Port Arthur taken from the ship. Maureen and I attended a talk about Port Arthur and Hobart. At the end of the Port Arthur talk the speaker stated that we would be anchored off shore, because Port Arthur was not a port that could cope with a vessel of our size. In fact, all they […]
Lachlan Macquarie 1762 – 1824 Lachlan Macquarie was the 5th Governor of NSW and arrived in Sydney in 1809. He urbanised the convict settlement by creating street and parks and the layout of Sydney today is based on his plans. Governor Macquarie encouraged social reforms, and he promoted getting married in church, morality, police patrols, […]
While in Broome we took the opportunity to visit Willie Creek Pearl Farm, which was a fascinating time and very educational. It seems that ‘natural’ salt water pearls are no longer available, and all the pearls that we see are ‘cultured’ if they are the salt water variety. Fresh water pearls are imported mainly from China. […]
Sky Tower, Auckland. Picture from the web 328 metres (1,076 feet) high – the tallest free standing structure in the southern hemisphere. The Observation platform is on level 51 at 186 metres, and above this level is the Skydeck at level 60 – The Sugar Club level 53, and orbit dining at level 52. The […]
Cowra is the only place in the world that has a Peace Bell and is not a major city. In 1951, Chiyoji Nakagawa, who at that time was a council member of the UN Association of Japan visited Paris at his own expense to observe the 6th General Assembly of the United Nations. He obtained […]
On our return to Singapore I received a letter from head office informing me that I was to fly to Calcutta to join an Australian bound ship. More frequent flyer points lost . . . I flew to Calcutta and stayed at the Great Eastern Hotel, which had been a hotel since 1840 and it […]
I knew that I had made an impression with this fellow – as soon as he saw me, he turned his back . . . We were visiting the Koala Hospital in Port Macquarie, which is free to enter and all they ask is a donation to the work of looking after sick or injured […]
Plas Newydd (or New Hall in English) overlooking the Menai Straits, Anglesey, where I lived for three months when training at HMS Conway. The site was originally occupied in the 13th century and was known as Llwyn-y-Moel, but by 1470 it was owned by the Griffith family, and they created a hall-house. Over the centuries through marriages, it became the home of the […]
Boeing 747 – the work horse of flying in the 1980’s How something simple can grow & grow! In 1986 I was asked to attend an operational meeting in London, to which I agreed. I warned Maureen that I would be away for a few days because I was going to London. Later it was […]
Plas Newydd (or New Hall in English) overlooking the Menai Straits, Anglesey, where I lived for three months when training at HMS Conway. The site was originally occupied in the 13th century and was known as Llwyn-y-Moel, but by 1470 it was owned by the Griffith family, and they created a hall-house. Over the centuries through marriages, it became the home of the […]
As we finished the tour of the oyster farm I asked Maureen if she would like a short flight in a helicopter. I’d flown in a helicopter across Sydney harbour some years ago in a traffic spotter helicopter for one of the Sydney radio stations. The weather had been horrible. In Broome the weather was wonderful […]
Hollywood Pool Club – I took these pictures during our time at anchor just off Santorini in Greece. The bulk of the passengers were still ashore so Maureen & I had the place mainly to ourselves. If you look closely at the green figures above, you can see someone hiding as I took the picture. […]
I know that we are supposed to plan for the future, and that the only sure thing is death and taxes. During our Australian road trip last year I came across a grave . . . . The ‘problem’ with this grave is that fortunately it is empty – at the moment! It appears that […]
The British celebrating ten years of service for Concorde’s trans-Atlantic service, accompanied by the Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows, and Queen Elizabeth 2 cruise ship, which also carried passengers trans-Atlantic but much slower. On arrival at JFK (New York’s major airport) we taxied to terminal 7 There wasn’t any mistake as to our location because […]
