Sydney - December 2017 / January 2018

Arrived in Sydney for Christmas. This is the view from my Mother's verandah...

Went for a coffee and swim at Freshie...

Christmas Day with Simon and Ange, then Boxing Day drove to Canberra for Christmas dinner with the Hutchies and my Mother.

Climbed Mount Ainslie, as usual...

Alex...

Alex and Eliza...

Next day drove another 3.5 hours to Wallaga Lake and spent 2 nights there.

The kids loved being dragged around behind the boat...

Callum...

Eliza and Griffin...

Callum and Dylan...

Callum caught a big flathead...

View from the Hutchie's deck...

View of Wallaga Lake from the deck of the cabin we rented...

On the Friday we drove back to Canberra to so good-bye to Mum and then back to Sydney.

Spent a few days cleaning out her house and had a small New Year's Eve party. Caught up with my godson Joel, who has just turned 21...

Met Caesar, the Drennan's new puppy...

And then Alex turned 19 ! Here we are at Wok Bar, Dee Why...

Hong Kong - December 2017

Got back from my trip and straight back into normal routine.

Jacqui, Eliza and Callum flew to Sydney on 15th so I had a week on my own, before I flew back on the 22nd.

I didn't want to cook, so tried some new places for dinner. This one is a Japanese place near us in Queens Road. Great ramen...

This is my new favourite wonton noodle soup place near my office. Very cheap at HKD35, quick and very tasty...

It's very cold at the moment so this is me in 4 layers...

Went back to my favourite dumpling place in Central one day but 12 was too many !

One Sunday I had Christmas lunch with my hiking friends at Le 39 V which is an upscale French Restaurant on Level 101 of ICC. Great views and food...

They put something on the oyster plate to make it go like this. Dry ice ?

Dessert...

Another night I tried another Japanese restaurant that has just opened near us. Also very good...

Another day I had laksa for lunch. It actually wasn't that good...

One night I went to Shoreditch in Kennedy Town for dinner. HKD10 oysters so I had a dozen...

Then we had a team lunch at Beefbar an upscale steak restaurant. I had the Sydney !

New York - Thursday 30 November 2017

Last day of my trip !

Had a sleep in, then packed and checked out of hotel. Went to Dean and Deluca for breakfast. Last went here in 1997 with Jacqui and Monique.

View of 44th Street from my room...

New York Public Library...

Eataly...

Empire State Building...

Then walked down to Flatiron Building and Madison Square Park.

After that had a coffee at Cafe Grumpy, and then headed to Macy's for some shopping.

Back to hotel to pick up my bag and then a horrendously long Uber to JFK - nearly 2 hours !

Checked in and had a shower in the lounge and some food.

Goodbye New York...

Boarded for the first leg to Vancouver which was a long flight. Had to stay on the plane during the 1.5 hour transit which was different to the trip here where we got off and went through security.

Second leg was 13 hours. Skipped Friday and landed back in HK early Saturday morning.

Glad to be home !