Travelling in Far West Queensland.

We left Leeton on Wednesday 26 August and it was quite cold and had been raining the week before we left.  After spending a few days in Forbes catching up with friends and relations we moved on to Bourke.

From Bourke we travelled to Charleville, where we extended our stay as we found lots to do and see there. We then stayed at Barcaldine and presently in the small village of Ilfracombe just 15 mins out of Longreach.

Tomorrow we leave for Winton for a couple of nights and then on to Boulia for 2 nights and then on Mt Isa for 4-5 nights.  We will make further "plans?" in Mt Isa.

We enjoyed our tours in both Charleville and Barcaldine and saw some very interesting things.

We can't get over how many dead kangaroos are on the roads - just one dead kangaroo after another, mile after mile!!  We often had to wait for oncoming traffic to pass us before we could drive around the roo.  Ray would have to put his car blinker on to move around the roos, so traffic behind knew what we were doing.

We left Barcaldine on a tour at 7.30am and on the drive out to where we were going, we saw thousands of kangaroos.  Anybody with any sense would know that the Australian kangaroo is definitely NOT near extinction!!!!!!

It is getting close to 5.30 Drinks & Showtime at Ilfracombe Caravan Park so I will add some photos and log out.

Vortex Cannon - "rain maker" in Charleville!!@@!!.  used many years ago - didn't work though!

Saw a flock of about 60 Brolgas along with these emus & chicks.

These bullock wagon tracks are still in the scrub today and the last wagon passed through in 1865 - you have to see it to believe it!  This is NE of Barcaldine and further east of the town of Aramac.

 

There has been no rain in these areas for 3 1/2 years, and the countryside is getting drier and drier as we head further north.

 

We saw some wonderful aboriginal rock carvings and ochre paintings.

The red dust "roads" we travelled on our tour with Tom Lockie.

5.30 drinks in the gathering shed at Ilfracombe Caravan Park with new "friends" Margaret &

Dave from Sth Australia.

 

 

As you can see we are enjoying ourselves.

 

Di & Ray.



OUR DAY ON GALLIPOLI PENINSULAR.

Saturday afternoon 25 April.

This afternoon we set sail for Gokceada Island which was the staging point for the Gallipoli campaign. As we set off late we did not get to see Anzac Cove from the ship as it was too dark. The night was really lovely and Ray & I spent sometime up top in a sheltered spot watching the tiny lights on the shore along the peninsular.

We docked back at Cannakale very late, around midnight, (we didn't here a thing), and our Gallipoli 12 re-boarded the ship. They had gotten back from the ceremony at about 10.30pm (after long long day/night/day for them) but our ship was still out at sea, so the bus driver kindly took them to a restaurant where they ate and consumed lots of red wine according to the stories told later!!!

Sunday 26 April

Today we went to visit one of the two very old forts that are situated at Cannakale and were used in WWI. These forts were built hundreds of years ago and are amazing, just the size and construction.

After lunch - at a seafood restaurant - in Cannakale we visited the ancient city of Troy. These are the first ruins we have seen and they were very interesting. Archeologists are still working on the site and I guess they will be for many years to come, as there are 6 layers of buildings - one built on the top of the last old ruin and so forth. DISAPPOINTMENT - there was never such a thing as the wooden horse of Troy - just a myth!!!!! But they do have a wooden horse there just for photos!!!

Monday 27 April - Gallipoli Peninsular.

The Wooden Horse of Troy!!!

 

Turkish squat toilet!!! No I did not use it.

 

Shrapnell Gully & Plugges Plateau

 

 

Ray sitting on Anzac Cove Beach

 

The Sphynx

 

Our group's solemn walk to Ari

Burnu

 

Simpson's Grave (for Jhie)

 

Lone Pine Cemetery

 

We lay the Leeton wreath.

 

Wreaths at memorial (Harry' s the white one).

 

Looking back to Lone Pine through

the thick scrub.

 

Original trenches.

 

Looking down on Anzac Cove and

over to Suvla Bay & Suvla

Salt Lake.

 

Ray sits in one of the trenches

with old post & barb wire relics.

 

Poingnant sign in Cannakle. 

Today we were all ready at 8am for our big day on the Gallipoli Peninsular. The atmosphere on our buses was so different to any other days outing. We all new it would be emotional for us, all in our different ways.

Our first stop was at Shrapnel Gully and just walking down the track to the cemetery was spine tingling. I asked our special guide, Hugh Dolan, what the vegetation was like when our Anzacs arrived, and apparently it was just as we saw it - very thick, very dense low scrub with scattered pine trees. The scrub is made up of wild azaleas and rhododendrons, plus many other local species. When the soldiers were being fired upon all they could do was lay on the ground; they were showered with leaves that were being shredded by the bullets.

Shrapnell Gully was the first place the Anzacs headed for, as it was a way up to the ridges without having to climb the shear cliffs. Plugges Plateau sits above here, and we could see it clearly, but did not have time to climb to it. As Hugh was explaining what happened here, there was not a dry eye amongst us. Just to be standing there was emotional.

Anzac Cove Memorial site was not far down the road. Here all the stands were still up and our Gallipoli 12 pointed out to us where they were sitting, and we could see the stage area, and the area where the officials were all seated. Many men were busily working to try and dismantle everything for another year. We had our photo taken in front of the Anzac Cove sign and then we all solemnly walked along the beach to Ari Burnu cemetery, which is the spot where the first boat landed and where they left the beach and headed for Shrapnell Gully. It was certainly very peaceful here, with a huge tree shading this very small grave site area.

We then headed to Beach Cemetery where we actually found Leeton's Charles Bosward's grave (thanks to our local historian Wendy Senti). Here I placed a poppy on his grave and shed a few more tears!

We had lunch in the National Park at a resort type place on a quiet secluded beach. There were hotel type apartments, villas and a small caravan park. (We have not seen a car and caravan since we left home - maybe far too early in the season here).

After lunch we made our way to Lone Pine - the main Australian cemetery. All the wreaths laid on ANZAC day, in all cemeteries, were still laying on the memorials. I placed our Leeton wreath very close to Prince Harry's wreath. One of our fellow passengers took photos of us as we laid the wreath. I don't have tell you how emotional this was!!!! With this mission accomplished, I then went off to the remembrance wall to find Wendy Senti's great uncle's name on Panel 41. I found it easily, and it was only a couple of feet off the ground so I was able to do a pencil rubbing of his name. I then used some Blue Tac I had brought with me to attach the beautiful crocheted poppy that my friend Pat did for me. I took several photos of Pte. T Jamieson's plaque for Wendy.

Everyone in our group mentioned how lovely the wreath was, but also how well it stood out when looking at the wreaths from afar - the red poppies truly stood out.

Emotions in our group were pretty high by this point, but lightened by the taking of a group photo. We sat in the stands and a photographer took the photo from below! One of our group realised this was back to front - we should have been sitting on the lawn in front of the Lone Pine and the photographer should have been in the stands - but too late to reorganise us all, so heaven knows what the photo will look like!

Later we walked in the diggers trenches and could see the Turkish trenches a road width away. No wonder they got to "know each other"!! (I must mention here that the respect shown to us by the Turkish people was truly amazing. In the streets they would shake our hands and welcome us to Turkey).

From The Nek we could see the whole of Anzac Cove right around to Suvla Bay & Suvla Salt Lake. We could see where the troops were aiming to get to, but were halted by Turkish troops. We have learnt so much about the Anzac landing, but can't put it in a blog - far too much to say - actually an incredible story to be told.

Driving away from this area we were looking down through Monash Gully, the scrub looking totally impenetrable, although they did it - having to use ropes to get down into the gully.

We drove home, all in a sober mood, but all grateful that we had the opportunity to have walked in their footsteps, but oh so much safer.

That evening our ship set sail for the island of Limnos - famous for the hospitals set up here during the Gallipoli campaign, but that can be another blog!

ANZAC DAY

We were up at 5am to watch the Dawn Service at Anzac Cove live on TV screen in the lounge area. For awhile we thought the TV satellite was going to give up the ghost, but luckily it kept going. It was very emotional especially the last post and anthems.

After that service ended, we went up on to the top deck and held our own service. (THE WEATHER WAS PERFECT - VERY MILD). On board our ship are 2 historians - Ret. Rear Admiral Peter Briggs (the man who has done all the work on the AE2 submarine) and Fmr Squadron Leader Hugh Dolan. With these two, plus two other passengers from our boat we held a service "A Personalised view of What Anzac means to Them". Our shipboard friend, Del, from Melbourne and I happened to have poems with us, so we were able to read them as part of this service.

Last night 12 New Zealanders joined us, as their Anzac plans all went wrong, and APT allowed

Watching TV service

 

Our own service on top deck

NZ  Bgler

Sunrise over Cannakle

Looking at Gallipoli Peninsular from Cannakle in Dardenelles.

 

them to come on board with us overnight. BUT ... how lucky were we, as one of the NZ's had his bugle with him. He played the Last Post and Navy Revallie which was fantastic ... many thought he played better than the bugler at the Dawn Service at Anzac Cove!

We are now back in our cabin showering and resting from our early morning.

We hope you enjoyed your respective Anzac Day services.

SPECIAL MESSASGE FOR ISOBEL: Happy 12th Birthday darling girl. Hope youu have a great day.

ELAINE: Peter West phoned this morning - he and Jane both well and enjoyed their service on board their ship "Orchestra". John Williamson and Normie Rowe been singing Aussie songs all morning.

VICKI: Ray phoned Jerry - all well with them. They were just trudging from Anzac Cove to Lone Pine, so we wished them well!

Bye for now,

Di & Ray

BLOG UPDATE

DAY 5 - Free Day.

Today we ventured out into Istanbul on our own for the first time. We walked and walked and walked.

Our first visit was to the Basilica Cisterns - sounds unsavoury, but what it is, is an undergrond storage system built by the Romans back in 6th century. Absolutely amazing. It has 336 marble columns holding the roof up and these columns are highly decorative - why when it was going to be full of water???? Maybe they were practising?? Nowadays there are walkways built for tourists to see this mighty feat of architecture. There is about 3-4 feet of water in the storage area now and many fish. This cistern was used to sore water for the nearby Topkapi Palace and other buildings that , surround the palace area. The water came in via a huge aqueduct system.

A couple of days earlier we had driven under this huge old aqueduct, so that was our next visit - but first of all we had to get our city map out and work out how to walk there!! Turkish names are very difficult to read, but we worked ot if we followed the tram line in a certain direction, then we could turn off to the right and this would hopefully take us to the aqueduct. We stopped off and had lunch at a typical Turkish cafe (had something like a rectangle pizza and several cups of Turkish tea) then headed off once again. We were a little lost and stopped at the Hotel Diana and asked for directions, promising the maitre de we would come back for lunch, and headed off again with his directions in our mind. After a couple of turns we found the aqueduct - it was a little too big to miss - and I still marvel at how wonderful the Romans were with their inventions and building. Took lots of photos!!

We walked back towards the city and found the bridge Metro station and took the train back to Taksim Square where our hotel is situated. Off Taksim Square is a shopping Mall that we wanted to check out - not for the shopping - but for the fact that this shopping mall is 2 km long!! ere there are huge up to the minute modern shops and smaller Turkish shops - but certainly everything you could possible want. Also a college in amongst the shops (had a walled garden which was very lovely). On the walk back thru the mall we diverted down the side streets and found streets that were fish markets, streets that were just restaurant after restaurant. Istanbul is truly a fascinating place. We always had to be aware to stay close and watch our bags and wallets. One lady on board had her credit card stolen when she handed it over to buy something - the stallholder physically ran away with it!! We used cash only when purchasing anything.

Taksim Square is where a lot of the unsupported refugees hang out/live. They beg and accost tourists, but we were well versed in how to handle them - "don't look them in the eye, just keep walking and ignore them". Many of the children just use Taksim Square as their playground. They literally hang off the backs of the trams and garbage trucks for fun. Very scary for tourists to see this behaviour.

DAY 6

Today we board the MS Island Sky - but firstly have the morning free. This time we walked left, out of the hotel, down to the business district near the hotel. We had coffee and then walked around the area, where we saw our first Smoking Cafe (smoking with a machine called a Hooka). Ray assures me they are smoking a Turkish type of tobacco through water! Across the road from the Smoking Cafe was a Turkish Delight store. Ray took some time to select some Turkish Delight, Marg D!!

Our ship is a very small cruise ship - actually 86 of us (full capacity is 114 guests), but like a huge ship in every other way. Has all mod cons, without the 4,000-5,000 other guests. You cannot get to the Gallipoli Peninsular except by car ferry from Cannakale - and we did that yesterday to visit the small village of Bigali - this is where Ataturk organised his troops to fight our ANZACS. It is a very small, old village - still very poor. We think the residents depend on tourists to eek out a small living selling sourvenirs.

From their we were driven north along the coast highway (very good) to Gelibelou (what we call Gallipoli), to a reception with the Mayor of Gelibelou Council. The mayor spoke of the wonderful friendship between the Anzac countries and could only wish that all the world could have friendships like we experience. It was all very nice and we got the chance to meet up Rotary friends from the Goksu Rotary Club once again. We had a big group photo taken on the steps of the Council building all holding our gift bags presented to us from Gelibelou Council. From here the Rotary members took us to a School for the Vision Impaired, and this was lovely. We listened to a concert put on by two older students - about 12/13 yrs old - the young boy playing a digital piano and the young girl sang. The piano and lots of other equipment was paid for by our visit organised by Balwyn Rotary Club (about $20,000) - we realise now why it cost so much!! But when you see the opportunities these kids are getting, the cost doesn't really matter. How lucky all our kids have been, and how lucky our grandkids are now. All kids in Turkey go to school and education is important. Really - all thanks to Ataturk - when he had the foresight to change the whole system. Took Turkey from a religious based authority by separating Government and religion.

Yesterday was a Public Holiday in Turkey to celebrate CHILDREN'S DAY. On the way back to the car ferry our driver took us past where the big celebrations were being held along the water's edge (a bit like Darling Harbour). Thousand of kids and parents, stalls and jumping castles etc all having a good time in the sunshine of the day. This is the area where Brad Pitt offered the town the wooden horse from his film "Troy" so we saw "the horse"!!

I went to bed early last night - no dinner even - but certainly enjoyed my brekkie this morning on the Lido deck, as it is another glorious sunny day. There was another tour this morning but we decided to make it a real rest day and do our laundry chores. Our bathroom now looks like a "Turkish Laundry".

Today, our MS Island Sky GALLIPOLI 12 left to camp out on the peninsular in readiness for the Dawn Service. (Only 12/86 have passes to attend the Dawn Service). Ray & I were the photographers for their group photo before they left. They were all very apprehensive, excited and emotional as they left. We all hope the have a wonderful experience, but maybe get to feel a little uncomfortable & cold so they can feel a little like an Anzac. We are looking forward to hearing about their experience - certainly one not to be forgotten.

Wagga ABC phoned Ray a couple of days ago and wanted to do a live interview with him Friday just to get a feel of what is going on in the area of the Dardenelles. He phoned last night at midnight, Ray answered and spoke a few words to him, but by the time Ray turned a light on, the connection was gone. Ray did warn him that mobile service may be hard to get and keep when he phoned a couple of days earlier, and that is exactly what happened. Later the ABC reporter sent a text to say he had abandoned the idea as it was far too difficult to get a connection!!!

We have a presentation this afternoon by Australian War Historian, Hugh Dolan: Why Gallipoli? and another this evening called "Planning for Landing". These should certainly get us ready for the 4.30am Dawn Service on our screens.

Today we have noticed a big change in the skies and water ways of the Dardenelles. Lots of helicopters and air force jets in the sky and small security army boats on the water, along with warships coming and going. We just saw a convoy of 11 warships head to the Gallipoli Peninsular point and watched it live on the news. Seemed strange to be actually seeing it "really live".  The ships you will see at the Commonwealth Service we saw that convoy sail past our ship on the way to the Peninsular.

Also we have noticed the huge coaches heading south on the coastal highway on the peninsular. In the port towns we have been in over the last couple of days, you could not help but notice the hundreds and hundreds of large coaches parked everywhere. These coaches will be used to transport all the people to the Service site in Gallipoli National Park. Our group left at 12.45 pm, and goodness knows what time they will get to the service area with their sleeping bags and provisions!!!

Must get some photos onto this blog quickly, as it is nearly time for presentation number 1.

Bye for now

Di & Ray xx

Cisterns

Aqueduct

Ataturk's house in Bigali.

 

CELEBRATION  FLAGS IN CANNAKALE.

 

SAD SAD BUNNIES IN ISTANBUL.

Even in Istanbul you can find another Bunnie!  So we know there would be at least two Bunnies very sad tonight.

GO YOU BUNNIES!!!

IN ISTANBUL

Obviously I am not real good at this blogging thing - but I will try, and try again!!!

Istanbul is an incredible place.  Some much old stuff but also so much of the new.  A lot of the buildings are really derelict and look unlivable (but some obviously still lived in) and then alongside it will be a relatively new building.

Day 1 - we visited an archeological museum which was really interesting and then Topkapi Palace.  The palace was the first Sultan's palace and was fascinating.  No photos allowed inside but believe me it was pretty amazing seeing as it dated back to the 12th century.  The kitchens were pretty impressive, as was the drainage system for back then!!

The Topkapi gardens were truly amazing as they were covered in blooming tulips and hyacinths - the colour combinations were fantastic, and I will never forget the smell of the hyacinths.  There was not just hundreds of bulbs - there were thousands and thousands of them.  We learnt that tulips originated in Turkey and it is their National Flower. 

We had lunch at the palace overlooking the Bosphorus River - this river separates the continents of Europe and Asia - and it was a great spot looking out over the very busy river.

Day 2 we visited the Dolmabache Palace which was built in 1926-32 and is the first palace built in the European style, and it was used for government ministers and for special meetings with the Sultan of the day.  We were shown the meeting hall where the Sultan and his ministers & army leaders discussed what was to happen about the attack on Gallipoli.  Lots of beautiful Turkish rugs in these beautifully decorated rooms.  The gardens here at Dolmabache were nowhere near as impressive as the gardens at Topkapi, but did have nice tulips'  Apparently we are lucky to see the tulips as this is the first week of them flowering and they only last a week or two at the most.

After lunch we spent time around the Bazzar area, firstly going to a Turkish rug manufacturer and saw some beautiful rugs priced anywhere from $2,000 to $86,000 - but sadly we did not make a purchase.  What I enjoyed though was watching a lady actually weaving a rug with double knots (most important when buying a rug).  Her fingers moved like lightening asd she followed a pattern (similar to a cross stitch pattern).  The weavers can only work a 20 minute stint because of the sheer concentration needed to do their work.  Sue (another lady on our tour) and I were lucky enough to be able to have a lesson on how to weave - how they do it I do not know!!  I will stick to patchwork.

We then walked further down the street to the Grand Bazaar and this was certainly an eye opener.  There is everything you could possibly think of in this bazaar and every stallholder wants you to buy his/her things.  Luckily our guide, Gokhan, had given us all good advice on how to simply ignore them.  The bazaar is filled with wonderful smells and sites.

That afternoon Ray & I laid down for a rest at 5pm and woke up at 10.30pm!  Obviously we needed the rest - too later to wander off and find some dinner (not hungry anyway) so rolled over and went back to sleep.

Day 3 (yesterday) we visited the famous Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque) and the just as famous Hagia Sophia Christian Church (taken over my the Muslims many years ago), which is now a museum.

The Mosque is certainly big and is covered in tile mosaics (mainly blue).  Certainly a huge building and it still amazes me how these buildings were made so many thousands of years ago.  We had to take off our shoes and all women had to cover their heads, and I had no trouble with that.

The Hagia Sophia is certainly a wonderful building too,  I remember learning about the dome on this building when I was at high school.

The area in between these two buildings is like a garden square, and again it is filled with beautiful tulips.  One section has been turned into a Turkish Carpet of tulips and we actually saw it being constructed a couple of days ago, and yesterday we were there when the "Official Opening" was conducted.  Apparently a big thing for the beginning of spring every year.

Later that afternoon those of us who were attending the Rotary Peace Conference were driven to the conference venue.  The conference was very good and certainly was a good trial run as to how my emotions will be on Anzac Day.  The 4 speakers all spoke about the Gallipoli/Cannakale campaign and how futile war is, and how we should all strive for Peace in the world.  Australia's guest speaker was former GG Peter Hollingsworth - and he spoke very well.  He is a member of Melbourne Rotary Club.  Later that evening at the Conference Dinner, a Peace Treaty was signed between Turkey, Australia and New Zealand on behalf of their Rotary Clubs.  We arrived home very late the dinner venue was over on the Asia side of Istanbul and took us 1 1/2 hours to drive there and 1 hour to get home again.

But today we were up and on the bus at 9am to visit the Chora Church.  This building was built in the 4th century as a Christian church and during the 13th was covered in mosaics and frescos focussing of the Life of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary.  After many earthquakes some of the works have had to be removed because they were severely damaged and dangerous, but the ones that are left are truly incredible.  Can only imagine how they must have looked when they were originally done, as the colours are still very good.

Tonight we are going on a boat dinner cruise on the Bosphorus with some of the Turkish Rotarians.  The weather has been really lovely, but today it is overcast and drizzly rain and has turned very cold.  Tonight we will definitely have to rug up as being a cold day and then on the water - we can be sure it will be very cold.

Just had our washing deliverered.  NEVER before have we had this service done in a Hotel - but we are never home long enough to do it - so a first time for everything!!!!

I will attempt to add some photos!!

Bye for now
Di & Ray xx