downundertraveller: Thurs. Sept. 27

OUR ITINERARY **NEW, REVISED AND UP TO DATE**

If we're going to be in your city and you want to get together for a cup of coffee, leave a message at our hotel, or send me an email ahead of time at shakos@sympatico.ca - we'll try to rendezvous with you. That would be great fun!
Sat. Oct. 20 - Arrive in Christchurch, New Zealand and stay at the Copthorne Central Hotel, phone 03 379 5880.
Mon. Oct. 22 - TranzAlpine Train ride to Franz Josef, staying at the Franz Josef Glacier Hotel, phone 03 752 0729.
Tues. Oct. 23 - Queenstown, staying at the Novotel Gardens, phone 03 442 7750.
Thurs. Oct. 25 - Te Anau, staying at the Village Inn, phone 03-249 7911.
Fri. Oct. 26 - Dunedin, staying at the Dunedin City Hotel, phone 03 470 1470. Hope to meet Chris Davies for coffee while we're there.
Sat. Oct. 27 - Mount Cook National Park, staying at The Hermitage Hotel, phone 03 435 1809.
Sun. Oct. 28 - Back at the Copthorne Central Hotel in Christchurch, phone 03 379 5580 till Oct. 30th. We'll then take the ferry to the North Island and stay with Beulah from Oct. 30th, till November 5th.
Mon. Nov. 5 - Pick up a car for a self-drive tour to Auckland. (Biting my nails as you guys drive on the wrong side of the road - giggle). Stay at the Lakeland Resort, Taupo, phone 07 378 3893 on the 5th, and at the Heritage Rotorua on the 6th and 7th, phone 07 348 1189.
Thurs. Nov. 8 - Arrive in Auckland and stay with Lizzie and her husband John. I've promised to teach an ink and oil rouging design for Lizzie while I'm there.
Mon. Nov. 12 - It's all over but the curtain calls. Fly from Auckland back to Los Angeles, where we will stay a week with my aunt. A good chance to shake off some of the jet lag.
Sun. Nov. 18 - Back in Canada. All good things have to come to an end. The memories, however, will last a lifetime.

Friday, October 12, 2007

Thurs. Sept. 27 - Uluru

Had to get up at an ungodly hour this morning - 4:15 am - to go and see the sun rise over Uluru - and man whas it cold! We sure glad of the mugs of hot coffe and tea that our bus driver Sue Anne supplied.

After sunrise, some people were dropped off where they could climb to the top of Uluru - they're nuts! Most of the way you have to hand onto a chain to keep upright, practically on your hands and knees, and to come down, you're pretty much down on your bottom in places. By the time they got to the top they were mere specks - looked like ants. It's 348 meters high.

We took a walk around part of the base of Uluru - it's 9kms around, so we didn't do it all. Amazing rock formations, and pieces that have broken off and fallen to the ground. Lots of caves, etc., and of course more rock paintings.

We hiked to a tater hole - yes it actually did have water in it - and I imagine it would be a breathtaking sight in a rain, with the water cascadind down the side of Uluru into this pool.

Back at the hotel I had a quick dip in the pool, and then we went to the shopping centre which was right beind the hotel to get a few souvenirs, something for breakfast, etc.

At 6pm the bus picked us up for the Sounds of Silence Dinner - diner at tables set up on top of a sand doon with a view of Uluru - linen cloths, china plates, real cutlery - and a fantastic hot and cold buffet. We tried kangaroo, had a crocodile Caesar salad, some barramundi (fish), and loads of delicious salads and desserts, wine - the whole ten yards. An "atronomer" pointed out the various constellations, and we really enjoyed him - he had a very dramatic presentation - and made it fun for all. We were able to pick out the Southern Cross which before that had been hard to see because of electric lights. It was pitch black out there once the candles on the tables had been extinguished. It wasd a magical night, and we had some very good conversations with our table mates.

Before dinner we were entertained by a young man who played the didgeridoo - he was absolutely fantastic - should have been playing in a band. He got right into his music and you could tell how much he enjoyed the music. I could have listened to him for ages, but he only played for about 1/2 hour - actually two 15 minute sets where he played non-stop. That's a lot of puffing and blowing!