Sorry still no photos - technology!
I had a lovely meal with Richard Evans, a business colleague, yesterday. It was in a smashing restaurant overlooking the bay in St Kilda. It was a great view of the bay, but the wind got up and the waves were getting quite big. Lovely meal Richard - see you in the new year.
Then I went to the Crown Casino, a massive complex not far from the hotel with shops, loads of restaurants and the biggest casino I have been in. I gave in my 50 dollars for chips and played roulette for well over an hour. I nearly got down to nothing and then had a 45 dollar win, so quit 7 dollars up - the last of the big spenders. Some people bet the most amazing amounts covering loads of the numbers all at one go - seem to be betting against themselves. After a chinese meal and a drink it was back to bed.
Today I have been out shopping and sightseeing, but really all I am doing is waiting for my 17.30 shuttle bus to the airport. Once more the Hard Rock Cafe in Melbourne has closed, just like the one in Sydney, so I have not been to an Aussie HRC.
Looking forward to seeing everyone back home(but not to the journey) - someone said it's Xmas back there, but surely that's rubbish. I have got 22 degrees and blue skies here. A month is certainly long enough to be away. So some last messages:
Everyone - it took ages to do this blog - hope you all enjoyed it
Aussie Maggie - thanks for your good wishes
Simon - have you all been leaving the rubbish out - 6 mice and counting eh?
Nicola - let me know on email how the exams went - say hi to James
Mum and Dad and Carol and Steve - see you at xmas
41 Clubbers - get yourself booked on one of these tours next time one comes up - South Africa??
Pat and Elle - see you real soon
Rachel - love ya and missed ya - see you at the airport 11.40am Tuesday
Barry for the last blog in Oz - wwwwwwwiiiiiiiizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Sunday, 9 December 2007
Saturday, 8 December 2007
It's Been Wizzard in Oz
The tour officially ened last night with the final night dinner in Melbourne.
We had our final hosting on Thursday and Friday night. Lawrence and I were with Brian Roach so it was all bachelor boys together. We went to Ramsey Street - not very interesting to me and looked around the area. We happened upon another steam railway. This one was really good with a track about 10 miles long. For the anoraks they had an operational Beyer Peacock steam engine - quite impressive. We spent about 2 hours there altogether taking pictures.
We went to Melbourne Norwester Apex 40's AGM and Christmas Party - more food, more wine, more laughs.
Yesterday we looked around Melbourne - very lively city - big river, docklands, trams, shopping, museums. Temperature high 20's so just nice and not too many flies.
It is pointless me trying to describe the atmosphere at the final dinner. We were joined by a few hosts, guests including an ex President of New Zealand Ladies Circle and Neil's son and his wife - names escape me - Neil has been the biggest fan of this blog always badgering Peter Driver when it was not updated - hope to meet you one day Neil, but I already met your son!!
Although the meal was not brilliant we had more jokes, banner exchanges and speeches thanking everyone for the part they played in making the tour so enjoyable. Lawrence and I ran the Tour Oscar awards with everyone winning a category and someone having to open an envelope and announce the winner. We both dressed up(down?) for it. We had a final performance of the John Cleese sketch about the British class system. All the ladies did the Twelve Days of the Tour(not Christmas) - very funny.
The highlight to my mind was Sharee Pine (our Coach Captains tour assistant and wife) reciting a long poem all about the places we have been with a verse for every single member. I got a bit emotional when it came to the verse she did for me.
Paul and Jean, Robert and Sharee and Kevin and Liz received lots of well earned praise and went home laden with gifts of appreciation. We finished with Auld Lang Syne and retired to the bar. Bed at 2.30am. Lots and Lots of goodbyes today as most people are leaving.
If you could bottle it all up, you would make a fortune. YOU HAD TO BE THERE.
The blog will not end yet so keep an eye on it for a few weeks and any other news etc will be loaded on. I am in Melbourne for another day and am seeing my colleague Richard Evans for lunch so must go
We had our final hosting on Thursday and Friday night. Lawrence and I were with Brian Roach so it was all bachelor boys together. We went to Ramsey Street - not very interesting to me and looked around the area. We happened upon another steam railway. This one was really good with a track about 10 miles long. For the anoraks they had an operational Beyer Peacock steam engine - quite impressive. We spent about 2 hours there altogether taking pictures.
We went to Melbourne Norwester Apex 40's AGM and Christmas Party - more food, more wine, more laughs.
Yesterday we looked around Melbourne - very lively city - big river, docklands, trams, shopping, museums. Temperature high 20's so just nice and not too many flies.
It is pointless me trying to describe the atmosphere at the final dinner. We were joined by a few hosts, guests including an ex President of New Zealand Ladies Circle and Neil's son and his wife - names escape me - Neil has been the biggest fan of this blog always badgering Peter Driver when it was not updated - hope to meet you one day Neil, but I already met your son!!
Although the meal was not brilliant we had more jokes, banner exchanges and speeches thanking everyone for the part they played in making the tour so enjoyable. Lawrence and I ran the Tour Oscar awards with everyone winning a category and someone having to open an envelope and announce the winner. We both dressed up(down?) for it. We had a final performance of the John Cleese sketch about the British class system. All the ladies did the Twelve Days of the Tour(not Christmas) - very funny.
The highlight to my mind was Sharee Pine (our Coach Captains tour assistant and wife) reciting a long poem all about the places we have been with a verse for every single member. I got a bit emotional when it came to the verse she did for me.
Paul and Jean, Robert and Sharee and Kevin and Liz received lots of well earned praise and went home laden with gifts of appreciation. We finished with Auld Lang Syne and retired to the bar. Bed at 2.30am. Lots and Lots of goodbyes today as most people are leaving.
If you could bottle it all up, you would make a fortune. YOU HAD TO BE THERE.
The blog will not end yet so keep an eye on it for a few weeks and any other news etc will be loaded on. I am in Melbourne for another day and am seeing my colleague Richard Evans for lunch so must go
Thursday, 6 December 2007
Back on the Mainland at Melbourne - 10am Friday
Since I last blogged we have been up the aptly named Wilderness Steam Railway from Stahan in the west of Tasmania. It was 40k long - thats 25 miles and has the steepest rack and pinion track in the world. Stopped several times to see river gorges, rainforest, mining polution etc.
From there it was across the island back to Devonport and civilisation. We boarded the Spirit of Tasmania ferry for the 11 hour crossing. It was really smooth. Some of us had an a la carte meal a few drinks and then to bed. Tassie had been great - don't come to Oz without visiting it for a few days!
Arriving back in Melbourne it was blue skies and already 20 degrees at 8am. Had a great breakfast near the port and then we split. Some went shopping but 12 of us had a guided tour around the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Club). This is a mecca for all cricket supporters and we got to go in the dressing rooms, onto the pitch where about 200 schoolchildren were playing 5 a side cricket. It takes 100,000 people and is massive. We lost Angus on the tour!
Lunch in the renovated docks area and by now it was 30 degrees. We met our hosts at 4pm. It takes ages to get across Melbourne - the traffic is like the UK - the worst we have seen. It was BBQ time with the Norwester club for about half of us. Once again the hospitality and instant rapport between members of the host clubs and the tourists was great.
Today Lawrence , myself and our host are going to bum around and the first stop is going to be Ramsey Street, the set of Neighbours - Lawrence has got to visit for Yvonne, who is a long term fan.
Another dinner with the Gipsland Club tonight - it's a tough life! Weather blowy and 22 degrees.
Everyone seems to be talking about the tour finishing now. We have all got on superbly considering we have been together for a month. I'll be blogging again on Sunday
Carol - You saw a mouse - where - there on the stair
Gary - thinking of you carolling in the cold
Alan - I'll be back soon
Nicola - hope exam and works do were ok
Elle - got a fluffy something for you
Rach - be good tonight
Simon - hope you feel better soon
Pat - hope you are enjoying the blog
From there it was across the island back to Devonport and civilisation. We boarded the Spirit of Tasmania ferry for the 11 hour crossing. It was really smooth. Some of us had an a la carte meal a few drinks and then to bed. Tassie had been great - don't come to Oz without visiting it for a few days!
Arriving back in Melbourne it was blue skies and already 20 degrees at 8am. Had a great breakfast near the port and then we split. Some went shopping but 12 of us had a guided tour around the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Club). This is a mecca for all cricket supporters and we got to go in the dressing rooms, onto the pitch where about 200 schoolchildren were playing 5 a side cricket. It takes 100,000 people and is massive. We lost Angus on the tour!
Lunch in the renovated docks area and by now it was 30 degrees. We met our hosts at 4pm. It takes ages to get across Melbourne - the traffic is like the UK - the worst we have seen. It was BBQ time with the Norwester club for about half of us. Once again the hospitality and instant rapport between members of the host clubs and the tourists was great.
Today Lawrence , myself and our host are going to bum around and the first stop is going to be Ramsey Street, the set of Neighbours - Lawrence has got to visit for Yvonne, who is a long term fan.
Another dinner with the Gipsland Club tonight - it's a tough life! Weather blowy and 22 degrees.
Everyone seems to be talking about the tour finishing now. We have all got on superbly considering we have been together for a month. I'll be blogging again on Sunday
Carol - You saw a mouse - where - there on the stair
Gary - thinking of you carolling in the cold
Alan - I'll be back soon
Nicola - hope exam and works do were ok
Elle - got a fluffy something for you
Rach - be good tonight
Simon - hope you feel better soon
Pat - hope you are enjoying the blog
Tuesday, 4 December 2007
Thru Hell's Gates and back!
This will be quick - just doing a quick post to assure you we have not fallen off the edge of the world although we have been thru Hell's Gates out onto the Southern Ocean.
On hotel internet with someone waiting.
Briefly we left Hobart yesterday morning and had an amazing day. Travelled 4 hours across the bleakest, then most forested area of Tasmania to Queenstown - like the wild west. Then to Stahan on the deserted west coast. We had an amazing 4 hour cruise on this hi speed catamaran. First we went thru a 220 metre wide channel called Hell's Gates into the Ocean - it was a bit hairy. Then up the Murray River into the rainforset - amazing again - no point in me trying to descibe it - i've got the pictures but cannot load them here.
Today up a crazy Wilderness Railway back to Queenstown - 40k of undulating rack and piion railway
Back on Ferry to mainland tonight so no blogging until Thursday night earliest
Sorry to all my readers
Barry In the Gates of Hell - its sunny overlooking huge huge harbour - bigger than Sydney
On hotel internet with someone waiting.
Briefly we left Hobart yesterday morning and had an amazing day. Travelled 4 hours across the bleakest, then most forested area of Tasmania to Queenstown - like the wild west. Then to Stahan on the deserted west coast. We had an amazing 4 hour cruise on this hi speed catamaran. First we went thru a 220 metre wide channel called Hell's Gates into the Ocean - it was a bit hairy. Then up the Murray River into the rainforset - amazing again - no point in me trying to descibe it - i've got the pictures but cannot load them here.
Today up a crazy Wilderness Railway back to Queenstown - 40k of undulating rack and piion railway
Back on Ferry to mainland tonight so no blogging until Thursday night earliest
Sorry to all my readers
Barry In the Gates of Hell - its sunny overlooking huge huge harbour - bigger than Sydney
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