September 18, 2025
Needed a couple of relaxing days after 10 Days in China!
In Naha port there was not alot to see nearby so just enjoyed some beach time with Sherrie and Delia . We went to Naminoue Beach, but I didn't take a single picture, so I borrowed these from Sherrie! First 1.5 hours at beach was relaxing and we stood in water chatting the whole time. Then a pile driver on nearby bridge construction started back up, lunch break was over! We had a hard time relaxing, so was glad we had arranged a 3 pm pick up with our taxi driver. He was a sweet older man, who couldn't have been more accommodating and so happy for our tip dollars and seemingly shocked! Love the people of Japan!
We got up at 6:45am to get to National Park Forts Walk trail in the hope of seeing koalas . Prior walkers mark trails with tree branches pointing in the direction of their sighting and we were luck enough to see 3 markers in our first hour of hiking. It is so stinking hot and humid the success we had made it bearable. The koala population on the island started with 20 brought over in 1930, to escape fur hunters. Today, the island boast 800 to 1000, and they are so cute and drowsy. They need 20 hours of sleep a day! The early morning is when they are the most active.
Just off the coast of Townsville, Australia is a special little island (that used to be part of mainland, hundreds of thousands years ago). The island was formed by molten granite that was pushed to the earth's surface with volcanic force.Over time the volcanic overlay weathered away leaving an extraordinary landscape of rounded domes and boulders, many as big as a house and spectcularly perched. Over Seventy Percent of the center of the Island is a National Park. There is lots of wildlife here too - koalas, rock wallabies, snakes & birds.
This is my third time in CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA and I really enjoy how walkable, clean and charming it is. The waterfront esplanade and lagoon area is a nice walk day or night. We had 2 nights here in the waterfront Shangri La Marina Hotel while waiting for the Ship to arrive and then 2 additional days in Port.