10/30 through 11/3 - The way Home

10/30 & 10/31 -  We shared pizza with Chris & Mick and we were treated to a beautiful sunset in Sydney.
 

We spend the next morning tidying up.  Our shuttle driver was late - he hadn't slept well and closed his eyes for just a few momenta... Until his boss called him about 30 minutes after he was supposed to pick us up.  He was a nice guy, very apologetic, and took the back roads and got us to the airport in about 35 or 40 minutes.

The flight to Auckland was good.

11/1/2012 - Lee had scheduled a day in Auckland to break up the trip.  He tried to change it, but declined after hearing about the $450 charge.

We shuttled back to the airport, checked our luggage for the 10 pm flight, stowed our carry-ons with a service and bused into the city.

I forgot to take the camera - dammit!  We went to the best Art Museum ever.

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki was fabulous - though we were 10 days too early to see the "Who Shot Rock & Roll" Exhibition.  I would love to have this picture of Mick Jagger - he wasn't my favorite, but this is intriguing.

We lunched at the Queen's Ferry Tavern - BEST fish & Chips ever!  

Went back to the airport and hung in the Air NZ lounge til flight time. 

Apparently the All Blacks (NZ's Rugby Team) confiscated our airplane so we didn't get the cool touch screens for watching movies and music.  Oh well...

Arrived at the hotel, did a short walk about, had a nice dinner at the restaurant.

11/2 and 11/3 - We got up and caught the shuttle to the airport and then the bus to the train station.  We hung around with a tour group waiting for our train.  This group had started out in Chicago and were supposed to go to NY and environs, but Super storm Sandy messed that up!

Our compartment was right next to the lady in charge of our car.  It had 2 seats facing each other.  In the evening they folded into one bed and then the top bunk was pulled down.  It was comfy - for the most part.

We were on the correct side for some fabulous views.  The train went along the coast until Central California and then over through Redding and up into Oregon.  

It was strange to come back from Southern Spring and the later light to our Autumn and early dark.
Our train lady set up our beds and we settled in - Lee in the lower bunk. 

Notice the net ready to catch me if I roll out too far?

Next day we curved in almost to the Crater Lake Area... It is good to see the Fall colors.

We arrived a tad late because the train had to stop and let one of the cars dislodge (someone owns that car - would love to have seen it) and THEN the engine needed service... RALLY???  Why didn't they know this earlier?

Anyway, we were met by Kelly, Wanda, Doug, and Joan (Best Friends Forever!!!) - what a great way to come home!!

It has taken me almost a month to finish this blog, but it is finally done.   Thank you everyone for following our adventures - hope you like this, let me know how we can improve!!!

Love to all, Lee & Di

10/29 - Sculpture By The Sea at Bondi Beach

10/29/2012 - We took a bus to Burwood Station and caught the train, with one connection, to Bondi Station to meet Kevin & Jenny.  When we visited Bondi before with them, we only walked to the Iceberg Club so we didn't realize that there is a magnificent walking path on beyond the club.

This is the south end of Bondi

North end

Iceberg pool

The weather was very nice - sunny and warm - and this walk is wonderful... and we aren't even on it yet!

A picture wherever you look!

The Sculpture by the Sea is an annual event and art is placed all along the walk.  In many cases you have to look up or down to see it.  They run from the spectacular to the odd, but this is a great way to display them all.

Colorful Gator or Croc

This caught the sunlight beautifully

Love this chili!

The shoreline itself was art!

Climbing Lady of wood

The Rocks were art, too.

The Waverly cemetery in the distance is said "to have a view to die for" - I agree.








This 'sculpture was more interesting when you got closer.  Tall stakes with bamboo tubes and little windmills... the closer you got, the more sound filled the air.

When we got up to the bamboo, we walked up to Marks Park where a large number of sculptures were displayed.   They also had a small building where the miniature pieces the artists submitted for entry into the exposition were shown.

There were so many... it was great. 

And I still cannot resist the shore.

Interesting

Fly rod Sculpture

End of our walk...

We took the bus back to the Bondi station, got the train and said 'Farewell' to Kevin & Jenny as we left to take another train to catch the River Cat up to Cabarita. 

Farewell Sydney!

Zoomed for a Final Farewell

The neighborhoods are fascinating.

Tomorrow will be a laundry and final walk about Cabarita day in preparation for our trip to Auckland and then LA.