Category: Travel

Posted in Daily life, Pacific Ocean

Noumea – first Landfall

Posted on by Oliver

After two days at sea with lots of food, a bit of rest and pretty good weather, we made our first landfall in Noumea, the main city of biggest island of New Caledonia. This was the first landfall of the cruise and also the only one without tendering (i.e. anchoring the ship out at sea and shuttling the guests in on some of the lifeboats).

But if we expected a big cruise terminal, we were mistaken. Instead, we got a piece of the quay wall in the container terminal. Continue reading “Noumea – first Landfall” →

Posted in Daily life, Pacific Ocean

Christmas vacation 2016

Posted on by Oliver

When I grew up, Christmas always followed the same rituals and traditions. The Adventskalender, the food on the 23rd, setting up the tree, the Christmas room being locked on the 24th, fondue and presents, everything was following the same script every year. And, since I really liked it that way, I was determined to follow the same path when I had kids.

Well, apart from the Adventskalendar, that didn’t really work out. Out of the last 5 years, I think we’ve had “the same” Christmas maybe twice. Instead we’ve been at my mothers place, been skiing and spent the day at the beach. And this year we’re doing something else again: we’re out on a cruise. Continue reading “Christmas vacation 2016” →

Posted in New Zealand, Travel

Wellington – the 3D city

Posted on by Oliver

Last week, my work took me to the capital of Australia’s next door neighbour: Wellington in New Zealand!

For a European, travelling to a new country is not something very spectacular – especially if your wife has a different nationality than yourself. Oftentimes, it’s a matter of a few kilometers by car until you reach a border. But for Australians, going to a different country involves a flight of several hours. Which is what it took me. Continue reading “Wellington – the 3D city” →

Salamanca market in Hobart
Posted in Tasmania, Travel

Tassie Day 3: Salamanca market

Posted on by Willemijn

A stay in Tasmania is not complete without a visit to a market, so why not go to the ‘creme de la creme’ of the markets: the Salamanca market in Hobart!

Every Saturday from 8.30 until 3 pm the Salamance Place in Hobart, which is actually a street, is filled with lots of people, the smell of food, the sound of street musicians and not to forget the market stalls themselves. Continue reading “Tassie Day 3: Salamanca market” →

Posted in Tasmania, Uncategorized

Tassie Day 2: Hobart

Posted on by Oliver

Having landed in Hobart the day before, and having spent the night at the local airport hotel, we took it slow in the morning. Partly because this was vacation after all, partly because this was the last night for a week and a half that we would have a proper bed, partly because this was the last time in a week and a half that there would be a TV, but mostly because we could only pick up our camper-van at 12:30h.

But even the nicest budget hotel room gets boring after a while, so we packed our bags, dropped them off at reception and went for a walk.

Continue reading “Tassie Day 2: Hobart” →

Posted in Tasmania, Travel

Tassie Day 1: Arrival

Posted on by Oliver

With the kids having their quarterly two-week break and me having an unexpected gap in my planing at work, we decided last minute, that a short vacation was in order. One of the places that was on our bucket list was Tasmania, and with flights being relatively affordable, the choice was an easy one.

So we booked the flights, added a camper-van, packed our bags and off we went.  Continue reading “Tassie Day 1: Arrival” →