Sanctuary Point

How can a country so big, with so few people have such horrific traffic problems?

I set off from Tuncurry to drive to Sanctuary Point, a journey of around 550 Km, which should have taken around 6 hours. This turned into a nightmare 9.5 hours of nose to tail holiday traffic. Easter is late this year and has run into Australias Anzac Day celebrations giving most Sydneysiders a weeks holiday and everyone has taken the opportunity to hit the road. With so few motorway type roads to use, that means traffic jams, which hardly makes it any joy to have a holiday break.

Tepachina at Sanctuary Point

I arrived at Santuary point around 21:30 to a fine welcome and the joy of seeing my parents again soon overcame the tiredness and frustration of the journey.

Having quality time with the "Oldies" and catching up on news.

Two Heeleys

Up to Sydney at the end of the week.

Chez Ron et Julie

Just back from a fantastic day on the water with my family and friends at Lake Wallis, a huge lake system a which empties into the Pacific at Forster and Tuncurry on New South Wales north coast.

My nephew Graham has a super powerful sport boat which he uses for bare foot skiing, and skimming across the water at 100mph is an experience not to be missed.

8 Litres and 450 prop power muscle boat

My brother has a utility boat which serves from anything from water skiing to ocean fishing. As a matter of fact bro Ron and his boys are setting out early tomorrow and heading for their favourite fishing spot at a reef 14 kilometres off shore where they hope to catch plenty a snapper.

Today could be not be more of a contrast to the last 36 hours, from the enforced 13 hour layover in Singapore, pouring rain on arrival in Sydney and the 4 hour drive north to my brothers house. The weather today is puffy white clouds set in bright blue sky and around 25C temp.

Perfect in every respect.

Chez Ron et Julie

What was exceptional yesterday was the new entry system into Australia, because if you are the holder of an Ozzy electronic passport then you enter via an electronic border control machine, are then sniffed by drug dogs and if ok you are through. We touched down at 06:40 and I was at Central station in the city after the smoothest A$15 train ride by 07:30. Unbelievable.

Tonight is a naughty Logan Red and T bone steaks.   mmmmmmmmmmmmm

Stuck in Singapore

Here I am in the beautiful Hotel Ammra in Singapore as a guest of Qantas for the next 13 hours.
Just before we landed at Changi we were absorbed by a  stern announcement from the purser to say that QF32 would be terminating in Singapore for operational reasons.
Over the collective groan she continued to say that another aircraft was being sent to Singapore to collect us for our onward journey and would depart at 21:00 today. Bearing in mind that it was 08:00 the realisation of this lengthy delay and the impact on peoples onward travel plans produced a further collective moan and heated comment.
The plans for the hotel, free meals and drinks soothed things a little and I have to say that Qantas here were pretty good at handling some 450 tired and a little annoyed passengers.
Through immigration and onto awaiting buses we were soon tucked up in the Ammra for a very welcome sleep.
So; I will not be staying in Sydney tonight as I arrive at 06:20 tomorrow morning. I will get into the city from the airport, get up to Virgin Communications to get a local prepaid sim for my phone, collect the hire car and be on my way to Tuncurry and my brothers place and back on schedule.
Oh the joys of international travel.

Inside the A380

Look at this .... wow

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Qantas at Heathrow

My flight from Newcastle touched down right on 10:00 which meant a comfortable transfer time between terminal 5 and T3.
In the event I am sitting at gate 3 ready to board the mighty QANTAS A380 in only 50 mins. I only have hand luggage so it would take longer if you had to collect bags.
So only 14 hours to Singapore ....

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