Our final weeks in Australia were a whirlwind of packing and catching up with family and friends. Thank you to everyone who hosted events for us and had us as guests. We had a wonderful time.
View from the plane
After a 38 hour journey, we find ourselves on the other side of the world and at the start of a great adventure.
A photo of an Australian Kangaroo Paw taken in Bathurst.
Australian Kangaroo Paw
Kangaroo Paw is a plant included in the emblem of Western Australia.
Bathurst is an Australian town in New South Wales. Getting to Bathurst by train and bus takes about four hours. The scenery on the way is beautiful and rural.
We were in Bathurst to visit friends. The town has an attractive and family friendly feel. We happily strolled around with our friends’ two little boys running and playing ahead.
Park and two foozles
It was wonderful to catch up in person with old friends.
View of Bathurst and surrounding countryside
Bathurst courthouse
Bathurst war memorial in the town centre
Bathurst war memorial
A visit to Bathurst would not be complete without a circuit of the race track.
View from Bathurst race track
Wishing you a happy new year and all the best for the year to come.
Fireworks on New Years Eve in Melbourne
As in previous years, we ventured into the city to see the fireworks. I took my camera and filmed the complete New Years Eve 2012 fireworks show from the Docklands, Melbourne. Watch the show in High Definition on YouTube.
I do not remember when I first encountered vacuum bags. It must be many years ago now and I can not imagine moving or travelling without them.
Vacuum bags are designed to reduce the storage size of your bedding or clothes. They are plastic bags that allow air trapped inside to be pumped out. You put your clothes or linen inside, then you vacuum out the air. The result is an impressively shrunken rigid bag.
Typically the vacuum bag requires a vacuum cleaner to suck the air out. Some smaller bags can be rolled to remove the air; this type is great for travelling.
Today I got the chance to photograph and film a new vacuum box being used. This box was a new variation on the vacuum bag theme for us. The vacuum bag is fixed into a semi-soft box. When compacted the bag is neatly contained in the box. The box makes the final rigid bag easier to pack or ship.
Watch the bag being compacted on YouTube in High Definition.
An empty vacuum bag
Vacuum bag with 3 duvets inside
Compacted vacuum bag holding 3 duvets
Close up of the compacted vacuum bag inside the box
Closed vacuum bag box ready for storage or transport
Happy Christmas from Graham and me. I hope you have a wonderful day.
Merry Christmas sign Flinder Street Station on Christmas Eve
Merry Christmas sign on the side of Flinders Street Station in Melbourne, Australia
Megan had a surprise farewell lunch at work and brought home a beautiful native Australian flower arrangement. Having grown up on the other side of the planet, this arrangement was a delight to see and touch. Plants in Australia tend to be much more hardy; they have thicker and broader leaves to cope with the harsh sun and dry regions.
Radiant native Australian flower
Native Australian flowers
Detail of a native Australian flower
An amazing clustered flower native to Australia
A white flowering plant native to Australia
My work colleagues hosted a surprise farewell lunch for me this week, and gave me an amazing bunch of Australian native flowers and a bag of goodies that are difficult to find elsewhere in the world.
It was a lovely event. Thank you to everyone involved.
Farewell flowers
Oddly, Melbourne’s casino has a Christmas show aimed at young children. We caught the lunch time show along with crowds of tired parents and little ones. Australia has a strange relationship with gambling.
I managed to film the entire show. You can watch it below or in High Definition (HD) on YouTube.
Christmas Tree at Crown Casino in Melbourne
Yesterday, we managed to capture some footage of the butterflies I photographed previously. The butterflies were clustering in doorways and windows, presumably attracted by the office lights.
Butterflies on glass