Monday, February 15, 2016

Our Australian Holiday



We arrived in Sydney around 0700 on the 23rd December after a tedious twenty six hour trip from London. A trip that needs no elaboration.

We planned to pick up a car, spend a few days here then drive to Melbourne.

We were staying at Chatswood and would be having Christmas with Peter’s sister, Pam at their new home in St Ives.




They have down-sized from their family home in Pymble to a very nice unit in this lovely setting. Their son Michael surprised them, visiting from Melbourne and we all enjoyed a lovely Christmas dinner prepared by Pam and Fiona.

Our time in Sydney seemed to go in a flash and we were off towards Victoria. A five hour drive and we were in Wodonga where we would stay with Marg’s sister Jane for a few more days.





While here we visited some wineries around Rutherglen, namely Campbells and Andersons where we stocked up on some of our favourites. One being Andersons Sparkling Durif, a full bodied red, made by the champagne method.

It was soon time for us to continue, our next stop was Euroa, once the home of Marg’s family. Sister Judy and husband Geoff still live here. By coincidence our friends Bill and Rhos originally from Perth have retired from Melbourne and live here too.



We stayed with Bill and Rhossie  as Judy’s Christmas and New Year schedule was tight. We all enjoyed a very pleasant luncheon together in town.






Bill took us on an outing to Healesville to sample the products of a new gin distillery.  Four Pillars Gin Distillery is making a name for itself in Australia as the producer of a top quality product. Our camera decided to have a flat battery so we must thank Bill for the use of these pics.

Off again, and we next spent a few days in Melbourne.



We met up with some of Marg’s friends in the Botanical gardens. The four of them, Marg, Jeannie – from Casterton High, Janet and Anna - from nurse training days, spent time chatting. A pleasant afternoon.



One memorable evening was spent with Aunty Peg at Sally and Di’s home. We enjoyed a lovely meal after which Sal drove us home in her new Golf Convertible.



On then, by train to Ararat where we were met by Helen and stayed overnight with her. We all then went on to Liz and Paul’s property, Jallumba, outside Horsham.

We spent an enjoyable few days there and were joined by Jane and John, Marg relaxing with her sisters while Peter played at being a farmer under the critical eye of Paul.

On to Adelaide by bus and then a short flight to Perth - only 3 hours.



Once again we stayed with the Humms while we tidied up our house. It had been let and we were preparing to move back in. As usual, we ate extremely well. This meal of blue manna crabs was foraged from the Swan river by Dave and Janet earlier that day. Note the quality table cloth.



Another enjoyable gathering with our friends at the Humms and yet another beautiful meal.







Of course we spent time with our family, we went with Emma early one morning to her first swimming lesson in the ocean. Both she and Daniel swim in their small home pool, but the sea is quite different and they enjoy it.




On Robert’s suggestion we had brunch in Bassendean, the suburb where our boys grew up. He wanted Peter to see the restored WAGR passenger coach now a dining room at the Dome CafĂ©. This shopping centre is much changed since our time here.





Outside, the children amused themselves among these wobbly mirrors.

We had been out of France for almost two months, wandered around and have seen new ground as well as old. We met up with friends where we could but now realise that for various reasons, we missed seeing some. Sorry about that but there will be another time.

We are returning to Matilda, so we will keep in touch.

Until next time.

Monday, February 8, 2016

Our English Diversion



We left Nancy early December intending to have a quick look around south west England before returning to Oz for Xmas. Marg had been to Oxford previously but wanted to show Peter around “Inspector Morse’s” home ground. Peter, after watching English shows like Morse and Midsomer was keen to find out if this corner of Britain was as pretty as these shows depicted. He was concerned that the pretty thatched cottages with their well painted windows and tidy features was make believe and that reality was The European Grunge – a feature on a lot of buildings in France.



A train to Paris and this fellow met us at Gare du Nord as we boarded the Eurostar to London. Another quick train to Oxford and we made our base there for a few days.









Thomas Bodley, the gentleman above was the founder of the library system in Oxford now known as the Bodleian Library. (He may be better know to Harry Potter fans as Nearly Headless Nick – or more simply, John Cleese.)

The Bodleian library is the largest library in the world with over 12 million works, most of which are now digitised and available on line.







After a few days we hired a car and headed off into the countryside. We visited Blenheim castle where Winston Churchill grew up. We even saw the dents in the organ pipes made by him and his cousins playing cricket indoors.

We passed through Swindon the town that used to be the home of the Great Western Railway. Of course Peter had to visit the old workshops and yards. They have all gone now, a massive shopping centre has taken over the workshops leaving a small museum as an indication of the area’s illustrious past.





The Caerphilly Castle stands as a wonderful example of the machines that came out of these works.





Going south to the Salisbury Plain in search of Stonehenge we found ourselves in Avebury. This is the site of a much larger henge and lies at the centre of one of the greatest surviving concentrations of ancient monuments in Western Europe. Photos on the ground don’t do this area justice. If you can follow our Google earth link, the extent of these monuments will be clear.



We found Stonehenge a little further south and were disappointed that we could not get close. We could have purchased a tour but the weather was closing in and we pressed on.





Salisbury was our next stop and we admired the cathedral.



The christening font is a modern water feature within the church. Most dramatic.



We came across a golf course and were intrigued by these wild New Forest ponies. They seem to leave the greens alone as the grass on the fairways and the rough is easier to eat.







Peter found that this country met his expectations.





We returned to London and saw a little more of this beautiful and historic city.



A highlight, especially for Marg, was a tour of Cricket’s hallowed ground, Lords.

We visited one place, a little way off the tourist track. That's not quite right as it is in the shadow of St Paul's Cathedral. It is Cutler’s Hall, home of London’s Worshipful Company of Cutlers. Cutlers were the journeymen who crafted knives and swords and other weapons of war and were recognised as a guild in the 13th century. They received a royal charter in 1416.



Within this fairly unimposing brick building we were given an unexpected insight into part of the history of Old London.





The guild whose wealth is firmly in the original square mile now primarily remains as a charitable institution. A keen eye will see elevenses on the table.

We must thank John most sincerely for this glimpse of the London of the past.

We departed London on the 21st December heading for Sydney and our Christmas in Australia.

There will be more to tell, so we will keep in touch.