FAR FAR AWAY

Ah yes, Boca and Bubba hit the road again. More or less. "To stay young, the doctor said to exercise and eat the right foods" said BUBBA. "What?" said BOCA, " I thought he said ACCESSORIZE AND BUY NICE SHOES." And so begins Boca and Bubba's next adventure.

HOW TRAVEL DECISIONS ARE MADE

After several long car drives, Boca thought it was time for a bit of a different kind of "cruzin". Ah yes time for the high seas. NO NO NO yelped Bubba. "Don't you understand we are in a recession aka depression!!!" That was until one of his good buddies said, "Hey Bubba, this cruise looks pretty darn good. Are ya goin?" And that was all it took. "Well, hell yes. We are in good buddy!" Must be a man thing. And so begins Boca and Bubba's next adventure. It has all the making's of some Bubba and Boca madness...start in LA and end in Shanghai. Look out Charlie Chan- be sure to follow the google calendar below. And yes yes I am behind already.

DAY 12 FEB 22 SUPERB SYDNEY

SPARKLING JEWEL FIT FOR A QUEEN OR TWO
What a sight to see to start the day, the two Queens, QUEEN ELIZABETH(maiden voyage) and the QUEEN MARY 2 arrived in Sydney simultaneously at 6:30 a.m.   From our room they almost looked like toy boats on a movie set.    With a blaring of horns and a maritime guard of honour the worlds grandest ocean-going vessels were given an Aussie welcome fit for royalty.   The jaw droopingly large ships were a sight to behold.  And not to be outdone by its younger sibling, the QM2 is the largest ship to ever visited Sydney and remains the benchmark in transatlantic opulence.  It is higher than the Eiffel Tower- 2620 guests an 1200 crew.  Hey  Bubs whatcha think?  Give it a whirl one day?  Anybody out there been on either?  I'm all ears!

KILLER QUAKE IN NEW ZEALAND
And then we heard the horrible news of an earthquake in Christchurch New Zealand- one of our favorite places.  Our hostess in Melbourne, Patricia and her brother and sister in law were supposed to be there yesterday for a fun holiday.  After a sickening feeling, we emailed to get their trip status.   Patrica decided not to go and had dropped Claude and Sandy off at the airport for the flight to Christchurch.   and at this moment she wasn't sure of their status.   While en route, 1/2 hour out of Christchurch the earthquake occurred and the pilot diverted the flight to Tasmania.  Whew.  And back to Melbourne they went.  Truly the darkest day of New Zealands history.  The picturesque port of Lyttelton at the epicenter of the Christchurch earthquake took a huge toll on this beautiful spot on earth.  We are grateful Claude and Sandy were not involved, as they initially were to have flewn in the day before.  And we are so sorry for the "kiwis" in this tragedy.  Please keep these folks in your prayers as they dig out and recover.  We often wonder about the various risks of traveling.  On this trip we are scheduled to visit South Korea with the caveat "subject to cancel".  How do you determine if a destination is safe to visit?


MORE CITY TREKING
Hey what's that guy doing?  Taking a picture of those birds ....?  This
vast harbour also named Fort Jackson after a British Admiral is a drowned river valley which was transformed over millions of years.  It's intricate coastal geography of headlands and secluded bays is absolutely awesome.  As a matter of fact 70% of the residents of Australia cling to coastal cities, especially in the east.  Sydney Cove is a hustling and bustling place to be and to watch.  I did my best to talk Bubba into walking on top of the Sydney Bridge aka Iron Lung- but no soap.  Yes you can walk on top of it, another major tourist attraction.  Completed in 1932, it took 8 years to build.  The arch spans 1650 feet and carries 150,000 vehicles across the bridge daily.  Come on Bubba, let's give it whirl.  No thanks Boca I did enough high in the air in the army.

And of course the Sydney Opera House is an architectural marvel.  Designed to take advantage of its magnificent setting, the roofs shine during the day and seem to glow at night.  This complex of theaters and halls linked below it famous shells are a sight to behold.  I can believe it took 14 years to build!  I asked Bubba if was interested in attending an opera..."honey, if it ain't country it ain't nothin".  Case closed.



Another favorite spot we enjoy is the Botanic Garden and the Domain, right next door to the Opera House.  This tranquil part of Sydney feels like you are miles from the hustle and bustle.  The Botanic Gardens are located on 75 acres wrapped around Farm Cove  at the Harbour.  Established in 1816 houses an outstanding compilation of shrubs and trees.  This living museum is one of Bubba's favorite spots.

No time for Bondi or Manly Beaches this trip.  Whew, Bubba was worried Boca would have to break out that thong.  We loved the sites, the food, the entertainment and best of all the Aussies.  To sum it up if this place is good enough for Oprah it's good enough for Boca!
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