Cricket, diving and NZ - how long to fit it all in?

Old Nov 21st, 2013, 09:42 PM
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Only impeccable colonial manners prevent the observation that after today's effort most of the others in his team will be hoping the press ignore them as well. Still, early days yet, in this Test and the series.
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Old Nov 22nd, 2013, 03:26 PM
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Annhig's at the cricket yesterday and today.

Probably didn't enjoy yesterday. Today - just started. Rogers out already!
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Old Nov 23rd, 2013, 11:16 AM
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I don't suppose ann has enjoyed today (yesterday?) very much either. England are at a disadvantage now, but credit to the Aussies who have been brutal in their domination.

So England are very likely to lose this first test, but the boys will fight back, the war for The Ashes is not over yet!
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Old Nov 23rd, 2013, 02:06 PM
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After the run of play and the culture shock of exposure to the mob at the Gabba annhig may have scarpered across the ditch already. But still a lot of time left in this match (even with a downpour or two), the Australians not noted for their consistency, and the Poms with Cook, KP, and Bell capable of big scores, as is Prior if he gets a start. Wouldn't want to put the Crown Jewels on them though.
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Old Nov 23rd, 2013, 02:09 PM
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margot -no streaming . Cricket Australia won't allow it. You can get the free from CA though.
Fairly sure it was only the Brisbane papaer that said stuff about Broad.
Great 100's by Warner and our captain.
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Old Nov 24th, 2013, 01:22 PM
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Despite their mauling in Brisbane, unless they've been left completely shell-shocked, the Poms should be in with a big show next up in Adelaide where the slow track will be much more to the liking of their (usually) formidable batting line up, and where Mr Swann is likely to get his act together. It's likely there'll be more terror for the Poms in Perth, but then there's Melbourne to balance things up, so by the time of the final Test in Sydney it's possible the teams may be locked at two a piece, or, with draws more likely in Adelaide and Melbourne, two - one (and remember the Poms only have to draw the series to keep the Ashes).
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Old Nov 24th, 2013, 01:58 PM
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It seems that the fast bowling brought the English undone. Comment from one of the cricket writers that I liked – “It’s fast bowling that puts the “test” into Test cricket”.

Imagine if the sides are locked at two wins each come the Sydney test. That match would then be something to see!

Imagine if it's two each, and a tied test in Sydney!
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Old Nov 25th, 2013, 10:52 AM
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northie

The streaming from Cricket Australia is not free - they're charging a subscription for it - not much - but.....Mongrels!

Interesting that day 4 had very small crowd. And Trott has gone home.

I'm home just in time for the Sydney test - really looking forward to it.

Hello, Ann.....
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Old Dec 1st, 2013, 01:21 AM
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margo_oz

Some sites say costs but if you go to https://appsto.re/au/yAJ8Q.i
It's free
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Old Dec 2nd, 2013, 01:32 AM
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Thanks, Northie, but....

needs one of those i devices! - as far as I can see.
i'll check it out when the cricket starts again.
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Old Dec 2nd, 2013, 10:38 AM
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Here in the UK I use Wiziwig.

Google it, open the website then click on live sports; you'll get a list of all sports which are live at that time throughout the world. Choose and click on the blue live stream button.

You will probably have to download an adblocker if you don;t already have one to get rid of the constant adverts.
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Old Dec 3rd, 2013, 02:59 PM
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Julia

Excellent - I should be able to pick up Test Match Special, over there, then!
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Old Dec 8th, 2013, 12:14 AM
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Farrramog - how wrong can you be?

[though it pains me to write that, as you can imagine]

we've been present for both England car crashes - the first in person in the Gabba on that notorious 2nd afternoon, [the Gabbatoir as they are calling it in the Aussie press] and the 2nd time vicariously, as we were watching on a pub telly in Wanaka NZ as M. Johnson took England apart on the 3rd afternoon.

Was that only yesterday?

it must seem like a lifetime to A. Cook and his mates.

Enough of this nonsense. Will the real England team now kindly take the stage in Perth and start to play some cricket!
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Old Dec 8th, 2013, 04:17 PM
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On April 29th, I wrote
"And Australia will CRUCIFY England in the Ashes series.


Sorry, but that's how it goes."

Anne commented that might be in my dreams.

Now, two / nil in the series is not yet a crucifiction. However, I do think that the Stations of the Cross is nicely under way.

Anne, I hope that you are having a great time in NZ. Looking forward to your trip report, as we have a few days in the South Island next Feb.

Cheers

Peter
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Old Dec 9th, 2013, 10:35 PM
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<Farrramog - how wrong can you be?>

Well, I did say "unless they've been left completely shell-shocked".

Remember though, that apart from benefiting from a rejuvenated Mitchell Johnson (apparently DK Lillee has been working with him), Australia has won the toss twice and has enjoyed other luck along the way. And it hasn't been all bad news for the Poms - Bell and Root have done well in difficult circumstances (compare the latter with his young Australian counterparts who are too inconsistent to keep a place in the team).

Watch out for those sandflies, or whatever they call them, in New Zealand - I was surprised that the light aircraft in which I very briefly visited Milford Sound in the depths of winter managed to pick up a few unwanted passengers.
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Old Dec 17th, 2013, 02:23 AM
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and today the Ashes return!!!
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Old Dec 20th, 2013, 01:33 AM
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Congrats to Peter, Farramog, Margo, and Northie. your lads done good.

And it hasn't been all bad news for the Poms - >>

so nice to see the Aussies so gracious in victory as ever!

seriously, the Aussies fully deserved their victories; to say that our team played embarrassingly badly is NOT to decry the achievement of Michael Clark and his team who outplayed us in every department. Quite why they were allowed to do so is still rather a mystery - rarely can a previously winning team have capitulated quite so comprehensively.

northie - we did look out for the sandflies but the little baskets still got to us, usually when we weren't expecting it, so had forgotten to use the insecticide spray before we had ventured out. It does work but only when you remember to use it of course. However, the GOOD NEWS for anyone who falls foul of them, is that if you use a roll-on deodorant on any bites, the pain goes away. Yes, we were sceptical too when our hosts at our wonderful Wanaka BnB told us this trick, but it really works.

Peter - the TR is underway, at least in my head! but if you've any specific Qs that I can help with in the meantime, bearing in mind that Feb isn't that far away, I'll be pleased to help.
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Old Dec 20th, 2013, 02:03 AM
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Finally, before starting the TR proper, I feel that I should do two things - firstly to thank all you kind people on this and on my numerous other threads for all the help you gave me in planning this trip, and secondly answer my own question, vis: How long did we need to fit it all in?

Firstly, and most importantly the thanks. We had a wonderful trip, thanks not in small part to all the people in fodors who give of their time so kindly and generously to help others to plan their trips. where we made mistakes, it was largely because I thought I knew better than those who were trying to give me advice. I know that we wouldn't have contemplated planning a trip like this without all your help, we are both very grateful.

Secondly, how long did we need?

Actually [not in small measure thanks to you all] we got the trip length and order just about right. Where we went [slightly] wrong is in how we divided it up.

at the risk of boring you all silly, this is what we did:

3 nights HK
5 nights Port Douglas
1 night Atherton Tablelands
5 nights Brisbane
4 nights NZ NI
13 nights NZ SI
5 nights Sydney.

in retrospect, a night less in each of Brisbane and Sydney and 2 more nights on the NI would have been a lot better. Melnq8 - you are right about driving in the SI of NZ, it's hard work. but the NI is even harder. you need to allow LOADS of time to get from one place to another, and we realised after our first full day there, that we had made a big mistake in thinking that we could drive from Auckland to Wellington via Napier in effectively 2 days. [the 2 days being the time we had allowed for the driving].

our realisation didn't help us in the NI where we were already locked into our itinerary, but it did in the SI where we jettisoned our stay in Te Anau in favour of 2 more nights in Wanaka. This was a great decision, not least because we had happened to book a night in quite the nicest BnB I've ever stayed in, AND they could accommodate us for the extra 2 nights. more of that in the TR but just to say that if you are contemplating staying in Wanaka, you ought to do so cos it's lovely, [much nicer than Queenstown] and if you do, try to stay at the Criffel Peak BnB. You'll be glad you did!

Otherwise, the itinerary worked reasonably well. The decisions to put our stay in N. Queensland and the test match at the beginning of the trip proved sound, as though it was hot, P. douglas [not Port Stanley as DH kept calling it! - must be his age] was still bearable, and DH enjoyed his diving. And the weather in Brisbane was bearable too, never going above about 28C unlike in Perth for the 3rd test where on some days it must have been close on 40C at the WACA. Sydney in mid December was very pleasant, not too hot, and not as busy as it would have been over Christmas and New year as we could see on our last day there when the city was noticeably busier than it had been on our first few days.

As someone said up-thread, you can't do everything and you'll be bound to be back, so remember that when planning your trip. I agree with all of that, and certainly a specific trip to WA when it's likely to be cooler is on the cards. And I'd love to return to N Queensland - the wild life is stunning. We had a great 2 days with a wild-life expert in between P Douglas and Brisbane [as recommended by toucan2] and we would love to spend more time in the area up at Daintree and perhaps beyond, preferably without leeches!

otherwise, Tasmania looks nice - and cooler!

Finally, the people. Soooo friendly. Even the ones around us in the crowd at the Gabba, were, individually speaking, charming.

Thank you folks, we'll be back!
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Old Dec 20th, 2013, 03:49 AM
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I'm glad you enjoyed your trip & had a good time, Annhig. We certainly enjoyed the cricket

Looking forward to your TR
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Old Dec 20th, 2013, 06:02 AM
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sorry to have missed you off my list of aussies to congratulate, bokhara2.

The one thing i missed whilst we were away was listening to the cricket commentary on the BBC. i know that Kerry O'Keefe is popular, but he can't hold a candle to TMS, although i suppose that not having to listen to G. Boycott continually telling us "i told you so" was an advantage.
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