A first able2know Meet in Australia?

@fobvius,

Here's a cut and paste detailed itinerary for Sydney.

Quote:

Day 14 Cape Tribulation to Sydney
We rise early for breakfast before we make our way to the Cairns airport for our flight to Sydney. We arrive in Sydney in the early evening and transfer to our hotel.

Dinner is on your own tonight and you have the evening at leisure.

Day 15 City Tour/Cruise Sydney Harbour/Opera House Tour
This morning we drive through Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, a modern fashion center boasting 19th-century architecture and interesting sightseeing, including the famous Mrs. Macquarie's Chair and Bondi Beach. We then get a magnificent view of Sydney Harbour Bridge from Circular Quay, home to one of Australia's most famous icons, the Opera House.
Your Trip Leader will then take you on a walking tour of the historic Rocks District. "The Rocks" boasts some of the oldest buildings in Sydney. Some of the original European settlers camped here amidst the rocks of the sandstone ridges, giving rise to the area's name. Because many of the first Europeans to arrive were exiled convicts, part of this area's history was (to put it mildly) unusually colorful. Imagine a Wild West-like collection of bars and houses of ill repute where drunken brawls were common! Today, this is a safe place that invites visitors to stroll its cobblestone lanes and take refreshment in its tearooms.

We board our vessel and sail around Sydney Harbour, getting striking views of the city skyline as we blend into the perpetual bustle of water-borne activity.

We continue on to our tour of the Sydney Opera House, whose distinctive architecture has made it the city's signature attraction. This visually spectacular performance facility boasts four auditoriums that host symphony concerts and theatre as well as opera.

This evening you are free for relaxation or further independent exploration of Sydney's many facets. Ask your Trip Leader for suggestions or discover for yourself an interesting spot for dinner on your own this evening.

Day 16 Sydney
You have a full day at leisure. You can relax, visit local shops, and return to the seashore at several beaches accessible by public transportation.

Tonight we’ll enjoy a Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant.

I'm listening.

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@cicerone imposter,

You're welcome.

Forgot: North Adelaide is also good to walk round for period homes...and has good cafe choice on O'Connell street.

The Jam Factory in the west end of Adelaide is great if you like high end craft...you can also view the workshops.

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@cicerone imposter,

Quote:

Your Trip Leader will then take you on a walking tour of the historic Rocks District. "The Rocks" boasts some of the oldest buildings in Sydney. Some of the original European settlers camped here amidst the rocks of the sandstone ridges, giving rise to the area's name. Because many of the first Europeans to arrive were exiled convicts, part of this area's history was (to put it mildly) unusually colorful. Imagine a Wild West-like collection of bars and houses of ill repute where drunken brawls were common! Today, this is a safe place that invites visitors to stroll its cobblestone lanes and take refreshment in its tearooms.

I can give you a piece of family history for your Rocks visit. My great-great-grandmother owned a boarding-house there. It was only for visiting ship's captains between trips. They would often leave belongings with her for safe-keeping while they did shorter trading trips around the islands. Many never did return and she became quite well-off as a result. Her son was a lazy young man with a wife and two very young daughters. Sadly (for me) his favourite pasttime was playing pakapoo at Chinese gambling dens in the area and, of course, he managed to lose almost all of her money.

He was murdered outside the Customs House by having his head smashed in with a rock - it was said his luck had finally changed and he was killed for the big bundle of cash he had won. He was 22 at the time.

Not so much a Wild West-like setting - more like The Barbary Coast of early San Francisco days

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@ragnel,

Sounds like a good story line for a movie.

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@ragnel,

Wow!

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@cicerone imposter,

CI, the southern vales is a day trip.

The thing is to soak up the atmosphere as you wander from winery to winery an

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@dlowan,

I know; they charge $150 which includes wines, snacks, and lunch for the day.

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@cicerone imposter,

C/I although the Southern Vale Wineries as suggested by dlowan are closer to Adelaide, the premium wine region is the Barrossa Valley a little to the north of Adelaide. Worth some consideration when visiting this great State. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barossa_Valley

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@cicerone imposter,

I am not a great believer in coincidence, but here goes - over the last few months I have been trying to trace my family tree and have found it to be a very interesting but frustrating pasttime. The biggest brick wall I have hit was my great grandmother - she was one of the two young daughters I mentioned in my earlier post and ended up being married four times. I have drawn a blank on every one of her 'lives' (for want of a better word).

Earlier today I put in some time on the ancestry bit and the first thing that came on screen was a 'hint' about her mother. Checking this out I found entries in very old street directories of Sydney showing her as the proprietor of a boarding house at 74 Cumberland Street at The Rocks. So it seems the story is more than a family legend.

As I was typing this I received a phone call from my cousin - I have not spoked to her in months. She was telling me that some of her friends were taking her for a tour of The Rocks and a harbour cruise as a birthday gift.

This may not be of any interest whatsoever to you, but when things like this just come flying out of the ether, I tend to sit up and take notice.

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@ragnel,

I'm sure anyone would take notice of such a revelation about a family member.

Amongst our siblings, I'm the only one interested in genealogy. I wrote to Hiroshima some years ago to inquire about our ancestors, and what they sent back was a record going back only four generations, and it was written in Chinese calligraphy. Contemporary Japanese are unable to read it, but fortunately for me, my brother had a professor friend from Japan who translated 99% into English for us. I shared this information with my cousins in Hawaii.

I met one of my Hawaii cousins (on my aunt's side) only two years ago on Facebook, and we've been able to share a couple of meals when he visited to watch the Cal Berkeley Bears played games in California last year.

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@Dutchy,

Dutchy wrote:

C/I although the Southern Vale Wineries as suggested by dlowan are closer to Adelaide, the premium wine region is the Barrossa Valley a little to the north of Adelaide. Worth some consideration when visiting this great State. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barossa_Valley

We could have a good old Adelaide argument about this!

My personal favourite is the Clare Valley. I think the Barossa over rated and touristy....and I don't much like the German influenced food.....but the Southern Vales are closer, and you have the lovely juxtaposition of vines and sea. The Adelaide Hills wineries are lovely too.

But these are matters of very personal choice.

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@dlowan,

I love German wine; when Walter and Ulla visited last month, they brought us a bottle of icewine, one of my favorites. I'll be in Germany in November to enjoy German food and wine, so I prefer the Southern Vales with the closer venue and environment by the sea.

It's only a matter of whether I'll be able to find another couple to go with me to rent a car and go on our own or to do the wine tour. I'm leaning towards the organized tour, because I won't have to worry about locations and driving.

Thanks to all for your suggestions.

BTW, I just booked a Southern France river cruise for April 2012 which will also be sort of a wine cruise.

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Ragnel...

Wow! I was in The Rocks yesterday and parked in Cumberland Street. Next time I'll have a look for your ancestor's house!

c.i. - Well - I've met dlowan, MsOlga and Wilso, so it won't be the first meet up! We're pretty spread out - only 1 in each city, it seems (although fobvious may/might be in Sydney). (and we seem to have lost Mr Stillwater! Crying or Very sad

)

In Sydney Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday...work days, unfortunately. I'm probably free Tuesday night, but not Wednesday.

I'll have a clearer idea a bit closer to the time.

My goodness you're moving around! Kangaroo Island is great - but - a bit rushed in a day.

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@margo,

Sometimes it requires a quickie tour to get to see the place to visit later on, but I think I'm going to skip Kangaroo Island. I usually like to stay awhile to walk around to really get the feel for a place, but that's not always possible.

With the options available from Adelaide, I'm planning on doing an all day wine tour - which I'm sure will be enjoyable. I love wine, and go on at least one wine cruise every year. This past January was a wine cruise to the Southern Caribbean, and I already have plans for another wine cruise next January to the Western Caribbean and a Southern France river wine cruise with the same group.

It would be wonderful if we get an opportunity to meet in Sydney; most evenings are free from our tour group, so I'll note it on my itinerary that you might be available on Tuesday evening. Probably some place at the Rocks would be best, heh?

I'm taking my computer tablet with me, so I hope to keep in touch that way.

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@margo,

margo wrote

Quote:

Wow! I was in The Rocks yesterday and parked in Cumberland Street. Next time I'll have a look for your ancestor's house!

Actually, margo, I would appreciate it if you did. I've been to The Rocks on a few occasions, but never knew the actual address until I came across it the other day. And of course, I did get it a bit stuffed up, the boarding house was at 178 Cumberland Street. A later street listing showed her living at 74 Princes Street - but she was 94 at that stage so I guess the boarding house was sold by then!

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@ragnel,

I made a hard copy of your post to look for that address when I visit the Rocks. I'll surely take a picture, and post it on this thread.

I found this on Google maps.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v97/imposter222/178cumberlandstsydney.jpg

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@margo,

margo, Looks like we get a city tour, a harbour cruise, and a visit to the opera house on Tuesday, and we are free for the evening. If possible, I'd like to treat you to dinner at the restaurant of your choice.

Let me know. Also, Wednesday is a "free" day for us, so that it's possible for Wednesday if Tuesday doesn't work out for you.

You can let me know by PM if you like; I need to know if "Margo" is your real name or a pseudonym.

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Ragnel

The Shangri-La Hotel is at 176 Cumberland Street, so I'd guess it has consumed your great grandmother's boarding house - or else the Shangri-La grew out of the boarding house. It's a big flashy hotel now - there's said to be a good restaurant on the 36th (top) floor. We went there for drinks some years back.

I've stayed there once - when I worked in the poisons industry - the launch in Australia of a spectacular new drug was held there!

c.i. - I'm not usually free on Wednesday nights, which is why I nominated Tuesday. I also have a relative's illness to consider - it may warrant an unplanned trip to the country (or you could come to Bathurst and back with me!)

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@margo,

Poisons industry, heh! Well, well, well; one of the warnings for Australia was getting our drinks spiked with something. he he he...

Since your schedule is so tentative, let's play it by air until we get closer to the date I'll be in Sydney.

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@cicerone imposter,

My thanks to you both for that information.

What an interesting outcome for old Ellen Bowker. She must have been a tough old broad! I tracked down her husband yesterday - he was transported from Manchester for 14 years for petty larceny after being treated to a whipping. He served his time, was given his certificate of freedom but still had to apply for permission to get married. I'm still trying to find out what happened to him but he seems to have disappeared from the scene. He was fifteen years older than her and I doubt he lasted too long.

I hope you enjoy your visit, c.i. - I'm quite envious.

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A first able2know Meet in Australia?

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