Tassie Trip

We are in our second day in Tasmania and the scenery has been just gorgeous along the coast up to Bicheno where we stayed the first night. It is so peaceful at the shore listening to the sound of the waves hitting the shoreline.  

Tasman Sea by Bicheno, Tasmania



We had been looking forward to going on a tour to Wineglass Bay today but sadly found out the tour had been cancelled due to incoming high winds. Though it remained sunny and gorgeous throughout the day the winds definitely appeared and the Tour Guide didn't have a real spectacular time driving whenever a gust of wind would hit...not that we went off the road or anything...she's an excellent driver...the gusts would just catch the car and since we were going through some mountainous areas I can only say I'm glad I wasn't driving.  Not that I would have been anyways...I think that that might be a bit disastrous since staying on the opposite side of the road would be quite necessary and I'm not sure I would have been quite able to reverse 36 years of driving on the right side of the road.  So...I've got my own Tour Guide and am being driven around like Miss Daisy...does it get much better?!  LOL

Love this sign!!!

I love the different road signs I'm seeing in Australia and this one above about wildlife (aka roos versus cars) had me laughing this morning as I snapped it as we zoomed by...it almost looks like the roo is lifting up the car.  Hopefully the rest of the trip here in Tassie we'll only see the signs and not experience this for real!

Well...off to bed...another big day in Launceston tomorrow...going to Cataract Gorge and whatever else tips our fancy and drive back to Hobart in the afternoon for the last two days here.

Until next time...wherever you are...have a great day!!

Bruno Torf

An amazing day today...went to Marysville and toured through Bruno Torf's Art & Sculpture gardens with the Tour Guide and two of her friends and their young son. I had the great pleasure of meeting Bruno Torf and chatting with him...he was such a delight...not at all like what one would expect for a renowned artist to be like. Very refreshing!! As have been all the Aussies I've met in the week's time I've been here!! I have taken a ton of pictures already and have earned a name from the Tour Guide but in everyone's best interests I'll not share what that nickname is though it was a bit funny!! Anyways...I'll be posting pictures probably after I return to the states unless I happen upon some wifi availibility for the laptop when I have that with me but I am not carrying the laptop around with me as it does become quite heavy after just a short time. But, in the meantime, if you want to read about Bruno just google his name and you'll get a peek at his art.

Hope all is well and until next time, wherever you are, have a great day!!

Wow!!!

I can't believe that I have been in Australia since last Saturday!! It's been amazing so far and you wouldn't believe all that I have seen. I've been up to the Dandenong Mountains, into the city of Melbourne (twice). I actually ventured in on my own yesterday and didn't get too terribly lost. Already have spent 3 days in Sydney, went through two different mansions today, tomorrow is Marysville and this coming week Tasmania!!!

I do have to apologize that I've not been able to blog much (actually only once) since I've gotten here but and blogs will be limited I'm guessing but rest assured I will entertain you all when I can and most definitely upon my return to the states...all sunburnt and pooped out! Yup...I got sunburnt while up in Sydney on Bondi Beach and am working hard on that 'farmer's tan'...no doubt I'll be in full 'color' by the time spring rolls around. Now anyone who knows me knows I do not tan I burn and burn and...you get the idea.

Anyways...must go take a quick nana nap (as the Tour Guide calls them) as we are going over to a friend of her's for dinner and drinks...or was that drinks and dinner?! Either way I'm armed with Victorian beer and it should be a good time.

Until next time, wherever you are have a great day!!

I Am Here!!

Can you believe it??!! After 30+ years I am in Australia!! Still think I need to pinch myself but shall refrain as I have multiple little bruises on my right forearm that looks like I've been pinched but I was really 'mugged' by my pack back taking it off for the umpteenth time in Los Angeles waiting for the flight. I know that I definitely will rethink carrying a 17 inch laptop with on a long trip and go to an iPad which the Tour Guide has and is kindly letting me use so that I can access internet...haven't found a wifi connection at the unit (apartment) yet.

In ways it's a bit of a miracle that I made my flight from Los Angeles. First off...don't always believe what you see when looking at a map of the airport as it is more than likely not even close to a miniature scale replica. At least that's what I found out in Los Angeles when I transferred from Sun Country to Qantas. It wasn't simply going around what appeared to be a rectangular layout for an airport but it meant dragging all of your luggage (Sun Country doesn't do luggage transfers to Qantas) and going outside walking what seemed like forever to the Thomas Bradley terminal and then having to find just where exactly checkin was for Qantus.

The gentleman that checked me in was great and he must have sensed that I was more that a bit jittery about the trip as I was fumbling to dig my passport out of the 'money thingy' I had hanging around my neck. I am not sold at all on the 'money thingy' but it does keep your money & passport close at hand around the neck so I guess it'll work...I just don't particularly care for it.

Anyways...got checked in and got 'rid' of the monster suitcase (thank God it is on swivel wheels) and was back down to the heavy backpack & camera bag and headed out to find International security and a bite to eat. I walked around the food court outside security & nothing appealed to me so thought I'd just go through security & grab a sandwich in one of the many shops inside.

Security took forever...and I mean forever!! One of the security machines had 'gone' down as I overheard them say and they were waiting to have it recalibrated. In the meantime people were starting to stack up like cordwood waiting in line to go through the 1...yes I said 1 security checkpoint. Completely ridiculous but I can't let myself get started on security. After finally getting through I set off to find my departure gate and something for supper. I found neither right off...well, ok I did find Gate 120 but what I had thought would be multiple shops were just a few and ended up getting a turkey sub machine that I ended up peeling apart and eating just the turkey & cheese...nothing can be less appealing when you pick up a sandwich like that and it's soggy bread. Yuck!!

So as I was eating at Gate 120 I was starting to get concerned as it seemed like all the flights were going to someplace in Asia. After finishing off my $10 piece of turkey & cheese I pulled out my booking slip & after searching on it finally found it was Gate 121. Thankfully I didn't put my alarm on on the phone and lay my head down for a nap as I had thought of doing. Anyways...I moved on to Gate 121 & was a bit concerned that I wasn't seen anything Qantas but that's what my booking slip said so I sat down and relaxed for a while. After a fashion a Qantus employee came out and started setting up 'temporary' Qantas info panels, etc. so I knew that it was the right gate and time was coming near.

...to be continued.

I'm Off!!

Well...I'm at Terminal 1 (Hubert Humphrey Airport) in Minneapolis and have made it through security though I thought I was going to end up getting searched as I hadn't taken all of the objects containing metal off me.  Guess I found out that security is much tighter than the last time I flew which is...about 11 years ago.

I found a 'wonderful' stainless steel cubicle thingy to park myself and my bags in and pull the laptop out and hop on the Internet but of course not...not without signing up with 'boingo wireless' for a flat monthly fee of $9.95.  Glad I read the smaller print as it looked like the $7.95 hookup was better but in smaller print it's that for EACH time you connect.  I don't think so!!  Now just so I remember to cancel the account after I get back from Australia!!  Help me remember guys!!

Well...looks like they are running behind and are just getting the San Diego flight to start boarding and then I imagine the plane for Los Angeles will pull up to the gate so I can get started.

Ooooo...the sun is peeking out now!!  Yippee!!  It's been pretty foggy all day but no delays at least not due to the fog...not sure why the San Diego flight is a bit behind but nothing for me to worry...I'm on my to Australia!!

Have a great day wherever you are!!

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie...Oi! Oi! Oi!

Finally!!!

Finally... the BIG day has arrived and I am beside myself with excitement and also a bit nervous!!  After all, it is a rather long excursion I am embarking on today and we'll see how well this body of mine handles 24 hours of traveling.  It will be interesting at best but I am sooo excited I can hardly stand it and probably most around me are ready to see me off for some peace & quiet for the next month...well, except maybe the 'velcro dog' Gertie. 

 

To say she is not happy with the huge suitcase that has been overshadowing her for the past 1 1/2 weeks would be an understatement and I've needed to be a bit nonchalant about it so she hasn't become completely neurotic and try jumping in to go with along with quite a few other people who have wanted me to take them with!!  Somehow I think customs in Aus would take notice if I were to arrive with a dozen huge suitcases in tow...sorry guys!  At least with just one I might not get turned back as the Tour Guide keeps threatening to have them do!!  We'll see if the Tour Guide really has a band & the red carpet out for my arrival! Ummm...that'd be a NO without even any thought!!  But one can always try can't they?!!

 

As promised I'm going to finish out the last few words of interest (at least to me) with the last of the Australian slang from the book "The New Dinkum Aussie Dictionary" by Crooked Mick of the Speewa.  I just know the Tour Guide is going to rush to her iPhone when she gets up for her Friday to see if I would dare put Oz in my blog today...but of course I would!!  LOL 

 

Anyways...here we go...under the letters R & S we have:

 

Rellies:  one's family and relatives are commonly referred to as the rellies' or 'the rels'. 

 

Roo:  Abbreviation for kangaroos.  Also the nickname for the North Melbourne footy team who, by default, I now 'barrack' on.  (Must try and not use the term 'root' for cheering them...that doesn't exactly mean cheer in Aus...)

 

Scorcher:  A bloody hot day.  A 'real scorcher' is a bastard.  (Now I don't need a dictionary of slang to understand this one as we use scorcher ourselves for really hot days.)

 

Shit-yeah!:  A famous Aussie expression of enthusiastic affirmation or approval: 'Did youse go to the pub last night?' 'Shit-yeh! There was  nothin' worth watchin' on the telly'.

 

Strine:  Aussie for the Australian language.  (See Ms. Tour Guide?!  Like Oz, strine is also in this wonderful book of slang you...yes you sent to me so no whinging about my usage of the words now!!)

 

Ok...on to the letters T, U, V, W, X, Y & Z...

 

Tassie:  The island state of Tasmania, also known as The Apple Isle.  Pronounced 'Tazzie'.  (Can hardly wait for the 5 day driving trip in Tassie and no...I will not be driving much, if any...that's what the Tour Guide is for!!  LOL)

 

Tea:  Most Aussies have breakfast, lunch and tea.  Only posh people call it 'dinner'. (Guess I'm one of those posh people...whodathunkit?!)

 

Uni:  University. 'If she gets good marks, she's off to uni next year.'

 

Unit:  A flat, apartment or condominium.  The full name is a 'home unit.'

 

Vegemite:  A dark-brown yeast extract that is a popular sandwich spread.  No-one from a non-British, non-Australian or non-New Zealand background would even consider eating something that smells so vile.  (Really...it isn't bad...got a little tube of it as a prezzie one year for Chrissie from the Tour Guide but must admit creamy peanut butter on toast is still my favorite!)

 

Walkabout:  To 'go walkabout' is to wander around on a whim.  The term comes from the Aboriginal practice of nomadic wandering in the bush or Outback, bu someone who has merely disappeared for a while could be said to have 'gone walkabout.'

 

Whinge:  To whine or complain.  One who whinges is called a 'whinger', a term that is often linked to Pom.

 

You're right:  The Australian version of the Americanism, 'You're welcome', which can also mean 'that's okay'.  (I expect to hear this quite often from the Tour Guide!!)

 

Whew!!  We're done!!  What's that you say?  Where's letter Z?  Why there isn't anything under the Z in my book but if I run across one on my travels I'll be sure to share it with all of you.

 

Well...it's about time to go pack the stack of clothes and try keep it under 50 pounds.  Actually don't think that'll be a problem and I hope to transfer some of the stuff I've packed in the backpack and camera bag into the suitcase to cut down on what I will be carrying on the plane.  Who knew cameras & a 17" laptop could weigh so damned much?!

 

So...until the next post, whenever that might be...take care, have a great day and I'm off to the Land of Aus!! 

 

Hooroo!!!!!

 

 

Just A Pause Here...

I imagine you all were expecting me to blog again today about Australia but I am going to take a pause here to celebrate a milestone for my oldest brother Steve.  You see...it is his 60th birthday today and though he may not see this blog as he doesn't fancy using computers too much...if any...I wanted to give a shout out his way just in case (and hopefully) someone in his part of the world will drag him to a computer today!!

 

He called me on Sunday to check in on his favorite sister which he so openly will profess which would normally make one's heart swell but really...I am his only sister so of course I would have to be his favorite!!  Even if I weren't his only sister I will always be his favorite...after all, 'ya gotta love me!' 

 

At least that's what I remind him of all the time and as he goes about his day today I remind him again 'ya gotta love me Stevie' as you might stumble across a poster here and there in town put up by two sweet 'partners in crime' (a.k.a. the nieces) who readily and willingly were recruited during my visit in January!!  I have waited years for them to be old enough to join in on my loving gestures!!  You rule girls!!  LOL

 

Happy Birthday Bro and many, many more!!!