Spring in Thornhill

The conclusion to our “Winter 2010 Snow Bird” escape. We arrived home 2 weeks ago and finely recovered from the jet lag. Just to recall those last 3 days in Brighton helps me to relive our trip again. We did look forward to home especially after Lewis & Elsa flew back but truly where we were was not a hardship – just not home! Our focus turned to getting ready for our own flights: packing (tossing items never to be worn again); house ready for its owners; and eating leftovers stockpiled from Chef Lewis. We shopped at Taigum (one last time) to check emails; thrilled to receive an email from L&E with confirmation they were home; tired, weary but safe. We took several walks along the boardwalk celebrating our decision to spend the winter down-under. Helena & I did bike the 3K bridge from Brighton to Woody Point (20K overall); a first for both and a check against the last on my to-do list.
Fiona dropped in to inquiry if we needed a ride to the airport & exchange contact information; a chance for us to say so-long, farewell, “ta-ta” and, of course share an Irish Blessing “May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.”
We were up at 6am Friday April 9th to begin our marathon day! Ten AM we were at Brisbane Airport for our 12:25 flight to Auckland, NZ. The entire process worked like a case study. We left 27 degrees C traveled 2296 Km to Auckland in 2 hours & 42 minutes; with time zone changes we arrived at 5pm. It was a pleasure to see NZ again. My seat companion from Alberta was just beginning her 1st visit to NZ, a 3-week tour of both islands. Pure joy to read her itinerary, visualize what she was about to see and to recount what made the places special to us; her excitement grew just from our memories. This was also a job interview trip to explore an internal transfer to the New Plymouth NZ office. Aaaah to be young again with the opportunity to work abroad! Leg 1 completed – A1.
Friday April 09 continues with our flight from Auckland for Los Angeles at 7:27 pm with 17 degrees C; 10,498 KM and flying time 11 hrs 11 minutes. As we approached LAX, with a tail wind of 131 KPH, our ground speed was 1022 KPH – and the ride was as smooth as silk. We arrived in LA Friday noon (not bad considering we left Brisbane Friday April 09 just pass noon). LA noon was 5AM Saturday for us and now one hour shy from marking 24 hours since we slept. It was a blessing to sail through US Customs & Immigration; a welcoming relief to fall into the very comfortable bed at the Airport Marriott. (Thanks Ness for the family/friend discount) Leg 2 completed – A1.
Saturday we were at LAX 6AM for our flight to Toronto. Duty Free 2x1L Baileys $37 USD; a trip bonus to enjoy with my coffee for weeks to come! We sat in the 3rd last row in middle & window seats; watched “The Lovely Bones” and “Blind Side”. I was so enraptured the man sitting next to Tom asked if something was wrong with his wife! Tom’s comment, “too little sleep and too much coffee”!
Our flight from LA took 4 hours with a 3 hour time zone adjustment. We arrived at our condo as my watch struck 6:30AM Sunday April 11 – 48 hours since we got out of bed in Brisbane! Now we are back into a routine: tax returns filed, dust layers removed, 3-months of mail opened & addressed, family reconnected with and we are prepared to host our first home exchange guest. The sun is shining and we are going for a push-bike ride! It’s been a full and complete winter – a blast just not a cold wintery blast! From New Zealand --- Kia Ora (hello) and Ka Kite Ano – Until I see you again (bye). From Australia g'day and Roo Hoo.

Easter in OZ

Easter in OZ and we enjoyed a park BBQ, the local tradition. Our neighbours, Helena & Derrick invited us to share their family BBQ. They are experienced at Aussie BBQs, having owned a hotel/restaurant. Their son (a former Chef) gave Lewis a break from cooking as he served up sausages, onions, peppers & shrimp. Their daughter, married to the Master Chef at Noosa’s #1 rated restaurant, & their daughter-in-law (also trained in hospitality) supervised. We and the 6 grandchildren had only to eat, drink, and play bocce ball. It was a marvellous way to spend Easter with a substitute family.
Easter Sunday ended Daylight Savings Time down-under; putting us in a unique situation for time change: “Spring Forward” and “Fall Back” in the same week! The weather is fall-like; cool clear nights, warm-to-hot days and a constant ocean breeze. Each afternoon the foreshore is dotted with surf-gliders; colourful parachutes filled by ocean thermals propel the surfer over the waves & into the air. It is fascinating to watch! Here young and old embrace the outdoors.
On our daily boardwalk stroll we were surprised to see a miniature Cave with a round rock rolled away from the entrance, 2 bunny rabbits and a vase of purple flowers. Apparently, it is another local custom to build this structure using beach rocks & sand; positioned to catch the sunrise ray on Easter morning. Visible reminders of why we celebrate Easter!
Monday, yesterday was Lewis & Elsa’s last full day in OZ. We made a trial run to the airport and then went shopping at the mall. The crowds were overwhelming; school break means mall-visits on both continents! Lewis & Elsa surprised us with a smoked salmon for dinner; what a treat! Elsa had a nearly full bottle of Crown Royal & had promised our neighbour Aiden a drink. Well, needless to say we drank the CR; perhaps not our smartest move with a 3am airport trip and a 20-hour day for L&E – but it was fun! Thank goodness everything worked out well and Lewis & Elsa are now flying over the Pacific Ocean to Vancouver & then home. Hard to believe we have only 3 days before we begin our trek back to Toronto via LA. It’s been and is an amazing trip!
P.S. the derelict house next door continues to shrink. When we returned from the BBQ on Sunday the owner had blocked our driveway with his car & trailer, and shortly thereafter drove away with a load of windows crowned with a bathtub. Yesterday the interior doors, previously removed and neatly stacked on the ground floor by the demolition company, were suddenly missing. Earlier today a shouting match ensued on the street, likely a neighbour impatient with the gawkers, thieves and other interested parties that frequent the site. Time to break out the Dobermans.......

BTW: This most liikely will be the last blog update from Down-Under! We hope to get online in LA ... otherwise when we are back in Toronto. Thank you all for sharing our trip with us ....... LOL

Bluewater Festival – Good Friday

The 2010 Sandgate Bluewater Festival started today. The events take place in lower Moora Park and last for 12 hours beginning at 8:30am. The primary focus is the start of the Brisbane to Gladstone yacht race & the Skydive Warriors landing on Shoncliffe beach. However there was something for everybody from the battle of the bands ($5000 prize money) to markets set in a carnival atmosphere. We were warned to expect 25,000 people crammed into the area where we had our BBQ one week ago. We drove the car to 1st avenue with the intention of walking the last kilometre to the point. However our timing was such we hopped on the event train & rode; definitely the cooler way to traverse the last K.
We missed the start of the race but photographed the colourful display of spinnakers as the yachts sailed around Woody Point. We had front row seats (pier) to watch the skydivers. To celebrate Good Friday, the Fellowship Tract League paraded a Cross through the crowds to the end of the Jetty passing out ‘The Only Doorway’ pamphlets. Several hours passed quickly before we headed home for a break from the heat and to another chapter in the ongoing saga of the house next door. The owners were writing graffiti on the remaining walls – unflattering opinions of the builder’s abilities & ethics! The dispute seems to be escalating. We just hope to leave before someone burns that house down!
Last night we watched the fireworks to close the festival; quite pleased with ourselves & our day!

Amazing Walk – April 1st

Schools out today for 2 weeks of Easter break. St. Patrick’s College where Owen attends Grade 9 had their shore to gate walkathon (9:30am to noon). We walked down to the boardwalk to see the 1100 boys walk/run the 5K; from Grade 5 to 12, all sizes, shapes, & personalities entertained us. Boy it was a hot humid morning and we hoped the sausage fry reward was worth their effort! Perhaps the bigger reward is no school for the next two weeks!
This afternoon we shopped at Taigum for its internet access; we feel out-of-touch without the web. The mall was busy due to the school holiday & Easter weekend closures. Thank goodness we only required a few basics. Then, home for hamburgers. Something easy, for tonight we walked the tidal beach before the sun set at 6:30pm. What an amazing walk from the shore out to the receding ocean, ½ kilometre of ocean-packed sand, walking through a few inches of warm water and watching sand crabs before they burrow and disappear. To stand far away from shore and the safety of land, totally surrounded by ocean – was an awe-inspiring journey. We were lost in a magical world between the setting sun colours, water and sand. We took some amazing photos to share on the web when we return to Canada.

Woody Point – March 31st

We are reluctant to spend hours touring in the car these days; more contented to read, plan our meals and enjoy a walk on a nearby beach. We’ve explored wider afield but enjoy our local area more. Today, a case in point, after a reading morning we drove the 10k across the causeway to Woody Point. We parked near the Belvedere Hotel & walked the local beach. We collected another type of seashell; unable to resist the multi-blue tones -- ideal for Sydny’s creations. We washed our shells at a water fountain & used a ‘doggy’ bag to hold our loot. After coffee & cake oceanfront, we shopped at 18th Ave & Beaconsfield. The local butcher caught our attention with his list of trade: fish, crocodile, quail, rabbits & Roo Rump. We resisted his wares and bought a roast chicken with fries at the IGA for dinner. Boring perhaps but a safer choice!

Brisbane – March 30

A week from today will find Lewis & Elsa back in Toronto with us down to our last 3 days! Wet weather but we’re optimistic it will clear, a good day to take the River Cat Ferry into Brisbane. We caught the ferry at Bretts Wharf (2nd last stop East), rode to University Queensland (last stop West), and then back to North Quay to tour the Queen St Mall. The Brisbane River, which flows directly from the ocean, forms an “S” thru the downtown core; hence the River Cat was ideal to see the city. Brisbane shaped itself using the River has its template: amazing bridges (not quite like Sydney Harbour Bridge) but unique and numerous. The curves of the bridges & roads match artistic quality in their symmetry, while the spinning Ferris wheel has a whimsical touch. Building architecture is an engineer’s dream; distinctively shaped for River view; cylinders with outcropping platforms near the top. Near Kangaroo Point (20 million year old cliffs) we watched rock climbers scale the 20 metre face. We passed South Bank, a beach in the middle of the city; Botanic Gardens & Roma St. Parkland, the world’s largest subtropical garden in a city centre.
Queen Street Mall is a catwalk of colour, style and pure indulgence! There are 700 specialty stores, 6 huge style centres, beautiful heritage-listed arcades & stunning shopping galleries. We were no longer in Taigum! It was difficult to pull ourselves along; each store lured us in to have a look (we dropped coin in a few places)! Where to eat! Some locals directed us to a Food Court (not like CDN Food Courts)! We pigged out on Indian food ($3.80 for curried lamb, veggie & rice combo) the after lunch special; as good as anything we’ve eaten so far! After lunch & fighting the nap urge, we hopped on the free shuttle to tour the inner city. We got off at Eagle Street & took the River Cat back to our car (Bretts Wharf in Hamilton). We had parked at Dan Murphy’s; a fine excuse to shop for wine! One half hour later & $20 lighter we were on our way home with 6 more bottles of wine! We loved our day!

Tiagum Shopping – March 29th (Monday)

A humid day, we decided to check out Taigum Mall. Taigum is an outlet mall with the best pricing we’ve seen since arriving down-under! At Lowes we bought 100% cotton shirts & tops for $2 & canvas OZ bags for .50 cents – got to love the end-of-summer sales! We checked out the 100+ stores and had a field day! We ate lunch at Gloria Jean’s Coffee (my full name sake) while the barista ground some coffee to try back in Brighton. We grocery shopped at Woollies but managed to avoid buying the meat special of the day: $19 for 4 jumble chicken patties, 6 kebabs, 500 g chicken wings & a # 14 chicken! What a hoot!
Tonight was a full moon. We walked along the boardwalk and marvelled at the night sky. The moon was so bright the ocean glistened like in daylight; a large perfect halo surrounded the moon & the Southern Cross was etched in the sky! Locals fished from the break wall (catch & release) enjoyed a beer & socialized. A wonderful breeze cooled the evening and the lights from the esplanade houses provided a warm glow to guide our path. An absolutely marvellous night!

Park BBQ – March 28

A beautiful day, we organized a BBQ in Schoncliff Park. After a quick trip to Woollies for sausages, etc. we set off on our borrowed bikes with Helena and Derrick. Lewis and Elsa, acting as our support team, drove the car loaded with provisions to a predetermined area with electric grills for cooking and covered picnic tables. We enjoyed a great BBQ (along with some aggressive Ibis, crows and Myna birds) then set off to explore the headland at the end of the boardwalk. An aboriginal guy lives in the area and paints indigenous fish and animals on the surrounding fence posts, rocks and trees; quite attractive. Lou and Elsa fished from the pier while we biked back to the house, with a brief stop for some Italian ice cream. After dinner we cruised into Sandgate (nearest small town) to check out the action. Not unexpectedly the stores and cafes were closed and the streets are deserted. Even weekdays, only Woollies open past 5PM. All other businesses push customers out the door at 4:45. The priority is dinner and family before commerce.....charming; reminiscent of our days in Europe. The lifestyle here, the zoning oceanfront protection, and the quality of life have made this area our most relaxed so far.

Lady's Day at the Races March 27

Elsa & I have joined the ‘Red Hats Ladies’ – well at least for a day at the races! Check out the Brisbane Racing Club on Facebook to see if you can spot us in their pictures of March 27th race day! We had a blast! Our neighbour Helena (Queen of the Bright-N-Breezy Red Hats) invited us to their race day. Hesitant at first, she convinced us with the offer of hats! Millie – you were on our minds & we knew this was right up your alley! There were 8 in our group but hundreds more ladies attended, clad in their glad rags, perky little hats & fashion-statement shoes! When travelling 3+months, who packs such finery? Not us! In the open-air excitement of race day; who cares what you wear! Obviously all the 2-legged fillies sure did as they teetered along in their 5-inch spikes (protected by Heel Candy), very provocative form-fitting cocktail dresses with hats that would rival Queen E! This one white-fine formed young man entered the field with 2 ladies on either side; one black & other white. The white was gorgeous but was overshadowed by the other -- this long cool drink of water. You have to imagine this: a tall slender polished & buffed woman wearing a dress that was a second-skin and plunging in the back & front with a swirl of glitter emphasizing each curve as she floated along on her 7-inch statement with a hat to crown the day (side pompadour with feathers quivering in the light afternoon breeze)! She was the show for the day – and we saw a lot!
Admission was $25; this included the $15 gate plus $25 race-dollars for food & drink (Such a bargain!) There were 8 races. We missed one race standing in the beer line, but placed $1 or $2 bets on each of the remaining races. Three races placed my horse in the winner’s circle ($1.80 + $4.50 + $4.50 winnings -- last of the big time spenders)! Five hours of hot sun, 4 large beers, a teriyaki beef lunch, an afternoon with new friends and a photo on Facebook.... Priceless!
To top our day, the guys not only acted as chauffeurs but we arrived home to a roast lamb dinner! Thanks Tom & Lewis (aka Master Chef).

Noosa Heads March 25

Our second day with hot weather, (yesterday we returned to the Mall to cool off & to shop at Dan Murphy’s for white wine). Today we drove N to Noosa Heads, another recommended ‘must see’. Queensland Parks & Forests guide described it as wild coastline jutting into the ocean; wallum heaths, woodlands & pockets of rainforest with hoop & kauri pine (refuges for wildlife, including koalas & glossy black-cockatoos). The drive on the M1 was an easy 100K; off the motorway the final 30K was eye-opening! There were lots of Round-Abouts; shopping centres, merging busy streets... a tourist Mecca with all the trappings: hotels/motels, eateries, boutiques & surf shops. No place to park, not even at the Info-Site. We drove until we hit Noosa National Park at the head of the peninsula; where we had to stop! First impressions: unbelievably overdeveloped, high-end, confusing road system & hot! The beaches are great; few surfers, not crowded with places to picnic.
We picked up a trail map at the park entrance, noting a sign listing koala sightings. This headland park has 5 tracks ranging from 1 to 8K. We took track 4 along the rocky shoreline with spiky pandanus, thru woodlands with piccabeen palms, to Boiling Pot & Dolphin Lookouts and Tea Tree Beach. It satisfied us! We recognized Boiling Pot from the brochure photo. We also spotted a Koala snoozing in the midday heat high in one of their food tree. Sceptical, we considered it had been brought in for the tourists! Nevertheless it brightened our day, especially when the little guy opened his eyes & looked our way– a great picture moment! Besides the Koala, we spied a noisy black bird (not a Cockatoo), 2-inch lizard, 4-inch cockroach; a sleeping snake curled around a branch high above us, several bush-turkeys & got a 41-second recording of a roaming 5-foot lizard! Had a great picnic & got our Koala sighting added to the board. Not half bad for a Noosa outing!
BTW: the Noosa newspaper writes about a blog’s fight to protect koalas (KoalaDiaries.com.au). Apparently a block of land was sold with over 20 large koala food trees, which is now a pile of woodchips. The Blog reads: have these people missed the point living in Noosa entirely – or is this the way of the future? As we drove away from Noosa Heads, we thought a little-too-late!
We drove back south along the coastal highway to explore more of the Sunshine Coast. Once again, unbridled residential development blocked most of the ocean views. We are fortunate to be staying in Brighton where development bylaws have kept the beachfront clear. At Wild Horse Mountain Lookout we stopped to climb the very steep trail to appreciate the 360 degree view (123 metres above sea level). It was worth it! We took pictures of the Glass House Mountains & miles of reforested pine trees. We didn’t tarry, due to the handwritten “Beware of snakes” sign and the abandoned snakeskins near the lookout! Home again, to discover that the demolition of the house next-door had been halted just before noon by a court injunction (owner in dispute with the builder). Countdown to our final two weeks has begun -- hard to believe!

Scarborough Beach March 23

Laundry morning and household chores; done by noon in time to prepare a picnic for a beach afternoon. Not sure if we mentioned this, but 5 minutes from our doorstep is a coastal boardwalk and picnic area. This is only one of literally dozens of places we can picnic by the ocean in a 20 minute drive. Private & commercial buildings are built on the opposite side of the road away from the beach; all beaches are public domain! The beaches have exceptionally clean & well maintained picnic areas: tables & benches, free electric BBQ stations, running water, toilets, garbage bins, and lots of free parking. The beaches are safe for swimming (for the daring), great for beach-combing and are usually lined with tall eucalyptus or Norfolk Island Pines; scenic with shade. (Picture shows BBQ pit & beachfront)
Today we drove up the peninsula to Scarborough Beach with picnic hamper complete with chilled white wine. It was stunning! We shared the ½ K beach with 7 other people. We watched the shrimp boats on the horizon, ate our picnic, walked along the water’s edge and selected a few shells before stretching out to read & cool off by the ocean breezes. What a relaxing way to enjoy a down day! Before leaving the beach area we walked around the point to the next beach; one with a steep red cliff, hence the nearby town’s name - Redcliff. The sandstone bank was brilliant in colour with carved formations. We didn’t linger long but enjoyed every minute! We agreed to try another beach soon only this time we will try the clean BBQ station.

Driving Adventures March 19/22

We are feeling the withdrawals of life without ready access to the internet. How did we survive B4? While we may lack technological access the area offers us opportunities for driving adventures & helpful neighbours! We’ve had a busy 4 days thus completing our first full week here on the Sunshine Coast. Let me bring you up-to-date with a ‘Coles notes’ version.
Friday after our usual morning of enjoying a relaxing “brekky” over a long-black or flat-white coffee (yes John & Meg own an espresso/cappuccino machine) we drove north (M1) to Bribie Island (pronounced like bribery only change ‘bery’ to bee). The promotional brochures describe Bribie Island as a treasure trove of plants & animals. An island fringed by white, sandy beaches where thousands of shorebirds feed & roost; 360+ species of birds feast on the sand flats & live by this coastal heath land; an Eco lovers delight! We crossed the 1K bridge to urban sprawl, traffic congestion & confusing R’Abouts. We were tempted to reverse! However, after visiting the Info-Site for directions to the beach & best sunset spots; we decided to stay. Our next stop was Red Beach, the most easterly point of the island. There are many homes for sale in this highly developed beach front (now blocked entirely by trees & shrubs) but the beach was amazing! The sand was fine & white, the beach uncluttered, wide & great for shell-combing. We walked with the feel of sand through our toes & gentle wave action around our ankles; then sat to watch the surf. BTW – Red Beach was the code given the beach during WWII.
Before leaving Bridie Island, we drove west to Bellara to glimpse the sunset views over the Glass Mtns. Instead we found ourselves on Banksia Beach, with multi-million $ homes and yachts moored at their private marina, next to the Pacific Harbour Golf & Country Club! It wasn’t a bad outing. We watched a remarkable sunset with a couple in their 80s, who had parked their electric scooters on the point to drink a bottle of vino (apparently a regular routine). We walked the beach & collected a few ‘special’ shells to remind us. BTW, over 80% of the island is an inaccessible nature reserve, hence undeveloped!
Saturday, the approach of Cyclone Ului brought rain! It was a great day to check out the largest mall in the area, which covers acres of stores including Dan Murphy’s, a shop known for inexpensive wines. Elsa & I covered only one section of the mall in 2-hours (we’ll go back) while Lewis & Tom spent most of that time at Dan’s, purchasing 9 bottles of wine for $25 AUD (6 of those skinless bottles (no label) $11)! Now that was a bargain; more so since it is quite drinkable! Saturday night we visited with neighbours Fiona & Aiden (the family from Dublin) & Helena & Derrick! A great night!
After a slow start Sunday morning, we drove north to the Glass House Mountains, while keeping an eye on Cyclone Ului. The Glass House Mtns were named by Captain Cook in 1770. The ‘Glass Houses’ are volcanic plugs rising abruptly from a patchwork of farms & forests. On a clear day you can see Bridie Island but with Cyclone Ului covering the north we saw only marvellous clouds! Disappointed, we drove along Steve Irwin Way to Maleny (MA-Lainy); a plateau overlooking the Glass House Mtns. We drove through rainforests with elevated views of the valleys. The occasional break in the clouds provided us noteworthy vistas; a great day of exploring another piece of our backyard.
Monday, yesterday, we drove west to Toowoomba (Too-Woom-BA); a 2-hour ride inland to the escarpment tabletop (300 metres high). We ate lunch at Picnic Point on the top of the escarpment with panoramic views of the Lockyer Valley and Tabletop Mtns. Already 2pm, we did a quick tour through the town (girls bought laundries) while the guys shopped at a military surplus/outback clothing store and fed coins to the parking meter! On route we passed through the town of Minden, fertile farmland & fresh produce markets (harvest time). New potatoes .49 cents/Kilo, squash .39 cents/kilo, pineapples, limes, lemons, cabbage, oranges, bananas, avocado and custard apples; driving away with a trunk full of fruit and veggies for just $36; just like the old days of shopping at Holland Landing. Did you pick up on the Custard Apples? We were introduced to this ugly looking fruit by 2 local shoppers at the Windmill Market who gave it a ringing endorsement. Sceptical, I bought 2 ripe custard apples. Well, unbelievably delicious! It is like eating creamy custard with a mango flavour! Wow, we’ll look for them again! (picture attached)

Brighton March 15/18

Hard to believe this is day 4 here at Brighton Beach, our 3rd home exchange location & our last before returning to NA. Brighton Beach is just north of Brisbane Airport on the Sunshine Coast. No internet with this exchange, John has mobile wireless but needed it for their travels. Hence the no recent blog update. Lewis was able to ‘borrow’ a wireless connection this morning & if you are reading this you know we had the same success! Our search continues for a local Internet cafe.
We had arranged to meet here Monday at 2pm. We arrived in Brighton Beach at noon after an hour’s drive north from the Gold Coast; time to shop at ‘Woollies” (Woolworths) for picnic fixings to enjoy at the beach 5 minutes from our destination. Meg greeted us with hugs & kisses, chilled wine & beer, cheese, olives and crackers while John shopped for steaks & shrimp for the Barbie! The house is as warm & inviting as the owners made us feel from the moment we met them. Screens on the windows & doors deter geckos while allowing the constant ocean breeze to waft through. The house is a large two-storey brick Cape Cod surrounded by wide covered verandas. There are large multi-panel wooden windows in each room; an open living concept with 12 foot ceilings, spacious rooms, few doors; a very comfortable home! Already we have adopted the local approach to sleeping with the windows open to enjoy those ocean breezes.
Tuesday, while Meg & John packed for their journey we enjoyed breakfast on the patio at Cafe on the Park. Photos & best wishes launched them & Mr. Pickles (dog) on their journey shortly before noon. We enjoyed a lazy couple of hours before a late afternoon long stroll along the ocean boardwalk. We were amazed at the distances people could walk out onto the tidal beach (low tide) and the speed of the Para-surfers soaring over the waves. We couldn’t resist the contagious laughter of 18-mth old Dexter running as fast as his little legs would carry him holding tightly to a leash attached to his 11-mth old puppy. This is truly a community of young families and senior citizens.
Wednesday (yesterday) after a relaxing morning we went grocery shopping at Woollies. After lunch we crossed the 3km bridge to Woody Point and drove north to Scarborough, the very tip of the Peninsula. We drove slowly along the scenic coastal roadway all the way to Morgan’s Seafood, a local market and restaurant situated on an operational fishing wharf. We stopped at Redcliff Information Centre and met Mary & Sophie – another find sample of local friendliness! We left with a shopping bag of materials on Brisbane & region plus our buckets filled with laughter! We strolled along a seawall walk accessible from Morgan’s, which Mary had suggested before we purchased fish for our dinner Barbie! Fresh prawns, sardines, Atlantic salmon, red snapper and ocean trout were our BBQ selections ($38 AUD). If that sounds like a lot of food....it was, but man oh man was it delicious accompanied with some inexpensive local chardonnay. As it was St Paddy’s Day, we delivered green cupcakes and wine to Fiona, the Irish expat who lives next door with her husband and 3 kids. What a day as we watched the sun go down; no not on Galway Bay but Brighton Beach!
BTW: temperature 29 C, cloudy with a few sun showers. We’re monitoring the cyclone due to hit 800 K north of us by Tuesday; evacuation has started on some of the lower altitude islands. We have the high ground plotted (Toowoomba) should it start veering in our direction! Don’t worry; we are safe!

Gold Coast March 13/14th

We are at Gemini Court Holiday Apartments in beautiful Burleigh Heads, a wonderful location in the heart of the Gold Coast. We are in the SE corner of Queensland, our 3rd Australian province this trip. The apartment is on the 3rd floor (really the 4th) overlooking the ocean & the Gold Coast strip. Burleigh Beach is across the street, renowned for its surf break. The Burleigh Heads National Park is a 5 minute walk from our front door, offering a 7 Km ocean view walk along a rocky shore at the Head of Burleigh. Yes, we did the walk along the ocean rocky shore and over the hill through the rainforest; plus walking around town a few times, making it another 10k day! Thank goodness for cold beer & wine rewards with an oceanfront balcony as our prize for exercising today! We’ve had the balcony door open most of the time and the sound of the surf fills the apartment. The building is older & the unit a bit stale however the fresh ocean breeze is refreshing. We have lots of Rainbow Lorikeet, Kookaburra & unknown others visiting the balcony. We have not escaped the rain but get a break during the day; the sun is hot & we are able to walk along the beach, watch the surfers, etc. The town is a Florida Spring Break clone of the 70s & 80s. There are lots of restaurants and the food is reasonable. The busiest store is the Sally-Ann for used clothes & products – indicating the transient crowd of surfers! Today is a ‘long-board’ competition and the surf’s up! Our first night here we dropped into the Lawn Bowl Club. They welcomed us with open arms, an inexpensive but good meal & live entertainment! We had a marvellous time. It was like an old fashion Newfie Time and we were youngsters again! Today, Sunday, Tom & Lewis will bus to Surfer's Paradise to pick up a rented car for our drive to Brisbane tomorrow. The Gold Coast will be another check on our bucket list!

Phantom Lake – March 11/12

Mansfield Country Resort used to be called Lake Eildon Country Club. We suspect the name change became necessary after the lake dried-up! Originally the owner operated a houseboat rental & caravan camp on the shoreline of Lake Eildon. In the 70’s, after witnessing the success of timeshare in North America he built 50 lakeside cottages under shared ownership. He built jetties, a floating marina, boating-related facilities; 2-story lodge housing common areas, bar, kitchen, squash court, gym, library, sauna, swimming pool, etc. not to mention the corresponding lighting & security systems. One can imagine this was a popular weekend & vacation destination. But, that was before the decades-long drought and the disappearance of “The Lake”.
Today as we walked the dry lakebed the remains of boat docks, buoys & petrol-pump ‘floating’ stations are abandoned high & dry along the foreshore. Evidence of the many failed attempts to follow the ever-decreasing water level as the lake gradually evaporated! The formerly waterfront cottages are now landlocked about one kilometre from the nearest moisture; a small boggy weir running along the former lake bottom. A sign posted nearby warns: “No Skiing from Shore in Club Area, No wash inside marked areas, Beware of Swimmers” reminding them of days of water; or is it hope for a wetter future!
The trees which relied on moisture from the lake are dead, creating a desolate landscape. We were reminded of Harry Potter’s enchanted forest as we expected the limbs of these tree skeletons to spring hands! The floating marina sits on a desert, an eerie sight. Looking across the valley one can see the progressive levels of “lakeshore” over the years. The resort itself is worn, in a time warp. The managers are hopeful, welcoming those who grace the resort. No doubt the original purchasers are disgruntled & new investors aren’t anxious to buy into this ecological disaster; a poster child for global warming.
The 170mm rainfall in this part of Australia over the past week made international news, creating amazing flooding situations. In 2009 only 7mm of rain fell in the entire year. You can imagine why 170 mm would create floods, if you have ever over-watered a very dry houseplant! On a positive note, already the grass is greener; the trees have sprung to attention and no limbs have dropped from the Stringybark trees! Signs of hope for sure, but with the drought so advanced it will take a lot more rain to restore this area to the 1970s lakeside resort.
From drought to forest fires; today’s blog is about local realities! Last February a flash forest fire hit this region at night, killing 125 people. Even though the fire was 30-40KMs from the resort, the smoke was so thick one could not see from one cottage to the next. Thursday morning, March 11th we drove the valley road to check its condition for our airport trip tomorrow. We stopped at Alexandra, a lovely town surrounded by 380-490 metre mountains. We ate lunch at “MIA MIA Tea Rooms” in the town centre. Elsa & I shopped at Alex’s Giftware & Woollens. Elsa bought a dessert cookbook and we gained firsthand knowledge on living conditions when the surrounding hills are in flames!
We drove a little further into the valley to Marysville where most of the 125 died. It is ying/yang; while the devastation is evident everywhere, there are signs of re-growth! The tree trunks are blackened while a few branches are lush with new greenery. The prefab housing parks have clothes on the lines & kids’ toys on the lawns. New homes are in various stages of completion. Some have temporary corrugated metal roofs. Building lots have been cleared with work-in-progress evident while others are “For Sale” with prices advertised as “POA”. We were dumbfounded to see entire hillsides burnt with only charred tree trunks remaining; then a few rows of trees in full health! We took no pictures but the images will not soon be forgotten!
As we drove to Melbourne Airport we saw barren hillsides, some in various stages of reforestation, trickling brooks and dried-up riverbeds. Folks live with the constant need for fire prevention and water conservation. We leave this area after 4 days and 1274 KMs. We have checked OZ wildlife in its native habitat off our list & have a greater awareness of our environment. We made the right decision coming to Mansfield.

King Valley March 9

A day of sunshine & a trip to the King Valley wine region – does it get any better? Around 11 am we were on our way to Whitfield’s (63K) 6 wineries. Our plan, lunch matched with a superb glass of wine! Our maps didn’t indicate the 1000 metre climb on narrow switch-back roads; a slow drive but with amazing vistas. After 2 hours of driving we reached Powers Lookout, 20 minutes from Whitfield. Powers Lookout is 3K along an unsealed road (think of a log path); what the heck we were here. A lookout platform was just metres from the parking lot. Two friendly Aussie ladies (Janice & Lucy) admiring the view gave us the scoop on Whitfield (1 cafe town with ok coffee). They suggested driving the extra ½ hour to Milawa. Tom, in the meantime had read about Harry Power & his famous hide-away, just 300 m along the trail. Harry Power was a bush ranger (outlaw) who cumulatively spent 30 years in jail. His hideout was the caves in this rocky isolated region. Today, a well-engineered set of narrow steel stairs with handrails gives access to his private domain & fabulous ‘lookout’ vistas! The rocky cliff was covered with moss & low shrub the same colour & texture found on the Barrens in NFLD. The smell of peppermint filled the air from the surrounding bushes. We stopped in Whitfield for Lewis to grab a snack (2 pm) before motoring on to Milawa. We drove through cattle country and vineyards (no ‘For Sale’ signs like elsewhere) on a good road for 45K. At Milawa our designation was Brown Brothers; no, not the business Elsa worked at for nearly 7 years but Australia’s winery with the largest range of varietal wines! Their Epicurean Centre Restaurant offered a range of dishes, each with a matched glass of wine but it closed at 3pm (now 2:40). Wine tasting first; forget about the $32+ lunch. We purchased a 2008 Pinot Grigio, a Limited Release Riesling 2008 & a Limited Release Durif 2007 (red & specific to here) for Friday’s arrival on the Gold Coast. The town centre had locally grown/produced shops for: Mustard, Olives, Cheese, Bakery (where we ate) & more wine tasting outlets. We purchased a Beetroot & Horseradish Reduction for bread dipping or basting ($10-Olive Shop); a large Brie ($20) and said goodbye to this tourist town! We drove back to Mansfield via the Hume Hwy, a much faster route home! Lewis & Tom fired up the BBQ to grill steak, sausage, kangaroo and some minced mystery meat. Before sunset, we walked around the resort. Oh Boy - the Cockatoos were upset! There are hundreds (but it sounded like thousands) of these birds at the resort. Several sat in the highest tree & sounded the alarm as we approached. We walked on to witness the 2nd stage of their defence: swooping down over our head squawking at high decibels. When this failed, all the Cockatoos took flight! What a sight! P.S. - we purchased a $4 SIM card for Bob’s cell phone today ($10 prepay), now we need to activate!

Labour Day weekend in OZ

Monday, March 8th is Labour Day in OZ & our 2nd day in Mansfield; boy what rain! Our Rainbow Lorikeets are replaced by Sulphur Crested Cockatoos & Crimson Rosella parrots. These white cockatoos (with bright yellow plumes & under-wing feathers) are noisy but thank goodness their morning starts at 7:30 versus the sunrise wakeup call in Sydney. Kangaroos are everywhere. They hop through the resort to drink at the lake; munch on grass in nearby fields; and then retreat in haste when we come too close! We laughed as they hopped away and recalled our childhood jumping games! We are enjoying our new location; another right decision! The town is large enough for necessities but small enough to maintain its “high country” charm. The resort has the atmosphere of a cottage but encircled by exotic ‘gum’ trees & wildlife. The Information Centre provided materials on manageable day trips so today we explored Mt. Buller Alpine Village and Jamieson. Mt Buller is a 45 minute drive from Mansfield, all uphill! (Australian Gold Medal in Aerials) Its summit is at an altitude of 1804 metres & the village is at 1604 (Mansfield is approx 100). The materials told us to expect cool temperatures, pristine mountain air and panoramic views. (We took light jackets) Well, we can confirm the altitude; navigated a rapid ascent via numerous switchbacks and sharp turns! At the village the temperature had dropped to 9C (25C in Mansfield). Fog, sheets of rain, cold strong winds; most places closed due to the Labour Day holiday! We spoke to a guy whose comment was ‘it is wild’ ‘wild weather but yesterday was worst’ (yelps); he directed us to the Cattlemen’s bar. Dylan’s hot coffee & Sticky Date pudding ($9 AUD) thawed our bones & gave us a warm haven before tackling the return journey. Back at ground zero (2:30 pm) it was hard to believe (except for the video) that Mt Buller had been real! Always an adventure! We visited the village of Jamieson with the hopes of fresh raspberries and a JB (Jamieson Brewery) award winning beer! Not sure what we expected but it wasn’t exactly what we found. Jamieson was once a bustling logging town but no longer! The town is a museum; a few service people, some commuters to Mansfield and one welfare family. Otherwise, the population o f 125 watches the tourists. During summer weekends the town swells to 5000 strong the owners of the General Store told us; happy to have someone to pass the time. We stopped at the brewery; the beer weak and served by an unfriendly lady! Awards 3 years running – yes, but what was the criteria or competition? A brief stop for raspberries; too wet to pick today! A $5.25 jar of blueberry jam was our consolation prize (50% berries & 50% filler) tourist gimmick or what? We should have left town after the General Store! The truly best part of our day was returning to Mansfield Country resort to watch a herd of kangaroo and a flock of Cockatoos & Crimson Rosario Parrots dine in the fields near our cottage! Wow, this is Australia! A glass of local wine & the smell of eucalyptus trees as we watch the sun set! YES!

Drive with Bob - March 5

This is our last full day in Sydney before leaving for Melbourne/Mansfield. Bob called and kindly offered to drive us to Palm Beach, on a peninsula north-east of Sydney proper. Of course, we jumped at his offer and set off on the “coastal route” to capture views of the Pacific. Most beaches are secluded primarily due to limited access caused by private homes along the periphery of the beach. Unfortunately many of the best views are from the driveways of these fenced private homes.
Palm Beach is part nature reserve so provides good beach access, peach-coloured sand....and is used as the shoot by a popular TV series in OZ (Home & Away). It also has The Boat Shed, a casual but trendy restaurant where well-presented waiters serve well-presented food to golfers from the nearby course, leisurely-types and a bevy of blue-rinse ladies (plus us of course!). After lunch we strolled to the beach for a final view before heading back to Sydney via the interior route, in a light rain. Most enjoyable....thanks Bob.
As previously mentioned we leave tomorrow (March 6th) to stay about one week in Mansfield. We’re not sure if our accommodation will provide reasonable access to the internet.....so there may be limited blog during this period.

Bondi Beach March 4

‘We saved the best for last’ – today we took the bus to Bondi Beach to walk the 4+K to Bronte Beach; a stunning walk that hugs the cliff & beaches along the coastline. Bondi Beach is roughly 1K of golden sand & sparkling sea, gentle to big swells (surfers), weak to strong currents (swimmers); patrolled by lifesavers to enforce the yellow and red flag boundaries. We watched a few experienced surfers before our walk towards Bronte. At 1.5K we reached Mackenzie Point where there is a lookout over Bondi. Memorial plagues to ‘Black Sunday’ and ‘Nosey Bob’ are posted. On Sunday, February 6, 1938, with the beach packed by 35,000 people 3 huge waves hit & washed 300 people out to sea. All but 5 were saved thanks to the team of lifeguards gathered for the weekly surf competition. ‘Nosey Bob’ or Robert ‘the gentleman hangman’ who worked as the state’s hangman for 30 years lived alone in a cottage in Bondi. His reputation was as a decent fellow who carried out his job with respect, gave rise to his name! We walked on towards Tamarama. Tamarama is a tiny beach also known as “Glamourama” for the beautiful (but not necessarily smart) people who frequent it! It was here we saw an ‘out-of-condition’ middle-aged man literally drag himself on his knees out of the surf and flop on the sand, with his failing energy ... boy oh boy! We followed a white fence to Bronte Beach. A pretty and busy beach bordered by a large park, with shady Norfolk Island pines & picnic shelters. Each roofed picnic shelter is divided to form 4 individual private tables. Practical & impressive! It was time for lunch. A row of cafes at the end of Bronte Road caught our attention. Tom and I sat at a cafe for a Chicken Burger (sounds boring, but tasty & great value with 2 bottles of cold water). Lewis & Elsa ordered take-away steak burgers with awesome-looking fries from a grill; then sat under a Cabbage Tree in the park to eat, watch the surfers & enjoy a refreshing breeze off the ocean. Wow – what a perfect way to end our walk. Bronte Beach ocean pool, when opened in 1887 was restricted to women between 10 am & 4 pm. Outside of these hours, and on Sundays and public holidays, the pool was men-only. Today the ocean pool still protects swimmers from marine life but gender restrictions are gone! We covered the factual side of the walk but the cliffs and vistas were almost indescribable. The cliffs are amazing sandstone formations in colours of tan, brown, yellow, red, orange, gray and white. The formations, textures & color combine to create true works-of-art. As such, it is difficult to select a photo for this blog. Once again, the most spectacular views were created by nature! Bob painted and mounted a 5x6 foot beach scene in his condo. Today we discovered his inspiration!

Manly March 3

Back to normal today – sunny with heat to warrant sunscreen! We were away earlier and caught the 10:30 ferry arriving in Manly at 11 am. A direct run & everyone’s favourite way to travel to Manly. Our boat ride was a review of sites we recognize; the Opera House, spectacular views of the Harbour Bridge, Luna Park – the giant size happy-face, Cremorne Point (1st walk), Taronga Zoo – the cable car, seal tent & Treetop restaurant, & Watsons Bay with its lighthouse, before crossing the Tasman Sea inlet to the North Head & Manly Harbour. A 2nd opportunity to capture postcard quality photos, bath in the sunshine, & watch sailboats glide across the sparkling sea.
We followed Lewis & Elsa’s suggestions gained from their visit yesterday; stopped at the I-Site for maps, walked along the pedestrian mall, shopped at Coles’ supermarket for a picnic lunch, & then crossed the street to the Esplanade & Manly Beach. We watched the surfers & swimmers in the waves under the watchful eye of the lifeguard; flags strategically warning of the dangers of the undertow & where to play in safe waters. We sauntered along the Esplanade to Shelly Beach (1.5K) along the Cabbage Tree Bay aquatic reserve. We read the plaques & glanced at the marine life sculptures attached to the sandstone rocks along our way: weedy sea dragon, little penguin, snails and octopus. We snapped photos of the Eastern Water Dragons, from 3 inch to 3 foot ones basting in the sun. We ate our picnic in a quiet nook on the a bench in memory of a 55 year-old surfer ‘Big John’ with a wish for us to enjoy the view. We did enjoy the sandstone ridge coastal view (do you); & ate our lunch as 2 surfers navigated the surf far below us.
We enjoyed our visit to Manly and finished it with a beer from the 4 Pines Brewing Company. 4 Pines beer is brewed on the family-own premises; 4 regular brews on tap – Kolsch, Pale Ale, Hefeweizen and ESB. We sat on the patio to enjoy our beer and waited for our return ferry to Sydney. Lewis & Elsa had a memorable day at Watsons Bay and were waiting for us at the Wharf on our return; as Lewis would say “Manly – but I like it too!”
Tonight, Bob came for dinner – a little strange perhaps coming to his own home by invitation, but a great evening enjoyed by all. Yes, Lewis cooked a roast of lamb which was delicious!

Watsons Bay March 2

Still chilly today (20C) and it looked like rain; donned a jacket & took the train to the ferries. Lewis & Elsa have 2 more days on their more-expensive pass, which gives them access to Manly. So today, they explored Manly while we explored Watsons Bay. At Watsons Bay the 1st thing we see are fish eateries all named Doyle! (We thought of Mike ... Millie’s hubby!) We joined the cue for take-away fish & chips, sat at a table on the pier with Sydney & a marina of sail boats our backdrop. Can it get any better?
We followed the Harbour & Coastal Walks’ Guide and toured the 2.5 K circuit from the Wharf to South Head loop. We walked through the quaint streets of Watsons Bay to Camp Cove, a gorgeous swimming beach, before winding around the headland to Lady Bay (nude beach) and the lighthouse on the point. Sydney views are all along the walk with invigorating air on the headland. Sidebar: Lewis was told on his excursion that more suicides occur at Watsons’s lighthouse by leaping into the surf than at any other place in Sydney. Based on the rocks & surf, if you jump into the sea here, it is a one-way ticket! The lighthouse has the same colouring as Bonavista and the terrain looked like Marilyn’s area in Burin.
The houses are humble, charming and worth a fortune; cast-iron decorated gates & verandas, dormers, colourful hydranths, gardenia, orange jasmine & frangipani bushes adorn the gardens, and many had the look of a Newfie salt-box house. The 1872 black cannon sit pointing down-harbour to the Tasman Sea, where the view opens up to include Manly & the looming bulk of North Head. We walked through a patch of coastal banksias, tea trees & melaleucas to Lady Bay. This tiny golden crescent is a nudist beach. We were advised not to look if nudity bothers us! Needless to say I took a photo for Marilyn, tactfully captured the man’s back as he stepped along the rocky shore with a tree branch covering his rear! The headland track has remnants of pillboxes & fortifications dating from the Crimean War & WWII. Signage marks the 200+ years of shipwrecks bound for the safety of Sydney Harbour. There were noisy Rainbow Lorikeet and one lone Kookaburra on our stroll before returning to the foreshore promenade and the ferry wharf.
We caught the 2:50 ferry; arriving at Circular Quay at 3:10 just as the ferry from Manly was docking at Wharf 3 with Lewis & Elsa waving from the top deck. How’s that for timing? Tomorrow we will do the same excursions with the exchange of ferry passes ... we will fill you in on Manly tomorrow!

Sydney Living March 1

Sunday afternoon we took the train downtown to visit Chinatown & the gardens. At Town Hall we walked through the Queen Victoria Building. What an impressive building, with its stunning architecture, intricate tiled floors, domed roof, stained glass windows & elevator (lift), cast-iron decorative railings – not to mention the unique boutiques on each floor! The QVB was built in 1898 as a monument to the reigning monarch. There are jewellers, cafes, antique stores, Russian-made military miniatures store, model train & other ‘hobby’ stores plus a wide range of international boutiques (high-end brand $$$$). The clocks hanging from both ends of the mall are works of art – like in Prague or Vienna. We felt glued to the QVB & couldn’t resist checking out the 70% sale on the concourse level and the Aussie store for an authentic cow-hide ‘softie’ hat for Lewis. Oh if we could only get some of this stuff home without breakage! (Ashley Warehouse Sale+)! The most impressive place for the guys – the men’s urinals! First time using such an ornate P-spot! Unfortunately Elsa & I had to take their word for it, since they refused to take a photo! Couldn’t see why not, but neither wanted a black eye!
We walked to Chinatown but it was raining. We enjoyed a coffee & pastry (best value & taste); walked through a Chinese mall & Lewis found a great purchase at one of the video stores ... I will leave it at that! For dinner we ate the lamb dish Lewis had cooked overnight in the slow-cooker. Another fabulous meal! Too much food for late dining but what the heck....we are on vacation!
Monday, March 1 was cold (17 degrees) and raining. We couldn’t believe the temperature swing and wondered if the tsunami had an impact; from hot & steamy to wet & cold, but a good day to organize the next 2 weeks of our trip before Brisbane. We now have flights & car rentals organized for Melbourne to enjoy Lewis & Elsa’s timeshare in Mansfield (wine country in Victoria County) plus apartment, flights & car for the Gold Coast (Burleigh Heads Gemini Court Holiday Apts www.geminicourt.com.au). Regardless of the weather we will explore using the Ferries tomorrow!

Sunday Morning Feb 28

Yesterday Helen left for the airport at 7:30 am. Tom helped with her bags and saw her off at Edgecliff Train Station. Helen is well organized; so time to share breakfast together before she left. It seems strange without her. Best wishes for a great hassle-free flight back to Toronto via the US.
Lewis & Elsa arrived at 10:30 via taxi from Parramatta ($70 AUD); just too darn hot & humid to take the various trains & streets with luggage. They arrived to towels & sheets hung on the rotating clothesline by the pool ... prep for the turnover! This is their 1st OZ experience living without A/C! Lewis sat on the balcony using his wireless laptop; (thanks to Jack down-the-street) and fed our 2 Rainbow Lorikeet! Noticing screen-less doors & windows, he asked the familiar questions “will they fly inside?” and “are there mosquitoes?”
We took them shopping at Bondi Junction and the Nespresso coffee shop. A few free tastes later we had fresh supplies for Bob’s coffee machine! It is great coffee: 70 cents a cup beats $4 at a café. Due to the high heat & humidity; we decided to forego the Gay Mardi Gras parade tonight. It was crowded on the train and with the prediction of 6-7 deep viewers it would be hot & crowded! Watching the Olympics was a better alternative, as was enjoying one of Lewis’s great feeds with local beer / wine!
For their 1st night: good news in that it cooled down overnight enough to sleep a ‘little’; surprising news – Lewis & Elsa heard the ‘Birds’ at sunup this morning! He thought it should be recorded since nobody would believe the screeching! Helen would. Elsa thought she was in a bird sanctuary! Now let’s see how the rest of the day pans out!

Opera House Feb 26

Three days for the admission of one (Feb 24-26)!
Friday was Helen’s last full day down-under. She visited Bondi Beach, the largest most famous public beach in Sydney. Lewis & Elsa took the ferry from Parramatta (1 hour on the River Cat) + 2 trains to reach us here for lunch. They checked out the condo before returning to Parramatta to freshen up. We have tickets tonight for the Sydney Opera House to hear Nigel Kennedy & Friends perform ‘Bach meets the Duke’ in the world famous Concert Hall. We 5 + approx 2700 others were entertained for 3 hours by 27 talented musicians + Nigel Kennedy, a spiky-haired British violinist, composer and arranger. Kennedy rose to fame in 1989 with his Vivaldi’s Four Seasons rendition and upset a lot of symphony purist with his punk look and cockney mannerism. His unconventional stage presence (and colourful language including the 4-letter f--- word) has moved classical music to a new genre. The Concert Hall is huge with great acoustics; no bad seats in the house. Thank goodness for our seats were in angel stairs territory, 4 rows from the back in the “circle”. After the performance we strolled back to the train at Circular Quay, soaking in the ambiance of Sydney Harbour, with the backdrop of the city lights and a near full moon hanging between the Harbour Bridge & the Opera House. A memorable experience.....
Thursday we met Lewis & Elsa at Circular Quay (their first full day here) for a ferry ride to Pyemont Bay & Sydney’s Fish Market. The Fish Market is a strange combination of commercial operations and tourist trap. One can purchase any type of fresh ocean product ........or eat it at a number of restaurants. We opted for fish & chips, splitting a 6-pack of beer at the wharf-side seating area (along with seagulls and obis). We then strolled through Star City (huge casino) and along the promenade in Darling Harbour. Avatar playing at the IMAX 3D, but at $27/seat we took a pass, at least for now. Helen used her day visiting the Chinese Garden (a must see), touring Chinatown and revisiting the downtown shopping area before meeting us back at the condo.... a day enjoyed to its fullest but tiring!
Wednesday we relaxed. Then around 4pm we walked around Paddington in the area bounded by Jersey, Queen and Oxford streets. This inner-city village is home to scores of intriguing boutiques, specialty shops and art galleries; rated as #1 scene to see and be seen in the Sydney art world. Queen St has a high-end quaint grouping of delis, butcheries, cafes, fruit & veggie stores. The pricing is borderline scary, especially the butchery e.g. steak $70/kilo, $20 small roasted chicken. Oxford St is the main shopping area with a mixture of designer stores, bars, groceries & restaurants. Local dress fashions, hand-crafted shoes, etc. are featured in boutiques dotted along leafy residential streets lined with old terrace houses (clad in cast iron railings similar to New Orleans) and reflect the suburb’s heritage as one of the earliest settled areas of Sydney. Thank you Bob for inviting us into your Condo and your neighbourhood...

City Trip – Feb 23

Another hot day in the city but with promises the heat would subside by the end of day we decided on a museum day! Tom’s choice was the Customs House (City’s Library), a heritage building with a salon where you can relax & read a newspaper / magazine (150 local & international). It felt good to read a Globe & Mail even though it was 5 days old! We browsed exhibits; mostly focused on Taiwan or the Year of the Tiger. We checked out the rooftop restaurant – too upscale for a quick lunch without an expense account! From here we took separate paths. Helen went to Hyde Park & the Australian Museum (oldest in Australia). She was captivated by the dinosaur collection, spent time on a floor dedicated to crystals & minerals, but was enthralled by a special exhibition on photos from around the world – absolutely wonderful (her words). Tom & I took the train uptown to Central Station to walk Haymarket, near Darling Harbour and Sydney’s Chinatown. Haymarket is home to the city's Chinese community, settled in large numbers during the second half of the 19th Century and continues to grow, similar to the Asian communities in Toronto and Vancouver. It is filled with food halls, noodle bars & grocers specialising in Asian cuisine. We visited a Buda Temple site, a stop on the formal Chinatown tours and an opportunity to buy any Chinese trinket you can imagine! The area is well adorned with flags, banners & lanterns from the Lunar New Year (mostly red & gold). We slowly strolled through the markets & malls on route to Darling Harbour and the Chinese Garden before walking up Bathurst Street to Town Hall. We’ll tour the Chinese Garden when Lewis & Elsa are with us. Built in 1988 to celebrate Australia’s bicentenary; the garden is comprised of sheltered pavilions, bridges, reflective pools and landscape trees similar to an authentic Chinese garden. By the time we reached our home station the weather had changed significantly. With a drop in temperature to 22 C it felt a little chilly – a nice refreshing change! Tomorrow Lewis & Elsa arrive in Sydney. Helen is in countdown mode to Saturday’s flight home!

Sydney Zoo Feb 22

Although Monday was 34 C, Helen & I went to the Zoo! Taronga Zoo (home to 2660 animals) occupies the north shore point of Sydney Harbour across from the Opera House. When we got to Circular Quay Wharf 2 the ferry was already there. We were the last 2 passengers to board! A cool breeze off the sparkling water & a bus waiting to take us to the main gate – today would be great regardless of the heat! We visited the Aussie animals first: the emu, kangaroos, wallaby and koalas. The koalas were cute as expected as they napped and hung from their tree perch. They were the first & last animal we visited – just to see one with its eyes open! The kangaroos & wallaby were eating lunch on our ‘walk-about’, the Emu was giving us the eye; all were right at home with us nearby snapping a photo or two!
Among the more exotic species were komodo dragons, red pandas, Fennec Fox, snow leopards, wombats, and Meerkat. We searched for the platypus both in their cave and pool but all we saw was their picture! Shucks! We got up close to penguins, seals & sea lions; even sat through & enjoyed a seal show. We met the first elephant calf born in Australia (now 7½ months old) named Luk Chai in honour of his Thai heritage. We watched him play with a tire-wrapped hanging pole. When we got too close, the matriarch of the herd, also pregnant, and another pregnant elephant circled the little guy & hid him. We took in the QBE Free Flight Bird Show highlighting some of the 800 species of birds found in Australia. We sat with Sydney Harbour as a backdrop watching these birds and their unique talents: ‘Slammer’ the Black-Breasted Buzzard, ‘Billy’ the Brolga, ‘Jasper’, a rose-breasted Galahs and a flock of six Red-tailed Black Cockatoos. Absolutely beautiful! However I had the most fun & couldn’t resist holding out a ‘gold-coin’ (AUD $2) for ‘Stellar’, a Black Kite to collect and drop into the donation box! This bird flew inches over our head as he aimed for his intended target! The urge was to duck but the trainer told us not to bother because the Kite would just fly lower! Excited but nervous laughter filled the stands!
Other honourable members were: Kodiak bear, Aldabra Tortoise (a pair - the heat stirring up feelings in the old guy!), Himalayan Tahr, giraffes, Rhinoceros Iguana, lots of lizards and snakes! We had a great day! We lunched at the Zoo’s treetop cafe, sitting on a patio with the Sydney Harbour our landscape & a Kookaburra entertaining us from a branch overhead. We rode the Sky Safari cable car across the zoo grounds & to the pier for the ferry back to Circular Quay (no waiting & last ones to board). Great timing twice today.... our day what can I say!
Tom took the day off and spent it “his” way back at the condo. His first lone day since we left Toronto; needless to say he too enjoyed his day.

Chinese New Year’s Feb 21

Sydney’s week-long celebration of the CNY culminated in a large twilight parade and fireworks display. The parade started at Town Hall around 7:45 pm and wound its way down to Darling Harbour through Chinatown. We grabbed a quick dinner at DIN TAI FUNG (world famous dumplings) before staking out a position on the parade route at 6 PM. Long wait, but well worth it.........weather-wise more comfortable than a similar wait for Toronto’s Santa Claus parade. The parade was a display of lanterns(traditional Orient art), including 12-giant zodiac animal lanterns, small floats, marching bands, acrobatic and martial arts clubs, cultural associations and of course, human dragons (14 athletic young men brought the shortest dragon to life with 50+ men on the grand dragon); all this to hail the arrival of a giant metal tiger. The parade closed with an invitation “to return in 2011 to celebrate the Chinese year of the Rabbit” followed by a brightly lit colourful Rabbit float! It was a treat for the eyes and ears; spectacular costumes and wild drums! It was more than just Chinese performers, the Vietnamese & the Korean communities took part for the first time. The celebration involved 2700 performers, including 300 dancers and acrobats from Chongqing, in central China. The participants truly enjoyed themselves, with tremendous energy expended, especially the dragons. We were standing so close that several times we touched or were touched by the Dragon. The end of the parade (10 PM) and the brief fireworks display at Darling Harbour overlapped so we heard but could not see the display. The parade was well attended; matching last year’s attendance with more than 100,000. This year 50 chartered flights flew in from China just for the parade. Darling Harbour is one of the most popular entertainment areas in Sydney so even after the parade ended the streets were busy with the many clubs/restaurants. As we walked back to the train station for home, the city was already returning to normal..........but we carried with us the excitement of witnessing a fantastic parade!

Sydney Rocks Feb 20

The Rocks (not The ‘Rock’) is a downtown area in historic Sydney; bordered by the Harbour Bridge & the Opera House. The first European setters stepped ashore here so it is home to a number of Australia’s heritage sites, including Nurses’ Walk & Susannah Place which documents 150 years of change to domestic life right down to the original brick privies & open laundries. Other sites include the Observatory – now the museum of astronomy; the Lord Nelson Brewery – the oldest hotel in Sydney est. in 1841; The Hero of Waterloo pub pre 1850; and finally, Sydney’s sole remaining functional pissoir! The Rocks has 16 galleries, 4 museums, 2 theatres, boutique shopping, cafes, pubs, parks & some of the best views of the harbour. Today was also market day at the Rocks; with more than 200 stalls housed under a sail-like canopy and bounded by beer gardens and eateries.
We walked it all even though the temperature climbed to 29 C under sunny blue skies. The ambience of the street, the people, the views and the entertainment collectively made us feel great. Sydney is a wonderful city.

Paddington Feb 19

Today Helen ventured downtown to the museum. We shopped at Bondi Junction for a buggy strong enough to hold 6 bottles of wine! Success – time to shop at BWS (Beer Wine Spirits). Sale on wines, 25% means we purchased 6 bottles of quite drinkable local hooch; 4 white & 2 red! This afternoon we tried Bob’s favourite watering hole; the Lord Dudley old English-style pub. We were more than ready for a pint after walking 30 minutes uphill to the pub. Like always, the first time you visit a place you follow a map – which in this case provided neither the shortest nor easiest route. We will know better next time! The Guinness was cold & went down well in this very typical corner pub. Tonight, we had just finished dinner when Helen noticed about a dozen Grey-headed Flying-fox Bats circling like mad just off our balcony. First for us seeing so many Bats this close; it was rather scary and exciting at the same time. While the Bats were swooping and circling our small valley there were no other birds around. I tried capturing the Bat’s size in a photo but they were moving too quickly (you have us instead). One landed in a tree near the building; it was like watching a black umbrella closing then hanging upside down on the branch. Our excitement for the day!

Sydney Bridge Feb 18

Another great day to walk around Sydney; first the train to Circular Quay to begin our 1.5K walk across Harbour Bridge and then around to Lavender Bay for a 4K total walk (rated # 4 in Sydney’s best harbour & coastal walks guide). We stopped at the Sydney I-Site for maps & an Opera House performance schedule; gazed at the docked cruise ships; soaked in the views from the Harbour Bridge - took a ‘few’ photos. We did not climb the 200 steps to the top of the bridge structure but saw people who did, waving their arms from the highest point like a flag in the wind! No thanks; breeze was strong enough at street level with the updraft off the water several hundred feet below us. We couldn’t imagine climbing 200 steps to the top!
At North Sydney we walked pass the cafes of Kirribilli, then back down to the harbour front for a few “pauses” to check out the views from whence we came! We followed the water’s edge to the Olympic Pool and the Luna Park. The original Luna Park opened on Coney Island, New York in 1903 & by 1935 this Park had opened with a multi-story sized smiling face looking out over Sydney Harbour; entry is free but the rides are definitely not! Thank goodness the park was closed, so no temptation to see the view from the top of the Ferris wheel! Yes, we walked the entire 4K to McMahons Point Wharf at the opposite side of Lavender Bay. During our walk we spotted small figurines glued to stakes promoting Luna amusement park as well as the ribs of an old pier where the convict ships moored. Now look at the view!
The ferry from Lavender Bay took us into Darling Harbour and the King Street wharf; we decided to hop off there and walk some more! Across the harbour a Navy destroyer and submarine were moored, then on our side 2 large cruise ships + several paddle-wheel show boats. We strolled while the people around us virtually ran up King St, the business district. We commented on how much we don’t miss the hustle of grabbing a bite to eat in the middle of a working day! We lunched at MLC; a large complex where the first couple of floors cater to high-end retails and food courts. The food was good and the price was fair. From there we headed to Martin Place for the train home. Another full day; a good day!

Sydney Feb 17

Today we explored Sydney Harbour and the lower north shore; partly because of accessibility by train then ferry (included with our weekly pass), close to cafes, and offered outstanding harbour views. The weather was perfect, sunny enough for sunscreen and hats, but with a light ocean breeze. We caught the train shortly after 10 to City Hall, transferred to a 2nd train to Circular Quay and wharf 4 where we caught the ferry to Cremorne Point. Waiting for the ferry our landscape: Opera house to our right; Harbour Bridge on our left; downtown skyline behind us & ocean in front - wow!
We selected Cremorne Point as our first walk for its 3K easy circuit and were told it is crammed every New Year’s Eve thanks to its perfect Opera House and bridge view for the fireworks display. For years I’ve heard about Sydney Harbour and today we discovered why! Cremorne Point was the ferry’s 1st stop but we stayed on to tour the 4 other stops on the loop before disembarking (Harbour tour for the price of admission). Once off the boat we walked along the shoreline stopping numerous times to just look at Sydney Harbour. We stopped at McCallum pool noting again the protective barrier keeping swimmers from the open sea. We followed the shaded path of exotic plants and fragrant flowering plants / trees. There was one “poor” slob slaving away at his wireless laptop sitting on his balcony oblivious to our presence with the view of Sydney Harbour, the Opera House, and Bridge his landscape. Please!
Returning to Wharf 4, we walked 20 minutes to Bennelong Point the Sydney Opera House; we were surprised the roof was more ecru than white with each roof tile clearly defined. We had lunch at a nearby cafe before strolling through the Royal Botanical Gardens back to the train for home. The garden was established in 1816 on the colony’s first farm; lush parkland with over 17,000 plant species. We walked among the Moreton Bay Fig trees marvelling at their buttress roots as we watched overhead for sleeping Grey-headed Flying-fox Bats, which are among the largest bats in the world. The only one we saw was dead, under an M-B-Fig tree outside the condo. However we did see Ibis birds with their long down-curved bills! Not bad for our first real outing In Sydney ... easy to get around providing you take public transit! Now all we are missing is a grocery bundle buggy to tote our wine home; you pay NZ$6 per bottle when you buy 6!

Hello Sydney

Welcome to Sydney with us into our 2nd home exchange; another winner! We arrived Saturday to a wet humid city but luckily missed the torrential rainfall the previous night. We taxied to Bob’s place; recognizing him as we approached his building (he was getting his post). Immediately, he made us feel at home; well organized for our arrival; his bags packed ready to stay at his daughter’s, with time to help us get settled. Helen is with us, Liz returned to Toronto from Auckland on Saturday. Bob has wonderful wall art that either he or a friend painted; amazing ceramic pieces he’s made; Sky HD TV, internet, plus a great coffee maker; all the comforts of home and more! Before leaving, Bob walked us to local shopping to pick up a few groceries and introduce us to his neighbourhood: his pub, transit and wine store. Going there we walked up a treed hill path behind the condo and used the streets on the return. Bob was surprised at the path’s erosion caused by the night’s rain as we sidestepped over a muddy broken path.
In Hamilton we had Sassy the cat. Here we are a bit more exotic with 2 Rainbow Lorikeet that arrive daily to be fed on the balcony. Shhh, this is not allowed by the Condo Association but they are too pretty to ignore! They are not shy about squawking to get your attention. It’s like living in an aviary; noisy bird neighbours, especially at sunrise! It’s just a case of getting used to it....right?
Sunday morning, Valentine’s Day, Bob took us on a tour of the city and local beaches using his car. We planned on using public transit for the city except it rained frequently. We will repay this debt of kindness when Bob visits us in May. Truly his tour helped orientate us to the possibilities right outside our door; from a bus ride to some awesome beaches (most having protective barriers so you can swim in the ocean without fear of sharks, but metres away others surfed the waves) to a 2-stop train ride to the heart of the City. We have adapted already! Monday Tom & Helen bought transit passes ($41/wk) for their first look at the City and the local Mall(2 stops direction city & 1 stop the other) – comfort zone established! Today we shopped for sales (even better with the stronger CAD$). Gosh it was great to come home knowing we did not need to pack and move! By the way the weather is great and so is the local wine!

Auckland Feb 12

The Coromandel peninsula has over 400K of coastline, beautiful beaches & rugged volcanic hills cloaked in native rainforest. The temptation to see more than just Whangamata when we were only 2 hrs drive from Auckland was uncontrollable! On route to hwy 25A to cross the peninsula; there was a road to a lookout over Whangamata beach & Onemana. Onemana is a natural amphitheatre bounded on 3 sides by Norfolk & white pine forest and Pacific Ocean. The pictures of both places gave us reason to check it out & we had the time! Well we drove 4K on the peninsula road before turning around; it was like a scene from a deliverance movie! Onemana was peaceful with an unspoiled beach; signs posted of the undertow dangers & only swim with lifeguard supervision. Easter was the next scheduled duty!
The drive along hwy 25A was mostly through reforestation initiatives; hills ranged from raggedy bare, yearlings to full grown trees. You know “you often have to tear down to go forward”! The roads were better than driving up the coastal road and by 11 am we were within 90K of Auckland so we took the scenic Seabird Coast versus the direct route. The Seabird Coast - classed as a bird watchers dream, was our last chance to drive along the ocean; we took the bait! We saw dozens of Black Swans with bright red beaks, sea gulls and boring lowlands. This is one section of NZ you can take a pass on or perhaps we are just spoiled! We stopped for lunch at the end of the drive at a roadside Chinese Veggie stand, later to discover we were only a KM away from all kinds of cafes & bistros! Go Figure!!
We drove through Auckland, called the City of Sails. Why? Auckland is a city of marinas and high buildings! However we weren’t in the mood to tackle another city; all we wanted was the Jet Park airport hotel & its pool. We ate dinner at their award winning restaurant, not a disappointment nor was the local wine! Then early to bed for our 6 am rise and flight to Australia! New Zealand was everything and more than we had hoped! Would we come again? Who knows but if you’ve never been – well this is nature’s paradise!

Whangamata Feb 11

We were up early this morning to take advantage of the free internet. Our host, Sheryll booked us into another Host Accommodation Motel at Auckland Airport for tomorrow night; the free airport shuttle meant Liz could spend time at the pool versus the airport. Today we visited the Coromandel peninsula. Instead of counting sheep as we drove away from Rotorua we counted hotspots where steam & vapour escaped from the ground. There was also the cooling tower of Ohaaki geothermal power station; first a panic when we thought it was a nuclear power plant on these very unsettled grounds! What can I say it was early & usually a cooling tower means nuclear to us – how hot is hot!
Remember the 100K climb to Taupo yesterday, well today we drove down the other side! We drove Pyes Pass, an absolute engineering feat & lots of money! The road’s been upgraded; cliffs reinforced with steel mesh & bolted into the rock face. It is still a roller-coaster decent to the Bay of Plenty & the South Pacific Ocean. We were surrounded by very tall trees, higher than most hydro poles. The practice seen on the South Island to use trees as windbreakers continues here, protecting orchards. Avocado, apples, oranges and soft flesh fruit orchards tempt us with their fresh fruit & vegetable stands; but the familiar phrase comes to mind “you can’t take it with you” on an airplane this time!
The road to Whangamata (‘wh’ is an ‘f’ sound) was 29K but over an hour’s drive; signs posted warned of winding roads for the next 3 or 4 KM. What should be posted is when to expect straight roads so you can take a breath! We were thankful we would not return this route and hoped the road across the peninsula to Thames was less stressful. Whangamata is a seaside holiday resort with a 4K ocean beach of white powdery sand, sparkling ocean, waves and rock formation views. It was irresistible! We checked into the Blake Court Motel (found in our accommodation books); changed into beach clothes, layered on sun screen then hit the beach! We sent the afternoon on one of the best beaches we’ve found in NZ. We played in the surf, walked the beach (end-to-end) & searched for the best seashell! What a glorious way to spend our last ‘real’ day in NZ, on a jewel of a beach on the Pacific Coast.