Day 224: Phi Phi and Our Pint-Sized Skipper
Finally, after years of waiting, we sailed to the Phi Phi Islands, just off the coast of Phuket. We had a hairy drive over to their pier this afternoon, as the transfer should only have taken 30 minutes, but traffic was unusually bad, and the drive was over an hour. Our ferry was scheduled to leave at 1:30pm and we were still driving at 1:40! And our driver did not speak one word of English, so we had no idea if the ferry would wait for us. Thankfully, the concierge at our… Read More
Day 222: The Incredible Great Barrier Reef!
Okay, so this blog post is way overdue. I almost didn’t want to post it because I felt like my photos did not do the Great Barrier Reef justice. The beauty we experienced was indescribable and the memory will forever be with us. So…just a few tips and thoughts: First, you can snorkel the Great Barrier Reef from different areas, but we chose Port Douglas. We flew into Cairns first, picked up our minvan rental, and made our way north for about one hour. We chose to stay at the Sheraton Mirage,… Read More
Day 210: Taxis and the Mafia
Normally we arrange transfers for our clients, but on our RTW trip, we’ve tried to wing it as much as possible, because something as simple as trying to negotiate taxi fare can provide a great look into the life and heart of a culture. Well, we were not disappointed. We landed at 9pm Indonesian time, but it was already midnight in Sydney. Needless to say, we were all tired. As soon as we entered the taxi area, we were bombarded by extremely aggressive drivers, trying to win our business. One in particular was overwhelmingly persistent…. Read More
Day 210: A Turbulent Beginning to Bali, Indonesia
We arrived safely into Bali, Indonesia after a very long, somewhat turbulent flight. The troubles began at the airport, where Ryan was first pulled aside for a special screening, and then they went through his bags thoroughly, getting rid of some of his prized items. We were somewhat surprised, as I am usually the “suspicious” woman of interest, but this time it was his turn. After we finally cleared security, Ryan got himself a much needed hot cup of coffee and we settled in for a long wait, but apparently the airlines… Read More
Day 199: Melbourne, Australia, and Les Miserables
Melbourne is truly a fascinating city. Had there not been so many other fantastic locations to explore in Australia, we would have loved to extend our stay here and explore not only the city itself but many of the outlying areas. We were surprised by how much we loved Melbourne. It’s a really friendly city with so much to see and do. There are restaurants and shops everywhere, as well as a lot of museums and cultural venues, and a few beautiful historical sites as well. We loved exploring the different cathedrals… Read More
Day 198: Queenstown, New Zealand
We visited Queenstown after leaving Milford Sound. It was another must see destination and quite honestly, we could have spent three or more days here, just exploring all of the shops, restaurants, and surrounding activities. Here’s the beginning of our journey to Queenstown. It started with dramatic snow capped mountains and gushing waterfalls, then transitioned to soft blue mountain backdrops with purple, yellow, and pink flowers and green blue lakes. Next, we crossed over a flowing, bright blue river as we entered Queenstown. It was quite a lovely welcome. Queenstown is a… Read More
Day 197: Lake Wanaka, New Zealand
We were told by trusted resources that if we were going to spend time on both North and South Islands in New Zealand, we should spend 1/3 of that time on the North Island, and 2/3 of the remaining time on the South Island. We now completely understand why. South Island offers some of the most stunning vistas from snow topped mountains to intensely shaded blue green waters, and colorful flora and fauna. It’s staggeringly gorgeous. Below is just a fraction of the scenery we were treated to. We were also strongly encouraged to… Read More
Day 196: West Coast, New Zealand
We enjoyed the gorgeous views driving along the West Coast of South Island, New Zealand. We started very early this particular morning, as we had done some Freedom Camping close by the night before. We began our day at Westport heading south along the west coast, and then driving through the Haast Pass. The drive was spectacular, but I imagine you are tired of hearing me say that! So…see for yourselves. What you’re not seeing here are the waterfalls running off the cliffs and into the ocean! Punakaiki, also known as “Pancake Rocks”… Read More
Day 189: North Island, New Zealand
We’re blown away by how beautiful New Zealand is and this post is just about the North Island! There is so much to see and do here, it’s incredible. I’ve put this short blog post together to just summarize a few of the beautiful things available to see and do on the North Island. Hope you enjoy. First, just a few quick tips I gathered along the way: 1. One of the best ways to explore New Zealand is with a Campervan. Kea seems to be one of the best, as their… Read More
Day 188: Milford Sound – “Don’t Do It!”
“Whatever you do, do NOT drive yourselves to Milford Sound!” Those are the first words we heard when talking to a native New Zealander about our upcoming trip to Milford Sound. Given that we were considering doing so in a Campervan made us hesitate slightly about our choice and we almost re-considered but chose to do it anyway. Why the warning? Because Milford Sound receives thousands of visitors each year, and can become overly crowded, not to mention the large, dangerous, speeding tour buses trucking along without a care in the world… Read More
Deena Gainor
Six Hearts One Journey 
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