We are sitting watching the torrential rain (notice the theme?) waiting to get the shuttle to the airport to leave Darwin for Melbourne. The airport doesn't seem worried about the flight leaving on the edge of a cyclone, she'll be right they said.
Thursday 18th - contd
The rain carried on...but we decided to go out anyway. Everyone here just walks around in their ordinary clothes in it, our waterproofs look very out of place. We went to the Botanic Gardens ("Isn't it too wet?" said someone on the bus, ha ha) and fuirst to the nearby beach - rather like walking on Barmouth beach in August. The gardens were beautiful, the rainforest section seemed particularly appropriate for the day.
Later we decided to brave the film "Australia" in spite of what the critics have said. They were right. Don't know if it's been released in England yet? The plot and acting are dire, but if you put your fingers in your ears and just watch the scenery, it's tremendous. It was just what we'd seen for real the day before, so the timing was perfect. A couple of scenes were especially ironic - showing the cinema in Darwin in the 1930s, everyone fanning themselves because of the ferocious heat - while I was huddled in my waterproof in the present-day day one trying to get away from the ferocious air-conditioning...
And a walk back through the torrential rain...
Friday 19th December
Woke up to ...you've guessed it.
So another busride, this time to somewhere dry - the Museum and Art Gallery, small but very interesting. We particularly liked the didplay of all the venomous creatures around here...treading carefully so as not to be paralysed within 15 minutes, as seems quite likely, we walked along the cliffs and beaches, heading for shelter every half-hour or so. Saw some good birds, which don't appear to be venomous...on the whole.
Out in Darwin in the evening, torrential...well, you know. It didn't deter the Friday-night-before-Christmas revellers, was great fun. Walked back through etc etc.
We've loved Darwin in spite of the etc., but it has let us down a bit - we have seen signs of Christmas in several shops and malls, and even heard piped Xmas music twice, but it hasn't been too intrusive.
off to Melbourne any minute, so the adventurous first half of the trip is over - we probably won't blog much for a while as we spend Christmas with the family, the first since before Kate was born! So all of you have a great Christmas and New Year, we'll be thinking of you all.
Oh, and it's still raining!!
Friday, 19 December 2008
Wednesday, 17 December 2008
Thursday 18th DEC
Thursday 18th Dec.
We are sat in our backpackers lodge enjoying the vicissitudes of world travel. Phoning banks to unlock bankcards which their global security network has blocked. Watching the tropical rain falling in vertical rods and trying to coax an aged computer to a) stop defaulting to facebook and b) upload pictures at a slightly faster rate than I could develop them with chemicals. The local paper said the Cyclone will miss us so Jen put in a load of washing but the tropical rain is everywhere. We are still learning about "blogging" and had not picked up your many messages. We are very please to have received them, sorry we missed them. especially for "Trod", how could I forget you, at least you cannot argue with me wt this distance. Love to all at Longdon.
This pic. is from way back in November. It shows a fairly typical "wet" landing at dawn from a panga on a dark volcanic sand beach. The surf was often much bigger than this. Jen is to the left of the boat and next to her is Monica our certificated level 3 Galapagos guide. Who also owned and ran a pre-school in Santa Cruz. In the background between the two boats is the most recently active and youngest island, Less than 4000 years old and active last year.
This is how close you can get to the wildlife on Galapagos
This is not taken with a zoom lens. He is a very large land Iguana about 1 metre long.
This is a fur seal (actually a sea -lion) and can be distinguished by his external ears. Ahighlight was standing next to one of these about 2/3 metres long and seemingly fast asleep. The guide said he was guarding the 4 cubs playing in the water behind him and the women of the party complained that typically he was asleep on the job, but, seconds later he was chasing an invading young male back out to sea with the speed of a jet boat.
Jen, Monica and Jimmy riding a pangs
up
Wednesday 17th December
Monday 15th - concluded
Well, we didn't swim with the crocodiles but the Crocodylus exhibit in Darwin was really good. Billed intriguingly as "3 storeys of crocodile pens"... well, it's exactly that. It IS possible to swim with Snowy, a particularly mean 6 metre croc - in a strenghtened perspex cage bearing his teeth marks. But at $120 we decided against it. But there are loads of good crocodiley things, and an excellent Reptile Cente showing lots of the things that crawl, slither and bite up here -with good advice if you do get bitten. (Try to remember what it was, don't go near anything brown) We also cuddled a bearded dragon (about 20cm), a blue-tongued skink and an olive python. All were very lovable and well-behaved but we weren't allowed to take them home.
Tuesday 16th December
Up at 5.30 (this is habit-forming) for a pick-up by the coach taking us to Kakadu. Apparently this used to be a 14-hour drive by 4WD 30 years ago, but is now only 2hrs30 min from Darwin. Very beautiful drive passing througfh 5 distinct types of vegetation, from floodplain to rainforest, but mostly savannah. Raining all the way, very green! We started by seeing the Aboriginal rock paintings at Nuralangie and going for a short bushwalk to a lookout - during which we saw something brown, a deadly brown snake, which luckily slept peacefully in a watercourse and left us alone. Pretty little agile wallabies were around all day. The lookout gave us an inkling of what we were to experience - untold miles of untouched country, steep escarpments in the distance. The paintings were wonderful as well, we also began to get a feel for the culture which could survive in such a place.
By afternoon, the rain had cleared, not to return until the night; very hot and humid, but we were told it wasn't nearly as bad as it was last week when the Wet began, so we felt very lucky - and it was more tolerable than we'd expected. So we had a glorious cruise on the Yellow Water Billabong. We saw pretty little jacanas tiptoeing over the lilypads, white-bellied sea-eagles, bid Jabiru storks, a lovely diver -a bit like a cormorant but with a very long neck, called a Darter, brolgas flying over, magpie geese, several types of egret... it was very like being in Galapagos, the wildlife let us get very close without being disturbed. And that went for the crocs as well...about 7 or 8 of them. Very exciting.
After that, we'd opted for a flight over this bit of Kakadu, along with one other person from the tour, so we were taken to a tiny bush airstrip for a completely staggering hour's flight on a small Skyvan light plane. What an experience, flying over the savannah and wetlands until we reached the escarpments we'd seen in the morning. We were flown aroungd some of the famous waterfalls, which after the rains of the last week were very spectacular - as was the flying at this point, involving banked turns of 40 to 60 degrees! We flew as close as you can get to Arnemland, which is Aboriginal land and can only be entered with a government permit. The escarpments were magnificently eroded into endless rock formations. It was impossible to see how the first explorers ever made it to the Top End. We finally landed at another tiny airstrip - made for a large uranium mine which we flew close to . With a healthy glow we emerged from the flight- we were so glad we'd done it. We were told that in that hour we'd covered perhaps 1% of the area of Kakadu. Trying to describe its vastness is impossible.
Then we were delivered to our motel, in the depths of the bush. A lovely place, where you can walk out of your room to see dingoes and wallabies within a few yards. We went for a walk to the local billabong - making sure NOT to go close to the edge, and watched the birdlife and the butterflies smothering a tree in blossom - all the varieties you might see in a tropical house at home. Then a swim in the pool as it got dark, flying foxes overhead, and delicious barramundi (they live in the billabongs) for dinner.
Wednesday 17th December
A lie in this morning, breakfast at 7:00. This morning there were only 2 of us on the 46 seater coach. The "crocs" didn't get the rest, all bar 2 were only on a day trip and returned to Darwin last night. We had a 45 minute drive back across Kakadu to its western border, picking up the other couple who had stayed in a more expensive hotel built in the shape of a crocodile???? Our first stop was at Ubirra, a site of many Rock paintings that has restricted access. Our coachdriver has a key for a locked gate, but he was still checked up on by a ranger a couple of hours later. On the way to this place the coach had to cross two floodways with water about half a metre deep. The paintings were spectacular but the views over the escarpment and the wetlands from the lookout matched them. You don't know what green is 'till you've seen Kakadu in the Wet. As usual there were many interesting plants and wildlife including "Drongo" birds, Kites, Monitor lizards, tiny rock wallabies and the huge Walleroos, a heavily built species of Kangaroo, of which we saw two having a stand up boxing match.
Then came a hic-cup in the day. We were at the East Alligator river which was now in flood. These flood waters had covered the floodways we crossed earlier and had now cut the main route eastwards (until next March!!!). It had also caused our scheduled boat trip to be shutdown and the boats taken out of the water and moved to their wet season location. This move wouldn't complete until next week so the tour was rejigged. Morning tea then a drive back out of the park on the way the coach had to brake hard to avoid hitting a 2/3 foot Frilled lizard that sat in the middle of the road and refused to give until with the coach over the top of him he took to his hind legs and ran.
A lunch stop at the "Bark Hut" (transport caff. extraordinaire) then a hastily organised trip on the Adelaide river closer to Darwin. We had a 30 seat high speed swamp boat with just 4 of us in, as the guide cruised the river and tempted out about 8 crocodiles in various places who have learned that this boat gives them a quick snack of lamb chops if they swim out to it and are prepared to jump high out of the water to grab it. Each of the crocs had different features, "personalities"? The biggest "Stumpy" an old black male took his chops then cruised around the boat leaving you in no doubt that he fancied you next.
The guide then fed the Kites that dived and plucked the meat off the waters surface with great skill. Crocs. have proved to be frightening and fascinating, undoubtedly some people in the Northern territories have a "croc" obsession which is quite understandable. They are predicting a bad flooding "Wet Season" based on the early breeding of the crocs. Back to Darwin tired with exhilaration but we now have the warnings of the first Cyclone of the season and may look for an early flight out.
Well, we didn't swim with the crocodiles but the Crocodylus exhibit in Darwin was really good. Billed intriguingly as "3 storeys of crocodile pens"... well, it's exactly that. It IS possible to swim with Snowy, a particularly mean 6 metre croc - in a strenghtened perspex cage bearing his teeth marks. But at $120 we decided against it. But there are loads of good crocodiley things, and an excellent Reptile Cente showing lots of the things that crawl, slither and bite up here -with good advice if you do get bitten. (Try to remember what it was, don't go near anything brown) We also cuddled a bearded dragon (about 20cm), a blue-tongued skink and an olive python. All were very lovable and well-behaved but we weren't allowed to take them home.
Tuesday 16th December
Up at 5.30 (this is habit-forming) for a pick-up by the coach taking us to Kakadu. Apparently this used to be a 14-hour drive by 4WD 30 years ago, but is now only 2hrs30 min from Darwin. Very beautiful drive passing througfh 5 distinct types of vegetation, from floodplain to rainforest, but mostly savannah. Raining all the way, very green! We started by seeing the Aboriginal rock paintings at Nuralangie and going for a short bushwalk to a lookout - during which we saw something brown, a deadly brown snake, which luckily slept peacefully in a watercourse and left us alone. Pretty little agile wallabies were around all day. The lookout gave us an inkling of what we were to experience - untold miles of untouched country, steep escarpments in the distance. The paintings were wonderful as well, we also began to get a feel for the culture which could survive in such a place.
By afternoon, the rain had cleared, not to return until the night; very hot and humid, but we were told it wasn't nearly as bad as it was last week when the Wet began, so we felt very lucky - and it was more tolerable than we'd expected. So we had a glorious cruise on the Yellow Water Billabong. We saw pretty little jacanas tiptoeing over the lilypads, white-bellied sea-eagles, bid Jabiru storks, a lovely diver -a bit like a cormorant but with a very long neck, called a Darter, brolgas flying over, magpie geese, several types of egret... it was very like being in Galapagos, the wildlife let us get very close without being disturbed. And that went for the crocs as well...about 7 or 8 of them. Very exciting.
After that, we'd opted for a flight over this bit of Kakadu, along with one other person from the tour, so we were taken to a tiny bush airstrip for a completely staggering hour's flight on a small Skyvan light plane. What an experience, flying over the savannah and wetlands until we reached the escarpments we'd seen in the morning. We were flown aroungd some of the famous waterfalls, which after the rains of the last week were very spectacular - as was the flying at this point, involving banked turns of 40 to 60 degrees! We flew as close as you can get to Arnemland, which is Aboriginal land and can only be entered with a government permit. The escarpments were magnificently eroded into endless rock formations. It was impossible to see how the first explorers ever made it to the Top End. We finally landed at another tiny airstrip - made for a large uranium mine which we flew close to . With a healthy glow we emerged from the flight- we were so glad we'd done it. We were told that in that hour we'd covered perhaps 1% of the area of Kakadu. Trying to describe its vastness is impossible.
Then we were delivered to our motel, in the depths of the bush. A lovely place, where you can walk out of your room to see dingoes and wallabies within a few yards. We went for a walk to the local billabong - making sure NOT to go close to the edge, and watched the birdlife and the butterflies smothering a tree in blossom - all the varieties you might see in a tropical house at home. Then a swim in the pool as it got dark, flying foxes overhead, and delicious barramundi (they live in the billabongs) for dinner.
Wednesday 17th December
A lie in this morning, breakfast at 7:00. This morning there were only 2 of us on the 46 seater coach. The "crocs" didn't get the rest, all bar 2 were only on a day trip and returned to Darwin last night. We had a 45 minute drive back across Kakadu to its western border, picking up the other couple who had stayed in a more expensive hotel built in the shape of a crocodile???? Our first stop was at Ubirra, a site of many Rock paintings that has restricted access. Our coachdriver has a key for a locked gate, but he was still checked up on by a ranger a couple of hours later. On the way to this place the coach had to cross two floodways with water about half a metre deep. The paintings were spectacular but the views over the escarpment and the wetlands from the lookout matched them. You don't know what green is 'till you've seen Kakadu in the Wet. As usual there were many interesting plants and wildlife including "Drongo" birds, Kites, Monitor lizards, tiny rock wallabies and the huge Walleroos, a heavily built species of Kangaroo, of which we saw two having a stand up boxing match.
Then came a hic-cup in the day. We were at the East Alligator river which was now in flood. These flood waters had covered the floodways we crossed earlier and had now cut the main route eastwards (until next March!!!). It had also caused our scheduled boat trip to be shutdown and the boats taken out of the water and moved to their wet season location. This move wouldn't complete until next week so the tour was rejigged. Morning tea then a drive back out of the park on the way the coach had to brake hard to avoid hitting a 2/3 foot Frilled lizard that sat in the middle of the road and refused to give until with the coach over the top of him he took to his hind legs and ran.
A lunch stop at the "Bark Hut" (transport caff. extraordinaire) then a hastily organised trip on the Adelaide river closer to Darwin. We had a 30 seat high speed swamp boat with just 4 of us in, as the guide cruised the river and tempted out about 8 crocodiles in various places who have learned that this boat gives them a quick snack of lamb chops if they swim out to it and are prepared to jump high out of the water to grab it. Each of the crocs had different features, "personalities"? The biggest "Stumpy" an old black male took his chops then cruised around the boat leaving you in no doubt that he fancied you next.
The guide then fed the Kites that dived and plucked the meat off the waters surface with great skill. Crocs. have proved to be frightening and fascinating, undoubtedly some people in the Northern territories have a "croc" obsession which is quite understandable. They are predicting a bad flooding "Wet Season" based on the early breeding of the crocs. Back to Darwin tired with exhilaration but we now have the warnings of the first Cyclone of the season and may look for an early flight out.
Sunday, 14 December 2008
Monday 15th December
More Photos
This is the dining room on the boat. The food was superb 3 Full meals a day whatever the set of the sea.
This is just one of several good Tortoise photos.
It serves to make a point about age as we are the youngest here by along way. The wrinkle counting contest was a close thing. This was in a special reserve on the Island of Baltra but later we saw some in the wild, just as big.
Tried to upload more photos on the computer in this lodge but again no go at this speed.
Sunday 14th Dec.
A 4 hour flight across the whole of Australia. A quick view of the Blue Mountains inland from Sydney then hours of brown desert. The ground then turned green and towering clouds appeared as we approached Darwin. We had to put our clocks back by 1 and a half hours with the longitude change. On landing we hit real humid tropical heat and raging thunderstorms.
We are in a basic but very good backpackers lodge, the former YWCA, but we would struggle if it did not have Aircon. We strolled around town that evening but with a warning in our ears that some nearby streets were not safe after "10" because of the drunks, we promised to behave. We did have one drink in the YHA bar watching the England/India test match. It then closed at 9:00
The views over the Darwin Harbour are splendid but it seems to be a measure of life here that the war years 1941-45 are heavily commemorated. Until you see it it is hard to realise how desperately close Australia came to being invaded by the Japanese and how threadbare the defence was.
Our evening was punctuated by a fantastic range of bird calls finising with a huge tree filled with screeching Lorikeets above the Vietnamese restaurant we were in.
Monday 15th Decmber
Typical of the tropics, we understand, this morning was clear and beautiful. By 8:00 we were down by the sea at a fish feeding station. Here at high tide the fish come in to be hand fed, Diamond Mullett, "Mother in law fish" (mouths outlined in white), Milkfish the size of sharks, Shovel nosed rays, Toadfish, and Barramundi, loitering with intent. The mullet mobbed your feet as you paddled and would take the bread very gently from your hand and wriggle to be stroked. They were so lovely Jennifer has decided she cannot eat fish and chips again, unfortunate as thats what I've booked for tonight.
Our lunch break, (after calling at the YHA bar again to watch the Honk Kong 6 a side cricket), included a swim in the lodge pool before the heavens opened with the daily storm which fell in torrents. It is easing now so we may go to swim with the Crocodiles???
Saturday, 13 December 2008
first image
As we sailed we were usually accompanied by flights of these beautiful Frigate birds and occasionally the even more beautiful tropic birds which were too quick to photograph. Unfortunately at the end of the trip we found that the frigates were also good bombers as several of us one lunchtime had to resort to changes of clothes and showers.
Sunday 13th December
We are sat in the Sydney airport terminal at about 10am. waiting for our flight to Darwin with some trepidation. We have watched the weather forecasts there for over a week and seen only storms and rain and 30 degree + temperatures.
Saturaday 12 th December
Today was a different season in Sydney, 18 degrees and driving rain gave way to 34 degrees, hot sun and a gale force hot wind!! What a country!
We headed off first on a ferry to the seaside suburb of Manly. We got what turned out to be a bargain of a day pass for all transport for about 7 quid. At Manly the surf was rolling high and the weekend beach Aussies were just getting in to a good day. We then walked up onto a headland to the south which was a wonderful bit of bush country, with a fantastis array of birds and some very elusive frogs who sang like the "frog chorus" but could not be seen anywhere, and went quiet if you peered into the undergrowth. We did spot a "snake-headed turtle" in the pools.
At lunch time we caught the ferry back and had a delightful harbour cruise before going on the bus (free) to the Maritime museum. to get there we had to walk across Darling harbour bridge which is a fantastic opening swing bridge, with a mono-rail running over the top. Th e musem is first class, we visited the tall ship "James Craig", (Jennifer declined to book a bunk on their next trip), A replica of the Endeavour, a modern destryer and submarine and many opther live and static exhibits. On a hot day good though it was we were "museumed out" by 4:30 and caught a ferry (free) back to circular quay.
After an enourmous ice-cream on the quayside, eaten in the teeth of 34 degree gale gusts, we took a stroll around the incredible botanic gardens, in which roost a large population of flying foxes (huge Fruit bats), just waking up to fly across the bay. walking back to our hotel to shower and freshen up, feeling dusty and tired we had to walk through the "Glitterati" of Sydney all in Tux and posh frocks, supping champagne outside the Opera house.
Completely refreshed we then dined very well at a quayside restaurant ( indoors as the wind did blow). We then got our last bargain of the day when we jumped the late ferry to Woolwich with our card and watched the brilliant fireworks set off in the middle of the bay by the opera house and the had an hours beautiful tour of the bay on a quiet ferry with the stars out and all the Sydney lights displayed, fantastic. There was even a full moon. "Too many splendours" said the bloke next to us. Too right.
Saturaday 12 th December
Today was a different season in Sydney, 18 degrees and driving rain gave way to 34 degrees, hot sun and a gale force hot wind!! What a country!
We headed off first on a ferry to the seaside suburb of Manly. We got what turned out to be a bargain of a day pass for all transport for about 7 quid. At Manly the surf was rolling high and the weekend beach Aussies were just getting in to a good day. We then walked up onto a headland to the south which was a wonderful bit of bush country, with a fantastis array of birds and some very elusive frogs who sang like the "frog chorus" but could not be seen anywhere, and went quiet if you peered into the undergrowth. We did spot a "snake-headed turtle" in the pools.
At lunch time we caught the ferry back and had a delightful harbour cruise before going on the bus (free) to the Maritime museum. to get there we had to walk across Darling harbour bridge which is a fantastic opening swing bridge, with a mono-rail running over the top. Th e musem is first class, we visited the tall ship "James Craig", (Jennifer declined to book a bunk on their next trip), A replica of the Endeavour, a modern destryer and submarine and many opther live and static exhibits. On a hot day good though it was we were "museumed out" by 4:30 and caught a ferry (free) back to circular quay.
After an enourmous ice-cream on the quayside, eaten in the teeth of 34 degree gale gusts, we took a stroll around the incredible botanic gardens, in which roost a large population of flying foxes (huge Fruit bats), just waking up to fly across the bay. walking back to our hotel to shower and freshen up, feeling dusty and tired we had to walk through the "Glitterati" of Sydney all in Tux and posh frocks, supping champagne outside the Opera house.
Completely refreshed we then dined very well at a quayside restaurant ( indoors as the wind did blow). We then got our last bargain of the day when we jumped the late ferry to Woolwich with our card and watched the brilliant fireworks set off in the middle of the bay by the opera house and the had an hours beautiful tour of the bay on a quiet ferry with the stars out and all the Sydney lights displayed, fantastic. There was even a full moon. "Too many splendours" said the bloke next to us. Too right.
Thursday, 11 December 2008
Friday 12th December
Monday 8th December
Haircut for Jen! And a very nice one too. The hairdresser horrified to hear that it'll now be dark by late afternoon in the UK.
Then we went a few km. to Mogo Zoo - an excellent little place, good breeding programmes. Including for snow leopards, white lions and red pandas. Also some very nicely performing otters, and best of all a fantastic tapir enclosure with swimming tapirs, J. in paradise. Harry of course had his photo taken with them, he is a very well-travelled baby tapir, thanks to Rebecca who was one of my pupils last year.
Tuesday 9th
A sunny day in Australia at last! We headed up into the Snowy Mountains, which you can see from Moruya. Stopped off at a lovely litttle National Trust village called Tilbe, kept in 19th century style, Then on for a long way, up and up a road which became like a rollercoaster till we came to Piper's Lookout, we were lucky enough to see the sea across the plains, a beautiful view. On the way back we stopped at the coast, a nice town called Bergamui, where we were good Samaritans and rescued a snake-headed turtle which was sitiing in the middle of the road! We've now re-acquainted ourselves with most of the Aussie wildlife - kangaroos, wallabies, echidnas, kookaburras, magpies, rosellas and other parrots, cockatoos, galahs... etc. etc. The only one we were used to seeing in Victoria which we haven't here is koalas - in fact in the forest at Bergamui therewas a notice saying : Zero Tolerance for Koalas! Don't know what that's all about, nor do the people at Sydney Zoo.
Wednesday 10th
A visit to the excellent little Botanic Gardens at Batemans Bay, lots of wildlife and good info on native vegetation. Then a couple of beach visits, to Broulee again which we love, and Tuross Head - lovely tombolo beach, great pelicans!
Thursday 11th
Packed and cleaned up at the house - thanks, Andy & Erica, we really enjoyed our stay there, very comfortable and restful. Then drove to Sydney to return the car, arrived at this gorgeous little hotel - the Russell at The Rocks- late afternoon. More thanks to E&A who recommended it to us. One block back from Circular Quay, within 2 mins you can see the Opera House (15 mins walk) and the Harbour Bridge, so we had a good stickybeak around then caught a ferry to Darling Harbour for dinner. Hordes of flying foxes were also heading for their dinner, from the Botanical Gardeens where they spend the days roosting. Darling very noisy and lively, especially at 10pm when huge dinner-cruise boats come in, each one more huge & fanciful than the last. Walked back through central Sydney, again very lively, but blissfully low-key when it comes to Christmas - no street lights, and only a few decorations in shops and restaurants. Yet they say it's frenzied here!
Friday 12th December
Set off at 6.20 am to do a trip booked from England, little idea what to expect but it was wonderful - despite the rain which gradually become more torrential and is even worse 12 hours later! Starting at the Opera House at 7am we went for a backstage tour - really fascinating and exciting. Massive!! Then a huge breakfast in the Green Room backstage, and a water taxi which arrived on time to the minute, to Taronga Zoo, where we rode the cable car from the entrance up into the heart of the Zoo. What a place. We were met by a keeper, Elli, who took us off for a 2 hour+ Experience - meeeting koalas, stroking bilbies and echidnas and wallabies, and seeing how the food is prepared and generally learning all about the native wildlife. Ending with morning tea (of course, all in the tour) and 2 toy wombats, friends for Harry. We trailed on through the rain, saw the Malaysian tapir (very bad-tempered, not like the lovely Brazilian ones), and watched the amazing penguin and leopard seal underwater tanks before giving up on the rain and coming back to the hotel. Forgot the reptile house, superb, including a Komodo dragon, enormous. The best zoo we've ever seen, surely in the world? If you come to Sydney, you must do this tour. Better weather expected tomorrow, we're fed up of this Welsh weather now!
Haircut for Jen! And a very nice one too. The hairdresser horrified to hear that it'll now be dark by late afternoon in the UK.
Then we went a few km. to Mogo Zoo - an excellent little place, good breeding programmes. Including for snow leopards, white lions and red pandas. Also some very nicely performing otters, and best of all a fantastic tapir enclosure with swimming tapirs, J. in paradise. Harry of course had his photo taken with them, he is a very well-travelled baby tapir, thanks to Rebecca who was one of my pupils last year.
Tuesday 9th
A sunny day in Australia at last! We headed up into the Snowy Mountains, which you can see from Moruya. Stopped off at a lovely litttle National Trust village called Tilbe, kept in 19th century style, Then on for a long way, up and up a road which became like a rollercoaster till we came to Piper's Lookout, we were lucky enough to see the sea across the plains, a beautiful view. On the way back we stopped at the coast, a nice town called Bergamui, where we were good Samaritans and rescued a snake-headed turtle which was sitiing in the middle of the road! We've now re-acquainted ourselves with most of the Aussie wildlife - kangaroos, wallabies, echidnas, kookaburras, magpies, rosellas and other parrots, cockatoos, galahs... etc. etc. The only one we were used to seeing in Victoria which we haven't here is koalas - in fact in the forest at Bergamui therewas a notice saying : Zero Tolerance for Koalas! Don't know what that's all about, nor do the people at Sydney Zoo.
Wednesday 10th
A visit to the excellent little Botanic Gardens at Batemans Bay, lots of wildlife and good info on native vegetation. Then a couple of beach visits, to Broulee again which we love, and Tuross Head - lovely tombolo beach, great pelicans!
Thursday 11th
Packed and cleaned up at the house - thanks, Andy & Erica, we really enjoyed our stay there, very comfortable and restful. Then drove to Sydney to return the car, arrived at this gorgeous little hotel - the Russell at The Rocks- late afternoon. More thanks to E&A who recommended it to us. One block back from Circular Quay, within 2 mins you can see the Opera House (15 mins walk) and the Harbour Bridge, so we had a good stickybeak around then caught a ferry to Darling Harbour for dinner. Hordes of flying foxes were also heading for their dinner, from the Botanical Gardeens where they spend the days roosting. Darling very noisy and lively, especially at 10pm when huge dinner-cruise boats come in, each one more huge & fanciful than the last. Walked back through central Sydney, again very lively, but blissfully low-key when it comes to Christmas - no street lights, and only a few decorations in shops and restaurants. Yet they say it's frenzied here!
Friday 12th December
Set off at 6.20 am to do a trip booked from England, little idea what to expect but it was wonderful - despite the rain which gradually become more torrential and is even worse 12 hours later! Starting at the Opera House at 7am we went for a backstage tour - really fascinating and exciting. Massive!! Then a huge breakfast in the Green Room backstage, and a water taxi which arrived on time to the minute, to Taronga Zoo, where we rode the cable car from the entrance up into the heart of the Zoo. What a place. We were met by a keeper, Elli, who took us off for a 2 hour+ Experience - meeeting koalas, stroking bilbies and echidnas and wallabies, and seeing how the food is prepared and generally learning all about the native wildlife. Ending with morning tea (of course, all in the tour) and 2 toy wombats, friends for Harry. We trailed on through the rain, saw the Malaysian tapir (very bad-tempered, not like the lovely Brazilian ones), and watched the amazing penguin and leopard seal underwater tanks before giving up on the rain and coming back to the hotel. Forgot the reptile house, superb, including a Komodo dragon, enormous. The best zoo we've ever seen, surely in the world? If you come to Sydney, you must do this tour. Better weather expected tomorrow, we're fed up of this Welsh weather now!
Sunday, 7 December 2008
Monday 8th DECEMBER
Wed 3rd DEC.
Picking up from the cold night, these high plains in NZ to the east of their big Alpine Mtns arevery windy Clear sunny an often Cold, then scorching duing the day. An ennervating Climate some say?? this morning we went to the top of the Mt. John observatory just next to Lake Tekapo.. The sky was couldless and there was the most incredible 360 degree panorama that we spent over 2 hours taking in. Looking sketching ,photographing, taking tea, walking round the mountain. we were very reluctant to go down. On harsh bit to go with the stark beauty however was that as we looked across at mount Cook 2 Japanese climbers were fighting for their lives near the summit. We later heard that noe had died. A very tough land. We then drove down onto the Canterbury plains and back to Christchurch. The plains have a rouad that has virtually no bends in 100 KM. of driving and on this day was swept by a gale force wind which was also very warm. Huge fields of Sheep Cattle and Deer were being irrigated by massive sprayers as the wind dessicates everything very badly. Our last night in NZ was blessed with a fantastic gastronomic experience in C'church, a place called "Cookin' on Gaz" would stand the Egon Ronay tests easily.
Thur 4th Dec
Everything begins to slow down after this. We cleared up the van and dropped it off. Did the usual airport hanging around. An uneventfulflight to Aus. and unlike South America the usual Po- faced welcome of western civilization at immigration and by the biological police. Our first hic-up occurred when the car pick up was not there but we got the car by 7:00 and $ hour drive later saw us into Moruya, where the arrangements for getting into Erica and Andys house were so good we did it in the dark.
Friday 5th to Sunday 7th Dec.
We have really slowed down. indeed yesterday we went to the cinema in Batemans bay to watch a Bond film to get the adrenaline going again, we have'nt seen a world heritage site in days!!!!. we have aquainted ourselves with Moruya, avery pleasent town and driven briefly into the bush to recapture the smells and birdsong that we haven't heard for 16 years. We have both had our hair cut and done all the domestics of washing, writing and uploading some 1800 pictures and videos.
We have a few more quiet days before leaving for Dawin and will probably pick up the blog again at the end of the week.
Picking up from the cold night, these high plains in NZ to the east of their big Alpine Mtns arevery windy Clear sunny an often Cold, then scorching duing the day. An ennervating Climate some say?? this morning we went to the top of the Mt. John observatory just next to Lake Tekapo.. The sky was couldless and there was the most incredible 360 degree panorama that we spent over 2 hours taking in. Looking sketching ,photographing, taking tea, walking round the mountain. we were very reluctant to go down. On harsh bit to go with the stark beauty however was that as we looked across at mount Cook 2 Japanese climbers were fighting for their lives near the summit. We later heard that noe had died. A very tough land. We then drove down onto the Canterbury plains and back to Christchurch. The plains have a rouad that has virtually no bends in 100 KM. of driving and on this day was swept by a gale force wind which was also very warm. Huge fields of Sheep Cattle and Deer were being irrigated by massive sprayers as the wind dessicates everything very badly. Our last night in NZ was blessed with a fantastic gastronomic experience in C'church, a place called "Cookin' on Gaz" would stand the Egon Ronay tests easily.
Thur 4th Dec
Everything begins to slow down after this. We cleared up the van and dropped it off. Did the usual airport hanging around. An uneventfulflight to Aus. and unlike South America the usual Po- faced welcome of western civilization at immigration and by the biological police. Our first hic-up occurred when the car pick up was not there but we got the car by 7:00 and $ hour drive later saw us into Moruya, where the arrangements for getting into Erica and Andys house were so good we did it in the dark.
Friday 5th to Sunday 7th Dec.
We have really slowed down. indeed yesterday we went to the cinema in Batemans bay to watch a Bond film to get the adrenaline going again, we have'nt seen a world heritage site in days!!!!. we have aquainted ourselves with Moruya, avery pleasent town and driven briefly into the bush to recapture the smells and birdsong that we haven't heard for 16 years. We have both had our hair cut and done all the domestics of washing, writing and uploading some 1800 pictures and videos.
We have a few more quiet days before leaving for Dawin and will probably pick up the blog again at the end of the week.
Thursday, 4 December 2008
Friday 5th December
Sorry for the delay in blogging but it has been hectic. The last blog had a date error and we will start this one on Saturday 29th Nov. We have currently come to rest in a place called Moruya in Australia and now have a week to catch our breath.
Sat 29th Nov.
for all the wonderful things we have done this mornings spectacular adrenaline rush was the most spine tingling so far. We had a delay due to weather for our glacier flight over the Fox Glacier, BUT, in meant that we had a whole helicopter to ourselves and the sky and glacier too.
The flight lifted off in clearing weather and by the time we'd climbed the glacier it was brilliantly clear. We climbed over the wall of the arrete at the side of this huge glacier flew over 2 more glaciers and around the face of Mount Cook. All of this was superb but then we landed on the Neve field at the top of the glacier, ran around and threw snowballs had our photo taken by the pilot who then processed it into postcard form in the back of the helicopter and presented them to us on the way down. The New Zealaders do not miss a tourism trick. The remainder of the day could not be bettered so we motored down to Queenstown and to a place called Glenorchy for the night. An anti-climax but nevertheless stunning coastal and mountain scenery all the way.
Sunday 30th Nov.
Lynne and Greg will be interested in this one as we spent the morning walking up the start of the famouse "Routeburn Track". It is a 3/4 day walk and we only had 3/4 hours but we got up into the mountain part seeing great waterfalls and some deep diving gorge runners below us. Our picnis lunch next to the Dart River however showed us what a different country N.Z. is. Within minutes the dry river bed had been whipped up into a tremendous dust storm and we had to leave. The day ended with another long drive to get to Manapouri in the far west to see the fiords. The campsite there was a bit wierd. Lindsay porter would like it. It was a car graveyard, mainly Morris 1000's of all types, not restored just lovingly left to rest.
Monday 1st Dec.
Manapouri has again the most spectacular views across the lake of the same name towards the western mountains. Last night was spent taking evening light photos' from the beach. This morning we were on a fast boat crossing the same lake again in beautiful light at 8:00 am.
The lake is so large even at over 20 knots the boat takes an hour to cross it. We arrived at the terminal to a brilliant rainbow. Warning sign!!
We transferred to a coach and were driven over a mile underground to see a massive HEP station which uses the lake water and the drop from there to the sea to generate power. When we emerged we drove over a high pass on a road built just to build the power station but it got murkier and murkier. We dropped to sea level in Deep Cove , Doubtful sound. In this case very Doubtful!.
We got a big High powered Catamaran to whisk us down this massive fiord but the drizzel that the crew described was more like the rain in Tewkesbury in July 2007. It was very atmospheric with swirling mist and rain but not beautiful. At the end of the Sound we had a bouncy sea ride to view the rare Crested Penguins and a big colony of fur seals. The weather relented a bit on the way back but the mountain road on the bus and the start of the trip back over the lake were grim, then, half way across the lake the sun came out and apparently Manpouri was dry all day.
Such is the time shortage of days left in NZ we set off straight away heading back north towards Queenstown. Unfortunately the local constabulary have an interesting device that clocks your speed as you drive towards their cars. We camped in Arrowtown that night, not the jail, and wandered around this lovely old mining town and setting for bits of Lord of the Rings.
We had fish and chips from a Turkish restaurant and drank NZ beer in a pub playing the highlights from the premier league week?
Tuesday 2nd Dec.
We spent the morning enjoying Arrowtown and the tracks around it in a liesurely way, taking morning tea, window shopping, very nice but we got the adrenaline twitch. W e set off for the north then remembered the Queenstown Jet boats. We turned back drove to Arthurs point, parked at 1:29, booked at 1:30 and by 1:35 were in a 500 horsepower jet boat flying through the narrow gorges of the Shotover river at high speed through water only inches deep and doing splashy 360 degree spins. By 2:30 we were on the road again completely adrenaline rushed. but ceratainly one of the greatest things we've ever done. The boat driver reminded us of our nephew Owen, think we've found a new career path for him.
We then headed for Lake Tekapo through the MacKenzie country, astonishing huge rolling mountains, semi-desert and narrow passes, until we were on the high plains where Rohan was filmed, and drove through ferocious winds to the amazing sight of the deep turquoise lake in a great bowl of high peaks. Freezing night! More later of that.
Wed 3rd December
Happy Birthday Kate!!
Sat 29th Nov.
for all the wonderful things we have done this mornings spectacular adrenaline rush was the most spine tingling so far. We had a delay due to weather for our glacier flight over the Fox Glacier, BUT, in meant that we had a whole helicopter to ourselves and the sky and glacier too.
The flight lifted off in clearing weather and by the time we'd climbed the glacier it was brilliantly clear. We climbed over the wall of the arrete at the side of this huge glacier flew over 2 more glaciers and around the face of Mount Cook. All of this was superb but then we landed on the Neve field at the top of the glacier, ran around and threw snowballs had our photo taken by the pilot who then processed it into postcard form in the back of the helicopter and presented them to us on the way down. The New Zealaders do not miss a tourism trick. The remainder of the day could not be bettered so we motored down to Queenstown and to a place called Glenorchy for the night. An anti-climax but nevertheless stunning coastal and mountain scenery all the way.
Sunday 30th Nov.
Lynne and Greg will be interested in this one as we spent the morning walking up the start of the famouse "Routeburn Track". It is a 3/4 day walk and we only had 3/4 hours but we got up into the mountain part seeing great waterfalls and some deep diving gorge runners below us. Our picnis lunch next to the Dart River however showed us what a different country N.Z. is. Within minutes the dry river bed had been whipped up into a tremendous dust storm and we had to leave. The day ended with another long drive to get to Manapouri in the far west to see the fiords. The campsite there was a bit wierd. Lindsay porter would like it. It was a car graveyard, mainly Morris 1000's of all types, not restored just lovingly left to rest.
Monday 1st Dec.
Manapouri has again the most spectacular views across the lake of the same name towards the western mountains. Last night was spent taking evening light photos' from the beach. This morning we were on a fast boat crossing the same lake again in beautiful light at 8:00 am.
The lake is so large even at over 20 knots the boat takes an hour to cross it. We arrived at the terminal to a brilliant rainbow. Warning sign!!
We transferred to a coach and were driven over a mile underground to see a massive HEP station which uses the lake water and the drop from there to the sea to generate power. When we emerged we drove over a high pass on a road built just to build the power station but it got murkier and murkier. We dropped to sea level in Deep Cove , Doubtful sound. In this case very Doubtful!.
We got a big High powered Catamaran to whisk us down this massive fiord but the drizzel that the crew described was more like the rain in Tewkesbury in July 2007. It was very atmospheric with swirling mist and rain but not beautiful. At the end of the Sound we had a bouncy sea ride to view the rare Crested Penguins and a big colony of fur seals. The weather relented a bit on the way back but the mountain road on the bus and the start of the trip back over the lake were grim, then, half way across the lake the sun came out and apparently Manpouri was dry all day.
Such is the time shortage of days left in NZ we set off straight away heading back north towards Queenstown. Unfortunately the local constabulary have an interesting device that clocks your speed as you drive towards their cars. We camped in Arrowtown that night, not the jail, and wandered around this lovely old mining town and setting for bits of Lord of the Rings.
We had fish and chips from a Turkish restaurant and drank NZ beer in a pub playing the highlights from the premier league week?
Tuesday 2nd Dec.
We spent the morning enjoying Arrowtown and the tracks around it in a liesurely way, taking morning tea, window shopping, very nice but we got the adrenaline twitch. W e set off for the north then remembered the Queenstown Jet boats. We turned back drove to Arthurs point, parked at 1:29, booked at 1:30 and by 1:35 were in a 500 horsepower jet boat flying through the narrow gorges of the Shotover river at high speed through water only inches deep and doing splashy 360 degree spins. By 2:30 we were on the road again completely adrenaline rushed. but ceratainly one of the greatest things we've ever done. The boat driver reminded us of our nephew Owen, think we've found a new career path for him.
We then headed for Lake Tekapo through the MacKenzie country, astonishing huge rolling mountains, semi-desert and narrow passes, until we were on the high plains where Rohan was filmed, and drove through ferocious winds to the amazing sight of the deep turquoise lake in a great bowl of high peaks. Freezing night! More later of that.
Wed 3rd December
Happy Birthday Kate!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)