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Going Down Into Egypt

It has been a while but since it is stay inside tonight for #exTCDebbie, I thought I might put up another one of Effie’s articles. Reading this really makes me want to go and visit Egypt!

~~~

Going Down Into Egypt
By Euphemia Tory
Published in Volume 50 (1928-1929) of the Girl’s Own Annual, pages 223-225

THE first question of the would-be visitor, how to reach Egypt, admits so many answers that I can only suggest asking one of the well-known agents for a complete list of sailings and prices. Mail steamers from London, Marseilles or Naples; Italian lines from Genoa, Naples and the Adriatic ports (some of these provide slow, inexpensive boats with much interest at different ports of call) ; M.M. boats from Marseilles , there are ships of every nationality and varying degrees of luxury, but I do not think that any providing reasonable comfort and cleanliness cost less than about £25 each way from London, and of course more luxury can be had at higher fares.

The height of the tourist season is from January 15th to April 1st, but before and after this period the weather is glorious without being overpoweringly hot, and those who wish to economise will find prices lower and accommodation easier to obtain out of the regular season.

From October 1st to January 15th, and again from April 1st to May 31st, the Egyptian State Railways quote favourable combined hotel and railway rates for visits to steamship lines serving Egypt also give reduced out-of- season fares.

Please, click here to continue reading 🙂 “Going Down Into Egypt”

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Why Not Visit Greece? By Euphemia Torry

Whilst I was in London on my way home from Iceland in January this year, I dedicated some time to family history. Not the family history I plan on committing some time to in the next couple of years, by spending a good month or two in England researching the Lawrence Stephenson line of our family. It is the one arm of our family which I can’t trace back past my great-great-great grandfather Lawrence Stephenson DD with any reliability. That is a story for another time.

The person I spent time researching in London was Cousin Effie. Cousin Effie will be the subject of a series of blog posts as I chronicle her adventures and tales.  She is one person in our family, that I would have dearly loved to have met, however since she was born on the 9th of July 1889 and died on the 12th of September 1976 that was never going to happen was it? Please, click here to continue reading 🙂 “Why Not Visit Greece? By Euphemia Torry”

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A cold, cold walk on Christmas Day

It has become somewhat of a tradition in our family to go for a walk or a stroll after lunch on Christmas Day.

This year, Karl and I took Stella for a walk round town. Christmas Day was mighty cold for Reykjavik, the weather bureau recorded -9.7°C at noon on Christmas Day! A vast difference to the 25.4°C or so that was observed in Brisbane at noon on the 25th.

We went down to the harbour and then strolled back through the “west side” home to get ready for Christmas Day dinner with Kata’s paternal family.

As it was Christmas Day we wore Santa Hats for the walk, sadly the Santa Hats were not wool or super fleecy so did not really provide optimum warmth :/
Karl and I on the jetty
Karl and I on the jetty Please, click here to continue reading 🙂 “A cold, cold walk on Christmas Day”

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Four years ago

Four years ago, I woke thinking it would just be like any other Saturday.<br /><br /> It would be a day of markets, washing and maybe some baking.<br /><br /> Instead, it was not.<br /><br /> Four years ago, I went to sleep that night without a Papa.</p><br /> <p>Pabbi, so much has happened in the last four years.<br /><br /> I'm finally working in tax.<br /><br /> Karl is still in Iceland.<br /><br /> Mamma moved to the bush.<br /><br /> Matthew has taken over your space in the laundry.<br /><br /> There is a super cute little boy next door now.<br /><br /> The birds still play in the bird bath in the back yard.<br /><br /> You would hardly recognise the interior of the house now.<br /><br /> Miss you Pappa-san
Four years ago, I woke thinking it would just be like any other Saturday.
It would be a day of markets, washing and maybe some baking.
Instead, it was not.
Four years ago, I went to sleep that night without a Papa.

Pabbi, so much has happened in the last four years.
I’m finally working in tax.
Karl is still in Iceland.
Mamma moved to the bush.
Matthew has taken over your space in the laundry.
There is a super cute little boy next door now.
The birds still play in the bird bath in the back yard.
You would hardly recognise the interior of the house now.
Miss you Pappa-san

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A visit to the Royal Tasmania Botanical Gardens

In the family I’m from a stroll round the local Botanical Gardens is always in order when one goes visiting a new town. There’s new plants to see, old ones to admire and just a lovely time strolling the paths.

Of course one of the few things on my must do list for Christmas in Hobart was a visit to the Gardens. le Sigh. I love those gardens. I didn’t get to fully explore the Japanese Gardens this time, just had a quick rush in to take photos of the Ginkgo biloba.

Ginkgo biloba

Oh and a little snap of the Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum cv. Utsusemi) as well.

Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum cv. Utsusemi)

Highlights included this Rhododendron Azma in the Rhododendron Terraces

Rhododendron Azma
Mum and Margaret did a lot of this. Botanising we call it, both of them with their BSc hats on.
Mum and Aunty Margaret botanising

 

My favourite area of the garden on this trip was probably the Deciduous Lawn and the Oak Collection.  I had a very nice time taking photos of backlit leaves. The angle of the sun in Tasmania makes it so nice for taking backlit photos.

Like this one (unlabelled tree).
Backlit Leaves
or this one (English Oak Hybrid (Quercus x robur))
English Oak Hybrid(Quercus x robur)
or this one (Pyramidale Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum)).
Pyramidale Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum)
My most favourite photo of the outing was this one, a very quick photo as we got back to the cars. Taken just like that because the light was just right. My cousin Erica and her little bear.
My fav photo of Erica and the little bear

 

Aren’t they just special?

If you want to check out the rest of the photos from our jaunt to the gardens, head over to Flickr to my Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens Set