Ramblings about our visit ‘Down Under’ ... including the best bits, rants and Shelly Beach Road EXPOSED!!
Back in the heady days of 1983 when I worked for 3M I had a boss called Paul Young. By coincidence a pop singer of the same name shot to fame with a single called ‘Wherever I Lay My Hat (That’s My Home)’ which remained at No 1 in the charts for weeks through the Summer. This potential ‘other side’ of my boss was always a subject of great mirth with new visitors (after all...were they ever seen together in the same room? Bit like Superman and Clark Kent!) but he played along with it because he thought it made him more attractive to women. My personal Paul Young favourite was his biggest hit which came along a little later ‘Every Time You Go Away’. The two songs both have, I suppose, a sort of travelling connection which came to my mind when thinking about a theme which would string together the elements of the story of our visit to Australia and New Zealand in November 2010 – it’s all about my hat! And being at home wherever it lay on my travels.
Michelle and Katharine’s blog is all about ditching the cold and the rain and hopefully finding something a little warmer. We were hoping for much of the same by choosing November for our visit, so I thought I would take my straw sun hat with me to avoid the possibility of a sun-burned head. But I forgot it! (It’s not the sort of thing you automatically reach for on a cold day in November in England.) So I resolved to buy a new one when we reached Sydney, and this would also act as a useful souvenir of our visit. However, when we arrived the weather was a bit disappointing.
These clouds were DEFINITELY NOT what we were expecting!
But I bought my new hat anyway from the ‘Rocks Hatters’ just down the road from the Old Sydney Holiday Inn where we were staying.
Here's the authentic "Akubra" hat being modelled outside the hat shop
At the Opera House, before the performance
The performance of the Pirate King, heavily influenced by Johnny Depp’s ‘Captain Jack Sparrow’ in Pirates of the Caribbean’, certainly brought a shine to the ladies’ eyes!
Rosemarie looking radiant in the interval at the Opera House
The next day sun came out strongly so the hat went with us on a tour round the best bits of the city, which included a trip over the famous Harbour Bridge, Government House in the Botanic Gardens, a lunch at the famous Doyle’s Fish Restaurant (Thanks for the tip John – but Moreton Bay Bugs were not on the menu at this time of the year!) and Bondi Beach, amongst other stops!
Inside the Harbour Bridge
The next day sun came out strongly so the hat went with us on a tour round the best bits of the city, which included a trip over the famous Harbour Bridge, Government House in the Botanic Gardens, a lunch at the famous Doyle’s Fish Restaurant (Thanks for the tip John – but Moreton Bay Bugs were not on the menu at this time of the year!) and Bondi Beach, amongst other stops!
Inside the Harbour Bridge
The hat felt at home in Government House
Rosemarie gets into the hat theme on Bondi Beach
The next day, Sun still shining strongly, we successfully conquered any complications the Sydney transportation system had to offer and caught a train up to the Blue Mountains to enjoy the fabulous views.
Arriving in the Blue Mountains
The famous Three Sisters joined by one more!
The famous Three Sisters joined by one more!
The streets turned into rivers - again!
But we were very happy to have finished the day and our visit enjoying a great meal at the Rocks Cafe, where it transpires that JZ has also dined!
But we were very happy to have finished the day and our visit enjoying a great meal at the Rocks Cafe, where it transpires that JZ has also dined!
Last meal in Sydney at the Rocks Cafe before leaving for NZ in the morning
And so to New Zealand! Our plane was delayed because of the Quantas A380 Airbus scare in Singapore, which we might have been on had we not chosen to fly Emirates on JZ’s recommendation about the great cabin service (thanks again John!).
On arrival those nice people at immigration were kind enough to clean my shoes, muttering something about biohazards after which we were met by Michelle who introduced us to Colin for the first time, and the rest of the girls (Jessamy, Jess, Melody, Natalie and of course Katharine) at Shelly Beach Road. We were instantly made to feel at home (Jess had got in the Gin and Tonic) and we were treated to our first antipodean BBQ – driven by GAS!! What a cop out! Anyway it gave MZ a chance to show off Colin’s skills at providing, and we detected a great enthusiasm in the house for cooking and baking in all forms.
Rosemarie and I instantly turned Katharine’s bedroom into what looked like a war zone (no room left to store anything!) having been warned that KZ would not tolerate old people doing unspeakable things in her bed and that MZ would be walking through the bedroom at random times to check! During the nights there was a great deal of noise and banging but it was from the remarkable plumbing system operating the hot water supply. The girls at Shelly Beach Road all seemed to get on extremely well, even when another one (Selina) moved in as if by magic sometime during the first week of our stay. This harmony was especially evident in the bathroom arrangements. Apart from Melody who has her own bordello-style en suite arrangement, there is just one bathroom and toilet for all the other five or six girls (and me while I was there!). But it worked amazingly well – a bit like cars giving way to each other at a busy roundabout without colliding. The real challenge was the shower, which was only accessible sideways via the narrowest opening and then sometimes constituted a health and safety hazard with multiple razors and shampoo/shower gel bottles laying around and a shower control which does exactly the opposite of what it’s supposed to! Ouch!!
Michelle had kindly produced a spreadsheet which would be our itinerary for the great NZ discovery experience, and the first thing on the agenda was a day round Auckland with Shianne. One of Rosemarie’s great loves is bird-watching. She had already bought a bird book in OZ and made it her first priority to get something similar for the birds of NZ. That accomplished, Shianne took us down to the harbour and introduced us to one of her favourites (mine too) before we went on to the Devonport ferry.
View of Auckland skyline from the Devonport Ferry
Then back to the city for lunch with the family (+ Colin), meeting KZ on the way, who introduced us to the other KZ1.
Then back to the city for lunch with the family (+ Colin), meeting KZ on the way, who introduced us to the other KZ1.
We are sailing!
After lunch, the tour continued to ‘One Tree Hill’ where there is no longer a tree, as explained in an earlier part of the main blog (no room here!). It was windy up there and my hat was nearly blown away.
View from the top of windy One Tree Hill
After returning to the house, KZ showed me her jogging route near the shore road, where there was a poignant sign commenting on early retirement.
Thumbs up to that!
After returning to the house, KZ showed me her jogging route near the shore road, where there was a poignant sign commenting on early retirement.
Thumbs up to that!
The evening ended with a very enjoyable Mexican feastwhich Natalie had slaved over to produce a superb result!
Well done Natalie!
Colin was kind enough to lend us his car for the next few days so we could go south with the girls to Napier. The details of this bit of our adventure are on the main blog. (See ‘Wanderlust’).
After our return from Napier, the wineries, all things volcanic and very rude food choices, we enjoyed a Zone Visit special day and a nice dinner chez Josh & Shianne which facilitated a chance to find out more about Colin from the elders in his congregation! (Glowing reports!!)
And so to South Island, in eager anticipation of the wonderous Fox Glacier and Milford Sound. After arriving at Christchurch (can’t see any cracks!) and picking up our rental car and some groceries we set off in pursuit of the lost time which was necessary if we were to keep up with Michelle’s spreadsheet. We seemed to be about 4 hours and one meal behind where we should have been when we came across some interesting rocks.
After our return from Napier, the wineries, all things volcanic and very rude food choices, we enjoyed a Zone Visit special day and a nice dinner chez Josh & Shianne which facilitated a chance to find out more about Colin from the elders in his congregation! (Glowing reports!!)
And so to South Island, in eager anticipation of the wonderous Fox Glacier and Milford Sound. After arriving at Christchurch (can’t see any cracks!) and picking up our rental car and some groceries we set off in pursuit of the lost time which was necessary if we were to keep up with Michelle’s spreadsheet. We seemed to be about 4 hours and one meal behind where we should have been when we came across some interesting rocks.
Now entering LOTR country
Rosemarie drove with a passion through Arthur’s Pass and on to the west coast and eventually we arrived at our first night’s resting place – a small but remarkably well appointed bach in Fox Glacier.
Fox Glacier Bach with the Jucy Roller (nice little Toyota Corolla)
The weather was good at this point but it was late and we were tired so the sight-seeing was for tomorrow... The guide book said that Fox Glacier was “well worth checking out, as you don’t see a glacier every day of the week, do you” and Lake Matheson offered “impossibly photogenic views of Mt Tasman and Mt Cook reflected in the water”. Yeah, right! (As the Tui adverts say.) The next day however started overcast and gradually got worse. We walked round the lake for over an hour and didn’t see the promised views, and by the time we got to Fox Glacier it was raining so hard you couldn’t see anything more than 100m away! So we had to make do with a couple of postcards to see what might have been, and drove on to Queenstown and Arrowtown.
Clearing the path to get round Lake Matheson
Ok, so where's the reflection?
The road to Queenstown had fabulous views. No I'm being serious now!
Our bach in Arrowtown was called Blue Stone Cottage, where we stayed for a couple of nights and explored both Arrowtown and Queenstown. The best bits were Rosemarie’s reaction to the prolific abundance of wild lupins all over the place, the Kiwi / Bird park, and the ‘Trust the Chef’ lunch at the Amisfield Winery, where every course presented its own photo opportunity!
Where's Ed? (in disguise - no hat!)
Main Street in Arrowtown
Low calorie options at Amisfield
Kiwi... or ex Kiwi!
Blue Stone Cottage in Arrowtown
Blue Stone Cottage in Arrowtown
A live possum!Most of the ones we saw were dead by the roadside!
The next stop was to be Milford Sound. The spectacular Southern Alps form such an impenetrable barrier that you have to drive round them and through them via an amazing tunnel to get to the area, going a long way and passing numerous amazing waterfalls along the way. As we got closer, the mist turned to rain, however, and once again we were cheated out of a good view of what I am assured is one of the most beautiful parts of NZ. What they don’t tell you about Milford Sound is that it isa raining there for 330 days of the year. As the visibility was less than 200m when we got there, we passed up on the chance of spending a fortune on a cruise to see more mist, bought a postcard, and set off back to Te Anau for some comfort food and our next night’s rest.
Milford Sound on the day we visited!
One of the 150,000 waterfalls on the way to Milford Sound. We should have suspected something from these clues, but hope springs eternal!
One of the 150,000 waterfalls on the way to Milford Sound. We should have suspected something from these clues, but hope springs eternal!
This weird 7-seater cycle being pedalled through Te Anau was quite the most bizarre mode of transport I have ever seen!
From Te Anau we doubled back on our route to Queenstown (because there is only really one road) where we stopped for lunch and a bit of bungy jumping.
From Te Anau we doubled back on our route to Queenstown (because there is only really one road) where we stopped for lunch and a bit of bungy jumping.
This looks like a good spot for lunch!
Whoaaaah....!!!!
We decided that although Queenstown is reputed to be the adrenalin-activity capital of NZ, we had other things to see, other places to go. And so on to Twizel, where we found quite the best motel in the whole of the island, the Aspen Court Motel. Before trying out all the facilities, however, we quickly set off towards Lake Pukake, which enjoys a permanent brilliant turquoise colour due to the suspended ‘rock flour’ which results from the rock-on-rock action as the glaciers grind along and then melt to feed the lakes.
Mt Cook at the end of Lake Pukake
As we drove along the side of Lake Pukake towards Mt Cook, we were rewarded with the kind of views which made up for all the disappointments of the rainy days at Fox Glacier and Milford Sound. So we had a great day, just a well, really, because next day the rain caught up with us and you could not see Mt Cook, despite its size! The motel proprietor was amazed saying “It hasn’t rained here for eight weeks!” Yeah, right! And so back to Christchurch and then Auckland.
Back in North Island we enjoyed visiting the Central Auckland Kingdom Hall and joining in the ministry there.
Back in North Island we enjoyed visiting the Central Auckland Kingdom Hall and joining in the ministry there.
Auckland KH has its own Christmas Tree next door!
Colin’s very generous provision of the use of his car made possible another couple of days of sight-seeing which included the Waitome Glow-Worm Caves, Auckland Museum, and the nearby Parnell Rose Gardens, with generous helpings of loving hospitality in between.
Rosemarie emerging from the Glow Worm Caves
Maori X Factor Performance at the Auckland Museum
My pretty Rose is in the middle!
Then Disaster struck!! My hat blew off in a gust of wind down by the Yacht Club! (It was on the day Colin’s car was stolen from outside the house in Shelly Beach Road. He was very good about it, demonstrating a very unworldly attitude to mere material riches!) But in one leap it was saved (the hat, that is). A rugby tackle stopped it blowing into Auckland Bay, but left me prostrate on the ground and Rosemarie falling about in laughter! Fortunately, the camera was in my pocket so she couldn’t take a picture, but once I had recovered my poise, the moment of glory was recorded for posterity, even if the hat ended up at a slightly more jaunty angle than usual.
After my Hat trick!
The Trip to the Coromandel Peninsula and stay at Opito bay has been well documented by Katharine in the Main blog (See ‘The Long and winding Road’).
The final week started with a much anticipated trip to Waihiki Island, hosted by Colin. (“Hello? What’s this?” was my first reaction when it was put on the itinerary spreadsheet months before we arrived.) We were treated to a tour of the island by Colin, who knew it well from his many holidays there as a child. After a good lunch at the Stonebridge winery, and a visit to Stony Batter (a sad statement on the futility of war, if ever I saw one!) Colin and I had a long walk and meaningful talk along the beach at Onetangi. Rosemarie and Michelle strolled behind at a respectable distance so Colin could ask me what I thought about the possibility of him becoming a son-in-law. Aha! Brilliant, Colin! Thought you’d never ask. We’re delighted of course, and all of you will now be aware of how the story ends!
The final week started with a much anticipated trip to Waihiki Island, hosted by Colin. (“Hello? What’s this?” was my first reaction when it was put on the itinerary spreadsheet months before we arrived.) We were treated to a tour of the island by Colin, who knew it well from his many holidays there as a child. After a good lunch at the Stonebridge winery, and a visit to Stony Batter (a sad statement on the futility of war, if ever I saw one!) Colin and I had a long walk and meaningful talk along the beach at Onetangi. Rosemarie and Michelle strolled behind at a respectable distance so Colin could ask me what I thought about the possibility of him becoming a son-in-law. Aha! Brilliant, Colin! Thought you’d never ask. We’re delighted of course, and all of you will now be aware of how the story ends!
The happy couple on our last day... oh and more below!
"Think of it this way Colin, its not so much about losing a car, more of gaining a bride!"
And finally, after another little disagreement with NZ Customs / Security, we left for the UK, where we arrived to a major freeze-up, but full of happy memories. The trip of a lifetime!
And finally, after another little disagreement with NZ Customs / Security, we left for the UK, where we arrived to a major freeze-up, but full of happy memories. The trip of a lifetime!
Wherever I lay my hat, (that's my home!)
