Author: Glendon

Retired Australian Lawyer having worked representing the innocent and the not so innocent in Australia and some of the remote parts of the world and having travelled widely through Europe, Western Russia, Canada, USA, New Zealand, Thailand Malaysia Solomon Islands northern China, Hong Kong and the UAE So now that I have the time I am writing about my travels present and past. Hope you enjoy exploring off the beaten track.

THE RETIREES VISIT THE SOUTH ISLAND ACROSS THE DITCH blog 495 Episode 2

19TH MAY TO 10TH JUNE 2026

Day 5.                Today we are headed from Te Anu to Invercargill but we had to stop for coffee at the smallest coffee shop. It was clearly a diversified income stream for the laundry operating behind it as our barista came from the laundry to serve us.

Invercargill was 2.1/2 hours away and we would be staying at the Ibis Styles in Tay St. Invercargill. It had been our plan to look for stops on the way – yes, for coffee but stops of interest. There was one thing common about all the scenery, and this was the plantations of pine trees. Plantation forests are dominated by Radiata pine (Pinus radiata). Introduced in the 1800s, this incredibly fast-growing species is used for everything from structural timber to pulp. While plantation forests are strictly managed, the South Island faces a significant ecological crisis from wilding pines. These are self-seeded, invasive pine trees often Contorta pine and Douglas fir. These wilding pines choke out native alpine vegetation, use vast amounts of water, and ruin natural landscapes.

On the way to Invercargill, we expected to pass over Clifden Suspension Bridge. Wikipedia says “The historic Clifden Suspension Bridge is located in Southland on the South Island of New Zealand. Built in 1899, this 111-meter wooden and steel bridge spans the Waiau River and features a Category 1 Historic classification. Originally built to replace a ferry punt and connect the region, it was the longest suspension bridge in the country. It was closed to vehicular traffic in 1978 when a modern bridge was built nearby. Today, it is pedestrian-only and serves as a popular roadside stop for photographs and historical appreciation.”

So, here we are at Clifden Suspension Bridge.

The Bridge and its history, the Waiau River

Out comes the coffee and biscuits and we appreciate the work and effort to construct such a bridge in 1899 in the wilds of the South Island. Suitably refreshed (Barry had picked up some Scotch Fingers whilst I had picked up a packet of Biscoff biscuits and prepared vanilla latte sachets, Kerry had her Spicy Chai Latte and the thermos of hot water) we motored on now following the coastline. McCracken’s Rest just off the main road, caught our eye for our next stop. No idea who McCracken may be nor why he rested here (no sign of a grave) but it has awesome views up and down the coast. From here we are closer to Stewart Island than Invercargill! We are right at the bottom of the South Island. According to a sign nearby “Locals appreciate McCracken’s Rest for its stunning coastal views and proximity to attractions like Monkey Island and Gemstone Beach.” After reading this Barry needed to see Monkey Island.

McCracken’s Rest, up and down the beach (Stewart Is in the background) Tuatapere history board.

We drove to Monkey Island a rocky knob which becomes an island at high tide. Well, Barry scrambled up one side, and I thought I chose an easier route up the other side but oh No! I was wrong and tumbled backward knocking my head. Very stupid and dangerous for me having previously broken my neck surfing and now with my head screwed on by a fusion of my C4 to C7 vertebrae. But I am still here to write about it. Kerry watched my fall from the beach causing her great grief. Not a high point of our holiday but a lesson learnt by me.

Monkey Island

I had no side effects from my tumble other than a bruised ego and an annoyed wife. So, we moved onto Riverton for lunch visiting the Aparima Hotel. We had an enjoyable lunch in a warm cosy atmosphere. There seemed too many locals having lunch and enjoying themselves, so I googled The Aparima Hotel and found according to google that it “is a well-loved historic establishment” on the South Island. “It had burned down in a devastating fire in 2013, but the site has since been successfully rebuilt as the Aparima Restaurant & Bar.” We can attest to that.

Aparima Restaurant and Bar

We moved onto Invercargill arriving at our hotel around 3.00pm Saturday. Barry and Sandi had plans of visiting Stewart Island, but their enquiries changed their minds. They could not do a day trip and would need to stay overnight. Whether that was a seasonal thing or not, they decided to do things with us which changed our very loose plans. The hotel was not as expected either. It was in one of the main streets of the CBD and there was, despite our being told otherwise, no onsite parking. Parking on the street was free on the weekend but after 8.00am on Monday the parking on the street would be free for 20mins only. This still didn’t give us secure parking off the street. On the positive side, we had comfortable rooms and access to a lounge which gave us plenty of room to play cards and prepare meals and lunches.

Day 6                 The following day Barry revealed that he had discovered a motorbike museum nearby. Now Barry is still riding and couldn’t wait to view the museum. The legacies of George Begg and Burt Munro are displayed at Classic Motorcycle Mecca. Classic Motorcycle Mecca and E. Hayes & Sons. are also located in central Invercargill and showcase New Zealand’s incredible motorsport and engineering history. Most of the motorcycles in the collection were originally acquired by Tom and Heather Sturgess. In 2016 Sturgess announced that he had undergone major surgery, and that the collection of almost 300 motorcycles, eventually was sold to Transport World in Invercargill to be relocated to new premises in Invercargill.

So, we visited the museum and what a phenomenal exhibition it is. We started in the café which had some interesting bits and pieces. After coffee (of course we had coffee!) Barry and I entered the museum. Gob smacked at the number and variety of motorcycles, we wandered through the ground floor where we discovered the original elevator for the building and the original mobile washing service run by Mary Watson on her Indian Scout motorcycle and side car. How did the Messerschmitt three-wheeler get in there? And the twin rider Whizzer from 1948?

One of the two buildings with The Café beside it, the museum entrance and ground floor showroom, Mrs Watson’s Indian Scout, the Messerschmitt and the Whizzer.

But there’s more downstairs.

Photos              Push bikes and the George Begg Collection

But there’s more upstairs from the ground floor. However I have run out of space so to see the World’s Fastest Indian you will need to go to Episode 3

THE RETIREES VISIT THE SOUTH ISLAND ACROSS THE DITCH blog 495 Episode 1

19TH MAY TO 10TH JUNE 2026

Day 1   Flying on Virgin Air Lines for the first time since the change of ownership during Co-vid, Kerry and I arrive at Queenstown International Airport at the scheduled arrival time of 3.40 pm. We are traveling with Barry and Sandi, fellow retirees and cruise ship travellers and now partnering them in their adventure on the South Island. Barry had selected our hire car which was awaiting us off site. It had been a guess as to what space was needed for the four of us and our luggage, but we seemed to have guessed well. We pick up our Nissan X-Trail Hatchback, plan and load the luggage, and leave the car hire company with Barry in the driver’s seat, following his faithful Garmin GPS and drive to our Queenstown hotel, where we stay in Sherwood just down the road from the airport. We had booked into the Lodge in the hotel whilst Barry and Sandi had chosen a unit with a view of the lake.

our hotel and our room

Barry and Sandi had planned to catch up with their daughter Ruth but with no plans as to where they would dine. We were invited to join them, and plans were made to go to a local pizza restaurant. Local turned out to be the restaurant in the Holiday Inn Hotel next door to our hotel. Neither Kerry or I had met Ruth previously but she was delightful company. She is a young traveller mixing travel and study enjoying her nomad life. Dinner was fun and the meals were fine. Barry and Sandi will catch up with her again when their paths next cross.

Photos of, the sunrise and Lake Wakatipu.

Day 2 – Queenstown and Arrowtown

Our plans were fluid as to what we might find or do throughout the journey. After breakfast at the hotel, we drove to Arrowtown. Arrowtown is a historic gold mining town 20 minutes from Queenstown and located on the banks of the Arrow River. The town is popular because it preserves its 1860s gold-rush history while offering a vibrant, modern food and shopping scene. The town has stunning natural landscapes. The winter season had turned the trees which were covered with autumn foliage.

Arrowtown buildings and its surroundings,

A highlight and surprise for us was the Lakes District Museum. The museum provided an insight into the gold mining history of Queenstown. The museum had constructed a number of scenes as things might have been as well and telling its history.

Lakes District Museum.

Queenstown sits directly on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, New Zealand’s longest lake (84 km) famous for its dramatic Z-shape, pristine water, and unique natural tide. Framed by the Remarkables mountain range, this alpine lake is the vibrant hub for Queenstown’s sightseeing, cruises, and water sports. So, after visiting Arrowtown Barry drove onto the docks where TSS Earnslaw Steamship is docked to catch the cruise boat RedNZ which would take us for a cruise to the Walter Peak High Country Farm. It was by then getting a bit late (sunset was around 5.00pm) so we did not hop off as we had a big drive to Te Anu and Milford Sound tomorrow.

TSS Earnslaw Steamship, the lake, the Walter Peak High Country Farm, RedNZ and the steamship again

Day 3   Queenstown to Te Anau

It is a 6-hour drive to Parklands Motel in Te Anau. On the way we had a stop at the Dome Café in Mossburn. Great coffee stop, on your travels to Te Anau or Milford/Doubtful Sound but not much in the village. Beside the café there is a business called Bracken Hall claiming to have the best venison pies in the South Island. Apart from that there was a new petrol station (one of those 24 hours self-serve unattended things very popular in NZ) and the original petrol station on the opposite side of the road looking more like Steptoe & Son yard and just dirty with vehicles to be repaired or beyond repair. After coffee and cake and a visit to the bathroom, we hit the road again. We were starting to see more sheep, more and more mountains and low cloud. Low cloud would be a feature of the scenery whenever approaching or in the mountains.

Mossburn on the road to Te Anu – Dome Café, Low cloud on the mountains, Sheep of course, Bracken Hall

We arrived in Te Anu around 1.30pm and the rooms were not ready. We took the opportunity to take a drive around the town, visit the Lake and the float plane dock and a short drive along the road toward Milford Sound as the rooms weren’t ready. We got as far as Lake Mistletoe where we found a park and the outside dunny in the form of a long drop. A map showing our position and the distance to Milford Sound caught our eye. The beach was all river stone and tee pees of driftwood had been erected probably by the park rangers. We had cut some sandwiches and carried boiling water in our flask so that we could have lunch overlooking the lake. We returned to the main road and found our way to Mistletoe walk. The track was a circuit, and we noticed an abundance of fungi/mushrooms and strange trees with extended limbs. As we approached the edge of Lake Mistletoe the scenery was very dramatic with mountains in the background, bird life abounding and unusual groundcovers.

Photos              Float plane docking, Lake Mistletoe, the long drop lunch at the lake, fungi, ground cover and bird life, Float planes at dock

We returned to Te Anu and our accommodation. We roamed the streets to find our evening repast – bottles of wine and snacks whilst we played cards (Skipbo). We arose early, had breakfast and were ready to move onto Milford Sound. This is when I took the morning photo of the Float planes at dock.

Float planes at dock

Day 4   Te Anau             The day was not promising the best weather so we decided that Kerry and I would cruise on Milford Sound. Barry and Sandi chose a walk in the Sound having enjoyed the cruise on a previous occasion. Milford Sound or Piopiotahi in Māori is a breathtaking fiord in New Zealand’s Fiordland National Park, renowned for its dramatic sheer cliffs, cascading waterfalls, and inky dark waters. Yes, a fiord – a valley carved by glacier. It was a long drive with Barry at the wheel. Dramatic scenery surrounded us. The mountains were astounding, shooting up like a forest all round. We encountered just 1 tunnel, and it was single lane as well. So, as you will see in the photos, we had to await our turn to pass through. When our turn came, I was able to photograph the interior passage. More mountains rose around us as we made our way to the Milford Sound dock with the vegetation changing to dense forest.

Dramatic mountains, tunnel, tunnel passage, more mountains,

Arriving at the dock there was a very modern quay and visitor complex with 9 vessels tied up awaiting the passengers for the day. We had a bit of a wait and moved along the wharf viewing all the vessels. I was particularly taken by Milford Mariner, part sail part cruising yacht. However, that was not our vessel – we boarded the Milford Monarch. The boat was not crowded at all. The biggest crowd was a bus tour. Our vessel was the last to sail. The photos will tell you what we saw. Kerry and I found the cruise disappointing – very little wildlife was visible and but for the evening showers overnight there would not have been any waterfalls.

Milford Mariner and Milford Monarch at the quayside, photos of the sound

Now I know the wildlife is not like a zoo but the promises of seeing Hector Dolphins, NZ fur Seals, Albatrosses and everything else was clearly just marketing. As explained by the staff “you’re here out of season”. We rejoined Barry and Sandi for the drive back to Te Anu, to hunt for dinner and play more Skipbo. During our hunt for dinner, we encountered one of the world’s smallest coffee venues. We all agreed that we would get our morning coffee there.

Day 5 Barry selecting his coffee, the coffee shop,

Episode 2 Our hunt for Invercargill follows. Keep reading to enjoy the whole safari.

THE RETIREES IN PERTH W.A. FOR THE CELESTIAL FESTIVAL

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Perth

We feel as though we have just got off the merry-go-round and we get back on to fly to Perth to support our youngest daughter treat Perth to the Celestial Festival. Carly puts together packages for readers of the books by Sarah Maas presenting a themed festival in a gothic setting so they can all dress up and “play” in the make-believe world – Yes, a masked ball! Hundreds of young and not so young people dress up and travel to each festival around Australia and Kerry is the dressmaker.

This adventure started Thursday morning with travelling by early morning flight to Perth and settling into our hotel the Europe in Murray St. Our plans would be shaped by the demands of the festival. Carly and her family were travelling on a later flight and staying at the QT Hotel; a little classier than the European. Kerry has relatives here just outside of Perth and we had plans to catch up with her cousin Ken and his wife Yena and a more distant relative Zenith.

We dropped into our hotel and left our luggage and then went exploring to find out what was around us. Murray St mall was 2 blocks down Murray St., Town Hall, where the festival would be held was nearby the mall and St Georges Tce. and the docks area was nearby. The architecture of the pre-Federation period, the statuary, and street furniture particularly at St Martins Centre was impressive. We had dinner with Carly and family at the Beef and Wine Company in St Georges Tce. and wandered through nighttime Perth. Some of our photos are below.

Photos – the Bell Tower by night, St Martins Centre

Kerry caught up with Carly regarding organisation for Saturday after which we caught the train to Yanchep, 56 klms north of Perth and part of the city of Wanneroo. Last time we were in Perth (quite a few years ago) the rail finished at Joondalup. The extension has been designed to allow the trains to travel at 130 klms per hr + or so we were told by a proud Rail worker, possibly a driver also catching the train to Yanchep.

The rail station is large and modern with 900 parking bays for residents travelling south. It seems someone has put some thought into the future of the rail line. Kerry’s stepbrother’s stepdaughter Zenith lives all the way out here. Zenith, her sister, and her mother and stepfather (Kerry’s stepbrother) had lived with us for a short time in Holland Park in Brisbane. So having determined that they were not related in anyway, we had remained friends with Zenith. We chatted with Zenith who is a proud owner of 2 French Bulldogs about “family”. We decided we would go to the beach for lunch. Zentih drove us to a beach side café with a terrific outlook over the beach and obviously popular even mid-week. We passed one couple coming back from the beach. Now g-string bikinis are now common place but for me, I find them unflattering on many girls who wear them and this girl was a point in question. However, there was a “knight” on a push bike riding hard to catch up with her. He called out “you have left your swimsuit on the beach” to the g-string bikini girl. We don’t know what happened after that, but he was closing in on her quickly. At least lunch was nice and we had a superb lookout at the view not just the girls.

Photos

We finished up at Yanchep after visiting the bottle shop to buy a bottle of whisky. Years ago, Kerry’s uncle Barry Ashworth, now deceased, and I developed a “partnership” – when we were together in person or by phone, we would have a drink of a single malt whisky. After Barry passed, Kerry’s cousin and Barry’s son Ken carried on the partnership. As we were catching up with Ken on Sunday, I purchased a 12-yr old bottle of Ardbeg single malt from the fair isle of Isla. We visited Isla some years ago and I had a fondness for the island’s whisky.

We travelled with Zenith to the rail station where we bid her goodbye and climbed aboard to return to Perth. That night we took a walk amongst the lights of Perth.

Saturday was the night of the festival and most of the day was taken up with a walk in the streets and then the festival in the evening at Town Hall. Our walk took us to the gardens of the Supreme Court of WA where a few pieces of bronze depict bits of the history of WA and some obscure pieces such as the pen nib bronzes depicting the rulings of the Courts I suppose. From there we went to the bell tower and the locks of love amassed on the wire fences to the statues in the parkland, the green bridges connecting bits and pieces then St Martins Place and its walk through a small piece of WA history from the Dutch to the English to the colony then the state and federation.

Photos: Trinity Arcade, Percy Button bronze, explorer and politician Alexander Forrest statue, the Old Supreme Court building now a museum of early law enforcement in WA, various statues in Stirling Gardens

We ended up at Perth’s oldest colonial structure – the original Court house. It is located between Stirling Gardens and Supreme Court Gardens, off Barrack Street, adjacent to the Supreme Court building. It is a single-storey cream rendered building, with a wooden shingle roof. Completed in 1836, it is the city’s oldest surviving public building. The Old Court House currently houses the Old Court House Law Museum, operated by the Law Society of Western Australia, which focuses on the history of the law, legal issues and the legal profession in Western Australia.

We returned to the hotel to rest and then Kerry met with Carly and her band for preparation for the festival. What happens at the festival stays on Facebook, so I won’t bore you with all that. I was surprised to bump into Ken’s son Arden who had come to help Carly with knocking down and packing up all her gear.

Sunday was a day of rest for everyone but us. Ken and his wife Yena arrived to take us on a tour to Cottesloe Beach, and I presented him with the whisky. A broad smile decorated his face. So, we enjoyed a grand tour to Cottesloe and onto the beach with Ken giving us his version of history of Perth. The Sculpture by the Sea Exhibition was celebrating its 21st anniversary and Sunday was the 2nd last day. On arriving at the beach, Ken dropped Kerry, Yena and me off and went on a safari to find a carpark. Kerry bought the guidebook in readiness of Ken’s return and then we waited. Ken found a park some 800m away. Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe is a premier free outdoor art exhibition held annually on Perth’s iconic Cottesloe Beach, Western Australia. The 21st exhibition featured over 70 sculptures from local and international artists along the sea wall, sand, and grassed areas.

Photos of some artistic pieces in St Georges Tce on the way to Cottesloe Beach and the Sculptures by the Sea.

We strolled through the exhibition for a couple of hours until we could feel a thirst coming on. No chance of sitting quietly looking at the sea so we moved onto our lunch destination and enjoyed the quiet and the refreshing drinks. Ken continued our tour dropping us back at the Europe Hotel just on dusk. Ken and Yena are a happy couple which is great to see and good company.

Monday morning and our return to Brisbane. Now we had 2 extra suitcases courtesy of Celestial Events. Part of the reason for our trip was to help bring the props back to Brisbane. The flight was on time but not without a hitch as we were turned around due to a fault in the plane. Finally picked up the car at the terminal in Brisbane. We couldn’t find it for some time and between the airline delay and finding the car we had to pay a late fee of $60 which I recovered from the airline. Back to normal. Next trip is to New Zealand South Island to experience a real winter! Get ready for “THE REITREES EXPLORE THE SOUTH ISLAND”

THE RETIREES GO RACING – F1 MELBOURNE 2026

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Formula 1 Melbourne

5th March 2026 Thursday Day 1 – We had booked flights and accommodation so that we could attend the F1 race in Melbourne where we would catch up with my brother Greg, my cousin Sarah and her husband Mark who travelled over from the UK, Greg’s daughter and my niece Louise who also travelled from the UK as whilst she administers all the F1 races around the world lives in London and our friends David and Veronica with their daughters who travelled from Norman Park in Brisbane for the race. We stayed at the Sebel Hotel in Flinders Lane and took the tram out to Albert Park each day. 

As this was a first-time experience for Kerry and me, we did not know what to expect nor how to best manage seeing the event. After dropping our luggage at the hotel, we travelled to Gate 2 of Albert Park but could not find David and Veronica. They knew from experience that it was open slather on the first day so they had plonked themselves in one of the better grandstands. We were walking blindly on the inside of the track trying to locate them whilst they were comfortably seated in the grandstand on the opposite side of the track. After numerous phone calls and texts, they guided us to their seats in the grandstand where we were able to watch the super sports cars race. Tiffany, one of the daughters of David and Veronica has known one of the mechanics on the TGR Haas F1 Team for several years and Tiffany and her sister Amanda are regular race goers. As the shadows lengthened, we decided that was enough for the first day and we slowly fought through the fans to catch the tram back to the hotel. Before bed at the recommendation of the concierge of the hotel we dined across the road at an Indian/Nepalese restaurant. Good food and our hotel had an arrangement whereby we obtained a discount on our bill. Our eyes were too big for our bellies, and we went back to our hotel suite with two doggy boxes of food for later.

Photos the crowds building

Friday Day 2 – The next day promised to be busier and from our first days experience we returned to the track the following day, this time through Gate 5 which is on the opposite side of the track to Gate 2. On this day we brought with us the folding chairs which Veronica recommended we purchase as we would not have use of the grandstands. We had purchased entry tickets only and with our gained experience we would not do that again. The biggest difficulty was being able to see the race. Without the elevation provided by a grandstand every where we went, our view was obstructed by the two safety fences between us and the track. We tried several different spots. We learned that the speed of the cars was often so great that all we saw was a blur of the passing cars. Looking into a corner proved to be the second-best view as the drivers had to slow down to come into and out of the corners but the best view was the big screens showing the races – a bit like sitting in front of the tele at home. So, we found a spot under the trees amongst the food vans and near the toilets with a big screen to watch the race, Meanwhile David, Veronica, Tiffinay and Amanda had been given special passes by the TGR Haas team to lounge about in the Amex grandstand with catered food and sparkling wine for the day. I cannot recall what we had to eat and drink but it was not that.Saturday Day 3 – I think this was the day I telephoned my brother Greg about arrangements for Sunday after the big race. Greg and Mark had played golf on the Friday. He was staying with our UK cousins, and they planned to arrive by limousine around lunch time on Saturday at the pleasure of Formula 1. Louise had stumped up free tickets to the Amex grandstand where they (Louise, Greg, Sarah and Mark) were honoured guests. We had an arrangement to meet the 4 of them, and David and Veronica in Lygon St at one of two restaurants (Greg did not decide which one until he was sitting at the table in the restaurant of his choice only then remembering because of my enquiry that he had not cancelled the 2nd restaurant). As for us, this day we came in through Gate 8. We had got up and onto the tram much earlier than the day before and were surprised that a lot of people had done the same thing. We found what we thought was a superior spot than the previous day and settled in to watch the races. Within an hour of arrival, we decided that I would get some coffee. This was a lesson. On making my way to the coffee caravan, the line was 40 people deep and a second vendor the line was even longer. I waited in line and received a call from Kerry anxious that I may be lost. No, I was still in line and when I did get served the coffee, it was in a very small cup, cold and tasted like rat shit. Of course, this led to a visit to the toilets where the lines were even longer and the aroma was not as pleasant as waiting for coffee. We were joined by Veronica and David who had returned to the cheap seats. Even this spot was inferior to the big screen. We upped stumps and moved over to yesterday’s spot where we could at least watch the race. Kerry worked out that she could capture a bean bag to keep her leg up and at least be comfortable. Her fractured ankle was still giving her grief.

After racing had finished, the 4 of us tried to exit through Gate 8 but it had been closed for some reason, and we walked on to gate 9 and back to our hotel. Very slow progress due to the crowd. We bought 4 pizza slices and 4 ice creams and ate them at peace in our hotel room.

Photos Kerry and her bean bag,

Sunday Day 4 – I think we went to Gate 5 and ended up back at the big screen for the day. All the same problems, but we made ourselves comfortable for the day. During our trip we had made several excursions to the merchandise tents. The prices of the merchandise were outrageous, but people were buying it as though there was no cost-of-living crisis. We watch the finals of the sports cars and the F2 before the final heat of the F1 and after lunch the final of the F1 where the Queensland favourite Oscar Piastri spun out even before getting to the start line.

Photos: at the starting line, and on the podium

With the race over we made our way home showered and got changed to go to dinner in Lygon St. Dinner was at a popular Italian restaurant and was very enjoyable. We were joined by Sarah, Sarah’s husband Mark (we had met my cousin Sarah in Brighton when visiting my cousin Terri and her husband Mick). Greg and Greg’s friend Kath – and Greg’s daughter/my niece Louise (the F1 International Race General Manager) also was there together with Louise’s friend. David and Veronica couldn’t make it which was a shame.

Louise looked very tired and Greg explained the demands of her job just for this event and all worldwide events. After dinner we walked done Lygon St which had been closed for the race so that all the Ferraris in Melbourne could be put on show.

I am too old to be tempted by fast cars so Kerry and I caught an Uber to the hotel bidding everyone farewell. We would have another 3 days before returning to Brisbane. Read on as to the rest of our adventure in THE RETIREES SIGHT SEEING IN MELBOURNE 2026

THE RETIREES SIGHT SEEING IN MELBOURNE 2026

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Monday 10th March Day 5 – Kerry visited a showing of Vivienne Westwood and Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons Exhibition at the National Gallery whilst I visited the Shrine of Remembrance.

The exhibition paired British designer Vivienne Westwood (1941-2022) and Japanese designer Rei Kawakubo (b. 1942) of Comme des Garçons. A display of more than 140 ground-breaking designs, the exhibition brought together fashion from international museums and private collections –alongside 100+ works from the National Gallery Collection. Kerry was excited by the promise of something special.

The Shrine of Remembrance is a war memorial located in Kings Domain on St Kilda Road. It was built to honour the men and women of Victoria who served in World War I but now functions as a memorial to all Australians who have served in any war. It is a site of annual observances for Anzac Day (25 April) and Remembrance Day (11 November) and is one of the largest war memorials in Australia.

Designed by architects Phillip Hudson and James Wardrop, both World War I veterans, the Shrine is in classical style, based on the Tomb of Mausolus at Halicarnassus and the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. Built from Tynong granite, the Shrine originally consisted only of the central sanctuary surrounded by the ambulatory. The sanctuary contains the marble Stone of Remembrance, upon which is engraved the words “Greater love hath no man” Once per year, on 11 November at 11 a.m. (Remembrance Day), a ray of sunlight shines through an aperture in the roof to light up the word “Love” in the inscription. Beneath the sanctuary lies the crypt, which contains a bronze statue of two soldiers, father and son, and panels listing every unit of the Australian Imperial Force.

The Shrine went through a prolonged process of development, which began in 1918 with an initial proposal to build a Victorian memorial. General Sir John Monash used the 1927 Anzac Day march to garner support for the Shrine and finally won the support of the Victorian government later that year. The foundation stone was laid on 11 November 1927, and the Shrine was officially dedicated on 11 November 1934.

Photos, The Shrine, Opening Day, the crypt – ANZAC cove landing craft, the Sanctuary and the Stone, and the view to the city.

2026.03.27 Shrine of Remembrance MelbourneDownload

Kerry was disappointed with the show at the National Gallery as many of the designs were impractical and impossible to be worn.

We spent the remainder of the day relaxing. Today’s events and the previous 4 days had been quite tiring.

Tuesday Day 6 – We decided to see Melbourne from the Yarra, so we booked a boat trip from Southgate Docks. We boarded the boat and headed to the mouth of the Yarra River. We passed the modern Melbourne through the Southbank Arts and Leisure precinct, the Sea Life Aquarium, Crown Casino, Melbourne convention Centre, then the historic “SS. Polly Woodside” under the Bolte Bridge into the harbour district turning around at Westgate Bridge and returning to the dock. The cruise offered trips to the docks and to the parks and gardens upriver, so we stayed aboard for the 2nd part of our cruise passing the National Tennis centre, Botanic Gardens, Sporting Arenas, historic Cosmo House & Gardens up to Herring Island where the boat about faced and went back to the start.

Photo: copy of the map of the Yarra cruise

cruise map of YarraDownload

After a spot of gaming at the Casino, we headed home to the hotel and rested as we were going to the Comics Lounge at North Melbourne for dinner and a laugh. Trams are the best way around Melbourne proven again by our travelling to the venue without a hitch in the mid-week evening rush from work for Melbournians. We arrived early and whilst Kerry rested her foot (it had been playing up due to the exercise it had endured for the week) I inspected the architecture of North Melbourne – I found a few buildings of interest. Unfortunately, the Comics Lounge did not impress us. The comics thought it necessary to be rude and crude and dinner lacked anything exciting. We pulled up stumps at half time and went home.

Wednesday Day 7 – Kerry had spotted a balloons festival at the Convention Centre and for our last day in Melbourne it struck us as an easy visit to undertake without really knowing what to expect. Well, it was spectacular (funny how the unexpected can be UNEXPECTED). Tens of thousands of ballons twisted into shapes I thought impossible. It delighted the kids attending including these big kids. The most surprising was a little shy girl who was possessed with having to play the drums (no not made from balloons) in one of the sets – no idea what to do but beat the drum.

Photos

It only took an hour to go through the multiple setting from Africa to Australia to the Moon and Space. We both enjoyed the festival and after a coffee we made our way home. Our time in Melbourne was coming to an end. Suitcases to fill and planes to catch as we were due in Perth in 7 days. Next time we will be THE RETIREES AT A CELESTIAL EVENT – PERTH 2026.

THE RETIREES PREPARE FOR CHRISTMAS/NEW YEAR 2025-26.

Pre – Christmas 2025

Christmas was just around the corner and although we did not have the joy of putting on the Christmas dinner there were errands to do.

Those errands took us to Westfield Carindale and that is where our luck started to change. In one of the elevators, we ran into this fellow giving me quite a start. We had caught him having his lunch break and despite his calm demeanor in the photo below I now think he placed Kerry under a spell and before we knew it, we had finished shopping at Samuel St Camp Hill and walked done the stairs into the carpark. Kerry had very carefully held the railing going down the stairs, but she missed her step and ended up face down in the car park. She fell to the floor fracturing her ankle on the way down. She knew she was in trouble and just lay there. Looking back, I hold the bearded fellow responsible.

Photos: at Carindale and Kerry in the car park

The Woolworths store provided a member of staff to sit with her and called the ambulance. The Ambos raced her off to Greenslopes Hospital emergency department where she was triaged and her ankle and foot were placed in a caste. This lasted about a week or more until she could be seen by a specialist lower limb doctor Dr. Miller. After x rays the caste was replaced with a moon boot which was to stay in place from the beginning of December to early February – not an entirely happy Kerry at Christmas.

Christmas/New Years Eve

Still the moon boot did not stop her from dancing on New Years eve. Photos – Kerry in caste then moon boot and her ankle after the boot. Dale and Zdravka, Vladimir and wife

Post New Year

The moon boot came off, but we had to keep up the treatment on her ankle. For some time, she had received treatment for a sack of fluid hanging off her right kidney, but the pain continued so the moon boot came off and then she was in hospital for the removal of the fluid sack. In fact, it was on her birthday, Kerry was admitted to hospital for surgery to remove the sack by 5 keyhole incisions.

Now I have been on the Board of Directors of a licenced Club for some time and circumstances pushed me into the position of Chairman of the Board. I needed Kerry to recover quickly. The surgery was quite an experience, but I was hardly coming to grips with caring for Kerry when there was a tragic incident at the Club. That was an experience.

So, Kerry now had wounds from her surgery and a sore foot, and the Club was in turmoil requiring my attention. I buckled down, nursed Kerry with due care and concern and dealt with the incident at the Club with due care and concern, in the hope we would still be able to travel to Melbourne for the F1 race in roughly two weeks’ time. They say everything happens in 3s and good fortune was coming our way again. We got on the plane to Melbourne for the Formula 1 as scheduled on Thursday 5th March 2026. Keep following along and see how we fared at F1 in “THE RETIREES GO TO THE F1 IN MELBOURNE“

THE RETIREES SAIL TO MELBOURNE FOR THE CUP – NOVEMBER 2025

Melbourne Cup 2025

I don’t have great fondness for horse racing generally. My Dad on the other hand enjoyed the mental exercise (he did not place a bet other than on the Melbourne Cup) that racing gave him to try to pick winners and he dedicated a lot of time to finding the formula to pick the winners. Now if he had found the formula and shared it with me, I might have had a different view about horse racing. As he did not find the secret my hunger to follow the “Neddies” has become limited to buying sweep tickets in the Cup.

2025 was going to be different.

With an “all clear” from my doctors, we booked plane tickets to Sydney, and tickets to sail to Melbourne with Carnival Cruises on the SS Carnival Adventure for the race day and then return. The thought even invigorated Kerry to make a new dress. By November she had sold the business leaving her with time to draft the pattern, find the fabric amongst the stockpile she had collected in 40 years of manufacturing dance costumes and produce the race day dress. Little did we know the challenges that would come with the planned adventure and beyond.

The flight to Sydney went smoothly, and we found our ship at dock awaiting the weighing of the anchor. On Board we had a large cabin with its own deck. The cabin was very pleasant in fact as the picture below demonstrates. Even the design with the bathroom tucked away behind the hanging space and cupboards was practical and comfortable. The ship departed Sydney Harbour as my photos below show providing us with a grand view of the Opera House, Naval docks, and the Sydney Heads. Outside of the heads, ocean as far as the eye could see. There were two days at sea and then we found ourselves in Port Phillip tying up at a terminal showing its age.

Photos – Departing Sydney, the Ship, farewell Sydney, our cabin and the terminal in Melbourne.

Carnival Cruises have the reputation of being a party ship. Well, there were not a lot of young people on board and the playgrounds on the upper decks were not filled with screaming children. That suited us. We walked the length and breadth of the ship and following are photos giving you an idea of the facilities aboard ship.

Photos – the Pool deck, Restaurant entertainment, the Night Club, the onboard Mare

We spent two days in Melbourne – one for the Cup and the other roaming around Melbourne. Race day started with a bus trip to Flemington Racecourse and the first indication of the massive crowd I would have to contend with all day. First of all we had to find the seats we had booked under cover and a clear view of the winning post. The throng of people was getting to me but I knew I was here for the day. Kerry had sewn a special frock for the event. Some might say it does not look special but she cut it out, sewed it up and looked very sweet in my view. We both had success with our bets which for us was rather unusual but lifted my mood from the maddening crowd. The pictures of the stands don’t tell the story of the crowds. This is very early on in the day.

Photos – Kerry’s frock, the Stands at Flemington, and some of the runners in the big race.

We returned to the ship again by bus so the bucket list was ticked off for the Melbourne Cup. All in all, the cruise and their organisation to get us to and from the course worked well.

We spent two days in Melbourne – one for the Cup and the other roaming around Melbourne. We went to the Crown Casino (professional interest only as a director of a Licenced Club in Brisbane). On the way we discovered a Chocolate Shop and sat down in the arcade to enjoy a delicious hot chocolate. One of the missing things on board the ship was a good hot choclate. Once the time ashore ended, we sailed back to Sydney. Aside from the entertainments on board ship we occupied our selves by reading. Fortunately we had brought books as the ships library was pathetic. Sailing back to Sydney did seem a waste of time, but it gave us time to relax, read and our return to Melbourne for the Formula 1 race in March. Little did we know that fate would dash those plans. It all started with preparations for Christmas – you need to read about it in THE RETIREES PREPARE FOR CHRISTMAS 2025. .

“THE RETIREES GO AROUND THE WORLD – Singapore Day 5“

Today Raffles is synonymous with Singapore. Sir Stamford Raffles secured control over the strategically located Singapore from local rulers in 1819 to secure British access along the Strait of Singapore and the nearby seas in the region, particularly the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. The Anglo–Dutch Treaty of 1824 established their respective spheres of influence, with the Dutch relinquishing their claims to Singapore. A transshipment port was subsequently established in Singapore for maritime trade between Europe and Asia.

While Raffles was largely credited for the founding of contemporary Singapore, the early running of day-to-day operations was mostly done by William Farquhar, who served as the first Resident of Singapore from 1819 to 1823. Raffles returned to England in 1824, where he died on his birthday in 1826 at the age of 45. His legacy remains significant in Singapore, most notably the Raffles’s Landing Site, as well as his name being a common sight in numerous entities and institutions throughout the country.

Raffles Singapore began as a private beach house in the 1830s, leased by the Sarkies Brothers in 1887 and reopened as a grand hotel named after Sir Stamford Raffles, quickly becoming a legendary landmark for wealthy travelers with its colonial elegance. It expanded significantly through the early 1900s, hosted famous guests like Rudyard Kipling, faced challenges including bankruptcy and Japanese occupation, was declared a National Monument in 1987, and underwent major restorations to preserve its historic grandeur for modern luxury, reopening in 1991. It was impeccably presented and continues to provide grandure and luxury to its guests. There is a hall that has been turned into a hall of fame with pictures of all the wealthy and important people who have stayed in the hotel. There is a roof top pool, dining spaces, bars and other luxurious retail spaces. It has a shopping arcade with 40 speciality boutiques including the high end brands of course. We made a visit to the Long Bar and the gift shop but took a look at everything else. One thing the hotel does not have is a simple cafe serving coffee but outside in the arcade across the road we discovered just that, a simple cafe. The arcade wall had been decorated with street art of the life style of Singapore. Two of the paintings are pictured below.

The historic Long Bar is where the Singapore Sling, widely regarded as the national drink, was first mixed in 1915. Today the rich, earthy decor of the two-storey bar is inspired by Malayan life in the 1920s, in keeping with the relaxed atmosphere, guests are invited to brush peanut shells off the bar and onto the floor – quite possibly the only place in Singapore where littering is encouraged. This unique custom dates back to the 1900s, when rubber and plantation owners from Malaya would often gather at the bar on weekends. As peanuts were offered to them, they would casually brush the shells onto the ground and over time, this casual habit evolved into a beloved tradition that continues to this day. We tried the Singapore Sling which is based on gin and snacked on the peanuts that are liberally spread across all tables and the Long Bar. Kerry was not a Sling drinker so I held up my end by drinking both and we left our peanut shells behind. See our pictures below.

After the fiasco concerning the limo drive to the airport, we decided to visit the Botanic Gardens and in particular the National Orchid Garden. Again the temperature was equatorial and humid so our walk of 1 klm to the orchid gardens was draining. At the 800m mark we found a coffee shop and took a break. The fellow traveller sitting in front of us had brought her greyhound who also looked hot and bothered like us. After a recovery coffee we battled on arriving at the entrance with its clock. After paying the entrance fee we stepped into a wonderland of colour.

With over 1,500 species and 3,000 hybrids on display, the splendour of these gorgeous blooms is absolutely a sight to behold. The gardens include a bromeliad collection and the occassional carnivorous plants. I have collected my pictures below but suggest a visit to https://www.nparks.gov.sg/sbg/our-gardens/tyersall-entrance/national-orchid-garden . It was well worth the effort.

It was 1 klm to walk in and the same going out. We took some excursions from the main path and discovered a memorial to Frédéric Chopin (1810 – 1849). Made of bronze, the sculpture weighs a hefty half a tonne. It overlooks the Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage, where orchestras play regularly for public audiences. The last frame is the monitor lizard that passed us by as he headed in for a look at the glorious blooms.

We made it back to the hotel and collected our bags and arranged a cab to the airport (if we wanted a limo like yesterday it was Singaporean $145.00. The cab was less than Singaporean $40.) From the time of dropping off the luggage we felt we could breath again and sit down and relax. The trip was painless and home was there to welcome us. I don’t know when we will do it all again or where it will be. Wherever it be we will find something off the beaten track. See you again perhaps!

“THE RETIREES GO AROUND THE WORLD – Singapore Day 3 and 4“

We awoke early this morning as we had decided to visit Sentosa Island with plans to ride the cable cars. Of course we had to work out the underground to travel to the island. Once we reach the Terminus for the train we were hopeful of catching the cable car across to the island. But the cable car was being serviced that week, so we travelled on the monorail.

Interestingly the underground train and the monorail both reminded me of Beijing and Hong Kong – struggling against the tide of people trying to get into the rail car. Despite the throng when we arrived the place looked deserted. There were 5 to 6 stops on the monorail and maybe they all got off at earlier stations than the terminus. On arriving the directional signs took us to the beach where the only other people there was a family under a red umbrella. No waves to be found but the bay was cluttered with ships at anchor. Not much excitement there so we followed the signs to the ski lifts – yes we are on the equator and they are using ski lifts. The reason is that under the ski lift there is a raceway so you can hire the car to ride down the hill and you dragged your car up the hill by dragging it from your lift. I could not work out if the nets were to catch falling passengers or falling cars.

We weren’t ready for the race so we left the ski lift at the top station and walked around to the cable car which we thought was not operating. Yes it was operating but not the connections to the mainland. Still we thought we ought to catch the cable car to see more of the island. The cable car terminated at the treetop walk. Now the temperature was bloody warm, my disposition was cranky due to my various ailments and there was no lift to take us to the treetop climb. We stayed aboard and went back to the ski lift as we had spotted an air conditioned ice cream shop with tables and chairs.

We made our way back to the hotel to get ready to transfer across to Raffles the following day.

Day 4 and we start preparing to check out Park Royal Collection Hotel and make the move across to Raffles Singapore. We caught a cab even though the hotel was nearby. We did not feel like dragging our luggage in the heat of the day. Arriving at Raffles we were met by the traditional Sikh Doorman at the front door of the hotel and shown inside to the reception office. Our room was not ready so we decided to check out our home for the next 2 nights.

The entrance was grand with a huge chandelier and flower bouquet. Beyond the back staircase is the reception room – guests only no visitors allowed. Leading off the entrance foyer was a dining area and the “High Tea” service area. Kerry had this itch and desire for a high tea and as high teas go it was expensive but exquisite. After our high tea we moved to the relaxing lounges on the floor above .

Finally our room was available and we were guided to the room (formerly part of the stables of the original hotel) where we met our butler who guided us through the use of the tablet to operate the room. I will mention an incident that happened on the 2nd day of our stay. Kerry was certain we had to catch our flight so rather than check we packed and got ready to go by limo to the airport. We said good bye to the hotel and I have included her picture with the Doorman. We drove to the airport only to be told our flight was the following day so we cabbed it back to the hotel and asked for our keys back for 1 more night. They assured us we were not the first to make that mistake.

So my next blog will deal with some of the facilities at the hotel and a visit we made to the Orchid Gardens which is part of the Botanic Gardens of Singapore. Get ready for “THE RETIREES GO AROUND THE WORLD – Singapore Day 5“

“THE RETIREES GO AROUND THE WORLD – Singapore Day 2“

We had planned on catching the bus on Day 2 to visit places on the Yellow line of the hop on hop off tour route. A restful night and we were getting ready to get on the move again. Kerry hopped in the shower but was suddnely overcome with dizziness and despite calling me to the shower ended up falling over. She passed out and I was able to wake her and together we got her to a seated upright position. Fortunately she had not done any harm but she was still light headed. She said she only wished to rest today and urged me to go off on my own. After arranging breakfast I took off to catch the bus before 9.40am which was the expiration of my tour ticket. I got to the bus by the skin of my teeth and travelled the yellow route the the rest of the day.

The yellow route tended to travel north west to south east whereas the red route had travelled north east to south west. So I caught the red route bus to the terminus then changed bus to the yellow route. The first stop was near the Singapore Flyer – a ferris wheel overlooking the outer bay. It then followed the red route to the Gardens by the Bay then meandered through the CBD out to the Botanic Gardens and then returned to the terminus at the Suntech Mall. I again transferred to the red route to return to the hotel. The following is a pictorial of some of the sites along the way.

On the first day we had passed the Yueh Hai Ching Temple. I decided I would visit the temple which required I get off the tour bus at the Fullerton Hotel and wind my way back to Phillip St and find the temple. The Temple is walled and the front doors being open I stepped into the square at the front of the temple. Yueh Hai Ching Temple is also known as the Wak Hai Cheng Bio from its Teochew pronunciation. The temple, whose name literally means “Temple of the Calm Sea”, was the first stop for Chinese immigrants to Singapore in the early 19th century. Philip Street was once near the sea, so that sailors could head to the temple immediately after docking to offer their prayers and gratitude for their safe journey . Due to land reclamation, the temple was effectively distanced from the shore.

There are in fact two temples. The right temple is dedicated to Xuan Tian Shang Di, otherwise known as Duo Lau Yah. The left temple is dedicated to Tian Hou Sheng Mu, otherwise known as Ma Zu. The Xuan Tian Shang Di is a god worshipped by the Taoist. It is very much respected and worshipped by the secret societies in 19th Century. Mazu is worshipped as she guides ships to safety in times of peril. Our son Adam has throughout his life been a Chinofile is now a highly accomplished Mandarin speaker, writer and translator. After his service in the military and before retiring he served representing Australia in Beijing for 3 years. Because of his interests in matters Chinese I sent him photos of the temple and its Chinese scripts and he was the first to alert me tothe fact that the Temple in fact worships two Gods namely Duo Lau Yah and Mazu. Here are my photos.

I wanted to send him images of the manuscripts on the walls for his interest and my need to have a translation so I took further photos with my phone for ease of transfer.

I have forgotten what Adam told me about the different scriptures but understanding that there are two temples and these manuscripts were prepared at different times I begin to understand why there are marked differences.

I returned to Kerry at the hotel. She was feeling better and I think we may have taken a walk to obtain dinner that night. All of the various cafes and restaurant all seemed to fire up after dark. “THE RETIREES GO AROUND THE WORLD – Singapore Day 3“