Travels down under

Trip Start Dec 29, 2006

Trip End Jun 10, 2007

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Flag of Australia Newcastle, Australia
Saturday, February 17, 2007

Hi, all

Another week, another country. Since my last entry, one of the recipients David Roberts has written asking me to both spice it up and also suggested mentioning the welsh pub which I visited whilst in NZ.

Dave, I am not too sure whether I can do too much about the spicing up for the moment, but since you were interested, pls find a link & a brief descption of the pub attached for your and for more general perusal. Although it did not serve any welsh beer as far as I could tell and the welsh bar staff seen (proudly mentioned in the link) were in fact one part kiwi with the other part being a north walian, .....which you could argue doesnt really count, the pub did have a distinct welsh feel about it remiscent somewhat of the castle hotel in aberystwyth sometime in the early eighties. Suffice to say, we didnt stay long and I still blame Lachlan for dragging me there in the first place.

Moving swiftly on I spent a very relaxing time in Manly this last week. Described as the jewel of the north shore by the lonely planet guidebook, it is thorougly recommended. A bracing ferry ride away from the centre of Sydney it still manges to have everything an excellent beach resort should have. Whilst there, I took a hike up to the north fort, which is on the headland overlooking the entance to Sydney harbour. Its fair to say that the fort is not a big attraction, its open only three days a week even now in summer, and that entry is permitted only when accompanied by a guide.

Cardiff

When our guide first appeared, I suffered what can only be described as a wish to run away, not many years over 70,it is true our guide opened the tour with a blaze of irrelevant facts, the tour was for example linked with but not part of the services provided by the Sydney Harbour Board etc etc, whats more the tour would take not less than two hours.

However, like a number of things on these travels, my intial fears proved ill founded (could be a lesson there more generally, perhaps .....) and Laurie our guide took us all over the fort which included a maze of underground tunnels interspersing his usual factual, detailed and sometimes laborious description of guns and mortar sizes and their exact range with more personal and it has to be said more interesting insights into the state of australian society today...! Suffice to say, that by the end of the tour we were reluctant to let Laurie go and one of the party even missed the last bus back into town in the hope that Laurie would bestow the group with just one more of his insights, before he left us. If you are ever in Manly, a tour of the Fort is recommended and if your tour guide happens to be called Laurie tell him I sent you.....!
In my next entry, I am hoping to include something on politics down under and also an account of whats it like to be a conservation volunteer in the outback.

Have now added some photos to this and to the previous entries.

Any Feedback appreciated.

Stephen

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