August 11, 2025

Rain can't stop us from exploring! 8/11 is Japan's Mountain Day!

This is the Birthplace of CupNoodles! Invented by Momofuku Ando  at age 41, an entrepreneur who was broke and needed a new idea. Got idea to flash fry noodles, dry them out and reconstitute them with hot water after watching his mother tempura vegetables one night for dinner. Idea for placing in cup came after trip to USA and seeing American cutting noodles and eating with a fork in lieu of bowl with chopsticks. Simple idea, that has feed so many! We had a fun afternoon walking around the port area.

The rain held off most of the afternoon for us and we came back on the Ship to celebrate Sherrie's 70th Birthday, which we were all surprised to learn about, just this morning! Luckily, I had some decorations handy and we can always count on the ship staff to help us !

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SHERRIE!! Saw this quote today and I think it's perfect for a 70th Wish!

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.
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.
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.