revphillip

Back home again

revphillip — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:07:15 +0000

After some 4,500kms through four states. the XR5 Turbo brought us home yesterday.

Minimum fuel consumption was 6.6 l/100 kms. Very good indeed.

MR2 Turbo and XR5 Turbo ready to tackle the mountain

The trip from Sydney to Adelaide was in convoy with my son Tim who was driving his pride and joy; a 1992 Toyota MR2 Turbo. It did well apart from a small electrical glitch which sorted itself out after a few contacts were cleaned.

The highlight though was driving around the Bathurst race circuit. Even at 60 km/h it is still exhilirating. How do they do it at race speeds?

Arrived Sydney!

revphillip — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:58:32 +0000

Great trip to Sydney today.

The Hume Freeway is an easy road to drive and the Mondeo handled it beautifully. Active cruise control is fantastic; just set and forget (almost). It varies the speed according to traffic and even slows the car on descents to stay at the preset limit.

Melbourne to Sydney on one tank of petrol? The XR5 Turbo did it with an average 7.6 litres per 100 kms.

Bring on the cricket and later in the week, CMS Summer School.

Around and about Launceston

revphillip — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 09:30:50 +0000

Strange as it may seem, Leeanne wanted to go to a ‘Sea Horse Farm’.

A great spot for a breathtaking view

It was actually very informative. Our guide, Lee, was most helpful and pleasant. We learnt a lot about all the different types of sea horses. We even got to see the day-old ones. THAT was amazing. Tiny little things but all the bits are there and working even though they look as thin as a human hair and just milimetres long.

Was surprised to hear that demand for them from China runs to 20 million Sea Horses annually! Chinese use them for medicinal purposes. Photo album here

The Middle East however loves them for decorative use in thousands of very fancy aquariums in hotel lobbies etc.

There was also a neighbouring atraction called Platypus World. They are soooo cute but apparently venomous too. DON”T mess with them. The Echidnas stole the show with their ungainly waddle and enormous tongues which licked their plates clean right in front of us.

After that, the ‘Bridestowe’ lavender farm was a very pleasant lunch stop and chill-out as the lavender scent wafted over us in the fresh mountain air.

A good round-trip from Launceston and now, settling in for a New Year’s Eve without our family. That’s a first! Plans had to change after Leeanne needed to work while everyone else was on compulsory leave.

As our American friends would say; “If live gives you lemons, make lemonade”.

Happy New Year to all our friends out there!

Starting the year with a flight to Melbourne then drive to Sydney.

Checking out the farm

revphillip — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 09:14:45 +0000

Had a ball today checking out a friend’s farm at Sheffield.

Across John's farm looking towards the mountains

John has the best raspberries on the planet! OK, the best I have ever tasted. Picked straight off the vine they are delicious. I now know why supermarket fruit just doesn’t impress me.

The views were superb and the town itself is a joyful combination of the quaint, the quirky and the quizzical. Check out the pics on my gallery here.

King James visits Launy

revphillip — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 11:08:01 +0000

Had a big day packing up the King James Bible Exhibition from Launceston.

Launceston LINC Library hosts the KJV11 Exhibition

See the Gallery on Facebook here

Next venue: Brisbane.

Great Ocean Road

revphillip — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 21:43:32 +0000

Bay of Islands along the Great Ocean Road

My two-day trip along the Great Ocean Road wound up in Melbourne yesterday after a spectacular drive through what would arguably be Australia’s best cruising strip.
See the photo album on FaceBook

Some observations:
Kangaroos are bigger down here (well, bigger than NT wallabies). Came across two standing face to face in my lane of the road and one was at my eye level! Not arguing with them.
Fascinating names of the landmarks. Why so ‘religious’? There are the Martyrs, the 12 Apostles, the Grotto.
The Great Ocean Road is a ‘high accident zone’. I wonder why? Watching all the excursions drivers who were gawking at the scenery took off the sealed surface
TIP: Straight after Christmas, head towards Melbourne, not away from it. Traffic in the opposite direction was horrific.
For sheer driving pleasure, the road between Apollo Bay and Anglesea was probably the most fun. Lots of twisty bits with 25km/h hairpins and other bends at 40 km/h. Cruising with the sunroof open is so good

Motoring history

revphillip — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 21:22:46 +0000

Day 1 of my holidays and I am heading off to the National Motor Museum in Birdwood, South Australia. http://www.history.sa.gov.au/motor/about.htm
I have been in Adelaide for almost a year but have not had a chance to take a look at this amazing display of 400 classic and significant motor vehicles.
Apparently the drive through the hills is quite pleasant too. Spending time with a good friend will also be a highlight.

Plane spotting

revphillip — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 00:40:49 +0000

Haven’t done this in years! At my old stamping grounds overlooking the QANTAS hangars where I once worked and the threshold of runway 16R.
So far, I have seen quite a few ‘heavy’ jets including a few A380s. Not my favourite aeroplane but nevertheless of interest to an aviation buff.
The 747 is still the most graceful of all aircraft in my opinion. QANTAS is still pretty special too. My first ride in an aeroplane was in a QANTAS 747-200, VH-EBA, City of Canberra.
The -800 freighter was visiting during the week in Cathay Pacific livery. I hope the airlines take to it as a passenger aeroplane too. It compares very favourably with the A380 and looks a lot better.

Day tripper

revphillip — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 19:00:27 +0000

Off to Sydney today to collect Leeanne’s mum for her Christmas visit.
She doesn’t like flying and it is my turn to play chaperone.
I have a good book and look forward to starting my holidays as of today.
More later.

Changing hats

revphillip — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 20:34:10 +0000

It’s been a big weekend at the AFES National Training Event in Canberra. Tonight I head to Darwin for meetings with mission partners doing Bible translation.

Gathering with 1,500 students to study the Bible and be equipped for a life of service to God and humanity is an awesome thing. Australia’s future looks bright when you see so many wonderful young people who will be guiding this nation for decades to come.

I have caught up with friends from all over the country – and the world”

I have also been encouraged by the number of students who are interesting in serving God in remote places around Australia. Their commitment, selflessness and humility is truly wonderful in the midst of a world that champions the rights of the individual. Yes, they deserve ‘the best’ in their lives but they have seen that in giving themselves in service for others they have chosen a rich and rewarding path.

See: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%202:3-11&version=NIV