Close World Tour

2007-04-18T10:01:00.000-07:00

Breakfast in Papeete
Ground Zero Site New York
Times Square on the wettest day New York has known for 106 years
Lunch is served

2007-04-18T09:58:00.000-07:00

Langebaan Beach Barbecue

Boro Bora
40th Anniversary Beach Dinner for Two
Cruise Ship Haumana

Home

2007-04-18T08:59:00.000-07:00

Arrived home to-day at about 2.30pm to this lovely Spring weather. Julie kindly met us off the coach and is cooking dinner for us this evening. Lovely also to see Charlotte waiting for us who is blooming.

New York

2007-04-18T08:26:00.000-07:00

We arrived in New York Saturday evening at about 10.00pm very tired after flights from Papeete via Los Angeles ( 16Hour journey) and went straight to bed.
Sunday saw the heaviest days rainfall in New York for 106 years ...and very cold with it...we looked out of the window and went back to bed. But at 3.00pm we were booked to see the musical 'Wicked' so at 2.00pm we took our brollies and legged it to the theatre which was really quite close to the hotel.
The show was excellent....worth getting wet....the stage effects stunning. Richard didn't quite get the story line since he hasn't seen the Wizard of Oz but that didn't matter.
We chose to stay at The London NYC Hotel because Gordon Ramsey has just opened his new restaurant in New York at this hotel and we managed to get a table by booking last November!
very expensive but well worth the treat.
Jane....tell Sharon that we were invited to tour the kitchen where we met the Chef who hales from New Zealand....it was very hectic and well organised...Jeannette was very impressed.
The weather began to improve after Sunday so we were able to fit in some sight-seeing....Times Square, Broadway, Central Park, Empire State Building and Ground Zero site....the latter being quite an emotional experience.
New York is very exciting, noisy and different with plenty of shops but we both feel that we have done it and would not particularly want to rush back.

Fish

2007-04-13T18:33:00.000-07:00

French Polynesia is teeming with fish.......they all seem to be eatable and the locals particularly in the more rural parts live on fish with some chicken. Red meat is available but imported from New Zealand and expensive.
They eat raw fish, seared fish, marinated fish and cooked fish.
On the Haumana I think the owners relied on fish caught by the crew to keep costs down. Most days we had fish or shellfish caught by the crew prepared in all the above ways.
We did however make friends with the chef who was a frenchman and had worked in England and spoke english. He was very kind and slipped us a meat starter instaed of the raw fish.
But fresh fish straight onto an open fire barbecue is delicious.

Pearls

2007-04-13T18:26:00.000-07:00

Tahiti is famous for the production of pearls.These days they are grown on Pearl Farms.
A bead is inserted somewhere quite uncomfortable in the oyster which dutifully covers it with the paerl material. After four years you have a sizable pearl. Hundreds must be harvested each day and graded but the value occurs because only a small percentage are perfectly formed and coloured and large enough.
As you may think therefore Papeete has dozens and dozens of shops selling pearls.....we have visited all of them.....twice!
Richard

Last Day in Tahiti

2007-04-13T18:01:00.000-07:00

Last three days have been relaxing.
Wednesday we went to the capital 'Papeete' and shopped for pearls for a 40th anniversary present for Jeannette. and in the evening we were picked up from the hotel by Xavier who we had met with his wife Ann-Laurent on the Hamana and who took us to his home for dinner with other of their friends.....a very nice evening ....everyone tried to speak english so we were'nt left out at all . There house was high in the hills overlooking the sea and the neighbouring island of Moorea.
Thursday we hired a car and explored Tahiti......didn't take long ....we were back at the hotel by 3.00pm. ....but it poured with rain most of the day....so stayed in the car most of the time. We saw that it is a very lush tropical island.
Today we are sitting out in the sun but it doesn't really want to come out and the sky is overcast.
We fly at 10.00pm this evening 13th April (9.00 am british time on Saturday) 14th) for the 7 hour flight to Los Angeles and then after a break there of three hours we fly on to New York which will take a further 5 hours arriving at about 9.00 in the evening N Y time.
We will be really sorry to leave these islands ....the people are lovely and kind and I am sure one day we will return.

Haumana Cruise

2007-04-10T19:18:00.000-07:00

Arrived back in Tahiti this lunch time after our seven day cruise in the lagoon of the Rangiroa Atoll.
After booking the cruise on the internet andpaying over money to an unknown there must always be some risk and a bit of unease that no-one will meet you but we were met and the Haumana was a gem. Not hugely luxurious but staffed by local polynesians ......and the interaction with them was remarkable.
Everyday was a new experience with offboard activities....deep sea fishing, snorkeling ( not Richard) with the sharks, sea kayaking(not Richard)....and generally exploring the beatiful islands that form the reef. Many photographs and many tales to tell.
Fellow passengers were all french speaking but all made a great effort to speak english.....we even have an invite to dinner on tahiti tomorrow evening with a french couple who live here.
The first four days of the cruise was really exclusive....only four guests served by a crew of 18. It was just like being on our own ship.
All in all a remarkable experience

1st April

2007-04-02T13:10:00.000-07:00

Thanks for all your cards and messages. We opened the cards over breakfast on our decking along with the first bottle of champagne of the day followed by a relaxing day in bed....well almost.
In the evening the hotel put on a fabulous dinner for us....the table set up on the beach with the lagoon lapping a few feet away and surrounded by flaming torches.Cool or what ! We then had champagne again with scallop starter, lobster dish, followed by fillet steak and gateuu....wonderful.
Oh and the stars and moon shone.
We are just settling into the Bora Bora lifestyle but must leave tomorrow when we fly to Rangiroa to join our cruise ship. So probably won't be able to blog again until we arrive back in Tahiti in a weeks time.
So....happy birthday Callum ....... just in case.

Bora Bora

2007-03-29T15:00:00.000-07:00

Arrived Tuesday. The island is beautiful..a central main island peak surrounded by a reef which is 100 to 150 yards wide in places...;our hotel is on the reef ...;15 minutes transfer by boat to the main island.
We thought our overwater bungalow on Tahiti was fabulous but the one here is immense with separate lounge area, bedroom , huge bathroom, every thing overlooking the lagoon.
Very romantic.
Jeannette is going to swim under the bungalow to have her photo taken through the glass panel in the floor....she says!
One thing we did find offputting was two life jackets in the wardrobe..not sure what thats about so we wear them to bedjust in case.
Weather has picked up considerably ....last two days very sunny, but we seam to get a thunder storm each evening
Oh well must get back to the sun

Comments

2007-03-26T17:29:00.000-07:00

Thanks everyone for your messages...we look forward to reading them especially when its raining. We have a palatial water bungalow here on Tahiti with steps down into the lagoon and a dramatic view over to neighbouring Moorea. Food is very french and delicious....wine can be a bit iffy but its along way to Provence from here.
This morning we caught 'Le Truck" into Papeetee (capital) which was an experience. Le Trucks are the local bus service....like seats on top of a truck really.
Hope to continue with the blog but not sure from now until we return to this hotel in two weeks time.
Love to all

Weird Weekend

2007-03-26T16:58:00.000-07:00

Saturday evening was wet, wet, wet so we dined at the hotel with a few thousand other Japanese and had a very nice meal.
Next day up at 5.00am to ready ourselves for the 10.00am flight to Tahiti which was a fairly pleasant 7 hours.
But in Tahiti it was Saturday again and we were ready for our second evening meal that day.
The other odd thing was that we did not require immigration forms for Tahiti....it belongs to France....and we are EEC citizens. They eat, drink and speak France ...really quite nice.
Weather...well we have brought the Sydney rain with us and on our second full day here we have not yet seen the sun.
Tomorrow we fly to Bora-Bora....hope it improves.

Bridge Climb

2007-03-26T16:51:00.000-07:00

Sydney (Japan-On-Sea) is great.....we did the climb. I think we were both a bit nervous to start as you make your way along the lower cat walks and climb quite steep steps and see the upper structures towering above you but when you reach the upper arch....you walk along the top....nerves disappear as Sydney appears all round you. We climbed at dusk...the view was magnificent. Aftrewards we ate at Doyles on the Quay in the open with the bridge on one side and the opera house on the other....brilliant.
Saturday it pelted down with rain....quite a difference to Melbourne which is undergoing a drought....but hang on Melbourne...its coming your way.

Sydney

2007-03-21T18:38:00.000-07:00

Just arrived from Melbourne and waiting for our room at the Shangri La Hotel where we are staying for three nights.
Just spitting distance from The Bridge which we are climbing later this afternoon....the braveness of six months ago is beginning to fade fast as it looms hugely in front of us.
A lot warmer and more humid here in Sydney....hope it doesn'e turn to lightening.

Happy birthday to Sybil...49 today. Great to talk to you just as you were going to sleep!

Pillar Point

2007-03-20T04:58:00.000-07:00

Pillar Point, Wilsons Promontory National Park (southernmost tip of mainland Australia). You won't believe the views!!!!!!! Tell you about it when I get home.

Apres lunch Hastings

2007-03-20T04:49:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken after having eaten a huge lunch at The Westernport Hotel, Hastings, where Sharon is chef. Had to have the walk afterwards (and take five pieces of gateaux back to Jane and Mick's because we couldn't manage to eat it after the meal). Yes, I know there were only FOUR of us, but we couldn't choose! I wouldn't tell everyone this, but Mick didn't eat any of the dessert - yummie. Love Mum xxxxxx

Mums Update

2007-03-20T00:45:00.000-07:00

Hello all, greetings from sometimes sunny Cape Paterson. We have enjoyed our stay here. Relaxed a lot and had some good days out.We leave tomorrow for Melbourne, stopping at a beautiful restaurant for lunch with Jane and Mick. They will take us on to the airport.Staying overnight. Whilst we are there, Chris and Jackie Crabtree are meeting up with us for a drink. Chris used to own the post office on Alfreton Road in Selston. Thankyou, Alan, Julie and kids for your good wishes by text for Mothers Day. Also Lyndon, Karen and kids for yours as well. So disappointed Lyndon, Dad could not retrieve the photo. Thankyou Charlotte and Chris for the beautiful cards,I had a little weep when i saw the one for Granny, so cute. Lovely to receive your email, Adrian with news of home. Hope all is going well - not long to your holiday now. Have a great one! All my love to you all. Mum xxxxxx

Sea Breeze Hotel

2007-03-20T00:36:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately our holiday with Jane and Mick comes to an end today. ....well not quite ...they take us to the airport tomorrow but hopefully we will have a nice lunch on the way. We are staying overnight at a hotel at Melbourne Airport and catching a morning flight to Sydney on Thursday.

The Sea Breeze Hotel is pictured on the right and Mr and Mrs Denton continue to provide their quests with excellent quality accomodation and food.
They act also as first class tour quides and have shown us the beauty of their part of Australia.

Cape Paterson beach is a ten minute walk away and is usually as crowded as in this picture.

Weather has been on the cool side but has really encouraged us to do quite a bit of walking and probably seen things which we would have been too exhausted to attempt on hotter days.

My little Possums

2007-03-15T03:12:00.000-07:00

Well possums.......whats this?
Yes, its Jane's nightly visitor arriving for its evening meal.

Message from Granny

2007-03-15T01:53:00.000-07:00

hello lauren hannah callum jordan anais george edward and bump ,
missing you lots.we are having a lovely time though.sorry you have not had any cards yet. I posted one to each family on monday at the airport in Cape Town. I will buy some tomorrow now we are in Aus. we have met Rocky..... The Poodle. A real cutie . Yes George Granny and Da Da will sponser you for five pounds. Hope you enjoy the bouncing. Your holiday is getting nearer Jordan and Anais , have awonderful time.Hope the football and rugby is going well Callum. What about the Sats Hannah.... are you doing lots of homework for them/. Lauren, I hardly dare say this..... no spiders as yet. I bet Edward will be saying lots more words by the time we return home. And Bump, I hear you are letting your mummy know you are there. Hope you are not keeping mummy awake too much. Tea and cakes are ready now ....must go.

All my love Granny.xxxxxxx

2007-03-15T01:42:00.000-07:00

2007-03-15T01:41:00.000-07:00

2007-03-15T01:39:00.000-07:00

Arriving in Australia

2007-03-15T01:28:00.000-07:00

A very long but not too stressful flight. A 2 hour delay in Johannesburg meant that we arrived in Sydney two hours late and missed our connection to Melbourne but we did get there in the end. Jane and Mick were there to meet us ......thankful to see us at last.

We have both suffered from jet lag but are now beginning to catch up. we had a relaxing day yesterday with just a walk on the beach.

To-day we were taken to a town called Hastings to visit Sharon who is chef at Westernport Hotel and were treated to lunch....fairly large portions these Aussies eat....!

Adrian.....Mum has pinched the menu.

Leaving Cape Town

2007-03-15T01:19:00.000-07:00

Last view from the back of the house over Hout Bay before leaving for Australia

Ruyteplaats Estate

2007-03-15T01:14:00.000-07:00

View of Judas Peak from front of our house on Ruyteplaats

Chat Room

2007-03-10T01:22:00.000-08:00

Have just read everyones comments.......its like our own personal chatroom...terrific.....keep it up everyone.Particularly like advice to Ashley regarding French sailors

Last Few Days

2007-03-09T00:50:00.000-08:00

On Monday we leave Cape Town for Oz and I must say we are really looking forward to seeing Jane and Mick again particularly Mick who we have not seen for sone time. Total journey time will be 24 hours...our longest leg....but it will be worth it.
Last night we dined out in Camps Bay at the Bayside Cafe....thanks Melanie and Brian to introducing us to this superb restaurant.
Tonight....we visit friend Derek (Lord Brock to Linda) and are going out with his three adopted black children....it will be nice to see how much they have grown.
Tomorrow is a braai with cousin Noreen and Jerry and kids.
Sunday.....final braai with Mike and Val before leaving Monday
So no cooking for us.

Sir Cliff

2007-03-09T00:43:00.000-08:00

Wednesday night saw us back at the Kirstenbosch Gardens to see the open air concert of Sir Cliff Richard. Cannot describe the scene because we were on the front row with all the screaming grannies and within knicker throwing distance. To do this you have to be there EARLY. We arrived at the gardens at about 2.30 but did then have a nice lunch at the restaurant....joining the queue for the enclosure at 4.00pm for the 8.00pm show....not as bad as it sounds because you sit on the grass and sunbathed until 6.00pm when we pushed and shoved with the rest of them to gain our sitting area. Then ...this time we were prepared with a good picnic and wine.
It was a good show.....the bottle of Pinotage helped somewhat.

Celebrations

2007-03-05T01:08:00.000-08:00

1st March was 'auntie' Vals birthday....all the girls went to the theatre to see Menopause the Musical. while Mike showed me some of the more cool bars of Cape Town.
Last night me and Jeannette saw Last King of Scotland....oh and Saturday night a party of ten of us went out to dine in celebration of our 40th

The days have been taken up by more mundane matters like cleaning up but all workmen have now left and I have sneaked off to the internet cafe leaving Jeannette with the Mighty Maids cleaning crew getting the house shipshape.

Life at Ruyteplaats

2007-03-01T04:42:00.000-08:00

The estate is really looking quite beautiful dispite the long hot summer. I would like to post photograph but not sure if I can do that from Internet Cafe but if you enter Ruyteplaats into Google thare is a good website showing the estate and the luxury that surrounds us.

Got the barbeque up and running....I have to say that I prefer the fire and drama of a proper fire but I would hate to go down in history as the Pom that set fire to Ruyteplaats.

All our inside workmen should have finished tomorrow and then the big cleanup begins. All our windows and doors have been replaced with alumium and in true inprovement fashion it was pointed out to us that our roof was sagging and we have had to have that sorted.
Next week the outside is to be redecorated.

Gooh holiday so far....rain today!

Richard

Il Divo

2007-02-27T03:16:00.001-08:00

Il Divo performed last night at the beautiful Kirstenbosch Gardens
You sit outside on a grassy slope facing onto a large modern stage with Table Mountain directly behind.....what a setting and the moon shining directly above .

Glad we took warm cloths though....the evening became quite cool

Il Divo

2007-02-27T03:16:00.000-08:00

Langebaan

2007-02-27T03:07:00.000-08:00

Both jeannette and me brought with us from the UK sore throat, cough and cold which we just got rid of to enjoy a nice weekend at Langebaan with Mike and Val and Jerry and Noreen and Dave and Shiela who own a rather nice holiday home there.
Langebaan is 1.5hour drive from Cape Town up the west coast......was a small fishing village which is now lost in a frenzy of holiday home building....but it is a quiet safe place for Cape Towners to escape to.
Highlight was an afternoon at the famous Strandloper Beach Barbecue where you gorge on 10 courses of all varieties of fish cooked in front of you washed down of course with good white wine
....can amble on the rocks and beach between courses.....wonderful

Cape Town

2007-02-21T00:26:00.000-08:00

Arrived 6.15 am to a lovely warm morning....wind did get up a bit later. Monday and Tuesday gloriously hot....today cooler and overcast....well, typical Cape Town weather really.

Workmen have started to replace all our windows so we are in a bit of a mess.

Monday we decided to buy ourselves a gas barbecue, which was delivered THE SAME DAY....an open top van drew up with a boz the size of a small bungalow on the back. But Africa is entering the modern age...the barbecue was in about 20 pieces needing to be assembled but without any screws or bolts to do so.
I am off now to sort it out.

Richard

London

2007-02-21T00:17:00.000-08:00

Spent a nice night and a long layin at the Heathrow Hilton....lazily reading the papers Saturday morning and getting ready for our flight late afternoon.
The night before we took the train into London to see Guys and Dolls. Jeannette enjoyed it more than me....I enjoyed the production by Trent College more.

This holiday we have pushed the boat out and travelled Club Class...so put on my dapper new jacket and chino's ready to join the rich and famous....but its not really like that...everyone looked so ordinary !
The last time we travelled Club Class on this route was a free upgrade so it was a matter of 'couldn't possibly accept another glass of Bollinger " but when you are paying for it....boy !

National Express

2007-02-16T01:31:00.000-08:00

To-days the day.....Julie will pick us up at about 11.45 and deliver us to East Midlands Airport.Not as grand as it sounds because that is where we pick up the National Express coach bound for Heathrow.
The good side is that once on the coach we will be deposited directly outside Terminal 4.
The downside is that travel by coach and customer service is reminiscent of pre Thatcher Britain.
After waiting in the rain/snow/wind and whatever else ...the coach will turn up late and a surly driver will throw your baggages into the hold resenting the fact that you are encroaching on his 'fag' time. This will be followed by a Grand Prix start around the minor roads before reaching the motorway and settling into a steady 40mph all the way to Heathrow.
Oh well....its only 3.25 hours

Still at Home

2007-02-12T03:43:00.000-08:00

Just practicing....to add photos to the blogsite.
We do not leave home until Friday 17th Feb
Some may recognise the photo was taken on Boulders Beach near Cape Town.

2007-02-12T03:34:00.000-08:00

Sydney Harbour Bridge

2007-01-20T08:21:00.000-08:00

On the classroom wall in my Junior School was a poster of Sydney Harbour Bridge. It didn't give me a huge desire to see it because the possibility of visiting Australia was inconceivable. The journey by boat took weeks. But it was always there, in my mind, as an exotic, far-a-way, wonder.

When visiting Sydney therefore for the first time in 2002 , I asked the taxi driver at the airport to divert and drive over the bridge. It was wonderful.

Sydney Harbour Bridge was designed and built by an English company from Middlesbrough...most of the steel having been shipped from England. It took eight years to build and was opened on March 19th 1932.

March 19th 2007 is therefore the bridges 75th anniversary. Me and Jeannette are booked to climb the bridge three days later.

Nothing is impossible.

Richard

Special Anniversary

2007-01-11T13:48:00.000-08:00

A very special wedding Anniversary requires a very special holiday. So both of us are getting ready for a world trip to celebrate our 40th . The tour will take in South Africa, Australia,French Polynesia, and home again via New York and will be taken over 9 weeks.
Most of the arrangements have already been made ...we are now just adding the final touches. Last night Jeannette discovered that Sir Cliff Richard was performing in Cape Town while we are there, at the famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens....an open-air concert where you take picnic and wine and sit on the lawns with the backdrop of Table Mountain and the gardens. Well, I surprised myself and Jeannette by being able to get tickets off the web. Poor old Cliff can't have much of a following in South Africa.
I was also able to get tickets to see Il Divo at the same venue.

Richard