So our last few days in Melbourne were fabulous. I managed to squeeze in all the things (well nearly) that I hadn't got round to. We had a lovely time with Shea again in the Naked for Satan roof top bar. These rooftop bars of Melbourne are a really exciting feature of the city. I think I shall have to go back and write a book about them methinks!! I managed to get back to the NGV (National Gallery of Victoria) again and squeezed in a quick lunch there with Shea. Great gallery, fantastic art and I feel I have done it justice! I did a short boat trip up the Yarra to the port area. Scorching hot day but was lovely to see the city from a different angle. It's been great to do things during the day and then to meet Flo from work and head off to do things together or to do what we are both very good at, shop! On our last night we went to the Night Market at the Queen Victoria Market. Full of craft stalls and loads and loads of food stalls. Such choice! The girls were all there and it was another scorching evening. Fabulous.
Then the move on to Sydney signifying the start of the homeward stretch for me. We arrived at Sydney airport to be met by my long time dear friend Stephen and stayed in Beautiful Balmain with his family Pamela, Woody and Esther. Balmain is just round the corner from the Sydney Harbour Bridge, we could even see it from our bedroom window. It's a brilliant area with great architecture and it was great to be staying with the family and get taken to the 'non tourist' haunts! Fab ice cream parlours!! I wasn't feeling too good on arrival and had a couple of wobbly days but thank you Steve for all you did and to Dr Sarah in the UK for giving me the pep talk/advice I needed. I decided to a soldier on with my globetrotting. It wasn't long before we were on the ferry and headed into the city, sailing under the Harbour Bridge passed Luna Park and getting my first look at the Sydney Opera House. They are such iconic sights and I couldn't quite believe I was seeing them, being really there! They are magnificent and I couldn't take enough pictures - day or night - they always look awesome.
One of our days we met up with Flo's friend Debbie with whom she did her three months farm work. We caught the ferry across the harbour to Manly, walked through the town and down to manly beach and took in the surfing paradise, just beautiful. We had a great meal in an hotel there, The Ivanhoe. Lovely. The ferries are the main transport system for Sydney it seems and it's amazing the huge number of boats and ferries and ships and cruise liners there are zig zagging across the harbour at all times of the day and night. Stunning sight.
Our big day was Saturday: ferry into Circular Quay, the main harbour, breakfast in The Rocks area surrounded by the Saturday craft market, then a walk around the quay to the Opera house for our 11.30 guided tour - Flo's Christmas present to me. This is a dream come true, I've always wanted to see this place and it lived up to and exceeded expectations. Just an awesome building, so bizarre in its concept, it was brilliant to hear all about it from tour guide. Nathan. Wonderful wonderful wonderful. A little bigger maybe than Snape Maltings (!!) but with that same smell of culture and theatre. Stephen then taxied us to the airport for our 3pm helicopter flight over the harbour and beaches - my Christmas present to Flo. This was also awesome. The day was a hotty and the sky was clear and blue and so the sights were terrific. A terrific experience with Flo getting to ride shotgun beside the pilot too. In the evening we went to a big free music concert on the Domain to see Chaka Khan - yes, she's still going!! A great night with Pamela and Steve's family and friends and Pamela, a fantastic picnic too. How do you do it! What a day?......phew.
The next day we were up early for a one day mini bus tour to the Blue Mountains. We had a real Aussie/surfer/hippy type guide - Adam - who was pure entertainment himself. Saw some great sights, beautiful scenery and Flo did some big 'up and down' mountain walks (in flip flops too much to Adams chagrin) and I did some smaller more level walks! Took a ride down the mountain near the Three Sisters range in an modern mining train, almost vertical....argh... Scary stuff. The ride back up in the cable car being much more sedate! Our last day in Sydney, and together, was a more chilled day with a visit to the fabulous shopping malls in the city and then a pleasant time at the Sydney Art Gallery. Lovely place and great art once again. We went down to the end of the Domain to Mrs Maquaries point and took the iconic photos back over the water to the opera house and Bridge. So beautiful. We finished the day with a meal in Darling Harbour and seeing the harbour by night was gorgeous.
So, the next day arrived, the one I had been dreading ever since I booked this trip. Saying goodbye to Flo was everything you would imagine, so upset we were. But time to move on and reclaim our own lives (I will be forever grateful to the lady at the immigration desk who saw my distress, just processed me and handed me lots of tissues, bless her.) The Australian chapter closes and it has been utterly wonderful. Being with Flo and sharing her life and her home..... thank you too Sophie for putting up with me.... meeting new relatives Roger and Meredith, staying with old friends Steve and family, re-gaining Shea's friendship, wonderful scenery, great art and architecture, getting to know Flo's friends and just being there! Thank you everyone.
Kuala Lumpur was the next stop.... arriving to immense humidity and RAIN! It is a very very busy city with terrible traffic congestion, road works and so many shopping malls, even I couldn't take it all in! Had a good hotel near the heart of it all and from there made the most of my one full day in the city. Took a morning city tour round various sights, snarling up in traffic all the time. Met two fellow travellers, Jane and Dan and took the afternoon tour out of the city in Dan's company to a Pewter Factory, a Batik works and to the Batu Caves. I did not manage the 272 steps to the sacred caves but took in the atmosphere of the market place below as they prepared for a big religious festival the next day. In the evening Jane Accompanied me to the Petronas Towers, although it was sold out and she was unable to go up them. She stayed instead in the 6 story shopping mall complex! The towers were wonderful and the lights across the city awesome. A great experience. I had a late flight out of KL the next day so took it easy and indulged in exploration of an 8 story shopping mall and a pedicure and manicure. Scary trip to the airport in the evening with a very sleepy taxi driver but arrived safely and experienced the joys of the departure lounges at KL airport. Another flight with Air Asia (the Ryanair of the east!) ahead but thankfully not as long as the one to KL and looking forward to arriving in Kolkata, India and being with 'my family'. Viola, my penfriend of 54 years, has broken her leg and is in hospital awaiting surgery so I hope I can be useful and of some comfort! Onwards and forwards.... India here I come!
brenda clay
non-member comment
Culture shock!!
Well , memories for a lifetime. It was so good to see you and Flo having such a good time together and I can image the goodbye's were awful. But as you say, onwards and upwards and you certainly have started the homeward stretch with a bang. Good luck with all the travel etc and I hope your friend's leg is ok. See you in a few weeks, and keep the pics coming. Your friend in wet Suffolk, Brenda xx