Bit of a Blog : Solstice : Auckland – Fremantle – Sydney : February 14th 2016

[NorbertsNiece]

 

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Installed for the visit of Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 29, 2016 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

 

 

People can climb here..... I hear tales of disrespect for the significance of the site and its clear that the Anangu would prefer people not to climb. They do. But not today.

 

 

 

The Cultural Centre

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was not permitted to take photographs within the centre. More about it here

[AntjeG]

Back at the resort..... another accommodation option

 

 

 

That´s where I stayed last year and I loved it. Not half as fancy as the Desert Garden I believe but fun. And I was able to go to the Desert Garden´s spa for a wonderful massage.

 

Your pictures from Uluru and Kata Tjuta are fantastic. Thank you so much for taking us with you on your trip. And welcome back to stormy Europe!

[NorbertsNiece]

How a coach driver rehydrates

 

 

Lunch at my hotel. GF

 

 

In the evening I head out again for an organised sunset

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

 

 

 

In kilometers

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

That´s where I stayed last year and I loved it. Not half as fancy as the Desert Garden I believe but fun. And I was able to go to the Desert Garden´s spa for a wonderful massage.

 

Your pictures from Uluru and Kata Tjuta are fantastic. Thank you so much for taking us with you on your trip. And welcome back to stormy Europe!

 

Thanks for sticking with me!! I'm cold. Still minus one case.

 

----------------

 

 

We are headed to Kata Tjuta

 

 

Yeap. They flood.

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

This is the road to Western Australia, the Lasseter Highway, clearly 4x4 access only. You need to let the authorities you are setting out and you get 4 days to report in. I thought it was fully sealed.....

 

 

The long and winding road....

 

 

 

 

I'll be honest. I found this hard. Even wearing good walking shoes.... I'm no goat and there are not many places to sit and ponder and appreciate. We were on a time restriction..... about an hour. 36°

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

 

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

 

 

 

 

 

 

At this point I was ready to give up. Our guide then appeared and said the lookout was just around the corner and spurred me on. I'd been climbing for 24 minutes (according to my camera) and we'd been told 20 minutes to reach the lookout.

Edited March 29, 2016 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

 

I made it.

 

 

 

 

Sheer rock sides

 

 

Edited March 29, 2016 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Heading back down.

 

 

 

No more pics..... I needed to focus on my feet and my balance..... and my bottle of water....

 

 

 

 

Edited March 29, 2016 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

There is food available

 

 

And wine

 

 

They had little stools for us to sit on.... was grateful for that

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

 

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

In the evening I went to an astronomy talk. Was soooo amazing to view the stars, the constellations, through telescopes. My pics do not do this justice at all. I was actually overwhelmed by the enormity of it all and left before the end. I believe this is the Southern Cross.

 

[born-to-cruise]

Will be on-board Celebrity Solstice next month on 18 days journey form Sydney to Honolulu. First time on Celebrity and first time on Solstice. Recognized as Elite member of Captains Club am entitled to eat breakfast at the Captain's Club Lounge. I would appreciate very if someone tell me exactly where the Captain's Club Lounge on Solstice. Thank you so much in advance for your help.....

 

Born-To-Cruise

Past Cruises

12 on RCI, 3 on Carnival

(funds permitting, always looking forward for exciting cruises :):):))

Edited March 29, 2016 by born-to-cruise
missed a word

[NorbertsNiece]

Will be on-board Celebrity Solstice next month on 18 days journey form Sydney to Honolulu. First time on Celebrity and first time on Solstice. Recognized as Elite member of Captains Club am entitled to eat breakfast at the Captain's Club Lounge. I would appreciate very if someone tell me exactly where the Captain's Club Lounge on Solstice. Thank you so much in advance for your help.....

 

Born-To-Cruise

Past Cruises

12 on RCI, 3 on Carnival

(funds permitting, always looking forward for exciting cruises :):):))

 

Hi,

 

There's no Captain's Club Lounge on Solstice. Breakfast for Elite is in the Tuscan Grill. There's no cooked food.

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

 

They have Rock View rooms at the Desert Garden Hotel

 

 

 

Long queue to check in to the flight..... one check in opens eventually.

 

 

Then only one line for security

 

 

One gate

 

[NorbertsNiece]

 

Flying in I had an empty seat next to me (only 2 in the row) here the seats are in 3s and I still travel alone

 

 

Lake Amadeus in the distance, a huge salt lake, discovered in 1872 and named for King Amadeus of Spain.

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Sydney

 

 

 

 

 

The Rydges Hotel at the Airport is really well situated. There is a free shuttle from the Domestic Terminal and it's right across the road from the International Terminal

 

Notice the Easter Eggs on the bed

 

 

Edited March 29, 2016 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Can literally walk across the road to checkin

 

 

Celebrity take note :

 

 

 

 

 

I took pics of my cases at check in. Who does that? Just as well I did eh? This is the one that got damaged.

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Here's what it looks like now

 

 

Here's the other one..... not seen it in a while

 

 

Au revoir Sydney

 

 

I spent some time taking pics of the journey graphics on the onboard TV. Three and a half hours later we are still over Australia.

 

And this is take off in London......

 

 

---------

 

I'd like to thank each and every one of you for taking the time to read, comment and post here over the past 7 weeks. You made it so much fun for me to do. Valerie has been super with her suggestions and friendship as have all of you who shared your experiences. Back to my real world of taxes, car insurance but best of all 3 big girls and 3 little boys who are a gift.

 

The first 15 seconds of

says it all but the whole track makes me smile and takes me back to simpler times....

 

Oh and I was singing along.....

[bullingdon]

Will be on-board Celebrity Solstice next month on 18 days journey form Sydney to Honolulu. First time on Celebrity and first time on Solstice. Recognized as Elite member of Captains Club am entitled to eat breakfast at the Captain's Club Lounge. I would appreciate very if someone tell me exactly where the Captain's Club Lounge on Solstice. Thank you so much in advance for your help.....

 

Born-To-Cruise

Past Cruises

12 on RCI, 3 on Carnival

(funds permitting, always looking forward for exciting cruises :):):))

 

In the late afternoon/evening 5-7. drinks & canapes are available in the Sky lounge, deck 14 forward. They are pretty generous with the drinks! Trish & Peter.

[I'm from Oz]

The road to WA is sealed across the Nullabor Plain - South Australia to WA.

 

When I first visited to Ayers Rock (as it was then in 1981) the road from Alice Springs to Ayers Rock was still a corrugated rough dirt road. I also climbed to the top of the Rock.

 

We have come a long way since then. Local Aboriginal ownership, in conjunction with government (there is a board of governors with specific representation), has really enhanced the experience of visiting this beautiful part of the continent.

 

I'm interested to see the Valley of the Winds walk was closed. Don't suppose you know why? That is the walk we did last time we visited in 2010. Couldn't do it now. It was tough enough then!

 

Great photos - you have done a fantastic job of sharing an otherwise unseen part of Australia.