http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Where-is-the-Watergate-Hotel/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Where is the Watergate Hotel en-us Sat, 02 Jan 2010 07:50:54 +0000 Sat, 02 Jan 2010 07:50:54 +0000 We boarded the Spirit of Tasmania 1 very early and were on our way to Melbourne by 9am. The ship only had 250 people on board it can carry over 1000 so we had heaps of room to spread out. The sea was as flat as a tack which made for a great sail across the ditch. We kept a look out for some of the yachts in the Sydney to Hobart but no luck. The only boat we passed was the Spirit of Tasmania 2 h http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Victoria/blog-369781.html The spent the next couple of days exploring Launceston visiting places like Cataract Gorge then we travelled to Kelso north of Launceston at the top of the Tamar River. This is where we relaxed and waited for Santa to come. It was a great Place for the kids to run around and play or relax end get some sun because the weather finely got better. The possums were really cheeky here they loved to cl http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Tasmania/blog-369780.html We made our way back to a place near Hobart called Seven Mile Beach for a day and a night to catch up on some school work and the like before heading up to Launceston. We decided to free camp at a cute park in Campbell Town half way between Hobart and Launceston it is one of the oldest settlements in Tassie. A lot of convicts settled here after they completed their time in Hobart or Port Arthur. http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Tasmania/Bicheno/blog-356776.html We are currently at Kelso about an hour nth of Launceston Best wishes to all. Press play to hear our Christmas message http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Tasmania/Launceston/blog-356829.html We travelled one of the hilliest mountain roads in Tassie from Strahan to Hobart it took 5 hours to travel 238km and we spent most of our time in the clouds. We were so happy to arrive in Hobart Steve arms were very sore from steering left and right so much. A big difference to the long straight roads of the NT and QLD. We took a quick trip into the city and Salamanca Markets for the afternoon.T http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Tasmania/Hobart/blog-355461.html We headed off on yet another thin and winding road from Cradle Mountain to Strahan. We arrived to a very wet and cold place so we spent the rest of the day in the van catching up on school work and travel diaries.The next day the weather wasnrsquot much better so we didnrsquot get a chance to do the Gordon River Cruise or Wilderness Railway like we had hoped but we did go and see a pantomime http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Tasmania/Strahan/blog-355456.html We followed the winding hilly road to Cradle Mountain we got a rare break in the weather after we arrived and made a mad dash to Dove Lake car park for a view of the mountain the weather in the National Park is so fickly it can be go from raining cats and dogs to sunny to windy to freezing cold with in half an hour. The sun was still shining even though it was freezing cold so we walked the 600 http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Tasmania/Cradle-Mountain/blog-355454.html Stanley is a beautiful little town full of cute BB Cottages and a spectacular bay. We started the day with a chairlift ride to the top of Stanleys main attraction ldquoThe Nutrdquo we decided it is Tasmaniarsquos own ldquoAyers Rockrdquo We walked around the rim of it in the cold wind but at least we had sunshine .We then travelled the 40 minutes west to Dismal Swamp a rainforest in t http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Tasmania/Stanley/blog-355451.html After heading back to the shops to finish off the Christmas shopping we made our way to Station Pier to board the Spirit of Tasmania 2.The crossing of Bass Strait to Devonport started off very smooth but by midnight the sea came into a 23 metre swell and things got a bit rocky but luckily none of us got sick and coming into Devonport things settled down. The weather in Tasmania was not the best http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Tasmania/Stanley/blog-355444.html We settled in Melbourne for a few days got to know our way around we discovered the Carousel in the middle of the city and walked along the river. We couldnrsquot get over the amount of trams and just had to go for a ride on one so we hopped on to the free city circle tram and as you do when you get to a city WE SHOPPED.Christmas shopping was the main reason and we managed to get most of it d http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Victoria/Melbourne/blog-355432.html We woke very early 5.30am to get packed up and make our way to board the car ferry from Queenscliffe to Sorrento on the Mornington Penninsula then on to Phillip Island. We rugged up for the cold cold night and venture to the coastline to see the famous Little Penguin Parade it was so so so cute they are Stephanies favourite animal so she was especially excited. The next morning we packed up and b http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Victoria/Philip-Island/blog-348117.html We began the Great Ocean Road drive the weather was miserable cold and raining not to mention blowing a gale. But we did all the stops the Arch the Grotto the London Bridge and of cause the 12 Apostles before landing in Apollo Bay a really pretty spot. The next day we daytripped to Cape Otway lighthouse and the Otway Fly Tree top walk again in the rain and wind and cold but hey who cares we a http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Victoria/Apollo-Bay/blog-348113.html We made our way to Warrnambool the beginning of the Great Ocean Road. This was another Mastercard Moment because Stephanie Dannielle and I went for a horseride on the beach with some friends we met on the road. Dannielle first ride since falling off last July. She was a little nervous but not as much as her mum. She did great and we all had a great time. http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Victoria/Warrnambool/blog-348107.html Ballarat meant a short visit to Sovereign Hill a working Gold mining town complete with people dressed in period costume gold mine red coat troupers and horse drawn coach. You can pan for gold get dressed up for a old photo get your name printed on a wanted poster or be entertained by Ballarats equivalent of Willy Wonka in the Victoria Theatre. It was a great day and the kids really enjoyed the http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Victoria/Ballarat/blog-348091.html We arrived in Renmark a fantastic town on the Murray River just inside the SAVIC Border. The caravan park was literally on the river bank and so beautiful the highlight being green green grass. We could have stayed there for months.We followed the Murray along the border into NSW and back to VIC before rolling into Echuca. We found a caravan park to stay in it was the best of a bad bunch so we http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Victoria/Echuca/blog-346839.html We arrived in Adelaide and spent the first day cleaning the Watergate.We took a city tour to get to know the place the highlight was a visit to Haighs Chocolate Factory YUM YUMSaturday we decided to take a drive to Victor Harbour and ride the Horse drawn tram along the causeway to Granite Island. Bill the Clydesdale did a great job. The tram weights 4.8 tonne and including people averages 7 tonne http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/South-Australia/Adelaide/blog-346837.html We made our way to Woomera and found a very exciting and interesting town Steve and Samuel where in their element looking at all the old Missiles and Rockets around the town which included the remains of stage 1 of the first Australian satellite WRESAT that was sent into orbit in 1967 We visited the information centre and found more than we bargained for. Firstly in the complex there was a Muse http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/South-Australia/Woomera/blog-346834.html We travelled to Esperance where it was still windy and cold but at least the sun was shining. Tuesday was spent doing some school work and catching up on washing etcWednesday we decided to take a drive out to Le Grande National Park to see some of WA most beautiful beaches and we were not disappointed. Le Grande beach was amazing and had a great camping area on the beach but Hellfire Bay was a fa http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Western-Australia/Esperance/blog-338268.html We spent the next day resting and then on Tuesday we ventured out to Fremantle we joined this replica of an old Fremantle tram and did the town tour. Hopped of at the Maritime Museum and explored the history of all sorts of boats including the real Australia 2 that won the Americas Cup in 1983.Wednesday was Watergate repair day we had to get a few little things patched up like fly screen and a r http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Western-Australia/Fremantle/blog-338263.html When we first approached Coober Pedy white man in hole you would swear you are arriving in to a third world country it is dirt and more dirt and totally disorganised. Everyone has junk in their yard and machine parts everywhere. The population has dropped to 2500 since 1996 but everyone who lives here has been her for years and only stay for the hope of finding more opals. A good find can be w http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/South-Australia/Coober-Pedy/blog-338476.html