Group Re-union Saturday 15th December 2007

Today we had a re-union of the travel group. Rod & Dawn Tromp were our hosts for a BBQ luncheon at their home. They excelled themselves by presenting us with a beautiful selection of food. It was a hot and sunny day - just perfect for a BBQ on their shady back patio.


We exchanged photos, viewing both hard copies and images on the DVD from CD copy.
We also had some laughs watching videos of us practising our singing on the 'Blue Whale' and also some of the group climbing The Great Wall.



Images attached: Our hosts Dawn & Rod at the BBQ; various photos of the group on the patio and watching the DVD images; Dawn's ingeneous invention for golf : a pin-on pocket for tees and markers to be worn with golf skirts or pants that do not have pockets. (What a great idea!)

Last night China - Sunday 28th October 2007

After dinner on our last night we arranged to meet in our room to view the photos and videos that had been taken during our holiday and to have "a drink for the road" to finish off the holiday.

We had a great night, lots of laughs and it was a really good way to finish off the holiday.

Images attached: Our hotel - The New City Hotel - at night; various images of us viewing the photos/videos; enjoying the evenings frivolities.


DID WE HAVE A GOOD TIME? Well you can judge that for yourself.

I can only speak for myself - but would I do it again : YES!

We did make the airport on time for our flight home and arrived home safe and sound in Australia on Tuesday Morning 30th October 2007 after a reasonably comfortable flight.

We only lost one thing and that was Frank's camera on the Three Gorges River Cruise.

Some lessons we learnt: Never travel without a mobile telephone; carry enough of your regular medication for additional unexpected stopovers ( some of us got caught short); ideally, a wireless laptop; have alternative arrangements at home in case of delays in returning home; do not do this type of travel unless you have a good degree of fitness. (Lots of climbing, steps and long walks); ideally carry two different credit/cash cards in case one does not work in the cashcard machines.
We did have some difficulty in getting cash out of machines - not all of them work especially those near shopping centres. Best to get cash out at airports or Bank of China outlets.

Last Dinner - Sunday 28th October 2007

On our last night in China we went to a lovely Chinese Restaurant walking distance from our hotel.

It was Robyn & Doug's wedding anniversary and also a chance to have a belated birthday cake for Helen's birthday (as we were in transit on her actual birthday).

Doug produced a florel bouquet for Robyn & Tony had arranged for a birthday cake for Helen. That with the anticipation of going home tomorrow gave us good reason to be in a good mood for celebration.

We had a great night and walked back to the hotel after dinner after arranging to meet in our room to view the photos of the holiday and to have "one for the road".

Shopping -28th- 29th October 2007

Sunday and Monday we enjoyed the up-side of the enforced stopover - being extra time for shopping. We had the luxury of staying in a nice hotel, meals included; with a guide, bus and bus driver at our disposal compliments of "Golf China" irrespective that the problem was not theirs. Additional shopping time was a bonus.

We were taken to local shopping centres and golf shops that we could buy good quality goods at reasonable prices. The golf shops were great; one of the shopping centres we visited had the best men's shops ( a whole shopping mall which seemed to specialize in menswear); and on the last day we had a huge shopping centre that catered for everything. We caught taxi's back to the hotel and on the last day we all met at the White Swan Hotel after our shopping sprees before going to the airport to fly home.

Images attached: various shopping malls; In the White Swan Hotel where we met after our shopping spree prior to leaving for the airport.