January 15, 2025

AREQUIPA, PERU - The White City

The route back from Machu Picchu to the ship had us flying from CUSCO to AREQUIPA, PERU as the closest airport to the Port of MATARANI. While sitting on the runway at the airport we found out that CUSCO airport is in the top 4 toughest airports in the World to land and takeoff, due to the extreme altitude and narrow mountain pass. Yikes! All went smoothly and we landed in under an hour. We asked the tour company we hired to drive 13 of us back to the port to first spend some time in the city of AREQUIPA, since it is known as the white city. Can't say it was as dazzling as the Blue City in Morocco, but the brief time we spent in the central square was nice.  

Group from left to right - Sue & Ed, Hiedi & Gordon, Bob, Sheri,Ellie, Cris & her daughter Alexa, Wade, Starr, Me and Calvin.

After we left the square, we had roughly a 3-hour drive to the Port through the desert. Almost every major city in South America has a version of the Christ the Redeemer Statue - all supposedly facing the original in Rio. The Desert is covered in salt, the salt in the soil is from Volcanic deposits and what gives them the unique building product called sillar to build the White City.  It swirls like snow, but clings to the lower levels versus the peaks. Arequipa is surrounded by 3 volcanoes, but it was too hazy to get clear pictures of them in the skyline.

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.