On Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:09:15 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:51:57 +1000, Herodotus
wrote:

You should visit Australia some time. You don't have to learn to fly.
The aeroplanes do that for you these days. As for shipping, they
don't use windjammers any more so the trip is quite fast. I once met
an older American couple on a Polish freighter in the Port of
Tauranga, New Zealand. They were the only passengers and enjoyed the
cruise on a cargo ship. They had tried it several times. Sounded like
a great way to see the world if you don't have your own yacht.

I always enjoy the journey as much as the destination.
A sea voyage always suits me. Booking cargo ship passage
to Europe offers many more choices than the Pacific side, from my
cursory look a getting a ride to Oz.
I can actually get on a cargo ship to Europe no more than 25 miles
from my doorstep a bit north of Chicago, at the same ports I steamed
from when I was a merchant mariner on the Great Lakes. Right out the
St. Laurence seaway and across the pond.
To get to your side I'll probably have to drive to California first,
though there may be Panama Canal options. I'll look into when I can
devote the time to it.
I think the California to Oz cargo passage were a minimum of 12-14
days, often with island stopovers, but I may be wrong.
Not to be rude, but the only thing I would like to see in Oz is my son
and his bride, Ayres Rock, and maybe hear some real Abo bull roarers.
Of course I would ask you to be my tour guide with the Abos.
To cheer you a bit, I would just love to visit Greece again, partly
for the coffee.
And no, my presence is far from ubiquitous, nor am I as peripatetic as
I once was.

--Vic

Well said Vic,

If you ever come this way I would be more than happy to show you
around and we do have a spare bedroom if you wish to stay.

Bear in mind that, part from sailing, I spend a lot of my time at my
home in Malaysia, but as I have children in Sydney I need to spend
time there as well.

cheers
Peter