Blogs from Victoria, Australia, Oceania - page 17

I think Nyah Rec Reserve, 28kms north west of Swan Hill, has to be our favourite freedom camp; it was the first freedom camp we experienced so it has a kind of sentimental attachment. These days the township has nothing more than a service station which doubles as the general store & newsagency. The recreation park caters for football, netball and cricket and it is this sporting link that cements the strong community spirit. A few years ago, after the town lost its right to horse trotting to the much bigger Swan Hill, the locals realised they needed to do something to encourage people to stop a while in their town. For a donation of $5 per night caravaners can set up by the River around the football oval or near the cricket nets. There is ... read more

Today started slowly with jet lag still waking me around 3am. Dozed on and off until 8am but it was hot and time to begin the day. I had a few organisational matters first so brekky was a Kellogg’s gluten free breakfast biscuit. 15g protein to start the day. Really miss the tea and coffee making in rooms that European hotels lack. Headed off to Le Republique districtrict not too far from the hotel- about a 20 min walk. On the way found a great little supermarket where I stocked up with fruit and mini cheeses. Sadly as a coeliac, I walk past the baguette isle. You can get gluten free bread ? but it’s the same as home and not the best if not toasted. Also don’t want to be buying a full loaf of ... read more

Finally got myself checked through and into the lounge to pass a couple of hours before boarding. The majority of the people in the lounge are Chinese and no doubt heading home to Hong Kong. And no doubt wondering what will greet them as the riots continue. Then there’s the Aussie baby boomer couples. Easy to spot as they eye of the liquor cabinet and their comfortable clothing for a long flight. And then.... there is the eccentric unusual character- and no I’m not talking about myself! A gentleman, somewhere between 60-70 years of age whose shiny leather, pointy toed shoes make a clicking sound on the shiny black tiles. Talking to himself as he decides on his nourishment. A business man I suspect. And of course there’s the female solo traveller typing this account..... I’ll ... read more

We head off on a different trip this time. Not the feather light purebred stallion racing bikes beneath our saddles of our previous trips, but rather the draft horse of the cycling world, Touring Bikes. There'll be no 30km/hr days as we lug upto 30kgs of bike and baggage up the Rockies, and around the roads and rail trails of Canada. It's not going to be quite as rough and ready as full on touring though, with accommodation booked for each night along the trail and some well placed rest days along the route. It's the first time touring for me and I must say I think I went a size too small on the panniers with only 2 x 15 Litre bags. I might have to bribe the boys into carrying a few items for ... read more

Hi. It’s come time to venture out on a trip to Europe again, the main objective being to attend our son Tim’s wedding ( hi Natalia). We fly out in a few days, providing things have settled down in Hong Kong long enough for our Cathay Pacific plane to touch down, and the onward flight to take off. We’re hopeful. After a few nights in Paris, we are travelling to Dijon for 2 nights, Ribeauville - I have to look that word up every time I use it - for 4 nights, before driving ( did I mention Tim joins us in Dijon with a car ) to Luxembourg for a night. On 28th of August, we fly to Wroclaw, Poland for the wedding, and to spend some time taking in the local attractions. On 3rd ... read more