Our Australia & New Zealand Trip

October 2007 Flight to Australia After a 14 hour direct flight leaving San Francisco at 11 pm, we arrived in Sydney around 6 a.m. two days later due to a 17 hour time change. We found our hotel to be a haven for backpackers and surfers. It was a Hotel - warm, dry, clean, reasonable, and in a district resembling Berkeley near the college. Lots of "funky" shops, trendy restaurants, moderate traffic noise. There is a park and an Anglican Church in the block near the Rooftop Travelers Lodge where we were staying.

We contacted John Frederick, a chap Walt has known since 1948 - schooled together until 1962. The four of us (Roseann & Walt Krane, and KC & Richard Jan, joined John and we walked to an excellent local restaurant called Auto for lunch.



John and Walt had lots of catching up - 40 years of living, families, joys, and tragedies and many stories by all to share and enjoy.

John whisked us off on a bus and took us on a tour of Sydney where we found a mixture of beautiful old architure and new buildings.

When we went to the wharf where the men are standing at a sculture, and in the inchanting light misty rain of spring, we boarded a ferry boat to Manly. It was a very nice Ferry ride where we saw the people enjoying sailing. We sailed past the outstanding bridge and the beautiful distinctive Opera house and fabulous shore line.

It is a principal beach town similar to Santa Cruz California but the weather had discouraged all but the hearty and tourist curiosity seekers like us.

We dodged raindrops and had a nice walk to see the blue Pacific. After viewing the sufers and childen playing on the beach we returned back to the boat snapping pictures and concurrently talking along the way.

We were greeted by 6 o'clock traffic jams but made it safely back on a bus to our hotel. Mr. Sandman and Mr. Jetlag were waiting and zapped us immediately. We were asleep before the light was completely out.

The second day John came for us and we went again by bus to the downtown area where we shopped the Paddys Market. Then we met Jocelyn, John's wife, and went to Chinatown for lunch. After lunch we went to the Hay Market area to look at the outlet stores and returned home after 3 to rest. At 6:30 John and Jocelyn picked us up and we drove to the Sydney Opera house where we saw "The Gondoliers." The singing and costoming were wonderful but Roseann, Walt, and Jocelyn were the most dressed up at the opera house. October 26 Friday After a quick cup of coffee in the room...off we went to see the adventures of Sydney with JohnFrederick as guide. Once more we departed via local bus line, to "the rocks" this time...originally a quarry site where convicts cut the sandstone blocks that built the original buildings in Sydney. Now, it is an up-scale shopping area,whereshopping prevails....tourist but different. Ran into alot of gator skin goods...pricy and neat.

John's wife and two of her friends joined us for lunch in a traditional Aussie pub...fish 'n chips, ale, and such....I had rubs (different)...I know I wouldn't get them on the ship for sure....a big serving...tasty...probably walked 7-8 miles total...our feet tired but averall OK.

We then went to the old customs buliding - traditional Colony architecture -they have a minature city under a glasss floor in the lobby - unique and neat - shopppedaround in a big department store..in the tradition of a Macy's of the 30's - neat place....stopped at Woolworths (yes woolworths) for candy for all...can't believe the variety...Aussies love their sweets - back to bus and home. Pack for the boat, leaving a 6PM tomorrow evening cruising.