Above is a shot from my trip to the Victorian high country with Warwick. Blame blog press for no entry. It may be OS5 compatible now.
Location:Boorea St,Blaxland,Australia
Monday, December 12, 2011
New toy
Playing with new iPod touch. At $165 for the 8G model with FaceTime, HD video and GPS, it's a bargain, even if the .7 megapixel camera is disappointing. Thanks for the idea Russ-:)
Above is a shot from my trip to the Victorian high country with Warwick. Blame blog press for no entry. It may be OS5 compatible now.
Above is a shot from my trip to the Victorian high country with Warwick. Blame blog press for no entry. It may be OS5 compatible now.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Wine Down
View from the Wilson country estate at Kelman Vineyard in the Hunter Valley. Envious!
Location:Boorea St,Blaxland,Australia
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Myall Shores
Enjoyed two days paddling at this pleasant resort. Then the weather changed.
Have tried to include a link to some photos below.
Myall Shots
- All my own work. RV. Except for the bits by Tess.
Location:Myall Lakes
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Trap for the Unwary
I know the holiday finished long ago but buried in the 160 unread email messages on this computer was this receipt for our hotel in Jasper. Al as in Alabama, US, not Alberta as Tess thought. So put it down to experience, check your online bookings carefully1
I finish it with a message from Tess after a stressful day on the road:)
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Jasper
202 Oak Hill Road
Jasper, AL, US 35501
+1 205 302 0410
See details Check-in: Saturday, July 9, 2011
Check-out: Sunday, July 10, 2011
Duration: 1 night
I am sure you have our news from Rob's blog and so I will update you just on today. Today was finally a rest day - the problem with daylight until 10.30pm or later is that you keep on filling it and followed by a long flight it ends up being disastrous. Read Rob was in an impossible mood due to tiredness, I kept fucking up every piece of machinery that I touched and you can understand why he preferred to communicated to me by email from the balcony only feet away from where I am sitting. But we have seen wondrous sights and would like to come back and crawl through this part of Canada. Today we rested. Rising at 8am, very respectable I know I returned to bed at 10.30am to sleep. And so the day continued until later in the afternoon when feeling guilty at the waste of time we ventured to the hot outdoor springs to lie in 40 degree C water - bliss. the cooler pool was 30 degrees. And then we were off to Invermere with thought perhaps of walking, canoeing, dining but as we arrived at the Lake the equivalent of a southerly buster blew in and rain fell. So much for the walk. Tomorrow we are off to Banff and staying in the Fairmont which is an iconic hotel of this area. I have always wanted to see this area and expect it to be as spectacular as Emerald lake and Lake Louise but on a much grander scale.
Bye for now and best wishes
Tess
Bye for now and best wishes
Tess
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Spring
Enjoyed our first BBQ on the deck this afternoon, the third day of Spring.
The aroma from the BBQ was overwhelmed by the fragrant garden smells. At times, any way.
And the pool has stopped leaking:) Hooray!
I have a short video somewhere but perhaps this will do.
What did you get up to today???
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Some things you can't say in print
Hooray! Endured a 10 hour flight with no legroom (again) to arrive bleary eyed - 30hours plus of travel/waiting - at Australian customs and apart from a longish wait for Customs, we were home in 3 hours. Thanks to Warwick for the lift from the station.
Pool is empty but house is sound, if very cold. Wish I were back in Alaska!
I remember the words Thumper had been told by his mother in Bambi - "If you cant say nothing nice, don't say nuthin' at all". Bambi was a wuss but I liked Thumper. And those are hard words to put into practice.
So if you want the dirt on the young dudes on the bus to Whistler, characters from the Carnival Cruise, or the many other people stories along the way, buy me a drink! Better not wait too long or I will forget. We met lots of interesting people along the way. Tess has become positively garrulous with strangers now - and they make up as much a part of a holiday as the sights themselves.
- All my own work. RV. Except for the bits by Tess.
Pool is empty but house is sound, if very cold. Wish I were back in Alaska!
I remember the words Thumper had been told by his mother in Bambi - "If you cant say nothing nice, don't say nuthin' at all". Bambi was a wuss but I liked Thumper. And those are hard words to put into practice.
So if you want the dirt on the young dudes on the bus to Whistler, characters from the Carnival Cruise, or the many other people stories along the way, buy me a drink! Better not wait too long or I will forget. We met lots of interesting people along the way. Tess has become positively garrulous with strangers now - and they make up as much a part of a holiday as the sights themselves.
- All my own work. RV. Except for the bits by Tess.
Location:Boorea St,Blaxland,Australia
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Home Again - almost
Sitting in the wifi cafe at 3.30pm awaiting our final leg home. I like everything about JAL except the food - and that is no real hardship. Enjoyed the emergency exit with stacks of legroom from Vancouver. Bigger plane and possibly more crowded on next leg.
We have 1000 yen to spend. Tess can while away hours playing Words with Friends but I am finished with the travel blog for this trip, hence the title. Home to work, an empty pool (cost???), overdue bills and reunions with missed family and friends.
Thought we'd start our weekends with a trip down south - meeting the kids halfway to Canberra to greet and exchange vehicles - sorry Em:)
Lots of photos to sort and we also have to lodge our insurance claim after being stranded north of Kamloops. Still, considering all the connections, things have gone very smoothly. I could recommend our hotel in Vancouver and the city itself.
Until 2012, or whenever.
- All my own work. RV. Except for the bits by Tess.
We have 1000 yen to spend. Tess can while away hours playing Words with Friends but I am finished with the travel blog for this trip, hence the title. Home to work, an empty pool (cost???), overdue bills and reunions with missed family and friends.
Thought we'd start our weekends with a trip down south - meeting the kids halfway to Canberra to greet and exchange vehicles - sorry Em:)
Lots of photos to sort and we also have to lodge our insurance claim after being stranded north of Kamloops. Still, considering all the connections, things have gone very smoothly. I could recommend our hotel in Vancouver and the city itself.
Until 2012, or whenever.
- All my own work. RV. Except for the bits by Tess.
Location:Narita,Japan
The Adventure ....... ends
My location in English is simply, Vancouver Airport.
Yes, the time has finally arrived. Cleared security, had breakfast, next stop Tokyo!
Tess is off Duty Free shopping while I charge the ipad. Seems very slow on 110 volts but probably just my imagination.
Woke very early this morning after a lovely evening. Even a cold tablet would not settle me so I surrendered and got up, read a bit and packed my bag.
We caught the sky train here. Only $3.75! Beat that Sydney! Another lovely morning. No honking horns or traffic jams. Even the airport seems very quiet. Our train arrived just a short stroll to the terminal and our flight was checking in right in front of us. Very efficient planning.
Can see why it is a livable city although locals complain it rained for 11 months last year!
I have some words I need to write down before I forget even more of them:
Lodgepole pines - scrawny tall pines. Possibly used for wigwams.
- All my own work. RV. Except for the bits by Tess.
Yes, the time has finally arrived. Cleared security, had breakfast, next stop Tokyo!
Tess is off Duty Free shopping while I charge the ipad. Seems very slow on 110 volts but probably just my imagination.
Woke very early this morning after a lovely evening. Even a cold tablet would not settle me so I surrendered and got up, read a bit and packed my bag.
We caught the sky train here. Only $3.75! Beat that Sydney! Another lovely morning. No honking horns or traffic jams. Even the airport seems very quiet. Our train arrived just a short stroll to the terminal and our flight was checking in right in front of us. Very efficient planning.
Can see why it is a livable city although locals complain it rained for 11 months last year!
I have some words I need to write down before I forget even more of them:
Lodgepole pines - scrawny tall pines. Possibly used for wigwams.
- All my own work. RV. Except for the bits by Tess.
Location:Grant McConachie Way,Richmond,Canada
Monday, July 25, 2011
Last Day Vancouver
Well, all good things come to an end and today marks the last real day of our holiday. So much has happened, so many new sights and cities explored. It will take some time to digest, or "grok" to borrow from an old sci fi classic I have been dipping in to along the way.
Everything has gone remarkably well given the thousands of miles we've travelled, the various modes of transport used, the number of hotel and travel bookings to be honoured and the at times stressful experience of dealing with new places, money, cultures, etc. I look forward to getting home for a rest!
It's 7pm as I write this and we are about to walk a few blocks away from Robson Strasse (as some call it) to the Yale district. It's full of bright new eateries designed to cater for Olympic visitors last year. And now we get the benefits. Vancouver is a very livable city and the weather has been delightful. It's their summer of course, but the breeze off the mountains (snow capped still) or the water is cool so NOTHING like Blaxland in January.
We saw the Harry Potter movie today. I had sufficiently exhausted Tess with our morning stroll along the waterfront and up to Stanley Park that she needed a lemonade! and a couple of hours off her feet.
This is a very modern, clean city. I know we've been here the weekend but it seems pretty quiet too. We have slept with the door open to our 18th floor balcony and had very little traffic noise. People friendly too - we had trouble getting rid of a dog walking stranger in the park today, he was so keen to talk! In Sydney he would definitely have been selling something.
Tomorrow we will wheel our bags a few blocks downhill to the purpose built for the Winter Olympics Sky Train which should take us to the airport for $3.95. Try that in Sydney!
:) Lots to tell and share, far more than my travel diary records. We have been very lucky - so many of the hotel staff we speak to have hardly left their home town and here we are on the other side of the world, not for the first time. But I am looking forward to a lazy weekend soon.
- All my own work. RV. Except for the bits by Tess.
Everything has gone remarkably well given the thousands of miles we've travelled, the various modes of transport used, the number of hotel and travel bookings to be honoured and the at times stressful experience of dealing with new places, money, cultures, etc. I look forward to getting home for a rest!
It's 7pm as I write this and we are about to walk a few blocks away from Robson Strasse (as some call it) to the Yale district. It's full of bright new eateries designed to cater for Olympic visitors last year. And now we get the benefits. Vancouver is a very livable city and the weather has been delightful. It's their summer of course, but the breeze off the mountains (snow capped still) or the water is cool so NOTHING like Blaxland in January.
We saw the Harry Potter movie today. I had sufficiently exhausted Tess with our morning stroll along the waterfront and up to Stanley Park that she needed a lemonade! and a couple of hours off her feet.
This is a very modern, clean city. I know we've been here the weekend but it seems pretty quiet too. We have slept with the door open to our 18th floor balcony and had very little traffic noise. People friendly too - we had trouble getting rid of a dog walking stranger in the park today, he was so keen to talk! In Sydney he would definitely have been selling something.
Tomorrow we will wheel our bags a few blocks downhill to the purpose built for the Winter Olympics Sky Train which should take us to the airport for $3.95. Try that in Sydney!
:) Lots to tell and share, far more than my travel diary records. We have been very lucky - so many of the hotel staff we speak to have hardly left their home town and here we are on the other side of the world, not for the first time. But I am looking forward to a lazy weekend soon.
- All my own work. RV. Except for the bits by Tess.
Location:Hamilton St,Vancouver,Canada
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Rosedale on Robson
Last stop on our holiday. I rose early and went for a swim in the hotel pool. We passed on the expensive breakfast and packed our bags yet again. Tess wisely decided to save weight by transferring the remains of the Baileys to a water bottle so I enjoyed a rather early nip.
I enjoyed our brief visit to Victoria but the bus trip to the other side of Vancouver Island showed me how big the place really is. Our coach transferred us smoothly to our BC Ferry for the 90 minute trip to Vancouver.
We passed through some interesting coastal forest. The weather remains very pleasant.
In our second friendly and helpful local encounter, a passing stranger hailed a cab for us after we had been sent walking miles in the wrong direction to our hotel by the bus driver. We are ensconced on the 18th floor in the Yale District.
We walked to the Gas town area which is reminiscent of Kings Cross. Probably comes alive more after dark. I feel a little old for it these days. Some of the dives would have been our beds for the night in the 1980 trip!
One of Vancouver's problems remains ...
But there are lots of interesting new buildings blended with the old.
Tomorrow we have booked a ride out to Whistler, home of the 2010 Winter Olympics. On our last day, we think we might watch the latest Harry Potter. And then begin the looooong journey back to Australia.
And work.
It's been fun while it lasted.
Will add photos tomorrow.
- All my own work. RV. Except for the bits by Tess.
I enjoyed our brief visit to Victoria but the bus trip to the other side of Vancouver Island showed me how big the place really is. Our coach transferred us smoothly to our BC Ferry for the 90 minute trip to Vancouver.
We passed through some interesting coastal forest. The weather remains very pleasant.
In our second friendly and helpful local encounter, a passing stranger hailed a cab for us after we had been sent walking miles in the wrong direction to our hotel by the bus driver. We are ensconced on the 18th floor in the Yale District.
We walked to the Gas town area which is reminiscent of Kings Cross. Probably comes alive more after dark. I feel a little old for it these days. Some of the dives would have been our beds for the night in the 1980 trip!
One of Vancouver's problems remains ...
But there are lots of interesting new buildings blended with the old.
Tomorrow we have booked a ride out to Whistler, home of the 2010 Winter Olympics. On our last day, we think we might watch the latest Harry Potter. And then begin the looooong journey back to Australia.
And work.
It's been fun while it lasted.
Will add photos tomorrow.
- All my own work. RV. Except for the bits by Tess.
Location:Hamilton St,Vancouver,Canada
Friday, July 22, 2011
View from the Verandah
We're enjoying a cocktail - ask Tess for details - on the Verandah of the Empress Hotel, here in the capital of British Columbia, Victoria. We have had a lazy day, enjoying this picturesque tourist town and our hotel. Tomorrow we head off on another ferry for Vancouver, our last port of call.
Imagine sitting on a wide, deep concrete verandah of an old hotel like the Hydro Majestic or the Carrington. Now picture a small harbour - a bit like Wollongong's Boat Harbour but with out the Pacific beyond the breakwater.
Now add float planes, stately public buildings, BIG ferries and you have Victoria harbour as seen from the Empress Hotel.
I don't blame you if you can't picture it.
The float planes follow the same path to land - very slowly it seems - coming in almost above our heads and landing to seaward and returning quietly before revving their engines noisily as they dock.
The shoreline is decorated with flowers spelling out "Welcome to Victoria", mostly in red. I am pleased that its floral display is not limited to tulip time in Spring. And dominating one side is the BC Parliament with its green copper roof and inviting lawn. Reminds me of a small Reichstag.
I will probably add some pictures later to add to my poor prose [Have tried but online editing of pictures is crap in Blogger. Please fix Google!].
I would like to record the detail that Russ managed in his bikie blog or the emotion of Tess's words. But there you are. At least I write something most days!
Butchart Gardens
I am not a gardener - far from it - but I am glad we took the tour here today. We have seen some magnificent scenery this holiday but the displays on offer in this renovated quarry were up with anything I saw in the UK last trip.
We had two hours to wander the grounds and that gave no time to enjoy lingering on the many benches provided for the purpose.
I think I will let the pictures do the talking.
- All my own work. RV. Except for the bits by Tess.
We had two hours to wander the grounds and that gave no time to enjoy lingering on the many benches provided for the purpose.
I think I will let the pictures do the talking.
- All my own work. RV. Except for the bits by Tess.
Location:Victoria, BC CA
Victoria
It's a Busking festival this week and we've enjoyed some good acts as well as the long evenings and reasonably warm weather. Chose Earl's for a light supper - trying to recover after the cruise - because it had some cheap share plates and wifi and, we discovered, a happy hour on food and wine on Wednesdays. Bliss!
Good long day starting at 5.30am in Seattle, smooth ferry across Puget Sound and then straight on to a tour of Victoria and out to Butchart Gardens.
I baulked at the cost of entry at first - $33 - but I was so impressed with the gardens that I have devoted a single entry to them.
We enjoyed Jim's commentary on the return trip although my sleeplessness in Seattle made it difficult to concentrate. Dropped at the Grande Dame of Victoria, we settled in to room 117, with a view of the loading dock.. The room has TALL ceilings and period touches everywhere.
Later we ventured out for a walk along the waterfront with its expensive cruisers and some exceptional buskers in town for a big contest. After promenading for half an hour or so, wended up at Earls. I wish I could have taken a photo of some of the "wait staff" but I might have been bounced! Suffice it to say that recruitment policy seemed to focus on how lithe they looked in clingy black outfits. Our waitress was lovely - genuinely warm and a worthy recipient of a tip. facebook.com/earlsvictoria.
The end of our holiday is approaching. Another night here, three in Vancouver - hopefully with a train ride to Whistler - and then it is into the sardine can for the return trip to Oz. And Year 12 marking as George reminded me. Tess will be happy to be back in regular scrabble contact:)
- All my own work. RV. Except for the bits by Tess.
Good long day starting at 5.30am in Seattle, smooth ferry across Puget Sound and then straight on to a tour of Victoria and out to Butchart Gardens.
I baulked at the cost of entry at first - $33 - but I was so impressed with the gardens that I have devoted a single entry to them.
We enjoyed Jim's commentary on the return trip although my sleeplessness in Seattle made it difficult to concentrate. Dropped at the Grande Dame of Victoria, we settled in to room 117, with a view of the loading dock.. The room has TALL ceilings and period touches everywhere.
Later we ventured out for a walk along the waterfront with its expensive cruisers and some exceptional buskers in town for a big contest. After promenading for half an hour or so, wended up at Earls. I wish I could have taken a photo of some of the "wait staff" but I might have been bounced! Suffice it to say that recruitment policy seemed to focus on how lithe they looked in clingy black outfits. Our waitress was lovely - genuinely warm and a worthy recipient of a tip. facebook.com/earlsvictoria.
The end of our holiday is approaching. Another night here, three in Vancouver - hopefully with a train ride to Whistler - and then it is into the sardine can for the return trip to Oz. And Year 12 marking as George reminded me. Tess will be happy to be back in regular scrabble contact:)
- All my own work. RV. Except for the bits by Tess.
Location:Government St,Victoria,Canada
Thursday, July 21, 2011
I Hate Hotel Internet charges!
Just paid CA$15 for a day's use of the Net here at the charming old Empress Hotel. Seemed reasonable until I tried to post last night's offline offering from Blogpress. Turns out, it's $15 per device, even iphones! C'mon Fairmont, fair go!
Take my money but be honest and up front about such restrictions - don't hide behind re-directs to user agreements. If I had known the charge was per device .. I would have gone back to Earls, or Starbucks.
Expect a letter of complaint!
No wonder I take my mifi everywhere back home:)
Take my money but be honest and up front about such restrictions - don't hide behind re-directs to user agreements. If I had known the charge was per device .. I would have gone back to Earls, or Starbucks.
Expect a letter of complaint!
No wonder I take my mifi everywhere back home:)
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