Semillon and Kangaroos

Well, I am sorry to say that yet another rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne goes in Sydney's favour. The Hunter Valley is much nicer and more developed than the Yarra Valley, sort of a friendly Southern Napa.

I am actually in Newcastle, which is much closer to the valley for touring. Yet again, I chose a package including van, and this one was very reasonably priced. It was a fun day in spite of the cool fall weather.

You know you are not in Napa when you pull up to the winery, and the guide points to some fields beyond the vineyards saying "look at the wild kangaroos". Yes, and there they were. One of the very excited Americans in our group almost got run over while running across the road to get a picture. My zoom could not do it, so you'll just have to settle for a cute story.

We toured a number of different sized wineries, including giant Lindemans. All the wineries had excellent tastings and staff - very friendly, knowledgable and generous with the pours. Like Yarra, we typically had a dozen pours at each.

Hunter Valley is known for its Semillon and Shiraz, so we got to know those two better. We also did some cheese tasting - Aussie cheese is super! We ended the tour with a liquour and schnapps tasting, finishing the day downing a butterscotch schnapps flavoured with rosemary and hot chilli peppers.

I left the valley with a smile, and a really weird taste in my mouth.

Stranded in Sydney

It figures that I go to a country that has had severe drought problems for some 10 years, and I hit heavy rains and flooding. It has not been bad here in Sydney, but north of here, in northern New South Wales the storms have been terrible.

You may recall that I have a Greyhound pass that will take me from Melbourne to Cairnes, so I am continuously moving north. The plan was to head up to Byron Bay, but the buses were not running earlier this week due to flooding and road wash outs. Luckily my hostel was able to accommodate me a few more days, and believe me, there are far worse things than being stranded in this beautiful city.

On Monday, I headed out again on Sydney's wonderful Harbour Ferry system over to Manly Beach. The ferries all leave from Circular Quay, and I can get there on a free bus, the #555 (are you listening BC Transit?). The ferry was a scenic 1/2 hour ride across the harbour, and I spent the afternoon wandering around Manly, with its calm inner harbour beach, and surf pounded open ocean beach. Surfers were taking advantage of the huge waves that day.














Tuesday was a running errands day, something that is essential when travelling, yet I know alot of you would consider it a waste of a day. I started out at Greyhound, and no, I could not head north yet. I headed into the CBD, and discovered a nice little barbershop on the way. My hair did not get completely buzzed like it did in Thailand, thank goodness.

Looking less scruffy, I headed downtown to Air New Zealand's office. A very helpful lady there easily changed the dates on all my remaining flights. So, it is now June 21 to Auckland, June 28 to San Francisco, and July 11 home to Vancouver. That's a Saturday, so I expect a huge gathering at the airport (just kidding).

It was a gorgeous sunny day in Sydney, and here I was close to the waterfront. So I headed down to Circular Quay and The Rocks for yet more pictures of the Sydney Opera House. I climbed up the bridge approach watching the crazy people climb up the top arch of the bridge, and decided the sidewalk was more my speed. I walked across the bridge and drank in the stunning views - what a city!

Stopped at a rooftop bar in the Rocks area for a cold beer, and it seemed everyone in Sydney had left their offices that day to do the same (another reason Sydney reminds me of Vancouver).

Got a few more errands and shopping done on my way back to the hostel. I grabbed a light bite out on Oxford Street, and decided to check out the bars on Tuesday night. The Oxford Hotel was fairly quiet, but they have $2.50 schooners of beer at Happy Hour. I crossed the street to the Stonewall where it was much busier. Here, there were also $2.50 schooners, but when I ordered mine, the bartender asked "Heads or Tails?". He flipped a coin, it was in my favour (heads), therefore my beer was free. I did this two more times, both times getting a free beer, then decided it was perhaps time to stagger home.

Today is Wednesday, I was just at Greyhound, and I am booked to Newcastle tomorrow. I plan on checking out the town itself, and probably doing a Hunter Valley wine tour from there. The plan after that is Byron Bay on Sunday, then on to Brisbane after that.

G'day all!

Sexy - Surfer - Swimmer - Sydney

You couldn't go to Vancouver and not see Stanley Park, in the same way, you could not go to Sydney and not see world famous Bondi Beach.

May, in the Southern Hemisphere is the equivalent of late November at home, so it was really nice that the day was mostly sunny and 21 degrees. Getting around Sydney is so easy with great public transit. So, I hopped on the #333 Express Bus to Bondi, and off I went. You know you are on transit in Sydney when someone gets on the bus with a surfboard.














I arrived at the beach, and was hit by the classic sweeping view. It is everything stereotypical about Australia, and you have to love it. The sand is really nice, and the surf was high. All the surfers where in wetsuits, which I am sure made them look more like seals to the sharks!

I wandered the beach and the shops along the waterfront. I also took the wonderful Coastal Walk south to the next beach - Tamarama. As I walked the cliff-side trail, I wondered if Vancouver might lose its "Best City in the World" status with me. Sydney really is spectacular.














I dropped by the Bondi Iceburgs oceanside pool, Bondi's version of Kits Pool, only more spectacular. Seems there was an amateur swim meet going on that day, with many corporate teams and even the NSW Fire Brigade Swim Team. You just have to love Australia, perhaps the only place in the world where straight men still wear speedos. I really enjoyed my day at Bondi Beach. (More pictures on my flickr page)

Sunny Sydney!

On Friday, I had made my way over to Watson's Bay by ferry, and a huge storm hit just as the ferry docked. I nipped inside a cozy hotel there, where they had a great fish and chips special - just what I was craving. I returned to the city and stayed inside (read cozy pubs) for the evening.

Finally on Saturday, the storms abated, the weather warmed up, and the sun came out. Perfect, I had planned to explore some inner city neighbourhoods, so on went the walking shoes, and out I went.














I discovered that besides being a beautiful city, Sydney is also a city of fantastic neighbourhoods. It would be a hard decision to figure out which one to live in if I were fortunate enough to move here.

I started with the familiar - Oxford Street, the heart of Sydney's gay area. I had been there a couple of time already, but this trip was for you, dear readers, had to get you some pictures.

Further down Oxford Street, I took a left and headed into Darlinghurst, supposidly a very edgy neighbourhood. Well, by day it was really interesting, with lots of down to earth shops, restaurants and bars. It gradually gave way to King's Cross, the original backpackers area of Sydney, but again, it was nicer than I thought it would be. You enter the Cross when you come upon the huge Coca Cola sign, sort of Sydney's version of the Hollywood sign.














A cute little house with tree fern in Darlinghurst.














Looking back towards Sydney from the Potts Point neighbourhood.

After Kings Cross, it was further north into Potts Point. Yes, there certainly was some money here, with a really nice mixture of old and new buildings, and an amazing view back across the water towards the Sydney skyline.














I then reversed my path back through all the previous neighbourhoods, and took a left on Oxford to head into the Paddington neighbourhood. Not quite as upscale as Potts Point, but very nice, and a great shopping street (think Union Street in San Francisco, or Fourth Avenue in Vancouver).

I wandered around this neighbourhood, checking out the sidestreets, and generally just enjoyed being outside in the nice weather.














Casual dining in Paddington.

The Hostel Wimp

OK, I admit it, although I look like a backpacker, I am not such a creature. I have been spoiled by cheap hotels in India and SE Asia, and cannot bear to go back to dorm rooms like in Europe (some of you may recall the "Amsterdam Incident").

So, I am overspending my budget on private rooms in Australia, and have even got the luxury of my own bathroom here in Sydney (which I could do without). The picture is the common area of my hostel, complete with Wifi access and a huge HD TV.

Dave W. would not be proud of me!

Sensational Sydney

It is amazing to think about what I have seen lately - The Empire State Building, The Eiffel Tower, The Taj Mahal and now the Sydney Opera House - all in one trip!

Yes, I am in the fabulous Australian city of Sydney, and it is everything I imagined - all good. The weather absolutely sucks so far, with gale force winds blowing off the ocean, and bands of heavy showers moving through - think a slightly warm Vancouver November day.














But, it does not matter, and it cannot take away from this amazing city - it feels very comfortable. If you are from Vancouver or San Francisco (or just really like those cities) you will feel very comfortable here. Of course it is not the same as those two cities, but it has that same "feel" to it.

I arrived by bus, hoping for a stay with a gay host from the EBAB service I mentioned in my Europe blogs. But because of communications screw ups (the internet crashed in the middle of confirming my reservation), my host did not have a room the night I arrived.

Intrepid traveller that I am, I just popped on my not so big and heavy backpack, and headed out into a new city to find a place to stay. OK, I admit, it can't be too scary in a big Western city that speaks English, but still, I have become somewhat seasoned by this trip, and don't panic when things go slightly wrong.

I found an OK private room at a backpackers place for AUD $65. The showers and bathrooms where shared, and the building was a little old, but it would do. I quickly found nearby Oxford Street (the gay area) and found a couple of fun places for drinkies. Unlike Melbourne, Sydneysiders do go out after work for a drink. Also, unlike Melbourne, the gay bars are not spread out all over the city, they are mostly near Oxford Street (again, think Davie or Castro).

The next day I still had problems contacting my EBAB host, so just gave up, and was going to return to my original hostel (I had checked out and stored my luggage for the day). I noticed another hostel on my way back, and dropped in to ask about rates. For a little more, AUD $75, I could get a private room with my own bathroom and shower. I checked it out and it was much nicer, plus it even had a TV. The common areas were very nice, and the price included a kitchen. So, here I am.














That day, while my bag was in storage, I wasted little time getting out and exploring Sydney. My feet had big blisters on the bottom from all my walking in Canberra, so I hobbled around Sydney as best I could, ignoring the pain. I wandered through Chinatown, and on towards Darling Harbour. I walked across the Pymont Bridge and back through downtown, then north past the Sydney Tower, Hyde Park and a bunch of historical buildings, until I reached the Royal Botanical Gardens. All the time this thought keeps popping through my head "OMG, I'm in Sydney!".

The Botanical Gardens were beautiful, and signs kept telling me I was getting close to the Opera House, but no sign of it with all the plants and trees. I am walking along the waterfront, and all of a sudden I round a corner, and there it is! Not just the Opera House, but the Opera House with the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background. As I said, another classic spot I have visited on this trip.














After tons of photos of the famous Opera House, I continued on around Sydney Cove and Circular Quay into the Rocks neighbourhood. This is Sydney's oldest settlement that was finally restored some years ago. It has a little bit of a Gastown feel to it, perhaps a little nicer.

That evening, it was back to the new backpackers room, and of course a fun night out on the town on Oxford Street.














Today, after updating my pictures and blog, it is off to Circular Quay of a free bus I have discovered (my feet thank me for that), then taking the ferry across to the Taronga Park Zoo. Will explore some more neighbourhoods this afternoon like Kings Cross, Paddington and Darlinghurst.

Loving Sydney!

The Australian Capital Territory

I really feel you don't know a country until you have seen its capital city. I guess I don't know the U.S. as I have yet to go to Washington, DC. I always feel very Canadian when I go to Ottawa (yes, Greg, AWWW TAH WHAAAA). So I knew while I was in Australia, I had to check out Canberra.

Yes, that's right, kids, Canberra is the capital of Australia, not Sydney!

Like Brasilia, Canberra was chosen as the capital, and built "out in the middle of nowhere". It has that large, planned, spread out feel to it, but it is on a much more human scale than Brasilia. It is quite pretty, with lots of parks and green space. It is also very bicycle friendly, with paths crisscrossing the fairly flat city.

It was a cool fall day, and I just walked my legs off. I must have gone for miles. I am sitting in an internet cafe, my legs aching and cooling down.

I started at the Parliament Buildings, built under a hill in a big circle road. I got a very interesting tour, and we saw both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Both were of course much more modern than their cousins in Ottawa, as the new Australian Parliament was built in 1988.

I headed out to the High Court of Australia after that, then on to the fantastic National Gallery of Australia. How surprising to find one of the nicest galleries I have ever been to. They have such a fascinating mix of art, Australian, Impressionist, Modern, Aboriginal, Pacific Islanders and even some fantastic pieces from India.














I continued walking around Lake Burley Griffin, checking out various other sites. I made my way through Downtown Canberra, and over to the Australian National University.

It was a beautiful, cool, cloudy fall day, perfect for such a long walk.














Another very cool thing about Canberra, cockatiels just flying around like crows or seagulls do in Vancouver. My friend Tony Cruickshank would love it!

A Fall Day in the Yarra Valley

Yes, it is May, and yes, it is Fall - remember the Southern Hemisphere. It feels much like a crisp October day in Vancouver - nice and dry here, very little rain. I am actually enjoying the cool weather.

So, Neil the budget traveler has been pretty good in Melbourne. I did splurge on a private room, but got a pretty good price. I have been touring neighbourhoods on foot using my Metcard transit pass to get me there, and enjoying that and the exercise. I have also found a bunch of free attractions in Melbourne which I have really enjoyed.

So, why then, can I blow AUD $98 on a one-day wine tour. Because it is my trip, and I get to do what I want! I really do enjoy wine touring, and it seemed like a great way to spend the day.

It really did turn out to be a good decision. Our tour guide, Simon, was an ex-Intrepid tour leader, so we got to talk a lot about traveling the world, and whether I might be suited to being a tour leader myself (he said go for it, even my age was just right!). He made for a very enjoyable tour, and was quite knowledgeable about wines.

There were some very nice people on the tour itself, so I got to meet and talk with folks from Australia, Malaysia, Britain and Sweden.

















We started at a small farm based winery - Yering Farms Wines. The tasting room was a converted farm building, complete with roaring fire burning in the wood stove - very cozy and unpretentious, a nice way to start the tour. Simon and the proprietor worked together on the tastings. This is a cool climate wine region, so there are lots of Sauvignon Blancs, Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs and Merlots. As with all the places that day, they were VERY generous with the tastings, gladly allowing you to taste a dozen or so wines.

This is why it was a very good idea at the next winery, Rochford Wines, that we had our lunch after tasting another 6 wines. The lunch was absolutely fantastic, beautiful setting, with a choice of four dishes. I chose the chicken on a bed of couscous and onions, but really should have gone for the steak - everyone said it was superb! This was served with fresh crusty bread, a glass of wine as chosen at the tasting, and hot tea and coffee.

After lunch, you could indulge in more tasting (more than a dozen more wines), or belly up to the fudge bar. I chose to taste grapes rather than sugar!














After Rochford, it was off to the Yarra Valley's oldest winery - Yering Station. It was an interesting winery, with some old historic buildings, but also some very modern new ones. The tasting staff were very young and casual - lots of joking and fun, yet knowledgeable about their wines and the valley. The Shiraz-Viognier blend was particularly interesting.

Our final stop of the day was for sparkling wine (not champagne) at Domaine Chandon. I have been to Chandon in the Napa Valley many times, and it was an interesting comparison. This is a luxury brand, and they really know their marketing. It was very similar in experience and look to Napa. A full glass of their classic blend was an excellent way to end the day.

Happy and all a little tipsy, we hopped into our bus for our ride back into Melbourne. A wonderful way to spend a day, the only thing that could have made it better was some sun, but the fall colours made it a spectacular day.

Conservative Melbourne

I have been very curious to get to Melbourne, as I have heard so much about it. Invariably, when I have met an Aussie while travelling, they seem to be from Melbourne. Most of us Vancouverites know that Melbourne and our wonderful city usually tie every year for the title of the "World's Most Livable City". It seems that perhaps they are kindred spirits - two somewhat understated, yet great, world cities.

It is when I arrived and started exploring that I was a little surprised. Indeed, Melbourne is a flourishing arts city, with galleries, theatres and concerts everywhere. It has a fantastic transit network, especially the wonderful trams that trundle everywhere. But, it lacks the density of Vancouver (as most cities do), and therefore the neighbourhoods are not as crowded and lively. We really don't realize how lucky we are until we travel. Melbourne, I was also told, had an edgyness to it. But I found it to be on the somewhat quiet, conservative side. Please don't get me wrong, I really like Melbourne, it was just I was led to believe it was something it was not.














That being said, it is quite easy to imaging living here. It is very civilized and livable, with all the big city amenities one needs.

I have also found the prices to be a bit of a shock. After Asia, anything would be. But compared with Vancouver, they are very high. I suppose it is because I know my way around Vancouver so well, and know all the little inexpensive hole-in-the-wall restaurants where you can eat cheap and good. Everything here seems to have prices in the high-teens.... ouch!

I have made up for it by finding lots of free venues by day. Yesterday I did the National Gallery of Victoria in Federation Square, then wandered down the Yarra River to the Royal Botanical Gardens, also free.















With these savings I have decided I can splurge for tomorrow, and am taking an all day wine tour to the Yarra Valley. They pick me up near my guesthouse, we go to 4 wineries for tours and tastings, including champagne at Domaine Chandon. Also included is lunch and wine at a nice restaurant. It is an all day affair, and I will be back in town at 7:00 in the evening.

I am also planning for my future Australia travels today. After this, I am heading downtown to Southern Cross Station to pick up a Greyhound bus pass, that can take me all the way from Melbourne to Cairnes, with flexible stopovers along the way. I know it will be long tedious days of travel, but I do like to see the countryside and meet the people. The alternate is to fly over it all, which I will do on the way back to Melbourne.

On that thought, I hit an Air New Zealand ticket office yesterday, and confirmed all my flights are still on the system. I was also able to re-route through San Francisco on the way home, so will finish the trip the way I started it, with my wonderful friends, Craige and Greg (maybe even Dawn and Stef again, hint-hint).

Cheers from Melbourne!

A Target Makeover

It is wonderful to be back in an English speaking country (sort of, as my sister said). It is also very refreshing to be in cool 16 degree weather after months of sweltering in the tropics (you don't hear that from a Vancouverite often!). But here I am in the wonderful city of Melbourne, feeling recharged, and ready for further adventures.

There is a nagging problem, however. It is the same one that confounded me in Europe. It is great to be a budget traveller packing a light carry on sized bag, but when one gets to a sophisticated city with cool weather, one feels like a shlepp! I mean, come on, the other day I was standing in Melbourne's most famous leather bar, wearing travel slacks, sandals with socks, and a jacket that looked like it could keep me warm on the Bolivian Altiplano, yet totally devoid of style.

I had anticipated the problem in Phuket, and tried shopping for some appropriate clothes, but did not have any luck. When I arrived in Melbourne I just knew I had to somehow solve the problem, but as you all know, I am a terrible shopper, especially by myself.

So, I am wandering down Bourke St in central Melbourne, when what do I discover but a Target store. Hmmm, lets give that a try.

Well, I lucked out, and found a nice new wardrobe, and suddenly feel like a million bucks. The rules were that it must be clothes that I would wear at home, so spending the money would not be crazy. I got a great fitting pair of grey jeans with a new belt. A great pair of casual shoes and some new socks. I also splurged on a quite stylish new jacket, all for AUD $132 including GST.

You all know I am not into clothes, but the boost to my confidence was very tangible. Luckily, I have plenty of room for my new clothes as I sent my sleeping bag home from Thailand.

Fresh from my Target makeover, I am off to explore more of Melbourne.

Back to the Southern Hemisphere

After a quick budget flight from Phuket to Singapore, I find myself at the Singapore Airlines Business Class check in with the agent telling me my reservation has been auto-cancelled. This is in spite of the fact I hold a paper ticket, and Lufthansa sent me an updated itinerary just days ago.

Oh well, no problem, they have Business Class seats on that night's flight to Melbourne, so I take one on the upper deck of a 747-400 - first time ever upstairs.

I spend the good part of the day in the Silver Kris lounge in Singapore, huge, very nice, and tons of stuff to eat, drink and read - very comfortable.














Our flight takes off on time, the service is amazing with an excellent dinner, then I am off to sleep in the almost flat bed.














On arrival in Melbourne I quickly locate the skybus to town, then figure out the trams to get me to St. Kilda. My reservation of a private room is waiting at the Olembia Guesthouse, and I sleep away some of the morning.

Later that afternoon I am out exploring on foot - I instantly like Melbourne. I have just stopped at an internet cafe here in St. Kilda to let you know I am here safe and sound.

More from Melbourne soon.

Well, it finally happened

After 9 months of travel it was overdue, I finally got sick the other day. I am proud to say it is not stomach related, I keep eating all this weird and wonderful food. I think I got quite dehydrated, feeling very weak, with achey muscles (swine flu???). It is so hot here this time of year, you sit inside open to the outside with a fan on you, doing nothing, and you are still sweating constantly. Add walking to the equation, and your shirt is dripping with sweat. Then you go to the beach and get even hotter, and finally, I have this bad habit of dropping by the sauna where I am staying.

Normally, I don't drink enough fluids, so this is just asking for it. Luckily I am at a nice guesthouse, close to things, with great staff who would lend a hand if I needed it.

I felt sick on Sunday, and have slept for two days and nights continuously. I am probably going back to bed now, but am starting to feel better. I will wait until I have been well a few days before attempting to do anything.

Next Sunday, May 10, I fly Air Asia to Singapore, then have a 7 hour connection for my flight to Melbourne. Still not sure what to do about the money situation, I may cut Australia and New Zealand short, as I am definitely getting homesick.