Day 19

Our final full day in Sydney and Australia, tomorrow afternoon (Thursday) we begin our 25 hour trek back to Cincinnati.

We got up early today to get downstairs to say goodbye to the rest of our group, as they make their way to Fiji or home. The morning is bright sunny and warm, best day since arriving in Sydney on Sunday night. After wishing our farewells and getting names, numbers, addresses and emails from the many friends we made on the trip, Mary and I took off for a couple of hours of seeing Sydney on foot.

Our Bridge climb was not until 11, so we had a few hours to visit a couple of places we were not able to squeeze in with the group. First stop, St Mary’s Cathedral a 15 minute walk from our hotel, built in the late 1800’s but completed in the 1960’s and home to the Bishop of NSW, who has recently made a Cardinal.

We also visited the Queen Victoria Building, home to 100’s of high end shopping establishments and already completely decorated for Christmas. The focal point is a huge Christmas Tree in the center that is over three stories high, decorated with Swarovski Crystal ornaments, and seen from each of the three floors.

With time getting close, we started the 20 minute walk towards the location where the bridge climb would begin. All the way there Mary kept commenting on the fact she did not feel scared, but you could tell the way she said it there was a bit of apprehension in her voice. We arrived at 10:30, the time we were instructed, only to be told that we would be called at 10:55, so there was plenty of time to shop.

At 10:55 we made our way to the second floor where there was a 10 minute video on what to expect once our group (11 of us) was called into the next room. They called our group and we went into the first area, where we completed a medical form, took a breathalyzer test ( I guess there are some that might want a “bump” or two before), and were told what we could take with us on the climb, which is nothing. All watches, bracelets, hats, cell phones, cameras went into a locker, and the key was on a lanyard. Next we were measured for a blue and grey jumpsuit, and it was suggested we strip down to our skivvies as the temperature was warming up.

Once we had changed and put everything in our locker it was off to the next staging area. Here we put on a safety belt with a specially designed clip that would tether us to a cable from the time we left the building until we returned. Once we all had our belts secured it was off to the next staging areas where we practiced ascending and descending up a series of ladders that we would encounter along the way. Oh, I forgot to mention we were assigned a guide in the second standing area that would accompany us on our climb, her name was Nat, short for Natalie.

With almost everything ready, we went to the final staging area where we were we we’re outfitted with special clips to secure sunglasses, given bridge climb hats with a hook that secured them, and even a handkerchief that was attached to our wrist. The final piece of equipment was a radio with headphones so we could hear our guide along the way. Now we were ready, entered the queue to wait for our turn.

It was our turn, so we headed out of the builtding and across a ramp that took us to the firs level where we could actually see the ground below. As we made our way on a very narrow walkway which was nothing more then two 2 x 8’s side by side with a hand rail made from a pipe about three feet high on each side. At this point I would say we were about 50 or so feet above the ground, and we made our way on this for about 100 yards until we reached the stone structure that was a part of the bridge.

With that behind us we approached the series of four flights of ladders that would take us up to the start of the climb. We were warned, but it is a bit unnerving as you climb up these ladders between lanes seven and eight of the cars and trucks crossing the bridge. Once we got through this section we were at the base of the arched span and the walk was on steps with a handrail, but is about 5′ wide and solid, so it became much easier. We made a couple of stops along the way for photos, as cameras were firmly attached in a few spots, and to keep spacing between us and the group in front of us.

After about two hours we reached the summit and had a couple of pictures taken, one with the Opera House in the background and the other as we crossed the again narrow walk from one side of the bridge to the other. There we were 135 meter, or 440 feet above Sydney Harbor!

It was a great climb, Mary did terrific, with only a little aprension during the first 100 yards and on the ladders, after that it was a piece of cake. We would recommend this to anyone visiting Sydney, as it was the highlight of the trip. The entire climb took right at three hours.

We finished off our day with a Shakesperean Comedy at the Opera House, a great ending to a great trip. Tomorrow we have a few hours in the morning to get things organized before being picked up for our flights back home.

Day 17

I guess I made one too many comments about the good weather we have been having, because today as we boarded the bus for a tour of downtown Sydney it was pouring. However, we were in the bus with the exception of a few stops to take pictures so not as bad as it could have been. As we drove around the city, I couldn’t help but think I could have been in New York City, with the buildings, plenty of traffic, and every other car a taxi.

We visited a couple of parks as well as viewed the Sydney Bridge and Opera House from the hills above, spectacular view even in the rain. Once we had heard stories of Sydney and saw the major points of interest it was off to the Opera House. On arrival we met a tour guide just outside, who gave us a set of headphones and instructions, like ,,,no pictures inside. We heard about the history of the Opera House which was designed by a Danish architect who had won a contest to design the building The Opera House celebrated 40 years, the week we arrived in Australia. Very interesting story about construction, as it took 17 years to build, not 3 as originally thought, cost $102,000,000 versus the $3,000,000 estimated, and the architect resigned under pressure and never saw his project completed.

We had an opportunity to go into two of the five theaters, one where we saw the Sydney Ballet practicing, the other where we listened to the Sydney Symphony practice. Before leaving the Opera House Mary and I purchased tickets to see a Shakespearian Comedy on Wednesday night before we head home on Thursday.

With the morning tour complete we were dropped off at the hotel as we had a couple of hours free time before heading off to the aquarium. Lunch was at an Italian Restaurant we found on the third floor of a shopping area, already decorated for Christmas.

Back in the bus and off to the Aquarium in hopes of seeing the elusive Platypus! We assembled at the entrance, and due to the size of our group , we split into two so as to make it easier to hear our guide. The Aquarium was as expected, housing the types of sea life you would find in and around Australia. When we arrived at the Platypus display, none were in sight. We were told they are very nervous animals and when it gets loud they sometimes retreat to their burrows behind the viewing area, so we decided to continue the tour and double back later. We made our way back before leaving, but no luck, so the only platypus we saw was in a picture.

After the Aquarium we walked a short distance to a restaurant on the water and enjoyed dinner as a group. Following dinner we again boarded the bus and made our way back to the hotel. Mary and I elected to grab our iPads and sit in the lobby and have a nightcap and connect to the Internet. As I have mentioned the Internet is a precious commodity, and The Menzies Hotel offered 30 minutes free, but only in the lobby.

Tomorrow is our last day with the group, as they all head home Wednesday. We will begin the day with a trip to Koala Park, then a bike tour of Sydney, followed by our farewell dinner cruise.

Day 18

We had hoped for better weather, but like yesterday we boarded the bus in the pouring rain. We drove about 45 minutes outside Sydney where we visited Koala Park to see, you guessed it, a Koala Bear. We exited the bus and made our way to an area that had some cover and heard about the Koala Bear, a native animal of Australia. They typically sleep about 20 hours a day, as their food source which consists of leaves from the Eucalyptus tree, have very little nourishment.

One of the handlers took a Koala from its perch in a tree, and set him on a railing where we got a photo op. the Koala are not confined as they are very docile and they told us to keep our eyes open as we roamed the park. In addition to the Koala we saw several types of Kangaroos, Dingos, and although sleeping in a log, we saw a Wombat. Although the Park was interesting the rain made it less then enjoyable, but we walked around anyway and saw all there was to see.

As we boarded the bus for the next stop, an education on Opals, the rain continued. Arriving at the Opal shop, it was still raining but not quite as hard, so there was still hope. A short presentation a brief video, and we were ushered into the store full of Opals of all colors and price range. Mary bought an Opal necklace while we were in Cairns, so we just looked around as we contemplated our afternoon Bike Tour.

There were four in our group that had signed up, Mary and I along with two other women, one from Cincinnati and the other from Orange County, California. We huddled to discuss whether or not we would go, then seeing rain had stopped we decided to take a chance. It turned out to be a great choice, as the sun broke through the clouds and the breeze eased up. We literally rode around Sydney hitting many of the spots we drove by on the bus, but this time we were up close and personal.

The ride, roughly 6 miles mostly along the various harbor areas was a fairly easy trek with only a short section that was up hill. We rode on the harbor around the Opera House, under the Sydney Bridge, and through the streets of China Town. We had a great time and glad we chose to take the chance. The weather cooperated yet again, and it was looking even better for our Harbor Dinner Cruise later this evening. We arrived back at the hotel after our bike ride at 3:45, did a quick turnaround and boarded the bus for the short ride to the Harbor where we would catch the boat for dinner.

This was our last night as a group, so many pictures were taken, goodbyes said and the champagne, wine, and beer flowed freely. We were able to get several great shots of the Sydney Bridge and Opera House, as we cruised the harbor.

After dinner we decided to walk back to the hotel to burn off a few calories, and several others decided to join us, so off we went. When we got a few blocks from the hotel, we decided to head up to the top of one of the office buildings which was home to the “O Bar”. The bar located on the 50th floor rotates slowly giving you a 360 degree view of the city. Mary and I were again joined by four women, three from Cincinnati and the women from OC.

Great way to end a great day! Tomorrow the rest of the tour either heads to Fiji or back to the states, while Mary and I have one last day and night in Sydney. The bridge climb and a play at the Opera House await us.

Day 16

Today is another travel day, and even though we gain two hours going back to Sydney we will not arrive until after 6:00 PM.

Mary and I got up early and sought out the closest church to our hotel, which turned out to be five blocks away. The Mass schedule fit perfectly with our departure time on the bus, so off went to St Mary’s Cathedral. When we arrived we saw a number of men, women, and children dressed in what we thought were Maori People, the first settlers of NZ., then they all sat together and sang most of the songs in what we thought was their native tongue.

After Mass we stopped and said hello to the Priest who had said Mass and told him how much we enjoyed the singing. He then set us straight that it was not the Maori as we thought, but Polynesian.

Back to the hotel and off to the airport. Our first flight was from Christchurch to Aukland, where we connected to our second flight to Sydney. We had to clear through NZ customs when leaving Aukland, and then clear Australia immigration and customs upon arrival in Sydney. All this takes time when trying to get 40 people cleared and gathered to once again board a bus.

The tour group had planned a “Progressive Dinner” but due to late arrival the three restaurants was cut down by one. We had an appetizer and main course at one, then on to another for apple crunch pizza and fresh fruit. We finally got to the hotel at about 10:30 which by our NZ body clock was 12:30, so the bed felt great.

Tomorrow it’s a tour of the city, then the Opera House, and finally the aquarium.

More tomorrow

Day 15

Once again we hit the road early to make the 240 mile trek from the Franz Josef Glacier back to Christchurch where we began our visit of New Zealand last Sunday. Along the way there were the typical stops every couple of hours to stretch legs and hit the bathroom. As we learned over the past week, the roads here in NZ are only two lanes and when you reach a bridge they narrow to one making the drive a slow one, especially in a bus.

Weather today was cooler then we have had the entire trip, and a bit rainy which we have been told is normal for the Western side of the South Island. The low clouds obscured the beautiful mountains and limited much of the scenery as we made our way around the island. The low clouds helped in instances, blocking Mary’s view of the shear cliffs to her left as we made our way along the windy roads descending back into the plains.

We stopped for lunch in the small little town of Hokitika, where we had our first up close experience with the Kea Birds. These parrot like birds are among the many native birds of NZ and grow to the size of an owl. After ordering our lunch we sat at a table on the patio outside, and immediately were approached by one of the employees for instructions on dealing with the Kea birds. He handed us a squeeze bottle filled with water and said when they get close just squirt them with water. They are very brave and if you give them the slightest chance they will swoop in and take the food right off the table.

Upon arriving in Christchurch we did a quick stop at the Garden area in the town center, Christchurch also has the name garden city, and we had about 30 minutes to stretch our legs and view the flowers. It is spring here so some flowers like the daffodils, had passed their prime and the summer flowers were still in their infancy, but we could see that the area would have been very colorful.

We made one more brief stop, as we killed time waiting for our rooms at the hotel, at what is called “Restart”. Restart is an area in the center of Christchurch hit hard by the earthquake in 2011, where the city decided to use shipping containers to create a shopping area to give people hope that they would be rebuilt. The colorful containers are stacked in different ways and created a two block area that houses shops, restaurants, and even a bank.

Tonight we would join a local family for dinner in their home, something we learned had been started several years ago by a local women that wanted to allow foreign visitors to mingle with local residents. We were divided into groups of six and put in a taxi to our hosts home. We arrived at the home of Richard and Barbra Rowe, a cute one story home with flowers in bloom throughout the yard.

Both were Australian born and raised, moving to NZ when Richard, a Professor of Botany was offered a Chair at Christchurch College in 1979. In his 20 years at the college he also had the opportunity to lecture at various colleges around the world, including The University of Oregon and UC Davis in Northern California. Barbara was a teacher in the local school in Christchurch, and retired just a year earlier then her husband.

We had Lamb for dinner and their traditional Pavlova for dessert, topped with Kiwi And Passion Fruit. The lamb was the best we have had since arriving in NZ, and the Pavlova lived up to our expectations. Mary got the recipe from Barbara so I know we will be attempting to make it once we get home.

I spent some time talking with Richard about NZ and what it was like to live, work, and raise a family. The first topic concerned the cost of things, and if this was because we hit all the tourist spots. He said that the main reason for high prices centers on the NZ Government not subsidizing any industry, and the manufacturers and farmers getting world prices even at home. Milk, which is one of NZ’s main exports, is the equivalent of $6.00 per gallon, and Lamb, another big export is as much if not more then we would pay in the states. An interesting fact about lamb, is that they break it down into 3 categories, Lamb the young sheep, Haggis the teen age sheep, and Mutton the older sheep. The typical New Zealander would eat Mutton which are cheaper and tougher but they put them in stew and slow cook for a long time.

I also learned that minimum wage is $14.00 per hour, which is why things in the restaurants are so expensive.

Another Great Day.

Tomorrow is another travel day as we fly back to Sydney for our final week.

Quick Note

I just want to apologize for some of the typo’s and grammatical errors as I read through some of the blogs on the bus ride. Writing with one finger on my iPad and trying to rush before Internet goes away (precious commodity here), I have failed to read through what I have written.

We are heading back to Sydney this afternoon, so hope to get yesterday’s blog tonight or tomorrow.

See you all soon.

Day 14

Another long day, spent mainly in the bus with the exception of a few stops to stretch the legs, take a few pictures, and then lunch, before making the final trek to the Glacier.

Today was the 25th anniversary of the commercializatIon of Bungy Jumping in New Zealand, started by a man named AJ Hackett. We passed over the bridge next to where it all started and where later in the day a big celebration was planned. Paper said that they have even got their first customer, an American coming for the festivities.

Our first stop was a fruit stand in Cromwell, know all over NZ for growing fruits, from Apples and Pears, to Kiwis and Pears and a few others as well. Mary and I eyed the grapes and after a taste elected to buy a bag to eat on the bus. It wasn’t until we got back in the bus that we saw stamped on the bag, Product of USA, California! Oh well, they were good.

We continued on our journey making a couple of quick stops for pictures then a lunch break. After lunch it was off to Franz Josef still over 50 mies away on a two lane road with dozens of one way bridges. We got delayed slightly when we came upon an area of the road where there had been a landslide a few weeks earlier and they were working on cleaning it up so traffic down to one lane. Not very comforting driving along narrow two lane roads with mountains on one side with a habit of rock slides, and a 1000 foot drop on the other side. Bus driver said that last 3 tours he drove had to be diverted to another road which meant hours of additional driving, we were lucky.

Again, the views out the windows continue to be incredible with the snow capped mountains in the distance and the lush green vegetation up the mountain to the snow line. The streams and rivers are spectacular and once again waterfalls everywhere.

Upon arriving at the Glacier, we had a few choices, Mary had planned on taking a helicopter up to the Glacier, and I opted to walk the 2 1/2 miles up to the edge of the Glacier. Turns out I made the right choice, as the clouds came in reducing visibility and the copters were grounded. The closest we could get to the Glacier was about 1/2 mile, as there have been incidents of ice breaking off and traveling down the valley.

In this area, it is one of two places in the world where Glaciers actually touch a rainforest, here and in Chile, The rainforest averages about 200 inches of rain per year, while the mountains above average between 70 and 100 feet of snow!

We have been blessed with great weather so far, hearing on many occasions that this is not typical weather. We packed for all types of weather including cold and rain, but have so far been able to avoid all the nasty weather.

Day 13

What a Day! We both would rate this as one of the top days thus far, just hard to top snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef, but close.

It started early with Laundry (didn’t say everything was exciting), then picked up at hotel by a Range Rover to take us on a 4 hour tour. The tour Middle Earth comes from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, by JRR Tolkien, and they took us to see several places where the film was shot. All of you know how much Mary enjoys these type of fantasy type things, so she was excited.

They took us to the top of one of the lower mountain ranges where we could look down over Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu, what a view! Then one of the guides (we had 4 range rovers in our group), had a book and showed us a scene from the movie and where it was shot. We made several similar stops climbing mountains, forging rivers, and panning for gold. As happens on most of the tours in both Australia and New Zealand, you always stop for morning or afternoon tea. All in all it was a great time climbing the mountains on narrow dirt roads 1000 feet in the air!

One of the stops high above one of the rivers, we watched some people bungee jump from a specially made bridge and platform high above the river. Then it was back to the hotel for a short stop, grab a quick lunch, then get ready for part two.

The next excursion was a jet boat on the Shotover River. We donned rain ponchos and a life vest, had a brief safety briefing then boarded a specially designed jet boat, which is nothing more then an oversized jet ski designed for 14 people. We started by traveling up river for a brief warmup and a “Kodak Moment” where photographers were strategically placed to get that perfect action shot.

Now that pictures were taken we pointed the boat downstream and took off like a rocket. Traveling at speeds up to 45 miles and hour through the river canyon that in spots was no more then 20 yards wide. I ended up in the front seat on the edge, so could see just how close we came. Traveling at high speeds we traveled about 5 miles downriver doing a couple of 360’s along the way! In some parts of the river the water was only about 1 1/2 feet deep. We could not take pictures as you can imagine but they do have a website which I will add later in the blog so you can hopefully take a look. Then it was back to the hotel for an hour or so to rest up and get ready for our dinner cruise.

The final event for the day was a bit more relaxing. We boarded a 100 year old steam ship that took us across Lake Wakatipu, where we were having dinner. The trip was about one hour and took us to the far side of the lake, where we got off the boat at The Walter Peak High Country Farms. We had another good meal and then were given a short tour of the farm, actually a ranch with Sheep and some Angus Cattle. We were also given our second sheep shearing demonstration. Then it was back on the boat for the hour trip back to the Queenstown Marina.

Tomorrow is another early day, with luggage outside our door at 7:00 AM and on the bus at 8, for. The drive from Queenstown to the Franz Josef Glacier on the Western side of the South Island of NZ.

The website for the Jet Boats is http://www.shotoverjet.com if you go to this site you will be able to click on the short video and see an advertisement clip that is exactly what we experienced.

And thanks to everyone for all the Birthday wishes, can’t think of a more special and memorable place to spend a birthday!

Day 12

Today was another long day (as if there have been any short ones), on the bus at 7:30 for the 4 hour 175 mile trip to Milford Sound. Located on the North West side of the Island it is only about 45 miles from where we are in Queenstown, but we have Lake Wakatipu and a large range of mountains, so the only way to get there is by driving around everything.

As we left in the morning the sun was rising over the mountains, and there were low clouds sitting in the sky, making a great view with the lake, mountains, blue sky, and white clouds
Mixed in. Our drive took us through rolling, dotted with cattle and sheep ranches, as well as several ranches where deer are raised. We passed a number of large lakes one is the second largest in NZ, the other not as big, but billed as the largest fresh water lake in NZ, in that it is over 1000′ deep.

As we drove by lakes and over rivers and streams, the clear blue water which began as snow at the higher elevations created hundreds of waterfalls that were everywhere you looked. The rivers we passed over were so crystal clear that you could see the rocks on the bottom. We stopped several times along the way to take pictures at “scenic overlooks”, and even parked along the road before crossing one of the many one lane bridges we encountered on our trip.

The 175 mile journey was on a so called two lane road, I’d call it 1 1/2 lanes, a dozen one lane bridges where when traffic was approaching from both directions, you took turns. There was even a 3/4 mile tunnel that was one lane, where there was a stop light directing traffic. On our way to the Sound, the tunnel actual drops 400′ in the 3/4 miles.

Once at the Sound, we boarded a boat that took us out to the Tasman Sea, and back during a roughly 3 hour cruise. During the cruise we saw waterfalls, snow capped mountains, Fur seals, and even a Penguin. The weather was absolutely gorgeous which is a rare treat in that this area gets roughly 300″ of rain each year. The highlight is Mitre Peak, named such because of its resemblance to a Bishop’s mitre (hat), and is considered Milford Sounds most famous landmark.

After our cruise it was back to the bus for the 4 hour ride back. We arrived back at 7:45 PM, then joined two other couples for dinner, in that it was my birthday and one of the wives birthday.

Tomorrow is another busy day, a jeep ride through middle earth, for all you Lord of the Rings fans, in the morning. A jet boat ride on the Shotover River in the afternoon, then a Lake Cruise on a 100 year old steamer ship followed by dinner.

We are both exhausted at the end of the day, but have enjoyed every minute!

Until Tomorrow!

Day 11

Today was another day of driving through the scenic countryside of New Zealand, ultimately arriving in Queenstown tonight. Again, it is hard to describe the landscape of this island nation, as it seems as if the views get more dramatic with every mile.

Our first stop was a small town by the name of Omarama which means The Place of light. They say that because of the way this city sits between the mountains when the moon is full you can read a newspaper at midnight. We stopped for lunch, and Mary finally found a Woolen Sweater she like made there in New Zealand. Expensive stop 🙂

After Omarama we were off to Gibbston Winery, one of the oldest in NZ. We had a short tour of the vineyards where they explained a little about the vines and grapes the grew, mainly Pinot Noir but they do also have a couple other varieties. After the vineyards it was off to the first wine cave in NZ where we saw barrels fermenting and a closed area with rare wines they have made over the years. They are not a huge producer so most of their wine is sold in either NZ or Australia. I asked about shipping to the US, and they quoted me $255.00 a case………plus the cost of the wine!!! Oh, we did taste 3 of their more popular wines which were very good.

After the winery it was off to another small town, Arrowtown, named for the Arrow River that runs through the town. This town was part of the Gold Rush in the late 1800’s, and a section of the town still remains as it did at that time. A brief stop to walk around visit a few stops and then back on the bus for the 30 minutes or so to Queenstown.

We arrived at our Hotel, The Novotel Lakeside, and after a quick turnaround back on the bus for a quick jaunt to the gondola that would take us the 1500′ up to our restaurant, Skyline (really), but because of the great view of Lake Wakatipu. After dinner we saw a short 30 minute performance by the Maori, the original people to settle NZ, and their famous Kiwi Haka dance, now being used by several sports teams.

Queenstown was originally founded as an 1860’s gold mining camp. Nestled on the shores of beautiful Lake Wakatipu, it is surrounded by the Remarkables mountain range. Queens town is know for it’s Extreme Sports, including bungee jumping, paragliding, Jet Boats, and much more. As Mary and I walked through the little town square by our hotel, it seems as if every other store was involved in sporting goods or sports related clothing.

Tomorrow we head to the Milford Sound, another long day.