Well we are home at long last !! Weather was ok till today when it has turned really cold !!
So Sat 24th we arrived in Sydney to stay at The Observatory Hotel (this was Ursula's choice - I had briefly visited it on my last trip to Syndey, where I had informed Alex that I would be staying here next time in Sydney, regardless of where he chose to stay !!) It was fab (expensive but fab !) Met up with my old mech eng colleague and his wife and we had a wonderful time. On Sat evening they came into our hotel and on Sunday we descended on their house. So Martin was one of my engineering buddies who wasn't hugely enthusiastic about my going into business upon leaving uni and guess what his latest job is - Sales manager !!! Jules, his wife, is just coming to terms with the level of drinking and socialising involved in his new position ! Great evening, Mairt left the car and I used it to get to their house the next day. Their house has just doubled in size or thereabouts with a recent extension ! Their adorable children were also there on Sunday and Fergus won the bow and arrow game against Alex ! Monday I did a pamper day at the hotel and on Tuesday we did some museum type stuff about the convicts and the barracks they lived in and how the Irish and the Catholic Church were all involved - it was actually very interesting. Met Jules for lunch at the Art Gallery which was just great. Now we are not ones really for Art Galleries but I have to say the little bit we saw of it was great. Also it was situated within the Botanical Gardens where we went to see the Flying Foxes (Bats) who were flying around in the middle of the day !
On Wednesday we flew to Melbourne - this time we stayed very centrally and we loved it. Free tourist buses and trams all over town - temperature is getting hotter everywhere - about 30 every day in Melbourne and it is obviously the city that doesn't stop partying. Somebody described Sydney as the Grandfather and Melbourne as the teenager when trying to explain the differences to us ! Took the ferry to Williamstown (lovely place), had drinks at Young & Jacksons (oldest pub in Melbourne with the painting of a naked lady called Chloe), Alex went to the old Goal where Ned Kelly and other nasties were hung etc. Then we (by total fluke) managed to fall across Ferrari's 60th birthday party - which was in the form of a street carnival. Alex was in his element - pictures taken with VERY skimpily clad Ferrari girls etc.
On Sunday we hired a car and took the Great Ocean Road from Melbourne to Adelaide.
Girl at Avis desk called Vanessa Kerr (same surname as Alex) so we got an upgrade which was very nice - no dents in this car but hugely more expensive than Kiwi land ! Stopped at Lorne for lunch, then went by the 12 Apostles - which of course were never 12 - someone decided it sounded better for the tourists ! - there were only ever about 9 and now 8 'cos one of them got reclaimed by the sea in the last year ! Next day was actually the best part of the drive itself (Sights included the Arch, London Bridge, Grotto, Bay of Islands). Lunch at Port Fairy, stayed at Port Campbell. Tuesday was a long tedious and for the most part a very boring day from a driving perspective - did over 300km and eventually got to Victor Harbour which was very pretty - lots of locals go there for holidays, weekend break etc.
Wednesday - we only had a 1 hour drive to Adelaide - and our descent upon Teenie (Jules mother - who had kindly invited us to stay). After lunch and a little walk, Teenie took me on a locals tour of Adelaide which was brill and then cooked us dinner, whereupon we drank and talked into the small hours. Suddenly the lady who gets up at 05.30 is not up till 08.30 - oops - sorry Teenie ! Next day we were taken to meet Jules sister Kirsten, who lives on an Australian farm, out where the roads are no longer paved - it was really interesting. One of the nicest things about these few days was the realtive normality of the food (it was a massive relief from rich sauces etc) On Friday we went off to town and got the tram to Glenelg, beautiful beachfront resort and came back to town and did the free bus thing on the way home. Went out locally for dinner and to play the Pokies (Slot machines for us) and we had a really great night - Teenie is brilliant on the Pokies !
Saturday we start on our homeward leg by flying to Singapore. We had briefly stopped over in Singapore on our honeymoon (all those years ago) and to be honest we were not really expecting that much. Well what did we know - we probably had some of the best days of our trip in these last 4 ! In Singapore you basically have 3 hobbies - Eating, Shopping and clubbing. They boast the 4th larget finance centre in the world, they are the 17th smallest country in the world, a diet book has never made it into their list of bestsellers, bumboats to move you up and down the river, rickshaws to move you around town etc.. We stayed at the Swissotel Merchant Court in Clark's Quay - great location, walking distance to lots and the hotel provided free buses to Raffles City and SunTec City (town centre places). Highlander Pub - only 'Scottish' pub we'd seen on our travels where all the waiter and waitresses wore 'kilts' - some were much shorter than the regulation length you might expect ! On Sunday while we were exploring boat Quay and the river banks we hear bagpipes. Upon investigation it is an early St Patrick's Day parade and street party - great fun. Alex got to order a pint of Guiness from another very scantily clad young lady - so picture of him with 4 of them on our holiday shots. (Think how depressed he is being back here with chubby middle aged wife !!) Did HIPPO bus tours of the city on Monday, went to sister hotel in Raffles City in the evening and on the 70th Floor an absolutely great view of the city at sunset ! Tuesday - went to Sentosa Island (where we actually stayed on out honeymoon) and would not have recognised the place - totally upgraded to a full holiday island for both locals and touists. Went back to our honeymoon hotel for lunch - how rosemantic ! Went to a Moroccan restaurant for dinner and then live music at The Pump House. Most pub venues seem to provide live music and some turn into nighclubs later at night. We thorougly enjoyed Singapore this time and would consider spending a week there next time !
On Wednesday got our 14 hour flight home - with an 8 hour time difference this effectively gave us a 24 hour day - but we got home safely and everything was fine with our house etc (thanks to Ross and Caroline)
Alex is talking about the next trip. I am talking about going back to work and paying the bills !!
Well that's it for this time. Keep well, enjoy life and remember the good old Irish saying - 'There are no pockets in shrouds !'
Ciao
Ursula & Alex
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