Day 45, Saturday, February 25, 2006 Many years ago, Uncle Rob worked at the Currumbin Wildlife Park during his visit to Australia. Just as it was then, dozens of lorikeets flock to the visitors who feed them with a mix of sugar and water. The birds find it particularly convenient to land on your head before hopping down to the plate. The Park has numerous other exhibits, including fresh water and salt water crocodiles. This afternoon, Terry drove us up to Broadbeach, where we met Rob and Mellie. Rob and I had completed a transaction on e-bay a few months ago and we arranged to get together while we were in Australia. We had a wonderful visit at their home and went for a stroll along Burleigh Beach with the skyscrapers of Surfers Paradise providing a captivating background on Australia's beautiful Gold Coast. The last two days have been special. We have some wonderful new friends who have provided us with unforgettable memories of themselves and of Australia.Bob's Blog
Day 44, Friday, February 24, 2006 We arrived in Currumbin Beach in midafternoon as Terry and Madeleine had kindly invited us to stay with them. They had two other visitors as well, a pair of wild, sulphur-crested cockatoos. The two came to Terry and Madeleine's balcony every afternoon for a snack of sunflower seeds. This evening, we had supper at the Luna Rosa Restaurant with Terry and Madeleine, and their friends, Bob and Pat and Neville and Sandy. It was a wonderful evening, the prawns were particularly good, and we got some good information about things to see along the Queensland coast. Bob's Blog
Day 43, Thursday, February 23, 2006 Trial Bay Gaol was opened in 1886 as a public works prison, housing more than 500 guests. It later served as an Enemy Alien Internment Camp during the First World War. I served time here, too, about a minute. A nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live here.
Scoff's Restaurant in Coffs Harbour specializes in bush food. I had roast kangaroo. It was not unlike beef, very tender and a mild taste. It was very good although I did get the hiccups later. Toohey's Extra Dry, winner of the World Beer Cup Gold Medal 1998, best dry lager, went very well with it.
Bob's Blog
Day 41, Tuesday, February 21, 2006 With the fog still persisting at Katoomba, we decided to start our journey north. We took the scenic back roads from the Blue Mountains toward Newcastle on the coast. We stopped for lunch at a place called Spencer, claiming to be the Hub of the Universe. This is a photo of the centre of the hub, he sells gas, beer, sandwiches, groceries, has internet, boat launch, monitors the fire hazard, this is where it’s happening. By mid afternoon we had reached the picturesque little town of Toronto, complete with a lake and yacht club, just like the bigTO. By late afternoon we were tired of driving and we stopped at the not yet famous town of Raymond Terrace.
Bob’s Blog
Day 40, Monday, February 20, 2006 It was overcast and showery as we checked out of our hotel, picked up our rental car and found our way out of Sydney without missing a turn, and all with just a paper map as the GPS could not find the satellites among the skyscrapers. As we headed for the Blue Mountains, we ran into some heavy fog so we programmed the GPS to find Katoomba. Unable to see any road signs, the GPS guided us along streets, around corners and through roundabouts and into town. Being really lost in town in the dense fog, we asked the GPS to find an accommodation from a guide that we had and it directed us right into the driveway. Without it, we would still be lost on the Great Western Motorway somewhere. We feel that we have already gotten our money’s worth from it. Here are a couple of photos of the Blue Mountains in the fog. You won’t find photos like these on any postcard.
Bob’s Blog
Day 39, Sunday, February 19, 2006 The Rocks Market, located at the head of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the site of the original Sydney settlement, operates every Saturday and Sunday. There are a couple of streets of kiosks selling all kinds of souvenirs, crafts, candy, books, junk, you name it. According to the locals, the weather was unusually hot, 30C for this time of year. We decided to spend the hot part of the day inside so we took the ride to the top of the Sydney Tower and later to the Australian Museum which is 175 years old and houses a vast collection. We particularly enjoyed the exhibit about the Indigenous Australians, (they aren’t Aboriginals anymore), the marvelous collection of Australian rocks and minerals, and the special exhibit of Wildlife Photography from around the world. (Dave you would have loved it). I went into a Backpacker’s Hostel to ask where an internet site was that was supposed to be nearby and the lady at the desk was registering a young man from Ireland.
“Do you know the problem with Dublin”, she asked him.
“No”.
“It just keeps Dublin and Dublin”.
Bob’s Blog
Day 35, Wednesday, February 15, 2006 It’s just a short drive from Papakura to Auckland. We checked into our hotel and dropped off our car. We spent the afternoon strolling the streets and harbour area. I had a Hokey Pokey gelato (now that’s different) and this evening we had supper at the Waterfront Café, our favourite seafood spot here.
New Zealand has been everything that everyone has said it was and more. Magnificent scenery, excellent food, pleasant weather and best of all genuinely friendly people, and abundant sheep. Put New Zealand on your list of places to visit.
Bob’s Blog
As we come to the end of our stay in New Zealand, I want to say a special word of thanks to all the hosts of the Bed and Breakfast Homestays who made us feel so royally welcome in their homes and who were unfailingly helpful and considerate in their efforts so see that we enjoyed our holiday here. If anyone is considering an NZ holiday, I can most heartily recommend that they make use of the B&B resources here. In Papakura, Rotorua, Napier, Wellington, Westport, Hokitika, Arrowtown and Akaroa, we came away feeling that we had made valuable friends in the places we stayed. I will put the e-mail addresses of the B&B’s we stayed at, and hope that others will be able to enjoy the same friendliness and hospitality that we so appreciated.
Sharron’s Blog
Papakura:
Karaka Country Garden & Homestay
Hugh & Rae Ross
e-mail: hugh_rae@paradise.net.nzRotorua:
Lake Okareka B&B
Patricia & Ken Scott
e-mail: patricia.scott@xtra.co.nzNapier:
Hillcrest B&B
Nancy & Noel Lyons
e-mail: lyons@lnhb.co.nz
Wellington:
Top O’ T’ill Homestay
Catherine & Dennis Riley
e-mail: top.o.hill@xtra.co.nzWestport:
Havenlee Homestay
Jan & Ian Stevenson
e-mail: info@havenlee.co.nz
Hokitika:
Hokitika Heritage Lodge
Dianne & Chris Ward
e-mail: hokitikaheritage@xtra.co.nzArrowtown:
Old Villa Homestay B&B
June and Arch Flint
e-mail: archie.june@xtra.co.nzAkaroa :
La Belle Villa
Barry and Maureen
e-mail: bookings@labellevilla.co.nz
Day 33, Monday, February 13, 2006 Many thanks to Kim and Joan for their kind hospitality and for showing us around their beautiful area. We hope we can reciprocate in the near future. We had another smooth crossing of Cook Strait and then drove from Wellington to Taihape (rhymes with die happy).
Bob’s Blog
Day 32, Sunday, February 12, 2006 Kim and Joan took us boating on Queen Charlotte Sound in the morning and we hiked a couple of scenic trails. We encountered a group of seals on the trip back. We all had dinner on board the retired scow “Echo“. Great seafood.
Bob’s Blog
Day 31, Saturday, February 11, 2006 Just a short drive north of Kaikoura is a seal colony where a large number of seal pups had their own private pool. We arrived at Picton in mid afternoon and spent another enjoyable evening with Kim and Joan.
Bob’s Blog
Day 30, Friday, February 10, 2006 Still showery, we stopped at a winery north of Christchurch and sampled a number of their products. (We had to do something that was inside). By the time we reached Kaikoura, the showers had stopped and we walked along the beach for a couple of hours. Kaikoura offers boat trips to see whales, dolphins and seals, but with the unsettled weather, we chose not to go out.
Bob’s Blog
Day 29, Thursday, February 9, 2006 Still showery, we toured the Akaroa Museum that tells the story of Akaroa. One of their most notable citizens was Captain Worsley, who accompanied Shackleton on his Antarctic voyage. Worsley was one of the three who made the long voyage for help that saved the expedition.
Tonight we dined at Akaroa’s most famous restaurant, C’est la Vie. Allegedly famous worldwide for its exquisite food, it’s also known for its community table. We were privileged to be seated at it with five other guests, two from Canada (Calgary, no less, and Vancouver), two from Christchurch, just an hour away, and one from England. It was an enjoyable evening. When asked by the proprietor how we had heard of the restaurant, one guest replied that a hitchhicker that they had picked up told them that it was the best restaurant in the world. “We pay the hitchhikers” the proprietor replied. I had roast pork and Sharron chose the catch of the day. It must have been a good day because the catch comprised five or six different fish. And yes, it might be the best restaurant in the world.
Bob’s Blog
Day 28, Wednesday, February 8, 2006 The rain finally caught up with us so we spent the morning at the Geraldine Antique Car and Tractor Museum. We arrived in Akaroa in the late afternoon and in spite of the overcast, the view of Akaroa harbour from the top of the volcano rim is awesome. This French settlement dates back to the 1840’s and still maintains its French flavour and influence.
Bob’s Blog
Day 27, Tuesday, February 7, 2006 This Bungy Jump is just outside of Arrowtown and was already busy at 9 am. Mt. Cook is a majestic sight. Often obscured by cloud, it was at its best today, providing us a magnificent view as we drove along Lake Pukaki. We have had the best week of weather possible along the west coast, into the fiords and into the mountains to Mt. Cook, areas that are often frequented by cloud and rain. The views are exceptional and the colours brilliant and sometimes surreal in the bright sunshine, we have been very fortunate.
OK, I tried to transmit photos from the last few day, some did, some didn’t, some cloned themselves, who knows why?
Bob’s Blog
