At the outset six months seemed like a long time but now we are taking the final flight home it does not seem so long. We have some wonderful experiences and seen some magnificent scenery, all well worth the time and effort.
Beds slept in: 65
Miles driven: 14300
Train miles: 1500
Air miles: 34460 (approx)
Friday, 3 April 2009
Arizona
The traffic in Los Angeles is horrendous, what should have been a two and a half hour drive turned out to be four hours, not exactly recommended after a twelve hour flight.
We stopped overnight in Cathedral City and Phoenix on our way to Tucson which in my opinion is probably the best place to stay in Southern Arizona. The landscape of the Seguaro National Park reminds me of the many old cowboy films that I watched as a boy, multi-armed large cacti in desert like scrubland. The mountains surrounding the area were identical in look to the mountains of Oman which led to a nostalgic feeling.
We were recommended to visit Old Tucson Studios where lots of films were made dating back to the fifties and we can remember the High Chaparral series which were also made here and the original set of the homestead still remains.
Tombstone was another place we decided to visit for a couple of hours but ended up staying all day. The day was clear blue sky, windy with a bit of a chill in the air as we strode down the original street where the OK Corral was sited and the street was almost deserted apart from four characters in black. The attached photo shows the Earp brothers, Virgil, Morgan and Wyatt but unfortunately Doc Holliday was talking on his cell phone. The staged gunfight at the OK Corral was very good and all the actors taking part were outstanding in the portrayal of the events, especially Wyatt Earp who had a serious attitude problem.
Talking of attitude the name of Happy Hour has now changed to ‘Attitude adjustment hour’.
Three days were spent in San Diego after an overnight stop in Yuma, it is springtime here and still a bit chilly, that may be a good thing to prepare us for the UK.
One brewpub of note is Karl Strauss where they tap a cask on the 1st Thursday of the month and luckily enough we had dinner there on that night. The beer to be tapped was a double IPA of 9% strength and served in 300ml glasses thank goodness.
We fly home tomorrow with mixed feelings and I know that after being home for a week or so I may start planning the next trip.
We end our trip with exciting news from home that we are to be grandparents again with Ian and Clare expecting their third child.
We stopped overnight in Cathedral City and Phoenix on our way to Tucson which in my opinion is probably the best place to stay in Southern Arizona. The landscape of the Seguaro National Park reminds me of the many old cowboy films that I watched as a boy, multi-armed large cacti in desert like scrubland. The mountains surrounding the area were identical in look to the mountains of Oman which led to a nostalgic feeling.
We were recommended to visit Old Tucson Studios where lots of films were made dating back to the fifties and we can remember the High Chaparral series which were also made here and the original set of the homestead still remains.
Tombstone was another place we decided to visit for a couple of hours but ended up staying all day. The day was clear blue sky, windy with a bit of a chill in the air as we strode down the original street where the OK Corral was sited and the street was almost deserted apart from four characters in black. The attached photo shows the Earp brothers, Virgil, Morgan and Wyatt but unfortunately Doc Holliday was talking on his cell phone. The staged gunfight at the OK Corral was very good and all the actors taking part were outstanding in the portrayal of the events, especially Wyatt Earp who had a serious attitude problem.
Talking of attitude the name of Happy Hour has now changed to ‘Attitude adjustment hour’.
Three days were spent in San Diego after an overnight stop in Yuma, it is springtime here and still a bit chilly, that may be a good thing to prepare us for the UK.
One brewpub of note is Karl Strauss where they tap a cask on the 1st Thursday of the month and luckily enough we had dinner there on that night. The beer to be tapped was a double IPA of 9% strength and served in 300ml glasses thank goodness.
We fly home tomorrow with mixed feelings and I know that after being home for a week or so I may start planning the next trip.
We end our trip with exciting news from home that we are to be grandparents again with Ian and Clare expecting their third child.
Saturday, 21 March 2009
NZ Revisited
It was good to get back to NZ after the heat of OZ, no humidity and a temp of 24C.
The last time in the Hawkes Bay area we stayed at a Motel and having toured the area previously, decided to stay in Havelock North which is a very nice little village. We rented a cottage just outside the village which was a restored 100 year old building of ‘cosy’ proportions and the bedroom reminded me of the caravan bedrooms we have stayed in at an earlier age. The garden, though, was very large and well stocked so most of the days were spent lounging around with the odd visit to Ocean Beach, Napier and the Montieth’s bar down the road.
After four days we travelled north via Lake Taupo and Rotarua to our favourite accommodation, the cottage at Papamoa, it certainly lived up to our expectations and was even better this time than the last time we stayed. Again days were spent relaxing in the garden or on the beach but we did go on a couple of long walks, a double walk round Mt. Manganui and a single walk round the estuary a total of 19Km in two days.
After a week here WORK is definitely a four letter word.
There’s a chill in the air first thing in the morning and later in the evening so autumn is on its way to this part of the world, a bit of a shock when you’ve been wearing shorts for the last five months and I’m dreading the thought of having to put my jeans, socks and shoes on again.
Time to travel further north again to the Bay of Islands where autumn is delayed by a couple of weeks.
Paihia and Russel are both marvellous towns and at the end of the summer the weather is still balmy. Paihia is quite a bit busier than last time we were here but Russell is still very sleepy.
We went on a four hour snapper fishing trip on the MV Belfast along with four other people from Hungary, unfortunately three of them got sea sick and although the weather was excellent there was quite a big swell running. There was a bit of a competition between myself and Sheila as to who would catch most fish and Sheila was off to a good start with a small Snapper followed by hooking a 1 metre Mako Shark which was very lively indeed, jumping out of the water several times. It was, however, too strong for the line which snapped. I quickly caught up with small Snapper, every one we caught was under the legal size to keep, and the final tally was Sheila three Snapper and a smoothound, plus a hooked Mako Shark, and me seven Snapper and a smoothound. Subsequent fishing from the rocks saw a Kowhai and two mullets caught.
On the way back to Auckland we drove down the West Coast which was a little bit longer but well worth it as the scenery was stunning especially the dunes at Opononi.
We are now back in Auckland and there will be nothing worth putting in the Blog that was not already put in last time we were here, so we are off to the States on Thursday and the final leg of the trip.
The last time in the Hawkes Bay area we stayed at a Motel and having toured the area previously, decided to stay in Havelock North which is a very nice little village. We rented a cottage just outside the village which was a restored 100 year old building of ‘cosy’ proportions and the bedroom reminded me of the caravan bedrooms we have stayed in at an earlier age. The garden, though, was very large and well stocked so most of the days were spent lounging around with the odd visit to Ocean Beach, Napier and the Montieth’s bar down the road.
After four days we travelled north via Lake Taupo and Rotarua to our favourite accommodation, the cottage at Papamoa, it certainly lived up to our expectations and was even better this time than the last time we stayed. Again days were spent relaxing in the garden or on the beach but we did go on a couple of long walks, a double walk round Mt. Manganui and a single walk round the estuary a total of 19Km in two days.
After a week here WORK is definitely a four letter word.
There’s a chill in the air first thing in the morning and later in the evening so autumn is on its way to this part of the world, a bit of a shock when you’ve been wearing shorts for the last five months and I’m dreading the thought of having to put my jeans, socks and shoes on again.
Time to travel further north again to the Bay of Islands where autumn is delayed by a couple of weeks.
Paihia and Russel are both marvellous towns and at the end of the summer the weather is still balmy. Paihia is quite a bit busier than last time we were here but Russell is still very sleepy.
We went on a four hour snapper fishing trip on the MV Belfast along with four other people from Hungary, unfortunately three of them got sea sick and although the weather was excellent there was quite a big swell running. There was a bit of a competition between myself and Sheila as to who would catch most fish and Sheila was off to a good start with a small Snapper followed by hooking a 1 metre Mako Shark which was very lively indeed, jumping out of the water several times. It was, however, too strong for the line which snapped. I quickly caught up with small Snapper, every one we caught was under the legal size to keep, and the final tally was Sheila three Snapper and a smoothound, plus a hooked Mako Shark, and me seven Snapper and a smoothound. Subsequent fishing from the rocks saw a Kowhai and two mullets caught.
On the way back to Auckland we drove down the West Coast which was a little bit longer but well worth it as the scenery was stunning especially the dunes at Opononi.
We are now back in Auckland and there will be nothing worth putting in the Blog that was not already put in last time we were here, so we are off to the States on Thursday and the final leg of the trip.
Sunday, 8 March 2009
Queensland
The last place we visited in New South Wales was Coffs Harbour which was only a stop on the epic journey from Sydney to Port Douglas. After a mixed weather week in Sydney it decided to pour down all the way. There was a surfing competition taking place and the ocean was a bit rough due to the bad weather, I don’t know how they ride waves of that size but it was very interesting to watch.
Next stop was Noosa Heads just North of Brisbane where we rented a superb apartment with views over the river to the ocean. There were lots of parrots, kookaburras and wild turkeys roaming the gardens and although they were quite noisy, were well worth watching. The Noosa area is very nice with small villages dotted around the area and they were all quite upmarket. One night while we were having dinner on the terrace and the ferry went past on the river with a jazz band playing on it, very surreal. The weather is hot and sticky so it takes a bit of time getting used to it.
Onwards to a place called Agnes Water and a little town down the road called 1770 which is named because Captain Cook landed there on the 24th May 1770. Both these villages are very small and can only be described as ½ horse towns. The views overlooking the bay were outstanding and its claim to fame is that it is the only place on the Eastern seaboard of Australia that the sun sets over the water. One redeeming factor was that it had a really good tavern. The whole place was very, very quiet.
Airlie Beach was not exactly as we expected, full of backpackers and the town mostly catered for them. The accommodation was high on the hillside with views over the Whitsunday Islands. Sitting on the balcony late afternoon we were joined by Sulphur Crested Cockatoos and Rainbow Lorikeets who enjoyed several slices of bread straight out of our hands and returned early in the mornings and afternoons for the days we were staying. The car was being kept in a garage under the accommodation and one day as we were about to take it out a chit chat (gecko) appeared on the roof, I thought it had jumped off but as I was driving down the high street it climbed down the windscreen in front of me.
As the distance to our destination was still 9 hours drive away we stayed overnight at a place called Port Hinchinbrook which had a beautiful marina.
The final destination was Port Douglas, after 3000 Km, but it was well worth the trip and is probably the best town we visited during our stay in Australia. It is one of those places that gets into your blood and cannot be explained why. The weather on arrival was rainy but the following days were perfect with low humidity and lots of sunshine. Days were spent on the beach, although always in the shade as the UV levels in this part of the world are very high around 16.
There is a Sunday market in Port Douglas where you could buy all sorts of goods including crocodile feet but we did have a fresh coconut. One site we did visit was Mossman Gorge around 10 Km north of Port Douglas, there were cascading rivers flowing through the gorge which created several pools full of river perch. There was a rainforest walk of around 3 Km and when we had travelled a couple of hundred metres we realised we were getting a free sauna. Half way along the track I was attacked by a ‘Wait-a-while’ vine which has barbed hooks along its length and proceeded to rip the skin on my arm to bits.
This was the only town that we really regretted leaving but the lure of revisiting New Zealand was stronger and we flew back to Auckland on the 4th of March for a three week stay.
Next stop was Noosa Heads just North of Brisbane where we rented a superb apartment with views over the river to the ocean. There were lots of parrots, kookaburras and wild turkeys roaming the gardens and although they were quite noisy, were well worth watching. The Noosa area is very nice with small villages dotted around the area and they were all quite upmarket. One night while we were having dinner on the terrace and the ferry went past on the river with a jazz band playing on it, very surreal. The weather is hot and sticky so it takes a bit of time getting used to it.
Onwards to a place called Agnes Water and a little town down the road called 1770 which is named because Captain Cook landed there on the 24th May 1770. Both these villages are very small and can only be described as ½ horse towns. The views overlooking the bay were outstanding and its claim to fame is that it is the only place on the Eastern seaboard of Australia that the sun sets over the water. One redeeming factor was that it had a really good tavern. The whole place was very, very quiet.
Airlie Beach was not exactly as we expected, full of backpackers and the town mostly catered for them. The accommodation was high on the hillside with views over the Whitsunday Islands. Sitting on the balcony late afternoon we were joined by Sulphur Crested Cockatoos and Rainbow Lorikeets who enjoyed several slices of bread straight out of our hands and returned early in the mornings and afternoons for the days we were staying. The car was being kept in a garage under the accommodation and one day as we were about to take it out a chit chat (gecko) appeared on the roof, I thought it had jumped off but as I was driving down the high street it climbed down the windscreen in front of me.
As the distance to our destination was still 9 hours drive away we stayed overnight at a place called Port Hinchinbrook which had a beautiful marina.
The final destination was Port Douglas, after 3000 Km, but it was well worth the trip and is probably the best town we visited during our stay in Australia. It is one of those places that gets into your blood and cannot be explained why. The weather on arrival was rainy but the following days were perfect with low humidity and lots of sunshine. Days were spent on the beach, although always in the shade as the UV levels in this part of the world are very high around 16.
There is a Sunday market in Port Douglas where you could buy all sorts of goods including crocodile feet but we did have a fresh coconut. One site we did visit was Mossman Gorge around 10 Km north of Port Douglas, there were cascading rivers flowing through the gorge which created several pools full of river perch. There was a rainforest walk of around 3 Km and when we had travelled a couple of hundred metres we realised we were getting a free sauna. Half way along the track I was attacked by a ‘Wait-a-while’ vine which has barbed hooks along its length and proceeded to rip the skin on my arm to bits.
This was the only town that we really regretted leaving but the lure of revisiting New Zealand was stronger and we flew back to Auckland on the 4th of March for a three week stay.
Saturday, 14 February 2009
Sydney
Sydney airport was very different to Hobart, there were actually air bridges to save walking across the tarmac. We originally planned to catch the train into the city as the hotel was only 50m away from the station but they were carrying out track repairs so we decided to get a taxi instead of the free bus that was laid on.
The hotel room was not ready so we walked across to the Oaks Goldsborough where Kevin and Vi were staying. It was good to see people from the UK after all this time away and they provided a very nice breakfast as we were up at 4:30 AM to catch the plane to Sydney.
Anni and Gareth were holding a combined Stag/Hen party at various venues around Sydney and the first place was to meet all the people at the Ship Inn on Circular Quay.
It was a really hot day and finding a place under shade was at a premium, however it was not long before we moved on to the Watson Bay Hotel which is a 30 minute ferry ride away.
The next place was the Opera Bar just beside the Sydney Opera House and the view of both the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House was just amazing which went a bit to compensating for the expense of a round of drinks.
We didn’t quite manage to make it to the Summit Bar as we were flagging a bit from the heat and the early start that morning.
Sydney is one of those cities that you like instantly, it’s got a buzz about the place like Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok and there are plenty of places to visit by bus, ferry or walking, it is a very ‘walkable’ city.
Our children had given us a Christmas gift of a certificate for one of the top restaurants in the city which was on the 42nd floor of one of the skyscrapers, although it was oddly called ‘Forty One’. The view was amazing as it overlooked the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. The whole dinner was excellent, the best we have eaten for ages and ages.
Ourselves, Vi and Kevin went on a trip to the Blue Mountains but unluckily the weather had taken a turn for the worst and there was not much to see as visibility was down to 100 mtrs or so. We didn’t let it detract from the day and despite this had a thoroughly enjoyable day including Sheila trying to overcome her fear of snakes by holding one, the photo of the look on her face says it all.
With the weather being bad the previous day we were hoping the rain would hold off for Anni and Gareth’s wedding and it turned out to be ideal, not too much sun and a temp. of 22 deg. C. I have carried my suit with me for the last 17 weeks and still didn’t relish the thought of wearing it as I can’t remember the last time I had one on, but after a pressing it didn’t turn out too bad.
The wedding ceremony was held on a lawn in the Royal Botanical Gardens with the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House in the background and you can’t get a better backdrop than that. Anni looked beautiful in her wedding dress and Gareth very smart in his suit along with all the other people who attended the wedding.
An excellent Wedding breakfast was served at yet another stunning venue with the same views over the Harbour and attended by guests from Australia, UK and Canada.
There is a bus that tours all the bays around Sydney, one being Bondi Beach, it was ironic that the commentary on the bus stated that there had been no shark attacks there since 1929 and a couple of hours later a surfer was attacked by a shark.
I can’t believe we only have 18 days left in Australia before we return to New Zealand; it has gone very quickly, far too quickly.
The hotel room was not ready so we walked across to the Oaks Goldsborough where Kevin and Vi were staying. It was good to see people from the UK after all this time away and they provided a very nice breakfast as we were up at 4:30 AM to catch the plane to Sydney.
Anni and Gareth were holding a combined Stag/Hen party at various venues around Sydney and the first place was to meet all the people at the Ship Inn on Circular Quay.
It was a really hot day and finding a place under shade was at a premium, however it was not long before we moved on to the Watson Bay Hotel which is a 30 minute ferry ride away.
The next place was the Opera Bar just beside the Sydney Opera House and the view of both the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House was just amazing which went a bit to compensating for the expense of a round of drinks.
We didn’t quite manage to make it to the Summit Bar as we were flagging a bit from the heat and the early start that morning.
Sydney is one of those cities that you like instantly, it’s got a buzz about the place like Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok and there are plenty of places to visit by bus, ferry or walking, it is a very ‘walkable’ city.
Our children had given us a Christmas gift of a certificate for one of the top restaurants in the city which was on the 42nd floor of one of the skyscrapers, although it was oddly called ‘Forty One’. The view was amazing as it overlooked the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. The whole dinner was excellent, the best we have eaten for ages and ages.
Ourselves, Vi and Kevin went on a trip to the Blue Mountains but unluckily the weather had taken a turn for the worst and there was not much to see as visibility was down to 100 mtrs or so. We didn’t let it detract from the day and despite this had a thoroughly enjoyable day including Sheila trying to overcome her fear of snakes by holding one, the photo of the look on her face says it all.
With the weather being bad the previous day we were hoping the rain would hold off for Anni and Gareth’s wedding and it turned out to be ideal, not too much sun and a temp. of 22 deg. C. I have carried my suit with me for the last 17 weeks and still didn’t relish the thought of wearing it as I can’t remember the last time I had one on, but after a pressing it didn’t turn out too bad.
The wedding ceremony was held on a lawn in the Royal Botanical Gardens with the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House in the background and you can’t get a better backdrop than that. Anni looked beautiful in her wedding dress and Gareth very smart in his suit along with all the other people who attended the wedding.
An excellent Wedding breakfast was served at yet another stunning venue with the same views over the Harbour and attended by guests from Australia, UK and Canada.
There is a bus that tours all the bays around Sydney, one being Bondi Beach, it was ironic that the commentary on the bus stated that there had been no shark attacks there since 1929 and a couple of hours later a surfer was attacked by a shark.
I can’t believe we only have 18 days left in Australia before we return to New Zealand; it has gone very quickly, far too quickly.
Thursday, 5 February 2009
Tasmania
The flight to Hobart from Melbourne is only a short hop in relation to the previous flights we have taken. It was a bit of a shock stepping on to the tarmac to what I would consider a cold temperature, about 20 deg. C. and a strong wind blowing with a few raindrops.
The hotel we are staying at for a couple of nights is very good, all the mini bar and bar drinks are set at shop prices which is totally refreshing considering the usual rip off hotel prices. The food was also cheap and really good, so good in fact that I had lamb chops on consecutive nights, the best chops I have tasted for years.
Tasmania is very much like NZ with mountains and rugged coastlines and all the villages are named after English towns i.e. Southport, St Helens, Exeter and so on.
There is a replica convict village near Port Arthur where you could spend a day but it did not appeal to us so we were happy touring round the Tasman National Park.
On the West Coast there is the village of Strahan which is quite remote. It is a beautiful little place with a quaint harbour and only takes a minute to drive through. Again there were a couple of tours to take but we have already been on a river cruise and train trip. A couple of clicks down the road is a deserted beach which stretches for miles and was excellent for taking a long walk.
There was one drawback to the place and that was ‘Marsh flies’, they were very persistent and twice the size of a housefly so they ruined what I would consider a very nice place.
Another place on the way to the East Coast was Launceston but we only stayed overnight and didn’t get to see the Tamar valley.
The Bay of Fires on the East coast is another National Park and very picturesque with turquoise bays and white sand beaches, you could stay here for weeks.
The week has gone very quickly and there has not been enough time to see everything, as the girl at the visitor’s centre said, you need at least a couple of weeks to see everything. It’s a place we will return to.
The hotel we are staying at for a couple of nights is very good, all the mini bar and bar drinks are set at shop prices which is totally refreshing considering the usual rip off hotel prices. The food was also cheap and really good, so good in fact that I had lamb chops on consecutive nights, the best chops I have tasted for years.
Tasmania is very much like NZ with mountains and rugged coastlines and all the villages are named after English towns i.e. Southport, St Helens, Exeter and so on.
There is a replica convict village near Port Arthur where you could spend a day but it did not appeal to us so we were happy touring round the Tasman National Park.
On the West Coast there is the village of Strahan which is quite remote. It is a beautiful little place with a quaint harbour and only takes a minute to drive through. Again there were a couple of tours to take but we have already been on a river cruise and train trip. A couple of clicks down the road is a deserted beach which stretches for miles and was excellent for taking a long walk.
There was one drawback to the place and that was ‘Marsh flies’, they were very persistent and twice the size of a housefly so they ruined what I would consider a very nice place.
Another place on the way to the East Coast was Launceston but we only stayed overnight and didn’t get to see the Tamar valley.
The Bay of Fires on the East coast is another National Park and very picturesque with turquoise bays and white sand beaches, you could stay here for weeks.
The week has gone very quickly and there has not been enough time to see everything, as the girl at the visitor’s centre said, you need at least a couple of weeks to see everything. It’s a place we will return to.
Tuesday, 27 January 2009
South Western Australia
The road from Fremantle runs through lots of coastal towns Mandurah, Bunbury, Busselton and Dunsborough. There is a jetty at Busselton which is the longest in the Southern hemisphere at 1.8 Km and it was a very pleasant walk to the end and back. The water along the way was crystal clear but was devoid of any visible fish so it was a good job that I didn’t take my fishing gear.
All of these towns have very good beaches and facilities with lots of walking trails and picnic areas with free electric BBQs.
We stayed three nights in Bunbury which has a dolphin discovery centre where you can swim with the dolphins but they charge an extortionate fee for doing so.
On to Margaret River where we went on a wine tour again with added extras like the Paul Rigby gallery. He was a famous cartoonist who worked all over the world and spent five years in the UK working for the Sun and News of the World. He was especially known for hiding a boy and a dog in his cartoons and I’m sure you avid Sun readers will remember these. This turned out to be the highlight of the tour, even eclipsing lunch at the Brewery. His wife showed us around his studio and works which is left exactly how it was when he died in 2006. We did buy a poster that is full of OZ sayings about all subjects including a reference to Sheila being an old broiler. There is a rude OZ/Irish expression of ‘Whale Oil beef hooked’ which was ironic as there was an Irish couple on the tour.
The four wineries were very good and one wine which we will be bringing back to the UK was a chilli infused Rose called ‘Lost the Plot’.
The area is surrounded by forest where trees like Jarrah, and Karri grow, one other was a Peppermint Tree and when you crushed the leaves in your hands a mixture of Peppermint and Eucalypt was released, this was useful to keep the flies away if you rubbed it onto the skin.
On the way to Augusta there is a beautiful area called Hamelin Bay with superb deserted beaches and marine life.
Augusta itself is quite small but has lots of places to visit including the Leeuwin Lighthouse on the southernmost point of Western Australia where the Southern and Indian Oceans meet it was quite interesting to tour the grounds and read the history of the place.
Pemberton is a forest town with a large sawmill which processes hard woods for the UK and USA. We took a four hour river cruise down the Donnelly River and when we reached the Ocean we expected the river to flow into it but it stopped at a sandbar which separated river from ocean. It only breaks through every 9 months and the river drops 1.5 mtrs overnight.
We stayed at a forest retreat, very quiet and peaceful, lots of Kangaroos and Kookaburras who were very noisy as the sun went down.
On the way from Pemberton to Albany we called in to William’s Bay and there is a site called Elephant Rocks and you can understand why if you look at the attached photo. There was only one way in and out through large rocks, I managed to make it through but Sheila was caught by a rogue wave which flooded the gap and left her with very wet trousers. The next incident was on the way back to the Car Park when we came across a large snake about 2 mtrs long on the path, I later identified it as a Dugite snake, highly venomous, needless to say Sheila was frozen to the spot terrified. I managed to get a photo and the camera was not on zoom.
Albany lies in the South East of WA and is the place that was first settled and has a long history of Whaling, there are lots of nature walks around the surrounding area and we managed quite a few of them. There was nearly a repeat snake encounter on one of the paths but it turned out to be a King Skink’s tail disappearing into the undergrowth.
Friday we take a plane from Perth to Tasmania.
All of these towns have very good beaches and facilities with lots of walking trails and picnic areas with free electric BBQs.
We stayed three nights in Bunbury which has a dolphin discovery centre where you can swim with the dolphins but they charge an extortionate fee for doing so.
On to Margaret River where we went on a wine tour again with added extras like the Paul Rigby gallery. He was a famous cartoonist who worked all over the world and spent five years in the UK working for the Sun and News of the World. He was especially known for hiding a boy and a dog in his cartoons and I’m sure you avid Sun readers will remember these. This turned out to be the highlight of the tour, even eclipsing lunch at the Brewery. His wife showed us around his studio and works which is left exactly how it was when he died in 2006. We did buy a poster that is full of OZ sayings about all subjects including a reference to Sheila being an old broiler. There is a rude OZ/Irish expression of ‘Whale Oil beef hooked’ which was ironic as there was an Irish couple on the tour.
The four wineries were very good and one wine which we will be bringing back to the UK was a chilli infused Rose called ‘Lost the Plot’.
The area is surrounded by forest where trees like Jarrah, and Karri grow, one other was a Peppermint Tree and when you crushed the leaves in your hands a mixture of Peppermint and Eucalypt was released, this was useful to keep the flies away if you rubbed it onto the skin.
On the way to Augusta there is a beautiful area called Hamelin Bay with superb deserted beaches and marine life.
Augusta itself is quite small but has lots of places to visit including the Leeuwin Lighthouse on the southernmost point of Western Australia where the Southern and Indian Oceans meet it was quite interesting to tour the grounds and read the history of the place.
Pemberton is a forest town with a large sawmill which processes hard woods for the UK and USA. We took a four hour river cruise down the Donnelly River and when we reached the Ocean we expected the river to flow into it but it stopped at a sandbar which separated river from ocean. It only breaks through every 9 months and the river drops 1.5 mtrs overnight.
We stayed at a forest retreat, very quiet and peaceful, lots of Kangaroos and Kookaburras who were very noisy as the sun went down.
On the way from Pemberton to Albany we called in to William’s Bay and there is a site called Elephant Rocks and you can understand why if you look at the attached photo. There was only one way in and out through large rocks, I managed to make it through but Sheila was caught by a rogue wave which flooded the gap and left her with very wet trousers. The next incident was on the way back to the Car Park when we came across a large snake about 2 mtrs long on the path, I later identified it as a Dugite snake, highly venomous, needless to say Sheila was frozen to the spot terrified. I managed to get a photo and the camera was not on zoom.
Albany lies in the South East of WA and is the place that was first settled and has a long history of Whaling, there are lots of nature walks around the surrounding area and we managed quite a few of them. There was nearly a repeat snake encounter on one of the paths but it turned out to be a King Skink’s tail disappearing into the undergrowth.
Friday we take a plane from Perth to Tasmania.
Thursday, 15 January 2009
Fremantle
The flight from Melbourne to Perth took nearly four hours which gives you a pretty good indication of the distances between the east and west of Australia.
We have rented an apartment in Fremantle for a week as we are getting a little tired of packing and driving.
On arrival we needed to eat as it was now 8PM and Perth is two hours in front of Melbourne so we went down into the town centre, there were lots and lots of people dining Al fresco on what is called the Cappuccino Strip but we did eventually find a place.
Fremantle is a very nice town, very bohemian with a lot of 60s hippies still knocking about the place and a free bus service which takes you around town. Where would you get that in UK where everyone can use it?
Just across the bay is an island called Rottnest which has wildlife inhabitants called quokkas, a small kangaroo like animal which the discoverer thought were rats, hence the name Rottnest. We spent a full day there going on various tours both land and sea based.
Going back to my favourite subject, there are lots of micro breweries in the region and we spent a very enjoyable day with Sandra and Dave, who are friends of Alan and Joyce in Melbourne. They took us on a beer tour of the Swan Valley, as opposed to a wine tour, and we visited four micro breweries, Elmars, Druckstein, Mash Brewing and Feral Brewing altogether sampling 19 beers (only small shots). The evening was concluded with a great BBQ at their house, many thanks to them for their hospitality.
A cruise up the Swan River from Fremantle to Perth to pickup the hire car was very pleasant and showed just how many people have boats out here.
I have picked up a foot injury while walking on Rottnest Island, I went over on my ankle but it didn’t start to hurt until 24 hours later and now I can’t put any weight on my right foot. It’s a bit frustrating to say the least and restricts me somewhat from walking around.
There is a brewpub called Little Creatures on the Fremantle waterfront which is probably one of the best pubs I have been in. It is housed in a couple of large modern sheds and has an industrial theme like a lot of modern brewpubs, the music and the wait staff are what I would call diverse and it attracts a lot of the beautiful people. Even Sheila likes it as it is a wonderful place to people watch and the bonus is the beer is of excellent quality.
Today the 16th of January the temp will be 40 deg. C. It’s 10AM and already 35 deg.C.
We have rented an apartment in Fremantle for a week as we are getting a little tired of packing and driving.
On arrival we needed to eat as it was now 8PM and Perth is two hours in front of Melbourne so we went down into the town centre, there were lots and lots of people dining Al fresco on what is called the Cappuccino Strip but we did eventually find a place.
Fremantle is a very nice town, very bohemian with a lot of 60s hippies still knocking about the place and a free bus service which takes you around town. Where would you get that in UK where everyone can use it?
Just across the bay is an island called Rottnest which has wildlife inhabitants called quokkas, a small kangaroo like animal which the discoverer thought were rats, hence the name Rottnest. We spent a full day there going on various tours both land and sea based.
Going back to my favourite subject, there are lots of micro breweries in the region and we spent a very enjoyable day with Sandra and Dave, who are friends of Alan and Joyce in Melbourne. They took us on a beer tour of the Swan Valley, as opposed to a wine tour, and we visited four micro breweries, Elmars, Druckstein, Mash Brewing and Feral Brewing altogether sampling 19 beers (only small shots). The evening was concluded with a great BBQ at their house, many thanks to them for their hospitality.
A cruise up the Swan River from Fremantle to Perth to pickup the hire car was very pleasant and showed just how many people have boats out here.
I have picked up a foot injury while walking on Rottnest Island, I went over on my ankle but it didn’t start to hurt until 24 hours later and now I can’t put any weight on my right foot. It’s a bit frustrating to say the least and restricts me somewhat from walking around.
There is a brewpub called Little Creatures on the Fremantle waterfront which is probably one of the best pubs I have been in. It is housed in a couple of large modern sheds and has an industrial theme like a lot of modern brewpubs, the music and the wait staff are what I would call diverse and it attracts a lot of the beautiful people. Even Sheila likes it as it is a wonderful place to people watch and the bonus is the beer is of excellent quality.
Today the 16th of January the temp will be 40 deg. C. It’s 10AM and already 35 deg.C.
Bendigo and Ballarat
Bendigo has not got too many places of interest to visit. Its only claim to fame is that it was part of the goldfields where gold was mined in the mid to late 1800s.
The weather is particularly hot at the moment with the temps getting up to 36 deg. C.
Ballarat is some 122 Km away from Bendigo so it didn’t take us long to get there, relatively short trip compared with the last couple of trips. Again it is a town in the Goldfields area and is famous for a small rebellion at a place called the Eureka stockade.
There is a replica of the town, called Sovereign Hill, as it was during the gold rush of the 1850s and we spent a very good day at this place.
The weather is particularly hot at the moment with the temps getting up to 36 deg. C.
Ballarat is some 122 Km away from Bendigo so it didn’t take us long to get there, relatively short trip compared with the last couple of trips. Again it is a town in the Goldfields area and is famous for a small rebellion at a place called the Eureka stockade.
There is a replica of the town, called Sovereign Hill, as it was during the gold rush of the 1850s and we spent a very good day at this place.
Monday, 5 January 2009
Adelaide and Mildura
We left Port Fairy after an evening spent watching the local New Years Eve parade, which included camels, a stagecoach, the inevitable pipe band and even a sheep being sheared on the back of a truck. It was certainly different and memorable.
When we crossed the state border into South Australia the clocks go back one half hour and we didn’t realise, I commented that the clock in the supermarket was half an hour out and we checked into the hotel early thinking it was the correct check-in time.
Adelaide is a beautiful city, wide boulevards, lots of Victorian style buildings and open parkland.
There is everything here, the McLaren wine region to the south and the Borossa valley to the north. Just outside the city is the Adelaide Hills area with lots of small villages and country markets. A twenty minute drive takes you to the Glenelg beach area, lovely white sand and crystal clear water, everything very clean.
One night we had dinner in a local restaurant, the waitress was Chinese so when I ordered lamb rump and she read the order back it came out as ram lump, as Peter Kay says you couldn’t make it up. We are travelling fairly long distances at the moment and it was 400 Km to Mildura where we would be spending a night before travelling a further 400 Km to Bendigo, the scenery is not great with long stretches of desert like country which is not surprising as the temperature today is 34 degrees.
The Murray River runs through Mildura and we took a trip on a paddle steamer down river and back again it was quite interesting really. The river provides irrigation to the vineyards including Ban rock Station, Wolf Blass, Lindemans and Mcguigans which are all in the area around Mildura.
When we crossed the state border into South Australia the clocks go back one half hour and we didn’t realise, I commented that the clock in the supermarket was half an hour out and we checked into the hotel early thinking it was the correct check-in time.
Adelaide is a beautiful city, wide boulevards, lots of Victorian style buildings and open parkland.
There is everything here, the McLaren wine region to the south and the Borossa valley to the north. Just outside the city is the Adelaide Hills area with lots of small villages and country markets. A twenty minute drive takes you to the Glenelg beach area, lovely white sand and crystal clear water, everything very clean.
One night we had dinner in a local restaurant, the waitress was Chinese so when I ordered lamb rump and she read the order back it came out as ram lump, as Peter Kay says you couldn’t make it up. We are travelling fairly long distances at the moment and it was 400 Km to Mildura where we would be spending a night before travelling a further 400 Km to Bendigo, the scenery is not great with long stretches of desert like country which is not surprising as the temperature today is 34 degrees.
The Murray River runs through Mildura and we took a trip on a paddle steamer down river and back again it was quite interesting really. The river provides irrigation to the vineyards including Ban rock Station, Wolf Blass, Lindemans and Mcguigans which are all in the area around Mildura.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
