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Category Archives: Smell the Roses
Banksia
Australia has been full of beautiful flowers. One in particular was something we’ve never seen before, but very common along the woodland coast, in fact everywhere we went in New South Wales and Queensland. It’s the banksia. Not a flower … Continue reading
Australia Animalia Part 2
In Noosa National Park, a fellow hiker alerted us to the existence of the goanna. We thought he said iguana, very similar sounding. We found out they are somewhat similar looking too. At least a goanna is also a big lizard, specifically … Continue reading
Surfing, Australian Style – February 2015
We found out Australian schools have four sessions a year with long breaks between them, but no three-month summer vacation as in the US. So in the summer months of February and March in New South Wales and Queensland, beaches are … Continue reading
Posted in Smell the Roses, Travel Journal
Tagged Australia, Gold Coast, Surfers Paradise, surfing
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Brisbane (Visiting my boss!) – February 2015
We were looking forward to seeing Brisbane for several reasons. We’ve been to eastern Australia’s top and bottom before, but never the middle. It’s a glorious city built on the Brisbane River, with bridge crossings providing access to parks and shopping … Continue reading
Posted in Smell the Roses, Travel Journal
Tagged botanic gardens, Brisbane, Tourism Media, travel, writing
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What’s hopping? 1950 to 2015
Here in Australia it’s the kangaroos and wallabies that are hopping, also tiny little feathertail possums that are less than 3 inches long but can hop or glide up to 75 feet. They were too fast for photos, but we … Continue reading
Posted in Smell the Roses
Tagged Australia, Great Britain, hops, Kent, New Zealand, Toppenish, wallaby, Washington
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Australia Animalia – February 2015
Our first Australian animal sighting was a bird, an ibis. Since this one was new to us after seeing scarlet ibises in the US, we chased the birds through Sydney’s Royal Botanic Park to get pictures. Meanwhile, when we asked … Continue reading
Posted in Smell the Roses
Tagged animals, Australia, kangaroo, koala, kookaburra, wildlife
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Sydney and its Harbour – February 2015
Welcome to Port Jackson. That’s the actual name of Sydney Harbour. Who knew? It was given the name around 1770 by Captain Cook, the same navigator who explored Hawaii and New Zealand. Welcoming us to Sydney was none other than Olivia Newton-John. … Continue reading
Hong Kong Memories 1995 to 2001
This post is mostly for the kids and other family members, the 3Gs, and Cindy Hamilton and others from our Hong Kong era 🙂 Instead of photos from our current visit, we’re recycling images from our six years living in … Continue reading
New Zealand animals – January 2015
Sheep, sheep, and more sheep. That’s what we expected to see in New Zealand. And we weren’t disappointed. The sheep are primarily merino, the kind that Stephen said would provide his next ski socks! At this time of year they … Continue reading
Posted in Smell the Roses, Travel Journal
Tagged animals, birds, black swan, cows, deer, New Zealand, Rural Games, seals, sheep, wildlife
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Edible Hong Kong (January 2015)
Our first meal in Hong Kong was dim sum, or more accurately, yum cha, morning tea. Yum cha has the same food but slightly less expensive for breakfast and the diners are all sitting at their round tables reading the … Continue reading
Finger Lakes to Lavender Fields 