We would love to phone you all but a posting on our blog will have to do. Karen and I would like to wish all three of you a very Happy Birthday. Of course Marg might be heading towards the big 60 (I know NOT yet) and Andy and Doug are enjoying the golden years and the "good life." I hope Doris and Helen cook up special dinners for their special husbands.
so, ...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL THREE OF YOU
Bob and Karen
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Happy Halloween
Well yesterday was Halloween. Karen and I of course had a flashback to what it is like at school on this special day for the kids. We were in a small town last night called Westerway (population 49) and low and behold about 8 kids come walking down the main street dressed for Halloween. We laughed and were quite interested in what they were planning. Their first stop was the house by the community store. They rousted the owner and he generously opened the store and gave them treats. Lots of fun.
Tomorrow is the Melbourne Cup. We saw a couple looking at the horse racing page deciding on who to bet on tomorrow. The funny part about that was they were on a side road in the middle of nowhere. We figure that the entire country will come to a standstill tomorrow to see the big horse race.
Today we will start cleaning our gear and drying it so we can get into New Zealand with no drama with customs. Yesterday we strolled down the waterfront in Hobart and then headed out of town to camp along the Tyeena River.
A nice run on the Tyeena River that Karen is fishing.
Black swans are everywhere around the Derwent River Estuary just outside of Hobart.
Lamb for supper. Quite tasty!
No bought outfits here. Just some kids Halloweening for fun.
Tomorrow is the Melbourne Cup. We saw a couple looking at the horse racing page deciding on who to bet on tomorrow. The funny part about that was they were on a side road in the middle of nowhere. We figure that the entire country will come to a standstill tomorrow to see the big horse race.
Today we will start cleaning our gear and drying it so we can get into New Zealand with no drama with customs. Yesterday we strolled down the waterfront in Hobart and then headed out of town to camp along the Tyeena River.
A nice run on the Tyeena River that Karen is fishing.
Black swans are everywhere around the Derwent River Estuary just outside of Hobart.
Lamb for supper. Quite tasty!
No bought outfits here. Just some kids Halloweening for fun.Saturday, October 30, 2010
We Are in Hobart
Hi Everybody!
We are in Hobart in Tasmania. It's the capital of this little state in Australia. It's been raining a lot in the last 2 days which has pretty much shut down our fly fishing. We have sampled many rivers in Tasmania and we have caught fish on all of them. We fished the Tyenna and South Esk Rivers in the last few days. There have been very few mayfly hatches because they do not get going in ernest until mid November. We are still having fun living out of our camper and looking for water to fly fish.
The weather is spring like here. It's quite variable and always changing. We plan on drying out in the next few days so we can get through quarantine as we enter New Zealand on Wednesday.
We will try and post a few more pictures as soon as we can get a decent internet connection. The one we have right now is quite brutal and inconsistant.
Bob
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Some Images from Tasmania
Tasmania here we come! This is me getting on the flight from Melbourne to Launceston. The plane was not full so you can see that Tasmania is not the hub of Australia!
Finally we arrived and went looking for some fishing spots.
Here is Bob fishing a beautiful spot on the St. Patrick's River. The water is very clear. The bushwacking you have to do is horrendous. The rainforest is very dense and thick. It is full of prickly vines that catch your boots and your sleeves. It is so dense that at times you have to stop and turn around to try a different route. We fished here for the morning and barely got down the river.
Here I am with the guide, Pete, that we hired to give us an overview. This is the view from the Powerina Lookout back over the valley below towards Cressy.
This is Bob polaroiding for browns on a lake up in the highlands. It was a very blustery cold day - below zero with wind chill. No browns were out this day.
Tasman Highway!
Bob is polaroiding a brown trout that is swirling in the reeds. We are at Four Springs Lake. This was a beautiful lake and trout were rising at dawn and dusk. The birds were very loud here as were the frogs. I enjoyed the choir of frogs very much.
Yahoo! A nice little brown trout caught at dark on the Ringarooma River. They love to come out and play at dusk and were feeding on small white mayflies this evening.
This is the National Bank Building in Derby. In our map book it is sited as a place to visit. Today as we stopped there was a for sale sign on it and on the Anglican Church and Hall across the road.
This is the Great Forester River. It is another beautiful stream that requires major bushwacking.
Finally we arrived and went looking for some fishing spots.
Here is Bob fishing a beautiful spot on the St. Patrick's River. The water is very clear. The bushwacking you have to do is horrendous. The rainforest is very dense and thick. It is full of prickly vines that catch your boots and your sleeves. It is so dense that at times you have to stop and turn around to try a different route. We fished here for the morning and barely got down the river.
Here I am with the guide, Pete, that we hired to give us an overview. This is the view from the Powerina Lookout back over the valley below towards Cressy.
This is Bob polaroiding for browns on a lake up in the highlands. It was a very blustery cold day - below zero with wind chill. No browns were out this day.
Tasman Highway!
Bob is polaroiding a brown trout that is swirling in the reeds. We are at Four Springs Lake. This was a beautiful lake and trout were rising at dawn and dusk. The birds were very loud here as were the frogs. I enjoyed the choir of frogs very much.
Yahoo! A nice little brown trout caught at dark on the Ringarooma River. They love to come out and play at dusk and were feeding on small white mayflies this evening.
This is the National Bank Building in Derby. In our map book it is sited as a place to visit. Today as we stopped there was a for sale sign on it and on the Anglican Church and Hall across the road.
This is the Great Forester River. It is another beautiful stream that requires major bushwacking.Monday, October 25, 2010
We Are in Tasmania
Hi Everybody!
Karen and I are in Tasmania fishing and touring. Tassie has had a wet time as of lately and so our fishing has been slow to say the least. Spring has been very slow to show itself.We did have the opportunity to be guided in the Tasmania Highlands. It was cold up there. It snowed and the wind was blowing like a frieght train. Fishing was a bust in the highlands although we did visit Great Lake and Authurs Lake, two fantastic brown trout fisheries.We set up shop near Cressie. Its an area that is the fly fishing mecca of Tasmania. We have fished several rivers including Brumby Creek and the St. Patricks River and several lakes where were were trying to poloraid browns in the swampy parts of lakes. Brumby Creek is a swamp in places. You walk and look for tailing fish. We have seen but a handful. Sigh.Imagine walking down the middle of lakes looking for browns. That is exactly what is done here in the highlands of Tasmania where there are 3000 lakes. The highlands has no shelter unless you consider scrub junipers, shelter. Unfortunately spring is late and the active fish are few and far between. We have caught smaller fish in the rivers and we have had some dry fly action on Four Springs Lake where we experienced our first real hatch of mayflies. Red Spinners where everywhere although our success came on a caddis hatch. Karen got a real surprise while fishing at Four Springs Lake when a kangaroo jumped out of the bush and scared the crap out of her. I laughed. We also have been amazed at the sounds as we fish. The frogs and birds are so loud. It is amazing. Tasmania has very narrow roads. The locals travel fast and I putt along in our camper van trying to shift gears with my left hand and trying to remember to stay on the left side of the road. We will post pictures when we get an internet connect that will handle our files. The pictures have been fun to take. We are right now at a campground along the St. Patricks River. We have a platapus come to visit us in the camp we are in. That is very cool. We could not find the one at the zoo but we have now seen two in the wild. It cost $3.00 to camp here at this campsite. That includes HOT showers that we intend to take advantage of. Check back later and I hope we have a better internet connection. See ya.
Karen and I are in Tasmania fishing and touring. Tassie has had a wet time as of lately and so our fishing has been slow to say the least. Spring has been very slow to show itself.We did have the opportunity to be guided in the Tasmania Highlands. It was cold up there. It snowed and the wind was blowing like a frieght train. Fishing was a bust in the highlands although we did visit Great Lake and Authurs Lake, two fantastic brown trout fisheries.We set up shop near Cressie. Its an area that is the fly fishing mecca of Tasmania. We have fished several rivers including Brumby Creek and the St. Patricks River and several lakes where were were trying to poloraid browns in the swampy parts of lakes. Brumby Creek is a swamp in places. You walk and look for tailing fish. We have seen but a handful. Sigh.Imagine walking down the middle of lakes looking for browns. That is exactly what is done here in the highlands of Tasmania where there are 3000 lakes. The highlands has no shelter unless you consider scrub junipers, shelter. Unfortunately spring is late and the active fish are few and far between. We have caught smaller fish in the rivers and we have had some dry fly action on Four Springs Lake where we experienced our first real hatch of mayflies. Red Spinners where everywhere although our success came on a caddis hatch. Karen got a real surprise while fishing at Four Springs Lake when a kangaroo jumped out of the bush and scared the crap out of her. I laughed. We also have been amazed at the sounds as we fish. The frogs and birds are so loud. It is amazing. Tasmania has very narrow roads. The locals travel fast and I putt along in our camper van trying to shift gears with my left hand and trying to remember to stay on the left side of the road. We will post pictures when we get an internet connect that will handle our files. The pictures have been fun to take. We are right now at a campground along the St. Patricks River. We have a platapus come to visit us in the camp we are in. That is very cool. We could not find the one at the zoo but we have now seen two in the wild. It cost $3.00 to camp here at this campsite. That includes HOT showers that we intend to take advantage of. Check back later and I hope we have a better internet connection. See ya.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Biking Melbourne
Several travel brochures recommended riding bikes as one of the best ways to see Melbourne. Karen and I decided that we wanted to have an active day so we did just that. Renting a mountain bike, helmet and lock for the day cost about $35. We biked for 5 hours and saw pretty much all that Melbourne has to offer. There are bike trails everywhere and they are reasonably well marked. The owner of the bike shop gave us a map with suggested routes. It was quite helpful. We did a 30 km loop and after a good break we did a 25 km loop. Our first loop followed along the Yara River for quite a bit of the tour. Our second loop went to St. Kilda Pier on the ocean. It was cool today so the biking was a great decision. I think that the both of us are going to feel that bike saddle in the morning.
One of the Grand Slam events is the Australian Open. The main stadium for this world reknown tennis tournament is the Rod Laver Arena.
The soccer stadium for Melbourne's professional team and the Socceroos has a soccer ball shape covering the fans.
Rowing is big in Melbourne. Each school has a rowing boat house right along the river. There is no hockey here so rowing and athletics rule.
You have got to watch out for the snakes. The sign advises you to stay on your bike in this particular area. Many poisonous species call Melbourne home. Gulp.
You can see Etihad Stadium where the Grand Final of Aussie Rules Football was played a few weeks ago.
The ferry to Tasmania is docked at St. Kilda.
One of the most impressive War Memorials I have ever seen can be found in Melbourne.
One of the Grand Slam events is the Australian Open. The main stadium for this world reknown tennis tournament is the Rod Laver Arena.
The soccer stadium for Melbourne's professional team and the Socceroos has a soccer ball shape covering the fans.
Rowing is big in Melbourne. Each school has a rowing boat house right along the river. There is no hockey here so rowing and athletics rule.
You have got to watch out for the snakes. The sign advises you to stay on your bike in this particular area. Many poisonous species call Melbourne home. Gulp.
You can see Etihad Stadium where the Grand Final of Aussie Rules Football was played a few weeks ago.
The ferry to Tasmania is docked at St. Kilda.
One of the most impressive War Memorials I have ever seen can be found in Melbourne.Monday, October 18, 2010
We Are In Melbourne
Next weekend is the Melbourne Cup. The event is BIGGER than Ben Hur. That is my favorite Aussie expression. The Melbourne Cup is a horse race that brings Australia to a stand still. People shop for the clothes they wear while celebrating and enjoying the big race. Apparently you have to wear the latest hat to the big race too.
Karen and I enjoyed a beautiful run this morning along the habour in Sydney before we headed 750 km further south to Melbourne. We caught a bus into town from the airport and we are now set up along the Yara River. There is a nice river walk which we will be checking out in the morning during our morning run. Melbourne is older than Sydney and not as spectacular. I would say that Sydney has few rivals when it comes to beautiful cities in the world.
We do plan to head down the coast to check out the Great Ocean Road. Apparently it's spectacular. I bet this city has a few surprises that will impress Karen and I.
Karen and I are just on the left bank by the footbridge you can see in this picture.
Karen and I enjoyed a beautiful run this morning along the habour in Sydney before we headed 750 km further south to Melbourne. We caught a bus into town from the airport and we are now set up along the Yara River. There is a nice river walk which we will be checking out in the morning during our morning run. Melbourne is older than Sydney and not as spectacular. I would say that Sydney has few rivals when it comes to beautiful cities in the world.
We do plan to head down the coast to check out the Great Ocean Road. Apparently it's spectacular. I bet this city has a few surprises that will impress Karen and I.
Karen and I are just on the left bank by the footbridge you can see in this picture.
Airport Culture Aussie Style
Airports Aussie Style:
Bob and I have had a few tours of airports lately. Look what I found at the airport....... interestingly, we have had some hours to pass while waiting for our planes.
There is a certain culture in Aussie airports. The domestic terminals are very laid back. We never have to show any ID or any passports. In fact, they ask you the questions about what you are carrying when you put your name in for your boarding pass. They screen your computer and your carry on but it is very casual. You can go through security in quick minutes - even with a big line up.
The stores and the food courts are much the same at each airport. Not all fast food places are there, unlike Calgary! Bob decided we should go shopping. LOOK - Airport Barbie! What more could you ask for......
Ah yes, the wine tasting. Aussie airports have wine tasting set up in the domestic airport - it is a wine buying club. The nice man at the booth decided to let the Canadians have a taste - and yes it was free.
I found some toys to play with - all Qantas, of course.
There is a shop in all the airports called Beach Culture and a souvenir shop called Australia Outback. Bob is looking for gear here.
And where is Tim when you need him? Donuts are hard to find in this country but when you do find them - they are Krispy Kreme. Any good Canadian knows that these donuts don't stand a chance next to a Tim Horton maple dip! And catch the prices - yes 2.50 per donut and 19.95 for a dozen - 21.95 if you pick the kind you want!
At the Brisbane airport, the terminal is both for Virgin Airlines and for Qantas. There are signs that tell you that you are entering the other company's part of the airport and therefore cannot hear announcements. Of course, they recommend you stay and spend your money on their side of the airport. We, as always, had to venture around. Here is the girls' room in the Virgin part of the airport. Bob is lost and this lady said to him " I thought you were going to the wrong room!"
Still looking for Christmas presents for the kids. Hey you kids, let us know if you like anything in the pictures. ( Just kidding!)
Finally time for a snack - a 5.00 dollar muffin and a dish of fruit for 7.50. On the upside coffee and cappacino cost the same so we always go for the good stuff! Life in the airport! Who knew it could be so interesting.
Bob and I have had a few tours of airports lately. Look what I found at the airport....... interestingly, we have had some hours to pass while waiting for our planes.
There is a certain culture in Aussie airports. The domestic terminals are very laid back. We never have to show any ID or any passports. In fact, they ask you the questions about what you are carrying when you put your name in for your boarding pass. They screen your computer and your carry on but it is very casual. You can go through security in quick minutes - even with a big line up.
The stores and the food courts are much the same at each airport. Not all fast food places are there, unlike Calgary! Bob decided we should go shopping. LOOK - Airport Barbie! What more could you ask for......
Ah yes, the wine tasting. Aussie airports have wine tasting set up in the domestic airport - it is a wine buying club. The nice man at the booth decided to let the Canadians have a taste - and yes it was free.
I found some toys to play with - all Qantas, of course.
There is a shop in all the airports called Beach Culture and a souvenir shop called Australia Outback. Bob is looking for gear here.
And where is Tim when you need him? Donuts are hard to find in this country but when you do find them - they are Krispy Kreme. Any good Canadian knows that these donuts don't stand a chance next to a Tim Horton maple dip! And catch the prices - yes 2.50 per donut and 19.95 for a dozen - 21.95 if you pick the kind you want!
At the Brisbane airport, the terminal is both for Virgin Airlines and for Qantas. There are signs that tell you that you are entering the other company's part of the airport and therefore cannot hear announcements. Of course, they recommend you stay and spend your money on their side of the airport. We, as always, had to venture around. Here is the girls' room in the Virgin part of the airport. Bob is lost and this lady said to him " I thought you were going to the wrong room!"
Still looking for Christmas presents for the kids. Hey you kids, let us know if you like anything in the pictures. ( Just kidding!)
Finally time for a snack - a 5.00 dollar muffin and a dish of fruit for 7.50. On the upside coffee and cappacino cost the same so we always go for the good stuff! Life in the airport! Who knew it could be so interesting.Saturday, October 16, 2010
Sydney from the Top of the Tower
We ventured up the Sydney Tower today to take a look around. It was a beautiful blue sky morning and after a run to the Opera House and around the Royal Botanical Gardens water front and back to the room, we decided to get up high.
The structure is 80 stories high and has binoculars all around the perimeter. We could see for miles.
Here are the stadiums now used for footie, rugby and cricket, a legacy from the Sydney games.
You can see the open ocean beyond. Every little part of the land that juts in has boats and houses and the city goes for miles and miles. We could see where Bondi beach is and also another beach that had people in the water.
This is the noodle market where we had supper on Friday night. It looked hilarous from the tower. What a cool picture. They have security in here 24 hours a day while this is on. You can cut through any time but they do watch as you go.
This is Darling Harbour and the King Street bridge back across the harbour to the Rocks side of the bay. This harbour is a real tourist trap, modern and filled with pricey restaurants and shops. This is also where the aquarium is located and the conference centre.
At the top of the tower is the post box that is the highest in the Southern hemisphere. If I had my address book I would have sent postcards, but who knew?
This is a view of the Royal Botanic Gardens as they reach the harbour. We ran around that today. It was gorgeous. Also you can see Finger Wharf in the picture. It looks long and grey and is a large wooden dock that is a fishermens' spot. You can also see the shape of the harbour as it hooks to make a 90 degree turn and another 90 degree turn before you get to the open sea. You can understand why this was such a desirable port, given the nastiness of the Tasman sea.
And here is Bob, enjoying the view from the top on this beautiful day. We are so fortunate to be here where it is sunny. To the south of us they have been in flood conditions. Tomorrow, we move further south ourselves to Melbourne to check out South Australia.
The structure is 80 stories high and has binoculars all around the perimeter. We could see for miles.
Here are the stadiums now used for footie, rugby and cricket, a legacy from the Sydney games.You can see the open ocean beyond. Every little part of the land that juts in has boats and houses and the city goes for miles and miles. We could see where Bondi beach is and also another beach that had people in the water.
This is the noodle market where we had supper on Friday night. It looked hilarous from the tower. What a cool picture. They have security in here 24 hours a day while this is on. You can cut through any time but they do watch as you go.
This is Darling Harbour and the King Street bridge back across the harbour to the Rocks side of the bay. This harbour is a real tourist trap, modern and filled with pricey restaurants and shops. This is also where the aquarium is located and the conference centre.
At the top of the tower is the post box that is the highest in the Southern hemisphere. If I had my address book I would have sent postcards, but who knew?
This is a view of the Royal Botanic Gardens as they reach the harbour. We ran around that today. It was gorgeous. Also you can see Finger Wharf in the picture. It looks long and grey and is a large wooden dock that is a fishermens' spot. You can also see the shape of the harbour as it hooks to make a 90 degree turn and another 90 degree turn before you get to the open sea. You can understand why this was such a desirable port, given the nastiness of the Tasman sea.
And here is Bob, enjoying the view from the top on this beautiful day. We are so fortunate to be here where it is sunny. To the south of us they have been in flood conditions. Tomorrow, we move further south ourselves to Melbourne to check out South Australia.The Day of the Opera ...Le nozze di Figaro
Another full day in Sydney. We had hoped to head up to the Blue Mountains but heavy rain put an end to that. We heard that there was heavy snow in the Snowy Mountains and many roads were closed due to flooding. Luckily the weather here in Sydney was only cool and windy. Karen and I spent the morning wondering around Darling Harbour. It has a beautiful U shaped walk where you can find restaurants, the IMAX, the Sydney Aquarium, and well you get the idea.
Darling Harbour
Of course we went into the aquarium. There was lots to see. The Manta Rays were cool.
I love Nemo!
This guy looks hungry!
We were looking for fruit at a grocery store. Expensive peeches!
Just before going to the opera, a large cruise ship was leaving. The ship was sailing around the world and had made port from Hawaii.
Karen and I had supper at an Italian restaurant alongside the harbour. Yep, it was expensive but we were part of the beautiful people who were heading to the Sydney Opera House. We saw Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro. The opera was in Italian and thankfully there were subtitles above the stage. The show was lots of fun. It was a bit long for my liking. My friends Barry and Sheila would have shuddered to find out we went to the opera in our best fishing clothes because that is what we have along. Please forgive us.
Tomorrow is a big day for the Catholic church here in Australia. Their first saint will be
cannonized tomorrow at the Vatican. I took this picture of Saint Mary MacKillop that was projected on the side of the Sydney Harbour bridge as we left the opera house.
Darling Harbour
Of course we went into the aquarium. There was lots to see. The Manta Rays were cool.
I love Nemo!
This guy looks hungry!
We were looking for fruit at a grocery store. Expensive peeches!
Just before going to the opera, a large cruise ship was leaving. The ship was sailing around the world and had made port from Hawaii.
Karen and I had supper at an Italian restaurant alongside the harbour. Yep, it was expensive but we were part of the beautiful people who were heading to the Sydney Opera House. We saw Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro. The opera was in Italian and thankfully there were subtitles above the stage. The show was lots of fun. It was a bit long for my liking. My friends Barry and Sheila would have shuddered to find out we went to the opera in our best fishing clothes because that is what we have along. Please forgive us.
Tomorrow is a big day for the Catholic church here in Australia. Their first saint will becannonized tomorrow at the Vatican. I took this picture of Saint Mary MacKillop that was projected on the side of the Sydney Harbour bridge as we left the opera house.
...a busy day indeed.
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