The deadline for using our NSW government Stay vouchers was fast approaching. But where could we go for just a night or two that was only a couple of hours away? Urunga or Yamba sprang to mind but sometimes, when you live near the beach, you long for something different.
‘Why not visit Glenrock Gardens ,’ my friend, Gerda suggested, as we sipped our cappuccinos, one morning back in September.
‘And where precisely are these gardens,’ I queried?
‘Near Tenterfield. They’re quite famous but they’ve been closed for a couple of years due to Covid.’
Tenterfield, I mused would fit the bill perfectly. Situated on the New England Tableland and surrounded by national parks, the town is only around three hours drive from Byron. Of course, we had been there before but not for a couple of years. So, decision made and Gerda and Richard on board, Tenterfield and the gardens awaited.
Accommodation was readily available and for the most part, very reasonably priced. We chose to redeem our vouchers at The Best Western, Sir Henry Parkes, Motel.
The rooms were very clean and quite spacious and grounds were lovely. This wisteria opposite our rooms gave us a glimpse of what was to come.
Situated on the main street, we were able to leave our cars at the motel and leisurely explore this character filled town on foot. An added bonus was The Bohemian Tearoom, which was across the road from the motel.
This cafe came highly recommended for its home baked offerings and judging by the crowd when we arrived for lunch, was very popular. We certainly enjoyed ourselves and the quirky decor.
After lunch, we sauntered through some lovely antique shops and explored Rotary Park. Tentefield’s streetscape was lovely: well maintained heritage buildings enhanced by council landscaping – on both sides of the main street, beds of red poppies and pansies greeted visitors.
A little stream flows through the park
The evening was closing in and the Commercial Hotel was chosen for dinner. Refurbished and making the most of its art deco interior, this pub serves up market pub food. Although we didn’t book, (a mistake) they did make room (at very small table) for us. However, that was a minor inconvenience as we really enjoyed our pre-dinner drinks in front of a comforting fire happily ensconced on comfy leather sofas and the food was tasty.
The following morning was relatively fine. As the Gardens didn’t open til 10am, we had time for a visit to the Tenterfield Saddlery, made famous by the Peter Allen song. The little shop was full of interesting material from Australia’s colonial past including local links to Banjo Paterson and ‘Waltzing Matilda’.
However, the gardens awaited. They are located a few kilometres out of town and I would recommend using Google maps or something similar to make sure that you don’t inadvertently take a wrong turning. The gardens really are a green oasis in the Tablelands terrain.
The 10 acre gardens are designed around a series of small lakes or ponds which obviously provide much of the water for the garden. You can imagine our surprise when we found out that entry into the gardens are free!
The central pond features a lovely fountain
And is still enough for lovely reflections of the trees which frame the ponds so effectively
And the mass planting around the ponds is lovely
And you can venture out onto a bridge here and there to soak up the ambiance.
From the main house and the newly opened barn, the gardens sweep down to the ponds in a series of terraces. The dry stone walls are quite stunning and each terrace leads to something new.
The colours of the stonework echo the colours of the surrounding landscape
Imagine the work in weeding all these beds!
And I loved the topiary balls.
And this statue
The garden is designed to feature different plants at different seasons. When we visited , it was blossom time.
Stunning shade of pink
The bees were happy
And these balls of sunshine stood out
Just screams Spring
We were a little disappointed that the Wisteria Walk was not in bloom. We were only a week or so away judging by the buds.
But even so, like this charming nymph, we could gaze upon one of the best views of the garden.
Lovely
Nevertheless we were able to get our wisteria fix. When we visited the nursery, we were stunned by two tall gums covered in Wisteria, their petals carpeting the ground. I couldn’t resist buying a lovely canna from the nursery which I’m pleased to report is growing well in my garden. Hopefully, a permanent reminder of Glenrock. Glenrock is renowned for the way native Australian trees blend with deciduous trees in a special synchronicity in the garden. Of course you can click on any of the photos in the gallery to get a better look.
There is so much to explore at the gardens. The owners have added a secret garden, a nursery and the Barn.
The food here is excellent. We wished that we had not had such a big breakfast so we could have eaten more. And such a special setting!
Amongst all the shades of green, pockets of colour gleam. More often in shades of blue and white.
And if you want, you can stay at the gardens in this cute gardener’s cottage.
Alas all good things come to an end and it was time to make our way down the mountain to Byron. On our way, we drove through Lismore which is still very much in recovery mode after the devastating floods earlier this year. Let’s hope that the current La Niña leaves us on the Northern Rivers well alone.
This beautiful feature plant was not in flower, a reminder that the following months have much to offer a visitor to Glenrock. In Arnie’s words, “we will be back.”
July 2018: a wonderful time of year in Darwin when the days were endlessly sunny and it wasn’t too hot and humid. When there was nothing much nicer than floating around beside the Arafura Sea in one of Australia’s most scenic swimming pools or savouring fresh barramundi and chips on an evening picnic, as you watched the sun sink in a fiery ball into the sea.
July 2018: and we could finally go to the famous or ‘infamous’ Beer Can Regatta which is held each year on Mindil Beach. We discovered that there was a special protocol which needed to be followed for building and propelling your hand made, beer can vessel.
Gives a whole new perspective to recycling !
And as well as the main race, the Battle of Mindil, there were lots of other events to keep those camera phones busy: people watching, kayak races, tug of war, an Iron Person competition, Thong Throwing (only in Australia!) and the Henley on Mindil.
So entertaining!
Despite the heat, unlike the swimmers behind me, this was as far as my toes went into the water. I wasn’t convinced that the irukandji jellyfish knew that they were supposed to be taking a holiday away from Mindil Beach
As well as the formal programme, there were lots of entertainment for young and old alike and fabulous stalls to explore at the market.
Didj players
and a really cute puppet show among many other acts.
July 2018: when we were able to witness a fabulous star gazing event, a blood red moon caused by the longest, total eclipse this century and accompanied by Mars, which was at it’s brightest and closest for 15 years.
Obviously, the moon didn’t appear this big to the naked eye, but it was still very impressive. Did you, like me get up early to watch it in the early dawn?
And most importantly at 11 pm on the 26th July, 2018, our Darwin Dream baby arrived.
After a delay of a week or two, Ilyssia Claire Blackfinally made her way into the world following an emergency Caesaraen section and she was just so beautiful!
That was all a bit much, Mum. Think I’ll just rest for a bit!
It has been one of the joys in life for Kenn and I to witness each of our children welcoming their own little miracles into the world. Words and images can’t really capture that extraordinary depth of feeling as you experience so many firsts.
That first sleep on Mummy’s tummy
That first sleep with daddy
That first meeting with her canine protector, Hannibal.
And even though I can see Reece, her father looking out at me, gazing at her asleep takes me back to when Lyndsay was a wee little baby.
Lyndsay was a little older, perhaps three months old.
Alas, all too soon it was time to share her with other members of the family and we had to fly home to Byron to prepare for our trip to China. But I wasn’t too sad as I had already booked my return ticket to Darwin for a catch up visit.
Early September, and it was feeling a little like deja vu, as I traveled to Brisbane to catch a flight to Darwin. Lys was now 6 weeks old and Lyndsay was finally able to get out and about.
This is the life, a cruise along the Foreshore and a nap while Mum and Nanna enjoy dinner at the Pop-up Pizza restaurant. Looks yum!
did we really eat all that by ourselves?
Ilyssia has already become a cafe aficionado. She enjoys acai berries and matcha tea lattes! She is such a good baby: just feeds, sleeps and gurgles. Lyndsay looked quite rested for a new mum as well. Lys has obviously decided that she’s not a party animal yet. Sleeping for 5 to 6 hours at a stretch through the night, she is being very considerate of her parents.
Luckily for us, four weeks later, Lyndsay had to attend a conference of the Gold Coast and present a paper as part of her PHD and she asked if Kenn and I would like to babysit Ilyssia between sessions. Of course we jumped at the opportunity to spend more time with our Darwin baby. We were staying at Broadbeach, within 5 mins walk from the Crown Casino where the conference was being held. There we went for long walks with Lys along the beachfront.
Even though it was a little cloudy, the weather agreed with this beach babe.
And made for very atmospheric skies
A couple of times, Lyndsay was able to join us and we would explore further afield. One such place was the Cascade Gardens.Snuggled close to Mum, Lys took in the sights.
I’m just a wee bit squished
The gardens back onto the canals and are a lovely picnic spot
And we noticed that there was a Vietnam memorial there .
Following the conference, Lyndsay and Lys were able to spend a couple of days in Byronand meet her cousin Hudson. Huddy didn’t really want to share his mummy with Ilyssia but did think Lys was very special, especially when she came on a beach walk with him.
This is such fun! Soon you’ll be running like me, Ilyssia!
Even when it’s windy, Byron doesn’t disappoint.
Far too soon, it was time for Lyndsay and Ilyssia to fly home but not before Lys had filled our home with smiles.
I wonder what she’s thinking?
As with our other wonderfully unique and special grandchildren: Genevieve, Francesca and Hudson, little Ilyssia fills our lives with love and hope, such precious gifts.
One small section of the Great Wall! Not many made it this far on a very hot day!
Have you ever wondered what those amazing internet travel deals are really like?
Are they merely the ‘Fawlty Towers‘ of travel or are they genuine value for money?
Well a few weeks ago, Kenn and I took the plunge and decided to put one to the test. We traveled to China for the first time on a 10 day tour with TripADeal. It seemed too good to be true! The basic tour price was $1999 for two people which included accommodation, breakfasts, tours and direct flights with Qantas and not an airline we had never heard of and which might drop us into the the South China Sea at any moment! An extension to see the Terracotta Warriors which has always been on my bucket list was also available for an additional $1000.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained as the saying goes, so Kenn and I contacted our wonderful niece, Amanda Sullivan at Dynamic Travel who organised everything, including our visas for us. And just like that, together with my sister Jenny, her good friend Pauline and about 30 others, Kenn and I found ourselves flying off to the forbidden kingdom.
The itinerary took us from Beijing down to Xian (to see the warriors) and across to Hangzhou, Suzhou and Shanghai and gave us a taste of some of the wonders of Imperial China as well as some of the new China’s technological marvels while inviting us to appreciate some of China’s natural beauty and culture.
Beijing
We arrived in Beijing in the evening and were met by our super friendly and helpful guide Frank. Soon our luggage was stowed on our coach and we were on our way to the Schonbrunn Hotel which was a considerable distance from the city centre.
This was an older hotel and I was a little disappointed in our room which had a very smokey smell, something you don’t encounter in Australia. Frank told me later that I could have asked for a room change but at the time I didn’t want to be that ‘difficult person’. In retrospect, I should have as we spent 3 nights here.
Nevertheless, the bed was reasonably comfortable, the linen nicely pressed and the hot water plentiful. If space is something that you value when travelling then I would opt for a twin room as I noticed that the rooms Jenny and Pauline shared were much larger than our doubles. Breakfast was included and while western options were a little limited, it was more than satisfactory. Kenn and I enjoyed our morning omelette, resuming our tussle with toaster and exploring the buffet each day.
Our first day in Beijing saw us visit a pearl factory, explore Tiananmen Squareand the Forbidden City, enjoy dinner in Beijing’s theatre precinct and marvel at the special effects of a theatrical performance entitled, The Golden Mask Dynasty.
While the pearl factory was interesting, the visit to Tiananmen Square and the forbidden City was the highlight of the day. Despite it being school holidays, (which we didn’t know when we booked) and very hot (high 30s), the square is so huge that the crowds weren’t a problem and the communication headsets enabled us to enjoy Frank’s commentary.
Jenny, Pauline and myself in Tiananmen Square. Behind us is Chairman’s Mao’s tomb.
The forbidden city too was vast. While the pavilions and the emperor’s throne room remain intact, most of the furnishings have been removed so it is difficult to gain a sense of how people lived here when the emperors ruled.
And it is very barren which surprised me. The city is built upon metres of paving bricks to prevent the possibility of underground attacks, surrounded by walls, guard towers and a moat, so there are no gardens. Consequently, the whole area radiates heat! There was however an icecream vendor with a delicious selection of gelati which was very welcome as was our air conditioned coach at the conclusion of our tour.
Red and gold predominate as these were imperial colours and the decorative features were intricate. Interestingly, the pavilions are wooden and built in such a way that they withstand earthquakes
This was followed by dinner and the theatrical performance, The Golden Mask Dynastywhich was an optional tour but well worth it.
This show was visually spectacular. They even unleashed a waterfall on stage!
The following day dawned hot and sunny but proved to be one of the highlights of the trip, the visit to the Great Wall.
On the way there, we visited a jade factory.
Watching the artisans at work was a treat. So many variations of Jade, so many beautiful objects.
Then we drove through the countryside until we reached the Juyong Passsection of the Great Wall.
The view is spectacular with the wall snaking across the hills
This part of the wall dates from the Ming dynasty and if we wanted to, we could climb to Watchtower number 4 from the headquarters below.
Jenny on the ramparts of the garrison headquarters. Behind her is the first of four watchtowers that we were allowed to climb to.
All I can say is that the Ming soldiers had to be incredibly fit to fulfill their duties. The steps are incredibly steep and quite uneven. The Ming obviously hadn’t heard of workplace health and safety regulations!
This is the easiest section to climb!
Once you reach the first watchtower, the path narrows and becomes even more uneven. Every little bit of shade was like manna from heaven. I’m sure that it exceeded 40 degrees on the wall itself! I only made it to the second guardhouse! The call of an iced tea and an ice cream consumed in air conditioned comfort was too tantalising too resist and I may have been just … just a tad knackered!
But Kenn was not so easily daunted and the final guardhouse and the most spectacular view was waiting for him.
Imagine how hard this would be in ice and snow … not a job for the fainthearted.
In the end, it didn’t matter how high or far you climbed, just taking a few steps on a monument so awe inspiring was magical. And there were little surprises like the temple on the ridge line to savour.
That evening we joined an optional tour to see Bejing’s 700 year old Hutong area by pedicab as well as visiting the three lakes area of the city.
The Hutong tour was great. We were treated to a performance by one of Bejing’s cricket men (as in insects not the sport), enjoyed a meal prepared in a traditional way as well as travelling in style in a pedicab. The lake area was lovely and popular with locals who were enjoying boat rides or just promenading along the shore.
Our final day in Beijing was also full of fun and exciting experiences. We visited the Bejing Zoo to see the giant pandas. And we learnt about traditional Chinese medicine at Tongrentang in the city centre, where we had the opportunity to be assessed by a traditional practitioner. The talk was very persuasive, but I couldn’t get stories of wild animals being hunted to extinction to become products for Chinese medicine out of my mind so couldn’t make myself try some of their products. I was in the minority though! A fantastic lunch at one of Bejing’s best dumplingrestaurants followed and then it was time to catch the very fast bullet train to Xian, a journey of about five hours.
Xian
A fabulous experience, the train proved to be very fast, smooth and comfortable even when reaching speeds of 300 kms an hour and it was a real pleasure to travel through such a vast swathe of the countryside. But there was one little hiccup. We thought that the train would have a great dining car and planned to enjoy dining a la the Orient Express. But alas, the dining car was more like a truck stop with a very limited menu which sold out of food very quickly. Then we noticed that most of the Chinese passengers on board had packed their own obviously aware of the dining car’s limitations. We wished that we had done the same.
Nevertheless, we arrived safely in Xian. Driving along lamplit, tree lined boulevards I could have imagined that I was in Paris except for the Chinese signage. Our hotel, the Grand Nobel Hotel was lovely. We were sorry that we didn’t get to spend more time there, but on the following day the Terracotta warriors awaited.
There was a chance to become a warrior!
And the chance to wallow in the marvels of one of the world’s great archaeological sites.
The scale of the museum is mind boggling. Only the Chinese would have built a museum over an archaeological site. You can view the warriors in their ranks as they would originally have been placed there, see them in pieces still stuck in the mud and see them in various phases of restoration.
Every face is unique. For a sum you can even have your own face put on a warrior and shipped home. Makes a change from your everyday buddha or garden gnome.
The horses too were fascinating. The museum is set in beautiful grounds that would be spectacular in Spring or Autumn.
We also enjoyed a lunch featuring local dishes of Xian before heading to the airport for our evening flight to Hangzhou.
Hangzhou/ Suzhou
Our flight was very pleasant and a couple of hours later we landed in Hangzhou. Can you imagine our consternation when our guide, Thomas told us how happy he was to see us as we had flown directly into the path of a typhoon! However, despite some wet weather, we were soon comfortably settled in another very comfortable hotel.
The next morning saw us exploring a tea plantation for Hangzhou is considered the tea capital of China. It was stunningly beautiful.
Confucius ushered us into the tea house
The tea house is surrounded by beautiful gardens. Maybe that’s why the green tea tasted so amazing?
Even the goldfish seemed happy
From the tea plantation, we made our way to West Lake an UNESCO world heritage site and was easy to see why.
We walked to the lake through woods fringed by lotus ponds and tea pavilions
Our cruise boat was charming
while the lake vistas were stunning.
There were lots of choices for lunch and soon we were on our way to Suzhou. It took about two hours by bus. Our hotel in Suzhou, the Snowy Sea Hotel was in my opinion the best we experienced on the tour.
The following day, we visited a silk factory and took a tour along one of the many canals in Suzhou.
But the highlight for me was the visit to the famous Lingering Garden, another UNESCO heritage site.
The house is built around a series of ponds and views of the garden are gained from both within and outside the house
Needless to say I would have loved to have included many more photos but this post is already too long. What is interesting is that this garden is only one of many you can visit in Suzhou. Late that afternoon, we were on the bus again, this time for Shanghai, our last port of call on the tour.
Shanghai
Shanghai is a fabulous city. We enjoyed every moment of our time there. But there was one drawback. Our hotel was pleasant but situated a long way out of the city. This meant that if you wanted to immerse yourself in the city, you needed to take the optional tours as getting to and from the hotel under your own steam might have been a little difficult and expensive.
Consequently, we took the optional tour to see the acrobatic show ‘ERA’ and enjoy dinner in the centre of the city. This show was enjoyable but I really was expecting something better. And to make matters worse, our bus had been delayed by a couple of tardy passengers, something that I imagine happens quite often on tours. But it meant that the dinner I had been looking forward to had to be rushed. Half an hour is not sufficient to savour one’s food in an exotic, expensive restaurant!
The following morning, Kenn and I parted company with Jenny and Pauline and decided to take an optional tour to travel on the fastest train in the world: the Maglev train. I couldn’t believe my eyes when it reached 430kms an hour! It was thrilling. Then we rejoined the tour at the bund. This riverfront promenade is delightful and the heritage buildings built by the Europeans in the 19th century impressive. Our trip back in time continued at the Shanghai museum. There were so many treasures to see. I loved the pottery including a variety of Tang horses as well as the beautiful Ming furniture in particular.
As for fabulous places to eat, our tour guide, Thomas took us to the French Quarter for lunch where Kenn and I stumbled on a very trendy warehouse eatery. Oh the dilemma of what to choose!
And then it was onto the Yu Garden, a haven of peace in a bustling metropolis.
Back in the day, they had a thing for limestone creations. And we noticed the Chinese have a thing for willow trees … not just a pretty china motif.
But the best was yet to come: the Night Cruise on the Huangpu River. If you do only one optional tour, this is the one to choose. The light show rivals that of Singapore and that’s saying something. These shots taken with my phone hopefully give you a taste of what you will see on the cruise.
And then we woke up and it was our last day. We were free to explore on our own, but TripAdeal organised a fun day for us a very little extra cost. We visited a Buddhist temple,
and an outlet mall which was super fun among other things.
Then it was time to bid China farewell as we caught our night flight home.
Final Thoughts
This tour was good value for money. If I had my time over, I would choose to travel either in Spring or Autumn as August was way too hot and I’m used to heat! Of course the hotels in the two major cities of Beijing and Shanghai were the most basic of those offered on the tour but not unexpected given the price point of the tour. You are on the go all the time on this tour which was a good thing for us but some might like to travel at a gentler pace. The tour guides were really excellent and nothing seemed too much trouble. Yes I did have a ‘fawlty towers’ moment in Beijing but overall I would have to say, TripADeal is a great deal.
Visiting ‘The Farm’at Ewingsdale is always a delight. Not only is it a working farm but it features an award winning restaurant where the food is sourced from the local community, much of it being grown in the paddocks that surround the restaurant hub, a bakery, a nursery and organic whole foods market.
A very relaxed vibe permeates the Farm
Children are really catered for as there is plenty of space to run around and explore, animals to see and a wonderful playground.
The slippery dip is quite steep, so those with younger children would have to be careful.
But at the moment, there is something really special to see. The people at ‘The Farm’ have created a simple maze through their sunflower fieldwhich is in full bloom.
The bees were in heaven
Huddy was keen for an adventure especially when I promised him a cupcake from the bakery for morning tea! The holiday season has abated so parking wasn’t a hassle and soon with cupcake safely devoured, we set off to explore the maze.
The path was particularly muddy, so Huddy decided he would like an elevated view of the sunflowers
It was so beautiful. I was almost in a Van Gogh painting.
I love the pollen on the leaves, looks like gold dust.
The path winds here and there and then emerges beside the vegetable gardens and the chicken pens.
had fun trying to identify some of the veggies
Very fat, happy chooks
There were some baby chickens which Huddy particularly liked. I thought they were super cute too.
A run on the lawn and a play on the slippery dip and it was home time.
A lovely view of the Byron Hinterland from the lawn
I hope if you’re able that you’ll be able to tip toe through the sunflowers like we did.
Sometimes the best holidays are those that happen unexpectedly. Kenn and I had no plans to visit Japan until Melissa and Ben asked us to join them on a family skiing holiday to Nosawa Onsen, a delightful mountain village a couple of hundred kilometres north of Tokyo.
While I love being in the snow, I wouldn’t say that I have a natural affinity for snow sports. I am the only person I know who when they first attempted to ski, fell off a poma. Like a beached whale, I couldn’t move out of the way. I watched as fellow beginners bumped over my legs, some actually managing air time! I was on my way to becoming a human ski jump when Kenn took pity on me, leapt off the poma and dragged me out of the way! Despite this inauspicious start and muscles I never knew I had protesting loudly, I eventually managed to gain some basic skills but that was a very, very long time ago. Would I even be able to don ski boots again? I could see a few lumps and bumps on my feet that mightn’t like being squished and squashed. And would I be able to slide down a mountain without killing anyone? Should I even try?
But even if I didn’t ski, toboggan or snowshoe, a holiday in the snow appealed. Kenn and I have never experienced a White Christmas so this was our big chance. And I knew that Chris, Steve Kenn and I would have a lot of fun in the snow with Hudson, our adorable 18 month old grandson. His idea of a comfortable pace on a sled built for two was likely to coincide with mine. We like keeping pace with snails. And I was sure a wonderful, cultural experience awaited us in the land of the rising sun. So I knitted some beanies, bought some thermals and threw them together with some snow gear and my trusty Scarpa hiking boots and before you could say ‘konnichiwa’ I was on my way.
It is only an eight hour flight from the Gold Coast to Narita airport but we all wondered how 18 month old Huddy would cope. With Hudson on board, the time passed swiftly. He introduced himself to his fellow passengers as he stretched his legs every now and then and without any fuss settled down for long naps on Mummy’s lap.
With my dummy and my ruggy, I can sleep anywhere!
At Narita, we met up with Ben’s parents, Steve and Chris and after a good night’s sleep made our way to Tokyo station where we caught the bullet train north to Ilyama.
Mmm, this is not a bad way to travel. Springs leave a bit to be desired.
Such cool trains!
Relaxing in our seats, we watched as slowly the urban landscape gave way to countryside … snowy countryside. We were a little concerned when messages flashed across the screen at the front of the train carriage warning of cancelled services due to recent heavy snow but luckily for us, we didn’t have to build an igloo for the night for the trusty Nosawa Onsen bus was waiting for us in Ilyama.
Driving into Nosawa, we realised that when they said a lot of snow had fallen, a lot of snow had fallen.
There are cars under there somewhere!
Melissa had booked us into ‘Address Nosawa’, delightful one bedroom studios. These were very well appointed and centrally located. As well as having its own onsen, the complex had a well equipped children’s playroom and helpful, English speaking staff.
We couldn’t wait to get up close and personal with all that snow! Lissa and Ben grabbed their snowboards and disappeared up the mountain while Kenn and I took Huddy out to explore the village. The powder was so powdery! Huddy nearly disappeared into a drift when his hand disappeared and he stuck his head in to see where it had gone. He soon had snow flying everywhere, creating his own Huddy snow storm. And Poppy didn’t help him at all!
Wow Poppy, look at how my hand just disappears. I didn’t know I was so strong!
And the village was so pretty.
The temples were covered by drifts of snow and
colourful buildings nestled among the trees.
mysterious signs
Even the actual cobbled streets were attractive, shiny black speckles edged with snow.
Beautiful manhole covers, celebrating the Nagano Olympics dot the streets. They are part of the excellent drainage system that allows the village to function after heavy snowfalls. Huddy loved to stamp up and down on every one he spotted. I’m happy to report that they all withstood the onslaught.
And there was a dumpling man on the corner of our street!
So delicious
But there was more. Nosawa has a great children’s snow park at the base of the mountain. All of us couldn’t wait to see Huddy have fun. Granddad Steve introduced him to a travelator which took them to the top of a small slope. Perched on Granddad’s lap, Huddy took to sledding like a pro. We took it in turns to slide with Huddy, rediscovering that inner child that lives within. Then we branched out and tried the tubes which skidded down the slope with more speed and less control than the sleds! Luckily, there was a safety fence!
Huddy also enjoyed being pulled around the park on a crocodile
Yep, this is pretty cool
and didn’t say no to a ride on a blue horse.
Hey dad, Mum is trying to catch us. Can you go a little faster?
He posed dutifully when asked.
Hi guys. Make it snappy.
With Mummy’s help, he climbed into the castle and onto the big slippery dip.
Thanks Dad for being ready to catch me.
And so much more. Needless to say Hudson really enjoyed his first visit to the snow. But for us, there was also so much more.
We delighted in the food, trying different restaurants and little eateries for lunch and dinner each day. We found an quirky cafe tucked away towards the top of the village which served delicious soup and made a great cappuccino and orange chocolate cake.
A Byron friend had recommended going to Daimon Soba for a nabeyaki udon. After a couple of tries, we managed to get a table at this very popular eatery and indeed, the udon was very filling. The tempura prawns also looked and smelt amazing!
I still can’t identify everything that was in this bowl, but it was an interesting combination of textures and flavours.
And never to be forgotten was our wonderful teppanyaki experience on New Year’s Eve where every mouthful was exquisite and memorable. While dumplings are the street food of choice in Nosawa, we found some other offerings to sample.
Sharing wonderful meals with family … a highlight. There were also lots of quirky and interesting shops to peruse in search of that perfect souvenir.
But the mountain beckoned. Steve and I decided to take the plunge and give skiing a go. I was still worried about losing control on the mountain, so after I hired some boots and skis and on the recommendation of the Address Nosawa staff, I booked a private lesson with Remy, a french ski instructor. He was confident that our unused skills would magically reappear under his guidance! So filled with visions of ourselves gliding blissfully down the slopes, We caught the gondola up to the top and a new world opened up.
It looked so pretty. Soon Steve and I were snowplowing here and there and Remy announced that we were ready for a run. While I knew what my feet were supposed to be doing in order to turn correctly, I found that they were very disobedient. Suddenly, to my dismay, I found myself hurtling down the slope about to take Remy out! Just in time, I snowplowed to a halt, caught my breath and under Remy’s watchful eye, pushed off again! More snow plowing! My thighs were on fire! It was a tortuous, slow descent. I felt really bad, having dashed Remy’s hopes but fortified with green tea, I completed another run with Melissa. It felt so exhilarating to be there on the powder, in the silence surrounded by silent, snowy trees.
I loved being up on the mountain, and persuaded Kenn to catch the gondola with me the following morning.
The village disappeared as we soared towards the summit. We had a lovely time with our cameras
In the snowy landscape, I could spot Kenn easily.
A study in black and white
The food was great in the restaurant, a perfect place for lunch.
After so much exercise, a soak in the onsen was a luxury I’ll never forget. Nosawa is blessed with mineral rich hot springs and the village is dotted with free public onsens or hot baths which are maintained by local families.
All the onsens were a little different in style from each other
Now bathing, Japanese style is not for the prudish. While there are separate male and female baths, the baths are communal and you are expected to soak in them in your birthday suit.
As I mentioned earlier, Address Nosawa has its own private onsen. So I thought that I would take the plunge there first. Grabbing my onsen towel ( which is about the size of a small teatowel) I undressed and entered the washing area. Luckily, I had the onsen all to myself! Address Nosawasupplied beautiful Shiseido products for guests to use and so I scrubbed, shampooed and conditioned till I gleamed and then gingerly made my way to the hot bath. While hot, I found it not too hot and soaked all the stresses of the day away. Kenn and I were hooked. An onsen or two a day kept the aches away!
There is so much more that I would like to share: our amazing tour to see the Snow Monkeys and our brief stay in Tokyo, but it will have to wait for another post. If you have managed to read this post to the end, thank you for sharing a little Japanese snow magic with me.
Kizuna Taiko Team : a fantastic Japanese drumming group from the Gold Coast
Last Sunday, hoping to celebrate and share some of their cultural traditions, the local Japanese community hosted the inaugural ‘Japan’ festival on the Byron Bay beachfront. We knew that parking would be difficult so parked close to Clarkes Beach, just a short walk away from the festival.
Such a perfect day: even though the seat beckoned, I resisted for I could see the flags of the festival up ahead.
There were lots of stalls to explore, outside on the beachfront and inside the Surf Club. I was drawn to the beautiful clothing, pottery and jewelery.
So many lovely shapes and the glazes – just beautiful
I love clothes made of Japanese cotton: the material just gets silkier with every wash and last and last..
All around were members of the Japanese community and their families having fun. The children in particular, looked adorable.
We arrived just as this activity was finishing.
And while a variety of alternative therapies are always a feature of markets in our area, it was interesting to see a Japanese perspective. I was particularly intrigued by the Singing Bowltent. It seemed a little similar to the Acutonics therapy that my sister Maryanne has trained in and which is gaining a devoted following.
Multiple Singing rings or bowls are placed around and on the body. As the Harmonic Sound Resonance from the bowls vibrate around and through the body, a deep sense of relaxation and well being is engendered. The lucky recipient of this massage/therapy seems very content and there was quite a line up of those wanting to experience this for the first time. More information can be found at https://www.singingring.com.au
And inside the surf club, there were lots of cultural activities on show. Part of the club had been turned into a tea house for the afternoon where still and silent, an appreciative audience enjoyed the tranquility and harmony of the ‘tea ceremony’.
I sometimes think that Japan is the Scandinavia of the East: uncluttered interiors, natural colour schemes and every thing within, a thing of beauty.
There was origami jewellery, a calligraphy workshop, a landscape artist and Japanese board games to enjoy to name just a few of the activities on offer.
These cards would make any occasion, very special.
And then there were the food stalls! I will confess, it was the thought of a yummy plate of gyoza ( japanese dumplings), piping hot pork buns and yakitori that had initially enticed me to the festival. Food in hand, Kenn and I found a lovely shady spot under a nearby Pandanus palm and enjoyed every morsel and a wonderful beach view.
The water was really lovely. Following our time at the festival, Kenn and I grabbed the beach umbrella, our swimming costumes and enjoyed a couple of hours of quality beach time. Bliss.
But for me, the highlight of the festival were the performances. Firstly a small group of Japanese children who live locally and attend a Japanese language and culture class once a week sang and danced for us.
It was delightful how the older children looked after the little ones. A lovely performance.
A musical duet featuring Japanese instruments followed.
There is a haunting quality to the sound that these instruments produce. It reminded me of one of my favourite records; James Galway’s “Songs of the Seashore, a collection of Japanese melodies”.
And the final performance was a Japanese drumming group from the Gold Coast. They treated us to three, terrific compositions utilising the drums in different ways. Their energy and enjoyment was infectious. For the first time in my life, I wanted to be a drummer!
The drummers really loved drumming and it showed! Their rhythms rocked the beach.
The sound of the barrel bass drum down the back was amazing.
The amount of force used and the variations in dynamics was impressive. No tuck shop arms here!
The festival was a great success. I’m already looking forward to next year’s. Maybe I’ll see you there.
Darwin harbour overlooks the Arafura Sea, a symphony in blue.
It’s been over a decade since Lyndsay headed north, not north to Alaska but north to Darwin! Taking a position as a choral teacher with the Northern Territory Music School turned out to be her perfect job and so she stayed. Over the years, we’ve traveled to Darwin many times to visit her, discovering and savoring much of what the Northern Territory has to offer along the way. We’ve marveled at waterfalls, gorges, billabongs and ages old rock art. We’ve been up close and personal with way too many crocodiles and luxuriated in hot springs at Mataranka under the dappled light of paperbark and palm trees. We’ve visited museums, learning more about Darwin’s wartime experiences and the horror of Cyclone Tracy, pretended to surf in the wave pool at the Waterfront and so much more.
Quite simply, Darwin is a delightful place to visit especially in July. It is always wonderfully sunny and warm, perfect for outdoor pursuits. On our latest trip, we focused on simple pleasures. Admiring Lyndsay and Reece’s new home in the Northern Suburbs and becoming acquainted with Hannibal, their Siberian husky was paramount. As you know, I love a good beach walk, but it’s always so much more fun with a puppy, especially a big puppy.
We loved the dog exercise area of the Casuarina Coastal Reserve. The beach just seemed to go for ever and we could see Lee Point in the distance. At the right time of year, turtles hatch here too. Reece and Hannibal were having a ball. Hannibal was very careful in the water. He only wanted to get his feet wet and avoided getting his body fur wet. Of course, Hannibal enjoys his creature comforts. The front seat is his domain. Lyndsay, Kenn and I were quite content to be out of the slobber zone in the back seat.
Having bought an older home, Lyndsay and Reece have lots of renovation plans and have begun with the landscaping. This involved serious wilderness clearing and fun with a bobcat or two. The result, a stylish productive garden overlooking the park. As I savored my morning coffee on the back deck shaded by the gum trees, I noticed that a cricket match was in progress on the oval in the distance. Not the Australian team in training for its upcoming tour to Bangladesh unfortunately but a local team trying to escape the heat of the day by starting early.
The cricket match is in progress on the other side of the park.
As we were based in the Northern Suburbs, we reacquainted ourselves with the foreshore at Nightcliff. Since our last visit, a new cafe has been built next to the Swimming Pool and has proved very popular with locals and visitors alike.
The pool has large sails which keep the water temperature at a pleasant temperature all year round. Not only is the pool pristine, but what a view! We enjoyed a leisurely swim before adjourning to the cafe for refreshment Such a lovely view from the cafe as well. The bean bags looked comfy and I noticed that mums and bubs tended to cluster there. Breakfast was delicious. Loved my smashed avocado with poached eggs while Kenn’s breakfast tart almost gave me menu envy. The coffee was very good as well.We walked along the cycle path to the Nightcliff Jetty and all around were vistas of the sea and the foreshore shaped by big tides.
Can you believe that we are in a capital city?
view from the jetty
Lyndsay and Reece were also keen to show us one of their favourite wilderness/camping spots, Tjuwaliyn or the Douglas-Daley Hot Springs Park. This proved to be a great 4WD adventure. The park is located about two hours drive south of Darwin and of course our first stop was the Douglas River. Here, fringed by sandy beaches, the river splits into two branches for a couple of hundred metres, forming a series of quiet, crystal clear pools.
Even though it was a public holiday and there were lots of visitors at the Springs, you still felt that you had the place to yourself
In one branch, hot springs heat the water while the water in the other branch is cold. Where the branches come together, the waters mingle. So with a bit of exploration, you can find your perfect temperature.
The hot spring side of the river is very shallow so wallowing is the order of the day The water on the other side is cold but wonderfully refreshing after soaking in the hot water and I was content to float in the shady coolness.We loved our hot and cold spa treatment. And relaxing under the tall shady trees for a shade bake.
Perfect positioning: a few steps either side for hot and cold running water. What more could you ask for?
But the park has more to offer than the hot springs. We also visited Butterfly Gorge,further upstream from the Springs. We initially walked alongside the river to where the it widens into a big pool.
It looked heavenly but ….you never know where a croc may lurk!
According to Lyndsay and Reece, you can usually walk around a big rocky outcrop to explore deeper into the gorge but alas we couldn’t. We didn’t think that this part of the river was absolutely, 100% crocodile free so were reluctant to wade around to the beach. We retraced our steps and completed the much harder climb to the lookout instead.
This walk was not what I would describe as picturesque! I was watching for snakes as I negotiated my way between the rocks. But the view from the top was worth it!
Back in the Ranger and the home comforts of Darwin beckoned but Lyndsay and Reece had another experience for us to savour: dinner at the Adelaide River Pub. The annual Rosella festival was on; bush food not birds. Having never tasted rosellas, I ate a few while an oldtimer at the bar shared his mother’s recipe for rosella jelly which he maintained was better than cranberry sauce! It might well be, but it would have been a labour of love. You would have to pick an awful lot of rosellas to have enough petals with which to make sauce.
Only in the territory do you come across unique memorabilia. Taking pride of place in the bar was the buffalo who had such a memorable role in ‘Crocodile Dundee”. It was stuffed of course!
Apparently he had lived to a ripe old age at the back of the pub!
And the meal brought another surprise. The chef was obviously keen to ensure that no-one left his establishment hungry. For example, Kenn’s chicken schnitzel was shaped like a map of Australia and covered his whole plate burying a massive mound of vegetables. While he made some valiant inroads, Kenn had to admit defeat at the Western Australian/ Territory border. Yep, everything’s big in the outback.
Back in Darwin, we continued to reacquaint ourselves with the city centre. The walk along the Esplanade is not to be missed. The gardens and lookout near the war memorial are especially lovely.
the War Memorial Looking out to seaBut there is always something new! This time we spotted two young men setting up a stall selling french crepes.
Just the thing for brunchAnd we visited Lameroo Beach accessed via a track which branches from the main Esplanade path.
The path is shaded by some coastal rainforest
Loved the colours of the rocks which fringed the beach. There was no-one else there and this was in the middle of Darwin City! Can never get enough of these colours!
A visit to Darwin has always included fabulous dinners out. On this trip, our culinary highlight was dinner at the Exotic North Indian Restaurantat Cullen Bay. Seated at a table overlooking the pier, we enjoyed some of the best Indian food I have tasted anywhere. Service was really excellent and the prices reasonable.
There’s something magical about dining outdoors with good company and listening to the sound of waves lapping at your feet and looking at yachts silhouetted against the city lights
All too soon, it was time to catch the dreaded ‘red-eye’ back to Brisbane. This time, following a family dinner at home, we all went to the 8pm session of the Deck Chair Cinema. Luckily, ‘Monsieur Chocolat’was showing, a powerful yet moving French film. It finished with more than enough time to make our farewells and get to the airport. It was a great way to fill in time before a 12.30 flight!
It was wonderful catching up with Lyndsay and Reece and we’re already planning for our next Darwin adventure. Familiar places can be so rewarding to visit.
Sometimes, when you least expect it, something wonderful happens. My friend Annie decided to celebrate a special birthday in Singapore and invited us along. We were delighted to accept and looked forward to a week of fun filled days as we explored this jewel of the East.
Flying out of the Gold Coast airport to Singapore on Scoot Airlines, the new budget offering from Singapore Airlines, was so much better than we expected: the new dreamliner was reasonably comfortable, the service good and best of all, we arrived at a civilised time in the afternoon. A celebratory drink and delightful dinner was enjoyed by all at our hotel, the Pan-Pacific at Marina Bay.
A brief foray into the immediate surroundings brought unexpected delights, including an indoor aquarium constructed entirely from balloons.
I particularly liked the turtles and Nemo is hiding down the back. This installation was in the Marina Mall. We soon discovered that Singapore is a Mall, Mall World!
But it was time for birthday shenanigans. Taking full advantage of the beautiful weather, we lazily drifted about the pool and reclined on day beds sipping champagne, while we nibbled the first of two birthday cakes (courtesy of the hotel).
celebration day 2
Soon we were celebrating by the pool.
We were resting, preparing ourselves for the birthday feast: the seafood buffet at the Edge Restaurant in the Pan Pacific.
Lobster, prawns, chilli crab, sashimi, prawns, oysters. salmon … what to choose? We took it very slowly, pacing ourselves, savouring each morsel, each of us designing our own perfect combination. A special feature of the buffet were the live food stations. You could just go and request a particular seafood speciality and they would cook it to order and bring it out to you. Magical.
After such a meal, it was time to explore Marina Bay. Singapore’s skyline is amazing and a photographer’s paradise.
The Helix bridge takes you across to the Sands Hotel and Casino and the Science Museum
The roof petals of the Science museum served as the screen for a laser light show that lit up the bay each evening.
Lovely
Knowing that there is an enormous infinity pool on the top is mind blowing! An amazing structure.
It was lovely to see how children are catered for in these open public places. While we were in Singapore, an inflatable Art Zoo, a kind of floating, giant, jumping castle was installed beside the helix bridge and the kids and their parents had a ball.
We enjoyed walking around the bay to the Merlion park where we found a cafe that was actually open for breakfast.
Just love all the red frangipani trees. Kenn and Annie soaking up the morning sun.
The views across the bay in the morning light were wonderful.
We virtually had the place to ourselves. At 9am, the crowds arrived
It was time to venture further afield. Becoming real tourists, we boarded the wacky duck, a remodelled WWII amphibious vehicle to explore Singapore’s landmarks by sea and by land. It was great to view familiar sights from the water but we made the mistake of sitting down the back and much of the commentary couldn’t be heard over the roar of the engines.
And in the evening dusk, as torchlight beckoned and the fire dancers performed, we met some of the residents of the Night Zoo.
So funny to catch someone taking the same photo as me with the same phone!
Mastering the MRT, we wandered through the crowded alleyways of Chinatown. I was looking for toddler pyjamas. I remembered how adorable Christian had looked in his pale green, Chinese pyjamas and how much he loved them, so wanted to find something similar for Genevieve and Hudson. I bargained hard! And super cute silk pyjamas found their way into my bag. Looking back though, I don’t know who came out on top; the shopkeeper or me … a number of other items suddenly seemed essential … and the shopkeeper was smiling as she took my money.
Chinatown was street food heaven. Couldn’t believe the feast you could have for a couple of dollars.
We couldn’t resist the novelty of the Gourmet Bus either.
The food was light but delicious. Perfect for lunch. Great host, informative but not overwhelming.
This was an indulgent way to see more of the city including a quick taste of the Gardens by the Bay where the dinosaurs, who were visiting for the school holidays, said ‘hello’.
What do I spy with my little eye? Five Aussie tourists …
We returned later that afternoon, to explore the two giant glasshouses and watch the light and sound show in the Super Tree grove. The Flower Dome features plants from temperate, alpine and desert regions of the world. It was cherry blossom time and the bottom floor of the glasshouse was awash in blossom.
Unfortunately, it seemed as if everyone in Singapore had the same idea as us! People outnumbered the flowers!
I particularly liked the English garden where favourite characters hung out.
And here and there were sculptures created out of natural materials and a 2000 year old olive tree!
But the Cloud Forest was even more spectacular and far less crowded. Here, the Singaporeans have created a mountain complete with waterfall, inside a gigantic glasshouse that you can meander down.
It gives a whole new meaning to a vertical garden! You walk around the base of the mountain, pass a garden constructed out of lego to a lift which takes you to the summit of the mountain. There you can gaze back over the gardens towards Marina Bay.
Shades of grey in the glooming
There was so much to see as we walked down.
So many shades of green.
A reflection pool complete with dragonfly,
an amazing array of plants,
framing all sorts …
a crystal cavern
and a secret garden.
The plants are real, the crocodile is not.
But the best was yet to come. We found ourselves a spot in the Super tree Grove to watch the free light and sound show. It was wonderful.
Just a little taste.
Sentosa Island was our destination for the following day. We caught a taxi to the island and used the free public transport to get around.
The luge was on the agenda. I remembered my previous encounter with the luge in Queenstown, New Zealand. Driving my sled in a suitably safe manner, I was shocked when an overtaking six year old told me, not too politely, to shift it. This time I was determined to find my inner formula I driver. And I did … on the third and final run!
Speed demons!
Then it was time for a dip in the South China Sea before a delightful lunch overlooking the sea, complete with Singapore slings. A cable car ride to Mount Faber followed. A delightful way to see the city.
It was time to say goodbye to the birthday party for a day or so. Kenn and I were lucky enough to spend a couple of nights with our nephew, Ben, his lovely wife Deanna and beautiful baby Lewis. Has it been your experience, that where ever you go in the world, you run into someone from your past? This time, we shared a lovely evening with Kenn’s Aunty Norma and his cousins, Pat and Lynn who hail from Condobolin and Parkes in the Central West of NSW. They were visiting Pat’s son Raymond who coincidentally lives in the same complex as Ben and Deanna. It’s definitely a small world. It had been over 20 years since last we’d yarned but it seemed like yesterday. Family is like that. Guided by Deanna, we explored the beautiful Singapore river like an expat: Robertson Quay, Clarke Quay and Orchard Road. Beautiful by day and by night.
All too soon, our final day arrived. We visited some of the colonial buildings: the Art Gallery, Raffles, the Museum and Canning Park where we had farewell drinks.
Canning Park was very interesting. We didn’t have time to see the battlebox … maybe next time.
What is your favourite memory of Singapore, the lion city?
Too often, Singapore is seen as a stopover destination – a place to spend a few hours on the way from Australia to Europe. But I think that you need more. After a week, there was so much we didn’t see or experience. On our next trip perhaps?
Whistler was the first stop on our road trip through the Canadian Rockies and proved to be one of the highlights of our trip. It had it all: mountains for as far as you could see, metres of snow, tranquil lakes hidden in woods so dark and deep, I thought I was in a Robert Frost poem and a charming, accessible, snow globe village. My daughter, Melissa and her husband Ben spent a year in Whistler, as many young Aussies do, and to this day it holds a special place in their hearts. I now appreciate why they found it so difficult to come home!
Getting There
On a cloudy, grey day, with our luggage in tow, we made our way from the Sylvia Hotel in the West Endto the airport where we picked up our car. Using the excellent bus and train system, it was surprisingly easy and cost only a few dollars. Having said that though, a taxi would have only cost us around 25 dollars. We chose the former because we had time and wanted to pretend we were young backpackers if only for a few hours.
Grey clouds threatened but blew away
The drive from the airport into the city and over the Lions Gate Bridge to the North Shore was not too difficult. Our car didn’t come with sat nav and we chose not to upgrade. Kenn was confident that he still had excellent map reading skills and sure enough we soon found ourselves zooming over the bridge and onto the Sea to Sky highway. We had scarcely travelled 30 kms and the weather started to clear. The highway skirts the coast with wonderful views over the ocean and then climbs firstly to Squamishand finally to Whistler. The drive was breathtaking, so much so that I forgot to take photos. I just wanted to look and look some more.
The Summit Hotel and Spa
We stayed at the Summit Hotel and Spa located on Main St close to the Marketplace and the Town Plaza, a great location as it turned out. Initially, I chose this property because I found an incredible special on booking.com and after checking with Melissa re location and facilities, booked. In fact it was so good, that when we went to check in at reception, the girls had never seen a booking so cheap! Was I a forger? A cheat? The back records had to checked to verify my booking.com reservation confirmation. A few anxious moments … and then smiles all round.
A very comfortable bed – a good night’s sleep was enjoyed by all.
We certainly couldn’t fault our apartment. It featured a separate bedroom, a living room complete with kitchenette and gas fireplace, a luxurious bathroom and a delightful balcony overlooking the pool and hot tub with views to Blackcomb mountain. A perfect home away from home for four nights! Leaving our unpacking for later, we spent a wonderful afternoon exploring the village and getting our bearings. Just around the corner from the Summit we discovered an Aussie pie shop (peakedpies.com) which had an amazing variety of gourmet pies at reasonable prices. Just the thing for a late lunch.
Lost Lake
The next day dawned cloudy, cool and overcast but rain was not predicted so we decided to walk the Lost Lake loop. This was on Melissa’s must do list. It was an easy 5 to 10 km walk. Initially we walked through woods, dark and deep until we reached the lake.
The path was very easy to follow. For bikers there were lots of side trails of varying difficulty. Something for everyone!
Crossing a wooden bridge over a bubbling stream,
Almost has a Japanese garden feel to it, don’t you think?
we came to a pontoon.
Such a calm day.
Here we had to stop . There’s just something about wooden walkways that invite one to explore…
It was all ours to enjoy
This would be a perfect spot for yoga, I thought. I could visualise myself attempting downward dog listening to the water lapping the deck, drifting into a zen like state. But my vision was shattered when Melissa told me that this is a favourite swimming spot for the nudist community. I couldn’t believe anyone would actually enjoy swimming here. I had dipped a toe into the water and even if I had a thermal wetsuit on, I wouldn’t dive in let alone clothed only in my birthday suit! Bits would freeze off I’m sure.
We resumed our walk and every turn of the track seemed to give us yet another vista of peacefulness. We returned by taking the track to the upper village along a delightful covered bridge.
Lost in the mist
What lurks in the bushes?
The symmetry of the roof makes for an interesting photo opportunity.
It was time to tick off another item on Melissa’s must do list. Eat a zog dog and poutine. Essential Canadian fare! I can’t report that we found them super delicious. A Zog dog is a saucy hot dog and poutine is basically hot chips with gravy and cheese curds. They were a bit salty and stodgy, perhaps best consumed on a cold winter’s day after a run down the mountain. Then, I imagine they would really hit the spot. We wandered back to the Summit where we enjoyed an hour or so in the hot tub and sauna before indulging in a great value for money dinner at the Spaghetti Factory.
We loved the food and the atmosphere of this eatery. However, I discovered that they only do a naked Caesar Salad – lettuce, croutons, dressing and Parmesan cheese. No chicken, no anchovies, no bacon, no egg! Probably better for the waistline though.
It was packed but it was no hardship to sip a cocktail or two while we waited for a table.
I was very happy after one or was it two of these?
The Peak to Peak Gondola
This has to be the best gondola ride on the planet. The sheer scale of the Peak to Peak Gondola is breathtaking. We scored a beautiful day and made the most of it. First of all, we rode the gondola up Whistler mountain.
As you can see, the gondola gives you unparalleled views all around.
Up you go, up some more and when you think you have reached the summit, you go up, up and up! Below, the village dwindles away.
So far away!
As the summit, we grabbed a bite to eat and then explored a little before climbing aboard the Peak to Peak gondola.
A hive of activity.
We found the Olympic Inunshuk and of course took a photo in front of the Olympic Rings.
I love how Kenn has captured the alpine colour palette in this photo
Going across to Blackcomb mountain on the gondola allows you unparalleled mountain and valley views. We were lucky enough to catch the glass bottom gondola as well. It’s a long way over as you can see in these photos.
Once we reached Blackcomb, we watched the skiers and snow boarders flying down the mountain. Skiing in late Spring! We could have caught the gondola back to Whistler mountain and then down to the village but decided to catch the Blackcomb chairliftdown the mountain instead. And we saw bears! Playing in the flowers! What a day!
There were a couple of bears but obviously they didn’t want to pose together for us.
Walking on top of the world.
The following morning was also wonderfully sunny, so we caught the Whistler gondola up the mountain again to walk the only Alpine track that was open. It took us to Little Whistler Peak. Although we have walked to the summit of Mt Kosciuszko in Australia, this was very different. There was so much snow and ice and we were so much higher. The air felt so clean, so good that you just wanted to drink it all in.
The walk follows a service road and climbs very steadily to the peak. As you round bends in the road and look behind you, wonderful vistas open up.
We couldn’t believe our eyes, so, so beautiful.
Soon, we found ourselves walking between walls of ice that seemed to get higher and higher as we climbed.
This is one wall that I would not be able to leap with a single bound!
And there were ice sculptures!
I thought that this looked like an elephant. Am I being too fanciful?
All too soon, we were at the end of the walk, feeling at one with the world.This was such a lovely thing to do. Descending on the gondola, we were captivated by the mountain bikers taking on the mountain. This was not an activity that I wanted to pursue but what an adrenaline rush for the riders!
In his element – Kenn loving life!
These were some of the highlights of our Whistler stay. Of course there was so much more: museums, cafes and restaurants, bike rides and of course hot tubbing our aches and pains away under the stars, just to list a few.
While Whistler comes into its glory in the winter, it’s a wonderful destination that offers so much all year round to visitors of all ages. We were sad to go.
After we completed the Queen Charlotte Walk in early December, Kenn and I visited Akaroa near Christchurch, before catching our flight home. Friends had said it was a ‘must see’ and they were so right. Cruising along in our little Yaris hire car, our first surprise unfolded as we drove down, and I mean down and down some more. Akaroa is situated on the edge of a beautiful harbour, a harbour which was once the centre of a volcano. We realised we were driving down the sides of a caldera and the views were magnificent.
This road will bring out your inner rally driver.
Akaroa is charming. Originally settled by the French, it is so ooh la la! The french influences are everywhere: from names, french blue lamp posts and public seating, to the tricolour flying in the breeze. A word or two of my schoolgirl french returned to assist in translation.
Lots of lovely weatherboard heritage style buildings and delightful cafes
There are flowers everywhere. From beautiful cottage gardens surrounding delightful BnB’s
Beautiful roses
to fences and shop fronts garlanded with hanging baskets.
They obviously remember to water their hanging baskets
We took leisurely walks along the foreshore to the little lighthouse and various points of interest sampling the coffee and friands in one establishment and the coffee and croissants in another. We indulged ourselves over breakfast, lunch and dinner. A highlight for me besides the Sunday morning chocolate crepes served by our motel, was the fish. It was superb. There must be something in the water in New Zealand that we don’t have because fish always seems to taste better there than here. I noticed a Cooking School but alas no classes were running while we were there. I would have loved to take a unique recipe home and know how it should taste and be cooked.
Lots of french with a kiwi twist inspired recipes
All however was not lost. I found something lovely to take home while souvenir shopping. I was on a bit of a mission. Before departure, Melissa and Ben had shared the happy news that they were expecting a honeymoon baby. Our second grand child was on the way! What special something could I buy the baby? It was while I was buying a cute woolly sheep for the nursery that I spied some special baby wool. It was relatively expensive at nearly $14.00 NZ but felt so soft. It was DMC’s 100% Baby, extra fine pure merino wool. Made in Italy, it looks like a 3 ply yarn but knits as a 4 ply. I have never seen it in Australia, so bought two balls of white. Enough to knit a little something. Then Kenn spotted some great buttons and my purchases were complete.
But as every knitter knows, it is one thing to buy wool, another to knit it up. What would I knit with this special wool? A jumper? Maybe booties? Perhaps a little hat? The hat I had knitted Genevieve had been a hit.
Genevieve Grace has arrived!
In the end, I decided to knit a cardigan in the newborn to three month size. Luckily vintage is in, for I decided to use a pattern from the ’70s that my mother-in-law, Betty had given me. It comes from PatonsPattern book 792, 10 Baby Knits which, to my amazement is still available on ebay. It was easy to knit and the buttons give it a unisex, contemporary finishing touch, don’t you think? By the way, the cardigan took just one ball of wool! I think a hat and maybe some booties will be making an appearance.
Heritage pattern with a twist
It always feels so good when it’s finished!
So what have I been doing since I finished this project? I’ve started a baby blanket which hopefully will be finished by June. It’s definitely not heritage in any way. An interesting project, it’s something to do after I’ve been for my swim and beach walk or perhaps shared a coffee with friends. It’s a wonderful world out there.
The water is so clear and warm at the moment. Perfect for wallowing
an amazing array of plants,
a crystal cavern
and a secret garden.
Byron Dreamer 