To That Special Place: A Holiday in New Zealand, Sydney, and Hawaii
Dec 28th, 2019, 01:38 AM
#81
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Diamantina, thank you so much for your kind works. The reports I write is a small way for me to give back to a community that's offered me more in return. As for the weather in Dunedin, the only annoying portion of it was the on-and-off downpours and thunderstorms yesterday afternoon but, even so, it only lasted a few hours. As for the cold and the wind, we don't worry too much of it given that it is out of our control and adapt with the proper clothing; we were thankful for the mostly dry weather even if it wasn't all warm and bright blue skies. In the grand scheme of things, it only rained on one full day and two afternoons throughout our 15 days here. Considering the weather forecast was much wetter, we made out quite well. My only knock on Dunedin is how early things close down. I understood why I could not find any restaurants open at 9:00 on Boxing Day when we arrived in Dunedin, but even tonight, none of the restaurants and bars around the Octagon were serving real food - and it's a Saturday night. All the shops closed up at 6:00 yesterday too, even though it was a Friday. Perhaps it's just the city center and there are neighborhood establishments open but we gave up looking for a decent dinner on both nights. We settled for McDonald's on the night of Boxing Day and relied on the snacks and fruit we bought from Countdown for tonight.
A Day on the Otago Peninsula
We awoke to a clear day over Dunedin, with a view of First Church in the morning sun outside my bedroom window. Thank you Diamantina for your tip about getting a room in the back. Our 2-bedroom suite at the Chamberson Hotel is located in the back of the building, away from either Stuart or Cumberland Streets. The place is modern with exposed brick walls, and good-sized bedrooms. The hotel is new, about a year old if that. Functioning more like an apartment hotel, it lacks some of the services we would get from a larger facility. The front desk is only manned from 8:00 to 6:00, which meant we had to make arrangements for key pickup upon arrival, call for our own taxi to the airport, etc. Not a big deal but may be useful for someone else who is considering the property to be aware of.
Today is Saturday, which meant the farmers market at the Railway Station is open. We began our morning with a delicious breakfast at Ironic Cafe (thanks for the suggestion, Diamantina). The coffee and tea were excellent as well as the eggs. After breakfast, we wandered around the farmers market, making a few purchases of fresh apricots and berries. From there we headed to the Octagon, where we were picked up by a tour bus headed to the Otago Peninsula, where we spent the rest of the day.
I worked with Andrew from Elm Wildlife Tours to arrange our day trip to the Otago Peninsula. Given our interests, he arranged to have us visit Larnach Castle and Monarch Boat Cruise with Monarch, followed by a visit to the Royal Albatross Center and a peninsula wildlife tour with Elm. The tour began with a drive out of Dunedin and onto the Otago Peninsula, with beautiful views of Otago Harbor all along the way. The drive to Larnach Castle took about 30 minutes. Reportedly New Zealand’s only castle due to its appearance, it is really a large home or mansion. It was built and inhabited by William Larnach, a farmer, banker, businessman, and politician in the 19th century. We toured the castle and visited the beautiful gardens with gorgeous views of the harbor.
From Larnach Castle, we headed down the peninsula for an hour-long cruise around Taiaroa Head in search of albatrosses. We saw one nesting on the cliffside in the distance and a couple flying further away. We also saw a few fur seals. Perhaps at certain times of year and / or during certain weather conditions, they are easier to view. Not so much on this trip though.
The Monarch tour dropped us off in Portobello village, from where we would be picked up by Elm Wildlife Tours. We had about 30 minutes to spare but none of the cafes were open at 3:00. We popped into the Portobello Hotel Bar for a drink and a couple of snacks while we waited for our ride.
The Elm tour bus arrived prompted at a quarter to four and we were on our way to Taiaroa Head and the Royal Albatross Center. The tour did not get off to a good start. On the way to Taiaroa Head, we stopped at a couple of lagoons to take a look at birds who call the area home. Unfortunately we were in a bus with several overeager photographers who were determined to get every shot available to them. This meant them clamoring all over the bus including getting very close to us in order to capture their desired photographs. The commentary for us non-birders was also more than we were interested in paying attention to. This made for a slow afternoon.
Things turned around when we arrived at the Royal Albatross Center for our 4:30 tour. We were giving a short briefing about the albatross that breed on Taiaroa Head, shown a film about the animals, and taken to an observatory to view the majestic creatures. We saw four albatrosses sitting on eggs and about half a dozen flying out. This is what we came for.
About 75 minutes later, it was back on the bus to Cape Saunders. Along the way the commentary turned to the 19th century history of the region and the impact that human settlement and activities such as whaling had on the region - definitely more interesting to us. We saw a few black swans and royal spoonbills in Papanui Inlet. It wasn’t before long when we arrived at a private beach at Cape Saunders - home to yellow-eyed penguins or hoihos. The rarest penguin in the world numbering at around 3,000, we saw one hoiho in the grass almost as soon as we arrived on the beach. At this point, our and everyone else’s spirits were sky high. We saw several sea lions on the beach before spotting seven, eight, nine hoihos in the grasses. We also saw one hoiho coming in from the sea. Following the 90 minutes we had at the penguin site was a trip to a rocky outcrop where we saw many, many fur seals including pups playing on the rocks and in the shallow pools. This was definitely what we came to see. While we were skeptical at first, going on the Elm Wildlife Tour was well worth it in the end.
We drove back to Dunedin at 8:45, arriving at 9:30.
First Church from our hotel room this morning
Larnach Castle
Otago Harbor from the Rooftop of Larnach Castle
Nesting Albatross
Flying Albatross
Hoihos in the Grasses
Hoiho Returning from the Sea
Fur Seal
This concludes our absolutely amazing 15-day trip to the South Island of New Zealand. While we did not manage to visit all of the South Island, we successfully, in our view, experienced a good portion of it and most importantly what makes this part of the world so special - its natural beauty - the mountains, the lakes, the rivers, the forests, the coasts - and the unique wildlife that call it all home. Oh, the people - everyone we met were friendly, welcoming, courteous, and curious. And let me not forget the food - we almost never had a bad meal. New Zealand met and far exceeded all of our expectations, even though this is our second trip to the country. Many of you helped made what was going to be an excellent trip that much more memorable - special thanks to you again, Diamantina. So with that, it is “Until next time, New Zealand.” Should we be so fortunate enough, we will definitely be back.
A Day on the Otago Peninsula
We awoke to a clear day over Dunedin, with a view of First Church in the morning sun outside my bedroom window. Thank you Diamantina for your tip about getting a room in the back. Our 2-bedroom suite at the Chamberson Hotel is located in the back of the building, away from either Stuart or Cumberland Streets. The place is modern with exposed brick walls, and good-sized bedrooms. The hotel is new, about a year old if that. Functioning more like an apartment hotel, it lacks some of the services we would get from a larger facility. The front desk is only manned from 8:00 to 6:00, which meant we had to make arrangements for key pickup upon arrival, call for our own taxi to the airport, etc. Not a big deal but may be useful for someone else who is considering the property to be aware of.
Today is Saturday, which meant the farmers market at the Railway Station is open. We began our morning with a delicious breakfast at Ironic Cafe (thanks for the suggestion, Diamantina). The coffee and tea were excellent as well as the eggs. After breakfast, we wandered around the farmers market, making a few purchases of fresh apricots and berries. From there we headed to the Octagon, where we were picked up by a tour bus headed to the Otago Peninsula, where we spent the rest of the day.
I worked with Andrew from Elm Wildlife Tours to arrange our day trip to the Otago Peninsula. Given our interests, he arranged to have us visit Larnach Castle and Monarch Boat Cruise with Monarch, followed by a visit to the Royal Albatross Center and a peninsula wildlife tour with Elm. The tour began with a drive out of Dunedin and onto the Otago Peninsula, with beautiful views of Otago Harbor all along the way. The drive to Larnach Castle took about 30 minutes. Reportedly New Zealand’s only castle due to its appearance, it is really a large home or mansion. It was built and inhabited by William Larnach, a farmer, banker, businessman, and politician in the 19th century. We toured the castle and visited the beautiful gardens with gorgeous views of the harbor.
From Larnach Castle, we headed down the peninsula for an hour-long cruise around Taiaroa Head in search of albatrosses. We saw one nesting on the cliffside in the distance and a couple flying further away. We also saw a few fur seals. Perhaps at certain times of year and / or during certain weather conditions, they are easier to view. Not so much on this trip though.
The Monarch tour dropped us off in Portobello village, from where we would be picked up by Elm Wildlife Tours. We had about 30 minutes to spare but none of the cafes were open at 3:00. We popped into the Portobello Hotel Bar for a drink and a couple of snacks while we waited for our ride.
The Elm tour bus arrived prompted at a quarter to four and we were on our way to Taiaroa Head and the Royal Albatross Center. The tour did not get off to a good start. On the way to Taiaroa Head, we stopped at a couple of lagoons to take a look at birds who call the area home. Unfortunately we were in a bus with several overeager photographers who were determined to get every shot available to them. This meant them clamoring all over the bus including getting very close to us in order to capture their desired photographs. The commentary for us non-birders was also more than we were interested in paying attention to. This made for a slow afternoon.
Things turned around when we arrived at the Royal Albatross Center for our 4:30 tour. We were giving a short briefing about the albatross that breed on Taiaroa Head, shown a film about the animals, and taken to an observatory to view the majestic creatures. We saw four albatrosses sitting on eggs and about half a dozen flying out. This is what we came for.
About 75 minutes later, it was back on the bus to Cape Saunders. Along the way the commentary turned to the 19th century history of the region and the impact that human settlement and activities such as whaling had on the region - definitely more interesting to us. We saw a few black swans and royal spoonbills in Papanui Inlet. It wasn’t before long when we arrived at a private beach at Cape Saunders - home to yellow-eyed penguins or hoihos. The rarest penguin in the world numbering at around 3,000, we saw one hoiho in the grass almost as soon as we arrived on the beach. At this point, our and everyone else’s spirits were sky high. We saw several sea lions on the beach before spotting seven, eight, nine hoihos in the grasses. We also saw one hoiho coming in from the sea. Following the 90 minutes we had at the penguin site was a trip to a rocky outcrop where we saw many, many fur seals including pups playing on the rocks and in the shallow pools. This was definitely what we came to see. While we were skeptical at first, going on the Elm Wildlife Tour was well worth it in the end.
We drove back to Dunedin at 8:45, arriving at 9:30.
First Church from our hotel room this morning
Larnach Castle
Otago Harbor from the Rooftop of Larnach Castle
Nesting Albatross
Flying Albatross
Hoihos in the Grasses
Hoiho Returning from the Sea
Fur Seal
This concludes our absolutely amazing 15-day trip to the South Island of New Zealand. While we did not manage to visit all of the South Island, we successfully, in our view, experienced a good portion of it and most importantly what makes this part of the world so special - its natural beauty - the mountains, the lakes, the rivers, the forests, the coasts - and the unique wildlife that call it all home. Oh, the people - everyone we met were friendly, welcoming, courteous, and curious. And let me not forget the food - we almost never had a bad meal. New Zealand met and far exceeded all of our expectations, even though this is our second trip to the country. Many of you helped made what was going to be an excellent trip that much more memorable - special thanks to you again, Diamantina. So with that, it is “Until next time, New Zealand.” Should we be so fortunate enough, we will definitely be back.
Dec 28th, 2019, 05:21 AM
#82
Another wonderful day to end your time in NZ. Your entire time in NZ sounded fabulous. You made me wish we were going to some of the places we are not visiting. Good to hear how much you enjoyed the food. The scenery and wildlife are something I hear about, but generally not raves for the food. Thank you so much for all the detailed reporting and answers to questions. I'll be keeping your TR handy as we travel. Enjoy the rest of your trip to Sydney and Hawai. I'll be curious to hear about Hawai as we've toyed with going there again but haven't made it.
Dec 28th, 2019, 01:07 PM
#83
such lovely photos, TP. The albatrosses are just gorgeous. Though we didn't see any on our trip we did see a gannet colony in Napier and little blue penguins in Oamaru which I think were the favourite things we saw in the whole time we were in NZ.
Thank you for sharing your TR with us - it's been outstanding.
Thank you for sharing your TR with us - it's been outstanding.
Dec 29th, 2019, 04:13 AM
#84
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Yestravel, it's strange that we've never been to Hawaii so we decided to give it a go this time, considering it made for a logical layover. We expect that we would enjoy it given the history, culture, and outdoor activities, even though we're not beach and water people. Just too many places higher on the list, I guess.
Ann, thank you. I'm glad you are enjoying the report.
Pure Joy
We departed Dunedin for Sydney, Australia, via Brisbane this morning on Virgin Australia. As we approached Sydney, we were filled with both excitement and angst - excitement in that we’re back “home” again in our favorite city and angst about how bad the smoke from the bushfire would be. We could clearly see the haze in the sky as our plane began into Sydney. While the landscape before us was visible to the naked eye, we could not see the city skyline in the distance as we typically do. Yet at the same time, we were eagerly looking forward to stepping foot on Sydney soil and thought about some of the memories that we’ve made together here. No matter how many times we come to Sydney, it’s as if we are coming for the first time. Yes, we really, really, really love Sydney.
Leaving the airplane, we proceeded through immigration and customs as normal. All went smoothly. We went to baggage claim to collect our luggage. The wait was a bit long, but we attributed it to a busy time of day perhaps. Our luggage came onto the carousel perhaps 20 minutes after our flight landed. We picked up all of our bags except... One was missing. We went to the Virgin Australia baggage desk. The agent checked with the ground crew but the bag did not turn up. She assumed it was left back in Brisbane and would arrive on a later flight. As the tag was not scanned, it could not be tracked. There was nothing we could do but gave our contact information and let them know where we were staying in Sydney...and hope for the best.
The ride into the city took longer than usual but we eventually made it to the Fullerton Hotel, formerly the Westin, housed in the former General Post Office. We typically stay at the SIr Stamford at Circular Quay, a lovely historic property steps from the Opera House. This time there was a significant price difference between Sir Stamford and Fullerton for the dates which include New Year's Eve. We wanted to check out the Fullerton as we know we could expect a certain type of quality. We checked into our rooms on an executive level, freshened up, and went to the lounge for a quick cup of tea. Soon enough, we were ready to venture out into the city. Nothing could separate us from our beloved Sydney.
Heading out of the hotel on Martin’s Place, we walked east to Macquarie Street and northeast into the Royal Botanic Gardens. We enjoyed a wander through the gardens, making our way to the Opera House. We picked up our pre-reserved tickets to tonight’s showing of Cirque Stratosphere in the Concert Hall and spent some time on the forecourt steps. The weather was cool with a gentle breeze so it was quite enjoyable to be outside. The crowds outside the Opera House was large as usual; in fact, it seemed a bit bigger than what we typically experience on prior visits.
By 5:00, we went to Bennelong for pre-dinner drinks while we waited for our dinner table to be set. We enjoyed a delicious 2-course dinner at Bennelong before taking our seats in the Concert Hall for tonight’s performance. We always try to catch something that is showing at the Opera House when we’re in town and tonight was no different. Based upon the offerings, we settled on Cirque Stratosphere, which told the story of the first landing on the moon in 1969 through acrobatic acts and gymnastics performances. In between acts were short routines that involved members of the audience. Overall the show was hokey but entertaining. The rest of my party enjoyed it even more than me.
We walked back to our hotel after the performance. Just being around Circular Quay and taking in the atmosphere of it all brought our spirits to new highs. One of my travel companions remarked, "Sydney is pure joy." And she's right in my book.
Ann, thank you. I'm glad you are enjoying the report.
Pure Joy
We departed Dunedin for Sydney, Australia, via Brisbane this morning on Virgin Australia. As we approached Sydney, we were filled with both excitement and angst - excitement in that we’re back “home” again in our favorite city and angst about how bad the smoke from the bushfire would be. We could clearly see the haze in the sky as our plane began into Sydney. While the landscape before us was visible to the naked eye, we could not see the city skyline in the distance as we typically do. Yet at the same time, we were eagerly looking forward to stepping foot on Sydney soil and thought about some of the memories that we’ve made together here. No matter how many times we come to Sydney, it’s as if we are coming for the first time. Yes, we really, really, really love Sydney.
Leaving the airplane, we proceeded through immigration and customs as normal. All went smoothly. We went to baggage claim to collect our luggage. The wait was a bit long, but we attributed it to a busy time of day perhaps. Our luggage came onto the carousel perhaps 20 minutes after our flight landed. We picked up all of our bags except... One was missing. We went to the Virgin Australia baggage desk. The agent checked with the ground crew but the bag did not turn up. She assumed it was left back in Brisbane and would arrive on a later flight. As the tag was not scanned, it could not be tracked. There was nothing we could do but gave our contact information and let them know where we were staying in Sydney...and hope for the best.
The ride into the city took longer than usual but we eventually made it to the Fullerton Hotel, formerly the Westin, housed in the former General Post Office. We typically stay at the SIr Stamford at Circular Quay, a lovely historic property steps from the Opera House. This time there was a significant price difference between Sir Stamford and Fullerton for the dates which include New Year's Eve. We wanted to check out the Fullerton as we know we could expect a certain type of quality. We checked into our rooms on an executive level, freshened up, and went to the lounge for a quick cup of tea. Soon enough, we were ready to venture out into the city. Nothing could separate us from our beloved Sydney.
Heading out of the hotel on Martin’s Place, we walked east to Macquarie Street and northeast into the Royal Botanic Gardens. We enjoyed a wander through the gardens, making our way to the Opera House. We picked up our pre-reserved tickets to tonight’s showing of Cirque Stratosphere in the Concert Hall and spent some time on the forecourt steps. The weather was cool with a gentle breeze so it was quite enjoyable to be outside. The crowds outside the Opera House was large as usual; in fact, it seemed a bit bigger than what we typically experience on prior visits.
By 5:00, we went to Bennelong for pre-dinner drinks while we waited for our dinner table to be set. We enjoyed a delicious 2-course dinner at Bennelong before taking our seats in the Concert Hall for tonight’s performance. We always try to catch something that is showing at the Opera House when we’re in town and tonight was no different. Based upon the offerings, we settled on Cirque Stratosphere, which told the story of the first landing on the moon in 1969 through acrobatic acts and gymnastics performances. In between acts were short routines that involved members of the audience. Overall the show was hokey but entertaining. The rest of my party enjoyed it even more than me.
We walked back to our hotel after the performance. Just being around Circular Quay and taking in the atmosphere of it all brought our spirits to new highs. One of my travel companions remarked, "Sydney is pure joy." And she's right in my book.
Dec 30th, 2019, 04:06 AM
#86
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Margo_Oz, thank you. Sydney's treated me great as she always has. I wish I could do more to help the people and animals who are suffering most from the bushfires. I did manage to make a couple of donations during my time here and hope more of the festivegoers who come here do the same.
A Day in Luxury
Good morning Sydney! It’s a dream to wake up to the Sydney skyline outside your bedroom window - and this morning, we were living this dream. We began our day with breakfast at our hotel, included in the room rate, before heading out for a morning in Sydney walk. The sky is a bit clearer than yesterday and the temperature warmer. Our morning walk took us down George Street to the Rocks, across the Harbour Bridge, and around the Lower North Shore foreshore. Once across the bridge, we walked to Kirribilli House and along the water to Milsons Point. We walked at a very leisurely pace, stopping to admire the homes with wrapping wrought-iron verandahs, beautiful harbor views, and of course, the Sydney icons - the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Pure bliss!
The ferry from Milsons Point took us to Rose Bay and the local seaplane terminal. I decided to surprise the rest of my traveling party with a once-in-a-lifetime floatplane flight over Sydney and lunch at Cottage Point Inn, on the waters nestled in the middle of Ku-Rin-Gai Chase National Park. We were celebrating two birthdays. We checked in at the desk just a stone’s throw away from the Rose Bay ferry terminal and waited a few minutes before being escorted to our floatplane for the flight over the city and north to Cottage Point Inn. The flight over Sydney was stunning. We flew over the eastern harbor, going counterclockwise from Rose Bay as far as the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, seeing the city center, Watson’s Bay, and the two heads. Our flight went north over Manly and the northern beaches before turning inland and down to the water beside Cottage Point Inn. I always light up when I land in or take off from Sydney, seeing it from the air; this was so much more. We were met on the floatplane by a small boat which took us to the restaurant dock. Lunch at Cottage Point was as stunning as the flight. The four-course lunch was an experience of flavors, textures, colors, and ingredients. And it was very relaxing to sit next to the water just looking out at the beautiful scenery all around us. We feel so lucky to be able to experience it all.
Before we knew it, three hours past and we were on the floatplane back to Rose Bay, taking in the beautiful sights around Sydney Harbor one more time. The ride back was bumpier thanks to stronger winds, but nothing too bad. We spent the rest of the afternoon at Bondi Beach, traveling there by bus. A walk along the beach, some shopping, and a later-night dinner at our beloved Icebergs helped round out our day.
(Also, in case you were wondering, Virgin located the missing baggage and delivered it to our hotel this morning. It attributed the issue to having not loaded the baggage onto our plane in Brisbane.)
Sydney Opera House Taken from the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Icons from the Ferry
Icons from the Floatplane
Cottage Point Inn
Bondi Beach
A Day in Luxury
Good morning Sydney! It’s a dream to wake up to the Sydney skyline outside your bedroom window - and this morning, we were living this dream. We began our day with breakfast at our hotel, included in the room rate, before heading out for a morning in Sydney walk. The sky is a bit clearer than yesterday and the temperature warmer. Our morning walk took us down George Street to the Rocks, across the Harbour Bridge, and around the Lower North Shore foreshore. Once across the bridge, we walked to Kirribilli House and along the water to Milsons Point. We walked at a very leisurely pace, stopping to admire the homes with wrapping wrought-iron verandahs, beautiful harbor views, and of course, the Sydney icons - the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Pure bliss!
The ferry from Milsons Point took us to Rose Bay and the local seaplane terminal. I decided to surprise the rest of my traveling party with a once-in-a-lifetime floatplane flight over Sydney and lunch at Cottage Point Inn, on the waters nestled in the middle of Ku-Rin-Gai Chase National Park. We were celebrating two birthdays. We checked in at the desk just a stone’s throw away from the Rose Bay ferry terminal and waited a few minutes before being escorted to our floatplane for the flight over the city and north to Cottage Point Inn. The flight over Sydney was stunning. We flew over the eastern harbor, going counterclockwise from Rose Bay as far as the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, seeing the city center, Watson’s Bay, and the two heads. Our flight went north over Manly and the northern beaches before turning inland and down to the water beside Cottage Point Inn. I always light up when I land in or take off from Sydney, seeing it from the air; this was so much more. We were met on the floatplane by a small boat which took us to the restaurant dock. Lunch at Cottage Point was as stunning as the flight. The four-course lunch was an experience of flavors, textures, colors, and ingredients. And it was very relaxing to sit next to the water just looking out at the beautiful scenery all around us. We feel so lucky to be able to experience it all.
Before we knew it, three hours past and we were on the floatplane back to Rose Bay, taking in the beautiful sights around Sydney Harbor one more time. The ride back was bumpier thanks to stronger winds, but nothing too bad. We spent the rest of the afternoon at Bondi Beach, traveling there by bus. A walk along the beach, some shopping, and a later-night dinner at our beloved Icebergs helped round out our day.
(Also, in case you were wondering, Virgin located the missing baggage and delivered it to our hotel this morning. It attributed the issue to having not loaded the baggage onto our plane in Brisbane.)
Sydney Opera House Taken from the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Icons from the Ferry
Icons from the Floatplane
Cottage Point Inn
Bondi Beach
Last edited by tripplanner001; Dec 30th, 2019 at 04:32 AM.
Dec 31st, 2019, 11:59 AM
#88
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Larry, thank you. Agree with you on the rain. At least the cooler temperatures seem to be helping some.
Happy New Year
We slept in this morning given this evening’s festivities. Venturing out around 10:30, we did some shopping in the city center, taking advantage of some of the year-end discounts still being offered. We walked to Chinatown for lunch at Golden Century, one of our favorite Sydney haunts, before making our way to Darling Harbour where we would spend the rest of the afternoon. Given that it was rather hot today, we decided to spend most of it indoors - at the Sydney Aquarium and the Australian National Maritime Museum. The aquarium’s exhibits largely focused on Australian marine life. We were attracted to the penguins - little blue, king, and gentoo - as well as the sharks. This was the first time we’ve ever seen a dugong - cool animal. Keeping indoors, we took in the Maritime Museum’s free exhibits. From there, we walked to Harbourside Center for a cup of coffee before heading to Wharf 7 in Pyrmont, where our ship for this evening’s New Year’s Eve cruise, the James Craig, was docked. By 6:00, the temperature dropped precipitously and the wind started to blow. Oh no, we thought.
There are a wide range of options for viewing the New Year’s Eve fireworks over Sydney Harbor. Prices range from near zero to over one thousand dollars. Popular options include staking our a prime spot on the foreshore early in the morning to dinner and a show at the Opera House and a cruise on the water. We knew exactly what we wanted, having seen all the vessels on the water from the Opera House balcony during New Year’s Eve 2017. In selecting the vessel, we understood we needed to choose one that was included in the Harbor of Lights Parade during the evening in order for the ship to be anchored in the most desired part of the harbor for the fireworks. We chose the James Craig based upon reviews from other visitors, the size of the group on board, the size of the ship, as well as its include in the parade. Tickets first went on sale in early February and that’s when we booked.
Managed by Sydney Heritage Fleet, an all-volunteer organization, the James Craig was originally a cargo ship built in 1874. The ship was restored not too long ago and is now used for recreational sailings. It holds 240 people although tonight it hosted 180 guests and about 40 crew members. There was plenty of space on the ship to move around. It is my understanding that the revenue generated from the New Year's Eve sailing goes a long way to covering Sydney Heritage Fleet's operating budget for the year.
We checked in at 6:30 and boarded the vessel at 7:00. Drinks were served along with snacks and horses d'oeuvres. Immediately after boarding, an announcement was made that due to high winds there would be changes to the plan. Historically the James Craig anchors right outside of Kirribilli House for the perfect vantage point of the Sydney Harbor fireworks. But tonight doing so would be dangerous. Instead we would anchor in Circular Quay. At least the party is still on, and we will still be in a prime position from where to view the fireworks. The ship set sail out of Darling Harbor around 7:30, paused near Barangaroo, and made its way under the Harbor Bridge and into Circular Quay, arriving at around 8:45. The 9:00 fireworks were delayed due again to winds. By 9:15, the show was on. We tried to stay on the side of the deck closest to the Harbor Bridge but the vantage point wasn't the best so we opted for the Opera House side. Good quick decision.
Following the 9:00 fireworks, it was time for dinner, served buffet style on the deck below. The buffet line moved quickly and food was generally good. There were several salads to choose from as well as chicken, beef, and seafood. This was followed by dessert passed around the ship.
By 9:45 we noticed that our ship was not moving, even though other vessels were already sailing into the Harbor of Lights parade. Delayed again, I thought. No. We would stay anchored in Circular Quay for the rest of the evening and not take part. Bummer but it happens. We didn't know if it was due to wind or some other reason. Carrying on, we enjoyed the music and one another. Before we knew it, the midnight hour had arrived. We were well positioned to view the fireworks coming off and around the Harbour Bridge and also saw some coming off the Opera House. The fireworks seemed more subdued this time around, perhaps due to the weather or perhaps given the bushfires and whether or not it should go off in the first place. At one point, the pyrotechnics evoked an image of the tips of the sails of the Opera House on fire, in tribute to the bushfires. The laser lights coming off the top of the Harbour Bridge is new this year. And of course we saw the trademark waterfall off the Harbour Bridge that is signature Sydney.
Once the show was over, we stayed in Circular Quay until 1:00, as the fireworks barges, patrol boats, and ferries were given priority to sail. We were off the boat just before 2:00 and back at our hotel soon thereafter.
Happy New Year, everyone. I wish each and every one of you a joyous year ahead.
James Craig Docked Hours Before the Big Show
Sailing Under the Harbour Bridge into Circular Quay
Harbour Bridge Before the Big Show
Bushfire Tribute
Fireworks over the Opera House
Fireworks over the Harbour Bridge
Happy New Year
We slept in this morning given this evening’s festivities. Venturing out around 10:30, we did some shopping in the city center, taking advantage of some of the year-end discounts still being offered. We walked to Chinatown for lunch at Golden Century, one of our favorite Sydney haunts, before making our way to Darling Harbour where we would spend the rest of the afternoon. Given that it was rather hot today, we decided to spend most of it indoors - at the Sydney Aquarium and the Australian National Maritime Museum. The aquarium’s exhibits largely focused on Australian marine life. We were attracted to the penguins - little blue, king, and gentoo - as well as the sharks. This was the first time we’ve ever seen a dugong - cool animal. Keeping indoors, we took in the Maritime Museum’s free exhibits. From there, we walked to Harbourside Center for a cup of coffee before heading to Wharf 7 in Pyrmont, where our ship for this evening’s New Year’s Eve cruise, the James Craig, was docked. By 6:00, the temperature dropped precipitously and the wind started to blow. Oh no, we thought.
There are a wide range of options for viewing the New Year’s Eve fireworks over Sydney Harbor. Prices range from near zero to over one thousand dollars. Popular options include staking our a prime spot on the foreshore early in the morning to dinner and a show at the Opera House and a cruise on the water. We knew exactly what we wanted, having seen all the vessels on the water from the Opera House balcony during New Year’s Eve 2017. In selecting the vessel, we understood we needed to choose one that was included in the Harbor of Lights Parade during the evening in order for the ship to be anchored in the most desired part of the harbor for the fireworks. We chose the James Craig based upon reviews from other visitors, the size of the group on board, the size of the ship, as well as its include in the parade. Tickets first went on sale in early February and that’s when we booked.
Managed by Sydney Heritage Fleet, an all-volunteer organization, the James Craig was originally a cargo ship built in 1874. The ship was restored not too long ago and is now used for recreational sailings. It holds 240 people although tonight it hosted 180 guests and about 40 crew members. There was plenty of space on the ship to move around. It is my understanding that the revenue generated from the New Year's Eve sailing goes a long way to covering Sydney Heritage Fleet's operating budget for the year.
We checked in at 6:30 and boarded the vessel at 7:00. Drinks were served along with snacks and horses d'oeuvres. Immediately after boarding, an announcement was made that due to high winds there would be changes to the plan. Historically the James Craig anchors right outside of Kirribilli House for the perfect vantage point of the Sydney Harbor fireworks. But tonight doing so would be dangerous. Instead we would anchor in Circular Quay. At least the party is still on, and we will still be in a prime position from where to view the fireworks. The ship set sail out of Darling Harbor around 7:30, paused near Barangaroo, and made its way under the Harbor Bridge and into Circular Quay, arriving at around 8:45. The 9:00 fireworks were delayed due again to winds. By 9:15, the show was on. We tried to stay on the side of the deck closest to the Harbor Bridge but the vantage point wasn't the best so we opted for the Opera House side. Good quick decision.
Following the 9:00 fireworks, it was time for dinner, served buffet style on the deck below. The buffet line moved quickly and food was generally good. There were several salads to choose from as well as chicken, beef, and seafood. This was followed by dessert passed around the ship.
By 9:45 we noticed that our ship was not moving, even though other vessels were already sailing into the Harbor of Lights parade. Delayed again, I thought. No. We would stay anchored in Circular Quay for the rest of the evening and not take part. Bummer but it happens. We didn't know if it was due to wind or some other reason. Carrying on, we enjoyed the music and one another. Before we knew it, the midnight hour had arrived. We were well positioned to view the fireworks coming off and around the Harbour Bridge and also saw some coming off the Opera House. The fireworks seemed more subdued this time around, perhaps due to the weather or perhaps given the bushfires and whether or not it should go off in the first place. At one point, the pyrotechnics evoked an image of the tips of the sails of the Opera House on fire, in tribute to the bushfires. The laser lights coming off the top of the Harbour Bridge is new this year. And of course we saw the trademark waterfall off the Harbour Bridge that is signature Sydney.
Once the show was over, we stayed in Circular Quay until 1:00, as the fireworks barges, patrol boats, and ferries were given priority to sail. We were off the boat just before 2:00 and back at our hotel soon thereafter.
Happy New Year, everyone. I wish each and every one of you a joyous year ahead.
James Craig Docked Hours Before the Big Show
Sailing Under the Harbour Bridge into Circular Quay
Harbour Bridge Before the Big Show
Bushfire Tribute
Fireworks over the Opera House
Fireworks over the Harbour Bridge
Dec 31st, 2019, 03:49 PM
#91
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Too bad about not be able to do the planned itinerary but how cool to experience the fireworks on NYD in Sydney Harbor with the Opera House as a backdrop!
That is a memory for a lifetime!
Great start to 2020.
That is a memory for a lifetime!
Great start to 2020.
Dec 31st, 2019, 10:16 PM
#92
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Yestravel and Margo_Oz, thank you.
Larry, indeed. There is no bad view in Sydney Harbor. The memories created from this trip has been endless.
A Lazy New Year’s Day
Another late night, another late start to the day. We did not have a particular itinerary for our final few hours in our favorite city except to walk around and get out on the water once more. Our destination was Cockatoo Island, which we haven’t visited on our previous trips to Sydney. Following breakfast at our hotel, we walked over to Barangaroo Wharf for the quick ferry ride to Cockatoo Island. Having served as a prison for convicts, shipbuilding facility, and military installment, the island is compact and easy to explore in a few hours. We spent three hours on the island, walking around, going inside buildings, etc. From Cockatoo, we ferried to Circular Quay and lunched at the Opera Kitchen, a good place to just sit and relaxed. From there, it was back to the hotel and from there the airport.
No many how many times we return, leaving Sydney is always a challenge for us - and this time is no different. As before, we leave with one wish - to return soon enough.
(Photos from Cockatoo Island will come in the next day.)
Larry, indeed. There is no bad view in Sydney Harbor. The memories created from this trip has been endless.
A Lazy New Year’s Day
Another late night, another late start to the day. We did not have a particular itinerary for our final few hours in our favorite city except to walk around and get out on the water once more. Our destination was Cockatoo Island, which we haven’t visited on our previous trips to Sydney. Following breakfast at our hotel, we walked over to Barangaroo Wharf for the quick ferry ride to Cockatoo Island. Having served as a prison for convicts, shipbuilding facility, and military installment, the island is compact and easy to explore in a few hours. We spent three hours on the island, walking around, going inside buildings, etc. From Cockatoo, we ferried to Circular Quay and lunched at the Opera Kitchen, a good place to just sit and relaxed. From there, it was back to the hotel and from there the airport.
No many how many times we return, leaving Sydney is always a challenge for us - and this time is no different. As before, we leave with one wish - to return soon enough.
(Photos from Cockatoo Island will come in the next day.)
Jan 1st, 2020, 10:58 PM
#93
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Tripplanner, have fun in Honolulu. It's a bit different from the rest of Hawaii, obviously more urban, but fun. I find the Big Island more interesting (active volcanoes, wildlife, stargazing, varied landscapes, etc.) and Kauai is stunning (Waimea Canyon, Na Pali Coast, and more).
I cringed when I read your description of the overly eager and ultimately rude bird photographers on your Elm Tour. But, judging from your photos, it looks like your wildlife tour was mainly a success, with good sightings of Northern Royal Albatross, NZ sea lions and NZ fur seals, and how fortunate you saw many Yellow Eyed Penguins (Hoiho), as these solitary birds are increasingly rare.
I agree it's a drag stores and restaurants close early in Dunedin, but it's not a large city and during the holidays, when university students head home for the break, the nights become sleepy. When I first moved here from the San Francisco Bay Area, I, too, was dismayed and puzzled by the closing times. Stores stay open late only on Thursday nights. Larger stores, such as K-Mart and the Warehouse (K-Mart-like), supermarkets and some liquor stores stay open later. When I read that you ate at McDonald's for lack of late-night dining choices, I almost wept (Dunedin can do better). After thinking about It more, it occurred to me that the Dunedin Casino, near the Octagon, probably serves food past 10 p.m. Though I don't know if the food would be any better than McDonald's.
Your report on Sydney is so uplifting and upbeat (even though your luggage didn't arrive at the same time you did). You were clearly in your happy place! And you managed to "hit the ground running". Whenever I visit Sydney I walk like crazy, so much to see and do (though if one of my close friends were to offer me a floatplane ride on my birthday I'd gladly stop walking).
The fireworks are gorgeous. Sorry you didn't get to move closer to the Harbor of Lights parade, but I think you did super-well. I was especially impressed by your gorgeous photo of fireworks above the Opera House (and feeling a bit deprived that I've never seen Sydney on New Year's Eve). No doubt being near Circular Quay put you in a prime spot for taking this photo.
Despite your descriptions of the skyline from the plane, I didn't think the skies in your Sydney photos from the ground looked terribly hazy; some are even blue.
The strong winds blew smoke particles and smoke from Australia to the lower half of the South Island yesterday (New Year's Day), when I woke up, drew back the curtains to see a unusually dark, yellowish sky. We have our share of fires in Northern California, my former home, but I've never seen a sky like this, not even in Borneo when nearby rainforests were being slashed and burned to make room for palm plantations. I stepped onto my deck for a minute. The air was smoky and everything was still. Normally, bird song fills the air, but it was silent. It was eerily apocalyptic.
https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/south-wakes-yellow-skies
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/...sland-glaciers
Afterwards, my eyes teared and itched, and I began to wheeze. This was one day of pollution from the Australian bushfires. I feel for the people and wildlife trying to survive through this and much, much worse day after day. I think everyone here feels the same. What a monumental tragedy.
Our one day of air pollution drove home how connnected we all are.
I cringed when I read your description of the overly eager and ultimately rude bird photographers on your Elm Tour. But, judging from your photos, it looks like your wildlife tour was mainly a success, with good sightings of Northern Royal Albatross, NZ sea lions and NZ fur seals, and how fortunate you saw many Yellow Eyed Penguins (Hoiho), as these solitary birds are increasingly rare.
I agree it's a drag stores and restaurants close early in Dunedin, but it's not a large city and during the holidays, when university students head home for the break, the nights become sleepy. When I first moved here from the San Francisco Bay Area, I, too, was dismayed and puzzled by the closing times. Stores stay open late only on Thursday nights. Larger stores, such as K-Mart and the Warehouse (K-Mart-like), supermarkets and some liquor stores stay open later. When I read that you ate at McDonald's for lack of late-night dining choices, I almost wept (Dunedin can do better). After thinking about It more, it occurred to me that the Dunedin Casino, near the Octagon, probably serves food past 10 p.m. Though I don't know if the food would be any better than McDonald's.
Your report on Sydney is so uplifting and upbeat (even though your luggage didn't arrive at the same time you did). You were clearly in your happy place! And you managed to "hit the ground running". Whenever I visit Sydney I walk like crazy, so much to see and do (though if one of my close friends were to offer me a floatplane ride on my birthday I'd gladly stop walking).
The fireworks are gorgeous. Sorry you didn't get to move closer to the Harbor of Lights parade, but I think you did super-well. I was especially impressed by your gorgeous photo of fireworks above the Opera House (and feeling a bit deprived that I've never seen Sydney on New Year's Eve). No doubt being near Circular Quay put you in a prime spot for taking this photo.
Despite your descriptions of the skyline from the plane, I didn't think the skies in your Sydney photos from the ground looked terribly hazy; some are even blue.
The strong winds blew smoke particles and smoke from Australia to the lower half of the South Island yesterday (New Year's Day), when I woke up, drew back the curtains to see a unusually dark, yellowish sky. We have our share of fires in Northern California, my former home, but I've never seen a sky like this, not even in Borneo when nearby rainforests were being slashed and burned to make room for palm plantations. I stepped onto my deck for a minute. The air was smoky and everything was still. Normally, bird song fills the air, but it was silent. It was eerily apocalyptic.
https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/south-wakes-yellow-skies
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/...sland-glaciers
Afterwards, my eyes teared and itched, and I began to wheeze. This was one day of pollution from the Australian bushfires. I feel for the people and wildlife trying to survive through this and much, much worse day after day. I think everyone here feels the same. What a monumental tragedy.
Our one day of air pollution drove home how connnected we all are.
Jan 2nd, 2020, 12:32 AM
#94
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Diamantina, thank you for your comments.
This is our first time anywhere in Hawaii, and we are having a good time. The only question we have for ourselves is why it took us so long to get here. We had designs on going to Kauai but decided to stick to Oahu given that it is a quick vision and it was not worth the additional flight to get to another island. If today is any indication, I fully expect we will be back to Hawaii and have a chance to experience another island or two.
Re: the Elm tour, any misgivings we had about the excursion melted away as soon as we saw the albatrosses let alone the hoihos, sea lions, and seals. We understand the difficulty of seeing hoihos and consider ourselves incredibly lucky. I wish we focus more resources on their protection, and would be willing to support it.
Sydney has always treated us well. No matter how many times we visit, we always find something new to do. And most of the time, we are happy just reliving some of our best memories in the city. By sharing my reports in as close to real time as possible, I hope to capture all the emotions - all the highs and lows. Don't get me wrong though; we were very happy to be able to be so close to the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House during the fireworks and wouldn't ask for anything more.
I'm sorry you had to deal with the effects from the bushfires and like you sympathize for the people and wildlife of Australia. A few of the locals in Queenstown were telling me that there was a day a few weeks ago when the impact was so bad that a layer of ash covered the town - on cars, on green areas, etc. We were lucky that the weather was mostly good during our days in Sydney. We did notice a couple of days when it was a bit hazy in the morning but that it burned away as the day progressed. There were definitely times on Monday and most of Tuesday when the sky was indeed blue.
Photos from Cockatoo Island
Convict-Era Building
Shipbuilding Section of Cockatoo Island
One of the tunnels on Cockatoo Island
Heavy Machinery in the Industrial Manufacturing Facility
Docklands Area of Cockatoo Island
This is our first time anywhere in Hawaii, and we are having a good time. The only question we have for ourselves is why it took us so long to get here. We had designs on going to Kauai but decided to stick to Oahu given that it is a quick vision and it was not worth the additional flight to get to another island. If today is any indication, I fully expect we will be back to Hawaii and have a chance to experience another island or two.
Re: the Elm tour, any misgivings we had about the excursion melted away as soon as we saw the albatrosses let alone the hoihos, sea lions, and seals. We understand the difficulty of seeing hoihos and consider ourselves incredibly lucky. I wish we focus more resources on their protection, and would be willing to support it.
Sydney has always treated us well. No matter how many times we visit, we always find something new to do. And most of the time, we are happy just reliving some of our best memories in the city. By sharing my reports in as close to real time as possible, I hope to capture all the emotions - all the highs and lows. Don't get me wrong though; we were very happy to be able to be so close to the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House during the fireworks and wouldn't ask for anything more.
I'm sorry you had to deal with the effects from the bushfires and like you sympathize for the people and wildlife of Australia. A few of the locals in Queenstown were telling me that there was a day a few weeks ago when the impact was so bad that a layer of ash covered the town - on cars, on green areas, etc. We were lucky that the weather was mostly good during our days in Sydney. We did notice a couple of days when it was a bit hazy in the morning but that it burned away as the day progressed. There were definitely times on Monday and most of Tuesday when the sky was indeed blue.
Photos from Cockatoo Island
Convict-Era Building
Shipbuilding Section of Cockatoo Island
One of the tunnels on Cockatoo Island
Heavy Machinery in the Industrial Manufacturing Facility
Docklands Area of Cockatoo Island
Jan 2nd, 2020, 12:44 AM
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New Year’s Day Redux
Wait?! Didn’t we just spend New Year’s Day in Sydney? Yes. But it’s New Year’s Day again in Honolulu? Yes. As we crossed the International Date Line, we departed Sydney at 8:00 PM on Wednesday and arrived in Honolulu at 8:30 AM on the same day. It’s always funny how we could go back in time like this. Immigration and customs were probably the quickest of any U.S. airport we arrived into. Our home in Honolulu is the Laylow Hotel, a Marriott property 2 blocks from Waikiki Beach. There was a sale a couple of months ago on its corner suites, which we booked. The suites are very spacious with large beds, a queen-sized day bed, and plenty of living space. It also comes with two generous-in-size balconies.
Anyway, we dropped our bags off at the hotel (no rooms were available when we checked in) and went next door to Kona Coffee Purveyors for coffee and pastries. The black sesame kouign amann was delicious, as was the coffee. It was a good place to sit down and enjoy our purchases. From there we wandered to Waikiki Beach for a stroll and some people watching. A couple of hours later, we were moving again. We stopped by the Waikiki Aquarium for a quick look, mainly to see the Hawaiian monk seal, before making our way to Diamond Head. The walk from the aquarium to the entrance to Diamond Head took about 90 minutes, with a couple of breaks at lookout points in between. The hike up to the summit was easy. The only downside was the crowd at the top (we were at the summit at around 4:30). The views, especially towards Honolulu, was nice but somewhat anticipated. We stayed for about 10 minutes at the top. From there we wanted back down to Waikiki, which took less than an hour. We enjoyed dinner at Roy’s. The sushi and sashimi I ordered were very good. Others were happy with their choices too. The desserts - pineapple upside-down cake and chocolate souffle - were heavenly.
Hawaiian Monk Seal at Waikiki Aquarium
Lighthouse on the road to Diamond Head entrance
Honolulu Skyline and Waikiki Beach from the Summit of Diamond Head
Diamond Head at Dusk
Waikiki Beach at Dusk
Wait?! Didn’t we just spend New Year’s Day in Sydney? Yes. But it’s New Year’s Day again in Honolulu? Yes. As we crossed the International Date Line, we departed Sydney at 8:00 PM on Wednesday and arrived in Honolulu at 8:30 AM on the same day. It’s always funny how we could go back in time like this. Immigration and customs were probably the quickest of any U.S. airport we arrived into. Our home in Honolulu is the Laylow Hotel, a Marriott property 2 blocks from Waikiki Beach. There was a sale a couple of months ago on its corner suites, which we booked. The suites are very spacious with large beds, a queen-sized day bed, and plenty of living space. It also comes with two generous-in-size balconies.
Anyway, we dropped our bags off at the hotel (no rooms were available when we checked in) and went next door to Kona Coffee Purveyors for coffee and pastries. The black sesame kouign amann was delicious, as was the coffee. It was a good place to sit down and enjoy our purchases. From there we wandered to Waikiki Beach for a stroll and some people watching. A couple of hours later, we were moving again. We stopped by the Waikiki Aquarium for a quick look, mainly to see the Hawaiian monk seal, before making our way to Diamond Head. The walk from the aquarium to the entrance to Diamond Head took about 90 minutes, with a couple of breaks at lookout points in between. The hike up to the summit was easy. The only downside was the crowd at the top (we were at the summit at around 4:30). The views, especially towards Honolulu, was nice but somewhat anticipated. We stayed for about 10 minutes at the top. From there we wanted back down to Waikiki, which took less than an hour. We enjoyed dinner at Roy’s. The sushi and sashimi I ordered were very good. Others were happy with their choices too. The desserts - pineapple upside-down cake and chocolate souffle - were heavenly.
Hawaiian Monk Seal at Waikiki Aquarium
Lighthouse on the road to Diamond Head entrance
Honolulu Skyline and Waikiki Beach from the Summit of Diamond Head
Diamond Head at Dusk
Waikiki Beach at Dusk
Jan 2nd, 2020, 06:36 AM
#96
Wait?! Didn’t we just spend New Year’s Day in Sydney? Yes. But it’s New Year’s Day again in Honolulu? Yes. As we crossed the International Date Line, we departed Sydney at 8:00 PM on Wednesday and arrived in Honolulu at 8:30 AM on the same day. It’s always funny how we could go back in time like this.>>
This always amuses me, tripplanner and great that you got two New Year's days. I've only spent 5 nights in Sydney so far but I can see the pull it has on people to go back. looking forward to reading more about Hawaii.
Diamantina - those photos of the SI are scary. As you say it must be so much worse for the Australians who are suffering but that is bad enough.
This always amuses me, tripplanner and great that you got two New Year's days. I've only spent 5 nights in Sydney so far but I can see the pull it has on people to go back. looking forward to reading more about Hawaii.
Diamantina - those photos of the SI are scary. As you say it must be so much worse for the Australians who are suffering but that is bad enough.
Jan 2nd, 2020, 10:12 PM
#97
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Ann, I'll do my best although I am only reporting on one island in Hawaii - Oahu. There's much more to it when you add in the other islands.
A Classic Day in Honolulu - Or at Least We Tried
We aimed to visit Pearl Harbor today. Given the time of year and limited tickets to the USS Arizona Memorial, we knew this meant an early start for us as we could not secure tickets in advance. We attempted to reserve tickets through recreation.gov, the official site, for each of the mornings we were going to be in Honolulu 60 days in advance but tickets were gone within a couple of minutes of the release time. As the bulk of tickets are released to visitors on the day of the visit, we arrived at the visitors' center at 5:15, and were greeted with only eight people ahead of us (doors open at 7:00). The family in front of us arrived at 4:30. The couple immediately behind them were on their second attempt, as they tried a couple of days ago at 7:00 and tickets were gone. The line was about 75 deep at 5:45 this morning, close to 200 at 6:15, and grew exponentially every few minutes. Door opened promptly at 7:00 and everyone was handed tickets in the order of first availability. Our tickets were for the first tour of the day - at 7:30. We took a look at a couple of the exhibits about the Japanese bombing of the U.S. naval fleet at Pearl Harbor in 1941 and the events leading up to it as we awaited our appointed time. During the one-hour tour, we were shown a film about the event and then taken on a ferry ride over the the USS Arizona Memorial. The memorial, sitting above the remains of the old war vessels is solemn and poignant. We were able to see some of the remains of the battleship as well as oil that continue to leak out from it. The entire site smelled of oil. We had about 15 minutes at the memorial site before being ferried back to the visitors' center. The entire experience took about 65 minutes.
At the visitors' center, we purchased separate entry tickets for the USS Missouri as well as the USS Bowfin. The Missouri or Mighty Mo is reached via shuttle bus to Ford Island, the location of the battleship as well as the site of one of the most significant active military bases today. Like the Arizona, the Mo was constructed around the same time. The Mo, however. served in U.S. engagements foreign and domestic for several decades. The Mo is massive but easy to tour. The map provided to visitors is accurate and the signage abundant and easy to follow. We saw guns as well as military personnel quarters and where they eat and perform their daily activities. We spent just a little under two hours, including about 75 minutes on the battleship itself. Moving on to the Bowfin, it took about 35 minutes to tour ourselves. The interior was interesting but challenging to move around given it's close quarters. One has to imagine how those stationed on it and on other submarines are not able to do it every day and night.We left the Pearl Harbor complex at 11:45 and headed into downtown Honolulu by bus. We intended to have lunch at Cafe Julia before our prebooked 2:00 timed entry into olani Palace, but arrived to find out it was closed. As none of us were too hungry, we tried to change our time entry into the palace and succeeded for 1:10. Constructed by King Kamehameha III in the second half of the 19th century to serve as his new seat of power, Iolani Palace stands today as a monument to Hawaii and its people. The palace is small by European standards but stately, dignified, and distinct. While it was meant to showcase Hawaii’s power and privilege, I cannot help but feel a sense of sadness as the palace in many ways tells a story of a country and a people conquered and subjugated - and wronged. I’m glad we included it on our itinerary.
We also walked around the area around the palace. We saw the State Capitol building and the statue of King Kamehameha I and took a quick look inside the Hawaii State Art Museum. The area was very quiet and honestly not very interesting. We decided to head back to Waikiki after about 30 minutes of wandering.
On the agenda tonight was a Hawaiian luau. After reading about the different options, the one offered by the Royal Hawaiian Hotel seemed to appeal to us so we went with it. One of the major reasons was its setting - oceanfront overlooking Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head. To the disappointment of at least a couple of us, we arrived to a typical nondescript hotel ballroom - surprise, the luau was moved indoors due to weather. It was overall a medioacre start to the evening. There was no information about the program. The music and dance was stop and go for the first couple of hours. The food was satisfactory for a buffet. The evening only picked up by 7:00 - the final hour of the evening - when the entertainment was kicked into high gear. Much of the music and dance was presented chronologically, broad telling the story of Hawaii, its unification under King Kamehameha I, the state's involvement in World War II, culture under happier-to-lucky times, etc; it was done well. Also part of the performance is a Tahitian dance as well as a Samoan fire dance. From there we headed back to our hotel.
USS Arizona Memorial
USS Missouri
USS Bowfin
Iolani Palace
Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head in the Late Afternoon
A Classic Day in Honolulu - Or at Least We Tried
We aimed to visit Pearl Harbor today. Given the time of year and limited tickets to the USS Arizona Memorial, we knew this meant an early start for us as we could not secure tickets in advance. We attempted to reserve tickets through recreation.gov, the official site, for each of the mornings we were going to be in Honolulu 60 days in advance but tickets were gone within a couple of minutes of the release time. As the bulk of tickets are released to visitors on the day of the visit, we arrived at the visitors' center at 5:15, and were greeted with only eight people ahead of us (doors open at 7:00). The family in front of us arrived at 4:30. The couple immediately behind them were on their second attempt, as they tried a couple of days ago at 7:00 and tickets were gone. The line was about 75 deep at 5:45 this morning, close to 200 at 6:15, and grew exponentially every few minutes. Door opened promptly at 7:00 and everyone was handed tickets in the order of first availability. Our tickets were for the first tour of the day - at 7:30. We took a look at a couple of the exhibits about the Japanese bombing of the U.S. naval fleet at Pearl Harbor in 1941 and the events leading up to it as we awaited our appointed time. During the one-hour tour, we were shown a film about the event and then taken on a ferry ride over the the USS Arizona Memorial. The memorial, sitting above the remains of the old war vessels is solemn and poignant. We were able to see some of the remains of the battleship as well as oil that continue to leak out from it. The entire site smelled of oil. We had about 15 minutes at the memorial site before being ferried back to the visitors' center. The entire experience took about 65 minutes.
At the visitors' center, we purchased separate entry tickets for the USS Missouri as well as the USS Bowfin. The Missouri or Mighty Mo is reached via shuttle bus to Ford Island, the location of the battleship as well as the site of one of the most significant active military bases today. Like the Arizona, the Mo was constructed around the same time. The Mo, however. served in U.S. engagements foreign and domestic for several decades. The Mo is massive but easy to tour. The map provided to visitors is accurate and the signage abundant and easy to follow. We saw guns as well as military personnel quarters and where they eat and perform their daily activities. We spent just a little under two hours, including about 75 minutes on the battleship itself. Moving on to the Bowfin, it took about 35 minutes to tour ourselves. The interior was interesting but challenging to move around given it's close quarters. One has to imagine how those stationed on it and on other submarines are not able to do it every day and night.We left the Pearl Harbor complex at 11:45 and headed into downtown Honolulu by bus. We intended to have lunch at Cafe Julia before our prebooked 2:00 timed entry into olani Palace, but arrived to find out it was closed. As none of us were too hungry, we tried to change our time entry into the palace and succeeded for 1:10. Constructed by King Kamehameha III in the second half of the 19th century to serve as his new seat of power, Iolani Palace stands today as a monument to Hawaii and its people. The palace is small by European standards but stately, dignified, and distinct. While it was meant to showcase Hawaii’s power and privilege, I cannot help but feel a sense of sadness as the palace in many ways tells a story of a country and a people conquered and subjugated - and wronged. I’m glad we included it on our itinerary.
We also walked around the area around the palace. We saw the State Capitol building and the statue of King Kamehameha I and took a quick look inside the Hawaii State Art Museum. The area was very quiet and honestly not very interesting. We decided to head back to Waikiki after about 30 minutes of wandering.
On the agenda tonight was a Hawaiian luau. After reading about the different options, the one offered by the Royal Hawaiian Hotel seemed to appeal to us so we went with it. One of the major reasons was its setting - oceanfront overlooking Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head. To the disappointment of at least a couple of us, we arrived to a typical nondescript hotel ballroom - surprise, the luau was moved indoors due to weather. It was overall a medioacre start to the evening. There was no information about the program. The music and dance was stop and go for the first couple of hours. The food was satisfactory for a buffet. The evening only picked up by 7:00 - the final hour of the evening - when the entertainment was kicked into high gear. Much of the music and dance was presented chronologically, broad telling the story of Hawaii, its unification under King Kamehameha I, the state's involvement in World War II, culture under happier-to-lucky times, etc; it was done well. Also part of the performance is a Tahitian dance as well as a Samoan fire dance. From there we headed back to our hotel.
USS Arizona Memorial
USS Missouri
USS Bowfin
Iolani Palace
Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head in the Late Afternoon
Jan 3rd, 2020, 05:10 AM
#98
Ann, I'll do my best although I am only reporting on one island in Hawaii - Oahu. There's much more to it when you add in the other islands.>>
Honestly tripplanner I know so little about Hawaii that whatever you tell me will be an advance on what little knowledge I've already got. I knew about Pearl Harbour of course and basic things about the islands and the terrible volcanic eruption last year but I had no idea that there was a Palace! so thanks.
Honestly tripplanner I know so little about Hawaii that whatever you tell me will be an advance on what little knowledge I've already got. I knew about Pearl Harbour of course and basic things about the islands and the terrible volcanic eruption last year but I had no idea that there was a Palace! so thanks.
Jan 4th, 2020, 12:22 AM
#99
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Ann, you're welcome. Iolani Palace is the only royal palace in the United States.
Getting Out of Honolulu
Today is our day to get out of Waikiki and Honolulu and have a look around the island of Oahu. This circuit is well-known and popular with tourists. We went on a private full-day tour with Dan from The Real Hawaii but the tours are largely the same - or so we gathered from reading the different websites.
We began our day in the southeast corner of the island, visiting the lookout over Hanauma Bay, Halona Blowhole, and Makapuu. From there we headed up the east side of the island - to Byodo Temple. A replica of a temple near Kyoto, Japan, Byodo was built in the 1960s to commemorate the arrival of Japanese immigrants to Hawaii one hundred years earlier. The temple is situated in the Valley of the Temples surrounded by a cemetery with mountains behind it. We went inside the hall and said a prayer in front of the Buddha, as well as take a few moments to enjoy the koi and a black swan in the water right outside the temple. From there we made our way to the North Shore with a quick photo stop at Chinaman's Hat. An early lunch at Fumi's shrimp shack was in order; the shrimp was very good. Two quick stops were made along the North Shore: Turtle Bay and Pipeline Beach. There was not much of a surf today. From there we passed Haleiwa town and onward to the Dole Plantation, where we made a 45-minute stop. We would have enjoyed some time to walk around Haleiwa but it would mean skipping the Dole stop; a couple of my fellow travellers were keen about visiting the home of the pineapple. Even the Dole stop was short as we did not have time to enjoy the train ride on offer nor visit the pineapple maze; given the limited time all we did was browse the gift shop and tasted Dole whip, which we did find enjoyable. We headed back to Honolulu shortly before 1:00. As it would put us back in town to early for our afternoon activity (at worst, 2:00), we asked to be dropped off at the Bishop Museum. Overall we did not feel the tour was a good value for the money. More time to enjoy Haleiwa and Dole would have made a difference, but we felt pressured to return to Honolulu by a certain time. Visiting Waimea Falls may also have been enjoyable, although we were discouraged from it given the amount of time it would take. Our time and money would have been better spent visiting Dole and Haleiwa on our own, as the public bus runs to both places.
We thoroughly enjoyed our time at the Bishop Museum (thank you for the recommendation, Diamantina). We had two hours and spent all of it in the Hawaiian and the Pacific Halls. The exhibits do a wonderful job telling the story of the Hawaiian people from the beginning to the present. It is as much history as it is culture, religion / belief systems, society structures, food, and entertainment. I truly enjoyed how the information is laid out and the artifacts presented. Similarly, the Pacific galleries do a good job of presenting information about individual countries as well as the interrelationship between countries. We could easily have spent twice the amount of time in these galleries, if we had the time and attention span, not to mention everything else we skipped over.
From the Bishop Museum we traveled to Kewalo Basin, a yacht harbor, for a two-hour cruise on the water. Sailing under a warm gentle breeze on calm waters was probably among the most relaxed we were on this trip. Viewing Waikiki and Diamond Head were real treats, especially as we approached the sunset hour. The skies were beautiful too, even with the clouds.
We capped off our evening with dinner at Alan Wong's. The food was largely good but not exceptional. Everyone who ordered lobster bisque agreed it was too salty. The other items were also fine. Dessert, on the other hand, was devine.
Hanauma Bay
Byodo Temple
Pineapple at Dole Plantation
Diamond Head from the Water
Rainbow over Diamond Head and Sunset over Ala Moana
Rainbow House Died Different House
Getting Out of Honolulu
Today is our day to get out of Waikiki and Honolulu and have a look around the island of Oahu. This circuit is well-known and popular with tourists. We went on a private full-day tour with Dan from The Real Hawaii but the tours are largely the same - or so we gathered from reading the different websites.
We began our day in the southeast corner of the island, visiting the lookout over Hanauma Bay, Halona Blowhole, and Makapuu. From there we headed up the east side of the island - to Byodo Temple. A replica of a temple near Kyoto, Japan, Byodo was built in the 1960s to commemorate the arrival of Japanese immigrants to Hawaii one hundred years earlier. The temple is situated in the Valley of the Temples surrounded by a cemetery with mountains behind it. We went inside the hall and said a prayer in front of the Buddha, as well as take a few moments to enjoy the koi and a black swan in the water right outside the temple. From there we made our way to the North Shore with a quick photo stop at Chinaman's Hat. An early lunch at Fumi's shrimp shack was in order; the shrimp was very good. Two quick stops were made along the North Shore: Turtle Bay and Pipeline Beach. There was not much of a surf today. From there we passed Haleiwa town and onward to the Dole Plantation, where we made a 45-minute stop. We would have enjoyed some time to walk around Haleiwa but it would mean skipping the Dole stop; a couple of my fellow travellers were keen about visiting the home of the pineapple. Even the Dole stop was short as we did not have time to enjoy the train ride on offer nor visit the pineapple maze; given the limited time all we did was browse the gift shop and tasted Dole whip, which we did find enjoyable. We headed back to Honolulu shortly before 1:00. As it would put us back in town to early for our afternoon activity (at worst, 2:00), we asked to be dropped off at the Bishop Museum. Overall we did not feel the tour was a good value for the money. More time to enjoy Haleiwa and Dole would have made a difference, but we felt pressured to return to Honolulu by a certain time. Visiting Waimea Falls may also have been enjoyable, although we were discouraged from it given the amount of time it would take. Our time and money would have been better spent visiting Dole and Haleiwa on our own, as the public bus runs to both places.
We thoroughly enjoyed our time at the Bishop Museum (thank you for the recommendation, Diamantina). We had two hours and spent all of it in the Hawaiian and the Pacific Halls. The exhibits do a wonderful job telling the story of the Hawaiian people from the beginning to the present. It is as much history as it is culture, religion / belief systems, society structures, food, and entertainment. I truly enjoyed how the information is laid out and the artifacts presented. Similarly, the Pacific galleries do a good job of presenting information about individual countries as well as the interrelationship between countries. We could easily have spent twice the amount of time in these galleries, if we had the time and attention span, not to mention everything else we skipped over.
From the Bishop Museum we traveled to Kewalo Basin, a yacht harbor, for a two-hour cruise on the water. Sailing under a warm gentle breeze on calm waters was probably among the most relaxed we were on this trip. Viewing Waikiki and Diamond Head were real treats, especially as we approached the sunset hour. The skies were beautiful too, even with the clouds.
We capped off our evening with dinner at Alan Wong's. The food was largely good but not exceptional. Everyone who ordered lobster bisque agreed it was too salty. The other items were also fine. Dessert, on the other hand, was devine.
Hanauma Bay
Byodo Temple
Pineapple at Dole Plantation
Diamond Head from the Water
Rainbow over Diamond Head and Sunset over Ala Moana
Rainbow House Died Different House
