August 10, 2025

SENDAI, Japan is known as the City of Trees!

We had a Samurai  greeting as we docked at the port of Sendai, Japan.  It's a shame we didn't have more time to explore the city. The city center was a 40 minute shuttle ride from the Port, into the Central train /bus station. Once there, we had to navigate over multiple levels of transportation hubs and stores and TONS OF PEOPLE, to figure out what we wanted to do. Bosco and I decided to take their version of a Hop On / Hop Off tram to get an overview of the city. Sadly the vehicle was an old fashion Trolley car, that got packed to capacity. It made it hard to see anything out the windows, let alone stand upright, while the tram went up and down the winding hills. Sadly we only had time to do one hop off the tram and finish the loop, because we had to be back at the station at 4 pm, to get shuttle bus back to the Port, for departure.The one stop we got to was the former site of the Sendai Castle.

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This was our first shrine experience! We got in line and just watched what they did in front of us. Approach, make a coin donation, step back, grab ropes and pull to ring bells, clap hands twice, bow & pause, then move on. We were a little confused on what the intentions at this shrine was suppose to be, because the 3 people in front of us were all holding dogs?!?

Next we went onto our next lesson in ordering food for lunch and buying a cookie! Again lots to figure out and lots of questions but we finally got there! Couldn't figure out flavor but now know macha is default when green wrapper. They love green tea and Macha!

MAGNETIC ISLAND - KOALA'S

By Patricia Patrick • February 15, 2026
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.

MAGNETIC ISLAND, AUSTRALIA

By Patricia Patrick • February 14, 2026
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.

CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA

By Patricia Patrick • February 14, 2026
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.