A marvelous 19 days “down under” was shared recently by a lucky group of members of the Crown Club of Pine Bluff National Bank and their guests as they traveled to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji Island.
The group left Pine Bluff in the spring and arrived in Australia in the fall. After crossing the International Dateline, the travelers began their adventure of a lifetime in Cairns, the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. They gathered that evening with their fellow travelers for a delicious welcome dinner.
The next morning, they visited the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Center, where they saw traditional Aboriginal dances, heard about the Aboriginal lifestyle and everyone learned to throw a boomerang and play a didgeridoo, a traditional instrument. After lunch, the group experienced a visit to Hartley’s Croc Farm where boardwalks took them on a path of adventure through rainforests and woodlands to see animals such as wild birds, reptiles and wallabies. They actually saw a “Crocodile Attack Show”. They also had the chance to meet some of the local koalas and have a photo made with the cuddly creatures. Next, they enjoyed an exciting cruise in the lagoon looking for crocodiles before enjoying a delicious Aussie barbecue.
The next morning, they boarded a high speed catamaran to the Great Barrier Reef. After arriving at Green Island, they boarded glass-bottom boats to see some of the world’s most colorful coral and fish in the crystal-clear waters of the South Pacific.
The next day, they traveled to Kuranda Village by way of Skyrail Cableway, the world’s longest gondola cableway. The gondola carried them 4½ miles through the rugged beauty of Barron Gorge National Park with sights and sounds of the lush rainforest and the mighty Barron Falls. In the afternoon, they boarded a flight to the bustling city of Sydney.
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A tour of Sydney was first on the itinerary which included Kings Cross, the Harbor Bridge, Chinatown, the Rocks, Circular Quay and the fashionable Paddington suburb. Next they discovered one of the world’s most fascinating architectural wonders during a tour of the Sydney Opera House. The incredible tour took them inside theatres and behind-the-scenes with amazing views as they heard dozens of stories and learned the history of this architectural modern masterpiece. Later in the day they enjoyed a unique opportunity to learn first-hand how raw opals are transformed from the dark mine shafts to beautiful works of art when they visited The National Opal Collection, after completing their visit with a little opal shopping the group then returned to the hotel. That evening, the group walked from the hotel to Darling Harbor, Sydney’s favorite destination for leisure and entertainment, with more than 40 restaurants, 30 bars, cafes, museums, theatres, shops and parks, for dinner.
The following day the travelers had a leisurely day to explore Sydney on their own. Some of the sites they took in were St Mary’s Cathedral, home of Sydney’s Catholic community, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Queen Victoria Building, a city icon, Sydney Aquarium and Paddy’s Market. They said goodbye to Sydney that evening with a delightful dinner cruise of Sydney Harbor which took in the beauty of Sydney’s skyline and the renowned Sydney Opera House and the Harbor Bridge.
The next morning the group left behind Australia and flew to New Zealand and the historic city of Christchurch. Upon arrival they enjoyed a short sightseeing tour of “the most English city outside of England” which highlighted magnificent gardens, the Avon River which winds around the city, tree- lined parks, and a stunning view of the Southern Alps. After lunch, they visited the International Antarctic Center to learn about the seventh continent. Warm jackets and overshoes were provided the group as they experienced the “Antarctic Storm” complete with stunning lighting, authentic Antarctic blizzard audio, 40 kilometer winds and a temperature as low as -18C. That evening, the group made new friends and learned about the customs of the “Kiwi’s” when a New Zealand Family welcomed them into their home for a special home-cooked dinner.
The following morning they visited a Canterbury sheep farm where they had the opportunity to learn how a New Zealand family farm operates. They also enjoyed a sheep shearing demonstration and saw the herding of the farm’s animals. Next, on the way to Queenstown, they traversed the spectacular countryside to New Zealand’s most famous national park, Mt. Cook. During a stop at Sir Edmond Hillary Alpine Centre, many in the group enjoyed a nature walk to gain a better view of the massive glaciers and the extensive snow-covered mountain. After the leisure time at Mt Cook they had a stop at a local fruit stand to gain an inside look at the produce of New Zealand. Later in the evening, they arrived at the Alpinesque city, Queenstown, one of New Zealand’s loveliest and most famous cities.
After a free day in Queenstown, where many enjoyed shopping in the village or sipping a latte’ while looking out on Lake Wakatipu, the group traveled the rugged grandeur of the Hollyford Valley, en route to Milford Sound, one of the world’s most spectacular fiords. With picture stops along the way, they witnessed the mirrored reflection of the surrounding snow-covered mountain ranges in Mirror Lake and the Homer Tunnel, a stunning feat of engineering, carved out of towering mountains.
Dressed in coats, gloves and hats the group boarded the boat for a cruise on the Tasman Sea of the breathtakingly beautiful Milford Sound. They saw why this fjord is one of the most visited sites on the South Island, with rock faces that rose nearly 4,000 feet on either side and cascading waterfalls, the scenery took their breath away.
The next morning, the group departed for the beautiful village of Arrowtown where they had time for shopping, a museum, or a walk to an old Chinese gold mining area. Next, they departed for the historic Kawarau Bridge where in 1988 the bungy phenomenon began. Two in the group were brave enough to do the jump. Later in the evening, they soaked in the breathtaking views of Queenstown, Lake Wakatiipu and the Mountain range during a gondola ride to dinner at the Skyline Restaurant where they savored the finest flavors New Zealand had to offer in a six-course buffet.
The next morning the group flew to Nadi, Fiji Island for the last leg of the journey. After arriving the group checked in to the luxury Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa for the remaining three days of their South Pacific Wonders vacation, where they had the opportunity to enjoy the many daily activities at the resort or just relax in the luxury. The group enjoyed one final tour of the authentic Fiji island on their last day, where they enjoyed fresh fruit from the trees, visited the Garden of the Sleeping Giant and much more.
Those enjoying this trip of a lifetime were Jerry and George Reap, Pat Bethea, Martha Taylor, Siobhan and Hazel Smith, Earl Raines, Inez Green and Cindy and John Whitwell.