Australian Xmas and NY
Christmas with cousins
My ride to Brisbane was for a purpose – to have Xmas with my Aunt and cousins. It was a great day. It is so good to be with people a shared history, albeit there have been long periods when we have not seen each other.
Flying to Melbourne
On Xmas evening I flew to Melbourne with my bike. I am not the best of assembling the bike at the best of times. Perform that task at 11.00 p.m. in the Southern Cross station was not my quickest performance.
Boxing Day Test
Next day I went to the 4th Ashes Test, courtesy of my Bath (UK) hosts. It was a memorable day – over 91,000 at the MCG.
As I sat in the Great Southern Stand, I recalled some of the other Boxing Day Tests I had seen. These included:
- The 1965/66 Test when Bob Cowper scored 307
- First ODI in1971/72 when the first 4 days of the Ashes Test was washed out. I recall Keith Stackpole clipping John Snow to square leg for 4 to open the score – I must check if that was correct
- Jeff Thomson in bowling at frightening speed in the 1974/75 series Test
I was sitting with my host’s son in area close to what was the old ‘Bay 13’. We were adjacent to the ‘Barmy Army’ – those crazy English Fans. In the afternoon session, after a few amber ales, they were in full voice singing their songs and chants. These include: “we are the Barmy Army, we are mental, we are mad”. How true is that?
The next day I visited a few shops including the Triumph and KTM motorbike dealers. I am so tempted to buy an Adventure Bike.
In the evening I had dinner with my daughter and her boyfriend. They make a great couple.
Ride to Sorrento/Portsea
On the third day of the test I took the train to Frankston and started riding to Sorrento. I was very hot. England were looking good with Kevin Pietersen at the wicket and they were cruising along, looking certain to build a decent lead.
In explicably, England lost 6 wickets for only 9 runs. The game had turned. About the same time, the wind changed from the north to the south. The temperate dropped from over 30c to around 20c.
I arrived in Sorrento in the late afternoon.
Harold Holt’s Beach
In the morning the husband of the house and I rode down to Fort Peace which is at the end of the eastern entrance to Port Phillip Bay.
The road passed that beach on which the then Australian Prime Minister, Harold Holt, mysteriously disappeared in December 1967. Some believe that he committed suicide. At the time my father was doing some work at the Prime Minister’s Lodge and had to deal with Zara Holt. He didn’t like her.
NYE
My hosts kindly asked me to stay on to new years’ eve. It was a great night spent a host’s friends from Melbourne and Sorrento.
Across to Queenscliff
Next day I headed across to Queenscliff. My hosts joined my on the ferry. I am not sure if that was to make sure I was on it with a one way ticket.
On the second night in Queenscliff, meet up with friends from Melbourne who were staying with a friend in Point Lonsdale. We met for a drink in an interesting wine bar. The ‘Baby Boomers’ owners appeared to be learning on the job. We went back to the friend’s house for a meal and very amusing conversation.
Great Garden
I rode from Queenscliff to Geelong along the Bellarine Rail Trail, which follows the rail line.
My stopping place was the brother of my Bath host. There is a lot of history with myfather and that family. The aforementioned brother is the oldest of the family. He can recall meeting my father for the first time of the end of WWII when my father returned from Japan after being a POW in Singapore, Thailand and finally Japan.
The house where this family lives is set on a large block of land next to a vineyard. The garden is quiet something. It is large, but has a series of small gardens within it. The result hard work, passion and deep knowledge of trees, shrubs and other plants is on display.
I was able to able to identify one the plants –the ancient Wollemi Pine. The species was thought to have been extinct and was only known about through fossil records. A specimen was discovered in 1994. In 2006, the progeny of that plant were sold. The first 100 were sold by auction. I recall the first plant went for over $50k. The Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority (where I was working at the time) bought a plant at the auction. I will have to check out where it is now.
Back to Melbourne
I took the train back to Melbourne and had a day to spare before catching the ferry to Tasmania.
I went to the Melbourne Museum to see the ‘Designing James Bond’ exhibition – it is really good.
Flickr Links
Boxing Day Test
Melbourne
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