---------------------------
Thursday, March-26
After our 4-hour trans-Tasman flight, we arrive in Melbourne in time for breakfast - 08:00am local time. Even at this time of day we melt in the aussie heat as we step out of the air-conditioned concourse at Melbourne Terminal 2. It was already approaching 35ºC [95ºF]; we just wanted to get a feeling of what the Australian weather was like.
Our next 4-hour intercontinental flight will leave at 10:45am and take us on to Perth; we should be there, on the edge of the Indian Ocean, by midday (local time).
Cornish Suzanne, Ellen's longstanding friend who moved to West Oz about 10 years ago, meets us at Perth Terminal 2 in her blokey's (Reg's) car, which she is NOT used to driving [eek!] .. BUT the extra carrying capacity is needed for 3 x personnel, plus all our luggage etc.
After an hour + 20 mins - 71 km [44 miles] - southbound journey ...
.. Suzanne gets us back to her home in the new township of Secret Harbour. Dunno why it's known by this name, as there's no 'secret' about its location .. and there's no 'harbour' hereabouts neither!
It's late['ish] summer here too, of course, all the fruits of the summer growing period have ripened already, or are about to ripen. Juicy olives are falling off the branch right outside Suzanne & Reg's driveway entrance.
6:30pm - Dinner /Tea time. Suzanne has done us bliddy proud! .. :o) :o) .. PROPER Cornish pasties, hand made by a proper Cornish maid ..
.. luvly.
BTW - Here's my mother's recipe and step-by-step guide for making for PROPER Cornish pasties.
---------------------------
Friday, March-27
Another 'at ease' day.
This is the west-facing front view, just beyond Suzanne & Reg's private pool /patio area ..
.. and just beyond the lake ('Lagoon Park') and dunes ..
.. lies this magnificent surfing beach.
Can't be all bad to have the Indian Ocean right on your front doorstep, eh?!
[ ..that's Reg in the pic BTW]
---------------------------
Saturday, March-28
This morning Suzanne takes us the 60 km [37 miles], about an hour's drive up the road to Fremantle, always known and colloquially called 'Freo' by aussies (pronounced 'Free-oh').
Dunno why, but we park-up just below the historic Fremantle Prison? So we go and take a quick look around. Bloody fascinating t'was too.
Around an hour later we're walking into the local market ..
.. and through to ..
.. the Visitors Centre in Kings Square, right in the heart of the town, where we buy tickets for a guided tram tour of the area.
Five minutes later and we're climb aboard our empty tram right under the Town Hall clock tower.
Stopping briefly at Monument Hill Reserve, the central focus of which is ..
.. the War Memorial.
We leave the tram tour at /around the Maritime Museum area. I go and take a solitary look around inside, while E&S go for some 'retail therapy' in the nearby E-Shed Markets on Victoria Quay.
Inside the Museum.
Back in September 1983 I keenly followed the progress of Australia II, the 12-metre racing yacht owned by Alan Bond during its challenge for the America's Cup.
For the first time I get to see the then enigmatic winged keel that provoked so much controversy at the time. Fascinating.
We all meet-up and take a stroll along the quay.
This is the west view from The [historic] Roundhouse; built in 1830 and was the first permanent building in Fremantle.
A walk down Cappuccino Strip, browsing through spice & herb shops, and book stalls ..
.. before returning home to Secret Harbour.
---------------------------
Sunday, March-29
We awoke this morning to discover that a gecko lizard has been sharing our bedroom overnight. BUT this is not all that unusual around here.
Australians respect their country's native species, and promote care for their increasingly threatened wildlife ..
.. and so with this in mind, we just gently escort our new-found little friend to the nearest exit.
---------------------------
By 10 o'clock Suzzanne, Ellen & I are outta the house, like dirty shirts, and head 18 km [11½ miles] down the coast to Mandurah; the fastest growing region in Australia.
I take a snap of the town's tourist map.
There's a booming mining and resources sector fuelling Mandurah and the surrounding areas. Stunning waterfront properties, many with their own private boat moorings, are plentiful.
The place seems to be immune from the credit crunch and global economic downturn. I hope it lasts!
---------------------------
Then back the way we came to take a look around ..
.. Marapana Wildlife World, where the entrance fee (AU$16), gets us really up close to:
Koala bears
Wombats
Kangaroos and Wallabies
You get a bucket of dry food each to feed these critters ..
.. which means you can really get up close
Dingos
.. and who the hell are YOU!?
Emu - of course!
The highlight for me though is getting really up close to Ostrich
What a great place to take the kids.
Glad we didn't bring any!
---------------------------
1:00pm and we meet Reg for lunch at Emma's on the Boardwalk in Rockingham for some 'posh' grub ..
.. on the water's edge of Rockingham's Premium Beachfront.
Really TERRIFIC food here at Emma's.
---------------------------
On the way back home we search for pelicans, which are usually plentiful around here. Not today though!
Eventually we find a couple close inshore ..
.. and we sneak up and take some pics.
Back in Secret Harbour.
'Tis been a grand day out.
---------------------------
Monday, March-30
Our last full day in Australia, at least for the next 11-12 months or so.
We must visit the City of Perth before we leave, of course. So by around mid-morning we're on the commuter rail train into the Metropolitan. The journey from nearby Warnbro Station takes no longer than around 40 minutes.
On arrival, we immediately hunt-down details for a city bus tour .. and end-up buying tickets for a 'Hop On /Hop Off' ride with the Perth Tram Company.
---------------------------
We alight our tram in Hay Street.
It's not always a question of what you see .. but how you see it!
With a population of 1,650,000 (2009), Perth - the "City of Lights" - ranks fourth amongst aussie cities, with a growth rate consistently above the national average.
Kings Park - areas of which have been attacked by arsonists of late. Reminds me of similarly devastated parklands in the west of America (Colorado, California, etceteras).
After the tour we take a walk around the City Centre. A mini typically London-type street here at 'London Court'. Nice .. decent tea bags can be purchased hereabouts too! .. :o)
Street Performers a-plenty.
---------------------------
Summary: Sitting between the Indian Ocean and the sands of the Nullarbor Desert, Perth is one of the world's most isolated cities. The weather is fantastic, the city is well organised in layout and unbelievably clean, by any modern city standards.
It has everything! What more can I say?
---------------------------
Tuesday, March-31
We'll soon be off, back to Blighty. A last walk across Lagoon Park to the Indian Ocean beach that borders Suzanne & Reg's frontage. Passing the lake ..
.. and spot a Purple Swamp Hen flicking its tail to show the white undertail coverts. This same bird lives in New Zealand where it's commonly known as the Pukeko.
So deserted and tranquil - looking south. This time of day (mid-late morning) the 'Freemantle Doctor' - a cooling breeze that pervades this part of the coast from around mid-day onwards, is just starting to pick up ..
Just the sound of the waves lapping the shore - looking north.
We don't wanna go home!! .. :o( .. :o(
[well, not just yet anyway]
We'll sadly be departing these shores at 3.30pm this afternoon - and will arrive at Heathrow Airport, London, tomorrow morning, April 1st [Fools' Day] around 5.25am.
------------------------------
FINAL SUMMARY:
I think it's fair to say that this has been the very best touring holiday Ellen & I have ever had. Riding wise, however, we covered a very modest 6,500 km [4,000 miles] during the six weeks stay in New Zealand; averaging around 650 miles per week .. which is about half of what we're normally used to travelling /week. Just goes to show, I s'pose, that you don't have to race your socks off, covering lots & lots of ground, to have a really great time.
Summin' to remember for the future.
---------------------------
I hope you have enjoyed following my/our journey through NZ and Aus, sorry to say that this is it .. well, at least for now.
But we'll be back again next March [2010]. This is the Plan. Can't wait.
---------------------------
BACK HOME
Remember, the globe-trotting aussie couple from Townsville, Queensland - Peter and Kay Forwood - who we met at the the Horizons Unlimited Meeting in Christchurch NZ back in late February? You can follow their amazing travels by clicking on this link BTW.
Well, Peter & Kay took-up our offer and stayed with us for three nights during mid-June. Here we are all together again in my hometown of Newquay, Cornwall, England .. with Newquay Headland in the background.
Paul, from Auckland, during the NZ winter-time, has done a magnificent job of fitting a new luggage-carriage system to the Alp, complete with real overlander smart-looking alu panniers. Nice one (orhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif should I say 'pair') Paul. Thanks mate .. ;o) .. see you and Gill again next February.
Thursday, March-26
After our 4-hour trans-Tasman flight, we arrive in Melbourne in time for breakfast - 08:00am local time. Even at this time of day we melt in the aussie heat as we step out of the air-conditioned concourse at Melbourne Terminal 2. It was already approaching 35ºC [95ºF]; we just wanted to get a feeling of what the Australian weather was like.Our next 4-hour intercontinental flight will leave at 10:45am and take us on to Perth; we should be there, on the edge of the Indian Ocean, by midday (local time).
Cornish Suzanne, Ellen's longstanding friend who moved to West Oz about 10 years ago, meets us at Perth Terminal 2 in her blokey's (Reg's) car, which she is NOT used to driving [eek!] .. BUT the extra carrying capacity is needed for 3 x personnel, plus all our luggage etc.
After an hour + 20 mins - 71 km [44 miles] - southbound journey ...
.. Suzanne gets us back to her home in the new township of Secret Harbour. Dunno why it's known by this name, as there's no 'secret' about its location .. and there's no 'harbour' hereabouts neither! It's late['ish] summer here too, of course, all the fruits of the summer growing period have ripened already, or are about to ripen. Juicy olives are falling off the branch right outside Suzanne & Reg's driveway entrance. 6:30pm - Dinner /Tea time. Suzanne has done us bliddy proud! .. :o) :o) .. PROPER Cornish pasties, hand made by a proper Cornish maid .... luvly.
BTW - Here's my mother's recipe and step-by-step guide for making for PROPER Cornish pasties.
---------------------------
Friday, March-27
Another 'at ease' day.
This is the west-facing front view, just beyond Suzanne & Reg's private pool /patio area .... and just beyond the lake ('Lagoon Park') and dunes ..
.. lies this magnificent surfing beach.Can't be all bad to have the Indian Ocean right on your front doorstep, eh?!
[ ..that's Reg in the pic BTW]
---------------------------
Saturday, March-28
This morning Suzanne takes us the 60 km [37 miles], about an hour's drive up the road to Fremantle, always known and colloquially called 'Freo' by aussies (pronounced 'Free-oh').
Dunno why, but we park-up just below the historic Fremantle Prison? So we go and take a quick look around. Bloody fascinating t'was too. Around an hour later we're walking into the local market .. .. and through to .. .. the Visitors Centre in Kings Square, right in the heart of the town, where we buy tickets for a guided tram tour of the area. Five minutes later and we're climb aboard our empty tram right under the Town Hall clock tower. Stopping briefly at Monument Hill Reserve, the central focus of which is .. .. the War Memorial. We leave the tram tour at /around the Maritime Museum area. I go and take a solitary look around inside, while E&S go for some 'retail therapy' in the nearby E-Shed Markets on Victoria Quay. Inside the Museum.Back in September 1983 I keenly followed the progress of Australia II, the 12-metre racing yacht owned by Alan Bond during its challenge for the America's Cup.
For the first time I get to see the then enigmatic winged keel that provoked so much controversy at the time. Fascinating. We all meet-up and take a stroll along the quay. This is the west view from The [historic] Roundhouse; built in 1830 and was the first permanent building in Fremantle. A walk down Cappuccino Strip, browsing through spice & herb shops, and book stalls .... before returning home to Secret Harbour.
---------------------------
Sunday, March-29
We awoke this morning to discover that a gecko lizard has been sharing our bedroom overnight. BUT this is not all that unusual around here.
Australians respect their country's native species, and promote care for their increasingly threatened wildlife ..
.. and so with this in mind, we just gently escort our new-found little friend to the nearest exit.---------------------------
By 10 o'clock Suzzanne, Ellen & I are outta the house, like dirty shirts, and head 18 km [11½ miles] down the coast to Mandurah; the fastest growing region in Australia.
I take a snap of the town's tourist map.There's a booming mining and resources sector fuelling Mandurah and the surrounding areas. Stunning waterfront properties, many with their own private boat moorings, are plentiful.
The place seems to be immune from the credit crunch and global economic downturn. I hope it lasts!
---------------------------
Then back the way we came to take a look around ..
.. Marapana Wildlife World, where the entrance fee (AU$16), gets us really up close to: Koala bears Wombats Kangaroos and Wallabies You get a bucket of dry food each to feed these critters .. .. which means you can really get up close Dingos .. and who the hell are YOU!? Emu - of course! The highlight for me though is getting really up close to OstrichWhat a great place to take the kids.
Glad we didn't bring any!
---------------------------
1:00pm and we meet Reg for lunch at Emma's on the Boardwalk in Rockingham for some 'posh' grub .. .. on the water's edge of Rockingham's Premium Beachfront.Really TERRIFIC food here at Emma's.
---------------------------
On the way back home we search for pelicans, which are usually plentiful around here. Not today though!
Eventually we find a couple close inshore ..
.. and we sneak up and take some pics. Back in Secret Harbour.'Tis been a grand day out.
---------------------------
Monday, March-30
Our last full day in Australia, at least for the next 11-12 months or so.
We must visit the City of Perth before we leave, of course. So by around mid-morning we're on the commuter rail train into the Metropolitan. The journey from nearby Warnbro Station takes no longer than around 40 minutes.
On arrival, we immediately hunt-down details for a city bus tour .. and end-up buying tickets for a 'Hop On /Hop Off' ride with the Perth Tram Company.
---------------------------
We alight our tram in Hay Street.It's not always a question of what you see .. but how you see it!With a population of 1,650,000 (2009), Perth - the "City of Lights" - ranks fourth amongst aussie cities, with a growth rate consistently above the national average.Kings Park - areas of which have been attacked by arsonists of late. Reminds me of similarly devastated parklands in the west of America (Colorado, California, etceteras).After the tour we take a walk around the City Centre. A mini typically London-type street here at 'London Court'. Nice .. decent tea bags can be purchased hereabouts too! .. :o)Street Performers a-plenty.---------------------------
Summary: Sitting between the Indian Ocean and the sands of the Nullarbor Desert, Perth is one of the world's most isolated cities. The weather is fantastic, the city is well organised in layout and unbelievably clean, by any modern city standards.
It has everything! What more can I say?
---------------------------
Tuesday, March-31
We'll soon be off, back to Blighty. A last walk across Lagoon Park to the Indian Ocean beach that borders Suzanne & Reg's frontage. Passing the lake .... and spot a Purple Swamp Hen flicking its tail to show the white undertail coverts. This same bird lives in New Zealand where it's commonly known as the Pukeko. So deserted and tranquil - looking south. This time of day (mid-late morning) the 'Freemantle Doctor' - a cooling breeze that pervades this part of the coast from around mid-day onwards, is just starting to pick up ..Just the sound of the waves lapping the shore - looking north.We don't wanna go home!! .. :o( .. :o(
[well, not just yet anyway]
We'll sadly be departing these shores at 3.30pm this afternoon - and will arrive at Heathrow Airport, London, tomorrow morning, April 1st [Fools' Day] around 5.25am.
------------------------------
FINAL SUMMARY:
I think it's fair to say that this has been the very best touring holiday Ellen & I have ever had. Riding wise, however, we covered a very modest 6,500 km [4,000 miles] during the six weeks stay in New Zealand; averaging around 650 miles per week .. which is about half of what we're normally used to travelling /week. Just goes to show, I s'pose, that you don't have to race your socks off, covering lots & lots of ground, to have a really great time.
Summin' to remember for the future.
---------------------------
I hope you have enjoyed following my/our journey through NZ and Aus, sorry to say that this is it .. well, at least for now.
But we'll be back again next March [2010]. This is the Plan. Can't wait.
---------------------------
BACK HOME
Remember, the globe-trotting aussie couple from Townsville, Queensland - Peter and Kay Forwood - who we met at the the Horizons Unlimited Meeting in Christchurch NZ back in late February? You can follow their amazing travels by clicking on this link BTW.Well, Peter & Kay took-up our offer and stayed with us for three nights during mid-June. Here we are all together again in my hometown of Newquay, Cornwall, England .. with Newquay Headland in the background.
Paul, from Auckland, during the NZ winter-time, has done a magnificent job of fitting a new luggage-carriage system to the Alp, complete with real overlander smart-looking alu panniers. Nice one (orhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif should I say 'pair') Paul. Thanks mate .. ;o) .. see you and Gill again next February.