some pictures from the south Pacific

[baldy.smith]

Beggar off with all those lush tucker photos Danet

thanks for expressing my thoughts for me gnads.

[anna]

and lickin the screen
=D> =D>
brilliant photos ...

[PartyGirl]

Beggar off with all those lush tucker photos Danet

I've put on a coupla kilos just looking and lickin the screen

Ditto

im starving now - my kitchen cupboards and fridge look so uninteresting now!!!

[Bushmermaid]

Great photos and some lovely scenery but the cruise thing just doesn't do it for me.......I keep seeing Leo and Kate going down with the Titanic.

[sherri]

Great photos and some lovely scenery but the cruise thing just doesn't do it for me.......I keep seeing Leo and Kate going down with the Titanic.

My husband went to one of the talks they had about navigation and according to one of the men, these ships are real workhorses and so big they can plough through a cyclone if they had to... but with modern navigation they usually avoid too rough weather because the passengers can't stand up to it as well as the ships can.
I know we sometimes see videos of things on ships tipping or hear of people falling and breaking fingers etc, but the ships always seem to come out okay.
I know they said the same about the Titanic but we were not heading anywhere with icebergs.

I am not sure I would want to do all my holidays by cruise, like some people do,as I like variety, but it was an excellent experience. I'm sorry now I never even thought of cruising when the kids were younger as there are special cheap fares for them plus there are clubs for them on board, in different age groups, where they can make friends, do fun activities if they wish etc. The trick i think with kids is to pick an appropriate cruise-one that is in school holidays and likely to have lots of other families on board.
For us, the children weren't that much in evidence(or maybe i just didn't notice much as kids don't worry me) and certainly no bother.
I would go on another cruise to the sorts of places we went, because there isn't any other way to see some of those destinations-such as Isle of Pines. The only alternative is an expensive air flight from Noumea and then one resort, charging about $600-800 a night.
You can sometimes get a week's cruise to a few different islands for just a bit more than that per head.

The sad thing with all the food pics danet is showing is that really, after eating a cooked breakfast, a decent lunch and a 4 course dinner, you just don't have any more room for a buffet extravaganza, no matter how tempting.

[Blue...]

I know how you feel, I am back to reality tomorrow, too!

and such a nice day for your return to work as well..

Great photos and some lovely scenery but the cruise thing just doesn't do it for me.......

you may think differently in another 20 years or so bushy, adventure before dementia and all that

[danet]

I'm sorry now I never even thought of cruising when the kids were younger as there are special cheap fares for them plus there are clubs for them on board, in different age groups, where they can make friends, do fun activities if they wish etc. The trick i think with kids is to pick an appropriate cruise-one that is in school holidays and likely to have lots of other families on board.

So very true, and my sentiments exactly....I had no idea about the floating oasis that could be so much fun and adventure for the kids......I also noted that many family groups went together, not exactly in each other's way either...so you could be together if you wished, or independant.....and the kids in the pool were having an absolute ball....with the American Grill bar next to it with all the burgers and hotdogs and chips they could eat (all inclusive in the cruise deal)....no kids whinging about being hungry to the parents...what a treat that must be

The sad thing with all the food pics danet is showing is that really, after eating a cooked breakfast, a decent lunch and a 4 course dinner, you just don't have any more room for a buffet extravaganza, no matter how tempting.

Too darn right....it got to a point where I just couldn't look at food (haha..believe it or not!)....too much of a good thing and all that
Now I am going to inundate youse with more pics ....two of my fave destinations were Isle of Pines, and Vila Vanuatu (and that waterfall walk/climb)....and here is a pic I promised Freon and Gnads....Pidgon English! I reckon youse can work out what it says It finally dawned on me...being a bit rusty with their kind of tok tok...but I eventually got it

(PS....I still haven't sorted out the wrong electronic date printed on my waterproof digi cam....so excuse the wrong date on them)




I just loved the carefree way they live



Who needs rope when you have feet to hold the cargo



Good outdoor trekking on the quads



The wonderful waterfall excursion.



Some wonderful soulful singing and views along the way.









I am climbing all the way to the top!.....no more Sherri or Marg in sight.....they piked out earlier
Mind you....the next 2 days my calf muscles disowned me



Still climbing upwards.....and amazing how great my reef shoes gripped the rocks with water everywhere..I didn't fall once...but many with inappropriate footwear or barefoot were falling and slipping all over the place...I saved 2 or 3 ppl on the way from toppling right over .....definitely recommened to wear reef shoes on this excursion!







sorry if the pics are blurry...but my cam played up and then didn't work anymore....and hanging on and balancing and taking pics was a real trick



Then, after some wondeful moments with the invigorating energy of waterfalls and nature...it was time to climb back down woo hoo....lucky for my grippy reef shoes [-o<



Then back at the main grounds...some music and food for refreshments....the pawpaw was absolutely yummo!





Just love this letter box....would you really post a letter here?



Then some shopping at the market stalls (and it was hot as...like humid hot...perspiration pouring down our faces hot humid hot



Aahhh...back on board to recover

[cushy butterfield]

what a wonderfull thread this is, it has taken me nearly an hour to read and look at all the pics and comments, fantastic pictures, I have never been on a cruise either (dont class being on hubbys ship a cruise lol) but looking at the pics I think it would be great, thanks for sharing.

[malaymac]

Danet, thanks for posting these lovely photo's.
If you like that slower lifestyle and more laidback way of doing things, then you may fancy a trip to Malaysia some time.

It's hot and humid all yer round, but don't let that put you off as there's plenty to see and do.

I'm curious to know what the soles of your shoes are like, any chance of a photo ?
Are they soft or hard, rubber or plastic like crocs ?

[sherri]

They're like a light plastic on the bottom, malaymac. With a sort of gripping pattern. I will put up a pic of the bottom of mine-danet's might be slightly different. The tops are more a light synthetic material
I found the shoes useful for when we went in water, especially where there was any coral, as that can cause nasty cuts that get infected. I wore mine snorkelling. They were about $8.45 from Big W.
Shops like anaconda have much better quality ones-men's short boot style and so on-that cost about $25 when on special.

[Cisco]

Those photos got me reminising of last years trip to the Dominican Republic, especialy when you got talking about the food. Anyway I'm not trying to hijack the thread, but here's a few photos of the Angry family at one of the A la carte restaurants.

Was that the Riu Palace Macao Mr A.

[danet]

I am really happy to see you folks are enjoying the cruise pics

To Malaymac..good question ..here are pics of 2 pairs I brought along with me....they both have black rubber-like soles on them, quite different to Sherri's by the looks of it.
I found the blue pair too hot to wear and my feet suffocated in the heat (I would say it would be more suitable for winter or colder climates, whereas the pink pair, has a mesh top to let the air in more, and the feet could breath and felt much cooler. I can't remember where I bought the blue pair from, but it was relatively cheap (about $6 aussie) and the pink pair my daughter gave me before I left, and they seemed to be only about $6 also.

If you like that slower lifestyle and more laidback way of doing things, then you may fancy a trip to Malaysia some time.

It's hot and humid all yer round, but don't let that put you off as there's plenty to see and do.

I will keep that in mind....all these wonderful places I had never had much inklings about, and now I love to go back to.
BTW.....is that why your name is Malaymac...as in..Mac in Malaysia?

And talking about HOT....look at what our temp here in Melbourne and surrounds was yesterday with more hotter days forecasted Hot and dry!

[Cisco]

Great photos, I was in Jamaica a while back and they have a similar waterfall there, Duns River Falls they call it, we climbed it a couple of times. It was good day out there and a lot of fun.

[Rosie]

Great photos sherri & danet.

Now ladies I went on a cruise to Noumea in 1976... (I was 20) ....aboard one of those jinxed P&O ships the Fair Star.
The only thing our cruise had in common with yours was that it was a mummy & daddy with the kids cruise .... bliddy slack.

Gnads the Fair Star wasn't a P & O ship it was one of the Sitmar fleet which was an Italian line. I came over from the UK on the Fairsea and went back on either the Fair Star or Fair Sky (can't remember which).

[baldy.smith]

P & O bought Sitmar out in 1988.

Fairview, Fairstar, Fairsky, Fairsea were just o few of their ships names.

[Rosie]

P & O bought Sitmar out in 1988.

Fairview, Fairstar, Fairsky, Fairsea were just o few of their ships names.

Mr. Smith you just edited your message. I was going to tell you P & O bought out Sitmar in 1988.

[baldy.smith]

P & O bought Sitmar out in 1988.

Fairview, Fairstar, Fairsky, Fairsea were just o few of their ships names.

Mr. Smith you just edited your message. I was going to tell you P & O bought out Sitmar in 1988.

you've got to be quick on the trigger Rosie, or you're dead.

[Rosie]

you've got to be quick on the trigger Rosie, or you're dead.

I'm still kickin

[malaymac]

[quote="danet"]
To Malaymac......all these wonderful places I had never had much inklings about, and now I love to go back to.
BTW.....is that why your name is Malaymac...as in..Mac in Malaysia?

Yes, it is, well spotted.

Those shoes are interesting and could come in useful. Must look out for them.
I wonder if they'll keep me upright when I come out of the pub.

And talking about HOT....look at what our temp here in Melbourne and surrounds was yesterday with more hotter days forecasted Hot and dry!

The tv news showed a snippet from the tennis in Melbourne and said it was 42 C. Phew, that's hot.
Malaysia is usually between 28 and 33 C during daytime and about 25 C at night. However, the high humidity makes it feel a lot hotter and
much more sticky. And as we don't have any seasons, it's like that all year round.

[sherri]

Malaymac, the weather is even worse than that. For the last two days it has been about 44c at its maximum and today is going to be another. Tomorrow we have been promised a 'cool change' of 35c.
It is just unbearable-steering wheels you just can't touch, and inside it feels as if we have heating under the floor tiles and an electric blanket on full under the sheets because they are hot to the touch. We don't have aircon through the whole house, only the kitchen/family area. I have two of my kids asleep in there now as it was so hot in the bedrooms.
The electricity has gone off twice too in the last 24 hours(for one or 2 hours at a time) as the electrical companies cannot keep up with the demand.
I would love to see Malaysia and also Vietnam.

Love your photo of the Fairsea, Rosie. Was it wild west night?