The nurses get together for a regular weekend away.  Every now and again they invite the hubbies.  This weekend was expertly arranged for a great house down on Phillip Island.

We headed down on Friday and returned on Monday.  What a great weekend.  We had the obligatory long walk on Saturday morning adequately interrupted by a coffee break (and Anzac bickie).  Then we headed for the Nobbies, an art gallery and finished of with a tour of the Chocolate factory.

Saturday night was an organised murder mystery - Judy was the murdering cocktail waitress.

6th September.
As you remember from a the story below Ian has taken on the bike ride from Lands End to John O'Groats.  He has struggled to get internet access from the wild moors of Scotland but has managed to find a traditional desktop in his San Francisco hotel to provide an overdue update on my travel.

The south-north UK cycling adventure was finally completed. What a journey! Recommend it highly for anyone inclined and not shy of wearing lycra. The 100 kilometre daily trek can be done by most - just allocate the right number of days -preferably with a rest or two along the way. We arrived at John O'Groats in one piece apart from our eldest team member suffering an unfortunate cardiac issue one day in Scotland. He is recovering in Glasgow hospital fortunately; creditable courageous effort from any 75 year-old.

The 3+week program was studded with fantastic challenges in terrain, landscape, people, villages, culture, B&B/hotels, fellow adventurers, isolation, natural & cultural treats. Found some pesky weasels amongst the wild scottish heather both amusing and stimulating - funny what extended time from 'civilisation' can do to the mind.  Anyway, happy to provide more details to any interests for future purposes.

Said goodbye to my cycle friends at heathrow then flew to US where spent a few days at Vegas and now San Francisco. The day at Grand Canyon western rim near the Indian based sky walk was a highlight, as was the baby boomer fired 'tribute to bee gees' show at Vegas.

Last day before meeting Jenny at Vancouver tomorrow - it's been a long time playing free-spirited backpacker! Then we do the Rocky Mountaineer train to Banff before road trip down to Montana meeting friends from the Peninsula. It's then off to Juneau in Alaska for an inside passage small boat trip down to Seattle. I'll try to provide a travel instalment along the way.

Off to cycle over the Golden Gate Bridge.

Go the Hawks (my Dees are for future reference)

I had the opportunity to accompany dad to a special luncheon at Woolands Golf Club.  The celebration was the start of the 2nd century for Woolands (sounds like an excuse for a fund raiser!).

They gave out medallions to the long serving members.  As you can see (circled) dad got his medallion for 40+ years as member of Woodlands. Ern has been a member there for 47 years, staring when he was 45.  He has a little yet to go with the longest serving member, who was at the luncheon, now up to 74 years.

We have never been to the Grampians but are now converted.  What a spectacular place.
The rock material that composes the high peaks is sandstone which was laid down from rivers during the Devonian period 380 million years ago. This sediment slowly accumulated to a depth of 7 km; this was later raised and tilted for its present form.

 Judi Lawler is in France and Italy for a month.   One of her friends is walking the whole pilgrim route from Holland to the Spanish coast past Santiago on the west coast – 4 months constant walking!  Jude is joining her for a week at Perigueux (where the Tour de France finished in the south of France before flying to Paris).   They do between 20 – 30 k per day, staying at gits or refuges (there are lots along the pilgrim trails).   Jude then flies to Geneva, trains to Mount Blanc and joins 7 other girlfriends for a 10 day walk around Mt Blanc  (It’s called “the Walk of Mount Blanc”). Then train to the Cinque Terre in Italy, and they all walk that too!

We have all got our stories of the foul weather that has been lashing the southeast corner of Australia.   I have assembled a few images captured during the week.

And we even collected a bit of our own footage in a trip down to Half Moon Bay with dad.  Many who grew up around Cheltenham/ Beaumaris would recognise the beautiful little bay where the Cerebus sits out in the water off shore.  Well on Saturday this little bay was more like a washing machine.