Stopping at Bondi Beach

Bondi Beach is the most famous beaches in the world and one of the most popular stops on the Sydney Big Bus Tour. It can be reached by the Blue Route, which is currently suspended, but was in operation when we were in Sydney. This is a must see attraction in our opinion.

We had about an hour to get something to eat and explore the town and beach before the next Big Bus came along and we were able to continue our journey.

 

click images to enlarge

According to Wikipedia "Bondi," originally "Boondi" is an Aboriginal word which had the meaning of "noise made by sea waves breaking on the beach," which is essentially the definition of "surf" in contemporary American English. As you can see from images captured during our visit to Bondi Beach, this is quite an appropriate name.

Lunch Break & Beach Time

The Big Bus dropped us off near some restaurants and shops which were just down the block and across the street from the beach.  Since we only had an hour, we opted for a quick lunch at McDonald's.  We were in the mood for a taste of home anyway since we'd been gone over 14 days at this point.  After lunch we crossed the bridge, seen in this photo, to the sprawling beach.  It would be a great place for a picnic or just to hang out and enjoy the surf and sun.  As you can see, the beach was quite crowded, but no one seemed to mind as there was plenty of room.

We got to the bus stop just in time to catch the bus and resume our tour.  We still had plenty to see before the tour was concluded.

Additional photos can be found on our Australia & New Zealand Shutterfly page

Bondi Beach

Big Bus Sydney




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Relaxing in Singapore

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Crowne Plaza 

Changi Airport Pool

When we stayed at the Crowne Plaza before the cruise, we didn't have a chance to use the pool. The pool is located on the third floor in a court area.   This is also where the spa is located.  On our way to the lobby to check out before our cruise, my husband took a detour to check out the pool.  He took some pictures and showed them to me.  We decided then that we wanted to use the pool when we came back after the cruise.   Now that we were back at the hotel, we needed to plan our day.

Planning our Final Day in Singapore

One of the thoughts we had was to tour Singapore via the Hop on Hop Off Bus.  We knew that there was a ticket booth in the airport which could sell us tickets for the bus.   We weren't certain if we could begin at the airport or if we needed to get into Singapore city center.  Since we had free Wi-Fi at the hotel, we started doing some research.

All of a sudden my husband said that if we wanted to go swimming, we'd need to do so before going into Singapore.  He went on to say that he really wanted a relaxing day.  I was so happy he said that because I felt the same way.  We decided to change into our swimming suits and head to the pool.

We met a couple lounging by the pool who had also been on our ship.  We struck up a conversation and learned that they were flying out later that night and had reserved a hotel room for the day.  After about an hour we said good-bye to our fellow passengers and headed to our room to change clothes.

By now it was time to eat lunch, so we decided to go to the airport, check out the tourist kiosks, and then get some food.  We'll continue the story in our next post.

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Crowne Plaza Pool

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Zurich Boat Tour

Round Trip Lake Zurich

Our final destination was Bürkliplatz, a dock and the starting spot for tours on Lake Zurich. Once again we were able to take advantage of the transportation benefit of the ZürichCARD for a 30 minute round tip boat ride on Lake Zurich.

We only had a short wait before the boat arrived. We decided to sit outside to get a good view of the lake and surroundings.

When the Weather is Hot ...

Head for the Water

Zurich is acity of water par excellence, where bathing is a cult. Everyone finds a place to cool down with a summer swim in the river or lake.   We saw many people enjoying the various outdoor pools during our boat trip.   

Some of those same water spots turn to nightclubs when the sun goes down.   (click on images to enlarge).


Back to the Hotel

After taking a few photos of  the statue of Ganymede and Zeus (represented as an eagle) at Bürkliplatz, on the shore of Zürichsee (Lake Zürich), we headed back to our hotel.  This time we decided to take the S-Bahn S7 train back to Movenpick Hotel.   Both the tram and train tracks are about two blocks from the hotel.   The train was much faster than the tram since there were fewer stops.   

Since it was after 7:30 PM, it was now time to call it a day.  We'd been on the go since landing around 7:15 AM.   When traveling overseas, it is a good idea to stay active and then go to bed in the evening so that you start to get accustomed to the time change.   

^{Additional photos can be found on our Rhine & Moselle Shutterfly page:} 

Zurich - Boat Trip

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How to Spend Summer Vacation

When we think of Summer...
CRUISING comes to mind

We missed the "live" tweeting on #travelpics because we were on a Seminar at Sea on board Carnival Breeze.   We still wanted to share our responses, so pardon the late entries.

Questions for last Monday’s summer-themed #travelpics chat: 

(3:00) Intros: Please introduce yourself and tell us where you’re tweeting from today!

Key West, FL during Carnival Breeze #cruise #travelpics (picture above is Carnival Breeze in port)

(3:05) Q1: Home or abroad, where is your favorite place to spend your summer? Why?

A1: On a cruise - doesn't matter where it is going. Great way to #seetheworld  #travelpics

Seeing the world by cruise ship is one of the easiest ways to get around.  You embark your ship and unpack and each day you are either somewhere at sea or in a new port of call.

This cruise took us from Miami, Florida to Key West, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel, Mexico before returning to home port of Miami.

(3:10) Q2: Share a photo from your most recent quintessential summer vacation.
A2: Relaxing is what #summer #vacation means to us  - by the pool, in the sun or shade #travelpics

I guess we can't be more recent than the vacation in progress during this #travelpics chat.  Truth be told, it was a mix of business and pleasure, but our trips always are that way since we are constantly learning and gathering images and information to share with our followers.

In this image, you see the Carnival Breeze main pool area on Lido deck.   It's not far form there to your favorite meal venue, such as Guy's Burger Joint.

The perfect ingredients of sun, shade, water, and plenty of places to simply relax can be found around the pool area.  Top that off with perfect weather, and it doesn't get much better than this.

 
(3:20) Q3: BESIDES swimming at the beach, what do you think of when you picture summer? Favorite activities?

A3: #summer fun activities for me include #waterparks Carnival Water Works #travelpics

At home we've been known to take a summer vacation that includes some time at a water park or two.  Carnival Breeze's Water Works is a great place to splash around.  I opted for the slightly slower orange tube which dumps you into the "drain" at the bottom of the slide.

(3:30) Q4: Show a summer photo of yours that ISN’T sand, surf, or sunglasses.

A4: as I get older, I'm getting braver Carnival Breeze Rope Course was my next conquest #travelpics


This definitely doesn't include sand or surf, but since it was bright, but glasses did automatically darken.  Here I am waiting for the people ahead of me to clear this next section of the rope course.  It took some figuring out at first, but once I got the hang of it, the rest was "easy".

(3:40) Q5: What is the most unique place you’ve ever spent your summer?

A5: it was end of #summer when we visited #galapagos Celebrity Cruises #travelpics

We explored this Land Beyond Xpectations via Celebrity Xpedition.  Here you'll see species that can be found nowhere else on earth.  You can snorkel with turtles, sea lions, and other marine line.   Walk along paths where Darwin explored over a hundred years ago before writing his famous publication.

(3:50) Q6: From hiking to wildflowers, show off your favorite view of summer anywhere in the world!
A6: #galapagos islands have many beaches like Urbina Bay #travelpics


We traveled by zodiac from Celebrity Xpedition to this landing site in Urbina Bay.  You can't tell from the picture, but it is one of the more difficult wet landing sites on our trip due to the inclination of the beach.   After landing on the beach we went on a short hike in search of Giant Land Tortoises and Land Iguanas before returning to spend some time snorkeling and swimming in the bay.

This concludes our #travelpics chat about #Summer.  We'd be happy to share other images from our summertime cruising adventures if it helps you plan your escape.

This final image was captured in Cozumel at Secrets Aura Resort.   We spent the entire day there relaxing, swimming, and enjoying a fabulous fresh fish lunch.  We'll write more about our day there in future posts, as well as the rest of our trip, so be sure to follow our blog.

Have you seen the  #travelpics recap? http://bit.ly/17RRaFq

Join us for #travelpics on Monday's at 3 PM ET every week for a fun-filled hour related to travel and photography.  Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc for more ideas.

Find Your Beach - The Baths

The Baths 

Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands

Are you looking for a unique beach to enjoy during your vacation?  If so, The Baths, on the island of Virgin Gorda among the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean my be just the spot for you.

One of the most famous and popular beach areas in the Caribbean can be found here in the BVI.  Large volcanic boulders populate the sandy beaches, forming natural tidal pools, tunnels, arches and scenic grottoes that are open to the sea.    There's no other place quite like it on earth.  You'll want to spend hours there swimming, snorkeling, and exploring these amazing rock formations.   

Top of The Baths

If you are spending the day there, you'll want to head to the hill overlooking the beach area where you'll find the Top of the Baths Restaurant.  There is also a gift shop and lounge for you to explore while taking in the beauty of this area dotted with unique geometric shapes.

You'll enjoy a panoramic view of the British Virgin Islands from this vantage point.

Be sure to wear proper footwear for the hike to the beach.  Once arriving at the beach you will find some lockers that can be rented.  As you can see from the photo above, there are even some tight spaces that you can attempt to navigate along the way.

With the holidays approaching you might not be able to grab your swimsuit and head to the British Virgin Islands, so until you can go there in person ...  Enjoy your virtual tour of The Baths - Virgin Gorda (31 photos)

AquaDunk on Disney Magic

Courtesy Disney Cruise Line (Matt Stroshane, photographer)

Make a Splash on Re-imagineered

Disney Magic

AquaDunk on the Disney Magic is a thrilling new three-story body slide that begins with a surprise launch when the floor beneath guests’ feet opens like a trap door. The drop sends them on an exhilarating, swift and splashy ride in a translucent tube that extends 20 feet over the side of the ship.

Courtesy Disney Cruise Line (Matt Stroshane, photographer)

 The Disney Magic has just emerged from dry dock and is sailing, for the first time ever, from Miami, Florida to tropical locales like Grand Cayman, the Bahamas and beyond!

Know Before You Go

Guests must be at least 48" or taller to ride AquaDunk. Please note that the slide's entry capsule may prohibit Guests of certain body sizes or those weighing more than 300 lbs. from riding. Operating hours are likely to vary, so once you're onboard, check the Personal Navigator—the Disney Cruise Line daily newsletter detailing all there is to see and do—for the most accurate operating times.

Read more about the enhancements planned:

Disney to Sprinkle Pixie Dust on Magic

The AquaDunk is just one of the many changes onboard the re-imagined Disney Magic, which has emerged following the completion of its dry-dock in Spain this month.

To learn more about the changes and see an album with the Disney Imagineers renderings as well as some additional images, become a fan on our Facebook Page and click the Disney Link on our Welcome Page.

Click on this image to go there now.

The newly re-imagined Disney Magic is now sailing from Miami. Enjoy 3-, 4- and 5-night Disney Cruise Line sailings to the Bahamas, or 5-night Western Caribbean cruises, all departing from this vibrant South Florida city. Explore the Everglades by airboat, stop by Little Havana, soak up the sun on South Beach and more!

Castaway to Your Island Paradise

 Disney Cruise Line

Welcomes You to

Your Island Paradise

Castaway Cay

Hop on the island tram or set off on foot to explore the tropical paradise that awaits you as you leave your ship behind for the day. Follow in our footsteps or blaze your own trail.

Adventure is a Short Walk Away

Descending the gangway from the ship, you stop for a photo with one of your favorite characters and head along the pier to the entrance of Castaway Cay.   Along the way you get the full view of your ship laying there at anchor next to the pier.  It really looks a lot bigger from this vantage point.

It's not a long walk, so before you know it you have reached the entrance sign.   Our group split up at this point.  Part of us got on the tram and the rest started walking along the paved pathway.

For those that decide to walk, you will have the opportunity to get some iconic ship pictures from various vantage points.  You can see some of those pictures in our full Castaway Cay 2012 photo album on Facebook.

Your Private Paradise

Reserved exclusively for Guests on Disney Cruise Line Bahamian and Caribbean cruise vacations, Castaway Cay is Disney's private port-of-call paradise. On this island, enjoy tropical leisure activities, such as snorkeling, boating, swimming and sunbathing.

Adults Only Fun

As you can see on this map, there is plenty to do on the island.  Much like a Disney theme park, Castaway Cay is divided into various age-specific areas.

Our initial destination for our adventure was Serenity Bay which is reserved for guests 18 years of age and over. Here you'll find a private beach, umbrellas, lounge chairs of various types, and hammocks for you to camp out in for the day.  Refreshments and lunch are nearby, so you don't even have to leave the area for food or drink.

Getting to Serenity Bay

As mentioned earlier, our group split up when we got to the island, so those that took the tram waited for the rest of the group at Pelican Point. Families that want to spend the day together on the beach will most likely stay in this area of the island (more about that later).  

You are heading to the furthest point on the island.  To get there, you can continue walking or transfer to another tram to the "Kargo Handling" stop.  The beach is a short walk along the path from where the tram stops.

If you are seeking peace and quiet - you are now in Paradise

 More Adventure Awaits

There is so much to do here, that we will devote another blog post "Castaway Cay Things To See and Do" to share more details. As you play in the water or on the beach, you have a great view of Disney Dream which is waiting for you after your island adventure is completed.

Currency on Island - Ship Bucks

When you go to a beach, you don't want to worry about losing cash. Disney Cruise Line solves that problem by only accepting your ship cabin key for payment on the island.

There is free soda and water in fountain machines available in the dining areas. For those wanting adult beverages, you can find local bars or wait staff to assist you much like while onboard the ship in the pool area.