Simon: Today we left Sydney a driving day which reminded one of good old England with driving rain for some 260 Kms of our journey. Still we arrived at the Hunters Valley wine growing area to stay in the very nice Hermitage Lodge. We immediately, at the insistence of you know who , had to visit every winery within striking distance . Luckily we could walk to a number that afternoon and proceeded to taste to excess . Area is known for its Shiraz which as you woul...

We have just returned from a week tour of the reef which was very luxurious - lots of good food and fantastic snorkelling. No internet.We only have a brief transition before flying to Bloomfield (have a look on the internet) I'm now in the airport I think we will have time to do a [proper] blog in Bloomfield - no phone or internet and send it when we come back. We will be off to Zealand when we come back form Bloomfields in about 7 days

After an uneventful flight on Qantas and we arrived in Perth: the land of no worries and everything else ending in 'ies'. A private transfer to our hotel, Sullivan's, which was ideally positioned on the water front . The next day Her Indoors decided we would cycle using the hotel bikes. After a 2 hour, Wiggo inspired check-in, in which an entire maintenance crew was required, we set off following the South Perth cycle trail. We passed many lovely houses, ...

Another excellent train journey thru the Malay countryside. It is astounding the difference between the designer malls and the poor living in the surrounding areas , maybe a bit like London and Bristol. Arrived into woodlands and got checked into Singapore . I had planned to take the mass rapid transport system to the hotel only to see no connections at the station, no ATM , no tourist advice and 20000 people running for everything . Eventually we got a bus to t...

day 7 21-10-13 Monday Off to Batu caves which is a Hindu shrine to Lord Murugan. Not actually sure why he is so important but important enough for hoards of sari clad women to make the arduous and hazardous climb - fending off troops of monkeys and ducking the pigeons poo - up 265 steps to the shrines. The caves are massive and very atmospheric with shafts of light from two gaps at the top of the cave illuminating the shrines below. We didn't take Mr Jangut r...