The journey to Canberra was very nice - I was inside the train and it was murky and damp outside. I saw quite a few kangaroos bounding about, seemingly worried that the train was going to chase them. Got the little-advertised bus into town, about a minute round the corner from the YHA. And another very good hostel it is. Strangely, like Sydney Central it also has a swimming pool that is too small and too shallow for swimming. Fine for children to splash about but you don't get that many children in hostels most of the time. However, there is a sauna and that is great! Had it all to myself.
I'm not a great one for commemorating war but I went to the Australian War Memorial. It was incredibly moving and beautiful. There is a Roll of Honour, listing the names of over 102,000 fallen Australian servicemen and women. This series of bronze paques is decorated with many poppies, adding colour to a dark scene. My emotion at places like this is always why can we never learn from war? Those who lived through the Great War were led to believe that it was the war to end all wars but really, it has only got worse. Also at the War Memorial is an extensive museum of Australia at war as well as its involvement in peacekeeping actvities in more recent times. There was some surprising honesty at times, publicly questioning activities in the closing days of WWII, for example.
As I left there was a small group of people at the entrance, carrying flowers. I asked a lady what was going on and she said that every day there was a service to remember a dead soldier. Later research shows this to be a new 'tradition', which started only last year. Every day, at 16.55, there is a Last Post Ceremony which includes the story of an individual who died. Each person is nominated and there is already a waiting list. Anyone can lay a wreath at the daily ceremony but pride of place goes to the family or friends of the subject of the day's story. What a wonderful idea.
In the evening, I went to see "The fault in our stars" which was very good. But if you go, do take some tissues.
Sunday, I did more wandering about, taking in the Canberra Museum and Gallery and the National Museum of Australia. I thought the former was rather thin and I wasn't that impressed. Two bits I really liked - a retrospective of Bob Graham who wrote and illustrated children's books and, Growing Up in Downer which was the story of a family living through the early days of Canberra.
The National Museum of Australia is in a modern building which had been designed for the purpose but, I suspect not by someone who has since tried to navigate the place. Yes, I like the idea of innovative architecture but fitness for purpose should play a part in the finished product. There's a lot of good things in this museum and I didn't have enough time left to do it justice.
Somewhere along the way I also managed to watch Australia lose against Chile and England do the same with Italy. Both matches were at 08.00 here. The next matches are not so kindly timed, I think they'll be at 02.00. I suppose I should really be supporting South Korea as my third team....their first match is at 08.00 on Wednesday morning when I shall be in transit to Melbourne, sorry neighbours.
Monday, 16 June 2014
Friday, 13 June 2014
Day Three Blue Mountains
Another glorious day dawned. I checked out of the YHA but could continue to use the facilities during the day. How helpful! I lost track of time and missed my bus but then worked out that if I walked through a couple of streets, then I could pick it up further down the route. I returned to the Everglades House & Gardens which was even more beautiful with the mist removed. The house was fascinating too, all art deco with incredible views out to the mountains. I could almost live there! Nice cake too. The lady on reception pointed me in the right direction and added to my map collection, so that I could commence my walk to Gordon Falls.
The plan was to do a walk, then have a look round Leura, the neighbouring village to Katoomba, and catch the bus back to the hostel for my dinner then get an evening train to Sydney. However, the day was so beautiful and the track quiet, that I carried on walking. The path is along the top/edge/side of the cliff on which Leura and Katoomba sit. I didn't like to think too much about how far from 'down there' I was at times, but it was spectacular. The path is not flat. If you're following a sign to a lookout, then that is generally up and looking out (!). If you're going to a falls, then that tends to be down so you can appreciate the watery features from below. In between, the path might be flat and concrete, hilly and muddy, stony and root-riddled, up or down metal stairs, ascending or descending stone carved and footworn steps. All the while, scenic with varying temperate rainforest vegetation, some birds and lots of quiet.
The big tourist attractions like Scenic World and Echo Point are quite busy but not so many people get out for a walk, so it was really great and you could enjoy even more incredible views from many of the other viewing locations all on your own. No-one cluttering up the viewfinder.
Although the signage could have been a little more helpful. I did do some doubling back as none of my maps would show the name of the signed lookout, usually just along 'there' a bit, and the signs wouldn't say if the lookout was on the route I was following, the Prince Henry Cliff Walk, or down a dead end. Not to worry, it was all lovely and beautiful and gave me a bit more exercise! Mind you, I was better equipped with maps than some people. I was able to direct and save a couple of groups of people from going the long, wrong way.
By the end of the day, my legs knew they'd been working but I still resisted taking the bus the long way round to save the walk back up from Echo Point to the hostel.
And then to Sydney Central YHA, right by the station. What a contrast to be back in the city. I really enjoyed the Blue Mountains. Thanks to Paul for suggesting the visit.
Pictures to follow!
The plan was to do a walk, then have a look round Leura, the neighbouring village to Katoomba, and catch the bus back to the hostel for my dinner then get an evening train to Sydney. However, the day was so beautiful and the track quiet, that I carried on walking. The path is along the top/edge/side of the cliff on which Leura and Katoomba sit. I didn't like to think too much about how far from 'down there' I was at times, but it was spectacular. The path is not flat. If you're following a sign to a lookout, then that is generally up and looking out (!). If you're going to a falls, then that tends to be down so you can appreciate the watery features from below. In between, the path might be flat and concrete, hilly and muddy, stony and root-riddled, up or down metal stairs, ascending or descending stone carved and footworn steps. All the while, scenic with varying temperate rainforest vegetation, some birds and lots of quiet.
The big tourist attractions like Scenic World and Echo Point are quite busy but not so many people get out for a walk, so it was really great and you could enjoy even more incredible views from many of the other viewing locations all on your own. No-one cluttering up the viewfinder.
Although the signage could have been a little more helpful. I did do some doubling back as none of my maps would show the name of the signed lookout, usually just along 'there' a bit, and the signs wouldn't say if the lookout was on the route I was following, the Prince Henry Cliff Walk, or down a dead end. Not to worry, it was all lovely and beautiful and gave me a bit more exercise! Mind you, I was better equipped with maps than some people. I was able to direct and save a couple of groups of people from going the long, wrong way.
By the end of the day, my legs knew they'd been working but I still resisted taking the bus the long way round to save the walk back up from Echo Point to the hostel.
And then to Sydney Central YHA, right by the station. What a contrast to be back in the city. I really enjoyed the Blue Mountains. Thanks to Paul for suggesting the visit.
Pictures to follow!
Thursday, 12 June 2014
A few more shots from Sydney
Health & safety Sydney style
We shall not let you read about us....
Bat mobile - "Fruit bats" by Lin Onus at Art Gallery of NSW
Snazzy bat capes
"Alien toy painting" by Yinka Shonibare, such fun - there are 75 of these, all different!
Surf's up at Bondi
Didn't know that I liked Grayson Perry but this is brilliant, "Map of truths and beliefs" Art Gallery of NSW
Wednesday, 11 June 2014
Day Two in the Blue Mountains
Well, they call them mountains but the highest point is Mount Coricudgy at 1255 metres and the biggest in the whole of Australia is Mount Kosciuszko at 2228 metres. Val Thorens resort is 2300m and that's before you go uphill for the skiing. However, it is all very beautiful. Big isn't everything. There's a lot of walking trails and bushwalking opportunities around here. Katoomba is pretty close to the edge of a cliff, so there's a whole host of epic views down and across, with sandstone cliff faces showing the ravages of time and waterfalls continuing the work. You can also walk up and down hill quite a bit. Katoomba was originally a mining 'town', producing coal and shale. The railway serving to bring the coal out of the ground found itself in demand by gentlefolk out on their country walks and eventually, as mining disappeared, the railway became a tourist transport device getting people back up the hill without all the exertion. These days, there is the railway "the steepest passenger rail service in the world", with a length of 415 metres covering a vertical drop of 206 metres, a cableway (cablecar to me and you) covering the same route as the railway and, the skyway (a cablecar across a big gap) featuring my favourite construction details such as floor to ceiling glass and an added extra of being able to see through the floor if you stand in a special bit in the middle. The walkway is an elevated 2.4km boardwalk through temperate rainforest on the valley floor. I did all of these bar the skyway....
After lunch, I got that red bus to a point further along the cliff top to Echo Point and a rock formation called The Three Sisters (via a place with the word 'chocolate' in its title which I left empty handed!). I did approach the Sisters and got within a few yards of the first one, with only a small bridge left separating us. It was near enough. The route down to that point was the beginning of something called The Giant Stairway. It had been my plan to descend the stairway and go along the valley floor back to the railway and up to Katoomba again. But, steep rock steps doesn't mean I can't cope but narrow and next to a cliff edge is usually off my agenda and my nerves were not wanting to be tested. So, plan B. The Prince Henry Cliff Walk. That had plenty of scenic views and lookout points. I also managed to find an alternative set of steps - the Furber Steps - back nearer to Katoomba which went down, down Peter and down to the valley. They were rock steps and metal stairs, as well as muddy pathways and wood edged walkways. Entertaining and I was glad not to be doing them in the opposite direction!
By contrast to yesterday, today's weather was lovely. In the morning, it was sunny but with a temperature inversion which meant there was cloud in the valley below us. This cleared in the middle of the day and then returned sporadically later on. Lots of pictures of scenery were captured, of course.
On the return journey, I sat at the bottom of the train and pointed my camera down the track and videoed it all. At its steepest, this track is at 52 degrees incline. The ladies sitting behind me hadn't quite grasped the significance of this until the train started moving and they tried to slide into me! They fell about laughing. It only takes about a minute but it's pretty amazing.
Tomorrow I shall do some more walking if the weather is nice; revisit the Everglades and say goodbye to the quaint and kooky shops and establishments of Katoomba. Back to Sydney in the evening and a new YHA for one night.
After lunch, I got that red bus to a point further along the cliff top to Echo Point and a rock formation called The Three Sisters (via a place with the word 'chocolate' in its title which I left empty handed!). I did approach the Sisters and got within a few yards of the first one, with only a small bridge left separating us. It was near enough. The route down to that point was the beginning of something called The Giant Stairway. It had been my plan to descend the stairway and go along the valley floor back to the railway and up to Katoomba again. But, steep rock steps doesn't mean I can't cope but narrow and next to a cliff edge is usually off my agenda and my nerves were not wanting to be tested. So, plan B. The Prince Henry Cliff Walk. That had plenty of scenic views and lookout points. I also managed to find an alternative set of steps - the Furber Steps - back nearer to Katoomba which went down, down Peter and down to the valley. They were rock steps and metal stairs, as well as muddy pathways and wood edged walkways. Entertaining and I was glad not to be doing them in the opposite direction!
By contrast to yesterday, today's weather was lovely. In the morning, it was sunny but with a temperature inversion which meant there was cloud in the valley below us. This cleared in the middle of the day and then returned sporadically later on. Lots of pictures of scenery were captured, of course.
On the return journey, I sat at the bottom of the train and pointed my camera down the track and videoed it all. At its steepest, this track is at 52 degrees incline. The ladies sitting behind me hadn't quite grasped the significance of this until the train started moving and they tried to slide into me! They fell about laughing. It only takes about a minute but it's pretty amazing.
Tomorrow I shall do some more walking if the weather is nice; revisit the Everglades and say goodbye to the quaint and kooky shops and establishments of Katoomba. Back to Sydney in the evening and a new YHA for one night.
Katoomba, it's not a city
The journey away from Sydney on Tuesday was grey and damp and drear. The Scots have a word for it: "dreich". I found the YHA on what seems like the main street of Katoomba. No mod cons here in this 1918 art deco place that was called Homesdale. I think it started life as a guest house. To be fair it is an interesting building but I think it's overdue a refresh. There is wifi obviously but it gets a bit flaky by the time you're down the other end of the building where my room is. The room is a reasonable size for the 5 residents but there are only two power sockets, we had two each at Sydney! And it has taken a day and a half for the light in my end of the room still not to be fixed.
Off out for lunch and over the road was a place that had potential, it even had the word 'vegan' on its menu. I had 90 minutes until the tourist bus left. I was pointed in the direction of a table for one upstairs on a little balcony, not shown to my table mind you. After a while, someone showed up and I ordered my lunch - a coffee, poached eggs on sourdough and a piece of carrot cake. The coffee came rather slowly, but it was speedy compared to the main. A couple of girls near me were fidgeting for attention, even taking to leaning over the edge of the balcony to attract attention. My food was warm but not hot and the eggs seemed greasy, more like fried than poached. Meanwhile the carrots were being grown somewhere. Then harvested carefully by some underpaid farmworker, packed into individually hand-crafted boxes, put on a slow boat to China, returning to Australia some time later where they lingered awaiting their fate. Eventually, they would become a jolly lovely carrot cake of good proportion fed to someone who'd forgotten what they'd had for their main course. I had to ask twice if I could have my cake and no-one seemed at all apologetic about the fact. I have no idea what they were upto because while perusing the action downstairs (which I had plenty of time to do) I could see staff wandering about, seemingly not doing a great deal. The food did look interesting and a bit hip, but goodness me, get the service sorted out.
The bus, however, turned up on time. It's a tourist, hop on, hop off thing that loops round the sights of Katoomba and Leura. And yes, it's a red, double decker London bus. I bought a 3 day pass as a bundle with my rail ticket. The driver does his guiding you along bit, persuading you of the merits of each of the 29 stops especially when there's not a lot of visibility and much of the attraction to this area is the spectacular scenery. I think he was slightly upset that I already knew where I wanted to go (one positive aspect to having all that time waiting for my lunch to arrive). I went to the Everglades Historic House and Gardens. Such peace and calm and beauty after the hurly burly and excitement of Sydney. The gardens were lovely, really quite European in style and planting, and beautifully landscaped. I shall have to return to see the house as I didn't have enough time before the place shut. And it was free as I'm a member of the National Trust and Everglades is an Australian NT property.
Still on my cultural journey from Sydney, I stopped off at the local cinema and bought a ticket for later. Only trouble was the film "A million ways to die in the West"! Liam Neeson was good as the baddy, Charlize Theron was the pretty cow-girl and the plot was a bit tenuous. But for $8.50 it wasn't too bad.
The usual mixture for a day with me!
Off out for lunch and over the road was a place that had potential, it even had the word 'vegan' on its menu. I had 90 minutes until the tourist bus left. I was pointed in the direction of a table for one upstairs on a little balcony, not shown to my table mind you. After a while, someone showed up and I ordered my lunch - a coffee, poached eggs on sourdough and a piece of carrot cake. The coffee came rather slowly, but it was speedy compared to the main. A couple of girls near me were fidgeting for attention, even taking to leaning over the edge of the balcony to attract attention. My food was warm but not hot and the eggs seemed greasy, more like fried than poached. Meanwhile the carrots were being grown somewhere. Then harvested carefully by some underpaid farmworker, packed into individually hand-crafted boxes, put on a slow boat to China, returning to Australia some time later where they lingered awaiting their fate. Eventually, they would become a jolly lovely carrot cake of good proportion fed to someone who'd forgotten what they'd had for their main course. I had to ask twice if I could have my cake and no-one seemed at all apologetic about the fact. I have no idea what they were upto because while perusing the action downstairs (which I had plenty of time to do) I could see staff wandering about, seemingly not doing a great deal. The food did look interesting and a bit hip, but goodness me, get the service sorted out.
The bus, however, turned up on time. It's a tourist, hop on, hop off thing that loops round the sights of Katoomba and Leura. And yes, it's a red, double decker London bus. I bought a 3 day pass as a bundle with my rail ticket. The driver does his guiding you along bit, persuading you of the merits of each of the 29 stops especially when there's not a lot of visibility and much of the attraction to this area is the spectacular scenery. I think he was slightly upset that I already knew where I wanted to go (one positive aspect to having all that time waiting for my lunch to arrive). I went to the Everglades Historic House and Gardens. Such peace and calm and beauty after the hurly burly and excitement of Sydney. The gardens were lovely, really quite European in style and planting, and beautifully landscaped. I shall have to return to see the house as I didn't have enough time before the place shut. And it was free as I'm a member of the National Trust and Everglades is an Australian NT property.
Still on my cultural journey from Sydney, I stopped off at the local cinema and bought a ticket for later. Only trouble was the film "A million ways to die in the West"! Liam Neeson was good as the baddy, Charlize Theron was the pretty cow-girl and the plot was a bit tenuous. But for $8.50 it wasn't too bad.
The usual mixture for a day with me!
Tuesday, 10 June 2014
Some pictures from the last few days
An interactive piece at Vivid Sydney
The 'tree' building
Same again but with lights
Sunset
Stylish wash basins at Sydney Opera House
This has been shut since the end of April, presumably because it's too cold for the delicate Australians
Womble goes surfing!
Or at least catches the bus to Bondi beach! The weather wasn't the best but I splashed out on a return bus ticket for $9.20 and hoped I would be able to work out where to get off. There's none of this nice, talking bus information or dot messages about the upcoming stop here in Sydney you know. So 20th century. You can even pay with *money* on some buses! In fact, it's a bit of a mess really. On some buses you have to get a ticket before you board at certain times of day. So you have the situation where some people want to pay by cash and they might be able to depending upon the time; others have bought a ticket with a magnetic strip which needs to go clunk in the machine and out again and others yet have an Opal card which looks like it might be something akin to an Oyster. I don't know how you get an Opal card as a visitor as the ads all say to get one online, which I presume means the thing is then sent to you.... Apologies if this is not correct. I give a tourist's eye view here. Sometimes you realise how good some things are at home and how we take them for granted.
Where was I? Ah yes, well, to be brutally honest, I was a bit disappointed. Bondi beach has this reputation for sun, sea, surf, beautiful people, life-savers...... And it's a nice beach with something like Poole or Bournemouth immediately behind it (at least it's not Newquay). The surf looked good and the sand is very fine and soft on the toes but really, the 4 Mile Beach at Port Douglas is so much more beautiful. I think the most amazing beach I've ever stepped on is still the north west coast of Pemba. There were people in the surf at Bondi, although it seems a lot of surfing involves paddling out and waiting for the right wave to turn up. There's a coastal path which gets good use by runners and walkers (not so many cyclists due to the hills and steps I suppose), so I followed that. There were some gorgeous views, especially when it wasn't raining.
There was one of those 'people on the bus' on the way back, commenting on every groan of the engine as there was obviously a problem underneath us somewhere. The lady and her husband (Aussies) eventually got off to go the Australian museum "Well if we go to Circular Quay then it'll take us 20 minutes to get back again and we've been on this bus for over an hour and I didn't know which we were coming back into Sydney and if we'd caught a taxi it would have been much quicker because there's a bus stop every 50 metres don't you think it's ridiculous oh look there's an aboriginal art sale....". There were definitely people talking about her once she'd gone. Blitz spirit I think we call it.
To mark the passing of my last full day in Sydney I opted for a takeaway pizza from the pub next door, along with a bottle of wine. It was raining, I know you shouldn't buy take-out from a pub, ok? Anyway, it costed in quite well as they refunded me half the cost of the pizza when I pointed that it wasn't to my specification of "please leave out the zucchini". And the pizza was lovely when I finally got it. So, the lights of Vivid have now dimmed for the final time and I have to sort my bag for departure in the morning. I'm off to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. Definitely not a city. It will be different to the last week.
Where was I? Ah yes, well, to be brutally honest, I was a bit disappointed. Bondi beach has this reputation for sun, sea, surf, beautiful people, life-savers...... And it's a nice beach with something like Poole or Bournemouth immediately behind it (at least it's not Newquay). The surf looked good and the sand is very fine and soft on the toes but really, the 4 Mile Beach at Port Douglas is so much more beautiful. I think the most amazing beach I've ever stepped on is still the north west coast of Pemba. There were people in the surf at Bondi, although it seems a lot of surfing involves paddling out and waiting for the right wave to turn up. There's a coastal path which gets good use by runners and walkers (not so many cyclists due to the hills and steps I suppose), so I followed that. There were some gorgeous views, especially when it wasn't raining.
There was one of those 'people on the bus' on the way back, commenting on every groan of the engine as there was obviously a problem underneath us somewhere. The lady and her husband (Aussies) eventually got off to go the Australian museum "Well if we go to Circular Quay then it'll take us 20 minutes to get back again and we've been on this bus for over an hour and I didn't know which we were coming back into Sydney and if we'd caught a taxi it would have been much quicker because there's a bus stop every 50 metres don't you think it's ridiculous oh look there's an aboriginal art sale....". There were definitely people talking about her once she'd gone. Blitz spirit I think we call it.
To mark the passing of my last full day in Sydney I opted for a takeaway pizza from the pub next door, along with a bottle of wine. It was raining, I know you shouldn't buy take-out from a pub, ok? Anyway, it costed in quite well as they refunded me half the cost of the pizza when I pointed that it wasn't to my specification of "please leave out the zucchini". And the pizza was lovely when I finally got it. So, the lights of Vivid have now dimmed for the final time and I have to sort my bag for departure in the morning. I'm off to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. Definitely not a city. It will be different to the last week.
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