coastsider

I recently returned from a wonderful three week trip to Australia and New Zealand where I visited Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, Auckland, Rotorua, Wellington, and Christchurch. After reading the fantastic trip reports by FT’ers Seat2A, SkiAdcock, B747-437B, and others I thought I would submit a trip report of my own. I read numerous trip reports on Australia and New Zealand prior to my trip and gleaned some valuable information that proved quite beneficial during my visit. Hopefully some of the information in my trip report will prove helpful to others planning to visit the lands “down under”. Some pictures from my trip may be viewed here

Here goes…

March 27, 2004
San Francisco to Sydney
United 863 Business Class – Seat 17G (Upper Deck)
=========================================

I arrived at SFO and presented myself for check-in about two hours prior to departure. To my surprise the United check-in area in the International Terminal was like a ghost town. There were only a handful of passengers checking in. A pleasant agent checked me in and in a few minutes I was off to the RCC. A hostess at the RCC reception desk welcomed me and gave me two drink vouchers. I headed upstairs and found a quiet place to relax overlooking the tarmac. There didn’t appear to be too many people in the lounge at this hour, maybe less than 30 people that I could see. The interior was pleasant and the furniture looked comfortable. I made my way to the food and beverage area and was rather disappointed with what was available. I found no food whatsoever with the exception of a meager looking vegetable platter (carrots, celery, and some cauliflower) and some dry snack mix. There was a moderate selection of beverages including juices, soft drinks, coffee, tea, etc. I was hoping for something more substantial since I had last eaten several hours earlier. I grabbed myself a beverage and read the newspaper until about 45 minutes prior to departure. I made my way down to the gate and arrived just as pre-boarding was announced.

I boarded the aircraft and was greeted by a member of the in-flight staff (possibly the purser). I headed upstairs and was greeted by the two FA’s who offered to store my carry-on in the closet. I located my assigned seat and found a small amenities bag tucked away inside a tiny storage area in the side of the seat. The bag contained an eye shade, toothbrush / toothpaste, ear plugs, and a tiny bottle of body lotion. I really didn’t have much use for any of these items but kept the bag which made a great carry case for my digital camera. I found the seat to be quite comfortable (especially since I typically fly “cattle class”) and was thankful for this given the long flight ahead. I visited Oz thirteen years ago and flew in economy class. The only memorable thing about the flight to and from was the uncomfortable seat and the amount of time we were airborne, which seemed like eternity. This flight was going to be so much more pleasant! After settling in, one of the FA’s offered me a choice of beverage (champagne, orange juice, water) which he brought to me a few minutes later. We departed SFO just a few minutes past our scheduled departure time. All of the seats in the upper deck were occupied. After the flight deck switched off the seat belt sign the FA’s began their beverage service. They served the beverages along with a small bowl of mix nuts (room temperature). A short time after the beverage service they distributed menus for the meal service and offered us hot towels.

UNITED BUSINESS MENU

FEATURED WINES

Champagne:

Brut, Pol Roger NV
Traditional style emphasizing toasty flavors

Brut Royal, Pommery NV
Medium-bodied with a delicately fruity flavor

White Wine:

Louis Latour Saint-Veran “Les Deux Moulins” 2000, Chardonnay
Clear, true red apple-like flavors of Chardonnay

Leon Beyer Alsace 2002, Pinot Blanc
Intense flavors of yellow-skinned apple; different from Chardonnay

Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo Chardonnay 2002
Intense with green-skinned apple flavors typical of northern Chile

Trinchero Family Selection Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2001
Distinct herb-like flavors true to Sauvignon grapes

Red Wine:

Chateau d’Orsan Cotes-du-Rhone 2000, Grenache Blend
Easy, agreeable fruit flavors as always in an old favorite

Chateau Escales Corbieres 2001, Grenache Syrah Carignan
Instantly likeable fruit flavors suggesting ripe berries

Jindalee Murray-Darling Victoria Shiraz 2003
Bold flavors of ripe berries rule in a user-friendly wine

Lambert Ridge Sonoma County Merlot 2000
Modern California style lets extra-ripe fruit flavors dominate

Beverages:

Aperitifs, cocktails, spirits, liqueurs and beer

Coffee:

Starbucks coffee will be available throughout the flight

MEAL

To Begin:

Spiced shrimp and Parma ham
Cocktail sauce and fresh lemon

Garden salad
Classic Caesar dressing

Main Course:

Filet mignon with applewood smoked bacon demi-glace
Roasted red potatoes and green beans with yellow pepper

Coriander-crusted halibut with lemon beurre blanc
Basmati rice with chives, asparagus and carrot batonnets

Potato leek with smoked turkey sausage chowder

Dessert:

International cheese selection
Stilton and Black Diamond Cheddar cheese

Eli’s Apple Crunch pie

MIDFLIGHT SNACK

Please help yourself to assorted treats between the two main meals

PRIOR TO ARRIVAL

Fresh seasonal fruit appetizer
With breakfast breads, butter and preserves

Baked potato with eggs, cheese and Hollandaise sauce
Pork sausage and oven-roasted dried tomatoes

I thought the shrimp appetizer was excellent. The salad was standard. I selected the Filet Mignon which I thought tasted pretty good. The meat was tender, flavorful, and not over-cooked. The vegetables were a bit soft due to over-cooking. My seat neighbor had the halibut which was nicely presented and which she gave a “thumbs up”. I enjoyed the cheese offering. I’m no cheese connoisseur but I thought the cheeses were quite flavorful. I skipped the pie. The FA’s offered coffee and after dinner drinks which I declined. Our table settings were cleared shortly after the dessert service.

I watched one of the movies on the PTV then tried to sleep for a few hours. I usually don’t sleep well in airplane seats but in this comfortable seat I was able to sleep for a few hours. When I awoke about three hours later I found a glass filled with water on my drink tray. I noticed throughout the flight at least one of the two FA’s was always stationed at the seat near the galley. Every 45-60 minutes one would make the rounds throughout the cabin and refill water glasses (with bottled water – and it tasted like bottled water) and remove any trash or other service items not in use. The FA on duty noticed I was awake and asked me if I was hungry. I told her yes. She offered me a warm ham and cheese sandwich. She returned several minutes later with a warmed half sandwich in a plastic wrapper, a bag of chips, and a soft drink. I took one bite of the sandwich and decided I wasn’t so hungry after all. I have to say that sandwich was one of the worst airline food items I have ever eaten. On the counter near the galley the FA’s had placed a basket containing some apples, bananas, chips, and candy. I grabbed a banana and decided to go for a walk. At the bottom of the stairs I noticed a cart next to the business class galley. On the cart were slices of pie and plates of cheeses and assorted fruit (presumably leftover from the earlier meal service), along with other packaged snack items. I stretched my legs for a few minutes then grabbed a plate with some cheese and crackers and headed back upstairs.

coastsider

About 90 minutes prior to arrival in Sydney the FA’s turned on the lights in the cabin, offered everyone hot towels, and a short time later passed through the cabin offering coffee, tea, juice, and water. The breakfast service began with an offering of breads and a nice fruit platter and later followed with a baked potato stuffed with eggs and cheese and topped with a Hollandaise sauce. Although the taste was OK, I didn’t really care for the baked potato. I would have preferred something lighter such as cold or hot cereal. These items may have been available but I didn’t bother to ask. Our trays were promptly cleared after the second offering of beverages and a short time later we landed in Sydney on a beautiful fall morning. Just prior to landing the purser made an announcement apologizing for the service problems in the main cabin. Apparently, due to some malfunction, the staff were not able to turn off the cabin lights in parts of the main cabin making sleeping difficult for some passengers and, the main cabin ovens went on the fritz right after the first meal service. Consequently the main cabin passengers did not receive breakfast. The purser said the staff would distribute some type of service cards that she highly encouraged passengers to complete and send to the corporate office. She offered to collect these cards and forward them to the corporate office for those passengers who had completed the cards before deplaning. Overall the flight (for me a least) was pleasant and comfortable. I have to give kudos to the two upper deck FA’s who did an outstanding job. I had heard many negative comments about the “matrons” in business class and about their poor attitude and lackluster service. On the contrary, the two senior FA’s who worked the upper deck on this flight were pleasant, personable, and did a great job serving us throughout the flight. I will have to take a few minutes to write to those on mahogany row at United corporate and share my thoughts. ^

Our flight arrived in Sydney at about 6:30AM. Given this early hour, I was surprised at the number of recently arrived passengers waiting for immigration processing. I waited for nearly an hour to clear immigration, which after finally making it to the counter was quick and efficient. In my extensive travels I have learned to travel light, only carrying a medium sized duffel bag and a small backpack both of which I have always been able to bring on the plane as carry-on items. Since I didn’t have to wait for baggage to be off loaded from the plane, I breezed through customs and into the arrivals area where I found a tourist desk a short distance away (to the right as you exit the customs area). I asked where I could find the airport shuttle. The pleasant and helpful person behind the counter pointed me towards the McDonald’s at the end of the terminal. She told me I could purchase a ticket at the booth just outside the door. I purchased a return shuttle ticket for A$15 (I’m pretty sure that is what I paid) and went to the curb to wait for the shuttle. Approximately 15 minutes later a shuttle arrived; a 15 seat vehicle towing a luggage trailer. There were different shuttles going to different parts of Sydney. I boarded the shuttle headed for the Darling Harbor area. I, and other tired looking passengers, waited on the shuttle for about 25 minutes. It seemed the driver was waiting for more passengers so he could head into town with a full load. After filling every vacant seat on the shuttle the driver headed towards town. Traffic was moderately heavy. The first passenger was dropped off about 30 minutes after departing the airport. The shuttle arrived at the Holiday Inn Darling Harbor 20 minutes later. Total time from the airport to my hotel was 90 minutes I would later learn the Central Railway Station was a mere 10 minute walk from my hotel and offered frequent train service to the airport (about 15 minutes travel time) for A$11 one way. I later took advantage of this service and in the future will spend the few extra dollars for this much more efficient service. There are several railway stations in the huge downtown Sydney area, so if you are staying at a hotel in the downtown area you shouldn't be more than a few minutes walk from a railway station.

The Holiday Inn Darling Harbor is located across the street from the Sydney Entertainment Center and on the fringe of Chinatown. There is a monorail station within a two minute walk (makes stops at CenterPoint Tower, Pitt Street Mall, Darling Harbor), a light rail stop within a one minute walk (makes a stop at the Central Railway Station), and as mentioned above the Central Railway Station is an easy ten minute walk. Darling Harbor, the business centers along George Street, and the main shopping area of Pitt Street are all just a ten minute walk from the hotel. The hotel itself is a modern building with 304 guest rooms. As I walked into the lobby I noticed a reader board with a list of names. To my surprise I saw my name (first initial and last name) on the board under the heading “The Holiday Inn Darling Harbor Welcomes the Following Guests”. This was a nice welcome, unless of course you were at the hotel “incognito” One of the pitfalls of arriving at a destination in the early morning hours is that more often than not your hotel room is not ready when you want to check-in. After about 17 hours of travel time I was longing for a hot shower and a short nap. At about 9:15AM, as I expected, the clerk told me my room would not be ready until at least 11:30AM as a large tour group was due to check out within the hour. She said she would assign me a room, notify housekeeping, and ask them to service that room as soon as possible. I left my bag with the bell staff and headed off towards Darling Harbor in search of some coffee and food.

I stopped at the tourist office in the center of the complex and picked up some brochures and city guides, then stopped at a Starbucks to “recharge my batteries” and plan my day. Darling Harbor consists of an exhibition / convention center, an entertainment center, the Maritime and Powerhouse museums, a shopping mall and promenade, an IMAX theater, an expansive Chinese Garden (entrance fee), the Sydney Aquarium (entrance fee), and a ferry stop with service to Circular Quay. I wondered through the shopping mall (nothing special) and out onto the pedestrian / monorail bridge and headed towards downtown. The day was beautiful and offered grand views of the harbor and the downtown skyline. The Sydney Aquarium is located on the city side of the bridge. Since I had a few hours to occupy before my room would be ready I decided to make a visit to the aquarium (admission A$21 for adults). The aquarium was interesting and nicely presented, but a bit expensive for what it offered. I completed my walk through in about 90 minutes and headed back to the hotel.

The same clerk welcomed me back and said my room was ready. I headed upstairs to a room on the 9th floor in the corner of the building overlooking the entertainment center across the street. The room was of average size and included a mini-bar. The furnishings were modern. The bathroom was of average size and had a tub / shower combination. Everything appeared clean. I showered and took a short nap, then headed out to do some sightseeing.

coastsider

I had read several positive reviews about the Sydney Jewish Museum and decided to visit. This museum exhibits documents and objects related to the Holocaust and the Jewish culture. The museum is close to the Kings Cross Railway Station so I decided to take the train. I walked to the Central Railway Station where I bought a “day tripper” transit pass for A$15. The pass allows the holder to ride on trains, busses, and some ferries (but not the light rail or monorail) within a certain boundary surrounding central Sydney. It’s a great deal, but only if you plan to make several trips via public transportation throughout the day. If you only plan to use public transportation a few times in one day I suggest purchasing point to point tickets or paying single fares and saving a few dollars. I made my way via train to the Kings Cross Station where I exited the station and found myself in an area dotted with strip bars, sex shops, bars, cafes, and a few coffee houses and other assorted businesses. Although busy with pedestrians, I decided this was probably not a place to wander about during the late evening hours. As I exited the station I walked to the right and started watching the street numbers looking for 148 Darlinghurst Road. The numbers decreased as I walked further from the train station. When I reached the 100 block I was unable to locate #148. I walked back and forth several times, then crossed a major roadway and noticed the street numbers were increasing starting at #100. Still no #148! I stopped several passers-by and asked if they could direct me to the museum but no one could assist me. Finally I found someone who knew where the museum was located. She said to keep walking in the same direction and that the street numbers would again decrease. What a strange numbering system! Sure enough, about four blocks further I found the museum (about a 10 minute walk from the train station). I paid the A$10 entrance fee and was greeting by one of the museum hosts. She told me the museum has a large group of volunteer hosts, all who are Holocaust survivors. She walked me around the ground floor exhibits and provided me with some extensive background information on all of the exhibits. She told me other hosts upstairs could give me first hand accounts of life during the Holocaust if I were interested in hearing their stories. Upstairs I browsed through two other floors of exhibits that included artifacts and photos that helped me to understand and appreciate what life was like for the Holocaust victims. I was glad I visited the museum and highly recommend anyone who has an interest in Jewish culture and the Holocaust visit this museum.

I trekked back to the Kings Cross Train Station and boarded a train for Bondi Junction. Upon arrival I went upstairs to the bus terminal and boarded a bus to Bondi Beach. About 15 minutes later the bus arrived at Bondi Beach where I de-boarded. I spent the next few hours walking around the promenade dotted with cafes, bars, and an assortment of shops and markets. I took a break for lunch then had a nice long walk on the strand along the beach. The weather was perfect, the temperature comfortable, and on a Monday I was surprised to see so many people sunning themselves on the beach. But then again this IS Australia right? It didn’t take me long to immerse myself in their laid-back culture.

By late afternoon jet lag was getting the better of me. I headed back to the hotel, did some unpacking, then walked to Chinatown (literally right behind the hotel) to find a place to eat. There are a number of restaurants in Chinatown, most which serve similar food at tourist prices, but I was too tired to walk anywhere further and so I found myself a nice restaurant with a fairly extensive menu. The food was acceptable but nothing special. I then called it a night and had a restful nights sleep before my early morning trek to the airport at 5:30AM.

When I visited Australia in 1988 to attend the World Expo in Brisbane I participated in the home-stay program. I stayed with a wonderful Australian family and have maintained that friendship for the past fourteen years. Even though my trip itinerary this visit left me little time to make a proper visit with my friends, I decided to make a day trip since the air fares were reasonable; about US$105 roundtrip SYD / BNE / SYD (“red e-fare” booked via the Internet). This time I decided to try taking the train to the airport. I walked to the Central Railway Station, bought my roundtrip ticket from the machine (A$22), then walked to the platform. About ten minutes later the train arrived and after three stops and about 15 minutes ride time I had arrived at the Domestic Terminal at Sydney Airport. The departure level was just two levels above. This mode of transport was so much quicker and pleasant and worth the few more dollars over the cost of the shuttle.

March 29, 2004
Sydney to Brisbane to Sydney
Qantas 506 Economy Class – Seat 43J – A330-200 (Outbound)
Qantas 559 Economy Class – Seat 1D 737-800 (Return)
=========================================

I checked in at one of the kiosks. The computer offered to issue my return boarding pass since I would be returning the same day. This was great as it would eliminate the check-in process for the return and allow me to spend a bit more time with my friends. As someone who has only flown Qantas twice in the past, I was very impressed with the service and efficiency of their operation. The boarding area was packed with passengers. My boarding card showed a boarding time just twenty minutes prior to departure. I wondered how Qantas could expect to board 200+ passengers and depart on time. As with all the other domestic Qantas fights I would take on this trip no pre-boarding was offered and surprisingly there was no rush to the gate when boarding began. Passengers strolled into the jetway after having an opportunity to select audio headsets and a newspaper from the bins at the top of the jetway. Once on the plane, each passenger located his or her seat and sat down. On this particular flight I was amazed everyone was in their seat and ready to go by the departure time. I’m sure the expedited boarding had a lot to do with the fact that Australian travelers, unlike their American counterparts, tend not to carry onto the plane their entire cache of luggage. This was my very first ride in the A330-200. The interior of the plane was spacious and bright and even the seats in economy were comfortable with what seemed like above average seat pitch. Even the lavatories seemed a bit more spacious and bright. I found it nice to have a constant stream of water from the faucet with one push of the water fixture, unlike older plans where you have to try and wash your hands while holding down one of the water handles. We departed on time and within five minutes after takeoff the flight deck switched off seat belt light and the FA’s began the breakfast service. I had never seen such efficiency before. The staff served the entire plane in about 25 minutes and even made a second offering of coffee and tea! Breakfast consisted of cold cereal with milk, a biscuit (cookie), and a small apple contained in a nicely decorated box. Coffee, tea, OJ, and water complimented the meal. All of this was much more than one would expect in economy class on any U.S. airline making a 75 minute flight. While I enjoyed my breakfast I watched a short documentary and the news on one of the many overhead TV screen spread throughout the cabin. The very personable and cheerful staff cleared the cabin of all service items about twenty minutes before landing. I gave Qantas a 10 out of 10 for service…. at least on this flight. ^

My friends met me at the airport and we headed off for a drive down the Gold Coast taking the back roads through the interior mountains as we headed towards New South Wales. We stopped for lunch at a pub in a little town (I don’t recall the name) in what seemed like the middle of no where. After a leisurely Australian “dining experience” (e.g. beer and sandwiches), we began our journey back to Brisbane on the highway along the coast which offered some memorable views. We had dinner at the home of my friends, caught up on fourteen years of happenings in our lives, then I was off to the airport. Since my return boarding pass was issued in Sydney, I went directly to the gate. Boarding was efficient (as mentioned above) and we departed on time. Upon arrival in Sydney I headed downstairs to the train station, waited for just a few minutes for the train to arrive, then boarded a train to downtown. Total time from the time I stepped off the plane to the time I walked into my hotel room was a mere 40 minutes!

Kiwi Flyer

Great report. Still reading.

To clarify for those not familiar with Syndey, this is the bridge across Darling Harbour, not the Sydney Harbour Bridge. (BTW it also swings open to let yachts through!)

Kiwi Flyer

Great report coastsider ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

A vote for the "long format"

mad_atta

Ditto! Keep it coming, the more detail the better!

Interesting to hear that the Jewish museum is worth a visit - since I only live about 10 minutes walk away, I really should make the effort!

coastsider

The next day I walked to Circular Quay (a good 25 minute walk from the hotel) and wandered through The Rocks before heading over to the Sydney Harbor Bridge. I had thought about doing the bridge climb where visitors have an opportunity to climb to the top of the bridge, but when I read in the brochure that climbers were not allowed to bring cameras I decided it wasn’t worth the A$155 if I couldn’t take pictures of my adventure climb. However, according to the brochure, at the conclusion of the climb, climbers would receive a complimentary group photo. Climbers could also PURCHASE other pictures of their climb taken by bridge climb personnel. I decided to walk the bridge instead and visit the Pylon Lookout, a viewing area 292 feet above the water atop one of the pylons on the southeast side of the bridge. Unfortunately, The Pylon did not open until 10AM. It was only 9AM at the time and I didn’t want to waste an hour waiting for the attraction to open. So, I ended up just taking some pictures from the span of the bridge. Even the views of the harbor from the span were magnificent. I trekked back to Circular Quay and boarded a ferry for Manly Beach. The cost to ride the ferry through beautiful Sydney Harbor was just a few A$. The harbor, Sydney Bridge, and Opera House were just as I had remembered them from my visit fourteen years ago.

After about 35 minutes the ferry docked at Manly Harbor. I disembarked from the boat and wandered through the streets of Manly as I headed towards the beach. On this beautiful warm day I spent the next three hours strolling along the well manicured beach soaking up the sun and talking with the locals. I trekked along the trail (to the right of the main street through Manly) along the coast for a few miles and was rewarded with some spectacular views of the ocean and coast. In the early afternoon I headed back to downtown Sydney on the ferry and once again committed to memory the beauty of this fine harbor. After disembarking from the boat I headed towards the Pitt Street Mall where I did some shopping and enjoyed the street performers. The best street performance was a petite young lady who managed to stuff herself into an acrylic box maybe the size of two desk sized trash cans. Amazing! The worst performance was an older “gentleman” (and I use that term loosely) who appeared to be somewhat intoxicated and was singing country music (at least I think it was country music) while banging on a plastic bucket. Watching the faces of passers-by, I think we were all thinking the same thing. If we each made a little contribution, maybe he would feel compelled to cease and desist! I then headed back to the hotel via Darling Harbor where I stopped for coffee and strolled through some of the shops along the promenade. Later I was treated to an Australian barbeque at the home of some friends, after which I headed back to the hotel for some sleep before my early morning departure to Hobart.

I didn’t realize this trip report had gotten so long. I apologize if I’ve been too verbose. I welcome comments from you readers. I’ll hold off on the rest of the report (Hobart, Melbourne, The Great Ocean Road, Auckland, Rotorua, Wellington, and Christchurch) until I hear from all of you whether I should continue in this format or instead present a more condensed, “Readers Digest” version without all the commentary. Thanks for reading and allowing me to share my experiences with all of you!

coastsider

The next morning I left the hotel for the airport at 5:00AM for my 6:50AM flight to Hobart. Since I had purchased a roundtrip ticket on the airport shuttle I felt compelled to use it so as to not waste money. The shuttle arrived about ten minutes past my reservation time and made 12 stops on route to the airport. Total travel time was about an hour.

April 1, 2004
Sydney to Hobart
Qantas 1711 Economy Class – Seat 4D – B717-200
=========================================

My QantasLink flight to Hobart operated out of Domestic Terminal 2. Qantas does not have the self check-in kiosks in this terminal so I had to check-in with a Qantas agent. I only waited for about ten minutes. Check-in was quick and efficient. I made it through security in just a few minutes. This flight departed and arrived on time and we were served with a light breakfast similar to what I received on my Sydney to Brisbane flight. Overall, I experienced a pleasant flight and the QantasLink staff provided commendable service. The Hobart Airport is small and easy to navigate. I walked into the terminal, right through baggage claim, and out to the front of the terminal where an airport shuttle was waiting. I paid A$16 for a roundtrip ticket to my hotel in Hobart. After a ten minute wait for other passengers we departed for the scenic 15 minute ride into town. The shuttle driver dropped me off at the lobby entrance to the Rydges Hobart where I had booked a room.

The Rydges Hobart, in part, is a converted apartment building adjacent to a football field in a residential area of North Hobart. The newer section of the hotel appears to have been built specifically as hotel accommodation. The two story building housing the lobby, bar, restaurant, and meeting rooms was quite old but was nicely maintained. The front office clerk greeted me, looked up my reservation, and told me I had been assigned a suite because no other rooms were available at the moment. SCORE! I made my way to one of the buildings at the far end of the property. My room was one of just a handful of rooms in that particular building. The suite I was assigned had a nice size bathroom (although a bit dark due to the limited lighting), a small kitchen (dishes, pots / pans, and cooking utensils provided), and a living room with a couch, chairs, large table, and 26” TV. The bedroom was located upstairs. The décor was “antique”. The room furnishings were simple but the room was clean.

After settling in I headed for the tourist office downtown to make some sightseeing arrangements. The front office clerk told me there was a bus stop a short walk from the entrance to the hotel but that the bus only passed by this stop once per hour. She said, however, I could walk to downtown in about twenty minutes. I decided to walk and save the cost of taxi fare. The twenty minute walk was closer to thirty minutes, with a portion of the walk downhill. This was OK going into town, but returning to the hotel would be a bit more work. I had read about a boat tour to the former prison settlement of Port Arthur (about 100kms southeast of Hobart). The tour is operated by Port Arthur Cruises. I made my way to their booking office at the Brooke Street Pier. The woman at the sales desk said the cruise had been suspended for a few days due to poor weather that had made boating conditions unsafe. She directed me to the tourist office at Davey and Elizabeth Streets where I could book a bus tour. After speaking with the woman at the tourist office I decided to book a day tour with Tiger Line. Gray Line offers a similar tour. The cost of the tour (A$70) included pickup and drop off at my hotel, transportation to Port Arthur with stops at different viewing points in Tasman National Park, admission to Port Arthur, and a short thirty minute cruise along Port Arthur Bay. For an additional fee I could visit Bushmills (a re-creation of a 19th century pioneer bush settlement) or the Tasman Devil Park (a sanctuary for rescued Tasmanian Devils). I decided to add the devil park to my tour itinerary as the woman told me a portion of the admission fee (A$15) would go towards supporting the rescue efforts of sick and injured Tasmanian Devils. I looked through the many brochures in the tourist office and found information on several places I would have liked to visit on day trips outside of Hobart, but unfortunately I was only visiting Hobart for a day and a half.

I walked down to the Salamanca Market and browsed through the many specialty shops in the complex. Some of the shops had unique wood carvings I had not seen in shops elsewhere in my travels. I purchased a few small wood items, then had lunch at a café in the complex behind the Salamanca Market. Had I not been so hungry at the time I would waited to eat until my walk around downtown Hobart. There was a much wider variety of restaurants downtown with more reasonable prices. I had wanted to visit the Antarctic Adventure Center, located in a building behind Salamanca Market, but when I finally found the building I discovered the center had been closed and the building vacated. I walked around the neighborhood of Battery Park (there is a set of stairs from Salamanca Market that connect to the neighborhood) to view the unique architectural style of the homes, then made my way to downtown.

Downtown Hobart has a nice shopping area with two indoor shopping malls and a variety of independent specialty shops, restaurants, and bars, in addition to all the other services you would expect to find in a bustling community of 126,000+ people. Not wanting to wait for the bus, I began my trek back to the hotel via Elizabeth Street which was also lined with shops and eateries. Ten minutes into my journey home dark clouds suddenly appeared and minutes later a torrent of rain fell from the sky. I got thoroughly drenched which made the walk home miserable. However, there was one bright side. I discovered North Hobart, just a seven minute walk from the hotel. North Hobart is a small community of its own. Elizabeth Street is a main thoroughfare through this section of town and has a spattering of ethnic eateries, bars, cafes, specialty shops, several markets, a very good bakery, banks, a post office, and a laundromat. I was happy to not have to make the long trek to downtown for these services.

That evening the torrential rains continued so I decided to have dinner at the Brickfield’s Restaurant in the hotel. The décor of the restaurant was “antique” along the lines of the other parts of the hotel. The quiet, sophisticated atmosphere of the restaurant made me feel as though I were in a very upscale restaurant. Dressed only in jeans and a polo shirt, the hostess warmly greeted me and assured me I was dressed appropriately. She seated me at a table next to a very large window with a view of the football field. This football field is not a high school or public park football field, but a commercial field that serves as the venue for professional Australian football matches. I was disappointed there would be no match that evening because the view of the field was magnificent. It would have been great to have watched an Australian rules football match while enjoying my dinner. My waitperson promptly appeared, told me about the specials for the evening, and offered to bring me a beverage. The menu selections were not extensive but included a nice offering of meats, seafood, and salads. I decided to try the pepper steak. The presentation of the entrée was nice and the portions of meat and vegetable were adequate. However, both the meat and the vegetables lacked flavor. The sauce on the meat was bland and was in need of something to give it some flavor. Since I only ate at the restaurant once, I’m not sure if this meal is representative of the quality of the other selections offered on the menu. I found the overall service, however, to be quite good.

The next morning the Tiger Line bus picked me up in front of the hotel at 7:45AM, as promised. The fifty or more passenger bus was comfortable and had a lavatory on board. We headed off for Port Arthur after making stops at five other hotels and the Tiger Line terminal downtown to pickup other tour participants. The two hour drive was pleasant with a variety of scenery that included plains, rolling hills, lakes, small towns, and a variety of wildlife. The bus stopped at several different viewing points in the Tasman National Park where we were treated to some stunning views of the ocean and coastal mountain ranges.

coastsider

About fifteen minutes before we reached Port Arthur, the bus driver pulled into the Tasmanian Devil Park. He told me he would pick me up in 90 minutes to take me to Port Arthur. I envisioned the park would be like a small zoo, but instead the park was more like a farm with several enclosures for animals. After walking through the reception area / gift shop, I was directed to the trail that would take me to the enclosures where I could see the Tasmanian Devils as well as other wild birds and animals of the area that had been rescued and were being rehabilitated. I took several pictures of the little devils (they are like huge rats with big teeth and the markings of a skunk and have a nasty disposition) and watched a fifteen minute bird show similar to what you might see at an animal park or zoo. I covered the park in about forty five minutes and found myself waiting for the bus to return and pick me up. If you have a real desire to see the Tasmanian Devil, or you simply want to support the rescue and rehabilitation efforts of the park foundation, certainly stop by the park for a visit. Otherwise, I don’t think you would be missing much if you decided to forgo this attraction.

The bus driver picked me up on time. He said we would be stopping at Bushmill's to pick up some other tour participants who had selected this attraction as an add-on to their Port Arthur tour. I asked the people who visited Bushmill’s what they thought of the place. They told me it was nice but they didn’t think it was worth the additional A$15. When we arrived at Port Arthur the bus driver gave each of us a playing card. He told us to take the card downstairs to the museum and match it to an identical card posted beneath the portrait of one of the convicts who had been imprisoned at Port Arthur. Once we identified which convict was associated with our card, we could then follow the history of that convict’s life at the prison. At each of the exhibits in the museum the card numbers were posted of those convicts who were associated with that aspect of prison life; e.g. the blacksmith shop, the laundry room, etc. After visiting the museum I wandered around the expansive Port Arthur grounds taking in the history of the old buildings and the interesting details of the convicts who were imprisoned at Port Arthur and the people who looked after them. Since the thirty minute boat tour was included with my admission I walked over to the jetty and boarded the boat. The boat tour took us around Port Arthur Bay and the Isle of the Dead (where Port Arthur inhabitants were buried). The tour commentator enlightened us with some history of Port Arthur and educated us about what life was like for both convicts and prison staff. The bus left Port Arthur about 3:30PM for the two hour return journey to Hobart. If you enjoy history and want to learn more about Tasmania’s largest convict settlement, I would say Port Arthur is a place worth visiting.

That evening I walked to North Hobart and had a nice dinner at a family run Chinese restaurant. I don’t recall the restaurant name but it was located on a corner. There was a takeaway counter at the front of the restaurant and a full service area further into the restaurant. The food was excellent and the prices were very reasonable. After dinner I returned to the hotel to do a few loads of laundry. The hotel has a guest laundry located in the basement of the main building. A guest laundry is always a nice benefit for us travelers who like to travel light. I think I spent about A$9 to do two loads of washing and drying. I spent the remainder of the evening re-packing my bag and a bit of time surfing the Internet using the free computer in the hotel lobby. Overall, I enjoyed my stay at the Rydges Hobart. The room was clean and comfortable and the staff were exceptionally pleasant and helpful. If you don’t mind not being in the middle of downtown or close to the harbor, then this hotel offers great value for your travel dollar. I was able to secure a rate of under US$100 per night via a booking on the Internet.

In the morning I would be off to Melbourne.

coastsider

April 3, 2004
Hobart to Melbourne
Qantas 1656 Economy Class – Seat 10C – B717-200
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I left the hotel for the airport about 90 minutes prior to the departure of my flight. The airport shuttle got me to the airport in fifteen minutes. Hobart airport is small and compact with the departure gates just a few steps away from the check-in counters. I checked-in and passed through security in record time and waited to board my flight. I had another pleasant flying experience thanks to the courteous and efficient Qantas in-flight staff.

My friend met me at Tullemarine Airport and we headed off to downtown Melbourne. Our first stop was the Queen Victoria Market, a HUGE indoor / outdoor market. There was a mix of permanent vendors (mostly food and some specialty shops) and transient vendors selling everything imaginable. The market had vendors selling fresh foods and produce, clothing, shoes, leather goods, fashion accessories, art, flowers, plants, Australian handicrafts, house wares, and much more. We spent a good two hours wandering around the market. I highly recommend a market visit for those visiting Melbourne.

We then hopped aboard the FREE Melbourne City Circle Tram for a pleasant ride around the City circle. Some of the places the tram took us past were the Old Treasury Building, Parliament House, and the Princess Theater. We got off the tram at Russell and Latrobe Streets and walked one block to the Old Melbourne Gaol. If you’ve ever been to Alcatraz in San Francisco this prison is very similar. There are exhibits throughout the prison building (inside the cells and along the corridors) as well as a re-enactment of the judicial proceedings leading up to the conviction and subsequent hanging of the notorious Ned Kelly. We finished the self-guided tour in about an hour then hopped back onto the City Circle Tram and rode to Federation Square, Melbourne’s “civil and cultural hub for the 21st century”. The architecture of the complex is definitely “modern”. My friend told me the design has gotten mixed reviews from Melbournian’s. There is an art gallery, museum, shops, and eateries at Federation Square. On the day we visited there was a concert in the plaza with quite a crowd enjoying the great music and beautiful day. We walked past the Flinder’s Street Railway Station and continued to the Victoria Police Officers Memorial. The memorial, similar to the Peace Officers Memorial in Washington D.C., was a fitting tribute to the Victoria Police officers who gave their lives in the line of duty. The memorial is located on the edge of the Queen Victoria Gardens on St. Kilda Road, not more than a 7 minute walk south of the Flinders Street Railway Station. On St. Kilda Road you will pass the Victorian Arts Centre, a performing arts complex. We continued our tour of Melbourne by walking along the Yarra River and taking a peek inside the Crown Casino, Australia’s largest. This hotel and casino was nice, but if you’ve been to the grand casinos of Las Vegas, Reno, or Atlantic City you will be disappointed. We finished off the day with a very nice meal at an Italian restaurant (don’t remember the name or location), then attended an Australia Football League match at the Telstra Dome. This was the first time I had ever watched Australian football. It is a fast moving game and is exciting once you learn the rules and strategies of the game. I thoroughly enjoyed this sporting event.

After the game we called it a day and headed back to my friend's home in the suburb of Geelong. The next morning we headed off on a drive up the Great Ocean Road. We stopped for a visit at the Surf World Museum in Torquay.
This museum is a must for those with an interest in surfing or the surfing “culture”. The museum contains exhibits of the history of surfing, dedications to the surfing legends, and a very extensive display of every kind of surf board you could imagine. My favorite part of the museum was a section of the surf board exhibit where several colorfully painted surf boards were displayed. Upon closer inspection I noticed writing on the boards. The writings were, in effect, letters from a father to his son who had left home on a surfing expedition. I found the “fatherly advice” rather amusing. You can read the letters yourself by viewing the pictures here in the album “Melbourne2004”. We continued our drive on the Great Ocean Road and made a brief stop at Bells Beach, home to a very large annual surfing competition. On the day we visited pre-competition trials were being held. Our next stop was at the Anglesea Golf Course. The resident kangaroos at this golf course far out numbered the players. They were lounging around and sunning themselves in various places on the golf course. I took several pictures of the roos and was surprised how close I was able to get to them. My friend reminded me the roos were wild animals and not to try and touch or feed them. If provoked, they could cause serious injury to a human. He also cautioned me against walking into the bush where the roos had taken up residence. They can be extremely protective of their territory and especially of their young. We stopped in the small town of Lorne for lunch. I don’t recall the name of the place, but we had some darn good pasties (meat pies) at a little bakery situated right on the highway. We drove a little further up the Great Ocean Road, then headed for home to have dinner with his family.

The next day we headed back up the Great Ocean Road again and first stopped at Melba Gully State Park. We hiked the Madsen’s Track (an easy 40 minute walk) through some beautiful rain forest, over streams, and past 300 year old trees. We continued on to a brand new attraction called the Otway Tree Top Fly. At the Tree Top Fly, nearly 2000 feet of steel walkways traverse the forest canopy 82 feet above the ground. In the middle of the walkway we climbed a 148 foot tower and were rewarded with even more awesome views of the forest. The trails leading from the visitor center to the steel walkways took us through beautiful lush forest. Even with a good number of people visiting, the forest remained eerily quiet and calm. We spoke with one of the rangers at the park who told us the designers of the park went to great effort to ensure the walkway structure did not infringe or harm the forest environment. From what we saw the designers were successful. If you enjoy nature you’ll enjoy this park. Here is a link to other scenic attractions along the Great Ocean Road

After a pleasant picnic lunch at a very well maintained rest stop along the highway, we continued our drive up the coast to Port Campbell National Park and made a stop to see the Twleve Apostles rock formation. The limestone formations in the rugged coastal setting were awesome. Adjacent to the parking lot is a brand new visitor center where visitors can learn about the history of Port Campbell and the beautiful rock formations in the area. Some other “must see” attractions we visited were "The Grotto" and the "Blow Hole". Additional information may be found here.

After a long day of sightseeing we made the long drive home, this time taking the inland route through countryside surrounded by rolling hills and dotted by numerous farms and ranches. We had a nice dinner after which I spent the remainder of the evening packing for my flight back to Sydney in the morning.

Kiwi Flyer

Thanks for a good report ^

Awaiting the next instalment!

Tonymercury

Did you see the name of Constable Kennedy which makes the connection to Ned Kelly?

BTW - thanks for an interesting report.

Tony Bailey

Seat 2A

Thanks for this well detailed and enjoyable read! Great first report!

mad_atta

Great stuff! Looking forward to hearing how you got in in NZ...

PresRDC

Great report. Keep it going. Long = good in my book. People can always skip around and read what they want.