Thursday, May 30, 2013

Perth highlights

 I recently read the excellent book by Peter Fitzsimmons , Batavia. It was about Australia's worst shipwreck and the shipwreck museum in Freemantle has a magnificent display of relics from it. I can recommend the book ,and the museum ,to anyone
     Another place that fascinated  me was wireless hill. It's now a park with a museum of the old telegraph tower that once stood there. Built in 1912 by a German company it was the most advanced communication system in the world at the time. ( ironically, 3 years later it was instrumental in sinking a German cruiser off the Australian coast)
 What tickled me was a plaque that said in 1930 ,32 seconds after Phar Lap had won the Melbourne cup, the result was in WA. Speaking to friends it was apparent that 83 years later the word still hasn't got here that he was a kiwi horse.


Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Next stop Perth

Monday morning and we were off on the 5 hr trip across to Perth. Emirates don't do this leg so had to slum it again on Jetstar . What ! No movies !!
    Peter and Elisia have the 2 boys , Jacob and the newest grandson to the clan, Eli. It was so lovely seeing them and tomorrow we'll catch up with old friends ,Nathan and Samantha .

NZ to Sydney

We set off for Europe on the 25th may on the Emirates 380 airbus . WOW! 2stories of luxury and SO quiet ! 
      First stop was Sydney where we were able to watch Susan's girls in a netball tournament ( saved us a 4 hr trip out to Orange)