2003  World Adventure

Nothing will ever compare to those first breathtaking moments on the World Ship as it slowly pulled away from the dock in Sydney’s harbor where we had been for a week. Our inaugural trip was about to begin and we realized as we cruised past the world-famous Opera House, that we were embarking on a journey that would change our lives and our view of the world forever - it was absolutely thrilling!

Alaska

The beauty and magnificence of Alaska’s vast wilderness is overwhelmingly spectacular. Cruising by immense glaciers and calving icebergs we were humbled by the majesty of its pristine beauty. From Seward we took a scenic helicopter ride to the top of Godwin Glacier where we soon found ourselves standing on the runners of a dog sled behind a team of huskies loping across the top of the world! Out of Juneau we took a float-plane to Taku Glacier Lodge whose existence is threatened by an advancing glacier only footsteps away. One day of whale spotting offered up sightings of Humpback, Fin, Minke, Grey and Orca whales along with hundreds of delightful sea otters. Another day found us spotting soaring eagles and coming within camera range of a baby brown bear in the wilds. In Haines we discovered a quirky little museum filled with hammers that still brings a smile whenever we think back on it!

Embarked:  July 11th 2003
Debarked:  July 28th 2003

  • Anchorage
  • Cruise The Cook Inlet
  • Seward
  • Cruise The College Fjord
  • Valdez
  • Hubbard Glacier
  • Sitka
  • Juneau
  • Skagway
  • Haines
  • Ketchikan
  • Misty Fjords
  • Prince Rupert
  • Cruise The Inside Pass
  • Victoria


Australia

Australia is a land full of the unexpected - its beauty; the awesome scenery; the exotic plants and animals; and, the bluest water imaginable. We were startled by its splendor - and just like we had always heard, the people are among the world’s friendliest. We fed Kangaroos; held baby Koalas; toured the outback in a four wheeler; stood inside a Cathedral Tree in the rain forest that once served as home for a local Aborigine(!); and, snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef. We learned to say Gidday for Good Morning and to order Bugs when we wanted Lobster. We discovered that, yes indeed, the water in the loo does spin counter clockwise down the drain and the night sky is filled with the Southern Cross - with no Big or Little Dipper in sight!

Embarked: March 5th 2003
Debarked: March 25th 2003

  • Sydney
  • Brisbane
  • Cruise The Coral Sea
  • Whitsunday Island
  • Townsville
  • Cairns
  • Lizard Island
  • Darwin


Panama

As we cruised from Costa Rica with our good friends and Harley-biker buddies, Joel and Rola Krause, to begin our trip through the Panama Canal and on down the lazy waters of the Orinoco River through Venezuela, we became acutely aware of just how humid the tropical rain forests/jungles of South America are. While traversing the Isthmus of Panama that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, we were mind-boggled by its difficult construction history. Plagued with problems from the start, the canal was one of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken. These days however, our ship was just one of the 14,000 ships that make the passage each year. Our stop at the tiny island of San Blas, inhabited by local Kuna Indians, was absolutely beyond description!

Embarked:  October 9th 2003
Debarked:  October 31st 2003

  • Puerto Jimenez (Costa Rica)
  • Bahia Honda (Panama)
  • Panama City
  • Transit Panama Canal
  • San Blas Island (Panama)
  • Cartagena (Colombia)
  • Oranjestad (Aruba)


South America

We were delighted to have the company of Len’s two sons, Dave, and Scott along with his wife Maureen, on this trip to South America. As we drove into Rio we began humming “Girl From Ipanema” since that famous beach was on our itinerary as was the equally famous Copacabana! The sun was hot, the air moist and the miles of epic beach were accented with mosaic sidewalks decorated with a black and cream swirl pattern that seemed to match the mood of the song. We hopped into helicopters in order to get the best view of some of the other famous landmarks - the giant statue of Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado mountain; Sugarloaf mountain; the giant permanent parade stand used for Carnival and Maracana stadium, one of the world’s largest. Another airplane ride and we arrived at the border of Argentina and Brazil to view one of the most spectacular water falls in the world - Iguacu Falls where we raced in and out of the spectacular falls in a boat meant for speed - staying dry was not an option - 450,000 cubic feet of water per second crashes down in a deafening roar. In Montevideo, Uruguay we spent a fun-filled day at a beautiful Estancia (Ranch) where the gauchos invited us to try our hand at riding horses, sheering sheep, milking cows, and then we were treated to some of the best barbecue any of us had ever tasted.

Embarked: December 10th 2003
Debarked: December 25th 2003

  • Rio De Janeiro (Brazil)
  • Itajai (Brazil)
  • Punta Del Este (Uruguay)
  • Montevideo (Uruguay)
  • Buenos Aires (Argentina)
  • Puerto Madryn (Argentina)


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