More Melbourne

Tuesday morning we again had breakfast of eggs benedict. We are eating well here in the Carleton area, known for its restaurants. What a place to stay! We are walking so much that we need the fuel.

After missing the visitor bus we walked a considerable distance to Federation Square to the Melbourne Motion Picture Industry museum. This intractive museum was a lot of fun as we saw how strobe lights create motion effects and recorded ourselves seeming to float. There are lots of tricks. The museum was good...and it was free.

Outside in Federation Square some people were already encamped, ready to view the Melbourne Cup on a huge screen. Pre-Melbourne Cup interviews and predictions were showing at noon...with the race scheduled for 3:00 p.m. Unfortunately, the cup favorite, Emirraque, died shortly after the race. This has generated much controversy about abuse of horses. A second horse had to be put-down after it broke its leg when spooked by someone waving a flag. SAD! SAD! SAD!

We took the visitor bus to the Melbourne Museum and then walked back to our hotel for a nap.

Tuesday evening...we boarded The Colonial Tramcar Dinner Tour, an old tram restaurant car, for a wonderful tour and great dinner. This daily operation has pre-booked seating in an old tram car. Based on our good frirnds' recommendations we had made reservations for this journey. It was well worth it. We boarded around 5:45 p.m. and were seated at a table for four with Tom and Dianne with Larry and Val across the narrow isle. The tables were complete with linens and settings that reminded us of old times. Beginning with champagne, we had appetizers followed by a choice of main entree. The wines were very goood, the service was very personal and good. The tram lines tookk us south into some residential neighborhoods and we enjoyed viewing the old residences, and amusement park and the bay.

Melbourne

Sunday, November 2..in Carleton area of Melbourne. This is an area where Italians settled in the early days. There are so may wonderful resturants it is hard to choose where to eat. Lygon Street is on the back side of the block on which our hotel is located.

We caught the hop-on/hop-off Visitor Shuttle, a very convenient shuttle bus that runs around the city. It is very prompt with a bus every 30 minutes. It is supposed to cost $5 per day with ticket machines at each of the 13 stops or at the Visitor Center. The ticket machines take only coins or credit cards. We had tried to purchase tickets by credit card...with no luck, so we boarded at the #5 stop on Lygon Street with the driver saying, "No matter, Mate, just get a ticket at another stop." So off we went. At another stop when the driver said we would wait a couple minutes, we again tried to buys tickets using our cards, as none of us had the requisite coinage...but, again it did not work, so we again boarded the bus and rode the complete loop, which takes about 90 minutes. The tour is guided with both the driver and recorded commentary about the sights we were passing. Only trouble was that our driver spoke so fast that we could barely understand his Australian English. But the brochure helped. And the recorded commentary was very clear. With this overview of the city we began planning our next three days. At another stop, we again trird to buy tickets on credit card, slowely realizing that the driver did not give a damn and that the machines were not working for credit cards on Sunday. So we rode for free.

We wanted to see the Queen Victoria Market, in existence since 1878. It is a very large market place with produce and food on one side and merchandise on another and attracts both locals and tourists. We spent about two hours there...taking photos and talking to merchants.

We decided to walk from Victoria Market to the Old Melbourne Goal. A Crime and Justice Experience, which had been recommended to Becky by the young French woman on the plane from Hamilton Island. This old jail was in use until 1994. Tom, Dianne, Val and Becky took the tour. Paul and Larry decided to continue on back to the hotel. The jail tour included signage about Melbourne's most notorious prisoners with extensive signage and photos. In a near by building that contianed the holding cells, we were participants in a mock lock-up and decriptions of what one whould go though, if arrested. Photos for a wedding were taking place in a gtassy area outside the jail. Remember: Australia was settle by many criminals...shipped here from England and Europe.

After the "goal" experience, we walked back to our hotel. After wine in Larry and Val's room we headed out to dinner at the University Hotel on Lygon Street, a most delicious Italian eatery. The veal special was melt-in-your-mouth tender. Also, two bottles of wine at only $18 per bottle; the best wine we've had so far on our trip.

Two couples at the next table weere in from Perth for the Melbourne Cup, a horse race that is a national event. Most all Australians we have encountered are very helpful and very friendly. We chatted, they took photos of all of us. We learned what a big even the Melbourne Cup really is. It's a public holiday.

Monday morning Paul and I set out early to eat breakfast and then to the post ofice to get a box so we could mail some extra stuff from the tropical sailing trip back to California by seal mail. After that we again caught the hop-on bus...free because of the holiday to see the parade that started at 12 noon.

Hamilton Island to Melbourne

It was very hot in Shute Harbor, Hamilton Island as we docked on Friday, October 31st. Ran the A/C but it did not satisfy in our port, forward cabin.

Up very early Saturday morning to make coffee, toast and scrambled eggs. Then clean up and the last minute scramble to get everything into our bags. We said "goodbye" to Alida, our 38'4" catamaran.

We headed to the airport around 8:30 to enable use of free WiFi...and real A/C. With eight planes leaving Hamilton Saturday morning the place was eventually a mad house. But we were first in line. Got checked in...through security and got a table for six.

Our flight to Melbourne was uneventful. Paul and I slept. Landing was the roughest, most tippy I have every encountered, due to rain bursts happening in Melbourne. Temperature when we landed was 14 C/57 F. It had been a rainy day for this city.

We caught a maxi-taxi from the airport to our hotel, A Best Western The Travel Inn Hotel at the corner of Grotton and Drumond Streets. It's a small hotel in the Carlton area...Italian, students and plenty of small eateries and fun shops.

Paul and Larry went out to find some wine, which we enjoyed in Larry and Val's room before walking to the restaurant. On the other side of the block the boys had found DOC, an Italian pasta restaurant. Just ask a local who is walking his dog is Paul's method. DOC turned out to be an excellent choice. We enjoyed a glass of wine and excellent food.

At 6:26 a.m. I have been up for an hour. The sky is clear high up. Seems it may be a mostly clear day. but temps only to go up to 59 F. (I was wrong in e-mail, sent earlier.) Looking forwward to a fun day of exploring Melbourne

Octobe 18 - 24 2014

Alida, 34ft 4in catamaran out of Hamilton Beach. Sunsail Yacht Charters.

Tom and Dianne and Paul and Becky met up with our sailing partners, Eric and Kathee and Larry and Val at the boat on Saturday afternoon. Our provisions had been delivered with only minor glitches...like the fact that all the wine had been delivered to a postal box on the other side of the island. Luckily, Kathee realizeed the mistake and one of the wonderful Sunsail people, James, picked it up for us.

Hamilton Island (population in 2006 of 1, 246) is pretty small, but boasts a jet airport and the Sunsail operation is a stroll from the ferry dock where we landed from Airlie Beach.

We were briefed on the Whitsunday islands and presented with charts anf information about where we cannot sail: five bays that are dangerous in the largrt area We stowed our provisions got another briefing on the boat and then began to relax in our home for two weeks.

Cairns and nearby

Cairns was established in 1876. Named after Governor Cairns. It was reported that its pronunciation as "CANS" is because that was how the governor pronounced his name. Seems a bit strange...or is it really the way Aussies speak? Cairns is on the same latitude: 16 degrees S as is Tahiti. Temperatures range from 31 - 33 degrees C. The wet season is from Christmas to Easter, said to rain 2 meters per year. It is pretty dry now in October. Timber is the main industry with tourism a close 2nd. Tropical fruits are plentiful as are the typical Hawaii plants we are used to seeing.

We are staying at the Ibis Styles Hotel, Cairns, which is nicely small with only three stories and is two blocks up from the water. There are penty of pelicans and other birds, but no beach. Cairns was carved out of mangrove...the waterfront is a large bay with mangrove to the northeast - and the airport there, too.

With saltwater and fresh water crocodiles...no one swims in the ocean. There is a pool at our hotel. And there is a large public swimming pool at the far end of the Esplanade that runs along the water.

Since we still had our rental car, we picked Tom and Dianne up at the airport on Monday evening when they flew in from Alice Springs. just in time for some wine drinking and catching up in our room.

The next morning we took a leisurely walk along the water front toward the Marlin Marina, to the southwest. Along the way we saw many large, sleek boats, there is a substantial mooring across the inlet and beautiful condos and hotels overlook the water.

In the early years, Cairns struggled to survive. Then gold was found across the tablelands There was a gold rush, so a rail line was seen as the answer.

Wednesday we took this train from Freshwater Station in Cairns to Kuranda, which is located on top of the tablelands. This rail line is an amazing feat as it was built entirely by hand. At times there were up to 1,500 men working on the rail. It was hard scrabble...with men living in tents and some small communities erected to house the workers and sometimes their families, too. One base camp, Stoney Creek housed a Methodist church and a brewery that produced 2,000 gallons of ale per week. There are 15 tunnels...the longest at 429 meters. Numerous tressels span gorges...most remarkable one that turns 80 degrees with a water fall on the left and drop-offs on the right as we traveled upward.  They carved a stable rail bed out of the rock and earth.

We could have returned from Kuranda by rail but chose to do so by Skyrail, a modern gondola. It took eight years to complete...seven for the paper work and one year to build. The towers were placed by heliocopter...if trees were in the way they were temporarily replanted in pots and then replaced in the earth. From the high cable we skimmed over the tops of the wetlands, eventually seeing the coast, Cairns, and the ever present sugar cane fields as we topped the last cresting tower.

Just before pulling into the last skyrail station, we viewed a large oval waterway. As we decended were could see that the shapes moving counter-clock-wise around on the water wer skiiers. They are pulled by overhead cables. There are jumps. If a skiier falls, s/he just grabs hold of another handle and continues. Unique?

Port Douglas, Qld

Port Douglas is a very manageable although touristy town. We are staying at Port o' Call Lodge, part of the Youth Hostels of Australia system, which has a delightful gourmet cafe. Even had a very good flaminco guitar player on Friday evening, This is our last night, Sunday, October 12th.

From here we took a boat 1 1/2 hours out to the Great Barrier Reef. Snorkeling was excellent and I saw so many varieties of coral. And many fishes. (The plural, I have learned means more than one species.  Otherwise, if only one species, the proper term is fish, even when seeing multiples.)

Today, Sunday, we first visited the Sunday morning market. Found lots to look at. Some stuff to buy. We then had a scrumtiious late breakfast in an outdoor cafe.

After that we took a road trip to Cape Tribulation, 54 miles to the north. Drove to the end of paved road...after which is 4-wheel drive, dirt. So we turned around. The Cape Trib beach is beautiful white very fine sand....with softly lapping wave. Walked along it for awhile before heading back into Port Douglas.

Yamba and nearby

Today is Labor Day. Monday, October 6.  Michele and I went for a good walk from Neil and Marg's house to the beach, climbing over rocks and up steep sand trails to Yamba Back Beach where we watched surfers and a happy dog chasing a tennis ball.

Ross and Michele had to catch  a plane back to Tuncurry at 4:00 so Ross drove us and them through back roads on a tour of the area that includes understanding how the Clarence River floods from time-to-time. Floods turn the region into a giant plane of water. There have been seven floods in the past ten years.

Neil showed us more of the area showing us how extensive the flooding is when it happens. All cattle must be moved to higher ground. Tre are so many rivera that feed into this area that major deaster can not be divertted. There have been flood in 2009, 2011 and 2013. Towns has levies, but still the flooding causes problems. As Neil drove us around the region, we becames aware of the severety of the problems that this flooding can cause.

As we have driven north area that may flood are marked along the highway. At Park of the Sierras we have been experiencing severe drought. And Australia has also had drough. But such flooding is hard to imagine.

Lots of Coast Line...

We staeted on Tuesday, October 7th. Driving to Byron Bay for the views. Then on to Hervey Bay where we spent the night. A total of 418 miles.

Along the way we passed many cattle, lots of sugar cane. Cane harvesting is active. We are wondering how many crops can be harvested in a years time. There are both narrow guaage trains to haul the canr.

Next night, Octiber 8th, W4's birthday, we were in Sarina. 437 miles covered. We first stopped at a pub where a helpful bartender gave us a list of hotels/motels. We were able to call while sipping wine. Also had dinner of shrimp and lamb shank. Then on to the Tramway motel.

October 9th we made our way only 364 miles to Ingham. Again, we saw huge acerage of sugar cane, increasing tropics with palms, mango, banana, papaya and warmer weather.  We found a  nice motel with beautiful small garden - plants like Hawaii and wallabies in the field out the back window.

We stopped in Cairns to check out a bead shop. Then drove on to Port Douglas is a beautiful tourist town at the end of a very narrow and winding coastal road.

Yamba

The drive to Yamba from Belligen is 172 miles. At Grafton the Clarence River parallels the road. The Clarence is the largest river in Australia.

Arriving in Yamba we found Neil and Marg's house - and it is spectacular, on the highesst hill in Yamba and with ocean views, as we had been forewarned. I am still taking photos. The house stilll has work and furnishing to complete. Neil worked with Paul in Hawaii some 35 years ago. Both Neil, Ross and their dad, Fred, are builders. In this house the craftsmanship is outstanding.

On Friday, Marg cooked an elaborately complicated fish casserole as we waited for Ross and Michele to arrive by air from Tuncurry. Ross brought eight dozen oysters,, so we again feasted.

Saturday morning we walked to a small cafe, nestleldl in this residential neighborhood for eggs benedict.

With Neil and Marg in their car and Paul, Ross, Michele and me in our rental we drove to ssee Neil's cattle. He has 53 head in one pasture and moived them to another with more clover. Neil was recently written up in the newspaper for the prices he commanded on his cattle.

We then drove to Iluka, on the coast for views of beautiful white want beaches and whales spouting off-shore. Picked up a friend of Ross' from Tasmania and stopped for a beer in a pub overlooking Yamba the coast.

We enjoyed excellent food at an Italian restaurant, Osteria Monteni, where twin brothers Roberto and Ricardo are the owners and cooks.

On Sunday morning, Michele and Becky shopped. Neil, Ross and Paul picked up and installed a large cabinet in the masster bedroom. Marge told me it was quite a job carrying it up the sprial stairs and fitting it..,but in the end, one more thing

This is Australia's Labor Day Weekend and the Grand Finals for Autralian Football, or "Footy." WOW! This is a brutal sport. The players do not wear protective gear. It was very exciting. The
Rabburitos, or Rabbits, won for the first time in 43 years. This was very emotional for their supporters and the players, too.. After the game ended awards and rigs are presented on the field. The players walk the circumferance of the field...shaking hans and interacting with the crowd in the front row seats. Everyone stays seated and are very respectfull. I find people here to be helpful, respectfull - there are many differences from behaviors in the U.S..

Bellingen to Doirrigo and on...

We awoke to another clear, sunny day. Paul made coffee in our room while we watched the news and wortked on the computer. We then had breakfast outside at a smalll cafe at 5 Church St. around the corner from the Federal Hotel.

After that we walked around this small town looking in windows and asking for a button store. (Will keep on looking.) We found a pharmacy where the chemist helped me find a most wonoderful type of band-aide for the small blister I had develped on my heel. Wonderful, because not only has this bandage stayed on my heel, it has medication to help heel my wound.

Heading northwest to Dorrigo. Green, Hilly. Large herds of dairy cattle. More green. Many steep curves and more green. We passed through Dorrigo to the S__    Falls and hiked down the bottom of the gorge. Returning through Dorrigo, we stopped at the Dorrigo National Park, a rainforest. There is a skywalk viewing platform. We viewed a excellent film about the interconnectedness of all the creatures.

Birds and bird-songs have been surrounding us at every stop. There are so many different and unusual bird-calls and, of course, more than ever in the rainforest.

We retraced our route down the mountain, passing waterfalls and with views not yet seen as we went up. Back through Belllingen and back to Hwy. 1 to head further north.

Next town on the coast was Sawtell - with a sign: "Aged Pedestrians." (This was worth a photo, so sorry that I haven't managed to upload any.)

We continued on to Coffs Harbour and more spectacular beaches. The highway then turns inland through Grafton and on to Yamba. Along the highway were heard after heard of cattle. Mostly beef. Huge bulls and lots of green grazing.

Tuncurry to Bellingen, NSW, Australia

We drove 266 miles today, October 2nd. Left Ross Garrard's at 8:25 a.m. following the Paciific Hwy. past Taree and turning east to pass through the coastal towns of Laurieton, North Haven, Bonny Hills, and Lake Cathie and Port Macquarie.

Each of these towns had marvelous beaches that are filled with people since this is a school holiday and the weather is sunny and warm. It reminds me of Ft. Lauderdale in the 1960s. Rivers and salt-lakes are plentiful along the coast.

At Kempsey we drove out/east to Crescent Head where the waves were long and the approach more shallow allowing stand-up paddle boarders to ride in. Found a bakery with the most plentiful selection of of donuts and pasteries, where Paul had a cup of coffee. 

As we approached Nambucca Heads we were joined by a Titabawasse-sized river flowing toward the ocean. Nambucca Heads is a very hilly town.

At Urunga we turned west to Bellingen, an old quaint town west of the Pacific Hwy. Neil recommended an old tavern/hotel, the Federal Hotel. We had an excellent dinner - lemon/pepper scampi on a most delicious green salad.

We are now sitting uder an umbrella at No. 5 Church Streert and writing this post.

First thing this morning we will head NW to Dorrigo for a forest walk. We then retrace the road back, east to the coast as we continue to Yamba to stay with Neil and Marguerite.

Steve/Brian, I think "followby e-mail" has been added, so am launching this before we get on the road to continue on to Neil/Marg in Yamba, NSW.

Tuncurry/Forster, NSW

September 29 -October 1 we stayed with Ross Garrard in Tuncurry, NSW. About 306 miles north of Sydney.

On our first night Ross served up 4 dozen oysters for us and his friend, Michelle. What a feast we had. Ross' neighbor raises oysters -- these were early season and were great. Then we had chicken on the barbie, what else? Much good talk, food and wine followed.

On Tuesday Ross took us on a grand tour south along the coast some 60 miles in tandom with Issac, Ross' son and his eight-month old daughter, Scarlett. Issac's 4X4 camper/truck is outfitted with a built-in compressor. He loves driving on the beaches, where this is allowed.

There are many salt-water lakes of varied sizes that lie to the west of the road.

This coast has many long, sandy beaches, broken-up by high hilly ridges that jut out into the ocean. Along the drive we stopped to walk out to view the beaches. We saw a four foot long goauna sunning himself on a tree. We passed a few caravan parks, busy with people enjoying the warm Spring weather.

At every stop we saw dolphin cruising close to the shore and plenty of whales, too. As we reached Tea Gardens (where we turned around) we all piled into Issac's truck and after he deflated the tires we took off on the beach in deep sand. We stopped so Issac could catch a few waves as we watched the waves.

It was really neat to see the dolphin surfing the waves and emerging through, just like the human surfers. Issac, was outside of the dophins some of the time. They were crusing and doing flips. Further out we saw many whales breaching and spouting.

On the way back we stopped in to visit with Fred and Mary Garrard, Ross', mom and dad. Wr had a nice chat about mutual firends from Hawaii and , of course, Sue Wilson, Ross and Neil. Fred and Mary have a yard full of orchids and they also raise parrots.

Ferry to Manly

We took a ferry from Circular Quay across the beautiful Sydney Harbour to Manly where we saw a gorgeous sandy Pacific beach with waves rolling in and  plenty of surfers, water dragons posing in the sun, and beautiful coastal views.

The Gunners' Walk trail to North Head took us through what was once a School of Artillery where army gunners lived and trained to protect the harbour during WWII. The headland is now a sanctuary. This 10k (6+ miles) walk led to areas where one can view approaches to the harbour and the city of Sydney across the water. We saw pristine heathland, patches of rare bankdia scrub and a hanging swamp. With numerous side trails to view the coast and plenty of friendly people who engaged us, we spent hours exploring. We stopped at Bella Vista Cafe for a delicious late lunch before heading back down into Manly.

Manly is an attractive tourist destination with lots of eateries, shops and, of course, people. It is home to the Manly Freshwater World Surfing Reserve and in Feruary 2014 was host to the Hurley Australian Open of Surfing.

We ate tapas at a charming Italian place where the owner cooked, we sat on the terrace and met fellow diners, namely Kylie Egan who is a meteoroligist. Kylie recounted her adventures in Boise where she spent six weeks as a specialist in "Fire Weather." We had a fine conversation about wines from Adelaide, surfing and her adventures in the N.W. U.S.

Sunday, September 28th we climbed a pylon of the Sydney Harbour Bridge (17 flights) and viewed both exhibits about the bridge construction...finally completed in 1932 and the 360 degree views. We visited the Museum of Contemporary Art and the The Rocks Discovery Museum.

I have not yet found a way to upload photos, so narrative is all for now.

First Day: Sydney

We arrived early after a 14.5 hours flight. Weather cloudy, with threat of thunderstorms.

We are staying at YHA (Youth Hostels of Australia) in the Rocks area.

The rocks, as its name suggests, forms a rocky peninsula jutting out into Sydney Harbour. It's prime real estate and people have lived here for over 300 year before the arrival of the Europeans. The Rocks became home to many of the convicts of the First Fleet who arrived in 1788. The name of the earliest residents who carved out the streets and cuts in the hilly ridges are not known. Irish rebel, Richard Byrne, lived on the site from around 1805. Since Byrne was a stone mason, he is believed responsible for some of the quarrying of the site. The Byrne famiy sold off their land bit by bit in the 1840s and 50s.The siste wa considered worth saving   so in 2006 proposals wer sought for a suitable development to safeguard the future of the site. The YHA's proposal is designed to protect the unique site and make it publicly accessible, to create  an innovative synergy between the site and The Rocks area and to conserve and interpret the site and its remains.

Photos do not work to show how the building is elevated over the site area...but it works to allow viewing of many foundaions and there are many informational displays throughout thr 3-storey building.

The buildilng is nestled near the approach to the bridge. And the approach has been  enclosed and provides space for basket ball which were in very active use at 10:00 p.m.

We can see the Opera House, all lit up and shining white from our room.

When does a journey begin?

The idea to travel to Australia has been in our minds for many years. It started softly with a thought that it would be a neat place to go. And they speak our language.

Friends returned to Hawaii after spending time in Australia telling tales of the fun and beauty down under.

Friends, Ted and Sue, are Australian, and long-time Prindle Catamaran Club sailing pals.

Sue's brother, Neal, used to stay with us on visits to Hawaii. Now we expect to meet up with Neil and Marg during our travels.

It was discussed more actively while sailing with Eric, Kathee, Mark, Judy, Val and Larry in 2011 while in Tahiti.

We committed in February 2014.

Now we are about to embark.

Pre Trip Attempt #1

South of the Equator

With all the last minute attendance at Apple workshops, list making, studying how to set up a blog, buying of a new keyboard for my I-Pad, ordering of spear guns in which I made a error in the shipping address, trip planning, packing, repacking, and weighing of bags, conference calling, menu planning, and forgetting what I just thought about, it's a wonder whether we'll get out of here. We will. We are now reviewing stacks of pages of notes and winnowing down the paperwork we'll need to carry. We're saying "goodbyes."

Getting started

We will soon be on our trip. Departure day is getting closer...only 9 more days 'til we leave Park Sierra for La Habra near L.A. where we will stay with Tom Byrnes for three nights before taking off for Australia on Tuesday, September 23rd. 

This is my first attempt to write a blog. Brian is my long-distance coach.