Down Under 2019

January - March 2019

A 64-day adventure by Cindy and Daryl Read more

41footprints
4countries
64days
374photos
8videos
18.5kkilometers
14.8kkilometers

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Traveler Down Under 2019
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- Jan 9, 2019, 8:46pm
- ☁️ 8 °C
- Altitude: 29 m
- Canada British Columbia Fairfield Gonzales Hill 48.42468, -123.3310348°25’29” N 123°19’52” W
2 days and counting...
January 9, 2019 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C
Testing, testing...

Heading away on Saturday! Follow along with us...and keep us updated on your happenings too.

Talk soon!

Cb
Traveler Thank Cindy........we are all set up....have a great and safe trip
1/10/19Reply
Traveler I'm following you......don't get lost ;)
1/10/19Reply
Traveler Roger that !😉 looking forward to the updates
1/11/19Reply
Traveler Looking forward to the photos. Happy travels
1/12/19Reply
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Traveler Down Under 2019
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- Jan 14, 2019, 10:33pm
- 🌙 22 °C
- Altitude: 9 m
- Australia Victoria Melbourne Southbank -37.8228, 144.964337°49’22” S 144°57’51” E
Day 3
Made it to Melbourne...
January 14, 2019 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 22 °C
....Almost without a hitch until Melbourne air traffic control evacuated with a fire alarm. Our plane diverts to Sydney...hang around time at the airport...rebook to Melbourne. Finally made it after 35 hours of air travel! Not for the faint of heart, but happy to be here.

Bustling, vibrant, multicultural, lovely...just as billed. Enough umpf left for dnner along the Yarra river then źzźzzzzz....Read more
Traveler Hmmm what a choice... both good... I’ll take the top!
1/14/19Reply
Traveler Glad you (eventually) made it ok.
1/14/19Reply
Traveler Glad you made it. When can we look for you in the crowd at the Open?
1/14/19Reply
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Traveler Down Under 2019
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- Jan 15, 2019
- ⛅ 34 °C
- Altitude: 33 m
- Australia Victoria Melbourne South Wharf Batman Park -37.82384, 144.9600337°49’26” S 144°57’36” E
Day 4
Melbourne and St. Kilda
January 15, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 34 °C
Nothing like a good sleep...ready to go.

We found summer ☀️☀️. National heatwave warning is typical I guess this time of year... We're embracing the humidity and just taking our time.

Degraves Street for a delicious breakfast to start us off. A very funky lane chockablock with anything and everything you'd like to eat or drink. Then check out the graffiti on Hosier Lane...walls , ground , stairs, garbage cans - express yourself!

Had a great time with our friend Terry Mackian's brother, Peter and partner Carolyn. Took the tram to meet them at St Kilda...a cool beach suburb 20 minutes from downtown Melbourne. Their hospitality was super with a great 'steak on the bar-bee' on the deck of their condo overlooking the park.

City is tennis crazy. Watch in any bar, restaurant, outdoor meeting places.Read more
Traveler City is tennis crazy. Right up your alley Cin!👍
1/16/19Reply
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Traveler Down Under 2019
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- Jan 17, 2019, 11:19pm
- 🌙 23 °C
- Altitude: 33 m
- Australia Victoria Melbourne South Wharf Batman Park -37.82383, 144.9600437°49’26” S 144°57’36” E
Day 6
Aussie Open
January 17, 2019 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 23 °C
Best tennis watching day ever! 🎾

Love Melbourne Park.. Rod Laver and Margaret Court arenas with retractable roofs plus 35 outdoor courts. And the usual hang out areas with big screens, food, drink, retail, music, entertainment.

Saw 3 Canadians play so that worked out well. No spoiler alerts in case anyone has the matches recorded, but loved all the matches. Also saw Venus Williams, Simone Halep. It got to 37 degrees today but the overcast sky kept the worst of it at bay... then enjoyed air conditioning when the roof closed due to rain. Top it off with 'chardonnay time' and you've got a grand slam.

Last night we took in a Vegas music show...Legends in concert. Covers of the oldie performers of the 70s and 80s...from Diana Ross to Kenny Rogers, Cyndi Lauper, Michael Jackson, Elvis. Was good fun if a bit corny at times.Read more
Traveler totally awesome !!!!
1/17/19Reply
Traveler Love the pics. Well done! Say hi to my pal Milos.
1/18/19Reply
Traveler We’ve been watching so we’re all ready for Indian Wells! Looks like you’re having fun!
1/18/19Reply
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Traveler Down Under 2019
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- Jan 19, 2019
- Altitude: 7 m
- Australia Victoria Mornington Peninsula Dromana -38.33165, 144.9679738°19’54” S 144°58’5” E
Day 8
Melbourne; Mornington Peninsula
January 19, 2019 in Australia
Survived Melbourne and its 5 million people and now headed out on the road. Rain thwarted our cycling plans on our last day in the city...good the city's so walkable. Nice hanging out watching Federer in the big screen in Fed(eration) square...how appropriate 😉...and chatting with visiting Aussie fans. Melbourne...big city, lots of huge towers...including tallest residential tower in the world, lots of green space...very friendly).

And we survived our first day driving on the left. Daryl at the wheel only used the wipers once as a turn signal 😂 Cindy navigating barely avoided the toll road. Bought our eskie (cooler)...ready for our road trip.

Out to the Mornington Peninsula...miles and miles of beaches just south of the city. Cute little towns, some more tiddly than others. Water was cold but nice...enjoyed it until I remembered where I was and hightailed it back to the beach. Lots of nasty things in Aus they say, tho we haven't been bothered yet... Also haven't seen a kangaroo...Daryl promised me they're everywhere 🙄.Read more
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Traveler Down Under 2019
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- Jan 21, 2019
- ⛅ 21 °C
- Altitude: 5 m
- Australia Victoria Moyne Port Fairy Southcombe Beach -38.38344, 142.2335438°23’0” S 142°14’1” E
Day 10
Great Ocean Road
January 21, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
Ferry ride...40 minutes. About same cost as BC ferry Victoria to Vancouver 2.5 times as long. Maybe we're getting a decent deal...

Great Ocean Road exceeded expectations! The Californian coast is fabulous...the Australian coast outstanding!! Cool limestone formations, powerful crashing waves, spectacular views. Took heaps of pics but can't do justice.

Shipwreck history in this area. No wonder with the waves and rocky foreshore.

Kangaroos... ✔️✔️! On a golf course in Angelsea. Scruffier than I pictured them... too much Winnie the Pooh for me I guess 😄. Very cool animals. 30-50 million in Aus.

Was in mourning when Roger lost but perked up when Raonic beat Zverev...#4. Well done Milos!Read more
Traveler Love, love the kangaroos!
1/21/19Reply
Traveler Just so you know.....Winnie the Pooh isn’t a kangaroo 😜
1/21/19Reply
Traveler Great pics. Spectacular scenery
1/21/19Reply
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Traveler Down Under 2019
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- Jan 23, 2019, 10:16pm
- Altitude: 8 m
- Australia South Australia Alexandrina Goolwa Channel Goolwa Railway Station -35.50472, 138.7838135°30’17” S 138°47’2” E
Day 12
Port Fairy, Robe, Goolwa
January 23, 2019 in Australia
Beach walk in the mist to start the day in Port Fairy...cutest town yet.

North of the Great Ocean Road, just off the beaten track. Couple of driving days from Port Fairy....Robe....Goolwa (you know..those famous Australian towns 😉).

Open country, ranch lands, managed forest plantations, grazing sheep and cattle, dry scrub land,
ocean views. Mt. Gambier stop for a flat white (latte). The main hotel there boasts 'best overall hotel in 2004'. Hmmm...what happened the last 15 years??

Check out Blue Lake...very BLUE. The lake turns vibrant cobalt blue in summer, returning to a colder steel gray colour in fall/winter...a chemical reaction to hotter temps.

Not a lot in between Robe and Goolwa. So first we pick our coffee shop in Robe from 5 of them along the one-block main road. They're serious about their coffee ☕ down here.

Not much civilization today...3 wild emus, pelicans, Coorange motel and lounge in the middle of nowhere as far as we could see.

Made it to our first (of yet to be many) winery stops 🍷. And there's more to this cellar door than just wine!Read more
Traveler Love it guys.. inspiring for our future.
1/23/19Reply
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Traveler Down Under 2019
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- Jan 24, 2019, 3:01pm
- ☀️ 37 °C
- Altitude: 8 m
- Australia South Australia Alexandrina Goolwa Channel Goolwa Railway Station -35.50475, 138.783835°30’17” S 138°47’2” E
Day 13
Only mad dogs and Canadians...
January 24, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 37 °C
...go out in the mid-day sun. ☀️☀️

But we really wanted to try out the Encounter Bikeway...30 km coastal path on the Fleurieu peninsula south of Adelaide. Okay...so not the best idea. The ocean breeze wasn't a bit of help, it felt instead like a blast furnace 🔥. Ice tea and a tuna toastie in a retro vibe cafe gave us the strength to get back... only 12 km total but exhausting. The car temp showed 48°! Records being broken...if this is what global warming looks like, well....

Lucky we have a comfy place we're staying in Goolwa. Aircon works great; nice to have dinner in for a change. And the tennis...good time to sit in and watch the semis. 😥 for Raonic. Cheering for Tsitsipas now (so at least Roger lost to the winner 🙃).

The other side of kangaroos ... we've seen quite a few road kills ☹️; others offered on the menu and in the grocery store. Like venison for us I guess.

Daryl washed a few clothes and hung them outside to dry 👕. Half hour later and it's like they're just out of the dryer.Read more
Traveler totally gorgeous and exciting !!!
1/25/19Reply
Traveler Oh yeah... reminds us of the Emirates.
1/27/19Reply
Traveler .... “oh man Tina... it’s Abu Dhabi hot! “
1/27/19Reply
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Traveler Down Under 2019
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- Jan 26, 2019
- ☀️ 27 °C
- Altitude: 391 m
- Australia South Australia Clare Clare Railway Station -33.8355, 138.6161733°50’8” S 138°36’58” E
Day 15
Travel to Adelaide
January 26, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
Lovely drive thru rolling hills straight into wine country...McLaren Vale, south of Adelaide. Can't believe the number of wineries everywhere you look. Okanagan and even Napa don't compare.

Visited Graham Stevens winery on a local's recommendation. Good call. Graham has been in the wine business for 50 years... a very knowledgeable and likeable character.

Then Adelaide...capital of South Australia. What a nice city. The first surveyor general is lauded for planning a city that's accessible and liveable with wide streets (where you can turn a cannon around) and 50% green space. We went to the bustling central market, art gallery, crossed the River Torrens... convention centre, Adelaide oval playing field, St. Peter's cathedral.

At the market Daryl tried to explain how to cook 'eggs over easy'....not much success...but still a delicious brekky.

And what a coincidence...met up with good friends John and Lynn from Victoria 😉. Dinner at Jamie Oliver's Italian then watched the women's tennis final (congrats Naomi!), hearing Australian Day fireworks outside.Read more
Traveler Just checked in, enjoyed the pics, all looks good, thanks grant
1/28/19Reply
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Traveler Down Under 2019
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- Jan 28, 2019
- ☀️ 25 °C
- Altitude: 131 m
- Australia Victoria Horsham Sawyer Park -36.71911, 142.2011936°43’9” S 142°12’4” E
Day 17
Clare Valley!
January 28, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
Drove a bit north to the Clare Valley. More great scenery in the Adelaide Hills.

Three times lucky on the cycling! Clare Valley Reisling Trail... absolutely beautiful. Beats the Napa and the Loire Valley for great wineries, super scenery, neat history. Discovered Reislings dont have to be sweet 🥂. Stops along the way... 'flat white' ☕ under the olive trees; gourmet cheese plate at O'Leary Walker winery (4 generations of vintners). Went 40 km today...only 29° so no problem 😏.

Sevenhills winery... started by the Jesuits to make wine for the altar...still going 180 years later. And that's the age of the oldest vines...still producing!

Final tennis watching.. men's final. Shorter night than expected... congrats Jokey!Read more
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