Two days in Biarritz. It’s a surfing city, on the coast of southern France. It’s nice enough, and certainly very pretty with ocean views.

You can see the swimmers and surfers in the water.

Heading down to Spain today

It’s been a great day of wine tasting, eating, and generally having a nice time to finish up here. Also at trip to Libourne . That follows on from exploring the town yesterday.

Off to Biarritz tomorrow.

This is a town not far from Bordeaux, and it’s a big wine growing district.

We have taken out a house in the middle of the wine fields, about 10 minutes walk out of the town of St Emillion. Its a huge place, with four large bedrooms all with ensuites, and also a huge downstairs area which should give everyone some space.

The view out of the living area is straight at St Emillion

St Emillion itself seems to be full of wine shops, and other things, but its an interesting town built on a very sloped hill. Its pretty by day and by night.

This is an old converted submarine base built by the Germans in WW2 to service their war effort. Its architecture is stunningly brutal, and way out of context for Bordeaux

For whatever reason, I thought it would be a military museum. It was nothing of the sort.

Instead, it’s a homage to Salvador Dali, and it is an almost psychedelic experience. Pitch dark throughout, with a psychedelic rendering of the works of Dali. Colours bouncing off the water pools that submarines used to float in.

A static picture does not do it justice however as this was all animated in a style that I think Dali would have approved of.

Set to a musical score mostly done by Pink Floyd.

It was an amazing experience.

We are all now here in Bordeaux. Everyone got in ok, well mostly, expect for some luggage that was a bit slow getting to the airport. So it was pre dinner drinks on the rooftop bar at “Mama Shelter”. Then on to a dinner at “Le Grill Au Thym”. It seems like everything just starts at 7pm, the streets got busier as the night went on. Then another visit to the mirror palace which is just such an amazing design using water.

I’m going to miss Bordeau as we all leave tomorrow, but at least the holiday is just starting.

A really amazing and pretty city. And amazingly alive for a Monday night.

Just settling in, adapting to the new time zone. Had a walk around the city today – its a lot bigger than I thought it would be.

I like this town. It’s very people centric, with strong limits on cars in the city center. Pedestrians, trams and lots of bicycles and scooters.

Just a nice place to be.

Perth to Heathrow is a long flight – 17 hours. I was glad to see them deviating to avoid Crimea.

After that it was a rushed connection to Gatwick but we made it with 10 minutes to spare

So now we are in Bordeaux and starting to relax

Trips beginning. Hopefully I’ll get into holiday mode soon.

Anyway, long flight ahead.

Just at the ASM for NSANZ – a really excellent scientific conference. Its being held this year in Brisbane, at the Sofitel. Not a bad venue.

So far, its been pretty good – and I’m looking forward to the meeting