Interesting things and places

[octave]

I thought I would start a thread on "interesting things and places".   A problem I have with this forum is that it tends to be grievance driven.    I would like to think most of you are out there enjoying interesting lives. 

 

Anyway, earlier this year I made my first return visit to NZ since the pandemic.  

 

The first half of the trip was a tour around the north island and the second half was visiting my favorite offspring who lives in Wellington.  

 
One of the best things we did was a trip on the Tasman Glacier Lake.

 

Fun facts about the Tasman Glacier Lake.

 

It is 7 km in length and has only existed since the 1970s.

 

The Tasman Glacier is the longest glacier in NZ and is 4km wide and 600m thick.

The glacier was a constant 28km long until the 1990s. Since 1990 the glacier has been retreating at an average of 180 meters a year.

 

It is estimated that the glacier will disappear in between 10 and 19 years. For this reason, we decided that we had to visit this place.  We did also book a ski plane landing and hike on the glacier but alas the weather put a stop to that.  We will do this in the next few years though whilst it is still possible.

The amazing Tasman Lake

 

The delicious Mrs. Octave being shown an iceberg close-up.  The brilliant woman who piloted our boat also told us about how approaching an iceberg was something that had to be done carefully and selectively.  These bergs slowly melt and this occurs more quickly above the water line, this means that as the centre of gravity changes the berg will suddenly roll over which would not be good for a little boat.   

 

 

Amazing shapes and colours.  The ice is initially blue due to compression but as it falls into the lake and decompresses it becomes white.

 

  

 

Close up you can see the crystalline structure

 

.

 

 

My meaty paw touching the 600-year-old ice, I even ate some.  My suggestion of supplying gin and tonic on the tour was met with enthusiasm by our skipper and tour guide.

 

Edited July 5, 2023 by octave

[facthunter]

I did exactly what you are  doing there Just before the Christchurch earthquake. Honestly I didn't TOUCH anything but the area I stayed at was the most affected. I ate some glacier ice too. The helicopters were busy all the time and I think one had an incident on the mountain..  Nev

[Marty_d]

Fantastic idea Octave. We had part of our honeymoon in NZ in 2006 and splashed out on a chopper tour which landed on a glacier (can't remember the name!)

[nomadpete]

8 hours ago, Marty_d said:

 a chopper tour which landed on a glacier (can't remember the name!)

It's name was Bell.

[pmccarthy]

42 minutes ago, nomadpete said:

It's name was Bell.

You've named the chopper, what was the glacier?😺

[spacesailor]

Fox or Tasman .

spacesailor⁰

[spenaroo]

lake Pedder in Tasmania.

 

absolutely breathtaking.

[octave]

We did do a tour around Tassie back in the 80s but I don't think we got to Lake Pedder. We did a trip up the Franklin though which was spectacular.

[Bruce Tuncks]

I reckon that Doubtful sound was the best experience ever.  A pristine place, great weather ( the locals were calling it a drought cos it hadn't rained for 3 days) and a great tour.

[pmccarthy]

Flew to Arkaroola two weeks ago, among other places. It is always a great place to visit.

[spenaroo]

40 minutes ago, octave said:

We did do a tour around Tassie back in the 80s but I don't think we got to Lake Pedder. We did a trip up the Franklin though which was spectacular.

I did a two week tour on motorcycle earlier this year. absolutely loved the experience.
had a whole range of gear with me from winter rain suits, thermals, to full leathers. used all of it at different times.

 

 

 

[facthunter]

Done Tassie a few times on  bikes. but NEVER down the centre. . I don't mean the Central Tiers. I don't think you can get through that way. Looks like your weather was pretty good. The west coast has been copping a bit lately.  Nev

[red750]

In 1961 I took my first flight in an aircraft, a TAA Viscount, Melbourne to Devonport. It was a group tour to Cradle Mountain and Dove Lake.Then in 2011, shortly after my wife ns I retired, our kids shouted us a trip on the Spirit. We drove from Devoport to Launceston, down through the centre to Hobart, and back to te Spirit via Richmond, St Helens, Launcetson, and Sheffield. Last night there was a Foxtel program, Australia from above with Tassie as the subject of the episode. Terrific looking back at the places I had visited. Hard to believe I climbed Cradle Mountain. I was 17 at the time.

 

Cradle Mountain and Dove Lake.

 

 

Evandale Water Tower, built by convicts, just south of Launceston

 

 

Oatlands Mill, Oatlands, Central Tas.

 

 

Convict built bridge, Richmond

 

 

Emu, Bicheno Wildlife Park

 

 

Waterfall mural, Sheffield

 

 

[Marty_d]

Just out of interest - the Richmond bridge you show there is the oldest surviving stone arch bridge in Australia.  Built in 1825 so coming up for its 200th birthday year after next.  When I had the VFR750, one of my favourite rides was to Richmond via the Bowen Bridge, the wonderful bends over Grasstree Hill then the 4km straight with nowhere for cops to hide.  There's a beautiful grassy park where the photo is taken from which is perfect to sit with a scallop pie from the Richmond Bakery.

Richmond itself is a very pretty town with heaps of heritage stone buildings and excellent shops.  Well worth a visit.

[facthunter]

Reminded me of "Deliverance"..   Nev

[red750]

We stopped by that park where I took the photo of the bridge. People pulled up in campers having their lunch. We had just been to Old Hobart Town miniature village, which is well worth a visit, then up to the oldest surviving Catholic church. While in Hobart we stayed in a cabin in the yard of a family in Lindisfarne.

 

View from bedroom, Lindisfarne                          Mt Wellington from Lindisfarne

 

Scenes from Old Hobart Town miniature village.

 

More murals in Sheffield.

[red750]

Railton, near Sheffield is another interesting place, with lots of topiary.

 

[octave]

Some more NZ pictures

 

 

Cafe with a brilliant view (including aviation things)

 

The road to Aoraki Mount Cook

 

Th HookerValley walk (10km) 

 

 

Aoraki Mount Cook 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 7, 2023 by octave

[Jerry_Atrick]

Sadly, I don't have a lot of photos of where I have been. Most were on film, which are in boxes somewhere, and I was a little tardy backing up those digital photos. However, some amaziong places have included:

• The Badlands - I was in the North Daktoa side; not quite as spectacular as the South Dakota, but largely unspoilt and nary a tourist to be found.
• Haradchky (spelt phonetically) and surrounds - Prague Castle or someting like the. Good ol King Wenceslas' (sp?) tomb is there, but what is really interesting is when you walk back twoards the old town, there are some building from the 13th century still standing as if in a sunken living room; apparently, it shows how the ground of the city has elevated with rebuilding over the centuries and using the rubble of old buildings to build new buildings on top of. It was about 5 or 6 feet difference.
• Lake District in the UK - most unusual rock formations"towering" into mountains.

 

That's all I can think of at the moment.. I know ther are a few more that are not quite well trodden.

[old man emu]

It's hard to beat a Cotswolds village.

[nomadpete]

View from our boudoir. We have a 4mtr x 2mtr window at the foot of our bed. The rising sun is our alarm clock.

 

 

Edited July 21, 2023 by nomadpete

[Old Koreelah]

This is mine a moment ago:

A family of Wallaroos on our lawn.

The white building 12km away is the old Bondi Tram terminal, relocated, reclad and repurposed as a farm shed.

 

The low 35 away is Breeza Mt.

 

 

[nomadpete]

Nice view.

But.....

I see a couple of rocks sticking up in the grass, waiting to attack your mower blades. I also see a nice little white car growing in the tree - nearly big enough to pick.

But for the life of me I just can't make out any kangawallabats.

I'm off to see my optometrist.

Seeya!

[Old Koreelah]

Should have gone to Speksavers!

 

Pesky buggers crap on our verandah and I’ve had one female walking around on our roof.

My wife mows the stuff near the house, I wizz the rocky stuff. 

[Marty_d]

19 minutes ago, Old Koreelah said:

I wizz the rocky stuff. 

Wouldn't that just make it smell... oh, sorry, I get it.