Yesterday Afternoon

After doing the Jane McGrath Classic in the morning, I decided I'd not done enough for Australia Day, and went down the coast all the way to Wollongong, stopping off at Bald Hill, and going via the Sea Cliff Bridge. Here's some pictures from that trip out.

Enjoy!

Just a by-the-by: there were actually 14 tankers/container ships off Wollongong's coast yesterday, but I didn't get all of them in the picture.

Low cloud at Wombarra (I think it was there...)

The Sea Cliff Bridge from Bald Hill - the low cloud can be seen in the distance

Low cloud over the ocean, with the tankers/container ships just noticeable

It was enjoyable to see sun in the afternoon after a few days of rainy, wet days.

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Australia Day.

What Nellie Did Next...

Well...thought I'd do a little bit of a write up of what I got up to while away from the 'Big Smoke'. Just a couple of days out of town, but it's nice to get away.

Last Tuesday I took a friend and her brother back home to Dubbo. Hence visiting the place. Always a nice place to get away to. Visited another friend while out there. Driving out there took up most of Tuesday, and we got to the farm in the evening as darkness was approaching, but not before I was able to get the photo of the sunset (featured below).

Wednesday was a nice easy day where we just stayed at home and read, and relaxed, and vegged out on some Phantom of the Opera (25th Anniversary edition, live at the Albert Hall, London). That was very good. Nice easy day. Hence me forgetting to actually take a photo.

Thursday was going into town. We arranged to meet up with another friend at the South Dubbo Tavern for lunch (which they don't do too badly, at all) and then drove into town after dropping our friend off at his house. In town I was able to pick up a great bargain: an Espirit dress that I had seen for $149.99 in Sydney at the beginning of Summer Wear Season. Not a bargain at that price, hence leaving it until coming out to Myer Dubbo, where they had it (towards the end of the season, yes...) for $79.99, and then it was reduced some more, and because of a gift voucher given to me for Christmas two years ago, I got it for $34.95. Not bad, not bad at all... After a little bit more browsing of the shops we went and had coffee with the friend we met up with for lunch to look over his house (that's relatively new, still). Bought a book, too, that should help with writing things about books that I've been reading all year, and should help me keep reading during the year. That was good, and it wasn't long before we started heading back 'home' for the evening.

Next day was another trip into town to see the latest Sherlock Holmes movie, as well as visit the Old Dubbo Gaol. The movie was good, and quite enjoyable. More intrigue, or something (or a better plot line?), made it quite good, and worth seeing. Horror night at Old Dubbo Gaol was worth going too, as well...even if I did ruin one of the 'ghosts' little gig by seeing her moving, getting into position to try and scare my friend and me. We got back to the farm a little after midnight, having had ourselves some fun driving back. If you must know, I like night driving sometimes better than daytime driving due to sunlight being a hassle at times.

Anyway...Saturday was the day I was driving back, and didn't leave until an hour and a half after I was expecting to...due to my own fault at procrastinating it. I had fun looking at the property guide for the area...and dreaming the prices in Sydney were the same for the same types of properties. Oh...to dream. 3-4 bedroom homes at $300 000. Oh...to dream...

The drive wasn't very eventful apart from roadworks and fog in the Blue Mountains. It was great to see...and fun to drive through. Nothing major, and got home fairly much at the expected time.

So, that was my few days away. Nice and easy, and fun, with many relaxing moments. Twas good, 'twas good, and hopefully shall do it again sometime this year... Maybe winter time.

Cheerio!

Here they are

So, the photos that were meant to be put up yesterday are finally here. They'll be explained as they are 'listed'. Enjoy.

10th January:

Sunset where I was staying

11th January: photo I forgot.

12th January:

Going 'home' from 'town' - that was sunset

13 January: Horror Night at 'Old Dubbo Gaol'

We were entertained about stories of prisoners by the 'Governor'

Prisoners who's stories we were told about

A little bit of mischief made by the people who run the Gaol

The 'Condemned Man' in his cell - actually based on a prisoner

14th January: Coming back to Sydney

A beautiful day around Lake Windamere

At the top of Mount Victoria, with fog starting to appear...

...and getting thicker...

...and continuing on...

The fog kept on going until down past 450m in elevation. Got to love driving the Blue Mountains in summer, when anything can happen!

Some more photos from Italy!

This time, I've got photos from The Forum and a couple from the Capitoline Museum.

Firstly, though, a picture of me with the Arch of Constantine and the Colosseum in the background, and the Colosseum, again.

Now, The Forum.

Arch of Septimius Severus and the Senate House

Tabularium with what's left of the Temple of Vespasian and Titus in front

View of The Forum from the west (Arch of Titus is in the far background)

Another view from the west (taken from inside the Tabularium)

Same as above, just different camera settings

Forum from behind the Temple of Saturn (close on sunset)

After visiting The Forum (and having a dodgy lunch), we visited the Capitoline Museum.

The original statue out the front of the museum

A model of the Capitoline Museum

The She-Wolf statue depicting the legend of Romulus and Remus

Next up will be photos of Ostia Antica. This is a cool little town to visit if you're into ancient Rome, as it was the sea port of the city (until humans - emperors - interfered, changing the environment through creating another port to the north of it, and ruining the original port, or something like that). More on that later, though.

Some photos from Italy!

So, I have finally got around to adding all the photos from my trip to my computer, and start to put them up here. I hope that you enjoy them. I've only done a select few. Leaving out the really boring ones. Like you'd want to see all 1500 of them! Enjoy the few I do put up here.

Just so you know, they are large photos because I didn't bother to downsize them before putting them up.

First up, some of the Villa Guilia - our first stop on the trip.

Next, the Portico of Octavia and the Theatre of Marcellus

Reconstructed section

More will come in the next couple of days.

All roads lead to...

Rome...the Eternal City.

There are lots of things to see and do in Rome. For one thing, I'm going to be going there for Uni this coming Summer. However, there are going to be about three days around the Uni time I'll be spending in Rome on my own for sightseeing. This shall be great. Looking forward to it immensely. Yet...I've seen some of the sights already. I mean...I've already seen the Colosseum, The Forum, and (anyone who knows 'Roman Holiday', the movie) The Mouth of Truth. I'm planning on visiting the Pantheon as well as the Spanish Steps, as I didn't get the time to the last time I was in Rome. One day and a half is just not long enough.

What I would like to know is any other interesting places anyone thinks really worth going and seeing. I have a Lonely Planet guide to Rome, but there are so many different things in there - narrowing down the list is really a very good idea.

So...input people! Please...tell me any places that you consider most important to visit! Even a short little day trip as a suggestion - I'm up for it.

N.B. - One of the days I'm in Rome will be NYD - don't know whether this will affect things or not.