johnmyers2's TravelStream™ — Recent TravelPod.com entries TravelStream™ news feed for member johnmyers2 on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/johnmyers2 en-us Copyright ©2012 TravelPod.com Wed, 14 Apr 2010 19:23:28 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com Far north Queensland — Port Douglas, Australia http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1267825602/tpod.html http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1267825602/tpod.html#comment Travel Blogs http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1267825602/tpod.html Wed, 14 Apr 2010 23:23:28 +0000 The Intrepid OAPs in the Antipodes
Port Douglas, Australia

(Port Douglas hotels)


We were back in the heat! And now humidity! We were in the tropics.

Our first destination from the airport was downtown Cairns, to eat lunch at a restaurant part owned by the son of a friend of Mitzi's back in Lichfield. Although open air, the many ceiling fans and breezes kept us comfortable. The food was very tasty and well presented, cooked by the son, and served by amiable staff.

Port Douglas is an easy drive up Captain Cook highway from Cairns. Views of the azure Coral Sea begin to appear as you drive north. Our motel wins the trip prize for the best name. Comfortable and spacious (and air conditioned), and under new ownership since my booking, it was a quiet spot located just outside downtown.

After exploring the beautiful, almost deserted beach and Mitzi putting her toes in the Coral Sea for the first time, we lounged in the pool at the motel. Swimming in the Coral Sea is limited to carefully screened off areas because of the risk of very painful stings from jelly fish which swarm in these waters. There are stations at the beach where vinegar is available which helps relieve the pain of the sting.

Next day we were off to Cape Tribulation. We booked a small group tour (there were 5 of us in total). Our activities included kayaking in the Coral Sea, a walk in the jungle, a swim in a jungle pool, and a boat trip on the Daintree River looking for crocodiles.

The kayaking was super, we will do more, the walk was strangely lacking in wild life but we did see a lizard close up, the swim in a cool river pool was refreshing but ******* the feet, and we did see two crocodiles hidden among the mangroves. We also ate delicious tropical fruit which we had never seen before, the mangosteen (tastes a bit like lychee), and Rambutan (also known as a hairy strawberry). We even saw a cassowary in the wild!

Although not usually fans of zoos, we had visited a nature reserve in Port Douglas previously which, of its kind, was very good and did a great job of presenting the native animals in as close to a natural environment as is possible. We went again and it was even better than 7 years previously. You are able to see many of the famous animals of Australia who ordinarily you would be very lucky to see in the wild and, of course, the conditions are excellent for photographs.

We took the opportunity to rest up after a hectic few days and attempted to catch up with the blog (not a complete success).

The heat and humidity also contributed to our lack of energy combined with a certain languor brought on by the knowledge that our odyssey was soon to end. It was a nice change to take it easy and reflect on the journey we had enjoyed for nearly two months.

Coming in to Sydney on our flight from Cairns the weather was bright and sunny and Joan was able to take some remarkable shots of Sydney showing the opera house and bridge and the surrounding city.

We had booked a last night dinner in a French bistro. We were strangely subdued as we contemplated the next day's return to normality.

It was perhaps appropriate that the rain was falling heavily as our plane departed Sydney on its way to Los Angeles.



]]> Blue Blue Days — Blackheath, Australia http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1267566376/tpod.html http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1267566376/tpod.html#comment Travel Blogs http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1267566376/tpod.html Sun, 11 Apr 2010 21:08:44 +0000 The Intrepid OAPs in the Antipodes
Blackheath, Australia

(Blackheath hotels)


Blue Mountains

You’ve heard of the expression ‘out of the frying pan into the fire’, well we went out of the baking oven into the fridge (more correctly cooler). We flew from Perth, where the temperatures were in the high 30Cs, peaking at 42C (107F), to Sydney (a 4 ¼ hour flight and a 3 hour time difference), where the temperature was 17C (62F) and drizzle. Our destination was the Blue Mountains, which on a good day might take 1 ½ hours.

We arrived in Sydney at rush hour and immediately hit the M5 tunnel, where 3 highways are squeezed into 2 lanes. Those of you in Chicago will be familiar with the Hillside Strangler - this is worse. Having negotiated that, it began to rain heavily as we rose up out of the plain headed west. The Sydney suburbs stretch into the foothills of the Blue Mountains so we were in rush hour traffic for over an hour and half. The driving rain continued.

Our first night was in a B&B in Woodford. Beautifully located among trees, with a large garden, none of which were we able to appreciate when we arrived as it was still pouring down. We were made warmly (literally, they had the heating on) welcome by Robyn and Rex. Our accommodation was of the highest quality and spaciousness with every amenity provided, including electric blankets on the beds, which we used with alacrity. We had ordered dinner as we knew we would be arriving late. We had a most delicious meal of roast lamb & roast potatoes cooked by Rex our B & B host, accompanied by our own wine (purchased en route at the suggestion of our hosts).

After a big breakfast and photo op with birds in the back garden, we set off for Jemby-Rinjah Eco Lodge in the heart of the Blue Mountains. Jemby-Rinjah is Aboriginal for bright red parrot, and there were to be lots of those! On our way we stopped to view the Wentworth Falls, and the Three Sisters at Katoomba. This was done in heavy cloud with intimations of rain.

As the name implies this was an ecologically friendly lodge with wood cabins scattered through the rainforest. The contrast with the B&B was striking. It was cool and drizzling as we entered our two bedroomed, self catering cabin. The wood stove needed lighting, but we soon had a snug atmosphere. We ate a delicious, if slow, meal in the lodge.

One of the features of the lodge is bird feeding at 8:30 am every day. So we were there the next morning ahead of time. Much excitement ensued! There were Rosellas and King Parrots in profusion, happy to sit on your head or hand in return for food.

After the bird encounter we set off to walk along the Cliff Top Walk from Evans Lookout. We did well for old folks but an hour and a half of scrambling up and down steep slopes was enough for us. These tracks are definitely for walkers as the views are mostly restricted by the forest so there is little to see save the occasional bird or termite nest.

After lunch we drove to Mount Victoria where, while not finding Victoria Falls (really), we did go to Sunset Rocks, a signposted but completely unfenced vertical drop from rocks to the valley some 300 m (1000 feet) below. It was exhilarating to stand on the rocks and view the, for once, sun dappled Megalong Valley below.

Waking the next morning to rain, for the first time on our trip, we eventually drove the route down to the Hawkesbury Valley where more sunlight was to be found. We had coffee in Windsor, founded in 1810 by Governor Mcquarie, but little evidence of this was visible from the main road. We returned via Katoomba in the hopes of having sunlight to view the 3 Sisters but had no luck.

The Blue Mountains are an anomaly. Heavily and well promoted by the tourist marketing folks, they are a stunning natural phenomenon. A geological fault has caused a precipitous drop, almost like a canyon, which runs east west through hills/mountains rising to 1184 metres (3850 feet). The effect is to provide numerous precipitous drop-offs where stunning vistas over the hills and valleys below can be viewed. As most of the area has now been protected by inclusion in National Parks the natural habitat of gum trees and bush prevail. The ‘blue’ in Blue Mountain derives from the fine mist of oil emitted by the gum trees. The anomaly derives from the strip of development that stretches from Sydney through the mountains. Although promoted as a tourist destination, most of the towns and villages look thoroughly pedestrian, even tatty, with little provision for tourists in the way of attractive coffee shops, look outs, etc., so prevalent on other parts of our trip. The facilities within the National Parks, however, are usually excellent, with well marked trails and quality rest stops.

As we had a flight to Cairns leaving at 9:30 am from Sydney we were up at 5 am to ensure we caught the flight. Alas we awoke to fog! Stumbling in the pitch black along forest paths to our car was a harbinger of things to come. Crawling along the twisty turny, upsy downsy Great Western Road in the dark and fog turning to drizzle was, to say the least, exciting. Even at that time of the morning there were commuters passing us rushing pell-mell down to Sydney. Fortunately, as we descended, the weather began to clear until, in Sydney, the sunrise brightened the day. We made it just in time!
]]> Perapatetic Pemberton — Pemberton, Australia http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1267307085/tpod.html http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1267307085/tpod.html#comment Travel Blogs http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1267307085/tpod.html Tue, 06 Apr 2010 18:58:47 +0000 The Intrepid OAPs in the Antipodes
Pemberton, Australia

(Pemberton hotels)


If you check the map you will see that Pemberton is in the far south west of Australia. It is in the middle of the giant Karri forests and was originally developed to exploit the lumber of this region. The Karri trees are now protected but lumber remains a significant resource in this area.

It was the journey rather than the destination which was the main reason for our excursion to Pemberton. The Margaret River wine region lies to the west of Pemberton and there are coastal beauty spots on the way down. We also planned to go to Cape Leeuwin (named for one of the many Dutch explorers who mapped this coast), the most southern and westerly point in Australia.

Our first stop was Busselton, 230 km from Perth. We had made good time from Perth because of the excellent roads. There is a motorway which runs south from Perth for nearly 100 miles (160 km) which is more divided highway than exists in the whole of NZ. Most of it is brand new. What was surprising, at least to me, was the volume of traffic on the highway. WA is supposed to be sparsely populated. If so, most of them were on the highway with us.

Busselton is a seaside resort for Perth. Beautiful white sand beaches and a sheltered bay made this a pretty place to stop for coffee. It was still hot!

We then moved on to Margaret River. Limitations of time made visiting a vineyard impossible, but frankly by now we had visited so many that our interest in seeing one more was low. All vineyards share common characteristics. Often beautifully located, tasting wine soon makes it dangerous to drive. Lunch in Margaret River was, however, a treat. We ate at the Teahouse at Bridgefield (also signed as Natalie's) and were served by a young Quebecoise. It was still hot!

We drove south through forest along the Bussell Highway to Cape Leeuwin, a windswept and somewhat cooler spot than elsewhere in WA but still warm. The extreme end of the cape was fenced off and a fee was required to get there. We contented ourselves with views from outside.

Arriving in Pemberton we discovered that an annual bike race was being held, requiring us to detour around the town to get to our motel. This bike race was a major event. Pemberton is very hilly and the course through and around the town was challenging, to say the least. I was unable to buy the race jersey, unfortunately.

Our motel, described in the Lonely Planet as the best in Pemberton, was spacious if dated.
In addition to lumber, there are highly regarded vineyards around Pemberton. Checking in we mentioned the heat only to be told that it was highly unusual, that it usually rains for 9 months of the year and drips off the trees for the other three.

Pemberton is surrounded by national park forests consisting primarily of giant karri trees which grow to a height of around 200 feet (68m) and can be over 1,000 years old. Near Pemberton is the famous Gloucester tree which has steel spikes driven into it to form a spiral staircase. You may climb it and get great views to the sea. We didn't for two reasons - there was no rail or rope to hold on to, and, there were giant biting flies swarming around our car. We did not get out of the car!

We drove off up the South Western highway headed back to Perth. We stopped for lunch in Bunbury, an old port transitioning to seaside resort. We were headed for the Rose Hotel, built in 1865 in characteristic Australian style. The Rose looks in good shape but unfortunately it appeared to have closed down. We ate well at one of the many sidewalk cafes on the main street instead.

We arrived back in Perth (still hot) in good time and flew off to Sydney the next morning.

]]> Pyro Perth — Perth, Australia http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1267134265/tpod.html http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1267134265/tpod.html#comment Travel Blogs http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1267134265/tpod.html Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:41:16 +0000 The Intrepid OAPs in the Antipodes
Perth, Australia

(Perth hotels)


It is a long way from anywhere to Perth. The flight from Melbourne took over 4 hours. Reflecting the dryness of most of the land we traveled over, there were few clouds in the sky. Joan took advantage of this to take some unusual photos.

Western Australia is hot! We arrived in Perth in the second hottest summer on record. It was 42C (107F). The sun was so hot it was painful to be in it - shade was a priority.Thankfully,we had a spacious air conditioned apartment in the centre of Perth within easy walking distance of downtown in normal weather.

Surprisingly, many of the eateries we tried for lunch were not air conditioned - they were somewhat taken aback when we walked out on finding that out! We soon found an air conditioned restaurant where we had an excellent lunch.

While we are on the subject of A/C I must observe that electricity must be really cheap here (and in Melbourne). Most of the stores and malls where there was A/C had their entrances wide open with cold air spilling on to the pavement - welcomed by passersby but hardly energy efficient. Surprisingly neither Australia nor NZ seems to be a leader in alternative energy. Wind farms would be ideal for NZ but we saw only a few, solar energy would be a natural for Australia but they have lots of cheap coal so they don't seem bothered.

Braving the heat, after settling in, we walked to the Swan River. This is a big river! Surprisingly it does not flow in the summer but is saved from the sea moving upstream by a sandbar at the mouth of the river. Fronting the city along the river is an enormous green stretching for almost the full length of the downtown business district. It is surrounded by palm trees but there are no trees growing on it. The city is set up for cyclists with well segregated bike paths provided in most areas. Downtown Perth is an attractive mix of older buildings and brand new
high rises. Large cranes were to be seen everywhere, evidence of optimism about the future.

We headed for the Bell Tower, which is a new modern structure erected for the millenium, containing bells, some from St Martins in the Fields in London which are from the 14th century.

It was an easy walk from there to the shopping district but most of the stores were closing so we strolled back to our apartment. There are pedestrianized streets which form malls which make it easy to walk around.

Our hot climate strategy was to use the air conditioned, free tourist buses to tour the city, which we did the next morning. In the afternoon we took a boat ride to Fremantle, where the America's Cup was first won from the US. The boat ride was unexceptional, but on viewing the expensive real estate which lines the banks of the river, it seemed that Perth millionaires like to build their homes so close to each other that they don't have to shout to converse.

Fremantle was a pleasant surprise (as well as being hot), the old town is well preserved and sidewalk cafes line the streets. After coffee we took the clean and new commuter train back to Perth.

The commodities boom has obviously helped Western Australia. New roads, rail, buildings, houses were to be seen everywhere. Because of its remoteness, I had unconsciously assumed a certain lack of modernity - I was wrong. Once the distance from anywhere else is forgotten this region appears modern and complete, i.e. has all the facilities and features of any modern Western state. It is clearly ripe for growth - it has a great year round climate, adequate water (at least in an area larger than the UK), basic resources of all kinds, giant wheat fields, great wine, fruit farms, extensive forests, dairy and beef cattle, and more besides.





]]> Momentary Melbourne — Melbourne, Australia http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1267047849/tpod.html http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1267047849/tpod.html#comment Travel Blogs http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1267047849/tpod.html Fri, 26 Mar 2010 23:33:33 +0000 The Intrepid OAPs in the Antipodes
Melbourne, Australia

(Melbourne hotels)


We stayed in a motel near the airport because we had an early flight to Perth the next day. This motel was a significant improvement over the one in Auckland, used for the same purpose.
We even enjoyed an evening meal in their restaurant!

]]> Parrot Paradise — Halls Gap, Australia http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1266961431/tpod.html http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1266961431/tpod.html#comment Travel Blogs http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1266961431/tpod.html Fri, 26 Mar 2010 23:02:05 +0000 The Intrepid OAPs in the Antipodes
Halls Gap, Australia

(Halls Gap hotels)


The Grampians

Our first encounter with the vastness of Australia was the drive from the coast at Warrnambool to Hall’s Gap. This is wheat and sheep country, for the most part flat, and the road runs straight for miles with hardly another car to be seen. There are very few towns along the way, indeed we don’t recall any before Dunkeld, some 82 km (50 miles) from Warrnambool. Past Dunkeld the mountains rise out of the flat plain, sloped like frozen waves. They were indeed formed by the earth’s crust folding under volcanic action.

Hall’s Gap is the only habitation within Grampians National Park. We had booked into a cabin in the woods for the night. We arrived early and were able to watch the sunset in the narrow valley we were in. More importantly we made the acquaintance of the sulphur crested cockatoos and rosellas. They flocked to our cabin even before we put out some crackers.

Kangaroos were also in residence and we were able to approach very close to them. The whole setting was a delight - the air seemed pristine, the light from the setting sun lent a glow to everything we viewed, and the parrots gathered in large numbers before deciding where to roost, interrupted occasionally by a stray kangaroo.

These images are so apart from our usual experiences that they will remain with us for a long time. Hall’s Gap is a soothing and peaceful place, good for the soul!

Although now the mountains look untouched and covered in native bush, this was not always so. The bush was cleared, with great effort, in some places and orchards were planted, even tobacco! Careful examination of the bush reveals apple and peach trees mingling with the native gum trees. The lodge we were in is situated on some of the earliest cleared land. Even so the bush crowds in and seems ever ready to reclaim the land it lost.

The next morning we headed off to Melbourne via Ararat and Ballarat. Ararat's main claim to fame is a grapevine which stretches the whole length of the main street. Ballarat on the other hand grew rich on the gold which was discovered in 1851. There are many fine examples of Victorian architecture in the town. Ballarat is clearly not as wealthy today as it was in its heyday but there is still an air of grandeur to be felt as you walk the main streets. They are to be commended for preserving so many of the building which serve as a reminder of how things used to be.

An excellent highway ensured that we made good time in our return to Melbourne.




]]> Awesome Apollo! — Apollo Bay, Australia http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1266875007/tpod.html http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1266875007/tpod.html#comment Travel Blogs http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1266875007/tpod.html Tue, 23 Mar 2010 17:54:18 +0000 The Intrepid OAPs in the Antipodes
Apollo Bay, Australia

(Apollo Bay hotels)


The Great Ocean Road

Exiting Melbourne to go west proved easier than we thought even in rush hour. We were soon on the highway to Geelong, the entry to the Great Ocean Road. This road follows the coast from there to Warrnambool with great coastal views at almost every mile. We stopped early to watch the skillful surfers at Bell’s Beach in glorious sunshine. These guys were good (I did not see any females). They clearly understood the rhythm of the waves, waiting like a pod of seals for the right wave and careening, for what seemed like an eternity, along the wave before wiping out in the shallows. The wonderful turquoise blue sea contrasted with the almost white beaches and ochre colored cliffs.

Stopping often to admire the views, especially at Split Point Light Station where we stopped for coffee, we arrived surprisingly quickly at Apollo Bay, our destination for the night. Steep hills surrounded this small town, popular with surfers. We climbed up out of the town to our accommodation, which was perched on the edge of a cliff with great views over the bay. We had our own cabin (villa) whose picture windows overlooked the bay. We were sorry that we were only there one night as the facilities were excellent and the villas are combined with a well regarded restaurant where we ate a fortifying breakfast.

We were fortunate to have arrived early and in bright sunshine because the next morning everything was shrouded in cloud and rain threatened, making the views of yesterday but a memory (except in our photos, of course).

After breakfast, we headed west to view more of the Ocean Road. Unfortunately there is a long stretch which heads inland and winds through bush with not much to see. Eventually we arrived back at the coast and all was forgiven, as the great limestone cliffs towered over the sea. Here were the Twelve Apostles (now eleven as one recently toppled into the sea). The fierce seas here are eroding the cliffs and leaving these pillars of harder rock behind as the cliffs retreat. We saw them in glorious sunshine. The facilities for viewing are excellent - a modern visitors center and parking have been built on the other side of the highway from the cliffs (no doubt to avoid being eroded away in the near future) with a tunnel under the highway. Walkways and viewing platforms have been constructed to accommodate the large crowds, to be seen even when we were there.

Following the Twelve Apostles we moved on to the Bay of Martyrs. In itself a glorious sight but it suffers in comparison to the Apostles.

We ate a tasty lunch in Warrnambool before heading north to the Grampians.


]]> Muggy Melbourne — Melbourne, Australia http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1266702188/tpod.html http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1266702188/tpod.html#comment Travel Blogs http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1266702188/tpod.html Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:30:32 +0000 The Intrepid OAPs in the Antipodes
Melbourne, Australia

(East Melbourne hotels)



We made good time to Melbourne from Eden, helped by a divided highway (dual carriageway) for nearly the last 100 miles into downtown. The road previously had been relatively unremarkable, passing through farmland and forest and skirting the big resort area of Gippsland on the coast. The weather was sunny and hot. We stopped for lunch in Bairnsdale and yet again the Lonely Planet restaurant recommendation had closed. We chose a large pub (The Grand Terminus Hotel) near the railway station, fearing the worst, and we were agreeably surprised (not for the first time) by the quality of the food,

Our accommodation in Melbourne was perhaps our worst experience to date. Recommended by both the Lonely Planet and the Eyewitness Guide, it was a B&B in name only. The rooms were very small, and, although breakfast was included in the rate, it was more like a small rundown hotel than a B&B. It did at least have the benefit of being well located.

Walking out in the early evening into Melbourne’s warm and muggy weather, we passed numerous stylish homes and buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. We were in a an affluent neighborhood and within an easy stroll of Fitzroy Gardens, a leafy park laid out in Victorian times which includes the home of Captain Cook’s parents, rebuilt in Melbourne after being shipped from Yorkshire in 1934.

We woke up the next morning to clouds, drizzle and much cooler temperatures. Thankfully the clouds cleared through the morning, to be replaced by hot sun. We took the tram to downtown and walked down the main drag, Swanston Street, to Federation Square, admiring the Flinders Street Station as we passed. Melbourne’s main river, the Yarra, runs alongside the square and it was a pleasure to see so many people rowing on the river.

Free buses circulate around the downtown. We took one to Queen Victoria Market, a large open air market just north of downtown. Much browsing took place, both of the food on offer (including kangaroo and emu), and the clothes. After lunch we reboarded the bus to see the Victoria Legislature, but could not, it being Sunday?

A couple of days is not enough to really experience a city of Melbourne’s size, but our impressions were favorable. We loved the mix of old and new and the walkable size of downtown. Melbourne is clearly on a growth spurt, with old areas of downtown being redeveloped, and real estate prices continuing to rise.




]]> Edge of Eden — Eden, Australia http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1266615770/tpod.html http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1266615770/tpod.html#comment Travel Blogs http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1266615770/tpod.html Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:51:19 +0000 The Intrepid OAPs in the Antipodes
Eden, Australia

Where I stayed
Crown and Anchor B&B
(Eden hotels)


Our drive down from Bowral was exciting - sometimes too! The plateau on which Bowral sits suddenly plunges down into the Kangaroo Valley. This makes for stunning vistas but is a challenge for the driver. Fortunately, like NZ, Australian roads are not heavily traveled.

It was a warm and sunny day as we drove in to Bateman's Bay for lunch. We ate at Monet's on the edge of the bay. The meal was very tasty, infused with Lebanese and Asian flavors. Sitting there, relaxed, with balmy sea breezes blowing over us it was hard to remember the weather being experienced in the northern hemisphere. This is a popular seaside resort for Sydneysiders and it is easy to see why.

We drove down the Princes Highway, no apostrophe, don't know which prince, with occasional glimpses of the sea, to Pambula Beach. We had heard that you could see kangaroos on the beach there. We didn't, but did see kangaroos hanging around a campsite by the beach - very exciting!

Moving on we eventually reached Eden, named, it transpired, not from the garden, but in honor of the British Secretary of State of the time (1840s). It had been a major whaling town with a sheltered inner bay. Our B&B, located high on the peninsula which sheltered the inner bay, was an old inn built in 1845. It has views of both bays and the sea. We were greeted with champagne and cheese nibbles and we sat out overlooking the bay feeling very pleased with ourselves.

The town of Eden has seen better days and most eating places were closed by the time we went out to eat. So we ate in one of the ubiquitous 'clubs' seen throughout Australia, where the Aussies are able to slake their thirst for gambling (and beer). It was the tax revenue from these clubs which paid for the building of the Sydney Opera House. It is necessary to join the club in order to eat there (or gamble, or drink), but this is easily accomplished by filling in a form (no membership fee).

We rose early and drove off to Melbourne in anticipation of a long day.



]]> Bustling Bowral — Bowral, Australia http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1266270148/tpod.html http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1266270148/tpod.html#comment Travel Blogs http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/johnmyers2/2/1266270148/tpod.html Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:47:48 +0000 The Intrepid OAPs in the Antipodes
Bowral, Australia

Where I stayed
Friends' House
(Bowral hotels)



Our arrival in Sydney was uneventful if long drawn out. We picked up a car and drove the 100 km or so to Bowral. From the airport you are very quickly (other than M5 tunnel, about which more later) on the main road to Canberra, heading southwest. Bowral, where Donald Bradman lived, is a small country town nestled in the Southern Highlands at an elevation of over 2000 feet. This altitude ensures a cooler, and wetter, summer than Sydney or Canberra and a lush, green environment much compared to England. The town is very popular with affluent retirees and there are many beautiful gardens, including that of our friends Jean and Dave, with whom we had to come to stay for a few days. Jean is an old high school friend of Joan's, who also knew Mitzi in those long ago days.

Their garden, transformed since we last saw it seven years ago, is full of birds, including Rosellas (red, blue, and green parrots), sulphur crested cockatoos, Corellas (white cockatoos), and Rainbow Lorikeets. This is one of several features which makes Australia so different from NZ.

For those few who do not know who Donald Bradman was, I should explain that he occupies a position in the pantheon of great cricketers equivalent to that of Babe Ruth in Baseball. He was Babe's contemporary and he retired with a batting average of 99.99 runs per innings. This has never been equaled. This is the equivalent of a lifetime batting average in Baseball of over .500.

There is a beautiful cricket field and museum in Bowral which memorializes Bradman’s achievements. England and Australia play an exhibition game there whenever England are in Australia.

The Highlands plunge down to the sea just to the east of Bowral and I revisited my New Zealand experiences as we twisted and turned our way down to Kiama, a seaside town on the coast of NSW. Almost gale force winds were blowing, unfortunately, which kept the birds away. Last time we (Joan and John) were there, we were delighted with the Galahs (pink and grey parrots), and large white Pelicans, alas now absent.

The next day was Mitzi’s birthday. We all went to Sydney to celebrate. Lunch on the verandah in the Royal Botanical Gardens, overlooking the fruitbats, was delicious. We were familiar with the problem of the fruit bats from our earlier visit. They are a popular tourist sight but unfortunately they devastate the trees they roost in. All attempts by the Garden to make them go away have been for naught.

The famous sights of Sydney were within walking distance - the harbor, the Opera House, and the coat hanger bridge. We were blessed with good weather, muggy and warm. A particular surprise and delight for Mitzi was to receive flowers, bubbly, and chocolate from her kids when we returned to Bowral. We all enjoyed drinking the libation, and wishing Mitzi many more years of good health..

The Bowral area is yet another wine growing region, albeit very new. We visited one vineyard but thought the wine, both red and white, still needed some work.

Having been royally fed and rested by our hosts, we departed, not without regret, on our nearly 3 week odyssey in Australia. Our first destination was Eden on the south coast of NSW.


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