2005 takes off

The new  year started well with  a "Tuareg" New Year's party at "The Shusters"

A few days later we took off on our annual round the world trip

  (to get in that extra summer each year, that we promised ourselves a few years ago!).  This years trip was "Eastabout", not our favorite way round because of the jet lag problems. 

The first leg was to Sydney via Bangkok & then up to Queensland to stay with Kerry & Colleen Stephen at their superb holiday home at Sanctuary Cove.   (Kerry is ex-RAN & ex-Dartmouth, but we excuse that!)  We had a superb relaxed week enjoying the facilities of Australia's premiere resort. The only downside was that Colleen slipped on the stairs, on about the 4th day, and broke her leg. This was to put her out of action for about 6 weeks, but in true Oz style she carried on smiling throughout.

The second leg of our 2005 Big Trip was across to Perth where we were met by and stayed with Mike & Mary Mitchell who we hadn't seen for over 30 years. We had one night in their wonderful Perth home before going on to meet and stay with another even older friend of Les - Phil Mayne.   Les hadn't seen Phil since 1964 when Les was at Cranwell and Phil was off on his first "cruise" in a Royal Navy destroyer.  

This visit all came about after Phil traced Les through a web site - previously Phil had received two reports of Les's death - one reported suicide and one "poor old Les is dead" report. I think Phil was pleased to find me alive!!!

We only had 4 days in Perth because of our previously organised schedule - so we divided our time equally..... We were met & entertained by Mike & Mary joined Phil & Debbie for two days & then returned to Perth  Mary is an interior designer so they had a wonderfully stylish home that had featured in Australian magazines.

Mike & Mary drove us out into the Bundu to Phil's place where we were welcomed to a typical Aussie BBQ with the most delicious steaks!  Phil and his wife Debbie, who we met for the first time, live in the outback east of Perth. Their home is a beautiful small holding that they built themselves in the quaint Australian village of Wooroloo. (Obviously named by a very lost drunken Royal Navy sailor trying to find the train station to Portsmouth!)  Debbie, like our daughter Danielle, is an animal lover so they keep a variety of animals.  Phil, long retired from the Royal Navy, has a Gallery and framing business in the local town and is no mean artist.  Jill, a fellow artist & sculptor, who understands these things, was especially impressed with his talents!

Phil showed us around the area for a few days & then Mike & Mary joined us again for lunch. We all went to Western Australia's finest French Restaurant. (Apparently like us, Cliff Richard eats there when he's in Perth.)

After an interesting and thoroughly enjoyable few days with Phil & Debbie in Wooroloo we returned to Perth for another enjoyable stay with Mike & Mary before flying back  to Sydney to begin stage 3 of our trip ...

Sydney from about 1000 metres - taken by "I don't know how this camera works" - Jill Quigley!

Our Winter Cruise

This year's cruise was the reverse of the cruise that we did last year - this time we were cruising from Sydney to Auckland. By sheer coincidence there was a couple on board who we were quite well acquainted with Peter & Maureen Thorndyke. They are neighbours of Geoff & Chris Fitchett.  Jill used to play tennis with Peter, and we had met them at numerous functions and parties over the years. Amazingly with around 1,600 passengers on board, we bumped into them as they were boarding in Sydney!   (Right Peter & Maureen sharing a punt with us in Christchurch, New Zealand - no it's not me punting!) Our first port of call was Melbourne where we had booked centre court tickets for the Australian Open Tennis Tournament......

However, I had also made contact with an old Cranwell mate, John Liddell, who now lives in Melbourne.  Time was a problem, but John had arranged a breakfast rendezvous. We met up with John and his wife Glenis and spent several enjoyable hours reminiscing and catching up on 40 years news before going off to the Open. LEFT - Glenis & John Liddell

How could Jill go to Melbourne during the "Open" & not go to the tennis? - We just had to go!

After Melbourne it was across to Tasmania, then over the Southern Ocean to New Zealand finishing at Auckland - quite a posh ferry really!  Luckily the weather was perfect as it can get very rough over that pond! Right - Leaving Hobart for NZ

We were sailing Princess Cruises, which we have done several times, however, we were not as happy with the food or service as on other cruises - especially when one of the crew stole £20, $20 US & 20 Euros off me (The emergency money that I carry in my glasses case), and no action was taken despite our knowing with 99% certainty which crew member had taken it!

Left - Jill teaching the natives the Haka   Right - the view from our hotel window - one of the many geysers that spout in Rotarua!

When I found that you could charter a Floatplane and fly over the local (extinct) volcano there was no stopping me. Unfortunately since I'm officially grounded, and do not have a float plane endorsement on my licence (there isn't a single examiner in the UK!) we had to have a proper pilot - a young lady no less!

An interesting experience - it left the water like a pregnant duck - but once  it got flying speed it was fine.

From New Zealand we headed for the most exotic place that we dreamed of in our youth - Tahiti!  What a disappointment - It was not the smart sophisticated French Polynesian Island of our dreams - it was rather drab and dirty, and whilst we were there very wet.  Despite staying in the Intercontinental (supposedly the best, and certainly most expensive resort on the island), we were actually glad to leave for the next stage of or trip.

Jill wasn't looking forward to our next stop - L.A., - however, it proved to be a much better and friendlier place than we imagined.    In the event we had a superb time and will definitely return.

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