Day 25 Uluru & Sydney, AU

I intended to get up early and watch the stars and sunrise. I got up and there were too many clouds, so I went back to bed. Plus the thought of the spiders and snakes gave me second thoughts. 

Breakfast at hotel. Checked out.

Phil drove us to Kata Tjuta, in the same World Heritage listed national park as Uluru. Kata Tjuta means "many heads" the Anangu language. It spectacular has 36 rounded domes and is higher and larger than Uluru. It's a male sacred site, but the Aboriginal people let women, children, and tourists access 4 locations. We went to 3 of them. 

We hiked about 1 mile up to the Walpa Gorge. It's a very rocky trek up there, so we had to watch every step we took. It was hot, but we felt periodic breezes. Only then did the black flies leave us alone. I'll say it again: thank goodness for mozzie (mosquito) nets! 

We went to another site that had a short walk to some amazing views if the domes.

We drove to the Dune Viewing area. We could see the grasslands and many of the domes. We took a lot of pictures here.

I thoroughly enjoyed Kata Tjuta.

We drove to the Uluru Airport for our next flight, back to Sydney. There were other tour groups leaving and the airport wasn't that efficient. But we still made it in plenty of time. We ate our huge boxed lunches that the hotel delivered for us. Though none of seemed to want the apples. We left a small pile of them for (hopefully) other travelers. Despite JetStar being a budget airline, they did serve food and beverages. Road Scholar gave each of us a $10 credit to use on board. I watched some of the TV shows that I had downloaded at home on the uneventful 3-hour flight. It was fun to see the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge from the air.

We picked up our bags and took a very short bus ride from the domestic terminal to the Rydges Sydney Airport Hotel, which was right across the street from the international terminal. Again, we had to stop in Sydney only because of Qantas route changes. 

Harry got our dinner time pushed back 1/2 hour, so we had time to change clothes (I only changed my shoes). We had drinks in the hotel bar, then a lovely dinner in the hotel restaurant. 

Time to crash! We head to Cairns/Great Barrier Reef (!) tomorrow.

Photo: Me (with mozzie net) at Kata Tjuta's Walpa Gorge. 

Day 24 Uluru/Ayers Rock, AU

On the road to Uluru. Raining. It feels like the Big Sky Country of Australia.

Directions from Alice Springs to Uluru (Ayers Rock): take the Stuart Highway south and straight for 150 miles. Turn right at the Lasseter Highway. Don't miss the turn (or your next stop is Darwin)! Go 150 miles. 

I rocked out on my ear buds to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Live at the Fillmore. Great road trip music. 

Stop: Stuarts Well Roadhouse. We had coffee, comfort stop, and a keg stretch. Lee told us to look for the pictures of a dingo on a piano. Back on the bus, he told us the great story about Dinky the singing dingo (RIP).

Stop: Erldunda Roadhouse. We had scone and coffee/tea. Big pen with several emus. 

Stop: Mount Connor. Big, flat-topped mountain. The nearby salt lake, would have been a stark white, except the recent rains melted it. Kids on cattle stations get the best education (School of the Air) and life experiences. Then go to boarding school in Adelaide. Then university. Kids often don't want to take over the business. Mount Connor is the "family headstone".

We were upgraded to the Desert Gardens Hotel. We had lunch at the new hotel. It was to be at the original hotel. Everyone got fish and chips, which was fine. Lovely room.

On the bus, to Uluru/Ayers Rock. We first stopped at the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre. The artwork was beautiful. We got to see several women creating intricate pieces. 

The sun came out! With a vengeance. Hot, humid, and buggy. Thank goodness for the mozzie nets! We circled the entire rock and stopped several times. We saw Aboriginal rock art, a waterhole (filled to the brim), caves. You can't take photos in certain spots that are sacred. We respected this request. We walked back to the bus in silence in order to appreciate the power of the mountain. I definitely felt something.

We came back to the hotel and checked in. This property is huge. It's a bit of a hike to our rooms. But our luggage was waiting for us in our rooms. I had just enough time to take a shower and get organized for the evening.

We drove back out to Uluru right before sunset. There were other buses there, but it didn't feel crowded. Harry, Lee, and Phil had camp chairs for us to sit on while watching. They also brought champagne and nibbles for us. It was a very nice touch. Lee suggested that we take photos every couple of minutes (almost like a time lapse) so we could see the changing colors. It was absolutely magnificent! I'll never forget this. We drive back with big smiles on our faces (the champagne helped).

We went right to the restaurant for a late dinner. What an amazing day, shared with me new friends. Life is good!

Photo: Me and my champagne at Uluru/Ayers Rock.

Day 23 Alice Springs, AU

Early departure for the Alice Springs Desert Park. We learned a lot about Central Australia. We liked the bird show, especially the vulture using a rock to break open a model emu egg (other guesses were a coconut, avocado, football). The snakes and spiders creeped me out. 

Lee gave a lecture on Desert Landscapes, Flora, and Fauna. We had lunch in the classroom. It was much more pleasant once Ted (a.k.a. Teed) figured out the air conditioning. 

We drove to the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). They do such amazing work, providing urgent and primary care for Australians that are far from community hospitals. I need to watch the TV show about them.

We then drove out of town to Simpsons Gap (not Bart, Jessica, or OJ). Due to the recent rains, it had more water than Lee had ever seen. You know it's unusual when the guide actually takes a picture. There were locals hanging out, enjoying the water. The rock formations and cliffs were quite stunning. We didn't spend a lot of time there. The black flies were numerous and persistent. Unfortunately, I had left my fly net in my backpack in the bus.

We had some free time to relax. I took the opportunity to check the inside of my eyelids for light leaks (there were none). I was woken up by the sound of thunder and heavy rain.

We drove just a few minutes to the Olive Pink Botanical Garden. It looked cool, but we didn't get a tour. We had a lovely steak dinner in their restaurant. We were entertained by Skip, who also works at the Desert Park earlier. He was hilarious. We sang the national song (not the anthem) of Australia, Waltzing Matilda. Skip educated us on the true meaning of the song (hint: it has to do with being a hobo). Then it was time for Skip to form a band. Bruce played the "wobble board" (a far cry from Carnegie Hall). Mel played the "lager pole" (a stick with beer caps that rattled when she banged it on the ground) with great gusto. It was hilarious!

We drove back to the hotel. We have an early departure tomorrow for Uluru (Ayers Rock)!

Photo: Me at Simpsons Gap. 

Day 22 Alice Springs, AU

Up at 5:00 AM for flight. No breakfast at hotel, but I did have a latte. Walked next door to the airport. The slow bag check kiosks seemed to be as sleepy as we were. 

Our 2-hour flight to Alice Springs was slightly delayed. They fed us a light breakfast.

Site Coordinator, Lee, and driver, Phil, met us at baggage claim. Amazingly none of us has had our luggage list yet. I may have just jinxed us.

Our first stop in Alice Springs was Anzac Hill (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps). It's a moving memorial to all those who served in the defense of their country during all wars in which Australia has participated. There are lovely views of the town and hills. We also heard about the top secret surveillance work that is done by the US at nearby Pine Gap. I could tell you about it, but then I'd have to kill you. 

We drove to the Alice Springs Telegraph Station. It was interesting hearing how the town was formed. Fun fact: there is no Alice SPRINGS. There's only an intermittent Alice WATERHOLE. I guess Alice Waterhole just didn't sound as good as Alice Springs. It was hot (high of 93 degrees) and humid, even in the shade. But it's quite moderate for here. I bought a cool baseball cap with an aboriginal design and a 3D postcard, which I'll mail to myself from Uluru.

We drove to Alice Springs' Central Business District (CBD) for our travelers to pickup any needed items (insect repellent, sunscreen, cash) as there won't be anything available at Uluru. Many shops are closed temporarily due to the recent crime wave. It was quite sad. The Prime Minister was here a few days ago. They've reduced hours for sale of takeaway liquor ban to try and reduce the crime. We're safe here at the hotel, but we were warned not to go into town after dark.

We checked into our hotel, the Mercure Alice Springs Resort. It has a very inviting pool. 

We had a few minutes to freshen up before lunch. We enjoyed sandwiches, wraps, fruit, and muffins. A Coopers Pale Ale beer tasted mighty good.

After lunch, we walked to a hotel conference room where Lee gave us a lecture on Aboriginal Culture & Heritage. I learned a lot about the many clans (over 250 of them) and their culture.

We had a little more free time to settle in.

We boarded our bus for a field trip to the Alice Springs School of the Air. Since 1951, they have been remotely teaching students that live more than 50 kilometers from a community school. And they did this LONG before COVID forced remote learning on our students.

I relaxed during the free time we had before dinner. We were supposed to have Aboriginal style food at the Desert People's Centre, but they were closed for remodeling. Our hotel was able to whip up a last-minute delicious meal for 20 people!

After dinner we were supposed to have a night sky viewing with our astronomer, Andrew. But Mother Nature had a different idea and filled the sky with clouds. We're all about flexibility. Andrew gave us a lecture (sans stars) on the Astronomy of the Southern Skies. Hopefully the skies will clear up when go to Uluru (Ayers Rock), so we can see.

It was still quite warm. So, I went for a short swim in the pool. Me and a bunch of large, dead or dying bugs. It felt good after today's heat. And my shower felt even better. 

It was a long day. I'll write more tomorrow. 

Photo: Me at the Alice Springs Telegraph Station. 

Day 21 Melbourne, AU

Chris Watson gave us a lecture on Australian art. 

We had a few minutes to finish packing, checkout, and store our bags.

State Library Victoria. We marveled at the stunning architecture, especially in the La Trobe Reading Room. 

We took the free light rail to the National Gallery of Victoria. Chris showed us many of the pieces that he described in his lecture. It was fun to see them in person. We saw many other pieces that were amazing. I especially liked the pieces from the Aboriginal artists. 

Ann, Ron, Diane, Steve and I had lunch @ Mabu Mabu. It's aboriginal cooking that I saw on the TV show Down to Earth with Zac Efron. Very unusual menu. I had fried alligator with a smoked oyster aioli. 

I walked along the Yarra River, laneways, alleyways, and arcades.

I treated myself to a slice of red velvet cake at the Tea Room in the Royal Arcade. 2 days ago, we marveled at their display of sweets. It tasted as good as it looked.

I had decided against buying opal jewely. But then I walked by a shop called Paris Argentina Jewellry in the Block Arcade. They had several pieces that were just my style. They had so many choices. I finally selected a simple oval stone with silver around the edge. I love it!

I walked back to the hotel and joined the others for wine, while we waited for our bus.

We took our bus to the airport, where we said goodbye to Richard. Once he found a Qantas employee (they were hiding), Harry checked us in as a group. We had time to kill. Harry suggested that we eat at the airport, as we'd be arriving late in Adelaide and there would be few choices. Kim and I split a pizza, which wasn't great, but it filled us up. Turned out they served food on the plane.

It was a short, 1 hour, flight to Adelaide. The only reason we went to Adelaide was due to Qantas route changes. The Atura Adelaide Airport Hotel was adjacent to the airport. Harry checked us in. My room was very modern and chic. We all retired early, in preparation for our early flight to Alice Springs tomorrow. 

Photo: Me enjoying the aboriginal artwork at the National Gallery of Victoria. 

Day 20 Melbourne, AU

Lecture by Richard De Gille on contemporary Australia (1901-2023).

Walked through laneways and arcades. We were supposed to take a tram, but it was rerouted due to the Australia Day (many call it Invasion Day) protests. 

We walk to the Melbourne Skydeck on the 88th floor of the Eureka Tower. No, I did not climb it. We just happened to be on the observation deck when a bunch of fighter jets flew right by the windows. The planes came quite close to the building. We got a free airshow due to Australia day. The timing was sheerly accidental. 

Then we were on our own. After all the wonderful smells when we walked through Chinatown, Kim and I were craving Chinese food. We wandered along and found a place in an alley off of Little Bourne Street. Camy Shanghai Dumpling House had all my favorites. We didn't want to eat too much as we were having an early dinner. I just had some BBQ pork buns and green onion cakes. Kim had a noodle dish.

After lunch, I walked to the Queen Victoria Market. It was great fun, even though many booths were closed due to the national holiday. I almost bought some Australian opal jewelry, but I wasn't sure if this was a good place to do it. Plus, I was going to be late, getting back to the hotel.

With the help of Google Maps, I hustled back. It was a longer walk than it seemed. I made it in just enough time to splash my face with water and grab layers for tonight.

Ann and Ron made it back from NZ and met us in the hotel lobby. We all piled onto the bus for the long ride to the Phillip Island penguin parade. I could barely contain my excitement!

We stopped at the little town of San Remo for dinner at Mario's. We had time before our reservation, so we walked around the wharf for a few minutes. There were some serious fishing boats there. One had huge lightbulbs used to attract squid to the surface. We were a little rushed at dinner as Mario needed the room for another party.

We continued the drive and stopped at The Nobbies to kill some time. Great views and lots of squawking sea gulls. We saw dozens of cute wild wallabies in the grasses along the way. 

Onto the Phillip Island Penguin Parade visitor center, we were impressed with the modern architecture. We got through the gates with no issues and headed towards our "VIP" seats (Penguin Plus). The workers reminded people (some several times) that photography was strictly prohibited. Flashes could actually hurt the birds' eyes. We all watched the waves intently, looking for the little blue penguins. Around 9:00 PM, we started seeing little shapes moving towards us. Soon dozens of them were visible. They hesitated fie a few minutes, then a few brave birds waddled down their well-worn path, right past our viewing area. Many were very chubby, having been in the Southern Ocean, feeding. They were so darn cute, with their little waddles, sprints, and some tumbles. We spent almost 45 minutes, watching them pour in. We estimated that HUNDREDS of them came ashore. We'll see the numbers tomorrow. We met inside the visitor center at 10:00 PM. Richard showed us the Southern Cross in the night sky.

We rolled into the bus for our long drive back to Melbourne. Most of us napped. I returned a very happy camper.

It was fine, as we had penguins to see! 

We completed the drive to Phillip Island, stopping at Yhe Nobbies

Day 19 Melbourne, AU

Breakfast at the Sydney hotel. Finished packing and we all got on the bus.

We hit a bit of traffic on the way to the Sydney Airport, but we still made it in plenty of time. Fred parted with us, on his way back to the States. We promised to take care of Denise.

Harry checked everyone in as a group. I had checked in online (rebel that I am) yesterday. Our flight was delayed a bit. It was a little over 1 hour flight from Sydney to Melbourne. 

Our Melbourne Site Coordinator, Richard De Gille, and driver, Leo, met us at baggage claim. The rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney was demonstrated clearly by Richard and Harry's gentle ribbing. I felt conspicuous, wearing my Sydney Bridgeclimb hat in Melbourne. 

I didn't realize how big Melbourne is; over 5 million people in 2019. It's projected to soon surpass the largest Australian city, Sydney (5.3 million). The city is buzzing, with the Australian Open tennis tournament in progress in town.

We drove around the Central Business District (CBD) a little and admired the fascinating architecture. Leo dropped us off near the restaurant, Young & Jackson. We heard the story of and admired the portrait of Chloe, a Melbourne icon, ingénue, a nymph, and a celebrity. 

From there, Leo drove us to the Shrine of Remembrance, a National War Memorial of great significance to Melburnians. It was quite hot and humid in the blazing sun. But we enjoyed Richard's explanation of the memorial. 

Then we walked to the Royal Botanic Gardens. There are SO many gardens in this city. We walked by the lakes and through the fern gully, where it was remarkably cooler.

Leo drove us to the Melbourne Marriott Hotel. We all retired to our rooms to unpack and relax.

We met in the bar around 6:30 for drinks. Then we moved to the restaurant for our pre-ordered dinners. There were name tags at our seats. Gerry almost couldn't find his, due to the butchering of his name. It was very funny.

I came back to my room. Tomorrow will be a very busy day.

Photo: At the Royal Botanic Gardens. 

Day 18 Sydney, AU

Breakfast at the hotel.

Our bus drove across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It was interesting to see the bridge from the normal angle.

We arrived at the Taronga Zoo, located on the north shore, it has delightful views across the harbour to the city. Our group was split in 2 for our private tour. We saw koalas chillin' in their trees, red kangaroos getting a tan (males and females in separate areas), Tasmanian Devils, Quokkas, Emus, and lots of birds. We had a private "show and tell", with several animals. Penny the kangaroo wanted to play with the naturalist. We got to see up close the most venomous spider in Australia (Sydney funnel-web), possum, stubby-legged reptile (can't remember the name), Echidna. We split up for a few minutes of self-exploration. I saw ring-tailed lemurs, gorillas, and capybara (world's largest rodent). 

We ate our packed lunch in the shade. It was very humid.

Next, we took a ferry back across Sydney Harbour to Circular Quay. We walked around the Quay to the magnificent UNESCO World Heritage-listed Sydney Opera House. There we had an expert-led exploration of this truly wonderful, iconic building, a masterpiece of late modern architecture. We got to go into the Concert Hall and the Dame Joan Sutherland Theatre (formerly the Opera Theatre). We saw them building the stage for the show we're seeing later. 

We returned to our hotel and had some time to freshen up. I got a glass of wine at The Pumphouse. Robin and Bruce joined me and we enjoyed our beverages outdoors, in the shade. 

Early buffet dinner at our hotel so we could drive back to the Opera House.

We attended Opera Australia's La Boheme in the Joan Sutherland Theatre of the Sydney Opera House. The hall is gorgeous. The production was spectacular. The singing was amazing. 

Photo: Commemorating setting foot on my last continent, in between the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Day 17 Sydney, AU

Breakfast in the hotel. Luckily no one else tested positive for COVID overnight.

Lecture from Chris Murray on the history and settlement of Australia. I learned a lot!

We boarded our luxury bus and drove to the eastern suburbs, making several scenic stops on the way. 

Mrs. Macquarie's chair: Surprisingly comfortable for a rock bench. A nice place to stop and watch the water. Ryan Gosling (swoon) was filming a movie (The Fall Guy) in the area. The film crew had shut down the Sydney Harbour Bridge earlier in the day. Sadly, no Ryan sighting for me. 

The Gap: A less protected view of the Tasman Sea. 

Watson's Bay: On the Sydney Harbour side of the peninsula. 

Bondi Beach: The renowned surfing beach. There were a lot of them! We had lunch at the North Bondi RSL (Returned Services League) Club in Bondi. We walked along the beach for a short time. We drove back towards the hotel. The driver dropped me near Circular Quay. I started walking to the bridge. Stopped for ice cream along the way. Because, you know, I needed my strength to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge (a.k.a. "The Coathanger"). 

I arrived at BridgeClimb a little early. I was able to get into an earlier climb than I scheduled. Very interesting facility, built under the bridge. Very organized; warmed my heart. A worker called us in for instructions. They tested each one of us for alcohol (not a good place to be drunk). Gave us goofy looking jumpsuits, which we changed into. He recommended removing pants and shirts, as it was warm. It turned out to be a good idea; the temperature was perfect. We stored our belongings in lockers. No cell phones, watches, anything. We had to pass through a metal detector to be sure. They can't have anyone drop a personal item on the cars below you. They gave us hankies in case we got emotional (or sweaty), baseball caps (we get to keep), and lanyards for our own sunglasses. We met out guide, Brianna. She helped us get into our harnesses and showed us how to clip onto the safety rail. We practiced on some ladders. 

Then we started off. The excitement was building! We went through a flat area, then several ladders, then we were in the open. The weather was perfect; not too hot or cold, a slight breeze, partly cloudy. It was fun looking down on the people in parks right under us. We walked some more and then we were over the cars. A light rail train also passes over the bridge. It was a little unnerving when that went by. We made several stops to view the harbour. Brianna took photos of us. When I reached the summit, I was ELATED. The view was SPECTACULAR. We hung out there for several minutes. Then we went to the other side and started our descent. The whole thing wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Thanks to my friend, Kari, for suggesting that I do this. I'm so glad I did.

I walked to The Lord Nelson Pub, to treat myself to a pint. I sat outside in the sun, which felt really good. 

Then I walked to The Fortune of War Pub, the oldest pub in Sydney. I sat outside and was still assaulted by the woman's perfume at the next table. I ordered using their web site. My beer arrived quickly. But my fish & chips took a long time. They didn't have malt vinegar and the food was only OK. 

I walked to the light rail and rode it to the hotel. I stopped at The Pumphouse for a final pint. Ron showed up and we chatted for a while. I went to an ATM for some Australian currency. 

I picked up my camera from Harry (asked him to hold it for me). I poured myself into my room tired, but grinning from ear to ear. 

Photo: Me climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge!

Day 16 Sydney, AU

Breakfast in the hotel. 

Sadly, another of my new friends tested positive for COVID. Feel better soon, Jack!

Our Site Coordinator Jill spoke to us about the history of Australia, Sydney. And specifically, The Rocks. 

Our bus took us to the harbour. We had a walking exploration of the Rocks, in the pouring rain. We had time to walk around the area. I enjoyed the Rocks Market, though there were a lot fewer vendors, due to the rain. I walked UNDER the Sydney Harbour Bridge. I'll be walking on the TOP tomorrow. 

We walked to Circular Quay where we boarded a boat for a cruise on the magnificent Sydney Harbour. It's the best harbour in the world, depending on where you went to school. We saw many sites of this water-centric city. We had a lovely meat and cheese platter and wine.

Harry took me to an opal shop that he knew of, but it was closed. I walked up Pitt Street to another shop, but didn't buy anything there. I took the light rail to Chinatown.

I walked to Paddy's Market. The place is like a giant indoor flea market. You can buy everything from souvenirs to shoes. You can get a massage, haircut, or get your phone fixed. I bought a pair of sunglasses (I need to retire some existing ones) and a charging cord (the ones I brought are too short). 

I walked back to the hotel and relaxed a little. I went to The Pumphouse next door for a glass of wine. Met up with Mel, Ted, Denise, and Fred.

We met the others in the hotel lobby. Kim didn't join us, as she too tested positive. We're dropping like flies. 

We walked to Darling Harbour, in the light rain, to Planar. As soon as we were seated, it started pouring rain. We were dry at our covered outdoor tables. We enjoyed a leisurely dinner, then walked back to the hotel. Luckily it had stopped raining. 

I hope tomorrow's weather forecast (no rain) holds.

Photo: Me overlooking the Sydney Opera House

Day 15 Wellington, NZ & Sydney, AU

Breakfast at hotel. Checked out. Wrote postcard to myself. Front desk didn't have stamps. Site Coordinator, Maggie, said she'd send it for me. 

We were joined on our bus by a Geologist, Hamish Campbell. He was so knowledgeable about rocks (Greywacke is the official rock of NZ), tectonics, earthquakes, and volcanoes.

We drove along the Wellington shoreline, making several stops for Hamish to tell us about features.

Seatoun Wahine Memorial: ferry boats disaster where 51 people died. We found many types of sea shells (Hamish named them all) and sea glass. Hamish reminded us that we couldn't take them out of NZ. 

Breaker Bay Point

Te Kopahou Reserve: former rock quarry. We saw several fault lines as shown by layers going vertical, horizontal, and diagonal. We had a picnic lunch, overlooking the ocean.

Mount Victoria/Tangi Te Keo: spectacular views of the harbour.

Airport: easy check-in for international flight. Almost all of us had to have our carryon bags hand checked. Mine was due to my big battery pack (not allowed in checked luggage). 2 hours before flight. I had a glass of wine. 3.5 hour flight. I had changed my seat (aisle to window) but had no one in the middle seat. Ate the hot meal, to tide me over.

Baggage, Customs, and Immigration in Sydney took a while for all of us to clear.

Site Coordinator, Jill Bunning met us.

It's raining (lightly) in Sydney and may rain most of the time we're here. I sure hope not.

It took a while to get to the Novotel Sydney Darling Square. Lots of traffic due to Chinese New Years celebrations right by our hotel.

My room faced a busy street and only on the 2nd floor. After dinner, I asked the front desk if I could switch rooms. They had a room on the other side of the building, on the 6th floor. But it had a queen, instead of a king bed. That was fine with me. 

Went downstairs for our light dinner and wine. It was just what I needed.

After switching my room, I went out to the street to checkout the Chinese New Years celebrations. There were hundreds of people milling about. It had stopped raining. I ran into some lion dancers, which was fun to watch. I caught a few seconds of the fireworks over Darling Harbour. 

Came back to my room and am about to crash. Looking forward to seeing Sydney tomorrow. 

Day 14 Wellington, NZ

Breakfast at hotel. As soon as we boarded the bus, Harry shared the sad news that one of our new friends tested positive for COVID-19. Ann will have to isolate for 5 days in Wellington. Her loving husband, Ron, will stay with her until they can join us again in Australia.

We powered onward with a short drive to Zealandia, an ecosanctuary of native forest and lakes. Our group was split into 2. My guide John was very knowledgeable and funny. We failed most of his quizzes. We saw Takahē (red-beaked bird with huge feet), Shags, Wood Pigeon/Kererū (huge), Tūī (love their little bowties), Red-crowned Parakeet/Kakariki (biggest parakeet I've ever seen), North Island Robin/Toutouwai, California Quail (with chicks), NZ Fantail/Piwakawaka (bat-like acrobatics), Mallard ducks, Kākā (plain on top, brilliant orange under their wings), and Tuatara (a reptile with its very own order). The cheeky Kākā birds kept buzzing my head. I realized later that the beads on my hat may have looked like food to them.

Then we drove to the top of the Wellington Cable Car line. Great view of the Wellington Harbour from there. The cars don't look much like San Francisco cable cars; more like a funicular. It was a very steep, but short ride down the hill to the city center. 

We walked to our lunch spot, Karaka Cafe. We had pre-ordered our lunches several days ago. As usual, Harry had to remind us what we ordered. I had ordered a vegetarian fritter, which turned out to be very good.

Then we took the short walk to Te Papa Tongarewa: National Museum of Aotearoa New Zealand. Our docent Wyatt was hilarious. He introduced a few key displays of this magnificent facility. The colossal squid was eerie. The nature area was very interesting to this science geek. Wyatt had entertaining stories about the people in the portrait gallery. The Māori Rongomaraeroa Marae was beautiful. After our tour, I spent another 1.5 hours there. Gallipoli: The Scale of our War exhibit was incredibly well done. I experienced an "earthquake" in the earthquake house. I revisited the nature area, to learn more about the unique animals of NZ. I went to the 6th level viewing terrace. The famous Wellington wind almost knocked me over. I'm told today's wind was a mere breeze compared to many days.

Well, well, well. This is RockWELL, soon bidding fareWELL to windy WELLington.

Day 13 Wellington, NZ

Breakfast at the hotel.

Gina was outside with the bus. We drove through central Wellington. Gina dropped us in front of the New Zealand Parliament Buildings/Ngā whare Paremata. 

The legislative Parliament House was very impressive. We got to see where the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, gives press conferences. The legislature wasn't in session (they were on a retreat in Napier). We got to stand in the Chamber. My favorite room was the Maori-themed Select Committee Room. The Banquet Room was walled in NZ marble and wood.

The executive wing is nicknamed The Beehive/Te Whare Mīere. It's a cool building.

Next we visited the Supreme Court of New Zealand/Te Kōti Mana Nui. 

Then we walked to the National Library of New Zealand/Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, where we saw the original Treaty of Waitangi (the most important NZ document) and the 1893 Women's Suffrage Petition (resulted in women getting the vote). Pedestrian walk signs in the area have a silhouette of Kate Sheppard, the suffragist who spearheaded the movement.

The Old Government Buildings are made of wood, but made to look like stone. The interior hanging staircase is gorgeous. The buildings currently house the Victoria University of Wellington.

We walked to lunch at The Thistle Inn. It's the oldest continuously operating pub in NZ. Our server gave us the full history of the place. 

While at lunch we heard that the NZ Prime Minister, Jacinda Ahern, is stepping down in less than a month!

After lunch I wandered around Wellington, checking off things I wanted to see from my spreadsheet:

Old Bank Arcade

The Bucket Fountain

Cuba Street

Courtenay Place

I stopped at La Champagneria for a glass of Quartz Reef NZ sparkling rose. It was quite refreshing on a warm day.

Next I went to The Welsh Dragon Bar, the only Welsh pub in the Southern Hemisphere and reportedly in a building that used to be public toilets. I enjoyed seeing the Welsh decor, which included several Tom Jones album covers.

I walked along Oriental Parade along Oriental Bay to Oriental Beach. There were a lot of people enjoying the sunshine and lack of wind. I took my shoes off and waded in the warm water. 

I walked back to the hotel and took a short nap.

For dinner, I walked across the street to Coene's Bar & Eatery. It had good reviews, a casual menu, and was right on the Wellington Harbour. I started to sit at my window seat and heard my name. Robin and Bruce were there and had just ordered. I joined them at their table. We had a lovely meal (enjoyed my fish & chips) and lively conversation.

We walked across the street to the hotel and said our goodbyes after a fascinating day.

Photos: Oriental Bay

Day 12 Wellington, NZ

Breakfast at the Copthorne Hotel & Apartments Queenstown Lakeview, overlooking Lake Wakatipu. Watched the sunrise over the mountains. There was an interesting band of clouds over the lake.

On the way to Arrowtown, we crossed the Edith Campbell Bridge. We stopped at Skippers Road Lookout for views of the area. Ewan put the bus in 4wd (just kidding) and dropped us right at the top.

Next stop, Arrowtown, a historic gold mining town. Ian led us on a walk through the Chinese settlement. After that we walked through the cute shops on the main drag. We were amused by the "talking toilets" in the parking lot.

We completed our drive to the Queenstown airport. Most of us were double checked in security, due to carrying extra batteries for our listening devices. 

Short flight to Wellington, the capital of New Zealand and the "San Francisco" of New Zealand. 

Our Wellington Site Coordinator Margaret Logan and driver Gina met us at the baggage claim.

We piled into our bus, with leather seats and lots of legroom. We drove to Lyall Bay for lunch. There was construction and crowds, so we had to go to another restaurant. Jack, Judy, Denise, Fred, and I ate at Elements. The food was delicious! I especially liked my meat pie and Lowrider IPA (made in Rotorua).

We drove to the Copthorne Hotel Wellington Oriental Bay Hotel right on Oriental Bay. My room has a great view. I organized my room and took a nap.

Met everyone in the lobby for Happy Hour. We went to our meeting room for our lecture. Dr. Kate McMillan from the Victoria University of Wellington spoke to us about New Zealand Politics and Political Life. Our group had several probing questions for her.

After the lecture, we had a buffet dinner. Ann: "The Pavlova is growing on me."

I went back to my room to drop off some things. Went for a walk along the waterfront. I ran into Ron and Ann. We took pictures of each other at the cute Wellington sign. We watched boys diving off a structure, into the inky-looking water. We walked until it got a little cool. It's called Windy Wellington for a reason. 

Looking forward to our tour of Wellington tomorrow. 

Views from my room: