Hi All.  What follows is a chronological, selective diary of our trip to Australia in July 2013.  I’m working on formatting and hope to have some reference info. included re. accessibility and likes soon.

July 1, 2013

It’s the night before flying

And all through the house

Not a creature is stirring

Not even my computer mouse.

But it seems now I’m lying

Because of all this typing

and pointing

and clicking,

Its not really secret, nor public or recorded anywhere but here.  But shhh we’re on our way to Australia.  One long flight on Air Canada from Vancouver and we land in Sydney.

Getting ready was pretty easy.  Passport  – check.  Electronic Travel Authority from Australian government (a temporary visa) – check.  Flying anywhere near the U.S. (Secure Flight Program form) – check.  Pack light, buy stuff there – check.  Buy cell phone package from Bell – got it.

July 2, 2013 – Liftoff

GP to Edmonton – Thanks to Kurt, we arrived on time at the Grande Prairie airport and boarded a new Q400 plane.  When we got to Edmonton, it pulled up to the gate rather than out on the ramp, first time in my experience for Bombardier planes.  No going outside.  Very hot and humid in Edmonton.

Edmonton to Vancouver – Embrauer D90 plane?  Watched part of movie “Still Mine” with James Cromwell and Genevieve Bujold.  New movie – great commentary on the stultifying and mind-numbing bureaucracy around building codes etc.  Need to get the movie to our city planners.

Vancouver to Sydney.  While on our way to the international gates once off the Edmonton flight spoke with flight attendant who indicated she would be on the Sydney flight.

Left about midnight.  Flew virtually the entire way in darkness.  The sun caught up with us about 7:30 and we landed just after 8:00 AM Sydney time.  First class has new “seats” which sort of remind me of the pods people were kept in, in the Matrix movies.  They are sort of egg shaped, with the side facing the aisle open, and self contained.  Each seat is off set from the neighbouring seats, and you could not talk to anyone unless you stand up or go to their seat.  The pods have a TV which folds out, and can make into a bed.  They look very now.

We had great seats in our Boeing 777, with about 3’ of legroom, right behind first class.  Due to the airplane’s configuration, there were only two seats where we sat, so we were not cramped by a third person.  $100 ea.  Worth it.  Tough to sleep though we probably slept about half the time.

In the morning the flight attendant we had met earlier came and talked with us.  She has 6 children and the youngest one she sent on a walkabout for a year in Australia.  Just dropped him off and said see you in a year.  Cool.  She was very interested in the conference Gaye will be attending on Reading Recovery.

Upon arrival we went through customs which was very quick and courteous.  Outside the weather was a little cool but sunny.  Apparently it had been raining for about 10 days prior.  First order of business – Coffee!  Found a coffee bar just outside the terminal.  Slightly different taste but strong and invigorating.

Now for the big test.  Driving.  Thanks to the Disabled Driver’s Organization in Australia, we were directed to AVIS.  They indicated that AVIS was about the only organization which offered hand controls in their vehicles.  Getting the car was easy, all papers were in order and the young fellow behind the desk was great.

Getting away from the airport was not quite so easy.  We punched in our hotel’s address in the GPS and started out.  Right away the GPS started telling us things we did not want to hear.  Like, turn right (into a parking lot), turn onto roads which were going nowhere, turn around etc. etc.  We drove around the airport twice, attempting to get away and then just stopped to figure out what was going on.

I should say that, in addition to not knowing where we were in the map sense of things, I had know idea which direction was which, we were on the wrong side of the road and the hand controls in the car were on the right hand side of the steering column – which I am not used to (story about that later).  Of course I was drinking coffee and smoking at the same time … not true, just taking pictures.

So we were in a pickle.  I was sort of stuck in my mind and thinking maybe I shouldn’t be driving.  But Gaye came up with a brilliant solution.  She asked, “Why don’t we hire a taxi and follow him to the hotel?”  So that is what we did.  We pulled into a yard full of taxis and asked.  The driver was a little non-plussed until he figured out what it was we wanted, but then was fine with it.  He did ask for $20 as sincerity money though.  He was great, not pulling too far ahead and watching out for us all the way to our hotel.

As we were paying him, he gave us what I suspect is good advice.  Follow the speed limit and don’t go through red lights, because there are cameras everywhere and the fines will add up automatically on our rental car bill.  “Very expensive,” he said, “Very expensive.”  We did know that the fees for the toll roads would be automatically added to our rental car bill whenever we drove on those kind of roads.  The AVIS representative had told us about that.  (Maybe they’re Troll roads).

So it seems we won’t really know what our rental car invoice will look like until we return to the airport.

By the time we reached the hotel, I was a bit fried.  Fortunately, following the cab kept me on the left side of the road, but Wow were we ever driving – on and off freeways, into tunnels which split into different directions underground and onto busy streets.  By the time we reached the hotel, I had forgotten all about the hand controls.  They were working just fine.

Now for what sent us wrong in the first place.  When we entered the address 22 Sydney St. (our hotel) in the GPS, we did not know there were two places in Sydney with that address.  We would have had to pick Sydney CPD, which I hadn’t.  So the GPS was taking us to a place about 20 miles West of where we needed to be.  Given my state of mind though, all for the best!

It was about 11:00 or so by the time we reached the hotel and our room wouldn’t be ready until about 2:00.  We were helped though by Steve, a great guy at the IBIS hotel who got us registered and into an accessible room, and parked under the hotel.  Then he sent us off to the wharf, we are staying in the Darling Harbour area, for lunch.  We had a great lunch at the King’s Wharf restaurant and went for a bit of a walk.   Lots of restaurants here, museums etc.  Must be a go to destination.

About 2 we went back to the hotel, took our luggage to the room and decided to have a short snooze.  Woke up about 11:30 at night.  Crazy.  Stayed in bed until 2:30 or so then got up.  Went over the things we hadn’t earlier – internet $25.00 per day but not working just now, parking $45.00/day (say what?), breakfast (similar to what’s included with the room in most hotels in GP) $22 each.  Guess we’re in the big city now!

Across the street though there is a 24 hour store.  Picked up some English muffins, cheese and turkey (sorry plant based diet), oranges and bananas at about 4 AM.  Worked great to bring our energy level up (breakfast not until 6 anyway).

Friday July 6, 2013

Off for a walk at about 8.  Walked through the Darling Harbour area past the World’s Biggest IMAX all the way to Paddy’s market.  We got there before much was happening so don’t know much, although the main floor area was one big flea market, similar to the one we visited in Corpus Christi last year.  Maybe they’re the same all over the world.

Visited the Powerhouse Museum, which features science, technology and design.  Really enjoyed it.  The first thing we saw was Gaye’s 3GS iphone – on display as an artifact!  Lot’s of cool stuff from a replica of the Strasbourg clock which was built in the 1880’s and within which Neptune has not made a single revolution as yet, to one of the original steam engines built in Britain by James Watt which originally powered a brewery, to rockets and satellites.  Included were many exhibits on design and architecture from sea rescue to a double skinned skyscraper with interior atrium.  Good food too.  Goat cheese ommelette with spinach and feta.  Yumm (sorry plant based diet).

Lots of new technology featured as well.  The Sidney Harbour Bridge now has thousands of sensors mounted on the deck and superstructure, so that any change in stress is immediately noted and repairs made.  Because of all the small repairs, fewer major repairs are needed.  Many forms of transportation featured including the following:

We wandered slowly back to the hotel to figure out where the conference is to be and took a ferry around the headland to Circular Quay.  The ferry went under the Sydney Harbour bridge (which there was an exhibit about at the museum – tell you later) and in front of the Opera House before docking.  We walked to the Opera House, but it looked complicated to enter.  There were people at the doors and events going on so we just walked around it a bit.

As we were doing that I looked over at the bridge.  It looked to me that there were people on the top span, right at the top.  At first I thought, maybe they are statues – soldiers or something guarding the harbor.  But no, they were moving.  Got out the binoculars and sure enough, people were up there.  I guess you can do that ($250).

After that we walked up Macquarrie St. to locate the conference hotel.  Bit of a hill.  After consulting the map a few times, we found the Sofitel Wentworth hotel.  Yowsahh.  Posh.  Then mapped a route for Gaye to return.  Erskine St. to Clarence the Cat St., then left to Margaret St. (friend) then a quick jog at George St. to Hunter St. (no avenues?) then all the way to Phillip St. and left to the hotel.  Should be about 15-20 min.  Took us about ½ hr.  Short blocks, up and down, lots of shops.

Back down to the wharf area for supper.  Zucchini flowers for $20.  $5 per flower.  God!!  Must be a lot of work.  The beer and wine were cheap and good.  I’m just going to have to suck it up and quit with the cost comparisons.

Up to hotel for more English muffin and snacks.  Gaye found Pringles at the store!

In bed by 6:30 PM.  Up at 4.  Now 7:20 AM Saturday.  Leaving soon to be on the road to Armidale to visit Clint and Joss, before there is much traffic.

Saturday – July 7, 2013

Ready for the big test.  Everyone at the hotel has been harassed, maps consulted, car loaded.  I’m following a special route to the bridge.  Out of the hotel garage turn left, stay left to the end of the block, turn right stay left – LEFT.  Road construction.  No way through.  Oh Oh!  Return to Go.  LEFT!!! (I’m getting help from Gaye).  Consult map.  Easy fix, go around block, should take us to bridge.  It does.  Whew.  Cool bridge – it has lanes for vehicle traffic, trains, bicycles and pedestrians (and of course you can climb up if you want).

Once on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, all we have to do is stay on the road for a while.  No turning, just a few roundabouts.  OK, first to Hornsby then onto Highway #1, the freeway, for Newcastle.  Quite a few rest areas noted.  We pull in to one after about an hour for a break, taking advice from the road signs which indicate we should do so.

Upon reaching the end of the freeway, we turned NW and headed for Armidale on Hwy 15.  There are lots of towns and villages along the highway, reminding me of how home used to be before the highways started bypassing settlements.  So the going is slower, but we are here to see what it’s like, so all is new and cool to see.  The highway we are on is apparently the inland route to Brisbane, so is used by tourists frequently.  We stopped at the information centre at Singleton, encountered a very friendly lady and bought some snacks – a form of flatbread called a leaf.

The countryside appears to be quite dry and ranchlike for the most part, with horses, cattle and sheep seen with regularity.  A few hilly areas, but for the most part gently rolling and moderately treed.

We reached Armidale a little after 4 PM, so it took us close to 8 hrs.  Normally people would take about 6.  The distance was probably the same as Edmonton to Beaverlodge.

The GPS took us to within a hundred yards or so from Joss and Clint’s house, and we could see Clint leave his car for the house.  We were in a cul de sac somewhat removed, so went around the block and found them.  Surprise, their house is accessible, first time we have visited anyone with an accessible home!

We visited for a short while, and then went to see the musical Joss is in for the next three weeks – The Wedding Singer.  It was a hoot and really well done.  Large cast, lots of singing and dancing.  The venue is a theatre especially built for this type of show, and included an orchestra pit, large stage and intimate setting for the audience.  Even though Armidale is just 20,000 people, it has a university and big arts community.  Joss and Clint note that there is always something happening.  Julia, Joss’ mom who was visiting from nearby Tamworth, indicated that some of the professors who could lecture in larger centres prefer Armidale because of the opportunity to participate in the Arts.

Up late in deep discussions.  Clint works in the pathology lab and attends University, planning to graduate in October.  Joss works in administration with an accounting firm and has plans to become more involved in theatre at the academic level in the near future.

Sunday – July 7, 2013

After a great breakfast put together by Joss, Clint took us to the University where the first site was these guys.  They came hopping over as we approached and came right up.  You can see the Joey with his mom in one of the pictures.  He/she was eating grass too when his mother bent over to feed.

Clint took us for a tour of the university and in search of a Koala.  Apparently they frequent the trees on the campus.  No luck with that, but had a great look around.

We toured around Armidale past some local sights including the Armidale Boys School, where the live theatre is, and a number of parks and notable properties.  Interesting that the buildings can be very elderly and yet just in great shape.  Everything is well kept up.

Then to the Peterson Winery.  We were just thinking we would wander around a bit, however fortunately just as we were entering the grounds a lady asked us if we would like a wine tasting.  As there was no objection, she opened the door and brought out a wide selection of wines plus a port and muscat.  We each tried three varieties and then bought a cabernet sauvignon and sauvignon blanc to take back for supper.

Peterson Winery Estate House entrance

Next we were off to Oxley Wild Rivers National Park to see the gorge and waterfall.  The waterfall was reduced due to low rainfall, but the valley is spectacular – steep and deep.  The area provides habitat for a number of threatened species including the rock wallaby, which is found primarily in this area.  It’s interesting how the gorge just appears.  We were driving along through fairly flat terrain, when all of a sudden, there we were.  Reminds me of the Canadian prairies where you just arrive at a coulee and there is all this life and wildlife.

We are sure fed well here.  Joss and Clint are not helping my diet (like I’m complaining).  Tonight we had a wonderful dinner with lamb kebabs and a butternut squash casserole.  Julia, Joss and Clint are just great company.  Our conversations are wide ranging and lots of fun.

Monday – July 8, 2013

This morning I had Vegemite on toast.  We received instructions from Joss about how to prepare the meal.  It was good, quite tangy and I will be taking some Vegemite home, as long as Canadian Customs allows it.  Gaye wouldn’t go for it though.

Yesterday, I asked Clint to drive as I had had enough.  Today though, time to climb back in the saddle.  Gaye and I checked out the information centre, Laundromat and a mall in town.  I needed some Allen wrenches to remove the spinner from the steering wheel of the car.  It was driving me crazy.  So we got that done.  Then, as my new chair is sqeaking and driving Gaye crazy, I tried cutting away some upholstery as it seemed that may be contributing to the noise.  However to no avail.  Will try working on the frame once I find more tools.

Once Clint was finished at work and school, we headed for Uralla, a smaller town we had passed on the way to Armidale.  It is somewhat more touristy being located right on the highway.  Strangely given that this is a time when schools are on holida and people are travelling, a number of the shops were closed and one coffee shop closed quickly as we approached!  All was not lost however.

While visiting a candy shop (and stoking up), we spoke to the owner about a local legend, one “Captain Thunderbolt.”  The proprietor suggested we check out the local information centre for further details.  So we did.  The person attending the centre indicated that, while definitely a bushranger (ie. Highwayman and robber in the 1850s and 60s), Thunderbolt had a soft side, did no harm to civilians or the police, and would leave coins under teacups or give money back if people claimed hardship.  I bought a book to read a little closer.

Captain Thunderbolt

At the information centre we also found information about an alternate route back to Sydney which included a cheese factory we could stop at for cheese sampling (like my plant based diet has a chance now!).

As we were wandering back to the car, an elderly gentleman approached Clint and began conversing with him.  Turns out he is Captain Thunderbolt’s nephew, Barry Sinclair, a Justice of the Peace, and he had a quite different story to tell about Thunderbolt’s demise (or perhaps, non-demise).  His story was there was confusion over who was actually shot as Thunderbolt was reported to be in another location at the same time.  However, the authorities were satisfied at the time and closed the case.

Barry Sinclair – Nephew to Captain Thunderbolt

Barry made the case that instead of being shot, Thunderbolt actually made his way to Calgary and Ottawa.  As the family historian, Barry has continued his interest in Thunderbolt’s true story in his website: http://users.tpg.com.au/users/barrymor/thunderbolt.html  Crazy how we can sometimes have such a wildly coincidental experience.

Off to Gostwyck Anglican Church, a small parish church located a few miles from Uralla.  A while down the road as I was driving Clint yelled, “Brakes!!”  I slammed on the brakes and two kangaroos crossed in front of us and hopped over the fence, using their tails as levers to pop over the top of the fences.

Gostwyck

Once we got to the church we discovered it looks to be well maintained with a new roof structure and is well known for the ivy it is covered with, which changes colour spectacularly around April.

Just a kilometer or so from Gostwyck is the Deeargee Woolshed which was huge, built in 1872 and in which thousands of sheep were sheared.

Deeargee Woolshed 1872

As we returned, I asked Clint to take this picture.  The speed limit is 100 on what is essentially a very narrow bit of road.  This is typical here.  The road we were on, leading to Gostwyck, consisted of one strip of pavement with gravel on either side.  You drive down the pavement and if someone is coming, move over so one set of wheels is on the gravel.  Even the highways, which are quite twisty in spots, allow for 100km/hr on what I would consider tight turns.  Great sports car and motorcycle roads!

Speeding

The irony is, there is a big deal made of not speeding elsewhere – in towns and citys, with fines and suspensions advertised regularly.

July 9, 2013

This morning we are off to Dorrigo and Bellingen, towns which are located East of Armidale and nearer the coast.

Dorrigo is situated on an escarpment above a coastal range of hills and rain forest.  We were able to walk out above the trees on a skywalk.  The rainforest is home to many unique indigenous species of plants and animals.  The skywalk is quite spectacular and there are walks far into the forest.  In Dorrigo we stopped for lunch at Juan’s which claims to be the “Smallest motorcycle museum in the World.”  Good lunch and a “tall black” coffee which jumped me up.  The motorcycle in the picture was entirely hand built by a machinist.  The engine is 3000 cc.  The bike looks to be quite a handful.  It was designed with a “Ned Kelly” (notorious fellow) look.

Juan’s Cafe – Smallest Motorcycle Museum in the World

As we continued down the mountain, the road became full of switchbacks and hairpin turns keeping our speed way down.  We reached Bellingen just about when we needed to turn around and go back as we did not want to drive back up the mountain road in the dark.  We had intended to go to the coast which was only a few miles further.  Bellingen reminded us of Jasper.  Lots of quaint shops with high prices!  Nice looking town though.

As we were returning to Armidale, we missed a turn and were soon driving North when we should have been going South (not that I could tell, although it felt a bit wrong).  Interestingly, the turn was not signed, you just have to know it’s there.  On the way out, you come up to an intersection and turn accordingly, but on the way back, no real intersection – and I had forgotten that we had made the turn.  Eventually we looked at the map and saw what happened.  The road looked OK so we phoned Clint so they knew where we were and carried on.

Earlier in the day we had seen kangaroo crossing road signs and Gaye wanted a picture of the signs, so we looked for them on the way back.  No signs, but there were Wallabies on the side of one spot of the road.  They just stood there and watched as we went by.  (I did take a picture, but unfortunately it is blurry.  Joss showed us later how they differ in size and structure from kangaroos.)

We eventually got back to Clint and Joss’ house where another great meal was being prepared.  We also met a friend of theirs, Nathan, and had a great night and conversation – retiring a little earlier as tomorrow we must be on the road back to Sidney.

Joss, Clint and Gaye

July 10, 2013

Up early this morning to have a last chat with Clint before he was off to work and get packed for the road.  Joss didn’t have to be into work quite so early so we were able to visit a bit longer and then take our leave.  Joss and Clint are fabulous hosts and we had a really great time visiting.  We were so happy to have the opportunity to stay with them and have a glimpse into the terrific young adults they are.

Joss and Clint’s new home

No Vege-mite this morning!  Probably a mistake, but I decided on Brekky at Hungry Jacks on our way out.  Quite a retro place.  It looked straight out of the 50’s inside.

Hungry Jacks

Inside Hungry Jacks

As we had decided to go back a different way we drove to Uralla, then South to Nowendoc where the cheese factory is.  We tried quite a few different cheeses, both Jersey and goat.  The finishing touch was a Jersey cream onto which a raspberry compote was added – Sublime!  I’ve never had anything like it.

New England Cheese Factory

The folks running the cheese factory supply the Harris Farms stores in Sydney with Jersey products and are gearing up to provide about 50,000 pounds per week.  It sounded like they were quite surprised by the demand.  No surprise to me, their products taste great!  I plan to look up Harris farms in Sydney.  Sounds like it must be a Whole Foods type of store.

We reached Sydney about 5:30.  Our GPS was wonderful up until we got over the Harbour Bridge, then it went crazy and decided to take us somewhere where our hotel wasn’t.  I was surprised as, this time, it knew where we were to go.  So we ended up on the other side of Darling Harbour before finding our way back to the hotel.  But we did find it.  Good to have the car back in its parking space.  Think I’ll take the bus for a while.

Off to the King St. Brewhouse for supper, where at one point, the owner Graeme Thompson sat down with us.  Great guy, he sat and chatted and then invited us back tomorrow to hang out and use the internet to catch up the blog.

July 11, 2013

Today was all about catching up.  I wrote for a few hours then went down to the King St. Brewhouse for lunch.  It is quite a large restaurant, right on the harbour.  There is a brewing facility on the premises and I can attest to the quality of the beer having sampled several.  Graeme joined me and we had a couple.  We had a very interesting time.  He recently underwent spinal surgery to remove a non-malignant tumour (of which he had a very detailed picture – cool) and needs to use a cane now to help with walking.  We are both former Norton Commando owners.  Graeme knew exactly what bike I used to have.  He has a number of motorcycles and should be able to continue to ride.  It sounds as though the Australian government does the same as the Alberta gov’t when a person acquires a disability – removes your driving license.

I must say a big Thank You to the Autralian Disabled Driver’s Organization.  They definitely pointed me in the right direction to AVIS.  I was having a lot of trouble trying to arrange for a  car with hand controls from home.  The car is great, it is a Holden Omega Series II.  It seems to get good fuel mileage.  We returned from Armidale on less than 1/2 tank, and were driving for the better part of 8 hours.

Just about lost the most recent post while in the restaurant yesterday.  That would have sucked.  Fortunately WordPress, the blogging software, has an automatic backup mechanism and I eventually found a version which had most of what I had written.

Gaye attended the first day of the Reading Recovery Conference today and really enjoyed it.  She knows quite a few people attending.  All the conference notes are apparently paperless and the presentations will be electronically available.  Progress!

July 12, 2013

A soft day today.  Spent the day wandering around downtown Sydney, starting in the high rent district and gradually moving towards the market area in the South, ending up at the National Maritime Museum.  Leaving from our hotel, I climbed up steep Erskine St. for a couple of blocks which took me to the top of the hill.  From there the going was much easier as I gradually descended through the shops to the water level.

There are some cool covered “malls,” some new and some built from converted hotels right downtown.  Some have no doors, just glass roofs.  I guess it doesn’t get cold enough here to worry about doors.

Part of downtown is Hyde Park, which is several city blocks in size.  From what I saw, quite a few people go there to eat lunch.  It is connected to another park and the Royal Botanical Gardens, so there is lots of space right downtown where people can get away from the office.

Gaye and I had been to the market area when we first arrived, but we were there before much was open, so we didn’t get a flavour for what actually goes on there.  I returned mid afternoon and boy, was it hopping.  In one large building, there is a fresh produce market and flea market.  The prices are quite comparable to those at home.  I bought a grapefruit for 70 cents.  Upstairs are factory outlets and restaurants on 3 levels.

Regarding pricing, it looks like you can buy produce and some goods at the about the same cost as home, however other things are really high.  I think electricity cost contributes to the higher price of goods and services (although there is no GST type tax).  In the paper, one person indicated how hard it was to pay for power.  His power bill is $5400 every three months.  Wow!!  Even considering the need to heat with electricity, that is $1800 per month.  Power companies must be doing OK!

Reminds me of something Graeme said when we were discussing how things work here.  He said, “Australia is the land of milk and honey, as long as you own the cows and the bees!”

OK – boring filler time.

In the hotel, one way they keep the power bill down is by making sure your room doesn’t use power when you’re not there.  In order to turn the lights on, you have to put your room card in a special holder, then you are free to turn the lights on and off.  And you have to take your card with you in order to get back to the room.

The electrical outlets here are cool, they all have switches on them, ie. every outlet has a switch.

I read an article on power which said the wholesale demand is down by $4 billion in the past 4 years.  Apparently that has no effect on what people pay.  There is a lot of renewable energy under development – wind, solar, geothermal etc.  I did notice many homes have solar panels.

Just before the maritime museum closed, I came upon the Spirit of Australia exhibit.  The builder of this boat, Ken Warby, did so in his back yard, in a home grown self trained manner similar to Burt Munro (of The Fastest Indian fame).  Incredibly, the video showed Ken putting together a jet engine outside.  This boat set a world record of over 300 miles per hour.  Must be something in the Southern sun making these guys go.  During the video, you could see the boat bouncing around, it sure looked like it could flip at any moment, which would have been fatal.  However, it hung together, set the record and eventually made it to the museum.

Spirit of Australia

 

July 13, 2013

Once Gaye was finished the conference, she was able to relax so we decided to celebrate by attending fireworks in her honour at Darling Harbour.  Picking the IBIS Hotel only half a block from the Harbour was a lucky choice, considering we had no idea where anything is here.  The Harbour seems to be a place where people hang out from early to late.  A $1Bn casino has just been approved for the area.  Patrons will have to provide $50k cash or letter of credit just to play.

July 14, 2013

We walked to Haymarket and to the Rocks today.  Haymarket is in Chinatown and there is  a huge flea market, outlet stores, restaurants etc. in one building on 4 floors.  A few days previously I had been in the area and went right into a Chinatown St.  There are restaurants everywhere.  Hard to believe they can all survive.  On the way there is a large children’s playground.  In it were all kinds of interesting equipment, a really large rope structure, concrete pads to jump to and from, and these two:

Slide with rope climb up

Water pump

I think compared to Canadians, Australians may have a more active lifestyle intended for their kids, with maybe a little more risk, as the equipment is definitely designed to be used and people could be injured, although probably only if someone yells at them when they are in the middle of an activity.

The Rocks is an older area of Sydney which at one time I believe were prisons.  Today its shops and restaurants (surprise!).  Here though in the streets they set up tents on the weekends and there are all kinds of vendors, musicians etc.  Much better selection of goods and things to see.  There was a painter working there using just spray paints, newspaper and a few crude tools.  In front of us he created a beautiful painting in about 10 minutes (no pictures allowed)

The Rocks

We ended up in a german restaurant, not really intending to.  We had planned on having supper, but looking at the menu, it was all really heavy food, so we opted just for dessert.

Walked back to the hotel.  Sydney has a lot of hills downtown (heavy breathing).  I think I might be getting into better shape though though getting a little heavier.  Tomorrow off to Katoomba!

July 15, 2013

OK, so we tried Ms Garmin again.  Fortunately we also asked the hotel staff how to get out of town.  For a couple of miles the two agreed.  Then “she” decided we should make a “u” turn even though we were following her directions.  Seeing as how the road we were on seemed to be doing the trick, we stayed with the hotel’s recommendations.  It worked and we soon saw ourselves on the M4 going West from Sydney.

Greater Sydney is a big place.  The road reminded us of going East of Vancouver on Hwy 1.  Freeway and non-stop suburbs to the mountains.  As we drove up into the Blue Mountains, it seemed we passed a small town every couple of miles.  However, it didn’t take long and we were well into the hills.

The Blue Mountains are not actually mountains as we know them.  They are the interface between the coast and the high plains.  So they are actually the result of erosion over millions of years.  Nevertheless, the effects are spectacular.  The picture below was our first view of the Blue Mountains.

Wentworth Falls area

There are many small waterfalls cascading over the cliffs, but no major rivers that we have seen.  The area receives quite a bit of rain and there is a rainforest below the top of the escarpment.  We saw that in the Dorrigo area to the North as well.  One article I read indicated that the cliffs protect the rainforest from the Westerly Winds, which are dry.  A really unique ecological niche!

We stopped in Leura for lunch and found a teashop which claims to have the most teapots in the world.  Had scones with cream and jam.  Very English!

There is much aboriginal lore about the land and sea, which as I understand it, aboriginal cultures do not separate.  The story of the three sisters located near Katoomba is that three beautiful women were to be protected from a tribal conflict by a “clever man” who turned them to stone.  He was planning to return them to human form, but ended up dead in the fighting, so they stand today as converted.

Three Sisters

Originally, I had planned to move on tomorrow to the “Phosphate Mine” in Wellington, however it looks like lots going on here in Katoomba so we decided to stay another day.  There are cultural exhibits, a former coal mine (with cable cars – Gaye is excited to go on those), and a vibrant downtown area.  So early to bed!!  Still not used to how it can be dark early this time of year.

July 16, 2013

Off early in the morning to the Three Sisters lookout area where there is a commercial building which has been converted into a cultural stage and store.  The owner, who we met yesterday, told us how it took him years to get the town to agree to have a cultural centre in a commercial space.  Apparently the town administration figured that once it went commercial, no more aboriginal culture was allowed.  The owner argued that he would be employing 20-30 people there, including many of aboriginal descent, all to no avail.  His lawyer eventually got the town to agree that aboriginal law predated English law and was able to get the business up and running.  It seems to be a vibrant enterprise, tour buses stop for the experience all day.

Children participating in presentation at the Waradah Aboriginal Centre in Katoomba

We asked our host at the motel what she felt would be good to go see.  She thought Flat Rock in the Wentworth Falls area would be cool, so we drove to the big giraffe (a pot shop – steel pots that is) where we were to turn and got disorientated down a long lonely rd. Fortunately a photographer showed up and directed us to where we needed to go.  This area was apparently used by the original inhabitants to sharpen weapons and you can see the large depressions in the stone.

Flat Rock – No fence

Gaye was not too impressed there was no fence at Flat Rock.  Here is the warning post.

The other spot our host indicated we should try out was the Shipley Plateau just outside of Black Heath (another town only 15 minutes away).  On our way there we stopped to use the facilities and saw this sign.

No Doing Anything

The Plateau was up a long windy road at the end of which we arrived at a point of land, many hundreds of feet above the surrounding area.  It reminded us of the Grand Canyon, not quite the same scale, but big.  There was this cool picnic hut made of stone.

Picnic Hut at Shipley Plateau

On the way back to Katoomba, a torrential downpour hit us.  Staying in the left lane was … interesting.  But the rain soon stopped and we went to the former coal mine which is now a rainforest display cablecar or ride on the steepest incline railway in the world (we went on the cable car).

There are sometimes spectacular failures along the escarpment because the upper layers are sandstone and the lower areas have a larger presence of clay, which wears away more easily.  At the mine, one of the structures, called the Orphan, was accessible to tourists until about 1/2 of it fell away about 10 years ago.  Now climbing it brings on a $5000 fine.

Green Green Green

The rain forests of the SE coast exist because of the presence of the escarpment.  It protects the plants from the drying winds from the West.  We were able to experience the rainforest from a boardwalk (part of which was closed off because of a recent boulder).  Many cool plants including one vine which seemed to be everywhere.  It gets its moisture from the lower level and grows throughout the canopy, holding everything together.

Five Leaf Water Vine

Vine

 

More vines

Enough vines?  How about naked women!!  Outside the Cable Car house was this exhibit of the three sisters and the clever man.

Three Sisters sculpture

July 17, 2013

Yesterday, a cable car operator at Katoomba mines indicated that according to aboriginal belief, the three sisters represented a female character to the site and that a “male” area was to be found at the 7 brothers formation in the Lithgow area.

Left Katoomba for Wellington Caves this morning.  We stopped at Lithgow to find out about the 7 brothers.  No one there knew anything about a 7 brothers formation or any connection between the 3 sisters formation and anything at all in the Lithgow area.  One of the information providers indicated that the differences between the local aboriginal group and the one in the Katoomba area would likely have prohibited any significant spiritual commonality if the 7 brothers did exist.

Travelling on the Great Western Highway to Wellington.  Quite a busy road with lots of trucks – same as at home K/W, Mack etc.  One big difference we find in driving here is that virtually NO one speeds.  I set the cruise at about 95 and rarely get passed, even in the frequent passing lanes.  Remarkable!  Could be all those hidden cameras, fines and signs saying you will get fined and lose your license.

The roads go through every town, so travelling quickly doesn’t really work.  Course we also see interesting stuff and stop regularly.

Stopped at the Skin Shop & Boot Barn in Lucknow just outside of Orange to look at hats and boots.  The building was stuffed to the rafters with jackets, pants, hats etc.  The proprietor warmed up to us after a while and we had a great conversation about world travels, driving on the opposite side of the road and people damage caused by the sun.

Lucknow Skin Shop

The owner said that at the local schools kids must wear wide brim hats and “No Hat – No Play” at recess.  She really hates baseball caps which are quite popular, because of the amount of melanoma they don’t stop.  “People are missing lots of bits” because of the sun which she said is brutal.

Down the road a bit to find a washroom and met Pat, who has this Nippy scooter, purpose built to get around under power in a chair.  It was apparently built in the Newcastle area and Pat found it and restored it to working order.  It isn’t road legal, but so far he is able to get around the community with it.

Pat

Nippy

With all this stopping we made it to the Wellington Caves complex about 10 minutes after the last showing started.  However no matter, there is a great accessible cabin on site and supper in the restaurant.  We stayed the night.  Did a little re-planning.  The days remaining here are waning.  Chose a shorter return trip through Canberra, then to the coast.  On the original route we would be doing a lot of driving.  Would be OK if we could drive at 120 kph like at home.

July 18, 2013

This morning Gaye went through the Cathedral cave.  She found it hard to describe other than it being an ethereal experience.  Apparently the stalactites and stalagmites are stunning and the effect is very much like a cathedral, hence the name.  The cave is used for weddings, musical events and church services.  The acoustics are apparently very good.  I can imagine the sound.

Sorry no pictures.  I broke my best camera lens in Sydney and we’ve been using the iphone since.

Later this morning we went through the Phosphate Mine.  It was operational from 1914-18 and then left as is until 1995 when the nearby community decided to clean it out and make an attraction.  Part of the impetus was also the number of fossils found in bone beds in the mine and surrounding caves – scientists and paleontologists have been interested in the Wellington area since 1817.  BTW the phosphate is the remains of extinct ghost bat guano.

Phosphate Mine Entrance

It appears that this mine was a precursor to Bre-X.  Because phosphate was needed for food production during the war and because this mine apparently had lots of it, investors put their money in the mine.  To encourage people to buy in there was a large chunk of phosphate near the opening of the mine to show anyone looking how productive the mine was.  Of course there was not anywhere enough phosphate to pay people back and even though the company looked all around the area for more, none was found.  So the government shut it down.  Naturally all records of the mine’s operations were destroyed.  The tour guide Dennis, was great and provided lots of information on the mine, its workings and the bones found there.

Phosphate in limestone

Fossil cast in location found in the Phosphate Mine

We left the caves compound, which also had an RV park and tenting area in addition to cabins, about noon for Canberra.  The RV spots are about 1/2, of that at home.  There were some neat trailers and campers overnight.  All are very compact.

About 130 km South is a town called Canowindra.  There we found an “Age of Fishes” museum.  There we found one of the best demonstrations I’ve seen re. the age of the earth and timeframes for various forms of life.  One of those was, “if a million years were to represent 24 hours in time, man would have existed for 7 seconds.”  And the earth is 4600 million years old.  Puts us in our place.

A major fish fossil find was found in the Canowindra area in 1956.  It was made by a grader operator who noticed something odd about the rock he was grading, so he pushed it aside.  Later a beekeeper recognized that this rock had a lot of fossils and notified the Australian museum which came and got the rock.  In 1973 a paleontologist decided he would like to find where this rock came from so began a 20 year search.  He eventually found the location and dug up slabs with thousands of fossil fish from 350 million years ago.  Quite a few were new species.

Apparently the fish had been stranded in a pond which dried up.  Given Australia’s history of flooding over river banks, this possibility is not surprising.  Whatever happened, this very lucky find would not occur today.  350 million years ago, there were no significant animals on land.  So nothing ate the fish, they decomposed in place (most were an armoured type of fish) and were covered over by silt from further flooding or something else.

You may have figured out we did not get too far and you would be right.  Tonight we are in Boorawa, probably 2 hours or so from Canberra, at a very inexpensive hotel – the first hotel we have found with free internet.  Amazing, in Sydney the hotel wanted $25/day just for the internet.  This motel cost $80.00.  Nothing fancy but clean bed and a chance to catch up.  Very orange sunset at 5:30 or so.

Sunset in Boorawa

July 19, 2013

Weather expected to turn seasonably cold in the Canberra area. That’s OK, we’re making a run for it anyway.  Arrived at a four lane (Hume) highway that runs E-W about a half hour out of Canberra, then turn South again & back to 2 lane.  We must be driving on a secondary highway.  As we got closer to Canberra, the roadways became very broad and well landscaped.  It was like coming into a manicured garden space.

Superb, friendly and very helpful people at the information centre.  The staff arranged a suite for us right downtown at a reasonable rate.  Wow.  We decided to stay for a couple of days.

The photo below may look like we were in a plane, however not so.  It is actually an interactive model which lights up and shows how the capital was built and where everything is.  Canberra is a planned city (something like Tumbler Ridge) built within a territory (ACT – Australian Capital Territory) which was carved out of New South Wales.  Before it was built, it looks like the land was pretty much overgrazed and deforested sheep pasture.  Now it has wonderful architecture and wide streets, trees and parks, a lake (relatively recent) and what seems like really friendly people.

The Capital is where it is due to a somewhat lengthy process which considered a number of different locations including Armidale.  However, it seemed that there was fierce competition between Sydney and Melbourne with the ultimate location resulting at Canberra.  Clint had mentioned this during our visit.

It was nice having the extra room at the hotel.  I could get up and work early in the morning without disturbing Gaye.  Up at 4AM to communicate with North America.

The Parliament buildings were open for viewing and easy to get into.  Big parking lot underneath.  Was neat to see something different than a massive Victorian style building.  There are lots of curved walls and open spaces.  We even got onto the roof.  The guard on the rood (this was at the end of his day) told us the architect had been there the day before.  Apparently he often goes to make sure they haven’t messed up his building.  He is 92.

The Roof (of the Parliament buildings). Good views from here.

The guard indicated that a hill had been removed to build the structure and the way the roofline has been established is to re-emulate the original hill.  There is grass on the roof, a massive flagpole and lots of room.  I probably could have got a better picture, but it was 5 PM and time to shut down the building.  We were lucky to get up.

Gaye in Senate Chamber

One of the staff we spoke to indicated that the Australian Parliament is modelled after the U.S. System, with elected House of representatives and Senate.  Because most of the population is in the SE area resulting in many representatives from that area in the House, the Senate, in which a certain number of senators come from each district or state, is better balanced in order to reflect the needs of the whole country.

Looking at old Parliament from New Parliament bldg. Underneath all the cemented area is a parking lot.

July 20, 2013

Up early this morning and off to the Australian National Museum.  As is the style here with all the museums and attractions we have been to in Australia, this museum showed a really well done depiction of life before and after arrival of the Europeans.

Saw Doctor – travelled throughout Australia sharpening anything needing it.  The trailer behind has all manner of equipment.

Funny how in museums you can read about stuff we should have a clue about.  The Aboriginees used to control fire by setting fires.  They knew how it all worked and set fires regularly to renew the vegetation.  The fires they set were “cold” fires meaning that animals could live through them, either by moving or like the Frilled lizard – climb up trees where they would survive.  When the settlers came and started preventing fires, the fuel load increased and when fires happened, they were massive.  Still happens today, plus people are building homes in the forests.  Hence the damage.  No different than at home.  There is effort though by the levels of government to do more controlled burns.

The picture below is of a machine which will build different types of concrete blocks to build a house.  It has molds for roof tiles, corner blocks, wall blocks etc.  The idea is to allow a wide range of architectural style and for the work to be done by pretty much anyone.   Unfortunately the guy died and no one else seems to have taken it up (there were unresolved issues)

Griffin – Knitlock Architecture

Inside the Opera House

Pretty strong winds and hard rain going on for the last two days in Canberra.  Spending most of the time inside.  Went to shopping area downtown.  Many of the buildings are a full block in size and connected like a mall at the second floor.  Access by road at street level and by massive car parks.  Interesting concept.  Looks like normal city blocks, but is really one big interconnected mall.

July 21, 2013

Thinking we should get back to Sydney and prepare for the flight home.  Not looking forward to that, the flight here was torture.

Easy to get out of Canberra.  Go North and it becomes the highway to Sydney.  Freeway all the way.  Road is bare.  Stopped in Goulburn and saw this.

The Big Merino

Big Sheep.  About the size of the T-Rex in Drumheller.  Really good bakery across the street.

Could feel my blood pressure going up as we get closer to Sydney with the increase in traffic.  Decided to stop at an info centre.  We may have been the only visitors so far, the attendant seemed a little surprised we came in the door.  He did give us a better map showing roads in Sydney, so that helped.  Continued on, got to Botany Bay, then hooked up Ms. Garmin again.  Seeing as how we were a day earlier than we thought we might be, we went to the hotel we were booked in for Monday and got a room for both nights.  This time the Garmin worked!  1 out of 5 ain’t bad!!  And actually the traffic wasn’t so bad, it’s the not knowing where we are and where the roads go.

July 22, 2013

Our last day in Sydney was memorable, but for all the wrong reasons.  For the previous 3 weeks we had been parking in disabled spots.  However, because I do not have a “blue parking placard,” and had not arranged with the New South Wales govt. for a substitute (my bad), we would go into the museum or attraction or talk to the proprietor of the business we were visiting to check on whether that was OK.  No issues.  Checking other cars, I never did see any kind of parking authorization.

So we allowed ourselves to be lulled into complacency and when we visited a recommended downtown shopping area called Bondi Junction, we parked in a parkade in a disabled spot (however one which didn’t ask for a permit – which looked good).  We weren’t gone long as the shopping area wasn’t what we were looking for.  However upon arrival back at the car, waiting for us was a $500 parking ticket.  Apparently the ticket person had just been there and a lady who had witnessed this came up and gave us her name and phone number in case we needed someone to vouch for us.

So to clear this up we went to the mall administration.  They couldn’t help as the parking management is privatized.  The manager suggested the municipality office which was just down the street.  The fellow there said, “Once the ticket is in the system, nothing can be done by anyone but the state government.”

I was worried because we had had a relatively tough time finding a car with hand controls and I did not want to leave a mess behind.  The ticket would be issued to AVIS, not us.  So I spent last night looking into how to fix things.  No luck.  Have to wait until we are home!

To me the weirdest part of the incident was a person in a car with a permit happened to be waiting for the spot.  This person was angry because were parking in the disabled spot and didn’t care that I use a chair.  We didn’t have a placard!!  So the reason for the placard is no longer important.  Only the right authority – the Holy Blue Placard matters.

No excuses though.  The situation was totally my fault.  Gaye has been after me for years to get a placard I can take with me.  My license plate doesn’t go with me when I travel!!

(Epilogue:  Once home, I found a government webpage on which I could ask for forgiveness.  I did that by sending pictures of the parking sign (which did not ask for a permit – most such signs do), my driver’s license, the parking ticket and the name and number of the witness.  The government did respond and forgave the ticket, so I sent that info to AVIS.  I hope that’s all we hear about that!)

July 23, 2013

Today was 40 hours long.  We left Sydney at 10 in the morning and arrived in Vancouver at 7, three hours before we left.  Cool.  Time travel on earth.

Based on our experience flying out, we decided to stay awake as much as possible and watch movies.  Our seats, while in an excellent location, are not at all comfortable to sleep in.  Both of us got soaked from sweating when we tried to sleep.  So four movies, a few meals and a couple of snoozes later, we landed in Vancouver.

Vancouver to Edmonton was great.  Plane full, bumped up to first class.  Comfy comfy seats.

Blair was waiting for us in Grande Prairie.  Great to see her.  Great to be home!!