Mariner Victoria Morgan sent in these fun pictures from the Boi Bumba Festival aboard Prinsendam‘s recent Amazon Explorer Cruise. Thanks Victoria! Here are a couple of photos from the Boi Bumba Festival Show. The entertainers showed so much energy and the costumes were fantastic. — Victoria Morgan, Mariner
Turnaround day in Sydney following a sad farewell to new-found friends last night, but with the spectre of new friends being made over our next sector, a 10-day jaunt to New Caledonia and Vanuatu, apparently with a tropical cyclone (Frieda) thrown in. No worries, our path to these South Pacific jewels has been altered to… read more of “A (Short) Day in…”
See ya, New Zealand … we’re off towards Sydney. Seas relatively flat, almost cloudless sunshine, and an auspicious start to our two much sought-after relaxing days at sea. Phew! What a busy New Zealand cruise sector it’s been! Racing here, racing there, meeting up with friends, seeing new places (even for an 18-year Kiwi veteran),… read more of “Reflections –…”
We New Zealanders often think of New Zealand as two separate countries, divided by the Bombay Hills which are located just south of Auckland: “North of the Bombays” and “South of the Bombays.” Quite frankly, Auckland is a different place for us who live South of the Bombays — in the “rest” of New Zealand…. read more of “North of the…”
Do you dream in Hobbit? Often when we do the New Zealand cruise (which for us as Kiwis, is a great way to visit friends and family), people would naturally ask where we were from. I would respond, “here!” “Here??” would be my fellow passenger’s inquisitive, disbelieving reply. “Yes, here.” At which point, the passenger… read more of “A Trip to…”
Why does a New Zealander regularly do the New Zealand cruise? Might sound like the start of a tired old joke, but the reality is that it is the perfect way to visit friends and family along the way, without having to stay with them. Terry and I do this cruise once or twice a… read more of “Christmas at the…”
Akaroa is a place of enchantment. It is a beautiful settlement tucked away in an almost complete volcanic crater harbour at the end of the Banks Peninsula, about 1-1/2 hours from Christchurch. The settlement’s French heritage is evident as you disembark your tender at the town’s tender wharf — sometimes you will be met by… read more of “Akaroa, New Zealand…”
Special thanks to HAL guest and regular blog contributor Hans Janssen for these photos from his 34-day Rotterdam cruise.
