Redheadpeter | Peter Day | Travel Blog

Page 6 of Redheadpeter Travel Blog Posts

Asia » Kazakhstan September 8th 2014

The train attendant practices his English

Geo: 43.2792, 68.2498The trains take 4 hours to cover the 165km between Shymkent and Turkestan, so you can imagine they aren't Intercity 125, let alone HS1.So departing Shymkent at 7.05 am and returning at 21.11 gave me about 5 hours to explore the delights of Turkestan, the delightful bit being one building.Its the mausoleum of the first great Turkic Muslim holyman, Kozha Akhmed Yasaui. The original, built in the 12th century was quite modest so Tamburlaine the Great decided something a bit grander was called for and the result is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most stunning man-made thing in Kazahstan.It was the centre of a complex of mausoleums and other religious buildings but they all, except for this one, fell into rack and ruin and the surroinding site is an archaeological dig with ... read more

Still betrays its trading past

Asia » Kazakhstan September 7th 2014

Fountains in the central square

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Geo: 42.3026, 69.5727Shymkent was never a major stop on the Silk Road, and I'm only here because it's a good jumping off point for Turkestan and the Yasaui Mausoleum. That's tomorrow - so getting ahead of myself.Three flights to get here. Gatwick to Istanbul on Turkish Airlines - nothing special or problematic except I found myself in an exit row with no window which wasn't what I reserved. It arrived early into Ataturk airport which meant it ended up being paked miles from the terminal - a terminal which seems grubbier and more crowded every time I see it (though not as crowded as Gatwick North - they were queueing for the restaurants there at 10.30 in the morning).Second flight a very new Air Astana Airbus to Almaty (previously known as Almata). We arrived there in ... read more

Sep 06, 2014

Middle East » Turkey » Marmara » Istanbul September 6th 2014

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Geo: 41.0245, 28.9881... read more

Our last few days

Europe » United Kingdom » England » Greater London February 26th 2014

Sydney view from Headlanmd Park

Redheadpeter

Geo: 51.5002, -0.126236Our two days in Sydney staying with friends Jeremy and Kate Eccles were great. They live on the north shore of the harbour, near the zoo. On arrival we promptly set off walking round Chowder Bay, across Headland Park (Kate was one of those whose efforts prevented this ex-military area becoming more urban sprawl) to Balmoral beach so that those who might swim could - then the walk back. Jeremy writes about visual art in general but Aboriginal Art in particular so next day we were taken (by ferry across the harbour - a treat!) to the New South Wales Art Gallery for a guided tour and explanation of the aboriginal works there and began to understand some of the symbolism in them. Lunch outdoors at the gallery during which time it began to ... read more

This stays here for the map - see London

Asia » Singapore February 24th 2014

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Geo: 1.28941, 103.85... read more

This stays here for the map - see London

Oceania » Australia » Victoria » Melbourne February 20th 2014

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Geo: -37.8143, 144.963... read more

This stays here just for the map - see London

Oceania » Australia » New South Wales » Sydney February 18th 2014

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Geo: -33.8671, 151.207... read more

Luxury B&B and Ghost City

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Christchurch February 17th 2014

another stunningnew zea;land view

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Geo: -43.5316, 172.637We arrived late, early evening at Acaroa, by the time we had driven all the way from Dunedin and negotiated the wiggly roads of the extinct volcanic crater of Acaroa to bring us down to Barry's Bay and on to our B&B. Our room, bathed in the evening sun, with a wonderful view of the bay and mountain ridge beyond was very splendid and Jane Cook, who ran the guest house single handed, a welcoming host. She had a life story to tell and was very happy to chat about the local area too, introducing us to other interesting guests, which all made this hgh end B&B memorable. Her breakfasts were a feast fit for a King and Queen, which she threw in as part of her story, having been employed by the Queen's ... read more

Albatross and Bagpipes

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Otago » Dunedin February 14th 2014

A lighthouse on the southern tip of nz

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Geo: -45.8746, 170.503We left Te Anau early - 7.30am- to get to Invergargill for breakfast. It was an easy drive with almost no traffic this far south, passing farms and tiny villages and hillsides lit up by the sun in the early morning, which soon faded as we approached a rather dreary Invergargill- so like Scotland. The next stage of the drive took us through the Catlins- rugged coastal scenery with wonderful sandy beaches, but not the weather to attract a long stop over. Fortunately we found some petrol at the Information- Site to get us to Dunedin. We had one great ambition in Dunedin, to visit the Royal Albatross Centre to see Albatross with their chicks and to see them flying. There were 5 nesting Albatross clearly visible from the viewing centre and when they ... read more

Overnight cruise

Oceania » New Zealand February 12th 2014

A cloudy and moody Doubtful Sound

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Geo: -45.3193, 166.994This was another magical experience on a very comfortable and well run small cruise boat with about 70 people - NZs, Ozzies, Americans, Germans, a French couple and Brits. It took a while to get to the boat by coach from Te Anau to Manipouri, a ferry across a lake, another coach over the Wilmott pass to the cove where our boat was waiting. We spent 24 hrs on it, with fantastic food and a comfortable cabin, drifting slowly through the mists and rain of Doubtful Sound, before heading out to the seal colony on rocks in the mouth of the sound. We need to experience the rain - typically it rains almost every day , 8 meters of rain a year-to understand the vegetation and wildlife. Josh gave us a running commentary all ... read more

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