Don't panic Henderson family - we're in the airport waiting for the flight home so shouldn't miss the wedding !
Unfortunately the Telstra SIM card we got in Australia for the Blogging gadget didn't work in Singapore and we figured it wasn't worth getting a brand new one for 2 days so no blog until now.
What have we done with our time in Singapore? Got sore feet for starters - we gave up today and used the BRILLIANT underground (MRT) a bit more. On the day we arrived we hit Orchard Road which is basically lots of shops. Had to buy a long skirt for Kay who forgot that a proportion of Singapore is Hindu and Muslim and if she wanted to see any temples she really shouldn't show legs or shoulders! Martyn thinks that was just an excuse but he can't say a word because on the second day we were here we went on a walking tour of Little India and then found this place called Sim Lim Square. Martyn described it as 5 floors of every computer fair he has ever been to. I think he was in heaven. Anyway, he said he would only need one hour there as he knew exactly what he wanted. Needless to say 5 hours, lunch AND A LOT MORE than what we went in for later he declared himself gadgetted out. I nearly fainted. He said that was it for at least a year but then he saw the Lifestyle Electronics shop in duty free. I give up - he's addicted!
Yesterday was National Day here - the day Singapore gained independence so there was a big fireworks display and celebration. We did not have much success with viewing the celebrations - we saw big chinook helicopters dragging Singaporean flags along - martyn didn't get the video camera out in time. Then there was a fly over by a load of jets - just as we were under this huge umbrella thing. Then we thought the fireworks would be at 9 or 10 o'clock so went for dinner at 7.30 pm. At 8pm we sat in restaurant and listened to the fireworks. We did have a laugh though. Went on a bumboat ride along the river and marvelled at the still more shops that line the Quays.
Today we went to Sentosa Island and went on a cable car, luge ride (650m of go-cart cum sledge thing down a concrete slope - mad) then we went on a ski lift type thing back up the hill. Thought we ought to do something cultural so went to history of Singapore museum thing - very good. Then went to China Town - more shops and the odd temple.
This is a truly shopping oriented place and very humid but we have had fun.
Time to go home now.
See you all soon.
Kay and Martyn
PS - we are now expert at repacking in the middle of the airport floor so that all of Marts gadgets can be checked in after claiming tax back!
Friday 10 August 2007
Tuesday 7 August 2007
Correction to last nights comment, german trouser man is actually dutch trouser man. He exclaimed this loudly in the car park before getting in his hire car and putting it in drive, rather than reverse - we nearly had him driving through our front wall!
We are actually here a day early, we blew out Geraldton earlier last week, which allowed us to spend the day here before flying back to perth.. this is when we realised that the Canarvon'airians don't like to boast much about their tourist attractions.. there is actually more written in Lonely Planet about one mile jetty and the 'dish' than there is at these attractions. Our favorite for this was the 'dish'..
While the radio-telescope was decomissioned in the 80's it still stands on the hill above town, so we voyaged (on foot!) all 6km from town and expected to pay to get in and stay a while... however this wasn't to be - we ambled up - right up to it, then walked up it 1/2 way, then down again , then looked for some information... didn't find any, so walked back to town.. an opportunity missed Carnarvon to make a few dollars and tell us about the tracking station.... hey ho.. more word puzzles it is then.
the second highlight of the day was finding the inflatable banana - possibly more cool than the info-less dish but probably because our expectations were lower. although they might have had the decency to put it horizontal as it did look a little rude from a distance
I apologise in advance for the toilet humour that is to follow (excuse the pun - all will make sense.....) but seriously the absolute highlight of the day was the public toilet we found. unbelievably fantastic and you should definately visit carnarvon just to experience it. I don't know what was funnier - the loo or the look on the locals face as they walked passed and martyn and I were in fits and yelping as we discovered something new......
l'm not kidding about any of this - you didn't have to pay but you pressed a button to open the door, you got 10 mins (which seems like a long time but there were so many toys in there !) it played music and told you to hurry up if the music stopped and the alarm sounded (door opening soon!) it had an automatic hand washer and no flusher for the loo - it did it automatically when you put your hands in the sink. you had to press a button for the toilet roll to dispense (precisely 5 squares !) - and then if all these delights meant you took too long you got caught in the self cleaning cycle and got wet feet as the thing washed its own floor !
We also learned that us brits are obviously not laid back enough.. after spending the day battling with kays very difficult puzzlebock we sat down for some pizza before heading for the airport.. we realised once our pizza arrived that we should have really been at canarvon airport as our flight was only an hour away.. after scoffing down the pizza and sprinting down the street we fueled up the rental truck and sped to the airport. We made it there at 6.00 for a 6.55 flight... this is when we realised we were not the last to check in, but the first! - the lady at the check in desk told us that the locals are pretty bad and often turn up 10 minutes before the flight left! .. phew.
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We are actually here a day early, we blew out Geraldton earlier last week, which allowed us to spend the day here before flying back to perth.. this is when we realised that the Canarvon'airians don't like to boast much about their tourist attractions.. there is actually more written in Lonely Planet about one mile jetty and the 'dish' than there is at these attractions. Our favorite for this was the 'dish'..
While the radio-telescope was decomissioned in the 80's it still stands on the hill above town, so we voyaged (on foot!) all 6km from town and expected to pay to get in and stay a while... however this wasn't to be - we ambled up - right up to it, then walked up it 1/2 way, then down again , then looked for some information... didn't find any, so walked back to town.. an opportunity missed Carnarvon to make a few dollars and tell us about the tracking station.... hey ho.. more word puzzles it is then.
the second highlight of the day was finding the inflatable banana - possibly more cool than the info-less dish but probably because our expectations were lower. although they might have had the decency to put it horizontal as it did look a little rude from a distance
I apologise in advance for the toilet humour that is to follow (excuse the pun - all will make sense.....) but seriously the absolute highlight of the day was the public toilet we found. unbelievably fantastic and you should definately visit carnarvon just to experience it. I don't know what was funnier - the loo or the look on the locals face as they walked passed and martyn and I were in fits and yelping as we discovered something new......
l'm not kidding about any of this - you didn't have to pay but you pressed a button to open the door, you got 10 mins (which seems like a long time but there were so many toys in there !) it played music and told you to hurry up if the music stopped and the alarm sounded (door opening soon!) it had an automatic hand washer and no flusher for the loo - it did it automatically when you put your hands in the sink. you had to press a button for the toilet roll to dispense (precisely 5 squares !) - and then if all these delights meant you took too long you got caught in the self cleaning cycle and got wet feet as the thing washed its own floor !
We also learned that us brits are obviously not laid back enough.. after spending the day battling with kays very difficult puzzlebock we sat down for some pizza before heading for the airport.. we realised once our pizza arrived that we should have really been at canarvon airport as our flight was only an hour away.. after scoffing down the pizza and sprinting down the street we fueled up the rental truck and sped to the airport. We made it there at 6.00 for a 6.55 flight... this is when we realised we were not the last to check in, but the first! - the lady at the check in desk told us that the locals are pretty bad and often turn up 10 minutes before the flight left! .. phew.
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Monday 6 August 2007
Martyn was just finishing his mexican chicken schnitzel at dinner tonight, when the fork slipped from his hand and on to the floor. This by itself was not that amusing, but he then bent down to collect a chip that had been brutally dropped with the fork, using his napkin. Kay didn't see this, and shortly after this attempted to mop up a little condensed water from a glass on the table. She manaaged this then, as if skillfully rehearsed, lost the chip from inside the napkin straight into martyn's drink on the table.
Not sure if this picture is quite complete without the vision that greeted us back in the motel car park of a german man in the next room, walking out to check his car with his trousers half down...
Hang on, i'll just bolt the door...
kay here - unfortunately martyn is not joking about any of the above - I knew returning to civilisation was a bad idea - never been more scared in my life than when that man walked out his hotel room.
anyway the meal was nice apart from the whole fork / chip thing but then it was just luck we could remember what cutlery is - using it was bound to be a little complicated - it was stainless steel and didn't flex like our plastic picnic set ones !!!
got here (Canarvon) at about 3pm and went for a walk - the most exercise we've had since san francisco really - a whole 6 miles along a waterfront walk to the historic precinct and the one mile jetty
very pretty if a little rickety but at aud 2500 per pylon to do it up they are a bit behind on fundraising.
martyn nearly trod on a snake but we don't think it was a poisonous one - his reaction means he's a good apprentice for you though dad (sorry - underwood family joke)
tomorrow I think we are planning to see an old nasa satellite dish and a big inflatable banana - great tourist attractions they have round here. I have to come back to visit the giant concrete worm I read about in bill bryson down under. Oh did I tell you about the directions we were given the other day 'turn left at the giant crayfish' l'm not kidding but it wasn't that big and we nearly missed it !
off to sleep now , always assuming we can remember how beds work and of course hoping for no more encounters with german trouser man. will let you know tomorrow how we fared overnight !
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Sunday 5 August 2007
oh my goodness my husband knows the first 7 decimal places of pi by heart. apparently he is so old they had to learn it in school. progress was made and two years later I only had to know two decimal places.
how did I find this amazing fact out about my husband ? I asked him the highly important question 'where is the shower gel' and he said 'its in the truck - next question ' so I said 'ummm what is the 7th decimal place of pi?' still can't believe I got a serious correct answer.
isabel and barrie - your son is magic ! but be careful , its going to his head and apparently he can remember your visa card number from when he was 16.
personally i'm thinking there could be money to be made here on one of those highly intelligent channel 5 documentaries !
anyway after that highly shocking start to the day I have a very important decision to make - which comes first , shower or breakfast. will let you know the outcome later (coz I know you're interested ! )
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how did I find this amazing fact out about my husband ? I asked him the highly important question 'where is the shower gel' and he said 'its in the truck - next question ' so I said 'ummm what is the 7th decimal place of pi?' still can't believe I got a serious correct answer.
isabel and barrie - your son is magic ! but be careful , its going to his head and apparently he can remember your visa card number from when he was 16.
personally i'm thinking there could be money to be made here on one of those highly intelligent channel 5 documentaries !
anyway after that highly shocking start to the day I have a very important decision to make - which comes first , shower or breakfast. will let you know the outcome later (coz I know you're interested ! )
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Not much to say today, we got up a little earlier (kay already explained that), then headed to local town Denham - found the Shark Bay Heritage centre, and spent the morning gazing at the displays of pictures and memorabilia. Quite a collection, going right back the 1600's ? (we forget already) when the Dutch landed in western australia, before Captain Cook - so there.
Walked along the shore, and ate miss mac's sausage rolls for lunch, and very tasty they were, move over mister Ginster.
Tried to book an aboriginal tour back at monkey mia, but unfortunatley it was the guide's day off.
Spent the rest of the afternoon reading my book (Clive Cussler, schoolboy mission impossibe, invincible ship etc etc)
Just watched the weather forcast for tomorrow - thunder, Kay wondering about that 50 seater turbo-prop waiting in Canarvon... muah hahahahaha.... Kay it can't thunder for 2 days solid.
(i haven't told martyn about the increasing likelihood of cyclones the further north we get !!!)... M: ah, phooey.
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Walked along the shore, and ate miss mac's sausage rolls for lunch, and very tasty they were, move over mister Ginster.
Tried to book an aboriginal tour back at monkey mia, but unfortunatley it was the guide's day off.
Spent the rest of the afternoon reading my book (Clive Cussler, schoolboy mission impossibe, invincible ship etc etc)
Just watched the weather forcast for tomorrow - thunder, Kay wondering about that 50 seater turbo-prop waiting in Canarvon... muah hahahahaha.... Kay it can't thunder for 2 days solid.
(i haven't told martyn about the increasing likelihood of cyclones the further north we get !!!)... M: ah, phooey.
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Saturday 4 August 2007
its going to be a hot one - no sea breeze , 10 am and i'm sunbathing - its a hard life but someones gotta do it ! besides need to recover from slightly rude awakening at 7am this morning - lady shouting for help and first aid from caravan opposite - her son was having convulsions so dealt with that , then made breakfast, then packed martyn off to shower, then realised how early it was and am now recovering !!!!!
have found singapore book and martyn said we were going there quite soon so I thought I should read it to decide what to do. martyn has found the it shopping mall he wants to go to. personally I think I might stay in the hotel room as every picture I look at has about a hundred people in it and there are cars and trains and everything - don't think we've seen more than 200 people and 50 cars in the last two weeks ! no trains since san francisco..... and there will be a bed - shock horror - maybe we'll put our bags on it and sleep on floor..... ah well , more later.
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have found singapore book and martyn said we were going there quite soon so I thought I should read it to decide what to do. martyn has found the it shopping mall he wants to go to. personally I think I might stay in the hotel room as every picture I look at has about a hundred people in it and there are cars and trains and everything - don't think we've seen more than 200 people and 50 cars in the last two weeks ! no trains since san francisco..... and there will be a bed - shock horror - maybe we'll put our bags on it and sleep on floor..... ah well , more later.
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late night tonight - 19.15 and still awake !!!! we are sat in the monkey bar listening to the band that play here. might try to stay awake for an aboriginal walking tour tonight but if not (and I don't hold out much hope) there is always tomorrow !
after our lazy day yesterday we made up for it today with a short walk this morning - 1.5 km should have taken half an hour at home speed but at holiday speed the sign said allow one hour - that was before the mummy emu with 4 babies crossed our path - lost about half an hour then - quite a lot of which was spent pondering how best not to worry a 6 foot high flightless protective mother who can run at 40 km an hour !!!! and then there was the kangaroo.......
hired bikes this afternoon - well at least they had two wheels and a saddle (sort of) one gear and one brake (non functioning) but it was ok coz to stop you just pedalled backwards - martyn remembered this quaint quirk of aussie bikes just as kay almost went over the handlebars
gosh this band are really good - this is taking ages to type in as I keep getting distracted ! they are called sleazy listening and they seem to have done lots of covers but they're good.
nobody out there faint but martyn is halfway through a book - with actual pages and words and everything ! but he was allowed 15 mins on internet today - checking comments - fred flintstone who are you ? apart from the obvious pal of barney, wife of wilma etc
That's it for today, we are on holiday you know.
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after our lazy day yesterday we made up for it today with a short walk this morning - 1.5 km should have taken half an hour at home speed but at holiday speed the sign said allow one hour - that was before the mummy emu with 4 babies crossed our path - lost about half an hour then - quite a lot of which was spent pondering how best not to worry a 6 foot high flightless protective mother who can run at 40 km an hour !!!! and then there was the kangaroo.......
hired bikes this afternoon - well at least they had two wheels and a saddle (sort of) one gear and one brake (non functioning) but it was ok coz to stop you just pedalled backwards - martyn remembered this quaint quirk of aussie bikes just as kay almost went over the handlebars
gosh this band are really good - this is taking ages to type in as I keep getting distracted ! they are called sleazy listening and they seem to have done lots of covers but they're good.
nobody out there faint but martyn is halfway through a book - with actual pages and words and everything ! but he was allowed 15 mins on internet today - checking comments - fred flintstone who are you ? apart from the obvious pal of barney, wife of wilma etc
That's it for today, we are on holiday you know.
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Friday 3 August 2007
Er.. Friday we think? maybe Saturday?. experienced the spectacle that is the monkey mia dolphin 'feeding experience'. What this amounts to is getting up (very early for people on holiday) and walking to the beach, to freeze our feet off in the sea, while about 100 people crowd round to see/photograph a couple of dolphins.
Considering that 5 hours later we were walking down the same stretch of shore, and kay had a dolphin experience all of her own, to herself with a dolphin as one followed her down the beach, we conclude that we shall not be getting up early tomorrow, and will go on a beach walk
We also spied some bikes for hire, but sadly no tandem, the locals will be glad of this, as we were quite dangerous in SF.
We went on a catamaran cruise today, in hot persuit of the rare sight of the dugong ( a relative of the manatee, and hippo apparently) also history has it that they were sometimes mistaken for mermaids by lonely (partially sighted) sailors, with very low standards. - we didn't see any, probably because they had left for warmer waters, still, it was a pleasant trip, and we saw yet more dolphins, and kay reminded herself of her fondness for dry land- though she says that riding on the net strung between the hulls on the boat was fun.
Caught the sunset, sadly without the decent camera, so Neil, you escaped this one:
I retire for another nights sleep with Kay kicking me because the man in the tent next to us is snoring....
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Considering that 5 hours later we were walking down the same stretch of shore, and kay had a dolphin experience all of her own, to herself with a dolphin as one followed her down the beach, we conclude that we shall not be getting up early tomorrow, and will go on a beach walk
We also spied some bikes for hire, but sadly no tandem, the locals will be glad of this, as we were quite dangerous in SF.
We went on a catamaran cruise today, in hot persuit of the rare sight of the dugong ( a relative of the manatee, and hippo apparently) also history has it that they were sometimes mistaken for mermaids by lonely (partially sighted) sailors, with very low standards. - we didn't see any, probably because they had left for warmer waters, still, it was a pleasant trip, and we saw yet more dolphins, and kay reminded herself of her fondness for dry land- though she says that riding on the net strung between the hulls on the boat was fun.
Caught the sunset, sadly without the decent camera, so Neil, you escaped this one:
I retire for another nights sleep with Kay kicking me because the man in the tent next to us is snoring....
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Thursday 2 August 2007
so - have so far managed to stay awake so thought better blog quick before sleep wins - it is after all 19.30 ! late to bed today ! having left what can only be described as the delightful retirement slash holiday resort of kalbarri (after much comiseration with the maturer neighbours regarding the boisterous students at the backpackers lodge - what becomes of the broken hearted is not funny when lying in tent at 3am ) we made good time to hamelin pool and the 3000 yr old stromatolites
very weird bacteria based rock like blobs - tried to introduce them to my big toe in case they were distant relatives but the boardwalk meant I couldn't quite get close enough !
still, on to monkey mia which is an interesting contrast to kalbarri - bit like outback butlins but gorgeous and not as tacky.
interesting insight into cultural parenting - our tent is sandwiched between the dutch family whose 5 year old very politely apologised in english for nearly braining martyn with a flying spiderman figure and , the aussie family who were heard to exclaim 'ouch ya little bu**er' followed by a thwack and a wail !
currently lying on the beach - lady in reception not overly helpful with letting us know when the astronomy talk was on so we thought to give it a go ourselves. here is martyns photo
have currently spotted errrrrmmmm - the milky way - does anyone know any southern hemisphere constellations - there is a really bright one (definately not the moon) and an orangey one (definately not the sun)
have to go - mart says my posts are getting too long. see ya.
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very weird bacteria based rock like blobs - tried to introduce them to my big toe in case they were distant relatives but the boardwalk meant I couldn't quite get close enough !
still, on to monkey mia which is an interesting contrast to kalbarri - bit like outback butlins but gorgeous and not as tacky.
interesting insight into cultural parenting - our tent is sandwiched between the dutch family whose 5 year old very politely apologised in english for nearly braining martyn with a flying spiderman figure and , the aussie family who were heard to exclaim 'ouch ya little bu**er' followed by a thwack and a wail !
currently lying on the beach - lady in reception not overly helpful with letting us know when the astronomy talk was on so we thought to give it a go ourselves. here is martyns photo
have currently spotted errrrrmmmm - the milky way - does anyone know any southern hemisphere constellations - there is a really bright one (definately not the moon) and an orangey one (definately not the sun)
have to go - mart says my posts are getting too long. see ya.
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Wednesday 1 August 2007
sorry - we both fell asleep yesterday and forgot to blog. this camping lark is too good - wake when sun up , sleep when dark - camping or jet lag -not sure but hey I don't know what day it is either. whatever day it is this is yesterdays blog entry and with luck we'll manage to find out what day it is to make it to the plane on time !
breakfast with pelicans this morning. that was fun apart from i'm not too sure about raw fish at 8.45 am.
also not sure about lobster which I tried for dinner but martyn says he told you about that.
4wd, bush walk and canoeing trip today
followed by a drive to a sunset viewpoint - bit of a rally australia experience for martn down a mud track that was a bit slippy due to the remnants of their first rain here for three years ! only place we've ever been on hols where everyone is really happy it is raining.
have decided that even though there is still more to do here we are off to monkey mia tomorrow - I can wait no more for stromatolites and dolphins. more later assuming we stay awake ! hope you are all still dry !
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breakfast with pelicans this morning. that was fun apart from i'm not too sure about raw fish at 8.45 am.
also not sure about lobster which I tried for dinner but martyn says he told you about that.
4wd, bush walk and canoeing trip today
followed by a drive to a sunset viewpoint - bit of a rally australia experience for martn down a mud track that was a bit slippy due to the remnants of their first rain here for three years ! only place we've ever been on hols where everyone is really happy it is raining.
have decided that even though there is still more to do here we are off to monkey mia tomorrow - I can wait no more for stromatolites and dolphins. more later assuming we stay awake ! hope you are all still dry !
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Tuesday 31 July 2007
Dear diary. Today started with rain during the night, followed by stunning sunshine all day. I forced Kay (against her will - not) to go on a quad bike safari this morning. We saw emus, kangaroos, skink (dead), and some stunning scenery over a 3 hour trip on sand, mud and rock.
Took some excellent pictures, and so did Frank our guide!. Visited hawks head for lunch, and took a walk along the beach back to the camp site:
.. where we saw a pelican on the beach being fed fishing bait by a fisherman.
Finished the day off with a tasty meal at the black rock cafe - where kay ate half a lobster - poor chap. very nice, though she has decided that she prefers crab to lobster. Martyn thinks they are all the same - with shells on and beady eyes!!
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Took some excellent pictures, and so did Frank our guide!. Visited hawks head for lunch, and took a walk along the beach back to the camp site:
.. where we saw a pelican on the beach being fed fishing bait by a fisherman.
Finished the day off with a tasty meal at the black rock cafe - where kay ate half a lobster - poor chap. very nice, though she has decided that she prefers crab to lobster. Martyn thinks they are all the same - with shells on and beady eyes!!
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Monday 30 July 2007
well - I have no idea what martyn put yesterday as I fell asleep the first time he typed it in and then fell asleep again when he read it to me so whatever he put about me its not true unless its good stuff and then he has been modest ! oh unless it was about my toe which is much more gross than anyone could describe - currently less red, vaguely purple with pus filled blobs on - nice. and yes you and the entire internet population did need to know that - be reassured that so far I have managed to stop martyn posting up a picture of it.
very windy last night - bits of tree falling off around our tent - martyn slept through it but then he managed to stay awake longer then kay in the first place ! we were supposed to spend tonight in geraldton but having arrived there at lunchtime , visited the museum and failed to find our campsite we found ourselves on the road to kalbarri which is where we are now - in the dark because we forgot the batteries for the head torch along with kays drivers license so martyn is doing all the driving in his rented tonka truck. he was very pleased that kay found a small muddy puddle for him to engage the 4wd in today - very exciting - if you are reading this and you work for the car rental company it was a sealed road (once).
quad biking organised for tomorrow assuming we get up in time and survive the impending storm - campsite lady very worried that we are in a tent and it is going to be a bit windy apparently - still no huge trees nearby just a large electricity pylon - great !
martyn says I have to go now as we need to do the washing up - boring.
we have managed one picture in amongst the rain showers and windy dust storms of today - sorry but its martyn in the dark in the tent so if you don't want to be scared don' t scroll down anymore !
more tomorrow - maybe news of seahorses , parrots, camels and quad bikes.
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very windy last night - bits of tree falling off around our tent - martyn slept through it but then he managed to stay awake longer then kay in the first place ! we were supposed to spend tonight in geraldton but having arrived there at lunchtime , visited the museum and failed to find our campsite we found ourselves on the road to kalbarri which is where we are now - in the dark because we forgot the batteries for the head torch along with kays drivers license so martyn is doing all the driving in his rented tonka truck. he was very pleased that kay found a small muddy puddle for him to engage the 4wd in today - very exciting - if you are reading this and you work for the car rental company it was a sealed road (once).
quad biking organised for tomorrow assuming we get up in time and survive the impending storm - campsite lady very worried that we are in a tent and it is going to be a bit windy apparently - still no huge trees nearby just a large electricity pylon - great !
martyn says I have to go now as we need to do the washing up - boring.
we have managed one picture in amongst the rain showers and windy dust storms of today - sorry but its martyn in the dark in the tent so if you don't want to be scared don' t scroll down anymore !
more tomorrow - maybe news of seahorses , parrots, camels and quad bikes.
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Sunday 29 July 2007
remind us to tell you about the radio ads we've been listening to in the car- absolutely priceless. Perth arrived last night, slightly delayed due to kay-foot, but after downing some huge tablets, the toe is a little smaller. Hello to the psycho cab driver who told us that everyone who drove north in the summer was crazy...hmmm. Much nicer ex-canadian driver this morning and no tales about death etc. Picked up a tonka truck and sped northwards, stopping near Cervantes to see the pinnacles:
Spotted some kangaroos and emus feeding on the way. Lying writing this in our tent (!) with a pleasant sea breeze and actually not that cold at all currently. Pushed the dinner boat out - had sangers and soup made in the plastic camping cups - NO expense spared. Further north tomorrow, towards Geraldton, more amusing (embarressing) radio ads no doubt.
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Spotted some kangaroos and emus feeding on the way. Lying writing this in our tent (!) with a pleasant sea breeze and actually not that cold at all currently. Pushed the dinner boat out - had sangers and soup made in the plastic camping cups - NO expense spared. Further north tomorrow, towards Geraldton, more amusing (embarressing) radio ads no doubt.
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Friday 27 July 2007
I think today is saturday and we forgot to blog yesterday. we were a bit busy because charney and dave took us to the best sweet shop on the planet. unbelievably perfect - any sweet you remember from when you were growing up - in the proper old glass jars - better than willy wonka !
we will be needing a dentist appointment and insulin booster upon our return home !
tried to see snow in the mountains (small hills claire !) but only managed a hail storm and wonderful views.
charney said it was cold so had hot chocolate, martyn walked around in t shirt and one fleece, was hot and so had one pint of banana thick shake in the cozy kangaroo.
we are currently en route to melbourne having had to delay our planned flight. had to visit doctor this morning as kays big toe is much bigger than it should be. martyn has been calling her elephant foot for a day but its okay because he looks like I don't know what but his entire face has to be stuck back on every morning due to excessive peeling ! anyway, treatment for kays toe seems to be 6 days worth of intensive anti-malarial antibiotics but still , all sorted and now on way again. sad to leave charney an dave but looking forward to dolphins. more tomorrow.
oh yes - martyn is on a diet for the rest of the holiday having just consumed a lamington cake the size of kays hand !
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we will be needing a dentist appointment and insulin booster upon our return home !
tried to see snow in the mountains (small hills claire !) but only managed a hail storm and wonderful views.
charney said it was cold so had hot chocolate, martyn walked around in t shirt and one fleece, was hot and so had one pint of banana thick shake in the cozy kangaroo.
we are currently en route to melbourne having had to delay our planned flight. had to visit doctor this morning as kays big toe is much bigger than it should be. martyn has been calling her elephant foot for a day but its okay because he looks like I don't know what but his entire face has to be stuck back on every morning due to excessive peeling ! anyway, treatment for kays toe seems to be 6 days worth of intensive anti-malarial antibiotics but still , all sorted and now on way again. sad to leave charney an dave but looking forward to dolphins. more tomorrow.
oh yes - martyn is on a diet for the rest of the holiday having just consumed a lamington cake the size of kays hand !
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Thursday 26 July 2007
Day erm 6. Awoke bright and early at 4am due to messed up body clocks. The hearty breakfast at seemed like lunch. zooomed down the hume higway from canberra and ate lunch in the rain after stopping to see the 'dog sat on the tuckerbox' - a statue erected in memory of an old australian folk tale about a man with a cart that got stuck, he had a bad day, then his dog did something on his tuckerbox - similar to 'sat' but with an 'h' in there too! - staying overnight with friends for a couple of days before we continue. Forgot the photo today, will put one up tomorrow. - oh and it rained lots , hope that makes you feel better.
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[Posted with hblogger 2.0 http://www.normsoft.com/hblogger/]
Wednesday 25 July 2007
Day 5 - well actually 4 as tuesday didn't exist for us due to crossing date line but anyway ....
Flight very good - slept quite a lot. Link to canberra was tight but we made it. Arrived early morning, and drove to central canberra. Just spent the day wearing out shoes a bit more walking around the beautiful lake that surrounds the city centre, with Captain Cooks memoral fountain reaching over 100 feet high.
Resting and plotting the road journey tomorrow to Yarra. More then.
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Flight very good - slept quite a lot. Link to canberra was tight but we made it. Arrived early morning, and drove to central canberra. Just spent the day wearing out shoes a bit more walking around the beautiful lake that surrounds the city centre, with Captain Cooks memoral fountain reaching over 100 feet high.
Resting and plotting the road journey tomorrow to Yarra. More then.
[Posted with hblogger 2.0 http://www.normsoft.com/hblogger/]
Day 3 - well actually its wednesday and we're in canberra but we forgot to blog on monday so i'll do that one and then today !
well basically we cycled round most of san francisco - at least the biggest hills anyway - why do they not show gradients on tourist cycle maps ? we went across the golden gate bridge , down to sausalito, saw giant redwood fir trees and then got the ferry back. We still had somw time left on our one day tandem rental so we made our way to golden gate park to see the bison before hot pedalling it back in time to get our bags and catch our flight - prospect of sitting for a long time was by now something we were both looking forward to - legs ache and definately saddle sore !
[Posted with hblogger 2.0 http://www.normsoft.com/hblogger/]
well basically we cycled round most of san francisco - at least the biggest hills anyway - why do they not show gradients on tourist cycle maps ? we went across the golden gate bridge , down to sausalito, saw giant redwood fir trees and then got the ferry back. We still had somw time left on our one day tandem rental so we made our way to golden gate park to see the bison before hot pedalling it back in time to get our bags and catch our flight - prospect of sitting for a long time was by now something we were both looking forward to - legs ache and definately saddle sore !
[Posted with hblogger 2.0 http://www.normsoft.com/hblogger/]
Day 2 - San francisco.
Today we discovered that our hotel is only a quarter of the way up any number of the numerous hills that form this city. Whichever direction you go always seems to be up. Saw sea-lions at pier 39, and wandered around fishermans wharf- followed by a trip into skys on a helicopter tour.
Made up for our intelligence of yesterday by forgetting to take suntan lotion and hats with us. I think we have just about got away with it after liberally coating ourselves with green washing up liquid style after sun gloop that we managed to find in 7 11 store. Oh and martyn looks like a super hero - he's got eye mask lines where he wore his sunglasses all day !
still I have to be nice to him - he bought me crab in the shell for dinner and managed to watch me eat it - I was getting my own back for the helicopter and trip to the palm shop I was talked into.
well , if we can still move tomorrow we are off to hire bikes so more then.
[Posted with hblogger 2.0 http://www.normsoft.com/hblogger/]
Today we discovered that our hotel is only a quarter of the way up any number of the numerous hills that form this city. Whichever direction you go always seems to be up. Saw sea-lions at pier 39, and wandered around fishermans wharf- followed by a trip into skys on a helicopter tour.
Made up for our intelligence of yesterday by forgetting to take suntan lotion and hats with us. I think we have just about got away with it after liberally coating ourselves with green washing up liquid style after sun gloop that we managed to find in 7 11 store. Oh and martyn looks like a super hero - he's got eye mask lines where he wore his sunglasses all day !
still I have to be nice to him - he bought me crab in the shell for dinner and managed to watch me eat it - I was getting my own back for the helicopter and trip to the palm shop I was talked into.
well , if we can still move tomorrow we are off to hire bikes so more then.
[Posted with hblogger 2.0 http://www.normsoft.com/hblogger/]
Day 1 - Here we are - on holiday again. When planning your next trip try and remember not to fly from heathrow terminal one on first day of school holidays - we at least are intelligent enough to have allowed three hours to check in - of which we used two in the queue ! Unfortunately not many people seemed to be as clever as us !
Flight was ok but oddly martyns ears hurt more than kays on the way down and the films were rubbish but kay read harry potter which is cool !
Currently waiting for train so that we can go see the hp garage where it all began - more later as train now here.
Anything to delay martyns planned visit to the palm shop which is apparently open until eleven pm and not on kays schedule !!!
[Posted with hblogger 2.0 http://www.normsoft.com/hblogger/]
Flight was ok but oddly martyns ears hurt more than kays on the way down and the films were rubbish but kay read harry potter which is cool !
Currently waiting for train so that we can go see the hp garage where it all began - more later as train now here.
Anything to delay martyns planned visit to the palm shop which is apparently open until eleven pm and not on kays schedule !!!
[Posted with hblogger 2.0 http://www.normsoft.com/hblogger/]
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