http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Rob_n_Lorenza/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Rob_n_Lorenza en-us Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:00:32 BST Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:00:32 BST Dinner at the Captain's tableLorenza's family recently celebrated 40 years since they arrived in Australia onboard the SS Himalaya. We travelled to Bargo to attend a great celebration with the family. The theme Dinner at the Captain's Table. The party area was decorated in a nautical theme and looked great. Lorenza made two speeches during the celebrations one to present her parents with a cert http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Hawkesbury-City/blog-304979.html We made it to Mount Field with just enough day light to set up our tent. We then took a brisk walk through the forest. Lots of old swamp gums which were obviously growing well before any of us white folks discovered Tasmania. Next morning we were up early and walking again. We spotted lots of potteroos and wallabies. Lorenza seemed to be loving our Tassie tour so far and I was so happy she shared http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Tasmania/Mount-Field/blog-304956.html The hostel at Lune River is small full of hikers bicycle riders and is a stop off point for more active travellers looking to embark on the southwest walking tracks. The trip there via the Huon Valley is breath taking big sweeping corners up and down the mountains it was amazing. On the mechanical front the two bikes are running fine still push starting the Morini most times but that's nor http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Tasmania/Lune-River/blog-304937.html We awoke to a lovely clear cool morning. We were packed and on the road at 9am. At Port Arthur we again got the married room at the YHA. The hostel is in a great location and has better views than the motel which charges 10 times the price 10 for two in a double room with a view what a bargain. We walked our feet off exploring the ruins of the convict settlement and jail. Despite the fact http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Tasmania/Port-Arthur/blog-304930.html Our ride from Gladstone to Bicheno was a lot of fun. Forget the bit getting out of Stumpy's Bay because it was as bad as the trip to get there. But by now we were feeling relaxed enough that it did not bother us much at all. Just something that had to be done to move on.Todays ride winding through myrtle forests past huge tree ferns was bliss. Be warned there are no speed warning signs on any c http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Tasmania/Bicheno/blog-304908.html After swapping contact details with the bunch at Georgetown we set off bound for Mount William National Park via Bridport and Gladstone. We struck road works and gravel road for 15k's coming to Gladstone. Big road going motorcycles don't love loose gravel so much so it can be interesting to feel 220kg of motorcycle plus gear etc. sliding around underneath you as you round each corner. Comes in h http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Tasmania/Stumpy--s-Bay/blog-304898.html While many visitors to Sydney attended events relating to the Catholic World Youth Day or Week my parents and I attended the Waso Buddhist Festival at the Burmese Buddhist temple at Smithfield. Also there was a ceremony for giving new robes to the monks which you could buy and donate for 30. It was also the first official function at the new site of the temple so it was very nice to be invited http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/blog-301744.html Info to come once I sort through the photos. http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Tasmania/blog-297637.html Photos to comeWe departed Cann River after fixing a leaking oil line on the Guzzi. The wind had picked up again and promised to buffet us again all day. The countryside made for an interesting ride open farming and grazing land interspersed with thick forest country then back to the farmland again then some scrubby coastal land.6 Tonne Tree RootWe made a stop at a small town called Nowa when http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Victoria/Port-Welshpool/blog-290690.html Photos to comeRight now June 2008 it is freezing cold at home and I just found my travel journal which documents Lorenza and my trip around Tasmania in 1993. Why not add it to our travelblogWe had planned our ride around Tassie then put a deposit on the block of land which our house now sits. We were tossing up if we could still afford the Tassie motorcycle tour and luckily decided if we did http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/blog-290662.html Lorenza plus my Mum and Dad took a short break on the north coast of New South Wales in Laurieton. The purpose of our little get away was to join in the celebrations of my Auntie Judy's 70th Birthday. The birthday bash was held at the Kendal RSL Club and it was in a great spot on the bank of the CamdenHaven River. It was great to catch up with various cousins aunties uncles and friends.Comboy http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Laurieton/blog-283622.html Since our last entry life as usual has been busy with1. Wine making2. Vegetable gardening3. Doing lots of cooking4. Experimenting with lots of Asian food courtesy of the Panditarama Sydney Meditation Centre run by the Sydney Burmese community. Visit their website if you want more info ... Panditarama Sydney Meditation Centre 5. Spending time with friends.6. And Rob has almost finished designi http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Hawkesbury-City/blog-280688.html Our friends Sandar Terence and Ohnmar invited us to the Songkran Asian New Year and Water festival at the Wat Pa Buddharangsee Buddhist Temple at Leumeah. One of the highlights being delicious asian food from Australia Burma Cambodia Lao Malaysia SriLanka and Thailand.Ohnmar Sandar and their mother were working on the Burmese food stall raising funds for the new temple that the Burmese c http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Campbelltown/blog-265904.html From the teachings of Buddhism comes the knowledge that nothing in life is permanent and that we should learn to let go of wanting and desire in short the road to happiness is paved with discarded wants and desires.I got very excited when I found a lovely second hand variable capacity stainless steel wine storage tank for sale. I knew I had to have it after seeing them in some wineries on our r http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Hawkesbury-City/blog-244645.html Saturday was the inaugural meeting for over 30's Couch Surfing members. Lyn who is a CS Ambassador for Sydney organised the meeting and it was attended by more than 20 CS members prospective members and travel lovers. It was a fun afternoon talking travel and meeting some new people including ...Robert who had just returned from an epic motorcycle trip through Nepal and Bhutan on a 350cc Royal http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/Glebe/blog-242243.html Australia Day Recruitment Drive 26th January 2008Video of new wine fermenting added see belowWork on our 2008 vintage got started on the weekend beginning with a recruitment drive on Australia Day We invited all our neighbors and friends for a BBQ to celebrate Australia Day. Once they were fed and plied with alcohol we made the recruitment pitch for anyone who coulda Get themselves out o http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Hawkesbury-City/blog-240510.html This Saturday was the opening of the Sydney Festival and all the events were free. Lorenza and I checked the program a few weeks ago and decided to book a hotel and make the trip to Sydney and enjoy the fun. On the program were 3 weddings in Macquarie Street dance parties in Martin Place Angel Place Hyde Park and a concert in the Domain featuring Paul Kelly and Brian Wilson.The one and a half h http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/blog-233283.html Lucky for Lorenza and I we have no problems deciding whose family to spend Christmas with each year. Lorenza's folks are originally from Holland and celebrate on Christmas Eve whereas Rob's family follow the more AngloAussie tradition of celebrating on Christmas Day.So Christmas Eve we found our way to Bowral and celebrated at Manuela's place Lorenza's sister then on Christmas Day we continu http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Australian-Capital-Territory/Canberra/blog-232922.html After getting to bed at 2am we had a rather late start to the day. I took a walk around the town cemetery and the town walls of Bergheim while Lorenza sat in the sun reading a book.In the late afternoon we went for a drive to the mountain resort of Trois Epis. It is a lovely little haven in the Vosges. There is also some kind of climate station there as well but I could not work out the French e http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Switzerland/North-West/Basel/blog-226456.html Jean guided us to Colmar and showed us what was his parentrsquos home. The place is now abandoned and in disrepair the reason is a long story and best let slip into the shadows of my memory. It was built in the early 1800's in what was a prosperous farming area at the time. The district has now been swallowed up by the town of Colmar and borders on the rough end of town. It had recently been http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Alsace/blog-224176.html