Welcome from David and Lyn.

The format of our site is in three parts:

1. Blog server - our day-to-day travel blogs (this website)
2. Photo server - some of our key photos
3. YouTube channel - our videos (many linked directly from our blogs)

The site includes hundreds of searchable travel blogs. Some of our longer trips are listed below. 

General travel

• Bridge cams - Princess
• Unofficial Travel Awards
• Equator Crossings
• International Date Line

About

• David
• The Thalassophile (lover of the sea)
• The Musician - Uke resources
• The Presenter
• The Photographer
• The Ham (VK4DCP) - Ham resources
• The Vexillophile (flags)
• Lyn
• Countries visited: #1 to #25 | #26 to #50 | #51 to #75 | #76 to #100 | #101+
• Summary of cruises - Pre COVID-19 / Post COVID-19 

Thank you for visiting our website.

Best regards

David and Lyn
e-mail: brizzy@outlook.com.au

Cruise countdown

2027 Fiji Cruise - Blog Starting Page

2027 Circle Pacific Cruise - Blog Starting Page

Links to major adventures
2026 - Ultimate European Odyssey - Paris to Prague Blog - Apr 2026 to June 2026 Cruise #1 - Normandy & Gems of the Seine Cruise #2 - Enchanting Provence, Tuscany & The French Riviera Cruise #3 - Bordeaux Affair Cruise #4 - Unforgettable Douro Cruise #5 - Jewels of Europe Prague city stay
2025 Pacific North America Cruise Blog - Apr 2025 to June 2025 Cruise #1 - Sydney to LA Repositioning Cruise #2 - Pacific Wine Country Rocky Mountaineer - Discovery Circle Cruise #3 - Voyage of Glaciers (Northbound) Cruise #4 - Voyage of Glaciers (Southbound)
2024 - World Cruise on the Coral Princess Blog - Apr 2024 to Aug 2024 Photos Segment #1: Sydney to Tangier - 35 Days Segment #2: Tangier to Dover (via Baltic) - 21 Days Segment #3: Dover to New York - 18 Days Segment #4: New York to Brisbane - 38 Days
2020 – Indian Ocean & South Africa Odyssey + Southern Australia Explorer Blog - Jan 2020 to Mar 2020 Photos
2019 - Hawaii, Tahiti and South Pacific cruise on the Sea Princess
Blog - Aug 2019 to Oct 2019 Photos
2018 - World Cruise on the Sea Princess
Blog - Jun 2018 to Sept 2018
Photos Segment #1: Brisbane to Dubai - 19 Days Segment #2: Dubai to London - 30 Days Segment #3: London to New York - 20 Days Segment #4: New York to Brisbane - 37 Days
2017 - Cherry Blossom cruise (a.k.a. China - Japan cruise)
Blog - March 2017 to April 2017 Photos
2016 - World Cruise on the Sea Princess
Blog - May 2016 to Aug 2016
Photos Segment #1: Sydney to Dubai – 20 Days Segment #2: Dubai to London – 35 Days Segment #3: London to New York – 11 Days Segment #4: New York to Sydney – 38 Days Home Leg: Sydney to Brisbane – 2 Days
2015 - Hawaii, Tahiti and South Pacific cruise on the Sun Princess
Blog - Jul. 2015 to Aug. 2015 Photos
2014 - South East Asia on the MV Voyager
Blog - Feb. 2014 to Mar. 2014
Photos Leg #1 Treasures of Asia Leg #2 Colours of the Indian Ocean
2012 - Caribbean cruise on the MV Voyager
Blog (by Lyn) - Nov 2012 to Jan 2013
Photos (by David and Lyn) Leg #1 Voyage to the Caribbean Leg #2 Caribbean Gems Leg #3 A Tapestry of Central America
2011 – Far East cruise on the MV Discovery
Blog (by David) - Dec 2011 to Feb 2012
Photos (by David) Leg #1 Treasures of the Orient and Vietnam Leg #2 Empires of the Sun Leg #3 South East Asia and Australia
2010 - Caribbean cruise on the MV Discovery
Blog (by David) - Nov 2010 to Jan 2011
Photos (by David)  Leg #1 Discovery of the New World Leg #2 Colonial Trails of the Caribbean Leg #3 Tales of the Old Spanish Main
2009 - Grand Voyage of Discovery from Mumbai (India) to London on the MV Discovery
Blog (by David) - Mar 2009 to May 2009
Photos (by David) Leg #1 India and The Persian Gulf Leg #2 Red Sea and Eastern Mediterranean Leg #3 Black Sea, Turkey and Greek Isles Leg #4 European - mainly the Mediterranean

Menu

• Introduction
• Map of cruises (zoomable Google map)
• Cruise #1 - Normandy & Gems of the Seine
  
• Cruise #2 - Enchanting Provence, Tuscany & The French Riviera
• Cruise #3 - Bordeaux Affair
• Cruise #4 - Unforgettable Douro
• Cruise #5 - Jewels of Europe
• Prague city stay
• Overall Snapshot - Scenic “European Odyssey” Grand Journey

Introduction

The adventure began 10 April 2026 when we boarded our flight to Paris for the start of the 2026 Ultimate European Odyssey.

This adventure covered 56 days in Europe on 6 ships, and included:

• Hotel - Sofitel Le Scribe Paris Opera (3 nights)
• Normandy & Gems of the Seine - Scenic Gem (10 days)
• Hotel - Boscolo Exedra Nice (1 night)
• Enchanting Provence, Tuscany & The French Riviera - Scenic Eclipse (7 days)
• Hotel - Intercontinental Bordeaux (1 night)
• Bordeaux Affair - Scenic Diamond (7 days)
• Unforgettable Douro - Scenic Azure (10 days)
• Jewels of Europe - Scenic Jewel (7 days) & Scenic Jade (7 days)
• Hotel - Cosmopolitan Prague (3 nights)

Cruise #1 – Normandy & Gems of the Seine

Other Links:

• Just the photos:
• Cruise #1 - Normandy & Gems of the Seine
• List of videos (link opens YouTube page):
• Scenic Enrich Concert - Chateau de La Roche-Guyon - 20 April 2026 (0:35)

Snapshot of this leg:

• Scenic Gem (capacity 126; 56 crew)
• Passenger details - 111 passengers (68 Aussies)
• Cabin spacious
• French champagne in the bar fridge on arrival.
• Staff were awesome and always happy, and the food was exceptional.
• Scenery very pretty along the river.

Cruise #2 – Enchanting Provence, Tuscany & The French Riviera

Other Links:

• Just the photos:
• Cruise #2 - Enchanting Provence, Tuscany & The French Riviera
• List of videos (link opens YouTube page):
• Chef's Table - Cooking the "Happy Beef" - 28 April 2026 (0:15)
• Scenic Enrich event at the Monaco Cathedral - 29 April 2026 (0:59)
• Extravaganza night in the Yacht Club - 30 April 2026 (1:13)
• Dinner on Eslipse at the Marketplace - 01 May 2026 (0:40)

Snapshot of this leg:

• Scenic Eclipse (capacity 228, although limited to 200 in the Polar Regions; 187 crew)
• Passenger details - 191 passengers (56 Aussies)
• Beautiful ship also known as “a discovery yacht”.
• Cabin was spacious, bathroom lovely (much bigger than our ensuite at home), and a nice size balcony. 
• Food at the specialty restaurants was fantastic. Chef’s table was unique and very theatrical.
• Very happy with the unexpected US$1,000 each to spend on the ship (presumably because of the Grand Journey). We filled the space we had allocated in our suitcases for gifts with some lovely clothing and a few other non-essential items.

Cruise #3 - Bordeaux Affair

Other Links:

• Just the photos:
• Cruise #3 - Bordeaux Affair
• List of videos (link opens YouTube page):
• Scenic Enrich Concert - Chateau d'Agassac - 06 May 2026 (0:28)
• Time-lapse - Transit under the Pont de Pierre - 08 May 2026 (0:27)

Snapshot of this leg:

• Scenic Diamond (capacity 149; 60 crew)
• Passenger details - 127 passengers (44 USA, 43 UK, 22 Aussies, 11 Canada)
• Ship slightly larger than the Scenic Gem.
• Cabin not quite as spacious as the Gem … built in 2009 (refurbished 2017).
• We felt the scenery along the river wasn’t quite as beautiful as the Seine, but still lovely.
• The focus of this cruise was the wine of the region and world war related excursions.

Cruise #4 – Unforgettable Douro

Other Links:

• Just the photos:
• Cruise #4 - Unforgettable Douro
• List of videos (link opens YouTube page):
• Time-lapse - Crestuma-Lever Lock - 11 May 2026 (1:19)
• Time-lapse - Carrapatelo Lock - 12 May 2026 (0:21)
• Time-lapse - Leaving Regua - 14 May 2026 (0:29)
• Time-lapse - Bagauste Lock - 14 May 2026 (0:31)
• Cruising the Douro River - 14 May 2026 (0:59)
• Esencia Flamenco - 14 May 2026 (0:29)
• Pina Brothers - 16 May 2026 (0:28)
• Scenic Enrichment - São Francisco Church - 18 May 2026 (1:23)

Snapshot of this leg:

• Scenic Azure (capacity 97; 43 crew)
• Passenger details - 81 onboard (61 Aussies)
• Cabin spacious
• A much smaller ship, which was wonderful … a little more intimate. 
• Staff mostly Portuguese and all fabulous … you could sense their camaraderie. 
• Loved the fact that the Cruise Director and tour guides work on the ship and are all passionate about Portugal. 
• We think the Douro has the prettiest scenery along the river.
• We loved everything about Portugal, and overall this was our favourite cruise.

Cruise #5 – Jewels of Europe

Other Links:

• Just the photos:
• Cruise #5 - Jewels of Europe
• List of videos (link opens YouTube page):
• Museum Mill in Schermerhorn - 21 May 2026 (0:17)
• Scenic Enrich Concert - La Redoute Recital Hall, Cologne - 22 May 2026 (1:01)
• Siegfried’s Musikkabinett Museum, Rüdesheim - Circus music - 23 May 2026 (0:25)
• Siegfried’s Musikkabinett Museum, Rüdesheim - Six violins - 23 May 2026 (0:28)
• Rothenburg - Medieval Festival - 25 May 2026 (0:31)
• Executive Chef describes main course for Table La Rive - 26 May 2026 (0:54)
• Scenic Enrich Concert - Palais Lichtenstein - 31 May 2026 (0:32)

Snapshot of this leg:

• Scenic Jewel (capacity 163; 57 crew); swapped to Scenic Jade (exactly the same size and layout as the Jewel) halfway due to low water levels.
• Passenger details - 163 onboard (123 Aussies)
• Cabin spacious and only slightly bigger than the other Space Ships.
• Lounge and restaurant areas are much larger, and acoustics aren’t great. A bit noisy at times, especially in the dining room.
• We have been taken very good care of overall by Scenic, however, even more so on this cruise … our butler said they were trying to outdo the other ships! Well they certainly did! Beautiful flowers, chocolates, biscuits and a bottle of champagne on arrival, and canapés daily. Also an invitation to dinner at La Rive, which is usually only offered to Diamond guests.
• Mostly cruising until lunchtime, which gave us a bit of a rest in the mornings.
• Overall, the scenery was beautiful, particularly the Rhine Gorge.

Prague city stay

Other Links:

• Just the photos:
• Prague city stay
• List of videos (link opens YouTube page):
• Prague Astronomic Clock - 04 June 2026 (1:08)

Overall Snapshot - Scenic “European Odyssey” Grand Journey

• Hotel accommodation along the way was five star. 
• All the balcony cabins were lovely and spacious. We would definitely recommend a balcony cabin if you are river cruising as the scenery is truly beautiful at times.
• We found the butlers on the river cruises very engaging and helpful.
• Staff to passenger ratio on the Eclipse was 1:1, but we felt staff on the river cruises to be more attentive 1:2 ratio (or 1:3 on the Jade and Jewel).
• When we booked we were told that we were entitled to one bag of washing per cruise, so we packed accordingly. When we arrived we were advised that washing was complimentary daily as part of the Grand Journey … a real bonus. Less than 24 hour turnaround too … amazing. Wish we had known this in the beginning as we would have packed less, so we could buy more!
• Food was very good on all the ships, but overall we found the French cuisine on the Seine to be the best.
• Love the fact that Scenic are “quiet” ships … announcements are only made for really important information, otherwise you have to be on time or you miss the tour. It’s also the guests’ responsibility to tap on and off the ship … an easy process. 
• The quiet boxes (listening devices) provided are very effective and make the tours much more enjoyable.
• Would we recommend a Grand Journey? Yes, if you have the stamina! For us, we thought it was perhaps a week or so too long.
• Be mindful that the Eclipse is the only ship that offers medical facilities. All river cruises do not have this on offer, which means you have to rely on medical facilities on land. This can be particularly challenging, not only due to language barriers, but also when you are only in port for half a day most days. Lyn had a video link call with an Air Doctor (for travellers) during the last cruise … very helpful and only AU$100. The crew were also very helpful to find chemists, organise taxis, etc.
• We give Scenic 5 stars as they took care of everything … flights, transfers, and accommodation … the whole process was seamless. All we had to do was get to and from Brisbane airport. The Grand Journey was a bit expensive, but worth every cent.

For more photos / album slideshow:

Prague, Czeh Republic - Friday, 05 June 2026
David decided to join the final tour of our journey this afternoon to Prague Castle, which is one of the largest castle complexes in the world. Also a visit to St. Vitus Cathedral (the grandest cathedral in the Czech Republic), the Old Royal palace (former residence of Bohemian Royalty), and the picturesque Golden Lane.

For more photos / album slideshow:

Prague > Munich > Singapore > Brisbane - 06-07 June 2026
This morning it’s time to farewell Prague and fly home. Thank you to the fantastic crew onboard the Scenic Spaceships and the Scenic Eclipse who certainly made this holiday more wonderful … five stars from us. A snapshot of our journey and each of the Scenic ships is included on the 2026 - European Odyssey starting blog page.

Reference:

• Wikipedia: Prague, Bohemia, Czeh Republic
• Wikitravel: Prague, Czeh Republic

Homeward bound:

Previous | 2026 - European Odyssey | The End!

For more photos / album slideshow:

Budapest > Prague (via Slovakia) - Wednesday, 03 June 2026
Petr (you have to roll the “r”) our tour director, accompanied us on the coach from Budapest (capital of Hungary) via Bratislava (capital of Slovakia) to Prague (capital of the Czech Republic) travelling along the main continuous highway network connecting Budapest to Prague, which runs roughly east to west (then north). The journey covers about 525 km and takes roughly 5.5 to 6 hours by car. Including lunch and a rest stop, it took us 8 hours.

For more photos / album slideshow:

Reference:

• Wikipedia: 
• Budapest, Hungary
• Bratislava, Bratislava Region, Slovakia
• Wikitravel: 
• Budapest, Hungary

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For more photos / album slideshow:

Vienna, Austria + Bratislava, Slovakia - Monday, 01 June 2026
David decided on the coach tour to Bratislava, Slovakia’s capital since independence in 1993. This modern multicultural metropolis has an intriguing history. The glorious Old Town and well-preserved hilltop castle contrast with its brutalist socialist architecture. The city felt like it could be a party town with lots of bars and clubs. It certainly wasn’t as crowded as many of the major cities we have visited. You could see remnants of the old Soviet system, such as the trams and their favourite foods.

The bus trip from Vienna to Bratislava passed through a huge wind park with many hundreds of wind turbines in every direction … as far as the eye can see. Austria has over 1,400 turbines, the world’s 17th largest producer of wind power, and we were told there are around 860 in this region.

For more photos / album slideshow:

Reference:

• Wikipedia: 
• Vienna, Austria
• Old Town Bratislava, Bratislava, Bratislava Region, Slovakia
• Wikitravel: 
• Vienna, Austria
• Bratislava, Slovakia

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For more photos / album slideshow:

Reference:

• Wikipedia: 
• Dürnstein, Krems-Land, Lower Austria, Austria
• Krems an der Donau, Krems-Land, Lower Austria, Austria
• Wikitravel: 
• Dürnstein, Lower Austria, Austria
• Krems, Lower Austria, Austria

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For more photos / album slideshow:

Reference:

• Wikipedia: 
  • Passau, Passau (district), Lower Bavaria, Bavaria, Germany
  • Salzburg, Salzburg (state), Austria
  • Schlogen, Upper Austria, Austria
• Wikitravel: 
• Passau, Lower Bavaria, Bavaria, Germany
• Salzburg, Salzburg (state), Austria

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For more photos / album slideshow:

Danube River
The Danube is a river in Europe, the second-longest after the Volga in Russia. It flows through Central and Southeastern Europe, from the Black Forest of Germany south through the Danube Delta in Romania into the Black Sea. A large and historically important river, it was once a frontier of the Roman Empire. In the 21st century, it connects ten European countries, running through their territories or marking a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for 2,850 km, passing through or bordering Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Ukraine. Among the many cities on the river are four national capitals: Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, and Belgrade.
Source: Wikipedia

Reference:

• Wikipedia: Vilshofen an der Donau, Passau (district), Lower Bavaria, Bavaria, Germany
• Wikitravel: Vilshofen an der Donau, Lower Bavaria, Bavaria, Germany

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For more photos / album slideshow:

Reference:

• Wikipedia: Nuremberg, Middle Franconia, Franconia, Bavaria, Germany
• Wikitravel: Nuremberg, Franconia, Bavaria, Germany

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For more photos / album slideshow:

Executive Chef describing main course:

Rhine-Main-Danube Canal (aka Europa Canal)
Connecting the Main and the Danube rivers from Bamberg via Nuremberg to Kelhiem. The canal was completed in 1992 and is 171km long. The summit elevation is 406m above sea level and is the highest point of Earth that is reached by commercial watercraft from the sea.

The height difference along the north ramp of the canal—from the Main at Bamberg to the crest elevation—is 175m, with 11 locks. From the crest elevation down to the Altmühl at Dietfurt is a drop of 51m through three locks. The further difference in elevation of 17m along the Altmühl, with two more locks, makes a total of 68m for the south ramp. This means that the Danube end of the canal is 107.3m above the level of the Main end.
Source: Wikipedia

Reference:

• Wikipedia: 
• Bamberg, Upper Franconia, Franconia, Bavaria, Germany
• Wikitravel: 
• Bamberg, Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Germany

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For more photos / album slideshow:

Reference:

• Wikipedia: 
• Würzburg, Lower Franconia, Franconia, Bavaria, Germany
• Rothenburg, Ansbach, Middle Franconia, Franconia, Bavaria, Germany
• Wikitravel: 
• Würzburg, Franconia, Bavaria, Germany
• Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Franconia, Bavaria, Germany

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For more photos / album slideshow:

River Main
The Main is the longest tributary of the Rhine, one of the major European rivers. It has been canalized with 34 large locks and there are 16 locks in the adjacent Rhine-Main-Danube Canal and the Danube. The Main is navigable for shipping from its mouth at the Rhine close to Mainz for 396 km to Bamberg. Since 1992, the Main has been connected to the Danube via the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal and the highly regulated Altmühl river.
Source: Wikipedia

Reference:

• Wikipedia: 
• Miltenberg, Miltenberg (district), Lower Franconia, Franconia, Bavaria, Germany
• Gamburg / Werbach, Main-Tauber-Kreis, Stuttgart (region), Baden-Württemberg, Germany
• Wertheim, Main-Tauber-Kreis, Stuttgart (region), Baden-Württemberg, Germany

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Another YouTube video showing six violins playing (opens is another window, 0:28) is also available.

For more photos / album slideshow:

Rhine Gorge
Upper Middle Rhine Valley is the 65 km southern section of the Middle Rhine between Koblenz and Rüdesheim in the states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse in Germany. It was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in June 2002 because of its beauty as a cultural landscape, its importance as a route of transport across Europe, and the unique adaptations of the buildings and terraces to the steep slopes of the gorge.
Source: Wikipedia

Reference:

• Wikipedia: Rüdesheim, Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis, Darmstadt, Hesse, Germany
• Wikitravel: Rüdesheim, Rheingau, South Hesse, Hesse, Germany

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For more photos / album slideshow:

Reference:

• Wikipedia: 
• Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
• Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
• Wikitravel: 
• Cologne, Cologne Lowland, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
• Bonn, Cologne Lowland, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

  &      

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Arrived late afternoon at the Scenic Jewel. A much bigger ship than we have been used to … 163 passengers … and it’s fully booked. Lots of Aussies onboard and the lounge and restaurant (being bigger) seem very loud. Perhaps it’s the excitement of day one! We hope so.

Looking forward to our journey along the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers. Hopefully, we’ll have some warmer weather. 

Not much to share today photo wise, but thought you might like to see our cabin. We even have beautiful flowers to say thank you for embarking on the Grand Journey … feeling truly blessed.

For more photos / album slideshow:

Amsterdam, Netherlands - Thursday, 21 May 2026
Lyn had a nice relaxing morning onboard (and enjoyed the salt room).

David started with a visit to Stompetoren in North Holland, home to a number of authentic 16th-century windmills used to raise water. For efficiency most use a screw rather than a bucket.

More than half of the Netherlands is below sea level, so these pumping stations are critical in keeping the land. These days the stations use electric pumps which replace around three of the old windmills. The other type of mill are called industrial windmills and are typically higher off the ground (see final windmill photo). These are used for industrial applications like grinding seeds and running plants.

Next stop was to the charming town of Alkmaar, known for its historic buildings and picturesque canals. Very similar in feel to Amsterdam but without the crowds. There was a large sign warning tourists to be aware of pickpockets, but the bikes were far more dangerous!

People in Amsterdam love to give nicknames to various buildings, especially if not liked. For example, The Toilet Seat (see photo). It soon became known as The Shit House as it was rumoured that people could hear their neighbours flushing toilets.

At lunchtime we set sail along the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal then Lower Rhine towards the cosmopolitan metropolis of Cologne, Germany. The Amsterdam–Rhine Canal is a canal in the Netherlands that was built to connect the port and capital city of Amsterdam to the main shipping artery of the Rhine. The Amsterdam-Rhine Canal is the world's most frequented artificial waterway with an annual average of 100,000 ships. We passed through the first of 68 locks late afternoon.  

At 5.30 our butler delivered canapés to our room. He said we will be receiving them every afternoon during our journey. Wow … we weren’t this spoilt on the other ships! Not complaining though!

Tonight was the Captain’s Welcome Cocktail and Gala Dinner.

For more photos / album slideshow:

Reference:

• Past visits: 1988 (David), 10 June 2024
• Wikipedia:
• Amsterdam, North Holland, The Netherlands
• Stompetoren, Alkmaar, North Holland, The Netherlands
• Wikitravel:
• Amsterdam, North Holland, The Netherlands

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Other Links:

• Just the photos:
• Cruise #5 - Jewels of Europe
• List of videos (link opens YouTube page):
• Museum Mill in Schermerhorn - 21 May 2026 (0:17)
• Scenic Enrich Concert - La Redoute Recital Hall, Cologne - 22 May 2026 (1:01)
• Siegfried’s Musikkabinett Museum, Rüdesheim - Circus music - 23 May 2026 (0:25)
• Siegfried’s Musikkabinett Museum, Rüdesheim - Six violins - 23 May 2026 (0:28)
• Rothenburg - Medieval Festival - 25 May 2026 (0:31)
• Executive Chef describes main course for Table La Rive - 26 May 2026 (0:54)
• Scenic Enrich Concert - Palais Lichtenstein - 31 May 2026 (0:32)

Snapshot of this leg:

• Scenic Jewel (capacity 163; 57 crew); swapped to Scenic Jade (exactly the same size and layout as the Jewel) halfway due to low water levels.
• Passenger details - 163 onboard (123 Aussies)
• Cabin spacious and only slightly bigger than the other Space Ships.
• Lounge and restaurant areas are much larger, and acoustics aren’t great. A bit noisy at times, especially in the dining room.
• We have been taken very good care of overall by Scenic, however, even more so on this cruise … our butler said they were trying to outdo the other ships! Well they certainly did! Beautiful flowers, chocolates, biscuits and a bottle of champagne on arrival, and canapés daily. Also an invitation to dinner at La Rive, which is usually only offered to Diamond guests.
• Mostly cruising until lunchtime, which gave us a bit of a rest in the mornings.
• Overall, the scenery was beautiful, particularly the Rhine Gorge.

Prague city stay

Other Links:

• Just the photos:
• Prague city stay
• List of videos (link opens YouTube page):
• Prague Astronomic Clock - 04 June 2026 (1:08)

Overall Snapshot - Scenic “European Odyssey” Grand Journey

• Hotel accommodation along the way was five star. 
• All the balcony cabins were lovely and spacious. We would definitely recommend a balcony cabin if you are river cruising as the scenery is truly beautiful at times.
• We found the butlers on the river cruises very engaging and helpful.
• Staff to passenger ratio on the Eclipse was 1:1, but we felt staff on the river cruises to be more attentive 1:2 ratio (or 1:3 on the Jade and Jewel).
• When we booked we were told that we were entitled to one bag of washing per cruise, so we packed accordingly. When we arrived we were advised that washing was complimentary daily as part of the Grand Journey … a real bonus. Less than 24 hour turnaround too … amazing. Wish we had known this in the beginning as we would have packed less, so we could buy more!
• Food was very good on all the ships, but overall we found the French cuisine on the Seine to be the best.
• Love the fact that Scenic are “quiet” ships … announcements are only made for really important information, otherwise you have to be on time or you miss the tour. It’s also the guests’ responsibility to tap on and off the ship … an easy process. 
• The quiet boxes (listening devices) provided are very effective and make the tours much more enjoyable.
• Would we recommend a Grand Journey? Yes, if you have the stamina! For us, we thought it was perhaps a week or so too long.
• Be mindful that the Eclipse is the only ship that offers medical facilities. All river cruises do not have this on offer, which means you have to rely on medical facilities on land. This can be particularly challenging, not only due to language barriers, but also when you are only in port for half a day most days. Lyn had a video link call with an Air Doctor (for travellers) during the last cruise … very helpful and only AU$100. The crew were also very helpful to find chemists, organise taxis, etc.
• We give Scenic 5 stars as they took care of everything … flights, transfers, and accommodation … the whole process was seamless. All we had to do was get to and from Brisbane airport. The Grand Journey was a bit expensive, but worth every cent.

A short walk to São Francisco Church tonight for the Scenic Enrich event … a classical music concert. Built in the 13th century, the Gothic church has an altar decorated with intricately carved wood draped in gold … a bit over the top.

We’re really not big classical music fans, but have enjoyed the concerts, and, probably more so, the fabulous venues that they have been held in. Tonight’s concert was no exception. Fortunately, it wasn’t all classical opera, with a couple of beautiful pieces from Phantom of the Opera and Westside Story performed by the soprano and tenor ... wonderful music and singing.

For more photos / album slideshow:

Porto, Portugal - Tueday, 19 May 2026
A lovely visit to the city of Aveiro, with a scenic boat ride around the canals on a moliceiro … a brightly coloured traditional Portuguese gondola. The tour guide had a fantastic sense of humour, which made the cruise even more fabulous. David tasted one of their very sweet pastry delicacies … Ovos moles de Aveiro (made of egg yolks and sugar). The mixture is put inside a small wafer capsule, shaped into a nautical shape.

We had an hour to wander around the city independently. So many quirky shops, with plenty of opportunity for some retail therapy! Unfortunately, we’re running out of room in our suitcases. May have to rethink excess baggage!

Really enjoyed visiting this unique city.

Before dinner (whilst being entertained by a local saxophonist), the Captain was kind enough to cruise along the Douro, passing under the city’s six bridges to where the Douro meets the Atlantic. What an awesome way to end this wonderful cruise.

Sadly, tonight is our farewell dinner and we have to leave this fabulous ship and say goodbye again to some really nice passengers and crew.

We fly to Amsterdam tomorrow for the final leg of our “European Odyssey” grand adventure.

For more photos / album slideshow:

Reference:

• Previous Porto blog: 10 May 2026
• Wikipedia:
• Porto, Porto District, Grande Porto, North Region, Portugal
• Aveiro, Beira, Central Region, Portugal
• Wikitravel: 
• Porto, North Region, Portugal

  and    

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Because the weather was so wonderful today, the fantastic crew organised a Portuguese Barbecue on the top deck. Descended through the first lock cruising back to Porto while enjoying lunch, Sangria, and a glass or two of Portuguese wine. I don’t think life gets any better! Arrived in Pinhão late afternoon.

Dinner at Portobello’s, the ship’s specialty restaurant. A six course Portuguese inspired menu … very delicious.

Entertained tonight by a fantastic Portuguese band … the Pina Brothers … absolutely brilliant.

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Pinhão - Sunday, 17 May 2026
Set on one of the prettiest parts of the Douro River, the small village of Pinhão is surrounded by terraced vineyards.

A visit to the very picturesque historic village of Provesende (660 metres above sea level). When we first arrived, the town’s little square was overtaken by about 40 bikers. They weren’t there for any particular reason, just a day out enjoying the winding roads and a few beers. The Priest came out of the church after mass to bless them before their ride back down the mountain.

The old bakery (Padaria Fatima) has been baking bread since 1940. The son of the original lady owner still bakes bread in the old oven six days a week. It was like walking back in time. Unfortunately, he doesn’t work on Sundays.

Three young heirs now run the 17th century Morgadio da Calçada manor house as a B&B … they also live there. An old gentleman showed us his basket weaving skills before we explored this unique home. Enjoyed a taste of their excellent Port wine at the end of the tour.

The traditional rural architecture of the Douro Valley is present in Provesende … houses built with local stone such as granite and schist, with classic tiled roofs and wooden balconies. In the mid 1890’s, the town had a much larger population, but today only approx 300 reside. The 18th-century baroque church is quite large and quite ornate for a small village.

A nice stroll around Pinhão this afternoon. Beautiful blue and white tiles adorn the railway station walls. It has to be one of the most scenic stations in the world.

Another wonderful day surrounded by beautiful scenery.

A great night tonight … Captain’s Cocktail Reception and Gala Dinner, followed by a surprise show by the crew. A lot of fun and dancing.

For more photos / album slideshow:

Reference:

• Wikipedia: 
• Pocinho, Vila Nova de Foz Côa, Guarda District, North Region, Portugal
• Pinhão (Alijó), Vila Real, North Region, Portugal

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As we enjoy another delicious lunch cruising down the beautiful Douro, we see lots of wineries displaying their signs on the terraced vineyards. The scenery truly is beautiful.

Mid-afternoon we cruised through the narrowest part of the river. The landscape changed dramatically … narrow canyons, with sheer, steep cliffs made primarily of schist and granite.

Cheese, charcuterie and wine tasting this afternoon. Scenic certainly make cruising an absolute pleasure.

Today we passed through three locks - Bagauste (28 metres); Valeria (33 metres); and Pocinho (20 metres). The below video is us entering the Bagauste Lock. We had to leave the Sun Deck before the lift due to height restrictions of the ship.

Flamenco Dance performance with Esencia Flamenco tonight.

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Vega de Terron, Spain - Friday, 15 May 2026
Arrived in Vega-de-Terron, Spain, last night.

Two hours by coach to Salamanca. This spectacular city is celebrated as Spain's premier university city (founded 1218). A visit to the market for a little tapas tasting … delicious.

So much wonderful architecture to enjoy, our first being the university buildings and surrounds … wow.

Salamanca boasts two cathedrals that stand side by side. The Old Cathedral was built between the early 12th century and the end of the 14th century. The New Cathedral is an architectural marvel built between 1513 and 1733, however, it took so long to build that they decided to keep the original … so glad they did.

A lovely lunch of nachos and a beer at a little restaurant called Ualalula (ooh la la!).

A casual stroll across the Roman Bridge (358 metres long), a bimillennial monument built in the 1st century AD. Crossing the Tormes River, it was once a vital section of the Roman "Silver Route" connecting Mérida and Astorga.

Salamanca is certainly a beautiful city with a lot of history and interesting architecture. The Town Hall, which surrounds the town square, looks like a Palace!

Boarded the ship back in Portugal and cruised to Pacinho, Portugal.

For more photos / album slideshow:

Reference:

• Wikipedia: 
• Douro (intermunicipal community), Vila Real, North Region, Portugal
• Vega de Terron, Zamora, Castile and Leon, Spain
• Salamanca, Province of Salamanca, Castle and Leon, Spain
• Wikitravel: 
• Salamanca, Province of Salamanca, Castle and Leon, Spain

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David had to sign a waiver to participate in the Tour to Paiva walkways. The 3km bush walk on rocky terrain was hard going and slippery, descending 637 steps to reach the Paiva River. The Ponte 516 Arouca is one of the world's longest pedestrian suspension bridges built purely for tourism and is located in the Aveiro District. The bridge, which spans the river, is 516 metres long and is suspended 175 metres above. The area is renowned for granite and also eucalyptus trees for making paper. 

Lyn enjoyed a leisurely walk around the peaceful little town and some quiet time on the ship. The banks of the Douro are so pretty, with high tree covered mountains, terraces, granite, tiny beaches, and some stunning homes.

Mid-afternoon we passed through the Carrapatelo lock (35 metres … one of the highest in Europe). It’s fascinating how they built these amazing structures. We all had to leave the Sun Deck early due to height restictions.

Arrived at Regua late afternoon and all guests were invited to visit the Douro Museum to understand the process of port wine making and about its history.

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Regua - Wednesday, 13 May 2026
A beautiful drive through the Varosa Valley this morning to the charming historic village of Ucanha. An easy walk crossing Portugal’s first toll bridge (over the Varosa River), and nice views from the top of the fortified tower. Both structures built in the 14th and 15th centuries.

The Monastery of Saint John of Tarouca (Mosteiro de São João de Tarouca) is an historic site recognised as the first Cistercian monastery built in the country, with construction beginning around 1154. Located near the Varosa River, this National Monument features a Baroque church and excavated ruins. The Cistercian Order was introduced to Portugal in the 12th century (1140’s) and they became incredibly wealthy due to massive land donations, agriculture, and other ventures. The church is a testament to that wealth.

Afternoon excursion to the city of Lamego, nestled among terraced vineyards that were the first to produce world-famous port wine. Our tour commenced at the stunning Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies, an 18th century Baroque/Rococo pilgrimage church. Located atop Mount St. Stephen it is famous for its 686 step monumental staircase, decorated with fountains, tiles, and statues.

Sampled some really nice sparkling wine at Casa do Presunto before exploring Lamego independently. A little boutique wine shop offered us some chocolate port to try … delicious.

Really enjoying the stunning scenery in this region.

For more photos / album slideshow:

Reference:

• Wikipedia: 
• Entre-os-Rios, Penafiel, Porto District, North Region, Portugal
• Arouca, Aveiro District, North Region, Portugal
• Regua, Vila Real, North Region, Portugal
• Tarouca, Viseu, North Region, Portugal
• Lamego, Viseu, North Region, Portugal

Entres-os-Rios & Arouca - Tuesday, 12 May 2026:

       &       

Regua + Tarouca & Lamego - Wednesday, 13 May 2026:

       &       

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Unfortunately, they confiscated a few essentials when we went through airport security, so we went for a walk into town to replenish same. Not something we wanted to do, but it was to our advantage as we stumbled across a few architectural gems and monuments along the way. We just love the tiles on the old buildings and churches… just gorgeous.

Introduced to the Captain and senior crew before an amazing dinner … and the ladies were given a red rose for Mother’s Day … very sweet.

A long but lovely day.

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This begins our fourth cruise of this adventure called Unforgettable Douro:

Porto, Portugal - Monday, 11 May 2026
Overnight in Porto, the second largest city in Portugal. A guided walking tour this morning began with a stroll along the river front to board a boat to cross the river to the much larger municipality of Vila Nova de Gaia, often referred to as Gaia, on the south bank of the Douro River. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time today to explore this lovely area … perhaps when we return in a few days.

A five-minute cable car ride connects the riverside promenade (Cais de Gaia) to the Dom Luís I Bridge. Lovely views from both the cable car and bridge. Lots of walking up and down the narrow and sometimes very steep cobblestone streets, passing the Cathedral, other important monuments, and architecturally lovely tiled buildings. Also visited the railway station adorned with more gorgeous tiles. Wow, there is just so much to see in this beautiful city.

This afternoon a local artisan (Maria Kocas) came aboard and helped us with tile painting. Thank goodness for champagne and stencils! They will now be baked at over 1000 degrees and given back to us when we return to Porto.

Departed late afternoon for Entre-so-Rios, passing through the Crestuma lock (13.9 metres high) … Lyn could touch the side from our cabin window! Make sure you watch the below video of David and Steve at the 0:38 second mark for their fun wave (fast speed video + slow speed movement = normal wave):

This evening we enjoyed the welcome cocktail party and a divine gala dinner.

A lovely way to end another incredible day.

For more photos / album slideshow:

Reference:

• Wikipedia: 
• Bordeaux, Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
• Porto, Porto District, Grande Porto, North Region, Portugal
• Gaia, Porto District, Grande Porto, North Region, Portugal
• Wikitravel: 
• Bordeaux, Gironde, Aquitaine, France
• Porto, North Region, Portugal

    and      

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Other Links:

• Just the photos:
• Cruise #4 - Unforgettable Douro
• List of videos (link opens YouTube page):
• Time-lapse - Crestuma-Lever Lock - 11 May 2026 (1:19)
• Time-lapse - Carrapatelo Lock - 12 May 2026 (0:21)
• Time-lapse - Leaving Regua - 14 May 2026 (0:29)
• Time-lapse - Bagauste Lock - 14 May 2026 (0:31)
• Cruising the Douro River - 14 May 2026 (0:59)
• Esencia Flamenco - 14 May 2026 (0:29)
• Pina Brothers - 16 May 2026 (0:28)
• Scenic Enrichment - São Francisco Church - 18 May 2026 (1:23)

Snapshot of this leg:

• Scenic Azure (capacity 97; 43 crew)
• Passenger details - 81 onboard (61 Aussies)
• Cabin spacious
• A much smaller ship, which was wonderful … a little more intimate. 
• Staff mostly Portuguese and all fabulous … you could sense their camaraderie. 
• Loved the fact that the Cruise Director and tour guides work on the ship and are all passionate about Portugal. 
• We think the Douro has the prettiest scenery along the river.
• We loved everything about Portugal, and overall this was our favourite cruise.

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Bordeaux, France - Friday, 08 May 2026
Another chance to enjoy Bordeaux. When we first boarded the Scenic Diamond, we put our names down for the culinary experience with the Executive Chef … shopping for produce in the morning and cooking in the afternoon. Not sure how many people put their names down, but only 10 people could participate. The Cruise Director drew names out of the hat last night, and, lucky us (and two of our Aussie friends), we were four of the 10.

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Cadillac, France - Saturday, 09 May 2026
Cruised from Bordeaux to Cadillac early this morning. The Captain had to wait for a lull in the tide to pass under the famous Pont de Pierre Bridge.

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Reference:

• Wikipedia: 
• Fort Médoc & Bourg & 

  Cadillac & 

  Bordeaux - Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
• Wikitravel: 
• Bordeaux, Gironde, Aquitaine, France

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Libourne, France - Tueday, 05 May 2026
David visited Caviar de Neuvic, a sturgeon farm located in the Aquitaine region. A very different region … much hillier and not as suitable for vines. The company owns 6 of the 7 caviar farms in France. The farm sits beside the River Isle and employs 60 staff, with up to 80 in summer.

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Blaye, France - Wednesday, 06 May 2026
A walk around and through some of the underground tunnels of the imposing star shaped Citadel in Blaye … listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2008. The fortress was built on the 33 hectare site in the 17th century by Sébastien Vauban, famous engineer of King Louis XIV. When entering the fortress, you can certainly see the elements of defence that are still intact. It was sold to the town of Blaye by the army after the Second World War. Since then, the buildings have been restored. They now hold events such as marathons, horse jumping, wine tastings, and book fares (to name a few), to assist with its upkeep.

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Mid-afternoon, the ship cruised across the estuary to Port Médoc for tonight's Scenic Enrich concert, which was set in the spectacular surrounds of the Médoc countryside at Château d'Agassac. Dating back to the 13th century, the Château is one of the oldest winemaking establishments in the region. A stroll through the beautiful château and gardens before being entertained by a wonderful string quartet “Chic du Classique” performing classical masterpieces.

Chateau d’Agassac
Château D'Agassac is a Haut-Médoc wine estate located in the village of Ludon-Médoc in the Médoc, 15 minutes away from the city of Bordeaux in France. Its red wine is a Cru Bourgeois ranked "Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel" in the historic Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1932.
Source: Wikipedia

Reference:

• Wikipedia: 
• Libourne, Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France

• Saint-Emilion,

   Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
• Blaye, Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
• Wikitravel: 
• Saint Emilion, Gironde, Aquitaine, France

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Bordeaux, France - Sunday, 03 May 2026
Enjoyed a lovely long walk around the beautiful city of Bordeaux before transferring to the Scenic Diamond for the next part of our adventure … the “Bordeaux Affair” river cruise. Interestingly, we cruise down three different rivers this time with no locks.

For more photos / album slideshow:

Reference:

• Past Barcelona blogs: 19 July 2018; 20 July 2018; 02 June 2024
  
• Wikipedia: 
• Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain;
• Bordeaux, Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
• Wikitravel: 
• Barcelona, Spain;
• Bordeaux, Gironde, Aquitaine, France

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Other Links:

• Just the photos:
• Cruise #3 - Bordeaux Affair
• List of videos (link opens YouTube page):
• Scenic Enrich Concert - Chateau d'Agassac - 06 May 2026 (0:28)
• Time-lapse - Transit under the Pont de Pierre - 08 May 2026 (0:27)

Snapshot of this leg:

• Scenic Diamond (capacity 149; 60 crew)
• Passenger details - 127 passengers (44 USA, 43 UK, 22 Aussies, 11 Canada)
• Ship slightly larger than the Scenic Gem.
• Cabin not quite as spacious as the Gem … built in 2009 (refurbished 2017).
• We felt the scenery along the river wasn’t quite as beautiful as the Seine, but still lovely.
• The focus of this cruise was the wine of the region and world war related excursions.

For more photos / album slideshow:

Reference:

• Wikipedia: Mahon, Menorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
• Wikitravel: Minorca, Balearic Islands, Spain

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A wonderful extravaganza night in the Yacht Club. A chance to thank the chefs and crew for the delicious food throughout the cruise, and a wonderful night of entertainment by Amy and Sean … so much fun.

Reference:

• Wikipedia: Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
• Wikitravel: Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France

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Tonight the Scenic Enrich event at the Monaco Cathedral with Soprano Christina Collier and the Petits Chanteurs Choir of Monaco was very enjoyable.

Reference:

• Wikipedia: Monte Carlo, Monaco
• Wikitravel: Monaco

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A very special invite to the Chef’s Table for dinner:

Welcome to the Chef's Table, where fire, smoke, and silence set the stage. Tonight explores the darker side of gastronomy - shifting textures, controlled flames, drifting aromas, and techniques inspired by modern molecular cuisine.

You may encounter elements shaped by temperature, vapor, and transformation - where heat becomes theater, smoke becomes scent, and familiar ingredients take on unexpected forms. Each course is designed to blur boundaries between science, craft and imagination.

There are no limits tonight - only curiosity.

• The Houdini Pumpkin - Pumpkin, Orange, Chocolate
• Italy at a Glance - Tomato, Basil, 12-year-old Balsamic
• Back to School - Foie Gras, Cherry, Apple
• Peruvian Time - Hamachi, Lime, Chilli
• Did I say Burrito? - Angus Beef, Cumin, Cilantro
• Purple Rain - Salmon, Cabbage, Cabbage and Cabbage
• Happy Beef - Wagyu Ten, Massage Stones, Truffle Emulsion
• Wonderful Mumbai - Lamb, Mango, Masala
• Pre Dessert - Sea Urchin
• Dessert at the Table - Chocolate Bomb

Cooking the Happy Beef:

Reference:

• Wikipedia: Calvi, Haute-Corse, Corsica, France
• Wikitravel: Calvi, Corsica, France

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For more photos / album slideshow:

Reference:

• Wikipedia: 
• Livorno, Province of Livorno, Tuscany, Italy
• Florence, Metropolitan City of Florence, Tuscany, Italy
• Pisa, Province of Pisa, Tuscany, Italy
• Wikitravel: 
• Livorno, Tuscany, Italy
• Florence, Tuscany, Italy
• Pisa, Tuscany, Italy

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Reference:

• Wikipedia: Portofino, Metropolitan City of Genoa, Liguria, Italy
• Wikitravel: Portofino, Liguria, Italy

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Nice > Cannes, France - Saturday, 25 April 2026
One hour coach transfer to Cannes to begin our ocean cruise … Enchanting Provence, Tuscany and The French Riviera … onboard the Scenic Eclipse. We are so excited to be sailing on this beautiful yacht. There are seven other lovely Australians joining us on the “Ultimate European Odyssey”. Total passengers on the Eclipse - 191 (56 Aussies).

Enchanting Provence, Tuscany and the French Riviera:

For more photos / album slideshow:

Reference:

• Wikipedia: 
• Nice, Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
• Cannes, Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
• Wikitravel: 
• Nice, Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
• Cannes, Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France

  &   -     

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Other Links:

• Just the photos:
• Cruise #2 - Enchanting Provence, Tuscany & The French Riviera
• List of videos (link opens YouTube page):
• Chef's Table - Cooking the "Happy Beef" - 28 April 2026 (0:15)
• Scenic Enrich event at the Monaco Cathedral - 29 April 2026 (0:59)
• Extravaganza night in the Yacht Club - 30 April 2026 (1:13)
• Dinner on Eslipse at the Marketplace - 01 May 2026 (0:40)

Snapshot of this leg:

• Scenic Eclipse (capacity 228, although limited to 200 in the Polar Regions; 187 crew)
• Passenger details - 191 passengers (56 Aussies)
• Beautiful ship also known as “a discovery yacht”.
• Cabin was spacious, bathroom lovely (much bigger than our ensuite at home), and a nice size balcony. 
• Food at the specialty restaurants was fantastic. Chef’s table was unique and very theatrical.
• Very happy with the unexpected US$1,000 each to spend on the ship (presumably because of the Grand Journey). We filled the space we had allocated in our suitcases for gifts with some lovely clothing and a few other non-essential items.

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Paris, France - Thursday, 23 April 2026
Following a wonderful cruise along the Seine, we disembarked the Scenic Gem mid-morning. Our room at The Scribe was't ready until 3pm, so we visited the Galeries Lafayette (a 5 minute walk away). OMG ... six levels of top brand names, from Tiffany's, Valentino, Prada, to De Beers (to name a few) … some jewellery valued at over one hundred thousand $AU. Needless to say, no retail therapy today! The centre was vibrant with a beautiful dome ceiling visible from all levels. A glass walkway provided a great vantage point. Wonderful views of Paris from the Roof Terrace on L7. We found the whole complex a little overwhelming.

For more photos / album slideshow:

Reference:

• Previous Paris blogs: 15-23 Jan 2010 (David), 11-13 April 2026 (this trip)
• Wikipedia: Paris, Île-de-France, France
• Wikitravel: Paris, France

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Vernon > La Roche-Guyon, France - Monday, 20 April 2026
Loved Monet's House and Garden in the gorgeous little town of Giverny. Built by Claude Monet, the magical gardens comprise a Japanese-inspired water garden with lilies, which inspired his most famous works. You can certainly see how he used his garden as inspiration for his paintings, with all the colourful flowers and trees …  truly beautiful. We found the small Sainte-Radegonde church of Romanesque origin to be peaceful and very special (unusually, we were the only ones there!). In the cemetery surrounding the church is the tomb of Claude Monet and his family.

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In the afternoon we cruised to La Roche-Guyon for this evening’s exclusive Scenic Enrich experience (a classical concert) at the Chateau de La Roche-Guyon, which dates back to medieval times.

Conflans, France - Tuesday, 21 April 2026
Woke this morning in Conflans, a Medieval town located at the confluence of the River Seine and Oise. Today we chose to visit Auvers-Sur-Oise … the village where Vincent Van Gogh painted his final masterpieces. Van Gogh lived his final months in a very very small rented attic room, where he stored his paintings, and where he died. The room has sat empty since 1890. We saw landmarks that were immortalised in his works, such as the famous Notre Dame de l'Assomption church, which is close to where he is buried alongside his brother. There are a couple of stories about his death. One was that he was shot several times in the chest, the other that he committed suicide. On our way back on the bus, they played the song "Vincent" by Don McLean. We didn't realise that it was about Van Gogh ... it was very moving after learning about his turbulent life.

For more photos / album slideshow:

Reference:

• Wikipedia: 
• Caudebec-en-Caux, Seine-Maritime, Normandy, France
• Vernon, Eure, Normandy, France
• La Roche Guyon, Val-d'Oise, Île-de-France, France
• Conflans, Yvelines, Île-de-France, France
• Wikitravel: 
• Giverny, Upper Normandy, Normandy, France

  &    +    

  &   +    

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An invitation to dine in L'Amour Restaurant … a seven course degustation menu. We haven’t eaten so much in a very long time! Tonight the Clarinette Marmelade band entertained us … lots of fun.

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Honfleur, France - Saturday, 18 April 2026
David took an excursion to the Normandy Beaches (with a UK history focus and involved a lot of RAAF personnel).

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Reference:

• Past blog for Honfleur: 26 June 2024
• Wikipedia: 
• Honfleur, Calvados, Normandy, France
• Bayeux, France
• Wikitravel: 
• Honfleur, Lower Normandy, Normandy, France
• Bayeux, Lower Normandy, Normandy, France

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Welcome aboard dinner to meet the Captain and senior crew … the food was sensational. A fun night playing music trivia.

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Rouen, France - Wednesday, 15 April 2026
A misty, rainy day in Rouen, the capital of Normandy. We decided on a photography tour for something different. The Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen was beautiful and very ornate. The church of Saint Joan of Arc was completed in 1979 in the centre of the ancient market square, known as the place where Joan of Arc was burned (not once but three times) at the stake for heresy in 1431. The professional photographer was very helpful and showed us to a few of the more interesting sites around the town. Back to the ship for lunch before a bit more sightseeing. An early night as we have a 10 hour tour tomorrow.

Rouen is the vibrant capital of the Normandy region. With a fascinating history of Roman and Viking settlement, it has also played a pivotal place in history as the town where Richard the Lionheart was crowned Duke of Normandy and Joan of Arc was burnt at the stake. Much of Rouen was sadly destroyed in World War II, but much of the city has been faithfully restored, including the exquisite Old Town. It’s an engaging and historically rich destination, packed with museums, stylish bistros and coffee shops, and a wealth of churches, including the famed 12th century Rouen Cathedral.

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Rouen, France - Thursday, 16 April 2026
A full day excursion to the site of the WWI Battle of the Somme, which claimed the lives of more than 150,000 soldiers from Britain and the Commonwealth. Visited the Australian National Memorial where they were setting up for the Anzac Day service (including a visit to the Sir John Monash Centre … a state-of-the-art immersive sensory experience); and the Franco-Australian Museum.

After lunch, travelled to Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, which contains more than 5,500 Commonwealth graves; the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, which bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave; and Lochnagar Crater … a blast hole, 91 metres in diameter and 21 metres deep … a remnant of the series of explosions that took place on 1 July 1916 marking the start of the Battle of the Somme by the British. To put this battle into perspective, there were one million casualties and 300,00 fatalities in a month … that’s three times the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Quite an emotional day.

Tonight we had a special dessert buffet prepared by a famous French patisserie, Arnaud Houley.

For more photos / album slideshow:

Reference:

• Wikipedia:
• Les Andelys, Eure, Normandy, France
• Rouen + Somme, Seine-Maritime, Normandy, France
• Wikitravel: 
• Les Andelys, Upper Normandy, Normandy, France
• Rouen, Upper Normandy, Normandy, France

 +       

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Paris, France - Saturday, 11 April 2026
We arrived in Paris a little after 8am and were met by the Scenic representative at the arrivals gate. Our room at the Le Scribe Sofitel wasn’t going to be ready until mid afternoon, so we took advantage of the fine weather and went for a wander. The Musée d’Orsay, housed in a former railway station, was truly beautiful and the sculptures were amazing. It was raining lightly after our visit so we opted for lunch at the Public House Restaurant. A wonderful first day of our adventure before a much needed sleep!

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Paris, France - Sunday, 12 April 2026
After an absolutely delicious breakfast, we headed off on a huge day of sightseeing. A quick snapshot of sites visited on foot and via the underground includes:-

• Opéra Garnier (Opera House);
• Père Lachaise Cemetery (44 hectares) … the most notable graves included Chopin, James Morrison, Edith Piaf (widely regarded as France's greatest popular singer), and Oscar Wilde;
• Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre;
• Saint-Pierre de Montmartre;
• Notre-Dame Cathedral and Point Zero;
• Arc de Triomphe; walked the entire length of the Avenues des Champs-Élysées (1.9 kms);
• Point Alexander III Bridge;
• Place de la Concorde; and
• The Church of Saint La Madeleine (now a museum).

Apart from all the tourists, the Paris Marathon was also being held today (42km with over 60,000 runners), so the city was crazy busy.

Wow … what an amazing day!

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Paris, France - Monday, 13 April 2026
A quick stroll to see the Louvre before our transfer to the Scenic Gem for our 10 day cruise along the Seine. We had a few hours to spare before sailing, and the Eiffel Tower wasn’t too far away, so a great opportunity to see this magnificent structure.

Familiarised ourselves with the ship before meeting our delightful butler, Catilan. Dinner and wine exceptional. Entertainment tonight by Demoiselles Me-Sticks, a fun burlesque-type group.

Normandy & Gems of the Seine:

For more photos / album slideshow:

Reference:

• Previous Paris blogs: 15-23 Jan 2010 (David)
• Wikipedia: Paris, Île-de-France, France
• Wikitravel: Paris, France

Start | 2026 - European Odyssey | Next

Other Links:

• Just the photos:
• Cruise #1 - Normandy & Gems of the Seine
• List of videos (link opens YouTube page):
• Scenic Enrich Concert - Chateau de La Roche-Guyon - 20 April 2026 (0:35)

Snapshot of this leg:

• Scenic Gem (capacity 126; 56 crew)
• Passenger details - 111 passengers (68 Aussies)
• Cabin spacious
• French champagne in the bar fridge on arrival.
• Staff were awesome and always happy, and the food was exceptional.
• Scenery very pretty along the river.

Start | 2026 - European Odyssey | Next

03 March 2026 - Springwood, Logan
A small group today.

20 January 2026 - Springwood, Logan
Another catch up. No photos from today.

Tuesday, 21 October 2025 - Springwood, Logan / Brisbane
Another lovely get-together. A few couldn't make it, but still a great turn-out. Still talking about the 2027 Circle Pacific cruise that most of us are booked on.

Monday, 23 December 2024 - Springwood, Logan / Brisbane
We finally got to another of these wonderful get-togethers. Great turn-out with a lot of great people. So good to catch up with them again especially after all these years since WC18.

The talk today was about various upcoming cruises, especially the 2027 Circle Pacific cruise (still over 900 days away). It seems a good many people have cancelled their WC25 and WC26 cruises (including us).

Tuesday, 10 October 2023 – Springwood, Logan / Brisbane
Today we had an excellent catch-up with around 20 people at the Lions Club in Springfield. It was a much larger group than the June 2023 get together (sorry, no photos from June).

Of course our discussions were all about cruising with a few people recently finishing this year’s world cruise (WC23). There was also a lot of discussion about the upcoming 2024 and 2025 World Cruises (WC24 and WC25) with many people booked and the excitement building.

In many ways these catch ups are becoming pseudo WC24 and WC25 get togethers – which is wonderful. So much so that a half dozen people have created and joined a private social media group for WC24 planning and around a dozen doing the same for WC25 planning.

Thursday, 25 November 2021 - Springwood, Logan / Brisbane
Great catch up with around 20 wonderful people. Hard to believe it's been 1,161 days since we disembarked the ship. Lots of talk about future cruising with many booked on the 2023 or 2024 world cruises. Thank you Alison for organising and these photos:

Tuesday, 22 June 2021 - Springwood, Logan / Brisbane
A very good turn-out of 21 people for today's get together. It's been three years since the 2018 World Cruise and we are still catching up with these lovely people.

Friday, 01 Nov. 2019 - Springwood, Logan / Brisbane
Another fabulous catch up at the Lions Club in Springwood with around 23 people attending. So many wonderful people - it's like a big happy family.

Friday, 26 July 2019 - Springwood, Logan / Brisbane
It was a wonderful catch up with around 30 people today.  We caught up on the past 12 months and heard about the many awesome future adventures that people are planning.

Thanks Alison and Phillip for organising. Look forward to seeing you all again soon.

Saturday, 10 Nov 2018 - Sandgate, Brisbane
Around 40 people attended the first Brisbane post-cruise get-together in the Northern suburbs of Brisbane. A wonderful way to catch-up with the many friends we had made on the cruise. Unfortunately, no photos from today.

Friday, 26 Oct 2018 - Labrador, Gold Coast
John and Jan organised a post cruise catch-up on the Gold Coast attended by around 14 people. We also had a special guest, the World Cruise's Cruise Director Corey - who was in town for his birthday celebrations.

Reference:

• Photos of these get-togethers
• Blogs: Pre & Post Cruise Meet Ups

Previous (Brisbane)  | 2018 - World Cruise | The End!

Other key links:

• 2026 New Zealand Cruise Photos

This trip is on the Crown Princess. Open a new tab of the current ship's bridge cam.

Reference:

Past New Zealand cruise: Coral Princess, 05-19 Dec 2022

Most Traveled Guests Luncheon - 27 Feb 2026
We received an invitation from Captain Petar Lesic to a lunch held in Sabatini's:
"We are thrilled to have you back and delighted to let you know that you are a Most Traveled Guest on this sailing. With this prestige, it is my pleasure to invite you to an exclusive luncheon, hosted by myself and the senior officers onboard."

A fabulous four course lunch and wine with the 40 most traveled guests and senior staff. We celebrated 611 days cruising with Princess ... the cutoff was 455 days, putting us on table four of seven. Table one had the Captain, and we had the pleasure of being hosted by Ewen, the Hotel Services Engineer.

The total days combined for the 40 guests was 24,850 or 68 years.


Captain's Circle Cocktail Party - 27 Feb 2026
That evening we attended the Captain's Circle Cocktail Party in Club Fusion for Platinum and Elite members. It's always interesting to hear the member numbers for this cruise:

White: 900 (28%)
Gold: 691 (22%)
Ruby: 386 (12%)
Platinum: 704 (22%)
Elite: 480 (15%)
Total: 3,161 (103% occupancy)

The youngest guest on this cruise was 1 year old and the oldest was 96 years.

The most travelled guests for this cruise: 1st at 2,357 days, 2nd at 1,435 days and 3rd at 913 days.


Dinner - 27 Feb 2026
Dinner was at our usual table in the Michaelangelo Dining Room. Today was special as it was our waiter's birthday. The Restaurant Manager was keen to surprise Kadek and we were a key part of the plan. The Manager had a cake waiting in another area and once we got the nod, we sat Kadek down at our table with a "very serious" food complaint (much to his horror). Soon we were surrounded by staff and we all sang happy birthday ... twice.

Monday, 02 March 2026 - Brisbane
The Crown Princess sailed into Brisbane at 7am, we were off the ship at 10am and on our way home by 10:30am.

The weather has been fantastic, and sailing through the three Sounds was pretty special.

We’ve had the same excellent wait staff (Kadek and Elmer) at Michaelangelo for dinner every night. The sommelier (Roopak) was also very obliging with some lovely wines. The food has also been very good. Thanks guys for making this cruise so much more enjoyable.

We have stayed away from Horizon Court Buffet as much as possible. It's nickname of "the pig pen" is justified on these shorter cruises.

Lyn was unwell for the last couple of days, things that can't be helped.

Overall, a fabulous cruise.

For more photos / album slideshow:

Reference:

Previous | 2026 - New Zealand Cruise | The End!

Dusky Sound & Breaksea Sound
Our first scenic cruise was around Resolution Island on our port side ... we entered Dusky Sound at 9am. The weather was overcast, but thankfully no rain. Seals were spotted on the starboard side (our side). From Dusky Sound we turned north into Acheron Passage and then to port again into Breaksea Sound before returning to the Tasman Sea.

Doubtful Sound & Thompson Sound
We sailed into Doubtful Sound at noon, then into Thompson Sound. This time we cruised around Secretary Island on our port side. Still overcast with the Sounds becoming narrower and the mountains higher … some reaching over 1,000m.

Milford Sound
The sun finally came out as we entered Milford Sound at 4:45pm. This enhanced the scenery and created rainbow flickers on some of the larger waterfalls. As an added bonus, the high rainfall the previous week ensured all waterfalls were running.

When we reached the end of the Sound, the Captain was so pleased with the weather that he did an extra 360 degree turn (540 degrees in total) ... much to the surprise of the NZ Ranger who provided the commentary.

Due to the good weather, we were able to sail through all three planned areas. Apparently, this doesn’t happen very often. During David's previous NZ cruise, they only visited Milford and Dusky Sounds.

During the cooler past, glaciers carved many deep fiords, the most famous (and most visited) of which is Milford Sound / Piopiotahi. Other notable fiords include Doubtful Sound / Patea and Tamatea / Dusky Sound. The retreat of the glaciers after the ice age left behind U-shaped valleys with sheer cliffs and as a result Fiordland's coast is steep and crenellated, with some of the 15 fiords reaching as far as 40 km inland.
Source: Wikipedia

Dusky Sound
One of the most complex of the many fiords on this coast, it is also the largest at 40 km in length and eight kilometres wide at its widest point. To the north of its mouth is the large Resolution Island, whose Five Fingers Peninsula shelters the mouth of the sound from the northwest; along the east coast of the island, Acheron Passage connects Dusky Sound with Breaksea Sound, to the north.

Several large islands lie in the sound, notably Anchor Island, Long Island, and Cooper Island. The Seaforth River is the largest of many small rivers and creeks which flow into the sound.

At its mouth, the sound is wide, and is bordered by the Five Fingers Peninsula to the north and by South Cape and Fannin Bay in the south. The south Island's westernmost point, West Cape lies less than 10 km south of the sound's mouth. Immediately inside the sound's mouth lies the large Anchor Island and numerous small islets, among them the Seal, Petrel, and Many Island groups. Immediately to the southeast of Anchor Island lies the smaller Indian Island.

To the east of Anchor Island, the sound narrows to about five kilometres and splits into two broad channels, separated by the aptly named Long Island, which stretches for some 15 km in length but is only around 2000 metres wide at its widest point. The narrower of the two channels, Cook Channel, lies to the south of Long Island; Bowen Channel lies to the north. Bowen Channel links with Acheron Passage, a north–south channel which separates Resolution Island from the mainland and links with Breaksea Sound to the north.
Source: Wikipedia 

 

Breaksea Sound
Te Puaitaha / Breaksea Sound is a small fiord on the southwestern coast of South Island, New Zealand in the Tasman Sea. Breaksea Island in Fiordland National Park lies at its entrance. In the 1850s, early settlers Henry Hirst and John Watts-Russell explored the area for flat land suitable for sheep farming, but they were unsuccessful.

 

Thompson Sound
The fiord is connected at its farthest extent with Pendulo Reach, part of Doubtful Sound / Patea, and between them Thompson and Doubtful Sounds form the non-Tasman Sea coast of Secretary Island. It is 21 kilometres in length.

Source: Wikipedia

Milford Sound
Milford Sound is a fiord in the south west of New Zealand's South Island within Fiordland National Park, Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) Marine Reserve, and the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. It has been judged the world's top travel destination in an international survey (the 2008 Travelers' Choice Destinations Awards by TripAdvisor) and is acclaimed as New Zealand's most famous tourist destination. Rudyard Kipling had previously called it the eighth Wonder of the World.
Source: Wikipedia

Reference:

• Past cruise blog: 09 Dec. 2022
• Wikipedia: Fiordland National Park, New Zealand
• Wikitravel: Fiordland National Park, New Zealand

Previous | 2026 - New Zealand Cruise | Next

A snapshot of our tour:

• The Octagon in central Dunedin … St Paul’s Cathedral
• Memorial Walkway (opposite Baldwin Street)
• Baldwin Street ... the world’s steepest street ... featuring a maximum gradient of 35% (about 19-21° incline)
• Signal Hill Lookout ... 313 metres ... overlooking Dunedin
• Dunedin Botanical Gardens
• Dunedin Railway Station ... speculated by locals to be the most photographed building in the country
• Toitu Otago Settlers Museum
• Centenary Lookout and Scott Memorial ... great view of the Crown Princess in Carey’s Bay

Would highly recommend this Garden and City Tour, which was only NZ$55 each. The bus was small (24 passengers). Exploring New Zealand is the company.

We have been very lucky with the weather this cruise and today was no exception.

For more photos / album slideshow:

Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city and one of the main ports on the South Island of New Zealand, located in the Otago region. It is known as the Edinburgh of the South and is proud of its Scots heritage. This university town is named from the old Gaelic for Edinburgh and is noted for its unique Victorian railway, said to be the second most photographed building in the southern hemisphere.
Source: Wikitravel

Overnight we travel from Port Chalmers, to Fiordland National Park for some scenic cruising tomorrow.

Reference:

• Past cruise blog: 10 Dec. 2022
• Wikipedia: Dunedin, New Zealand
• Wikitravel: Dunedin, New Zealand

Previous | 2026 - New Zealand Cruise | Next

We decided on a wine tour today to the Waipara region.

The first vines were planted in Canterbury in 1975, and today the area is famed for its award winning wines, tours and tastings. The three boutique wineries we visited today … George’s Road Wines, Waipara Springs Winery and Restaurant (where we enjoyed a lovely charcuterie lunch), and Torlesse Wines (the oldest in the region).

The day finished with a tour around the city. Not too many old buildings left, and the restoration of the cathedral was put on hold in 2024 with no funding pathway to completion.

Another lovely day … warm and sunny.

For more photos / album slideshow:

Overnight we travel from Lyttelton to Port Chalmers (for Dunedin).

Reference:

• Past cruise blog: 11 Dec. 2022
• Wikipedia: Christchurch, New Zealand
• Wikitravel: Christchurch, New Zealand

Previous | 2026 - New Zealand Cruise | Next

Caught the shuttle into Lambton Quay where are dear friend Kevin picked us up to take us around his beautiful city.

The Old St Paul’s church, made entirely from New Zealand timbers, is a particularly fine example of wooden Gothic Revival architecture.

Kevin was kind enough to purchase tickets for us to go on the cable car, and he met us at the top. The cable car connects the main shopping street in the centre of the city, and Kelburn, a suburb in the hills overlooking the central city and the harbour. The cable car route rises 120m over a length of 609m. Locals also use it to access the city. At the top we visited the Cable Car Museum.

Mt Victoria (196m) provided the perfect vantage point to view the city.

A lovely drive along the coastline to Eastbourne … a picturesque, quiet seaside suburb of Lower Hutt. It’s known for its sandy beaches, charming village atmosphere, cafes, and scenic trails. It’s also the site where the Wahine ferry disaster occurred in 1968 during a severe storm near the entrance to Wellington Harbour. The vessel struck Barrett Reef, drifted, and sank near Steeple Rock, resulting in 51 immediate deaths, with a final toll of 53.

A lovely lunch at O’Malleys in Eastbourne … highly recommend their eye fillet!

Our final stop was at the Wainui lookout near Kevin’s home.

Wow … what a lovely and interesting day. Thank you Kevin for making our day so special. As our tour guide, we give you 10 out of 10!

For more photos / album slideshow:

It was Napier’s 2026 Art Deco Festival, so, together with the Anthem of the Seas (Royal Caribbean), the town was buzzing with thousands and thousands of people. We were welcomed by a Memorial Flying Display.

Plenty of locals dressed in their finest sharing afternoon tea, and some enjoying champagne and canapés under lacy umbrellas … so gorgeous. The Big Band playing in the background, together with the art deco buildings, the cars, and the beautifully dressed people, made the day very unique.

Wow … we were very blessed to be here on such a splendid day! It was the bee's knees!

The entertainers in the Piazza tonight (Witty Look) were exceptional, and very very funny. A lovely way to end a fabulous day.

For more photos / album slideshow:

We caught the No. 5 bus to Tauranga (about 20 minutes away from the port). Walked around the town, then along the waterfront. A pretty place with lots of people enjoying the sunshine. The tribute to Hairy Maclary was very cute.

The historic old post office, built in 1908, was a landmark brick building that served as a post office and courthouse until 1938. It is now a boutique hotel, known as the Clarence Boutique Hotel.

We really enjoyed our lunch at the Mount Mellick Irish pub in Mt Maunganui … Lyn’s calamari was one of the best she’s ever had!

The Rock Opera production show tonight was very good.

What a fabulous day in this beautiful part of the world.

For more photos / album slideshow:

After a smooth crossing of the ditch, we arrived in Auckland at 7.30 to a sunny day. We’re not sure why, but we didn’t need to go through immigration when disembarking! The Discovery Princess was also here today, so the city was busy.

Lianne (Lyn’s nephew’s wife) met us in town and drove us to Mission Bay, where we enjoyed a nice walk along the waterfront. We then visited Bastion Point to see the memorial to Michael Joseph Savage, New Zealand's first Labour prime minister, 1935–1940.

We have visited Auckland many times, but have never been to the top of The Sky Tower … a 328 metre tall telecommunications and observation tower. There was an hour wait to go to the top, so we opted for an early lunch at the Depot instead.

After a very lovely morning, we enjoyed a quiet afternoon onboard.

Reference:

• Auckland past cruise blogs: 24 Aug. 2016, 16 Sep. 2018; 29 Sep. 2019; 15 Dec. 2022; 15 Aug. 2024; 16 Apr 2025
• Wikipedia: Auckland, New Zealand
• Wikitravel: Auckland, New Zealand

Previous | 2026 - New Zealand Cruise | Next

Our balcony cabin is on the starboard side close to the back ... not a spot we are familiar with. On this ship the carpets in the corridors help identify which side you are on ... red dots for port and green for starboard (see photo).

We met our room steward (Jose). They usually have the best crew to take care of suite guests who reside close to our cabin.

We organised Table No. 243 for dinner at Michelangelo restaurant for the entire cruise. It's nice to dine at the same table and get to know the lovely wait staff a little better.

Tuesday - Thursday, 17-19 Feb. 2026 - At Sea
We have three days before arriving in Auckland. The seas have been very calm with pleasant weather. A typical sea day might entail:

• David having breakfast at Horizon Court whilst Lyn orders a coffee from room service and stays in bed. The bed is extremely comfortable ... we could stay there all day!
• Speedy Sudoku for David each morning.
• Maybe a presentation, some reading, blogging or a get-together during the day.
• Lunch typically in Botticelli restaurant ... much more civilised than the Horizon Court buffet.
• Wednesday was formal night and champagne waterfall, so we ordered some canapés to enjoy as we dress in our finest.
• Maybe a show at 9:30pm, especially if it’s a production show. Tuesday was "Disco - Blame it on the Boogie".
• Most nights we finish with some live music and drinks in one of the bars. We especially enjoy listening to Craig, the piano player in Crooners. It's not uncommon to have a Dirty Banana cocktail for dessert.

Life is good!

For more photos / album slideshow:

Reference:

The Start! | 2026 - New Zealand Cruise | Next

David is joining some fellow ex-ADF men and women who will ride 110cc motor scooters on the trip round Victoria. Riding almost 1,700 km will take us 14 days and will be a fundraiser for Legacy and the Air Force Association (clink here for donation link). This is a rare opportunity to explore our beautiful country with our peers, overnighting in Benalla, Beechworth, Omeo, Sale, Tootgarook, Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo, before returning to Altona Geelong on the 29th November.

The ride is presented by the Radschool Association Inc., which is a registered charity formed in 1999 to represent the men and women who were trained by the Air Force to either maintain or operate its electronic equipment. It encourages connection and mateship among its 1,400 plus members through its magazine, website, social media, reunions and special events like Scootaville.

Update:

11 Nov 2025 - Our start and finsist location has been moved from Altona to Geelong due to an unexpected double booking of the Altona Scout Camp. The above map is still the orginal route and is not expected to be updated.

24 Nov 2025 - Another scout hall has been found in Altona for the finish of our trip. We will now be travelling Bendigo to Altona, and Altona to North Melbourne to finish this adventure.

The final distance travelled on the scooter first ridden by David was 1,678km.

All Photos (credit to David, Trev, Mark, John .... and many more)

A promotional video (4:46 mins) was produced by Griffith University about this endeavor:

Reference:

• Past Scootaville blogs:
• Queensland: 02-20 September 2022
• Queensland: 22 August - 10 September 2023
• Queensland: 28 August - 15 September 2024
• NSW: 18 November - 04 December 2024
• Queensland: 22 August - 12 September 2025

How can you help?
We invite you to donate via the Scootaville page: https://radschool.org.au/donate/. Your donation is tax deductible. We greatly appreciate your generosity!

Raising much needed funds for:
  

Day 14 - Bendigo to Altona
Saturday, 29 November 2025
Our last official day has us travelling from Bendigo to Altona, a distance of around 168km. We were able to move it back to Altona when another scout venue became available. This has saved us having to travel the extra distance to Geelong, and again when we return the bikes on Monday. 

It was raining and still cold when we woke, so we took our time packing. The rain soon cleared with the occasional sightings of blue sky. The clouds in the distance heading our way didn’t look so good but we were able to miss the rain with only a few sprinkles.

Our first stop was at Heathcote, only 36km away, for a coffee / hot chocolate. A further 47km and we stopped at Lancefield for lunch at the bakery. The temperature dropped considerably when we reached the Macedon Ranges, so much so that Trevor even purchased a coat at the Op Shop. Mark scootered away to head home ... he has family tickets to the Woman’s AFL Grand Final tonight (he’ll be back Sunday).

At Sunshine the bikes did a refuel as Trev took Sue to the airport. It’s now onto the numerous freeways as the skies opened up. Hard to stay together and safe with all the cars zapping around and our maximum speed is 82 km/h (due to the slowest bike). Everyone is on full alert.

A few of us went for a drive to drop Mike off at his home in Port Melbourne. We only have 8 people tonight for dinner, an easy choice as the Scout hall is next door to Club Altona.

Post - Altona
Sunday, 30 November 2025
A very quiet morning resting at the Scout hall. This afternoon we meet with Tim Lane, veteran Australian sports broadcaster and journalist, to discuss next year’s Scootaville in Victoria. Lunch and dinner at the Altona RSL.

Post - Altona to North Melbourne 
Monday, 01 December 2025
Returning the scooters into Melbourne, it’s the coldest summer opener in 29 years. Luckily we missed the occasional summer rain during our 16km ride. We arrived at 9am, an hour before opening, so off to have a coffee / hot chocolate and a bite. Kiwi is driving the truck back to Brisbane and was able to get away two hours earlier than planned … safe travels mate. Trev then dropped a few of us at the North Melbourne train station as we all went our separate ways.

The bike David started with has travelled 1,678km during this adventure. 

Photos from Geelong / Slideshow:

Synopsis of Scootaville Victoria 2025
Victoria - a great place to visit. Friendly people, lots to see and do, and great roads (really, compared to Queensland country roads). The weather for the two weeks has not been good and those who went shopping on our first day in Geelong for waterproof gear are very thankful. The saying “four season in a day” is very apt, although we all agree it should change from day to hour.

A very interesting array of old scooters. Of the three David rode during the trip, one had a very poor front brake and broken luggage box, another couldn’t go past 82 km/h (the slowest in the group so was used as the lead bike), and the third with a broken fuel gauge. Other issues on the other bikes included a broken oil dip stick, one faulty wheel security alarm, different braking capabilities across all bikes, and of course the one that stopped and had to be replaced on the first day. Also, all bikes had been dropped at some stage of their life. But we got all six home and all operational … job well done.  

So many people helped make the first Scootaville Victoria a success. First and foremost is Trev who did all the planning, execution and lead the show … it wouldn’t happen without you. Mike who lives in Melbourne also helped with planning and navigation. Trev (again) and Robo for driving the bus. Kiwi for driving and loading the truck, and helping to keep the riders safe on the road. Sue for her support at the venues, especially with food. Mark as chief money raiser with Helen as support. Sean as bike boss. Chuck for his many entertaining stories and jokes. And all the riders looking after each other. Thanks everyone.

Day 13 | 2025 Scootaville Vic | The End

Day 12 - Ballarat to Bendigo
Thursday, 27 November 2025

Our ride today takes us 121km from Ballarat to Bendigo via Creswick, Daylesford and Castlemaine. We woke to another very cold morning (9^oC, feels like 4^oC) with heavy rain. This delayed our departure as we waited for better conditions.

Along the way our highlights included:

• Visit to the Newlyn Primary School … only 15 children today.
  Great to see the kids being kids, tough country children.
• Hepburn Springs to taste some of the mineral water directly out of the ground. Only a few tried the water and David filled a spare water bottle … so many memories. 
• Lunch in Castlemaine at one of the bakeries. We then visited the Castlemaine Mill. 
• Accommodation at the Bendigo Showgrounds.
• Dinner at the Bendigo RSL. The RSL has a lot of military hardware (see photos below).

Day 13 - Bendigo
Friday, 28 November 2025

A lovely sunny morning in Bendigo. We started with a visit and chat by the Bendigo Mayor. It was then a trip to Bendigo Pottery for a look and lunch at Beechworth Bakery.

This afternoon we had a tour of Thales manufacturing where the very successful Bushmaster and Hawkei vehicles are built. Very impressive design and engineering. 

It was dinner again at the Bendigo RSL and happy birthday to John … such a hungry man.

Photos from Bendigo / Slideshow:

Bendigo
An Australian city in north-central Victoria. The city is located in the Bendigo Valley near the geographical centre of the state and approximately 150km north-west of Melbourne, the state capital.

As of 2022, Bendigo has a population of 103,818 making it Australia's 19th-largest city by population. Bendigo is the fourth-largest inland city in Australia and the fourth-most populous city in Victoria.

Bendigo is administered by the City of Greater Bendigo, an area encompasses roughly 3,000km².
Source: Wikipedia

Day 11 | 2025 Scootaville Vic | Day 14

Day 10 - Geelong to Ballarat
Tuesday, 25 November 2025
Another short day on the scooters, only 98km as we travel north-west from Geelong to Ballarat. A cool cloudy start that cleared into a lovely warm sunny day. 

A visit to the Lal Lal Primary School. A larger school than expected with 42 pupils ... all very polite students and positive teachers.

Arriving at our destination early afternoon, we were able to unload at the new Ballarat Showgrounds located in Mount Rowan. A huge pavilion/shed (4,000m²), it’ll be our accommodation for the next two nights.

It was then a trip back into Ballarat to the original RAAF School of Radio. The school was transferring to Laverton in 1961. There are four of us on this trip associated with the school … David, Trev, Wal and John (Mike and Chuck are also in the photo that can be seen below). David started his Radio Technician apprenticeship at Radschool in 1979.

Also in the same building was the Ballarat Engine & Machinery Preservation Society. Most of the engines still work.

Dinner at the North Ballarat Sports Club.

Day 11 - Ballarat
Wednesday, 26 November 2025
A very cold, windy and wet morning in Mount Rowan. At 9am it was only 9.8^oC and felt like 1.4^oC. We’ll hold off any trips until the weather improves.

A drive this afternoon included stops at The Australian Ex-prisoner Of War Memorial and the Arch of Victory. The Arch of Victory Ballarat is a large commemorative arch built to honor the service of the local community in World War I. It stands at the entrance to the Avenge of Honour, Australia's longest commemorative avenue (22km in length). Officially opened by Prince Edward, the Prince of Wales, on June 2, 1920, the arch is a significant landmark and a memorial to the soldiers and nurses from Ballarat who served in the Great War.

David's Great Grandfather was surprisingly not on the rememberence wall having joined 8th Battalion in Ballarat and died after his return due to the effects of mustard gas. His Great Grandmother receiver the Memerial Plaque (aka Dead Man's Penny), all documented in military files available from the Australian War Memorial (he's not on the AWM wall either as he died more than 6 months after returning). So much for service!

Dinner again at the North Ballarat Sports Club.

Photos from Ballarat / Slideshow:

Ballarat
A city in the Central Highlands of Victoria. At the 2021 census, Ballarat had a population of 111,973, making it the third-largest urban inland city in Australia and the third-largest city in Victoria.

Within months of Victoria separating from the colony of New South Wales in 1851, gold was discovered near Ballarat, sparking the Victorian gold rush. Ballarat subsequently became a thriving boomtown that for a time rivalled Melbourne, the capital of Victoria, in terms of wealth and cultural influence. In 1854, following a period of civil disobedience in Ballarat over gold licenses, local miners launched an armed uprising against government forces. Known as the Eureka Rebellion, it led to the introduction of white male suffrage in Australia, and as such is interpreted as the origin of Australian democracy. The rebellion's symbol, the Eureka Flag, has become a national symbol.
Source: Wikipedia

Day 9 | 2025 Scootaville Vic | Day 12

Our first planned stop was a tour of Fort Lonsdale. As the fort wouldn’t be open until 10am, we had time for a hot drink in Port Lonsdale. Obviously walking the dog is the must-have fashion accessory for the locals.

Access to the fort required photo ID. Unfortunately David misplaced (lost) his driver’s licence the night before and required additional supervisor approval to gain access (none of the many other government issued cards being acceptable). The guided tour was worth the trouble. 

Once we finished, we planned to head to a local hotel for lunch. On arrival, parking was not available and thankfully the people in the minibus decided to head straight to the Geelong Showgrounds instead. The riders were all very happy for the crowds at the pub during these cold wet conditions.

Unpacking and setting up in the same pavilion as our earlier visit before a lovely hot shower nearby. The small comforts of life! David also spent about an hour configuring his digital driver’s license on his phone.

Our driver, Robbo has been unwell for a couple of days and has decided to head home for medical treatment. We are now 12 people. Seems most of us have this dreaded cough.

Consensus for dinner was that we return to the Geelong RSL. Sunday night is roast night and a full sized meal was only $18 (same price as a small member’s meal). David couldn’t pass up a nice lamb roast and some veggies.

Day 9 - Geelong
Monday, 24 November 2025
Everyone enjoyed the sleep-in. A lovely sunny morning and not cold like the past few days. It was an opportunity for a few of us to catch up with some laundry at a nearby shopping centre.

Sue made us some Chicken and Noodle Soup for lunch ... very nice. Compliments to the cook, thank you.

After lunch, half the team went for the short 30 minute drive to Portarlington. A lovely little town with panoramic views across Port Phillip Bay. A casual walk along the pier used by the many successful anglers, fishing and pleasure boats, and the ferry to Geelong and Melbourne. We finished with an ice cream in the Main Street … a lovely way to spend a warm sunny Victorian afternoon.

Dinner again at the Geelong RSL ... parmy night.

Photos from Geelong / Slideshow:

Geelong
A port city in Victoria, located at the eastern end of Corio Bay (the smaller western portion of Port Phillip Bay) and the left bank of Barwon River, about 75km southwest of Melbourne. With an estimated population of 282,809 in 2023, Geelong is the second-largest city in the state of Victoria. It is the administrative centre for the City of Greater Geelong municipality, which is Port Phillip's only regional metropolitan area.
Source: Wikipedia

Portarlington
A town located on the Bellarine Peninsula, 28 km from the city of Geelong. It has a diverse population which includes a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, a high proportion of retirees, and a large seasonal holiday influx. The gently rising hills behind the town feature vineyards and olive groves, and offer spectacular panoramic views across Port Phillip Bay.
Source: Wikipedia

Day 7 | 2025 Scootaville Vic | Day 10

Today we travel 245km or more from Sale to Tootgarook (near Rosebud on the Mornington Peninsula), the second longest for this trip. It's a very complicated route with the odd wrong turn... We just follow the bus! Highlights:

• A very large smoko at the Moe RSL
• Missed the photo stop at the Cora Lyn cheese factory although we rode past.
• Lunch at the Royal Hotel, Koo Wee Rup. A few of us decided on some fruit from the local supermarket ... a wise choice from all the fried food and sweets.
• Accommodation was the Tootgarook Memorial Hall. Unfortunately no shower tonight!
• Dinner at the Rye RSL.

Photos from today / Slideshow:

Tootgarook
A suburb on the Mornington Peninsula in Melbourne, 62km south of Melbourne's CBD, located within the Shire of Mornington Peninsula local government area. Tootgarook recorded a population of 3,178 at the 2021 census.
Source: Wikipedia

Day 6 | 2025 Scootaville Vic | Day 8

Day 5 - Omeo to Sale
Thursday, 20 November 2025
A much easier day today travelling the 188km from Omeo to Sale. The day started with single digit temperatures and got colder with occasional showers … not a very pleasant day on the scooters. Highlights included:

• A very nice morning tea at the fancy new Bairnsdale RSL. Didn’t need lunch afterwards.
• Dropped our gear off at our accommodation for the next two nights … the Susan French Annexe in the Sale Showground.
• A tour of RAAF Sale to see SATC (School of Air Traffic Control) and AMTS (Air MissIon Training School). A couple of photos in front of the old Quad Radar … David used to work on the next generation called the PAR (for Precision Approach Radar). The technology in the training schools might be a little more advanced (eg colour screens), but the functions still appear to be exactly the same as in the 1980’s.
• Dinner at the Star Hotel in Sale followed by some trivia with the locals.

Day 6 - Sale
Friday, 21 November 2025
It was a freezing night in the tin shed and we’re told it got down to 3.7C inside. Brrrr. We started with our first school visit for this Scootaville ... Bundalaguah Primary School with around 23 students.

Next was a visit to the Maffra vehicle museum. Some interesting vehicles from old to new; cars, motorbikes, push bikes and a train carriage; models of all types; and various engines. The turbo charged postie bike was something special.

Some shopping and lunch in Sale, before returning again for a photo shoot with the local newspaper. Also run into the ADF Careers people, so a few more photos.

Dinner at the Sale Greyhound Club.

There is a photo below of Helen working on Chuck’s foot. Someone on Signal messenger asked if there had been a fall. The fact is there has been two falls. 

The first was Helen when she stopped as she crossed a gutter and couldn’t touch the ground … down she went. Only her pride was damaged. The other was Chuck doing a u-turn in a service station and down he went … loosing some skin on his hand. Both travelling at less than 1km/h! It can happen to anyone.

Photos from Sale / Slideshow:

Sale
A city situated in the Gippsland region of Victoria and the council capital of the Shire of Wellington. It had an estimated population of 15,305 in 2022 according to the ABS. The total population including the immediate area around the town is approximately 19,000 according to shire website.
Source: Wikipedia

Day 4 | 2025 Scootaville Vic | Day 7

Day 4 - Omeo
Wednesday, 19 November 2025

Wow! Today was the best day on the Scooters, ever! We travelled the scenic roads from Beechworth to Omeo. The 200km was slow going but all the sweeping bends made it very enjoyable. Highlights included:

• Smoko at the Bright RSL … a fabulous spread;
• Sullivans Lookout;
• Lunch at Mt Beauty (only a few had the Deep Fried Goodness);
• Falls Creek … it got very fresh once we entered the park and very gusty across the top; 
• Accommodation at the Omeo Showgrounds; and
• Dinner at Omeo Golden Age Motel

Let’s do it again… 

Keith and David swapped bikes to check the speed issues Keith was experiencing. Keith continued at the front and David as Tail-end Charlie. It soon became apparent that the bike is limited to a maximum of 82km/h, even downhill with a tail wind.

Photos from today / Slideshow:

Omeo
A town in Victoria on the Great Alpine Road, east of Mount Hotham, in the Shire of East Gippsland. At the 2016 census, Omeo had a population of 406. The name is derived from an Aboriginal word for 'mountains' or 'hills'. Omeo is affectionately known as the City of the Alps with many historic buildings remaining in the town.
Source: Wikipedia

Day 3 | 2025 Scootaville Vic | Day 5

Today we travelled from Benalla to Beechworth staying off the freeway and enjoying the country roads. We were away early for our ride expecting to visit Glenrowan, Wangaratta, Wodonga and Yackandandah, a distance of 164km (as per the original map below).

Today’s adventure began with the refuelling of the bikes in Benalla, then an enjoyable photo stop at Glenrowan with the statue of Ned Kelly on the main street. 

Just as we were entering Wangaratta, the truck broke down (and no, Keith swears he didn’t touch it). Lots of phone calls by Trev and we eventually left the truck and headed for a now late smoko at the Wangaratta RSL. 

The truck rental people were planning to tow the truck to Wodonga which was not workable (the truck has all our gear on-board). Trev found a local mechanic who was able to fix the problem and he didn’t even charge us. So we rode the bikes around to his shop for a quick photo and to present him with a Scootaville challenge coin. 

Now late for lunch at the Bandiana Army Barracks Soldiers’ Mess (ie closed), we skipped the Bandiana Army Museum, Wodonga and Yackandandah, and headed straight to Beechworth. We only travelled 75km today.

Now we’re a couple of hours early for our accommodation at the Baarmutha Function Centre. The Centre’s caretaker wasn’t available and it took an hour to find him to open the doors. The golf club downstairs was great and opened its doors to help warm us up (it’s very cool in this high country and has been snowing nearby).

Dinner was at the charming and historic Hotel Nicholas, one of Australia's 50 oldest hotels.

Day 3 - Beechworth
Tuesday, 18 November 2025

A relaxing day where people went in all directions ... some went for a walk, some did their washing, others did some sight seeing, whilst others caught up with some sleep.

David’s morning started with a look around town, including the original gold vault. Then the Beechworth Historic Precinct before a good walk back to the hall.

This afternoon Trev, Mike, David and a few others caught up with the “Cap Lady” who can help with future ventures in the area.

Dinner was at the Bridge Road Brewery. Consensus was that last night’s Hotel Nicholas dinner was much better.

Photos from Beechworth / Slideshow:

Beechworth
A town located in the north-east of Victoria, famous for its major growth during the gold rush days of the mid-1850s. At the 2021 census, Beechworth had a population of 3,290. Its many historical buildings are well preserved and the town has re-invented itself and evolved into a popular tourist destination and growing wine-producing centre.
Source: Wikipedia

Glenrowan
A town located in the Wangaratta local government area of Victoria. It is 236km north-east of Melbourne and 14km from Wangaratta and near the Warby Ranges and Mount Glenrowan. At the 2021 census, Glenrowan had a population of 1,049.

Glenrowan is a popular rest point for those travelling on the Hume Freeway. In the township of Glenrowan, off the highway, tourists can rest, walk and examine the famous Kelly siege sites.
Source: Wikipedia

Day 1 | 2025 Scootaville Vic | Day 4

Day 1 - Geelong to Benalla
Sunday, 16 November 2025
Our first offical day on the scooters and it's our longest for this trip ... now 273km, some 54 km further than originally planned.

Our first planned stop was for fuel … pulled in and got the bikes ready … closed. It was then the Corio Bay Roadhouse Cafe for a coffee and bite. The next petrol station along the way was almost at Little River. Most of us put our wet weather gear on for some extra warmth.

We stopped at the Vietnam Veterans Commemorative Walk in Seymour. A lovely dedication to the Vietnam Vets. The planted trees were just like the trees at Long Tan. Trev and Chuck found their names on the wall. 

After leaving Seymour the heavens opened, lots of short heavy spells. Most riders already had their wet weather gear on trying to keep warm in this spring weather. They say Victoria can have four seasons in a day … we think it’s more like four seasons in an hour.

We can only travel as fast as the slowest bike, and today that is Keith's bike at a maximum of 82km/h (on the flat). We also needed fuel after Seymour and Keith’s bike proved to be the one that ran out. They say things happen in threes, so stay tuned and we’ll see what happens tomorrow with Keith!

We had planned to have morning tea at the Violet Town RSL. Running a little later than hoped, that ended up being afternoon tea with lots of home made goodies and a hot brew.  

They had a stunning mural that had recently opened dedicated to the women of war. With many locals depicted, the RSL President went through and described each lady. If you’re ever passing through Violet Town you must stop and have a look. 

Tonight's accommodation is at the Benalla Showgrounds. Excellent facilities (ie not the usual cold pavilion), just a shame there was no gas in the bottles for the shower’s hot water. A few of us went over to the local footy club to take our showers.

Dinner was at the Benalla Bowls Club just down the road. 

Photos from today / Slideshow:

Benalla
A small city in the Hume region of Victoria. The town sits on the Broken River, about 212km north east of the state capital Melbourne. As of the 2021 census, the population was 9,316.
Source: Wikipedia

Pre-start | 2025 Scootaville Vic | Day 2

We were meant to start this trip from the Altona Scout Camp but due to a double booking (advised a couple of days ago), we are now at the Geelong Showgrounds for the next two nights. 

At Tullamarine, it was very easy to find and catch the red bus to Sunshine train station. Next a VLine to South Geelong that only cost $2.10 … impressive especially after the $20 train in Brisbane. David arrived early afternoon.

For this Scootaville we have 13 participants, 9 are riders for the 6 scooters, a 12 seater van, a small support truck and Chuck has his mobile accommodation. 

A wonderful dinner at the Geelong RSL. The fish and chips are highly recommended, and David plans to have that again when we return in 8 days.

Geelong
Saturday, 15 November 2025
We were meant to pickup the scooters from Ride Scooter Hire in South Melbourne. However, they sent us to another company in North Melbourne. All the scooters are well used and the bike David is riding had over 78,000 on the odometer.

Off to the Point Cook Museum for a private visit. A very impressive exhibition of the history of the RAAF.

Heading back to Geelong when Keith’s bike stopped and wouldn’t restart. The bike company came the replaced the bike. 

Dinner again at the Geelong RSL.

Photos from Geelong / Slideshow:

Start | 2025 Scootaville Vic | Day 1

The adventure begins Wednesday, 06 Jan. 2027 when we board the Grand Princess in Brisbane for the start of our 2027 Fiji cruise and this blog. Open a new tab of the current ship's bridge cam. The blog will be updated when we find a few spare moments. Please check regularly as multiple blogs might be uploaded on the same day. The same is true for the photos.

This adventure is expected to include:

• 14 night Brisbane to Brisbane cruise. Cruising over 5,600 nautical miles (more than 6,500km)
• Visiting 6 destinations in 3 countries, including 2 capitals
• Sailing on the Grand Princess operated by the Princess Cruises line:
• Built 1998 for approx. US$450 million … making her the largest and most expensive passenger ship ever built at the time
• Grand-class (same class as Pacific Encounter / Carnival Encounter ... but without the night-club). The 2011 refit removed the night-club from her stern (ie no longer looks like an over-sized shopping trolley)
• 107,517 gross tonnage, 290m long, 36m wide, 61m high, 8m draft, 17 decks
• 2,600 pax, 1,301 cabins, 1,100 crew

Other key links:

• 2027 Fiji Cruise Photos

It has the same P&O feel and is very similar in operation. Overall it's probably more "Fun"!

We had booked an interior cabin, but got upgraded to an obstructed ocean view (without any ocean view - see photo below) ... no complaints from us. It was also a comedy cruise, but we were too busy enjoying the fabulous live music to watch any of the comedians... Funny!

Photos / Slide show:

David is joining some fellow ex-ADF men and women who will ride 110cc motor scooters on the round trip from Brisbane. Riding over 3,000 km will take us 19 days and will be a fundraiser for Legacy and the Air Force Association (clink here for donation link). This is a rare opportunity to explore our beautiful country with our peers, overnighting in Toowoomba, Goondiwindi, St George, Cunnamulla, Thargomindah, Charleville, Blackall, Barcaldine, Emerald, Biloela, Gayndah, Kingaroy, before returning to Brisbane on the 11th September.

The ride is presented by the Radschool Association Inc., which is a registered charity formed in 1999 to represent the men and women who were trained by the Air Force to either maintain or operate its electronic equipment. It encourages connection and mateship among its 1400 plus members through its magazine, website, social media, reunions and special events like Scootaville.

The final distance travelled on the scooter ridden by David was 3405 km.

All Photos (credit to David, Nosey, Steve, Pinky, Joy, Trevor .... and many more)

A promotional video (4:46 mins) was produced by Griffith University about this endeavor:

Reference:

• Past Scootaville blogs:
• Queensland: 02-20 September 2022
• Queensland: 22 August - 10 September 2023
• Queensland: 28 August - 15 September 2024
• NSW: 18 November - 04 December 2024

Major Sponsors

How can you help?
We invite you to donate via the Scootaville page: https://radschool.org.au/donate/. Your donation is tax deductible. We greatly appreciate your generosity!

Raising much needed funds for:
  

Pre-start | 2025 Scootaville Qld | Day 1

Day 19 - Kingaroy to Brisbane
Thursday, 11 Sept. 2025
Our last day returning the 211 km to Brisbane. A handful of the riders and support are leaving us early and we only have enough riders for five scooters. The sixth bike was placed in the truck along with the broken bike.

Everyone was keen to get started and we left the Showgrounds an hour earlier than expected. We did however have two unplanned stops before we left Kingaroy. The first was a coffee stop at the Kingaroy Kitchen, followed by a quick stop at The Peanut Van. It’s now 9am and we depart the town on time.

The weather looks perfect, however it is very cold and we have very strong westerlies blowing across the road. The evening news reported 70km/h gusts at Brisbane Airport. It made going slow, but we don't have far to travel.

Our first planned stop is at the Yarraman RSL for morning tea and some warming up. It’s then off to the Kilcoy RSL for lunch … we arrive as planned at noon. As always, both these RSL’s look after us extremely well and we thank them for their hospitality.

It’s now off to Brisbane with a few more departures along the way, and the return of the scooters to Nibble Bikes in Newstead. The bus picks us up and returns us to Trev’s place. Time to head home to a comfortable bed and a good nights sleep.

Photos from Kingaroy to Brisbane / Slideshow:

Day 20 - Brisbane
Friday, 12 Sept. 2025
Returning to Trev’s to unpack and clean the vehicles. We travelled just over 3,400 km on these motor scooters, cruising between 80 and 95 km/h (depending on conditions) … very impressive little bikes.

Thanks Trevor for all the hard work with Scootaville. It looks like we'll raise around $24,000 for our two charities ... great work by all involved...

Some other photos from the trip:

Previous blog for Brisbane (Chermside): 28-29 August 2024
Previous blog (this trip) for Brisbane (Chermside): 22-23 August 2025

Day 18 | 2025 Scootaville Qld | The End!

Day 18 - Gayndah to Kingaroy
Wednesday, 10 Sept. 2025
Only 148km today starting with breakfast at The Big Orange in Gayndah. Dael jumped on David’s scooter for the short trip whilst he drove her car. Then a short 26km ride to Ban Ban Springs (population 31) for the paddle pop experience … thanks Trev. We stopped at Goomeri (population 677) for an unexpected morning tea … provided by Patti’s sister and a few of the locals ... very nice.

Our next stop was at Murgon (population 2,220) for lunch however, lunch was meant to be in Wondai (population 1,975). So back on the bikes and off to the Hotel Cecil.

Overnight at the Kingaroy Showgrounds where the awards for this Scootaville were presented. It seems we have a few beers of one brand left in the cooler ... obvious it must be the least favourite. Then it’s off to the Kingaroy RSL for dinner and some decent drinks.

Kingaroy
Kingaroy is a rural town and locality in the South Burnett Region, Queensland. It is approximately 210 km or about 2½ hours drive north-west of the state capital Brisbane. The town is situated on the junction of the D'Aguilar and the Bunya Highways. In the 2016 census, the locality of Kingaroy had a population of 10,020 people.

The origin of the name Kingaroy is usually claimed to be derived from the Wakka Wakka Aboriginal word for 'Red Ant'.

It is known as the "Peanut Capital of Australia" because Australia's largest peanut processing plant is located in the town and it's peanut silos that dominate the skyline. Kingaroy is also known as the hometown of former Premier of Queensland, Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen.
Reference: Wikipedia

Photos from Kingaroy / Slideshow:

Previous blog for Kingaroy: 04 Sept. 2022

Day 17 | 2025 Scootaville Qld | Day 19

Day 17 - Biloela to Gayndah
Tuesday, 09 Sept. 2025
Now heading south east travelling 247 km through Monto (population 1,156), Eidsvold(population 574) and Mundubbera (population 1,160), before reaching our overnight stay at Gayndah (population 1,981).

Our first stop was Lawgi Hall for a photo, then onto the Monto RSL for smoko. As always the hospitality provided was outstanding and the spread was amazing. Next stop was the RM Williams Centre at Eidsvold for lunch. After the food provided at Monto, no one was hungry.

We had an unplanned visit to the Binjour Plateau State School where we stopped last year. The school has four children, and loved the bikes and all the boxes of chips.

In past years we have stayed at the Showgrounds. Unfortunately the building is not available this year and we are staying in the RSL Hall. Closer to town, but we have to travel to the Showgrounds to shower.

Dinner was a BBQ at the RSL Hall cooked by the sub-branch. The local uke group provided a few classic songs as entertainment. A fabulous night...

Photos from Gayndah / Slideshow:

Previous blogs for Gayndah: 05 Sept. 2022, 05 Sept. 2024

Gayndah
Gayndah (population 1,981) is a town and locality in the North Burnett Region of Queensland. It is on the Burnett River and the Burnett Highway passes through the town. The town is the centre of Queensland's largest citrus-growing area. The town's information centre is located inside a man-made orange, known as The Big Orange.
Reference: Wikipedia

Day 16 | 2025 Scootaville Qld | Day 18

Smoko at the Blackwater International Coal Centre (about Blackwater). Sue and Robyn found a lovely little shop with lots of locally made gifts. David purchased a special little pink handbag for his one year old granddaughter (see photo).

For this next leg we had to pull off the road for a few very wide loads … one took up 9 metres (more photos). Lunch at the servo in Duaringa and afternoon tea at Dululu. It was time for David to take a break from the scooters, only 73km to go, but a long day.

We were overnight at the Biloela Showgrounds and had dinner at the Biloela ANZAC Memorial Club.

Photos from Biloela / Slideshow:

Previous blog for Biloela: 06 Sept. 2022

Blackwater
Blackwater is a rural town and locality in the Central Highlands Region of Queensland. In the 2021 census, Blackwater had a population of 4,702 people. It is a town in a significant coal mining area in Central Queensland. The name of the township was inspired by the dark colour of local waterholes.
Reference: Wikipedia

Biloela
Biloela is a rural town in Central Queensland. It is situated 120 km inland from the port city of Gladstone at the junction of the Burnett and Dawson highways. Biloela is the administrative centre of Banana Shire, which has an area of 15,729 km². In the 2021 census, the locality of Biloela had a population of 5,692 people.
Reference: Wikipedia

Day 15 | 2025 Scootaville Qld | Day 17

Being such a long day, everyone was keen to get away early. We headed off at 8am and stopped at Jericho (population 229) for morning tea, Alpha (population 559) for fuel and Bogantungan for lunch. We had planned to have lunch at Alpha, but we were running ahead of schedule. Our final stop before Emerald was at the Sparrow Perch hotel in Anakie to stretch our legs.

Overnight at the Emerald Showgrounds. Not only was it Father's Day, it was also Ian's birthday. We all enjoyed some cake at the pub after dinner.

Photos from Emerald / Slideshow:

Previous blog for Emerald: 7-8 Sept. 2022

Emerald
Emerald is a rural town and locality in the Central Highlands Region, Queensland. The locality had a population of 14,904 people at the 2021 census.

Emerald lies on the Nogoa River, a tributary of the Fitzroy River. The town lies approximately 270 km from the Coral Sea coast and approximately 270 km west of the city of Rockhampton by road at the junction of the Capricorn and Gregory highways. Emerald sits approximately 10 km south of the Tropic of Capricorn.

To the west of the town is an area known as The Gemfields, with small towns such as Sapphire and Rubyvale indicating the type of gems found there. The sapphire fields located here are the largest in the southern hemisphere.
Reference: Wikipedia

Day 14 | 2025 Scootaville Qld | Day 16

Day 14, Blackall to Barcaldine
Saturday, 06 Sep 2025

A short trip today heading north for only 107km to Barcaldine (population 1,540). This shorter day was welcomed as our previous ride was the third longest day on the scooters, and the next two days we have the second then first longest (all greater than 300km).

We travelled at around 80km/h as the wind was strong and from the northeast. This meant more traffic overtaking including one road train. For another five trains we were able to pull over safely to let them pass. Our rear truck is on both Ch 10 for our convoy and Ch 40 to talk to these monster trucks. The truckies have been great and appreciate our efforts to work with them. 

David had a chance to test out Nosey’s seat cushion. He's very impressed and will make the investment for the next Scootaville.

The local mayor met us 5kms out and rode the first scooter to the Ski Park. He’s obviously very proud of the facility. He then rode us into the town centre including through the middle of the local hardware store. We figured he must be the owner as the staff thought six bikes riding through the the narrow isles was hilarious.

We are overnight at Barcaldine Showgrounds and had lunch there. A look around town that afternoon including a stop at the Tree of Knowledge.

At was then dinner at the Shakespeare Hotel and an early night before our early start and big ride tomorrow. We have it planned that every rider does only two of the three legs … let’s see how the plan goes…

We raised almost $1,200 today, $750 from just 3 people. A good day for our charities.

Photos from Barcaldine / Slideshow:

Previous blog for Barcaldine: 9 Sep 2022

Day 13 | 2025 Scootaville Qld | Day 15

Day 12 - Charleville to Blackall
Thursday, 04 Sep. 2025
We headed north for 304km, firstly on the Mitchell Highway and then Landsborough Highway to Blackall. It's the third longest day riding.

Heading north we pass through the little towns/localities of Gowrie Station (pop. 15) (covers an area of 1,380km2), Augathella (pop. 449), Nive (pop. 34), Yandarlo (pop. 18) and Tambo (pop. 367).

Morning tea at Augathella after 81 km. Robyn organised a couple of cake boxes of goodies from the Charleville bakery … very nice. We met a local motorbike rider at the Kenniff tree. He lead us out of town on this Harley Chopper … very cool.

A few minutes later one of the riders came off their bike. We suspect a medical incident as they travelled across a ditch for about 300m in the scrub without the brake lights coming on before hitting the deck. The ambulance (with local doctor and nurse), fire truck (with local butcher and a mum) and police from Augathella shortly arrived. A police car from Tambo also arrived from the north.  The rider was driven to Augathella and flown to Charleville. We don’t know much more.

We arrived into Tambo at around 2:30pm for a late lunch … beef bangers and mash. Not enough time to watch the chicken races. It was then a sprint to Blackall before the kangaroos might show.

We have two days at the Blackall showgrounds. One of the graziers provided the grass fed beef for the fabulous steak sandwiches. You have got to love country food… He was later telling me that he’s on 100,000 acres and his letterbox is 9km from the homestead.

Day 13, Blackall
Friday, 05 Sep. 2025
More repairs were needed to get David’s two-way radio working on the bike again. Blackall has a Jaycar and David was able to get two adapters so now two bikes can listen as we travel. We can now signal again to the other riders … a little extra added safety. 

It was then a look around the town, including:

• The two impressive statues … a local VC and MC war hero and his sister, also a war hero; 
• Old Masonic Lodge;
• The black stump; and
• The Big Ram museum.

A few of us spent the afternoon relaxing in the artesian pools, one at 34C and the other at 38C. 

The evening was spent at the Bowls Club where we enjoyed some more steak and raised $670 in the raffles.

Photos from Blackall / Slideshow:

Blackall (pop. 1,416) is a rural town and locality in Central Western Queensland, approximately 960km by road from Brisbane. The dominant industry in the area is grazing with over 70 homesteads in the locality.

Blackall was one of the first Queensland towns to sink an artesian bore in 1885. It supplies the town with water from the Great Artesian Basin. The water temperature is 58°C. There is an artesian spa bath at the aquatic centre and locally produced soft drinks are made from the artesian water.

Previous blog for Blackall: 28-29 August 2024

Day 11 | 2025 Scootaville Qld | Day 14

Day 10 - Cunnamulla to Charleville
Tuesday, 02 Sep. 2025
Only 198km today with our first stop at Wyandra (population 78), 99km north from Cunnamulla, to visit the local State School. Normally seven students, although only three students present today. Then a visit to The Beach followed by the quirky Wyandra Post Office.

Paul had some concerns with his front tyre so we packed the bike into the truck to be looked at by the Charleville tyre service. Still safe to ride on, but we will replace it in Blackall (when a new one arrives).

Next a stop at the Angellala Bridge explosion monument. Hard to believe the the blast radius was more than 1km and could be felt over 30 km away.

We now have two nights at the Charleville Showgrounds. When we returned from dinner at the Charleville RSL the lights were out ... a problem with the switch board. A few long power cords to a power pole and we had some power for the night (if no lights). The next morning, the council sparky created a temporary fix for us.

Day 11 - Charleville
Wednesday, 03 Sep. 2025
Laundry for most in the morning, then the WWII Secret Base and Royal Flying Doctor Service Visitor Centre in the afternoon. The Army Band played at the Historic House Museum, Cenotaph and WWII Secret Base before they headed home to Brisbane.

Dinner again at the Charleville RSL ... this time with a Goose Club raffle.

Photos from Charleville / Slideshow:

Charleville (pop. 3,335) is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Murweh, Queensland. Charleville is the terminus for the Warrego Highway which stretches 747km from Brisbane.
Source: Wikipedia

Previous blog for Charleville: 26-27 August 2023

Day 9 | 2025 Scootaville Qld | Day 12

Thargomindah is our third and final new town for this Scootaville. Along this 197km trip we needed to continue our lookout for wild goats, plus now also cows and emus. We had a few instances of cows, one emu, but no wild goats.

When we left it was around 6C (“feels like” 1C) and even colder on the scooters. We travelled the freezing 68km to our first stop at Eulo at a much slower speed due to strong south westerlies. All the riders were very happy to stop at the Eulo Queen Hotel for a break out of the wind in the warm sun.

Eulo is known for the Diprotodon dinosaur which is a large 2.8 tonne herbivore (ie plant-eater). The town also had a rusted steel archway half buried air raid shelter from 1942 (see photos).

The next stop was after 76km for lunch at a large rest area. The last leg was a short 53km, but we stopped 6km from town so the mayor and police could lead us in. Lots of locals waving with their cameras at the ready welcomed us. 

Unfortunately the Thargomindah Shire Hall is mould ridden, so our accomodation has been moved to the newly restored Golf Club some 3.4km out of town. The golf course was destroyed by the recent floods and remains unusable.

This evening we put on a BBQ for the locals to enjoy (ie not a fund raiser). The Army band played a couple of sets whilst we served up 234 snags (around 2.6 snags per minute). The town population has dropped to around 200 since the floods earlier this year.

Day 8 - Thargomindah
Sunday, 31 August 2025
This morning it’s off into town for a shower at the Yapunya caravan park then a coffee, or in David’s case a milkshake, at the only service station.

This afternoon David rode a scooter into town and did the 4.5 km Historical Self Guided Town Walking Tour (www.explorebulloo.com.au). It is highly recommended to use a Head Net to combat all the flies. Highlights included:

• Hydro Power Plant & Old Town Bore
• The Old Jail
• Pelican Point and river walk - lots of birds and wild flowers
• The Old Hospital
• The New Bore

A very nice chicken parmigiana at the Thargomindah Oasis Motel and Restaurant for dinner.

Photos from Thagomindah / Slideshow:

Thargomindah (frequently shortened to Thargo) is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Bulloo, Queensland and lies on the Bulloo River. In the 2021 census, the locality had a population of 243 people.

Located in South West Queensland on the Adventure Way, approximately 1,000 km west of Brisbane, and 200 km west of the town of Cunnamulla.

Thargomindah has a pressurised hot spring from a bore into the Great Artesian Basin and has produced hydroelectric power from the basin in the past. After 2 years of drilling, a good supply of water was found in 1893. The temperature was 86 °C. In 1924, it was recorded that the bore had a daily output of 2,500 cubic metres and today of 1,300 cubic metres at 84 °C. There is a plentiful water supply for the population and the arid area available for irrigation in front and backyards and public warm showers are provided.
Source: Wikipedia

Day 9 - Thargomindah to Cunnamulla
Monday, 01 September 2025
We are returning the 197km to Cunnamulla (our previous vist was 28-29 August) for another night at the Cunnamulla showgrounds.

It was 7C when we woke and 14C at our planned departure time of 9pm. We decided to delay our leaving by an hour and had an early coffee break in town. At departure at around 10am the temperature was already up to 17C.

The ride was very pleasant with almost no wind. For the entire trip, only one vehicle past our front group of riders. On two occasions a goat ran in front of the bus, and at one stage a cow ran in front of David … nothing serious.

Hamburgers for dinner cooked by Johnno, Sue and Robyn at the showgrounds.

Photos from Cunnamulla / Slideshow:

    and returning to: 

Day 6 | 2025 Scootaville Qld | Day 9

Our first stop was at the Bollon State School with 17 students (Bollon has a population of around 174). We spoke to the students about ANZAC and Legacy, and asked for any questions. Without fail the first question is always “how fast do the scooters travel?”. Today the average speed has been around 90 km/h with a gusting westerly on more rough roads. 

Lunch was chicken sandwiches, made by our wonderful support team, at the Nebine (population 29) rest area.

Cunnamulla showgrounds for the next two nights. A fun dinner based on a formal mess dinner format complete with fines, lots of drinks and plenty of jokes. The fines raised over $100.  

Day 6 - Cunnamulla
Friday, 29 August 2025
At 10am we took the scooters to The Cunnamulla Fella for a photo opportunity with the mayor. It was then a look around town and down to the weir. 

On the bikes David listens to the convey on CB channel 10. Unfortunately the headphone cable failed two days ago and needed re-soldering. Trev found an old airforce mate who had an iron and David was able to repair the cable … back on the air.

We invited the locals to a free BBQ at 6pm in front of the civic centre. The Army Band was a huge hit and we cooked over 180 snags (or one every 30 seconds).

Photos from Cunnamulla / Slideshow:

Cunnamulla (population 1,233) is a town and a locality in the Shire of Paroo, Queensland. It is 206 km south of Charleville, and approximately 750 km west of Brisbane. It lies on the Warrego River in South West Queensland within the Murray–Darling drainage basin. Major industries of the area are cattle, sheep and goat farming, along with tourism and opal mining.
Source: Wikipedia

Day 4 | 2025 Scootaville Qld | Day 6

We started with a visit to The Customs House War Display in Goondiwindi.

Heading west for 205km we travel through Talwood (North and South Talwood population 214) and Nindigully (population unknown) on our way to St George. This is the first time Scootaville has been to this area.

Along the way we visited Talwood State School. The 21 students were very excited by our visit and loved the bags of goodies we had for them.

It was a hard ride against the westerlies on poor roads, so much so that a few of us ran out of fuel just before Nindigully. A splash of fuel to get us to the town before we refilled from our jerry cans. The bikes should have gotten much further. Lunch at the old Nindigully Pub (originally built in 1864)

Overnight at the Anglican Church hall. It was not available until 5pm, so we went to The Australian Hotel to fill in an hour.

Rotary and the local sub-branch put on an amazing home cooked pot dinner. Thank you for your amazing hospitality.

Photos from St George / Slideshow:

St George is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Balonne, Queensland. In the 2021 census, the locality of St George had a population of 3,130 people. The town is situated 513 km due west of Brisbane, and sits just inside the region of South West Queensland. It is at the junction of several highways including the Castlereagh Highway, the Moonie Highway, the Carnarvon Highway and the Balonne Highway. The only crossing of the Balonne River is the Andrew Nixon Bridge on the Balonne Highway.
Source: Wikipedia

Day 3 | 2025 Scootaville Qld | Day 5

Our second day of riding and it’s another short day of only 222km. The morning started with a few drops of rain, but thankfully cleared before we departed. It was then an interview with the channel 7 regional news and we’re off…

David is sharing today’s riding with Nosey starting in the bus. Smoko stop at Millmerran(population 1,545) at the Memorial park and all rider are travelling well. Pinky just couldn’t stay away from the playground.

Lunch at the Inglewood Hotel in Inglewood (population 954) before David’s turn on the scooter. Photo stop at the Yelarbon silos before Goondiwindi.

Goondiwindi (population 6,355) is a rural town and locality in the Goondiwindi Region, Queensland. It is on the border of Queensland and New South Wales, and is on the Macintyre River.

Overnight at the Goondiwindi showgrounds. It was Brad’s significant birthday today, so we sang Happy Birthday and enjoyed some cake.

The original plan was a re-match of the 2024 night cricket game - Scootaville vs Goondiwindi Ladies Cricket Team. Noteing that we won last time, more likely due to some serious corruption by the Goondiwindi umpires and a little help from the locals.

This year the oval was unfortunately not available, but never fear, instead we had a friendly game of barefoot bowls. Lots of fun with six teams of four. My team ever included the local mayor … it didn’t help ending only one point behind our competitors. A special thanks to the local RSL sub-branch for the accommodation, BBQ and bowls.

Photos from Goondiwindi / Slideshow:

Previous blog for Goondiwindi: 31 August 2024

Day 2 | 2025 Scootaville Qld | Day 4

• Breakfast was a public barbecue in the Kedron Wavell Club's car park ... a thank you to the Air Force Cadets for joining us this morning. The police then closed part of Kittyhawk Drive for our departure with a special "Guard of Honour" by the Cadets
• Our first stop was at the RAAF Amberley front gate for a photo in front of the F-111 and some morning tea. We have done the photo shot previous in Scootaville Qld 2023 and Scootaville Qld 2024
• Lunch was meant to be at one of the clubs in Toowoomba, but was moved to Milne Bay Barracks as we were running a little late
• Two nights at the Milne Bay Barracks
• Dinner at Milne Bay Barracks provided by the Toowoomba RSL

Toowoomba (population 142,163), nicknamed 'The Garden City', is in the Toowoomba Region of the Darling Downs, Queensland. It is 125 km west of Brisbane an one of the oldest inland cities in Australia having been founded in 1849 on the lands of the Giabal and Jarowair.

Toowoomba is the second-most-populous inland city in the country after the nation's capital of Canberra. It is the second largest regional centre in Queensland, often referred to as the capital of the Darling Downs.

A cathedral and university city, Toowoomba is known for its preserved Victorian-era and traditional Queenslander architecture, historic churches and gardens, food and coffee culture, street art and laneways, and numerous nature trails. The surrounding region of the Darling Downs is known for its rolling hills and pastures, agricultural produce, and historic homesteads.

Day 2 - Toowoomba
Monday, 25 August 2025

This morning we all visited the Town Hall for a Civic Reception by the Mayor. The Army Band began next door at 12 noon for a couple of hours whilst we raised more funds for our charities ... around $641.

One of the bikes got a flat yesterday that seriously damaged the rim. Ian took it back to Brisbane and we are now down to seven bikes.

We all enjoyed a tender T-bone steak dinner provided by the Toowoomba Sports Club ... thank you.

Photos from Toowoomba / Slideshow:

Previous blog for Toowoomba: 01-02 Sept. 2024

Pre-start | 2025 Scootaville Qld | Day 3

Chermside
Friday, 22 August 2025

Most people arrived today, including myself, staying at the Heritage Centre in Chermside (population 11,426). This year we will start and finish from here.

A group of eight were bussed to Nibble bikes in Newstead to pick up the scooters.

With the Kedron Wavell Services Club only a few hundred metres away, dinner was an easy choice.

Chermside
Saturday, 23 August 2025

Today was all about loading and organizing all the vehicles. Also a good opportunity to check the scooters. Johno and Wal started the charity collection around the area ... a great start at $720.

A photo of each person has been taken and is included in the slideshow.

Dinner again at the RSL with an early night ready for the BBQ in the morning. After yesterday's freezing night, we put the heater/aircon on. So much nicer (except for the wee walk outside to the toilets)...

Photos from Chermside / Slideshow:

Previous blog for Chermside: 28-29 August 2024

Start | 2025 Scootaville Qld | Day 1

Menu

• Introduction
• Map of cruise (zoomable Google map)
• Cruise #1 - Sydney to LA Repositioning
  
• Cruise #2 - Pacific Wine Country
• Rocky Mountaineer - Discovery Circle
• Cruise #3 - Voyage of Glaciers (Northbound)
• Cruise #4 - Voyage of Glaciers (Southbound)
• Other Key Links

Introduction

The adventure begins 11 April 2025 when we board the Royal Princess in Sydney for the start of the 2025 - Pacific North America adventure and this blog. The blog will be updated when we find a few spare moments. Please check regularly as multiple blogs might be uploaded on the same day. The same is true for the photos.

This adventure covers 62 nights and includes:

• Sydney to LA repositioning - Royal Princess (27 nights)
• Pacific Wine Country cruise continuing - Royal Princess (7 nights)
• Discovery Circle Journey Lake Louise - Rocky Mountaineer (8 nights)
• Voyage of the Glaciers (Northbound) - Coral Princess (7 nights)
• Voyage of the Glaciers (Southbound) returning to Vancouver - Coral Princess (7 nights)
• 6 extra nights in Vancouver

Cruise #1 – Sydney to Los Angeles repositioning

Cruise #2 – Pacific Wine Country

Video - Sydney to Vancouver (18:23)

Rocky Mountaineer - Discovery Circle

Video - Rocky Mountaineer (10:57)

Video - Vancouver (6:46)

Cruise #3 – Voyage of the Glaciers (Northbound)

Cruise #4 – Voyage of the Glaciers (Southbound)

Video - Alaska (10:14)

Other key links:

• Just the photos:
• Cruise #1 and #2 - Sydney to Vancouver
• Rocky Mountaineer - Discovery Circle
• Extra days in Vancouver
• Cruise #3 and #4 - Voyage of the Glaciers (North and South)
• Full list of blog pages
  
• List of videos:
• Silent Disco Experience - 13 April 2025 (35 seconds)
• Tauranga sail-away (timelapse) - 15 April 2025 (30 seconds)
• Rough seas crossing the Pacific Ocean - 21 April 2025 (20 seconds)
• Our welcome to Moorea - 24 April 2025 (26 seconds)
• Love boat tune on ship's horn - 24 April 2025 (32 seconds)
• David's self-guided walking tours (with KMZ map files):
• San Diego, USA
• Victoria, Canada
• Other walking tours:
• Historic Downtown Honolulu (day 1)

Liked North Vancouver so much when we were here last, decided to revisit today. A nice long walk along the waterfront to Mosquito Creek … lots of interesting floating homes. Another honey and caprese pizza at the Tap and Barrel. Half price bottled wine was today’s special.

Met David’s friends (Scott and Kathy) for a drink at the Steamworks Brewery before catching the Airtrain to the airport for our 10:20pm flight.

Another nice day in Vancouver.

International Date Line - lost day
Thursday, 12 June 2025
We crossed the International Date Line heading west and lost the day we gained on the 19 April 2025.

Previous blogs: International Date Line crossing

Previous | 2025 - Pacific North America | Home!

Ketchikan is known as Alaska's "First City" because it's the first major community travelers come to as they journey north. Located on an island, Ketchikan began life as an Indian fishing camp. The name Ketchikan comes from a Tlingit phrase that means "eagle with spread-out wings," a reference to a waterfall near town.

In the early 1900s, when gold was Alaska's claim to fame, fishing and timber industries were established in Ketchikan. The growth of these industries helped make this Inside Passage port Alaska's fourth-largest city.

Some of the sites along the Historic Ketchikan Walking Tour included the Welcome Arch, Creek Street, the Fish Ladder (where salmon struggle back to their native streambed fighting lower falls), Ketchikan Stream and Falls, and then Harris Street Bridge.

The wooden planked boardwalk fronts the site of an ear­ly Ketchikan dock; in the 1890s it was a makeshift log raft. Thomas Street has been home to boat yards, car­pen­ters, machine shops, bars and bor­del­los. It now houses shops and a bar.

We had a lovely day exploring, but we would do a tour if we returned to Ketchikan. The weather was so abysmal last time, that we didn’t even consider it an option on our return. Hindsight is a wonderful thing!

It was lovely to chat to the Captain at the Captain’s Circle Cocktail Party … the final get together for the most travelled guests on this cruise. The crew certainly make these functions very special.

For more photos / album slideshow:

Tuesday, 10 June 2024 - At Sea
Today is the last day of our back-to-back Alaskan cruise, and the end of our two month adventure.

We are so fortunate to have travelled through this spectacular part of the world. Loved Canada and particularly enjoyed the scenic cruising through the bays and fjords of Alaska.

Thank you to all the crew who have made our voyage on the Coral Princess so special.

As wonderful as our adventure has been, we look forward to going home to the best country in the world.

For more photos / album slideshow:

A walk along the waterfront to the boardwalk to see the totem poles and whale sculpture (its size and proportions based on measurements of real whales). A few of the locals were in colourful traditional dress.

One pound of Alaskan red king crab for lunch (with melted butter and bread rolls) at Tracy’s Crab Shack in Whittier Street. A bit of a walk from downtown, but worth it. It was sweet and absolutely delicious. Can’t imagine how big the crab was!

At the Captain’s Circle party, we were recognised for being the second most travelled passengers this cruise. Thank you, Princess, for spoiling us a little during our Alaskan cruises. Captain's Circle statistics for this cruise:

 1,593 New to Princess
   252 Gold (after first cruise)
    65 Ruby (>3 cruises or 30 nights)
    61 Platinum (>5 cruises or 50 nights)
    64 Elite (3%) (>15 cruises or 150 nights)
 2,035 Total number of passengers
       (which is 102% of capacity)

For more photos / album slideshow:

A two-hour (round trip) hike to Lower Dewey Lake … a very steep elevation gain of over 100 metres in the beautiful peaceful wilderness. A lovely hike and one we’d recommend if you’re ever in Skagway.

Loved the old buildings along Broadway (the town’s Main Street).

Built in 1899 as a fraternal order for the Arctic Brotherhood, the AB Hall (with its 8,883 pieces of driftwood) is perhaps the most photographed building in Alaska. One of Skagway’s best known watering holes, the Red Onion Saloon, was built in 1898 as a saloon, dance hall and bordello.

We do wonder how people survived during the gold rush days in this part of the world. This is summer and we had a high of 7. We have struggled with the cold weather in Alaska and we have all the comforts of home!

For more photos / album slideshow:

Wow … this glacier is massive. The ship couldn’t get too close as huge pieces often calve, but we certainly got close enough to appreciate its size and dynamics. Very cold with icy waters, but the scenery was amazing.

Finally, we enjoyed a sunset in Alaska!

For more photos / album slideshow:

Friday, 06 June 2025 - Glacier Bay National Park
A much nicer day cruising Glacier Bay … a little bit of sunshine … and some lovely reflections.

Rendu is a surging glacier that exhibits a sudden flow of extremely high flow rates of 10 metres per day followed by a sudden deceleration. As we cruised further down the Bay, we saw Reid Glacier … a 17 km long tidewater/terrestrial glacier.

Travelling up Tarr Inlet we viewed the black Ferris Glacier, with Grand Pacific Glacier and Melburn Glacier visible in the distance (both in Canada). The magnificent Margerie Glacier looked a little bit prettier when bathed in some sunlight.

We passed our final glacier today in Johns Hopkins Inlet … Lamplugh Glacier.

We knew very little about glaciers prior to our Alaskan adventure, but we have learnt a lot about their differences. Alaska, with its vast icefields, is particularly vulnerable to the effects of warming temperatures, which are causing glaciers to shrink and retreat at accelerated rates. Very sad.

We were hoping to see lots of whales, but David only caught a glimpse of one as we were exiting the Bay.

It’s hard to put the camera down and just enjoy the breathtaking scenery and the feeling of being in the wilderness. It’s just beautiful. So glad we have a balcony cabin.

Our last formal and champagne waterfall this evening.

For more photos / album slideshow:

The city's population was 272 in 2020, having increased from 220 in 2010. Almost all of its residents live in the Begich Towers Condominium, earning it the nickname of a "town under one roof".

Moved cabins from Caribe (deck 10) to Emerald (deck 8) to begin the cruise back to Vancouver. Unfortunately, we aren’t the most travelled passengers on this cruise, but we are second!

Elton John tribute show ended a nice evening.

For more photos / album slideshow: