1. Down Under by Jayant Doshi
(A report of a trip to Australia and New Zealand with Bhagini )
On a cold Sunday of 4th February 2007 at
8.30 in the morning, forty five enthusiastic
travellers boarded a coach at Harrow
Leisure Centre to take them to Gatwick
airport to catch a long flight to Melbourne in
Australia. The meticulously planned trip by
Bhagini as usual started with a packed
lunch being provided to each traveller, and
that little box became a blessing for many
since the airline had made a mistake and
only half the passengers got a vegetarian
meal which had been ordered. After a stop
over in Dubai and Singapore, the long flight
landed on Tuesday early morning in
Melbourne. The distance and the time
difference meant that we literally skipped a day on our way to Australia. But the twenty
two hour journey, and the eleven hour time difference might have ruffled most of the group
members, but they were still in high spirits
when we landed in Australia.
Melbourne, with a population of 3.6 million,
is a very well planned city on a grid basis,
has wide roads, and some impressive and
outstanding architecture in its buildings.
Melbourne, like England, has four weathers
in a day, and lot of greenery though right
now Australia has been suffering from
drought for the past decade. It was a free
day for us, but most of the members of the
group decided to catch up on the lost sleep.
Our hotel was right in the middle of the city,
and that gave us an opportunity to explore
the surrounding areas. There were restaurants of various nationalities, and as is to be
expected, the China town was nearby too.
We took a circular bus and train ride and
had a glimpse of the city life. The central
city circular service was free and lots of
locals and tourists were taking advantage
of this wonderful service. The city seemed
in very good state, clean and neat and well
looked after. The buildings, which ranged
from colonial style to ultra modern, were
impressive to look and well maintained.
Many of the modern buildings had lovely
sculptures decorating their fronts. The city,
and for that matter the country, shows its
loyalty and ties with home country by
adopting names of British royalty and early

2. explorers for naming its streets and locations. Melbourne has been voted as the best city to
live in, the city of sport lovers and as the
safest city; and during our short stay we
could say that we would agree with those
awards without any reservations.
Next morning we started our sightseeing by
first visiting Sovereign Hill, once a bustling
gold mining town, but now a replica of the
life in 1850’s is captured in a museum. Our
lunch was to be a picnic on the shores of a
lovely lake, but when we reached there we
were told that the drought and the global
warming had taken toll of the lake. The
huge lake, once filled with clear blue
waters, was devoid of a drop of water when
we reached the shores of the lake area. We were then taken down the gold mine. Later we
went on top of the Rialto Towers, which is the tallest reinforced concrete structure in the
southern hemisphere and is well known
for its unique design and glass façade. We
had a panoramic view of the city from the
top of the towers. The day finished with a
dinner followed by a game of bingo.
Travelling in a large group has its
advantages. Long flights and coach
journeys become pleasant with jokes and
songs, with talking and laughing, with
friendships built and bonds made. Meal
times had lot of chattering and talking
going on, and laughter was a common
scene. Evenings after dinner became show
time with sing-a-long, jokes and games.
We had the fortune of having some talented people who made the trip jovial and pleasant
with well prepared jokes and entertainment, which was there at every point in time when
members of the group were feeling sleepy or bored.
Next day we had a tour of the city, and the guide highlighted the main features of the city,
and pointed out some of the important buildings. The wide roads, and the lovely
architecture made Melbourne a very
impressive modern city. We were then taken
for a tour of the world famous Melbourne
Cricket grounds. We were given a conducted
tour of the grounds and the stadium
buildings. With a capacity of 98000 seats,
and the turf quality of the highest
standards, the grounds pride in its
maintenance and quality of management. It
caters for various ball games, and it can be
adapted and changed from one game to the
other in matter of hours. The grass looks like
velvet spread on the ground, and we were
told that the turf on the grounds cost a
million dollars. Inside the buildings we saw

3. photos of famous cricketers and statutes of the most famous. Even the old seats from the
past stadium have been exhibited on the walls.
After lunch, we were given some time for
shopping, and in the evening we were taken
to Phillips Island. The island is famous for
its penguins. The penguins come out of the
water at night only, and as such we were
taken to the island when we could view
these little creatures walk out of the water.
But it was enchanting to watch the calm
waters of the ocean, and suddenly to see a
penguin coming out from nowhere and
walking on to the sands. It was a lovely
sight, though not as exciting as we
anticipated, nor did we see hoards of
penguins coming out of water as we
expected.
Melbourne was cloudy and cool; but our
flight to Cairns took us to hot sunny
weather. Cairns is a small laid back town
with easy going life. While south east
suffers from severe drought, this part of
Australia gets enough rain to make it lush
with greenery. The cable car ride over the
rain forests of Kuranda, with waterfalls
cascading from its steep slopes, was the
highlight of the day. The forest, a preserved
area, was covered with thick growth of
trees. Later we walked through a small
town, with shops displaying wonderful
aboriginal and other paintings. Our night
stay was in a resort spread over a few
hundred acres with three lovely swimming pools, and lots of greenery. We took advantage
of the swimming pools to cool us down before we left for dinner. Dinner was followed by a
display of a cultural show by the aboriginal people. Their music and some dances were
presented which, however, did not impress most of us. The show was followed by a
display of fireworks. The aborigine shout of “piri piri” was copied by one of our group
members very effectively, and entertained us with the shout many a times during the trip.
This part of the Australian coast is known
as the famous Great Barrier Reef, and is
listed as a world heritage site. Great
Barrier Reef is considered as one of the
wonders of the world. It is the largest area
of ocean with corals and hence its
importance as world heritage site. We took
a catamaran to go to Green Island. Some of
us did swimming and snorkelling in the
ocean. After lunch we had a ride in a
submarine, followed by a ride in a glass
bottom boat. The ocean bed is filled with
variety of corals and fish, and we had good

4. sighting on our submarine and boat trip. Compared to the corals we saw in the Red Sea, I
was not much impressed with the corals
here, though I believe there was a lot more
to see which we could not manage in a
day.
Next day was a free day. We started the
day with yoga in the open ground. Morning
passed away relaxing and swimming.
After lunch we walked around the shops,
and later saw a movie. After dinner we
had group games and fun. Next morning
we did yoga in a room, and spent the
morning swimming. Later we flew to
Brisbane, and were straight taken to
Tangalooma island. The highlight of the
day was watching the dolphins being fed at night. These dolphins come out of the ocean in
the dark only, and are fed by the tourists under the guidance of trainers and experts.
It rained whole night. I decided to wake
early and take a walk on the beach.
However due to a mix up on the alarm, I
woke up and went for the walk, not realising
that it was midnight. However, it was a
pleasant walk in the cool of the night. Today
we had a tour of the island, and the
highlight was going to be “skiing” on sand
dunes, but due to rains previous night we
were deprived of this pleasure. Instead we
walked up the sand dunes, and had some
fun doing so. On our return, I took advantage
of a swim in the ocean. After lunch, it was
raining heavily and we had to restrict
ourselves to a game of cards. Later that afternoon, we left for Gold Coast, and passed
through the city of Brisbane with a population of 1.3 million. The city faces severe water
shortages, and that seemed to be the plight of most of Australia. Our night stay was in a
very large resort in the Gold Coast.
It was Valentine’s Day today, and every
member of the group woke to find a
unanimous Valentine card. At breakfast,
everyone exchanged Valentine Day wishes,
and some were trying to work out who
could have sent those cards. Our day was
to be spent in the Movie World, which is
based on similar theme as Disney world
and other such theme parks. We
experienced and had a look into the magic,
fantasy and escapism of movie making.
There were rides to suit every taste, and
some of the shows were enthralling. Every
one enjoyed the day in one’s own way. Some of us spent time swimming while others
rested before the Valentine night dinner which ended with some singing and jokes.

5. Next morning we had a tour in an
amphibian bus. Firstly, we had an hour
of sighting of rich and famous people’s
magnificent houses along the broad
water area. Then the amphibian bus
went into the sea, sailed around for a
while, and then gave us a taste of duck
diving by splashing into the water. Rest
of the day was spent at sea world with
its numerous shows. The highlights
were the dolphin show, skiing show
and the 4-D show which was
remarkable.
Having completed the first phase of our
Australia tour, we took an early morning flight to Auckland, the capital of New Zealand in
the north Island. New Zealand, consisting of two islands, has a population of four million
only, with 1.5 million living in the capital city of Auckland. From rain deprived, drought
stricken dry atmosphere of Australia, New
Zealand was a total contrast with lush
greenery all around. The flight time was
not that long, but because of the time
difference (3 hours), our day just passed in
travelling. From the Auckland airport, we
drove through the city covered with trees
all around, and greenery that was pleasing
to the eyes. We had a hill top view of the
city. Our hotel was located near a lovely
park near the sea. The residences had
some lovely features and designs.
Auckland, we understood, has a large
Indian population and a few temples. Some
of us went for an early morning walk in the
park and along the sea, and we saw the giant Queen Mary liner docked in the ocean with
a large crowd of spectators.
Next morning we had a tour of the city which included the Harbour Bridge, the War
Memorial Museum and the Sky Tower. From the top of the sixty floors high Sky Tower, we
had a panoramic view of the city. The
museum had some living artefacts, and the
area of the museum was so huge that even
a few days will not be enough to give it
justice. We drove to our next destination
and passed the richest and largest inland
city of Hamilton. As the population is so
small and land plentiful, the size of farms is
enormous. On route we saw huge farms
with lush green crops. We visited the
limestone caves of Waitomo which is
famous for the glow worms. We had a boat
ride in the canal in the caves, and we saw
the ceiling of the caves covered with glow
worms which glowed like stars in the sky.

6. Our overnight stay was at Rotura on the
shores of a lake. This area is over a
volcanic plateau which is dormant now;
and famous for the steam and hot water
springs that come out of the volcanic
activity underground. The hotel had pools
with actual hot water from these hot water
springs. The water containing sulphur is
meant to be beneficial for the skin. Every
one took advantage of this facility in the
few hours we were spending in that hotel.
The visit to the world famous sheep show
at Agrodome was the programme for the
next day. Besides the sheep shearing show
and a tour of the farm, the farm had an
array of amazing adventure activities. However, we were not given any free time to enjoy
the same, and I am not sure many besides myself, would have been interested in those
activities.
After lunch we visited the geothermal volcanic area, which have huge reserves of thermal
springs. One could witness boiling water
and steam gushing out from the ground. We
had the afternoon free. During our walk in
the area we saw hot water and steam
coming out of many houses and gardens.
We later called others to come and see the
same. The water was extremely hot and
could burn ones skin even if a drop was to
come in contact with the skin. Next morning,
on our walk we saw a place offering mud
bath and we took advantage of the same.
Everyone was jealous and angry that they
did not get a chance to experience the same.
Queenstown, the adventure capital of the
world, is situated on a huge lake, and its natural beauty is stunning. The area is famous
for its lakes, fjords, water sports and bungee jumping. However, the itinerary did not allow
much time to see or enjoy all this. We reached Queenstown in the evening and were
leaving the town in the morning, which did not allow someone like me to try hand gliding
or free air drop. However, after dinner we had the opportunity to visit the famous Minus 5
bar. The bar, size of a normal sized bed room, is made totally of ice, with table, counter
and shelves and some sculptures, all
made of ice. Each visitor, with a warm
coat and gloves, is allowed thirty minutes,
and given one drink. The drink is served in
glasses made of ice, which the customer
smashes in a dust bin before leaving the
bar. It was a totally unique and unusual
experience for us all.
Franz Josef glacier descends to just 250
metres above sea level amidst the
greenery and lushness of a temperate
rainforest. The plan was to take a

7. helicopter ride to see Mt. Cook region. But the travel from Queenstown to Franz Josef took
much longer than anticipated, or perhaps it
was a bungling of the itinerary planning.
The trip to Franz Josef was interrupted by
a stop at a gold mining town of Haast, and
we stopped to watch a water fall with
stunning scenery. But these stops, which
many did not find worth visiting, meant
that we were too late for the helicopter
ride. While most of the group members
were reeling in disappointment, some of us
walked right to the mouth of the glacier,
and took some stunning photos.
We all woke up early in the morning so
that we could do our postponed helicopter
ride. However, luck was not with us as all the flights were cancelled due to thick mist and
rain. Our journey to Christchurch was arranged in a train ride that would take us through
the beautiful scenery that is New Zealand. The Trans Alpine train rails have been cut
through Alpine mountains that result in
nineteen tunnels that we pass during our
journey. We pass through lush greenery,
mountains, rivers, lakes and valleys that
represent the enchanting beauty of the
country.
In Christchurch, our first visit was to what
is termed as Antarctic experience. All the
major nations of the world cooperate on
research and preservation of the continent
of Antarctic, and the headquarters are
based here in Christchurch. All the
expeditions, and the research, are planned
here and they start from here. A replica of
the conditions in Antarctic is created so that millions who cannot actually travel there can
experience it here. Firstly we were given a taste of travel in Antarctic by being driven in
snow plough tractors which are actually used in Antarctica. Then we were taken inside
the centre where they have created the conditions and atmosphere as they are in
Antarctica – the snow, the gusting winds, the cold and even the penguins. We were given
winter coats and gloves to withstand the cold and face the winds. It was a wonderful
experience, and the thought occurred that
we should have our next holiday cruising
Antarctica. Of course, it would be difficult to
travel on land in Antarctica for many of us,
but a cruise ship that would show the
beauty of the glaciers, the water falls, and
the snow covered land would be a sight
worth seeing, and certainly different from
all the man made cities we have been
holidaying so far. The city tour included
some lovely flower gardens that sent all the
cameras clicking frantically and poses
being set amidst the colourful flowers.

8. I tried to book balloon ride for some of the group members, but no spaces were available. I
booked a sky dive for myself, and got
ready in the morning with all the
excitement and trepidation in my mind.
However, after waiting past the given time,
I was informed that the sky dive had been
cancelled due to bad weather. We flew to
Sydney that evening. Our trip started with
the usual coughs and colds, and minor
ailments ever since we left London, but
overall everyone was in good health on
this trip. However, when we reached on
the last leg of our trip, on our flight from
Christchurch to Sydney, one member of the
group collapsed in the plane, causing
panic for a while, but then it did not seem
as bad as it appeared at first. However on reaching Sydney, the member had to be
admitted to hospital. Being a week end she was kept in hospital for three days, though it
was later found that she was suffering from nothing serious.
I have been on many Bhagini trips over the
years, planned meticulously by the
enthusiastic Bhagini committee members,
and arranged with some tour company.
Success of such trips depends a lot on the
manager of the tour, who executes the
planning that has been put onto paper. If
this tour can be classed as successful, then
all the credit goes to the tour manager.
When the news came that the tour manager
was a lady from India, there were faces
made amongst the tour members and
specially the committee members. When we
first met her, she seemed harsh and aloof.
But then over the days during the tour, we found that she was the most caring, well
informed and thorough tour manager we had ever experienced. She made sure that
everyone was looked after at meal times and that everyone enjoyed and saw all that was
worth seeing, and she persuaded those who would not go on rides or shows to do so. She
took care of each and every group member, and ensured that no one was left out or
ignored. She was well informed and well prepared for all the sights we had to see each
day. It was a pleasure to have a tour
manager who complied with her duties so
thoroughly, and who was so caring for
each and everyone. When one of the group
members was admitted to hospital, she
went and saw the patient twice a day.
She even asked her sister, who lived in
Sydney, to sit with the patient for one
whole day.
After a whirlwind tour of the city, we were
taken to the botanical gardens. We had a
fixed time appointment to have a
conducted tour of world famous Sydney

9. Opera House, but some of the group members got lost in the botanical gardens, and the
tour manager had to leave them behind
and take the rest of the group instead of
missing the booking. We stayed behind to
find those who were lost, whom we found
after a while. The coach came to pick us
up, and the tour manager had arranged
specially to ensure that we do not miss out
on the tour of the Sydney Opera House.
The planning of the marvellous Sydney
Opera House began in 1956 and lasted
three years. The construction, which
started then, lasted till 1973. It has five
auditoriums. We were given a chance to
sing in the famous auditorium, and some
ladies took advantage of the same.
Continuing our Sydney tour, we visited the Harbour Bridge and the Rocks. We stopped at
the famous Darling Harbour. Our visit to the Sydney Tower, and a panoramic view of
Sydney from the top of the tower was
breath taking. We visited the aquarium with
a walkway built under the huge water pool
which contained sharks and fishes of
various varieties. The boat ride and the
show in the aquarium did not impress us at
all.
Weather again spoilt our ride to the famous
Blue Mountains as we missed all the
stunning scenery due to thick mist and fog.
However, the world’s only train ride into the
valley which travels at 45 degrees
compensated for our loss. The valley has
well built paths and bridges and we took a
walk in the thick forest in the valley. We had a cable car ride followed by an amazing film
show which realistically portrayed as if we all were riding a helicopter all over Australia.
The mountain is covered with many caves, but we had time to visit only one cave, namely
Chiefly caves. But the walk through those caves was fascinating, and the various
formations of rocks and limestone were impressive. The abnormal rock formations were
focused by lights being thrown on them,
and photos could be taken of those
abnormal structures of nature.
Next two days were free days for us. The
walk on the rounded arch of Sydney
Harbour Bridge looked daunting from the
ground, but I decided to try it. And based
on my presence, eleven ladies and one
gentleman decided to join me. The bridge
was built between 1924 and 1932. The
walking on the top of the bridge started in
1998, and now that walk is almost like an
industry employing hundreds of people,
and creating revenues in millions. I was

10. told that between 500 and 1000 people walked the bridge everyday. A group of up to 12
left every ten minutes. During summer
months, walking on the bridge is open
twenty four hours a day. Most of the group
was not sure what to expect, and fears of
failure to walk or aching legs was
common.
We were dressed in special suits, that
would withstand any winds or rain, and
every item on our body was removed. Even
caps and handkerchiefs were properly
tied. After some training instructions, we
started our walk. There were plenty of
stops all along, and of course photos were
taken by the guide as our cameras were
not allowed. We had a belt with a hook that fixed on the side of the railings so that there
was no question of falling or tripping during the walk. After a few flights of steep steps, we
came to the semicircular arch of the bridge.
This part, from the ground, seems the most
difficult, but in reality that was the easiest
to walk. At last, we did complete the walk,
and everyone was ecstatic. Photos of the
success and our smiles, and the hair
fluttering in the strong winds, were
captured in the camera by our guide.
Overall, it was a wonderful experience and
an achievement everyone could be proud of.
The evening finished with a gala dinner,
where jokes were told and songs sung and
everyone enjoyed the jovial spirit of the
group. This was our last night of the trip,
and good byes were exchanged with
promises of keeping in touch.
Next morning, the day we were flying back, was free for us all but I booked a free fall from
a plane from a height of 14000 ft, but in
tandem, and this time I was excited and
determined that I will go through with it. I
went to the office, and I, together with
three others, was taken to a remote air
field outside the city. There we learnt that
there was some delay and we will have
to wait. We were four of us, all from
various European countries, sat there
partly excited and partly worried, but all
determined to go through with the
experience. Then we were dressed up in
suits and given preliminary instructions.
It seemed as if the time for the experience
was approaching fast. We waited and
waited. Few phone calls were made, and ultimately we were told that the plane had
mechanical problems and our trip had been cancelled. There was disappointment on every
face and I knew that I had missed my last chance to experience this wonderful sport. We

11. were taken back to the city and I joined the
rest of the group at lunch. We spent the
afternoon walking around the sea side and
the shopping along there.
Later in the afternoon we were driven to
the airport. Our flight took us to Bangkok,
where those going to India, disembarked.
Then our flight landed in Dubai where
another group disembarked to spend a few
days there. Rest came back to London. It
was a satisfying and pleasant holiday,
though the two countries have so much to
see that the trip seemed too short. But, as
usual, Bhagini maintained its reputation of
a well planned and executed trip.
(If you wish to trip photos then email to : jubhai@aol.com) – website
www.jayantdoshi.yolasite.com)
Not for publication without permission.