Saturday, September 17, 2005

South Eastern States Tour


Hobart

Normal Blogging will resume shortly (after I have submitted my thesis).

Wrote this some time ago but never posted it!


Just back from visiting family in Tasmania and Melbourne. Both places are beautiful in their own right, but hope to get back and spend a little more time there again in a couple of years.

Highlights
• Salamanca Place / Markets in Historic Hobart (I could live in Hobart):
• Spending some time with Grandparents and family. Ninety-five year old Grandfather-in-law telling us of his plans to tour around Victoria on a Motorcycle.
• Visiting me wife’s Uncle’s renovated beach house in Weymouth Tas ,Walking in Tasmania’s wilderness, eating at some 19th Century Inns, chairlift over Cataract Gorge at Launceston..
• Dinner at Aunts high-rise apartment overlooking Melbourne City of a night time
• Walking along High Street Shops and CafĂ©’s of South Yarra, going to Luna Park and Coffee and cake in St Kilda and having Dim Sims at the South Melbourne markets.
• Melbourne’s Botanical Gardens, Shrine of Remembrance and seeing Rembrandt paintings (Dutch Masters) at NGV.

Lessons Learned
• It’s never a good idea to buy a harmonica at the Markets for seven year old son when touring in the car as a family
• Don’t expect too much from cheap serviced apartments in Melbourne. If the brochure lists a swimming pool and a spa—that does not mean that it will actually be in a safe, heated and in useable condition by humans. Frogs perhaps.

The biggest disappointment was cancel plans for Dive of the Kelp forests of Port Arthur due to a persistent chest infection…that one now has to wait for next time.

7 comments:

IMO said...

Cool Picture--what is it a pic of?

backyardmissionary said...

where has the lionfish gone?... :)

The Faith Expedition said...

You still alive my friend? Missing your words!

IMO said...

I ditto Lion, is everything OK?

Kel said...

great to see you've been enjoying some travel lately
shame you had so many rellies to visit, otherwise we could have caught up in Melb for coffee
ah well, next time. . .

Lionfish said...

Kel, Most definitely.

There will be a next time! :-)

Mark Edwards said...

Hobart Habour has the 2nd best fish and chips in the world.
Best are the ones at a little seaside fish and chip shop on the way to Port Arthur.
Tasmania is a beautiful part of God's earth