Waited a few minutes for Jordan. She drove us to Fred Meyer. I got a bottle of wine (expensive) and walked back to the hotel. Further than I thought, but I enjoyed the walk.
• Showered.
• Bus pickup 5:45pm. 
• Dinner at Bobby's downtown. 
• We had a room to ourselves. A little dark and loud. Service was good.
• Share appetizers (calamari & saganaki). Caesar salad. Filet Mignon. Misc desserts.
• Bus back to hotel.
• Packed for early checkout.
• Turned out light at 10:10 pm.

5 quick lines:

• Something I saw: reindeer!
• Something I heard: reindeer grunts
• Something I smelled: 
• Something I tasted: 
• Something I felt: soft pelts

Alaska - Day 3, Denali

• Early wakeup and breakfast.
• On the bus by 7:00 am. 
• Drove to Fairbanks train Depot.
• Plenty of time to receive tickets from Karie, saw model train set, shopping (Mile marker guide).
• Got on train, car C Adventure class.
• Karie told us that this segments will be the least interesting. Pretty, but nothing major to see. Lots of boreal forest. The only wildlife I saw were some white swans. We won't see much wildlife as they run away from the sound of the train.
• I had a coffee on board.
• Spent a little time in the dome car. No outside access on this leg.
• I may have caught a small portion of Denali.
• Very smooth ride.
• Arrived on time.
• Bus was waiting. New driver: Jan.
• Stopped along the way for individual photos. Started raining so we didn't get a group photo.
• Arrived at Denali Education Center (DEC). 
• Went to our cabin (last one in the row) and bags were waiting as promised.
• Our cabin overlooks the fast-moving river with the National park right across it. But it smelled of sewage! We submitted a maintenance request and sprayed air freshener.
• Quick rearranging, then went to Riverside Hall for lunch. Salad, grilled cheese sandwiches chunky hearty tomato soup, cookies, strawberry-rhubarb infused water. All excellent.
• Short walk to beach with commentary by Toni.
• Lecture by Toni on the Sub-Arctic in the Sheldon Center. Learned a lot. 
• Back to the Hall for sign-up for optional activities on Friday afternoon 2:45. I put myself down for the helicopter/glacier ride. They'll confirm tomorrow and get payment. 
• Went back to cabin to repack and get wine. 
• Dinner in hall: salmon, roasted root veggies, potatoes, rolls, bread pudding with ice cream. All excellent.
• Back to cabin. Showered, packed for tomorrow. 
• Turned out my light before 9pm.
• Rudely awoken in the middle of the night by my wine's "ice bucket" falling off the window sill.

5 quick lines:

• Something I saw: boreal forest.
• Something I heard: crashing of wine bottle, water, ice.
• Something I smelled: sewage. 
• Something I tasted: Alaskan salmon!
• Something I felt: surprise at how good the food is at DEC.

Alaska - Day 1, travel and Fairbanks

• So excited to finally go to Alaska. For years I've dreamed of visiting, but never had the time. Yay for retirement!
• Woke up before my 4:30 AM alarm clock.
• Lyft driver was early but patient.
• Finished my last minute things (including a protein drink) and said goodbye to the kitties.
• Had a latte and hard boiled egg in the airport.
• First flight from SAN to SEA was full, but I had no one in the middle seat next to me, which was nice.
• Napped a little. 
• Had an awful tuna sandwich at SEA.
• Next flight was also full. Woman next to me had a fat ass and wouldn't quit squirming. Tried to sleep.
• Got to FAI and had to use the restroom urgently. The closest one was closed. Had to sprint to the next closest one. Put in my contacts and brushed my hair.
• Bag was already on the carousel. 
• Called River's Edge Resort to shuttle pickup. He seemed flustered. Told me to take acsb and they'd pay for it.
• Waited a long time and no cabs came. Hotel shuttle bus ended up coming. Short drive to hotel. 
• Had to wait behind several fellow Road Scholars to check-in. 
• Orientation was starting so I parked my bags.
• Kari abd Jordan gave Orientation. 
• I had been sweating all day and felt very dirty and stinky.
• My roommate, Ruth, from Indiana introduced herself.
• Back to the room and we chatted a bit.
• Walked back to lobby to catch our bus to the restaurant, The Pump House (was on my list).
• Cool decor.
• I had blackened halibut (not very blackened) that was good. Also had a glass of J. Lohr chardonnay.
• Bus back to the hotel.
• I showered and organized a little. Then straight to bed. 
• Can't wait to meet the reindeer tomorrow!

5 quick lines:

• Something I saw: trees. Lots of trees.
• Something I heard: 
• Something I smelled: no perfume on my roommate!
• Something I tasted: utterly tasteless tuna sandwich at SeaTac.
• Something I felt: gratitude for being in this beautiful place. 

Day 29 Traveling home

Observations in food:

• Lots of steak served, but no steak knives.

• Few green vegetables, but you'll have potatoes with every meal.

• Few opportunities for salads.

• Ketchup is called Tomato Sauce.

• You can get HOT tea everywhere, anytime. But rarely ICED tea (we cheered when it was offered once).

• Baked beans on every breakfast buffet. 

Had breakfast, checked out of hotel, walked across the street with Robin and Bruce to the SYD international terminal. Easy check-in. Had plenty of time to kill. Flight was on time (left a few minutes early?).

Despite a super busy month-long trip, in many cites, in 2 countries, I couldn't sleep on the plane. I took a melatonin tablet, which relaxed me, but I still slept only 1 hour during the 14-hour flight. Instead I watched 4 movies: (An Affair to Remember, Armageddon Time, 500 Days of Summer, Brian and Charles) and took advantage of all 3 food/beverage services.

We actually arrived early to LAX. So early that Customs wasn't open yet. So they made us stay on the plane until 6:00 AM. I had plenty of time before my next flight. 

I cleared Customs quickly, due to my Global Entry membership. My bag was one of the first delivered. I didn't recheck it through American, as I'd made a better flight reservation through Southwest. The only problem was the distance between terminals at LAX, rolling a heavy bag, after almost no sleep. I got through Security super-fast with my Clear membership (thanks @LeeMcCracken). I again had plenty of time before my flight, so I got a bagel and coffee. I then went to my gate, only to have the flight delayed by 1.5 hours. When it finally took off, I fell right asleep (but it's only an hour flight). Again, my bag came out quickly.

I called a Lyft and it came surprisingly quickly too. Unfortunately, there was a traffic jam on the Bay Bridge. My driver almost missed an important turn to my house, but I straightened him out just in time.

I lugged my heavy bag up to the 4th floor and was home at last! 

Max was a little confused at first, but then wouldn't leave me alone. Lucy seemed pissed (pussed?) Off at first. But she too warmed up quickly. I will miss my new friends, Australia, and New Zealand. But it's also good to be home. 

LOTS more pictures to follow, as I weed through the massive number that I took. Check back later here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/J4mRTDsDQXVW8dbu9

Photo: Leaving Sydney.

Day 28 Cairns and Sydney, AU

We walked to the harbor for our short cruise to the nearby mangroves with the Aboriginal village of the Mandingalbay Yidinji people. Our guide, Vincent, was hilarious. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a short ceremony with a cleansing fire. And bugs (biting midges)! We had been warned ahead of time about this, so we were prepared with toxic levels of insect repellant and mozzie nets. Vincent showed us medicinal plants, boomerangs, and other tools. By the time we left, we were all dripping with sweat due to the heat and humidity. The return boat ride was much cooler.

We walked back to the hotel for a quicken freshen and hotel checkout. After breakfast I felt a twinge in my chest and throat. Harry provided me with a COVID test. Luckily it was negative. I didn't think it would be positive, but I wanted to be sure. I took some ibuprofen, and it was much better shortly after. 

We parted with Mark and our bus took us to the airport. Check-in was easy. Harry found out that our flight was delayed about an hour. Though it was still a little early, several of us had a beer in the airport. It was very refreshing, after being so hot this morning.

We had an uneventful flight to Sydney (our 3rd visit). It was so much cooler and less humid than Cairns. We had a short bus ride to the Rydges Sydney Airport Hotel (same one as a few nights ago). We received our keys and had a few minutes to organize. My time was mostly spent getting the air conditioning fixed in my room. 

Several of us had wine in the bar. Harry rounded us up for dinner. We had a lovely time, chatting on our last night together. Jack expressed for all of us our gratitude to Harry. He was an AMAZING tour leader. He fixed every issue that we encountered. He made it look easy, but we know he worked hard behind the scenes. Thank you, Harry!

We all said our goodbyes and promised to keep in touch. I think there will be many upcoming visits. Several of us are on the same flight tomorrow, so we'll see each other at the airport.

I will miss these AWESOME people.

Photo: Me on a boat in the mangrove swamps of Cairns. 

Day 27 Cairns, AU

Early pickup at hotel. I'm prepared to check another item off my Bucket List: snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef (the world's largest coral reef system and the only living structure on Earth that's visible from space). 

We had a short drive through Cairns to the Reef Fleet Terminal. Harry, Mark, and Dave got us through the check-in process. 

We boarded the Ocean Spirit catamaran around 8:00 AM. There were only about 67 people on the boat that had a capacity of 150. We had a reserved section at the 2nd level, rear of the boat. We had great views from there. 

It was a PERFECT day; no rain, warm. We had briefings on the 2-hour sail to Michaelmas Caye. Our boat was the ONLY one at this reef.

The first thing that struck me was the sheer mass of birds (terns and boobies) on the spit of land and the turquoise blue of the water. We could see how clear and shallow the water was when the crew fed the big fish (chumming) from the boat. 

At that point most of our team went on a glass-bottomed boat tour. I was anxious to spend as much time as possible snorkeling, so I skipped the boat. Mel, Ted, Ron R, and I took the dingy to the beach.

We donned our lycra body suits, masks, snorkels, and fins. We instantly plunged into the warm water. The reef wasn't far from the shore. 

I started seeing fish, other critters, and coral right away. Some of what I saw: hard and soft corals, parrot fish, sea cucumbers, giant clams, tangs, cleaner fish, clown fish (I found Nemo!), triggerfish, and a polka-dotted ray. It was amazing! I don't know how long I was in the water. But my lips were tired of wrapping around the snorkel. 

I caught the "beach taxi" back to the boat. I wolfed down my lunch. Then I took the taxi back to the beach.

The others on our team were in the water or on the beach. I eagerly jumped back in the water. I spent another hour in the water, then headed back to the boat.

Once everyone loaded and the crew came back from their posts, we started back to Cairns. We made pretty good time, with a raised sail. 

We enjoyed champagne and dessert, provided by the boat. We got back to Cairns about 5:00 PM. Or bus came a few minutes after we did.

We had just enough time to shower, grab a drink, and head to our conference room. We each shared our memories and highlights from the trip. It was hard for me to choose. But my fellow travelers were way up there. I've made new friends for life. I also loved all the unusual critters that I got to see: penguins, kiwis, glow worms, wallabies, reef fish, etc.

We had dinner and a lot of wine. The story telling and laughter was so fun.

My trip is winding down. I hate to see it end.

Photo: Me on Michaelmas Cay. 

Day 26 Cairns, AU

We took our bus to the Sydney airport domestic terminal (farther from the hotel). Group check-in went very well. It was a 3-hour flight from Sydney to Cairns. There were a lot of people boarding, but the flight wasn't full.

Our Site Coordinator, Mark Pugh, met us at baggage claim. We boarded our bus for the day's activities (check-in later in the day). 

We drove through the rainforest to the town of Kuranda. We walked through the market to Frogs Restaurant. Our area was already occupied. By a huge lizard. He wasn't afraid of us at all and hung out for our entire lunch. 

We had a guided walk by Russell Boswell. We walked by the Barron River and learned about the river and rainforest. 

We then had about 45 minutes of free time to wander around the town. I'd like to buy a didgeridoo in Australia. Russell directed me to an art gallery, Doongal Aboriginal Art. There was a lot to choose from. But the shipping was crazy expensive. It had tripled in price in the last couple of years. I need to think about it. 

We met up at the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway (gondola) over the Wet Tropics World Heritage site (world's oldest tropical rainforest). We were surprised how long the ride was. The views were stunning. Barron Falls was roaring, due to recent rains. We also walked the boardwalk at Red Peak. Russell educated us on the unusual plant and animal life in the rainforest. At the very end of the ride, we spotted some wild wallabies!

We drove to the Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort and checked in. I grabbed a beer from the bar and took it to my room. Our bags were already in our rooms. I rested and organized.

We had a light dinner, while receiving a lecture from Dave O'Brien. He showed us where we'll be snorkeling (on the Great Barrier Reef!) tomorrow. He had pictures of the coral and fish that we'll see. I can't wait! I was too keyed up to sleep. So, I had a glass of wine by the pool. 

Photo: Me at Barron Falls.

Day 25 Uluru & Sydney, AU

I intended to get up early and watch the stars and sunrise. I got up and there were too many clouds, so I went back to bed. Plus the thought of the spiders and snakes gave me second thoughts. 

Breakfast at hotel. Checked out.

Phil drove us to Kata Tjuta, in the same World Heritage listed national park as Uluru. Kata Tjuta means "many heads" the Anangu language. It spectacular has 36 rounded domes and is higher and larger than Uluru. It's a male sacred site, but the Aboriginal people let women, children, and tourists access 4 locations. We went to 3 of them. 

We hiked about 1 mile up to the Walpa Gorge. It's a very rocky trek up there, so we had to watch every step we took. It was hot, but we felt periodic breezes. Only then did the black flies leave us alone. I'll say it again: thank goodness for mozzie (mosquito) nets! 

We went to another site that had a short walk to some amazing views if the domes.

We drove to the Dune Viewing area. We could see the grasslands and many of the domes. We took a lot of pictures here.

I thoroughly enjoyed Kata Tjuta.

We drove to the Uluru Airport for our next flight, back to Sydney. There were other tour groups leaving and the airport wasn't that efficient. But we still made it in plenty of time. We ate our huge boxed lunches that the hotel delivered for us. Though none of seemed to want the apples. We left a small pile of them for (hopefully) other travelers. Despite JetStar being a budget airline, they did serve food and beverages. Road Scholar gave each of us a $10 credit to use on board. I watched some of the TV shows that I had downloaded at home on the uneventful 3-hour flight. It was fun to see the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge from the air.

We picked up our bags and took a very short bus ride from the domestic terminal to the Rydges Sydney Airport Hotel, which was right across the street from the international terminal. Again, we had to stop in Sydney only because of Qantas route changes. 

Harry got our dinner time pushed back 1/2 hour, so we had time to change clothes (I only changed my shoes). We had drinks in the hotel bar, then a lovely dinner in the hotel restaurant. 

Time to crash! We head to Cairns/Great Barrier Reef (!) tomorrow.

Photo: Me (with mozzie net) at Kata Tjuta's Walpa Gorge. 

Day 24 Uluru/Ayers Rock, AU

On the road to Uluru. Raining. It feels like the Big Sky Country of Australia.

Directions from Alice Springs to Uluru (Ayers Rock): take the Stuart Highway south and straight for 150 miles. Turn right at the Lasseter Highway. Don't miss the turn (or your next stop is Darwin)! Go 150 miles. 

I rocked out on my ear buds to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Live at the Fillmore. Great road trip music. 

Stop: Stuarts Well Roadhouse. We had coffee, comfort stop, and a keg stretch. Lee told us to look for the pictures of a dingo on a piano. Back on the bus, he told us the great story about Dinky the singing dingo (RIP).

Stop: Erldunda Roadhouse. We had scone and coffee/tea. Big pen with several emus. 

Stop: Mount Connor. Big, flat-topped mountain. The nearby salt lake, would have been a stark white, except the recent rains melted it. Kids on cattle stations get the best education (School of the Air) and life experiences. Then go to boarding school in Adelaide. Then university. Kids often don't want to take over the business. Mount Connor is the "family headstone".

We were upgraded to the Desert Gardens Hotel. We had lunch at the new hotel. It was to be at the original hotel. Everyone got fish and chips, which was fine. Lovely room.

On the bus, to Uluru/Ayers Rock. We first stopped at the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre. The artwork was beautiful. We got to see several women creating intricate pieces. 

The sun came out! With a vengeance. Hot, humid, and buggy. Thank goodness for the mozzie nets! We circled the entire rock and stopped several times. We saw Aboriginal rock art, a waterhole (filled to the brim), caves. You can't take photos in certain spots that are sacred. We respected this request. We walked back to the bus in silence in order to appreciate the power of the mountain. I definitely felt something.

We came back to the hotel and checked in. This property is huge. It's a bit of a hike to our rooms. But our luggage was waiting for us in our rooms. I had just enough time to take a shower and get organized for the evening.

We drove back out to Uluru right before sunset. There were other buses there, but it didn't feel crowded. Harry, Lee, and Phil had camp chairs for us to sit on while watching. They also brought champagne and nibbles for us. It was a very nice touch. Lee suggested that we take photos every couple of minutes (almost like a time lapse) so we could see the changing colors. It was absolutely magnificent! I'll never forget this. We drive back with big smiles on our faces (the champagne helped).

We went right to the restaurant for a late dinner. What an amazing day, shared with me new friends. Life is good!

Photo: Me and my champagne at Uluru/Ayers Rock.

Day 23 Alice Springs, AU

Early departure for the Alice Springs Desert Park. We learned a lot about Central Australia. We liked the bird show, especially the vulture using a rock to break open a model emu egg (other guesses were a coconut, avocado, football). The snakes and spiders creeped me out. 

Lee gave a lecture on Desert Landscapes, Flora, and Fauna. We had lunch in the classroom. It was much more pleasant once Ted (a.k.a. Teed) figured out the air conditioning. 

We drove to the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). They do such amazing work, providing urgent and primary care for Australians that are far from community hospitals. I need to watch the TV show about them.

We then drove out of town to Simpsons Gap (not Bart, Jessica, or OJ). Due to the recent rains, it had more water than Lee had ever seen. You know it's unusual when the guide actually takes a picture. There were locals hanging out, enjoying the water. The rock formations and cliffs were quite stunning. We didn't spend a lot of time there. The black flies were numerous and persistent. Unfortunately, I had left my fly net in my backpack in the bus.

We had some free time to relax. I took the opportunity to check the inside of my eyelids for light leaks (there were none). I was woken up by the sound of thunder and heavy rain.

We drove just a few minutes to the Olive Pink Botanical Garden. It looked cool, but we didn't get a tour. We had a lovely steak dinner in their restaurant. We were entertained by Skip, who also works at the Desert Park earlier. He was hilarious. We sang the national song (not the anthem) of Australia, Waltzing Matilda. Skip educated us on the true meaning of the song (hint: it has to do with being a hobo). Then it was time for Skip to form a band. Bruce played the "wobble board" (a far cry from Carnegie Hall). Mel played the "lager pole" (a stick with beer caps that rattled when she banged it on the ground) with great gusto. It was hilarious!

We drove back to the hotel. We have an early departure tomorrow for Uluru (Ayers Rock)!

Photo: Me at Simpsons Gap. 

Day 22 Alice Springs, AU

Up at 5:00 AM for flight. No breakfast at hotel, but I did have a latte. Walked next door to the airport. The slow bag check kiosks seemed to be as sleepy as we were. 

Our 2-hour flight to Alice Springs was slightly delayed. They fed us a light breakfast.

Site Coordinator, Lee, and driver, Phil, met us at baggage claim. Amazingly none of us has had our luggage list yet. I may have just jinxed us.

Our first stop in Alice Springs was Anzac Hill (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps). It's a moving memorial to all those who served in the defense of their country during all wars in which Australia has participated. There are lovely views of the town and hills. We also heard about the top secret surveillance work that is done by the US at nearby Pine Gap. I could tell you about it, but then I'd have to kill you. 

We drove to the Alice Springs Telegraph Station. It was interesting hearing how the town was formed. Fun fact: there is no Alice SPRINGS. There's only an intermittent Alice WATERHOLE. I guess Alice Waterhole just didn't sound as good as Alice Springs. It was hot (high of 93 degrees) and humid, even in the shade. But it's quite moderate for here. I bought a cool baseball cap with an aboriginal design and a 3D postcard, which I'll mail to myself from Uluru.

We drove to Alice Springs' Central Business District (CBD) for our travelers to pickup any needed items (insect repellent, sunscreen, cash) as there won't be anything available at Uluru. Many shops are closed temporarily due to the recent crime wave. It was quite sad. The Prime Minister was here a few days ago. They've reduced hours for sale of takeaway liquor ban to try and reduce the crime. We're safe here at the hotel, but we were warned not to go into town after dark.

We checked into our hotel, the Mercure Alice Springs Resort. It has a very inviting pool. 

We had a few minutes to freshen up before lunch. We enjoyed sandwiches, wraps, fruit, and muffins. A Coopers Pale Ale beer tasted mighty good.

After lunch, we walked to a hotel conference room where Lee gave us a lecture on Aboriginal Culture & Heritage. I learned a lot about the many clans (over 250 of them) and their culture.

We had a little more free time to settle in.

We boarded our bus for a field trip to the Alice Springs School of the Air. Since 1951, they have been remotely teaching students that live more than 50 kilometers from a community school. And they did this LONG before COVID forced remote learning on our students.

I relaxed during the free time we had before dinner. We were supposed to have Aboriginal style food at the Desert People's Centre, but they were closed for remodeling. Our hotel was able to whip up a last-minute delicious meal for 20 people!

After dinner we were supposed to have a night sky viewing with our astronomer, Andrew. But Mother Nature had a different idea and filled the sky with clouds. We're all about flexibility. Andrew gave us a lecture (sans stars) on the Astronomy of the Southern Skies. Hopefully the skies will clear up when go to Uluru (Ayers Rock), so we can see.

It was still quite warm. So, I went for a short swim in the pool. Me and a bunch of large, dead or dying bugs. It felt good after today's heat. And my shower felt even better. 

It was a long day. I'll write more tomorrow. 

Photo: Me at the Alice Springs Telegraph Station. 

Day 21 Melbourne, AU

Chris Watson gave us a lecture on Australian art. 

We had a few minutes to finish packing, checkout, and store our bags.

State Library Victoria. We marveled at the stunning architecture, especially in the La Trobe Reading Room. 

We took the free light rail to the National Gallery of Victoria. Chris showed us many of the pieces that he described in his lecture. It was fun to see them in person. We saw many other pieces that were amazing. I especially liked the pieces from the Aboriginal artists. 

Ann, Ron, Diane, Steve and I had lunch @ Mabu Mabu. It's aboriginal cooking that I saw on the TV show Down to Earth with Zac Efron. Very unusual menu. I had fried alligator with a smoked oyster aioli. 

I walked along the Yarra River, laneways, alleyways, and arcades.

I treated myself to a slice of red velvet cake at the Tea Room in the Royal Arcade. 2 days ago, we marveled at their display of sweets. It tasted as good as it looked.

I had decided against buying opal jewely. But then I walked by a shop called Paris Argentina Jewellry in the Block Arcade. They had several pieces that were just my style. They had so many choices. I finally selected a simple oval stone with silver around the edge. I love it!

I walked back to the hotel and joined the others for wine, while we waited for our bus.

We took our bus to the airport, where we said goodbye to Richard. Once he found a Qantas employee (they were hiding), Harry checked us in as a group. We had time to kill. Harry suggested that we eat at the airport, as we'd be arriving late in Adelaide and there would be few choices. Kim and I split a pizza, which wasn't great, but it filled us up. Turned out they served food on the plane.

It was a short, 1 hour, flight to Adelaide. The only reason we went to Adelaide was due to Qantas route changes. The Atura Adelaide Airport Hotel was adjacent to the airport. Harry checked us in. My room was very modern and chic. We all retired early, in preparation for our early flight to Alice Springs tomorrow. 

Photo: Me enjoying the aboriginal artwork at the National Gallery of Victoria. 

Day 20 Melbourne, AU

Lecture by Richard De Gille on contemporary Australia (1901-2023).

Walked through laneways and arcades. We were supposed to take a tram, but it was rerouted due to the Australia Day (many call it Invasion Day) protests. 

We walk to the Melbourne Skydeck on the 88th floor of the Eureka Tower. No, I did not climb it. We just happened to be on the observation deck when a bunch of fighter jets flew right by the windows. The planes came quite close to the building. We got a free airshow due to Australia day. The timing was sheerly accidental. 

Then we were on our own. After all the wonderful smells when we walked through Chinatown, Kim and I were craving Chinese food. We wandered along and found a place in an alley off of Little Bourne Street. Camy Shanghai Dumpling House had all my favorites. We didn't want to eat too much as we were having an early dinner. I just had some BBQ pork buns and green onion cakes. Kim had a noodle dish.

After lunch, I walked to the Queen Victoria Market. It was great fun, even though many booths were closed due to the national holiday. I almost bought some Australian opal jewelry, but I wasn't sure if this was a good place to do it. Plus, I was going to be late, getting back to the hotel.

With the help of Google Maps, I hustled back. It was a longer walk than it seemed. I made it in just enough time to splash my face with water and grab layers for tonight.

Ann and Ron made it back from NZ and met us in the hotel lobby. We all piled onto the bus for the long ride to the Phillip Island penguin parade. I could barely contain my excitement!

We stopped at the little town of San Remo for dinner at Mario's. We had time before our reservation, so we walked around the wharf for a few minutes. There were some serious fishing boats there. One had huge lightbulbs used to attract squid to the surface. We were a little rushed at dinner as Mario needed the room for another party.

We continued the drive and stopped at The Nobbies to kill some time. Great views and lots of squawking sea gulls. We saw dozens of cute wild wallabies in the grasses along the way. 

Onto the Phillip Island Penguin Parade visitor center, we were impressed with the modern architecture. We got through the gates with no issues and headed towards our "VIP" seats (Penguin Plus). The workers reminded people (some several times) that photography was strictly prohibited. Flashes could actually hurt the birds' eyes. We all watched the waves intently, looking for the little blue penguins. Around 9:00 PM, we started seeing little shapes moving towards us. Soon dozens of them were visible. They hesitated fie a few minutes, then a few brave birds waddled down their well-worn path, right past our viewing area. Many were very chubby, having been in the Southern Ocean, feeding. They were so darn cute, with their little waddles, sprints, and some tumbles. We spent almost 45 minutes, watching them pour in. We estimated that HUNDREDS of them came ashore. We'll see the numbers tomorrow. We met inside the visitor center at 10:00 PM. Richard showed us the Southern Cross in the night sky.

We rolled into the bus for our long drive back to Melbourne. Most of us napped. I returned a very happy camper.

It was fine, as we had penguins to see! 

We completed the drive to Phillip Island, stopping at Yhe Nobbies