Oh my. 10 weeks down under, and it all ends tomorrow. (Not all really, just the Australia part. Off to Japan in the morning). I have seen so much, and been so many places that I have to look at my photo stream (or re-read this blog) to recall it all. I’ve met wonderful people, re-connected with others I’ve known…
April 28: Sydney
Since I’ve been to Sydney twice before I’ve seen many of the typical tourist spots, I was so pleased when my lunch dates chose a spot off the beaten path, and at a place I hadn’t been before. David Peattie and Roz Fisher were colleagues from Hasbro, having worked in the company’s Australia business for many years. We set off…
April 27: Newcastle to Sydney
It was time to say farewell to Will and to have a few days in Sydney before leaving Australia. The train is an easy way to avoid the traffic and a long drive so I headed off to Central Station and found my way to my big American chain hotel right on Hyde Park. In my previous visits to Sydney…
April 25 & 26: Leaving Port Douglas and Back to Newcastle
As I began my Australian journey I am now ending it (almost). I arrived here on February 16 and spent time visiting my Camino friend Will, and I returned to his home yesterday, to gather myself (and the stuff I’d sent him over the course of the past several months), before heading off to the next spot on the map.…
April 24: Final day in Port Douglas
Nothing much to report from the day. A good morning run. Breakfast. Read my book on the beach. The nets were back up so you could swim in the designated area without fear of jellyfish stings or crocodile attacks. The water is so much warmer than the Pacific on the west coast of America — 80 degrees — so I…
April 22 & 23: Port Douglas and the Great Barrier Reef
Saturday was a beach day. It was still windy so a trip out to the reef wasn’t feasible, so I went to my happy place and sat on a chair and read my book and enjoyed the breeze and the waves. The only thing of real interest for the day was watching a full grown man act like a child…
April 20 & 21: Palm Cove and Port Douglas
Thursday was a beach day at last. Sunny, but still very windy. I went for a run and then sat and watched the waves and read a book and had a late afternoon massage. Tough day. Nothing beyond a few beach pics to share so you’ll find some of the awesome birds from the Kuranda bird sanctuary below instead! And…
April 19: Kuranda
Kuranda is just 16 miles from Cairns and geographically is positioned on the eastern edge of the Atherton Tableland where the Barron River begins a deep descent to the coastal floodplain. The rainforest around Kuranda has been home to the Djabugay people for over 10,000 years. Europeans began to explore the area throughout the nineteenth century. It is believed a massacre of…
April 18: Palm Cove
After two hours driving time and 3+ hours of airport time, it was wonderful to arrive in Palm Cove, just north of Cairns, and to a bed and a room with doors. Today I ventured out to explore the little town and found a stiff wind and big waves on the beach and warning signs about both jellyfish and crocodiles.…
April 13-17: Bryon Bay Bluesfest
On Thursday April 13, I left my hotel and went to stay with Vicki and John since we were due to leave early the following morning. They live in a suburb of Brisbane, and it was great to be able to do laundry, have a home cooked (delicious) meal, and go for a long walk. It was good to see…