The Road to Brisbane

Our first day out of Sydney took us to yet another wine region. Fortunately, it was a Sunday and we were able to navigate out of Sydney without too much difficulty for our three hour drive north to The Hunter Valley. As we are regular consumers of Lindeman wines back home, it was to be our vineyard of choice for lunch and a few tastings. Unfortunately we were disappointed with the winery and its luncheon offerings, so we moved on to sample a few more of the over 150 wineries in the region. The boutique wineries are fun to visit and are very personable and liberal with their samples. Then some of the larger ones put on a first class show with the wooden caskets and stainless steel vats with the olfactory nerves sensitized by the tannins and mash smells, swirling throughout the air.

The next couple of days were fairly uneventful as the drive north was long and contrary to travelling the Gold Coast where we thought we would be following the coast line, the only time we saw any real sign of beaches was as we neared the town of Coolangata which was about 100 km south of Brisbane. Now we can see what the fuss is all about!! Miles and miles of beaches and boardwalks stretch to the horizon in both directions. This is a paradise for walkers, runners and surfers alike. The sand is white and clean, the water is very warm (25 Celsius) and the surf is gentle for the hundreds of surfers who flock to this region. I’ve never heard of this town before but the local barber, who gave me a trim, likened it to Miami and it reminded me of Punta del Este in Uruguay. There is no evidence of crime here and poverty is virtually nonexistent as far as I can tell. I could see this as a snow bird destination if the distances to get here weren’t so great. Each beach has a beginning and an end and the biggest decision was to decide whether your starting point was the beginning or the end.

Ahhhh….Brisbane. What a treat! One of the most, if not the prettiest cities we have ever visited. Clean and classy, with its old Victorian buildings and new towering skyscrapers, this capital of Queensland’s motto is “I’ll take Brisbane any day”. The botanical gardens were so calming with glorious fountains, numerous species of birds and did I mention the trees? The free River Hopper with the hop on hop off version of the ferry gave us a first class view of the city skyline from the Brisbane River. Restaurants and bars with lots of atmosphere, in keeping with the Australian and British themes were abundant. My only regret was, having to leave, as we could have well spent another couple of days soaking up the sophisticated and youthful atmosphere.

Seductive Sydney

When you leave a country with a population of 4 ½ million people and then visit a city with a little over 4 million people, you can understand why one might get the feeling of being somewhat encroached upon. But don’t get me wrong. This city is as vibrant and cosmopolitan as they come, and seduces you with her energy and enthusiasm. Sure thousands upon thousands of tourists flock here and the cruise ships are parked right downtown, but it is cultural mix of the locals and Asians which sustain the economic driving force of this dynamic metropolis.

Our shuttle ride from the airport provides us with the first glimpse of the first of the two most infamous iconic symbols, the Sydney Harbour Bridge. And sure everyone has seen the pictures, but seeing it first hand is a spiritual experience. Then of course, the second, being the Sydney Opera House. But one is really in awe, when you know, you are sure, the Opera House is right around the next corner and you are peering in anticipation of that first glimpse and then, on cue, it appears in her majesty. Absolutely one of those “you got to see it to believe it” experiences.

Prior to leaving for Oz, we were fortunate enough to book tickets to Mozart’s opera The Magic Flute. So we had the additional privilege of watching this absolutely wonderful production in the Joan Sutherland theatre of the Sydney Opera House. We were spell bound throughout the production, as the set design, costumes and special effects were entrancing, but what had me totally engrossed was the aria sung by the Queen of the Night in the second act. Unbelievable!! We were left speechless but my hands couldn’t stop clapping and my grin couldn’t get any wider. The next time I hear that opera, at the point when the aria is sung, will instantaneously bring me back to that moment which will stay with me to my grave.

But alas, Sydney is not just bridges and opera houses. After getting a good overview of the city by hop on hop off bus, we embarked on a walking tour which took us to the botanical gardens and a walk to Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair with an outstanding view of the harbour, bridge, opera house and city skyline. Shopping is not my pastime of choice but even I have to admit that I was smitten, though we kept our credit cards in check, even though the budget had been tossed aside long ago.

Another equally pleasant experience of a personal note, was meeting up with a long time school friend of our youngest son Tyler. Vanessa has been tramping the world since graduating university seven years ago and it looks like she has gotten that out of her system and has chosen Sydney to get on with the reality of life. We met her and her significant other Ken for lunch at Darling Harbour and continued our re acquaintance with a trip to their local which was only a 10 minute walk from there. The remainder of the afternoon was spent ferrying across the harbour visiting different venues but regrettably we only had so much time and this global destination, has to be a return visit for us at some point and perhaps a bucket list item for everyone. 

Something Old Something New

Our visit to Dunedin was a unique experience with our accommodation in a late 19^th century castle. Situated on the top of the Otago Peninsula we had a commanding view from our room of Dunedin’s Otago harbour. We had dinner in Larnach Castle’s large dining room with the rest of the guests on our first evening and the creaking floors and dimly lit gardens with narrow concealed pathways made for an Agatha Christie novel in waiting. This region certainly takes on the Scottish flavour with scenery, customs and culture reminiscent of Edinburgh and the highlands.

No trip is complete without some train travel and this journey was not to be the exception. We booked a 4 hour return trip on the Taieri Gorge Railway which took us from the architecturally stunning train station in Dunedin through the gorge until reaching the outskirts of Hinton. En route the train stopped and allowed us to walk across a steel trestle bridge to be picked up on the other side of the ravine. This would never be allowed in North America and not being a fan of heights made me very squeamish as I crossed the span on foot very quickly.

Now Christchurch on the other hand, is in sharp contrast, a new city in the midst of reconstruction. Staying here was like living in an organized war zone. After the earthquake of February 2011, in which 185 people were killed, the city is in various states of repair. Many of the buildings which still stand, with their blown out windows and curtains still fluttering in the wind, have been abandoned and condemned, while they wait their turn for demolition. Under the surface, the city residents still seems to be in mourning, but they put on a brave face and optimistically hope for a return to normalcy which won’t come any time soon. Nevertheless, a walk through the botanical gardens and watching the punters pole their way along the Avon River, gives insight as to why this lovely city, has been nominated one of the world’s prettiest cities.

As we leave Middle Earth and depart for Oz, and our tour of New Zealand draws to it’s conclusion, I would like to say that this country is wonderful. From the majesty of the mountain peaks and glaciers, to the breathtaking ocean vistas and lush rolling meadow landscapes, the people of New Zealand are the nicest, most sincere and friendly people we have ever come in contact with. I said to Jennifer that if there is life after death, I would like to come back as a Kiwi. Not the fruit or bird, but the person.

Milford Magic

We have travelled past Lake Wanaka with it’s vineyards and orchards full of fruit, in quest of our destination, Queenstown. It has been a long drive but finally, driving down the long sloping road I see Lake Wakatipu stretched out before us. I am amazed at the hive of activity and number of tourists who have flocked here, both young and old alike. To those looking for thrill seeking adventure or those, like ourselves, just looking for a leisurely outdoor activity, there is something for everyone. There are restaurants, bars, bistros and boutique shopping everywhere as I describe this picturesque mountain setting as Banff on steroids.

One of our primary goals in this trip was to take in Milford Sound. The God’s were with us today as the weather cooperated completely for our five hour bus trip to the Sound. Seated near the back of the bus I quickly realized that I better pop a couple of Gravol as the bus rolled and lunged at each hair raising turn. Despite the long tour through Fjordland, a world Heritage Area, the views were beyond compare and to attempt to describe the scenery would not do justice to this global travel destination. The boat ride itself was 1 hour and 45 minutes, as we circumnavigated the Sound, cruising up to the opening for the Tasman Sea, where Captain Cook discovered which is rightfully a fjord and not a sound, back in the 1770’s. We were given the option to fly back over the glaciers and avoid another 5 hour bus ride, so we decided to bite the bullet and we were not disappointed as evidenced by the following video. Flight Over Milford Glacier

As great as the fly back was, today’s activity would be the highlight to date. To our surprise we were the only two participants on our organized bike tour of the region with our guide, Chris. We started our day with a 45 minute boat ride on the restored Victorian steamship, TSS Earnslaw. Upon arriving at Walter Peak Farm, we started out on our approximate 35 km ride through the countryside. Our partners through the journey were numerous flocks of sheep, birds and herds of cattle, as we came into contact with very few other trackers or cyclists. A bagged lunch at a remote location, with a Loo with a view capped a wonderful morning. The afternoon took in a cycle beside a forest and lake with a walking suspension bridge, where filming of Lord of the Rings took place. See the following video Cycling near Walter Peak  and the second one at  Take 2 Cycling There was also a thrilling ride down the mountain side road on the return journey. Upon arriving back at the farm at Walter Peak, we partook of a traditional afternoon tea and scone while seated at a beautiful setting by the lake, as we waited for our steamer to return and take us back from this magical place. Truly a remarkable day, as attested to by the night’s sleep which was to be the most restful and peaceful I have had up to date.