Australia Trip

[dave351cid]

sounds like your having a ball. you have proberly already seen more of australia then 50% of australians.

the blue mountains are a great spot to spend a few days.

shame you werent here in central queensland today, i had about 20 kangaroos lazing and eating around my house all day, some of them even made themselves at home and had a sleep on my veranda .

[Moby Vic]

I haven't been able to make it to a zoo yet. Mount Panorama will have to suffice, I suppose.

I saw my first old Chrysler Charger yesterday. It was bright orange! I also talked to a couple with a '66 Mustang at a McDonald's near Penrith. It had been converted to RHD. I heard the engine before I saw the car!

McDonald's was an interesting experience for me. I had the Serious Lamb Burger. They don't offer that in the States. We don't put egg or beetroot on burgers, either. (And we simply call beetroot "beets.")

[AC]

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

I haven't been able to make it to a zoo yet. Mount Panorama will have to suffice, I suppose.

I saw my first old Chrysler Charger yesterday. It was bright orange! I also talked to a couple with a '66 Mustang at a McDonald's near Penrith. It had been converted to RHD. I heard the engine before I saw the car!

McDonald's was an interesting experience for me. I had the Serious Lamb Burger. They don't offer that in the States. We don't put egg or beetroot on burgers, either. (And we simply call beetroot "beets.")

If your lucky, you may see a Aussie Bogan up on "The Hill Menagerie" at Mt Panorama
If your still heading out to Dubbo, you may want to stop at Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Its pretty good as far as zoo's go, If you have time

Penrith Maccas are pretty good for seeing some of Australian car culture.
But I'm told going to Krispy Kreme's at Liverpool on a Friday night is even better.

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by AC

If your lucky, you may see a Aussie Bogan up on "The Hill Menagerie" at Mt Panorama

I will resemble that remark on Thursday -

[Moby Vic]

No Dubbo for me. I spent the day at Scenic World (http://www.scenicworld.com.au). So much walking, but such beautiful scenery!

And I was within a meter of a brown snake. Got two pictures of it. It was right beside the trail.

[Professor Farnsworth]

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

No Dubbo for me. I spent the day at Scenic World (http://www.scenicworld.com.au). So much walking, but such beautiful scenery!

And I was within a meter of a brown snake. Got two pictures of it. It was right beside the trail.

1 metre away is better than having one lunge at your leg while on a ride-on mower!

[TC200six]

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

I haven't been able to make it to a zoo yet. Mount Panorama will have to suffice, I suppose.

I saw my first old Chrysler Charger yesterday. It was bright orange! I also talked to a couple with a '66 Mustang at a McDonald's near Penrith. It had been converted to RHD. I heard the engine before I saw the car!

McDonald's was an interesting experience for me. I had the Serious Lamb Burger. They don't offer that in the States. We don't put egg or beetroot on burgers, either. (And we simply call beetroot "beets.")

There's lots of old Mustangs here. Although I begin to see more and more in LHD, as laws have changed and don't need to be converted.

I haven't tried a Serious Lamb burger yet. It's one of the special limited time meals McDonald's like to offer occasionally. They'll probably run out before I get a chance to get one though.

[hawkgirl]

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

And I was within a meter of a brown snake. Got two pictures of it. It was right beside the trail.

Yes, out & about early this year. It didnt chase you so it must of been cold

If you were still in penrith I would offer to let you come & look at some aussie pythons up close & personal.

Glad you're enjoying your trip so far!

Weather bureau saying possible showers for Bathurst saturday

[Moby Vic]

Originally Posted by hawkgirl

Yes, out & about early this year. It didnt chase you so it must of been cold

If you were still in penrith I would offer to let you come & look at some aussie pythons up close & personal.

Glad you're enjoying your trip so far!

Weather bureau saying possible showers for Bathurst saturday

Sadly I only had time for lunch in Penrith on my itinerary.

The last forecast I heard (yesterday) said "passing shower" on Saturday and sunny the rest of the time. I hope that's true. It was beautiful today.

Originally Posted by TC200six

There's lots of old Mustangs here. Although I begin to see more and more in LHD, as laws have changed and don't need to be converted.

I haven't tried a Serious Lamb burger yet. It's one of the special limited time meals McDonald's like to offer occasionally. They'll probably run out before I get a chance to get one though.

I saw a LHD '67 Mustang coupe in Sydney CBD.

Last night I went out to dinner with forum member Neale. I had kangaroo rump (still haven't seen a live one, even though I've eaten one now!). It was the best kangaroo I've ever had.

Neale told me about Catalina Park. In an interesting coincidence, I bought a book in Sydney called Car Lovers: Twelve Australian Writers on Four Wheels. This is from the first essay (the author is reminiscing about being inspired by Peter Brock rallycross racing in a Torana, circa 1971):

My uncle, aunty and cousins lived in Katoomba, in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. That's why I was at the nearby Catalina Park circuit. It was almost always cold and always raining, in my memory at least. I have no idea how I used to get into the track. Romantic notions suggest I should have climbed under a fence; I more likely paid thirty or fifty cents. Maybe I wasn't there as often as my memory tells me. But when I look back at the very early 1970s, that is where I spent my winter weekends, alone and squeezed between smoking, swearing and screaming grown-ups, vicariously winning from the back of the field, time and time again.

Anyway, today I walked around the circuit, in the correct direction, I hope (counterclockwise). The surface is all there, with many weeds growing through it. A lot of the steel guardrails and wooden guard walls remain. I saw a few old tyres stacked up here and there.

People walk around the track for exercise. There was a father with a young daughter on a scooter, a mother with a baby in a pram, and a young couple lay down on a blanket in the infield.

Something is going on at the property. Neale told me a wall had been removed since the last time he was there, and today there were trucks on the track and people in some sort of uniform walking through the brush in the area.

Tomorrow I drive to Bathurst! (I got a nice commemorative stamp set at the post office today.) All the random people I've spoken to regarding the race seem to be Holden fans. Oh well.

[Mechan1k]

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

All the random people I've spoken to regarding the race seem to be Holden fans. Oh well.

All probably wearing singlets and missing teeth.
These are well known in Australia to be called "Bogans" .... hee hee

Just kidding.

You have done more than a lot of people who live here have done when it comes o going out and checking out our own country. Well done on going and see what you have done ... especially in such little time.

[Moby Vic]

No, eating lunch at Scenic World, working at the post office, etc.

I got good advice here to help plan my itinerary! (I also researched your history and geography somewhat. I'm glad I did.)

[AC]

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

All probably wearing singlets and missing teeth.
These are well known in Australia to be called "Bogans" .... hee hee

Just kidding.

They are making shirts now

[TC200six]

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

Tomorrow I drive to Bathurst! (I got a nice commemorative stamp set at the post office today.) All the random people I've spoken to regarding the race seem to be Holden fans. Oh well.

Us Ford fans are the underdogs down here. Most people just follow the bandwagon and support the side with the most wins to its name, or because of the misconception that Holden is 'the Australian car'.

I must admit I'm rather jealous that you get to be at the track this weekend. Enjoy the experience and get ready to see a lot of these guys around

[Moby Vic]

Originally Posted by AC

They are making shirts now

image

That's awesome!

Heading off to the track in about an hour.

[Moby Vic]

Originally Posted by TC200six

I must admit I'm rather jealous that you get to be at the track this weekend. Enjoy the experience and get ready to see a lot of these guys around

image

It'll remind me of home.

[Charliewool]

This has been really enjoyable reading Moby!...
Can't wait to hear your opinions of the Mountain. (Especially mingling up at McPhillamy)

[Professor Farnsworth]

this thread needs pics

[4stanger]

Come on Moby, please keep us updated with the Australian adventure.
Especially the your Bathurst experience.
Maybe we need fellow forum members up on the Mount, to speak for him ;)

[wrongwaynorris]

Originally Posted by Arnaldo

Come on Moby, please keep us updated with the Australian adventure.
Especially the your Bathurst experience.
Maybe we need fellow forum members up on the Mount, to speak for him ;)

You should be hearing from Moby shortly re his experience and education at the Mount . He had Vegemite , VB and a Hamburger with the LOT for the first time ever aswell as sharpening his knifey spoony skills . Oh and he has excellent taste in music too . Top bloke for a Seppo and his sig is 100% accurate , he is fun to be with .

[FordACE]

Can't wait to hear from Moby re his experience at the Mountain. It was an excellent race this year.

[Moby Vic]

What an amazing track! I couldn't believe the elevation changes, or how difficult it is for a driver to see from so many places on it.

The biggest surprise to me was that the cars have mufflers. My street-legal Mustang is way louder than your race cars.

There were Toranas everywhere. The museum at the track is very nice, too. And I got to meet Allan Moffat and he autographed an R Spec poster for me! I didn't even have to wait in line 10 minutes.

The Folden camp was a lot of fun (and we ate in style and had our own Luxury Loo), and I also got to meet Big Trev. I bought a bunch of souvenirs that I'll be mailing home tomorrow (that'll be another big bill).

Pictures will have to wait until I get back home. I had a big scare my first day at the track--I dropped my camera, and it seemed to be working OK, but then it said the memory was full. Then I checked and it said I only had 17 images saved on it. I had taken over a thousand pictures at that point!

In a panic I was walking back to camp, and then I tried it again and the pictures had returned. I think I must have knocked the memory card loose and it took some pictures on internal memory. Anyway, if I lost all my pictures, everybody back home would kill me!

Tomorrow I'm off to Cairns, and Wednesday I tour the Great Barrier Reef. But I think after Bathurst, everything else will be a letdown: Great Barrier Reef, Uluru ... how could they compete?

[AC]

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

Tomorrow I'm off to Cairns, and Wednesday I tour the Great Barrier Reef. But I think after Bathurst, everything else will be a letdown: Great Barrier Reef, Uluru ... how could they compete?

They're a different kind of awesome.

[dave351cid]

glad your having a good time.
might pay you to back up your photos just incase. most of our big department stores or any camera shop would be able to save them to CD or usb, would be a shame to loose all your pics.

a couple of years ago i found a camera on the road, just a basic canon. the camera was bent up where i`d say it fell from a car infront of our tourist info center and hit the road. i took the card to a shop and got the pics put on a couple of cds (something like 600 pics) and went through them to try and find out who had lost it but could not get much of a hint except that it seemed like young backpakers in some pics. there were photos of across europe,india, china, asia and australia. so many lost memories for someone.

[Mechan1k]

You picked a good year to make it to the race ... was a great one to watch on the tele at least.

I reckon so far you have gotten more than your money's worth on this trip.

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

and I also got to meet Big Trev.

It was good meet Moby, it sure is an interesting track, hope you liked our Baked Beans -

[XR6TCraig]

Must be something about cameras and Bathurst.

I went with my uncle and cousin in the 80s, perhaps 86 or 87 as a teenager. It was my first and last trip to the mountain. It was the time of Group A and the Sierras were dominant. From memory, Brock was driving an M3 that year.

My cousin who was around 13-14 at the time took photos all day Friday, Saturday, Sunday of different stuff of interest. It was an old school camera back then with a roll of film, not a digital of course. He had taken something like 27 shots. Not a lot in this digital era but that was a whole roll of film.

Monday we returned to the track to do a lap of the track, as you do, and halfway down conrod straight he accidently opened up the camera while playing around with it, over exposing the film, effectively wiping all of the pics he had taken over the last few days in the process.


Hope you are enjoying Cairns Moby! I'm sure it will be warmer than Canberra.

[Moby Vic]

It's definitely warmer in Cairns. Feels like home!

In my wanderings today, I saw a Ford dealership, so I walked in and asked if I could get a Falcon brochure. They gave me one, no sweat! (I suppose I should try for Ute, Territory, and Mondeo, too.)

They've got a big muddy beach here you can't go on due to crocs. So they lie in the grass next to it and they've built a big pool beside it. Interesting solution.

[Professor Farnsworth]

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

It's definitely warmer in Cairns. Feels like home!

you should try it again in summer.

[zilo]

Get to the reef...

most of them will let you do a supervised scuba dive after about 30 minutes training...

Just make sure they don't forget you when they go home from the reef at the end of the day...they have been known to do that.....LOL

[XR6TCraig]

Cairns should be lovely weather wise at the moment. Still relatively cool!

In a couple of months it will have warmed up properly and with the humidity creeping in, you should be able to grow a lovely colony of mould on the walls, your shoes, everything!