Why we love our apartment

This evening’s sunset says it all. This is why we love our apartment. The views don’t get much better than this.

Sin City

Time for another retrospective post. This time we’re off to Las Vegas. I’ve visited this desert city at least three times in the last 25 years. Growing up, I’d often see the bright lights of Vegas as an iconic backdrop for popular television shows and movies. This gambling mecca, with its themed hotels, glittering stage shows and dazzling lights, was considered Disneyland for adults.

I finally got to visit the infamous Sin City for the first time in 2000. At the time, I was on my way to Text 100's San Francisco office for a two-week General Manager’s secondment. I flew into LA on Friday, 28 July, passed through immigration and transferred mid-morning onto a flight to Las Vegas.

My travel agent booked me into the Circus Circus hotel at the northern end of Las Vegas Boulevard, more commonly known as the city’s famous Strip. At the time, this hotel and casino complex boasted almost 3700 rooms. True to its name, the circus theme could be seen everywhere. Clowns and jugglers roamed the resort’s public spaces, while clown shows and trapeze acts took place several times a day.

For guests not keen on making a wager, the hotel offered a massive video game arcade and carnival-type games. These amusements were in a central atrium called The Midway, which also featured a carousel operating as a bar. I can still recall watching trapeze artists swinging above patrons while sitting at the bar.

However, upon arrival in Las Vegas, I decided to set aside the hotel’s attraction in favour of one that had captured my imagination years earlier. I walked up the strip to Stratosphere, a classic skyline tower with a revolving restaurant and observation deck. The tower is more than 350 metres high, the tallest of its kind in the USA, and second only to Toronto's CN Tower in all of North America.  

The top of the tower contained two thrill rides, Big Shot, a free-fall drop, and High Roller, a spiralling rollercoaster that sits on top of the observation pod. I was keen to try a rollercoaster ride operating 277 metres above the ground.

Big Shot was a big mistake! This ride travels up and down the tower's needle, dropping riders from a high of 329 m to the top of the outdoor observation deck. Let’s just say, jet lag and an inner ear imbalance caused by 14 hours of juddering flight, played havoc on my nerves. The free-fall sensation was simply terrifying.

In contrast, High Roller proved to be a dud. The rollercoaster circles the pod on tracks with a relatively modest drop, at a rather sedate speed. It was more akin to an old-fashioned wooden roller coaster ride in terms of its adrenaline rush. The tracks were also set back from the very edge of the observation pod, and thus any sensation of flying through the air was relatively limited. Apparently, my underwhelming experience was shared by others. According to Wikipedia, it was never popular. As a result, the rollercoaster closed on December 30, 2005, and was dismantled. 

I consoled myself later with a ride on The Big Apple Coaster at New York New York. This rollercoaster travels at 67mph, features a 180-degree “heartline” twist and dive manoeuvre and a stomach-churning 44 metre high speed drop. A section of this coaster even passes through the hotel's atrium. Way more exciting than the High Roller, as you can see in the second image above.

I loved my time in Las Vegas. I walked the strip’s entire length, visiting every casino resort. I recall being delighted by the mini Eiffel Tower outside the Paris casino and the faux Italian canals surrounding the Venetian. I watched pirates at Treasure Island do battle in their a twice-daily show on an artificial lagoon outside the resort and marvelled at the tiered interior of the Luxor pyramid.

I also recall checking out the white tigers on display in a glass-walled enclosure inside the Mirage resort. They were part of Siegfried and Roy’s magic show for many years until a tiger mauled Roy Horn in 2003. I never did get to see the show before it closed.

While in Las Vegas, I booked a helicopter flight into the Grand Canyon. I made a return visit to the Grand Canyon when I visited Las Vegas a second time in 2002. You can read about these adventures here.

My return visit was a weekend side trip I’d tacked onto another business trip to the USA. I made the most of my return by visiting attractions I’d missed a few years earlier. This included a day tour to Hoover Dam. The tour included a visit to the turbine hall inside the dam (impressive!). Our guide also took us through corridors buried deep inside the dam, before taking a lift down to an outdoor deck above the penstock outlet. Here we could look up towards the crest of the dam. For a Civil Engineering geek like me, it was pure heaven.

On this second trip, I visited the Hilton Resort’s Star Trek Experience. This attraction included a simulated bridge of the Enterprise, plus an incredibly well-executed molecular transporter experience that took you into a 270° domed theatre with a four-degree-of-motion base platform where a dramatic Klingon battle took place. Again, for a sci-fi fan, this was another iconic once-in-a-lifetime moment. The attraction closed in 2008.

I also recall going to the movies one afternoon to see the recently released Star Wars prequel, Episode II – Attack of the Clones. However, if I’m totally honest, I saw it because I was bored. If you’re not into gambling, there are only so many things available to fill your time. The evenings are different. I’ve attended many spectacular stage shows over the years.

My Vegas show list includes O by Cirque du Soleil at the Bellagio, a rival water extravaganza called Le Rêve at the Wynn Resort, Mystère by Cirque du Soleil at Treasure Island and the Blue Man Group at the Luxor. However, I’ve never been in town while a major artist like Celine Dion was conducting a residency show.

Garry and I returned to Las Vegas for the first time together in August 2010. Highlights from this trip included the Titanic Exhibition at The Luxor. This was an impressive exhibit of artefacts and memorabilia from the ship, including a large section of the hull salvaged in 1998. This impressive structure weighs more than 14 tonnes and was retrieved from the ocean floor at a depth of 3,700 metres.

The Strip in 2000

The Strip in 2010

The Sunshine Coast

I’m almost embarrassed to admit that Garry and I have flown away for another long weekend. Avid readers of this blog will know I was in Christchurch last weekend, and Queenstown the weekend before that. This weekend we’re in Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast. We flew into Maroochydore Airport on Thursday morning.

This is my first time on the Sunshine Coast. Garry and I decided to fly here to cash in a Qantas travel credit that was about to expire. We’ve also talked about buying a second home further north as a warm winter retreat. I’ve suggested anywhere between Yamba (near Ballina) and Noosa would be ideal. We’d then be close to a regional airport, making it easy to reach, and close to an international airport if we ever relocated permanently, i.e. Brisbane Airport.

Last Summer we spent a couple of weeks exploring Yamba, Ballina and Lennox Head. We’ve also stayed on the Gold Coast several times, including a weekend in Surfers Paradise in 2023, and a business trip to Broadbeach last November. This left just the Sunshine Coast to vet and explore.

We’ve cashed in some Accor loyalty points to secure an oceanfront apartment overlooking the Mooloolaba headlands and nearby Alexandra Beach. Sadly the room can only be described as “functional” at best. However, the weather has been superb with highs of 21C. Garry and I were out in short sleeves while visiting Noosa yesterday. This is exactly how I envisioned a winter retreat destination.

On Thursday we explored the outer suburbs of Maroochydore, Kawana Waters, Birtinya, Bokarina and Mooloolaba. Yesterday, we drove up the coast through central Maroochydore, and on to Twin Waters, Marcoola, Coolum Beach, Sunshine Beach and Noosa Heads. We now have a great feel for the Sunshine Coast, and know exactly what our money will buy. Watch this space.

UPDATE: 10:30pm

We’ve finished off our long weekend with a superb meal at Belle Venezia. This is an award-winning Italian restaurant on the foreshore at Mooloolaba. Garry went for the Morton Bay Bug spaghetti, while I tried the crayfish ravioli. However, the highlight of the evening was undoubtedly the locally made Blood Orange sorbet.

Banks Peninsula

I’ve just returned from a three day weekend in Christchurch. It’s my third trip across the Tasman in a single month. Definitely a personal record, one I doubt I’ll ever repeat. Why a third time?

Sadly my mother’s older brother, Uncle Rich, passed away last week after a brief illness. His death was caught everyone by surprise. Unlike my mother, Dick was still living semi-independently and was relatively high functioning despite the onset of dementia in recent years.

I got wind of his sudden illness while visiting Queenstown. He died the day after I returned to Sydney. After some reflection, I decided to cross the Tasman again for his funeral. In part, I wanted to honour the effort so many relatives made in attending my Mum’s funeral last year. I was also keen to support my Auntie Pam, Mum’s older sister, who’s lost two siblings in a single year.

The decision was easy to make thanks to a super cheap airfare. I cashed in some frequent flyer points and flew to Christchurch for less than $270. I also scored a great hotel deal via Amex, plus a discounted rental car for the weekend. Lo and behold, I found myself back in the Qantas First Class lounge at the crack of dawn on Saturday morning.

My flight landed shortly after 1:30pm. Within an hour I was in my rental car and heading for the city. I decided to make the most of the final hours of sunlight (sunset was at 5:05pm) and drove straight to the Port Hills. I drove up the Summit Road, taking time to stop and admire the view along the way.

I eventually came across a hilltop reserve offering an unrivalled view of Lyttelton. I arrived just in time to watch the hill’s lengthening shadow extinguish the sun’s final rays over the town. Chatteris Bay looked equally stunning in the distance. The view did come at a cost. The wind was bitterly cold. It left me shivering and I all but lost sensation in my hands. I finished the afternoon with an impromptu visit to Pam’s house before finally checking into my hotel shortly after 6:00pm.

Sunday dawned bright and clear, albeit with cold and crisp temperatures. I decided to make the most of my free day. After a hearty breakfast I drove out to Akaroa, stopping first for a brisk stroll a long the shore at Birdling Flats beach, the arcing spit that separates Lake Ellesmere from the Pacific Ocean. 

I’m so glad stopped at the spit. It’s an incredible geographical formation. Much to my surprise I discovered the broad beach and expansive dunes consist entirely of smooth oval gravel pebbles. Incredibly they’ve all come from the Southern Alps, swept down to the coast by the braided Rakaia River, about 40km down the coast. Their smooth and rounded appearance reflects their origin as rubble ground smooth by glaciers grinding their way through the alps.

Akaroa was the same quaint town I vaguely remember from my last visit more than 30 years ago. I stopped to wander the village waterfront and was lucky enough to find its relocated lighthouse open to visitors. A volunteer guide inside the lighthouse showed me how its light was kept rotating by a falling weight that was rewound by hand crank every couple of hours. 

The lighthouse was completed in 1879. However, its current location inside Akaroa Harbour is not its original home. It once stood 10km away on the wind-swept Akaroa Heads, at the entrance to the harbour. In 1980, after a new automated lighthouse was commissioned, it was dismantled into three sections, relocated and rebuilt.

I finished my tour of the Banks Peninsula was a road trip that took along the Akaroa Summit Road, before crossing to the opposite coast via Gebbies Pass. I drove through Governors Bay and Cass Bay as the sun was setting before returning to town via the Lyttelton tunnel. I then joined Pam’s children and grandchildren for a family dinner. The return journey was simply breathtaking. I lost count of how often I stopped to admire the view and take another Instagram worthy photo.

Early Monday morning I collected my brother Matt from the airport (shortly after 6:00am). We drove back to my hotel to enjoy breakfast. We a few hours to kill before the funeral we decided to ride the gondola up the Port Hills for more stunning views. Ironically I’d climb a knoll next to gondola’s summit station on Saturday without realising the building was there. Once again the wind was bitterly cold. However, once again Chateris Bay glowed in the sunlight. 

The gondola’s base station was right next to the mouth of the Lyttelton tunnel. Hence, we decided to drive through it for a quick look around Lyttelton. I was keen to see the remnants of the town’s iconic Timeball Station. The original structure was destroyed by an earthquake in 2011. Its stone tower has subsequently been reconstructed amidst the station’s crumbling foundation. 

We finished our morning with a scenic drive along the coast to Sumner, before returning to my hotel to prepare for Dick’s funeral. The remainder of the day was taken up by the service, and subsequent reception, before returning to cousin Nicki’s home for a light supper. The service bought back fond childhood memories, as well as sad moments reflecting on my mother’s death 12 months ago.

I took Matt and my cousin, Roanne, to the airport about 6:15pm, then returned to my hotel for an early night. My flight on Tuesday morning departed at the ungodly hour of 6:00am. As a result, my alarm woke me shortly after 3:00am. By 9:00am I was back home in Sydney.

It was lovely catching up with family again. I also enjoyed getting outdoors and soaking up some stunning scenery. Despite the sad occasion, my weekend away was a perfect anecdote for this year’s a stressful start. Sadly, our business is struggling in the current economic climate. As a result, most days feel like a bit of a slog. A little escapism was just what the doctor ordered.