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Cruise 2016	Cruises in the Past
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General Stuff

We are rebuilding our house. Plans are as follows: level 0 level 1 level 2 (Needs an svg-aware browser).
Or, if you have Sweet Home 3D, here is a source file for that software: RebuildPlans There is also a Google Docs spreadsheet defining the logistics surrounding the rebuild plans.
My Electronics page sets out the various projects underway and completed.
My wife and I are currently attending the Fitness First Gym
Our Chicken page describes the fun and challenges our 5 chickens have given us.
My Model Railway page describes not only the model railway, but all the computer control around it.
The House Computer and its Documentation detail all the ups and downs of making one's house into an automaton.
My recipes - a work in progress
My Perpetual Calendar ready reckoner
I have done some work on using XML to generate genealogical data for my family. A password-protected directory contains the data (not accessible unless you contact me for the password).
My cat Sylvester did a very naughty and expensive thing to my laptop. Read my son's account about how Every Cloud has a Silver Lining
Australian Rules Football ( Hawthorn Football Club Member)
Why I dislike Microsoft products PS. No personal dislike of Microsoft per se. I think Apple are behaving in much the same way now. My dislike is now generalized to proprietary software.

Travel Stuff

In July/August 2016, we travel via Seattle to Boston, where we embarked on the Voyage of the Vikings across the Atlantic to Rotterdam, then back to Boston, and home via Waterloo and Vancouver. Read all about it in my blog.
Another adventure with out Aranui partners in Nov 2015 saw us travel to Norfolk Island, where we enjoyed the Norfolk Island Food Festival, and explored the idyllic South Pacific island life.
Jan-Mar in 2015 we circumnavigated South America in the MV Prinsendam. This was a 10-week cruise, the longest we have undertaken, and it hit several of the items on our bucket list: Traversing the Panama Canal; Visiting Macchu Pichu; Experiencing Antarctica (65 degrees south); Travelling up the Amazon, all the way to Manaus to visit the Opera House there.
In 2014 we did the popular European River Cruise, from Amsterdam to Prague, on the MV Amadante, followed up by stays in Vienna, Salzburg, Lucerne and Paris.
In late 2013 we went round-the worlding again, focussing upon the Cinque Terre and Amalfi coasts in Italy, then Jersey, then Seattle, before returning to Australia to undertake the circumnavigation cruise around Australia on board the MV Volendam. Again, the web page where you can read all about it is at my 2013 Round-World and Round-Australia voyage.
In 2012 we did another round-the-world trip, but less hectic than in 2006. Only three major stops: (2 days in Singapore), 2 weeks in France-Alsace, 2 weeks in Seattle, 2 and a bit weeks in Tahiti, cruising on the MV Aranui. Read all about it on my 2012 Round-the-World Page
In 2011 we took a cruise on the MV Prinsendam around the North, Arctic and Baltic Seas. We got as far north as 81 degrees (latitude, not temperature!) Read all about it on my 2011 Cruise Page
Some of our friends, like us, are in the "grey nomad" set, and also like us, maintain various blogs. Here's a selection:

Railway Stuff

The Railway Photograph Catalogue is a web-based description of my railway photograph database.
I am (or have been) a member of the following railway societies
- Australian Railway Historical Society: both ACT and Victorian Divisions.
- Puffing Billy Railway Preservation Society
- Pichi Richi Railway Preservation Society
Railway Modelling (HO gauge)

Meccano Stuff

Meccano: as a boy, I had a 9++ Meccano set, which I think is a fantastic toy for encouraging creativity in an engineering context. David Williams has an equally fantastic Meccano Home Page. While I still have the set (in a pair of wonderful cabinets my father made), I don't play with it much nowadays. Sadly, neither did my sons, who much preferred Lego. Sit transit gloria mundi!
Postscript: In Marysville, Victoria (Oz), there is an excellent Meccano Museum with many working models. It's called "Maniacal Mechanicals", in Murchison St (the main street). Worth a visit if you are in the area.

Postpostscript: Alas! "Maniacal Mechanicals" was destroyed in the disastrous Black Saturday bushfires (7 Feb 2009). See this collection of photographs of the place as a tribute.

Other Pastimes

Choral Singing

I have been a member of the following groups

UNCS (University of New South Wales Choral Society
SCUNA (Australian National University Choral Society
MONUCS (Monash University Choral Society
Monash Chorale

And I like to sing:

Walking

The Dropbox files in what follows are uploaded by the Track Sharing via Dropbox mechanism on MyGPSFiles

20150413: Dunkeld: ASQ Music Festival
20150417: Emerald.
20150803: Jell's Park Our regular GOMERs' walk
20150907: Grampians: Mackenzie Falls and Zumsteins, Silverband Falls
20150908: Grampians: Mt Stapleton, Heatherlie Quarry
20150909: Grampians: Kalymna Falls and Mafeking
20150910: Grampians: The Pinnacle
20150911: Grampians: Balconies, Buandik and Mirranatwa Pass
2016016: Jell's Park: Madelaine's to Norton's Lane (Third Saturday Walkers)

Television

Church Stuff

Church stuff has been moved to a new Parish page.

Environmental Stuff

This has now been moved to a separate environment page.


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