Photo taken out to sea off the northern most tip of Australia near by is Thursday Island. Whilst cruising on the Sea Princess ship in 2015 which has now been sold to a new Chinese cruise company.

 Northern Territory, Australia

 NEW YORK.

The good old days when you were able to travel here and far.

 Shelly Beach Surf Club,

 Central Coast, NSW

Photos from my recent trip to the Hobbit Movie Set, 
Hobbiton, Tauranga, New Zealand.

Everywhere you looked was a photographer dream shoot.

Absolutely gorgeous

Cruising from Los Angeles, USA to Auckland, New Zealand on the Ruby Princess 20 nights then I stayed in Auckland for 4 nights then from Auckland to Sydney, Australia on the Golden Princess for 6 nights, we missed out on Napier, NZ as the crossing between the North and South Islands of NZ was too rough so after leaving Tauranga to sailed up to the Bay of Islands then over to Sydney.

I recommend this trip it was a fun way to visit America, Hawaii, Tahiti, American Samoa and New Zealand and finishing up in Australia.

A Merry Christmas to all 

from my family to yours.

Today I head down to Sydney to spend the next two days with my sons

 and my daughter and her family.

Then on Boxing day I travel 500km car journey north 

to spend a couple of days with my older sister, Cathy and her family.

Then back home for New Year Eve.

The Ship Song Project.

A Tribute to the Sydney Opera House.

Song writer: Nick Cave.

Music video filmed inside/outside Sydney Opera House.

Another photo of the flooded Tuggerah Lake foreshore.

The channel at The Entrance

usually you see sandbars peeking up from the water.

Coffs Harbour Jetty

St Patricks Day 2011 Flashmob

Central Station, Sydney, Australia

Central is the terminus station for all intercity and interstate trains coming into Sydney. I know this station very well as its my start-off point to explore Sydney and its surrounds. Exiting to catch the Light Rail down to Paddys Market and Darling Harbour, of going further to Star City Casino, the Sydney Fish Markets and its restaurants and further still to Glebe Markets.

I went down to Sydney to have lunch

with Natalie and Mila, today,

on the Newcastle to Sydney train

passing through Broken Bay.

Last Thursday I headed up the Pacific Highway to Emerald Beach

and stayed a couple of days with my sister,

Cathy and brother-in-law, Greg.

It was a quick trip as I was due back to work on Tuesday

after the long weekend.

Friday, we bought some fish 'n chips and had them

on an outside table overlooking the yachts

Cathy and I

then onto Coffs Harbour Yacht club for a quiet drink

before heading back to Emerald to get in

out of the wind. Brrr.

I have been unwell the last couple of days,

not too impressed as I am rarely sick.

On Saturday I went down to Sydney to visit my daughter, Natalie, she is due to have her first baby in 6 weeks time. It wasn't until on the morning I hopped on the net to check the rail timetable that I found out that there would be trackwork, so I was going to have to catch a rail bus to Sydney from my local railway station.

What fun!

It had been years since I last caught a bus, as I, like most people am always running to and fro by car. So it was lovely to 'rock up' to the station, purchase a train ticket and wander over to the other side of the station to hail the rail bus which had journeyed down from Newcastle. I was able to get a seat behind the bus driver.

I put on the seat belt and away we went.

By the time we got to Gosford the bus was full and we 'hopped' up to the F3 freeway. I don't know how many times I have driven down the freeway to Sydney but driving at 110kmph my whole focus had been on the traffic around me. Now I could sit back and watch the world go by especially as we crossed the Mooney Mooney bridge which is perched above the Mooney Mooney river 75 metres below. Yikes.

I arrived in Hornsby to be met by my daughter and after cruising the shops and having some morning tea we headed off to her house to preview all the things she had been given so far by friends/family. Lots of things - a cot, prams, clothes, nappies, cuddle rugs galore.

Natalie will be having her baby shower next Sunday and will be having about 30 family/friends bearing gifts. While we were shopping we went through a list of what she needed and so far she pretty much has everything, which is making it a bit hard for me to choose what to get her, as I'm not one to buy baby needs until just before baby is due. So in 3 weeks, when she starts maternity leave we will get together again and shop for last minute items.