08 January, 2017

Driving....

Ok, so today was a long day... 516.4km driven!!!

Up and out early, off to Katoomba, then sever stops along the way but ended up at Bathurst! After lunch, headed up to Mount Panorama race track for a quick lap, or four, around the 6klm track... 

Much to see and many photos taken!

Pole Position - Mount Panorama-0115

Bowenfels Station

Old Loco - Zig Zag


Hoo roo for now...
------

06 January, 2017

Cruising & City

Sydney CBD-9780

So I skipped a day, but continuing with 'C'...

I have some friends from brisbane staying with me at the moment. They left just before Christmas on the Celebrity Solstice on a 12 night cruise over the Christmas/New Year period. I did photograph their departure, but the other morning, the 3am alarm went off as I was heading in to shoot the cruise liner coming into Sydney Harbour.

There was some stunning light about and I took a pic of the Sydney Skyline with the Opera House in it (the Harbour Bridge was to far to the right from this location really... haha)

Anyway, the MS Noordam (Holland America Line) entered through the heads first, and was lucky enough to sail past in this light...

Noordam Sydney Harbour-9797

This light didn't last that long though, when the Celebrity Solstice (Celebrity Cruises) sailed through...

Celebrity Solstice-9885

Celebrity Solstice-9923

Celebrity Solstice-9982

It was a nice morning to have been out on the harbour...

Hoo roo for now...
------

02 January, 2017

Busy and @bangkok lunch

Today is 'B' - Busy and @bangkok...

Well - today was a bit of another grey old day, and this morning, I had visitors... You see, Louise had made a quilt a couple of years before her passing in 2009. This quilt, whilst largely finished, just needed the quilting stitching done. A mates mum, who is also a quilter, is going to finish it for me.

But after they had left, I finally went and had another attempt to catch up with a mate from Canberra and his girlfriend from Geelong! I tried yesterday, but as I had just missed a train, and it was a public holiday timetable, it would have been a 2 hour train ride to them (or a 44 minute drive and then c. $40 in parking! 

So today it was it, lunch in Captiol Square @bangkok Thai Restaurant! We started with the Satay Chicken skewers (with a thick cut bread) and Em and I had the Chicken Pad See Ew. Very nice, as usual...

Later in the afternoon, after we had left, there was a fire in the lower level food court - right where we had lunch!!!

Fire crews fight Sydney building blaze

@bangkok

Hoo roo for now...
------

01 January, 2017

Abandoned

Today I went for a bit of a drive, I really wanted it to be a 'nice day', but I got a grey and humid day that also ended up with showers... Oh well!

So I went across from Penrith to Richmond, through Agnes Banks. I thought I would have another go at going through all of the suburbs in Sydney, alphabetically. But as I had started to head north, there wasn't many with A as a start NOR was there that many, so I had a rethink!

Instead, to start with, I thought I would simply go through the alphabet, and create my own theme based on what I saw. Today, its 'A' - Abandoned...

I don't really know how I got to Freemans Reach Park, but the elevated view gave me this old, somewhat abandoned shed...

Abandoned-9585

On the return towards home, through Wilberforce, I remembered that on 'Freemans Reach Rd', there was an old house, often photographed as well, so I headed up there to have a look see... It has clearly gotten a lot worse than I remembered it!!!

Abandoned-9592

Abandoned-9588

So thats it, 'Abandoned' is done, what a way to spend New Years Day!!! Hope you had a great New Years Eve, and a great day to start 2017!

Hoo roo for now...
------

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year
And welcome to 2017!!!

It would be remiss of me to reflect upon 2016... I sold the home Louise and I purchased in Merrylands, bought a house closer to mum, a new car, and I also ended up in intensive care of all places!!!

The move, whilst traumatic, it also closed another chapter and allowed me to become more at peace with life as well...

I am also grateful for the many MANY friends, both near and far, I have... And whilst I don't have the time to send you ALL a personal message, I am just grateful for you all just 'being there' when needed...

So, to you and your family, from me and mine, I wish you ALL a safe NYE, don't drink too much, and a safe, happy and love filled 2017, what ever it brings!!!!

Whilst the Sydney Harbour Bridge was be covered in fireworks, theres no better show, that of 'Mother Nature'...

Happy New Year!

Sydney Harbour Bridge Sunrise-6504 (EXPLORED)

Hoo roo for now...
------