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Video on Youtube of Bush Fires at Belgrave Melbourne at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwirfjgKH08

Holiday in Australia, February & March 2009.

Singapore 30th March: Had a one day stop over on the way back to UK. Mick, Pat, Jean and Peter once again made my trip back pleasant buy driving me to the airport. Sad to wave goodbye but hope to see them again next year with my wife Gaynor.

Had a great day walking around Singapore but very hot and humid. Tried the buses, trains and taxis (all very cheap) but mostly walked. Had a meal with the local workers in a low cost cafe. Big bowl of noodles for $2. Walked to Orchard road (Sid told me to go there).  Loads of shops but I resisted the urge to buy anything. Got a bus to the wharf and walked about. Then a tube to Raffles where I bought the most expensive drink I have ever bought. A Singapore sling for $27.  Met some airline hostesses from Quantus in a bar who nagged me for flying Singapore Airlines. May try Quantus next time. Walked around the river side shops and then got a taxi back to the hotel. So if all goes well, back in UK tomorrow. What a great time I have had.

15th to 20th March: Back Packing with a group of youngsters in a Mini van across the Western part of Tassy. Lead by Carl, a very knowledgeable naturalist, we (19 guys from Germany, Switzerland, Holland, America, Canada, Japan, China, France, Ireland and England and all younger than me!) were treated to a guided tour of natural forests, rivers and mountains. Great camaraderie at the hostels over a few beers and wines in the evenings. We saw echidnas, wombats and wallabies. I felt quite sad leaving these guys at Devenport as they continues down the East coast. I didn't have the time.

Rhonda from L.A. cooling her feet in Dove Lake near Cradle Mountain.                Carl the leader, driver, climber, naturalist & comedian

A 5 Km walk to Mentezuma Falls. Bruce opened a can of beer to celibrate.

Monday 9th March: Puppies by caesarian - an emergency at the vets required the assistance of friends and family to deliver 6 puppies by caesarian. I have never seen this before and the operation was fascinating. I won't show the gory detail but the result was six puppies and they and mum are doing well.

Video on You Tube at:    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1mY7zEmSYs

Sunday 1st March: A walk with Mick and Pat's walking group along the George Bass Coastal walk near Phillip Island on the coast to the east of Melbourne. It was nice meeting old walking friends that I met last year, Bob, Barbara, Ken Erica and Wally. Also Pat and Peter came too. The walk ended up at a pub.

Saturday 28th Feb: Open air film night at Peter and Loraine's home with new band 'Sweet Phoenix' playing live and the film 'Slumdog Millionaire'.

Over a hundred family and friends turned up for 'Do it yourself' Barbee. a few stubbies and reds, listening to a great band 'Sweet Phoenix' and then the film shown on a giant screen. A great evening. Even the film had a happy ending. Click below for video: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPYCTHizsY0

Monday 23rd Feb: FIRE!

This picture says it all. Bruce's fire plan: 'Run Away!' Picture by PULSE Photography

Serious fires today as fire broke out just a few miles upwind early afternoon. On a shopping trip to the local town of Belgrave I spotted serious smoke over Safeways and we rushed home. A huge column of smoke was rising to the west and that was the direction the wind was coming from! I could tell from the language of Mick and Pat that this was serious. We put on long sleeve shirts and long trousers for fire protection and wetted towels for masks. I was told to put anything I wanted to save into a bag and put it in the escape car. I had a beer. We uncoiled the fire hoses and laid them out pointing to the oncoming fire. The wind kept changing directions and then the smoke went straight up. This meant it was coming straight for us! I had another beer. I started taking photos of the approaching fire out of habit. I had a beer out of habit. We ran into the next homestead to get a better view of the fire. The lads there were watching the fire too and having a beer. You can see why it's very important to get several days supply of beer when there is a fire threat. Then the sky was full of helicopters who started stealing water from the local lakes, dams and swimming pools and dumping it on the fire. I'll drink to that. Then the wind changed to come from the south. This was good for us but bad for Peter's Vets which was to the North. He shot of in his car to check. Then through the smoke we saw actual flames. Bright orange lights in a row of fir trees. I had another beer. The wind swung around from the north west the fire was coming our way again. Fortunately my beer was not empty. Then the promised strong wind from the south cut in and the fire veered away from us. The helicopters were wining. If I ever meet one of the pilots I will buy them a beer.

The pall of smoke rises straight up and blots out the sun. That means it's coming straight at us. It gets eerily dark. Then the smoke gets closer - but you can't see the flames - at first! Then you see bright orange lights!

 A huge helicopter named 'Elvis' picks up water from a local lake and dumps it on the fires. Their preferred target was any household in imminent danger. Can you imagine how welcome that would be if you thought your home was about to go up in flames.

Below: Throughout the night the fires burn on the hills to the west of our home. These fires are deemed to be safe by the fire fighters because only bush is burning and the wind has stopped.

These two pictures taken by Nigel Welch (Mick's son) a professional photographer who manages his own company. Check his gallery at:

          http://pulsephotography.zenfolio.com/p533740235

And he has a better camera than me!

Friday 20th Feb: Took a trip to Melbourne city on the train. I showed my UK bus pass and got a concession ticket for $3.50! Great buildings and museums. Found a few pubs and even a green beer micro brewery exhibition.

Melbourne city skyline and inside Melbourne Central station.

Interesting mock English pub "The Elephant and Wheelbarrow" and Bruce delivering Green Beer from the "Good Beer Company"

Tuesday 10th Feb: Took a trip to lakeside to see the model railway and the narrow gauge steam train Puffin Billy. I got talking to the engine driver and he offered me a ride on the footplate! This put a smile on my face as I have always wanted to do that. Mick and Pat drove to the next station to wait for me. Took some video and put the result on You Tube. Click on the link below to see it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-XAMkxOMHY

Puffin Billy in all its glory.

Sunday 8th Feb: What a difference a day makes. After the sweltering heat of yesterday, the wind has stopped, the temperature drops to 25C and it rains! I wake early and go outside and the only clue of yesterday's fires is the smell of smoke. The TV news shows many scenes of bush and houses burning. Fatalities so far are 25! Many roads closed while firemen control the remaining fires. Peter invited me to see a baby possum that was handed in to his vets surgery during the heat wave last week. They feed it from a syringe.

     Cute but very sharp claws.

Saturday 7th Feb: Severe fire warnings today as temperatures up to 45C predicted. Proactive preventative measures required to minimise the effects of a fire storm. Strong winds from the north west bringing hot air from the deserts can drive a fire front at 60MPH. This does tend to get your attention. Mike and I removed all dead wood from the base of trees to reduce the speed that the fire can take hold. The fire pump has to be checked which pumps water from a pond to a high pressure fire hose. I had to be taught how to start the pump. The radio was left on all day tuned to a local station giving constant fire reports. Last job was to run down to the local shop to buy two days supply of beer. This is a very important fire precaution apparently.

What an exciting ang and exhausting day today. Following fire warnings and expected temperatures of 47c we had to take precautions to minimise the threat. We cleared dead wood from the base of trees.

Midday the temperature rose to 48C and red hot 60MPH winds were blowing dust across the farm. Then the clear horizons changed to a smoke fog everywhere and the wind grew fiercer. Then we saw fires on the horizon! They were not a threat to us but then a fire started to the south of us about 3 miles away and the wind was expected to swing round to the north!

There was a rush to get all the horses into the stable. Then we had to change our clothes to long trousers and long sleeve shirts. This reduces heat burns apparently. The local radio station was giving continuous reports of where the fires were and where they were heading.

 

Mike watches the fire spreading from the south and getting close!

We all congregated on the south side of the main house (Loraine and Peter's house) and watched the fire spread diagonally past us. Sometimes the smoke swung round towards us! Frightening. We watched as two helicopters continuously sucked up water from a nearby lake and dumped it on the fire. Slowly the smoke subsided and the helicopters left. Fire trucks moved in to control the embers. From top and left to right: Peter, Patrick, John, Mike, Loraine, Nigel, Collette, Pat and Kat  (the dog).

Then Loraine made pizzas for us and we sat on the veranda and watched the fire trucks damp the embers through Peter's telescope.

The good news was that the beer didn't run out.    What a day!