Darwin, Australia

April 7, 2025 – April 7, 2025

Head for the incredible waterfalls at Litchfield National Park. Watch crocodiles at a research station, or take a cruise along the Adelaide River and watch the saltwater crocs leap from the water to catch their prey.

Travel by coach through Australia’s tropical Top End to the Adelaide River, then embark on a cruise that brings you nearly face-to-jaws with jumping crocodiles. Yes, you read that right: jumping, snaggle-toothed, claw-footed crocs. And we’re not talking about little hops, these are full-tilt leaps of almost a full body length out of the water. But first things first: the Adelaide is one of eight Northern Territory rivers whose expansive floodplains create a great expanse of coastal wetland – a perfect habitat for all sorts of unique animals and plant life. Including crocodiles. En route to the cruise, you’ll stop in at the Window on the Wetlands Visitors Center for a brief opportunity to learn more about life in these parts. Then it’s on to the main event, your cruise along the Adelaide. It will be very relaxing – but don’t relax too much because any minute you might see the tell-tale ripples signaling an approaching reptile. You’ll want to have your camera poised in hopes of capturing that breathtaking moment when the croc breaks the water and vaults out in a shower of spray, scales and muscle. It’s a primal, surprising thrill you won’t soon forget.

Thursday Island, Australia

April 5, 2025 – April 5, 2025

Soar high above the island-dotted sea in a helicopter and fly east toward Cape York, the wild and remote tip of continental Australia. The flight will take you high above neighboring Horn Island, where you may notice the horn-shaped hill that gave the island its name. To the east lies Punsand Bay, islets such as Murangi and Cape York, the northernmost point of the Australian continent. Famed British captain James Cook named the cape in 1770 for the Duke of York, the brother of King George III. As you will see from your window seat, the cape has remained a rugged, largely undeveloped area rimmed with beautiful beaches. As the helicopter flies along the coast, you may see coral reefs below the water’s surface, fishing boats just offshore, and the occasional adventurer, as many areas can only be reached in a 4-wheel-drive vehicle. That is the beauty of the Cape York peninsula; it is wild, remote, and extraordinarily pristine.

Cairns, Australia

April 1, 2025 – April 4, 2025

Spend time on a spacious pontoon moored atop the Outer Reef, and discover the exquisite beauty waiting below in the world’s richest marine habitat. Your adventure begins with a scenic 90-minute sail by luxury catamaran to the Marine World activity platform on one of the Outer Great Barrier Reef’s most pristine and versatile sites.

https://youtube.com/shorts/Ahi6z4JF7rQ?feature=share

https://youtube.com/shorts/7_4HYKsJzX0?feature=share

Hamilton Island, Australia

February 13th – 17th, 2015 

Today we flew to Hamilton island to visit our friends Keith & Kerrie who live there full time. The island is unique most people get around on golf carts.  The only people who drove cars were the people who worked for the island. 

There are some really good restaurants and a lot of wallabies and at night or I should say at dusk there were hundreds of bats flying up in the sky. We found out that one person owns the island and therefore owns all the retail stores and the restaurants which is wild! 

We took a helicopter to The Great Barrier Reef the ride was amazing it looked like another planet.  We saw Whitsunday Island and the famous Heart Reef. Snorkeling and scuba diving is world renowned many people come from all over the world just for that.

The next day our friend Keith took us to Hamilton Island Golf Club it was one of the best courses we ever played on. We had to take a boat to the island where the golf course was. Mostly every tee had a view of the water.

Follow us on our journey the next destination is Queenstown, New Zealand.

Maria & John
Maria & John

Mixed drinks in a can (Heaven in a can that needs to be brought to the states)

Maria

Cockatoo birds who try and steal your food

Maria & John at Hamilton Island Golf Club

Bats in the pretty sky
More bats
All Saints Church

Maria
John

Heart Reef

Sydney, Australia

February 11th & 12th, 2015

Today we had a city tour of Sydney. We drove to the Blue Mountains.  On the way, we saw the 2000 Olympic site at Homebush.  When we got to the Blue Mountains out tour guide pointed out some rock formations one called the Three sisters and we got a panoramic view of the beautiful valleys and mountains.

We rode the world’s steepest perpendicular railway which plunges 700 feet into the valley to visit the bottom of the mountains. I have posted a picture of one of the pathway/walkway.  We decided to walk back up instead of taking the railway which took about 10 minutes.

We took the ferry to Bondi Beach and had a drink at a bar at the end of the main road where we could watch people surfing.

Follow us on our journey the next destination is Hamilton Island, Australia.

Sydney Opera House

Didgeridoo performers

Bondi Beach
Sydney Opera House at Night

 

Brisbane, Australia

February 09, 2015

Today we drove an hour from Brisbane to visit the Australia Zoo home to TV’s late Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, and often referred to as the ultimate zoo experience.

Arriving at the zoo, we were greeted by the zoo’s friendly staff. Our first stop in the zoo was the star attraction and highlight of the Zoo, the famous Croc Show. This show was great the Crocodile that they used for the show was huge.  They were feeding him whole dead chickens.  We got a chance to hear the mouth chomp down, and the sheer sound of it made the hair on my arms raise.

The next attraction was the bird show they had huge birds fly in between people which precision it was quite amazing.  We also took pictures with Koala bears and kangaroos.

Follow us on our journey the next destination is Sydney, Australia.

John

Maria

 

John

Maria
John

John
Maria
Maria & John – with our good friends Mark & Margaret