life in the old lane

Train was late into Sydney, but it didn’t much matter to me. It still wasn’t check-in time.

Noticed that I was tired. Maybe, I am old. Or maybe it had something to do with hanging out in the bar car until 11:30 last night. But,it could have been because it was 102 degrees.

Lots of things to seen near by. It’s Valentine’s day. The long-legged young women were dressed in finest sluty-chic outfits. Ah, to be young…

There were a couple of these ibisy critters wandering around the park.

Maybe a ferry to the zoo tomorrow.

We had two long stops today. From 7 to 9 this morning we were in Adelaide. Adelaide doesn’t seem to have much going for it. A harbor that might be nice if you are going to the South Pole on the south side and about 1,000 miles of nothing in all other directions. I am not sure why it exists. It is old and genteel in a men’s club way. And from 5 to 7 this evening we were set loose in Broken Hill. It’s an old but still operational mining town. Lots of great old buildings. Sydney tomorrow at about eleven in the morning.

Exciting downtown Cook. Population 3. Cook was a fuel and water stop this afternoon. Moved our clocks ahead 2.5 hours when we left. Am feeling robbed. They stole my nap time. But, it’s 5 o’clock sooner. Camel Curry on lunch menu. One hump or two.. I was feeling like a salad! And it was very good.

It is about 5pm. I have dinner at 6. Then some time around 8:30 we are going on a field trip to a gold mine. I think. They say I can climb on to a dump truck. Stay tuned. But, I think there will be WiFi there. So maybe this will post.

I am liking the train. Different from Amtrak and Canada long range trains where you can walk from end to end

Here I am locked into a 5 car range. 4 passengers and one bar/restaurant car. There are three of these, plus a posher class set-up.

But mine is posh enough. Much nicer than Amtrak. Maybe even nicer than Canada VIA rail. However, we are being rousted out at 6:15 tomorrow morning for a sunrise brekkie picnic.

So far the food is good, the booze is great and the roadbed not so hot. All aboard!

The passage way is very elegant. I am right next door to the potty. That could be not so good.

My room just about fits me. As a photographer, I am happy to report the window is clean.

263 folks on board.

65 hours 4352km

Today was all about riding the bus for from Geraldton to Perth. The hands down best thing was seeing a flock of emu strolling through a wheat field looking extremely Jurassic.

Today’s version of carving initials in a tree.

saw this guy at the Melbourne zoo. Today, in person.

Saw my train this afternoon, it must have had 40 cars. I could not see either end.

No internet or cell signal until I get to Sydney on February 14.

Tired. Good night until Sydney.

Before Facebook. Before the blog. There was my travel log. It is still around. Just digital.

Most notes written on planes or just before falling off to sleep.

Australian Adventure Before Alzheimer’s

Feb 2 Friday

Billy and I had a late breakfast and he took me to the airport. Short flight from Kona to Honolulu. Then a modest layover. Now on the plane heading for Brisbane. The captain just said the flight time will be 10 hours and17 minutes. I just ordered a Heineken!

Just noticed…the plane has ambient bird sounds. How strange is that?

One Heineken and a bunch of Mac nuts down and 9 hours 35 minutes to go.

Finished my eggplant supper. 8 hours 10 minutes more. Switched to audiobook. Time to try for a nap.

The nap eludes me. But with 6 hours 55 minutes to go, got time for one. Went for a walk and got some coffee. Time to read.

Flying over Fiji now. When you fly to Hawaii from North America you don’t fly over anything. But lots of stuff between Hawai’i and Australia. About 4 hours left. Another nap. Maybe a snack. And then we’ll be there.

Feb 3

February 3rd got lost at the international date line. Will pick it up on the flip side.

Feb 4

0430 and I am wide awake. It is still dark and about 65 degrees. Looking forward to being at my hotel in Melbourne at about 2PM.

0650 now. Waiting for the plane to Melbourne. We had a glorious rainbow it showed up as I was finishing a very short yoga program. Wonder what the goddess would have done if I had completed a long program?

Note Carlton-I am staving and caffeine deprived. I sprung for a $5.50 coffee but passed on the $9.00 toast with butter and jelly. The coffee is essential to sustain life. Toast-been waiting for someone to order it. Oh, 2 guys just got beers before 0700. Australia hasn’t changed that much in 35 years.

Feb 5 Melbourne

Royal Botanic Gardens was the event

Feb 6 Melbourne

Yesterday’s 10 miles on the fitbit is a bit much for this 74-year-old woman. So, today I am planning on exploring Melbourne via bus and boat. Maybe a trip to the zoo is in order. Because, I haven’t seen any exotic critters. Not even a kangaroo. Not even on the menu.

Feb 7

Went to the zoo yesterday and the south Melbourne Market today. It’s 103 degrees but I still got 8miles on Fitbit and a great takeaway lunch from the market.

Feb 8

8:40. All packed up and ready to roll. I have enjoyed my stay in Melbourne, a fine city. Could have spent the entire month here.

10:30. At the airport, waiting. My Visa card didn’t work at the hotel. My pin was “incorrect” fortunately I had enough cash to pay for my breakfasts. $100 for 4 breakies. Damn good breakies.

And when I got to the airport I was able to get more cash. With a different card. Cash is king.

The frugal ghost of Carlton lingers on. He is currently wondering why I spent $4 on a tiny cup of coffee. Well, big guy, life’s uncertain-even more since the orange lord’s hostile takeover of our once fine country.

8:50am Perth time. 3 hours earlier. Up in the air. A bit off putting, we steerage passengers have seat belts, but the business class folk also have crash belts. Guess if you pay more they take better care of you. We poor smucks in back have to cushion each other. 4hours until the next adventure.

9:50am. Plane seems to be over water. Some how I figured it would be over land. I would have known if I had looked at a map.

Just had a surprisingly good airplane curry for lunch. Followed by a dreadful frozen threat or the other.

10:45. It is different, going out on this adventure without emailing the journal to some helpful concierge to print out for Carlton. But like solo travelers since the days of sailing ships, I am compelled to write. It keeps me connected to “real life”.

11:15. I am tired of being on the plane. Australia is a very big Island!

11:45. Another hour. Tick. Tick. Fucking Tick…

Landing and they came by with a Lindor chocolate. I am eating it. Lindor doesn’t do hot.

Evening-got to the hotel fine. Talked to a young lady adventurer. She was happy to know that with luck she had decades more travels ahead.

Nice modern city is Perth with South Asia colonial undertones. I get a little more exploring time on Saturday.

Alarm set for 0400 hours

Friday February 9

6:30. Perth airport. safely on the plane and heading to Geraldton. Been on the adventure for a week. Looking forward to the next week which has visit with friends, a 6 hour bus ride, 3 nights on the train across Oz, ending with a couple of days in Sidney.

Aussie notes

Mackers = Mickey D’s

Woolworth = a grocery store

Root = fuck as in the act not the oath

Got to my hotel at about 3:30. Went right out for a little exploring. Guess what? Perth is a good city. It feels different from Melbourne. Grittier. And more tropical.

Will be heading out before 5am tommorow. Going to Geraldton, which is about 400km north. Visiting a friend.

Flight was uneventful but long. I was done with the flight an hour before it was over. While waiting for my suitcase at baggage claim, the sniffer dog sniffed me up several times. Maybe my personal hygiene is lacking.

Need to try to figure out the wee hours of the morning bus options. And get a shower.

Don’t stand still too long!

Picked up my lunch at the South Melbourne Market. Lunch was a great veggie custard quiche thing and Tasmanian cherries.

There was a variety of winter squash-including this non-PC Jap pumpkin.

The flower sellers had many interesting offerings-even water lilies as cut flowers.

The South Melbourne Market is not Melbourne’s famous market but it is a fine market and was worth the visit.

A slight problem-google could not find the train station for my trip back to the hotel. I got back the old fashioned way-I asked someone. It took several tries. Apparently google wasn’t the only one who didn’t know where the “new” station was.

After a rest, I went out for a little stroll. It was 102 so it was a very little stroll.

Today’s adventure was a trip to the Melbourne Zoo. It was another sunny day. Warm too. The zoo. It is small. But very well done and they deliver serious environmental message to kids. There was one about using 100% post consumer recycled toilet paper. A huge roll of toilet paper. Lots of toilets. A maze that made flushing noises. Oh and the waysides used the word crap. What 9 year old wouldn’t like that. There was another one about properly disposing of cell phones. And one about not using balloons. All things that kids can influence there family about.

Oh they had animals too.

Lion.

Australian pelican.

Oops the TV just said it will be 35 degrees tomorrow. Not too swift with centigrade-but I think that is pretty hot.

Plan on visiting the Victoria market tomorrow and maybe a trip to the beach weather permitting.

Update: no market trip tomorrow. It is closed on Wednesday. Some times maybe it would be better to plan more carefully. Or not.

Australia is a long way from home. But in many ways it is just like home. Only different.

Long time readers know that I like public art. And Melbourne has some interesting offerings.

Today’s planned activity was a trek to the Royal Botanical Garden. It was great and smelled lovely. I heard but didn’t see a new bird. The bell miner. It sounds like a bell and is a type of myna.

Nearing the end of water lily season.

Going back to the hotel-I went a tad off course.

But, I made it back safely. Logged 9.7 miles on the Fitbit, think I do something using a bus, train or ferry tomorrow.

Yesterday, my plan was to wear myself out. And I did. Was asleep before 7 and didn’t wake up until 5. I made my way downstairs to my kitchen.

Friends from the Asylum-note the oven. I will not be using it, promise.

Yesterday was a fine day. Sunny maybe 80 degrees. Melbourne seems to be laid out on a grid. So with neither map nor cellphone nor plan, out l went.

My first street could have been any city. Pho shops. Backpacker hotels, and graffiti.

After a couple of miles I take a left and several uphill blocks later I find Hermès and Prada and Bvlgari

Bvlgari was serving up ice cream. And that boys and girls is absolutely the only thing I will ever get from Bvlgari.

This street could have been in Paris or Tokyo, but not in Falls Church.

Wonder what today has in store?

This morning in Brisbane.

Exhausted, but safely in Melbourne. There are pictures, but they are on the first floor and I am on the third. My hotel room is huge. It is 3 floors.

Sorry, I am having a massive jet lag attack. Staying awake isn’t happening.