Flute player down under

11. From Christchurch to Western Australia and the Top End.

iowflute — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 16:59:00 GMT

My last few days in NZ were spent in Christchurch. I took Jill's car and met John and Lindsay who had been on a bus tour. They were taking the car back to Jill and staying a few days there. However, after a month of perfect, sunny weather it decided to take a turn for the worse. The worst storms and floods for 50 years apparently!!
We saw the city from the top of an open top bus, then got a tram and as we got off the heavens opened and it hailed too. I was doubly glad I'd chosen to book a cabin instead of camping as there were reports of tents washed or blown away.
Our drive out to the banks peninsula was cut short. We got as far as Little River to find trees blown down and the only shop there had a power cut so there were power lines down too. We were told the road to Akaroa may be shut and we weren't prepared to risk getting cut off. I was flying out the next day.
We'd visited the Antarctica centre near Christchurch airport on the first day but they closed at 5pm and we still had things we wanted to see there. We were told our tickets were valid for another visit. The day I flew out we went in for coffee and as soon as we walked through the door the fire alarm started ringing. We evacuated to the back of the building with all the other visitors. After about 40 minutes of standing under shelter but in a howling wind the all clear was given by the fire brigade and we got our coffee and watched the film we had had to cut short because they closed the previous visit.
My 7 and a half hour flight to Perth went quickly. I had a seat between me and the next person so had plenty of room. I watched 2 movies and the time "flew". Today I was at the museum in Darwin and a lady coming out said hello. She was the lady who was 2 seats away on the plane.
I had a welcoming committee of Marge and Sue at the airport. Sue is Ann Gardner's sister. I spent several days with Marge seeing the local sights in Kalamunda and around. I met nearly all Marge's family at her sister and brother in law's 60th wedding anniversary party. We had picnics and went to an outdoor cinema and even managed a musical afternoon where I played the flute and sang duets with Toni. Great fun.
Then it was off to Sue and Paul's in Swanbourne for a week. Monday to Wednesday we saw art by the sea at Cottesloe beach, went to Hillary's boat harbour, visited Angi Millard's cousin Sophie in Iluka, went to King's park, walked Hughie the west highland terrier and went to Fremantle and set up my busking at the markets for the weekend.
On Thursday Sue and Paul set off for Albany and I was looking after the afore mentioned Hughie and George the British short hair kitten. He is gorgeous but prone to jumping in cupboards. The day I arrived he'd disappeared. We could hear him meowing but it took 5 minutes to find him inside a drawer!
One day I noticed Hughie sniffing at a large cupboard where the cat and dog food were kept. Thinking he was hungry I told him he had to wait till later. However, I realised I hadn't seen George around and sure enough he popped out of the cupboard when I opened it.
I'd got a name and phone number from a man I'd seen inside Fremantle markets (although they were closed when we visited) and I got an hour's busking slot on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It was only a 10 minute train ride from the house and about 15 mins walk at either end. I did about 1.5 hrs on Friday and took $52, a bit longer on Saturday and took $75 but Sunday in 1.5 hrs only $28.50. Just as many people but they weren't giving me their money!!
It was worth it though and everyone seemed to enjoy it, particularly the stall holders who were nearby.
Unfortunately Hughie was sick one night. He woke me at 4.00 am to go out, then again at 4.40 and 6.30. He hadn't made it one time so I spent the morning cleaning the carpet and floor! We think it was something he'd eaten at the beach. Louise, Sue and Paul's daughter had taken him to the beach the previous day and he'd been chatting to some fishermen!!
Since going to France in July I've been very lucky in that all the animals I've looked after have been fit and healthy even though 2 of the dogs were 15yrs old. However, one cat in France threw up on my friend Caroline's bed and another time on the chair and at my first house sit in Brisbane the cats broke into the food cupboard, got the biscuits out and then were sick!!!
After a lovely week at Sue and Paul's I moved on to Mandurah, south of Perth to stay with Philip and Nerylie. They did a teaching exchange with Ann Gardner in 1992 and I've got a photo of Philip and I playing the flute and Mark Coote playing accordion at Patsy and Arthur's flat in Ryde. Philip had exactly the same picture and also a picture of Ginny Kelly as she was their daughter's flute teacher at Osborne middle.
They've got the whole year published in a photo book and it was very interesting to see as I'm going to do a similar my thing when I get back. I'd hired a car to get to Mandurah and as Philip and Nerylie were working during the day it meant I could get out to see things. Pinjarra, Dwelling Up, Creery wetlands and Mandurah were explored.
I spent the last evening before I flew to Darwin with Marge and we went to jazz in the park.
After the warm days in Perth, but with very strong cool winds, particularly in the afternoon, I was met by a wall of hot, humid heat as soon as I stepped off the plane in Darwin. It was like going into a steam bath.
My cousin David lives here with his Dutch girlfriend Johanna. I'm in a lovely studio which they've built in the garden. Air conditioned and 2 fans. I'm not leaving the room!!!
I've seen a lovely sunset at Lee Point, been to Kakadu and visited 2 markets so far. Unfortunately the road to Ubirr where the oldest (20,000 yrs apparently!) aboriginal paintings are situated was closed. You had to cross a road that had flooded and it was 0.6 metres deep. Probably passable in a high 4x4 but not a Nissan Pulsar. If we'd got stuck then getting out in the water would have meant a crocodile encounter!!
The first morning I went in to David and Johanna's kitchen to find a note on the freezer. "Caution, cane toad in freezer"
David had caught one the night before, put it in a plastic container and put it in the freezer to die. It's a humane if cold way to go! He'd tried hitting one with a big brick once but although it squashed it flat, a little while later it re inflated and hopped off!
I've got 4 more days in Darwin and then back to Brisbane so the next blog will be the last of the trip. Until then, bye for now.

Photos: New Zealand. South Island

iowflute — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 11:48:00 GMT

Photos: New Zealand. North island

iowflute — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 11:47:00 GMT

10. New Zealand - the finale

iowflute — Sat, 1 Mar 2014 13:14:00 GMT

Most of the campsites I've stayed in have been great. All slightly different and some very quirky. On the night before I had to pick Jill and Keith up from Blenheim airport I pulled in to a campground at Seddon to see what they had there. I was greeted by Tony who lived in a campervan on the site. There was another mobile home and a couple of tents. It cost $12 (£6). I chatted to a German guy who was my neighbour and we nodded to a Japanese couple who were cycling. It was a windy night but where I'd camped was quite sheltered. I'd been warned by Tony that the other mobile home had a motorbike owner who left early. At 5am the motorbike spluttered to life and eventually left about 5 minutes later. I was just dropping off again when I could hear '123' yelled over and over again. Boot camp in the next door field. I gave up at 6.45 and got up. Jill and Keith's flight wasn't due in until 7pm and Blenheim was all of 30 minutes away!! As there was nobody there to make sure I checked out at 10am I walked into town (took 5 mins) sat in the nice warm kitchen and read and had several cups of tea and coffee and left about 11.30. In Blenheim I bought a new wheeled bag and in the car park swapped everything over from the huge case that Wendy and David had kindly given me but which was proving rather large and awkward to handle.
I also went to see 'Saving Mr Banks' the film about the author of Mary Poppins.
I then spent 4 nights in one place at Jill and Keith's. Luxury! The second road trip started in Nelson as we went to see 'opera in the park' which was more 'music in the park' but there were a few operatic songs.
I also met up with Diane Sunley who used to teach piano and keyboard on the Isle of Wight. We had a lovely Thai meal in Tahananui. I walked there and Diane drove me back to the campsite. The following morning I met Eve, a friend of Tina's from her Hong Kong days and we chatted away for an hour and a half even though we'd not met before. It's great that you can meet complete strangers and feel like you've been friends forever but you will probably never meet again!
The weather was really hotting up and I had some serious beach hunting to do. I'd swum on the day of opera in the park and I was now heading up to Golden Bay. The campsite was right on the beach and for 2 days I'd take my breakfast onto the beach and watch the sun rise. I had to walk about 50 paces to get there. The first evening was ideal for a swim but the second day the wind had got up.
I won't miss the wind, it was windy in Australia too but one New Zealander when I said "it's windy outside" said "you think that's windy??"
It's blowing outside as I write now and I'm so glad I'm not in a tent tonight.
At Golden Bay I went on the Farewell spit tour onto the sandy peninsula and out to the lighthouse. A great trip. I drove to the beach at Wharariki the following day. Sand dunes and rocks and seals and blue sea and sky. A 20 minute walk to get there from the car park and then 40 minutes to get back because you can't find the track amongst the sand dunes and as it is windy your footprints are blown away pretty quickly. I watched some people coming off the dunes onto the beach and headed in their direction and got back to the car. There was an amazing cafe hidden amongst the trees with a caravan selling teas and coffee and cakes.
Then 2 nights in Kaiteriteri on the edge of the Abel Tasman national park. Again the campsite was over the road from the beach. I got a water taxi up to Torrent Bay. 45 minutes on a bumpy jet boat. Luckily it was a bigger boat on the way back. I walked part of the Abel Tasman track and was picked up from Medlands beach. I was only one of two people brave enough to go in the water. Firstly there were boats coming in and out of the beach and I didn't want to be mown down and secondly it was cold!! We were being picked up at 3pm and I'd got there at 1.30 and eaten my packed lunch, so after my swim you'd think, sunbathe and relax on the beach. NO!!! Bloody wind again!! Sand blowing everywhere. I tried to hide but there really was nowhere to hide or shelter from the wind. Being marooned on a desert island has definitely lost its appeal.
And so back to tonight, in a lovely little cabin at Mapua. For £30 I get a double bed, use my own sleeping bag but pillows provided. Cutlery and crockery, washing up bowl, tea towel etc and wait for it........ my own waste paper bin!!
When I get to Christchurch in a couple of days time I've really gone upmarket and have booked an ensuite cabin with bedding and towels provided. All for $76 a night. That's approx £37. Ok, camping in a tent only costs between £6-12.50. Queenstown was the expensive one, but I treat myself every few nights.
I am so looking forward to getting home and sleeping in my own bed and not having to leave every couple of days!!

9. Wellington and beyond

iowflute — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 16:02:00 GMT

I spent a lovely few days with Pat and Chris Thorn in Wellington. I'd last seen them 30 years ago on an Indian railway trip. We cycled 15km round Miramar peninsula and walked along a few tracks to lookout points along the way, watched 'Last Vegas' which is very funny and saw the Chinese New Year parade. I went up the in the cable car and walked down through the Botanic gardens, Went to Te Papa which is an amazing museum. I'm not a particularly museumy sort of person but I was there for 4.5 hours and didn't see everything. The Parliament House tour was fascinating too because they have had basement isolators put in to protect in earthquakes. The building was cut off from its foundation and huge shock absorbers put in so that even if the base moves the top stays stable. A lot of buildings now have this system. I find it very strange to have earthquake instructions on all public buildings and designated earthquake shelters. In one art gallery they were under the large tables the artifacts were on. If the table collapsed you'd also get a large pot landing on you!!
The weather in Wellington was lovely and on the day I took the ferry from Wellington to Picton it couldn't have been better. Sunny, blue sky and sea but a bitterly cold wind on deck. Stunning scenery.

Jill met me in Picton and we went back to their house. Within 24 hrs we were back to Picton to camp overnight as Keith was sailing and they leave their motor home in a campsite so they don't have to drive the 40 min windy mountain road back home. I spent 2 nights in the tent and the second night was incredibly windy. I spent nearly all night awake wondering if the large tree nearby was going to fall on me. I survived.
The day I left to go travelling in Jill and Keth's car was a day of catastrophes. Firstly their motor home wouldn't start, having been on the campsite for a month, but without the isolator switch being on. I know the words but don't understand what I'm saying here!
We went to a friend's house to pick up a 24V battery charger. The friends were away for a few days having left that morning, but they'd left the charger in the dog kennel (no dog). On arrival their front door was wide open and a box of wine sitting on the doorstep. After ringing the doorbell and getting no reply we tentatively went inside. Nobody there, no sign of a break in! We put the box of wine inside. Several phone calls later we had a mobile number for them. "We're calling from your house" didn't seem to phase them as apparently the door had popped open during the night before they left and although they'd locked it when they left, it had obviously done the same thing!! This is a house where apparently there are loud cracks like gunshots that happen day and night! We moved the mat which was almost stuck under the door and with a "Have you all got everything?" from Jill she shut the door. Unfortunately she'd left her mobile phone inside!!
Luckily there was a window through which we could see their mobile number on the table. It turned out a spare key was also in the dog kennel. A good job they don't have a dog or there'd be no room for it!
I finally got away about 3 hours later than intended.

I've camped in a one man tent or stayed in cabins or with friends and had a lovely time touring around. I busked in Queenstown on 2 evenings and more than paid for my accomodation and a decent steak and chips meal. I met up with a primary school friend who'd found me on Facebook and happened to be on holiday in NZ and happened to be in Queenstown at the same time. We had a drink at her hotel at 10.20pm after I'd been busking. A pint of lager straight after busking followed by a very large port and I was rolling up the hill to my tent at 11.30 pm. The French campers behind me kept me awake until 12.30am anyway. The loudest voices in any campsite are always French, pourquoi?
I stayed with an ex pupil and her boyfriend in Dunedin and went on the Cadbury's chocolate factory tour and to the albatross colony. I did them both 30 years ago. The chocolate factory tour isn't as good now. It's behind large perspex screens and not much actual chocolate is seen apart from the 4 or 5 free bars of 'pinky' and 'chewy' bars which are nasty. I left those for Emilie and Andrew to 'enjoy'!
The albatross colony was better than I remember. There's a visitor centre and large viewing area. I think we just sat on the hillside 30 years ago.
Notable geological sights along the way have been Buller Gorge which has a great swing bridge crossing it. Not for people who don't like heights as it's about a foot wide and made of mesh. Moeraki boulders, huge spherical rocks on a section of beach at Moeraki and pancake rocks at Punakaiki. Lots of mountains and bright blue rivers and blue skies and fluffy white clouds. Aah!!
I'm now in Hanmer Springs for one night. The tent is drying out in the sun. This morning there was a lot of dew and condensation. That's the first night that's happened as it's been incredibly dry most mornings and unlike camping at home. Tonight I'm in a cabin. Luxury! A double bed, kitchen, fridge and sink and the toilet and shower are very close by.
There are lots of bugs as it's in the forest, but being inside I may manage to avoid being eaten too much. I'd been in the town 5 minutes when I was stung on the neck by a wasp and on brushing it away it stung my finger too. There's a wasp poison trap outside my door so I hope it works.

8. New year! New Zealand and EARTHQUAKES!

iowflute — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 11:14:00 GMT

I saw in the new year with friends Wendy and David in Sydney. We actually celebrated in style in our motel room watching the midnight fireworks on tv. David took a photo of me standing by the tv when the bridge fireworks went off!
We went into the city from Parramatta (where we were staying) in time for the 9.00pm fireworks. There were either queues miles long to get into parks or they were ticket only and even those had very long queues. We set ourselves up by a bar, much to David's delight and near to toilets which pleased Wendy and I. We are easily pleased!
We could see the bridge from our spot but weren't in the melee of people on the quay. About 8.30pm Wendy and I walked nearer and managed to get under the bridge. Unfortunately the fireworks were underwhelming and over in about 10 minutes. Cowes week is way better. However we didn't want to wait for the midnight fireworks which are spectacular.
We had a bit of difficulty getting back to where we'd left David as the police had put barriers along the road we'd come down and the long way round was about 1.5 miles!!
The police kept saying we'll open the barriers in15-20 minutes. A big backlog of people built up and to stop those of us at the front getting squashed they let us all through. Phew!!
They were trying to corral the people coming in for the midnight fireworks and trying to get the 9pm ones to leave a different way.
We were glad to leave in a relatively easy way at 10pm, although the trains were packed with lots of people standing. I dread to think what it was like at 1.00am.
It reminded me that I don't like crowds. Still, it was fun to be there and we went in next day by ferry and walked round by the opera house and circular quay.
I arrived in New Zealand on 2nd January after a 3 hour flight. I kept forgetting that I was in a different country and several times referred to being in Australia. Oops!! They really are very different. NZ is much more like the UK, a green and pleasant land. It's also a lot colder than Oz which I was grateful for, having left Sydney at 38C and arrived to 22C. I never thought I'd be glad to be cooler!!
I'm now wearing long trousers and sweat shirt and it's quite cosy. I bought a thicker pair of trousers from a charity shop and a pair of short wellies. Black with white dots. I'd like to take them home, so a few other things are going to have to go in order to not go overweight. Wendy gave me a huge suitcase to replace the broken handled one so having the room is not a problem but weight is!!
I stayed with Sue and Dave Bradley just north of Auckland and visited Penny Erikson's mum as she lives close by in Brown's Bay. Sue and Dave are in Torbay. We went on walks and went into the city. Swam in the sea and had a great time.
The bus to Katikati took 3 hours and I was met by Marion Titmuss a flute playing friend who I met at British Flute Society conventions many years ago. Until 2012 Marion was always there. Unfortunately this year she won't be. We'll miss her.
We busked outside the Katikati library the day before I left and the ladies in the library loved it and asked us to go back every day!! This was Marion's debut busking and by the end she was enjoying herself.
The bus trip to Wanganui was 6.5 hours and I wasn't looking forward to the long journey. It left Tauranga at 7.10am which meant I had to get up at 5.20 and leave at 6.20. I sat right at the front and had a great view. After an hour the bus filled up at Rotarua. I was very glad when a young girl sat next to me. The alternatives could have been a very large Maori or islander. When I say large, some of them need 2 seats to themselves and the bus driver had said the bus was going to be full.
The young Maori girl was lovely. She was 11yrs old and was travelling with her younger male cousin who was in the seat behind. I got her life history, that of her 4 brothers, her step mum, mum who lives in Australia, her nan who she was visiting in Palmerston North and others who were related in some vague way. She was very entertaining and the time whizzed by. She'd done the journey many times before and pointed out many landmarks and gave me a Maori pronunciation lesson.
She wasn't the only child travelling unaccompanied by an adult. There was a young boy of about 12 who got on and left mum, dad and older brother behind. Deliberately I think!
It's unbelievable that anyone at home would put an 11 yr old on a bus alone or in charge of a younger child for a 7hr journey. There were toilet stops on the way and a lunch break of half an hour at a cafe. She told me she was buying her lunch there. In fact she led a small group of us to the toilets because they were quite a walk from where the bus stopped and she knew where they were!
Her name was Aalia and one of her Nan's runs a seafood caravan in Christchurch. Not the one in the mall apparently but the one on the freeway. I'll look out for her!
Linda Low picked me up in Marton where I would have changed buses to come to Wanganui but there was a longish wait for the connection and only 20 mins by car.
I was on the farm alone for a couple of days while Linda went to hospital in Wellington for an angiogram. Unfortunately it didn't result in a quick fix stent which she'd hoped for as the blockage was in a small artery and wasn't easy to get at. There was a small earth tremor on Friday while I was there on my own. The windows rattled and the iron shook but it was over quickly. Then on Monday there was a big earthquake 6.2. Linda was home then. The whole house shook, mirrors and pictures jumped around for a couple of minutes and as we made for the door the floor was moving! Felt like being on a boat, even after the shaking and noise had stopped.
In Wanganui several things fell off the shelves. It was reported they lost a bottle of wine!! I wonder if it broke or was taken by a customer evacuating the shop!
There's no wifi or mobile signal here which is interesting and since the quake, no tv either. I went to look up Barbara Wilson's friend's number to find it was on my Facebook messages. Not connection, no messages!!
I can use the landline for calls in NZ so was able to speak to Ingrid Culliford and arranged to see her on Saturday afternoon. Ingrid was at the Royal Academy of music when I was in my first year there and is Patrick Gundry White's (French horn) sister in law. She was at the Academy with Ann Miller too. It was great playing duets with her and I'm going again on Thursday.
I've practised, been for a 2 hour walk on the farm with Jacky the Jack Russell, had a swim, read and now writing my blog listening to the Carpenters.
Gosh, is this what we did before Facebook?
Jacky the dog disappeared one day and as there were sheep shearers in the nearby shed I assumed she was round there. The loud reggae music coming from the shed from 6.45am obviously attracted her! By 10.30 I'd been calling her and gone up the hill to look for her so I popped into the shed to ask. The 4 feet high speakers were right by the door. A girl was standing almost next to them and I had to tap her on the arm and shout loudly. She'd seen the dog about 9.30. Eventually after going round the sheds a second time and calling her she appeared from nowhere at 11.30 and slunk back to the farmhouse.
It rained a lot after the quake so walking up the hill to get a 3G signal on my phone I had to haul myself up on the fence as it was so muddy and slippery. On the way down I had to come down backwards at one point, like abseiling.
We've lost the tv signal due to 'rain fade' I passed the sky van on my way into town so hopefully it will be fixed when I get back.
I'm in a shopping centre writing this and waiting to get my hair cut. Very mundane but better than he 'excitement' of earthquakes.
Help I'm British get me out of here!!

7. Buses and lost underwear.

iowflute — Sat, 28 Dec 2013 20:28:00 GMT

Since arriving in Eatons hill to dog sit on 19th December I've been on a lot of buses. The lost underwear is not bus related. More of that later.
Eatons hill is a suburb north west of Brisbane. Having no car as part of this dog sit, (I was spoilt in Ormeau) and there being no train station near here I've had to rely on buses to get around.
There is a local IGA supermarket within walking distance but supermarkets don't sell alcohol. I arrived on Thursday evening and set off to the city the following morning to meet Jill, Keith, Linda and Ken. We had a very good trip by ferry up to the mouth of the river and stopped for fish and chips for lunch. Jill and Keith were going back to Linda and Ken's to have a cold beer and I was very jealous. Jill, realising the seriousness of my predicament, said they would come round on Sunday with wine and beer. It's lovely to have friends who care about your alcohol intake!
The following day I got a bus to a shopping centre about 20 minutes away. I'd intended finding a swimming pool but it was a lot further from the bus stop than I'd anticipated and on getting there I was told it was $20 to go in for a swim!! I made much better use of the money by buying wine and beer back at the shopping centre. On the way home the bus driver apologised for making a detour by mistake and when I asked him if he was going to Sarabande Drive he admitted he didn't know the names of the roads. The company had just started running that route and he said as long as he could see bus stops with 338 on them he knew he was on the correct route!! At this point I was the only passenger on the bus and from the map on my phone I could see it was heading away from where I wanted to get off! He did know that the route did a circuit and went back along another road. This turned out to be the correct one. Phew!!
Best of all he let me off right outside the house and I didn't have to walk from the bus stop.
Another day a driver called out "Do I turn right here?" There were two of us on the bus. The guy had headphones on, so I said "Yes, I think so, at the traffic lights" I was an expert by then as I'd done that journey twice before. Any longer here and they'd probably have me driving the buses!
The most amazing thing is they have public transport running on Christmas Day! I went to Cathy's for lunch at Mooroka and although it took nearly 2 hours I got there! Luckily I took a book as I had 50 minutes to wait at Roma street on the way back.
At the Christmas lunch there was Cathy, Mary Brettell (her sister) Elly a student from Ecuador and 2 Queensland cops, Lisa and Nick. The fact they were dressed in full uniform with gun, taser, radios etc is not that odd when you know that Cathy works in admin at Moorooka police station. After lunch they went off in their car with its red nose on the bonnet and reindeer antlers on the roof. Half an hour later there were 2 more police at the door. They just popped in to say hello and they flashed the car lights and let off the klaxon when they left. Any of the neighbours having a post Christmas nap would have had a surprise.
Talking of surprises. When I arrived Lyn dropped me off and came in to say hello to Guy as we'd been over to meet the dogs a couple of weeks earlier. He mentioned that he would feed the snake before he left. SNAKE? What snake?? In a cage by the front door was a carpet python! We'd walked past it but not taken any notice as it looks like a display cabinet. He fed it a mouse, said I didn't need to do anything to it and that was that. At first it hung around on a ledge at the top of the cage. One day as I walked past it dropped to the ground (inside the cage) with a loud thump. Aaaargh!!!!
It's been inside its box now since about 22nd December. I'm glad I can still see part of it as I wouldn't like to think it was on the loose!
The dogs are 2 female Staffordshire bull terriers. Very sweet when they are asleep or sitting quietly but they are very needy and follow me so that I turn around and fall over a dog everywhere I go. They get very excited when I return home after being out for a few hours and the small one starts nipping if you pat her, so I just ignore them and gradually they calm down.
They have a thing for bras though. One day I noticed that my only spare bra had gone missing. I'd washed it, put it on the line and couldn't remember taking it in. The other clothes were still on the line so I couldn't understand where it had gone. As it very windy most days I thought it had blown over a fence. As the house next door is empty I decided that it had gone for good and when I went to the shops I bought 2 new bras, thinking I'd then have 3.
I found the missing bra next day in the dogs' bed. Very well chewed! Later that day having washed the other one and hung it up I found it in the garden. Again, very well chewed. All washing stays inside from now on. They would have had to jump quite high to get them off the rotary line.
I'd been told by Guy that there had been a huntsman spider living in the bathroom but he'd sprayed the house and not seen it recently. It had gone down the plug hole in the bath. The bath has now got a plug in and because it's not small enough to fit properly I've got a large bottle of shower gel sitting on the plug. That huntsman will have to be very strong to get past that!
I found a nice swimming pool at Chermside where it is $5 to swim.
Chermside shopping centre is a huge place. Everyone apart from me seemed to be spending hundreds of dollars and carrying loads of bags. There was a queue to see Father Christmas and a queue to get to the jeweller's stall. I then heard that the place was staying open all night to help people spend even more! Madness!
So another chapter comes to an end. Tomorrow I fly south to Newcastle for a couple of days with Wendy and David and then we are all going to Sydney for New Year, or New Years as everyone says here. How many New Years are they expecting?
It's hot and humid here. Tomorrow it's going to be 37C so I'm glad I'll be getting out of here and going to Sydney where it's 26C.
I fly to New Zealand on 2nd January. My next blog will be from New Zealand!
3 months gone already. I'm half way through my trip.

6. Mainly Brisbane

iowflute — Wed, 18 Dec 2013 10:54:00 GMT

I'm back in Brisbane and I've busked several times. Three times in the city but the markets are more lucrative. Still, it more than pays the fare and gives me something to do, plus people are always very nice and smile and stop to chat.
I met up with a flute player friend, Juliana, who I busked with 32 years ago and hadn't seen her since! She's now head of French at Queensland university and doesn't play anymore which is a shame. The not playing part, not the head of French bit!
I was home alone in Burpengary for 4-5 days while Tony and Lyn (and their French visitors from Africa) went to Tasmania for their son Wayne's wedding.
I made the most of having the car and did 2 markets that weekend and took $130. A man came up to me and asked if the iow in my website name stood for Isle of Wight. When I said yes, he told me went to school in Sandown and lived in Ryde. He's now a vet in Lutwyche (Brisbane suburb) and left the iow after leaving school. A small world!
I went north to visit Pam and Len in Cooloola Cove when Lyn and Tony got back. Also went to see an elderly couple who Judith Guess and I stayed with when we were there in 1981. Then, there were wild horses roaming the bush land opposite their house and very few other houses around. Now, more than 30 years later Pam and Len's house and all the other houses around is where those horses were living.
Life has settled down into a get up, eat, read, go for a walk (sometimes) eat, go shopping (sometimes) swim in the pool, eat, read, go to bed routine. I've managed to buy 2 more pairs of sandals, but I'm leaving behind the others I bought. They could walk home on their own!!
The suitcase handle that was smashed by Virgin Australia on my flight back from Adelaide has been repaired by Tony but I'll probably need to buy a bigger case for my flight home anyway!
My next chapter is a 10 day dog sitting job (2 staffie dogs) about 25 minutes south of here. That starts tomorrow.
I'll be seeing Jill and Keith on Friday and am looking forward to going to New Zealand on 2nd January. I'll be travelling with them in the South Island sometime in February-March.

5. No worries

iowflute — Wed, 27 Nov 2013 22:03:00 GMT

"No worries" seems to be the common reply to most things. You ask for the bill in a restaurant, "No worries." You thank someone for your change, "No worries." One waitress used it so many times in a Chinese restaurant that I'm sure I heard someone say "Well, I'm worried" but maybe I just thought it myself. Yesterday and today the weather suddenly got hot, 36C. Lovely, but it won't last, tomorrow is going to be 21C and rain forecast. I bought 2 pairs of 150 denier tights and long socks and wore them in motels on the ocean road. Today I've got the air con on.
A land of extreme contrasts. Hundreds of miles of flat dry land with little scrubby trees and a couple of weeks ago I was winding my way through forests in the rain and fog. Coming in to S Australia from Victoria there are miles of pine forests and huge logging trucks thundering along.
Last time I said there wasn't any pestilence but I hadn't met the south Australian flies back then. If you open the car door to get out (the best way) even if only for a minute, then you are greeted by hundreds of flies who want a lift to your next destination. They get in the car with you and you spend the next few miles opening the window to try to get rid of them. You have to be going fast enough though, so that their friends don't try to join them.
On driving across the Victoria, S. Australia border there are signs everywhere saying you are not allowed to bring fruit in to the state. I was determined to have my apple for lunch so I ignored the bins. As I hadn't seen another car for about 50 miles I was only slightly worried about the threat of fines. "No worries."
I ate my apple at Umpherston's sink hole! I was intrigued to know what a sink hole was. It was an amazing garden built in a sunken cave. Umpherston was the name of the man who had it built.
One day while driving along I kept seeing names of people I knew. It started with Teagues creek. Next came Watt creek, Manning river, closely followed by Rosie's cafe and Jones crossing. Very odd.
The scenery along the great ocean road is very impressive but you get a bit tired of rocks and ocean. The 12 apostles is exactly as you see in photos but with added wind. The little penguins on Phillip Island were far more impressive. Sitting on the sand next to a French lady and her daughter and family with hundreds of people behind me. Everyone was freezing cold as we'd been there from about 7.30pm and the first penguins came out of the water about 8.30pm. They were so sweet. Then later we walked back along the board walks as they were making their way back to the burrows.
I've had a great time with friends along the way and so far have driven 4,700km. That's 2,920 miles. I'm glad I've done it but I'll be glad to leave the car behind and fly back to Brisbane in just 2.5 hours. Once I left Melbourne the driving was much more pleasant without the toll roads and sometimes I didn't see another car for miles.
Adelaide is very easy to drive in. It's like driving in Newport but bigger. Not much though!

I did the cultural bit today, went to the museum and art gallery. I really don't understand art, two dead horses sewn together with bits missing, what's artistic about that? Shades of Damien Hirst there. I also went shopping and spent $50 on buttons! Yes I was surprised too, but they are all musical buttons. Grand pianos and treble clefs. No idea what I'll put them on! I also bought a very light coat at 60% off in the sale. It cost $79 but I won't be cold in New Zealand or on the way home in April. I spent $1.50 on a jacket in Bendigo in a charity shop but even that wasn't warm enough and I gave them $2!

I've got my Brisbane city busking licence now so I can busk in the city centre when I get back. I've also got 2 more market gigs lined up on 7th and 8th December.
The only playing I've done since setting off from Brisbane nearly a month ago is at a school library to a class of year 2 and year 4 at my friend Carole's school. Will have to do some practising when I get back to Brisbane. I heard a really good violinist busking in Adelaide today. They can use amplification here but have to pay for a licence.
Brisbane here I come!

4.Traffic, road works, road tolls, wind, rain and fog. No pestilence (yet!)

iowflute — Fri, 15 Nov 2013 21:05:00 GMT

I've been on the road now for 2 weeks. The day before I left I made $75 at eagle farm markets. That will pay for 3/4 of a night in a motel. Coffs Harbour was the first stop, rainy and windy here and roadworks along the way. 40 km speed limits a lot of the way but I found a bottle shop and bought 6 bottles of red to take to hosts as presents. One bottle had to be tested of course.

More roadworks followed me to Newcastle but the skies cleared and lovely blue sky to see hang gliders in Charlestown, even if it the temp felt sub zero because of the wind!

I got to see the 3 sisters up at Katoomba in the blue mountains on another clear day.
Once I set off from Sydney the weather got really foul. The rain and fog got very bad just north of Wollongong. The reason I couldn't find the fog lights in the hire car was there weren't any! Everyone was putting on their hazard lights. That was ok until cars changed lanes. Both indicators flashing and they just moved over. I stayed behind a truck that had a bright yellow tail gate. I was sorry when that turned off. You get quite fond of a truck or car that has been with you for 200km. I waved to the car that turned off to Sydney when I turned off to Newcastle. I'm not sure if they waved back.

From Merimbula I hit more rain and decided there was no point in stopping and sitting in a motel room in the rain, so I kept going for 600km and got to Melbourne at 6pm. The Melbourne traffic is frightening. When you are in 5 lanes of traffic with trucks either side of you and facing traffic lights with 5 or 6 ways to go you just hope that you don't get squashed. Add the rain and spray to that and it's like driving in a washing machine. If anyone has driven in a washing machine, they'll know the feeling!

It was nice to stop for 2 nights with Janet and Ross Everitt in Eaglehawk, 100 miles west of Melbourne. A walk past two lakes and a beautiful park with lots of bird life to get into the town, about 20 mins walk away. I bought a long sleeved nightdress to keep me warm in New Zealand. This goes well with my pink sheep skin slippers that I bought in the blue mountains. Very colourful! The sheep weren't really pink and the mountains aren't blue! I also bought a fleece today. It cost $1.50 at a charity shop. A half price sale! I gave them $2.00. I may need it before I get to NZ. Definitely when I go to see the penguins at Phillip Island as they come out at sunset.

Tomorrow I have to face the Melbourne washing machine again but the weather should be fine, so probably more like a tumble dryer.
In Sydney I went through at least one toll and had to set up an e pass so my credit card picks up the toll. That was only $1.50 to set up, plus the toll, (about $5.00) but in Melbourne it costs $5.50 to set up. To Phillip Island for one night tomorrow via toll roads. To avoid them the next day I can get a car ferry across the peninsula. It's about 50km shorter to take the ferry but $59 and takes slightly longer. The ferry trip sounds preferable.
No pestilence, but lots of flies in places. I really need one of those hats with corks on!

3. Busking.

iowflute — Fri, 1 Nov 2013 20:22:00 GMT

The Brisbane markets were quite lucrative! $63 in an hour and a half. My friend Linda came along to listen and I went back to her house for lunch. I played to her mum who is in her 90s and she cried when I played Ave Maria. I didn't think it was that bad!
On the busking side I did an audition in the city last Saturday. I haven't heard the outcome yet but it was a very interesting morning. Loads of people there, mainly youngsters with guitars, but also jugglers, magicians, a harp player, pavement artists, mime artists, string quartets and rappers to mention a few. We played for about 2 minutes each and because they did it alphabetically by Christian name I wasn't on until 11am and it started at 9.00am. The busking in the city is without any form of amplification, so just me and my flute.
I bought a new Bluetooth amp for other busking, although I actually use it with a wire to my iPod. Tomorrow and Sunday I try it out for real. Saturday at Redcliffe markets and Sunday at Eagle Farm markets. It's much louder than the mini one I brought with me. Hopefully it will have paid for itself by the end of the weekend!!
The small one will go on eBay when I get home.
Having left Ormeau where I'd been house sitting for 3 weeks, I went to stay with my friend Jenny in Loganholme for 2 nights and then moved to Burpengary where I'll be on and off until I leave in April.
I'll be looking after Sammy the cat while Lyn and Tony go to Tasmania for their son's wedding in December but before that I'm going south in a hire car on 4th November.
I'm really glad the fires seem to have died down at the moment as I'm heading to Sydney via Coff's harbour and Newcastle. There have been reports of snow in high places in Victoria so I'm taking a variety of clothes! Cardigans and scarves are necessary in concert halls anyway! The Australian chamber Orchestra's performance of Brahms 4 and Dvorak cello concerto with Steven Isserlis was superb but the air con froze my right ear and I had my cardigan half over my head. If I'd had a hat or hood I would have worn it!
I've seen more wildlife. At Lamington National park a 2 metre long carpet python. Not dangerous, but too big for me!! Today while at Point Cartwright near Mooloolabah I saw a brown snake. Now, they are poisonous! I took a photo as it slithered into the undergrowth. I also saw a sea eagle on top of the lighthouse tower.
Next time I write I'll probably have driven a couple of thousand miles! That's Ryde to Newport many times!

2. Las Vegas on sea (the Gold Coast)

iowflute — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 17:06:00 GMT

Last time I wrote I was heading off to the Gold Coast full of hopes of a nice swim and relaxing on a beach. Not to be. It was incredibly windy, in fact there hasn't really been a day since I arrived that you'd call windless! Some are a lot windier than others!

I arrived at Broadbeach to find it was a VERY windy day. Got in the sea to find I could just about stand up without being knocked down as long as I didn't go in above my knees. Back to the beach to lie down, got storm blasted and decided to call it a day about 15 minutes after I got there. So I drove along the front up to surfer's paradise and got out for a walk. Las Vegas has class and charm compared to surfer's. I particularly liked the Aussie souvenir shop which was run by Chinese. They greeted you at the door very politely and stood around conspicuously, nodding as you passed by. I bought 3 postcards.

That evening I failed to put the new beer barrel onto the beer tap and just when I really could have done with a beer after a hard day's disappointment it had to be wine instead. Bill, the next door neighbour tried to help by pushing and pulling the barrel and the contraption that fits onto it but it was 'the house with no beer!'

The following day the girl in liquorland had a similar struggle and drew an admiring crowd from other shoppers who seemed keen to watch. Eventually the plastic lever moved and we had beer flowing!! I caught up with one of the chaps in Coles and gave him the good news that we'd succeeded and I now had beer!

With my GO card I've been into the city twice now, getting the train from Beenleigh station which is a 10 minute drive from here. The botanic gardens are lovely and take note Ventnor, but it's free and much more exotic than yours.

There was a great free folk concert at the state library which was only slightly spoiled by the frost bite that set in half way through. The air con was obviously designed for Eskimos! We warmed up after with a hot chocolate. When I arrived before the concert I saw a man setting up a webcam. Asked what he was doing and he said I could speak to people in America if I wanted to. Ok, so as I sat down he said "They want to speak to real Australians" Oops! Still, had a nice chat with people in Wisconsin standing around outside in the dark.

I also went to a morning concert at Logan entertainment centre to have tea and buns and see 'Black Tie' A fabulous cabaret act of two brothers with lovely voices, one started his career with Sydney opera, and their wives on piano and cello. The pianist was amazing. The whole show was funny and entertaining and the musicianship was first class. All for $21.50. I ate half the luminous yellow bun later that evening with a cup of tea.

The afternoon was spent at Daisy Hill koala centre. Another free entry and it is great for getting really close to koalas, also wallabies were hopping around outside. 2 kookaburras let me get to within 2 feet of them. After I'd seen a large spider in a web I kept walking into spiders' webs which was the least pleasant part of the afternoon.

Ive been on the Brisbane wheel, which is like a mini London eye but it only costs $15 and you go round 4 times. Hardly anyone on it so no need to book or queue. In such a small pod, (it can take 8 people) you really feel as though you are going very high and it was a bit disconcerting the first time it went over the top. Luckily I did it with Linda. I don't mind heights but was glad I wasn't on my own! I then did the city hall clock tower tour which is free. You go up in a beautiful old lift and then walk around the tower 76 meters above the city. Great views. The wheel was only 60 meters but felt much higher!

Today we had rain! I did some practice this morning as I'm debuting at Brisbane markets tomorrow at 8am. They are on from 6am-12am but I'm not that mad! Then I went to Beenleigh historic village and sat in the car park in the rain. Next time I'll get out and have a look round. Beenleigh rum distillery is just down the road too, so on to there to see what there was to see. Nothing! 30 years ago I had a guided tour and bought a tea towel and a pretty bottle of rum. In fact I've got a Beenleigh sticker on my cigar box which acts as my bass booster for my mini boombox which is my amp system for travelling. They are going to have a visitor centre built, starting in March. "Oh good" I said "I can visit before I leave in April". Unfortunately it won't be finished until May or June. Next time!

I've only got a week left on the south side of Brisbane so I've lots planned for next week.

I'm also looking forward to hearing the Australian chamber orchestra with Steven Isserlis on the 28th October, playing Dvorak cello concerto and Brahms 4.

Catch ya later!

Photos: Musical things

iowflute — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 21:08:00 GMT

Photos: Wildlife

iowflute — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 13:16:00 GMT

Australian animals

1. The first week.

iowflute — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 11:13:00 GMT

Well, a week ago today I was being met at Brisbane airport by Dave and Seb and driven to my temporary home in Ormeau, Queensland 4208. Since then I've caught up with several old friends and met some new ones.

I've driven on the 4 lane motorways most days and found that they're not too bad really, even for someone used to driving on the Isle of Wight. I still don't really like the gateway bridge as it looks like you're going to drive off the top! The Godsend is having the sat nav on my phone. it's been doing a great job getting me to places, just like it did in France.

The animals here are great, Jessie, a Belgian shepherd is as meek as a lamb and trots along happily on our walks. Charlie, tabby cat, is bold and fearless and Delilah, long haired cat, is just beautiful and laid back. There should be photos of them somewhere on here.

The house is lovely, large 4 bed roomed, modern, single story with a huge undercover outdoor area. Not much grass, but that's good as I don't need to mow. However, mowing in France was actually fun! By Australian standards this is not a large house. Some of the ones I saw on a drive out the other day were ridiculous. Where do people get the money? Mind you they are much cheaper than at home. Talking of money, I'm pleasantly surprised that the cost of food is not as expensive as I remember from 2010 and previous trips. A lot of things are much cheaper. 8 kiwi fruits for $2. That's just over £1. I'm eating a lot of fruit and veg. They say meat is expensive here, but probably about the same as the UK. I've had chicken at friends' houses a few times, beef at a Thai restaurant last night and steak on my first evening here but I've not bothered to buy any as I'm happy with the fruit and veg. Healthy eating! Not drinking too much beer or wine either as I've been driving most days and either come back too late or really fancied a cup of tea on my return.

I managed to set the house alarm off on Monday night at 9pm. I now realise I hadn't been setting the alarm on the previous times and although I'd been pressing the button it hadn't done anything. This time I set the alarm for zoned inside. It went off as soon as I went into the garage to get the dog food. God it was loud! Bill from next door came to offer moral support and a few neighbours poked their heads out. I waved! Had to go down the street to call Julie for the code as I couldn't hear anything nearer. No cops turned up (what a pity) but they rang Dave to check he wasn't being burgled. As he was in Sydney there wouldn't have been much he could have done if he was. As a queensland cop himself he could probably have sent the lads round and any burglar would have had to be deaf to stay in the house with that thing going!

I keep meaning to have a go on the full sized racing car console but there are so many other things to do. Cross trainer and treadmill, pool table, wii, ps3 xbox etc. one day I'll stay in all day and try them all out. Or maybe not!

I've got myself some organised busking at a handmade craft market at Redcliffe on the north side of Brisbane. I'll be staying in Burpengary by then anyway so it won't be too far. I contacted the organiser on Facebook and then sent some audio files and they want me to play. That's on 2nd November and there's a Christmas market on 7th December. I will have to contact some other markets. Mary mentioned some last night. Not only was she paid for playing but they put the hat out and got money there aswell! Mary is Mary Brettell, Keith Brettell's cousin. For those of you who don't know Keith you are missing out! I went to meet Mary last night, we went to a Thai restaurant for a meal and then on to a folk club she was singing and playing at. It was great. I really enjoyed the band's set. There were also 15 minute slots for others. A real mixture of Australian poems and singers with or without guitars. 3 hours went surprisingly quickly. Driving home in the dark, another first. Not much traffic unlike the day time but road works, so ground to a halt several times. Is there a good time to be out on the road in Brisbane?

I'm about to drive to the Gold Coast for the first time. It's about a 40 minute drive. I'll buy a "go card" while I'm there. The Brisbane "oyster card" equivalent. I'm going into the city on Sunday to hear Mary again but this time by train.

Right, off to join the traffic!

Photos: Profile pics

iowflute — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 09:49:00 GMT