Bundall Shops Brothels Racecourse, it has it all. This was where I lived for 21 years until October 2011. The north end of Upton Street was residential with some luxurious waterfront homes including mine, while the southern end is full of shops, offices & factories.
Bundall Shops Brothels Racecourse
90% of anything and everything I needed to purchase over the years I could find in Upton St.
The Corporate Centre
Around the corner in Bundall Road is the iconic Corporate Centre.
Bundall Road near Crombie Avenue
A couple of the Bundall Road prestige office buildings.
McLauchlan & Partners
A financial planning company at 80-82 Upton St, Bundall, I knew Alex many years ago in the late 8os when his office was in Southport. I remember him as a keen golfer who enjoyed a beer.
The Good Guys
Another huge Queensland discount electrical store.
Adult toy shop
Here is where you can buy all those adult toys & accessories to put some buzz back into your sex life.
Right across the road
For those lonely guys here is Silks one of the local brothels, as I said earlier Upton Street Bundall has everything you could possibly need. 🙂
For all you need to know about the local hookers just follow THIS LINK.
Here’s a map
So you guys won’t get lost. 🙂
OK, back to reality
This is one of about 3 major lighting stores on Upton Street Bundall.
The race track
Upton St also butts onto the Southport race track which used to be the only track in Australia to host a meeting every Saturday.
I’m there for nearly every Melbourne cup or Magic Millions event.
Watching the the ladies slowly deteriorate as the day draws to a close. 🙂
This was my home for 21 fabulous years, I designed and had it built in 1990, added a 2nd story in 2004, which turned out to be a mistake as it made it much harder to sell. However sell it did in October 2011 and one week later I moved to Thailand.
This is an awful looking house
Being built 4 doors from my old home in July 2018.
The lake near where I used to live.
My house was just out of the photo to the right.
For a great hotel room rate (with free cancellation) just book through THIS LINK.
Fabulous views, excellent restaurants & a very good room rate if you book through THIS LINK.
The building in the middle is the Holiday Inn, on the left is the Amari Hotel which is another very good five star hotel. Use THIS LINK to book for a very good room rate.
Enjoying the last year of the 90s, please note, this is not part of my Travel Blog. It’s part of my personal online photo albums.
Gold Coast life 1999
Gold Coast life 1999 was not too different from previous years except for the fact I was no longer working. In 1998 I decided to take a year off work and travel, little did I realise I would never go back to full time work again.
I have often wondered if I made the right decision to retire and travel the world. On one hand had I continued to work for another 6 or 7 years I obviously would have been far better off financially, however on the flip side I can never replace the wonderful years of travel I enjoyed during those years. Consequently looking back in 2016 I’m very happy with the decision I made. Take a look at my travel record for 1999 below. 🙂
An incredible year for travel
The photo above was taken in Koh Samui with Francesca & Barbara from Florence. In 1999 I had three trips to Thailand, February, August & December, my first trip to Rio for Carnival in February was part of an around the world adventure with my friend Larry Krausz. Another fabulous 2 month around the world trip in November included Los Angeles, Las Vegas Miami, Mexico City, Bolivia, Brazil, (Rio, Iguazu falls & Salvador) Paris & Thailand.
Kathy was a regular visitor
A simple phone call would result in an hour or so of passion, priceless. 🙂
A little more of Kathy
Without a doubt Kathy had one of the hottest bodies I have ever seen. 🙂
Lots of parties lots of girls, Narrelle, Simone & Kushler.
All through the 90s and beyond the parties never stopped.
Myoung-sook a nice Korean lady
Myoung and I spent some time together in 1999.
Sometimes she would stay for breakfast. 🙂
She was a very keen golfer.
she was quite a keen golfer.
Lorrie & Leonie
I took Lorrie & Leonie boating, they were two Canadians visiting the Gold Coast.
Dinner at Ashmore Steak & Seafood
This popular restaurant always ensured you never left hungry.
My beautiful mother Iris Joyce Herd, my brother Ian & his wife Sandra, Adam one of their sons & Myoung my Korean girlfriend.
Rossco, one of the happiest guys I know.
I count Ross Kennedy as one of my best friends, we had so many great times together. Certainly one of our most memorable adventures was our road trip trip to Melbourne in 1996, to check it out just follow THIS LINK.
Thinking back to my 25 years on the Gold Coast there were just so many highlights, I’m really very happy to be able to re-live them through my FiveStarVagabond photo blog.
Through all those years I remember having a hand full of good friends and many many acquaintances. Due to my reasonably abrasive personality there were also many people that couldn’t stand me. My message to them is quite simple, see below.
A message for the knockers
Having said all that let’s get back to 1999. 🙂
Jimmy Bell & the smokers
Another Sunday session at my Upton St home, Jim “HO HO” Bell rented a room at my home for 17 years.
For a great room rate on the Gold Coast just book through THIS LINK.
Emily used to be a meter maid
And yes the silly tattoo is a temporary one from Thailand. 🙂
Swifty actually wound up marrying Emily and produced a couple of fine sons. I owe thanks to Ray for introducing me to Kathy who you saw at the start of this post.
Farewell Colleen
Colleen was leaving Saks bar & restaurant, owners Duncan McGuiness & Steve are wishing her well.
Phil Thomson, another great friend.
Phil has always been a Porsche lover, these days in 2016 he has a Boxter sitting in the garage.
Talking about cars, here are my beauties
It was a very difficult decision to decide which one to drive. 🙂
Ziggy & my boat
You had to have all the toys & props to stand out on the Gold Coast, to be honest 50% of the people I met were fairly shallow individuals & easily impressed. Then again the same probably applies to other Australian cities as well. 🙂
Main Beach blondes
Catie, Marina & Kylie were waitresses at a popular Main Beach cafe.
Mike Wood, Greg Craig and Dave Allen.
A few drinks at Melbas in as we did so many times over the years, it was simply Gold Coast life 1999.
Sweet Myumi
Well that’s all folks from Myumi & I, thanks for visiting my Gold Coast life 1999 photo blog. It’s now February 2018 & I”m living in Thailand, and I get a huge kick from re-living some of these incredible years through my photo blogs. I just can’t believe what a fortunate life I have had. 🙂
Gorgeous girls Sydney 1980 and 81 living on the waterfront in Drummoyne with the view you see in the header on this post. I drove a white Mercedes Sports, had my Bertram 25 moored in front of my apartment, and a liquor store in Sydenham, quite a few good friends and a long line of beautiful girlfriends, life was very close to perfect. The Watsons Bay hotel shown above was one of my regular haunts as was Doyles restaurant. It’s a great place to stay when in Sydney, for an excellent room rate just book through THIS LINK.
This is not part of my Travel Blog. It’s part of my personal history, check it out if you wish.
My boat
I had an absolute perfect mooring right outside my apartment, it was so much fun on Sydney harbour visiting all the great beaches & restaurants. They really were Great years Sydney 1980 to January 1987 when I pulled up stakes and moved to the Gold Coast.
Smooth operator
It seemed the parties and drinks never stopped at my Drummoyne apartment, life was very good indeed.
Jeff and Debbie Don
Gorgeous Debbie & party animal Jeff, another smooth operator.
Sade - Smooth Operator - Official - 1984
The party never stopped
Looking back to my 6 years at Drummoyne I feel I made a serious mistake getting engaged and moving to Newport. My decision was based on a particular mindset we grew up with, eventually we all should settle down, marry & have children. In hindsight I now know that’s OK for the majority of people, but not everybody, & I’m certainly in the category of “not everybody”. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Talking about being engaged, here is my future fiancee in 1981
Karen Smith and Dirk Kammerling were an item for several years until her and I started going out in 1984 which led to our engagement.
Karen & I in 1981
Who would have thought in 3 years we would be engaged and living together at Newport?
Castle Cove 1980
Two of the girls here were sisters, Carmen & Antionette Sherry, plus my good friend Rob Symonds and Peter H.
Gorgeous girls Sydney 1980 included Carmen & Antoinette
Decorating my XJ 6 in 1980.
Antoinette Sherry
What a beautiful redhead. 🙂
Here are some of the usual suspects
John Malouf, Peter Singleton and Dennis Moran at another one of my Drummoyne gatherings.
Joanne Barrett came 3rd in Miss Universe 1969
What a beautiful face, is it any wonder she was 3rd in the Miss Universe?
Singapore 1980
Some people who have seen this photo have been cruel enough to suggest that I looked like a Miami drug dealer, and here was I thinking I was just a very cool dude. 🙂
Rob Symonds & I in Singapore 1980
Rob & I had a great trip to Manilla, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Pattaya and Singapore. This was when I first got hooked on Thailand, little did I realise 31 years later I would move there permanently. Take a look at my photo blog, just follow THIS LINK.
Gorgeous girls Sydney 1980, the blondes are here
That’s Teresa on the left sitting at my bar, and I can’t believe that I have forgotten the name of the other beautiful creature. 🙂
Here is the beautiful anonymous blonde as a redhead
Now is that a fantastic face or what?
When can I start having fun?
Right about now I would say, in fact I clearly remember a ménage à trois with two of these gorgeous babes. 🙂
Tall gorgeous redhead
Her name was Louise and we had a brief fling, Antoinette & I are checking her prowess on the BBQ. She knew how to handle a sausage. 🙂
I told you she was gorgeous
An absolute knockout.
Two more knockouts, Kerry & Terry
Two of my favourite Gorgeous girls Sydney 1980.
Shirley Jones 1980
Shirley was an air hostess for TAA which does not exist anymore. She & Debbie Don were flatmates who lived around the corner in Drummoyne ave and came to most of my parties. Compare us in the following photo. 🙂
After many hours of booze
At the end of the day decorum would go out the window. 🙂
Another Shirley
This Shirley worked for Stripper-gram, we used to go out together occasionally. A very funny thing happened at my Dad’s retirement party, he had worked for Berger paints for 46 years. We were celebrating at what was then the Silverwater Businessman’s Club, in came a gorgeous girl in a bikini, draped in feathers, and proceeded with her well-practised routine.
The shocked look on my mother’s face had nothing to do with the girl sitting on Dad’s knee, it was when she walked over to our table and said to me, “hi David, nice to see you, when are we going out on your boat again”? Yes, it was Shirley, somebody had hired a stripper-gram for him. 🙂
This was Vickie in 1980
The long line of Gorgeous girls Sydney 1980 continues, it seemed there were so many babes and such little time. 🙂
Carol Aboud the ultimate party girl
Even though Carol was the mother of four young children she was the ultimate party girl. Part of a wealthy eastern suburbs family, her father was the managing director of Century batteries & in his eyes she could do no wrong.
We really had some great times together over a four year period, although it was one of those on & off relationships that ran into quite a few road blocks along the way.
Talking about party animals
This is Roger “Ramjet” Williams who could always be relied upon to put on a show. Two of his party tricks were drinking a Bloody Mary containing 1/2 a bottle of Tabasco sauce. If a normal person had one sip it would set your mouth on fire. His 2nd trick was to take a raw onion and eat it like an apple, this man obviously had no taste buds. 🙂
A Mexican bandit? No it’s Chris Adams
One of the Adelaide guys I knocked around with when I lived there in 72 to 74, Chris wound up in Sydney then I lost track of him. I have always had a knack of giving people nicknames that seemed to stick with them, in Chris’s case his name was “The Mouth”. 🙂
Another Shirley, Xmas 1981
A gorgeous little girl from the eastern suburbs who had a wealthy father and lived at Darling Point.
Ron Walsh from Broken Hill with Donna.
Ron was a close friend for many years, he owned the Retravision store in Broken Hill and would find any excuse to visit me when I lived in Adelaide, we had some wonderful fun times together.
Debbie Secombe another of the Gorgeous girls Sydney 1980
Debbie a cool Aussie chick who worked at the Manilla Playboy Club for a few years before turning up at one of my famous parties.
Gorgeous girls Sydney 1980, Di Parkinson Xmas 1981
Di was one of the most beautiful ladies I ever knew, also one of the craziest. No woman has caused me more problems in my life than this one. Apart from all that we had many great times together during the last 10 years.
One of the great nights of my life, and one of the best NYEs of my life, we overloaded my boat with 16 people and headed off to a seafood restaurant at “the Spit” for dinner before heading to the Opera House for the incredible fireworks. My girlfriend for the night was the gorgeous one in the middle, very unusual that I can’t remember her name.
I considered Wolf Wottke my best friend since we met in Adelaide in 1973, that friendship continued until I moved to Newport in 1984, sadly after that it was never the same.
Sydenham Cellars grand opening 1980 featuring Debbie Don.
In the 4 years I owned my liquor store I never really made too much money, 3 of those years the road was was closed for 3 or 4 months which effected my turnover rather badly. Luckily I had purchased the property and made a killing when I sold.
OK, one last look at Debbie.
She is certainly worth a look don’t you think?
Thanks for visiting my Gorgeous girls Sydney 1980 photo blog, what an era that was. No doubt at all 80, 81 & 82 were amazing years for living large & gorgeous ladies.
It’s now 2017 and here is Glenn Frey to tell you exactly how I feel today.
Great hotel rates here, just book through THIS LINK.
Sydney landmarks harbour bridge were on my agenda when I spent a couple of days in Sydney in 2005. This was my first stop on an exciting around the world trip to San Francisco, Miami, Rio de Janeiro for Carnival, north East coast of Brazil, Paris, Bangkok and Pattaya.
Sydney landmarks harbour bridge
The magnificent Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge are two of the most recognisable structures in the world.
Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, the facility formally opened on 20 October 1973 after a gestation beginning with Utzon’s 1957 selection as winner of an international design competition. The NSW Government, led by Premier Joseph Cahill, authorised work to begin in 1958, with Utzon directing construction. The government’s decision to build Utzon’s design is often overshadowed by circumstances that followed, including cost and scheduling overruns as well as the architect’s ultimate resignation.
Sydney landmarks harbour bridge
Though its name suggests a single venue, the project comprises multiple performance venues which together are among the busiest performing arts centres in the world — hosting over 1,500 performances each year attended by some 1.2 million people.
The Rocks overlooking Circular Quay
The oldest part of Sydney was founded in 1788 as a penal colony.
Bill Austin from Wiltshire
My friend Bill jumped out of planes 100s of times when he was in the Paras so climbing the bridge was a piece of cake for him. 🙂
For a very good discount on Sydney hotel rooms just book through THIS LINK.
Doyles at Watsons Bay
Certainly one of Sydney’s well known landmarks, world famous for the fish & chips.
Doyles in 1981.
This was Doyles 32 years ago in 1981. On this original site, Doyles opened Australia’s first seafood restaurant in 1885. The restaurant has been family owned and operated for over five generations. With both indoor and outdoor dining, Doyles is located right on the foreshore of Watsons Bay overlooking the magnificent panorama of Sydney Harbour.
Here I am at Doyles with Helen Burke, my girlfriend at the time, enjoying one of our countless lunches on beautiful Sydney Harbour. Who said nostalgia was a thing of the past?
The old Darlington school.
Here is a lovely building most Sydney people would not know existed. It’s a fine example of a single story Gothic Revival style suburban schools designed by the Architect to the Council of Education: George Allen Mansfield. An important public building of the former suburb of Darlington, the smallest municipality in Sydney.
Sydney landmarks harbour bridge & Anzac Bridge
Opened in December 1995, costing $170 million to build, it’s a link between Sydney City and the western suburbs.
View from Crows nest
Nice to see lots of trees.
Thanks for visiting my Sydney landmarks harbour bridge photo blog.
Please check out some of the most popular below, and thank you for visiting.
Champagne weekend Sydney in 2008 was on the menu when I spent a weekend at a friends home in Point Piper. He worries about being seen on the internet, so to protect his privacy we will just call him Stingy. I imagine a whistle-blower will tip him off about this post and he will complain as usual. I would like to stress nothing in this personal photo blog of mine is intended to cause him any discomfort. It is in fact a salute to a very successful businessman.
I would like to emphasise my policy regarding my photo & travel blogs, should any person be offended or concerned by material I have posted, please contact me direct and I will immediately remove it.
Champagne football Sydney is my personal photo history not part of my travel blog.
I was very lucky when Stingy lent me one of his cars to use, extremely lucky when it turned out to be a Lexus. 🙂
City skyline from Vaucluse
I took advantage of my flash transport and did a little tour around the eastern suburbs.
A deserted Coogee beach,I have many memories of the local pubs where I often visited in my 20s.
Stingy is the big guy in the middle
Peter Hobbs and Peter H on the right. Peter H is another guy who is paranoid about his name on the internet. We are at the SCG to see the Sydney Swans play the Richmond Tigers.
Sydney Cricket Ground
This wonderful sports arena with this beautiful members stand, which was built in 1886, holds countless memories for myself and millions of sports fans all over Australia.
Stingy & friends
John Martin aka Pothole with his Chinese girlfriend and Lee O’mara are here with Stingy at the Woolahra hotel. Pothole lives in the same condo as I do in Pattaya 2 hours south of Bangkok, in fact he accompanied me on a quick trip to Koh Samui only last week on June 20 2016.
Woolahra Hotel
Sadly Pothole lost his best friend John Griffin just a few months after this photo was taken after he lost a long battle with cancer.
For a great hotel rate in Sydney just book through THIS LINK.
Bar Reggio
Friday lunch at Bar Reggio is a long term tradition for Stingy and his friends, located in Crown St Darlinghurst, it is a lively Italian restaurant that serves good food and allows you to bring your own wine.
Back to Stingy’s palace
Every wall upstairs and down is cluttered with paintings.
Running out of wall space
A great example of how to make a terrific home look less attractive. 🙂
A Stingy lookalike
They could be twins. 🙂
Champagne weekend Sydney, I’ll drink to that.
I’m not generally a champagne drinker however I will make an exception for Dom Perignon. 🙂
Great kitchen
This is certainly one of the nicest homes I have ever stayed in.
Stingy’s liquor cabinet
There is no shortage of booze in Stingy’s house, as you can clearly see Jim Beam is his preferred poison.
Ten years have flown by & now in 2018 aged 70 Stingy has given up the booze. So many years of heavy drinking have finally caught up with him. The doctors advice was crystal clear, stop drinking or die.
Geriatrics R Us.
That’s Stingy (2nd from the left) in December 2017, he has lost an incredible amount of weight being off the booze.
Naturally living on the waterfront you need a boat
Captain Stingy conducting business on the high seas. 🙂
Stingy = chick magnet
Of course the ladies are attracted by his good looks and animal magnetism, boats, booze & a $6 million dollar house have nothing to do with it.
Champagne weekend Sydney at Stingy’s palace
Three stories and looking over Sydney harbour.
Just a short distance to his great catamaran.
Stingy’s great looking boat.
Sea Treasure at Crows Nest.
On the right is my cousin Debbie with her South African friend Phyllis, great food at the Sea Treasure.
Crab at the Sea Treasure
Fantastic crab at the Sea Treasure, this reminds me of Boat Quay in Singapore. 🙂
That’s all folks
Thanks for visiting my Champagne weekend Sydney photo blog.
Newport peninsular Sydney is my personal photo history not part of my travel blog.
Newport peninsular Sydney
Newport peninsular Sydney was my home for three years from 1984 to 1987. After becoming engaged to a beautiful Melbourne lady Karen Smith, I purchased a timber home perched on a hill above the Royal Motor Yacht Club. The cost was $128k, and I sold it after our engagement fizzled out 4 years later for $360K. I guess it would be worth nearly 2 million dollars today.
Absolutely gorgeous.
As you can see Karen was a beautiful lady, it took me anther 10 years before I realised I was just not cut out for marriage or long term relationships. There is probably a multitude of reasons why, fear of commitment, too independent etc etc.
Dinner party at Herbert Avenue
We were very happy at Newport 80% of the time, I tried hard to settle down and enjoy life as a couple, every now and then however the “call of the wild” would interrupt our utopia.
Wolf Wottke (with the beard) had been my best friend for a number of years, I left him renting my Drummoyne apartment for a year or so until I got fed up chasing the rent. Consequently I sold it which in hindsight was probably a mistake.
Lots of birds & wildlife
These beautiful Rainbow Lorikeets would visit every day for their snack on the balcony.
Life was very good
I had all the toys, a beautiful Mercedes Sports, a cabin cruiser moored at the yacht club, a liquor store in Sydenham which I was in the process of selling and a good sales job with Canon Australia.
Lion Island
This great photo (excuse the quality) was taken on Lion Island in the Hawksbury River, from left to right we have Graham La Roche aka “Biff”, his girlfriend at the time Mona,Ross Ansell from Melbourne and Karen Smith & I.
Me Tarzan
Ross doing his Tarzan impersonation on Lion Island.
31 Herbert Avenue Newport
About 25 years later around 2012 I paid a visit to Herbert Avenue to see if things had changed. Apart from the colour scheme and far less vegetation nothing much had changed.
Another day on Pittwater
My good friend Tony Murphy and his beautiful wife Inge join Karen & I on my 26 foot cabin cruiser. After 29 years I caught up with Inge in Melbourne in 2014.
My back veranda overlooked Bayview
Here is my good friend Paul Slaughter with two gorgeous girls, on the left is Trish and on the right an old girlfriend of mine Shirley.
Big Tim Bristow, dinner at Herbert Avenue.
Tim Bristow was a friend of mine dating back from the time we met in 1971 when he was on my tail to give me a hiding, but that’s another story just follow THIS LINK. In the 70s just the name Tim Bristow struck fear into the heart of all those who knew him, an enforcer with a reputation of being one of the most brutal street fighters in Australia. Put simply he was legend, a bouncer at the Newport Arms hotel, would be contenders for his crown would travel from all over Sydney to try their luck, many came and all of them were sent packing battered and bruised.
I sold my liquor store in late 1984 which took the pressure off me. I had been working with Canon for a few months and travelling to Sydenham (a one hour drive each way) at weekends to work in the liquor store. Meanwhile I dug a wine cellar underneath my Newport home and stored a huge amount of wine that I took home from the shop.
Unwins Bridge Road
That’s Madison my beautiful 4 year old German Shepherd who used to diligently guard the store overnight.
Newport peninsular Sydney Brian Millard
Brian was a boat broker at Newport and a regular drinker at the Newport Arms hotel. He lived just up the road at Bungan Beach before moving to Noosa where I believe he still resides.
Richard on the left and Rob Carnahan
Two very nice guys who were customers of mine when I was with Canon. Their office was opposites the Oaks Hotel in Neutral Bay so more often than not we would meet in the pub. 🙂
A bunch of my nephews & nieces come to visit.
Amazing seeing these old photos, all of these cute kids now have children of their own.
Sue and John Heatherington
A lovely couple who lived in the next street from us, John also worked at Canon in the computer division.
Malaysia 1985
John & Sue, Karen & I went on a Canon conference to Penang, here we are driving from Penang to Singapore via Kuala Lumpur.
Singapore Xmas 1985
Here we are in Singapore, notice the cigarette. I smoke on and off for most of my life until 2003. Usually 2 or 3 years then I would quit for a similar time before returning to the grip of the nicotine.
Newport peninsular Sydney with Phil Parkinson
Phil has lived most of his life on the Newport peninsular Sydney and I believe still does in 2016. He is the brother of my ex girlfriend Di Parkinson.
Melbourne Cup 1985
Karen & I at the cup with friends including another ex girlfriend Helen Burkewho is on the left of the photo. Helen has a vineyard at Dromana on the Mornington Peninsular, I spent a few day there in October 2014 drinking wine with her and her partner Jack.
Oscars Coolangatta 1985
I can’t remember the name of the beautiful dark haired princess, she was the girlfriend of my crazy chiropractor from North Sydney.
Newport peninsular Sydney
Prior to buying my cabin cruiser I had this little run-about, it was a lot of fun, do you like the name? 🙂
Another guy from my rogues gallery.
Danny Rose one of Adelaide’s true characters, we had a day of the water, you can see “Stamped Urgent” in the background.
Beautiful Karen Smith
Certainly my life on the Newport peninsular Sydney revolved around lots of good friends and my beautiful fiancée Karen. My thanks to her for being the most important part of my life for those great years.
Thanks also to you for visiting my Newport peninsular Sydney photo blog.
January 1st 2013, please note, this is not part of my Travel Blog. It’s my personal history, check it out if you wish.
New Years Eve Sydney 2012 at Drummoyne
New Years Eve Sydney 2012 from 72 Wrights Road Drummoyne where I lived for six years from 1979 to 1984. This is late afternoon and everybody is getting ready for the fireworks, there are two spectacular shows, one at 9 pm for the children (and me) and one of course at midnight.
New Years Eve Sydney 2012
The apartments you see are in St Georges Crescent where I also owned another 3 bedroom waterfront apartment at Brackley Gardens, this was for investment & rental purposes I never lived there. It is interesting to look at prices way back in the 70s, I purchased Brackley Gardens for $48,000 in 1977 then sold 5 years later for $98,000.
I sold Wrights road for a profit of $100,000 in 1986, I rate this in the top 3 mistakes I have ever made in my life.
I have known Warwick for about 35 years, a nice fellow with a great sense of humour. He and his lovely wife Ady have lived in Cherrybrook for many years. I like standing beside him, he makes me look thin. 🙂
Peter Hesky
I have known Peter for a similar amount of time as Warwick, we enjoyed many great time together in the 70s & 80s. He is a great host and organized some terrific dinners at his Freeway Hotel in Artarmon.
Peter & I both love Mud Crabs and have polished off many back in the days I lived at Drummoyne, I must say however the best I have ever had have been in Singapore, follow THIS LINK to see what I mean.
In fact here is an example
These monsters are certainly not cheap, from memory this one set me back about $120. It’s from Sri Lanka and at 3.3 kilo the biggest I have ever eaten.
New Years Eve Sydney 2012
The 9 pm fireworks show at New Years Eve Sydney 2012 gets under way. I must confess I have seen so many fireworks displays over the years they have lost a little of their appeal for me. Certainly the best I have ever seen was in the 80s when I would anchor my boat in the Harbour beside the opera House and be in the middle of the action. Equally as exciting and maybe more so was Rio de Janeiro on NYE 2007 when 2 million people converged on Copacabana beach, just follow THIS LINK to see what I mean.
And the beat goes on
I have another confession I was in bed trying to get to sleep at 11 pm. 🙂
I was more impressed by the food
Our hosts Peter Hobbs and his lovely Thai girlfriend Pring put on a great spread.
And here she is 🙂
All I can say is Peter is punching way above his weight. 🙂
Peter & I the next morning on New Years Day.
Wrights Road in these apartments was my home for 6 years from 1979, some of the best years of my life. In fact check out my 1982 photo blog and see for yourself.
72 Wrights Rd
The smaller block in the middle was my home, I was in unit 12 on the top floor, Peter is on the ground floor on the left. Talking about property values again, I purchased in 1979 for $65,000 then sold in 1985 for $165,000. I believe now in 2016 they sell for over a million.
One of the greatest eras in my life was living in Drummoynein the 80s, looking back it was a mistake to move to Newport with my new fiancée thinking I was ready to settle down. How wrong can a man be?
Not too attractive from the street
However it was a great location to live with my white Mercedes Sports in the garage and my Bertram 25 moored right outside.
Robbie Bonnet
Robbie live here when I did in the 80s and he is still here now 35 years later. He owns a Bob Jane T-Marts in Drummoyne however I believe it recently closed and he is moving to a new location.
Farewell to Wrights Road
The memories certainly came flooding back after spending New Years Eve Sydney 2012 at my old home in Drummoyne. It was great to catch up with lots of old friends, who say nostalgia is a thing of the past?
Talking about old friends
When I left Drummoyne on the morning of January 1st to drive toPort Macquarie I stopped in Dee Why for a coffee with another old friend Paul Slaughter.
Thanks for visiting my New Years Eve Sydney 2012 photo blog.
January 1st 2013, please note, Sydney Gold Coast 2013 is not part of my Travel Blog. It’s my personal history, check it out if you wish.
Sydney Gold Coast 2013
Sydney Gold Coast 2013 was a trip I did starting from 72 Wrights Road Drummoyne on January 1st after spending a couple of weeks at my cousin’s home in Balgowlah. I spent News Years Eve with Peter Hobbs & friends, left early the next day to meet friends for coffee at Dee Why before calling in to see Sue at Newport. From there I drove to my brothers home in Port Macquarie and finally onto the Gold Coast before flying back home to Thailand.
Over a period of 3 or 4 years I was lucky enough to stay at Deb’s lovely home for which I’m forever grateful. Sadly in the end she kicked me out because I left the house unlocked for an hour when I went for coffee. Us aging geriatrics do become forgetful. 🙂
Xmas Eve at Deb’s house
a few days before I was banished, sadly it seems all good things come to an end.
With Peter Hobbs
Wrights Road in these apartments was my home for 6 years from 1979, some of the best years of my life. In fact check out my 1982 photo blog and see for yourself.
Middle building, top floor, right side.
Unit 12 was my home for six very happy years.
Home sweet home 1979 to 1985.
New Years Eve with Warwick Robinson
A friend for over 30 years.
Robbie Bonett
A long time resident of 72 Wrights Rd, way back to when I lived there in the late 70s. He has since married a Russian babe & moved to the Eastern suburbs.
Peter Hesky
Another longtime friend from the 70s. We used to be in regular contact but I have not heard from him for 5 or 6 years. Maybe he put me on the “black list” in support of cousin Deb. 🙂
Aussie seafood on NYE.
I really miss the Aussie seafood living in Thailand.
Drinks with John Loch
At the famous Oaks Hotel in Neutral Bay, John live 5 minutes walk away.
Iconic Oaks hotel
It could be Australia’s best pub.
Jill McCrossan
I bumped into Jill at Manly, we had lots of great times when we both lived on the Gold Coast. If you want to see Jilly taking a bath in 1992 just follow THIS LINK.
Lunch at Mr Wongs
Upmarket Chinese restaurant off Bridge St Sydney. More photos onTHIS LINK.
Chinatown
Yum Cha with Hesco & Al Chiswick.
Coffee at Dee Why, Sydney Gold Coast 2013
Old friend Paul Slaughter and I enjoying coffee before heading to Newport to see Sue Ellis.
Sue’s home in Crescent Ave Newport
Tim Bristow’s lovely home in Newport, Tim passed away aged 72 about 10 years ago. His long time (& long suffering) partner Sue still lives here.
I played tennis here many times in the 80s.
Sue Ellis was and still is a terrific tennis player, we played many times and to my dismay I never won a single set. Sue just turned 60 this year and is ranked number 7 in the over 60 Tennis Seniors Australia Rankings in Womens Singles.
January 1st 2013
After many years I was happy to visit Sue, the home is still as picture perfect as when Big Tim used fuss around keeping everything neat & tidy.
Portrait of the big fellow
I wonder if it was ever hung or stored in the basement. 🙂
Bob Martin & I have been friends for over 40 years. We had some great times together in Sydney in the 70s with our other great mate Peter Lewis. Here we are having coffee on Chevron Island.
Last but not least in Sydney Gold Coast 2013
My great mate Phil Thomson from Runaway Bay. Phil was to blame for getting me hooked on Japan, he and his wife Junko showed me the ropes in Tokyo in 2007.
Thanks for visiting my Sydney Gold Coast 2013 photo blog.
This is not a travel blog just my personal photo collection
Sydney 2011 farewell Australia
Sydney 2011 farewell Australia is about my life changing event when on October 18 I left my home, friends, relatives and country to live in Thailand. I had two trips to Sydney in September & October and stayed with my cousin Debbie at her home in Balgowlah before jumping on a plane to Bangkok on October 18.
Dinner at Manly
I had many friends to farewell including Paul Slaughter and his lady Clode who was a flight attendant for Air Canada.
Richard aka 003 1/4
Richard & I have been friends since 1976 and had many great times together over the years. Obsessed with luxury cars and women on a scale far higher than I.
Richard’s latest jigger
From memory he also had a beautiful restored red E-Type jag at his Gold Coast home and a 911 turbo Porsche at his Sydney apartment. The Porsche he has owned since new in about 1977, it was fitted with some unusual modifications similar to some sort of secret agent. 🙂
1999
My home in 1999 and our two toys, Rick’s E-Type and my Mercedes Sports.
My brother Bryan
Lunch at Mosman with Bryan & Rick a couple of days before flying to Bangkok.
Old friend Peter Hesky
Another friend from 1976, (WOW! 40 bloody years) Sadly I don’t hear from Peter anymore, from what I’m told he has turned into quite a recluse and rarely ventures out of his home in Castle Cove.
Some well built lads here
Holly, Bolt & Al and not sure of the ladies name. We are at a very good Japanese restaurant opposite the Oaks Hotel.
Talking about the Oaks, here it is.
One of Australia’s great pubs, was my local for many years from 1977 to 1987.
My gorgeous niece’s
Drinks at my favourite pub with my favourite two girls, Elyssa & Laura.
Sydney Swans V Brisbane Lions.
Australian football aka AFL at the Sydney Cricket Ground, watching the game from Peter Hesky’s private box.
Dinner with friends
Fortuna Court Chinese restaurant in Crows Nest has been a favourite restaurant for over 30 years, & I must say it has not changed one bit in that time. The guy I’m about to put to the sword is Warwick Robinson who I have known for over 30 years. He never did pay the ransom to me for not taking his life. 🙂
Sydney 2011 farewell Australia
Leaving Australia was a huge decision, two major factors came into play when making the decision. First was purely financial, I had not worked since 1997 instead I travelled the world like a man possessed. Consequently I spent a huge amount of money in the process and I always knew it had to come to an end. My only regret was the timing of the Global Financial Crisis in 2007/8 which coincided with me needing to sell my home to pay off the huge mortgage created by my travels. My home took me 3 years to sell, had I have sold in 2006 I would have realized around $250K more than I finally got in 2011. Oh well them’s the breaks and I have no regrets because those years of travel were wonderful and irreplaceable.
The second reason for my decision to move to Thailand was triggered by the first. I found myself in a position where I could no longer live at the same level in Australia that I was accustomed to. However I could live to that level in Thailand which was only around 1/3 the cost of living in Australia.
It is now 2017 my 6th year living in Thailand and the move has turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life. I plan to stay another 5 years before moving back to Australia to live out my final days. At the moment that’s the plan but plans can change. 🙂
Here is my view in Pattaya
There are many people around the world who regularly criticize Pattaya, my message to them is simple, stay where you are because we don’t want you here. Our stress free Pattaya life has no time to waste on the knockers and whiners, having said that thanks for visiting my Sydney 2011 farewell Australia photo blog.
I’ll leave it to the late great Glenn Frey to explain how I feel right now.
Part of my personal online photo albums, as opposed to my FiveStarVagabond travel blog. The story starts in 1986.
Relocate Sydney Gold Coast
Relocate Sydney Gold Coast took place in January 1987, but lets go back a couple of months to when I was living at Newport Beach in Sydney. I had just broken up with my fiancée, beautiful Karen Smith, we were engaged and living together in a wonderful old home in Newport overlooking the Royal Motor Yacht Club. To add to my woes I had also just been sacked from a high paying job as National Sales Manager for Ricoh facsimile machines.
For the past few years I was a regular visitor to the Gold Coast so at the time moving there permanently seemed to be the right thing to do. I had many friends living in Surfers Paradise including Graham Edwards aka “Crazy” who you see in the photo above. The gorgeous girls in the photo are Sandy Palmer & Joanne Bernhardt.
My ex fiancée Karen Smith
Karen was a beautiful lady and a lovely human being, but looking back I finally realised by the mid 90s I was not cut out for “long term relationships”, and the older I get the less I need the company of others.
Paul Slaughter and Tony Murphy
Two close friends in December 1986 were helping me celebrate the move north. Tony was living in Avalon at the time and now in 2021 resides on the Gold Coast.
Not part of my travel blog just a huge chapter in my life.
Bryan Millard
Bryan lived close to me at Newport and we were regular drinkers at the Newport Arms Hotel.
Now here is a strange coincidence, one week after I posted Brian’s photo here he was convicted in Noosa for various infringements. Here is the full story.
Big Tim Bristow & Sue Ellis
Another neighbour the notorious Big Tim Bristow, read more about him here.
I had to return my company car so my transport consisted of my little red Moke. Do you like my impersonation of the “White Knight” at the Watson’s Bay Hotel?
Di Parkinson & Madison
Di Parkinson was my beautiful ex girlfriend from the 70s, Madison was my beautiful German Shepherd. For the first 3 months I rented a house at Carrara from my good friend Peter Lewis before buying a house at Sorrento.
Jim Cox & Larry Wilson
Jim was a friend of mine in Adelaide when I lived there in the 70s, Larry was a solicitor in Southport and was responsible for me taking up golf, I have never totally forgiven him. 🙂
Relocate Sydney Gold Coast to my Sorrento home
I bought a house at 36 Claymore Crescent and it soon became party central.
Naturally I bought a boat
A very pretty little runabout with a 150 HP Suzuki on the back.
Allison and Winnie
The girls came with me to Byron Bay to pick up my new toy. I had been taking Winnie out occasionally until she introduced me to her 18 year old girlfriend Allison, well I’m guessing you know what happened next. 🙂
Then I had to build a jetty.
Here we are christening the jetty even before it is finished, apologies for the poor photo quality.
The finished product
What a beauty it was, big enough to have a party on, and we did very often indeed.
Afternoon drinks on the Jetty
My new girlfriend on the left was Tanya Rigley, oh my didn’t she cause me some stress. On the far right is George Hoult aka the “Angry Ant”, I bumped into him outside my condo in Pattaya in December 2015. Sitting next to him is Malcolm Pearce, Mick Cottrell is standing and the little guy in the middle is my old mate Harley Bradstreet.
Jetty! What jetty, I don’t see a jetty.
It does often rain a little on the Gold Coast, and the canal my house was on was a long way from the main river. Consequently it would take quite a while for the water to subside after a heavy storm.
Fancy dress party
My great mate Bob Martin threw a party at his home near Carrara, I forget the theme, something to do with camels or Lawrence of Arabia I think. On the right is Don Wenham who sadly passed away in 2016 after a long battle with cancer.
Harley is locked & loaded
This great mate of mine loved to dress up in his combat gear, it didn’t have to be a fancy dress party, he sometimes strolled into a Surfers Paradise bar dressed like this.
Here is Marco
A Croatian friend from Sydney who had more moves than a Swiss watch, Marco always had some sort of scheme on the go, designed of course to relieve somebody of their precious savings.
Such a beautiful girl
This was one of my many parties at Claymore Crescent, sadly a few months after this photo was taken this gorgeous lost her life in a traffic accident, RIP.
Cold beers on the Broadwater
Mike Hughes was an English guy who eventually moved to Sydney. Boating was a big part of my life in my early days on the Gold Coast.
A couple of hot European ladies
Another day on the Broadwater, on the right is Tova.
Adelaide 1988
Jim Stanbury & Suzie in Adelaide, I was there for the Formula one in 1988, Jim used to work for me in Melbourne in 1970.
Come fly with me
I was in Adelaide again in 1989, Jim took me for a spin to Victor Harbour and I actually took the controls for a while.
Talking about Melbourne
This is Dion Ormond who was a successful car dealer living at Box Hill.
This id Dion’s back yard.
How many people do you now with a DC3 in their backyard? 🙂
Allison Schroeder
I clearly remember flying to Brisbane from Adelaide after the Formula one and being met at the airport by this beautiful 18 year old princess. We checked in to a hotel for 2 nights, ordered room service the first night then saw Billy Joel perform at Brisbane entertainment centre the following night November 17.
In case you are wondering how a 44 year old guy could wind up with such a young babe, quite simple really, I promised her the world and bought her an atlas. 🙂
Relaxing on the broadwater
The decision to Relocate Sydney Gold Coast was indeed a major event in my life, I would spend the next 25 years there before selling all my possessions and moving to Thailand in October 2011.
