Flying over Canberra

Late last year Karyn and I went to a charity dinner and auction for Canteen (Teenagers with Cancer) and we ended up buying a joyflight around Canberra.  We thought that Matthew would use it, but he never actually ended up organising it before he went to Mexico.  It seemed that when Fay and Marlene came for a visit it was a good time to use it, with Karyn chickening out.

Anticipating some reflection from the windows, I used a polarising filter that seemed to work out ok.

 Fay and Marlene in front of the plane.

 The new arboretum showing all the new trees that have been planted.

This is the Governor-General's place.  I once sat at the head of the main banquet table there and I noticed that the big communications tower at the top of Black Mountain sits exactly between two flagpoles at the end of the garden.  Not a coincidence, I suspect.

 During the flight the pilot called air traffic control and asked if we could circle Parliament House a few times.  They said "no worries", so we circled a few times and I got lots of photos.  I bet you can't do that in Washington !

 A closer view.

 This is where I work.  Much more fun to be flying around during my lunchtime than sitting at my desk with a sandwich.

 Some farms around Canberra.  Much greener now that when I went on a balloon trip a few years ago in the middle of a drought.

Here's what the ground looked like in 2009 during the drought.  All the grass was dead and bleached almost white.

 The instruments.  The pilot was trying out an iPad strapped to his left thigh that he had loaded with the relevant maps.  He thought it might be more convenient than large paper maps.

 Coming back in for a landing.

We taxied back to the hanger.

Floriade - a disappointment this year

Today I went to Floriade, which is Canberra's annual flower show in Commonwealth Park on the shore of Lake Burley Griffin.

It was apparent soon after entering that I was about a week too late, as many of the flowerbeds showed the ravages of the recent poor weather.  I reckon that it was probably at its best last weekend.  I can imagine the panic by the organising committee now that it's been announced that the Queen will be visiting next week. I hope they have a few thousand back-up tulips.

 Beds full of dead flowers.

A gardener starting to remove dead flower heads.











The whole show also seemed noticeably smaller than last year.  There were no sculptures in the lakes like in previous years, and smaller flowerbeds.  Despite the dead flowers, there were still a lot in good condition, particularly those that were in more sheltered areas.

 Copying what everyone else was doing.

Posing for a photo by Mum.  Interesting that teenage girls would agree to wearing matching outfits.

 There is an annual competition for the best decorated garden gnome.

 A girl and her mother painting a gnome.

Down the coast again, and again

I've been down to the south coast for 3 weekends in a row.  Twice to go diving with Matt, and once to go to the Moruya races with Karyn.  And then last weekend we went up to Sydney to go to the races at Warwick Farm.  I'm actually glad to have this weekend off.

Here are a few photos from the various weekends.

 Stake Knife running 3rd at Moruya.

 The jockey (Kayla Nisbet) was pleased with the result. Despite coming back with a face covered in mud. She seems to be always smiling.

 We stayed overnight at a place in Bateman's Bay overlooking the water.

 Our room.

 Having a glass of champagne and enjoying the view.

 The view from the room looking out to the East.

 I went for a walk after dinner and captured this view of the bridge over the Clyde river.  The section in the middle lifts up to let sailboats through.

 A moray eel that Matt and I saw on a dive at Broulee.

 Some colourful sponges.

 A large blue grouper that kept his eye on us.

 This is the beach at Broulee where we went diving.  There was a very strong rip just off the rocks that quickly sucked us out into the deeper water.  Just as we were getting dragged out in the strong current I remembered that I hadn't locked the car doors.

 Karyn and I on a bus trip to Warwick Farm with the Women In Racing crowd.  I reckon Karyn had a champagne glass glued onto her hand for the whole trip.

 We were invited by the racecourse manager to view the start of a race from the starter's position.  The next three show the horses jumping from the barriers.