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Round the. World
  • Bob Scott

Round the. World

Een 38-daags avontuur van Bob Meer informatie
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  • Het begin van de reis
    12 oktober 2019
    Bob ScottRound the. WorldReiziger
    We're on our way!
    GreenlandWe've arrivedView from our apartmentOur beachEarly morning view

    Around the world in 37 days!

    13 oktober 2019, Engeland ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    Thirty hours after leaving home we arrived at our hotel in Rarotonga the largest island in the Cook Islands. We flew over with Air New Zealand who were excellent though maybe our opinion was influenced by the fact we came business class so we had more space and better food. The staff on both legs of the journey, London to Los Angeles and Los Angeles to Rarotonga were both friendly and efficient. On the first leg I had quite lengthy chats with the Cabin Manager Sam, who was originally from Belfast but has lived in Stockport for the past sixteen years so we had plenty to talk about regarding Stockport then and. now. The highlight of the first flight was flying over Greenland which was apparently unusually clear. The sight of the mountains covered in snow for mile upon mile was quite remarkable.
    Had a couple of slight security issues en route.at Heathrow I was able to do the advance check in and print my boarding cards but Jane couldn’t . When we got to the desk at Heathrow we were told that all was OK but Jane would be subject to some additional checks prior to boarding. Ultimately this just involved a chat about electronic goods ie iPads, Kindle that she was taking - panic over.
    When we arrived at LA past experience told us that American immigration can sometimes be a bit painful but we’re encouraged to see E checkers where your passport is checked electronically and the process is much quicker. Well it worked fine for Jane but for me, no! I had to have my passport manually checked which meant a queue for 45 minute along with many others who had also been told the same.
    Anyhow enough of the journey over Rarotonga is beautiful. It is only a small island but the locals are very proud of it . Each weekend in every village a party of locals will go out through the village and tidy up an action that is encouraged by the local government.
    Our accommodation is on the south side of the island on a beach that is reputedly the finest on the island for snorkelling. We are in a one bedroom apart just yards from the beach and it is quite lovely. A great place to relax and recover after a long journey.
    I think that’s enough for today, more to follow in the days ahead.    Meer informatie

    Zie vertaling
  • Bob ScottRound the. WorldReiziger
    A long way from Wembley!Get on your bikeNext stop for Boris?Had to stop here!Enough said!

    It's all go!

    14 oktober 2019, Cookeilanden ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Yesterday was Jane’s birthday and our travel agent, Audley, must have told the hotel for late in the afternoon they came along with a card and bottle of champagne which was much appreciated and this sentiment was carried on into the evening. We walked out to a nice restaurant near us called Little Polynesian for dinner which our hotel had booked for us and for dessert they had piped Happy Birthday Jane around the plate. A nice touch. We were both quite tired through jet lag so were early to bed.
    Due to jet lag we were awake early this morning and it was lovely sitting outside watching the sea and the sun rising but it was a bit overcast and we had a heavy rain shower. After breakfast we decided to make use of the e-bikes which are available for guests to use. These are great for pedalling is no where near as hard as a normal bike. We set off anti clockwise round the island. There is one major (!) road around the island which follows the coast. There is a bus service which uses this road and you take either the clockwise route or the anti-clockwise route - pretty straightforward! So we set off and gradually the weather improved, the sun came out and it was lovely. The road is very flat, there’s not a huge amount of traffic and we finished up cycling around the entire island a total of 32 kilometres and saw a lot of this beautiful island at a very leisurely pace. A few photos are attached of some of the sights we saw.
    Rarotonga is a beautiful island with friendly people and is very safe. The only danger we were warned about is not to stand beneath a palm tree lest a coconut falls on you! The island is surrounded by a coral reef so between the land and the reef is a lagoon with the clearest of water and fabulous colour blue lapping on to white sandy beaches.
    After lunch we took advantage of the snorkelling equipment that the hotel has for guests to use. This was excellent for within the lagoon are lumps of coral which attract many wonderfully coloured fish. Marvellous.
    Our hotel is not really a hotel in the normal sense but a collection of a dozen or so villas some including ours on the sea front and others within the gardens. It is owned by a NZ couple who bought the property two years ago and have spent a lot of money on it upgrading the facilities . Day to day management is carried out by a couple from Hamburg, Tim and Lucile, who have been on the island for over 8 years and love it.    Meer informatie

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  • Bob ScottRound the. WorldReiziger
    Don't often see these signs.
    Burger at CharliesRarotonga golf clubAn amazing fish sandwich

    Golf and more

    14 oktober 2019, Cookeilanden ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    On Monday evening we strolled along the beach to Charlies a lively beach bar and had junk food burgers, chips beer and wine, lovely. Good atmosphere looking out over the sea and listening to the music.
    Tuesday I’d decided that I must take the opportunity to play at Rarotonga golf club which is close to the airport. So myself and caddy (Jane) took a taxi for the 15 minute ride. Unsurprisingly the course was fairly quiet. I had brought my shoes and glove but rented clubs - not the best but hey! It is a nine hole course with the main obstacles being the pylons scattered around. It was an interesting course, not likely to feature on either the PGA or European tour any time soon but I enjoyed it, though my caddy gave up after 5 holes!
    Went back to the hotel hopped on the bikes again to go to the Mooring cafe for their legendary fish sandwiches which were superb and in a lovely setting.
    Spent the remainder of the afternoon on the beach swimming and snorkelling.
    In the evening we had booked dinner at the OTB restaurant who collected us from the hotel and delivered us back. We went with a couple from NZ who were good fun giving us a few tips for when we are in NZ. There was of course a bit of banter on the potential for England v All Blacks in the rugby World Cup and England beating NZ in the cricket. Tomorrow, Wednesday, we leave Rarotonga and take a 45 minute flight to another of the Cook Islands where we are staying for three nights.
    Rarotonga is beautiful just as would imagine an island in the South Pacific to be, blue skies, amazing colour of the sea which is crystal clear. There are neither snakes or spiders on the island but dozens of churches for whom the congregations are dwindling.
    Talking to our taxi driver yesterday they are being affected by global warming. For many years on New Years Day a horse race would be held on Muri beach and six lanes would be created; now there is barely room for one. This happened over the past 50 years.    Meer informatie

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  • Bob ScottRound the. WorldReiziger
    Our villa
    Sunset on the beach1Wet!

    Aitutaki

    17 oktober 2019, South Pacific Ocean ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    Yesterday, Wednesday we flew from Rarotonga on a small Air Rarotonga aircraft. We left our two large suitcases at Rarotonga as there was a weight restriction and we didn’t need much for three nights.The flight took just forty minutes and we had some spectacular views of Aitutaki when we landed. The airport is little more than a large hut and our luggage was brought to the front of the hut on a trailer and you help yourself. The runway here was first established by the Americans during WW2 for transporting over the Pacific.
    Our hotel is excellent and again we have a beachfront. There are 23 one bedroom detached villas very well kitted out with an indoor and outdoor shower.
    Today we’d booked an all day cruise to see some of the other islands, this included a BBQ lunch and opportunities for snorkelling. The lagoon here is reputedly the most beautiful in the South Pacific, now my knowledge of lagoons in this part of the world is, to put it mildly, limited but it is pretty special. Unfortunately today the weather has been dreadful. We had about an hour of warm sunshine but the rest of the day was rain varying between drizzle and torrential! Despite this the colour of the water and the white sand are quite remarkable. Snorkelling was great in such clear water seeing the colourful fish over the coral and there were a few quite large ones. There were about 40 of us and we got chatting to a couple from Frankfurt and a Frenchman who has taken a year off to travel the world. And the first thing they wanted to talk about was.......Brexit!, These island are just as you imagine desert islands to be, palm trees down to white sand and on to blue water, real Robinson Crusoe stuff. The crew on the cruise were great giving lots of information, singing songs and a great BBQ. Despite the weather a good day!    Meer informatie

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  • Bob ScottRound the. WorldReiziger
    View on our bike ride
    Which way now?You can see thtupa hloes by the pathMango!A memorable viewWe stopped at this shop for a well earned drink

    Farewell to the Cook Islands

    18 oktober 2019, Cookeilanden ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    We woke up on Friday morning to blue skies and a lovely, warm day. First off Jane had a complimentary foot massage provided by our hotel which she much enjoyed.
    Bikes are available for guests use so as we wanted to see as much of the island as possible we set off. Rarotonga was fairly quiet but compared to Aitutaki it is a metropolis! There are a few cars and a few scooters and as you cycle round you wave at each other, all so very friendly. The island is quite beautiful with many colourful flowers and absolutely no rubbish, there are numerous signs telling everybody to keep Aitutaki tidy. Interestingly in Rarotonga you often see and smell bonfires as it has been customary for islanders to burn their rubbish but not so in Aitutaki. The houses are quite widespread and everybody seems to keep chickens as the sound of cock a doodle do is frequently heard and hens with baby chicks are often seen.
    The highlight of the island is without doubt the lagoon. The colours are indescribable and the whole island is ringed by sandy beaches and the coral reef a mile or so out to sea. We went down some remote grassy tracks, saw many land crabs called tupa. They live in holes that look like rabbit holes and are some way from the sea. It was hot though cycling and we were grateful when we came across a couple of local ladies who offered us some mango which they peeled and sliced for us. When I asked how much their response was that it is a “gift from God”.
    Being a small island they are a very close community. The mango lady’s son was part of the crew on Thursday’s cruise and when we arrived on the island our taxi driver said that her nephew was piloting our plane.
    We leave the Cook Islands with great memories of the friendly people, the superb scenery and good food.
    I’m writing this as we are now back at Rarotonga airport awaiting our flight to Auckland where we cross the international date line. It’s quite strange that we leave Rarotonga Saturday afternoon where we are 11 hours behind UK fly four and a half hours to Auckland who are twelve hours ahead of UK so it will be Sunday evening when we arrive!
    It is raining as we wait for our flight but I’m buoyed by the fact Leicester beat Burnley, England and New Zealand both won their quarter finals and meet next Saturday - the banter has already started!    Meer informatie

    Zie vertaling
  • Bob ScottRound the. WorldReiziger
    NZ view
    At the top of the Driving Creek RailwayView from our B&B

    Hello New Zealand!

    20 oktober 2019, Nieuw-Zeeland ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    When I left you we were at Rarotonga airport awaiting our flight to Auckland, we had five hours to wait and were considering our options on how best to spend the time but the weather intervened and made our decision for us - it rained heavily and continuously so we stayed at the airport with our friends from Frankfurt whom we met on the lagoon cruise on Thursday who were also going to Auckland. They had travelled since the beginning of September through most of the South Pacific islands and now on to NZ and were not returning to Germany until January.
    Anyhow the four hour flight to Auckland was uneventful and getting through customs was fine though they are very hot on the walking boots and golf shoes you are bringing into the country, are they clean, what type of terrain have you been walking on.
    Our hotel for the night was immediately opposite the terminal which was very welcome so we checked in, shared a pizza and were early to bed.
    Woke up early (6am) as we have been prone to do on this trip, had a good breakfast and picked up our hire car which is a brand new Toyota RAV4. Our first venture was to find an electrical shop for we had left the charger for our electric toothbrush at home but no joy so we set off for the Corromandel Peninsula which is east of Auckland. It was a lovely drive hugging the coast for much of the way and then up into the hills with roads zigzagging up and down and amazing views. Stopped for lunch at Corramendel and booked a trip on the Driving Creek Railway nearby. This is a private railway built over a number of years by a local man that takes you up to the top of a hill with great views over the hills to the coast. There were only nine of us on the train, New Zealanders, South Africans and us so comment was passed about the World Cup.
    We are staying tonight in an excellent B&B in Hahei and have dinner in the local pub The Pour House where the local beer was on offer and excellent it was too!
    Driving in NZ is very easy, the roads are well maintained and are SO quiet. The people are so very friendly wherever we have been so far, interested in where we have been and where we’re going. A great country that we are very impressed with.    Meer informatie

  • Bob ScottRound the. WorldReiziger
    View out to sea from Hahei
    Cathedral CovePensive..Hahei beachHot Water Beach1Hot Water Beach

    Hahei

    21 oktober 2019, Nieuw-Zeeland ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    Our B&B here in Hahei is excellent with great views out to sea and a large and comfortable room. Peter and Kay, our hosts, have three rooms but we are the only guests. Hahei is on the north east coast of the North Island and is very quiet at the moment with only about 300 residents. This though moves to over 10,000 in December and January the peak summer season when many people from Auckland come for their holidays.
    Today we have been to the two most popular sights in the area Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach. The walk along the coast to Cathedral Cove is quite strenuous as it is up and down and there are a number of steps to negotiate and other coves to visit on the way. Cathedral Cove is great though and well worth the effort. It has a beautiful sandy beach and an archway through the rocks to the next cove which you can get through at low tide which we were able to do. The views out to sea on a lovely day like today were outstanding.
    Later in the day we went to Hot Water Beach and the name describes it well. Two hours either side of low tide you can dig a hole in the sand and the hole will fill with hot water, sometimes the water can be scalding hot a quite extraordinary phenomenon.
    Tonight we ate at the second of just two eating places at Hahei the Church Bistro which unsurprisingly is in an old church. Food was good but not a huge amount of atmosphere so after dinner we returned to last nights venue the Pour House for a nightcap. A highlight on our walk was looking up at the stars that seemed to fill the sky a great sight in an area where there is little light pollution..
    We leave here tomorrow and head south to Rotorua. The weather forecast is not great with high winds and showers and apparently they have had a lot of snow in South Island which is unusual for October.
    See Brexiit’s all going well then.......!    Meer informatie

  • Bob ScottRound the. WorldReiziger
    Peter and Kay with our kiwi!
    Countryside around HobbitonThe artificial treeA hobbitonThe kiwi made it!View from our bedroom at the B&B

    Hobbits...

    23 oktober 2019, Nieuw-Zeeland ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    We bade a fond farewell to our hosts in Hahei, Peter and Kay, who are quite lovely. They give their guests a gift of a small kiwi toy and ask that we take a photo of her at places that we visit and forward them back to them which of course we are happy to do. Photo below of Peter and Kay with kiwi.
    We left Hahei to head south ultimately to Rotorua but via Hobbiton village. The weather was not so good this morning with heavy rain showers but still some great views. Roads in NZ are in very good condition due in no small part to the fact there is little traffic! Distances are though deceptive for there is a lot of climbing and descending hills with plenty of hairpin bends so a journey of say thirty miles can easily take an hour or more.
    We drove through the morning down to Hobbiton village where the films Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit were filmed. Now neither of us have read either the books or seen the films but Hobbiton village is the no 1 visitor attraction in NZ so off we went and what a wonderful place it is. When Peter Jackson, the films producer was looking for a suitable location he came across this 1250 acre farm in the middle of nowhere. The green and rolling landscape is amazing and we saw it on a lovely day for the rain had gone to be replaced by warm sunshine. You are taken round the site in groups with a guide and the tour lasts about two hours.
    The film producers created a number of small hobbitons where the hobbits lived and these are maintained by a team of gardeners. The producers also created an artificial tree that remains and is not discernible from the other trees until you are close to it. There are over 2000 leaves on it which had to be repainted for The Hobbit movie as they had faded!
    We left Hobbiton for the hour’s drive down to Rotorua where we are staying for two nights. We are in another B&B a bit of a way out of town in the hills overlooking the city, very comfortable with excellent views and some resident Alpacas.    Meer informatie

  • Bob ScottRound the. WorldReiziger
    Wai O Tapu, just as well you can't smell this!
    Mud poolGeyser eruptingRotorua and lakeSea planes, a rare sight

    Rotorua

    23 oktober 2019, Nieuw-Zeeland ⋅ 🌧 9 °C

    For some reason on this trip we are usually both awake by 6am, mind you in common with other people over here we do go to bed earlier than usual.
    There are another couple staying at our B&B who we met at breakfast this morning. They are from New Jersey and are huge Hobbit aficionados and are this evening not only doing the tour we did yesterday but having dinner there, we look forward to hearing all about it.
    This morning we visited Wai O Tapu which is about 30 minutes drive south of Rotorua. It is described as a thermal wonderland and that sums it up quite well. This area is still owned by the Maoris and has been formed by various earthquakes over thousands of years and is quite extraordinary. There are craters with water bubbling and steam rising giving off a quite unpleasant sulphur smell. The water temperature can rise to as much as 100 degrees centigrade. A few photos are attached but they cannot do it justice.
    There is also a geyser which they set off at 10:15 each day. This was discovered by convicts working in the area who found the water was hot so started to do their washing in it. When they put some detergent in the geyser erupted so that is what the staff do for us tourists. A very worthwhile trip.
    We returned to Rotorua which is quite a large town and very geared up for tourists particularly backpackers. It sits on the edge of Lake Rotorua which is one of the largest lakes in the country. It was quite cold and drizzly walking round but we have found with the weather over here it changes rapidly, one moment it is overcast and you think that’s it for the day and suddenly the sun’s out again and blue sky.
    Tonight we had dinner at Stratosfare a restaurant that you reach by cable car and the views from the restaurant over the town and lake are spectacular. The meal was a buffet with an excellent choice of food.
    We leave Rotorua in the morning and fly down to the nation’s capital, Wellington, which we’re looking forward to.    Meer informatie

  • Bob ScottRound the. WorldReiziger
    Wellington statue of the All Blacks
    View from the top of cable carParliament buildingsWaterfrontModern art!Dinner out

    Wellington and an old friend

    24 oktober 2019, Nieuw-Zeeland ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    After a leisurely breakfast we drove just twenty minutes to Rotorua airport ensuring the the rental car was full with petrol when we dropped it off (we know from past experience what these companies can be like). A bit of hassle ensued at the airport for we knew in advance that the weight of our luggage was going to exceed the normal limit so had paid extra to cover this. The check in staff were a bit confused by this but after a bit of to-ing and fro-ing eventually all was well and we set off on the seventy minute flight down to Wellington.
    The taxi ride into the city showed what a lovely city it is. It is quite hilly with properties up in the hills looking down on the city and over the bay. We checked into our hotel which was very central and very comfortable and after taking some advice from the hotel staff as to the best thing to do for a half day in the city we set off. We walked along the front and took the famous Wellington cable car, which was really a funicular railway, to a point above the city. Had a bite to eat at the top and then meandered down the slope through the botanical gardens which were lovely and then on past the Parliament building and to the waterfront. This area clearly has been redeveloped and transformed in recent years for there are now numerous bars and restaurants all looking out over the bay. Next stop was the National Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa, which is opposite our hotel and worth a visit. It is one of those places that if you had the time you could spend all day there. There were a variety of exhibits tracing the history and wildlife of the country together with some modern art which we enjoyed.
    In the evening I’d arranged to meet with Nick Hallett and his partner Jaala. Nick and I had worked together for Dawson’s in Croydon many moons ago and Nick emigrated over here about six years ago and loves it here. We had a very good evening hearing more about life in NZ.
    Up early this morning, Saturday, to take the Interislander ferry through the Cook Strait over to Picton in the South Island for the next leg of our journey. I am writing this on the ferry and Leicester are winning 8-0 - happy days!    Meer informatie

  • Bob ScottRound the. WorldReiziger
    Marlborough Sound
    Approaching PictonOur apartmentView fromthe apartmentTasting!Surely not me....

    South Island and new friends!

    25 oktober 2019, Nieuw-Zeeland ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    The cruise through the Cook Strait was beautiful with clear blue skies and a very calm sea. We had read that this crossing can be quite treacherous and uncomfortable (Janet and John can testify to this) but not today. The ship was busy as this is Labour weekend in NZ with Monday being a bank holiday.
    It’s a funny old world. When we first got on board the ship we found a couple of seats and plonked ourselves down. A few moments later another couple asked if the seats opposite us were taken to which we said no and they sat down. After a brief introduction found out they were Jim and Sue from England and in fact from Reigate not fifteen miles away from us. So where are you going to? Marlborough same as us. Where are you staying? Marlborough Vintners, same as us also for two nights. They were being collected from Picton and driven to the hotel whereas we were picking up our rental car and driving ourselves.
    When we arrived in Picton we saw this huge cruise ship the same one that was in Wellington the previous day. There was quite a lengthy queue to collect the car and this was due to it being a Bank Holiday weekend and the cruise ship. We were told that the number of passengers and crew on the ship exceeded the population of Picton!
    Once we had the car it was a thirty minute drive down to our hotel. The scenery and views here are spectacular. The Marlborough area is the principal area in NZ for wine particularly Sauvignon Blanc and there are many estates with names we are familiar with. Checked into the hotel which has about twenty self contained apartments and drove round to ours where we were greeted by our neighbours - Jim and Sue! They are in the apartment next door.
    We have a lot of space in this apartment so are able to get everything unpacked and Jane was able to catch up on the washing before we popped over the road to the Whitehaven estate to taste the Sauvignon Blanc - when in Rome etc...
    They have an excellent restaurant here and we were joined by Jim and Sue with the major topic of conversation being where are we going to watch the rugby. The hotel has a small bar but no TV so we finished up all coming back to our room to watch it. In the days leading up to the match there was a lot of confidence here that the All Blacks were going to win whilst recognising that England were a good team. Their view was that if they played as well against England as they had against Ireland it would be a comfortable victory - not so!    Meer informatie

  • Bob ScottRound the. WorldReiziger
    Nautilus
    Careless whisper..View from Brancott estateAnd another one

    Good food, friendly people!

    27 oktober 2019, Nieuw-Zeeland ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Woke up this morning, Sunday, to glorious blue skies though the wind was quite strong.
    After a decent continental breakfast we decided to once again go cycling as the hotel had bikes available for guests. In the Marlborough area there are a number of wine estates some offering wine tasting so it is quite a big deal here for people to hop on their bikes and visit these estates. We set off down quiet lanes amidst magnificent scenery down to the Wairau river which flows through the valley. It is quite a wide river and flowing quite fast. We cycled along the bank of the river and then came upon the Nautilus estate where we stopped to try their wine. A while ago a friend of ours had recommended Nautilus to us. We had a warm welcome from the fellow who was in charge of tasting who twenty years ago had moved out here from Liverpool so we had a good chat with him for he still follows the Reds and of course the rugby. He loves it out here and understandably so. As we had lunch booked today at the Brancott estate we made our way back to the hotel into the teeth of the wind which was a challenge!
    A month or so ago doing some research for this trip we’d read good things about the restaurant at Brancott whose wines we were familiar with at home. We needed to book a taxi ( drink driving is rightly frowned upon over here) to get there and on arrival you are met by a man in a mini bus who drives you up the hill to the restaurant, the driver came from Leicester so more banter!
    The views from the restaurant which is perched half way up a hill overlooking the vineyards down the valley towards the North Island were amazing. The quality of the food and wine matched the view. As good a meal as we’ve had in many a year with wine paired for each course. We were served by a girl from Paris and in overall charge was Sophie from Blackpool! Is there anybody left in England!
    Got back to the hotel late afternoon had a short rest before heading to the bar over the road which closes at 5pm (strange I know). We had been there yesterday and got chatting to the owner to insisted we called in again tonight. We left with a few bits of food for later this evening - felt a bit like a Red Cross food parcel, but a tad more expensive! He also gave us some tips for eating places for later in our journey so will be interesting to see what they are like.
    I cannot praise the people over here too highly, everybody is so friendly with time to chat, even about rugby, and are interested to know where we’ve been and where we’re going. An interesting aside about people over here I’ve hardly seen anybody smoking.
    We leave Marlborough tomorrow and head down the coast to Kaikoura.    Meer informatie

  • Bob ScottRound the. WorldReiziger

    Quake and Whale!

    28 oktober 2019, Nieuw-Zeeland ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    We left Marlborough on Monday morning in glorious sunshine and stopped briefly in Blenheim which is the largest town in the area. It was though very quiet being a bank holiday.
    Our drive down to Kaikoura was great. It took about three hours and we were in no hurry so stopped several times to admire the stunning views of the coastline to our left and mountains, some of which were snow capped to our right. There was quite a lot of traffic again due to the bank holiday. I have to qualify that comment compared to what we see at home. As we neared Kaikoura we started to see more evidence of the devastating earthquake they suffered just three years ago. From about five miles out the road that was completely destroyed is still being rebuilt so it is quite slow through this area.
    Kaikoura is an attractive town in a large bay and to quote directly from our guide boo,k:
    “Few places in the world are home to such a variety of easily spottable wildlife: whales, dolphins, NZ fur seals, penguins, shearwaters, petrels and several species of albatross live in or pass by the area”.
    The earthquake that struck in 2016 cut off the town apart from air and sea for several weeks and was so severe that it allegedly moved the South Island 5 metres closer to the North Island!
    Today we went out on the Whale Watch trip which lasted for about three hours. There can be no guarantee as to what you may see but if you don’t see a whale 80% of your fare is refunded. We were fortunate in seeing a sperm whale. Now these are really huge. They can spend between thirty minute and an hour underwater before having to surface to take air on board again and this is when we see them. The experienced crew on the boat had all the kit to be able to track the whale and give us a first class view. We were also able to see albatross and a few small dolphins. This afternoon we went for a good long walk round the headland and saw sea bird colonies and seals resting in the sun.
    Our B&B here is once again excellent. The views from our ground floor room are sensational looking out over the bay to the mountains beyond! Chatting to Julie, the owner, at breakfast this morning it transpires that she is also the town’s deputy mayor a position she has held for the past ten years. She was anxious to show us pictures of her with Boris Johnson who had visited Kaikoura shortly after the earthquake.
    Julie also told us that the town is preparing itself for the visit on 23 November of Charles and Camilla who are visiting here and Christchurch to see the recovery from recent earthquakes. We’ve heard that a recent poll in the town revealed that 92% of the population is not in favour of the visit. This is due to the cost and upheaval. If it was William and Kate they wouldn’t mind.
    Tomorrow we leave Kaikoura and head south to Christchurch.
    Apologies no photos on this blog, problems in downloading to the app. I will attach a few to email.    Meer informatie

  • Bob ScottRound the. WorldReiziger
    The cathedral
    The cardboard cathedral185 white chairs..Another damaged buildingInside the Cardboard Cathedral

    Christchurch and the missing camera....

    30 oktober 2019, Nieuw-Zeeland ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    We left Kaikoura having had breakfast with a couple of ladies who were also travelling with our agents Audley Travel though they were travelling in the opposite direction to us. They were on the Whale watch today so were interested to hear of our experience.
    The journey from Kaikōura took us south once again hugging the coast and initially was quite slow due to the repair works to the road following the earthquake. Quite extraordinary to see the damage that was obviously done some three years ago. What a task they have had in this area to effect some sort of recovery.
    After about an hour of travelling we turned inland and descended to the plains that lead up to Christchurch. Very different scenery with more agriculture lots of sheep and cows and great views to our right with the Southern Alps a number of which are snow capped.
    Arrived in Christchurch shortly before lunch. Now this city has been in the international headlines for the wrong reasons in the past years the earthquakes in 2010 and 2011 and the terrorist attack in March of this year. We were able to check into our hotel on arrival which was a bonus and after a brief unpack - we are only here one night - we set off into the city stopping en route for a sandwich.
    The damage of the 2011 quake soon became evident. There are a few buildings that were badly damaged that are worth saving and are being propped up notably the cathedral which is in a bad way but the plan is to restore it to its former glory. There are also a number of open spaces being used as car parks that previously had a building on them. We were quite shocked to see an area that has the footings of a building remaining, this was a 22 storey Price Waterhouse office block.
    We bought a hop on hop off ticket for the tram that takes tourists round the city. These are in old trams and is good fun with excellent drivers providing an excellent and informative commentary. We got off for a stroll through the Botanic Gardens and a walk by the river and then off again to see the “Cardboard Cathedral “ which is temporary whilst the main cathedral is out of action. It was at this point I reached for my camera......aagh! No camera. Must have left it on the tram. We walked back to the Tramway office which was only a few minutes away. They were able to contact the tram, but no sign of the camera. Maybe I left it on the park bench near the Botanic Gardens whilst waiting for the tram so walked about twenty minutes to said bench but no joy. A tram then pulled up so we got on it to go back to the Tramway office and lo and behold the first tram had now found it and would be round in about ten minutes. Great relief.
    We resumed our walk of Christchurch and saw the 185 white chairs that are being used as a tribute to the 185 people who lost their lives in the earthquake, very moving.
    Christchurch as a result of the quake, is now being rebuilt and there are new offices and shops springing up. There are also many new apartment buildings as the city is looking to encourage more people to move back into the city. It is a town planners dream to have almost a blank canvas.
    We leave Christchurch in the morning and head to Mount Cook where it is likely to be a tad cooler!
    Apologies about lack of photos yesterday hopefully now sorted! Also for some strange reason yesterday’s blog was dated 3rd April 2014 🤦🏽‍♂️    Meer informatie

  • Bob ScottRound the. WorldReiziger
    Lake Pukaki
    Interesting cloud formation at TekapoLake Tekapo

    Lakes and Mountains

    31 oktober 2019, Nieuw-Zeeland ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    Last night, Wednesday, we had planned to walk back into Christchurch but as we were about to leave the wind got up and was really strong so as we had done a lot of walking the decision was made to stay and eat in the hotel and we had an excellent meal.
    Woke up this morning to blue skies and as we had quite a lot of driving ahead of us we had a full English breakfast to set us up for the day. Leaving Christchurch was relatively easy as it was well signposted for our route heading south. The further we left the city behind the more the traffic diminished, it really is quite pleasurable to drive out here with little traffic and good quality roads - very few potholes!
    We stopped for coffee at a nice little town called Geraldine and had a laugh when we used the loo for the walls were covered in Monopoly money and album covers notably Pam Ayres and Mrs Mills (older readers may remember her!). It also had a glitter ball! The town was well served with shops and we found a lovely garden walk where the local residents had planted rhododendrons and azaleas which as its Spring here were in bloom.
    Our next stop was Lake Tekapo which was quite stunning with remarkably turquoise water. This is quite a popular area for backpackers and holiday homes.
    We thought Tekapo was good but about twenty miles further on we had a “wow” moment when we crested the brow of a hill and had our first glimpse of Lake Pukaki where the water was an even brighter shade of turquoise but was set against a background of snow capped mountains, quite wonderful. We took some photos but they really don’t do it justice.
    We are staying tonight and tomorrow night at Mount Cook where we are self catering and there are limited options there so the advice is to buy what you need at the nearest town Twizel (great name) which is about 40 miles from Mount Cook. We bought all that we needed plus our new favourite ice cream Memphis Meltdown which are great.
    So tonight we are at Aoraki Mount Cook Village which is a small gathering of a large hotel, motel (us) and hostels in the foothills of the mountains and consequently is very cold. We walked out for dinner this evening wrapped up in jumpers and coats slightly different to a couple of weeks ago in the Cook Islands!    Meer informatie

  • Bob ScottRound the. WorldReiziger
    The tip of the iceberg!
    Amy with crystals from the lakeOur boat awaitsThe edge of the glacierEdmund Hillary looking towards Mt CookMount Cook

    Icebergs!

    1 november 2019, Nieuw-Zeeland ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    We had a very nice dinner in The Panorama Room at The Hermitage. The views were amazing. The hotel is huge and the focal point for activities in Aoraki Mount Cook.
    After a very good night’s sleep for it is very quiet here, we had our first self catered breakfast of the holiday, porridge, which we thought was a good choice for the activities we had planned for today. It is suggested we should have several layers of clothing.
    We had booked to go on the Glacier Explorers tour. We had to check in at the local Hermitage Hotel and I guess there were about forty of us. We piled on to a bus for a short ten minute drive where we were dropped off and then walked for about a mile to a lake where three open boats were waiting for us. The lake is bout five kilometres long and has only been in existence for the past thirty years and is a result of glacier melting. On to our boat with an excellent guide, Amy, who first of all suggested we put our hand in the water which of course was freezing! Out on to the lake where there were a number of icebergs not huge as we know of in Antarctica but only a tenth of the size of them is above water and they can move and break up or tip over at any time so need to be treated with respect. There were lumps of them floating on the surface of the lake that Amy lifted out for us to hold. Quite extraordinary for they are crystal like. Amy then took us right up to an iceberg for us to touch and break off parts in our hand.
    We then moved on to the other end of the lake to the glacier. It is about forty metres high but has a depth beneath the water level of over 200 metres. Pieces break off the glacier at any time to create new icebergs so you don’t go too close.
    The landscape here is remarkable for we are in a valley with hills and mountains either side. It looks big but in reality is huge and you get an understanding of this when you look out and see a car or a helicopter and they are like pin pricks.
    At the Hermitage Hotel there is a museum dedicated to the life of Sir Edmund Hillary who of course was the first man to climb Everest. Hillary was of course a Kiwi and did his training for the Everest climb here at Mount Cook which is the highest mountain in NZ at over 12,000 feet. There is a splendid sculpture of him looking out toward the mountain.
    Despite having porridge for breakfast and recommending layers of clothing the weather today has been excellent with clear blue skies and temperatures of around 18 degrees.
    In this area there are any number of walks and climbs ranging from serious mountaineering to more gentle walks the latter of which we did this afternoon and it was very pleasant offering great views over Mount Cook.
    We leave here tomorrow and head south to Lake Wanaka but en route we have booked a thirty minute flight over the glacier which is subject to the weather being OK.    Meer informatie

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  • Bob ScottRound the. WorldReiziger
    Safely dowwn!Wanaka, view from our room

    Flying high!

    1 november 2019, Nieuw-Zeeland ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    We woke up to another beautiful day which meant that our planned flight over Mount Cook should be OK. At 8:30 had a call from the airfield, “Mr Scott, about your flight this morning ( Oh no I think!) would it be OK with you if the flight went at 10:30 rather than 9:30 for the conditions may be slightly better” Of course for we have plenty of time on our hands.
    The airfield is only about a ten minute drive away so once we’d packed the car we set off. It is only small but they run various trips from there many using helicopters. We watched a helicopter winch up a crate of bikes and then fly off towards glacier. It returned to collect a group of cyclists. We were in a small plane and there were just six of us including the pilot, bit different to a Dreamliner!
    We took and flew straight toward the mountains and what a sight it was, quite fantastic to be so close to the summit of Mount Cook and the Franz Josef pass. Had a couple of moments when we hit some turbulence and we we were rocking around and dropping but this apparently is quite normal. A wonderful experience!
    Once we were safely back on terra firma we set off stopping at Twizel for a sandwich and then a couple of hours drive to Wanaka. It I was a beautiful drive through fertile valleys and fantastic landscapes. The weather was kind to us with the temperature peaking at 28 degrees!
    Wanaka is another lovely place perched on the banks of Lake Wanaka with the mountains surrounding it. It is certainly geared up for tourists with a number of bars and restaurants on the lakefront. It is a year round resort for skiers come here during the winter.
    Once we had checked into hotel which is in a great position on the lakefront we walked in to town to do a bit of shopping and bumped into Jim and Sue our friends from earlier in the week so we had a couple of drinks with them swapping stories of what we’d been up to. We agreed to meet again later in the evening to watch the rugby.
    Went back to our hotel to change for dinner at Kira a restaurant that is recommended in Wanaka and it was excellent. So we then met up with Jim and Sue in a bar that had a big screen for the rugby. It was though very quiet with only about a dozen or so of us watching the match of which enough said! At half time the bar provided us with complimentary sausage rolls. Nice touch.
    We have have two further full days here which we are looking forward to.    Meer informatie

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  • Bob ScottRound the. WorldReiziger
    Tree in the lake
    Panorama of the lakeReturn of the newlywedsWanaka golf club

    Busy doing nothing!

    4 november 2019, Nieuw-Zeeland ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    After a busy week Wanaka gave us an ideal opportunity to relax and catch our breath for three days. Our hotel is about a twenty minute walk along the lake into the town. We have a comfortable, spacious room with a balcony overlooking the lake.
    Yesterday, Sunday, we woke up a bit later than normal having watched the rugby the night before that didn’t finish until after midnight here. We had our walking boots on today walking all around the town and other walks around the lake. One of the principal photo opportunities here is the tree in the lake, quite strange, photo below. We also found the local golf club for I planned to play Monday morning. All in all we walked for over ten miles.
    The hotel seems to be the largest in the area and in a prominent position making it an ideal venue for weddings of which there were both Saturday and Sunday. On Sunday we were sitting outside in the garden with the wedding going on behind us when a helicopter flew in over the lake and landed close by the other side of the hotel. Bit strange we thought, maybe a late arrival? A few minutes later it took off again and w thought little more about it until about forty minutes later when we had decided to stroll along the lake away from the town and the helicopter appeared again and landed about fifty yards away from us and out stepped the bride and groom who had been whisked away after the service to have photographs taken in some other location!
    This morning I was up early on two counts, to find out how Leicester had gone on against Crystal Palace (won 2-0, sorry Nigel though it’s about time we beat them) and to play golf at Wanaka golf club which was most enjoyable. A friendly club and an attractive course with some spectacular views over the lake and to the mountains beyond.
    We continue to be fortunate with the weather, apparently it is a lot hotter than normal for the time of year.
    We feel nice and refreshed now and ready for the next instalment which is a four hour drive tomorrow down to Te Anau which is in the south West of the South Island which is the furthest point we go and according to the ever reliable Google is a mere 11,733 miles from London.    Meer informatie

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  • Bob ScottRound the. WorldReiziger
    Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu from Crown Point
    ArrowtownArrowtownLake Wakatipu

    The road to Te Anau

    5 november 2019, Nieuw-Zeeland ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    We waved a fond farewell to Wanaka this morning one of our favourite places (there have been so many) on our trip. We were lucky with the weather but the town, though relatively small, has a really friendly atmosphere and is a good fun place.
    So we set off south towards Queenstown. The route there was spectacular. We drove through an old town called Cardrona where intriguingly on a fence were a whole of ladies bras - very odd! The town itself is known more so for skiing not downhill but cross country. As ever in this country the views were spectacular and the road climbed to the highest sealed (tarmac) road in the country and we stopped to admire the view down towards Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu, quite wonderful. I have consulted my Thesaurus and have run out of adjectives to describe the views and scenery here!
    So we descended from on high taking on some very sharp hairpin bends and popped into Arrowtown. Arrowtown back in the day made its name from gold mining and is a popular tourist destination. The Main Street has retained its olde world look and if you wish to spend £300 on a merino and possum jumper this is the place to come!
    On from Arrowtown we bypassed Queenstown as we shall be there on Thursday and drove on along Lake Wakatipu stopping for a sandwich at a very remote cafe but it was a very good sandwich.
    Interesting listening to the radio they also have Bonfire night but fireworks can only be sold in NZ for the three days up to the night. Shame we don’t do similar. The radio is very intermittent and you have to keep changing stations and go fir long periods with no signal.
    The weather today has been a bit overcast with drizzle at times and the road from Queenstown to Te Anau takes you through agricultural areas. There was very little traffic on the road but thousands of sheep in the fields.
    We are now in Te Anau which is in the Fiordland National Park and at the foot of Lake Te Anau (there are a lot of lakes here) the second largest in the country. Te Anau is the setting off point for tours to Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound the latter we are doing tomorrow. The forecast is good for tomorrow so fingers crossed for as I write this it’s chucking it down!    Meer informatie

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  • Bob ScottRound the. WorldReiziger
    Approaching Doubtful Sound
    Fur sealsDinner tonight

    Doubtful Sound

    6 november 2019, Nieuw-Zeeland ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    There are just four bedrooms at our B&B here in Te Anau. We had breakfast with two other couples - one had done the trip to Milford Sound and the other to Doubtful Sound yesterday. They had enjoyed the trips despite the rain! Fortunately for us today was looking fine.
    We were collected at 9:30 and driven over to Manapouri which unsurprisingly is on a lake, Lake Manapouri. It is a bit of a trek to reach Doubfful Sound for we had to take a boat across the lake which took about an hour then a bus up and over Wilmot Pass on a very gravelly road down to our boat to take us on Doubtful Sound. Whilst it took a while the journey was worth it. The captain of our ship across Manapouri asked us all to look straight ahead at the “big blue thing” meaning the blue sky which is rare in these parts for allegedly the Fiordland is one of the wettest places on earth!
    This was evident on our drive over Wilmot Pass where we made a couple of stops to admire the views but also to see up close the moss that grows everywhere for it is so damp. It was also interesting to see the scars on the steep hills all around caused by waterfalls and tree avalanches. Trees manage to grow on the rocks and all their roots become entwined so if a tree becomes unsteady and blows over it comes down the side of the hill bringing many other trees with it. This happened recently and closed the road over the pass cutting off the tourists on the trip that day who had to be helicoptered off.
    Doubtful Sound is quite stunning particularly on a clear day like today. We had hoped to see seals, dolphins, penguins and potentially whales but in fact only saw NZ fur seals . Whilst the weather was clear and bright sitting out on deck it was very blowy and quite cold but exhilarating. A very good but long day as we didn’t return until around 6.
    A quick change and we walked into town for dinner at the Fat Duck, no not Heston’s place.
    We leave Te Anau in the morning for Queenstown and our final three nights in New Zealand.    Meer informatie

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  • Bob ScottRound the. WorldReiziger
    Photo from our hotel room with the remarkable Remarkables mountain range in the background
    The steamship ForeslawSailing into QueenstownSetting off on the Dart RiverSelfie on the river!Forest and old trees1View from the cable carThe lugeLuging!Selfie on chair lift to luge

    Adrenalin rush!

    7 november 2019, Nieuw-Zeeland ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Had quite a bit of rain overnight but woke up to a dry day. Had to be up a bit smartish this morning as we were booked on the Dart River Jet boat leaving Queenstown at 8am.
    The coach left a few minutes late and we were driven up the east side of the lake to Glenochry which is right at the top of the lake, about an hour’s drive. At Glenochry we were each given a large waterproof coat with a hood and a life jacket to put on, all very serious! We then got on to our boat which held about twelve of us including the driver, Jimmy. He gave a bit of an insight in to what was coming a quick blast around the lake and then belt along the river for about an hour. Now the river is not very deep, maybe three or four feet, so these powerboats are specially designed for these conditions. In the lake he let the throttle out and did a few sharp turns so we got wet and then we set off up the river and at the same time it started to rain. The trip on the river was exciting, exhilarating, bumpy and wet and at times you could hardly see anything at all due to wind and rain! Unfortunately as it was raining the clouds had come down so the scenery was not as good as usual though looking up in the mountains waterfalls started to appear.
    Eventually it was time to get off in the middle of nowhere where a 4x4 coach was waiting for us but first we had a thirty minute walk into the forest where we saw trees estimated to be between 800 and 1000 years old and traps they’ve laid for possums and hedgehogs both of which they are trying get rid of. Took the coach back to Glenochry and then on back to Queenstown, a fun morning.
    Over a sandwich lunch we chatted about what to do this afternoon for as I’ve said previously there are no shortage of activities here. We had picked up a few leaflets ruled out bungee jumping, considered zip wire and rejected it due to the likely height involved so decided to go up the cable car for views over the town and lake. At the counter the girl asked whether we would like to do the luge whilst up there? Why not. So up the cable car we went and found the luge. This involves sitting in a plastic car and speeding off down two different runs at what seems to be quite a speed. Great fun. So we now consider ourselves to be adrenaline junkies!
    Managed to sort photos so there are some from yesterday - thank goodness for the iPhones!    Meer informatie

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  • Bob ScottRound the. WorldReiziger

    Queenstown and another camera issue!

    7 november 2019, Nieuw-Zeeland ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Woke up to another good weather day and so set off to retrace our steps back to Queenstown.
    En route we stopped at Jacks Point golf club. Janet and John were hugely impressed when they played here so before leaving the UK I booked a tee time for this Saturday but at the moment the weather forecast is not so good for Saturday hence the decision to call in on a fine day. It certainly looks good so fingers crossed! Whilst there we saw a group of paragliders just near the course.
    Arrived at our small hotel in Queenstown and we are about a five minute walk into town. Now Queenstown markets itself as the adventure and adrenalin rush capital of NZ and probably even further. Here you can bungee jump, zip wire, paragliding, loads of stuff on the lake, hiking, climbing and of course golf and because of all this activity it attracts a lot of youngsters and a multitude of bars and restaurants. Our first impression is of a great and vibrant town and we shall enjoy our stay here.
    This afternoon we took the steamship TSS Earnslaw for a trip across the lake. She was built in 1912, same year as the Titanic, and is a big tourist attraction here and rightly so for the views of the lake and country around it were brilliant. When we got off the boat it was happy hour in most of the bars, so it would be rude not to ...
    Whilst walking back to our hotel a young person rode their bike down several flights of stairs at great speed into the town and just stopped in time. Adventure Capital......
    Did I mention the camera? Yesterday at Doubtful Sound we asked a fellow traveller to take a photo of us. He was struggling a bit with the controls so I helped him and in so doing between us we dropped the camera. I was able to take a couple more shots but realised that all was not well so thought we would get it checked out when we got to Queenstown. Found a camera shop and you know when you take your car in for repair and there is a sharp intake of breath and blowing of cheeks? Well this is what we had. I think the expression is, beyond economical repair. Fortunately every day I always download photos on to my iPad just in case. We shall be in Hong Kong at the end of next week so may take the opportunity of looking for a replacement camera there.
    Had an excellent Vietnamese meal this evening and lengthy conversation with the couple at our next table. They were Indian who had moved from Calcutta eleven years ago to Dunedin where they are real estate agents. He was passionate about cricket and plays at a good level. A good night.
    Apologies no photos, will try again tomorrow.    Meer informatie

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  • Bob ScottRound the. WorldReiziger

    A windy day at Jack's Point

    8 november 2019, Nieuw-Zeeland ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    I mentioned in a previous blog about my intention to play a round of golf at Jack’s Point reputedly one of the finest courses in New Zealand and was hoping that the weather would stay fine. Throughout the week I have been checking the weather forecast for Saturday and it was always forecasting heavy rain. Last night we had a thunderstorm and heavy rain through the night and it was raining when I got up at 6:30 as my tee time was booked for 8:00. The rain, though light, continued as I drove to the course so was not too optimistic.
    Checked in at the proshop and got my rental clubs organised followed by ten minutes on the range and then on to first tee. I was booked to play on my own but caught up with two guys on the second tee and asked if I could join them. No problem they said. They were two Aussies Ted and his son in law Kieran, who arrived in Queenstown last night. They were very good company and we had a few laughs. Remarkably the rain had not only stopped but the sun came out and despite the very strong wind it was warm and sunny. For the golfers reading this Jacks’ Point is a stunning course in superb condition and it would have been a tough challenge on a calm day but the wind was really very strong. So strong that for large parts of the round you could not keep your hat on. The views over the lake and to the Remarkables mountains gave the course a fantastic backdrop.
    Talking with Ted and Kieran they told me about their experience of getting to Queenstown yesterday. Queenstown airport has quite a short runway and their flight from Australia yesterday had two attempts to land due to the very strong winds and then had to divert to Christchurch where they collected a rental car and drove over arriving at midnight.
    We have been so lucky with the weather on this trip. We came prepared for all eventualities bu had mainly blue skies. Even today when I wanted it fine for golf it was then from about four o’clock it poured down!
    Whilst I was golfing Jane seemed to be having some animated conversations with some American guests in the hotel with differing views on Meghan Markle! We have some interesting fellow guest including a Dutch couple on honeymoon who followed us from Te Anau. They are in to the adrenaline stuff and did the scariest zip wire yesterday.
    Today is our final full day in New Zealand for tomorrow afternoon we fly to Sydney a four hour flight where there is a two hour time difference to here meaning we shall be eleven hours ahead of UK time.    Meer informatie

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  • Bob ScottRound the. WorldReiziger

    G'day Sydney!

    10 november 2019, Australië ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    How lucky were we with the weather in New Zealand? Woke up today to pouring rain which continued through most of the morning, almost the only rain we saw in three weeks! Spent the morning packing and as we were on a flight everything had to be in our cases and not flung in the back of the car! Dropped the car off at the airport and checked in for our 3:30 flight to Sydney. Had a nice surprise to find that we had been upgraded and were in the front row with plenty of legroom. We certainly had the benefit of this on arrival at Sydney for our cases were first off our taxi was waiting and within an hour of touching down we were at our city centre hotel.
    Looking forward to our time in Sydney and seeing Cat and Sarah. For those reading the blog and unaware Cat is the daughter of Graham and Beverley and Graham and I were at school together and Sarah is Beverley’s sister. Sarah has been over here for a number of years so will be able to show us around. We are booked for dinner tomorrow evening together so should be fun.
    Once we had unpacked we took the short walk from our hotel and saw the iconic sights of the city, the bridge and the Opera House followed by pizza and a couple of drinks at a bar with a marvellous view of the Opera House.    Meer informatie

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  • Bob ScottRound the. WorldReiziger
    Our guide Sue Ann at the Opera House
    With our excellent Wombat tour guide!Beach viewJacaranndra tree seen often in SydneyBondi beachBondi beachDinner at cafe Sydney with bridge in backgroundOpera House tonight

    The Wombat Tour Part 1

    11 november 2019, Australië ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Had to get up early this morning with the alarm set for 5:30 as we were booked to go on the Behind the Scenes tour of the Opera House at 7am. This was a great tour with a very enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide who took us along with six Americans around the Opera House seeing all six concert halls from all angles followed by an excellent breakfast, a really worthwhile and memorable trip also learning about the quite chequered history of the Opera House during its design and development.
    The tour finished around 9:45 and we had arranged to meet Sarah and two of her friends from England, Phil and Beverley, at 10 for the legendary Wombat tour that Sarah does for all her visitors. This is a tour around the city principally by the water that Sydney has an awful lot of, certainly more than we had realised before we got here. We saw some fantastic views across the harbour in all sorts of directions and some marvellous beaches including the iconic Bondi beach where there was plenty of surfing going on today as the weather has been lovely with temperatures in the mid twenties. Stopped for lunch at Watson’s Bay and had lunch at the library which was a new place for Sarah but unbeknown to Sarah didn’t have a drinks licence!
    During lunch I contacted the travel company with whom we have a tour booked with to the Blue Mountains tomorrow only to be told that it has been cancelled due to the bush fires into the north of the city. From there on in we have heard many warnings about tomorrow when catastrophic conditions are expected with temperatures set to rise to potentially 37 degrees and the bush fire to intensify. Already as the day has worn on we have noticed visibility decreasing due to the fires.
    We got back to our hotel around 5:30 and were pleased to see Cat who was waiting for us in reception. We had a quick shower and then joined her in the bar prior to dinner with Sarah, Phil and Beverley at Cafe Sydney. Sarah had booked an outside table with superb views towards the bridge and over the harbour. We had a great meal despite the temperature dropping and the wind getting stronger.
    After dinner wandered along towards the Opera House for drinks in the Opera Bar and were impressed to see that poppies were being projected on to the Opera House in recognition of Remembrance Day. All in all an excellent day.    Meer informatie

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