International Space Station and Lib Dems come 6th

Been back over a week now and isn't it cold. I'd missed the news about the By election up in Bradford yesterday but wasn't suprised by the result. I have vote Lib Dem all my voting life but felt and still feel betrayed by the Lib Dem leadership joining the party to the Tory Party just so he (the Leader) could end up 'in power'. (Who is he kidding?) I can not imagine what must be going through land standing Lib Dem MPs' minds when the heard the news, beaten by the BNP into 6tgh place, with just over a thousand votes. A lot of good things are going to have to happen before the next general election, due in 4 years, if there are going to be more than a handfull of Lib Dem MPs left in Parliment in 2015. I'm sure Nick Glegg must be wondering what job he will be able to get as an ex Deputy Prime Minister and ex MP in 2015.

 

Round here we have local elections in May. Every 3 years we get a change in the party controlling the council. At the moment it is Conservative who haven't done anythine well over the last 3 years so it should, if history is anything to go by, be Lib Dem after May in the driving seat but a loud wake up call has gone out, maybe the labour party will be the ones to actually wake up.

 

Watched the International Space Station with the shuttle Discovery docked fly over last night. I tried to get a phote but I used too long an exposure and it ended up a bright line. OK, I know I wouldn't get any detail but I would have looked good. Anyway It will be up there again on Saturday at 18:31 coming from WNW heading ESE more or less directly over head and will be visable for 3 minutes.

 

The other event happening tomorrow is The Big Book Give Away. 1200 books have been delivered to Torquay Library and they will be passed on to 25 brave souls in the Torquay area who will attempt to give away 50 books each to passing strangers to read and hopefully enjoy. I have read 3 or 4 of the books on the list and I am hoping to get one or two I haven't read yet.

Back in the Good Old UK of GB & NI

Been back in Torquay since Thursday evening. Friday morning decided to tidy up the garden a bit. 5 weeks away and it looked a bit of a mess. Did something to my back, very painful so didn't feel like doing anything except groan pathetically for the last few days. Also it's blood cold here compared with sunny Sydney. More tomorrow.

Coach Trip to Palm Beach and Other Places

No, I haven't got a job driving a coach down under. It was a trip organised by the Eastwood Probus Club which is a club for people over a certain age. They have little get togethers and the occasional trip somewhere and my sister booked me a seat on the trip. We went first to Palm Beach to pick up a ferry for a boat trip down the Hawksbury River to a place called Bobbin Point. Unfortunately the ferry went from the wrong side of Palm Beach so was unable to go and see if Home and Away were filming. Last time I was here 2 years ago I took a couple of shots of the filming and this time I was hoping to do the same. Still got tome so who knows. On the way there we stopped at Newport Beach Surf Club for morning coffee. I thought we were going into the club for our drink but when we stopped, Robert the coach driver open the luggage compartment, pulled out a table and gave out plastic cups to everyone. We queued up and took either a tea bag or a spoonful of coffee and Robert filled the cup up with hot water from a water heater fitted especially for that purpose in the luggage compartment. Biscuits were also distributed.

 

Then on to Palm Beach and the Ferry, First stop across the mouth of the river to Patonga. Half hour by ferry 2 days by road. There 49 packets of fish and chips were waiting. No vinegar on the chips. No one in Australia puts vinegar on their chips which should be illegal. The boat trip continued on for about 45 mins to Bobbin Head where the coach was waiting. Then to a wildlife centre and a 30 minutes walk in the bush. See photo for the wildlife.

 

All in all a nice day out, the coach was new and well driven. The commentary was clear and informative and I'd heard all the jokes before but I still laughed. If you are planing a trip around Australia the company, Hopkinsons do a 22 day 6000km fight up to Northern Territories for 3600 pounds.  

Tassie

Me at The Edge of the World

Taken Feb 2011

Taken Feb 2009

Hi All

Just to let you know I am alive and well down here in Australia. Been very busy with limited access top computers. Couple of photos from the Edge of The World which is at the mouth of the Arther River in North West Tasmainia. The first one feature's me and a small stone pillar that tells you this is the edge of the world. The sea behind is the Roaring Forties which wander round the world until they hit Tassie. Looking out to sea the next land is South America, Argentina to be precise. Looking south it's Antarctica and to the north is mainland Australia. Not a lot here at the Edge of the World, very desolate, just a few holiday homes and great views.

The second picture shows a pile of logs. Last time I was here I thought they had been brought here by the sea but it turns out this area was extensively logged in the later 19th century. The loggers cut trees down along the river and let them float down stream where they were sorted into two piles. These are the rejected pile. Not just the pile you can see but the whole coast here is littered with similar piles of hundred year old timber. The 3rd photo was taken when I was here 2 years ago. Despite the constant waves beating against this coast line not much has changed, just the log in the foreground has turned over. Much of Tassie is still being cut down but the conservationist and a reduction in the demand for wood pulp is slowing the extent down, hopefully soon to a complete stop.

PS If you are thinking of visiting Australia have a look at Tassie, it's a beautiful place, lots to see.

Cyclone Yasi

It's 9:30 am here in Australia and I have been watching the news on TV. It's an extended edition covering the approaching category 5 cyclone. It's expected to hit this evening about 10pm and will be the biggest in living memory. Cains is the honeymoon centre of Australia so anyone who got married last Saturday and flew up there to start married life are in for a wet and windy start to married bliss.

Good luck to everyone in Northern Queensland.

I am in Tasmania and should be safe. Saturday it's back to Sydney for the rest of the holiday.