Rydges Eagle Hawk - Canberra
We stayed at the Rydges Eagle Hawk Resort which was about 9kms north of the city on the highway. It was a fabulous complex and we enjoyed our stay there, dining in the restaurant most nights. Excellent food and prices, and because I had joined their privilege club on the internet before we travelled we got 20% off all food and beverage so made for very cheap dining. For example we both had a main and a glass of wine each at night and it came to no more than $30 for the 2 of us.
We managed to find some great NZ Chardonnay at the local bottle store for $30 for 2 bottles so got a couple each for the week, to have a drink in our room late afternoon before going to the restaurant. We bought muesli and yoghurt and bowls and spoons and made our own breakfast each morning to save a bit of money and ate out for lunch every day.
The track was about 16km away from where we stayed and every day we went there, sometimes Kathryn would go very early in the morning to support another runner from their club in Christchurch and then come back for me in time for Tom's races. It was very very hot all week, and didn't cool down much at night. We got 5 minutes of rain during one of the days, after it poured down most of the night, so it didn't interfere with too much.
Australian Institute of Sport Track
Wednesday he had a free day and we took him into town shopping and out for lunch.
He stayed with the NZ team in a motel not far from us, but they were not allowed any visitors, we could only see him at the track, and the day he had free.
Over the course of the week he made it to the finals of the 200mtr and 400mtrs for 13yr old boys. He won Silver in the 200mtr and Gold in the 400mtr in a time of 52.08, breaking the record by 1.6 secs. His relay team also won a Silver medal. It was great to be watching such an awesome result and I was very pleased to be there to celebrate with my friend. Her husband was at my home with Al waiting for the text to announce his result in the 400mtr final and they celebrated into the night as well!
Tom & his Mum, (no she's not short, he is over 6ft tall!)
We went one morning at 9am to visit parliament. It was their closing week and we managed to sit in the gallery while their prime minister addressed his colleagues.
Parliament building.
Old parliament building
We stopped at the cafe there for a coffee and muffin and had by far the best coffee we had had all week in Australia. We didn't manage to find a decent one in Sydney or most of Canberra, we finally had to ask for double shots as their coffee seems so much weaker than ours and we just weren't enjoying them. Anyway, while eating outside I noticed a sign that I hated straight away as it had used the word "maybe" wrong, it should have read "may be". There doesn't seem to be much hope for the country when there is such an obvious mistake on display at the very place that makes education decisions for the country! (my friend Megan will be proud of me pointing this out, she is the grammar queen and lord help you if you use an apostrophe wrong, she is also queen of the apostrophe!)
Bad sign! At Parliament.
We had a great week in Canberra, it is a fabulous city which was a surprise to me as most people I spoke to, except one, said it was a boring city with not much there. It is a very planned city, with lots of highways and space between suburbs, and great shopping I had to buy another bag to bring all my shopping home and cross our fingers that we wouldn't get charged excess luggage at the airport. Luckily that didn't happen.
We flew Virgin Airways, Pacific Blue, and it was excellent from the check in to the cabin crew, definitely a pleasant change.
It was good to be home to the family again, now the busy season is upon us with Christmas just round the corner! Ho Ho Ho!
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