What I did on my holidays
Had an exhausting but fun 3 weeks away, did loads - saw some stuff I saw last time I was in Oz, but also lots I hadn't seen before. I have lots of photos, but will put them up in separate posts because it's going to take me a while.
So we flew from Manchester to Singapore, arriving Saturday morning 2 July. We'd arranged a 24-hour stopover, to break up the journey and to give mum a taste of Asia - although Singapore is very much Asia-lite. We'd chosen a bad day as it turned out - not only was the International Olympic Committee in town, with huge security around Raffles Place, but rehearsals were going on for their National Day, so large portions of the city were completely closed off. We managed to have a good time, though, did a river cruise and went to the Raffles museum, and in the evening had a Singapore Sling in Raffles courtyard while a live band played Gershwin - all very civilised.
Arrived in Brisbane on the Sunday evening and spent a few days at pootlus' place. The weather was pretty much as I'd left it in the UK - warm and sunny, just perfect. Once we'd got adjusted to the time change we all flew to Sydney, where we spent a long weekend. That was 7th July, the day of the London bombings, which of course occurred in the evening Australia time, as I reported. But Sydney was great - did a few things I'd done before, but also saw some stuff I hadn't, including the Hyde Park Barracks museum, which over the years served as housing for convicts, an asylum for women, and Civil Service offices. It was all very interactive and interesting, and I learned lots about history, including lots about all the single women who emigrated to Australia to work as domestic servants, many of whom ended up living there. No climbing the Harbour Bridge this time!
From Sydney we hired a car and drove north for about an hour and a half to the Hunter Valley, where a large proportion of Australia's wine comes from. Staying in the 'historical' town of Morpeth, we did a day touring around the wineries, tried lots of lovely wine and came away with a few bottles. I managed to bring two back to the UK intact, unlike the Raffles Singapore Sling glass I bought, which didn't survive. Ah well.
Dropping our car at the airport, our next stop was Alice Springs. We spent an afternoon and an evening there (I still like the place), staying in a hotel right next to the YHA where I stayed last time. The following morning we went by coach to Ayer's Rock Resort for a 24-hour experience! Stopped at a camel farm on the way (I decided against a camel ride, wish I'd done it now) and hit the resort in time to check in and head out to the Rock for sunset. Last time I was there I saw 2 sunsets, but it was cloudy and not that great, but this time we had clear skies and the colours on the rock were incredible. Got some great photos as we drank our wine and watched the sun go down. Back to the resort for dinner, and then up before dawn the next morning (since it was winter this time around, dawn was a lot later - I remember getting up around 4.30 am for the sunrise last time) to see the sunrise in the freezing cold. Worth it though! Then we had a walk through the Valley of the Winds in Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) - also fabulous, and in bearable temperatures unlike the searing heat last time I was there.
Back to Alice overnight, and then a flight to Melbourne where we spent about a day and a half. Visited Old Melbourne Gaol, where Ned Kelly was imprisoned and hanged (I knew very little about him before) and the Immigration Museum, and enjoyed some of the old Victorian and Edwardian shopping arcades. From there we took a train to Ballarat and hired another car to spend a few days with my brother's family in Creswick, Victoria. It was so great to all be together for once, and we did lots, looking around the local area, walking in the Grampians, and even seeing a performance of The Two Gentlemen of Verona in Ballarat on mine and pootlus' last evening there. Flew back to Brisbane on Friday, then left Australia on Saturday, arriving home yesterday morning.
Think I'd better start uploading those photos if I'm ever going to be able to post them!
So we flew from Manchester to Singapore, arriving Saturday morning 2 July. We'd arranged a 24-hour stopover, to break up the journey and to give mum a taste of Asia - although Singapore is very much Asia-lite. We'd chosen a bad day as it turned out - not only was the International Olympic Committee in town, with huge security around Raffles Place, but rehearsals were going on for their National Day, so large portions of the city were completely closed off. We managed to have a good time, though, did a river cruise and went to the Raffles museum, and in the evening had a Singapore Sling in Raffles courtyard while a live band played Gershwin - all very civilised.
Arrived in Brisbane on the Sunday evening and spent a few days at pootlus' place. The weather was pretty much as I'd left it in the UK - warm and sunny, just perfect. Once we'd got adjusted to the time change we all flew to Sydney, where we spent a long weekend. That was 7th July, the day of the London bombings, which of course occurred in the evening Australia time, as I reported. But Sydney was great - did a few things I'd done before, but also saw some stuff I hadn't, including the Hyde Park Barracks museum, which over the years served as housing for convicts, an asylum for women, and Civil Service offices. It was all very interactive and interesting, and I learned lots about history, including lots about all the single women who emigrated to Australia to work as domestic servants, many of whom ended up living there. No climbing the Harbour Bridge this time!
From Sydney we hired a car and drove north for about an hour and a half to the Hunter Valley, where a large proportion of Australia's wine comes from. Staying in the 'historical' town of Morpeth, we did a day touring around the wineries, tried lots of lovely wine and came away with a few bottles. I managed to bring two back to the UK intact, unlike the Raffles Singapore Sling glass I bought, which didn't survive. Ah well.
Dropping our car at the airport, our next stop was Alice Springs. We spent an afternoon and an evening there (I still like the place), staying in a hotel right next to the YHA where I stayed last time. The following morning we went by coach to Ayer's Rock Resort for a 24-hour experience! Stopped at a camel farm on the way (I decided against a camel ride, wish I'd done it now) and hit the resort in time to check in and head out to the Rock for sunset. Last time I was there I saw 2 sunsets, but it was cloudy and not that great, but this time we had clear skies and the colours on the rock were incredible. Got some great photos as we drank our wine and watched the sun go down. Back to the resort for dinner, and then up before dawn the next morning (since it was winter this time around, dawn was a lot later - I remember getting up around 4.30 am for the sunrise last time) to see the sunrise in the freezing cold. Worth it though! Then we had a walk through the Valley of the Winds in Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) - also fabulous, and in bearable temperatures unlike the searing heat last time I was there.
Back to Alice overnight, and then a flight to Melbourne where we spent about a day and a half. Visited Old Melbourne Gaol, where Ned Kelly was imprisoned and hanged (I knew very little about him before) and the Immigration Museum, and enjoyed some of the old Victorian and Edwardian shopping arcades. From there we took a train to Ballarat and hired another car to spend a few days with my brother's family in Creswick, Victoria. It was so great to all be together for once, and we did lots, looking around the local area, walking in the Grampians, and even seeing a performance of The Two Gentlemen of Verona in Ballarat on mine and pootlus' last evening there. Flew back to Brisbane on Friday, then left Australia on Saturday, arriving home yesterday morning.
Think I'd better start uploading those photos if I'm ever going to be able to post them!