From Cape to cape. Expeditions by land and sea.

[drron]

In 10 days we are off again.Another extravaganza.
The flights-
BNE-SYD.
SYD-SCL.
SCL-LIM-CUZ.
CUZ-LIM-IGU
IGR-AEP.
AEP-FTE-USH.
CPT-JNB-EBB.
EBB-KHH.
KHH-EBB-JNB.
JNB-SYD.
SYD-MCY

Global Explorer in J apart from most LAN flights in Y apart from SCL-LIM-787 in J.
SAA flights on same PNR.

By Sea-
Silver Explorer.Ushuaia to Capetown via the Falklands,South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha.

On land-sacred Valley with Macchu Pichu.
Iguazu Falls.
Buenos aires.
Ushuaia.
Bwindi NP for the Gorillas.
Makanyane safari lodge.

As usual a prelude starring Rockhampton.

 

[VPS]

Always on board for DrRon's TR

 

[JessicaTam]

Gosh, quite the adventure.

Looking forward to my next vicarious trip.

 

[drron]

So for the 4 weeks before this trip I have been working in Rockhampton.Now this is not my favourite place but I will try to be kind.For the first 2 weeks I was put up at the Best Western Stirling motel.I was in one of their villas at the back of the motel and so no highway noise.It was comfortable-

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A self contained unit.Behind the doors is a washer and dryer.
On the way to Coles on the first day-good offer from flybuys whilst back at home mrsdrron fulfils the Woollies offer-I saw this building which caused me to have a giggle-

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On the first weekend off I went to the markets and then wandered around the CBD and surrounds for 5 hours-slowly as it was just a little hot.There are a lot of lovely old buildings and I am into lovely old buildings.first the old Post office-

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The new Post office just doesn't do anything for me-

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They still have the old family department store.Worth a wander inside as not many of these left-

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[drron]

Just up the road from the PO is the old Court district-

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Next to that a 70s classic-

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And now a random selection-

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[drron]

Now to the cultural centre of Rocky-

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This fine old building is now the Cultural centre.It was a General produce building for Central QLD as Rockhampton was the major port for Central QLD-

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In 1986 it became part of Australian commercial history being taken over by Ariadne.
This street is on the bank of the Fitzroy river-

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Continuing down the street-

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[drron]

Back in the day most larger towns had a Tooth and Gum building-

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The next block was undergoing council improvements-

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But probably the gem-the Customs House-

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Then some of the original settlers buildings-

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[clazman]

Sounds like a great trip... looking forward to photos of the Falklands, brother was there in 82.....

 

[OATEK]

Thought you might enjoy this to get you in the mood for Africa:

[video]http://www.pharside.co.uk/videos/africa-like-youve-never-heard-it-before-mind-blown-video/[/video]

Starts off slowly as the rains are coming, but builds very nicely.

 

[Major]

A big trip. Are you able to cross paths with JohnM or Rooflyer ?

 

[casanovawa]

Sounds good, like these big trips...

Been to several of the places including seeing the mountain gorillas in Uganda at the Impenetrable Forest...

Can show you some photos of it if you want a better sense of what the terrain might be like...

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

Sounds good, like these big trips...
Been to several of the places including seeing the mountain gorillas in Uganda at the Impenetrable Forest......

That's the bit I am NOT so keen on. I wanted to fly home from Capetown when we get off the boat. But Ron talked me into it ! And I then read a report from a woman who did the trip in January this year and a gorilla attacked her daughter !!!!

 

[drron]

We have arranged for a sedan chair for mrsdrron to see the gorillas-that should ensure we will see the closest group!
but back to rocky and the nearly complete renovations on the waterfront-

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The Town doctor's house-

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So he liked the horses and lived next to-

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the brewery.Seemed to have his priorities right.

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And an historic hotel-

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[drron]

More of the hotel-

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Look closely though and it still needs some work.
Across the road we have modern Rockhampton-

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Then the Anglican church with an impressive church hall-

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And still some older houses in the commercial area-

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Though enclosing the area under a queenslander defeats the purpose of the design.

 

[drron]

Buildings range from the unkempt-

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to the magnificent,heritage listed home of a surgeon built in the 1890s-

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The builders other works include the Anglican church and the doctors home on the riverbank already posted and the School of Arts in the next post.
The Presbyterian church is now in an old theatre whilst it's original building lies empty-

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The Masons seem to be faring poorly moving from this-

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to this-

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[drron]

The impressive Council building finished in 1941-

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The library is next door-

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Next to that the School of Arts-

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And the Federal members office-

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[bPeteb]

That's the bit I am NOT so keen on. I wanted to fly home from Capetown when we get off the boat. But Ron talked me into it ! And I then read a report from a woman who did the trip in January this year and a gorilla attacked her daughter !!!!

and you wanted to fly home ?

 

[casanovawa]

That's the bit I am NOT so keen on. I wanted to fly home from Capetown when we get off the boat. But Ron talked me into it ! And I then read a report from a woman who did the trip in January this year and a gorilla attacked her daughter !!!!

Ah once you get there hopefully you will enjoy it…

I visited there as part of a safari I was doing in Africa, we were taken out to this location and mixed with other trekkers of the day, given a briefing about what to expect and what to do etc, then we were split into groups of 8 with a guide and a couple of people for security…

I recall them asking us who was up for quicker or longer treks, our group sort of went for a medium experience I think but our group (you then meet up with a couple of trackers who follow the family groups) found our family within an hour or so, and you spend 60 minutes with them… We were back at the accommodation all showered and all as the other members straggled in...

We got to within only a couple of metres of the silverback of the family group, not the biggest silverback you’d ever seen but still impressive… A little young gorilla came and sat behind him, probably good place to go sit behind dad when strangers are around…

Another younger gorilla that we first saw didn’t seem to like the attention and tried to pull a tree down on to our group…

But yeah a good experience and one you should remember…

Unless you have some more luxury experience booked with panniers that you will be carried to see the gorillas on some people’s shoulders etc…

 

[Atleastonce]

Looking forward to the TR

 

[zig]

Looking forward to the TR, particularly the Silver Explorer segment. The cape to cape itinerary is on my to do list, unfortunately for now there are too many trips on the list and not enough time, so I will have to travel vicariously with you :mrgreen::mrgreen: