Take a walk past the swimming pools at the Ramada Resort
along the little path
and you arrive at the beach
stretching for miles in each direction
Marcoola Beach at the beautiful Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia.
A Short Getaway
Category Archives: Australia
Darwin, NT
Darwin Skyline
Our Stateroom
Our dining room wait staff
Had an enjoyable day in Darwin, Sunday 5 March. We went to Parap Markets – most interesting was the array of Asian cuisine available …. very multi-cultural! To our disappointment, apart from a few locally handcrafted items, most were timber or clothing imports. Anyway, it filled in the morning and then we returned to the city centre by shuttle bus where we made a leisurely stroll through the shopping mall.
The weather was in the mid-30’sC, which wasn’t too bad, but the killer was the high humidity which made our last stop at the Monsoon Hotel for a glass of beer a necessity!!!
We were just about to set sail at 5.00pm when a storm came from nowhere. Nil visibility, so that delayed our departure for about an hour. After some heavy rain, out came the sun and we left port just as we were eating dinner.
Food is fantastic, but we are managing to keep ourselves in check. Alex is keeping himself busy with art lessons every day. Not so much for me, but I am happy spending time reading in a deck chair out on deck or doing a bit of cross stitch if I feel like it. Our stateroom is very comfortable and we are sleeping extremely well. Must be the “motion of the ocean”!
Asian Cherry Blossom Adventure
Just able to get under the Harbour Bridge
Sydney Harbour
Well, we are into Day 5 already on our 42-day voyage to Asia and the Orient. Leaving the Fisherman’s Grain Terminal, Port of Brisbane last Friday, we didn’t bother to stay on deck as we set sail and opted to eat instead! For anyone who has not been there, let me just say that this is not the prettiest port in the world – so nothing to miss there. Have heard rumours of a new Brisbane port to be built in a nicer location – bring it on!
Of more interest was arriving in Sydney last Sunday. Unfortunately, we were unable to meet friends as we’d intended, but nevertheless stayed with our plan to take the 30-minute ferry across beautiful Sydney Harbour to Manly, one of the places close to my heart that I visited often when growing up in Sydney.
Manly Beach
Manly is one of Australia’s most loved, most frequently visited and most scenic sea-side tourist destinations. Famous for its beach and harbour views. Had a great day and managed to catch the Sunday market there as well. The weather was sunny, not too hot – perfect for strolling up The Corso from the wharf to the beach.
Since then, we have been enjoying ourselves on board. We have seen some very good shows and last night was our first formal. Lots to do on sea days and the shops are busy. Next stop – Darwin.
Quilts, Cats and Me 