The Bears RTW Trip

Some of the cards and presents

2009-01-05T23:48:00.001+00:00

Some of the cards and presents
Originally uploaded by The Old Bear

Mrs Bear's 60th Birthday

The Bears at Interhash 2008

2008-05-22T05:32:00.007+01:00

The Bears
Originally uploaded by Henry Root

Red Dress Run, Perth

No - we don't always dress up in red clothes to be a Hash House Harrier! Only on those occasions when we have a Red Dress Run for charity. Sorry!

If you live in or near to Yorkshire, England, click the image for more details of hashing with the Yorkshire Hash House Harriers (YH3.)

Runs are held weekly either on Sunday mornings at 11.00 or Monday evenings at 19.30 and usually start and finish at a pub.

FOR DETAILS OF HASHING WORLDWIDE CLICK HERE http://www.gthhh.com/

New York, starting with a very moving visit to Ground Zero

2008-05-04T11:35:00.019+01:00

So much to do, so little time comes to mind as we only had 5 nights to see so much!

At first, we had to readjust to a frantically active city. Not an easy task as our first encounter with the locals at JFK almost resulted in us being ripped off by a taxi spiv. Only use yellow cabs and regular transfer outfits in New York. The rest are crooks.

Still reeling from this we arrived at The Herald Square Hotel only to find that the rooms were far too small for RTW travellers and the whole place resembled an overpriced hostel. Although evidently popular with those on a lower budget with one suitcase, unfortunately it did not fit our needs. Luckily, help was at hand and we checked in at the Hotel Wolcott across the road - a much nicer place where our large 11th floor room looked on to the Empire State Building.

Having recovered somewhat from this ordeal, the first trip we made was to Ground Zero. We both found this very moving, especially seeing the Church exhibits. The photo's also show the site under excavation - it will be years yet until the foul extremist blot is finally cleansed.

The days that followed could only be described as frantic and full! Our memories of Manhattan, going to see Hairspray on Broadway, jazz bands and Beatles memorabilia in Central Park, Grand Central Station, walking Brooklyn Bridge and Greenwich Village and the free trip around the Statue of Liberty on the Staten Island Ferry dominate the end of our trip. Towards the end of our stay visibility cleared - we had experienced some rain - and we made the trip up the Empire State Building. We timed it right (helped by my forgetting my camera, hopping over aisles and returning fast routed) and got some great photos at day and night. Last but not least, the pending birth of our twin grand-daughters prompted a visit to Macy's in Times Square. See the Macy Bears photograph!

Finally returning home was somewhat of a relief, much enhanced by a wonderful British Airways check-in girl who saved us about 6 hours traveling by changing our flight to one direct to Manchester. We also experienced our first - and probably last as new American regulations take effect soon - experience of flexible weight limits on checked in baggage. Our strictly 2 x 23kg each limit prior to this was no longer a problem! Thank you BA.

Back home to review about 16 GB of pictures and video should keep me occupied for a while!

San Fran Chinatown

2008-04-26T19:09:00.008+01:00

After seeing so many Chinese Restaurants during the day we took advice on returning at night and chose the Brandy Hi at the bottom of Columbus Avenue. This turned out to be an absolute treat with 6 live chefs cooking in front of the tables and fantastic food. I can honestly say the it was best Won Ton Soup I had ever had and the whole bill with 2 beers, starters and mains and china tea was only $56!!!

Tomorrow night we are going to the Mona Lisa Italian restaurant we checked out on Friday, recommended to us by two NZ friends we met on the tour. Today we are off to the California Beer Festival in Fort Mason, Fisherman's Wharf! Today might be a through event!!!

San Francisco

2008-04-26T01:14:00.008+01:00

I knew, before we landed, that we would want to stay longer than the meagre 3 days we had here and at once that was proved true!

Arriving at around 10pm last night at The Golden Gate Hotel, a boutique establishment near Union Square on Bush Street, we dropped our bags and ran for Geary Street, reputed to be hottest for live music and cheap beer. At Leftys we had two marvellous pints, a huge hot roast beef sandwich and met several great people, some from Italy, some the USA. The latter bought us a San Fran Slammer comprising Guiness into which you added a shot of Baileys and Irish Whisky and downed the lot in one. Marvellous,

Some hours later we returned to our hotel much pleased with our first night.

After breakfast next day, we set off on foot down to Union Square to get a 3 day bus/trolley/cable car pass for $18 and off we went up Grant Avenue through fantastic China Town for window shopping and tea tasting. Then on on to see a few restaurants recommended to us and the amazingly twisted Lombard Street with great views of the harbour and Golden Gate Bridge from the top. We actually did this the hard way by climbing up it instead of down! Only we could have done this!

Down the last hill we rode the cable car clinging on for dear life with one hand and taking video with the other! On to Fishermans Wharf where we took a one hour cruise around Alcatraz and Golden Gate and Bay Bridges - great fun.

Back on terra firma we ate Clam Chouder at a pavement cafe before finally returning to base for a cup of tea. A rest now before tonight's festivities.

Hawaii

2008-04-24T23:23:00.008+01:00

Hawaii was an immense culture shock after the peace and utter tranquility of Fiji! It took us at least 2 days to get used to the hustle and bustle of Waikiki Beach but once we had bought a bus pass for $20 we soon zoomed around the island visiting Diamond Head where we walked to the very top and witnessed a coastguard helicopter rescue of an ailing gentleman.

During our Pearl Harbour visit we felt immense sadness when seeing the submerged wreck of the Arizona, as many thousands of visitors before us will also have felt.

To cheer ourselves up, we took a round the island bus trip calling at Sunset Beach on the North of the Island where we chilled out for an hour or two. Leaving now for San Francisco.

Pictures from Castaway Island, Fiji - Can you spot the 2 meter shark?!

2008-04-15T00:50:00.001+01:00

Sunset, Pelican and Mezza at her best

2008-04-14T03:53:00.002+01:00

Boat and Barbecue trip - Castaway Island

2008-04-12T20:48:00.002+01:00

This morning we went on a speed boat trip to visit 3 islands off Castaway. On the boat were an English family from Chelmsford , Rob and Brenda, who live about 5 mins away from Terri's cousin Jen! A small world. They said when we are next in Chelmsford we must meet up.

It was a wonderfully sunny day and the boat went so fast the breeze was a relief from the hot sun. The islands we visited were very small but it made a change to see other resorts. The best part was the barbecue and free champagne we had on the beach on our return to Castaway - 3 bottles amongst 10 people and as 3 were kids we had more to go round!

Castaway Island, Fiji

2008-04-12T06:21:00.003+01:00

What a paradise this is! Only been here since Wednesday night but sand in every crack!!! Flew in by seaplane and been on an island hopping trip today.

Dived yesterday and doing 2 more tomorrow.

Sunset here is fantastic - got some great photos yesterday.

This is the life. Fantastic food and a hammock whenerver you want to chill out...Marvellous.

Another 6 days to go then on to Hawaii.

Meeting new friends at Castaway Island

2008-04-09T20:54:00.007+01:00

We arrived at Castaway shortly after 5.00 p.m. by seaplane from Nadi Airport so we had very little time to change for the party which is held every Wednesday from 6.00 pm - we actually got there around 6.30 but after a few glasses of free champagne things seemed to look up! We met two really nice couples. There was Crissy and Mark from Sydney who were on their honeymoon and Andy and Jo from Auckland. We all got on so well that we decided to have dinner together. We invited them all back to our bure the following evening for pre-dinner drinks - very good idea as we are around 20 ft from the sea and they are all bringing drinks round!

Near the end of our holiday we also met the Sales Manager of Castaway together with a group of invited travel agents who were good enough to buy us bubbly and cocktails on our special Anniversary night. We were also very grateful to the Castaway Family too for giving us a special table and an enormous chocolate cake and a bottle of bubbly and singers to serenade our night! Well done!

Dunedin

2008-04-07T10:13:00.002+01:00

So here we are at the Scottish empire in New Zealand! Not that we saw a hell of a lot of it as we were stuck in some train doing some gorge but at least we had a couple of 500ml stouts to calm the nerves en route.

Back at the Southern Cross Hotel after dinner the Missus is doing her hair while I am pounding keys at the 10$ pc and all is sweet in the world of the bears.

Gosh knows where we are tomorrow. Somebody said Twingel but your guess is as good as mine.

These coach tours are absolutely brilliant for making new friends but ye Gods you do not settle in one place long enough. Thinking of coming back to Christchurch and Queenstown under our own steam to really get to grips with it.

Chilled out with surplus scenery that you would not believe. Last night's Milford Sound waterfalls in high water from road and steamer were the best we have ever seen but looking forward to the possibility of doing a day trip to Niagra whilst in New York.

NZ tour almost over!

2008-04-07T01:31:00.006+01:00

We have made so many friends and will be sad to leave the tour of NZ South Island!

Terri and I took a 1 hour flight over Mount Cook and the Glaciers today which was spectacular as a way of celebrating Vera's centenary (yes she was born 7 April 1908!). We thought it fitting and better than any celebratory meal for such a wonderful woman.

Busy now arranging a meal for about 10 friends on the tour. Last night was a hoot with a piano player and guitar with several different nationalities competing for singing time.

After a couple of hours we gave in but left one friend with a bottle of wine which he shared with an unsuspecting passer by!!!

Milford Sound

2008-04-04T19:46:00.004+01:00

What a fantastic day! After visiting the largest lake on South Island, Lake Wakatipu we traveled through the World Heritage Fiordland National Park and visited the glaciers close up. Then the treat of the day, Bowen Falls, swollen by heavy rain and a cruise on Milford Sound when the sun and rainbows came out to greet us - thank goodness!

Tonight we stay at the Village Inn, Te Anau.

Queenstown

2008-04-03T13:09:00.003+01:00

Well here we are at last! Blimey what a feat, moving on most days with the tour and still managing the excursions!

We started from Christchurch and made our way through lush scenery and amazing glaciers and are now in Queenstown. We think it is the most attractive town so far actually. Five days to go.

Mike went up in a helicopter to view the glaciers yesterday but I did not go due to my vertigo problem!!! He said it was fantastic. After that we both went on a jet boat along a river which was a great experience.

Today is a rest day so we are making the most of it. At 17.15 we are being picked up from the hotel and going by a large ferry to a restaurant at Walters Peak. We have met some real characters on the tour - a really great bunch actually. That's the advantage of going on a tour as apart from meeting lots of lovely people Mike does not have to do any driving and we get so much information about what we are seeing from our great guide, Marty.

Looking forward to going to Dunedin, Milford Sound and Te Anau over the next two days. Dunedin was the original Scottish settlement in NZ over 150 years ago.

There is hardly any traffic in NZ - such a low population. Actually I think even I could drive over here Ha! Ha! (This is the Missus)

When we arrived at Queenstown we saw a guy bungee jumping off the Arrowtown bridge! Queenstown is the adventure capital of the world, they say, and as bungee started here in 1988 I am inclined to believe it! All extreme sports are catered for including skydiving, parasailing, heli-skiing and many more.

Hope to post a few photos when I get my act together!

Start of 10 day AAT Kings NZ South Island Tour - Christchurch

2008-04-03T07:21:00.004+01:00

We met Tour Director Marty and Driver Gavin at a Dinner & Drinks Reception, Heritage Hotel, together with the other 40 odd passengers on this bus, several soon to become friends!

Day 2 we set off on the superb TranzAlpine train over the mountains, seeing the fascinating Pancake Rocks and Blowhole at Punakaiki. Later we went to the jade factory in Hokitika before settling in at our next hotel, the Franz Josef Glacier Hotel. It was quite cold but our room was very comfortable.

Our worry of the visibility last night was unfounded as I (Mrs Bear could not due to vertigo) took a helicopter tour over the glaciers and Mount Cook, landing on an ice plateau 2,000 feet high to take unforgettable photographs.

Later we took the long tunnel through the mountains called Haast Pass and passed many largely unused lakes before visiting the heritage goldmining town Arrowtown and settling down in our next hotel - a two night stay at the Millenium, Quenstown.

AAT Kings Pre-NZ Tour Dinner

2008-03-31T20:27:00.004+01:00

What a great start to our NZ Tour. We met all the guests on the tour at a private dinner at the Heritage Hotel, Christchurch. Luckily we found ourselves on a spectacular table with the most lively bunch of the lot! Amongst them were Carl and Mareka from Vermont in the States, Graham and Eileen from Melbourne and a great guy called John from Queensland who drank more wine than us (and bought more too!) so a marvellous time was had by all.

The Tour Director, Marty, and the driver, Gavin, are a real laugh and very enthusiastic about their roles - we shall no doubt have a great rapport going with these two!

Can't wait to get on the coach tomorrow morning (with Resolves in supply no doubt!).

M & T

SNOW

2008-03-30T09:13:00.002+01:00

Thought you'd like to see the snow that you missed over easter!!

Stuck in Sydney!

2008-03-29T22:12:00.003+00:00

Well. I suppose it had to happen sooner or later... We flew out of Perth fine last night at 15 mins past midnight, but now our flight through to Christchurch, NZ, has mechanical problems and has been delayed. Luckily only for an hour!

However, on the plus side, I have found a way around my memory card problem on my camera. Luckily, it takes both microdrive and XD card so I have now bought 2 cheap 1 GB and 2 GB cards and hopefully we are off again.

We are looking forward to our 10 day coach tour of South Island, New Zealand and the 2 day rest before we go!!!

After Interhash!

2008-03-28T03:21:00.004+00:00

OK Time has gone so quickly. The Red Dress run, a sheer red blodge of 2000 runners in red left the centre of Perth and were wildly cheered on by the locals.

Then Rego and rest on Friday followed by the main Saturday and Sunday Interhash hashes - again very enjoyably even in the intense heat - up to 32 degs C.

Then another day of rest - we took the ferry to Fremantle and the train back, before setting off on 7 coaches of the so called Fine Wine and Dine 5 day trip. This entails no fine dining but some fine wine at Margaret River and beer at breweries before mainly forest runs and circle to end the day.

The local clubs are not used to 400 hashers - more like 10 so amenities are not always as expected. Our coaches also have suffered with breakdowns but nothing our highly competent leader Kerrie cannot fix to date!

The last problem was to find that my card reader does not work so I may have a problem with photos as 1 microdrive is already full!!! Will try to upload from here as last resort!

Post Hash Wine Tour, Bussleton Australia

2008-03-25T03:51:00.000+00:00

It's hot in Perth!

2008-03-24T04:44:00.000+00:00

Well we made it! After a very long flight via Heathrow and Singapore we arrived in Perth 2.00 am on Wednesday morning.

DO NOT FLY BMI / BA as they do not have access to each others check-in systems! This meant that we could not reserve seats until we got to Heathrow - only 3 seats left by then on the Singapore - Perth leg!!! - and the honeymoon couple on the same flight a day later had their cases lost due to the same problem. Still not here after 2 days.

Stayed in bed until lunch time on Wednesday then got up and did the free city centre bus to get our bearings. All the centre buses or "Cats" as they are called are free here.

Yesterday, Thursday we, along with 2000 other hashers, did the Red Dress Run. An absolute spectacle. A huge red moving mass. We took the lay-back Perthians by surprise and were recorded by TV and radio stations from all over Australia!

We returned to Gloucester Park - the main venue for the event which is a trotting stadium - to have the pleasure of waiting ages as they were very badly organised for beer and food. Let's hope the organisation improves by Friday or there will be riots! 3 people serving in the main bar for 2,000 customers is a little light on staff.

That night we managed to pursuade the reticent bar owners in several bars to stay open late. They try to close at 11 or even 10 in the evening! However, most bars have bottle shops attached which makes the hard job of imbibing a little easier. Eventually, we finished up at the Criterion where we met more of our own crowd and eventually left after a marvellous start to our vacation at 1.30 am in the morning.

After an earlier start Thursday morning we chilled out at the roof-top pool for a few hours before preparing for the opening ceremony at the stadium at 5.00 pm. It is very quiet today in Perth as most of the shops are closed. They take Good Friday quite seriously unlike most other parts of the world.

The pc's here at the Mercure do not allow uploading photo's unfortunately. That will have to wait until the internet cafe's open again!

So, toodle oo until then my dears!

Interhash Perth - Main Event

2008-03-23T17:43:00.006+00:00

And so, after the traditional Red Dress Run, the bears (aka Henry Root and Ginger Root) went on to the main event, to be held on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

We were hampered in our celebrations prior to the opening due to the somewhat archaic laws prevailing at the moment in Western Australia. Our visit coincided with the Easter Bank Holiday and consequently all the bars, restaurants and shops were closed! We could not believe it. 6,000 people in Perth ready to spend and no-where to go. However, we managed to find a few co-operative locals. Strange. They never managed to have a problem serving us before, even if the drinks are way overpriced everywhere.

Friday saw us registering at the Stadium, Saturday and Sunday being bussed out for the runs. These included excellent beach and forest trials. Well done the local hashes and those from all over the world who laid trails!

For details of Interhash 2010 in Borneo, click the top image or here!

Red Dress Run, Perth

2008-03-22T03:46:00.002+00:00

2008-03-17T10:11:00.002+00:00

Sweet's and Matilda's Wedding - Fantastic event!

Not long to go now.

Our next words will be from Perth, Australia.