Sydney to France

25th April – May 2008 Sydney to France

More picture at: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/findthebinghams/44SydneyAndSingapore

Our apologies for being rather slow with this Blog – we’ve been caught out by time zones, time-warps, 29 hour days and feeling odd. We’re sure the explanation lies in having been in New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, England and France within 2 weeks!

It was so good to be able to spend time with Matthew, Hilary, Megan and Graham in Sydney. We arrived in time for ANZAC day and watched the City Centre processions of bemedalled Aussies marching behind banners listing an amazing number of campaigns including Korea and Vietnam...it’s recognition is taken very seriously here - also good for the local economy ‘cos the pubs were full to bursting later.


We saw such a lot in a few short days – from beautiful Blue mountains to a lovely sandy beach and Sydney Olympic Park. Rick was enthralled by the Zig-Zag steam trains and I begrudgingly own that I quite enjoyed the trip too. Why do the trains smell so evocative?





All the Binghams experienced Sydney Harbour through a drenching spray of Jet Boat wash....what fun!
















It was quite something to actually see the Harbour Bridge and the iconic Opera House in the flesh.

We’ve never seen so much wildlife as we did in one day - emu, padamelons (new to us), kookuburras, parakeets, spinifex mice, kangaroos, pelicans, flying foxes and the House Possum. All very enlightening, especially the Koala who was rescued from a dog attack and so has to manage with no kneecap. Apparently he’s very grumpy, and the only person who can handle him is the Croc specialist!













Rick took the “Essential Tour” of the Opera House which explained the difficulties of building Utzorn’s original concept, even after he simplified the geometry to sections of a sphere. Cost overruns were so bad that someone had to be removed and the Government made sure it was the Architect. Utzorn is now 90 years old and too frail to return to see the job finished (disabled access work is still in progress) but he has at last been re-instated as Chief Architect...They couldn’t tell me if he’s getting the back pay!

Very many thanks to the Oz Binghams for entertaining and feeding us so well! We had a great time with them all and hope their house now has a new roof. We look forward to seeing everyone in December at Derek’s 80 birthday celebrations.

Our Singapore Stop-over was amazingly cheap and all too brief at 36 hours. The City Centre is a glistening panorama of very modern, tall buildings and beautifully manicured public areas – oh, and shopping malls round every corner– a veritable temple to Mammon, with possessions and wealth seemingly the focus of life. Interesting to see, but not to be part of. There are, by law, no demonstrations, no Trade Unions and no social security...hangings are on Fridays. Still, we enjoyed the Orchid Gardens, the bumboat ride and seeing the Taoist temple, and the break helped us cope with the time zones.

After an all too brief few days back in Sheffield at home with Chris, Russ and Heather we returned to France and our cherished ‘van, which had been taken over by another family...of mice! Fortunately Rosi had decided to spring clean anyway, so out went all the nibbled packets and clothes, now converted into nests. Rick came face to face with the culprits in the battery box where they were unceremoniously evicted, scurrying off into the field at Petit Regis.

We’re now heading for Dover and a new MOT....