Continueing Western Australia

The most memorable places we visited were The Pinnacles Desert,Kalbarri Gorges, Monkey Mia with it's wild dolphins and pelicans,Ocean Park sharks,Coral Bay and Turquoise Bay snorkelings, Exmouth township, Karijini Natural Park, 80 Mile Beach,
Broome, a town of 30,000 inhabitants plus all drunk abos around and very beautiful Cable Beach with the neighborhood Crocodile Farm. The saltwater crocos there were the biggest in Australia over 5 meters long and really terrible fat beasts.Fresh water crocos and American alligators were nice like family pets, which you (the crocodile man) could cuddle, and they just closed their eyes.
On our route we saw a lot of wild kangaroos, emus, rare eagles, lizards and one dingo.We really sat a lot in the bus but many of us if not all could sleep there more or less comfortable when crossing the deserts on straight roads. The evenings we usually spent together making our dinners ourselves or eating in some local restaurants with good wine or beer. The week was most amusing, and I had really good
time with all those young people. Tonight I'll fly via Perth to Brisbane for two days
from were my good old friend David Maxwell for over 25 years will pick me up on Friday. He and his wife Denise live in Gold Coast, and that shall be my last stop in Australia before flying to Bali in Indonesia next week.

Western Australia

We,8 of us, did make a nice long journey trough Western Australia from Perth to Broome, totally 3200 km in seven days. Most of the time we were: Evan 32, our bus driver and guide, a lovable and helpful Sydney born chap, now living in Perth, Kam 31, pretty English lady of Indian heritage, Abigail 28 nice English lady too on a very long way back to England after working in Hong Kong for two years, Saralee and Anat , both 21 and longtime friends from Israel, Manesh 28 also Indian origin,Jason 23 both from London.

Perth, meeting the Governor of Western Australia

I felt myself very rested and relaxed on late Sunday morning in a very good hotel bed
at Perth Ambassador Hotel. I had already studied on Saturday the life in central Perth. So I decided to continue to stroll near to the water line. I passed a extraordinary beautiful park where a youth orchestra played classic tunes. I went there to find out that it was the Garden Park of Government House. This was an open day to visit Government House and Garden to all citizens, including me. I was taking some photos when stylish gentleman greeted me, and we opened a discussion. I just then got a brilliant idea and asked if he is the Governor. Yes, he said and smiled. I really do not remember what I did say next. Maybe Oh, I am from Finland.We then continued our discussions about my feelings of Australia and walked together to his Rolls Royce, where his secretary took photos of us with their and my camera. I then said goodbye to His Excellency Dr Ken Michael AC, The Governor of Western Australia and his Official Secretary Kevin Skipworth LVO.
Later I found a nice pub at the water front, which was totally packed, but there was always a place for one. Then I decided to have six oysters at Sheraton, but they billed me by mistake for twelve. When I claimed about that, Alia a friendly young lady from Mauritius said it's her mistake, and asked me to take ten more oysters, and some jumbo shrimps and some mussels and what I wanted for free from the buffet.I was then more than satisfied.
Late at night starting at 300am I looked in TV how Kimi Raikkonen took the Formula 1
World Championship to Finland.
Today was my last day here, and I went for a Whale Watching Cruise and was lucky.
We saw many of them, nearest only a few meters from our boat.
Tomorrow I start one weeks trip to Broome, 2400 km, a similar bus adventure I did in New Zealand.

Indian Pacific, 40 hours train journey from Adelaide to Perth

This famous route was quite interesting because you met all kind of people in the lounge or restaurant wagon. In the first evening I got company of Milan, a Croatian guy, who escaped as a young man the former Yugoslavia 41 years ago. He had been living in Australia since with all possible works all over. He had met many Finns in those places and could easily remember all worst words in Finnish.But he could not drink like we Finns, and had to retire at early hours. Next day he had a terrible hangover, and he did not anymore visit the restaurant wagon. We then arrived into the metropol of Cook, where we explored for one hour this most isolated township of the world, with only four inhabitants. There an elegant lady came to me, asking if I could take a photo of her aside of Indian Pacific. We started to talk and met later in the restaurant until we arrived to Kalgoorlie. Dr. S.D.Bhikha ,Sharma = peace, is working as a director
in one office of South-African government. We then also met another South-African, Sam originally from Afghanistan. We all three moved to the most famous pub of Kalgoorlie, where especially I had a lot of fun with four local beauties Hayley 25, Karleigh 20,Ashlee and Farrah ,both 18. Sharma and Sam were really very amused. Sharma as a Hindu did not drink alcohol, but Sam even a Muslim did. Our stop in Kalgoorlie took three hours, and we all had great time. We arrived in Perth next morning.

Adelaide, Australia

On Tuesday, day before yesterday I found myself after almost 11 hours train ride here in Adelaide. In the the train however I had good company, my neighbor Jason 36,was as interested as me to spend more time in the restaurant bar than in the wagon seat. We soon got company from another Melbornian, Steven 50, and with a lot of jokes and stories the journey went so fast that I did not have time to eat.
When finally in my hostel, I was so hungry that after leaving my gears in my room I just asked for a place for a good steak. I did not find that place but another one I'd seen advertised as one of the best in town. The piece of meat was big but I have had many much tastier ones, especially in New Zealand.I then had a couple of wines more, and moved to another bar to take some Cuba Libre's, first ones for a long time.
Around midnight I decided to retire just to find out that I could not remember my hostels name or address, and because I had been doing some circling before, I did not know to which direction to go. I knew only that it was some 15 minutes away when walking. So I thought it would be the best way to start to circle again making rounds always bigger and bigger. So in nightly unfamiliar city with no one to see, it was quite an adventure. It probably took one hour before I found my place, this small hostel on a side road. Next day aasked for a map, and marked the name and the place of the hostel, but now especially in the day light I suddenly knew the surroundings easily. I had seen all the buildings at least once before!
Now, just in few minutes I shall start my very long journey by train to Perth, 36 hours.

I just

Mornington, Australia

Last Thursday my old friend Heikki picked me up from my St.Kilda Base Hostel in Melbourne. After roughly one hour's drive we were in his beautiful home in Mornington. Even a gap of 43 years, since we last time met or were in contact with each other except some calls recently, did not disturb our conversation or anything else, as both of us knew each other immediately, there was only a difference of weight and less hair compared with old times. We at once started to talk like we had been in touch just maybe some weeks ago. Of course both of us have had enough material to keep discussions alive all these days. Heikki has been a great host driving me around here in places like Mount Martha,Dromana,Arthurs Seat,Main Ridge,Flinders,Red Hill,Rosebud,Rye and Sorrento. I have enjoyed his and Bina's, his Sicilian born wife's fantastic cooking,beautiful wines and warm hospitality. Yesterday I got kangaroo meat, first time in my life, and it was a great delicacy. We have to get that perfect tasty meat to Finland too! I suggested that Heikki should start a new business with it and some good wine agency for Finland, Sweden and maybe Norway too.
Tomorrow I'll start a train journey of 10 hours to Adelaide, and after a couple of days further to Perth on West coast, which trip just takes some 36 hours. It's a big country.

Strolling around in Melbourne, Australia

It seems to be that sunshine is following me arond the world, at least until now.
So did this beautiful city show it's best smiling face with it, extraordinary modern
architecture as well as those historic buildings from 19th century.I immediately liked this city! And I also again happened to meet some young very nice people like
Ida 20, from Sweden with his bar tender Kiwi boy friend Chris 23, Suz 22, from England, Lucy 21, a native Melbornian and surprise surprise Marianne 25, from Finland.
But tomorrow I am going to see my old friend Heikki Wallasvaara, whom I have not seen or been in contact with in last 43 years!( except now recently ). I guess we'll have something to tell to each other during next two or so days, me as his guest.

Melbourne, Australia

I still go back to my last day in Christchurch. As always it was a splendid day
and I just happened to find the only Sunday jazz terrasse in the city. A trio of Mike (Aussie),Al and Gary (Kiwi'es) called themselves " Acustic Groove" played very emotionally jazz, blues,soul and country. I asked them about their idea of their music category.The ansver was very simple . Great Music! There I also met Garry Scurr
47, divorced from Brisbane. We decided to continue our conversations together with beer later this month in Brisbane. I then continued to sports barto see how beautifully Kimi Raikkonen did win! Two young Germans Simon and Anne,both 20, were there for Kimi and Ferrari too.

Goodbye Christchurch, goodbye New Zealand

I am happy that I stayed so many days in Christchurch. This is absolutely my favorit city with it's 400,000 inhabitants in New Zealand. Younger peoplle might like Queenstown more, but for me this city's cosmopolitan feeling, it's beautiful parks around Avon river, majestic buildings from Viktorian and Edwardian periods with many galleries and museums, and of course those international and elegant restaurants, where you can enjoy all tastes of the whole world, are most significant here.
Yesterday I had a fantastic day. First a friendly optician lady repaired my sun glasses for free giving me a good mood. I then decided to celebrate my good mood on a terrasse with a couple of Guinessies. There I met a young married couple Charlotte 30 and Richard 33. She was from Denmark, and had met her Kiwi husband as a young student more than ten years ago in U.S.A. Richard spoke good Danish because they had been living in Denmark before settling in Christhurch six years ago. I then moved to another restaurant having a delicious ribeye 300gr for NZD 27 and some nice shiraz. I then further went to another place, where I a day before had an excellent Autrich pate with mixed Cranberry and Juniper gele. I was curious to know , where those berries were imported from. The answer was Turkey! I there had a glass or two with daily news papers, before going further to a sport's bar to follow Formula 1. qualifications. Like in previous evenings my last stop was very near to my hostel , a cozy jazz bar Blue Note. There I met two Spanish beauties Paula and Neves, both 22.The bar had every evening except sundays a different small combo playing there, and it was very injoyable. I then noticed that two big paintings on the wall were
made by two Finnish artists Jorma Nyman and Kaisu Klemetti, a married couple.
My host told me that they live part time here and are regular visitors in the bar.
So this is my last day here, and you can guess from were somebody can find me on this beautiful sunny day as so often here before. Later I shall follow the Formula 1. competition in China. I have a very early wake up call at three o'clock in the morning to get in time to my flight to Melbourne

Finishing the journey trough N.Z. in Christchurch

When starting to explore the South Island about two weeks ago I did have an idea how
magnificent the surroundings would be but it even more. My English is not good enough to explain nature's splendid amazing beauty I lived here.when first passing Paparoa National Park rainforest, the coastline of Punakaiki with it's Pancake rocks.The to Hokitika to look the traces of gold rush in 1860's. After tiny beautiful Franz Josef,Lake Matheson,called Mirror Lake because it's reflection of Mount Cook and Southern Alps, then Lake Havea and Lake Wanaka for more photos and the
Kawerau River, where all Bungy jumping started 1988. When then travelling to extraordinary beautiful Milford Sound Fjord you pass Lake Wakatipu in Te Anau. And even after Lake Tekapo on the way to Christchurch you can most of the time admire the Southern Alps.
Then day before yesterday we had a farewell party, 14 of us, a nice evening but the end of common journey, which I'll never forget especially after I have added my many nice photos next April to this blog.

Dunedin and Lake Tekapo, N.Z.

Dunedin was another quite amusing small city of about 100,000 inhahabitants of mainly
Scottish origin in the first hand. The only cultural thing I did there, was to pay a visit into Otago Settlers Museum. Those three days there were mainly sunny, that is perfect for control the city life from beautiful terrassies. One evening I also enjoyed for a while a nice company of three Canadian ladies from Toronto,Katie 26,Megan 23 and Emily 22. The last evening after Formula 1 race from rainy Japan, went very well with Scotty 27, who would be my bus driver for next two days.
We then arrived to Lake Tekapo with great views to snow covered mountains.
I there met old friends like young Josh, Sid 60,from England, the only one even near to my age on this four weeks great tour with Magic,and of course pretty Anne 29, from Northern Ireland but living now in Dublin. We then decided to have a Mini golf
competition, where in our group Scotty showed after a most hilarious game that it was not the first time he did it there, twice hole-in-one, but Anne was very good too. I came third after her leaving Josh on the Jumbo place. However he managed to make the most fantastic hit of the day! He hit the ball quite hard,the ball passed thefirst difficult pointbut not the second one.Then nobody saw what happened, we just heard a "blop" and there the ball was many meters behind our backs in a small pond.