First Day On The Road-September 15, 2007

On our last day we got up about 5:00 AM because we were meeting the Adventure Tours van at 6:30.  The good news was that we were departing only a few doors down from the YHA.  As Chris, our driver and guide loaded the van, we looked around and quickly realized that we were the only travelers above the age of 30!  Well, maybe Chris was in his mid 30s.  At least we got the seat just behind the driver which enabled us to watch the road and upcoming sites.

As we drove through the countryside leaving Adelaide, we saw fields and fields of yellow canola growing in patches everywhere.  As we passed through the Clare Valley, stopping at the town of Clare, Chris suggested that we stock up on "adult" beverages before getting too far out of town.  In Australia, Woolworths is one of the largest grocery stores and has an extensive liquor and wine store attached.  Since the Clare Valley is famous for its Reislings, I picked up a bottle of Annie's Lane Reisling because I liked the name.  Price and labels are my determiners of wine purchasing here.

We stopped for a "pull-out" lunch at a really small town on the edge of Clare Valley, noticeably drier terrain.  A pull-out lunch is just what it says, really not much different from a picnic.  We all took turns slicing tomatoes and cucumbers, setting out cheeses, meats and condiments, and opening cans for vegetables and fruits.  (can't really upload pictures at this point, will have to share those later).

As we rolled along after lunch, we began to notice abandoned farm houses, made from brick and in shambles.  Chris told us that farmers in the early part of the 20th century came out to this area, tried farming for a few years, but had to finally give up for lack of water.  The crumbling houses with no roofs reminded me of those we saw in Ireland a few years ago.  It was really kind of sad, imagining family dreams of a good life slowly dissolving.

After a few hours, we stopped at the Youramboulla aboriginal site.  It is the only one where permission has been given to enter and photograph.  This is possible because ceremony has not been performed here since the 1950s.  We were told that the paintings here are no elaborate because of the harsh life style.  Searching for food and water left very little time for drawing and painting.  Like the American Indian, everything is tied to the land.  Stories were not written down.  They were passed from story to song to painting.  Most of those stories are beyond the knowing of those outside the tribes, and even outside the knowing of most tribal members, only known to the elders.  Until recently, the stories had been called dreaming or dream time.  But, some folks now feel that it is condescending  to say it is something as simple as dreaming.  That terminology is still used by most folks.  He compared the complexity of the stories to those in the Bible, encyclopedias, and other reference books of our age.  Everything about their lives are in these stories…kinships, navigational signs, animal behavior, what to eat…everything!

At the end of the day's trip, we arrived in Parachilna, population 5!, But, what a unique place it was.  The Prairie Hotel had recently undergone significant renovations, adding several upscale guest rooms out back.  Since Bill and I had upgraded from dorm accomodations for three of our nights, we had one of these rooms.  The rest of the folks were housed in a nearby dorm like accomodation.  As we checked in, we were told that an art show was happening in the dining area.  Must have been some important folks there, since we saw a helicopter parked out back and several rental vans coming from who knows where.  They were all gone the next day. 

After taking some time to rest and refresh in our room, we joined the rest of the group for dinner.  And what a dinner it was!  Chris had cooked emu, kangaroo, and camel.  With the right seasoning, it tasted quite good.  In fact, I  had a second helping of camel!!.

After dinner, we took some time for a short hike around town, actually that meant walking over to the railroad track to watch the train go by and the sunset.  There was a large structure that once held a water tank featured in the movie "Rabbit Proof Fence".  The structure became rusted and unsafe.  Despite the fund raising efforts of some well-meaning folks, they were unable to secure enough money to save the tank.  So the foundation is all that is left.  I did manage to get some pictures of that.  Then came a wonderful desert sunset.  As we sat on some railroad equiptment with a glass of wine, the sun slowly sank on the horizon.  What a special time. 

A bit later, after we had visited the pub and the sun had disappeared, we walked outside again to watch the train go by.  It is the big excitement two times a day.  It rarely stops at Parachilna anymore.  Then we were awed by the unbelievable Sourthern Hemisphere stars and "I saw the Southern Cross for the first time". (Seems like I remember a song about that!)  Knowing that we had a long day ahead we retired early and fell asleep with smiles on our faces and thankfulness in our hearts for a wonderful experience.

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Last Day in Adelaide

Friday, September 14, 2007

This will be a short post since we are leaving at 6:30 AM tomorrow for our 6-day road trip to Alice Springs.  Posts may be few and far between during this time as we will be in very remote places.  I will keep good notes on how we fare in the outback.  We will see Coober Pety, Uluhru, and uniquely Australian sites.

Today we visited several places in Adelaide.  Perhaps the most poignant was the Migration Musuem.  It was housed in a former school for aboriginal children, abandonded in the 1850s when the Aboriginal people realized that the colonials were attempting to destroy the culture by basically kidnapping the children and not allowing visitation for years.  The school closed and the Destitute Asylum was opened on the site.  This was a place for abandonded children and pregnant unwed mothers.  It was a squalid place unfit for the children or mothers.  I plan to research this when I get home.  I did learn about Zonta International, http://www.zonta.org/site/PageServer, an international women-helping women group.  An important project of the Adelaide group presently is the birthing kit.  For one dollar, a kit can be purchased and given to needy women.  I plan to research this as well.

There is so much more to tell about this day, but my time is running out on the computer.  Hopefully I will be able to post in a few days.

 Oh, I forgot about Bill's floater pies.  He had been telling me about this split pea and pot pie dish served up on a food cart by the post office.  We were finally able to enjoy one tonight.  

 

 

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Spending Time in Adelaide

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Today we slept in for a while, not making our way to breakfast until about 9:00.  As we sat enjoying coffee, a young woman from the UK joined us.  Gita, a dental nurse (hyginist in US), came to Perth for a 4-week vacation and has been here almost six weeks.  While she says she is now homesick, she will be in Adelaide several more days, a week in Sydney, and leaving from Perth to return to England.  During her time here, she has decided to go back to school to be a dentist.  We also talked with an older couple we had met earlier.  They were off to Glenelg as we were.  These are the kind of stories and people you meet at a YHA.

Walking about three blocks to Victoria Square, we took the 20-minute tram ride to Glenelge, a popular seaside resort for South Australia. 

Tram to Glenelg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seems like hunger comes around very often when you are on the move.  So we found the Gourmet Goose, a sidewalk cafe to our liking and settled down to some delightful, huge sandwiches.  Bill had the Aussie burger again, consisting of hamburger, beets, cheese, tomato, eggs and lettuce.  I had a similar dish, but made of ground chicken, tomato, rocket (arugula) and sauteed asparagus.  Wonder what I will weigh when we return?

More food at Glenelg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After lunch we strolled over to the fountain in the plaza.  We were treated to perhaps the best entertainment since coming on this trip.  A three-year old, named Phoenix, under the amused eyes of his parents, was jumping around in the fountain.  The water came up sporadically from various places.  He was trying to figure out where they came from.  Each time he would see a spout come up, he would run there, only to see it go back down. He drew quite a crowd as we all laughed at his antics.  His parents wished for a video camera.

Phoenix looking for water

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It feels so good

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More fun in the water

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lots of water

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the water show, we strolled out to the beach and jetty (called a pier in US).  I just had to put my feet in the water, as cold as it was.  As some clouds were rolling in, we decided to walk back toward the Town Hall, built in the 1800s, now a called the Bay Discovery Center. 

Glenelge Plaza and Bay Discovery Center

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a great bit of local history we found.  Glenelg is the home of the Kaurna people.  In 1802 Captian Matthew Flinders landed on Kangaroo Island, making way for sealers in 1806 and settlers soon after.  They made their way to the Glenelg area on the HMS Buffalo and other ships, finding fresh water and fertile soil.  The town ultimately became a popular vacation spot for South Australians.  The jetty in the foreground of the picture was built in 1969 after a hurricane had destroyed the original one in 1948.  Now there are several luxury hotels and apartments along the shore.  While we enjoyed the historical artifacts and videos, the best thing about the visit to the museum was the group of guides we met while waiting out a sudden rain storm.  The woman was a cyclist who had toured all over the world, except the US, so we had a lot in common.  One of the gentlemen was just about Bill's age and just as anti-technology!  We probably talked for 30 minutes before the tram returned and we braved the blowing rain storm to hop aboard.

Watching the rain pour down on our ride back to the city, we wondered how we would avoid getting soaked from the tram station to our YHA.  As things most often do work out, the rain stopped just as we disembarked and started back.  Passing the grocery store we bought some food for the night, along with some sweet rolls for breakfast and made our way to the next adventure.  Yes, there was one more that day, or should I say that night!  

Each day, the YHA has a special event.  Thursday night was no exception.  We played Bingo with about 40 other folks in the commons area.  Bill won an hour free internet!  Well, guess who got to use that!!  After a long day and one more glass of wine we retired with smiles on our faces. 

 

 

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Barossa Valley Wine Tour

Wednesday morning dawned sunny and warm, no clouds in the sky.  (Temperature is measured in celsius.  The rough translation to farenheit is to double the current temp in celsius and add 30-so 20 C would be 70 F.)  The van picked us up around 8:30 for the tour I had been waiting for since leaving Georgia.

The Barossa Valley is about an hour's drive northeast of Adelaide, with about 70+ wineries located in this region.  It was first settled by German Lutherans, who came to this area in the 1840s to escape religious persecution.  The architecture, Lutheran churches smoked meats, fruit preservation and sweet breads reflect the unique culture of these people.  The charm of the culture was somewhat marred 1915, when a wave of anti-German sentiment swept through the area.  This sentiment was reflected in the changing of many of the town names.  For example, Gnadenfrei (meaning "freed by the grace of God") was changed to Marananga.  Later some of the names, but not Marananga, were changed back.

Our guide told us that this area has some of the oldest vines in the world.  This is a result of three things, never a war on Australian soil where bombs would destroy the crops, never a time of prohibition, and the absence of a certain fungus present in other parts of the world.  In recent years, with the popularity of olive oils, farmers have begun planting olive groves in the area, as well as wine.  They also grow sheep and alpacas.  One interesting fact about the alpaca.  When attacked by other animals, they gang up and fight together against the predator.

Australia is known for its "big" statues found in various parts of the country.  One of those is the rocking horse at a toy factory located in Gumeracha.  The Big Chicken in Marietta has nothing on this fellow.

Rocking Horse

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the town of Birdwood, we passed the Herbig tree.  It seems that Friedrich Herbig lived in the hollowed-out area of this redgum tree with his wife and two children.  When the third child arrived, they decided to move into something bigger.  It was probably a wise move, since they went on to have 16!  Today the tree is estimated to be 300-600 years old and old Friedrich has around 600 descendents in the area!!

Herbig's Redgum Tree

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Our little van stopped next in Angaston, named after Englishman George Fife Angas, who founded the town and sponsored many German and British immigrants who came to the region.  The town is full of jacaranda trees, that were showing their spring beauty.

Jacaranda Tree

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The German culture is reflected here in the stately stone buildings and tiny shops like the one selling 17 varieties of wurst (German sausage) for 67 years.  We stopped at the Angas Park Fruit and Nut Company, where several of loaded up on the same, as well as some spiced mustards.  I hope they make it back to Metter.

As we rode along, our guide explained certain highway signs about the size of our mile-marker signs.  These indicate a location where there have been deaths and/or injuries.  Many of these accidents are caused by kangaroos, similar to our deer problems in South Georgia.

Our first stop was at the imposing and upscale Wolf Blass Winery, part of the Fosters Group.  In our "structured" wine tasting, we sampled several wines started with light whites and moving all the way to heavy dessert ports.  We were given the opportunity for just $5 extra, to taste the $135 dollar/bottle 2003 Cabernet/Saugivnon/Shiraz/Malvec and the Platinum Label 2004 Shiraz.  He got one and I got the other, then shared.  After tasting "ordinary folks" wine, this was quite a treat.  And, there really was a difference!

Only the best for Bill and Nancy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are told that the Wolf Blass Presidents Selection is imported into the US, as well as the Red Label, in case some of you wine folks are interested.  We were also told about the switch to screw caps on wine bottles.  The only ones that are still corked from this winery are those exported to the US.  Screw caps allow for upright storage, keep freshness when a wine bottle stays open for several days (can't imagine one lasting that long), and are good for the environment, saving the cork tree..  So there you have it.  Form your own opinion about screw vs. cork!

About this time, we needed a bit of food, so we stopped at Nuriootpa (Aboriginal for meeting place) at the Vine Inn Restaurant, where we were served a three course meal.  We both decided on Barumba (a fish) and steamed veggies.  We had a choice of several dishes, including kangaroo, which we politely refused!  As we were leaving, I spotted the bar off to the side.  A sign directed patrons to remove their caps/hats when entering the bar.  I asked the waiter about this.  There are security cameras in the bar.  If a person gets rowdy, they want to be able to clearly identify him/her.  We also found out that only law enforcement folks can carry pepper spray.  Glad we don't have that in the US.

After lunch, we were ready for wine again.  Vinecrest is a family-run winery.  They bottle only their won grapes, but sell some to Penfolds for their premier wine, Penfold's Grange at over $100 per bottle (some as high as $880).  We learned the importance of decanting red wines to allow them to breathe, thus releasing the full flavors.

Vine Crest Winery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 From this winery, we took a side trip to Menglers Hill for a beautiful view of the Barossa Valley, only stopping long enough for a few photographs.

Menglers Hill

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From Menglers Hill, we journeyed down to Barossa Vines.  This time, there was not a structured tasting.  They just poured what you wanted.  It was here that we learned about the winery dogs.  There are all kinds of breeds and even a calendar featuring these wonderful pets.  By this time, I was a bit tired of wine (can you believe that!) so started photographing the grapevines.  Since it is still early spring, most had few if any leaves.

Barossa Family Wines

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our last stop was at Kies Family Wines.  While not as impressive as some of the others, I did find one bottle of 2004 Klauber Block Shiraz to buy.  It has a strong hint of black cherries, but is not sweet.  We will finish it before leaving Adelaide.  I was quite fascinated with  the vines themselves.  While I tried to capture the essence of the vine, I just can't quite do it like Matt.  He has the right camera and quite the creative eye!

Kies Family Wines

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After this last winery, we were off to the Whispering Wall, a dam constructed in such a way that it creates an acoustical wonder.  You can stand on one side of the dam, speak softly, and can be heard on the other side.

Whispering Wall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, we journeyed about 45 minutes in traffic back to Adelaide.  Being quite exhausted by this time, we stopped at Coles (Adelaide's answer to Bi-Lo), got a frozen "gourmet" dinner and made our way back to the YHA.  All was not lost, since we added a delicious garlic bread to our meal.  Great meal!  Great day!

 

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Exploring Adelaide

The Adelaide YHA is my first experience in a youth hostel ( a bit of a misnomer since about 25% of the guests are definitely over 30).  We have a private room with a balcony overlooking a park and our own bathroom, but no TV or phone (who needs them!).  In the lounge/kitchen/dining area, upbeat music from an itunes playlist (Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson are heard from time to time) keeps the atmosphere lively.  We labeled our perishables in bags and shared refrigerator space with the other guests as well as having our own cubbie for non-perishables.  More on the YHA later.

On our first morning in Adelaide at the YHA we bought Bill a breakfast of ham, 2 eggs, hash browns, tomato and toast for $5.  The catch is that we had to cook it! I treated him that morning, but here he is the next day doing his own.

Bill cooks breakfast

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course I had my usual fiber cereal (found at a nearby health food store), soy milk, orange juice and banana.  The coffee is instant, but surprisingly good. 

After breakfast, we checked in with the in-house travel agent who booked us a wine tour for Wednesday, then struck out to explore and do a little shopping.  Our first stop was Cosmic Pages, so named because of all the meditation and inspirational material there.  It was a very peaceful place.  Sam Chapman would love it.  In the fiction section, I found, among other books, The Education of Little Tree, The Life of Pi, Mutant Messages From Down Under and other familiar titles.  It seemed only right that Bill should have his picture made here.

Bill at Cosmic Pages

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It might not be obvious that Bill doesn't have his raincoat with him.  That is because it is still in his closet in Metter.  So our next stop was the same store where he bought a polar fleece jacket the last time he was here when it was really cold.  He found a nice one for a reasonable price.  Our trek continued to Rundle Mall, the Lenox Square of Adelaide, complete with Borders, Sunglasses Hut, etc.  Because neither of us can hear the alarm on my new clock from REI nor do we don't know what time it is when we are wandering around, it seemed that a watch with an alarm would help our situation.  Well, I now have the watch, but the alarm is even softer than the clock.  Oh well, we will worry about that when we have to meet the next bus at 6:30 AM on Saturday.   Not much charm or originality in the mall, but we did find this fellow checking out the trash.  Actually he is part of a group of bronze piggies along the mall walk.

Piggie at the mall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Having eaten at restaurants for so many days, we decided that we could find something at Central Market and cook at the YHA.  One of the largest produce markets in the southern hemisphere, Central Market is full of local foods, including meat, fish breads, cheeses, and old-fashioned lollies (candies).  Our choices were a container of lasagna and sauce and a small loaf of garlic bread.  For less than $10 we had ourselves a gourmet dinner complete with a red shiraz chosen at the same market.

Central Market

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quite ironically, as we returned to the YHA, what should be parked in front of the building, but this truck.  Polly, we didn't see the "pool man", but wondered if he drives a Harley or if he is good-looking and single.  Tell Larry he has a bit of competition.

Pool Man #1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pool Man #2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For a while after dinner, we sat in the commons area of the YHA listening to music, reviewing our trip so far, and watching the other guests.  It was a mellow evening.  Later, as we drifted off to sleep, our thoughts were of the wine tour to Barossa Valley coming up the following morning. 

 

 

 

 

 

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Travel To Adelaide

Sunday, September 9 (Sept. 8 in USA)

I got up earlier than Bill to take a walk on Manly Beach.  Not getting my usual exercise is making me restless.  Despite the weather being a bit iffy, I took off for a walk beside Manly Beach.  There is a path all the way up to a lookout on the rocks above Manly.  Surfers and brave kayakers in wet suits and early morning joggers took a chance on the weather and were rewarded for their efforts.  (insert picture later)

As the clouds began to roll in, I decided that it was time to turn back.  Shortly before reaching Manly Lodge the rain began to get serious.  Luckily we had a dryer in the lodge, so I was able to dry my clothes before leaving for the bus terminal and our 22-hour bus ride to Adelaide.

Since we had several hours before our bus left for Adelaide, we spent some time having coffee and people-watching at the ferry terminal.  APEC was still a factor as we reached Sydney, so we didn't spend too much time around the Opera House and ferry terminal, but headed up toward the Rocks (the area where the first convicts and guards first landed) to wander a bit.  The original settlement, destroyed many years ago, has now become a trendy place to shop and eat.  We found a delightful restaurant, Pony, where we sampled grilled bread with eggplant spread, spiced olives (for Bill) freshly roasted almonds, and a delicious pumpkin and basil frittata.

Finally, it was time to work our way to the bus station, by way of the local train (Sydney's answer to MARTA).  We had to walk several extra blocks to the train station because of security.  At one point, we could not even cross the street until a gate was opened to let us through the fenced-off street.  Guards were everywhere!  After some anxious moments, we were able to board the train for a five-minute ride Central Station.  The bus station is not quite as bad as most in the US.  But, we did see our share of homeless folks before boarding our bus.  Thank goodness it was not very crowded, so later in the evening Bill and I had two seats each to spread out and try to sleep.

After leaving Sydney around 4:00 PM, we stopped at the airport to pick up some more passengers.  A young man on the bus (in a long black coat-get the picture?) got off, had words with the bus driver and got back on.  In no time, four security guys called him off the bus for a "chat".  He was much subdued when he got back on the bus.  About 8:00 we stopped in Canberra for a shared dinner (consisting of 1/2 chicken, tomato, and avocado sandwich) with Bill.  Not much to choose from in a bus station!  We changed drivers here and were off again about 8:45 PM.  Sometime in the night we stopped for another short break before having breakfast around 6:30 AM at a truck stop.  I ordered poached eggs and a scone with jelly.  Well, what I got was two poached eggs on toast and two open-faced biscuits with jam and heavy cream!  Did the best I could with that meal before we were on the bus again.

Our route took us mainly along the Stuart Highway and into the Barossa Valley, home of many Australian vineyards, including Penfolds, whose wines we have sampled in the US.  After stopping at one more gourmet truck stop restaurant for lunch, we arrived in Adelaide around 3:00 PM.  Thank goodness the Adelaide Youth Hostel was only a block away.  I will save the rest for yet another post, and insert some pictures later.   Bill wanted me to experience this type of travel, so I did.  But, now I am ready for a bit more luxury!

 

 

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Blue Mountain Tour

Bill and Nancy leaving Metter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bill and I are relaxing on our third day in Australia.  After the long flight and all-day tour yesterday, we decided to take it easy in Manly. where we are staying.  It is a short ferry ride away from Sydney and not affected by the APEC madness in Sidney. 

Upon the advice of a tourist office, we left Sydney yesterday for an adventure in the Blue Mountains.  After an early breakfast at a local deli, the tour bus picked us up at our hotel, proceeded to pick up other passengers around Sydney, and whisked us out of town before 8:30 AM.  There are three stories about the Blue Mountains.  The first is the name.  The Blue Mountains are so-named because of the the oil that drips from the eucalyptus tree and reflect on droplets of water, creating a blue tinge to the mist. 

On the way up, we stopped for tea beside a river that supplies much of the water supply for Sydney.  There were 20 folks on our tour.  One young couple was from Nashville, TN.  He was in Sydney on business.  I spotted a great sign beside the road…"Remember when your kids threatened to run away from home?  Retirement is payback time."  Loved it! 

Stopping for Tea

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second story is about the various water falls.  While none are as dramatic as many in the U.S., they are all spring-fed.  So they continue to flow, no matter how dry the weather becomes.  This brings me to our first stop, Wentworth Falls.  The weather was not very cooperative, but we did manage to hike down to a platform to view the falls.  Bill opted to stay at the top of the trail while I went down with some of the folks.  The walk was not nearly as strenuous as we were led to believe.  

As we drove on to our next stop, it seemed as if all of Sydney was escaping APEC.  The roads were clogged with traffic.  Fortunately our bus driver was familiar with back roads.  So we wound our way through quaint villlages on our way to Scenic World, the third most visited spot in Australia, after Ularuh and the Great Barrier Reef.  This brings up the third story of the Blue Mountains, the Three Sisters Legend.  It seems that there were three young Aboriginal maidens who caught the eyes of three young men from another rival tribe.  Not wanting this romance to happen, the father of the young maidens asked the witch doctor for help.  He cast a magic spell on the young maidens, turning them to stone until the young men gave up their search and went home.  Unfortunately, the witch doctor was killed before he was able to reverse the spell.  Thus, the young maidens are forever cast as stone pillars and can be seen at Scenic World. 

Scenic World is in the Katoomba, a former coal and shale mining town.  Started in 1880, the mine was operative until the 1930's. A railway was built to haul rocks to the top of the mountain.  Often hikers would get to the bottom of the gorge and convince the miners to give them a ride back to the top in the coal cars.  When the mine closed, the owners had the idea of turning the site into a tourist attraction.  Thus, Scenic World was born.  It is still privately owned by the same family who started it.  The Three Sisters are depicted in bronze at the visitors' center.  The second picture you see are the sisters cast in stone. 

Three Sisters and Witch Doctor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Sister in Mist

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We took the cable car to the bottom of the canyon and walked through a beautiful rain forest.  There we were able to see remnants of the mining days as well as beautiful trees and ferns, some of which were over a hundred years old.

Rainforest at Scenic World

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, if we rode the cable car down to the rain forest, did we return the same way?  Nope, we took advantage of the "renovated" railway from mining days.  With a 52 percent grade, it was quite a 5-minute ride back up to the top (looking down from whence we came!!).

After an uneventful lunch in and delectable desert at a chocolate shop in Leura, we were off to our final stop before returning to Sydney.  The tour guide promised us an up close and personal view of the Easter Gray Kangaroo in a small state park.  While the park was a bit disappointing, we were able to get close to the kangaroos.  If you look closely at this picture, you will see the joey poking his head out of the pouch near the mother's foot.

Mother and her joey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, we were on our way back to Sydney.  After a quick ride through Olympic Park, site of the 2000 Olympic Games, we caught the ferry back to Circular Quay.  From there, Bill and I boarded the Manly ferry back to our hotel.  Exhausted when we got to Manly, we had a gourmet meal at Subway before fallling into bed for the evening.

Today, we have relaxed aroung Manly, a delightful beach town.  Unfortunately, the weather is a bit cool for having fun in the water.  The last picture is the Steyne Hotel, Bill's favorite spot from his former trips.  We couldn't stay here because it is no longer a hotel, but several pubs.  It has been a relaxing day.  Tomorrow afternon, we are off to Adelaide.  More later.

Steyne Hotel 

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We Made It To Sydney

Hello All,

We made it to Sydney at 6:00 AM on 9/6/07.  Flights don't land before 6:00 AM because the noise would disturb residents near the airport!  We have found that mindset of kindness typical of Australians so far.  They go out of their way to be helpful.  But, wait, I am getting ahead of myself. 

Polly took us to the Savannah Airport on Tuesday (9/4).  After a plane change in Atlanta, we flew to Los Angeles.  From there we took off for Sydney at 10:30 PM PDT (1:30 AM in Metter).  Crossing the international date line, we completely lost September 5th.  How does that happen?  We figure we spent about 13 hours enjoying two small seats and a few fitful naps on Quantas before landing in Sydney.  But, all was not lost, since we got two reasonable meals and great service from the staff.

Going through customs was a bit of an experience.  I had taken some trail mix consisting of nuts and dried fruit in my back pack.  Realizing that this was a no-no coming into Australia, I discarded the package before entering customs.  While waiting for our bags the sniffing dog came checking out my backpack.  He alerted on my bag.  There must have been some remaining scent of the dried apples.  I explained the situation to the agents.  They were most accommodating.  (yet another of Aussie hospitatlity) 

We took the Circular Quay ferry to Manly, where we will stay for the next four days.  When we got off the ferry, we stopped for some coffee near the harbor.  When I ordered a coffee, the guy asked if I was American.  He told me that coffee in most shops here (with the exception of Starbucks) is not brewed like ours.  I should always ask for a "tall black" if I wanted something resembling our coffee.  Then he told me he was from Colorado.  After walking around Manly and leaving our bags at Manly Lodge, our home for the next few days, we went back to the ferry area.  While sitting at a table near the coffee shop, the same young man came over with another cup of coffee and told us to enjoy our stay.  (More hospitality)

As I write this, I am at an internet cafe at Darling Harbor.  It is about 1:00 PM here.  We have been told that it is best to stay awake until normal Aussie bedtime so we will sleep well.  We are taking in the sites around the Sydney waterfront, because tomorrow the area is in "lockdown".  Some of you may know that Bush and other world leaders are here for the APEC Conference.  You would not believe the security around this place.  Everywhere you look there are police, water patrols, security on the ferries and swat teams visible on top of buildings.  The Opera House is off limits, as are other places we wanted to see downtown.  We will have to catch those places when we come back through on our way home. 

Tomorrow we are off for a day trip to the Blue Mountains.  Tour information centers are suggesting alternatives for the next few days.

Not sure when I can post again.  We will be off to Adeliade on 9/9. 

 

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St. Augustine-May 3-47 miles

Our last day on the road dawned with excitement and anticipation.  Nancy B., my roommate and I had decided that there was no reason to get up early.  However, when I opened the door at about 6:40 to check the weather, there were folks loading the trailer and already headed for breakfast.  We quickly dressed, packed and joined the others for breakfast.  Our plan for the day was ride to mile 40-the location of a fire station just out of St. Augustine.  We were to arrive there by 11:00 AM.  From there we would have a police escort to Anastasia Island State Park, where our friends and families would be waiting. So we left the hotel around 7:30 AM.  The route led us less than a mile down US 17, before we turned onto a quieter road leading us out of town. 
Then the fun began.  Someone made the comment that there were 23 turns on today’s cue sheet.  In spite of our excitement, most folks managed to find the turns without getting lost.  Ellen and I were riding together on one of the quiet roads, when I looked over into a little stream and thought I saw an alligator.  We turned around to see this creature, only to find that it was a log.  But, it was a pretty scene with the water and spring flowers.

Swamp by the road

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Further down, we found the road that followed the St. John’s River for a while.  Once again, we were rewarded with beautiful sites of the river.

View toward St. Johns River

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The pace of most riders slowed as we realized there were only a few miles to go before reaching the fire station.  And, it was nowhere near 11:00.  We were delayed a bit at our last store stop of the trip, the Molasses Junction Country Store.

Molasses Junction Country Store

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was definitely a place of local color, with signs, t-shirts, and gourmet health food.

Health Food @ Molasses Junction

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think that was the most excitement that place had seen in quite some time!  When we could delay no longer, we headed out to the station, arriving there around 10:30.

Waiting for the parade

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Having some time to kill, we decided to do some photo shoots.  Here are the SAG drivers, who supported us throughout the trip with food, drink, and moral support.  Thanks so much Kay, Susan, and Nancy.

SAG Women

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then we divided into age groups.  Here are our parade marshals, age 70, Ortrun and Donna.

Our 70's Girls

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then there are the sexy 60’s.  Several folks turned 60 on the trip. Can you find me in the picture?

Sexy 60's

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How about those fabulous 50’s?

Fabulous 50's

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then there was the fantastic 40’s-Kay!

Fantastic 40-Kay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And, of course, we had to have our wonderful staff folks, Michelle and Ellee.

Ellee and Michelle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, it was time for the ultimate photo shoot of everyone.  We enlisted the help of the three policemen who were waiting to escort us to the beach.  It was quite a site to see them with 27 cameras, trying to keep track of which cameras already had been used and those left to go.  Then there was the problem of how to operate them.  But, law enforcement folks are trained for all kinds of situations and got the job done.

Some Strong Women!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At 11:15 we lined up in rows of twos and threes, with Ortrun and Donna in the lead.  There was one police car in front, one in back, and one to ride ahead to close intersections.  What a ride.  The only time we stopped briefly was for a train.  Somewhere in that ride, I lost my flip-flops and shorts attached to my bike bag.  But, with such excitement, I wasn’t about to go back for them and get behind the parade!  Along the way, we waved and shouted to folks.  Most waved back, not really sure why they were waving and cheering.  As we rode, many emotions went through my mind, as I am sure it did with the others.  There was elation at finally reaching our destination, pride at having made it, regret at parting from our new friends, with whom we had shared so much, and excitement at seeing our friends and families.  We crossed the “temporary” Bridge of Lions headed toward Anastasia State Park.  (The old bridge, built in 1927, was determined to be structurally unsound.  After much heated debate, it was decided that the old bridge would be rebuilt and maintain its integrity.)  We continued our parade to the park, arriving at the picnic area with police sirens blazing.  Looking ahead we could see signs, a crowd of cheering people and a sea of “Go Nancy Go” yellow shirts.  We circled around the corner, shed tears and gave hugs to those who had come to meet us.

Way to go Seage!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There was even a spray of champagne from my nephew, Howard.  After our greetings, we shed our shoes and headed for the ocean, to dip our front tires in the Atlantic Ocean.  It seemed so long ago that we had dipped the rear wheels in the Pacific.

Pasha made it too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dipping the wheel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course I had my own “bike Porter”, who said if I rode across the US, he could carry my bike across the beach.

The bike

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ocean was so inviting that we had to jump in! 

Girls Gone Wild!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Then I had some time to greet friends and family before heading back to the picnic shelter.  Being from Georgia, I lived the closest to the end of the ride.  So, I was honored to have quite a few folks there to greet me. 

John White & Howard Porter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paul and Linda with me

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

True Magnolias

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dennis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brenda and Jim

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sisters celebrate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My group included Bill, Polly, Mariann, Seage, Howard & Melissa, Railyn, Linda & Paul, Nancy & Charlie Turner, Dale, Gay & Alan, John White, Brenda Bradley, Jim & Dennis (BRAG friends) When we took this picture, Mariann and Seage had already gone to the beach.

Family and Friends

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a nice picnic and yet more visiting among the riders and their families.  I was glad to finally meet Leo!

Nancy, Leo & Barb

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Carol seemed to be enjoying her grandchild.

Carol and Family

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Metter Magnolias, well represented by Gay and Dale, presented me with a beautiful trophy that will always be treasured.

From the Magnolias

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the picnic, we took Ortrun to the bicycle shop, where she was going to ship her bike home. 

That evening, we walked from the Best Western to Le Pavillon for a final dinner together.  I was so glad that we were able to call Elizabeth from the restaurant.  Even though she was not physically there, we all felt her determined spirit with us.  Pasha and Chickie helped consume my dessert.

Pasha and Chickie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Our group presented Michelle and Ellee with a small token of our appreciation, in a water bottle, of course. 

Presentation to Michelle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Presentation to Ellee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After more tears and promises to stay in touch, the group walked back to the motel and went their separate ways.  Several folks were staying a few days with family and some were headed for the airport and home early the next morning.  I was staying at the Bluegreen Resort several miles away (arranged by Polly for our family), so I bid everyone one more goodbye and drove back to there to spend a couple of days relaxing, before returning to real life!

I plan to have one more post as a reflection and thank you to everyone who supported me on this journey.  Stay tuned.

Friends forever!

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Palatka-May 2-73 miles

Well, excitement is mounting!  This was our last long day of the ride!  Tomorrow we will ride into St. Augustine.  Once again, the temperature was reported to reach 90 degrees today.  So, breakfast was served at 6:30 AM, just barely daylight.  We left the motel on US 441, turning onto CR 236, thinking it would be a quiet road.  Wrong!  First, there was the school just getting started, then there were the trucks and cars all bound for work.  We crossed I-75 after about 6 miles, leading to a bit quieter ride.  Finally we found some quieter roads.  At the first SAG, we celebrated Rhetta and Barb K’s birthdays, by singing to both of them.

Birthday Girls

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We continued on quiet roads, until turning right on SR 100.  That will go down as one of my least favorite roads on this ride.  For 28 miles we had dump trucks, log trucks and fast cars.  The only good thing was a shoulder (but it often was scattered with glass). 

For a long time, I rode by myself, wondering where everyone else was?  Sometime around noon, I pulled into a convenience store with a Subway inside.  Much to my surprise, there were Irv and Don, our friends from Ft. Hancock, TX.  Irv was the fraternity brother of Robert Hulsey.  While they have been traveling the same route, for most of the trip, it is still amazing to see them again.  We invited them to our end-of-the-road party.  I hope they can make it.

Irv from Atlanta

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After lunch, it was back on the road again.  With the heat and traffic, the SAG was a welcomed site at mile 60.  Even with the sun and less-than-satisfactory rest stop conditions, we can find beauty in such a place.

Cactus at SAG stop

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I arrived in Palatka at about 1:30, after crossing what I hope is the last hill of the trip, the St. John’s River Bridge.  Tonight we are staying in the Best Western of Palatka.

Our hotel for the last night on the road

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I was sitting in the lobby earlier, a car drove up with a Laurens County tag.  I introduced myself to Steve Brown, who is GA and North Florida regional director for Buckmasters American Deer Foundation.  He used to be involved with recreational ball and knows Buie Levevrett.  I will ask Buie about him when I get home.  Once again it is a small world.   

We had dinner as usual tonight, celebrating Rhetta and Barb’s birthdays again with a cake. 

Last dinner on the road

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The birthday girls

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I gave Ellen Call the How To Speak Southern book that I had bought at Bellingrath Gardens.  I need to get more copies of that book for future use.  There were lots of questions about logistics tomorrow.  Folks have to pedal to the bike shop and leave bikes to be shipped back home.  Then they will be picked up by the van and taken to the hotel.  Dinner will be closed, only for the riders, no family.  Thank goodness Bill is picking me up, so I don’t have to deal with the shipping and getting to the airport complication.

I can’t really describe my feelings tonight, except to say that it seems like the other nights we have spent on the road.  When I allow myself to think about tomorrow, it is almost overwhelming.  Anne and I agreed at dinner that it would be a very emotional time.  So, I am not sure when my next post will be.  Stay tuned! 

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