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Sorry for the delay in getting this final post for my Australian trip up, I am afraid that since I returned to the UK I have been busy trying to catch up with various things.

Anyway, the return journey took me from Cairns to Hong Kong where I had three days pottering around before the flight back to the UK.

On one of the days, I went with a friend, resident in Hong Kong, on the ferry to Lamma Island where we walked the track between the villages of Sok Kwu Wan and Yung Shu Wan, ending with a very nice meal at one of the small restaurants.

So, a very interesting and enjoyable trip, even if the result of the Ashes Tests was not what one might have hoped.

For those of you who have been looking at these pages, that is all for now. My next trip should be in the summer.

Bye for now!

The Rainforest

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Brisbane turned out to be a very pleasant place to spend time, particularly along the river. They even have their own beach complete with surf life saving club even thought the water is no deeper than 1.5 metres!

From Brisbane, a flight to Cairns, arriving in a tropical downpour, and then on the next day in a light aircraft to Bloomfield Lodge in the Daintree Rainforest. The final part of the flight into the landing strip is interesting as it requires flying straight towards a wooded hill before lining up with the runway!

Once on the ground, a short journey by road and then onto the boat for the leg across Weary Bay to the lodge. Once there, time relaxing plus a walk in the forest and a trip up the river through the mangroves. A number of crocodiles spotted, the largest being around 4 metres, so no swimming there!

The flight back to Cairns was in clear weather with views of the coast around Cook’s Cape Tribulation and of the Low Islands. Time to wander round Cairns before repacking for the start of the journey home.

Sydney to Brisbane

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Ballina sunset
Cape Byron
Cape Byron Lighouse
Dorrigo rainforest
Ballina sunset
Rainforest

Left Sydney for the drive to Brisbane having decided on a rather circuitous route. Initially followed the coast up to Newcastle and Harrington for the first night.

Next, up to Port Macquarie before cutting inland on a winding road for the second night in the pleasant town of Armidale. The next day, back to the at Ballina for the third night, more winding raids and forests on the way.

Finally, up the coast via Australia’s most easterly point at Cape Byron followed by a stop at the intriguing Surfer’s Paradise. Not really my scene, but curiosity satisfied.

Brisbane itself looks interesting and I treated myself to some Moreton Bay Bugs for dinner.

Sydney Ashes Test

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After the fireworks of New Year, a damp squib in the form of the 5th Ashes test at Sydney Cricket Ground!

The match was over within three days with batting collapses on both sides, the difference being that Australia managed to recover from theirs while England did not.

The whole experience was however very enjoyable, even though the result was not that  that had been hoped for, either in the match or the series.  The third, and final, day was the ‘Pink Day’ in support of the McGrath Foundation which resulted in some unusual modes of dress.

Anyway, the last leg of the Australian journey is north to Brisbane and on to the Daintree rain forest.

Sydney Tower in reflection
Sydney Opera House & Bridge
Surfing
The Heads
Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House

New Year

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Left Melbourne reasonable early on Boxing Day and headed north for Albury with stops at Benalla and Glenrowan, the latter featuring a giant statue of Ned Kelly in full armour!

On to Canberra the next day in mid-afternoon so wandered down to the main shopping area for something to eat and to orientate myself.

The next day, after toast and coffee at a cafe near the centre, along the shore of Lake Burleigh Griffin, avoiding the occasional Lycra clad cyclist and dog walker, to cross over to the government district where the first stop was at the Old Parliament Building, now a museum.From there, along to the new parliament building where I broke my rule about queuing for entry and was glad I did as I spent a very interesting time there, which included admiring the views from the roof.

The next morning was spent in the National War Memorial and museum before driving to Sydney where, after some confusion when the GPS and map failed to agree, returned the car and checked in to the hotel.

The next day, New Years Eve 2013, booked myself onto a harbour cruise to watch  the fireworks on the bridge. This is quite a long and drawn out process extending over some 6 hours.

Beginning with a carefully  choreographed procession of boats to the quay to load up, the 21:00 fireworks display is then followed by the illuminated boats sailing around the harbour before the main event at midnight.

Back to the quay around 01:00.

Written on the morning of 1 January 2014 over coffee at Sydney Opera House.

Melbourne

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Victoria Market Melbourne
Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
Flower
Victoria Market Melbourne
Melbourne Old Gaol
Grampians
McKenzie Falls
Paddlewheeler Rothbury
Murray River

Collected a car in Adelaide for the drive to Melbourne and set off for the Murray River and Mildura, passing through the vineyards of the Barrossa region on the way. Very hot indeed with temperatures up around 47C with very few people out and about, including myself.

The next morning, much cooler, in the mid-30s, and decided to take a cruise along the Murray in the paddlewheeler Rothbury.

Next, south to Horsham for the night, and then along to the Grampian National Park and it’s views before heading on to Ballarat for the last night before getting to Melbourne.

Woke to find it positively chilly at 18C with a light drizzle so decided to go to a couple of museums before the drive to Melbourne where I negotiated the traffic without too much difficulty to get to the hotel mid-afternoon.

The next day, breakfast at Victoria Market before walking round the range of fascinating food stalls. From there, along to Melbourne Old Gaol where the bushranger Ned Kelly was executed. Then to the old police cells next door where I, along with about 30 other visitors, were locked up 13 to a cell.

Leaving the cells, down to the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the tour, including the box to be used by Test Match Special, before going into the MCG museum and the  Australian Museum of Sport. One the way out, spent a little time watching England practicing in the outdoor nets, and can only hope that it can do them some good. They looked cheerful enough it must be said.

Christmas Day and a quiet time ready for the drive to Sydney via Canberra.

Tasmania

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Just back on the mainland from Tasmania, and could easily have spent much longer there.

Based in Hobart, I had a hire car and was able to explore the region. The highlights were:

+ Hobart harbour and waterfront (and the fish restaurants!)

+ The view from Mt Wellington

+ Port Arthur

+ MONA – the Museum of Old and New Art

+ The Tahune Forest Airwalk

Overall, the time spent in Tasmania has proved to be one of the highlights of the trip thus far.

Hobart from Mt Wellington

Hobart from Mt Wellington

Hobart waterfront

Hobart waterfront

MONA

MONA

MONA

MONA

Port Arthur

Port Arthur

Port Arthur

Port Arthur

Port Arthur

Port Arthur

Peppermint Bay

Peppermint Bay

Airwalk

Airwalk

And finally for the moment!

Father Christmas

Father Christmas

Adelaide

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Yet again making use of airport WiFi to provide an update, this time on my way from Adelaide to Hobart in Tasmania, new territory for me.

Adelaide, as I expected it to be, was a quiet interlude in the trip spent mainly wandering around and relaxing. I did take a trip on the tram out to the beach at Glenelg, but no surfing for me, or indeed anyone else.

Other places of interest included the market, excellent cheese stall plus coffee and toast for breakfast one day, and the Botanic Gardens.  Also located the Bradman Museum at the Adelaide Oval, which they opened in the middle of building work for the recent Ashes Test.

Once in Tasmania, a hire car for a few days to travel around and then back yo Adelaide for a night before heading for Melbourne for Christmas!

India-Pacific (Perth to Adelaide)

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Boarded the India-Pacific for the approximately 41 hour journey from Perth to Adelaide across the Nullabor Plain, including the longest straight stretch of track to be found anywhere, all 297 miles (477 km) of it!

I had a single berth similar to that on the Ghan and Trans-Canada.

Left Perth on time for the first leg to Kalgoorlie, where we arrived at 23:30. I declined the tour of the pit and the town in the dark, a decision confirmed by comments of fellow passengers the next day!

Woke up the following morning and an early breakfast, the food on board is excellent, and soon after spotted the sign marking the start of the section of straight track.

Some 180 miles on we stopped for 30 minutes at the town of Cook. Once a railway town with a school, hospital and swimming pool, it now has just 4 inhabitants.

A further curiosity was the airfield at Forrest. This is now an emergency strip and the people who look after it offer a B&B for light aircraft pilots and passengers.

Arrived in Adelaide about 10 minutes early.

Perth

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Arrived in Perth late on 3 December, getting to the hotel shortly before midnight.

Fremantle Goal

Fremantle Goal

Perth

Perth

Quokka

Quokka

Spent the  next day exploring the city and some of its museums before going down the  Swan River to Fremantle the next day. This is a very pleasant place with a good Maritime Museum and the fish harbour. The most interesting visit however was to the old Fremantle Goal. Build in the mid-19th century and in service until 1991, it is now a World Heritage Site.

The next day was spent mainly exploring King’s Park and the Botanic Gardens before going into the city to the food market in the evening for something to eat.

Saturday 7 December and a rather lumpy boat trip out to Rottnest Island. Once a penal colony for the aborigines, it is now a holiday island. It is also the only home to significant numbers of the quokka, a small, about the size of a rabbit, marsupial.

Back in Perth, caught up in the Christmas Pageant before returning to the hotel to pack for the train journey to Adelaide, where it appears that the test is not going well for England with what looks like a horrible collapse in the first innings!