Australia

I have always had the warmest feelings for Australia. Reading about the country and its people since I was young had left a very good impression. For our Golden Wedding celebration we decided on a trip of a lifetime to visit the country. Even then I had limited stamina so we decided on a brief visit to join a cruise ship along west coast of New Zealand.

I had a very personal reason for my positive feelings for the Antipodes. Martin after prolonged treatment for cancer had returned to university after being forced to miss a year. He returned immediately after treatment and was a haunted young man. One particular reason was that his girlfriend, fulfilling a long standing pledge, had gone to Australia for a working year with another girl. Young people under an excellent reciprocal arrangement can work in Australia for a year. Martin missed her terribly and couldn’t settle on his return. To give him an incentive to finish his degree I undertook to pay his air fare after he left university.

His girlfriend arranged a job for him and then afterwards they travelled together including a fortnight in New Zealand. I have to say he returned a changed man. I met him at Heathrow and I hardly recognised the tanned smart returning traveller. His smart casual dress had paid off on his return journey when he was given an upgrade. I am delighted to say he married the girl who is now a much appreciated daughter- in- law and mother of our grandchildren.

We flew into Sydney for a couple of days stay. We were by the harbour in a busy tourist area. I was amazed at the number of Chinese and Indian looking people. Some were tourists but many were new Australians. Along the waterfront I was impressed by the amount of new high rise construction. The vast harbour is quite magnificent bordered in our area by restaurants with every type of cuisine. We were so tired after our journey that the harbour tour I wanted was impossible and we visited the maritime museum instead. We toured a part size replica of Endeavour, James Cook’s ship.

Our hotel was near a tourist area alongside the harbour which was busy and lively. People of all kinds from around the world strolling by an array of restaurants and clubs. The wide path passed various ornamental sculptures, fountains etc. Although there was an incredible array of gastronomy on offer we returned in the evening going to an unpretentious restaurant where we had a bar meal. We had fish and chips as a safe choice

We had a bus tour around central Sydney. The biggest disappointment in Sydney was Bondii beach. I expected an expanse of golden sand populated by bronzed young men and tanned beautiful women. Instead it is quite small and populated by a crowd which would be at home in Blackpool. We stopped at a lovely park just by the harbour bridge. I was struck by a group doing some sort of exercise in one area. Whatever it was it seemed very relaxed and slow rather as I had seen on TV in Japan.

Melbourne is a bit similar but a much less impressive harbour and an old fashioned tram following a circular route around the centre. Probably a bit closer to my expectation was Tasmania where we called en route to New Zealand. We travelled through farm country much like the Midlands it seemed to a forest inland. A tourist trail led over a precipitous decline onto a suspended walkway. All of a sudden you are in the treetops looking at massive trees. This continued in a semi circle for several hundred yards over a small river and back to the cliff edge.

Our cruise went on to New Zealand finishing in Wellington. From Wellington we flew back to Melbourne for the long flight back. The leg from Melbourne to Dubai was 14 hours and it seemed interminable. We were travelling in the Airbus A380 the largest passenger carrying airplane. I was disappointed that really all we saw of it was our cabin. We were travelling in business class as advised by our daughter. This had fully reclining seats but I couldn’t sleep although Annette slept for quite a while. The arrangement was roomy and I could walk around a little. Even fully reclined there was plenty of room before another seat row. I find it difficult to settle to enjoy the inflight entertainment. A film tends to be far too long and short programs are best in my experience. It is a pity Australia is so far away; I would love to return but I couldn’t face the journey.