On Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:27:56 GMT, "Rudy"
wrote:


"Vic Smith" wrote
St. Charles Borromeo, cur Victoria Road & Charles Street, Ryde.
Of course I don't know what that means.

We stayed in the Ryde, Best Western for a couple of nights on our OZ trip
last year..
typical Metropolitan suburb northwest of town.

You can get there on the River Cat
http://www.sydneyferries.info/about-...leet-Facts.htm

I was impressed with their transit system: buses, ferries, jetcats, electric
trains, underground, all linked together and you can get an "All in One"
daily pass

Yes, as far as I am concerned, Sydney has a great public transport
system, not perhaps as good as Singapore but then Sydney is much
larger in both population and area and, whereas Singapore is
relatively flat and the systems new, Sydney is saddled with some
narrow roading, a hilly terrain and an older train system. BTW, the
state of New South Wales (Sydney) was the first in the world to
introduce double decker passenger carriages.

Having reached 60 I qualify for a "Senior's Card" which allows me
unlimited travel on buses, trains and ferries for AUD$2.50 each day.
The card is for those who work no more than an average of 20 hours per
week. Love it. The commuters complain and there is room for
improvement but overall it is rather good.

Petrol today (gasoline to you non-English speakers) is AUD$1.72 per
litre which is US$6.70 per US gallon. When you can, it makes far more
sense to take public transport and you don't have to find and pay for
city parking. Just take a book and an MP3 player and its amazing how
fast the half hour goes.

Oh, I used my Senior's card in San Francisco in March when I went to
the Aquarium on the Bay. I got in for $8 instead of $14. I was told
that you do not qualify for such a discount card in the US until you
are 65. Mine gets me into the movies ($8 instead of $15), art
galleries, museums etc. at concession rates and even gets me a 10%
discount on such as KFC.

cheers
Peter

On Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:27:56 GMT, "Rudy"
wrote:


"Vic Smith" wrote
St. Charles Borromeo, cur Victoria Road & Charles Street, Ryde.
Of course I don't know what that means.

We stayed in the Ryde, Best Western for a couple of nights on our OZ trip
last year..
typical Metropolitan suburb northwest of town.

You can get there on the River Cat
http://www.sydneyferries.info/about-...leet-Facts.htm

I was impressed with their transit system: buses, ferries, jetcats, electric
trains, underground, all linked together and you can get an "All in One"
daily pass

I believe my son mentioned that once. He first used public transport
upon arriving there, then a troublesome Japanese car that he painted
with house paint, and now has a Holden - Commodore I think. The A/C
wasn't working when he bought it, but I think he's fixed it.
Like pops, he's tends toward Chevys, the Holden being the closest to
it down under.
How did you enjoy Oz? Any impressions?
My son's biggest adjustment was the food, and some racoon-like animal
that invaded his house. I'll have to remember to ask him whatever
came of that situation. The time differential is, let's see, one day
forward then nine hours back when I'm on DST, seven hours back
otherwise. Calling is cheap though, about a penny a minute using an
international card.

--Vic

On Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:51:57 +1000, Herodotus
wrote:

You should visit Australia some time. You don't have to learn to fly.
The aeroplanes do that for you these days. As for shipping, they
don't use windjammers any more so the trip is quite fast. I once met
an older American couple on a Polish freighter in the Port of
Tauranga, New Zealand. They were the only passengers and enjoyed the
cruise on a cargo ship. They had tried it several times. Sounded like
a great way to see the world if you don't have your own yacht.

I always enjoy the journey as much as the destination.
A sea voyage always suits me. Booking cargo ship passage
to Europe offers many more choices than the Pacific side, from my
cursory look a getting a ride to Oz.
I can actually get on a cargo ship to Europe no more than 25 miles
from my doorstep a bit north of Chicago, at the same ports I steamed
from when I was a merchant mariner on the Great Lakes. Right out the
St. Laurence seaway and across the pond.
To get to your side I'll probably have to drive to California first,
though there may be Panama Canal options. I'll look into when I can
devote the time to it.
I think the California to Oz cargo passage were a minimum of 12-14
days, often with island stopovers, but I may be wrong.
Not to be rude, but the only thing I would like to see in Oz is my son
and his bride, Ayres Rock, and maybe hear some real Abo bull roarers.
Of course I would ask you to be my tour guide with the Abos.
To cheer you a bit, I would just love to visit Greece again, partly
for the coffee.
And no, my presence is far from ubiquitous, nor am I as peripatetic as
I once was.

--Vic

On Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:09:15 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:51:57 +1000, Herodotus
wrote:

You should visit Australia some time. You don't have to learn to fly.
The aeroplanes do that for you these days. As for shipping, they
don't use windjammers any more so the trip is quite fast. I once met
an older American couple on a Polish freighter in the Port of
Tauranga, New Zealand. They were the only passengers and enjoyed the
cruise on a cargo ship. They had tried it several times. Sounded like
a great way to see the world if you don't have your own yacht.

I always enjoy the journey as much as the destination.
A sea voyage always suits me. Booking cargo ship passage
to Europe offers many more choices than the Pacific side, from my
cursory look a getting a ride to Oz.
I can actually get on a cargo ship to Europe no more than 25 miles
from my doorstep a bit north of Chicago, at the same ports I steamed
from when I was a merchant mariner on the Great Lakes. Right out the
St. Laurence seaway and across the pond.
To get to your side I'll probably have to drive to California first,
though there may be Panama Canal options. I'll look into when I can
devote the time to it.
I think the California to Oz cargo passage were a minimum of 12-14
days, often with island stopovers, but I may be wrong.
Not to be rude, but the only thing I would like to see in Oz is my son
and his bride, Ayres Rock, and maybe hear some real Abo bull roarers.
Of course I would ask you to be my tour guide with the Abos.
To cheer you a bit, I would just love to visit Greece again, partly
for the coffee.
And no, my presence is far from ubiquitous, nor am I as peripatetic as
I once was.

--Vic

Well said Vic,

If you ever come this way I would be more than happy to show you
around and we do have a spare bedroom if you wish to stay.

Bear in mind that, part from sailing, I spend a lot of my time at my
home in Malaysia, but as I have children in Sydney I need to spend
time there as well.

cheers
Peter