51. Epilogue

So we are at 40,000 feet and on our way back to London from Hong Kong, our two month journey almost over. I want to acknowledge just how extremely fortunate we are to be in a position to be able to travel and see the world. We have been to places and seen things over the last few weeks that many can only dream about and now we have the memories...and the photographs. We have sailed 12,000 miles, flown rather more than that, travelled over 600 miles by bus in the Australian outback, been along 1,000 miles of railway track, 400 miles by car, set foot in 3 continents, sailed on 3 oceans, visited 10 different countries, experienced desert, coral reef and rainforest, and crossed the equator twice!

Our travels have meant that we have been able to experience at first hand some of natures most magnificent sights and also some of mans relentless ingenuity. It would be unfair, and indeed impossible to say what was the most memorable. However the list below are some of those which are highlights....in no particular order:

Seeing sunset over Uluru and Kata Tjuta

Transiting the Suez Canal

Snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef

Crossing Sydney Harbour Bridge and seeing the iconic views of the harbour 

Sleeping under the stars in the Australian outback

Ascending Mt Etna

Going to the top of the Burj Khalifa 

Riding the Ghan from Adelaide to Alice Springs 

Having a helicopter flight over the Great Barrier Reef

Walking amongst the Pinnacles in Numbang National Park

Watching the dawn whilst trekking around the rim of Kings Canyon 

Admiring the view of Hong Kong harbour from Victoria Peak

Watching the amazing spectacle of the bats leaving their roost at dusk in Cairns 

Being fascinated by the ancient buildings in Petra

Witnessing the poverty and opulence in India

So yet another travel blog comes to an end....although this is by far the longest one! As always, it's been a pleasure to write these little notes and even if nobody ever reads them I trust that they will help us reminisce in the years to come.

50. Hong Kong

We are now on the return leg of our epic journey but have one more short stop here in Hong Kong before returning home. After an overnight flight from Perth with little sleep, the last thing we needed was a mix up with travel arrangements but sadly that is what we got. Our travel agent booked us in to the Regal Oriental Hotel, but arranged transport from the airport to the Regal Kowloon Hotel, hence when we got off the coach, we were as confused as the hotel check in desk. Anyway, they got us a taxi and a short while later we were checking in at the correct hotel. We also decided to pay a pittance for an upgrade to an executive room and inclusive breakfast....the only downside was the view...our room overlooked what remains of Kai Tek airport and it's currently a vast building site.

Although tired, we ventured out for the afternoon and had a look at the local area. We entered the Kowloon walled city park, a little oasis of peace and tranquility and as its name suggests, used to be a walled city until it was knocked down and redeveloped in the late 1990's. From there we investigated some of the district's many shops and market....the range of things living, half living, and dead that are for sale never ceases to amaze. One thing is for certain for the locals...at least you know that are buying fresh produce..so fresh in fact that it is still moving.

For our remaining day in Hong Kong we had to decide on the best way to use the time...and upon reflection, I think we did reasonably well. We had been warned about using the MRT as it can be incredible busy, but we went ahead and used it anyway and found it no worse than the London Underground. We had also been warned about finding the right exit for the sights we wanted to see, but again, we found everything to be well signposted.

So we went down to the Kowloon harbourside and caught the Star Ferry for a trip around Victoria Harbour. Billed as one of the "must do" experiences, it definitely lived up to expectations as we cruised slowly around taking in the views of the office blocks and apartment towers that dominate the waterfront. 

Once the cruise had finished we took the MRT again over to the Hong Kong side and took the tramway up to Victoria Peak. The views from the top must rank with any of the best cityscapes anywhere in the world...they were fabulous...all of Kowloon, much of Hong Kong and across to many of the nearby islands and territories. There were also more than enough shops at the Peak to satisfy the most enthusiastic of retail therapists.

We made our way back to the hotel as rush hour was in full swing and the sun beginning to set and in time for dinner. After the expense of Australia it was refreshing to know that we could have a nice four course meal with drinks and coffee for a little over GBP25 a head. 

So now we are packing our bags for the final time and will be heading to the airport for the flight back to the UK tomorrow.

49. Perth revisited - Part two

Monday turned out to be a rather fascinating day. We set off early, heading northwards along the coast with a stop at the little crayfishing port of Lancelin for coffee. There are lots of sand dunes in the area and they shine a brilliant white in the sunshine as they march their way slowly inland at the rate of 30 metres a year.

Eventually we reached the famed desert pinnacles in Nambung National Park. These limestone structures stick up out of the sand for miles around...some are just a few inches high while others rise to a height of several feet, some are rounded and some are jagged. How they were formed is unknown although processes of fossilisation and erosion certainly play their part.

A little closer to the sea was our afternoon stop...Stromatolite Lake. Stromatolites are some of the earth's oldest living organisms and are microbacterial "clumps" that grow at the edge of the salty water. Add in the fact that we spotted a small bobtail lizard and also admired the views of the bizarre looking grass trees, it was definitely a day full of nature moments.

Tuesday was our last day with Adrian and also our last day in Australia, so what better way to sign off than a beer and wine tasting tour along the Swan Valley. First stop was the Feral brewery where we all shared the tasting boards containing a total of 12 local brews ranging from light pale ales through to dark stouts. Then it was on to Sittella winery to sample a range of award winning whites, reds and roses. Purchases were made here!

Lunch was at the Homestead Brewey, an estate which also houses Sandleford winery, and then we managed a stop at the Margaret River Chocolate Company which stocks both chocolates and wine. One more stop was planned at Mash brewery but unfortunately last orders had just been called as we arrived. With hindsight, it was probably for the best!

So, our few days back in Perth had been extremely busy and it was fabulous being able to catch up with family. A very big thankyou to Adrian and Rohan for their generous hospitality, for showing us around their "neighbourhood", and for supplying the airport taxi service!

48. Perth revisited - Part one

The flight from Sydney to Perth was a very interesting one as the ground below changed from mountainous to plains and from green to brown to red and back again. It's difficult to describe just how empty and desolate the interior of Australia is.

Anyway, Saturday was a special day for two reasons, firstly because it was Claire's birthday and secondly because it was the first time that Claire had seen her brother Adrian, (who was meeting us in Perth) in over seven years.

The flight arrived early but Adrian was there and before too long we were sitting at home and catching up on lost time. We went for a stroll along the local beach and watched the sunset....ah, the simple things in life with family and friends are the best!

Next day, Sunday, was a celebratory birthday lunch, but before arriving at the restaurant we stopped at a nearby park to see a large number of resident red kangaroos grazing and lazing in the sun. Another wonderfully stereotypical Aussie scene! 

47. Sydney - Part three

It may be very expensive to eat out in Australia, but when it comes to public transport, it is incredibly cheap. In Sydney you can travel on the bus, train and ferry over an area the size of Wales for a maximum of A$15 per day. So, with this in mind we went down to the Central Station and bought some tickets for the two hour train ride up to Katoomba in the heart of the Blue Mountains. 

The region between the city and the foothills of the Mountains is pure suburbia but once the railway starts to climb, there is only a forest of trees to see. These are mainly eucalyptus, but at this time of year, the jacaranda are in full bloom and it's quite a spectacle to see these brightly purple trees standing out against a sea of green.

Once we got to our stop, we took a half hour walk down to the most scenic viewpoints....and it really is a breathtaking panorama looking out over the cliff top over the valleys and mountains of the Range stretching for miles into the distance. Photo opportunities galore!

We also had a delightful lunch in Katoomba with a very friendly sandwich shop proprietor. Upon asking for a slice of home made carrot cake to go, he gave us at least half the cake saying that as it was Friday it was only going to go stale. This provided us with extra sustenance for the train journey back to the city.

So we are now back at our hotel and packing bags once again, but this time for the last leg of our Australian adventure, back again to Perth where we will be spending a few days with Claire's brother. I suspect that it will be a visit spent mostly at wineries and microbreweries, but I shall report back again in due course!

46. Sydney - Part two

First thing in the morning we caught the bus out to Sydney's most famous beach, Bondi. The sun was shining out of a clear blue sky, but there was also a cold, gale force wind blowing straight off the ocean, so rather than being in our swimming gear we were wrapped up again the elements. To be honest, it wasn't a very pleasant place to be although on a warmer, calmer day, I am sure it is a fabulous place to relax, have a swim and enjoy the surf. Having said that, there were a number of hardy locals on their boards catching a wave or two.

So we made our way back into the city but enjoying some lovely views of the Sydney suburbs. Lunch revitalised us and we then got another hop on hop off bus around the streets, ending up at Darling Harbour. This area has been massively developed over the last few years and is now a fabulous waterfront, with lots of restaurants, swanky apartments and a lively boardwalk. Imagine Canary Wharf, but ten times better. After a brief wander, we stopped for an hour or so to visit Sydney sea world and its vast fish tanks and aquarium, seeing all kinds of sharks, rays, reef fish, dugong, and even penguins.

Moving on, our next stop was for a close up look at Sydney Harbour Bridge itself. We climbed up from street level to the pedestrian walkway and proceeded to make a double crossing of the bridge on foot, ie, there and back. The views across the harbour were picture postcard perfect...it was just a shame about the nagging cold wind.

By this time it was early evening and we made our way back down towards Opera Quays to find something to eat. The Aussie band, Crowded House, was due to play an outdoor concert at the Opera House later in the evening, so as you can imagine the whole of the harbourside was heaving. However, there are so many eateries around that we had no problem in finding a nice, but busy, establishment for dinner....very welcome after yet another very busy day!

45. Sydney-Part one

On our approach to Sydney airport we flew over the city, giving us our first glimpse of the famous harbour and all its landmarks. So, as soon as we had checked in to our hotel and sorted ourselves out, we headed down to the Sydney Tower, the tallest building in the city, eager to get our bearings and some good pictures. Unfortunately, the view of Sydney Harbour Bridge was more or less hidden by high rise office blocks so it was all a bit disappointing.

Undeterred, we continued on down to the harbourfront just in time to see one of our "old" cruise ships, the Carnival Spirit, which we sailed on back in 2002, pulling away from its berth. We watched it for a while thinking of the fabulous views the lucky passengers were getting as it began its journey out of the harbour. We also managed to get some nice pictures of both the Bridge and the Opera House, so the walk down was not totally in vain.

Next morning, Wednesday, we walked back down to the harbour and to the Circular Quays in order to catch the ferry across to the suburb of Manley. Rather than pay for a tourist excursion, this is a much more cost effective way of seeing all the landmarks from the sea. We arrived in Manley 30 minutes later and spent some time walking around and checking out some of the famous surfing beaches. Surf was definitely up, but if you ask me, it looked pretty rough and not that many people were in the sea. However, a little further around the coast was Shelly Beach, a small cove that was sheltered from the Pacific swell and it was very busy indeed. A group of schoolchildren were being taught swimming and lifesaving skills....school was never like that in my day.

By the time we caught the ferry to return to Circular Quay the clouds were thickening and darkening and just as we stepped off, thunder was booming all around. The rain looked like it had set in for the rest of the afternoon so we made the most of things and got into the dry by having a look around the Australia museum. It was nothing special but at least we didn't get wet.

By the end of the afternoon the rain lifted so we took a stroll down to a lookout point known as Mrs Mcquarie's Chair. From here we could take in great views of the Bridge and Opera House and all the harbour traffic running to and fro. We continued meandering around the Botanical Gardens, eventually ending up back at Opera Quays in time for a well deserved alfresco steak, chips and beer before heading back to the hotel and the prospect of a good night's sleep after all our walking.