The SSSS tour of celebrations.

[drron]

In less than a week we are off on our next trip.This one is far less arduous than our usual trip.For Christmas we have alternate years off when our son and his family have Christmas with his in laws.So we decided we would go away.The initial thought was that we would just travel to Thailand and rent an apartment.But as an AFFer you cant do things that simply.
Over the last few years we have become friends with a Starwood manager.We first met him when he was Asst GM at the SGS in Bangkok.He then moved to the Sheraton Pattaya resort as GM.So we began staying there and were made Sheraton Pattaya ambassadors.In January it was announced that he was being promoted to GM of the Sheraton Waikiki.We knew we had to go so this trip it is.However once we had put the plans in place we realised we would be there for the 75th anniversary of the Pearl Harbour attack.

So we then decided we would start using our points.But starting only 10 months out we thought there may be a problem.But no,QFF had 2 J awards SYD-MEL-LAX so 192000 went on those 2 awards.Landing in LAX we decided to spend a couple of days there which had to involve Outlet Malls.We are there for December 1st and mrsdrron found that on the first of each month Huntington Gardens have free entry.You have to get those tickets online 1 month prior.She watched the results each month and it was obvious we had to get them at 0900 pacific time-0200 the next day in QLD.So on the night of November 1 we both waited up and got tickets.We are staying in Pasadena.
Home - The Huntington Library, Art Collection, and Botanical Gardens

So the next was getting flights to Hawaii.There were no premium awards on AA when I first looked so it was waiting to get revenue tickets.But in May 2 Saaver awards in F popped up.Then 6 nights at the Sheraton Waikiki.

Then how to get to Bangkok.The logical way was HNL-NRT-BKK.Now at 10 months out all JAL premium awards had gone-winter in Japan so I can imagine Hawaii is popular.But plenty of saaver awards on HA through Aadvantage.It is a daylight flight so should be fine.Overnight in NRT-remember we are old.Then it was lifemiles for TG J awards to BKK.

Once in Bangkok we are having 6 nights at the SGS-needed to get my nights up to requalify plat.Then making use of my new MR plat status we are staying 3 weeks at the Marriott Mayfair Apartments.Looking forward to this.Then in early January a paid TG flight to Chiang Mai.J was less than $50 more than Y so why not.6 nights then in Le Meridien Chiang Mai.

Getting back there was good availability on TG F BKK-SYD.However adding J flights from Chiang Mai was no extra cost.

So why the SSSS tour.Well I hope I am not jinxing myself and don't have that on any BP.It stands for-
Steel.Going back to my old style and start with an Australian experience.Have just spent 6 weeks in Whyalla and it is known for steel.
Shopping.Pasadena and the premium outlets at Desert hills.
Sand.Well we are on the beach at Waikiki.
Smiles.5 weeks in the Land of Smiles

 

[RooFlyer]

I was gunna say .... 'SSSS' is not my idea of a good start to a trip!

Safe travels.

 

[drron]

So a pictorial of Whyalla and the Eyre peninsula.On the day I arrived I went out to get supplies.coming back to my unit I noticed the place was giving me a welcome-

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Whyalla was founded in 1901 as Hummock Hill by BHP.It was just a port to ship the iron ore from Iron Knob to Port Pirie and then Newcastle.It remained a BHP town until 1945.When Essington Lewis,a South Australian,became GM in 1926 and then chairman in 1950 Whyalla became more important to the company.A blast furnace began construction in 1939 along with shipyards and a water pipe from the Murray.The modern integrated steelworks didn't come until the 1960s.So here are the steelworks from my office-

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Looks a bit different when you are called in early in the morning-

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I made a couple of friends after the third day.lots of magpies with their young.One had 2 chicks and they do find it hard to look after 2.That day there were quite a few grasshoppers.I caught a few and fed the youngsters.Mother was grateful.I worked 3 weeks then had 9 days off.When I arrived back the chicks recognised me and came running.They then were often on the patio of the unit.Mum would at times come up to the full length windows and when she saw me would tap on the glass with her beak.

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[JessicaTam]

Glad to see the first photo of the trip report is a sunset.

Settling in for the ride.

 

[drron]

The Whyalla foreshore.pellet mill and steel jetty to the left,marina in the centre and Town beach to the left-

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First the marina-

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This is taken from the public jetty.Although this was a miserable day there were quite a few fisherman and 3 fellows crabbing-quite successfully.

Looking up to Hummock Hill and the WW2 gun positions-

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[drron]

Dolphins are frequently sighted in the Marina.They usually follow boats in to be fed the fish carcasses etc.Sometimes though they stay around the boat launching ramp with no worries about how many people there are.Today I was lucky-

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Also today a couple were showing the dolphins to their young child.The tinny went round in circles.they obviously had something to feed the dolphins who followed the boat.These were in addition to the ones at the pontoon-there were 3 there-

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[drron]

On the other side of Hummock hill are some of the earliest houses.these ones date from ~1915-20.A whole street built identically but more recently tarted up or added to.The original house were built up the hill looking at the jetty.They had a photo of those.They no longer exist-

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Then to the beach where there a few birds and the wind was really blowing.Suited one fellow-

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[drron]

Now to the old CBD.This basically began in the late 30s with most of the major buildings built in the early 40s.The Spencer and Bayview hotels are Heritage listed.

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Now to another lookout-The Flinders and Freycinet lookout.Flinders sailed into the gulf in 1802 followed 3 months later by Freycinet.Has a very Tasmanian sound.

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[drron]

More from the lookout including back to the hospital.

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The ship out to sea is a larger bulk ore carrier.they get loaded by barge 8KM off the shore.The tanks in the distance are the Santos LPG facility.A representation of Flinders and Freycinet.

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Then random shots on a stroll around Whyalla-

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Roses do very well here.The Whyalla high School is another Heritage listed building-

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[drron]

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We had dinner at the Waters edge restaurant rated number 1 on TA.It was surprisingly good.We shared a dozen Coffin Bay oysters,fantastic,and then mrsdrron had garlic prawns and I had the salt and pepper squid-it was the best squid I have had.perfectly cooked.Even better it was an Amex small shop business.A nice sunset when we left.We had dinner here again on mrsdrron's last night in Whyalla.

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The next day we had lunch at the Beach Café.Mrsdrron had the whiting and I calamari.Acceptable-

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[drron]

Our 45th Anniversary dinner at Percys on Playford.Not ordinarily open on Sundays but it is in a motel,some guests wanted to eat so when we rang it was OK.Was a bit worried but turned out to be a good meal-some items not available but the food was good and service very good.We were asked why we were coming out and when he was told it was our 45th Anniversary we got a complimentary glass of Sambuca each.

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So for entrée I went with the calamari again-once again very good.mrsdrron enjoyed her garlic prawns.she then had barramundi which was good and I had an excellent scotch fillet-supplied by a local butcher and always from the same producer.

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[drron]

On the Sunday we went for a drive.first to the Visitor's Centre,more of that later,and then to the top of the Hummock hill lookout.

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Next a short trip down the Eyre Peninsula.

 

[drron]

After our Anniversary dinner the next day we set off for 3 nights in Port Lincoln.it is just over 250km.100km south is the town of Cowell.It took mrsdrron a little by surprise to find that there is a jade shop there.Apparently about 30km away in the Middleback ranges is the world's largest deposit of black jade.The quality didn't appear great and the prices being low pretty well confirmed that.
The town has a lot of interesting buildings.Also I didn't know then but apparently a lot of locals reckon the Cowell oysters are the best on the Peninsula and unshucked are $7 a dozen.So the pics-

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Yes another black stump.

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[drron]

Mrsdrron found a nice gift shop and bought some items.this caught my eye-

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The next stop was Arno Bay.Seemed to be a haven for grey nomads and their caravans.Pretty beach-

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[drron]

Government grants have enabled the tarting up of the fishing shacks-

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The last stop before Port Lincoln was Tumby Bay.Another pleasant spot with a few more facilities.The tourist brochures and TA say the best pasties on the Peninsula are found here so I just had to try one.better than cornwall but best....well no.

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Fish farming is big here with Cleanseas farming kingfish-

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[drron]

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That's the last of Tumby Bay.

 

[drron]

We stayed at the Port Lincoln hotel.Mrsdrron had booked us into a spa suite with balcony.It was a comfortable room with good views.

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The service at the hotel was all right in a typical Aussie laid back style.At checkin we asked to book for dinner.The agent took a look at us and said I guess you would like our fine dining experience.well we did dine in their premier restaurant but are still waiting for fine dining.The restaurant.Sarins,is quite large and obviously popular with locals.It was jumping for a Monday night.
We started with Coffin bay oysters.Mrsdrron had the safe option of Kilpatrick.Now the ads all have mention of the chefs great use of local kingfish so I ordered the oysters with smoked kingfish.unfortunately the smoked kingfish looked and tasted like tinned tuna.

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For mains mrsdrron had garlic prawns and I decided I should have SA's finest-King George whiting.The whiting was nice but expensive.but it was served on smashed potato and lettuce.with the heat of the potato and obviously fat off the fish the lettuce looked awful.Dont know how it tasted as I didn't.

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We waited so long for our mains that they comped a dozen of the oysters without us even asking.We didn't go back.

 

[drron]

On our first full day we drove out to Coffin Bay.Not what I expected.It is a huge area with many bays,inlets and channels.We started out near the National Park-

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[Pushka]

South Aussie country pubs have a lot to learn about food quality, service and price. I suspect the good stuff is exported. And if you put a city price on a country restaurant meal then the quality must be city restaurant quality. And even Adelaide restaurants have upped their prices and dont always match the quality. As expensive as Melbourne now.

 

[drron]

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