Scott Somerville

Australia beckoned again (last here/there in 2003 and had to go back) this time I've picked to travel around Victoria (mostly) with a brief detour to South Australia (Adelaide) or at least that is the tentative plan.

Melbourne tick
Undera speedway tick
Bendigo tick
Swan Hill tick
Mildura tick
Adelaide (Central, North, Glenelg and Port Adelaide) for Gillman ans Sidewinder speedway
Murray Bridge
Broken Hill
Mildura
Melbourne

31 Jan - 6 Feb - Melbourne

Oceania » Australia » Victoria » Melbourne February 2nd 2011

Scott Somerville

Melbourne I got the overnight United Nations (Aussies, Chinese, Indians, Germans and Scottish all on board) bus from Mildura to Melbourne (left 30 Jan 2145 arrived 31 Jan 0700). Fly back to London (via Abu Dhabi) 6th Feb 2300 and land in Heathrow 1230 on the 7th, and then up to Edinburgh at 1605 from Heathrow. Rest 7th and 8th and then Dublin on the 9th.... sheesh. ... read more

27 - 30 Mildura

Oceania » Australia » Victoria » Mildura January 28th 2011

Spider after a hard night socialising

Scott Somerville

Mildura Travelled down from Broken Hill to Mildura on the 27th. 28th sorted my bus travel back to Melbourne, but due to flooding in Victoria it would take a detour or two. Also spent the night at the Sand Bar... interesting pub. 29th Mildura speedway... read more

25 & 26 Broken Hill

Oceania » Australia » New South Wales » Broken Hill January 28th 2011

Broken Hill - mine

Scott Somerville

Broken Hill Well due to the floods and landlips in Victoria my plans had changed and part of that change was to take in the Broken Hill leg of the Senior Oz title. Outback speedway. We left from Murray Bridge 0930 ish and arrived in Broken Hill 1700 and passed a grand total of about 5 cars!! You'll see a couple of photos from Manna Hill which was basically a road side cafe en route to Broken Hill... really in the middle of nowhere. Our food order of 2 burgers caused a black out in the cafe!! Broken Hill is still a mining town (silver and lead I think) and is very very hot. The couple of days we were there it was 42 and 39 deg centigrade. We stayed in the Black Lion Hotel another ... read more

24 Jan Murray Bridge

Oceania » Australia » South Australia » Murray Bridge January 28th 2011

Elephant in Murray Bridge !

Scott Somerville

Murray Bridge Spider and his wife kindly put me up in their house for the night of the 23rd and 24th Jan prior to us heading up to Broken Hill. The Murray river is currently filling up with the flood waters (in Queensland and Victoria) and will suffer flooding in due course. Some of the riverside 'shacks' have already been vacated.... read more

20 - 23 Jan Port Adelaide

Oceania » Australia » South Australia » Adelaide » Port Adelaide January 28th 2011

Port Adelaide 1

Scott Somerville

Port Adelaide Went up to Port Adelaide and based myself in the Royal Arms Hotel. The 'Port' is kind of equivalent to Leith in Edinburgh about 15 to 20 years ago. The hotel is cheap and cheerful and along with a few of my Aussie mates is frequented by a number of local .... characters. Port Adelaide didn't really have much too it but it was a good base for our speedway extravaganza. Three meetings at the Sidewinders training track and one at Gillman. 20 Jan - Qualifier for Aussie Under 16 title, at Sidewinders 21 Jan - Aussie Under 16 title, at Sidewinders 22 Jan - Gillman round of Aussie Senior title 23 Jan - Under 16 Pairs title, at Sidewinders By day we attended the speedway, gates usually opening at approx 3pm and the ... read more

13 - 19 Adelaide Glenelg

Oceania » Australia » South Australia » Adelaide » Glenelg January 13th 2011

SANY0511

Scott Somerville

Glenelg 13 Jan (Thursday) Travelled down to Glenelg (the beach front of Adelaide - 20 mins by car from city centre) to catch the rays... it rained all day. That said I'm staying in the Oaks Plaza Pier so the room is quality, best of the trip so far, socan't complain. I'm booked in for approx 5 days (perhaps more depending on my changing travelling plans) It looks like a bit of the Great Ocean Road is closed and Horsham has flooded a bit so I've resorted to plan z. Beach in Glenelg for a while, and eventually head to Murray Bridge, Broken Hill and Mildura. The latter two for two rounds of the Aussie champs. With a few meetings in Adelaide to boot Gillman again and Sidewinders for a few. Hopefully tomorrow's weather will be ... read more

9 - 12 Adelaide

Oceania » Australia » South Australia » Adelaide January 11th 2011

Scott Somerville

Adelaide 9 Jan spent some time sorting out some of my potential travel plans. Possibly heading up to Broken Hill and back to Mildura for a couple of rounds of the Aussie Champs. As well as taking in another couple of meetings at Gillman. Plans afoot to spend some time down in Glenelg i.e. the beach although some rain is forecast but hopefully nothing like the disaster in other parts of the country. Did a bit of socialising at night time, again. 10 Jan moved up to North Adelaide, into my first self check in hotel a bit weird but very smart. North Adelaide a bit quieter than central has the feel of Edinburgh New Town about it. Went for a wander up to Findon to see cycle speedway track and back along Torrens river side, ... read more

8 Jan - Adelaide & Gillman Speedway

Oceania » Australia » South Australia » Adelaide January 9th 2011

SANY0481

Scott Somerville

Adelaide and Gillman Rain!! what's that all about... well a bit of drizzle for an hour or two. Took a little wander around the town today central Adelaide and north Adelaide. Took in the Adelaide Oval amongst other touristy sites. Then it was off to Gillman speedway, another quality set up with some good racing. Ricky Kling a bit unlucky in the final (lifted slightly coming out of turn 2) but he would have had his hands full to keep Batchelor from winning even if he'd taken a better turn 2. Some other quality juniors on show. Mike, more names to remember are Jack Norman (apparently only 9!!) and Dakota Ballantyne (age 11). Bumped into Howard again and was introduced to Graeme 'Frosty' Frost and wife, and Eastbourne Mick. Also caught up with Spider again where ... read more

7 Jan - Mildura to Adelaide

Oceania » Australia » South Australia » Adelaide January 7th 2011

Scott Somerville

Mildura to Adelaide by bus It was an early start to catch the 0730 Mildura to Manangatang bus with a 2 hour wait for the connecting bus to Adelaide which arrived in Adelaide 1745...long day of travel.... read more

6 Jan - Mildura

Oceania » Australia » Victoria » Mildura January 6th 2011

Scott Somerville

Tramping about Mildura Photos loaded, video clips to follow.... read more

Joined	November 28th 2010	Trips	1
Last Login	February 2nd 2011	Followers	0
Status	BLOGGER	Follows	0
Blogs	19	Guestbook	19
Photos	124	Forum Posts	0