My Dream Trip to Oceania – Ad Boxmere | Mass triangle

Sunday March 3, 09:00
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On March 3, 2023 I left for Oceania on a 4 week cruise via Australia and New Zealand. A small impression of my lovely trip.

By Ann Staub

With a suitcase and a backpack, I boarded a train en route to Schiphol for a trip that would take a total of 24 hours with a stop in Dubai. Arrived in Melbourne in South East Australia and went straight to bed after 1am with the prospect of a bike ride through the city the next day. Quietly cycled through the city with tall buildings, but also a pleasant atmosphere on the street. In the evening we had dinner with the group and got to know each other a bit. A mixed group, young and old, traveling solo or with a partner or friend, all with Eric, a treasure of a tour guide.

A bus tour of Australia's South Coast
The next day we begin our journey by bus to Adelaide on the Great Ocean Road. We treat very rare koalas in roadside trees. In one part of the forest, we walk between the biggest ferns I have ever seen, about three meters high and wide, and huge rock formations in the sea that are beautifully named 'Twelve Apostles'. We had already overcome the time difference and in the following days we walked more and saw koalas, emus and wallabies, little kangaroos. We were reminded by many signs everywhere: 'Emergency or fire gather here' It was wet now, but there are times when serious fires can rage.

Inland Australia and Sydney
In Adelaide we visited beautiful parks and a museum with Aboriginal art. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Artists know how to create beautiful paintings with their dot technique and are also good at woodworking for art and utensils.

In the afternoon we boarded a plane to fly to the heart of Australia, the Outback. The next day, we spent a long time on the bus through Semman, on the way to Uluru, a huge mountain sacred to the tribes that rises from the flat red sand. We flew around it in a helicopter at sunset with another travel companion and it was very interesting. The next morning we also toured it and, among other things, the petroglyphs.

From there he went to Sydney to try and enjoy the city. There is much more to see besides the Opera House, which I saw from the Bridge Climb. You walk safely on the highest arch of the bridge in the middle of Sydney with a beautiful view of the city. Very nice experience.

Flying to New Zealand
After two weeks in Australia we flew from Sydney to Christchurch on the South Island of New Zealand. The inspection at the airport is so thorough and long that they are afraid of harmful animals and plants. While touring the city, we passed a simple but beautiful memorial to the victims of the 2005 earthquake – a space of 158 empty white chairs.

New Zealand is much greener than Australia and full of cows and goats. I can't get enough of the ever-changing rolling terrain. We also visited an albatross colony on our way from south to north. What great birds! Visited the History Museum in Queenstown. Unfortunately, little attention was paid to Maori there. It was cool to see sea lions, dolphins and even a whale on a boat in the waters between the two islands.

North Island last
Traveled from the South to the North Island and visited a wonderful museum in Wellington that focused on the atrocities committed by the British against the Maori at the time. The North Island is home to the kiwi bird, but you no longer encounter it in the wild. Fortunately, we were able to appreciate them in special parks. I always thought they were small birds, but they are actually the size of a large chicken. After a week-long trip through a crater lake, a hike between mud springs and geysers and a performance and a Maori evening of food, we arrived in Auckland. Here, among other things, was a very fine museum with a newly equipped, very large Maori art and history department. One of the guides who showed us around town didn't even know this. In Auckland we also saw a warning sign: Assemble here in case of a tsunami.

Then back home, more than 24 hours against the wind, with impressions and an unforgettable experience.