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Spydah
Spydah

Spydah

traveled in 22 countries Read more🇦🇺Queensland
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  • SpydahHunter ValleySpydah
    The house looks impressive from the outside, but evidently less so insideIn the old hay barnOne of the magnificent old treesThe bull stalls(The other) Brian with Lyndall our excellent tour guideSome horse-powered machineryThunderbolt's cottage

    A trip back in time

    April 20 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    The last day of our very pleasant holiday, and a fairly easy schedule. It was a 90 minute drive to our destination, the Tocal historic homestead. Our guide, Phil, who met us there was very knowledgeable and gave us an hour-long talk about the many twists and turns in the property’s formation and ownership. Suffice to say, its history dates back to the 1830s.

    It’s a beautiful property, often used nowadays for weddings and other such gatherings. Many of the surrounding trees are over 200 years old, and there is one specimen which is an estimated 500 years old.

    After Phil’s talk he took us on a guided tour of the surrounding buildings. The main house, while looking impressive from the outside is apparently quite small and uninteresting inside. Unfortunately some major maintenance work was taking place inside so we were unable to see the interior for ourselves. The surrounding buildings - barn, hay loft, bull pens and so on - were interesting in themselves, so we didn’t feel at all short-changed.

    From there it was a short ten minute drive to the adjacent Tocal Agricultural college, originally part of the Tocal estate, where we were served lunch. From there, Gabe, our excellent and very personable coach driver for the entire trip, delivered us to Newcastle Airport in good time for our 3.30pm scheduled flight. Up till then our entire trip had been going swimmingly, maybe too good to be true. Departure time came and went, with the scheduled time pushed back by 4.5 hours due to an engineering problem with our aircraft. Fortunately Newcastle has a modern comfortable terminal, so there were plenty of food choices for dinner. Between chatting to my fellow Probus travellers and catching up with reading the time passed reasonably quickly. All the same, it was good to finally land in Brisbane where Helen very kindly was waiting to collect me.    Read more

  • SpydahHunter ValleySpydah
    The marina at Nelson Bay
    Nelson BayA hairy job, working at the top of a mast(Other) Brian supporting the ensignDolphin proof. A very rare glimpseAnother rare glimpseCrazy. It was much too cold, but they seemed to enjoy itOne of the shacks of Tin CityTin City shackWhite-breasted sea eagle in flightSand surfing. Filmed under challenging circumstances.Interesting sand dune patterns2Beautiful sand dune patterns in all directions

    Sand and some dolphins

    April 19 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    After breakfast, a 90 minute drive took us to beautiful Nelson Bay on Port Stephens, where we boarded a boat, the Moonshadow to go dolphin spotting. In the first 15 minutes or so we saw a couple of dolphins, though glimpses were so brief it is difficult to provide any worthwhile photographic evidence. After that brief encounter, the dolphins made themselves truly scarce and were nowhere to be seen, but the trip was still very enjoyable.

    In contrast to the previous days, the weather was slightly on the cool side with a rather fresh breeze blowing, but that didn’t stop half a dozen intrepid souls ( certainly none of them from our group of ancients) who chose to be towed along in a big net attached to the stern of the boat. I was shivering with cold just watching them.

    After a light lunch (I chose to have just a pie from a gourmet pie shop which I discovered up a side street) we boarded the bus for a bit of a sightseeing tour around the coastal area. Port Stephens is very scenic, with some attractive-looking beaches, and it’s easy to see why it is such a popular holiday destination. We then drove on to Anna Bay, 11km away where the 20 of us boarded a type of 4WD minibus for a drive along the beach. We were told to look out for dolphins, but the sea there was quite rough and the dolphins were a definite no-show.

    This stretch of beach, accessible only to four-wheel drive vehicles, is well-known for its huge area of continuous sand dunes which average about 2km in width. It is certainly most interesting to see, and we could see a variety of different sea birds, including a couple of spectacular white-breasted sea eagles with their giant 2m wingspan.

    Our destination, some 10km along the beach, was a place called Tin City which quite literally is a collection of tin shacks, some of which are still inhabited. The place’s history goes back to the 1890s. At its peak there were about 36 structures there, but today there are only about 8-10. Built on the sand-dunes, the buildings are a couple of hundred metres from the shoreline and are in the middle of nowhere. I spent what little time we had there - this trip was more rushed than I would have liked - trying to get worthwhile photos of the shacks and of the interesting sand dune formations nearby. Being late in the afternoon with the sun low in the sky there were interesting perspectives of light, shade and texture in every direction. A true photographer’s paradise, though I fear that I had only limited success with my creative endeavours. Tin City itself is fascinating and it has a long and interesting history.

    En route back to Anna Bay our vehicle diverted to go up some very steep dunes to an area where enthusiasts are able to ride sand surfers down a very steep sand dune slope. We got the chance to see only a couple of them in action as it was quite late and the business was closing for the day. From what little I saw, it looks like great fun. We then jumped on our bus for the 90 minute drive back to Pokolbin, sadly for the final night of our trip.    Read more

  • SpydahHunter ValleySpydah
    1The parkland adjacent to the resortParkland adjacent to the resort2Our group. I'm in the front row, just to the right of centrePhoto: Bob YenchWelcome to the animatronicsSome history of the gardens and Bill Roche's generous contributionBill Roche and Chris, an admirer from our grou[Feeding the voracious carp and other fishImelda Roche with her 14 grandchildrenOur Group Leader, Lyndall, having fun aboard the caterpillarScaryGiant animatronics butterflyAnimatronics butterfly. The waterfall in the backgroundImelda Roche and grandchildren in the rose gardenI was happy to perch in the Big Red Chair...1...until I decided to lean back. It wasn't easy to extricate myselfChased by a monster - a dangerous placeFigs forming a huge hedge, but with an interesting archwayCredit: Bob Yench

    A day of wine and roses - and cheese

    April 18 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    After yesterday’s rushed breakfast, it was good to be able to enjoy the vast breakfast buffet selection in an unhurried manner this morning. Today’s program was centred around Pokolbin with none of the bus rides exceeding ten minutes.

    Our resort adjoins the Hunter Valley Gardens, so it’s a very short walk between the two. This privately owned and run facility is really quite something. Our very knowledgable guide was one of the site managers who has worked at the gardens for some 20 years. To quote from the website: “Spread across 14 hectares encompassing 10 internationally themed gardens to explore, there is something for everyone, including the ever-popular Storybook Garden. 8km of pathways will lead you to spectacular vistas including a 10m high waterfall, topiary displays, man-made ponds, statues, murals, beautiful architectural structures and much more. In the Gardens there are 6,000 trees, 600,000 shrubs and over 1 million ground covers.” It was founded and established by the Roche family in 2003 it is the largest public display garden in the Southern Hemisphere.

    Adding to the interest there is currently a large temporary display containing numerous animatronic dinosaurs and mythical fearsome beasts spread throughout the gardens. This display, coinciding with school holidays, meant there were some areas which were infested with ankle-biters of various shapes, sizes and colours. Fortunately there were also plenty of quiet uninhabited spaces in the vast gardens where one could enjoy nature. While some members of our group were unimpressed by the roaring, moving fearsome creatures I admit that secretly I was impressed by the smart technology and the realism of it all.

    Next stop from there was the local cheese factory, As with yesterday’s chocolate factory there was a very large retail area with hundreds of delicatessen-style products on display. Some quick mental arithmetic indicated that all the cheeses were selling for around $120/kg, so it was easy for me to resist the temptation to buy any. By then, a pattern was forming in my mind. All these artisanal places sell their particular specialties at high touristy prices, but alongside those is always a huge array of other food delicacies - jams, pickles, sauces and so much more. It’s all tempting and beautiful, but it ain’t cheap! Confirming this pattern, the winery we visited afterwards also sold far more than just its own products - see below. As long as tourists understand the rules of the game there’s nothing wrong with what they’re doing.

    After that it was lunch at Ronnie’s, a restaurant in the village adjacent to the resort. Even though the food was delicious and it was an excellent setting none of our group was really hungry, and the portions turned out to be really generous. Quite a challenge.

    The previous afternoon I had spotted a British sweet shop, also in the village, but at that time it was closing for the day, so I’d already decided on a return visit during opening hours. Several others in our group obviously had similar plans, so several of us, me very much included, walked away with large lolly purchases.

    Our final appointment for the day was a 2.15pm visit to Ben Ean winery for a wine tasting. There we were sat at a long table in their tasting room with several glasses placed in front of each of us. We were treated to samples of three whites and three reds plus two sparkling wines to try. Apart from the moscato, which was way too sweet for my taste, the wines were pleasant enough, though I wasn’t tempted to spend the $30 to $40 per bottle for any of the range. It would have been wasted on me. From the tasting room we moved downstairs to the shop and restaurant - not that any of us were there for the food. The pizzas there looked most appealing, and under other circumstances I would be delighted to go there for a meal and plenty of wine - with a designated driver, of course. As with the two earlier factory visits there were plenty of other food- and drink-related items also available for sale. Several of our group purchased wine to take home with them, which was good.

    What was especially pleasing was that all four of these places, including the lolly shop, were really quite busy, so it seems that there are still plenty of people willing to spend money while supporting local industry.    Read more

  • SpydahHunter ValleySpydah
    PDF
    On the HawkesburyCredit: Bob YenchPhoto: Bob Yench1Brian and the chocolate factory

    Delivering the mail

    April 17 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Our accommodation at the Mercure Resort , adjacent to the Hunter Valley Gardens (more on that tomorrow) is certainly spacious. My huge room contains a king-sized bed the size of a tennis court. I can barely find myself among the bedclothes. The resort too is on a grand scale, several hundred metres from end to end. I’m not sure of the logic of putting a group of elderly guests, none with cars and many with mobility issues at the furthest distance from the restaurant and Reception, but who am I to query such things?

    We knew that we’d be on an unavoidably tight schedule this morning since the kitchen inflexibly wouldn’t open until 7am sharp while we had to be ready and on the bus by 7.45am in order to get to Brooklyn in time to catch the Postman’s Ferry for our next adventure. Given that there was a large and very comprehensive hot and cold breakfast buffet, and given also those long-distance treks to and from our rooms I was firmly convinced that we’d either be travelling with only half the bus passengers or we’d be standing on the wharf at Brooklyn while watching the ferry disappear up the river. In fact neither of these things happened and, after a pleasant 1.5 hour bus trip through picturesque countryside we got there in good time. Everyone in our group had risen to the occasion.

    Nowadays, delivery of mail to isolated settlements with no road access along the river is more of a sideline compared to the two ferries, each bigger than a Brisbane CityCat, carrying tourists on the three-hour return journey. I couldn’t help remarking that the postal service to those tiny riverfront communities is far better than we receive in suburban Brisbane. It’s also interesting to observe how full these mail sacks seemed to be. Are the residents so bored that they spend their waking hours writing to penpals all round the world? Unlikely. Instead, I was trying to promote my conspiracy theory, possibly true, that these sacks contain piles of blank paper which constantly travel up and down the river, between Brooklyn and the settlements.

    All that aside, it was a very enjoyable trip in perfect weather, enlivened by an interesting and entertaining running commentary from the skipper. From there it was a long but scenic drive back to base, where I went for a nice long exploratory walk. Passing through Cessnock, an attractive historic town I noticed a Greek restaurant called Tatziki. So far, so good, but painted on the window under the restaurant name it said: "A taste of Greece." (Say it out loud). For the next few minutes I could think of nothing else. Did the owner have his tongue in his cheek when he adopted the slogan or did he really not know what he was doing? I wish I knew the answer.

    I almost omitted mentioning the tourist trap, the chocolate factory on the outskirts of Pokolbin. Huge varieties of chocolate in every size, style and flavour one can think of, all at outrageous prices. Admittedly, there was a bigger variety of chocolate in every size, shape and flavour than one could poke the proverbial stick at, and I largely resisted temptation, buying just one packet of (overpriced) chocolate coconut balls. I was slightly disappointed to see that while all their chocolate is made in Australia, it's all from imported ingredients. Can’t they at least use Australian sugar and dairy products? Then it was back to base at Mercure Resort. The resort, gardens and general scenery are great. Tomorrow promises to be a relaxing day, with a gardens tour, a winery tour and a generally flexible program. Looking forward to it..    Read more

  • SpydahHunter ValleySpydah
    PDFCredit: Bob YenchBHP museum display. Photo: Bob Yench

    The journey begins

    April 16 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Airports are never a heap of fun, especially with early starts, but daughter Helen very kindly drove me to the airport in time for the 7.15am rendezvous with the other 18 members, plus guide, who were heading to Newcastle. I didn’t want to be “that person” who was late and who would be ribbed thereafter by the other group members - and Helen delivered me on time.

    It all went smoothly, and there was a large and comfortable bus, our intended transport for the next five days, waiting for us at the other end.

    First stop was the aviation museum, most interesting with a comprehensive range of displays including various military aircraft dating from a WWI Sopwith Camel through to a comparatively modern Sabre. For me the highlight was the long chat with one of the volunteers, a former RAAF electronics technician who showed me and explained much about the instrumentation and electronic screens, not to mention the dozens of switches and knobs, all crammed into the Sabre cockpit. How a pilot could handle all of that is well beyond me.

    The immersive experience continued during our excellent sandwich at the cafe adjoining the museum which overlooks the combined civil and military runway. There was a continual stream of F-35A Lightning fighters, along with various training military aircraft taking off and landing just a few hundred metres from where we sat. Talk about deafening. Even at that distance, the noise from those F-35As on takeoff makes ones internal organs shake.

    Next stop was the Newcastle Museum. We’re off to a flying start because that too was a worthwhile visit. We arrived just in time to see an automated display sponsored by BHP using a real ladle and overhead crane which simulated. with steam and sound effects, the pouring of molten iron from the ladle.

    There were many other interesting displays there, but I was particularly taken by a whole series of simple ones which demonstrated basic principles in mathematics, magnetism optical illusions, the power of levers in a fascinating fashion. For example, one of these hands-on displays allows a child to lift a real car clear off the ground simply by applying a suitably long lever, A great way to get young people interested in science.

    From there it was an hour’s bus trip, much of it through unspoiled bushland to Pokolbin in the Hunter Valley where we’ll be staying for the next four nights. A very pleasant buffet dinner with a nice merlot successfully capped off a pleasant event-filled day.    Read more

  • Waikanae and Wellington

    Home sweet home

    February 27, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    With a 5am check-in required I was so thankful that I’d been able to get a room at the airport hotel in Wellington. It was simply a matter of checking out then taking the lift downstairs to the check-in area. The flights went smoothly enough and we touched down in Brisbane on schedule.

    I got the usual dirty look from an immigration official for travelling on a New Zealand passport while being a permanent and naturalised Australian resident, but apart from that it was all plain sailing. I took the Skytrain to the city, and after a short wait for Julie who was at a pole class nearby she picked me up and dropped me to home and reality. As usual I stayed up until about 11pm local time. By then I’d been awake for about 20 hours straight and was certainly in need of much beauty sleep. There ended a most enjoyable and satisfying holiday.    Read more

  • Waikanae and Wellington
    A last lingering view
    Simon and ElspethMy view from the hotel restaurant

    It runs like clockwork… until it doesn’t

    February 26, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    The last day, and I had to pack up and leave my very comfortable accommodation. I took my time and, as arranged, reached Elspeth’s at around 10am. Simon, her son-in-law, was driving down from Auckland to take part in a bike race at Lake Wanaka, and he arrived about an hour later. Heroically he had just driven straight through from Auckland and was due to catch the ferry at midday. We had a pleasant chat for about half an hour before Simon did a quick inspection of the building project and went on his way.

    My flight was scheduled for 4pm, so I bade my fond farewells to Elspeth and left just before midday, This was to allow ample time for dropping the car off and for any unforeseen traffic delays. It all went smoothly and I reached the airport with plenty of time to spare. So far, so good. However… a few minutes before boarding was due to start it was announced that the flight had been cancelled and that we had to go back the way we came and retrieve our bags from the luggage carousal. I did so and then found myself in a massive queue about 100m long, waiting for airline staff to sort out our accommodation and booking arrangements. Without going into a mass of detail, Air New Zealand handled the situation very badly. After I stood in the slow-moving queue for over an hour I finished up, encouraged by the airline staff, making my own booking at the Airport Rydges.

    By incredible coincidence Helen’s company was due to handle all the logistics relating to the flight cancellation, but a series of text messages between Helen and me soon established that Air New Zealand hadn’t requested Helen’s company to provide nearly enough hotel rooms. In a further coincidence Helen was due to attend a pre-arranged meeting with the airline the very next day, so she was going to use her father’s own experience to illustrate the dismal failings in Air New Zealand’s procedures.

    Meanwhile I was able to enjoy the luxury of a comfortable hotel room and a pleasant dinner at someone else’s expense.    Read more

  • Waikanae and Wellington
    Elspeth and LaurieA pleasant farewell afternoon tea hosted by Elspeth for Rosemary, Laurie and me

    A full but satisfying day

    February 25, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 19 °C

    My first visit for the day was always going to be a bit of an unknown quantity as I was keen to visit my old friend Robin Fleming who is in the dementia unit at the Charles Fleming retirement village. Her partner Susi had forewarned me that these visits can either go very well or very badly. Ironically, the village is named in honour of Robin’s father, Sir Charles Fleming, a noted scientist and ardent conservationist who saved much of the Waikanae wetlands which we are able to enjoy today. We were prepared to cut our visit short if things weren’t going well. Susi picked me up from Elspeth’s and the two of us visited Robin together.

    Things turned out even better than we had hoped. Robin immediately recognised me as an old friend and was excited to see me even though she didn’t remember exactly who I was. She was bubbly and chatty, very much like the Robin of old. Much of the conversation was confused, though that didn’t really matter. It was still very much worthwhile, and I’m so pleased that I saw her.

    Susi then left and I wandered the few hundred metres down to Bryan and Norah’s unit, also in the retirement village. Bryan and I then drove down to Paraparaumu to visit an old friend from Rongotai, Mel Fielding, and his wife Jan. Neither of us had seen Mel since our first year at university when he had done his Medical Intermediate then left to continue his optometry studies. We spent a pleasant couple of hours catching up on one another’s news and reminiscing about old times. Bryan then dropped me back at Elspeth’s where we were to meet up again with Rosemary and Laurie whom she had invited for drinks and nibbles. Again we spent a very pleasurable time chatting, while Laurie and I enjoyed a couple of cleansing ales. Even though I’d seen Rosemary and Laurie a few days earlier at the Island Bay Kids’ get-together there was still a great deal to talk about. None of us ever run out of conversation.

    The day wasn’t over yet, as I’d been invited back to Bryan and Norah’s for dinner, and again a couple of ales. I drove over there and spent a most relaxing evening with the Frasers before returning to home base about 9.30pm. Plenty of excellent socialising on my last full day in New Zealand.

    (I also realised that I’d been too abasorbed in all the conversations to take photos at all the places I visited).    Read more

  • Waikanae and Wellington
    The Island Bay jetty, more rundown than I remember it as
    A calm and serene Island BayAn interesting mural at Island Bay beachLunch at Spruce GooseOriental Bat at its bestFishing at SeatounSlightly windblown at SeatounOriental Bay street sceneIan and Wendy at Oriental BayMy parents' grave

    Where have all the fish gone?

    February 24, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Wendy and Ian had very kindly offered to take Olga and me on a nostalgic tour of Wellington, with Ian doing the driving while I was able to be a passenger for once. I set out from Waikanae at 8am, arriving at the Harlands at about 9.15am. There is such a huge contrast in traffic conditions between the Wellington city roads and those further out of town, beyond Porirua. The former are a total nightmare, exacerbated by speed bumps on major roads, tight roundabouts and an idealogical campaign to create wide,but barely-used bike lanes at the expense of lanes where cars could once drive. The result is a permanently grid-locked city - The Cars That Ate Wellington. By contrast, once you head northwards and and get beyond Porirua the roads are almost deserted. This even includes the suburban streets of Waikanae Beach. Even if you went driving in in Southeast Queensland at 2am you wouldn’t encounter such quiet roads. All of this is a roundabout way of saying that the frustrating last 20% of my trip into Wellington took as long as the first 80%.

    By the time I arrived in Karori Wendy, Olga and Ian were packed, organised and ready to go. It was a fine day, and quite calm. and Wellington was looking at its very best. We started with a nostalgic visit to Island Bay via the permanently bleak and misnamed Happy Valley. The coast road by contrast was absolutely sparkling and the sea was calm. There are now a number of interesting shops to be seen on The Parade, with Island Bay having become quite the trendy suburb. Our family home, high up above Severn Street is invisible from the street, being totally hidden behind trees. This is surprising because we had a spectacular view over the suburb and out to the Baring Head lighthouse. It is unlikely that the current owners would be able to see any of this. Next stop on the Island Bay leg of the trip was the Empire Theatre which has a trendy cafe where the old foyer used to be. The old picture theatre holds many happy memories and it was good to stop there for a while and enjoy some nice coffee.

    We then drove round the coast road to Lyall Bay, a scenic trip which I did hundreds of times by pushbike when I was at Rongotai College, - not that I appreciated it at the time. Wendy and Ian had booked a table for us at the Spruce Goose restaurant, close to the airport. This was by design, as Olga was booked to fly home at 4pm. This gave us time for a relaxing lunch before dropping Olga off in good time for her flight.

    Next stop for the three of us was Seatoun Beach at one of Wendy and Ian’s favourite spots near the Wahine memorial. We spent a warm and pleasant hour or so admiring the harbour, wandering the nearby paths and ogling the nearby enclave of beautiful designer homes. We then took a leisurely drive further round the coast, going via Worser Bay, Scorching Bay and Balaena Bay to Oriental Bay where we stopped for ice-creams and a leisurely walk around.

    I was keen to visit Moore Wilson, the fabulous food wholesalers, as I was keen to pick up some NZ confectionary to take home. Chocolate fish in particular, and the odd Buzz Bar or three were on my mental shopping list. Aside from it being an Aladdin’s cave of wonderful cheeses and other delicatessen items I used to be able to buy large packs of chocolate fish and other tempting goodies. The only chocolate fish they had were in 5kg packs, which was even beyond what I’d had in mind, so we left the place carrying only a few bars of Whittakers chocolate and a big bag of Jaffas for old time’s sake. (I have to confess, these are items which are available in Australia too). Wendy and Ian further indulged me with a visit to the supermarket while en route back to their place, but even there I couldn’t find what I really wanted.

    After bidding my farewells to Wendy and Ian I next headed for the Karori Cemetery where I wanted to visit and inspect my parents’ grave. A few years ago I organised for it to be restored and this was the first time I’d been able to see it since then. I am well satisfied with the result.

    I arrived back at Waikanae at around 8pm after a long but very satisfying day.    Read more

  • Waikanae and Wellington
    A view of the wetlands

    It pays to be flexible

    February 23, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    The original plan had been for Elspeth and me to meet Helene Ritchie, former politician and author of a thoroughly researched book, ‘The Burned Letter’ which dealt with her Jewish family’s escape from Europe as refugees and the fate of the many members of her family who were murdered in the Holocaust. Via Elspeth she had given me a signed copy of her book. Even though I was sure our paths must have crossed at some stage when we were growing up in Wellington I don’t remember ever meeting her. We’d planned to drive down to Wellington to meet her for coffee at Zealandia. Disappointingly, the meeting got cancelled, so I took advantage of the unplanned free time to go for a long exploratory walk in the Waikanae wetlands.

    It turned out that I bit off more than I could chew. After a very pleasant but vigorous walk for an hour or so I reached a road, and decided to use my GPS to follow the streets and take a shortcut back to base. The GPS said that it was a 14-minute trip, which was fine until closer scrutiny showed that to be the duration by car. Covering the 11km on foot would take a whole lot longer. The GPS told me that the quickest way home would be to largely retrace my footsteps. The upshot was that my walk took an energetic two hours, about twice what I’d planned. Fortunately the weather was perfect and there was plenty of birdlife to be seen.

    I had arranged to spend the afternoon with old friends Janet and Jill at their Waikanae bach. Shortly after I got there we had a scratch lunch, mainly of food left over from the previous day’s Vic reunion, while we had a great time with plenty of talk and much catching up of news. Janet’s London-based daughter Fiona was visiting briefly, and it was good to see here again. The last time had been in 1988 when she visited Brisbane as a child with her father (my old mate, the late John Campbell) and her brother Douglas. They stayed with us for a few days while we all visited Expo88.

    I had largely written off the prospect of a swim at my all-time favourite beach, but Janet convinced me that it would be warm enough, at least to avoid the worst effects of frostbite, so I decided to give it a go. We decided the 5pm would be the optimum time when the tide would be right and the air would still be warm. She was right. The sea was very swimmable and we were able to dry ourselves comfortably in the sun afterwards. After a dinner of Chinese takeaway followed by fond farewells to Janet, Jill and Fiona I headed back to my comfortable lodgings. A busy but enjoyable day.    Read more

  • Waikanae and Wellington
    I try out an old university blazer, supplied by Mike
    Olga. In the background is the picture which is always a major talking point .Bryan and MikeMike thinks the cheesecake is all his.Wendy, Mike, Elspeth, Rosalind, IanOlga, Janet, Bryan, Wendy, Mike, ElspethOlga, Janet, Bryan ElspethRosalind and WendyJanet, Bryan, Elspeth

    The classy class of ‘61

    Feb 22–Mar 1, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    This was the big day when Wendy and Ian Harland very kindly agreed to host a lunch for all comers, the only stipulation being that they had to have started at Vic as freshers in 1961 (and still be breathing, of course). Elspeth and I set off from Waikanae, collecting my old pal Bryan Fraser from his retirement village abode along the way. We diverted to the Wellington CBD to collect Mike Bond and Rosalind McIntosh, the former having flown up from Christchurch a couple of days earlier. That made a very full and cramped car-load for the little Yaris hatchback to carry. The road up from the bus terminus in Karori to the Harlands’ house is very long and steep, and none of us would have been capable of walking up there. A car was definitely required, though in my heyday I did manage the trip on foot several ties as part of my exercise regimen.

    We duly arrived and unpacked large quantities of food and drink to augment the large quantities of both which our hosts had already laid out. My special friend Janet Campbell arrived shortly after, also loaded with plates of edible goodies. Unfortunately, Janet’s partner Jill was unwell so couldn’t join us. Many of us those present hadn’t seen one another for a great number of years, and the afternoon went really well with plenty of food, drink and laughter.

    As a last-minute decision when we returned to Waikanae Elspeth and I crashed in to see Norah, Bryan’s wife and to get a quick look at their unit, which neither of us had seen. We were pleased to see Norah, and the impromptu visit went quite a bit longer than expected, with Bryan giving me a comprehensive tour of the village and its excellent facilities followed by plenty of conversation and a round of drinks for the four of us.    Read more

  • Waikanae and Wellington
    Elspeth, Wendy, Olga, Ian
    Wendy, Ian, Olga, Brian

    A largely ‘at home’ day.

    February 21, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    The day started with Elspeth directing me to help with some clean-up work around the back of her house, mainly the removal of a long-abandoned birds nest from the back patio area. Wendy and Ian had driven up from Wellington with our friend Olga who was staying with them. As part of our loose and informal reunion arrangements Olga had flown over from Sydney to join us all for a few days.

    We chatted for quite a while then headed off for a light and pleasant lunch at the rather quaint and interesting Relish Cafe in Waikanae. A few more hours of talking and then Elspeth was keen to take Olga back to Janet and Jill’s bach for a bit of a wander round. (J&J weren’t with us but were presumably home in Khandallah).    Read more

  • Waikanae and Wellington
    Rosemary's and Laurie's view
    Murray, Peter and JanetLaurie, Elspeth and JoanPeter, Janet, Murray, Rosemary, BrianBrian and PeterLaurie, Joan,Peter, JanetMurray, Laurie, Joan, PeterCutting thebirthday cake on Murray's birthday. (Mine was three days ago)Feeding the birds - seen on our evening walk

    The Island Bay Kids

    February 20, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 19 °C

    A quiet, relaxing morning for me, as Elspeth had an 8.15am meeting with the electrician and I didn’t want to be hanging around there. After breakfast I took a nice long and leisurely walk around some of the lagoons, and as the weather was warm and pleasant I spent an hour or so looking at the birds on and near the water. They were there in their many hundreds, with numerous species present.

    I was due at old friends Rosemary and Laurie Petherick’s place for around midday, a nice easy walk from my lodgings a mere 100m or so away. (Elspeth’s place is a similar distance in the opposite direction). Soon after, other Island Bay Kids Janet Ritchie and Peter and Joan Wyness arrived. Dear Murray McIvor had somehow thought that it was a 3pm start, so after a revving-up phone call from me, he turned up shortly after. Elspeth, who isn’t a former IB pupil but is a very good friend of the Pethericks and me, arrived after she’d sorted out the electricals for her house extension.

    Rosemary and Laurie are always fantastic hosts and their fantastic house with its incredible views over the estuary and out to sea helped to make it a memorable occasion. There was, of course, a huge amount of talking and laughter. It’s so good to catch up with old friends and share memories of people and places from when we were growing up. We left after 6pm, by which time our hosts must have been totally exhausted.

    Shortly after, when Elspeth and I had got ourselves organised, we took ourselves off for a long walk around some of the lagoons then along my very favourite Waikanae Beach. We got back to Elspeth’s shortly after 8pm, just as it was getting dark. Oh, the joys of daylight saving!    Read more

  • Waikanae and Wellington
    1
    11The Otaihanga swing bridge in good use1Susi and El contemplating some of the Fleming family collection from 42 Wadestown RoadAdmiring an original Mary Beard painting

    Getting organised

    February 19, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 19 °C

    Something which is obvious already is that the next few days will be packed with adventure. After I spent a fairly sleepless night while my body clock tried to adjust itself to NZ Daylight Saving Time Elspeth and I set off to do the boring stuff, which mainly comprised mundane supermarket shopping. However we did divert to an absolutely fantastic bakery which left me puzzled as to why the Centenary Suburbs of Brisbane can’t offer anything which remotely matches their standard.

    Shopping completed, and after a long phone chat with our friend Bryan we had a lunch of tempting goodies from the aforementioned bakery trap. While Elspeth took herself off for a brief nap I set off on a long scenic walk, mainly round the lagoons but with a short diversion to the seashore. It had been overcast and raining but from mid-morning the rain clouds started to clear and the weather stayed dry. There were plenty of birds to be seen - black swans, gulls, pukekos, ducks, geese and many more. A regular visitor is a kotuku (white heron) which is an extremely rare species in these parts. With its brilliant white feathers it really stands out. Down at the beach the tide was well up, the water was very rough and there wasn’t another person visible as far as the eye could see.

    We had been invited to friend Susi’s place for 2.30. She and her partner Robin built a beautiful architect-designed house overlooking the sea and Kapiti Island. I had been there previously when it wasn’t quite finished, so it was good to see their beautiful house in its completed form and with all their artworks now on the walls. (Sadly my very good friend Robin is now in residential care and her partner Susi now lives there on her own).

    After returning to Elspeth’s we set out on a walk up the estuary, my second walk for the day. The weather had cleared considerably, and it was really great to see all the birdlife and native vegetation. On our return to base we had a phone chat with our old mate Bruce who lives in Oamaru and sadly isn’t able to travel to Wellington and Waikanae and participate in all the social events which are taking place over the next few days.

    The day started well and finished well, with dinner at an excellent Thai restaurant overlooking the beach and Kapiti.    Read more

  • Waikanae and Wellington
    Elspeth's new extension, under construction

    Happy landings

    February 18, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 22 °C

    A n early start withJulie picking me up at the ungodly hour of 5am to get me to the airport. Better to be early than late for the 8.15 departure. Everything went like clockwork both before and during the flight, and on arrival at Wellington airport. Finding the shuttle bus to get me to the car rental place was a bit tricky but I got there in the end.

    The peak hour Wellington traffic was a bit of a shock, given that I had just flown 1/3 of the way across the Tasman in the time that it took me in stop-start peak hour traffic to get across the city and on to the highway. The Toyota Yaris hybrid was a pleasure to drive, the only challenge being the lack of a GPS. Instead, the rental company had supplied me with a fairly useless phone holder. After the third occasion that the phone fell out and landed under my feet while I was driving I decided that, comparatively speaking, it was safer to navigate with it on the seat beside me. Definitely not recommended. It was my first experience of the Transmission Gully motorway, and it certainly made the trip northwards from Wellington far easier. Unsurprisingly perhaps the weather during the drive varied from mild and sunny to strong winds with absolutely torrential rain.

    On my arrival Elspeth and I chatted and snacked for quite a while before she took me the 150m or so down the road to meet Judi and Graham Whichter, my hosts for the next eight days. Elspeth’s house extension is only just at the lock-up stage, so Judi and Graham generously offered their self-contained apartment to me, a total stranger, for the duration of my visit. The apartment is beautifully set up, very spacious, and more than adequate for my needs.

    The pleasant surprises weren’t over yet. Elspeth and I went out to dinner at a popular Italian restaurant nearby at Waikanae Beach. At the next table was a young couple with whom we chatted for all of 30 seconds, mainly about the generous size of the fellow’s pizza he’d ordered. They finished their meal and left while Elspeth and I chatted on for another half-hour or so. We got up to leave and pay the bill, only to be told by the waiter that there was nothing owing. The friendly young couple had evidently told the staff what nice people they thought we were and had picked up our whole restaurant bill! A great finish to the day.    Read more

  • Kimberley Expedition
    Beautiful WellingtonBrisbaneWaikanae Beach with Kapiti in the background

    All good things must come to an end

    June 15, 2024, Indian Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Our flight out of Broome was scheduled for 2pm, so we were delighted when Mangrove Resort extended our checkout time to midday. Not only that but they offered us their courtesy bus for the trip to the airport. Hence, we could enjoy much of the morning, when we weren’t packing, lazing by the pool.
    Not much to report about the trip home. Broome airport subjected everyone to the most rigorous security scans that we’d ever experienced. The flight was only about 1/3 full so we were able to spread ourselves out.
    Perth airport was a bit of a challenge. Brian’s flight was due to leave from the same domestic terminal, so that was fine, but trying to work out the departure arrangements for Elspeth’s Auckland flight was more difficult, with Qantas ground staff nowhere to be seen. In desperation Brian even tried to ask the girl behind the newsagent counter, but she knew even less than we did. Eventually we established that Elspeth had to catch a transfer bus to Terminal 1, but even the bus stop was well hidden. Eventually we made our fond farewells as Elspeth boarded the bus.
    Brian scored a points upgrade to Business Class for his flight to Brisbane, which was nice - again easing the transition from absolute luxury to everyday life. A short time luxuriating in the Business Lounge followed by a seat at the pointy end of the plane made for a comfortable trip home. Julie and Helen were there in the middle of the night to greet their father and drive him home.
    Even though everything went to plan the solo part of Elspeth’s homeward journey was more challenging, starting with the long overnight flight from Perth to Auckland. A bonus was breakfasting with daughter and son-in-law Jeannie and Simon who greeted her at Auckland airport before she boarded the flight to Wellington. She then endured a bus to the railway station, a train trip to Waikanae station and a bus home.
    Looking back, we agreed that it had been a great couple of weeks, and that our travel companion arrangement had worked well. Even in the confines of a small twin cabin we were able to accommodate each other’s habits and foibles without too much effort. Here’s to the next trip, wherever and whenever that may be!    Read more

  • Kimberley Expedition
    The famous Cable Beach camels
    The much-loved Lord McAlpine who put Cable Beach on the mapSome of the amazing rock formations at Gantheaume PointA few of the 4Wds at Cable Beach - to see the sunset but not the camelsElspeth in her element at Cable BeachThe Japanese cemeteryCable Beach just before sunsetCable BeachCamel ridersThe famous Cable Beach camels

    We sweep through Broome

    June 14, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    The Mangrove Resort proved to be so tempting and comfortable that we could easily have stayed there and done nothing. It would however have done Broome a great injustice as there is quite a bit there to see and do. We were collected at 0830 for a 2.5 hour orientation tour which we had booked the previous day to explore Broome and immediate surroundings .
    Our starting point was the famous Cable Beach and the statue of Lord McAlpine, a true supporter of WA and the creator of Cable Beach out of nothingness. He is very much a local hero. Next stop was Gantheaume (pronounced ‘Gantam’) Point with its interesting rock formations and from where one can get spectacular views over the bay. Many dinosaur footprints have been discovered in the area. We then travelled to Roebuck Bay and from there to the impressive Japanese cemetery, With 900 headstones it is the biggest in Australia. Many of those buried there died very young from the effects of free-diving for pearls. Next stop was Town Beach and the World War II commemorative artwork. We finished at Chinatown (previously known as Japtown until WWII) , where we were dropped off. This is the town centre. After a light lunch we endured the heat for a ten minute walk in the blazing sun back to our resort and a very pleasant afternoon relaxing by the pool.
    Our sightseeing wasn’t over, and in the late afternoon we caught the local bus to Cable Beach, intending to see the famous camels. We were there strictly as spectators, neither of us having the slightest desire to ride one of these creatures. Crowds of people were heading down to the beach while there was also a massive procession of 4WDs heading there as well. In the end there must have been at least a couple of hundred vehicles lined up along the water’s edge. However there no more camels to be seen than there are on Waikanae or Surfers Paradise beach. After quizzing a couple of the locals we established that everyone was there to see the sunset. Mindil Beach all over again. It seems that people can’t get enough of sunsets, though admittedly, they are spectacular in that part of the world. On further enquiry we were told that the camels had left already and were heading northwards along the beach. They were well and truly out of sight, though a local told us that they would return eventually.
    The sun sank below the horizon on schedule (it usually does), and delivered us a beautiful sunset. At that stage most of the locals, both on foot snd in endless lines of 4WDs started to head off. It was at that time, just on dusk, when the long-awaited camels, two groups each of 14 animals, finally appeared. And what was the crowd’s level of excitement? Zero. A seagull landing on the sand would have received as much attention. We were among the very few people who bothered to take any notice. It seems mighty strange that a sunset, which happens in some form or other every single day and can be seen from many vantage points in Australia, can get people more excited than can the unusual spectacle of 28 camels walking in single file along a beach.
    All round it was an exciting and interesting day, and our last full day before we head back to reality.    Read more

  • Kimberley Expedition
    Mangrove Resort, the perfect way to wind down.
    Mangrove Resort, BroomeThe view from Mangrove Resort

    Halfway house

    June 13, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 23 °C

    It is truly fantastic to be treated to an environment where one is waited on hand and foot and has access to unlimited food and drink. This is in total contrast to the reality of the home environment where there is nobody on hand to undertake the menial chores of cooking and cleaning, and one is struggling to prepare even the most basic meal. Surely it is unreasonable to expect anyone to make this traumatic change overnight. We were fortunate in that we had wisely planned for two nights at the Mangrove Resort in Broome which has proved to be very comfortable but with nowhere near the offerings and service aboard Le Laperouse. Our strategy is to make the transition from luxury ship to home as painless as possible.
    Disembarkation from the ship was handled very smoothly and methodically using a system which clearly has been refined over many voyages. We were instructed to have our bags packed and outside our cabins by the disgustingly early time of 6am. Fortunately we still had access to the cabins until 8am. Colour-coded labels were provided according to whether people would be flying out immediately or, like us, were going to various hotels. The system ran like clockwork and disembarking passengers together with their luggage got loaded on the appropriate buses.
    As planned we, along with quite a few others, were deposited at the Mangrove Resort, though our room wasn’t going to be ready until some time later. After exploring what looks like a rather magnificent resort with two swimming pools and many other great facilities we decided to kill time by exploring the town itself.
    The ‘five minutes’ walk up the road’ directions from the hotel receptionist clashed slightly with the reality of a 10-minute walk in the blazing sun, but we got there. Central Broome is actually quite large with many shops. Clearly the place is orientated towards the tourist trade because a large proportion of the places are either cafes or gift and souvenir shops. We used our time productively in finding a replacement for Elspeth’s almost-new lost sunglasses, having a light lunch (while recovering from the excesses of the previous night’s Gala Dinner) and booking a guided tour of Broome for the following day.
    We then wended our way back to the resort, unpacked and spent a totally lazy afternoon by the pool.    Read more

  • Kimberley Expedition
    The Captain's Gala Dinner, our last night on board
    Introducing the kitchen staffOne of the Lacepede islands - and that's a croc lying on the beachA boobySearching for foodBrian with shipboard friend AndreaElspeth with shipboard friend Carol

    Our last full day

    June 12, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    A leisurely program was planned for our last full day at sea, the highlight being what was expected to be the best among all the places we had visited. This is the Lacapede Islands, famous for its proliferation of wildlife, Not only was Elspeth able to attend her morning gym class but could follow it up shortly after with a relaxation class. She even managed to squeeze in a swim before lunch.
    Both of us attended a nature talk entitled Migration which dealt not only with the well-known species of birds and whales but covered a lot of other ground as well (pun intended).
    We were scheduled to head off at 2pm for a 1.5 hour tour covering two of the four Lacapede islands. Unfortunately Brian was feeling slightly off and chose not to risk doing this tour. Most disappointing and frustrating as he recovered very quickly and probably would have been fine. Elspeth did the tour and thoroughly enjoyed it. As expected she saw huge numbers of turtles, though they were difficult to photograph as they would stick their heads above the water for just a few moments. This is the top place in the world for boobies and they were there in vast numbers, along with a myriad of other birds including many squawking pelicans. To add to the excitement a stingray floated under Elspeth's zodiac.
    There was a bit of tension as a 3.5m crocodile swam rather too closely alongside the zodiac. Earlier they had spotted a smaller croc sunning itself on the beach.
    Elspeth’s group returned just in time to attend our final daily briefing where we were somewhat put out to learn that we will have to have our luggage packed and outside our rooms by 6am the next morning.
    This last night was also the night of the captain’s Gala Dinner where again we were asked to dress in more formal attire. As before, it was mainly the women who complied, with many of the men still looking very casual. It was, nevertheless, quite a grand affair beginning with champagne all round. Then, in a highly choreographed but entertaining manner almost the entire crew of the ship were presented to us. Chefs, waiters, stewards, engineers, naturalists and so on came running in their respective groups on to the deck and were greeted with enthusiastic cheers and applause by the assembled passengers. It appears that the former are almost equal in number to the latter. There is no doubt that the service they provided over the entire voyage was impressive.
    Then followed the dinner itself, something like eight courses. The main course was duck and certainly none of the four of us at our table were able to finish their food. For Brian not to finish a duck dish is totally unprecedented, but coming after the previous nine days of over-indulgence it was just too much. The food certainly was spectacularly good. A great finale to a wonderful trip.    Read more

  • Kimberley Expedition
    The amazing Montgomery Reef where the water is constantly flowing
    Getting ready to go to Montgomery ReefAboriginal cave paintings at Freshwater CoveCave paintings at Freshwater CoveThe gallery and shop, Freshwater CoveElspeth and friend enjoying champagne en route to Le Laperouse from Freshwater CoveA surprise diversion for champagne on the beach

    Good reef

    June 11, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Our group was rostered for an early 6am start which caused a few moans and groans among the fellow passengers but both of us are early risers so it certainly wasn’t a problem. With calm, clear, mild weather it was great to be setting off early for the 15 minute zodiac ride to what is a totally unique place, Montgomery Reef. A bonus was being to watch a wonderful sunrise in a nice clear sky. The manner in which the extreme tides partially submerge then expose this extensive 400 sq km reef system means that water is flowing over its surface vigorously and continuously. It craetes an attractive environment for turtles, seabirds and other wildlife. Despite our expectations, we caught only very brief glimpses of the rather shy turtles as they momentarily stuck their heads above the water. There were however many seabirds visible including white and grey egrets, grey shore plovers and sea eagles.
    En route back to our ship a surprise awaited us as we diverted to a small sandy island where glasses of cold champagne were waiting.
    On our return there was an interesting and enlightening talk, “Introduction to sea turtles of Australia” where we learned a great deal about the seven species of turtle, one of which is endemic to Australia.
    The big event of the afternoon was a zodiac trip to Freshwater Cove to meet with an Aboriginal family living there a largely traditional lifestyle in extreme isolation. We were given the choice between a short walk inland from the beach or a far more demanding 1.5 hour return trip over some rough terrain to visit Aboriginal cave paintings. Brian elected to take the easy option and was thankful he did as the weather was rather warm. Elspeth meanwhile decided bravely to do the walk and we’re pleased to advise that she managed it rather well and only required some assistance over the rougher patches. She reported that the highlight for her day was having an Aboriginal elder from that area talking about the paintings. She arrived back safely to the ship and quickly revived after a martini.
    We then watched another wonderful sunset from the observation deck, a fitting end to a day in which we had also enjoyed the sunrise.    Read more

  • Kimberley Expedition
    Approaching the famous Horizontal Falls
    Battling the incoming tideA school of sharks was attracted to the ship's lightsHorizontal FallsAdmiring the view from the Observation Deck

    Falling horizontally

    June 10, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    Travelling overnight we arrived in the early morning at Talbot Bay. Many of the passengers were up on deck to see our ship squeeze through the narrow entrance passage at the scheduled time of 0811hrs. The bay itself is very scenic, being filled with many small rocky islands. As our geologist guide Brett told us, the area is a geologist’s paradise. Even to our untrained eyes the granite cliffs topped with sandstone appear complex and interesting with the distorted and folded layers indicating a complex and violent history. At around 1.8 million years these are among the oldest rocks in the Kimberley.
    Two zodiac tours were on the schedule. Our first, leaving at 0940hrs was for two hours, initially taking in a tour of the coastline within the bay and finishing with a visit to Horizontal Falls to view the incoming tide.
    As we moved around the bay, Brett took great delight in showing us the features and fine details of the rock structures. We were also on the lookout for the very agile rock wallabies which inhabit the area but we didn’t see any. Evidently they are very hard to spot except when they are moving.
    The area is renowned for its extreme tidal range which can exceed 14m, this being among the biggest in the world. Horizontal Falls is a gap about 30m wide between two cliffs through which the tides flow at an extremely rapid rate.
    This first visit to the falls was for us to experience the incoming tide. Apart from one crazy adventure company, boats generally don’t go through the gap as it is much too dangerous. In fact the traditional owners are banning all transits through the falls from next year. Our zodiacs definitely can’t get too close as they would get sucked into the gap and have nowhere near enough power to fight against it. We approached within about 30m of the gap and even there it was a wild and bumpy ride. We then returned to the ship in time for Elspeth to have a swim before our usual giant buffet lunch.
    After lunch Elspeth watched a documentary film, “The Kimberley; land of the Wandjina” which she thoroughly enjoyed while Brian enjoyed a less active doze next to the pool.
    At 1710hrs we were off again in the zodiacs, this time to experience the outgoing tide at Horizontal Falls. This was far less hazardous as the tidal flow was pushing us away rather than sucking us into the gap but it was an even wilder and more exciting ride. We witnessed one of the adventure company’s boats power through the gap and it was bouncing all over the place. It must have been a scary ride for those onboard.
    An unexpected bonus came early in the evening when a school of sharks visited, apparently chasing fish which were attracted to the lights from our ship.    Read more

  • Kimberley Expedition
    Off to Porosis Creek
    Searching for crocs and other wildlifeYes, a young crocodileWe really enjoyed our many Zodiac excursionsBrian preparing the day's blog before retiring for the night.Pre-dinner drinks by the pool

    Where has all the wildlife gone?

    June 9, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    Crocodiles, sharks, dolphins, crabs, mud-skippers and birds of all varieties. The Hunter River, where we were anchored, abounds in them and so much more. The morning started off really well with the rising sun shining brightly on a monolithic rock of sandstone and basalt nearby. We were to go on two zodiac tours during the day, The first, of 1.5 hours’ duration was around Porosus Creek, named after its major wildlife species, the dreaded crocodilus porosis australis which supposedly abounds in the area. Our ship would then move a short distance and we would then embark on a one hour zodiac expedition to circumnavigate the nearby Naturalist Island.
    The large number of bottle-nosed and snub-nosed dolphins visible around the boat as we were waiting to board our zodiacs got us all excited and seemed to augur well for the profusion of wildlife which we could expect to encounter on our morning excursion. It wasn’t to be. Cruising all along the mangrove-covered shoreline of Porosus Creek and up and down several of its narrow tributaries the best we could manage was the sight of a small croc sunning itself half out of the water on a mudbank. From a distance we could also see the fascinating mud-skippers jumping about while there were the occasional birds flying overhead, but that was pretty much it.
    Despite this, we weren’t too disappointed. It was still a very pleasant trip, the scenery was outstanding and there was a great deal to see, even if most of it was inanimate.
    The afternoon expedition was similarly anticlimactic with most of the wildlife having gone into hiding.. Those characteristic reddish-brown sculptured cliffs are fascinating and we got to learn a lot about the different species of mangrove which abound in the area and the various techniques which these plants use to survive in salty water. Our time definitely wasn’t wasted.
    On board as usual there was plenty going on, not to mention the unlimited quantities and varieties of tempting food and drink which was always beckoning. .Brian attended a lecture, “How to survive a crocodile attack; understanding an ancient predator.” The bottom line; you don’t stand a chance. The lecture in fact was very interesting and covered far more about the dreaded crocodile than the title suggested.
    Intriguingly, in the afternoon there was a scheduled showing of a 52-minute documentary entitled “The Maori Heritage” which didn’t really seem to relate to the theme of our expedition. A mixture of curiosity and patriotism persuaded the two of us to attend. We were literally the only ones in the entire theatre. It was a French production and pretty much in line with the title. However we found it to be rather trite and predictable and gave up partway through.
    During the day there was a so-called shark workshop which Brian also attended. It was really an informal talk and was certainly more appealing than the aforementioned film.
    The evening’s highlight was a beautiful sunset enjoyed by everyone while attending the captain’s cocktails on the boat deck.    Read more

  • Kimberley Expedition
    1Brian's transport arriving
    A great way to see the Mitchell PlateauThe famous Mitchell Falls. Not to be missed.Spectacular, even when the water flow is nowhere near its maximum

    Flying high

    June 8, 2024, Indian Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Despite being travel companions our paths barely crossed today. Elspeth’s morning gym classes coincide always with Brian’s preferred breakfast time, but we are generally in the same small tour groups and on most occasions we wine and dine together.
    However… Brian bravely decided to book himself on the Mitchell Falls helicopter tour which meant that his zodiac visit to Swift Bay would take place afterwards whereas Elspeth as the ground-dweller was scheduled to visit there in the morning. Fun fact: the bay is named after Jonathan Swift, the author of Gulliver’s Travels. He was a family friend of the early explorer of the region, Philip Parker King.
    Great excitement. A short zodiac ride to a nearby beach where three small choppers landed just a few minutes later. A detailed safety briefing from the pilot and it was all aboard a small four-passenger chopper. To enable better viewing the choppers don’t have side doors and Brian managed to score one of the side seats. The seats are very narrow and there’s a very strung downdraft from the rotor - 200kph according to the pilot. The only thing stopping the side passengers from falling out is the safety harness, and this certainly sprung to mind each time the chopper banked steeply to give us a better view. Dropping 1000 feet into the jaws of a waiting croc gives a whole new meaning to the term fresh food delivery.
    As expected, the views over the Mitchell Plateau during the 20 minute ride were great and we got an excellent birds-eye preview of the falls themselves.. Once we‘d landed it was a 500m walk, some of it over rocks and boulders, to the first lookout point. It provides a great view, but we had been told that the second lookout, 100m further on, was better still. We were also told that it requires a fair bit of agility, which isn’t Brian’s strong point these days. Of course he had to try and meet the challenge and get the best photos possible. It was certainly a difficult scramble but well worth it.
    There is a safe swimming hole near the helicopter landing site. Several people went in but Brian wasn’t tempted. The ride back to base was just as scenic, but viewed this time from the less breathtaking centre rear seat.
    Our return to the ship was late which meant a rapid turnaround for Brian to board another zodiac for the ten-minute ride to shore to see some more recent Aboriginal cave paintings. As mentioned, Elspeth had already visited the paintings. Many of the pictures were on the ceilings of what are really a series of rock overhangs rather than caves. Interestingly the images show up better in photos than they do in real life. We have been told that it is fine to share these images with friends and family but were asked not to share them on social media.
    After lunch one of the naturalists, Francesca, gave a detailed and interesting talk entitled Stuck in the Mud in which she spoke about the many species of mangrove and the animal life which depends on them for survival.
    We had asked if we could have dinner with one of the naturalists and found in fact that we’d been allocated a table for four at which the other two were Brett, an older geologist and Vish, a young lady whose major area of interest was anthropology. The four of us had a great time and, while we’d had presentations and lectures from both of them it was good to be able to chat with them in an informal setting.    Read more

  • Kimberley Expedition
    The famous graffiti in Careening Bay
    Admiring a spectacular sunset from the observation deckClear skies and beautiful sunsets. Drinks and a great view from the observation deck on Level 7.Amazing cycads at Careening BayCareening Bay cycadsA more recently inscribed boabOur group on Careening Bay beach

    Bay of boabs

    June 7, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    A nice easy day on the schedule. Elspeth began it by attending a talk entitled “Indigenous Astronomy” while the ever-cynical Brian decided that it was an oxymoron and chose to give it a miss. Elspeth found the talk interesting and was particularly intrigued with the concept of the ancient knowledge being seen as a cultural archive.
    We then had free time until 1230 when we set off for a short ten-minute Zodiac ride to the shore of Careening Bay. It takes its name from an expedition led by Philip Parker King in 1820 which was forced to beach its ship, the Mermaid, for repairs. The Mermaid had suffered damage in North Queensland but those onboard didn’t realise the seriousness of the damage until they had reached the Kimberley coast and it started taking in water at an alarming rate. They were fortunate that the extreme tidal variation in the area allowed them to careen their ship on sand which was often dry while they made it seaworthy again. They were there for 17 days, during which the ship’s carpenter carved the ship’s name and the date into the trunk of a nearby boab tree. This tree now has a girth of 12m and the original inscription is still highly visible. Today’s graffiti vandals should be envious as the tree with its historic inscription is now officially part of our national heritage. Aside from the boab trees the area is known for its impressive cycads and the for the many varieties of mangroves which thrive there.
    The day ended on an absolute high with a session of stargazing, held in total darkness on the uppermost level (Deck 7) of the ship. Our guides, using a laser pointer, were able to point to many stars and constellations in the night sky, The real revelation was in the number of stars which were visible, many times more than we ever manage to see in the skies above Brisbane. It was truly amazing to view the night sky in such detail and with such incredible clarity.    Read more

  • Kimberley Expedition
    En route to Ashmore Reef
    A friendly booby. It sat there for about three minutes.2Grey boobyThose fabulous sunsets

    The briefest overseas trip

    June 6, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 26 °C

    Due to Australian Government regulations overseas-run ships such as Le Laperouse have to drop anchor in an overseas location at least once every twenty days. Otherwise, presumably, they are regarded as Australia-based and would have to be crewed by overpaid Australian sailors. To comply with this absurd requirement, on the trip from Darwin to Broome the ship diverts out to Ashmore Reef 320 kilometres offshore in the Timor Sea. On the northbound return journey this legal requirement isn’t necessary.
    The expectation for this day of visiting an exotic location is that there would be no Zodiac excursions. In keeping with our newly-established routine Elspeth began her daily activities by attending a pre-breakfast gym class while Brian busied himself with sorting out the previous day’s photos and blog. We then attended an interesting lecture from Brett, our resident geologist, on the geology of the Kimberley. It was followed shortly after by a somewhat less interesting lecture “Navigating Nature - Understanding Water Signs” given by one of the other naturalists.
    This was a day of informative lectures, with Elspeth then going to a late morning workshop on bird identification while Brian headed up to the Observation Lounge to meet with Alex, the ship's official photographer, and practise using some of the more advanced features of his camera. By then our ship had reached Ashmore Reef and had dropped anchor a kilometre or so away from a moored Australian Border Force vessel.
    It was during this period that the captain’s voice came over the loudspeakers with a major announcement. We were going to be able to go on Zodiacs to the reef lagoon. Evidently this is a huge privilege which occurs only occasionally on these trips. Not only does the captain have to be confident that the conditions are right but the Border Force people have to give their OK. While we wouldn’t be going ashore it would give us a chance to take a closer look at the wildlife. We were warned that the sea was a bit rough and the Zodiacs would be bounced around. Elspeth, along with many other passengers, elected not to go, while Brian chose to join the brave and foolhardy. We would travel for about half an hour each way and would spend half an hour at the reef.
    The Zodiacs set out in a convoy carrying half of the reef passengers and when that group returned they would take the second group, which included Brian. The first contingent duly returned, all of them wildly excited. The place was so full of wildlife, with turtles surfacing everywhere around them, but a red-footed booby had actually landed on one woman’s head and had calmly sat there for about three minutes. But then came the anticlimax, A mere one hour later Brian and his fellow passengers in the second group saw far less. A couple of people got brief glimpses of surfacing turtles but apart from them and the occasional passing sea-bird there was virtually nothing. Despite this Brian thoroughly enjoyed the experience and returned happy but soaked.
    Continuing in the manner to which we’d like to become accustomed we headed once again to enjoy cleansing pre-dinner ales in the Observation Lounge with its 270 degree views high up on the sixth level. After then attending the daily briefing about the following day’s exciting planned activities we rolled up to another beautiful dinner in the Nautilus restaurant - just the usual sequence of amuse bouche, appetiser, main course, cheese and then dessert. For the first time on this trip the sea was somewhat choppy and poor Elspeth decided to restrict herself to a mere two courses.
    From there we went downstairs to the quiz night where our ad hoc four person team performed quite respectably.    Read more

  • Kimberley Expedition
    Ancient Aboriginal cave paintings on Jar Island
    Ancient Aboriginal cave paintings on Jar IslandThe paintings are much clearer in photos such as these compared with real lifeAncient Aboriginal cave paintings on Jar IslandThe age is uncertain, but it's somewhere between 10,000 and 30,000 yearsElspeth on Jar Island with Le Laperouse in the backgroundBrian in a state of bliss

    And the fun continues

    June 5, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    We had travelled overnight and by the time we woke up our ship was anchored several hundred metres off Jar Island, so named because an early explorer, believing he was the first non-native person to visit the area found shards from pottery jars littering the beach. (Later it was found that the jars had originated from Indonesian trochus fishermen). The main point of the day was visiting some very early Aboriginal cave paintings, possibly dating back 14000 years. We were warned that it would be hot on the tiny island, which it was, and that some agility would be needed in order to reach the two caves - also true. We’d be away for about an hour and a quarter.
    Our Zodiacs duly deposited us on the beautiful sandy beach and both of us were glad to have our walking poles with us to navigate the uneven terrain. The paintings themselves don’t stand out clearly, and it is difficult to do full justice to them in photographs. We were forewarned that access to the second cave, 100m or so away, was even more challenging and that anyone with limited mobility shouldn’t try. Those paintings were from a different era and in a different style. Despite the warning both of us managed to clamber over the boulders and succeeded without injury. On return to the ship everyone realised how hot and dehydrated we had all become. The two of us successfully self-medicated with cool cleansing ales.
    After lunch Dannii, one of our knowledgable and competent naturalists, gave us a fascinating hour-long presentation “Kimberley, Land of Extremes.” In it she covered a broad range of topics including the area’s history, climate, geology and wildlife. It was most informative and has certainly whetted our appetites for the days which lie ahead. Later in the afternoon Brian attended a workshop run by the ship’s photographer for the few SLR camera owners on board. It took the form of one on one discussions, which we could all tune in to, about making the most of the camera equipment we had. Brian certainly picked up some very useful pointers.
    An unexpected but spectacular highlight took place when we went up to the Observation Lounge to watch a spectacular Kimberley sunset. This was the first evening where we’d had a truly cloudless sky, and it so happened that our ship was heading due west at the time. The lounge is located immediately below the bridge and offers a 270 degree view. It was quite an experience to watch the sunset from that vantage point.    Read more

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