Premier Classe and Cape Town, End of the trip

This photo should be at the end.....looks like gay boy leaning against the roller. Rolls Royce is the hotel taxi and took me to the airport for the journey home
Top of Table Mountain, photo should be with others below

Double-headed again!

Premier Classe train is the cheap alternative to the more famous "Blue Train" and goes from Joburg to Cape Town (Blue Train goes from Pretoria) The Premier Classe is 120 pounds and Blue Train, 1000. It's a 24 hr journey. The only difference is the Blue Train is more modern and you probably get free drinks throughout the journey. Our train had complimentary drinks when you boarded and great dinner, breakfast and lunch, and comfortable accommodation. I wouldn't go on the Blue Train on principle, talk about taking the piss.Apparently the Blue Train is running a third full at the moment-Premier Classe, full (95 passengers). Most were Afrikan, 2 Norwegian, 2 Lithuanian, and as far as I could tell, 1 Brit. All passengers white and all staff (apart from boss man) black. Still the same old South Africa. The Afrikans reminded me of the American tourists I met in Argentina/Chile; loud, insular and abrupt with the staff. But at least the women didn't have funny faces due to cosmetic surgeryAnyway, it was only a brief visit to Cape Town, but I've got to come back here again; I've fallen in love with the place-it's fabulous!

Better get to the airport-BA flight to Heathrow- day 42, it's all over!

My own little compartment

and again

These lovelies looked after me

Speeding out of Joburg. Crooked grin makes me look like I've had a stroke. I haven't babe, honest!

Stopped about 100 miles outside Joburg and saw thius. What a lucky boy I am

My drinks mans

My drinks man takes a photo

Entering West Cape and the main wine producing area of South Africa, after a comfortable night's sleep

Shanty town outside Cape Town. Remind you of somewhere? Yes, you've got it.......Didcot!

View of Table Mountain as train nears Cape Town

Roof of "Village Lodge" where I stayed for the night. Had it's own little swimming pool

Victoria and Alfred, yes Alfred Dock, trendy area with cafes, bars etc

Bottom of cable car station, Table Mountain

View at top of Table Mountain

View across to Cape of Good Hope

Can't think of a better location of any other city in the world

Trip back to city centre- Camps Bay- for the rich only

New football stadium nearing completion for world cup next year

Bit of Art Deco

Street scene

Sydney Part 2

Having breakfast outside in "The Rocks" area of Sydney, and this bird came and sat next to me

"The Rocks"

Ouside the Opera House with Bridge in the background. Probably one of the nicest spots in the world to have a party. It was still nearly 30c in the evening

I look like a cardboard cut out from the photo above

Cameron, an Aussie guy I first new from when I lodged in Benson years ago. Had his phone no. so called him and met up. Nutty as a fruit cake

Cameron and Diane

Enjoyed Sydney but time to move on.....Got flight to Johannesburg on saturday 21st, 13 hrs flight and arriving 5 hrs local time after leaving Sydney. Jet lag soon set in. Got taxi from airport to cheap Formula Inn near Joburg station, ready to get train to Cape Town the following day. Taxi driver said don't leave your hotel at night, it's not safe. I thought welcome to Joburg. So good night's sleep last night and typing this sunday morning. Train departs at 3pm, so I'm going to have to brave the streets of Joburg before catching the train. Can't be that bad, can it?
Next report Cape Town and then back to UK on 25th.......that'll be the trip over.

Days 34-38 Sydney, Part 1

Jolly Swagman backpackers hostel where I stayed for 2 nights. Note the understated colours. Only managed 2 nights here...it was so noisy, as the room was next to the showers and loos, so people were using them during the night. When they stopped, a particularly noisy couple shagging in the room the other side kept me awake. How inconsiderate.

Art Deco building opposite the hostel......do like my Art Deco

Took a double decker train across Sydney Harbour Bridge.....how exciting

First view of the bridge

Opera House taken from the bridge

Next day taking ferry to Manly Beach

Another view of Opera House

And bridge

Manly Beach...beautiful day

One starling

Two tits (excuse schoolboy humour)

On ferry back to harbour

Days 31-33 Christchurch, Wellington, Hamilton, and back to Tauranga

Didn't realise we were being driven double-headed, how exciting

Backpacker's hostel where I stayed in Wellington. Lovely old Art Deco hotel

Wellington railway station

In my element, leaning out of the outside observation car

Back in Hamilton

Irish guy, Don, in guess what......yes, an Irish bar. He had an overnight bus to Wellington to catch. I had to stay in Hamilton for the night, as it was a sunday, and no buses to Graham's place in Tauranga. So a few hours to kill. Don't remember leaving, I guess he got the bus

Back in Tauranga and standing on top of Mt Maunganui next to survey station

View from top

and again

and again

Back to Auckland tomorrow (monday) and then Sydney and hopefully catch up with Mike Windsor's mate Charles, and Shaun and Doreen, although I've emailed them but heard nothing back yet