Arrived in Vancouver on December 18th for Scottyβs successful surgery.
Andrea and I went to a choir concert and to the Nutcraker when we werenβt with Scotty.
Our travels to Australia
Vancouver to Sydney doesnβt seem to have any land in between
Made it. One plane and 15 hours. No smoke in Sydney today. Many people here on holidays and fleeing the fires. God bless them!!
Resting by the pool today and then the \240tours start tomorrow.
As is tradition ... this is a \240picture of
Randyβs first beer in a new country!!
Opera house and harbour bridge from a boat cruise.
Beautiful Sydney. Every corner of the streets are more historical and more interesting!!
The bush fires are all around us in Sydney. Mainly south and west. We have seen Salvation Army tents and stations for the βFireiesβ and signs saying thank you to them.
The volunteer fire departments are not subsidized by the Australia government. In fact, disaster relief is paid by each state.
They need support- as does the Salvation Army Australia.
Constant haze here in Sydney. But itβs smoke from fires.
Friends told us this walk was brutal. They went when it was 38 degrees celsius.
The Opera House.
Touring it tomorrow.
Australians have simple names for everything. The is βHarbour Bridgeβ
Went up to the Blue Mountains today.
They have had some recent bush fires. Hazy today but no smell of smoke.
Misty and cool. Just what the βfireiesβ wanted!
Three Sisters
Beautiful ferns.
Old train tracks for the coal miners
Randy and a train car with coal.
Two Cable car π \240rides and a train ride to view Scenic World. The coal mines in the Blue Mountains.
Dining at Bennalong Restaurant in the Sydney Opera House.
Last night in Sydney.
Amazing and delicious restaurant.
Visited You Yangs National Park. They research koalas. And then visited a park and saw some kangaroos in the wild.
La Luvia. Born on this park
Mommy Roo and her Joey
15 year old Pat.
An Emu
Brett. Out outback guide.
A tour of Melbourne. A pretty little city.
At Patrickβs Cathedral
Cricket Stadium.
Our ship.
Wallabee
Rainy day. Which the koalas love. They were licking the water from the tree. Rare occurrences. But because of drought they need to drink the water from the rain.
Phillip Island natural park.
Seas were too rough to go over to the island with hundreds of seals.
Mama koala. In her retirement village/ natural sanctuary. They continually plant trees for them. Their favourite trees!!
Burnie Tasmania
Beautiful agricultural fields.
Tasmanian Devil. His jaw is as strong as a grey white shark.
100 000 000 year old caves in Burnie.
Disembarked the ship for two days and one night in the Milford Sound fiords.
Arrived in Queenstown for the night. Took gondola up to top of mountain.
Lake Wakatipu. Queenstown. NZ.
Vineyards
Rent a Scooter.
Glacial rivers
Sheep sheering at Walter Peak in \240Queenstown
Bungee jumping bridge at Kawarau bungee jumping centre.
Prettiest train station in Dunedin
Yes. Milton New Zealand
Cute homes in Arrowtown. They canβt renovated or torn down and the town is not allowing anymore building. Cutest little town around \240the Goldd Rush of the 1800s
Jet \240boating on the river.
Jet boating
4 wheeling to this sheep βstationβ
Llama
Train bridge built in early 1900s
One location site.
Creators of Lord of the Rings and many other movies.
Capital of New Zealand. On the southern portion of the North Island
Hiked through the βforest in the middle of townβ where portions of the movie was made.
They have all of the movie making manufacturing needs in a couple blocks in the small town of Miramar
Same βcaveβ as the movie. \240See the trees in the background?
Look familiar?
They get a haircut Once a year.
Kiwis grow on a vine like grapes
Kiwis
Sheep shearing
Grass skirts that they make
Geyser
Picture of a Kiwi
Maori people, orginal settlers of New Zealand, wood working
This tree is over 500 years old.
Tall ship
Last dinner with our friends Carol and Sam and Jackie and Bruce.
Disembarking tomorrow in Auckland.
Little cruise to βHole in the Rock
Skyline of New Zealand
Sky Tower
Views from the Sky Tower
View of the Sky Tower.
Beautiful and vibrant waterfront in Auckland
Sunset skyline of Auckland
Olive oil
The ferry that brought us to the island
Amazing vineyards and wines being produced on this island with the perfect climate.
A fun day of touring on waiheke island