Ira visits the Antipodes
 

Here is the view from our room at the Rendezvous Hotel The Rocks.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4533ef7cfe.jpg

((I))

My Lady Wife and I recently experienced a lovely visit to Australia and New Zealand.

Here is a short report on the visit.

Packed up the car and drove to Atlanta airport (ATL), where they had changed the roads and I couldn’t find the off-site lot I wanted. Ended up in “economy” parking, from which we had an unpleasant walk through the parking lot to the terminal. The return was much easier as there is courtesy transportation – if you know how to find it.

Off to Los Angeles, where we spent the night at the Hilton Curio Collection. A new super-modern hotel with all sorts of buttons and switches – eg, open and close the drapes. The next night it was off to Sydney on a really, really big Qantas Airbus A380. Although it was a very long flight (15 hr) it did not seem any worse than crossing the Atlantic (8 hr) in a smaller plane.

On arriving at SYD, we discovered that we had flown right past Wednesday and into Thursday The return trip was even faster, as we left SYD at 09:30 on Wed and arrived in LA at 06:30 the same day.

Very nice stay in Sydney at https://www.rendezvoushotels.com/hotel/sydney-the-rocks. Our fifth-floor room looked directly out over the harbor to the Opera House. (Insert Img 1670). The hotel does not offer breakfast, but there are several cafes very close by. In addition, there was a small kitchenette from which you could cook your meals if you wished.

Sunday, we taxied to the White Bay Terminal to embark The Noordam. The ship has a $20 special – all you can pack into the laundry bag. Very useful. We used it twice. =left

At 6:30 PM we set off for a 14 day tour around New Zealand. The scenery is spectacular, the people are wonderful, the wine is excellent. Pictures to follow. =left

After the cruise, we spent a few more days in Sydney at the same hotel, before the whirlwind flight back to LA. We spent two very interesting nights aboard the Queen Mary (hotel) before flying home.

More to come.
((i))

Interesting places to eat - in no particular order.

Creperie Suzette - across the street from the hotel. Very good for Breakfast.
Shiki Japanese Restaurant - about 1 blk down the street.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6960d74b52.jpg

Pony Dining - across the street from Shiki
Masuya (Japanese)Basement Level, 12-14 O'Connell St. Excellent
Sir Winston's at the Queen Mary Hotel. - Very, Very, Very Good

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e66ff2d8cd.jpg

More to come

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Great view fro your hotel in Sydney!

Looking forward to hearing about the cruise.

I just spent 45 min trying to download pix and arrange them properly.
The following is the result.

Tiger

((I))
I shall return.