Icons to Icons....

Sunday 13^th November

An early start to the day as I had to be out and on the coach for 6-30 a.m., and we headed over to the airport for an early flight to the Nation’s capital – Canberra. We landed in a cold and windy Canberra just after noon, and as we got outside the airport found the unusual sight of a Kangaroo hopping through the car parking ranks ! ( I wasn’t quick enough with the camera !).

We headed initially to the Hotel, where we managed to get some extra clothing out of our cases before being taken on a short tour of the almost deserted capital city ... it’s the capital, because they couldn’t decide between Sydney and Melbourne...and so selected Canberra as a compromise ! a well laid out place...then we went up to a viewpoint overlooking the city, and Parliament in the distance ...then we actually went to the Parliament itself for a visit alongside lots of other people, taking advantage of there being no politicians around ! – An impressive building, with a huge national flag flying over it

 I was able to wander around the impressive welcome hall and both upper and lower parliamentary chambers, even seeing the only copy of the Magna Carta in the Southern hemisphere...

we then made our way to the Hotel, for a relaxed evening, where I was able to catch up with ‘blogging’!

Monday 14^th November a relaxed start to the day leaving the hotel at 9 a.m. for another short tour of Canberra, mainly around the Diplomatic areas, and then to the National War memorial – a very impressive avenue of recollection, memorials to all the services and different areas of war that Australians had been involved in, and also quite a good museum... made all the more impressive because, it being the day after Remembrance Sunday, there was a sea of poppies all around...

we spent the morning there, before heading off for our road journey to Sydney, arriving there mid afternoon...

suddenly after being in such quiet areas for such  a long time I was assailed by vast swathes of humanity...it was packed !!... I had a quick look round, before getting out the ‘glad rags’ for an evening meal at the swanky ‘O’ bar restaurant, 47 floors up on a revolving floor looking out over the Sydney skyline whilst eating a Degustation menu (very impressive), drinking some nice cocktails and wine, seeing for the first time the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House, laid out before me...

 I staggered back to the Hotel having paid out a lot for the privilege...but enjoyable!

Tuesday 15^th November, time to see Sydney in daylight, firstly across to the harbour area, and views beneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and views across to the Opera house ( pics 4139,4141)  – I would see these same buildings many times, and from all angles over the next few days ! We had a good coach tour of the city, then out to Bondi Beach – a lot smaller than I expected, and in keeping with the rest of the tour....cold and windy!

  ... we didn’t stop there too long, continuing our tour of the area, and looking back over the water towards Sydney City in the distance

Mid day saw us back in Sydney, at the harbour area for an included lunch at a fish restaurant, where I left everyone and returned to the Hotel .

Early evening I met up with the 3 friends that I’d travelled over the Grand St Bernard pass, traversing the Alps earlier in the year whilst on the Via Francigena – Peter, Sandy and Jenny who had all travelled into Sydney to meet up with me! A great evening of reminiscences, drinking and eating followed, before once again, we all went our separate ways...

Wednesday 17^th November another early start to meet up with a tour going into the ‘Blue Mountains’ , one that everyone recommends, although ill only be getting a flying tour of them ! We started off with another view of Sydney

across the bay, and then out to the Bert Saunders animal Reserve – not what I’m really into, however the Koala bears were ‘cute ‘ !! 

Then out from Sydney, and up to a viewpoint looking across the Blue mountains – so called because of the blue haze that hovers above them...see it ?

 By 12 noon we were into an old, small village called Laura, where we had lunch, then continued up to ‘Scenic world’ where there were various cable car rides across the valley... I preferred to walk it myself, and so headed off beneath the cable cars, down into the valley and through the rainforest shaded beneath the steep cliffs , with views across to the 5 sisters rock pinnacles ( although there’s only 3 left !), beneath waterfalls , and great views

By now it was mid afternoon so back on the coach and down to the ‘Sydney Olympic park’, where we were boarded onto a boat for a scenic cruise back into Sydney..beneath the harbour bridge and passing the Opera house

.. I got off the boat at the harbour point, and deciding that it was a good time to climb...the Sydney harbour bridge, not quite to the top, but about 50 metres and $400 cheaper, as I walked across the public walkway across the bridge alongside the traffic, and returning as the sun went down over Sydney

then along to the Opera house, as the big cruise ship left harbour ..

... whew, what a long day, and I had to eat yet – a nice Greek restaurant near to the Hotel, the ‘original Greek restaurant in Sydney ‘ !!, then collapsed into bed...

Thursday 17^th November it was a leisurely 930 a.m. departure from the chaotic hotel, off to the airport and , leaving Sydney behind we flew to Melbourne, a more relaxed and pleasant city, where I happily wandered in the afternoon sunshine, finding my way around, seeing the old and new buildings blended together, with some great stained glass in the Anglican cathedral

and a visit to a dumpling house in the nearby ‘Chinese quarter’ finished off a nice casual day

Friday 18^th November another leisurely 9 a.m. start on a coach out into the hills surrounding Melbourne, - the Dandenong ranges, a bit rolling rather than hills, anyway up we went to the ‘Famous Puffing Billy’ railway ...a now private steam railway run by volunteers...for a short trip along the track through the surrounding forest and farmland. As we waited on the platform I was surprised to see that one of the steam engines had been built at the Gorton Manchester works of Beyer Peacock...an area I know very well from my earlier career – us Mancunians get everywhere !

 After our short trip we returned to Melbourne where I was dropped off and had a walk up and along the busy riverside, alongside all the restaurants and bars, with some nice artworks along the way

and a leisurely afternoon and evening followed, with a great visit to a busy Mexican restaurant  !

Saturday 19^th November was to be a free day, so like others I had a nice late breakfast before wandering across to the famous Queen Victoria market.. I spent a couple of hours meandering around it (although not buying !) then I walked to the harbour area, before I caught the free city tram, which took me around the city. I then went to St Patricks cathedral

 more good stained glass windows, and then through the surrounding park and water fountain area

I returned to St Patricks in the evening for the vigil mass, and a procession through the Holy Door, before it closed the following morning – the end of the Year of Mercy , I’ve been through many ‘Holy Doors’ during this year... from the opening in Nottingham ,through England ,France, Italy Rome, and now Australia... what a year it’s been ! Another great Greek meal followed

In to the Red Centre

Friday 4th November was a pretty easy day, having a late (8 am!) breakfast, then waiting around in the heat of Darwin before heading off to the airport for our flight to Alice Springs - the so called 'Red Centre' of Australia - it was, in terms of soil colour and heat!! 
We arrived in Alice Springs about 4-30 pm and were transferred to the Dessert Springs hotel - a nice spacious hotel, with a pleasant outlook on the outskirts of town - where we were warned not to go into town!! So a few of us had a nice Thai/Indian meal at the hotels restaurant (very expensive!!) 

Saturday 5th November I saw a nice sunrise, peeping through the windows, with birds singing on the trees and grass outside and a clear blue sky to welcome, what was obviously going to be a really hot day (and it was!).

 
By 7-30 am the coach was loaded and we set off with a new (female) driver, to take us on the long road trip from Alice to Ayres rock resort... as we set off she told us we only had two right turns to make in the next 6 hours...!! I realised what she meant as the long straight road stretched out in front of the coach, with the sun beating down on us!

very little traffic, as normal, was on the road and we ploughed into the ever more barren countryside being baked in the dessert heat... after a couple of hours we stopped at a Camel farm (they used to be the transport animals of choice in the area, but no longer), where there was a good display of some old Aborigine throwing sticks (others call them boomerangs!):

continuing on through the ever changing countryside on the Stuart highway,

late morning stopping at the 'Bull bar Roadhouse'...

the heat was blistering, so the ice cream was welcome!! 
By early afternoon we saw in the far distance, what we all thought was Uluru... No, the driver called it 'Fooleroo' it fools so many!! but not Ayres rock!

which we eventually saw early afternoon in the distance...

and got checked into Ayres Rock resort mid afternoon... everything in the sun was untouchable!! It was blazing hot sunshine, up in the early 40's!! So what did we do...?? Cool off in the pool?, hide in the shade..??, sleep...? - Never! We went to have a walk along the gorge on the Olgas, more correctly now known as Kata Tjuta... a rock outcrop in the other direction from Ayres Rock, more correctly called Uluru... 

We went for a drive to the base of them, and then were able to walk along a gorge that cut into them,

all the time swatting away the thousands of flies that were buzzing around (and I had my trusty head net), then it was off to a viewpoint fir a sunset viewing of the Olgas, whilst eating some nibbles and wine, provided by Saga... Cheers!!, then back to the resort for an early night...

 
















Sunday 6th November 2016, was a really early start!! 4 am up, ready for the trip up to Uluru/Ayres Rock, to watch the rock change as the first rays of sunshine filled the sky, and changed its already red colour into lots of other reds... hard to describe really... and joining hundreds of other people all heading up there for the same thing... a long snake of red lights shone as we travelled in a long convoy to a parking area in the national park specially set up for this moment... 1/4 million viewing it each year!! As we arrived in the dark of the night I realised what organisation was around... at the coach parking area, the differing groups already had set up tables with hot drinks and biscuits on, ready for each passenger to grab and walk along the dirt paths up the sand dunes/ hills to different viewing platforms... I was first as I almost ran up the hill to get a better view, not wanting to miss a second of the experience, and I thought already later than I would have wished!!

the pictures don't capture the spectacle properly... the sky starts to lighten behind the Olgas... then the first rays of sun start poking out on the horizon, as I kept looking both at the Olgas and Ayres rocks, as the black night starts to change, and the red of the rock starts changing deeper and redder with every passing second!!
 
A great spectacle, not hindered in the slightest by all the other people all around, the iconic Australian experience which I was part of, great stuff!! 
By 620 am we were back on the coach and on the way to the Hotel for breakfast, then back in the coach for a daylight 'base tour' of Ayres Rock... in the gentle 40+C heat!! Firstly we drove all around the base, then parked and walked into the permanent water hole which exists at a corner of the rock near to some caves with rock art in them...

some people were walking around the entire base (about 8 kms... we weren't given the option!!) - the Aborigines don't like people climbing up to the top of the rock, although many did in the early days... and some still do, although today the climb was closed because of the high temperatures, so I couldn't even if I wanted to!! 
Then it was off to the Culture centre, learning more of the history and culture of the area, before returning to the hotel for lunch... and an afternoon 'off' - I did all my washing at the site laundry (free!!)
 
At 6 pm we gathered again to travel out to a special area in the dessert, for a 'Sounds of Silence' sunset viewing and dinner (and drinks) - again a special viewing of both Ayres Rock and the Olgas, as the sun went down and the drink flowed, lovely.

After dinner, in the pleasant heat of the night, a star expert came in to highlight many of the stars in the clear sky above - I was glad, I'd been trying to pick up on the stars while in Australia, failing in all my attempts!! All too soon the night was over, back on our coaches and returned to the resort... a great day all round, and one to stay in my memory for a long time to come!! 

Monday 7th November a gentle start... at 630 am, to pack, have breakfast and be ready to board our coach for 815 am and a trip to the local airport, and a flight rather than drive to Alice Springs... some great interesting views from the aeroplane as we travelled over the red centre... 

we landed there late morning for a short tour of the area, before a later flight... an interesting fact (or two facts) Alice - who the town was named after, never came to AS.... and the Spring is not a spring, it's a water hole.... so AS is erroneously called AS!! 

We firstly went to the Australian Royal flying doctor service, then on to the 'School of the Air' (airwaves, being a radio controlled school for distant pupil learning, now changed to internet... always for remote pupils many hundreds of kms away.) then into the centre of AS for lunch - I could see why we were advised not to go in a few nights ago... a rather shoddy appearance, with an interesting sign marking distances to both London and Rome where I've been this year, many thousands of kilometres away.

 



















AS was hotter than anywhere... the coach thermometer said 44C!! It felt like it (another time for a big ice cream) then a final overview of AS

before returning to the airport and a flight across to Cairns, and another time and temperature change still hot , not as humid!! 

I was settling into the hotel just in time to view sunset over the harbour, and a trip out to the night market for a cheap but satisfying Thai meal.

 
















Tuesday 8th November another early start ready for a 7 am collection by 'Billy Tea Safaris' in their 4x4 wagon, to take me on a tour of the Daintree Rainforest 

- I've not seen a rain forest before, so should be interesting... the small vehicle was packed to capacity as we drove out of Cairns, through Mossman, and fields of sugar cane, before crossing the river and up into the Daintree rainforest... sweaty, humid and dense... as we drove up the twisty roads higher and higher to see the different trees. We stopped at a couple of viewpoints, and walked along a boardwalk through the forest, with the driver being able to tell us lots about the forest and its animals... we only saw brush turkeys, but heard lots!!

Then continuing to Emmogen creek where I managed a short swim... before I saw the 'Danger Crocodiles' signs!!!

We also tasted a range of Tropical fruits (great) before driving down to Cape Tribulation,

where the rainforest meets the sea, and Great Barrier Reef!!

with mangrove trees and swamps reaching right down to the sea...

Continuing to Lync Haven for lunch with wallabies and snakes!!, then carrying on in the afternoon back across the river, and a river cruise up and along it, alongside the Mangrove trees and thick forest, where we managed to spot a crocodile climbing out onto the bank, and staying with his mouth open... (he was hot too!!)...

We were then driven back to Cairns arriving back at the hotel for gone 6 pm, another long day travelling!! 

Wednesday 9th November another 730 start for our trip out onto another iconic Australian spot - the Great Barrier Reef.
 
A coach took us to the Mulgrave river where we boarded our boat to take us down the river,

and across the Coral sea to the Frankland islands,

where we were to be based for the day... we were transferred into a smaller boat to land on the coral surrounded island

which only just poked its head out of the sea! Firstly we were taken on a guided tour of the tiny island, being shown differing fish/rock specimens

and a quick dip in the warm sea before a tasty lunch, then what we'd come for... snorkelling out on top of the surrounding reef - I joined up with the 'advanced snorkelling group' and we were taken out by boat further away from the island, and were then able to swim over the coral reefs below us, viewing firstly the amazingly colourful, bright and different coral growths beneath us, some small, some huge... just like I've seen in films, with lots of brightly coloured fish munching away at the reef and coral...

I swam virtually the length of the island, crisscrossing as I went wanting to see everything I could... well over an hour, then we were picked up and returned to the rest of the group, and transferred back to the bigger boat for our journey home... back along the Mulgrave river, spotting another crocodile as we went - the first the crew had seen in 3 months, and back to my Cairns hotel, just in time to see the annual sunset parade of the Vampire bats

A great day, and complemented by going out for a few drinks, and spotting this beer mat - one to always aim for!

Thursday 10th November I didn't do a great deal, relaxed around Cairns, on another hot day, had a wander round the old port area in the evening before joint the rest of the group for an evening meal, and early night.

 
















Friday 11th November another 630 breakfast, before leaving the hotel for the airport and our next flight to Brisbane.. taking off just after 1015 up and over the Great Barrier Reef below with great views of the reef and lots of different coral islands stretching along the coast (they pay a fortune for these views in a helicopter!!)

Quite different at 11am to have a minutes silence up at 34,000 feet!! (Armistice day) arriving in Brisbane midday we were collected in windy sunshine to be taken on a mini tour of the town and viewpoints before arriving at our hotel, and relax!!

 
















Saturday 12th November a leisurely breakfast and then out for my own walking tour of Brisbane (I'd got it out of my guide book) firstly through the central district, and onto the city hopper (free ferry)

up and down the river which snakes through the city... across the bridges to the South Bank and along it, with views through an old bridge abutment at the distant city

and back into the central district for completion of my tour... it was about to rain, so I went to 'Jamie's Italian' for a late lunch... whilst the rain thundered down outside... after a great meal, I wandered through the drying city, back up to St Stephens for 6 pm Vigil mass, and back to the hotel for a well deserved early night!! 

It's certainly been a busy hot week, into the centre of Australia, and back out again... now I'm heading down the East coast... with cooler weather to come...