So - we are finally here. After a minor excess luggage panic at the airport (saved by George`s gold card!), we waved goodbye to rainy England and settled down for 12 hours of Dr Mario on the Nintendo.The stopover in Singapore brought home how very real the SARS epidemic is in Asia - I guess the war had hogged the headlines at home but it`s headline news here and people were taking it very seriously. There were lots of people with masks on and even a couple of designer tartan numbers! I think George was pretty close to being quarantined as he sat blowing his snotty nose in the boarding lounge. We landed in Sydney on Friday night and after declaring the tea bags and Marmite at customs we were met by Rich and Gill. It was great to see them again and in no time it felt like we`d never been apart.In fact it was all a little too surreal - it really didn`t feel like we were on the other side of the world. We headed straight to their flat in Bondi to find it filled with their scouse flatmate Katie and three of Gill`s friends from home. It was at this point that we realised how shattered we were and sat semi-comatose until Gill and Rich persuaded us to head to a local late night bar. So we were bundled out of the flat at midnight to go to the `Tea Gardens Hotel` - a pretty little place with lots of charm (much like a diseased airport departure lounge). We were then shown the superiority of `Tooheys New` to VB and in no time we were full of beans and George was playing pool with a (slightly mad) Irish stranger. Back home at 4am for some turkish bread, dips and a deep sleep.
The next morning we woke up at 9am, and were raring to check out Bondi. Gill went for a run along the coast between Bondi and Bronte and Rich took us down to the beach for a stroll, and a play on the see-saw. It was a lovely sunny day (if a little windy) so we sat in a park and had some fish and chips. At this point the jet lag was making my whole body feel like lead so I went for a kip while Gill, Rich and George had a quick game of Frisbee in the park. We were meant to go out for a big night with some of Gill and Rich`s friends but the jet lag got the better of us and we were in bed by ten!
On Sunday I attempted to keep up with Gill on the run from Bondi to Bronte and back - when we visited Sydney in October 2001 we walked this coastal path and I vowed to come and run here when we came back - so it was great to actually have someone to motivate me! It was such a lovely day that my back got sunburnt resulting in a ridiculous T shape were my top had been! We splashed around in the waves and sunbathed for a bit before finding a lovely cafe with seats in the sun for lunch. In the evening we went out with some of Gill and Rich`s friends to a Thai restaurant but again the jet lag left me nodding off in my noodles.
On Monday we had a touristy day with a walk through the rocks past the harbour bridge and the opera house and through the botanical gardens. It was a beautiful sunny day so we sunbathed in the park for a bit - lovely! Tuesday was Gill`s last day at the Prince of Wales hospital so we met up with her in Randwick for her leaving do at the bowling alley - Rich was the eventual winner but foul play was suspected. On Wednesday Gill joined us on a trip to Manly - but by the time we finally got there it was a bit too chilly for a swim in the sea. The ferry ride back across the harbour was amazing - the sun set behind the harbour bridge just as we approached the quay. On Thursday we met up with Charlotte and found Scruffy Murphy`s - where steak and chips costs $5 (£2) as long as you buy a beer (what a hardship!) I also bought my Bondi uniform - a pair of thongs (flip-flops)... George couldn`t help smirking when the shop assistant told me she had lots of different coloured thongs to match each outfit!
On Friday night Gill, George and I went down to the beach to Kyote`s bar for happy hour, with Rich promising to join us for food later on. Three strong cocktails and three vodka`s later and the bar staff were performing a dance routine on the bar top and pouring unidentified concoctions into the mouths of waiting lads! This was our cue to jump on the tables and join in... We even got a very serious Eminem lookalike doing the Maccarrana! The rest of the night was a blur but we eventually met up with Rich in the Bondi hotel.
On the Sunday we went to Manly again to use our two-for-one vouchers at the amazing Manly WaterWorks. This promised to be hours of water slide fun but the reality was a little disappointing - four slides (one of which wasn`t working) and a tiny splash pool! Rich and Gill wimped out at this point but this was what George and I had come across the harbour for, so we stripped off at the side of the pool (no changing rooms) and grabbed a mat. Entertainment mainly came from racing the kids up the walkway to the top and George trying various bodily contortions to get up as much speed as possible, resulting in grazes on his shoulder blades, elbows and heels. After a whole 40 minutes of fun we couldn`t face the walk to the top again and decided to dash though the Corso (the main shopping strip) in our swimmers to the ocean beach for a splash in the waves. That was the last time we went in the sea - winter is definitely approaching and we were pretty chilly once we got out. After that we decided to go to the Royal Easter Show at the Olympic stadium. The `Great Australian Muster` is the Aussie equivalent of the Royal Cornwall show with a fairground, livestock shows (including flying pigs - seriously), motorbike acrobats and a performance in the main stadium called `Jemma of the outback - a recreation of life on an early 20th century ranch including 20 horses, 30 cows and 6 sheepdogs`. It had to be seen to be believed. After nearly loosing our tea on the fairground rides we brought the obligatory `showbags` (large plastic bags filled with sweeties and plastic tat which appears to be the only reason Aussies go to the show) and made our way home.
After a week of being tourists and sleeping on a mattress on the floor of Gill and Rich`s room it was time to get serious and find a flat. I already had a job sorted at St. Vincent`s hospital (where Gill was starting after Easter) and would hopefully be starting on April 28th. We had hoped to find a furnished flat but they are few and far between in Bondi. To begin with we didn`t really know how much we could afford and saw an amazing flat with panoramic views of Bondi beach and the coastline, but we later realised it was more than we could afford on our own. As it had two bedrooms we decided to share with Charlotte and put an offer in to the estate agent. Unfortunately the estate agent lady seemed completely disinterested in us and we didn`t hold out much hope of getting the flat. After that we continued searching but had to put things on hold for Easter. We did see a flat advertised in an internet cafe window which had a sea view from the balcony and a view of the CBD, bridge and opera house from the bedroom - unfortunately the 70`s decor complete with a wall of mirror tiles let it down.
The Easter weekend was a bit of a washout - really wet and quite cold. We spent Good Friday night at the casino where we played roulette (breifly), craps and the pokies. We had a really good run on the craps table with all of us winning for several turns - good fun was had by all and by 3am I was only $20 down! Saturday was again spent flat hunting and Gill and Rich cooked a chilli. The sun came out (briefly) on Sunday so we went down the park for a game of frisbee before cooking a huge roast dinner. A little tipsy by now, we decided to play charades, with Gill and Rich`s flatmates, Katie and Emma providing us with a drunken fashion show, mainly consisting of stacking several forms of headwear.
Easter Monday found us at Royal Randwick - a similar event to Royal Ascot and just down the road from us in Bondi. We met up with Louise and Mark (a UK pharmacist who worked with Gill at the Prince of Wales hospital and her boyfriend) and a couple of their friends. We all started pretty cautiously, especially after learning that the bookies accept stakes as low as $1! This lead to some pretty silly bets on 400 to 1 shots (well, it is only 40p). As the thrill of backing a winning horse began to take hold some bizarre betting went on with Gill and Louise`s friend backing 4 horses in one race. I was thrilled when my each way bet came in with a place - even when I realised I only made $1.15 profit! Overall Lady Luck was with us all day and everyone won on at least a couple of races. Gill couldn`t get over how small the jockeys` feet were and broke down in fits of giggles every time they rode into the paddock. Apparently Rob Lowe was at the track later in the week - shame to have missed him!
With less than a week before I started work we still hadn`t heard from the mardy estate agent woman, so the flat hunting resumed with renewed vigor. By now we knew we wanted somewhere bright and airy with a good view so when we looked at a two bedroom top floor flat with ocean views from the lounge, balcony and kitchen, we decided immediately to put an offer in. It was very satisfying to phone up the miserable old bag at the first estate agent and say stuff your flat! The main drawback of this flat was that it was completely unfurnished - no fridge, no washing machine, no built-in wardrobes. But it does have a garage. What are we going to do with that?! By this point we had collected enough plastic milk crates to make a base for our mattress in Gill and Rich`s room but this was the extent of our furnishings. We collected the keys on Thursday and Gill and Rich helped us move our belongings and temporary bed to the new flat - a whole street away! The flat felt very empty but it was great to have our own place. I felt the need to unpack everything, even though there was absolutely nowhere to put it except for the floor! The furniture hunt now begins in earnest - we found a second-hand bed that morning through an advert in the internet cafe, but had no way of transporting it. We were begining to understand the Bondi second-hand furniture recycling scheme - person A has unwanted furniture (probably already second-hand). He:
a) puts an ad in the Trading Post (lot of effort - unlikely)
b) puts an advert in the internet cafe window (may take days to shift)
c) holds a garage sale (involves strangers sniffing around your flat/garage) or
d) puts it in the street.
Believe it or not, option d is quickest way to recycle furniture. person A doesn`t get any money for it, but within hours, even minutes, person B and friends have hoisted away the abandoned TVs, sideboards, sofas, ironing boards etc etc. If, once these items are seen by the light of day, they are just too ugly, broken or mouldy, they get put back on the street again, only for person C to whisk them away in the middle of the night. To begin with we tried the more civil methods of adverts and garage sales. We got up early Friday morning to get first dibbs at a sofa in Marouba (20 minutes bus ride away) only to find it really horrible and pricey - having got this far we ended up buying some wine glasses, a couple of pans and a dustpan and brush that cost more than a new one from K-Mart. Doh! Later in the day we used option d to get our sofa...
After the disasterous Marouba garage sale, we went to the Coogee Bay Hotel to meet the already well-oiled Gill and Rich for a day of living life like Australians. Anzac day is the day that Australia commemorates World War I. Their way of doing this is by three means.
1) Giving everyone in the country the day off
2) Getting hammered
3) Playing 2UPs
2UPs is a simple enough game where one person bets on the toss of three coins - whether there will be more heads or more tails - and either doubles their stake or loses it. On the back of this, a huge crowd of people will gather around and bet each other on what they think the result will be. The outcome of this is something that resembles a cock fight ring, lots of cheering, and a lot of money to be won (we did quite well).
Interestingly, this game is only actually legal in Australia on Anzac day.
Ok - so I know we said we wouldn`t get a TV in Oz but it was top of our shopping list after we realised Big Brother started this week! It`s the third series here and they are trying to make it as different as possible. So they have two houses next to each other and put one guy on his own in one house and six in the other - then gradually added housemates over the next week. The poor lad was all alone for 24 hours, then they threw in a gorgeous blonde! Gill and Rich and George and I now take turns to cook and host the Monday night `Big Brother night` - how sad!
On Monday I started work at St Vincent`s hospital near the city centre. Rachael, a pharmacist from Birmingham started on the same day and we are doing our 4 week pre-reg together. Gill had started at Vinnies the week before so the three of us `do lunch`. I won`t bore you with details of pharmacy in Australia but it`s really similar to home and the different stuff is easy to learn.
After a hard week Saturday was a beautifully sunny day and we decided to get the rollerblades out. While we`ve been trying to furnish the flat I`ve been cursing our dubious decision to take up valuable baggage space with the rollerblades, when we could have brought sheets, cutlery, salt and pepper grinders, the kitchen sink..... Gill and Rich hired blades (even more reason not to have brought ours) and we set off for Centennial park. After a dodgy downhill start with Gill having trouble remembering how to brake, we set off around the cycle path. There are BBQs provided throughout the park and there were huge groups having picnics and playing ball games - a real fun atmosphere. Will definitely be back!
On Sunday night we went to see Dave Gorman at the opera house. If you haven`t seen his TV programme, he`s a comedian who travelled the world seeking other Dave Gormans after a bet from his housemate. This stand-up show involved Dave travelling the world meeting GoogleWhacks. A GoogleWhack (in case you don`t know) is when a search on Google returns only one result when given two dictionary words e.g `Wombat Galvanisation`. This probably doesn`t sound like hilarious comedy material but we were rolling around in our seats for a solid 90 minutes. If you try and find a GoogleWhack, it is apparently only polite to notify the site author of their GoogleWhack status...
As payback for having to be at work for 8am (ouch) we get one day off each month, usually a Friday, effectively giving you a bank holiday weekend every month! This Friday was my first day off and George had booked us both in for a surfing lesson. We were very lucky with the weather - bright sunshine, and an off-shore wind - perfect for beginners. After donning bright red `beginner stay clear` T-shirts over our wet suits we were introduced to `Big Wave Dave` who was our instructor for the morning. We had to practice jumping on our boards and the perfect surfing stance from the safety of the beach before being let loose in the waves. George did Cornwall proud and got the hang of it really quickly, managing to stand on the board for ages. I struggled a little, mainly due to being unable to decide if I`m left or right footed. I did stand for all of about 2 seconds, but it took me so long to get up there that I was nearly on the beach by this point! We both really enjoyed it but were totally exhausted afterwards and had to go home for a nap! Friday night was supposed to be a big night out in town with Gill and Rich`s flatmates but our warm-up drinks at their flat turned into a messy game of Mexican dice so several of us were pretty wobbly before we even left the house! We started at the World Bar, where they serve cocktails in teapots, and give you shot glasses to pour them into. It didn`t take us long before we were slurping straight from the teapots, and then it wasn`t much longer before the beer scooter arrived....
Saturday found us all with icky hangovers so after lunch we decided to check out the local lawn bowls club. Unlike at home, the bowling greens were filled with people of our age and rule number 1 on the notice board stated: `Drink beer and have fun.` So we did. The beer was at student union bar prices and we had great fun standing around in the sun and throwing big black balls at a smaller white ball. Then one of the old-timer members explained the rules and our game was transformed! It was a closely fought match but Gill and Rich pipped us 11-10.
On Sunday we headed down to the Sydney Cricket Ground to watch the Sydney Swans take on the Brisbane Lions. We didn`t realise it at the time but this was a real crunch match - the Lions were unbeaten all season. After getting used to there being 4 goalposts at each end, 4 quarters rather than 2 halves and an oval pitch, we settled down to our `sports pie` and cheered on the Swans, who led from the start. At half time the pitch was filled with miniature footballers who played several different chaotic matches. Then we spotted Sydney Swan, the mascot - and I just had to dash down to the barriers for a cuddle - he had real feathers! In the third quarter the Lions came back strongly but the Swans held them off for a historic win. Almost the best part of the day was after the final hooter when everyone is allowed down onto the pitch (this is like walking on the turf at Wembley or the Oval) and there is a mass kickabout with balls (and shoes, rolled up scarfs etc etc) raining down from every direction. It was pretty crazy but really good natured with Swannies fans kicking around with Lions fans. After that we sat outside the supporters pub in Fox Studios waiting for the team members to turn up - until we realised that we wouldn`t recognise them if we saw them anyway! Back to ours for tea and the first Big Brother eviction - what a great day!
After a quiet week Saturday night found us out for drinks with some of the pharmacists at work before we made our way to the Tea Gardens Hotel for the FA cup final. The match started at midnight so we didn`t get home until 2.30am and we had to get up at 6.30am for a wakeboarding trip. Mario, a friend of Rich and George`s from IPL in Bath, had been to the Hawkesbury river before and had organised another trip. The Hawkesbury is a huge wide river about one hour north of Sydney and the `centre` was really just a kiosk and a couple of boat sheds in the middle of the bush - very secluded and with beautiful scenery. We split into two teams - Gill, Rich and Mario went out on the river first, and all of them got the hang of getting up straight away (Mario had the unfair advantage of having done this before). Then Graham, George and I went out and I let the side down by taking at least 6 attempts to get to my feet. After that everybody got the hang of it really well with Mario even attempting a few tricks! Great fun was had by all. As we were waiting for the others to finish, George, Graham and I had a cup of tea at the kiosk and were joined by a tame kookaburra who turned his nose up at our offering of a cheesy wotsit, apparently preferring freshly grilled bacon! I ran down to the boat to grab our camera but by the time I`d returned George had frightened the poor thing away... What followed was George chasing the Kookaburra between the trees trying to get a good photo. Just before we left we were treated to a fantastic chorus of laughter from at least 3 different birds - fantastic!
By the time we arrived back in the City we were tired, dirty and I had river weed in my hair - but Widden had arrived that morning and he and Charlotte were sat in a bar in Darling Harbour. Well, it would have been rude not to meet them so we arrived at the swanky bar looking like we`d all been dunked repeatedly in a river (we had). A few schooners later and it seemed a really good idea to have a mini Aussie rules match next to the harbour with the ball we brought Rich for his birthday. How the ball stayed out of the harbour I have no idea, but Gill did manage to bounce the ball straight into Widden`s face and George committed a foul on me that left me sprawled over the pavement ... What a night!
The last couple of weeks have seen us really settling into life in Sydney. George has got a contracting job and although it`s only for 5 weeks he will earn more than I do in 3 months! This meant we had a bit of cash to spare to start making our flat look like home so we had a trip to IKEA to buy a dining table and chairs, a coffee table and a lamp. The coffee table we wanted wasn`t in stock but we got four chairs and a table, which had to be picked up from the `bulky items` warehouse, half a mile away across a six lane carriageway! Fine if you have a car, but a long way in the rain carrying four chairs! After waiting nearly two hours for an estate taxi to put the table in the back, we realised that it would have fitted in the rear seat anyway! Sometimes I miss having a car! George has printed out a couple of our pictures from St. Lucia and put them in frames, and bought a plant - it`s amazing the difference it makes. Gill and Rich came round for a Sunday roast and it was great to be sat around the table - very civilized!
Widden and Charlotte returned from their week in the Barrier Reef on Thursday and we met them in Scruffy Murphy`s in town for $5 dollar steaks. Several schooners of New later and it was gone 2am - I had to be up for work in 4 hours! Friday morning was a bit harsh but by nightfall we were up for another night out. We had decided to meet Charlotte and Widden in The Establishment - a huge trendy bar in the middle of the CBD, very popular with the suits. It was a bit packed for us (now we`re not so young anymore) so we moved onto another bar on the waterfront, which served cocktails that looked and tasted more like desserts! By midnight we were ready to meet up with Gill and Rich (who had been at a ball) at the casino. Most of the night was spent on the craps table and with George`s `system` I was up by $22 and George made $160! Before we knew it, it was 4am and Gill was nodding off in her beer, so it was time for bed.
We got up late on Saturday but made it to the bowling green in time to see the last of the sun. We showed Widden the basics of the game, but he didn`t need it - after a couple of turns it was obvious we had a hustler in our midst... then he admited his Dad played for his town! It was a closely fought match, but Widden and Charlotte won by one point. We then threw some snags on the barbie and had a few more beers. We had promised to take Widden to the Kyote bar where we had danced on the tables a few weeks ago. When we arrived it was quite quiet but 4 cocktails and several more vodkas later, the barmaids were up on the bar doing their thing. Then I`m not really sure how it happened but we were all on the bar too and having drinks served through our legs! The pictures tell it all I think. We wanted to carry on dancing at the Bondi Hotel but I think our out of tune singing betrayed our drunkeness to the bouncer and we weren`t allowed in. I took the wise decision to hit the sack at that point, but the others went on until 5am! Will be staying off the New and cocktails for a little while. Have some sympathy for poor Widden who had to be at the airport Sunday lunchtime for a 24 hour flight home!
Gill celebrated her 26th birthday on the 5th with a Mexican themed night at their flat. Gill and Rich served up a fantastic selection of tacos, enchiladas and chilli and we all washed it down with plenty of (Australian) beer and wine. One of Gill`s many hidden talents is balloon modelling and she taught us all how to make sausage dogs and giraffes. Thankfully the Mexican theme didn`t stretch to tequila as the next night George and I went out with the pharmacy crowd for one of the technicians leaving do. We had a set meal at an Italian and they just didn`t stop bringing out the courses! After that we met up with Alan and Liz, George`s friends from Orbis at the World Bar. This is the place with cocktails in teapots and we demolished several. They`ve been travelling around Oz for 6 months and it was great to catch up with them.
This was another long weekend thanks to the Queen - her official birthday is celebrated here by giving everyone the day off. Aussies seem to be a bit resentful of the monarchy but refuse to give up the bank holiday! On Saturday night we went to a big Aussie rules match - this time at the Telstra stadium in Olympic park. The Swans thrashed the Essenden bombers and won a trophy... We still have no idea why as it was a regular league match! We were again allowed on the pitch after the game but had forgotten to bring the ball for a kick-about - can you imagine that happening at Wembley! We got up early on Sunday and headed down to Bondi beach for another attempt at surfing. Unfortunately the waves were a bit choppy and we struggled to get up on the board. After an exhausting hour we cut our losses and went for a huge breakfast. It was another beautifully sunny day so we decided to walk to Coogee to meet up with Tim (Gill`s flatmate`s brother) who was having a big night out to say goodbye before he heads back to England. The walk took about 2 hours and follows the coastline south from Bondi through some picturesque bays and headlands. After several beers at the Coogee Bay Hotel, we moved onto The Palace - a cheesy nightclub with a very sticky floor. We ended up as quite a large crowd and it was a really fun night. On the Monday we had arranged to meet up with Richard Williams - an old school and Uni friend of my sister Lynn. We met up in the Rocks and had several beers whilst we caught up on 10 years or so. We were joined later by two of his friends and bored them stupid with our talk of small town Oxfordshire. A great way to spend a bank holiday Monday.
The next Thursday was George`s 29th birthday and we met after work for dinner at the Centrepoint Tower restaurant, situated in the top of the AMP tower - the thing that looks like a poppy head in the Sydney skyline. The restaurant has a revolving floor the views were truly fantastic - it was already dark but we could see Sydney stretching out for miles. After we overcame our vertigo and a slight sense of seasickness from the rotation, we enjoyed spotting landmarks from Bondi to Botany Bay. We had a lovely meal, then headed up to the Rocks to meet up with Charlotte and Rich for a few beers. Quite a quiet birthday by George`s standards but at least he`ll remember this one!
On June 20th, George and I celebrated the 5th anniversary of our first date. Luckily this fell on my monthly day off, so we originally planned to have a long weekend away. There are lots of places we want to visit, but most will be better in the summer so we decided to have a `holiday at home` - after all we do have the beach right on our doorstep! We celebrated in traditional style with a champagne breakfast on our balcony, and then had a walk down to Bondi and sat in the sun on the headland to the south of the beach. At this time of year, whales are often spotted just off the coast as they migrate north to breed - last year one even entered the harbour and got stuck in ferry berths at circular quay. We had hoped to catch sight of one, but didn`t see any this time. That evening we went to a seafood restaurant just down the road from us in Bondi. The service was wonderful and the food exceptional - oysters, grilled fish and tiramisu. A really fabulous evening.
We got up early on Saturday morning to go diving. This was our first dive in non-tropical waters and the water temperature was a chilly 17`C. The dive boat sped across the harbour to the first dive site off the north head of the harbour. The cold water was quite a shock to the system and I initially found it hard to adjust - I got through my air exceptionally quickly. The site was a little disappointing - mainly large boulders with a few colourful fish - and the surge made it difficult to get about. All that was forgiven though when we came across a wobbegong shark nestled under a rock. These are not aggressive but will take a bite out of you if you happen to land on them accidently - not too hard as they are the same colour as the bottom! The second site was slap bang in the middle of Manly bay and was a more interesting reef with some funky shaped coral and large blue grouper fish. By the time we got back to Bondi we were exhausted, but recovered enough to make it out to the Bondi hotel for the England vs Australia rugby friendly. Peter, the graduate pharmacist from work who lives in our block, came with us and we met up with some of the guys from Tim`s leaving do at Coogee. Poor Peter had a bit of a hard time of it with such a resounding win by England. Peter, Gill and Rich came back to ours for a late night and drunken game of Risk. Rich had not yet won a game, but eventually Peter, who had never played before, beat us all. By that time it was 3am and I had been nodding off in my troops for several turns. Current winner tally, for those who are interested, is: George 2, Gill 1, Fay 1, Peter 1, Rich 0. Hee hee!
Every year New South Wales take on Queensland in the State of Origin series. Rugby league players from the Aussie leagues return to their home states to play in the three match contest. Last year was a draw, but Queensland retained the trophy because they won the year before. There is much pride at stake - if Queensland win they get to put their state flag at the top of the harbour bridge. The first game in Brisbane was won convincingly by NSW, which meant that a win in the second game in Sydney could wrap it up for the NSW team. George had got us some tickets for the match at the Olympic stadium on Wednesday night and although we had seats up in the clouds, the atmosphere was electric. It was a great match, with NSW pretty much wiping the floor with the QLD side. With NSW winning by two games, the final match will just be a formality.
Saturday night was meant to be a quiet night, with a meal at a Thai restaurant in Bondi and early to bed. Unfortunately after a couple of litres of wine, a game of Risk seemed like a good plan with George and Rich promising that the `capital Risk` version would only take an hour or so to complete. Four hours and another couple of litres of wine later, and still no-one was anywhere near to winning. I made several attempts to sneak off to bed but George kept dragging me back to the table. Finally, at 4.30am, Rich won his first game. I don`t think we`ll be playing again for a while!
With only a couple of weeks left before Gill leaves Sydney to see more of Australia, Peter offered to take us on a road trip to Newport, on the coast north of Sydney. The Newport Arms is famous for it`s huge beer garden with fantastic views over the Pittwater river and it was really lovely to be sat in the sun watching the yachts come and go with cockatoos and kookaburras in the trees above us. It was great to get out of the city for only the second time since we`ve been here! Many thanks to Peter for being our `designated driver`.
With George jobless again he has been entertaining himself at home by spending many hours with the lorikeets on the balcony. They now announce their arrival by pecking on the lounge or kitchen window, and sometimes bring their friends. One evening I got home to find a very excited George wanting to show me some photos - Cockatoos! Two beautiful birds had chased off the lorikeets and got stuck into the sunflower seeds. It`s like having birdland on our own balcony.
With Gill off to the Northern territory for the start of her trip around Oz, she decided to throw a cocktail party. Cunningly she also decided to hold it at our flat! Everyone was asked to bring a spirit and a mixer, and we provided the pineapple and cheese on sticks.We actually made some quite tasty cocktails, except for the coco loco made by George which, although made to the recipe, was absolutely disgusting. It didn`t take us too long to demolish most of the spirits, and it was time for twister and truth or dare Jenga with the usual forfeit of a shot of whatever spirit was left over - initially the Apricot liquor wasn`t much of a deterrent but that all changed once we replaced it with neat blue label vodka. Best story of the night was Dan`s most embarrassing moment story of calling his teacher Mum. A really good night, and thanks to all the fruit juice consumed we didn`t feel too bad in the morning!
I have now been working at St Vincents for 3 months and my visa won`t allow me to work there anymore. On an upside, they have offered to sponsor me to stay there for a further 4 years! While waiting for my new visa to be processed we decided to take a winter-sun trip to the Northern Territories. Darwin has a monsoon climate and is currently in the middle of the dry season with 4 months of guaranteed sunshine and 30` temperature. A great winning Swans match at the SCG on Sunday meant we almost missed our flights and we arrived in Darwin at midnight. With the trip being such a last minute decision we hadn`t been able to book a double room in a hostel, so were staying in a 9 bedded dorm. We had a couple of beers in a bar over the road (at 2am it was warm enough to sit outside in our t-shirts) before creeping back to our bunks. Not a great night`s sleep but at least we were up early to organise a trip to Kakadu National Park the following day. We had a bit of an explore and found the marina and beach, which amazingly for a city beach was totally undeveloped - not an ice cream seller in sight! The Arafura sea was as warm as bath water, but we were slightly wary of the box jellyfish which can kill within 3 minutes - not normally seen in The Dry but stings have been reported all year round. Oh, and the man eating Saltwater crocodiles that are seen all year! We stayed for a beautiful sunset then had a free meal at a very dodgy backpacker pub (The Vic). We then went back to our dorm and, having to be up at 6am for our trip, were not best pleased when our room `mates` came in at 3am and talked loudly for ages!
We were picked up for our 3 day Kakadu trip in a 4WD truck by our guide, Steve - a real `Aussie bloke` complete with mullet. There were 9 of us in total, a Canadian, an Aussie, a Swiss, a German, a brother and sister from France, a guy from Stoke-on-Trent, George and me. It was a long trip into the park, broken up by stops at Fogg Dam, a wetland sanctuary for birds, and a visitors centre. Eventually we reached Old Jim Jim Road (a bumpy unsealed dirt track) and headed into the park. Our campsite for the next two nights was a beautiful spot by Sandy Billabong. We set up camp then headed up to the Aboriginal art sites at Nourlangie - Steve did a fantastic job explaining their meaning (He taught us a lot about Aboriginal culture, art, medicine and bush tucker over the next couple of days). We finished the day at Ubirr, another rock art site, where we spotted some rock wallabies and sat up on a rocky outcrop to watch the sunset over the floodplains below - really magical. Back at camp Steve knocked up a fantastic dinner of steak and roast veggies cooked on the camp fire, then we all retired to our mosquito domes and tucked ourselves into our swag bags under the stars.
The next morning we were up at dawn, finding it hard to sleep through the dawn chorus provided by the blue winged Kookaburra! We went straight off to Jim Jim falls, again along a long and bumpy dirt track. The waterfall stops flowing in The Dry, but the hike from the base of the falls to the top was one of the highlights of our trip. The first 30 minutes or so was a very steep scramble but then it leveled out. It took us about 90 minutes to reach the top and the views were amazing. Then we all stripped off and jumped into one of the water holes left in the creek bed. We had lunch and then retraced our steps back to the base of the falls to swim in the plunge pool. George and the boys found a few rocks to jump off which kept them amused for quite a while. We left in time to get to Yellow Water for sunset, a beautiful setting but spoiled by the busloads of tourists and the tour boats who appeared in droves. Back to the campsite and we cracked open some stubbies while Steve cooked up a fabulous chicken stir fry. We even saw a dingo in the bushes - Steve`s culinary reputation must have got round.
Up at dawn again for our last day - after striking camp we set off for Maguk. It was a 1km hike to Barramundie falls - a beautiful waterfall with a large plunge pool with plenty of even higher rocks for the boys (and even me) to jump off. We left at about midday and headed back along the bumpy Old Jim Jim Road, stopping at picturesque White Lily Billabong for lunch. Our last stop was at Shady Camp on the Mary River. We piled into three tin boats with outboard motors - George took control of ours. The banks were absolutely teeming with crocs - large and small, some of which silently slipped into the water and disappeared as we approached - pretty frightening as the boats were only 3.2m long and an adult croc can reach 6m! There were hundreds of birds too - huge pelicans, sea eagles, egrets and Jabiru storks. Just back from the edge of the river wallabies fed and fought - it was brilliant to see - a million times better than seeing wildlife in the zoo. We stayed on the river to watch the sunset before heading back to Darwin for a great sleep in our private double room! We`d recommend Gondwana tours to anyone who wanted to do the same trip!
Friday was a cultural day - we decided to see a little more of Darwin than the main backpacker street and set off on the Darwin walking tour. It didn`t take long. History here mainly consists of WWII and cyclone Tracey. Just as the city started to develop it was bombed heavily in the war. It took them a couple of decades to rebuild it, then the cyclone hit on Christmas day 1974 and destroyed 60% of the buildings, including most of those with a modicum of history. After that we took a bus to the Museum of the Northern Territory, the prime exhibit being a stuffed saltwater crocodile `Sweetheart`. This impressive 5m long beast caused a menace of himself by attacking outboard motors in a popular fishing spot, so they tried to relocate him, but he drowned in the process. There was another good but worryingly large display of the Top End`s deadilest creatures. After dinner we met up with Jess, Helene and Vincent from our Kakadu trip for a few beers.
On Saturday we hired a couple of bikes so we could explore a little further afield. We headed past the botanical gardens up to a nature reserve at East Point. We stopped off at Lake Alexander, where we spent a lovely few hours sunning ourselves on the banks before cooling off with a swim in the surprisingly salty water. We had planned to continue around to the tip of the bay where wallabies are often seen but just as we set off one of my pedals came off! We couldn`t fix it so we made our way back with George towing me most of the way. That night we headed down to the outdoor deckchair cinema (another perk of the Darwin climate) to watch an arty Tunisian film about a middle aged widow discovering her sexuality through belly dancing, preluded by a live belly dance demonstration! It was a lovely setting beneath the moon and stars, completed by a lovely bottle of Chardonnay.
The next day we got up in time to head down to the harbourside for the fish feeding at Aquascene. It was a bit of a circus with lots of kids but it was good fun to hand feed big milkfish and mullett, and there were some funky shovel-headed rays too. The rest of the day was spent relaxing by the hostel pool, and in the evening we returned to Mindil Beach for the sunset market - there was some original art and craft work but mainly a lot of tat for sale. We grabbed ourselves a take-away from the numerous food stalls and sat on the beach with a nice bottle of bubbly to watch the sun go down.
Monday was a big day in town - Darwin Cup day. We put on the best of our glad rags (We hadn`t packed suits and hats in our backpacks!) and caught the free bus to the race course. The locals had really made an effort on their outfits - beautiful dresses and fancy hats and a few people in fancy dress. We were pretty down on our luck with our betting - by the time we got to the last race the only win we`d had was $1.50 on a each way place. Then I realised that the horse that won me back my losses at the Randwick back in April was racing in the last race - the Darwin Cup. Wish I`d bet more now but when Wild Heart came in I won enough to cover my losses and my entry fee - result! After that we headed down to Mindil Beach one last time for a dip in the sea. The tide was out (being close to the equator, Darwin has a huge tidal range and can look like a tropical Weston-Super-Mare) but that didn`t stop us racing out to the water. After another stunning sunset we felt a bit washed out from our day drinking in the sun and returned to the hostel for an early night.
We had hoped to find a cheap campervan rental so we could spend four or five days doing the roadtrip down to Alice Springs. Rich had given us the numbers of some companies who did relocations, and after calling a few we got through to Kea Campers. `Yes, we do relocations, but only from Darwin to Alice at the moment, and you`ll only have four days to get it there` - perfect! The cost? $1 a day plus $25 insurance, and we saved $100 each by flying home from Alice instead of Darwin. They were paying us! So on Tuesday we got up early to pick up the van at 8am. It wasn`t the volkswagon-like little camper but an absolutely massive Winnabago motorhome, complete with two double beds, shower and toilet, cooker and fridge. Didn`t really fit in with our idea of a true slumming it backpacker trip in a clapped out van but you couldn`t complain. After stocking up the fridge at the supermarket we headed south on the Stuart Highway, taking the turn off towards Litchfield National Park for a whistle-stop tour of the sights. First stop was at a field of magnetic termite mounds, hundreds of slab-like pillars orientated to catch the afternoon sun, looking like an eerie graveyard. Next stop was Buley Rockhole, which was quite busy but a beautiful setting - lots of rockpools connected by mini waterfalls. We decided not to swim but headed on to Florence Falls. A US marine had drowned here last week but that didn`t stop it being pretty busy - not quite the secluded swimming hole you could see from the top of the path. It got better once we`d jumped into the water, really refreshing and the falls were really powerful. George did his jumping off rocks thing then back in the van and onto Tolmer Falls. You can`t swim in these but there was a nice 1.5km walk around to the top of the falls which seemed to have been completely bypassed by the other tourists. By now we were pretty starving so we drove on to Wangi Falls for a picnic, followed again by a swim in the plunge pool. Again, the fact that an elderly Australian tourist drowned here just a few days ago didn`t stop it being a popular spot. Back in the van again we headed back to the Stuart Highway turning off again for a scenic drive on the deserted old highway. We then headed 40km out of our way to see the Douglas hot springs. The Lonely Planet said these could only be reached by a 7km unsealed dirt road, but that it was usually OK for 2WD vehicles. We bumped our way down about 3Km, with everything rattling like mad, only to reach a ford that we really couldn`t risk getting stuck in - we were so far from civilisation. Reluctantly we turned back and retraced our tracks. We eventually reached Katherine at about 8pm and found a spot in a caravan park. At this point we realised that most campervaners on our route were at least twice our age and were asleep! There was only one thing for it so we sunk several beers whilst George cooked up a terrific steak, sausage and sweetcorn dinner on the BBQ.
On Tuesday we wanted to squeeze in trip to the Katherine Gorge before heading on down the track to our next stop. We cooked up an egg and sausage sarnie in the car park before hiring a canoe. This was apparently the best way to see the gorge but although the scenery was rugged and beautiful the paddling was really hard work! Our slow pace was rewarded when I spotted a freshwater crocodile in the overhanging branches at the edge of the river. We turned the canoe around to get a better look and a photo, but Mr Freshie didn`t like us getting so close and without moving his lips or blinking his eye emitted this blood curdling hiss. Freshwater crocs are very shy and not considered dangerous to humans but the notices all state that they may get aggressive if provoked - you wouldn`t believe how fast we paddled out of there! Eventually we reached the end of the first gorge and beached up to have a look at some Aboriginal rock paintings, before returning to the top of the gorge. We were pretty hot by then so a dip in the river was definately in order - really refreshing but a little bit disconcerting that our angry croc was just a few metres down the bank! Back in the van we headed south again to Daly Waters, arriving before sunset. This tiny community consists of a couple of dwellings and a popular outback pub with a caravan park. We planned to eat at the pub but weren`t immediately hungry, so we took our beers into the garden, only to find the Northern Territories most famous comic musician (whose name escapes me) in the middle of his routine. We were joined on our table by a group of four backpackers who were very jealous of our luxury air conditioned motor home. We were enjoying the show so much and the beers were going down so well that we completely forgot to eat! Neither George or I remembered getting to bed....
We woke up quite early considering last night and after sharing some of my breakfast roll with a couple of horses we were back on the road. The main diversion on the road today was Newcastle Waters. This `ghost town` actually had several very alive modern dwellings and a very noisy power station! The `ghost` buildings were an abandoned general store and pub built when the town was an important stopover point for cattle drovers heading north. The place still had quite an eerie atmosphere but it wasn`t as spooky as if the place was truely deserted. We were begining to see a difference in the vegitation as we headed away from the monsoonal north and towards the arid red centre. We reached Tennant Creek before 4pm and found ourselves a nice caravan park with a pool, where we spent the next couple of hours. After a shower we decided to head into the town to find an internet cafe. The town is quite tiny with a real middle of nowhere feel and the cafe had already shut. With nothing else to do and not wanted to brave the redneck pub we returned to the caravan park. George cut the corner pulling into our bay and.....Crunch! The top of the van was well and truely stuck on an overhanging branch! The caravan park owner tried jacking up the back wheels to shift the van around but to no avail. After a moment of fleeting panic that we may never get out of this godforsaken backwater, we confessed our accident to the hire company who promised to get someone out to us in the morning. So we walked back to town to pick up fish and chips, and ate them in the van, washed down by a rather fine bottle of Jacob`s Creek sparkling chardonnay, which certainly helped us to see the funny side. We had to sleep at the other end of the bed as the van was stuck at quite an angle!
By 8.30 the next morning we had been rescued. A local breakdown service eventually decided the solution was to wrap a cable around the branch and use the tow truck to pull it off the van. What a hole it left! Nothing else to do but get back on the road to Alice. It took us an hour to get to the Devil`s Marbles - a huge collection of granite boulders just sitting by the side of the road in strange formations. I had been really looking forward to seeing these and although they were exactly how I thought they`d be we had a little walk amongst and over them. Back on the Stuart Highway for the long last leg to Alice, the only diversion being a quick stop to physically walk over the Tropic of Capricorn. Finally we arrived in Alice with plenty of time to drop our things off at the hostel before taking a deep breath and returning the van. As I pulled into the hostel carpark, I had to reverse to make the corner, and failed to realise I was underneath.. yes you`ve guessed it... another tree. As I pulled forward there was this awful scraping noise - I`d put a huge scratch across the top of the van and the back panel had been pulled loose! I mean it had looked bad but now it looked awful. We sheepishly pulled into the hire company car park and were very relieved to get out alive. I guess that must happen pretty frequently if we managed it twice in four days! We walked through Alice town centre to get to Anzac Hill, and climbed to the top to admire the views. The surrounding MacDonnell Ranges were beautiful but the town itself was pretty ugly. That night we had a few beers and a pizza before turning in. Despite the van disaster, it had been a truely amazing trip
Having only got back from Alice Springs Saturday evening, we were up at 7.30 Sunday morning for the City to Surf. This 14Km race, from Hyde Park in the CBD to the beach at Bondi is apparently the biggest in the world, with over 60,000 entrants. I had been doing a bit of training at the gym before we went on holiday, but I was a bit concerned that we`d done absolutely nothing for the last 2 weeks. The atmosphere at the start was amazing - there were just so many people. 10am came and the elite runners were off. It took about another 10 minutes for us to cross the line, and then we were running. It was very difficult at the start as people found their own pace, and there was a lot of weaving through groups. It didn`t take George long to pull out ahead, and I soon lost sight of him. Spectators lined the streets and many people were up on their balconies or garages spraying us with water from hose pipes - some were even handing out orange segments! There were a several bands along the route playing jazz or uplifting pop tunes - motivation just when you were giving up. After about 5Km we reached the start of `Heartbreak Hill` a steep 3km climb. Before the day I had been quite prepared to walk some of it but somehow I managed to keep my legs moving and ran the whole way. Just after I`d reached the top I began to feel blisters down the side of my feet but these actually motivated me to keep going to the end. It was such a feeling when I turned a corner and could see the surf crashing onto Bondi Beach. I finally crossed the line 98.33 minutes after the first gun - George had finished 8 minutes earlier. Finally I could take off my trainers! Peter had done brilliantly with a time of 65 minutes...only then did he confess that he was a bit of a long distance pro. Rich, Charlotte and some of her friends had walked the course so we had plenty of time to recover with a few beers at the Bondi Hotel, where we could watch the competitors finish. While we were waiting I checked my mobile and it said `Well Done!` on the screen! (Mobiles here tell you exactly where you are - it would normally have said `Bondi Beach`) How did they know? The final times of all 49,000 finishers were published in the Sydney Morning Herald - George came 13148th with an official time of 84.13, and I came 18018th with a time of 92.20. But you have to take 5 minutes of that for the time it took us to cross the starting line. Next year we`ll both get under 80 minutes.....
The big news is that my visa sponsorship came through, and George and I can now stay in Oz until August 2007! Whether we`ll stay that long is another matter, but at the moment we`re happy to be staying a little longer... we are so not ready to come home in April! With George settling into his new job we are starting to beginning to feel very much at home here.
Sunday 31st was my birthday and to continue the UK tradition of a barbecue we decided to christen our newest purchase with a barbie on the balcony. The weather was glorious, as warm as it was last year in the UK - and it`s winter here! It was a lovely chilled out afternoon, and we introduced the Aussies to Pimms - it certainly went down well! We were joined on the balcony by several lorikeets, much to the amusement of our guests, especially when a couple of them started to get a little amorous! Later in the afternoon we headed up to the park for a game of cricket, `Secret Life of Us` style. Unfortunately we had left it a bit late and it was soon to dark to see the stumps! Back at the flat we stoked the barbie again and threw on a few more shrimps before watching an Aussie gangster film set in Sydney. A lovely day.
Gill has been trying to get us to go cockroach racing since we first arrived in Sydney, and in her last week here, she finally succeeded. It takes place at Scruffy Murphy`s so we had our fill of $5 steak first, although we did wonder which part of the kitchen they collected the cockroaches from. The roach race was preceded by a nail-biting snail race, where 10 snails are placed in a hub of a small circle and each contestant is assigned a snail. The winner is the first to reach the outside ring. I`m not convinced there was even a snail inside my shell, as it didn`t even take a look around, and George`s seemed a little too interested in another snail to bother with exploring. George and Rich were first up with the cockroaches, and had to select their roach out of a big tub. Rich had great trouble getting a grip on his and it climbed up his arm, round his neck and off across the floor, never to return! Unfortunately neither came near winning, and in fact George`s got its leg stuck halfway down the track! George then made up for it by winning the Weetabix eating competition (no contest of course - George has been practicing for this for his whole life). Gill and I chose our roaches for the final race, thankfully not allowing them to run up our arms! The result was a dead heat with some other guy, but I shouted loudest and was awarded the prize! Later examination of Rich`s video showed that maybe I didn`t win after all...
Now I know a lot of you won`t believe this but on Sunday morning George and I voluntarily got up at 6am for the 10Km Bridge Run - part of the Sydney Marathon. The race started at 7.30am on the North Shore, and we ran across the bridge, past Circular Quay, across the top of Hyde Park then down around the Botanical Gardens before finishing in front of the Opera House. It was a beautiful sunny spring morning, and the views across the harbour were amazing. George finished in 2371th place, with a time of 52.31 minutes, and I was 3361th, taking 55.52 minutes. Very pleased to finish in under the hour, especially as the blisters that plagued me in the City to Surf were back with a vengeance! We had arranged to meet Katie and Dan after the race for a trip to the fish markets, and decided it was too dangerous to head home first for a shower and change (our bed would surely look too comfortable to resist) so we headed straight to Katie and Dan`s, feeling a little silly in our running outfits! The fish market was amazing, and we eventually settled on a seafood platter and oysters, which we ate outside by the dock. We were surrounded by seagulls and pelicans, and George amused himself by watching the pelicans catch his titbits in their huge beaks. It was such a lovely day that we decided to take a trip up to Collaroy, one of the Northern beaches, but by then the early morning and lunchtime wine were combining to make us incapable of doing anything except collapsing on the sand! We headed home soon after, and were in bed by 9pm that night!
Friday was another low activity day at the hospital, and with the long weekend approaching Emma, a fellow pharmacist, invited us down to her Aunt`s holiday home on the south NSW coast. Unfortunately George had to work the Friday, but we teamed up with another couple of Emma`s friends to hire a car and head down on Friday night. It was a long drive, taking nearly 5 hours, but the house was lovely and there were cold beers waiting for us when we arrived. After a lazy bbq breakfast on the verandah reading the papers we walked down to the beach and out to Broulee Island, which is currently attached to the mainland by a sandy isthmus that apparently gets washed away by heavy storms every seven years or so. It was beautifully bright and sunny but the wind was a little too chilly to do any more than paddle in the sea. The island had some interesting rock formations on the far side, and whilst we were wandering among them, we noticed an echidna happily foraging for ants. This amazing monotreme is related to the platypus, being a mammal that lays eggs. He didn`t seem to mind us getting close and we watched in awe as he ambled along checking out all the crevices. We kept expecting him to curl up in a ball but he was quite oblivious and wandered slowly off towards the sea. Couldn`t get the grin off my face after that. In the afternoon we played out a couple of Australian cliches - the first where all the boys (myself being an exception) watched the first AFL preliminary final whilst the girls made lunch and cleared up, the second where all the lads headed off with beers in hand to `fish` whilst the girls sat on the verandah drinking wine and setting the world to rights. That evening we had a fabulous barbecue with heaps of prawns, burgers, sausages and chicken, then watched the Swans play the Lions in the preliminary finals - win this and we were in the Grand Final! Unfortunately it wasn`t to be and the Lions won convincingly (Not CONVINCINGLY! There were only 3 points in it at three-quarter time - George). We will have to wait until next autumn for the season to start again. Sunday was another lazy morning then we packed up and started the long drive back, stopping at seven mile beach for a late lunch with fabulous views along the coast. It was a wonderful relaxing weekend - huge thanks to Emma for organising the trip, shopping, cooking and cleaning, and to Rocket for driving us there and back.
After very nearly missing our flight again we arrived in Melbourne to find a very English climate - cold and drizzling. For a city that is supposed to be the most livable in the world we were a little disappointed - it reminded us of Manchester! That night we caught a tram down to St Kilda to meet up with Nick, Beth, Charlotte and friends in the Elephant and Wheelbarrow - a `traditional British pub` serving proper pints. There was a great cover band playing and we jumped around like idiots for a bit before I suddenly fell asleep on Nick`s shoulder! Great fun but a bit messy, and it was the wee hours before we got to bed.
We didn`t get up until midday on Sunday, due of course to the lack of windows in our room rather than the hangover! After a huge fry-up we wandered around the city centre for a bit then had a look around the Old Melbourne Jail - where Ned Kelly spent his last days and met his end. Pretty dank place, with lots of death masks and terrible stories of all the criminals that were hung at the jail. After that we attempted a walking tour but kept getting lost, besides we`d seen most of the CBD by then and it was really cold! Back to the hostel to don our England gear and paint flags on our faces before meeting up with Nick, Beth and Charlotte in the pub. There were so many England shirts in the town, and we had completely taken over the pub. We decided to get to the stadium early to watch the Ireland V Argentina match on the screens there. The England match was totally amazing - more than a little concerned in the first half with Samoa well ahead! We had lots of good-natured heckling from the Samoans behind us. After the match it was back to the pub for more beer and tuneless but loud singing of naf rugby songs.
Monday again found us a little worse for wear so we caught the tram to St Kilda again to see it in the sunlight. It is meant to be an amazing place but despite the sunshine it was still pretty cold and the beach front was dead. We wanted to go on the roller coaster at Luna Park but it only opens on weekends and holidays! We ended up taking fish and chips down to the beach and fighting off the seagulls, then taking a stroll down the pier and back to the tram. Not wanting another big night we had a lovely chinese before watching Pirates of the Caribbean at the cinema!
Picked up our hire car on Tuesday morning - luckily someone else had already put plenty of dents in the car, so we didn`t have to. We set off across the West Gate Bridge with the fine views of the city slightly spoilt by the low cloud and drizzle. First stop was at the re-created gold rush town of Sovereign Hill in Ballarat. The constant rain lent an authentic feel to the place, as we picked our way through the mud. George panned for gold in the stream and we had a giggle at some of the exhibits. Many of settlers were tin miners from Cornwall and we had an excellent tour of a quartz mine, where we learnt that all Cornish are short and stumpy. George put the guide right about that! On to the Grampians, arriving in Halls Gap in time to check in to the hostel and have a walk into the hills before it got dark. A short distance along the track we saw a couple of kangaroos grazing in the undergrowth. This convinced me I`d see a koala in the trees so I spent the rest of the walk tripping over tree roots as I scanned the tree tops for balls of grey fur. We stopped at the lovely Clematis Falls - all the better for us being the only ones there. On to Chatauqua Peak for a great view across the valley. Encountered more roos on the way back, and as we approached the village oval we saw it was covered in about 20 of them, grazing and boxing with each other- fabulous! Unfortunately the camera died at this point, so not many pictures of this bit.
Next morning we were up early to explore the Grampians. First stop McKenzie Falls. The path to the base was occasionally part of the waterfall, but the heavy rains made the roar of the water very impressive. The climb back up was pretty tough - almost got hot enough to take off my jumper! Next stop the much photographed Balconies, one of those ah-there-it-is-then places, and as we reached the lookout the rains came and spoilt the view! Soon after the sun came out so we decided to do the 4Km return walk to the Pinnacles. We climbed through the forest, constantly on the look out for koalas. The view from the top was fantastic, but no koalas to be seen. Back in the car and across country to Hepburn Springs. The whole area is dotted with natural mineral springs, and we spent a relaxing couple of hours in a mineral spa. We also took the waters, but they tasted like George`s farts smell. Had a fabulous Thai that night before sharing a bottle of wine in front of the log fire back at the hostel.
Up early Thursday morning - we`re going to Bonnie Doon! Favourite holiday location for the family in the very funny Aussie film The Castle. First stop however, was Hanging Rock... also the setting for a film `Picnic at Hanging Rock.` It was a strange place - bizarre rock formations just stuck in the middle of the countryside. The guidebook said if we were lucky we`d see koalas on the walk to the top, and we did! The cute thing was climbing down a branch to get comfy in a fork - amazing to see one moving rather than just sitting comatose as they seem to in wildlife parks. I was totally beside myself to have finally spotted a wild koala. The drive to Bonnie Doon was through lovely rolling countryside. We had planned to hire a boat and enjoy the serenity on the lake - `If there`s one thing I like more than the serenity it`s the sound of a two-stroke engine at full throttle` but the lake was almost dry! So we had to admire the views from the shore before heading on our way to the Yarra Valley. We arrived in Healesville by 3.30pm - plenty of time for a few wine tastings. We chose a few wineries close together and enjoyed some lovely wines in beautiful surroundings. At the last place, reached via a dirt track, we shared a fabulous antipasto platter washed down with a lovely chardonnay whilst taking in the views. Feeling decidedly droopy we checked into our motel only to find we`d paid for a garage with a bed in it. Our room in the YHA hostel the night before was a thousand times nicer!
Friday was a full-on wildlife day. First stop Healesville Sanctuary with loads of funny birds, kangaroos, wallabies, dingoes and echidnas.It was lovely to be able to walk through the enclosures with the animals - getting attacked by territorial ducks. The highlight was getting to play with a baby wombat. Seriously cute. Sadly they wouldn`t let us take her home with us. Back on the road again we headed into the Melbourne suburbs to check out Pin Oak Court AKA Ramsey street. As we pulled in a campervan full of lads were taking photos - It was very surreal. It took us about 5 minutes to get some pictures and work out who`s house was whose, then back on the road down to Phillip Island. The place names are all from the Isle of Wight and we occasionally had to remind ourselves we were in Oz not Hampshire - there was a real out-of-season holiday resort feel to it. We kept getting caught in showers and the wind was icy cold. Drove up to the Nobbies to see the seals on Seal Rock - what the books don`t tell you is that the closest you can get is still 2km away! Even with binoculars the seals were difficult to see. We had a bracing walk around the headland and then killed time driving around the island, including a stop at Woolamai beach for a quick run down to the surf and back. As night fell we made our way to the penguin parade. It was freezing, and we had to don pretty much everything in our rucksacks to keep warm, but the weather had kept many tourists away, so even though it was pretty busy it wasn`t quite the circus you could imagine in the height of summer. It was totally amazing - you watch the tiny penguins gather at the water edge plucking up courage for the dash across the sand, then as you walk back to the centre you are totally surrounded by them as they make their way to their burrows. The noise was incredible, and as it was mating season we saw a bit of fighting then a couple doing it! When it was over the lady penguin wandered off towards her burrow, only to be set upon by another randy male! It was a bit sad to see their home all covered in concrete and boardwalks, but I guess it is necessary to manage the tourists and stop them trampling all over the burrows. It didn`t stop it being an amazing experience.
After catching the wrong tram to the coach station we arrived at the airport with two minutes to spare before they closed our flight! We could see the weather improving as we flew north and Morton Bay looked amazing from the air. Landed in 30` heat with a light warm breeze - what a difference! Found our hostel easily and were pleased to see that our room had a window. We wandered down through the city to the Botanical Gardens, where a least 5 different weddings were either taking place or having photos taken. We sat in a cafe eating ice creams and watched a bride walk down the `aisle` for her outdoor ceremony, to a Celine Dion song - ouch! We met up with Charlotte, Nick and Beth in PJ O`Briens to watch the South Africa v Samoa match, followed by Ireland v Australia. The atmosphere was fantastic and the beer was going down far too well. After a trip to another Irish bar playing cheesy Irish jigs we returned to PJs where it all got a bit messy with all sorts of shots going down. On the way home George detoured into a pub leaving me on the kerb scratching my head wondering where he was! Had to pop into the police station for directions to the hostel. Oops.
Very very unwell on Sunday morning. Went for breakfast at the Palace cafe and bumped into Hillsy - a GetJealous member and pharmacist who knew Gill from university! Unfortunately we were too hung over to manage a proper conversation but I think we made him feel famous! Wandered over the river to the South Bank - a lovely area with fountains, a rainforest walk, street entertainers, markets, bars and cafes - then we found the lagoon! An amazing sandy beach with palm trees and rocks - all man-made! Soaked up the atmosphere for a bit before catching a ferry back across the river. Time to get the England kit on again and get to the Suncorp stadium. While we were getting beers at the stadium, we ran into Peter`s next door neighbour Andrew who we`d met when he visited Peter in Sydney - very bizarre! The match was fantastic but the beer was definitely not going down well. Afterwards we met up with Nick, Beth and Charlotte in a pub next to the stadium and watched the Wales v All Blacks match - we were cheering for Wales until we realised they actually might win and then we`d have to face the All Blacks in the quarter finals! Finished the night with a lovely Chinese in Chinatown before a not early enough night - had to be up at 4am for our flight back to Sydney and a full day`s work ahead!
Big game, big game. We decided to watch the match at the `Theatre of Dreams` a converted cinema in the city - the blurb sounded good - a big match on a huge screen. The reality unfortunately was a little different - the $20 entry fee obviously put a lot of fans off and the place was half empty and the atmosphere was non existent. Still, the Welsh put up a great fight and really had us concerned before we fought back in the second half. We headed into Darling Harbour after the match to find the party but everywhere was closing! Eventually we got a beer in a quiet bar before heading home.
After watching the Australia v All Blacks match on a big screen in George street, followed by chilling out to a live Jazz band, we were looking forward to watching the England game on a big screen in Darling Harbour. Unfortunately it poured with rain all evening, so we watched the match at the rugby clubhouse. Very very nervous - not only could we not loose to the French but we have tickets for the final and England just has to play Australia in the finals... What a dream! Such a tense match - but Johny did us proud - if only we could have scored a try to shut up all the Aussies! Everyone went pretty crazy after the final whistle - lots of hugs from complete strangers! After that we braved the rain to watch The Proclaimers live (and free) on stage in the park. There was a fabulous atmosphere - lots of happy English jumping around in the drizzle and singing 500 miles at the top of their voices. Great night. COME ON ENGLAND!
What a huge night! We started in the Rocks where we met up with Charlotte, Nick and Beth at the Orient. As we arrived, a massive group of Aussies were trying to out-sing the huge crowd of England fans outside the pub... as if! It was like a scene from West Side Story. The atmosphere was incredible - lots of good-humoured banter and pranks. At one point, a group of England fans (wearing policeman hats) made a goal post with their umbrellas and set up to kick a penalty - the ball being a toy kangaroo! Suddenly TV cameras appeared from nowhere and the tension started to build.... what if he missed? A huge roar went up as little roo sailed between the posts. First butterflies of the night! Lots of singing on the way to the stadium and on the train I painted the whole of George`s face with the St George cross. When we reached the Olympic park, we piled into a packed pub and continued the singing while dancing in the rain to a band. When we entered the stadium the sign in the bar said `maximum 4 beers per person` so we got 4 beers each and found our seats. As we were sitting away from the others we were pleased to find ourselves next to, and behind, some English fans and although we were outnumbered in our area by about 2:1 I think we sang twice as loud! The atmosphere was indescribable and by half time we`d finished our beers and got another 4 each! This may have been a mistake as the tension of the match, combined with far too many beers, leaves us with hazy memories of the hours immediately after the final whistle. What we do remember was going absolutely crazy as Johnny kicked us to victory. You couldn`t have wished for a better match. More partying in the bar afterwards then finally home to bed. Awoke on Sunday with a sore head and several UDIs (Unidentified Drinking Injuries). England`s first cup in our lifetimes.... and we were there! You don`t get a better birthday present than that.
We`ve been looking forward to the arrival of Claire and Phil and our big trip up to Queensland so we were very excited when they arrived. Claire arrived on the Friday morning and joined us for after work beers on Oxford street that night. Saturday was spent shopping and that night after Phil arrived we showed them the bright lights of the city - meeting up with Peter and Libby in a bar in Darling Harbour. Next morning we were on our way to Cairns. We arrived at midday and stepped off the plane into a humid 32` heat. Phew! After finding the hostel we had a lovely lunch in a cafe by the gallery, then we hit the shops before taking a dip in the lagoon and soaking up some rays. That night we decided against the cheap backpacker pub and ended up in a tapas bar drinking XXXX on the balcony. After a meal in a pub on the main strip we headed back to the hostel, very much regretting the decision not to get air-con!
The next morning we had to be up for a 7.20 pick-up. Unfortunately I forgot to change the time on my alarm clock forward one hour to Queensland time, so we were ready to check out at 6.20am...ouch. George was pretty unhappy about that. Plenty of time for a leisurely breakfast though! We were taken out to the reef on the `Supercat` - first stop Hastings Reef. George and I had decided to try navigating the dive site on our own. Unfortunately we had a few problems - I didn`t have enough weights, George was having trouble equalising and once we finally got to the bottom of the anchor and set off in the direction we thought the reef was we missed it by miles! After about 15 minutes we surfaced to find we had gone 50 metres in completely the wrong direction. Doh! After dumping the tanks we joined Phil and Claire snorkeling and saw our first Australian turtle. Back on the boat we set off for Norman Reef to meet up with the Atlantic Clipper - our home for the next 24 hours. For the next dive we did manage to find the reef and had a really good dive - lots of clown fish, zebra fish and really beautiful coral. After dinner we prepared for our first night dive...it was quite terrifying thinking of what could be just beyond the torch beam, but the fish were all sleepy and we didn`t see anything like had during the day. I spotted what we think was a cat shark though. After a shower we sat on the deck drinking beer and watching the stars before retiring to our cabins for an early night.
Up silly early the next day to watch the sunrise which unfortunately fizzled behind a big cloud. A much needed coffee then back into the wet suits for another dive. This time we saw a big reef shark and another turtle as we snorkeled back to the boat. After breakfast the Atlantic Clipper `sailed` to Saxon Reef (I say sailed - the boat was a lovely tall ship but we very much doubted if her sails were ever unfurled these days). Our first dive at this reef was incredible - one of my best yet. As we swam down we were accompanied by a huge turtle swimming alongside us - amazing. The coral was so beautiful and we soon spotted some clown fish who came out to say hello. Huge potato cods and groupers swam beneath us, we spotted another large reef shark and as we came nearer the surface we swam through huge schools of snappers. It doesn`t get better than that. After lunch it was time for our final dive. This time we saw a lion fish, touched giant clams with unbelievable electric blue stripes and swam with and touched two turtles. We also saw another shark and just as I spotted it I realised I had encroached into the territory of a trigger fish - these harmless looking fish aggressively protect their nests and can inflict very nasty bites - I screamed through my respirator and George thought I`d been attacked by the shark! We gave the fish a wide berth after that. We were totally exhausted by the time we transferred back to the Supercat for the trip back to Cairns, but as if we hadn`t had enough water for one day we had a dip in the lagoon on our way back to the hostel. Had dinner and a few beers in a pub that night but hit the sack before 11pm!
We needed a big car for all our luggage and with our free upgrade voucher we drove away with a plush shiny Ford Falcon. Phil was very excited - he`s only just passed his test and we`d promised he could drive first. After buying an Esky and filling it with a picnic lunch we headed into the Atherton Tablelands - beautiful volcanic mountains covered in lush rainforest. First stop the Cathedral fig - a massive strangler fig tree, then on for a swim and lunch at the Crater Lake Eacham. Just as we finished lunch a huge thunderstorm came through, which stayed with us for most of the rest of the day. Next stop Yungaburra and the Curtain fig tree, then on through beautiful countryside to Malanda for our first waterfall. By now the rain was so heavy that we just stripped down to our swimmers in the Falcon and ran down to the plunge pool. The fall was a little disappointing and the water was brown with mud washed down during the storm, so we didn`t stay long. Opposite the car park was a little rainforest trail where we saw a couple of little freshwater turtles in the river. Back in the Falcon and onto the waterfall circuit - a 16k loop road linking three beautiful waterfalls. First Millaa Millaa falls - deserted because of the rain and absolutely amazing. In we jumped and sat on the rocks under the falls - lovely. Next stop Zille Falls - just a viewpoint from the top so no swimming but we might have well been as the rain absolutely drenched us. On to Ellinjaa falls which had a little cave underneath the waterfall. Final waterfall of the day was at Mungalli Falls but the view across the rainforest was probably better than the waterfall! Phil then drove us down to Mission Beach - a beautiful sandy bay with all houses and campsites shielded from the beach by palm trees. Had dinner of seafood noodles and cocktails before a moonlit walk along the beach and another early night.
Up early on Thursday for our white water rafting trip in Tully with the `Extreme Team`. Truly an amazing day. Our guide was hilarious and said `team` and `okay` and `good to go` and `it`s all good` a lot. It`s hard to remember everything we did but we jumped off two rocky ledges, surfed the raft up a surf hole, swam down a lava chute and paddled under a waterfall. We flipped the raft a couple of times and I got sucked down deep enough under a rapid to pop my ears! George fell out in a nasty rocky rapid and we all watched as he went chest, bottom and belly first over another and another rock. We nearly lost Claire as she fell out on one of the last rapids and got sucked into a body trap but the guide fished her out with one arm! It was such a full-on day that we were very surprised it was only 3pm when we climbed out of the river, bashed, bruised, sunburnt and totally exhausted. Back in Mission beach we had fish and chips for dinner followed by some yummy mango cocktails under the palm trees by the beach.
Next morning we swam in the stinger net at the beach before a fruit and pastry breakfast. Back in the Falcon, we stopped to search for cassowaries along a rainforest walk. These huge emu-like birds with blue necks have very sharp claws - they can rip you to shreds if they attack you! Unfortunately (or fortunately perhaps) we didn`t see any. We stopped at a road side cafe called Frosty Mango for lunch and ice-cream and a wander through their fruit orchards. Next stop Little Crystal Creek in the Paluma Ranges National Park - a lovely little swimming hole with a waterfall under an old stone bridge. On to Townsville and the ferry to Magnetic Island. We arrived with enough time to walk up to the old forts, searching for koalas. Eventually we spotted one then saw another with a little baby! The views across the island at dusk were amazing, and the air was filled with the sounds of guttural grunts from the male koalas. After dinner in the cafe at the hostel we had quite a few beers and had our first night out until after midnight - blimey!
After a much needed lie-in on Saturday morning the boys decided to go fishing to catch dinner so Claire and I decided to go horse riding. It`s at least 12 years since I last sat on a horse, so we were a bit nervous but it was lovely trekking through the bush. I should have worn longer trousers as my calves rubbed against the stirrups making trotting very painful! Eventually we arrived on the beach and cantered along the surf - pretty amazing until I caught up with Claire`s lazy horse who wouldn`t get out of a trot. After taking off the saddles and donning very attractive stinger suits we rode bareback into the sea. I did get my horse to swim with me for about 30 seconds but I got scared of his kicking hoofs and brought him in. When we arrived back at the hostel the boys had 4 fish ready for the BBQ and were very proud of `providing for the girls`. We had a couple of bottles of sparkling as we barbied the fish and ate by the beach - lovely. That night we played mexican dice until late - even drunkenly singing Christmas carols!
Sunday morning we caught the ferry back to Townsville, spotting some rock wallabies at the ferry point. We stopped at the Billabong Sanctuary where we saw jumping crocs, hand fed kangaroos, pandemelons and cassowaries and cuddled koalas. The plan was to get to Eugella National Park for platypus spotting at dusk but we were cutting it very fine. In the end we got to Broken River about 30 minutes too late - it was far too dark to see anything on the river - but we did see some possums on the picnic table! Driving back to Mackay we got stupidly low on fuel - all the petrol stations we passed on the way to the park were closed on the way back. We finally found a station just outside Mackay with just 10k left on the range! Realising we hadn`t swum all day we had a quick dip in the hostel pool before hitting Mackay. It was only 10pm but everywhere was closed or closing - even the kebab shop! We eventually found a reasonable Italian restaurant, but we won`t be going back to Mackay in a hurry!
Monday was another big driving day so we packed a picnic lunch and hit the road, having to get to Yeppoon by 3.30 to catch the ferry to Great Keppel Island. In the end we had plenty of time and had an unscheduled stop at a pikey water slide park. There was only one water slide, and we were the only paying customers, but we spent an hilarious 45 minutes throwing ourselves down the slide every possible way. After a picnic lunch we boarded the ferry. There is no pier at Great Keppel Island - the boat just beaches up on the beach! Very impressed with the Island - amazing beaches and all the resorts hidden away in the rainforest. After checking into our tents we went for a swim - lovely not to have to worry about stingers. Had a cheap meal and a few beers at the resort before turning in.
Unfortunately we had to catch the 8.15am ferry to get to Hervey Bay in time for the Fraser Island briefing but we had just enough time to squeeze in a last dip in the sea first. We wished we could of had more time on the island... we are planning to come back again for a long weekend to explore properly. After a disappointing breakfast in Rockhampton we hit the road. It took us 5 hours to reach Hervey Bay and there was virtually nothing in between - Australia is one big country! We arrived at the hostel just in time for the meeting and met the 5 people who would have the dubious pleasure of spending the next 3 days in our company. After organising the food and grog shopping we all met up in the hostel bar for all-you-can eat pasta and a few beers.
We had signed up for a 3 day self-drive backpacker trip, as recommended by Gill and Rich, and I must admit that I had pretty big expectations. We had to be up silly early at 5.30am on Wednesday to check out and pack up the van. Then we had to sit in the dingy hostel bar for an hour while the lady from the 4WD rental company gave us the `driving on Fraser Island` lecture. I appreciate that they get some idiots mucking around with the vans, but honestly she had to be the most annoying and patronising person we`ve ever met. This was the point where I wished we`d just hired a 4WD and gone on our own - it was all too much at 7am! Finally the nine of us were in the van and on our way to the ferry. Our companions were Brian from Ireland and his English girlfriend Lisa, Freya from Spain, her American husband Michael and their English friend Victoria. Michael drove first and loved the off-road tracks. First stop was Central Station and a 30 minute walk through beautiful rainforest to Basin Lake. We splashed around in the lovely warm water and a few freshwater turtles popped their heads up to see what we were up to. Back in the van we headed south to Lake Birrabeen where we had our first picnic lunch. The lake was beautiful - fabulous white sand and a huge sand dune at one edge that we rolled all the way down. Really enjoyed splashing in the clear water then chilled out on the sand for a bit. Next stop was Lake Boomanjin which was very scenic with tea coloured water. We did try to swim but the water was very shallow so we just splashed and played about. It was getting late so we headed South to Dilli Village where we planned to camp for the night. We were very efficient at pitching camp and lighting the campfire while we took turns to have showers. The camp rangers came round, all stern looking, and said: `Just a few rules...Keep your food in the van, tidy up your rubbish, make as much noise as you like and drink lots of beers!` So we did. Dinner consisted of burgers, steak, sausages and potatoes baked in the fire. There were occasional rain showers but the boys had rigged a tarpaulin between a tree and the van so we managed to stay quite dry. When the clouds cleared, the sky was lit up with a billion stars - amazing. Drank beer around the camp fire while playing drinking games and toasting marshmallows - a great night.
Up at 6am the next morning for bacon sarnies and coffee before striking camp - time to hit the beach highway! You can only drive along 75 mile beach at low tide and it was an amazing experience. A quick stop for supplies at Eurong then back on the beach to Rainbow Gorge. We followed the signs into the bush but had no idea how far it was - after almost turning back we arrived at the gorge - an incredible desert landscape, even if the sand wasn`t really rainbow coloured! The boys had fun running down the huge dunes, and we spotted an iguana on the walk back. Next stop was the very photogenic Maheno shipwreck where Freya took heaps of pictures and had to be dragged back to the van. It was quite a long drive all the way up the beach to Indian Head but I took the wheel for a bit and loved the amazing drive. We walked up to the top of the headland and looked out over the sea - saw a couple of dolphins and a manta ray but we were disappointed not to see any tiger sharks. Next stop the Champagne Pools. These were great fun - rock pools with the ocean waves breaking over them creating a jacuzzi effect. A tour guide helped us up into the pool closest to the sea and we clung onto the barnacles for dear life as the waves crashed over us. Such fun but we got very bashed on the rocks - we all had grazes on our backsides and George had scratches all down his arm and side. By now we were very hungry so Claire drove us down to Waddy point where we set up our picnic lunch - sausages, ham and chicken sandwiches. By now we were all pretty droopy but we needed more ice so I drove us inland to Orchid Beach Service Station were we got ice creams. This was a surreal place.. petrol pumps at the side of the road but no tarmac - just a sand track and a real middle of nowhere feel. Back on the beach we decided to climb up a huge dune and then spent ages just jumping off the top and seeing how far down we would land. After that we splashed around in a saltwater lagoon where we discovered the wet sand released air when you pushed on it so we rolled around in it with bubbles everywhere - a very strange sensation! After showers we drove further up the beach to find a place to camp - away from everyone else. Phil did a fantastic job cooking up spaghetti bolognaise while we drank beer around the camp fire and listened to the waves crash on the beach. It was a very special evening - lots of silly drinking games, more toasted marshmallows and red wine when the beer ran out.
Awake at 5.30am on Friday and I was the first one up. The beach looked incredibly beautiful as the sun rose above the trees. There were dingo footprints all around the camp, and Phil claimed he saw one a hour earlier, but that was as close as we got to a dingo encounter on Fraser. After a very efficient breakfast and camp strike we drove back down 75 mile beach to Eli Creek. This is the largest freshwater stream on the island and is a popular place to drift downstream on the current. The water was icy cold but very refreshing and we floated (actually we sank more than floated) down to the beach then took some funny pictures and videos. Stopped again at Eurong for mid-morning pies then headed inland to Lake Mackenzie. The lake exceeded all expectations - the water was crystal clear and the sand was so white that it hurt to take off your sunnies. We splashed around and sunbathed for a couple of hours, and all too soon it was time to head back to the ferry. Very sad to be leaving this incredible island, which had truly lived up to the hype. Back in Hervey Bay we had the boring tasks of unpacking and cleaning the van and equipment, then we met up for some well earnt beers. Had the cheap hostel chicken BBQ dinner and several more beers that evening before hitting the sack by 10.30pm.
The one bit of the whole trip that we hadn`t completely planned was getting from Hervey Bay to Brisbane. I just assumed that we`d hop on a train or catch a bus. Not that simple. There is only one train a day, and all seats were booked until after Christmas! There were buses, but most stopped everywhere in between, left at 6am and didn`t arrive until 6-8 hours later. Claire and I quickly accepted the offer of a lift from Victoria, Freya and Michael in their hire car, leaving the boys to make their way to the bus stop and try their luck with the buses. It was a bit of a squish with five people and luggage in a not-very-big car but we felt quite smug to be on our way. We thought we`d stop for lunch in Noosa and we were heading in the right direction - unfortunately Victoria`s navigation let us down and we drove straight past! We ended up stopping at Coolum, just down the coast, but it was a very quick stop as Victoria had a plane to catch. By the time we arrived at the airport Freya and Michael were running out of time to get the car back to Brisbane CBD and then back to the airport so we ended up driving the car back to the city. In the end, we arrived at the Transit Centre after George and Phil!
We checked into our hostel to find it was really more like a hotel - huge comfy bed, en-suite bathroom with power shower and air-con - such luxury! Just enough time before it got dark to get down to the lagoon for a quick swim. We caught the City Cat back across the river to the botanical gardens and wandered back through the city laughing at how strange it seemed to have Christmas decorations everywhere in such heat. That night we had a lovely meal in Chinatown then met up with Peter`s friends Andrew and Libby who showed us the bright lights of Brisbane`s Fortitude Valley - a really great night.
On Sunday it was very hard to get out of our very cosy bed but we were on a mission to get to Wet `n` Wild just as it opened to beat the queues. Wet `n` Wild is `Australia`s premier water theme park` and we had persuaded Andrew to come along and join in the fun. It was a full on `Splashtacular` day - so many rides and so little time. We did all the big slides and an 8 lane racer slide (which the boys always won) but in the end we just kept doing the old-fashioned twister slides and trying to get faster each time. Felt very bashed and sun beaten by the time we left. We waved farewell to Claire and Phil who were heading down the gold coast to Byron Bay for a couple of days then Andrew drove us back to Brisbane airport. It was sad that our amazing trip had come to an end, but we were also excited about being back in Sydney for Christmas and New Year. It`s great to come home to another holiday destination - we still feel like we are on a perpetual holiday here.
Christmas Eve George finished work at lunchtime and spent the afternoon showing Claire and Phil around the Opera House and Botanical Gardens. That night we met up with Katy, Dan, Emma, Becky and Pete in Darling Harbour to watch the Christmas carol concert. I was expecting traditional carols but the stage (floating on the water) was filled with elves, fairies, koalas and kangaroos singing all the Xmas classics such as Frosty the Snowman. Then Santa Claus arrived - not on a sleigh but on a jet ski - with fireworks streaming out the back! Then they sang an Aussie version of the 12 Days of Christmas - with Oz animals in place of the rings and swans and lords. We didn`t catch all the words, but it definitely ended with `and a kookaburra in a gum tree!` It was all rounded off, as most events in Sydney are, with a big firework display. We ended up seeing in Christmas day in a bar on the harbour.
On Christmas day we woke to a fabulous deep blue sky, and temperatures already tipping 30`. Everyone was given a Santa hat with strict instructions not to remove until Boxing Day, and we put on a cheesy Xmas tunes CD to help us feel more Christmassy. George cooked up breakfast on the BBQ and we washed it down with the first of many bottles of champagne. Then it was present time - and we had quite a pile around the tree. After a bit of a `discussion` about how to open the presents (Burrows` always dole out everyone`s presents then have a five minute unwrapping frenzy: Betteridges always dole out one present at a time and everyone watches them unwrap, smile and say `just what I always wanted` - Philippou stayed very quiet) the Betteridge majority won. There was a distinctly beachy theme to the presents - beach ball, bikini, Frisbee, bat and ball set...Thanks to everyone for such thoughtful gifts. Soon after that Emma, Trina, Angeline and Christine arrived, closely followed by Katie and Dan. There was more champagne on the balcony, and we must have been starting to feel it`s effects as we made up our own Aussie 12 Days of Christmas lyrics and sang it several times. Eventually we leave the flat and head to the beach. It was incredibly busy, with lots of Santa hats, tinsel and little Christmas trees stuck in the sand, but we found a spot and spent ages splashing in the waves, playing Frisbee and sunbathing. We had tickets to `A Sunburnt Christmas` - a dance party in the pavilion on the beach, so after a bit we went in and had a few drinks on the balcony watching the surf. We decided to have one last swim before it got dark, and George and I spotted a stingray. Just as we were leaving the water the lifeguards sounded the shark siren and began shouting at everyone to get `get out of the water` - we guessed it was probably a wind-up but it was great fun watching everyone`s reactions - and it did clear the sea! Back in the pavilion we found the outdoor dance area and there were some great tunes playing. It`s been ages since we had a good dance, and it was so cool to be under the stars. Unfortunately the music had to stop at 10pm, just as we were really getting into it. We had another quick round of 12 days of Christmas before we left, and on the way out persuaded a group of cops to pose with us for photos. Back in the flat it was time for an emotional phone call home, then cheeses, pates and port, the latter much regretted in the morning! It had been an incredible day - perfect weather, great friends and little sister Clairey here to share it with us.
We had planned to go to Watson`s Bay on Boxing Day to watch the start of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht race but awoke very late. Last minute we realised the race hadn`t started yet - so we piled into a taxi. Bizarrely, the taxi driver told us he didn`t want to take us to Watson`s Bay so he drove us to Rose Bay instead - which is set right back from the harbour and was useless for viewing the race. We ended up bailing out and walking around to Nielsen`s Park in Vaucluse but the boats were long gone. We decided to carry on around the harbour, passing pretty Shark Bay and Vaucluse House before realising it was too far to walk all the way to Watson`s Bay and grabbing a taxi. As predicted Watson`s Bay was packed but we were starving so we joined the queue for the obligatory fish and chips from Doyle`s Restaurant. After more fish cooked on the barbie for dinner we went down to the Bondi Hotel and ended up playing George`s new drinking game which resulted in a lot of beer being drunk... again!
New year`s eve often fails to live up to the hype and in Sydney there is a lot of hype. Each year the city spends more and more on their world renowned firework display and each year they promise something bigger, better and longer. Katie and Dan had invited us all around to their flat in Pyrmont for a barbecue and soon the champagne corks were popping. We had an excellent view of the harbour bridge for the first fireworks (the `family` display) at 9pm, and they were truly spectacular. Several more bottles of champagne later we decided that we wanted to be amongst it all for midnight so Claire, Phil, George and I hopped in a taxi to the Rocks. We squeezed ourselves into a spot on the grass at Observatory Hill with a fantastic view of the harbour and bridge. Before we knew it the midnight fireworks had started - an incredible never ending display with lasers lighting up the bridge and a waterfall of golden rain pouring off the bottom of the bridge. It may have been all that champagne but I was quite overcome emotionally and felt a huge wave of sadness at the passing of such an unbelievable year. 2004 will have a lot to live up to! At this point George, Phil and Claire decided it would be hilarious to throw themselves down the steep grassy bank at the edge of the hill - except that it wasn`t as much grass as gravel - take a look at the pictures below to see what Claire did to her back! Things went a bit pear shaped after that... George fell asleep on the bridge parapet, Claire got all emotional and I (who had been suffering a stomach upset for a few days) began to feel distinctly unwell and in need of a proper flushing toilet. Somehow Claire and Phil got left behind in the melee of people trying to get home from the harbour. George and I fell into bed by about 3.30am - apparently Claire and Phil got back about an hour later and woke us up to tell us off for abandoning them, but we don`t remember much about that!
New year`s day was painful. Claire had lost her phone, probably whilst rolling down Observatory Hill, so we headed back to the Rocks to search for it, but it was nowhere to be seen. Phil went up the bridge pylon to get some photos while Claire, George and I rehydrated in a pub. We then headed down to the fish market for a late lunch of lobster, whitebait, oysters, prawns and fried fish, and amused ourselves for a while throwing the prawn heads to the pelicans.
On the Friday 2nd I had a day off so Claire, Phil and I took the ferry to Manly and spent a lazy couple of hours on the beach. Saturday was Phil`s last day and we had arranged a big barbecue on the beach at Tamarama. A group of us had won two pub quizzes at the Cock and Bull and the prize was $100 of booze each time, so the barbecue was a great excuse to get us all together to consume our winnings. It was a glorious day - swimming, Frisbee, beach bowls, bat and ball and general silliness until long after it got dark. We were very sad to say goodbye to Phil - it had been wonderful to have him with us during our trip to Queensland and for Christmas and New Year. A huge thank you to Phil too for being our official photographer for a month - great photos Phil!
Life has a funny way of making sure you don`t have too much fun. The summer we waited a year and a half for has finally arrived and every available hour is spent on the beach splashing around in the surf. But sadly this month we have had to say goodbye to some of our playmates. Claire`s last weekend in Oz had a distinctly beachy theme. On Saturday we did the Bondi to Coogee coastal walk stopping for a swim at each beach on the way. Our first dip was at Bronte, where the huge waves dumped you into the sand with terrifying force. There was lots of seaweed around too and after being turned inside out by one wave I stood up to find myself covered head to toe. I was picking the stuff out of crevices a week later! On Sunday Peter drove Emma, Claire and I up the coast to Palm Beach, home of Home and Away. We didn`t see anyone from the show but the beach was stunning. After sunning ourselves for a while we swam for a bit then picked up some fish and chips and ate them overlooking the harbour. It has been wonderful to have Clairey here for so long and we really enjoyed showing her our favourite bits of Sydney.
The next weekend Peter left Sydney to return to Brisbane. It has been fantastic to have a workmate living in the same block and he had become a very good friend and regular drinking partner. Thursday night we went for typical after work drinks in the 3 weeds - lots of beer and potato wedges. Friday night was the obligatory last night meal in Thai Terrific, after which Peter and Andrew sensibly went to bed before their long drive North leaving Emma and I to finish off another bottle of wine whilst listening to Travis over and over again! That night George went out after work and didn`t come home until 10am the next morning... Faysie wasn`t too happy about that but watching him suffer all day Saturday almost made up for it. It won`t be the same without Peter around to educate us in the ways of the Aussies but at least he`s only up the road in Brisbane, and we don`t need any excuses for a trip to Queensland.
Emma moved in with us for her last week and a bit in Sydney and we have had great fun helping her do as much as possible in her last few days here. It was her birthday on Friday 23rd and we met up in the Harbour View Hotel in the Rocks for cocktails. Soon after we arrived a thunderstorm passed through and we had an amazing view of the lightning as we sheltered under big umbrellas on the balcony. Unfortunately I had to work Saturday morning so I left them to boogie on down at the Orient. Apparently George did his break dancing trick... I think it was good that I wasn`t there! We have been spending lots of time on the beach, including a fabulous bbq at Tamarama, and had a brilliant day at the races on Australia Day. We put on our best outfits and drank champagne all day. Soon the races and bets seemed much less important than the pressing task of drinking a bottle of champagne per race! As it was a school night we decided not to go on to the casino, but instead went back to the flat and drank another bottle of champagne each..ouch. A little unwell the next morning. All too soon it was time for Emma`s goodbye meal at Thai Terrific, and a very emotional send off at the airport. Emma, Thanks a lot. We will miss you and your Alan Partridge quotes.
Summer in Australia means cricket and the Aussies are cricket mad - probably because they support a team that actually wins once in a while. Sunday was the second final of the VB series (a series of one-day matches between Australia, India and Zimbabwe) and when we were offered tickets we jumped at the chance of participating in another Aussie tradition. Australia had won the first final so India needed to win the second to take the competition to the third and final decider. We were seated close to the pitch with the sun beating down on us all afternoon - lashings of factor 30 were required! Australia were batting first and put up a fantastic performance - any ideas of supporting the underdogs went out of the window as we joined in the excitement of the Aussies around us. A group of lads had occupied the row behind us and turned out to be very entertaining - lots of heckling of the fielders. Australia finished at 5/359 and the Indians seemed to give up early in their innings - they ended up all out for 151. Thankfully entertainment was provided during the second half by the lads behind us calling out to the Aussie fielders to `give us a wave` - hilariously they all did - even the umpire! It was a great afternoon drinking beer in the sun watching a very typical Aussie sporting spectacle.
We may have been going to Sri Lanka for my sister Lynn`s tropical beach wedding - but hey, we live on a beach so we wanted to get some exploring in first. We shared our Singapore to Colombo flight with the Australian cricket team on their way to tour Sri Lanka - we filed past them all as we boarded the plane! We arrived late at night and had booked into a family guesthouse in the posh Colombo suburb of Cinnamon Gardens - the next morning owners told us their whole life story over breakfast! It was Valentines Day and we had booked their `deluxe` room for that night - complete with four-poster bed. Unfortunately this was conveniently forgotten when another couple wanted to stay in that room for four nights. That didn`t stop the lady showing us the room in a `look what you could have won` fashion! After breakfast we headed out to explore Colombo, starting at Viharamahadevi Park. This wasn`t quite the green leafy oasis we expected - some Valentines festival was taking place with music blaring from loudspeakers and hundreds of locals dressed in white. we had a wander around, but we felt very out of place. Just as we were leaving a man approached us claiming to be the gardener and pointed out an elephant chewing on leaves under a tree! On closer inspection the elephant was chained up, which seemed a bit sad, but I guess they are working animals just like donkeys or horses and need some pretty hefty restraints! The `gardener` then showed us some of the spice trees and flowers in the park - for a price of course. Then we made our way through the crazy bustling streets to Galle Face Green overlooking the ocean. By now we were hot, sticky, dirty and thirsty and needed a western world fix so we dived into a very posh hotel for a dose of air-con and a cold coke in the lobby bar. As we relaxed and watched a couple of wedding parties go by, we noticed Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie from the Aussie cricket team! George ran over to ask for a photo but only got a hello and a handshake. Before we left we took a peak at the hotel pool and all the team were there sunbathing and splashing around! Back on the streets we walked up to the Fort area, expecting a quaint historic touristy area - it was anything but. The civil war has left it`s scars here: armed guards man roadblocks, every other building is bomb-damaged and there is rubble and rubbish everywhere. We fought our way past the market stalls of Pettah to the train station to get some advice on our sight-seeing trip the next day, thinking the tourist office was independant.An hour later we had signed up for a trip with a very un-independant tour company for more than twice the price we originally intended to spend - oops!
The first part of our trip involved catching the train to Kandy, which left at 7am. We had booked Claire onto the trip with us and had left messages at her hotel, but we had no idea if she had got them, and what we`d do if she didn`t arrive. We were very relieved she appeared with 15 minutes to spare. After an amusing moment where George jumped on (and thankfully off) a moving train just because it was leaving, we got on the right train and found our seats in the backward facing observation car. It was an amazing journey - the locals use the tracks as a footpath, presumably because they are safer than the crazy roads, and we passed through little villages with makeshift barriers at the level crossings before climbing steeply into the hill country with incredible views. Once we reached Kandy we met our driver for the next three days and headed north. First stop was at the rock monastery of Aluvishara - amazing frescoed caves filled with reclining buddhas. One cave was covered in pictures of demons handing out various forms of torture to sinners, and another cave had actual statues - demons spooning out the brains of one poor man, and another hung upside down with a demon chopping sections out of his groin - pretty gruesome. Next we were taken to a spice garden where the owner told us a LOT about Ayurvedic medicine - it was like being back at school trying not to fall asleep where we stood! We did get a free cup of milk less cocoa and a spicy tea, then a `free` Ayurvedic massage of our heads, back and arms - very nice but it was hard to relax thinking they were going to scam us. Of course they asked for a `donation` afterwards. After a curry lunch we stopped to climb up to the Dambulla cave temples: five ancient caves each with incredible frescoed ceilings and 150 buddhas between them. Before we drove up to Sigirya we were told that the hotel we were meant to be staying at was fully booked and we were taken to a nasty motel with filthy bathrooms instead. We kicked up a bit of fuss about this, considering the price we paid, and we eventually settled for a partly finished hotel, but it had a secluded garden and pool. We arrived at the rock fortress of Sigirya by the late afternoon - a huge rock with the ruins of a 5th century palace on the very top. It was very touristy and we had to queue to climb up a precarious spiral staircase to reach a recessed gallery in the rock which was decorated with ancient saucy frescoes of women with their breasts out - like 5th century page 3 girls! The last part of the climb was ridiculously steep with a narrow metal staircase drilled into the rock. The view was breathtaking and we stayed until sunset, by which time we almost had the place to ourselves - it was magical. Back at the hotel the rooms that we had seen in the semi-darkness (`we can`t get the lights to work at the moment`) turned out to be half-finished too - bare plaster in the bathrooms and an air-con unit that didn`t have an on-switch! Thankfully we were too exhausted to care, and hit the sack early after another curry dinner.
Next morning we headed back to Kandy where we checked out the Temple of the Tooth - home of a dental relic snatched from the Buddha`s funeral pyre in 543BC. Of course you don`t see the tooth - it is hidden in a big gold box in a big glass fronted chest (if it is really there at all). It was all a bit disappointing. We had another curry lunch (are you detecting a theme here?) with fabulous views over the city. It was our best curry yet - you had to search hard for it on the menu, past the western dishes of steak and sandwiches, beverages and deserts to find it but it was a fabulous feast of lots of little dishes of curries, pickles and rice for £2.40 each!. We then spent a wonderful peaceful hour in the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens wandering around the trees without the hassle of touts and `guides`. Then we had a 3 hour drive through the very scenic hill country and tea plantations to reach Dalhousie, the starting point for the ascent of Adam`s peak. Claire had persuaded the whole family to join us for our nighttime climb, and it was very emotional to meet up again, even if the location was a little strange! The mountain is sacred to Sri Lankans and hundreds of pilgrims make the climb up a well-lit path each night. Unfortunately, the lights went out just as we started the climb so we felt our way over the rough steps with only starlight for illumination. Once our eyes got used to the dark we could just about make out the path and the night sky was just incredible - I even saw a shooting star. It was a hell of a climb - 7km and 5200 steps taking nearly four hours, and the summit was covered in concrete and huts (as well as a gold-roofed shrine) but the view was absolutely incredible. It was very exposed, and we shivered as we waited for the sunrise, but it was all worth it as the sun broke over the horizon and cast a shadow of the peak on the clouds below. It was an incredible place, especially as the pilgrims began their prayers, and we all had a great sense of achievement from our climb. All that was left was the jelly-legged decent...
We finally arrived at the Hotel Serendib in Bentota after an exhausting 5 hour drive back from Adam`s Peak and it was paradise - a calm oasis from the chaos of previous days. All I wanted to do was curl up under crisp sheets and get some kip but instead we got talked into a boisterous game of water polo in the pool before watching a perfect sunset over the ocean. It was wonderful to be with family again and we spent the next couple of days lounging by the pool, eating, drinking and catching up.
The night before the wedding we threw hen and stag parties for Lynn and Brendan. Call me biased, but I think the girls had just a little imagination than the boys! While the lads just drank beer at the bar, we dressed Lynn in her swimming costume, a net skirt and veil and paraded her down to dinner with makeshift drums (in preparation for the Sri Lankan wedding ceremony the next day). The parties sort of merged at that point but at dinner the girls sat at one end of the table (and discussed nail varnish and home furnishings) and the boys sat at the other (discussing beer and sport). After a few more drinks we decided it was time the almost bride and groom got wet, so we ran them down to the sea and rugby tackled them into the surf - suffice to say we all ended up drenched!
The wedding day started very peacefully with sunbathing and manicures - the wedding wasn`t until evening so there was plenty of time to relax before the chaos began. Finally before we knew it my big sister was walking across the lawn on the arm of my Dad, proceeded by Sri Lankan drummers and dancers, and my cousins behind her, trying to suppress a serious case of giggles. It was a beautiful traditional Sri Lankan ceremony, and after the photos Lynn and Brendan climbed onto an elephant and rode off into the sunset - simply stunning. Finally as it got dark we drank champagne and ate cake under the palm trees. After a couple more drinks at the bar we were seated at a beautifully decorated table on the beach with a bonfire and a fabulous firework display. The food was wonderful, the speeches were mercifully short (how did you manage that Dad?) and the wine flowed. After that it all gets a bit fuzzy but it involved shoes and guests in the pool....
Next morning after we were pretty seedy but agreed to go on a boat trip up the river to see dinosaur-sized water monitors and visit a coconut factory where we were shown how every part of the coconut palm is used to make rope, ornaments, oil, drinks and err... coconut flesh. It was enjoyable to start with but soon the heat began to get to me and I couldn`t wait to get back to the hotel. When we finally got to land again we moored up next to a couple of elephants bathing in the river with just the tops of their heads visible and the ends of their noses sticking out like a snorkel. On our last day we went out for a dive with Brendan and Ben - although the coral didn`t compare with the Barrier Reef we saw an amazing amount of fish - barracuda, big puffer fish and lion fish just swimming along the bottom - fabulous! A couple of beers with lunch turned into an all afternoon drinking session, with a brief interlude to ride the elephant along the beach - they are surprisingly hairy! All too soon it was time to say to say an emotional goodbye to everyone - it had been an incredible holiday and wonderful to spend so much time with the family.
Life wasn`t as quiet as we thought it would be after our return from Sri Lanka - the next week Sarah, an old school friend stopped over on her way to New Zealand and that weekend George`s Mum and Gran came to stay for a week. We had a great time showing them our favourite bits of Sydney including watching Love Actually at the outdoor cinema in Centennial Park and taking them to lunch at Iceburgs on the beach. George`s Gran bought him a new surf board and (I can hardly believe it myself) he has been getting up before dawn to catch a wave or two before work!
Now that we are season ticket holders for the Sydney Swans Aussie Rules team we have been looking forward to the first match - taking on last years champions the Brisbane Lions in Brisbane. It was a great excuse to visit Peter and we were the first houseguests in his swanky new converted warehouse apartment on the river. It was great to catch up with Peter and his new flatmates, Andrew and Libby and on Friday night we took the CityCat along the Brisbane River to a huge pub called the Regatta. Saturday was spent watching (and occasionally helping) Peter and Andrew move in followed by a shopping trip into town. Then it was time to don our red and white and make our way to The Gabba. It was an amazing match - the Swans started strongly and were comfortably ahead by half time, but the Lions came back and edged in front. With seconds to go, and the Lions two points ahead, a Swans player caught the ball right in front of the posts - all he had to do was kick the goal to put us in front... but missed. Peter was stoked - and we were gutted. After that we drowned our sorrows in a crowded bar in Fortitude Valley before staggering home.
On Sunday Peter drove us up the coast to Noosa where we spent an hour or so body surfing in some frighteningly big waves - the coast had been hit by Cyclone Grace and most of the beach had been swept away. After a wander around town, fish and chips and ice cream we headed back to Brisbane, via the Big Pineapple. George and I were very excited to finally see our first Aussie `Big Thing` and the Big Pineapple even has it`s own theme park! We climbed up inside the pineapple to look out over the plantation then marvelled at the unsurpassed tackiness of the adjacent shop. We also took the opportunity to check out the Big Macadamia Nut in the same complex but were very disapointed that it was only half a nut and the nocturnal animal house inside was closed. Once we got back to Brisbane we were treated to an Aussie family Sunday night BBQ at Peter`s parents but all too soon it was time to catch our flight back to Sydney. Huge thanks to Peter for putting us up and for driving us all around - It was a fabulous weekend.
April 4th marked the one year anniversary of our arrival in Australia and to celebrate us not having to leave we decided to get out of Sydney for once and spend the weekend in the Blue Mountains. George`s mum had bought us an abseiling trip in the mountains for Christmas giving us a perfect excuse to spend the weekend there. It turned out a cheap weekend too, with free accommodation in a secluded `earth cottage` courtesy of George`s colleague and the kind loan of Katie and Dan`s car whilst they were in NZ. After a long drive through the Friday night commuter traffic we arrived in Wentworth Falls and found our Earth Cottage - made of mud bricks! We were starving so we headed straight back out for a chinese, then stocked up on beers to take back to the cottage. George stoked up the log fire and without a TV or radio we settled down to some good old fashioned conversation... 20 minutes later the room was roasting and we had both dozed off!
Saturday morning we awoke to a beautiful sunny day and set off exploring. First stop the Wentworth Falls themselves, which were pretty but very touristy, then a stop in Leura (which was reminiscent of Burford) for a tasty lunch in a rather eccentric cafe. Next stop Govetts Leap and a lovely walk down to the top of Bridal Veil Falls. Then on to Pulpit Rock with incredible views across the gorge and an amazing wind sculpted cave. Feeling quite exhausted we sat outside a cafe in Blackheath with coffee, hot cross buns and the papers enjoying the late afternoon sunshine. Our final stop of the day was to watch the sunset at Hargraves Lookout but by now a thick haze was obscuring the sun so we headed back to the cottage. We had a lovely evening by the fire drinking a couple of bottles of Rose we had brought at the cellar door in the Yarra Valley - fabulous.
Unfortunately the next morning we woke to the sound of heavy rain drops on the roof and thick fog surrounding the cottage. Did they really expect us to abseiling in that? A quick phone call to the company confirmed that they did, but if we preferred we could spend the afternoon in a wetsuit canyoning and abseiling a waterfall - it sounded like a perfect way to spend a rainy day. After getting kitted up we were driven out to Mount York which had somehow escaped the weather, where we learnt the basics of abseiling and descended three increasingly high drop-offs - the last with a heart-stopping overhang. By lunchtime we were whizzing down the cliff face like pros. Then we were driven back to near Wentworth Falls where the rain was sheeting down, and changed into wetsuits and raincoats - a very fetching look! We walked down into the beautiful canyon before wading into the water upstream of the waterfall. We really had no idea what we had let ourselves in for - 5 minutes later we were jumping off rocks into tiny pools of swirling 10` muddy water! The canyon was incredible with the narrow walls towering above us covered in lush mosses and ferns. By the time we reached the top of the waterfall we were shivering with the cold - but the worst was still to come - a 30m descent down a waterfall heavily swelled by the overnight rain. Standing at the top, trying not to look down, I was eternally grateful that we were descending backwards! The power of the water kept knocking me off my feet, and the rocks were incredibly slippery - as I gasped for breath half way down I had to remind myself that this was supposed to be fun! Looking back up from the bottom George and I couldn`t believe we had done it - quite possibly the most terrifying thing I have ever done!
When my old school friend Will suggested coming out to visit in April we reminded him of what the weather was like when we arrived last year - rain, rain and more rain. He reminded me that he preferred windowless casinos to sun drenched beaches and arrived on April 7th. We took him to Thai Terrific for a welcome meal and then left him to his own devices for a couple of days whilst we were at work. We awoke on Good Friday to blazing sunshine and 30` and thought `fish` so headed to the fish market. We weren`t alone in our idea - the place was heaving, but we found a spot on the grass by the water edge to devour our lobster, oysters, prawns and salmon. Back in Bondi we took the boards down to the beach. Will, having not been in the sea since seeing Jaws as a kid, watched from the safety of the shore while we caught some great waves. Saturday was another fabulous day so we set off on the Bondi to Coogee coastal walk, again swimming at each beach while Will watched from the sand. The huge waves at Bronte nearly killed us - you couldn`t even stand up in knee deep water due to the incredible rip. A couple of beers at Coogee bay hotel and it was time to head back to Bondi and get ready for our first Swans match in our new membership seats. It was a really close game and Geelong really had us worried, but the Swans came through for a nail-biting finish. We celebrated afterwards with a few beers at Fox Studios. Our friends David and Abi had invited us up to Abi`s parents` place on Lake Macquarie in Newcastle so Easter Sunday morning we drove north to join Abi`s extended family for a lovely Sunday lunch at a restaurant overlooking the lake. After several glasses of wine we were driven across the lake to their home in their rather nice motorboat. That evening we took their little tin boat out on the lake and tried our hand at fishing - George and Will caught a few tiddlers, but nothing worth keeping. Abi and I got bored pretty quickly and demanded to be taken back to shore, leaving the men to bond over stubbies and fishing line. The next morning we were treated to a fabulous breakfast on the deck before heading out on the boat again. We anchored off the lake`s only island and jumped in for a swim. After a boozy picnic lunch on the boat we were taken back to our car - time for the long drive back to Sydney. Huge thanks to Abi`s parents for putting us all up in their beautiful home. The next weekend Will and George went out deep sea fishing with some of George`s work friends - and brought back a stack of fish. They were very proud that of the 32 fish caught that day 26 were by George and Will`s hand. That night we met up with fellow rugby fans Nick and Beth for the Super 12 rugby match between the NSW Warratahs and NZ Hurricanes - another great match, followed by far too many beers at the Elephant and Wheelbarrow. On Sunday we met Katie and Dan at the bowls club and bbq`d the fish caught by George and Will - very tasty (or it would have been if I wasn`t quite so hungover!) All too soon it was time for Will to go - but not before he`d developed a very expensive pokie habit. We`d really enjoyed showing him our favourite bits of Sydney.
For Anzac Day last year we met Gill and Rich at the Coogee Bay Hotel and played two-up and got ridiculously drunk. No such shenanigans this year as we were both on call - ouch! The things we do to stay in the country... We had thought about getting up at 3am to attend the dawn service at Martin Place - but of course when it came to it we stayed in bed. After I`d gone into work in the afternoon we caught the bus down to Watsons Bay and walked along the cliff top to South Head. It was a beautiful day and the views across the harbour to the bridge and city were stunning. Doyles hotel was kicking with a rowdy game of two-up but we felt a bit too sober to join in. Instead we sat between the boats on the beach with fish and chips watching the sun set over the city - just beautiful.
Balmain is supposed to be THE place in Sydney to have a pub crawl - lots of English style pubs within walking distance of each other. We`d been meaning to organise a crawl for ages, so when Nick and Beth, who have just moved to Balmain, invited us along we jumped at the chance. In traditional George and Fay style we had rather too much to drink on the Friday night and found it quite hard to get going Saturday morning, arriving two pubs late. After a bloody mary and an absolutely fabulous steak to settle our stomachs at the Riverview we were on for the first of many beers. Next stop the West End, a traditional grungy hotel with the world`s oldest dog in residence. The next pub was the Exchange which had a very bizarre Safari Room complete with mounted zebra heads and animal print furnishings. This was the point where suddenly everyone began to feel drunk and the first beer spillage, which was to be feature at every pub from then on. The next pub, Dicks was stumbling distance across the road from the Exchange, and after that my memory of which pub in which order gets very hazy but we ended up at at the last pub by 8ish. Unable to take any more beer, we hopped in a taxi and were home by 9pm, leaving the rest of them to get messier - we heard later that Judith fell over and it was only the next day she realised she`d broken her ankle - ouch!
After another win at the pub quiz we were a bit disappointed to only win a couple of litre bottles of wine and a free meal instead of the previous $100 bottle shop voucher. Still, it gave us another excuse for a get together with our Penkevil Street team mates, and they and a few other friends came round for a Saturday afternoon BBQ on the balcony. It all started off very civilized - George`s cousin Kate who is staying for a few weeks had made some wonderful salads and I prepared a jug of Pimms. Of course it all went pear shaped well before the BBQ was turned off, with a messy game of Truth or Dare Jenga complete with vodka (and Blue Cuaraco when the vodka ran out) shots. Then Brendan suggested a round of strawpedos.. and then another. We certainly made up for lost time - our first strawpedos in Australia and we did five of them! Don`t really remember much after that except waking up in my clothes at 2am...
The posh frock that I so carefully packed up in my suitcase looked like it was going to join the rollerblades in the category of `most useless and space-consuming items brought to Australia` but after 14 months I finally had the opportunity to dust it off and check it still fitted. Every year the hospital throws a huge ball - 950 people went this year - with food and all drinks included in the ticket price and a cheesy cover band to strut your stuff to. The food was a bit disappointing - the starter was a chunk of lettuce and a tomato with a bit of shaved parmesan on the side, but we worked hard at getting our money`s worth in beer and wine. Then it was time to hit the dance floor, and before we knew it they were playing their last song. We ended up in the Pontoon bar on Darling Harbour, but things were pretty hazy by that point! Woke up on Saturday morning feeling very nauseous, but with no bruises, and George still talking to me, I can only assume this was one ball where I was fairly well behaved!
After 14 months in Australia, a wedding invitation gave us a much needed excuse to come back to the UK and catch up with friends and family... and celebrate George`s 30th birthday in style!
Flying with Eastern China Airways (no we hadn`t heard of them either) had only one redeeming factor - a stopover in Shanghai. After a 10 hour flight with the only English language movies to watch being Maid of Manhattan and Triple X, We finally touched down. George had booked us into a posh Marriott hotel using his reward points, and we went to the hotel desk at the airport to enquire about a shuttle bus - and ended up paying a huge amount for a limo transfer! We managed to wrangle an upgrade to a very swanky suite, so it was very tempting to just stay in the hotel room all night! It was getting late by the time we headed out exploring, but we wanted to find the French Quarter, where we hoped to find some nightlife. After wandering around some dodgy deserted back streets and past some dubious underground `clubs` we found what we were looking for - a few late night restaurants and tea houses. We picked the busiest restaurant and used the English menu to point at the pictures of what we wanted to order - hoping we wouldn`t be brought sliced duck head, noodles with tripe or chicken feet instead! After a very tasty meal we decided against the seedy looking English bar down the street and headed back to the hotel.
Next morning we were up bright and early for a quick sightseeing tour before catching our flight. We wandered through Peoples` Square and down some side streets until we finally ended up on the Bund - the main tourist thoroughfare overlooking the Huanpu river. Unfortunately the city was shrouded in smog, so the views across the river were not all they could have been. Rapidly running out of time we caught a taxi back to the hotel, grabbed our bags and headed back to the airport - next time we`ll stay for longer...
After another torturously long flight we arrived at Heathrow on Saturday evening. George was spending the weekend in London with the boys, so I took the hire car down to Brighton. It was great to be driving on English roads again, and the countryside was even more beautiful than I remembered. It was great to catch up with old school friends Sarah and Katie, but after a couple of glasses of wine I was suddenly exhausted and ready for bed. Next day we met up with little sister Claire for a fabulous Sunday roast, and sat in the sun outside the pub. Then we wandered down to the seafront to meet up with Anna, an old university friend. That night I stayed at Claire`s and was treated to dinner cooked by her flatmates whilst I caught up on some English TV - bliss! Before heading back up to London on Monday I had one last visit to make - meeting my friend Katy`s baby Hannah for the first time - she had just turned one and was absolutely huge! It was so good to catch up with everyone. Back in London I collected George, who filled me in on his night in the Bug Bar (an R n B club in Brixton - I don`t think George really appreciated Phil`s choice in music!) and a day water skiing with Al, Phil and Scriven.
That evening we drove up to Ipswich to see Penny and Greg, George`s sister and brother-in-law, and to meet George`s niece Abi for the first time. She was a real cutie and George was very taken with the new addition to the family. That night we were treated to a bbq in the garden, enjoying the long twilight evening. Next day we had plenty of time to play with Abi before hitting the motorway again for the long typically rainy drive to Oxford. After a quick cup of tea with my parents we drove to Witney to meet up with old school friends James and Will for a lovely Thai meal and a couple of beers in a good old-fashioned English pub. Next day we visited my Gran, who cooked us an amazing roast lamb lunch with all the trimmings, followed by a choice of blackberry and apple crumble or Christmas pudding! We were joined by my aunt and cousins for a lovely walk through the fields - it is so true that you don`t appreciate where you live until you leave it. That night we had dinner at my sister Lynn`s house, and watched the Sri Lanka wedding video, which brought back some great memories of a grand holiday.
Thursday we drove to London to meet up with old work friends from Charing Cross and Orbis. George went straight to the Packhorse whilst I caught up on the gossip at the hospital, meeting George later. All too soon it was 11pm and we had to leave - we have definitely got used to late opening hours! Huge thanks to Matt and Tam for putting us up that night. Next day George had a meeting and I met my old work mates for lunch at Pizza Express - just like the old days. That night we stayed with Phil and had a lovely night out in Clapham - Tapas followed by several beers at the Bierodrome.
Al had specifically requested that we didn`t get drunk on the Friday night before his wedding because we had to get `really drunk` at the reception! Thankfully we didn`t feel too seedy after our Belgian beers and managed to make it to Nailsworth church just in time. Nailsworth is a pretty Gloucestershire village where a childhood friend used to live, so it was lovely to be back there for Al and Annie`s wedding. The service was beautiful and very traditional compared to our last wedding in Sri Lanka. As Annie is the Vicar`s daughter, the reception was held in a marquee in the vicarage gardens, and the food was prepared by Annie`s chef brother - it was exceptional. After the meal we followed Al`s instructions and got `really really drunk` whilst dancing to the cheesy disco. Finally, when I could no longer stand, it was time to leave. We were staying at Al and Annie`s place in Stroud and after eventually getting the key`s from Al`s brother and waiting forever for a taxi, we got to the house. Having never been there before, we walked up the path to the front door, opened the porch and tried the key in the lock - it wouldn`t open! For a while I thought George just kept missing the lock, but he assured me that the key just didn`t open the door. Stepping back from the porch and scratching our heads we noticed a second entrance on the left hand side - there were two houses sharing the pathway - and we`d been trying to get into the wrong one! Al later told us that his neighbours were a single mum with three daughters - hope they didn`t wake up!
The morning after the wedding we made our way back to the vicarage for much needed coffee and final farewells before heading back to my parents for a big family Sunday dinner. Mum cooked a fabulous feast and we ate outside in the garden, reminiscing about the Sri Lanka trip. Next morning we said our goodbyes and started on the long trip to Cornwall. We stopped off in Cirencester to visit my old school friend Sarah and her 9 month old son Elan. It was great to catch up, and we took Elan for a walk in the park, enjoying a fantastically hot day. We eventually arrived at George`s mums house in North Cornwall just in time for a tasty bbq dinner, cooked to perfection by Jason. The next few days were spent taking it easy, but we did join Jason and Fiona for a couple of tennis matches at what is possibly the best located tennis court in England - right on the edge of the cliff top at Crackington Haven. We were blessed with some wonderful weather, and I had vowed that I`d swim in the sea when we visited George`s Gran on Cornwall`s south coast - unfortunately I got out of that when it rained for only our second day in England. Thursday was the opening day of the Royal Cornwall Show - and we weren`t going to miss out on the best agricultural show in the UK. Whilst we enjoyed viewing the displays and stalls, the best bit was definitely the fabulously freaky `Real Cornishmen` on show in every judging tent. That night George`s Mum treated us to a delicious meal in a Spanish restaurant in Bude to celebrate George`s imminent 30th birthday. All too soon it was time to say goodbye to beautiful Cornwall and hit the road again for our final weekend in Centre Parks.
Center Parcs is like Butlins for sporty people - lots of chalets set into woodland and more sport and leisure activities than you can throw a stick at. Gill and Rich had done a fabulous job booking 28 of us into chalets and organising the birthday bbq for the Saturday night. We arrived late afternoon on Friday, slightly delayed due to a blown tyre on the hire car - after picking up supplies at the supermarket I was so excited about munching on my first Double Decker in over a year I managed to steer straight into the kerb! It was probably a good thing then that cars aren`t allowed in the Center Parcs village, so after finding our chalet we picked up our hire bikes. It was hilarious cycling around the park like the Famous Five, especially after a few (ginger) beers! We couldn`t wait to get to the swimming pool complex and throw ourselves down the `wild water rapids` - last time we`d come to Center Parcs we`d spent forever racing each other down them, and we hoped they would be as good as we remembered. We needn`t have worried - they were as great as ever and we spent hours chucking ourselves over the rapids every which way. Friday night we had pizza at the Italian restaurant followed by a couple of beers in the very bizarre roman forum style bowling alley. By the time we got back to the chalets the rest of the group had arrived and were packed into one chalet getting steadily drunk. It was so good to see everyone and several more beers were drunk as we caught up on everyone`s news.
Next day George woke up and dressed in a zip-up cardigan and jeans with creases down the middle... what had happened? Yes, Saturday was George`s 30th birthday. After breakfast we all met up for a game of tennis and we proudly showed off the shots we`d practiced with Fiona and Jason in Cornwall. Later George and I re-discovered how to play badminton - who`d have thought that hitting a shuttlecock could be so exhausting? With the last of our energy we cycled over to the swimming pool and threw ourselves down the rapids another 50 or so times. That evening we had a huge bbq outside the front of our chalets. Each chalet had been asked to organise a vodka type drink - we`d made our famous skittles vodka, there were several versions of vodka jelly, and Alan and Liz brought arak back from Jordan - George did a great job of ensuring we all did at least one shot of each! After that it all got messy, with lots of dancing on tables and getting in cupboards. When we finally fell into bed at 4am, George said `that was the best birthday ever`.
Sunday morning found us feeling decidedly seedy, but there was sport to play. George had booked two teams into the five-a-side football tournament, but due to the numbers it ended up six-a-side with Greg playing with another group. The matches were messy, with far too much testosterone involved, but Greg`s team eventually won - he was very proud of his Center Parcs medal! Then it was time to throw ourselves down the rapids and waterslides again! That night was the first England match of Euro 2004 against France, and we settled ourselves in the sports bar to cheer England on. It was a huge match, with England taking the lead in the first half. It was going so well - then in the 90th minute Zidane scored two goals and England again snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Gutted.
All too soon it was Monday, and after packing up the chalets we had time for another hour or so on the rapids before the long drive back to London for our evening flight. It had been a truly amazing weekend and a great way to end the holiday.
Although we`d had a great time back in England, it was good to be back in Sydney and once we were over the jet-lag we settled back into the old routine with ease. The weather has been fantastic - it hasn`t rained since we got back, and during the day temperatures have been a very warm 20-25` - some winter! We are now in training for the next City to Surf race in August and this weekend we were running along the cliff top between Bondi and Bronte and spotted whales just off the coast! How cool is that! They were a little way out but you could see the water spray from their blow holes and one of them flipped it`s tail over as it dived - magical. Don`t see that very often in Hammersmith.
A quarter of century ago, a group of homesick Irish, whilst staying at a hotel in the Blue Mountains during the Australian winter, found the wintery weather reminded them of Christmas at home. So they asked the hotel owner to knock up a traditional Christmas dinner and dig out some decorations, and Yulefest was born.
Thus it was, that 24 years later, we were very excited to be invited to a Yulefest weekend organised by Nick and Beth. There were to be 28 of us staying in 6 cabins in Blackheath and we each had a job to do in preparing or clearing up a massive Christmas dinner. Nick very kindly gave us a lift up on Friday night, and by 9pm we were ensconced in the pub getting to know the other guests. George and I had the dubious pleasure of staying in the karaoke cabin, and once we got back to the cabins we wasted no time hogging the mikes and belting out Abba and Last Christmas. Knowing we would get no sleep until everyone else had left, we didn`t get to bed until 4am.
Saturday morning we struggled to get out of bed... nothing to do with the hangovers and everything to do with the bedroom being freezing outside the blankets. After breakfast in a cafe in town most of the afternoon was spent preparing dinner (actually most of it was spent watching other people preparing dinner - I had the tricky task of cooking cauliflower, and George had to wrap sausages in bacon!) and it wasn`t long before we were back on the beer. There was a little bit of tension when Nick went to put on the turkey and could only find one instead of two! So he drove back to the butcher and accused him of getting his order wrong - the butcher obliged him and changed the leg of lamb for another turkey. Unfortunately this one was frozen, so it was bathed in hot water for a while before being squeezed into a microwave! Later that day Nick opened the fridge and found the original turkey... doh! We eventually sat down to dinner at about 8pm, but it was definitely worth the wait. Dinner was followed by the handing out of the Kris Kringle presents, each one accompanied by a poem of varying quality, and much hilarity. By now we were pretty steamed and ready to crack out some more karaoke hits. Earlier in the evening there had been a few snowflakes in the wind, but by midnight the snow was really coming down - a white Christmas! It was truly magical.
Throughout the weekend there was an ongoing murder game... we were each given a murder card picturing one of the guests, a location and a weapon. Every time you `killed` someone, you took their cards, but it had to be unwitnessed - otherwise you were both dead. Having swapped cards to get George`s, I killed him just after dinner with a turkey (leg) in the car park. George was a little unhappy at this treachery and spent the rest of the night bribing people to find out who had my card. When I eventually turned off the karaoke machine at 4am and headed to bed, George arose from the dead and committed the ultimate cold blooded revenge murder - with a carrot in the bathroom.
All was not well the next morning, and not even two coffees and a big fry up could put it right - George did a great job driving Nick`s car back to Sydney (all was not well with Nick either) and the rest of the day was spent under the duvet on the sofa. It had been a fabulous weekend and all credit must go to Beth for her outstanding organisational skills - especially arranging a Christmas day snowfall!
It`s over a year and a half since our last ski trip to Val D`Isere and we were itching to strap on those ski boots and throw ourselves down a steep icy slope. They`ve had some of the best conditions in the Snowy Mountains for years, so we didn`t hesitate to sign up for a weekend trip with some of George`s workmates. It`s a torturous 6 hour journey from Sydney to Jindabyne and there was only one way to make it shorter.... beer, and lots of it. Unfortunately beer also causes need for urgent bladder emptying, and so I found myself squatting against the bus on a windy hard shoulder somewhere near Canberra. We finally arrived at the hotel at midnight, got our skis and hit the bar. Next morning we were pretty seedy but we had to be up for breakfast by 7.30, then back in the bus for the drive up to Thredbo. Due to high winds there were only 3 lifts open, it was snowing really wet snow which soaked us to the skin, and we`d skied all the open slopes by 10.30am, but it didn`t stop us having great fun racing each other straight down from the top, and nailing a few jumps on the way. Eventually by about 3.30pm we couldn`t face another lashing from the freezing rain at the top of the lift so we retired to the bar for beer. That night the drinking started early with baileys and brandy and butterscotch schnapps before dinner, then we hit the hotel bar. It was all quite tame to start with, and then they brought out the `shotski` - it was all downhill from there. Marlene danced on the stage with a very cute but slightly frightened Japanese lad, and George played an interesting version of musical chairs where he ended up wearing both my top and my bra.... but don`t worry mum - not at the same time! George and I finally turned in at about 2am, leaving Kylie to party with the boys until breakfast! Sunday morning we headed to Perisher Blue, and conditions couldn`t have been any more different than at Thredbo. The sun even broke through the clouds a couple of times! There were many more lifts open, so it took until after lunch before we knew our way around, and a fresh dump overnight meant some fabulous powder to make tracks in. Once we remembered how to turn in deep snow we were in ski heaven. In the afternoon we found a fun run with a lot of little jumps and drop offs, but the wind was getting up and it was getting very cold on the lifts. Not wanting the fun to end George and I nailed it over to Mt Perisher for one last long run down - but found ourselves in a complete white out at the top of the lift. It was touch and go getting back down the mountain but we made it just in time for the train back to Thredbo. Nothing left to do but pile back in the bus for the long drive back to Sydney. George decided beer was the only way to cope, and introduced the `don`t fall asleep game` - and then declared the game void when he started to snooze! It had been an awesome but exhausting weekend - looking forward to doing it all again in 3 weeks time!
We`d been halfheartedly looking around for a new apartment for a while - somewhere with big ocean views or nice wooden floors. So when we found a place with fresh paint, a clean and modern bathroom and kitchen, wooden floors and the most amazing view of the whole beach, North Bondi headland and the ocean beyond, we snapped it up. We signed the contract and collected the keys on Thursday night so we`d have the whole weekend to move, but with the City to Surf race on Sunday morning we knew we`d have to sacrifice a Friday night to lugging boxes and furniture. We hired a 3-ton van and we were amazed when we filled it twice - how had we accumulated so much stuff in just 16 months? We had a lot of fun getting the sofas down the 4 flights of stairs at the old flat, and the fridge was even worse - how grateful were we that there was a lift at the new place! We unloaded the second van load by midnight, so all that was left on Saturday was to clean the old place and buy some essentials for the new one. The new flat is just lovely and very homely - I think we`ll be really happy here.
With the move, we hadn`t done any training in the week before the race, unless you count running up and down the stairs about 50 times at the old flat carrying boxes. We`d been very good and not drunk at the Swans match at the SCG on Saturday night so we were raring to go Sunday morning. Having finished in under 100 minutes last year, we were in the front group and went on the first gun at 10am. George and I ran together for the first 1km or so, but after we got through the congestion at Kings Cross tunnel he sprinted off. The atmosphere again was amazing - so many people lining the streets. Knowing what to expect this time meant that the Heartbreak Hill didn`t seem quite so hard, and my new go-faster trainers didn`t cause the horrendous blisters I got halfway through last year. We were hoping to better our times from last year, and did in style - George crossed the line in 80.01 minutes (last years time was 84.13) and I finished in 86.45 - (92.20 last time). Our speedy times meant we were in the Bondi Hotel with a beer in hand before midday - and by the time Katie and Dan (who had walked) joined us we were feeling quite tipsy. How grateful were we that we only had a 5 minute walk home!
With the AFL season drawing to a close, the Swans had to beat Essendon Bombers to finish in the top eight and go on to the finals playoffs. It was such a big game that we decided to make a day of it and met Katie and Dan at Scruffy`s for lunch of $5 steak and beer before catching a train to Telstra Stadium. It was a great day to be at the old Olympic Park - There were big screens showing the live Olympic Games from Greece, and the Sydney Olympic Flame was burning high for the occasion.
With a couple of hours to go before kick-off we sank a few more beers while watching the rowing on a big screen. There was a great atmosphere with the lots of food stalls and a couple of bands. Once inside the stadium the beer was flowing fast and the match was nail-biting with the lead changing hands several times, but in the end the Swans played Essendon off the field. To celebrate, we had a full on kick-to-kick session on the pitch and then returned to the pub for more beer while strutting our stuff to the band. A great day out!
The next time we see the Swans in Sydney, it`ll be the Finals!
Never content with just one days celebration for my birthday, this year I managed to spread it out over nearly a week! Peter came down from Brisbane on the Friday night and met us for after-work drinks at the 3 weeds. Next morning we warded off a hangover with a bbq breakfast on the balcony before heading down to Tamarama beach for a kick about in the sand followed by a bbq in the park. It was such a beautiful day that George, Peter and I had donned our swimmers with the idea of swimming in the ocean for the first time since the end of the summer, but after testing the water with a big toe we quickly turned back... The sunshine may have fooled us into thinking it was summer but the ocean had other ideas!
Once it began to get dark we packed up and returned to the flat to prepare for the cocktail party. It was all fairly civilized to start with, and our skittle vodka was once again going down well as each visitor arrived. But it didn`t take long for our guests to start creating their own concoctions. We soon realised that most of these weren`t leaving the kitchen area and that the people on the balcony were still drinkless! A few large jugs of pina colada prepared by Martin remedied this and soon we were mixing more than we could drink. Rory`s Midori`s were definitly the the cocktail of the night with poeple literally queueing in the kitchen to get their glass full! However some of Lochlan`s shooter inventions were a little less palatable - one was entitled `The Lamb Shot` and contained nothing but vodka and mint sauce! At some point I must have got the twister mat out but by now I was incapable of keeping my balance whilst standing so I didn`t last very long with one hand on blue and the other back to front on yellow.
When we awoke the next morning the kitchen was decidedly sticky and the aroma of coconut and pineapple juice was overwhelmingly nauseating. The damage wasn`t too bad: one bin full of vomit (thanks Beth - but at least it had a plastic bag in it!), one broken picture frame and two small dents in the hallway where a shot glass had bounced off one wall and into another. After we`d tidied up, the rest of Sunday was spent under the duvet watching dvds and feeling sorry for ourselves.
On Monday, Peter met us for lunch at `Chicken with a Difference` and in the evening we had a fabulous pizza at the Old Castile on Bondi Road. Finally it was Tuesday and my birthday! George cooked up a bbq breakfast before saying goodbye to Peter who was flying back to Brisbane. That night George took me to our favourite restaurant, Nino`s Hideaway for a fabulous dinner of oysters and fresh fish, washed down by a bottle of champagne given to us by Sally and Matt as a housewarming present. It was a wonderful way to end an amazing birthday weekend!
If you thought Aussie rules was confusing, what with four goal posts and no goalie, wait until you encounter the final playoffs. The Swans had finished 6th in the ladder, ensuring a home elimination final match against the West Coast Eagles at Telstra Stadium. Win this and we`re through to the semi-final (but that`s not the game before the final... that`s the preliminary final!). So on Saturday a group of us met up in the Orient in the Rocks for a few pre-match beers before catching a ferry under the Harbour Bridge and up the river to Olympic Park. The first half was very close, and in the second quarter an incredible thunderstorm passed overhead, bringing torrential rain. This was the point where we cursed our ringside seats and wished we were at the back under the covers! Thankfully the storm passed after half time and we could enjoy watching the Swans putting the game out of reach of the Eagles.
The Semi-final, a week later, was against St. Kilda at the MCG. It was a massive game - the Saints had been top of the table for most of the season, but our hopes were high after the swans ended their 10 game winning streak back in June. Unable to get to Melbourne, we watched the match in the Sports Bar in Darling Harbour. There was a great atmosphere but it wasn`t enough - the Swans lost and our finals dreams were dashed again. Maybe next year....
With fantastic conditions continuing in the snowfields, we snapped up a spring special deal and squeezed in one last trip to the snow before the end of the season. We both had the day off so decided to drive down during the day on Friday, stopping off in Canberra to have a little look around the nation`s capital. First stop was at Goulburn, home of another of Australia`s `Big Things`... the Big Merino. The locals claim that it is the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere, but this is hotly contested by the residents of Wagin in Western Australia, who also have an oversize ram. All this begs the question that while they are arguing about the biggest Big Merino in the Southern Hemisphere, somewhere out there north of the equator is an even bigger Big Merino... where the hell is that? On into Australian Capital Territory and before long we were driving over Lake Burley Griffin and into the centre of Canberra. The road system in the city centre is a little like a massive version of the magic roundabout in Swindon - lots of circular roads and nowhere to stop. After circumnavigating Capital Hill a couple of times we found a road that took us up to Parliament House. We were amazed that we were able to park directly under the seat of parliament, without any security checks. What was even more incredible was that we were parked in the absolute centre of a Capital City... and it was free! Where else in the world can you do that? We had a wander around Parliament House and down to the old Parliament building just across the road. There was a very green and spacious feel to the place, but it did seem almost eerily quiet. With some distance still to go to Thredbo we hit the road again, stopping only in Cooma to hire skis.
It was dark by the time we arrived in Thredbo, but despite scouring the roadsides we didn`t see any foraging wombats. After checking into the hotel we headed into the village centre for pizza. Next morning we were up bright and early to take full advantage of the hotel`s location... right next door to the chairlift at Friday Flats. We were really lucky with the weather - beautiful crisp blue skies both days, although the sunshine turned most of the lower slopes to slush by the days end. With just the two of us there was no waiting around at lifts and we skied pretty much non-stop, with only a quick lunch break each day. The snow on the upper slopes was near perfect and we had some great runs. By 2pm on Sunday we had skied the whole resort, and were beginning to seize up, so we decided to make an earlier start to the 6 hour drive home. We stopped in Cooma again, but didn`t return the skis... with a great sale price for ex-hire equipment we decided to keep them for next time!
George once mentioned Jervis Bay, about 3 hours south of Sydney, so I decided to take him there on a surprise trip for the Labour Day bank holiday weekend. The weather was shocking on Friday, and the forecast for Sydney was for rain all weekend. I began to have second thoughts - what do you do in a South Coast beachside village on a wet weekend? Deciding to make the best of it we set off through the driving rain and high winds - there was even fog! We finally arrived in Vincentia, a little village in the bay, by 10.30pm to find all the restaurants and take-aways closed. We were staying in a lovely little hostel run by a local couple, and it was like staying in their house - they lived upstairs. We had the double room and there was one other room with 4 bunk beds, but we had the place to ourselves for the first night. We ended up getting a bottle of wine from the local pub (which was ripe with local life and a little scary at 10.30 at night!) and a roast chicken and salad from the supermarket.
We awoke to a blue sky and sunshine on Saturday, and headed into the next village of Huskisson for brunch. Then the clouds came over and it started to rain! Thankfully it was only a shower so we decided to drive down to Booderee National Park, on the southern tip of the bay. There were some beautiful bush fringed beaches and some nice walks through to the headland. The park booklet promised kangaroos at Green Patch, a beachside campground, and sure enough a tame roo was scratching himself right in the middle of the park, loving all the attention. We finished up with a short walk to a ruined lighthouse on the far side of the headland. That night we got `world famous` fish and chips from a shop frequented by Paul Hogan, then went to the tiny village cinema to see the very funny Dodgeball.
Sunday was another beautifully sunny day. The diving is meant to be pretty good in the bay, so we`d booked ourselves in for a boat dive at the local dive shop. Unfortunately the storms had kicked up the silt and the usually crystal clear waters were very murky. The were also really cold - but I think we were more prepared for this than our dive last year in Sydney so we managed to stay down a bit longer! We saw several Port Jackson Sharks, and a beautiful wobbegong shark lounging around on a big rock. Despite searching the kelp, we still didn`t spot any weedy sea dragons (crazy seahorse creatures) - maybe next time! That night was the Rugby League finals, which we watched at the hostel with a few beers and a very ordinary take-away Chinese.
Monday was the best day yet - really hot without a cloud in the sky. After packing up the car we headed straight to Hyams beach, home of the Guinness Book of Records certified whitest sand in the world. We weren`t the only ones to have this idea, and the northern end of the beach nearest the car park was pretty busy. We decided to wander south and find our own little bit of paradise. There was quite a bit of seaweed washing up onto the beach so we kept walking until we found a clearer patch, fully intending to take a dip. However after an hour of sunbathing the wind got up and the water didn`t seem so enticing! Feeling hungry we made our way back to the village which had a lovely deli/cafe/general store. We picked out some quiche, pate, salad and olives and had a wonderful picnic back on the beach - this time sheltered from the wind behind the sand dunes. It was a truly idyllic day, and we were very sad to leave.
We`d been meaning to visit Adam and Steph since arriving in Sydney (Steph is the sister of George`s university friend Al, whose wedding we`d been to back in England in June). So when Steph gave birth to baby Luciana a couple of weeks ago, we decided to hire a car and drive up to Newcastle. After getting terribly lost in the Newcastle suburbs we eventually arrived at their lovely newly renovated house. Steph`s mum Julia was staying, and that night we had a delicious meal and several beers while Steph retold the gruesome details of the birth.
On Sunday morning we had a ride in Adam`s ute to have brunch in a lovely cafe in the city centre. After that we drove around to the ocean beaches, but it was a little too cloudy for a swim. We had wanted to visit Blackbutt Reserve - a free inner city nature park, but Luciana was getting hungry so Adam and Steph took her home while Julia, George and I had went to look at the wombats and koalas. All too soon it was time to drive home, but we`d had a lovely time catching up.
That weekend we decided that hiring cars was way too much hassle, and George spent the drive home spotting the sort of car he wanted to buy. The next day he went to see a little second-hand Suzuki Vitara, and by Wednesday we were the proud owners of Suzie - a lovely soft-top 4WD jeep - photos to follow!
Now you all know how much George loves jazz, but when Ref (a friend of Nick and Beth`s) invited us to the Hunter Valley for a jazz festival, Beth assured us the focus was very much on wine rather than music. After getting a bit lost in North Sydney, we eventually made it to Cessnock and bagged our bed in the American Indian themed lodge. That night we drank rather too much beer in the local micro-brewery pub and ended up back at the lodge singing along to Beth and Steve`s efforts on the guitar.
Next morning we had some trouble getting ready for the bus to the festival, but by 11am we were at Tyrell`s winery and found a spot on the grass. The thought of any more alcohol was making us feel rather ill, so we decided to kick start the day with a nice sparkling white (champagne being the only exception to the `12 o`clock rule`). It was a beautiful afternoon drinking wine and eating cheese in the sunshine. After a few more bottles the ball games came out, much to the dismay of the groups either side of us who got rather bombarded. Finally we were drunk enough to dance, and went down to the stage for the last band. After that things get a little hazy, but we got a bus back to the pub in Cessnock and George and Beth started play fighting in the car park. George rugby tackled Beth on the concrete and she sat up, went pale and said `I think I`ve broken my wrist`. Bad George. We told her to get to the hospital but Beth was having too much of a good time - 5 minutes later she was sat at a table in the pub with a bag of ice on one hand and a beer in the other. Later there was more guitar playing (not by Beth this time) and pizza, but I think we hit the sack by 11pm. When we awoke next morning Nick and Beth were missing - they soon returned from a visit from the hospital, with Beth`s arm in plaster. Ouch.
We had thought we`d visit a few wineries on the way home on Sunday, but the idea of tasting anything other than water made me feel rather more than nauseous. So we took a detour to Palm Beach instead, and had some lovely fish and chips watching the kite surfers before walking up the headland to the Lighthouse. It was a lovely afternoon, and a great drive with the roof off on the jeep; we`re really going to enjoy having a soft-top car again.
Heading out for my regular run along the cliff-top path from Bondi to Bronte, I was amazed to see sculptures all along the route - Sculpture by the Sea is back! When we came on our holiday in 2001 we happened across this outdoor exhibition - over a hundred sculptures and installations with the fabulous backdrop of the Pacific Ocean. We`ve had Jo, a friend of Gill`s staying for a couple of weeks, so on Sunday we took the opportunity to take her on the Bondi to Coogee walk. It was a beautiful hot sunny day, and we spent a couple of hours wandering around the sculptures and drinking in the `culture`. Then we continued along the cliff path, taking a refreshing dip at Clovelly Bay. When we reached Coogee we jumped in the sea again and had a lot of fun playing in the waves. After some noodles we had a couple of beers at Coogee Bay Hotel, watching a very tacky Miss Coogee competition!
With Jo off travelling the East Coast, we suddenly had a free weekend and decided to take Suzie for a run in the Royal National Park. The park is on the coast just South of Sydney, with some great surf beaches, so we set off with Lizzie the surf board in the back of the jeep. The drive through the park was very scenic, and we had a lovely picnic lunch at a beautiful lookout above Garie Beach. Once we actually got to the beach however, it didn`t go quite as planned. The surf was breaking sharply onto a sand bar, and the wind was strong enough to blow my boogie board half-way down the beach. But we weren`t going home without a swim, so we donned our wetsuits and hit the surf. Almost immediately, George and I were both violently dumped - pretty terrifying as we could both have easily broken our necks as our heads were thrown against the sand. We didn`t stay in for much longer after that, and drove on to the next beach up. This picturesque bay was sheltered by cliffs on both sides, and it was a lovely place for a relaxing swim. On the way back we let Suzie show off her 4WD action on an unsealed road - She (and George) loved it!
Every year Peter rents a house in Noosa and organises the annual Club Pharm conference, a week long experiment in pharmaceutical remedies for hangovers. We flew up to Brisbane after work on Friday night and had a great night out in the city centre. Jess and Dan came along too, and it was lovely to catch up with them. Saturday morning Peter drove us up to Noosa, ignoring our calls for another stop-off at the Big Pineapple. The house was stunning, with a pool and a terrace overlooking a little inlet of the Noosa River. After welcome drinks conference proceedings gathered pace, with a stroll to the beach and a frolic in the waves followed by ice-cream. That night we had a lovely dinner in an Italian Restaurant where we were serenaded by Trevor Bishop and his guitar - George enjoyed it so much that he brought his CD! After dinner we sampled the local nightlife at The Rolling Rock Lounge, an ultra cheesy nightclub with what was possibly the world`s biggest mirror ball, and a huge framed mirror at the side of the dance floor so you could ensure you still looked buff whilst strutting your stuff. Unfortunately we had to leave just before midnight to get home in time for the England v Australia Rugby friendly. I hear it was a good match; I was asleep before the end of the first half!
On Sunday, after a game of Pool Pony Polo, we hired a boat and motored down the Noosa river to a secluded spot for a BBQ. It was an idyllic location and the essential Pimms went down well. Before we took the boat back we dropped anchor in a little bay by the river mouth and had a lot of fun running into the river from the steep bank. That night we cooked up the rest of the snags and played a few drinking games on the terrace - when the `thumbmaster` became the `drop-your-daks-master` and then the `stripmaster`, it was inevitable that we`d end up jumping off the jetty into the river.
It was with great reluctance that we left the next morning for our flight back to Sydney, leaving the rest of Club Pharm to party without us. Our sadness didn`t last long - we were back home by lunchtime and as it was a beautiful hot day, we went for lunch at Tamarama followed by a splash in the waves. We came home from our beach holiday and went to the beach - how cool is that? That night we met up with Katie, who is a member of a yacht club on the harbour, and joined the crew of a 47ft yacht for a race. It was great to be sailing again, and in such fabulous surroundings. We`ll definitely do more sailing soon.
Huge thanks to Peter for organising such a great weekend, and for driving us to and from the airports - you`re a star!
The big news is that George took voluntary redundancy at the beginning of December. This means he is now being paid to sit on the beach and surf for the whole of the Australian summer. How jammy is that? However with one of us having to remain employed for the visa, the chances of getting time off from the hospital to spend on the beach with George seemed slim. After much discussion with the boss, the only week I could get off in the next 3 months was in a week`s time! With little time to plan it seemed an ideal opportunity to do the long-awaited trip to join up Sydney and Brisbane on the map, and to let Suzie run wild on the beaches and inland 4WD tracks. We were very excited to be doing a big road trip again - and this time in our own car.
With Christmas parties on Thursday and Friday night we didn`t get away until Saturday morning. We`d arranged to stop at Adam and Steph`s in Newcastle for lunch, so we did well to get away by 11am. It was a beautiful sunny day, and we had the roof down the whole way. (That`s the last time I`ll tell you about the roof as it didn`t go back up until we got back to Sydney a week later.) It was great to see Adam and Steph again, and little Luciana had definitely grown in a few weeks - smiling and gurgling away to herself. We had a lovely BBQ lunch on the deck, but all too soon it was time to get back on the Pacific Highway. Our first detour took us along the Lakes Way - a lovely winding scenic road through forests and (unsurprisingly) alongside lakes. We took a turn-off onto an unsealed road to see the `tallest tree in NSW`. The tree was, well, tall, but the track itself made it worthwhile. Suzie loved bumping along the gravel track, and we narrowly avoided running over dozens of lizards sunning themselves on the road - then two wallabies shot out of the undergrowth, hopping right across our path - magic. When we hit the coast again we stopped at Boomerang Beach for a splash in some huge dumping waves. Our stop for the night was Forster, and we arrived just as it was getting dark. That night a terrific thunderstorm rolled in, but we found a fabulous fish restaurant by the river and had oysters (Forster apparently is famous for them) and a delicious barramundi dish.
We were up early the next morning for our dive trip - we`d been promised a dive with grey nurse sharks, but with poor visibility at their usual haunt, Nick (our divemaster) took us to another spot in the bay where sharks had been spotted. The water was freezing, and it was quite murky, but we did see a big blue grouper, a foot-long blind shark, a crayfish and an absolutely massive bull ray; he was probably 2m across. Unfortunately the sharks didn`t want to play and stayed at home, but it was still a great dive. The next spot was closer to shore, and we navigated ourselves. The water was ridiculously murky, with George disappearing into the gloom if he was more than an arm length away. We soon gave up and surfaced, but the other two divers on the boat, who stayed down longer, saw a nurse shark! What more than made up for that crap dive was the trip back - we were suddenly surrounded by a massive pod of dolphins. Nick slowed the boat and I sat up front while the pacific spinners ran with us and leapt and spun out of the water just beneath my feet. It was truly magical, and we were completely surrounded - there were probably 50 or 60 of them, rising out of the water with perfect choreography. Wow.
With our hastily planned trip, I thought we had much further to go that day, and we nearly bypassed Port Macquarie altogether, rushing to get to Bellingen: 300k north. At the last minute we turned off on a scenic drive south of Port, and it was then that we realised we had so much more time for our trip - and George remembered booking a hostel in Port Macquarie. Suddenly we had time on our hands, so I admitted seeing a sign back down the road that said `4WD beach access`. George needed no persuasion to turn Suzie around, and we had lots of fun driving the length of the beach. Then we stopped the car and ran into the sea for a swim - crazy! We tried to get onto another beach, but this one had huge rocks between the dunes and the surf - George was up for it but I had to put my foot down - I didn`t want us stranded on the second day of our holiday! Once we`d arrived in Port Macquarie we had a nice walk along the river to the breakwater, then stopped at a pub and sat on the verandah. George ordered a cheeky half dozen oysters, which we washed down with a cold beer as we watched the sunset. Lovely. We liked Port a lot and could definitely have stayed longer.
We left Port Macquarie early Monday morning and had a huge breakfast at Crescent Head, a pretty holiday village with awesome views from the headland. Too stuffed to swim in the surf there we continued north, taking a back road through Hat Head National Park. This was probably my favourite drive of the holiday - a deserted road following a meandering river through beautiful lush pastoral countryside - very reminiscent of England`s green and pleasant lands. Eventually we rejoined the main highway and stopped of at Nambucca Heads. We swam at the town`s Main Beach, and were surprised at how secluded and empty the beach was on such a beautiful day - so different to Bondi! Our stop for the night was a little way inland at Bellingen, a strange town with a quite `alternative ` artistic community - I even spotted a chap sat outside a cafe wearing a black beret and moustache! The town was surrounded by stunning lush countryside, and with plenty of the day left we drove up to Gleniffer - a tiny village with the gorgeous sounding `Promised Land Loop Road`. This bumpy unsealed track linking remote dwellings took past beautiful streams and valleys. We had a swim in the equally wonderfully named Never Never River, relishing the icy cold water. The reason we`d chosen to stay in Bellingen was because the guidebook stated that platypus live in the river - and with it being almost a year to the day since our last unsuccessful platypus hunt in Queensland, I was pretty confident we`d spot some. Unfortunately the only duck-bills we saw belonged to ducks - and cheeky ones at that. We had picked up a couple of pies for a late picnic lunch by the river, and when a couple of friendly ducks came begging for scraps we gave them a bit of crust. Big mistake! This was their cue to start climbing over us to get to the pie - one even took a bite straight out of my hand! Thinking that the number of people splashing about in the river may have contributed to the lack of platypus swimming by we decided to join in and had another refreshing swim. That night we had delicious pizza followed by a lovely bottle of wine on the terrace of the hostel.
After breakfast the next morning we picked up supplies for a picnic and headed to Dorrigo National Park. I`d read about this world heritage listed rainforest, and was looking forward to the elevated `skywalk` above the rainforest canopy. Maybe we were a bit hungover but the walkway was all of 75m long and the `rainforest` was just a load of gum trees. A little disappointed, and not wanted to leave after just 5 minutes, we did a short walk hoping to spot some wildlife - all we saw was a couple of little birds. Giving up, we decided to take the scenic route back to the Pacific Highway. This took us past the picturesque Dangar`s Falls and along a crazy winding gravel track through the forest. Eventually we arrived in Coffs Harbour, and enjoyed a refreshing swim and our yummy picnic at Diggers Beach. Time for our next `Big Thing` - The Big Banana. Claimed to be the original and the best, we were a little disappointed - none of the rides were open, and the banana was well, not that big! By now it had got really hot - even the wind was scorching. We decided to stop in Grafton for an icy lemonade at a pub by the river and as we drove through the town a shop sign showed the temperature as 41` - Phew! No wonder we were cranky. Our next stop was at Ballina, for a prawn cutlet in the fish shop below the excellent Big Prawn, and a sunset swim at Shelly Beach. By the time we arrived in Byron Bay it was getting late and many of the restaurants were shutting, but we found a lovely little Thai and had a fabulous meal.
We had planned to stay in Byron for a couple of days and take a break from driving, but after a much needed lie-in and a fabulous brunch at the Beach Cafe it was still overcast - not really beach weather. Hoping that the weather would improve for Thursday we decided to take a day trip into the Hinterland, and visit the hippy village of Nimbin. We soon got lost in the winding country roads, but eventually found the turn-off to Nightcap National Park where we had a lovely walk through the rainforest to the magnificent Protesters` Falls. After a few more wrong turns and an unexpected gravel road, we arrived in Nimbin. This tiny village is home to Australia`s `alternative` community, and we were expecting to see stoned hippies smoking joints on the street mumbling `peace man`... we weren`t disappointed. We couldn`t resist a poke around the crazy Nimbin Museum, with a psychedelically painted combi van crashing out the front window. The inside was crammed with dusty clutter and scary dilapidated figurines; every available surface was covered in rambling prose and murals. In one room, fittingly dedicated to the many uses of hemp, a geezer with a huge bag of grass was doing a deal - before being told `outside boys` by a bearded hippy - presumably the museum owner. Far out! Feeling a little out of place we didn`t stay much longer, but went in search of a sacred aboriginal site just outside the village. The guide book said the Nimbin Rocks were clearly signposted from the road, but we didn`t find them. We did manage to find a lovely waterfall at Hanging Rock Creek - it was deserted when we arrived, and a little freshwater turtle was swimming in the large plunge pool. He didn`t stay long once George started jumping off the rocks at the top of the waterfall! We were back in Byron in time for a sunset swim in the ocean, followed by dinner at a cool sushi bar and a bottle of wine in the moonlight on the beach. Lovely.
We couldn`t come to Byron Bay and not handglide off the headland, although George initially wasn`t keen. We were lucky with the weather - it was still cloudy but the wind was in the right direction at the right speed for the launch off Cape Byron. As I was lighter, I went first, with the hope that the wind would get strong enough to lift George in the next half hour or so. It`s a tandem flight, so once your strapped into your cocoon there is no turning back. Josh, my pilot, seemed to wait forever for the right gust of wind - then a couple of steps and we were flying! We climbed really high above the headland, and the views were amazing - once we were up it felt very safe, until it was time to come in to land. We suddenly swooped really fast towards the surf on the beach, slowing up just in time for my feet to touch the sand. Incredible. Back at the top there was much hands-on-hips deliberation as to whether George would get up, but eventually they were off. Neil, his instructor, said he was seconds away from having to abort and land when he got a thermal and could lift them - in the end it was a great flight. By now the sun was out, and seeing as we were on the headland we decided to have a look around the lighthouse then take a walk back along the beaches to town. We had a quick swim at Clarkes Beach before getting fish and chips and eating them on Main Beach. Another swim then time to get back on the road for the drive to Mount Warning National Park. We were staying in a cabin at a caravan park, and the owner told us there were platypus in the river at dusk. We expectantly jumped back into the car and drove back to the river, but we`re beginning to think that platypus are another great Australian hoax like drop bears, because again they didn`t come out to play. After a BBQ dinner we had an early night - we planned to get up at 3.15am to climb Mount Warning for sunrise!
When the alarm went off at 3.15am climbing Mount Warning for sunrise suddenly didn`t seem such a great idea, but we dragged ourselves out of bed and were at the start of the 4.4km climb by 3.45am. It was pitch black - the trees above blocked out any moon light. We had a little Maglite, but with only thongs on it was only a matter of minutes before I stubbed my toe on a rock and broke a toenail. It was a very steep climb, but as we neared the top it began to get lighter. The last section involved a sheer rock face with a chain to help you climb. Exhausted we reached the top with only a few minutes to admire the incredible view of the pinky clouds in the valleys before we were treated to a wonderful sunrise, lighting up the valley and ocean beyond - we could see all the way from south of Byron to the skyscrapers of Surfers Paradise. The rainforest birds were now in full voice, and on the way down (now that we could see) we were surrounded by lush tropical rainforest, which was worth the walk in itself. We even saw a wallaby in the undergrowth - amazing. We were back at the cabin by 8am so we grabbed another couple of hours sleep before heading north again. We stopped at Tropical Fruit World for our last big thing, the Big Avocado, and eventually crossed into Queensland at Tweed Heads. We spent an afternoon at Surfers Paradise - a brash holiday resort on the Gold Coast. We swam in the massive surf, and people-watched on the beach, but this was another place were we didn`t really feel we belonged and we were glad to get going to catch an earlier ferry to Straddie Island. It was a bit of a last minute decision to stay overnight on the island, and all the cheap accommodation was booked out, so we picked up a tent in Tweed Heads! We wanted to camp on the beach so once we arrived on the Island we picked up supplies and a big branch to use as firewood and headed down to the Flinders Beach. The camping areas were actually set back from the beach, and by now it was dark and they were hard to find. Eventually we chose a secluded spot and pitched the tent and lit the fire. We had a lovely evening chatting in the firelight getting our way through several beers. Thankfully we drank enough to drop off to sleep pretty quickly as we hadn`t brought anything to sleep on - the hard sand was definitely not comfy!
Unsurprisingly we were awake early, and after a much needed coffee we had a walk around Point Lookout with fabulous views of the island. We walked down to secluded Deadmans Beach, and the path brought us out on the top of a huge sand dune - we ran crazily down it then cooled off in the sea. As we were about to climb back up we spotted a few dolphins riding the waves just out to sea - cool! George was really excited about driving on the Main Beach which ran the length of the Eastern side of the island, but by now it was high tide and we had to wait a few hours. We picked up fish and chips at Dulwich and drove to Brown Lake where we ate our lunch on the shore before driving along a 4WD track to a more secluded part of the lake where we chilled out on the beach before swimming in the incredibly warm but very brown water. By now the tide should have receded enough to drive on the beach so we made our way across the island. We headed to the southern tip, where we could see across to South Stradbroke Island. There was a flock of pelicans on a small lake in the sand and after climbing the dunes we spotted a little wallaby in the bushes - once he spotted us he bounded off at incredible speed. I took the wheel on the way back up the beach and spotted a big male kangaroo just grazing on the dune grass - he let us get close enough for photos before hopping off with huge leaps - wow. We were anxious to allow plenty of time for the ferry back to the mainland but found the way blocked by a 2WD car completely stuck in the sand. George helped them try to dig out the wheels but it was well and truly stuck. The only way round was to drive north up the beach back to Point Lookout, so George put his foot down, only to find ourselves bogged down in the exit road. Just as I was beginning to panic George remembered the low 4WD gear and Suzie roared away. We made it to the ferry with plenty of time to spare. We wanted to get as far south that night as possible, and finally stopped at Grafton at 11.30. We were staying at the Crown Hotel, which was kicking off - it being the Saturday before Christmas. The owner was concerned the rowdy band and revelers would keep us awake - no chance - we were asleep as soon as our heads hit the pillow.
Sunday morning we hit the road early and made good headway south, but it was another crazy hot day - over 40` and even my feet were sweating in their thongs. We finally made it back to Sydney by 5.30pm just as the weather broke and a huge thunderstorm swept through. We covered 1749Km on the way to Straddie Island, and 981km on the way back - what an epic journey.
We were expecting a very different Christmas this year, without Claire and Phil to join the festivities; but not only were we alone for the Christmas day breakfast and present opening ceremony, but we awoke to an overcast sky and a distinct chill in the air! No worries, we just cranked up the Xmas cheesy tunes CD and cracked open the first bottle of bubbly. Time for the presents... George had been busy all week collecting packages from the Post Office, and we had an impressive pile under the tree. George brought me a beautiful necklace and earrings, but he saved the best to last - Singstar for the playstation - a karaoke game where you actually get scored for how in tune you are! It didn`t take us long to start belting out the hits. I brought George a wombat - yes, a real one - thankfully the zoo is very kindly looking after it for us. After a few more renditions of our favourite tunes, Katie and Dan arrived, and it was time to crack open another bottle of champagne; and show them our new game...
Eventually we decided to brave the elements and headed down to Tamarama beach where Bernie and Rory, and several of their friends were already throwing another shrimp on the barbie. We didn`t let the lack of sunshine spoil our fun, and we had a great time playing Frisbee and kicking George`s new AFL ball around. Katie, Dan, Dave, George and I even braved the waves - but it wasn`t cold - with the sea at around 20` it was about the same as the air temperature! We had brought tickets to the dance party at Bondi Pavilion again, so after returning home for a quick change (and another couple of renditions of `Build Me Up Buttercup`) we made our way down to Bondi Beach. How different it looked to last year - even at 6pm last year the beach was packed with people in only their swimmers - this year the beach was almost deserted, but a few diehards, determined to spend Christmas day on Bondi Beach no matter what, had dug trenches in the sand, half covered in tarpaulin! Judge Jules was already spinning the discs by the time we got into the Pavilion, and the place was kicking - just as good as last year. Unfortunately, it was again all over by 10pm, but we`d had a really good dance to some pumping tunes. Once again there were lots of friendly policemen around the Pavilion at the end of the party - although the first couple we approached (sergeants apparently) told us they were far too busy to pose for photos with us - so Katie and I found a much more obliging constable, then another - and another! Unfortunately Faysie lost the camera in Hobart, so these photos are gone forever...
Back at Edward Street we got stuck into the rest of the champagne, and had a girls v boys competition on Singstar - and I discovered my inner diva. We were joined by Dave and Kirsten, and Kirsten was wearing something sparkly on the fourth finger of her left hand - Dave, the old romantic, had proposed over Christmas dinner! Congratulations to both of you. It was 3am before the neighbours finally complained about the singing - and by now, out of the crate of 12 bottle of bubbly we`d brought to last for Christmas and new year, only one lonely bottle was left in the fridge - ouch. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) there are no photos of our singing efforts, or the pavilion, but Bernie has kindly given us some of her snaps of us at Tamarama - cheers Bernie!
We didn`t feel too good Boxing Day morning; perhaps it was something we ate... Last year we`d raced down to the harbour with the hope of catching the start of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race - this year we could lie on the sofa and watch the hundreds of yachts pass just off North Bondi headland - how cool is that! It was a beautiful day, so we managed to make it to the beach for a swim and sunbathe. We had wisely decided to get an evening flight to Hobart and met Danielle at the airport who was on the same flight. Danielle`s friend kindly gave us a lift to the hostel, and after checking in we went straight to bed.
Next morning we had a lovely breakfast at a cafe in Salamanca Place - a pretty street with atmospheric old warehouses and street front cafes. Then we did the Lonely Planet walking tour around historic Battery Point - it was very pretty with buildings that are old by Australian standards, but it was nothing new to us Pommies. In fact it was just like walking around a Cornish village. The weather was very English too - lots of passing clouds and regular short sharp showers. It was also really cold.. Emma and Hoops assured us this was exceptional even for Hobart, but it didn`t get above 16` during the day, and got down to 7` at night. George hadn`t even brought a jumper - we had to pick one up for him in the sales! We met up with Maria and Pete, Kristie and Simon and David for takeaway fish and chips on the harbour - we ate them on a bench pretending that it wasn`t really drizzling with rain. Another very English moment.
The wedding was to be held in the park overlooking the ocean, but with the inclement weather Emma had been forced to make a quick change of plans. We were very grateful - I was wearing my floaty summer dress with only a wrap to keep the chill out! Instead the wedding took place at the reception location - a converted flour mill in the city centre. It was a beautiful setting, and Emma (who arrived in a Combi van) looked stunning. It was a lovely ceremony, and afterwards we were treated to tray after tray of delicious canapes - including some wonderful oysters. The speeches were excellent, the band played all our favourite tunes, and Danielle got so drunk that she started pushing full glasses of wine over just for the hell of it. It was a great night.
Next morning we met up with Maria, Pete and David for breakfast in Salamanca Place. Maria and Pete were hiring a car to drive up the coast, so they very kindly took us all up to the top of Mount Wellington. The mountain is 1270m high, and as we neared the top we were amazed find a thin layer of snow! As soon as we got out of the car we were blasted by icy winds - it must have been below freezing. We ran to the shelter to admire the views over Hobart, but didn`t feel we`d really done the mountain without going to the lookout outside. I used to think there was nothing unusual about a snowball fight in December - but in the middle of the Australian summer? Crazy! After that we needed some hot fudge cake, and Maria and Pete knew just the place - a cute cafe on top of Mount Nelson. The cake was lovely, but the service was appalling - the useless waitress had us in stitches. That night we met up with Emma and Hoops at Taste - a food and wine fair on the harbour - and had a great time sampling the local wine, seafood and cheese. Unfortunately I had to get back for work on Wednesday morning, so we had to be up silly early to get a 6.30am flight. We missed the arrival of the Sydney to Hobart yachts by just a couple of hours.
Having lost the camera somewhere in Hobart, these photos were kindly donated by Maria and Pete, and `borrowed` from Emma and Hoops wedding site...
2004 seems to have passed by in a blur of sun drenched days. It seems like only yesterday when Claire left the skin from her shoulders on Observatory Hill after watching the fireworks last year. This year Matt and Tam, our friends from Orbis (George`s old workplace in London), were visiting Sydney. We spent the day on the beach at Bondi, and took Tamara to have a swim at Tamarama. We were again invited to a party at Katie and Dan`s in Pyrmont, but this year they had moved to another apartment in the block with even more fabulous views of the bridge and harbour. The first set of fireworks at 9pm were just brilliant, and we could even see another display around the corner in Darling Harbour. By now we`d had enough champagne to set up the Singstar game, and had a hilarious time playing boys v girls on the Pass the Mike game: of course the girls won by miles. All of a sudden it was 11:45pm and we`d promised to take Matt and Tam up to The Rocks for the midnight fireworks. We jumped in a cab and made it to Observatory Hill with just a couple of minutes to spare. The fireworks were just as incredible and endless as last year, but this time there was no silly hill jumping. We took our time walking back down through town to Darling Harbour, where we watched a crazy traffic jam of beautifully lit up yachts and pleasure boats returning to their moorings after bagging the best firework viewing spots in the harbour. After a quick stop in the casino for George to double his money on the craps table we returned to the party at Katie and Dan`s. As if we hadn`t left we picked up the mikes and racked up some top scores on our favourite tunes. Before we knew it the sun was coming up over the city and everyone had gone to bed... after just one more rendition of `Every Breath You Take` (so sorry Katie and Dan for keeping you all up with our screeching!) we made our way home. It was 8.30am before we fell asleep. What a great night, but how bad did we feel on New Year`s Day!
Fiona and Jason had given us vouchers for a parasailing trip for Christmas, and with one free weekend before Easter, we thought we`d better do it while the water was still warm! The trip ran from Manly harbour, and there were four other couples on the boat - each of us taking turns to strap into the harness and get taken up into the skies. I hadn`t really thought about what was involved - but we soon realised there was much more to it than sitting under a parachute looking at the view. Not that the view wasn`t totally fantastic, but the best bit was dropping slowly down towards the water and then getting dragged along the surface - feet first, then bum first, then face first! It was absolutely hilarious, and it really got the adrenalin pumping! Great present Fiona and Jason - thank you.
Back on dry land it was now beautifully sunny, so we took the snorkelling gear down to Shelly Beach. After fish and chips for lunch we had a delightful afternoon sunbaking and snorkelling. We`ve recently invested in proper masks, snorkels and fins and have spent several evenings after work floating around in Clovelly and Gordon`s Bay, rediscovering the incredible marine life around Sydney. Who says you need scuba gear to get close to the fish?
Friday was another hospital day off, and George had arranged a camping and surfing trip on the South Coast with some of his mates from work... or so I thought. I`d packed my daggy shorts and T-shirts into a rucksack on Wednesday night, so I was a little surprised when George picked me up from work on Thursday with a huge suitcase in the boot - and no tent. We weren`t going south either - he`d booked an apartment in Port Stephens, just north of Newcastle - the only place we`d missed out on our recent road-trip. The suite was fabulous - a spa bath and a huge balcony overlooking the bay. I was even more impressed when I opened the suitcase and found George had packed all my favourite dresses, shoes, jewellery and make-up - he really had thought of everything. By now it was gone 9pm, and we headed into town for dinner, but we had forgotten that these small town places stop serving food really early. No worries, we ended up with a take-away pizza and a bottle of wine on the balcony watching the lightning on the other side of the bay.
Friday morning we started the day with a swim in the pool, then we picked up supplies for a picnic. It was a beautiful hot and sunny day - and George was very excited about taking Suzie for a spin in the huge dunes on Stockton Beach. This incredible landscape has to be seen to be believed - the dunes go back for about 1km from the ocean - and we`re not talking little dunes - they are up to 30m high. Suzie was loving it, and as we got more adventurous we headed inland from the high tide mark and were soon surrounded by nothing but yellow sand. We might have got a little carried away, trying to climb up a rather steep incline, but suddenly Suzie was struggling. We limped back onto the harder sand, but Suzie was having none of it. We couldn`t work out what was wrong, but we were getting low on fuel so we thought it best to try and get out to the main road along an exit track. We followed another couple of 4WDs off into the dunes, hoping it was the right way - but we couldn`t keep up and we were suddenly very much in the middle of nowhere. Every time we tried to climb a hill, Suzie would grind to a halt before the top; we`d reverse and try again with more revs. We were making slow but steady progress - until we got stuck in a depression - we couldn`t go forward, and we couldn`t reverse out. Bugger. By now we were beginning to think we`d have to abandon the car and hike in the baking heat for help - we hadn`t even brought mobile phones, and no other vehicles had come past. As a last ditch attempt we unloaded the Esky (and me) and with the lighter load we finally got free. Just around the corner we found a proper track - and in no time we were back on solid tarmac - such a relief! Suzie was now driving fine - we think we were just asking too much of her in the very deep drifted sand. It was now almost 3pm, and we still hadn`t had our picnic, but George was insistent that we had to eat on the beach. We drove back around to the northern end of Stockton Beach, and found a sheltered spot behind a dune to lay out the picnic stuff. Then George shifted up onto one knee and produced a little blue jewellery box... I was just blown away. Inside was a perfect diamond on a platinum band - and as George slipped it onto the fourth finger of my left hand it fitted exactly. It was a complete surprise - George had spent weeks planning every little detail. Suddenly we weren`t in the least bit hungry anymore, and were excitedly making plans for the wedding. Eventually we gave up on the picnic and ran down to the waves for a swim. That evening George took me to a fabulous seafood restaurant overlooking Shoal Bay, and we celebrated with oysters and champagne. An absolutely perfect day.
On Saturday we had a lazy morning in the pool and on the sun loungers, before finishing up the leftover cheese, salami and olives from yesterday`s picnic. Port Stephens is famous for it`s resident pod of dolphins, so we`d signed up for a dolphin-spotting cruise. It was a big pleasure boat, full of screaming kids, and when we finally spotted a couple of dolphins in the shallows they were just bobbing on the surface of water - nothing to compare to the incredible display we`d seen with the pacific spinners in Forster. With the dolphins spotted, it was time to let the boom net down, and George and I barged our way through the kids to get a good spot! Before returning to the harbour they stopped in one of the bays so we could throw ourselves down a slide on the back of the boat, or dive off the diving board. It was all good fun. That night we treated ourselves to a bottle of Veuve, which we took to a Thai restaurant - another wonderful dinner.
We`d arranged another day at the cricket with David, Emma and Hoopie; so we drove back to Sydney through thunderstorms. Thankfully the rain eased off enough for the Australia to completely annihilate Pakistan. When the rain returned at about 9pm we took the opportunity to head up to the Opera House, where George (a great Aussie band) were playing a free open-air concert. It was great to be in Circular Quay again, with the bridge all lit up for the Sydney Festival. It was the perfect end to the perfect weekend.
With summer now in full force we couldn`t wait for Emma and Tim to come and stay and enjoy the great beach weather. Emma had a checklist of `must-dos` which kept us busy every day reliving their days here last year. The first Friday night Peter flew down from Brisbane and joined us in the 3 weeds for after work beers and potato wedges - just like the old days! On Saturday we celebrated Emma`s recent 30th birthday with a bbq at Tamarama. We had a lot of fun splashing in some huge waves and then drinking lots of champagne. The rest of the week was spent visiting the fish markets, Palm Beach (where we saw an episode of Home and Away being filmed), Bondi Icebergs, Doyles restaurant at Watson Bay, the Opera House and The Rocks.
For their last weekend with us we booked a houseboat on the Hawksbury River, about an hour north of Sydney. George, Emma and Tim arrived first and sailed the boat around to Brooklyn. Dan and Katie picked me up from work and we were met on the jetty by George and Emma who had rowed ashore in a little dingy boat. Then the troubles began... We decided to try and get all five of us, plus luggage, into the little boat. It started well but with George`s oar constantly dislodging from it`s holder we began to go in circles. Then we got caught in a current and began drifting further away from the boat. Time to get back to the jetty and try again, with only three of us. We were making better progress, but just as we hit the current the holder for the oar came out.. and fell in the water. Giving up we returned to the jetty and called out the hire company emergency boat. Half an hour later we were finally aboard `Scaramouche` a beautiful 10 birth floating house. Time to crank up the barbie and get dinner on. Ah. Problem two. BBQ refuses to light. We call the helpline again, and the chap promises to come out first thing in the morning. We manage admirably cooking the meat on the stove, and wash it all down with copious amounts of beer.
Next morning, as good as his word, the chap from the hire company arrives to fix the BBQ. Just after he leaves we are ready to set sail down the river. Problem three... the boat doesn`t start. Somehow we have drained the batteries overnight. Another call to the hire company and half an hour later another chap appears, who manages to start the boat. Hurrah! With Katie at the helm we weave a meandering path through the water until we find a little inlet to moor up and have a swim. Problem four. Whilst attempting to untie a knot in the anchor line we are drifting rapidly towards some sharp looking rocks, and Katie couldn`t find reverse. With desperation George tore off his T-shirt and dived in like superman to hold us off the rocks, just as we realised that the instructions we`d read about the boat not having reverse related to the outboard on the dingy.. not the houseboat. Full steam backwards! We eventually managed to anchor and spent several hours jumping off the boat, having swimming races and catching some fish. We anchored in another secluded inlet further down the river for the night, and the boys cooked up some great food on the bbq for dinner. All the fresh air must have got to us, because we were all tucked up in bed by 11pm!
Next morning we awoke to a beautiful still day and after a huge breakfast on the sundeck we made our way back up to the town to drop off the boat. We stopped in a busy bay for one last swim and fish. Problem five. When we tried to leave, our anchor was completely stuck, and every time we motored forward to try and release it we were heading closer to all the other boats. A man from another boat came out in his dingy to tell us that only one of the rear motors was in the water - no wonder we were going in circles! Then the anchor chain got wrapped around itself and we desperately tried to free it as we drifted closer and closer to another boat. Finally we untangled the chain, and put the engines in gear(!!!) but it was too late to prevent a minor scrape and entanglement with another boat. (Fortunately the occupants were too busy playing cricket on the beach to notice!) We were quite relieved to get the boat back to the dock without any further incident!
After leaving the boat we drove straight back to Sydney to Taronga zoo where we had tickets to see Bjorn Again playing on an open air stage with the harbour as a backdrop. It was so much fun dancing to all our favourite Abba songs, and George and Tim made themselves well known at the beer stall. All too soon it was time to go home, and Emma and Tim flew out early the next day. What an amazing weekend!
(Photos of the fish that George and Tim caught will appear shortly)
Less than a week after waving Emma and Tim off, and we were at the airport again to meet my big sister Lynn and her husband Brendan. Allowing them no time to wallow in jet lag, we whisked them off for the obligatory first night dinner at Thai Terrific. The next day Brendan couldn`t wait to go snorkelling at Clovelly - in fact Lynn had great trouble persuading him to do anything else for the rest of the week!
Saturday night we met up with some friends from Vinnies for Katie`s birthday party at the Elvis Pizza Restaurant... After we`d devoured a selection of delicious pizzas one of the pizza boys snuck out the back door and reappeared on stage in a white rhinestone suit! He was absolutely brilliant, and even had us doing the conga out the door and down the street. On Sunday we took the ferry across the harbour to meet Rich in Manly, and we had a great time catching up over several beers in the sun at the Manly Skiff Club.
The following week we had planned a trip up to Queensland for diving and exploring the far north. We had an evening flight so spent Friday in Circular Quay exploring the sights, including a trip up one of the pylons for stunning views from the Harbour Bridge. After that we took a trip on a jet boat around the harbour - we sat at the back to get maximum spin from the turns! Despite the waterproof cloaks we were given we still managed to stagger off onto the jetty completely soaked.
We wanted to cram as much as possible into our trip to Queensland, so we were up early on our first day in Cairns to get to the jetty for our boat out to the reef. Unfortunately the sea was very choppy, making Lynn and lots of other passengers very sea sick. It wasn`t the fastest boat, but eventually we arrived at Hastings Reef and transferred to Reef Encounter - our home for the next 24 hours. It was a really lovely ship with a huge dinning and lounge area and very comfortable bedrooms - a far cry from the boat we stayed on with Claire and Phil over a year ago! We did our first dive here but unfortunately my gauge was leaking air so we had to return quite soon - no worries, we just dumped the scuba gear and set off for a snorkel. I wasn`t really looking forward to the night dive, as we`d not really seen anything the last time we`d dived in the dark - but this time we were lucky enough to be surrounded by Giant Trevelly. These big sinister-looking fish (about the same size as us) use your torch to hunt fish for dinner in the dark and appear from over your shoulder or under your belly with starling speed. As we neared the end of the dive we were surrounded by 8 or 10 of them all jostling us for the best position - it was really awesome. I even caught a glimpse of a reef shark`s tail on the edge of my light beam.That night, as it was Lynn and Brendan`s first wedding anniversary, we celebrated with a glass of champagne and then a couple of beers in the hot tub on deck looking at the stars.
Up at 6am the next day for the dawn dive - and probably my best dive of the trip - a turtle on the surface as we dived down, loads of stingrays in the sand, 3 reef sharks basking on the bottom and loads of colourful fish. All too soon it was time for the slow sail back to Cairns - we spent most of the trip back dozing in the sun on deck - lovely!
We had a day off on Monday relaxing in the Cairns lagoon but Tuesday found us standing in the rain at the edge of the Baron River, but we weren`t worried - we knew we were about to get even more wet - time for White Water Rafting! The rafting was excellent - not quite as extreme as our trip down the Tully last year, but still great fun. The best bit was taking the piss out of our guide, who, to be frank, was a complete knob. We all managed to stay in the raft this time, but we did get stupidly stuck sideways between two rocks for several minutes until we rocked ourselves free.
Wednesday morning George and Brendan were up early to go fishing, leaving Lynn and I to sunbathe by the pool. Once they got back (gushing about their catches), we picked up our hire car and headed North. First stop was Ellis Beach, where we ate fish and chips at a beach-side diner before a dip in the stinger net on a beautiful palm fringed beach. An hour or so later we reached Port Douglas - a surprisingly beautiful resort town with stunning views from Flagstaff Hill Lookout. We had a swim at Four Mile Beach where the water wasn`t just warm, it was hot! Our next stop was at the lush Mosman Gorge where we wandered around a rainforest walk and had a dip in the river, it was beautiful but we didn`t see much in the way of wildlife. By now it was getting dark so we drove directly to the little cable ferry that crosses the Daintree River. From there it was another hour along tiny winding roads with ocean on one side and rainforest on the other - we had to swerve to avoid possums and loads of toads. Eventually, at the end of a bumpy unsealed road, we found the turn-off for our holiday home, down a ridiculously steep narrow track. The house, called Daintree Secrets, was incredible - lots of decking overlooking a private creek with a waterfall and swimming pool. We ate at a lovely restaurant called the Dragonfly and then played poker into the early hours.
Next morning, after a refreshing morning dip in the swimming hole we had lunch at `Cafe by the Sea` on beautiful Thornton Beach. After that we drove to the furthest north point of Cape Tribulation that you can reach without a 4WD - the Cape Trib Beach House, where George had a close encounter with a huge Golden Orb Spider. After a walk up to the lookout on Cape Tribulation and through mangroves to Myall Beach we returned to the house for another swim. The stream is inhabited by some friendly jungle perch and an eel, and as we sat waist deep on some rocks George suddenly leapt out of the water - the fish had bit him! We didn`t believe it at first but after watching them for a bit longer we discovered they were rather partial to the big mole on George`s back, along with his toes and nipples. Extraordinary.
The boys decided to squeeze in one last fishing trip on our last day. Lynn and I left them on the shores of the croc-infested Daintree river and took the opportunity to see some more of Cape Tribulation. We found ourselves at the Daintree Discovery Centre - at $25 entry we nearly didn`t bother, and I wish we`d left the slow and patronising audio handset behind, but it was worth every cent. The centre comprised several elevated walkways over natural, unfenced rainforest, with a 23m high tower that took you right to the top of the canopy. We say a Boyd`s forest dragon (a big lizard), a beautiful kingfisher, a huge Ulysses butterfly and a stick insect - but no sign of the promised wild cassowary. We were on our way back to the centre on a ground level path when we heard a rustling close by - a juvenile cassowary only inches away! We soon spotted another, and then the adult male (who does the babysitting). It was absolutely incredible. Unfortunately the boys had the camera to take photos of the one that got away... so you`ll just have to take our word for it!
All too soon it was time to fly back to Sydney, and Lynn and Brendan left the next day. Thanks to them for being our official photographers!
It`s only been 9 months since our last trip home, but with invitations to two weddings within two weeks of each other we couldn`t resist. Besides, we have a wedding of our own to plan! With the weddings both in London at either end of our trip we had 12 days in between to spend with friends and family. We were met at Heathrow on Friday evening by Justin, Sam and baby Grace, who we were yet to meet. We spent the evening catching up and playing with Gracie. On Saturday morning we made our way to Barnes for Nick and Beth`s wedding. It was a beautiful spring day and Barnes looked very pretty with it`s little cottages around the duck pond and daffodils in bloom everywhere. We were staying in a bed and breakfast on a tree lined avenue and every tree was awash with white blossom. We were full of the joys of spring and decided that London was a fabulous place to live. Perhaps we`d come back after all.... The wedding in Wandsworth Registry Office was short and sweet, and was followed by a drunken reception at Ye White Hart pub in Barnes which backed onto the River Thames. We drank pints and danced to the cheesy `Pineapple` disco until midnight. A great day.
On Sunday we made our way to Liverpool Street Station to catch a train up to Ipswich to stay with Penny, Greg and George`s favourite niece Abi. Without the sunshine London looked very grey, and as the tube trundled through the London suburbs we realised that perhaps Barnes wasn`t representative of the rest of London. At Liverpool Street Station we had a hilarious experience trying to get our pre-booked tickets: `Sorry Sir, but the mainframe is down. You might have brought tickets, but I have no way of verifying that.` We were issued with a permit to travel on a scrappy bit of paper and told that we could catch any train we wanted. Adding to the confusion there was engineering work on the line so we had to catch a bus replacement service part of the way. We asked at the information desk what time the 11.32 to Ipswich got in. The man told us he didn`t know but to ask at platform 10. The man on platform 10 said `Sorry Sir, but there is no 11.32 to Ipswich` and proceeded to tell us to catch the very next train departing and told us to change several times at towns we`d never heard of. We were comforted that things were the same as ever on the British railways, and we were rapidly changing our idea of coming back. We had a lovely two days in Ipswich and little Abi kept us amused with her animal impressions. On the Tuesday Penny and Abi caught a train back to London with us and we spent the day with Fiona and Jason who had moored their yacht Trenelly in Poplar Dock, next to Canary Wharf. Tuesday night a gale swept through and we were kept awake in our little berth by the wind lashing against the rigging. The miserable weather stayed with us all day on Wednesday and by now George and I both had picked up colds. We were beginning to remember what the English winter is like. Scrap all plans to come home!
Wednesday evening we travelled across London to Chiswick to our old haunt the George IV where we met our old workmates from Orbis and Charing Cross. It was a great night - just like the old days, and Jason, our friend the bar manager, plied us with drinks until well after closing time. We stayed with Sally in Ealing that night, and were up early to catch the train from Paddington to Cornwall to visit George`s gran. She was on fine form, insisting that both George and I rode her new stairlift up and down the stairs. Cornwall was beautiful, if bleak - by now the temperature had dropped to single figures. We took a trip to see the damage caused by the flood at Boscastle last year and were caught in a sleet storm. The wind was so cold it made your teeth hurt. We decided we had become too acclimatised to Sydney weather to ever spend a winter in England again.
After a very short two days in Cornwall we picked up Fiona and Jason`s car, Linnus, a beast of a thing that released plumes of smoke from it`s exhaust whenever it started up. As Fiona and Jason were planning on spending a year up in London we would drive it up for them, via Oxford. First stop was in Plymouth to visit Paul,an old school friend of George`s. The last time they`d met Paul had a baby boy - that boy was now 8 and had a 6 year old sister! I then left George in Stroud with Al, and drove on to Cirencester to visit my school friend Sarah and her little boy Elan. By the time I returned to Stroud George, Al and their other Bristol Uni mates Steve, Jim and Oli were playing drinking games in a local pub. Al wanted to take us to The Warehouse, the only club in Stroud, so we finished our beers and joined the stream of locals in the queue. The club was everything you`d expect from a small-town establishment - bad music, neon lights and rough-looking girls in short skirts and too much make-up. Fortunately the night was cut short when Oli got thrown out for asking for free tap water.
Sunday morning we drove up to my parent`s in Oxfordshire for a fabulous venison roast lunch with the whole family, and we spent a lot of time discussing our wedding plans. The next three days were spent meeting caters, photographers, florists, wine merchants and the vicar. We must have convinced him that we were good god-fearing folk because the wedding is booked in for 2pm July 15th 2006! Tuesday night we met up with my old school friends Will, James and Catherine - the first time the four of us had got together in years. The next day was spent at Abbey Farm checking out the barn where we hope`d to hold the reception. Gran, Julianne, Mike and the cousins were very excited about the idea and full of suggestions. Mike promised the combine harvester would be rehoused before next July.
We had somehow ended up with a spare day so we decided to squeeze in a trip to Brighton to see Claire`s new house and to catch up with several friends we hadn`t seen yet. We spent the afternoon with Katy and her new baby Izzy, comparing wedding plans - Katy and her partner Neil plan to tie the knot a week after us. By the time we got to Claire`s we were exhausted, and were quite relieved that none of my friends could make it for drinks. Claire cooked a lovely dinner, followed by a couple of pints at the local pub. Friday morning we made our way through continuous drizzle back to London and spent the afternoon with Fiona and Jason. That night we braved the cold to meet up with Phil, Rich and Emma in Leicester Square. George, Phil and Rich went off for a `last night of freedom` dinner with Ewan, and we joined them later. It was great to see little Emma again, but far too soon it was time for the last train back to Poplar.
Ewan and Oliva`s reception was to be held at the fabulous sounding Lansdowne Club in Mayfair, and we had booked a room for that night. Our cab from Mayfair to the wedding venue in Westminster took us right past Buckingham Palace. The ceremony was beautiful and George did a wonderful job ushering the guests to their seats. It was great to meet up our Bath friends, and we walked back to the Lansdowne Club through St James` Park and Piccadilly. The reception was sumptuous, and the meal was followed by an Abba tribute band, fronted by the ropiest Agneska you`ve ever seen. The DJ stopped sometime around midnight and I fell into bed around 2am - George and the boys stayed up chatting until the early hours. Feeling pretty seedy we met up on Sunday for Dim Sum in Canary Wharf - the London Marathon was in full swing and it was great to watch the runners go past. Our last afternoon was spent with Fiona and Jason, who very kindly drove us to the airport. We were sad to leave, but couldn`t wait to be back in Sunny Sydney. We`d made our minds up - we`re staying in Australia for as long as they`ll let us!
We didn`t really know what to expect from Penny and Greg`s Christmas present of vouchers for trapeze lessons, but as they were held at Olympic Park we decided to rope Katie and Dan in and do the lessons before a Sydney Swans match at the Telstra Stadium. We laughed when we saw the huge rig with a platform some 10 metres high - surely that was just for a demonstration whilst we`d be swinging from the little bar at ground level. We started on the little bar, practicing getting our legs up and hanging upside down by our knees. Then we were told to climb the narrow ladder to the tiny platform! It was a terrifying climb, and we were all shaking uncontrollably as ropes were attached to a belt around your waist. Leaning precariously over the edge you grab the trapeze bar - and with a gentle shove from behind you`re off - swinging high above the ground. With the momentum it`s easy to get your legs up and let go with your hands to swing upside down - such an amazing feeling. As the swinging slows you drop down onto the safety net and shakily made your way back to solid ground. Each time up it got a little easier - and we learnt to dismount with a backward summersault. Just when we thought we were done they told us we would attempt a mid-air catch - one of the instructors hung upside down on an opposite trapeze and caught your hands as you swung backwards. It all happened so fast that you didn`t have time to think about it - but it was an incredible sensation.
After a couple of well deserved beers we took our seats in Telstra stadium for a real nail-biter of an AFL match - Essendon led from the start and it looked as if the Swans would loose again - then in the final quarter the Swannies dug deep to win by one goal. What a great way to end a great day.
We didn`t need much persuading to join Emma and Hoopy and some of their friends for a long weekend at Pearl Beach, on the other side of the Hawkesbury river. We stayed in a huge house right on the beachfront - you could hear the waves crashing as you fell asleep at night. Most of the weekend was spent eating and drinking and reading the papers in front of the open fire. Saturday brought the first rain for more than a month, but we didn`t mind a bit as we stoked up the fire and played games all afternoon. Sunday was George`s 31st birthday, and the weather was beautiful. After a huge breakfast we had a walk along the beach. It was so warm that we braved a dip in the ocean - the first time we`ve swum in June! The water temperature is about 18-19` - it took your breath away initially but once you were under it was beautiful. On the Monday we attempted to walk off some of our overeating with a trek through the bush over the headland to Patonga, the next beach along. It took us a couple of hours but the views across the Hawkesbury were just stunning. All too soon it was time to pack up and join the snake of traffic heading back to Sydney. A fabulous and very relaxing weekend - cheers Emmsie and Hoops!
With recent heavy snowfall in the Snowy Mountains and a free weekend, we made a last minute decision to drive down to the snow for the weekend. The drive south took six hours, but was made all the more exciting by a close encounter with a full-grown kangaroo at 120km/hr on the motorway - it appeared from nowhere with a big leap in front of the headlights and thankfully bounced back onto the hard shoulder rather than through our windscreen. It was a good story to tell in the hotel bar that night. Saturday morning brought fresh snow to the top slopes, and we had a lot of fun falling over in deep powder. Unfortunately the snow stopped about halfway down the mountain, so the runs were a bit restricted. Our friends Steph and Adam were working in the resort for a couple of weeks, so we met for a apres-ski beer. That night George endured a girly night with Steph`s friends as Adam stayed home with baby Luciana. Sunday was beautifully sunny and we ran into Adam, who was working as an instructor. We did a couple of runs with him, but all too soon it was time to pack up for the long drive back to Sydney. A fun-packed but completely exhausting weekend - it took all week to recover!
Christmas comes but twice a year... We had such a great time last year at yulefest that when Beth invited us again we didn`t hesitate to sign up - and we persuaded Katie and Dan to join us too. In the car on the way up to Blackheath in the Blue Mountains we warmed up our vocal cords singing along to our Christmas songs CD, so after several beers in the pub we were more than ready to step up to the mike in the karaoke cabin. This year we brought the Singstar game, and we sang our hearts out until the early hours.
Saturday morning dawned bright and sunny, so after a great hangover breakfast in a cafe we took a walk through the bush to Bridal Veil falls - it was so warm that we even got a little bit sunburnt! Back in the cabins it was time for Katie to put on the mulled wine, and everyone began preparing for the big Christmas dinner. This year I had the tricky task of roasting the parsnips, and George again had volunteered for the sausage in bacon - except this year he made huge rolls with real sausage meat - they had to be seen to be believed! After a couple of glasses of Katie`s delicious mulled wine everything seemed rosy, and soon we were tucking into a fabulous Christmas feast - everything was cooked to perfection. After dinner the Kris Kringle presents were handed around with much hilarity - each one was accompanied by a poem about the recipient. The quality of the poems varied widely, but some were truely inspired.
Things start to get a little hazy after dinner, and Beth had to go for a lie down for a bit, but June and Ian had organised a three-legged race outside. Each couple had to race to two glasses of Bailey`s, down them, turn around and race back to the starting line. George and I did very well to get to the finals, but were pipped to post by the winners after I nearly broke an ankle. After that it was back to the Karaoke cabin for some stunning renditions of White Christmas, Killer Queen and of course George`s now legendary Bob the Aggressive Builder.
We had to leave early Sunday morning to get back to Sydney in time for a momentous Swans AFL match against the league leaders, the West Coast Eagles. We missed the first quarter but it was an awesome game, the Swans eventually winning conclusively. Unfortunately we weren`t feeling much like a celebratory beer, but it was a perfect end to a perfect weekend. Can`t wait until next year!
Winter has flown by in blur of crisp blue sky days... it`s been the mildest winter in years and we`ve almost forgotten what rain is. In fact when I got caught in a short shower the other day I reached into my bag for my umbrella only to find it rusted shut! We`d planned for a Star Wars Movie Marathon day, as a great mid-winter activity, but we awoke on July 30th to another blue sky day - and a forecast of 25`! Such a shame to be shut inside for 12+ hours, but there were 6 episodes that weren`t going to watch themselves. Only Katie, Dan, George and I dressed up, but everyone else entered into the spirit of the day by joining in enthusiastically with the Star Wars drinking game... every time Yoda says something grammatically incorrect... DRINK! The pictures tell the rest of the story.
Next weekend we took advantage of a great accommodation deal to get a group together for a trip to the snow. We were staying at a lodge just outside Jindabyne, and arrived in time on Friday night for a couple of beers before bed. There had been a big dump of snow on the Thursday, and we awoke to blue skies on Saturday. We decided to head straight to Blue Cow - an area we hadn`t skied before. Katie, who hadn`t skied since she was at school, showed Dan, Sus and Jim the basics before they met for lessons in the afternoon; the rest of us took advantage of some great conditions and headed up the mountain. We found some awesome black slopes down the back of the mountain and did the same run about 20 times - each time a little faster! The next day was very different - low cloud, strong winds and very flat light. Just before lunch we ran into Katie, Dan and Jo and persuaded Dan to attempt a blue slope. He was doing brilliantly for only his second day on skis, but once he saw Katie stack followed in quick succession by Jo he unclipped his skis and wisely walked down the slope! He had to face another blue to get back to the terminal - he was doing fabulously making turns, but he was gradually building up speed and didn`t see the drop-off until it was too late... Dan got more air than any of us that weekend and he landed it beautifully. Unfortunately it made his legs wobble so much that he didn`t ski again! It was an awesome weekend - probably our best trip to the snow so far.
The weekend after skiing was the annual City to Surf race - we`d signed up and had been training hard for our best times ever - unfortunately we both came down with colds after our exertions in the snow and we had to pull out. It was an incredible sight from our balcony watching the sea of runners bobbing through the finish line. We`ll have to miss the race next year too, as we`ll be climbing Mt Kilimanjaro instead!
Having followed the Sydney Swans religiously all winter, we were stoked when they finished the season in third place. This meant they were only two wins away from a place in the Grand Final! Things didn`t go exactly to plan - we lost to the West Coast Eagles in the qualifying final due to a dodgy umpire decision. So it was do-or-die the next week when the Swans took on Geelong at the SCG. At the start of the final quarter it looked as if we were dead and buried but 4 goals in 7 minutes put us within fighting distance - an incredible snatched goal 3 seconds from time brought us a ticket into the next round - the preliminary final, and the furthest we`d ever seen the Swans get. An easy win in the final quarter against St Kilda (After being 20 points down at half time) saw us immediately booking flights to Melbourne - our team were playing in the Grand Final!
It was an amazing weekend - we met up with Katie and Dan at the airport and flew down Friday afternoon proudly wearing our red and white Swans scarves despite the sunny weather. That night we searched in vain for a Swans supporters pub and ended up in bar full of West Coast fans. At one point George was stood on a table surrounded by blue and yellow singing the Swans club song! There was a lot of heckling but it was all in good humour and we gave as good as we got. We were up early on Saturday to pick up our precious Grand Final tickets, and the atmosphere was already pumping at the MCG. Back at our hostel, Katie produced the face paint and the three of us (Dan refused have his face done - he obviously doesn`t care about the Swans as much as we do) covered ourselves in red and white. This time when we got to the stadium we were centre of attention - suddenly everyone wanted to take our photos and we were interviewed by channel 7! The MCG is an incredible stadium - with the circular pitch it is like a Colosseum and with over 90,000 spectators the atmosphere was electric. We got to our seats early to watch the build-up and by time the teams kicked off we were already two beers down. It was a very close match with the lead changing hands several times - but by the final quarter the Swans had lost a 20 point lead to trail by two goals and it looked all over. Somehow they clawed back in front and we were screaming for the final hooter as West Coast attacked and attacked, each time somehow thwarted by a tireless Swans defence. With over 32 minutes on the clock the ball was launched into the West Coast goal mouth - a clean catch by a West Coast player would mean an almost certain goal and defeat. Somehow, incredibly, Leo Barry from the Swans leapt above them all and took the catch as the final hooter sounded - Sydney Swans had won the Grand Final for the first time in 72 years! We all went crazy - hugging complete strangers and singing the Swans song over and over - we stayed until the very end watching the presentation of the cup, the speeches and the lap of honour. I feel emotional now just writing about it. Of course the rest of the day was spent celebrating, and lots more singing! It was really special just to be watching our team play in a Grand Final at the MCG - but watching them win was indescribable. Thank god I`d swapped my on-call week!
Back in December 2003 we spent the night on Great Keppel Island during our trip down the East coast with Claire and Phil. At the time we all agreed that one night was nowhere near long enough, and we vowed to return. So with the Labour Day bank holiday approaching and some bargain bucket flights to Rockhampton, we persuaded Katie and Dan and Al and Annie to join us for a weekend in the sun. Our flight arrived too late on Friday afternoon for us to get the last ferry across to the Island, so we took the rock star alternative - a private jet! Ok, so we were in a tiny Cessna rather than a Lear jet, but it was an awesome experience watching the Keppel islands come in to view below us, and the landing on the tiny runway was hair-raising to say the least! Once our feet were safe on solid ground we made our way to our accommodation - permanent tents at the YHA - not so rock star. The sun was setting but there was still time for a quick dip in the refreshing ocean - perfect. That night we had a very ordinary meal at Keppel Haven, and they were showing Raising Helen on a big screen - time to find a new bar! We found the party at the Wreck Bar - but with the place full of bronzed 18 year olds we soon felt like parents at a PTA disco and turned in for an early night.
You`d think that a campsite on the `quiet` end of the island would mean a peaceful night`s sleep - think again. We were woken repeatedly through the night by the local residents - screeching birds and manically laughing kookaburras. Once the sun came up the birds really kicked off, and the tent heated up like a sauna.... time to hit the beach! The boys cooked up egg and bacon sandwiches on the bbq then we took our snorkels to Fisherman`s beach. The snorkelling was right up the far end of the beach so we broke up the walk with a swim and a kick-about. The coral was pretty disappointing, but we`ve never seen so many sea cucumbers in one place! George cracked open some limpets and gave us a pretty cool fish-feeding show. The rest of the day was spent soaking up the rays and splashing about on the beach and we watching the sunset with Long Island Ice teas in hand. Fabulous. That night we had a very tasty dinner at Island Pizza while watching the tame possums trying to raid our garlic bread.
After another interrupted night`s sleep we were all up early - time to explore. The plan was to get off early and climb to the highest point on the island before the midday heat hit then to continue on to a snorkelling beach on the far side of the island before low tide.... we finally set off at 11.30am! The trail was incredibly steep in places, but we were rewarded by breathtaking views across the island and beyond. After about 90 minutes trekking through the bush (and only one wrong turn) we finally made it to Clam Bay - just in time to see the tide exposing the coral at low tide! We were so hot and sticky from the hike that we ran straight into the sea - then we noticed the jellyfish. They were unlike any we`d seen before, with red and white stripes - they didn`t look like deadly box jellyfish, but we suddenly didn`t feel too safe. George and I decided to brave it and snorkelled for a bit amongst some of the best coral we`ve seen, but the tide kept receding and it was difficult to manoeuvre without hitting the reef. After that we sunbathed until it was time to make our way back across the island before it got dark. As we were walking back along the beach I noticed something that looked suspiciously like a shark fin sticking out of the water... then another... and another! They were only metres away from us in very shallow water, and we could see a black tip to the fin - Black Tip Reef Sharks. We`d seen these predators snoozing on the sand whilst diving on the Barrier Reef but they seemed much more menacing from the shore - there were probably about 10 of them circling in small groups - every now and then there`d be a big splash as they caught a fish. We watched in awe for ages - our hearts pumping with the thought that we`d been swimming in shark infested waters! The adventures weren`t over yet - on the walk back via the homestead we were suddenly confronted by two angry geese and a dozen funny looking birds heading running straight for us - we all froze solid but once the funny birds (we think they were guinea fowl) reached us they seemed to forget their mission to peck us to death and shuffled their feet looking a bit sheepish. Not so the geese... We sent Dan ahead with his bushwhacking stick and the evil birds really went for him - we all ran like girls. By the time we got back to the resort we were in desperate need of a swim - and a beer. We got a few take-aways from the bar and sat on the beach watching our last sunset. That night we returned to the Pizza restaurant and played drinking games until it all got far too silly.
Our final morning was spent topping up our tans on Fisherman`s Beach but all too soon it was time to catch the ferry back to the mainland and say our goodbyes to Al and Annie who are off to the West Coast for a couple of weeks. A perfect weekend, and there`s still more of the island to explore on our next trip!
When Kiran sent us an invite to her wedding to the dashing Dr Ruban we were delighted - but had no idea what to expect. As Ruban comes from a Sri Lankan family it was a Hindu ceremony - complete with incense, Indian musicians, a mountain of fresh fruit, toe-rings and a curry half way through the ceremony. Although there were booklets on the tables explaining the rituals we really didn`t have a clue what was going on. The whole thing was just incredible and Kiran looked absolutely amazing. The ceremony was dry, but that didn`t stop the newlyweds joining us at Opera Bar on Circular Quay for a celebratory drink or two - the bride and groom refrained from alcohol until after the stroke of midnight. It was fabulous to be a part of such an auspicious occasion.
We must have had too much Australian sun the day we suggested having both sets of parents to stay for Christmas and New Year, but we should probably have got a psychiatric referral for suggesting we all go travelling around Tasmania together. Did I mention they`d never met before? We must be certifiable.
George`s Mum Sue and her partner John had been travelling around New Zealand and arrived in Sydney a few days before the Tassie trip. My parents had spent a week up in North Queensland, and we were all meeting in Sydney airport to fly together to Hobart. For such an incongruous meeting place it all went rather well - despite the flight being delayed for over an hour. It was late by the time we finally arrived in Hobart, but we were in town in time for a quick pint at the micro brewery we`d frequented when we were in town last year for Emma and Hoopy`s wedding.
Sunday morning we awoke to the Hobart weather we`d experienced last year - cold and wet. Over breakfast at Salamanca Place we formed a plan of action for the day - Sue and John were staying to check out the sights of Hobart while Mum, Dad, George and I were going to head straight off to Port Arthur on the Tasman Peninsula. Thank god we`d booked two hire cars! Port Arthur was fantastic - a really beautiful, peaceful spot for somewhere with such an horrific history. Britain`s very worst criminals were transported here, and many suffered extreme and cruel punishment; then in 1996 a crazed gunman ran amok at the site, killing 35 people. Despite these horrors the place didn`t feel in the least bit creepy, and when the sun broke through the clouds it was incredibly picturesque. After a guided tour we wandered around the silent prison - an innovative idea in prisoner reform, where convicts were kept in isolation for 24 hours a day to allow them time to repent their sins - most ended up in the asylum next door. The entrance fee included a boat trip around the harbour and the Isle of the Dead, where all the prisoners and some of the free settlers are buried. We could have stayed exploring for hours, but I`d booked a house in Coles Bay on the East Coast for the next two nights, and it looked to be a few hours drive. Dad needed no persuasion to take the X-trail off road on a short cut through Wielangta Forest Reserve, and we were rewarded with stunning views across the sea to Maria Island. After George took the wheel we took a detour up a steep and bumpy track to Thumbs Lookout, where we spotted 3 pademelons. We eventually arrived at the Coles Bay retreat just in time for sunset, and we had a fabulous view - the length of the upstairs lounge/dining room was glass with the most incredible views over the bay to the Hazards. George cooked up a barbeque on the balcony which was washed down with a couple of bottles of wine.
Monday morning we woke to glorious sunshine so we all headed into Freycinet National Park. First stop Cape Tourville for a short stroll around the lighthouse, then a lovely walk down to Sleepy Bay and back. We had lunch at Freycinet Lodge where we watched the clouds roll in over the bay - it looked so cold and windy that we almost gave up for the day. However once we were out of the wind it didn`t seem so bad so we left John to an afternoon snooze while the rest of us tackled the walk to Wineglass Bay. It took about an hour to reach the lookout with stunning views of the bay, but unfortunately the sun wasn`t quite out enough to make the water sparkle. We continued down the other side of the mountain to the fabulous white sand of Wineglass Beach, where George, Sue and I stripped off and ran into the icy water - then ran out again pretty quickly! The sun came out to dry us, and we made our way back up to the lookout to get the perfect picture. That night we all tried out the rather wonderful sunken spa bath (no, not all at once!!) then another barbeque dinner.
Mum and Dad were keen to climb to the highest point of The Hazards (or at least Dad was) so we left them to it while Sue, John, George and I made our way to Cradle Mountain. We were only just outside Coles Bay when we stopped at a marine farm for breakfast oysters. It was only 10am and the oysters had only been out of the ocean for less than an hour. I`d once heard that you can tell if oysters are really fresh as they`ll wince when you squeeze the lemon on. I thought it was just a myth until I saw it happen! They were delicious and so fabulously fresh that a little crab crawled out of the shell and on to George`s lips! We hadn`t gone much further when we came across a couple of vineyards - the first gave us a frosty reception but the staff at Coombend Vineyard were lovely and friendly and insisted we tasted every one of their 8 or more wines! We piled back in the car feeling decidedly mellow in the warm sunshine as we drove through the forests. We stopped at Campbell Town for lunch - and then I realised that the confirmation for our accommodation at Cradle Mountain said `see you Wednesday` - it was Tuesday. After a panicked phone call we established that yes, we were booked in for the wrong day and they only happened to have a 4 berth cabin available as the last occupiers had left a day early. Seeing as there were six of us, George and I went in search of information on other accommodation at the local information centre. The two doddery old ladies looked a little startled to be disturbed from their knitting, and didn`t have a clue about places to stay in Cradle Mountain - their best suggestion was Sheffield, an hour away. In the end the only place with a bed was in a shared bunk house at the nearby hostel - more on that later. Our next stop was at Trowunna Wildlife Park - with the Big Tasmanian Devil standing proudly out front. We were just in time for the tour, and George and I both got to cuddle a baby wombat - what a dream come true! They had a lot of Tasmanian Devils too, and they were very cute until they were fed, when they just went crazy. The rest of the park looked a little run down but nothing could detract from getting to hold a wombat! Back on the road we climbed up into the mountains on narrow winding roads, eventually arriving at Cradle Mountain and checking into our separate accommodation before meeting for dinner at the Cradle Mountain Lodge.
We were up early on Wednesday as we didn`t have much sleep in our bunkhouse - squeaky plastic mattresses, a restrictive sleeping bag and a snoring German all added to our misery. Whilst we were waiting for our six berth cabin to come available we had a short walk along a pretty creek to Knyvet Falls, spotting a Wallaby on the way back, and an Echidna crossing the road. After lunch we decided to brave the low clouds and walk up a section of the overland track for views of Cradle Mountain. The walk took us through moorland then climbed up through a forest to the beautiful Crater Falls. Another steep climb and we reached Crater Lake with a fabulous view of the 200m cliffs and the clouds lifting off the top of the mountain. We climbed further to Marion`s lookout for breathtaking views across Dove Lake and to Cradle Mountain, whose peak was just in cloud.
On the way back we spotted a huge wombat grazing on the marshy tussocks - we got up close for photos then spotted another, and another. The final Wombat we spotted was a mother with a little baby - so cute! George and I were over the moon. That evening a little pademelon and it`s joey came begging for scraps at the front door, then later a possum appeared briefly before running off up a tree with it`s melon skin.
Thursday morning we drove to Launceston, stopping again at Mole Creek for a tour of the excellent limestone caves, with a amazing display of glow-worms. We had lunch at a lovely cafe where Sue and I shared a fabulous ploughman`s platter with delicious local cheeses. That evening after checking into our twee apartment in the Penny Royal Hotel, we took a walk along the Cataract Gorge. Thinking it would be nice to do a circular route I suggested starting on the left hand side of the river - not realising the path climbed steeply to the very top of the cliff! John wasn`t too pleased with my route, but he still got to the top to enjoy the wonderful views. We stopped at First Basin to recover on the grass and watched happy children playing in the swimming pool - it was an idyllic spot. After crossing the rickety suspension bridge we returned by the much easier right hand track, passing joggers and rock climbers enjoying the balmy evening.
Friday morning was spent shopping and exploring the tiny city centre, then after lunch we drove in convoy to Hoopy`s parent`s farm outside Beaconsfield. Poor Mr and Mrs Hooper didn`t know what hit them - another Tassie pharmacist from Vinnies, Susie and her family were also visiting! It was all a bit crazy but after a cup of tea and a cuddle with baby Grace, Emma and Hoops joined us for the drive to Narawntapu National Park. This park promised to be a real highlight for George and I - we`d read in `The Secret Life of Wombats` that wombats grazed the grassy plains of Narawntapu like herds of wildebeest and could be seen at any time of day happily oblivious of human onlookers. It seemed like we wouldn`t be disappointed - just as we passed the park gates a wombat ran straight across our path! It was still early for them on a hot day so we did the Springlawn Nature Walk through bush and swampland. We saw heaps of wallabies and pademelons on the way, many with joeys in their pouches. We made our way back along the beach to the car park and immediately spotted another wombat emerging from it`s burrow. Gradually as the dusk settled more and more wombats appeared, and George and I had great fun singing to them to try and get close enough for the perfect photo. As it was our last night in Tassie we`d booked a table at a seafood restaurant for 8.30pm - but at 8.15 we were still crawling on our bellies through wombat droppings... by the time we left the plains were covered in wallabies, pademelons and wombats - magical. It was very late by the time we arrived back in Launceston and we were very hungry - thankfully we found a Chinese takeaway still open for dinner!
We arrived back in Sydney to a hot and hazy Christmas Eve, and let the parents settle into our flat whilst we battled the queues for Christmas Day supplies. That evening we went to Darling Harbour for Christmas Carols and the traditional arrival of Santa... on a jet ski. We awoke on Christmas Day to a beautiful clear blue sky, and after a champagne breakfast and present opening we popped down to Bondi Beach for the obligatory swim. We had planned a barbeque lunch at Tamarama but by the time we made it there and got to the front of the queue for the barbeque it was nearly 4pm! Not to worry, the beers were flowing and the waves were providing plenty of entertainment. We ended the day at Al and Annie`s flat in Tamarama drinking port and eating cheeses until the early hours. For a Christmas with the parents we were surprisingly drunk!
The rest of the week between Christmas and New Year was spent showing our respective parents our favourite bits of Sydney, including the Spit Bridge to Manly walk, the Botanical Gardens and a very hot day trip to the Blue Mountains in Suzie. For New Year`s Eve we`d arranged tickets to Shark Island - a tiny island in the middle of Sydney Harbour. We packed up a picnic and several bottles of champagne and caught the ferry over to the Island just in time for the 9pm fireworks. We`d bagged a wonderful spot right by the water`s edge with expansive views of the City, Opera House, Bridge and North Sydney - it was perfect. There was a jazz band playing, and the atmosphere was lovely - really relaxed. In no time at all it was midnight and once again the fireworks were unbelievable - this year the theme was `The Heart of the Harbour` and a huge red heart began pulsing on the bridge, getting bigger as each hour passed on the countdown to midnight. There were even heart shaped fireworks - a good omen for our year ahead. The ferry came to take us off the island at 1am, and we were back in Bondi to catch the last couple of songs at the massive Fat Boy Slim gig on Bondi Beach. At 3am everyone spilled onto the beach - it was as busy as midday - and we had a new year`s swim before heading home.
New year`s day was something of a record for Sydney - the thermometer peaked at 44.6`c There was so little humidity that just walking outside for 5 minutes left you with dry eyes and a parched mouth. My parents didn`t feel able to leave the relative comfort of the lounge room with the fan on full, but we needed to cool down so Sue joined George and I for a snorkel at Clovelly. It was wonderfully refreshing and there were loads of colourful fish to spot. In the meantime, John had gone down to the beach to explore the local air-conditioned bars (He spent most of the afternoon exchanging Cornish stories for beer!). That evening Al and Annie joined the clan for fish and chips at Watson`s Bay where we had takeaways and sat amongst the boats on the sand, watching the sunset over the city - a magical spot.
All too soon it was time for my Mum and Dad to catch their flight home, and a couple of days later Sue and John flew on to the Philippines. We`d had a wonderful time with them, and we`re looking forward to their next visits!
We`d had so much fun on the houseboat last year that we couldn`t resist another trip this year. Unfortunately Emma and Tim decided not to fly out from England for the weekend, but we did persuade Gill, Al, Annie, AJ and Flipper to join us, Katie and Dan. The weather was perfect - over 30` each day, and we had enough beer to sink a small boat. George, Gill and I drove up early on the Friday to pick up the boat, and the others arrived in just in time for sunset beers. As we began playing drinking games on the top deck, I introduced the pamplemousse game, which hadn`t been played since Al, Gill, George and I were on a sailing holiday five years ago in Greece. The rules are simple. Everyone has one Pamplemouse. When you shout the word `pamplemousse`, everyone has to jump in the water - no matter where you are or what you are wearing. Last one in gets jeered at. As you only get one chance, timing is crucial. The only rules were no pamplemousse whist the boat was moving... obviously! By the time we crawled to bed that night we`d finished one goon bag, two crates of beer, a whole bottle of port, and a pamplemousse. Ouch.
We woke on Saturday to another brilliantly sunny day - time to get sailing. We stopped at a lovely beach for lunch and the first round of jumping off the top deck of the boat in formation - pencils, bombs, starfish. After a few pamplemousses we were ready to sail further down the river to find a mooring for the night. We found it in a secluded bay with a small beach that we swam across to. AJ started the mud fight, but soon all of us were covered in sandy mud from head to toe. Running around in bare feet I trod on an oyster in the shallows - blood everywhere. Thankfully Al had brought the dingy over so I got a ride back to the boat for some first aid. It wasn`t deep, but I was limping for the rest of the weekend. Suddenly the heavens opened and we were treated to an amazing thunderstorm whilst the boys cooked up a huge meat feast on the barbecue. The drinking games got sillier that night with neat vodka and neat Angostura bitters (don`t try it - it`s vile).
Sunday morning my hungover doze was broken by Gill screaming `PAMPLEMOUSSE` at the top of her lungs. I dragged myself out of bed, up to the rear deck to see most of the boat already in the water. No time to don my swimmers, I fell off the side of the boat in my pyjamas only just remembering to remove my glasses before I jumped! It was an amazing morning - the storm had left low cloud and an incredible stillness on the water but within minutes the sun broke through the clouds and started heating everything up. Al and Annie cooked some amazing ricotta and Strawberry pancakes, then it was time to make our way back up the river, stopping only at a pretty beach for lunch and the final pamplemousses. It had been an incredible weekend. Same again next year?
Thanks to Flipper and Gill for their fabulous photos!
Every year Taronga Zoo puts on a series of twilight concerts featuring Australia`s best cover bands. Last year we rushed back from the houseboat on the Hawkesbury to see Bjorn Again crash out the Abba greats; this year we decided on Queen - Champions of the World. We arrived early to wander around the zoo and set up a picnic in a great spot right in front of the stage - between us we`d brought a fabulous spread all washed down with champagne as the sun set behind the harbour bridge. Suddenly Freddie Mercury was alive and strutting his way up and down the stage in his trade mark leather cap and bare chest... the guy being Freddie was absolutely brilliant. Unfortunately the rest of the band just looked like ordinary guys wearing wigs - especially Brian May`s look-alike who looked more like Charles II. After singing along to all our Queen favourites we decided we were all divas and hopped in a cab to Cashbox karaoke for more fizzy pop and singing until the early hours. Don`t stop me now...
Despite agreeing we should rent a house somewhere on the coast for Easter weekend back in February, there was the usual indecision and procrastination. Just when we thought we`d be lucky to get a static home in Woop Woop, AJ and Philippa turned up trumps with a two storey house next to the beach in Port Macquarie. We filled all the rooms and the sofa beds with AJ + Philippa, Christophe, Nick + Beth, Gill + Craig, and us.
Knowing what Sydney traffic is like on a bank holiday weekend we decided to break up the six hour journey by getting to Newcastle on the Thursday night. We stayed with Steph and Adam, but were up early to meet Gill and Craig at the train station. They`d been at a wedding in Sydney the night before and were decidedly seedy. Our cunning plan to avoid the worst of the traffic failed miserably as we sat for 2 hours in a jam half an hour north of Newcastle. It was a beautiful sunny day and we couldn`t wait to get to Port Macquarie and get straight into the ocean. The rest of the weekend was spent eating, drinking, snoozing, playing cards and swimming. Friday night we managed to continue our tradition of upsetting the neighbours by playing a rather loud drinking game on the balcony until 1am. The highlight of the weekend was George`s pickled onion eating contest, where Nick and Beth bet that George couldn`t get more than 12 pickled onions in his mouth at once... then eat them. It took hours - and George looked like he could vomit any moment - but he showed nerves of steel to complete the bet and win $10.(Later that week Craig completed the 12 onion challenge in less than 10 minutes and made it look like a walk in the park. George called foul and claimed Craig`s onions were smaller.)
On Monday morning we were rudely ejected at 10am before we`d had a chance to cook breakfast and began the long drive back to Sydney, taking a detour through Foster and other coastal towns we`d visited on our road trip last year. It had been an awesome fun and very relaxing weekend.
Unfortunately our camera is poorly so no photos until we can borrow some off someone else!
With Baby Smith due in less than a month we couldn`t let Annie get away with not having a baby shower. We arranged a picnic in Centennial Park with everyone bringing something to eat. Annie showed what a great mother she will be by baking a beautiful apple cake and flapjacks, and Gill showed how she`s still some way off by being too hung over to bake her carrot cake despite buying all the ingredients and a cooling tray the day before! Katie did a fabulous job of organising games, including seeing how many balloons we could stuff up our jumpers (Annie and her pregnant friend Helen were exempt of course), blind tasting of baby food (yuck) and the nappy sniffing competition. A great afternoon.
To celebrate Dan and Gill`s birthdays AJ and Philippa hosted a murder mystery night. The scene was set with a society party at Herman and Tabatha Hayden`s Viceburgh mansion in the summer of 1976. A perfect opportunity to crack out the blue eye shadow - and lots of it. As the night wore on we learnt some interesting things - Katie`s hairpiece was hiding 7 blackbirds, Dan`s character had a severe case of dementia but kept forgetting about it, Philippa`s moustache was actually real and AJ`s `Pimp Daddy` outfit was just something he happened to have lying around the house. After some heated arguments a scream erupted from the bathroom - Tabatha had found her husband dead and twitching on the bathroom floor! We soon found out the cause of death (with a little help from the twitching corpse) - murder most foul with strychnine in his vodka and tonic! The accusations flew, with everyone having a justifiable motive and the means to commit the crime. However after much discussion in which almost everyone was accused, we discounted the butler (way too obvious) and accused Dan`s character Raleigh, who we discovered had been blackmailing Herman about his dalliances with Gill`s character, Delilah the call-girl. Of course we all failed to accuse the most obvious character - and the person who found the body: Herman`s wife Tabatha. So she got away with cold blooded murder and Raleigh got to languish in jail for the rest of his natural life. Phew - that detective lark is harder than it looks!
The night then descended into drunkenness with several highly original cocktail creations including Frangelico, Midori and Orange. Fay fell asleep on the sofa whilst Gill vomited in the bathroom, had to stay the night at AJ and Philippa`s and took the taxi ride of shame home in the morning in her 70`s call-girl outfit. An absolutely brilliant night.
Things have been more than a little crazy over this past month. Birthdays, Swans matches, Hen and Stag parties (of which nothing more will be mentioned on this site due to censorship restrictions), and the birth of Al and Annie`s baby boy Cooper George on 11th June. To top off a jam-packed month this year the annual Yulefest celebrations in the Blue Mountains was brought forward to the last weekend of June so that George and I could make it. (It was all about us - the fact that principal organiser Beth would be in the UK in July for our wedding too had nothing to do with it).
As part of George`s birthday present we left for the mountains a day early and stayed Thursday night in the beautiful old Carrington Hotel in Katoomba. It was a lovely romantic evening with dinner at a pizza restaurant followed by a drunken game of snooker on the gigantic full-size table in the Billiards Room of the hotel. On Friday we went for a 2 hour walk down into the valley below the Three Sisters through beautiful rainforest. We were absolutely exhausted by the time we finished climbing the steep steps cut into the cliff face - it doesn`t bode well for the Kilimanjaro climb in less than 2 months!
Due to previous Christmas dinner set-backs such as the missing turkey (2004) and the unready potatoes (2005), this year Beth had issued strict instructions that Christmas dinner was to be served at 1pm. However too much Yulefest cheer at the pub on Friday night and Singstar continuing until four in the morning inevitably lead to some delays. No worries - we threw ourselves into Beth`s Santa treasure hunt to solve her cryptic clues in less than an hour and win the prize. Katie`s fabulous mulled wine was ready by 3pm and everyone kept themselves amused plotting their kill in the murder game. Eventually everything came together for another delicious Christmas feast. George again did himself proud with his sausages in bacon, whilst this year I excelled myself by volunteering for the brussel sprouts. Once everyone had gorged themselves silly, it was time for the much awaited Kris Kringle presents. Each present is accompanied by an anonymous poem, and this year there were some rather fabulous compositions. Unfortunately the standard was brought down a little by one group who thought it would be hilarious to include three rude words in each of their poems. This was followed by a raucous trivia quiz and the now infamous three-legged ankle-breaker race. Eventually we returned to the karaoke cabin to release our inner Diva with some rousing renditions of Queen, Grease and more.
During the evening there had been much plotting in the murder game - I killed Gill with her camera in cabin 3, but she came back to life by witnessing AJ kill Dejan with a piece of wood in the kitchen. Gill then became an assassin for Kate (are you following this?) to get George in a bathroom with a microphone. Somehow George found out about this, and pick-pocketed his own murder card from Gill. Beth `my-decisions-are-final` Welch then decided this was cheating and she would become George`s assassin, despite not having his murder card. She waited until 5.30am for George to finally go to the bathroom... she even stayed up to watch the Argentina World Cup match despite hating football! I was already in bed when Beth burst into the bedroom, getting George in the bathroom with a microphone. In the nude. George was so indignant that he stood and argued with Beth for a full five minutes before reaching for a towel. The next morning George gave me his card so I could do the job properly - and prevent Beth from winning! Another awesome Yulefest - thanks Beth and Nick. See you all next year.
After 18 months of planning and preparation we arrived back in the UK to find the country gripped by a heat wave. There were health warnings advising little old ladies to drink plenty of fluids as temperatures topped 36°c. The week before our big day I was swimming in the sea in Brighton on my hen weekend.(George also swam on his stag do in Newquay but he was wearing a wetsuit and a purple tutu and jumping off very high cliffs). It was lovely to be out enjoying the long balmy evenings catching up with friends and family. During the last week most of our time was spent at Abbey Farm transforming the barn into a reception venue. There was much to do - gathering ivy from the hedgerows, hanging fairy lights, putting up gazebos, strategically placing hay bales, rewiring the whole barn... On Wednesday evening we sweated to put up a gazebo loaned from the family down the road - by Thursday morning a gust of wind had tipped it upside down and it was found twisted and torn forlornly caught against the barn doors. It was ruined but we laughed and said `what a good thing it happened now` and it was considering what was to come on the day. So it was Uncle Mike to the rescue with his power drill and a brand new gazebo was bolted down to the concrete. Uncle Mike had some awesome Big Boy`s Toys - George was in his element at the controls of the cherry picker whilst I hung precariously out of the basket hanging lights in the trees; when we realised the ground was too hard to put up fence posts Mike jumped into the JCB and used brute force to push the post into the ground. When that didn`t work, he turned the JCB around and dug out a hole for the post to sit in. We were very impressed. By Thursday night it looked like we`d never get it all done in time but thanks to the help of an army of volunteers on the Friday and some late night efforts from the Jefferies family somehow everything was ready. After the rehearsal that evening everyone piled back to the Holt Hotel for dinner, and I finally got to meet George`s new nephew Dylan.
Saturday morning dawned bright and sunny - not a cloud in the sky. The hairdresser told me how lucky I was with the weather, and the florist fretted about the flowers wilting in the heat. It didn`t last. Exactly one hour before I was due at the church and just as the photographer pulled up at my parents` house the heavens opened. We managed one photo as the rain subsided for 30 seconds - we didn`t manage to get back indoors before the deluge started again. By now our little classic open-top car driven by Nick, a family friend, had arrived and the roof was too stiff for him to clip it back into place. He drove my mother and two sisters (the bridesmaids) the 5 minutes to the church with Mum hanging onto the roof for dear life as the rain poured in on her. Nick enlisted the help of several strong men from the congregation to help him fix the roof before returning to collect Dad and I. We were over 30 minutes late and by the time we arrived the little church was packed with hot and humid bodies. As I started to walk down the aisle the heat hit me and I thought for a second that the vicar had turned on the heating! Suddenly I was at George`s side and nothing else mattered. The church looked beautiful lit up by candlelight. The dark skies outside and the deafening claps of thunder overhead as we exchanged vows made for a very atmospheric and moving service. It was still pouring down as we left the church so everyone headed directly to the barn. George and I were just cracking open our bottle of champagne in the back of the slightly soggy Austin when we heard my Aunt shouting `STOP! STOP!`. Thinking we had run over a small child, we screeched to a halt to find Julieanne running up the road telling us to turn around. The road out of Swinbrook was completely flooded and we had to go a different route. Thank god we had the champagne. We crawled along the sodden country roads inching through puddles with the windows completely steamed up and Nick peering through a tiny cleared space on the windscreen. We were more than relieved to arrive intact at Abbey Farm. As we pulled into the farmhouse yard we could see a gleaming John Deere tractor attached to a beautifully decorated old trailer. We`d planned to ride up to the barn on the trailer but I thought we`d have to abandon in the weather. Julieanne again to the rescue with towels to sit on and a John Deere umbrella to keep us dry. Seeing everyone appear out of the barn to greet us, champagne in hand is one of our favourite memories of the day.
Despite the weather, the reception ran extraordinarily smoothly - the food was excellent, no-one appeared offended by the speeches, the band and DJ (despite having a turf wars over who was up next) played some awesome tunes and I managed not to trip over during the first dance. It was the most incredible day and we wouldn`t have changed a single thing - it was just perfect.
It was only later that we discovered quite how extraordinary the weather was that day. Guests driving to and from the church heard weather warnings on the radio advising locals not to travel unless essential - there was widespread flooding and several landslides. Whilst everyone was at the church a `mini tornado` tore past the barn picking up another gazebo. The only people around at the time were the band and they got soaked to the skin attempting to rescue it. The papers on Monday described how a month`s worth of rain fell in 2 hours; when we returned from honeymoon we heard how the village next to Abbey Farm was struck by lightening and had no power for the entire time of the reception. It just doesn`t bare thinking about.
A huge huge thank you to everyone who braved the weather and ruined their shoes to share our day, and to everyone who put in so much effort to make it so memorable.
Our honeymoon actually begins in our four-poster room in the Burford House Hotel. The night after our wedding we eat take-away chinese on our bed washed down with the first of three bottles of Veuve Cliquot champagne given to us by Jason and Fiona. Our adventures begin in Dar es Salaam, arriving just after 7am on Tuesday morning. Our Transfer to Zanzibar goes surprisingly smoothly: we give our passports and US$50 each to a man in a Coastal Airways florescent jacket and he jumps the visa queue for us and waves us through passport control. Although we don`t appear on any passenger lists we are told it`s ok and are ushered onto a minibus that drives us to the second terminal. It`s chaos here with luggage, staff and passengers everywhere but eventually we secure our boarding passes and are called forward to board a little 12 seater prop plane. The pilot hops in and says `hello` and we are off - there`s no safety briefing or even instructions on how to fasten the fiddly 3-way seatbelt. The city and Indian Ocean look fantastic from above and 20 minutes later we arrive at Zanzibar International Airport. We are met by a driver from our hotel and spend the journey across the island watching Zanzibar life go by. Initially it`s crazy with bicycles, pedestrians and oxen-pulled carts everywhere but soon we are out of the town and passing mud huts and school yards filled with smiling children. After about an hour we arrive at the Sultan Palace and are greeted with cold towels and fruit juice. Although I knew George had booked a nice hotel in Zanzibar the actual hotel was a surprise. When we were shown to our Imperial Suite, fittingly called Eucalyptus, it brought tears to my eyes. It was a free-standing cottage with two huge four-poster beds, a dressing room and the biggest bathroom I`ve ever seen with two sinks and a double shower. We eat breakfast on the verandah watching the ocean fill the lagoon at the bottom of our garden. It`s absolute paradise.
The next few days follow the same predictable pattern. Breakfast on the verandah followed by a walk along the white sand beach, then a few hours sunbathing. Lunch is served in one of the canopied huts on the beach then we`ll lie on a sun lounger for a while or maybe have an afternoon nap. Then a late afternoon swim once the tide is up. We`ll have a few drinks at the bar before a huge five course dinner up in the main house. Then we return to our room to find the beds turned down, the shutters drawn and the mosquito nets hung. On the second day we go out on a little boat to snorkel in the lagoon. The coral wasn`t brilliant but there was so much life: hundreds of moorish idols, tube fish, puffer fish, a moray eel, cuttlefish and parrot fish to name a few. Unfortunately George`s fins were too small for him and the current was too strong to swim without them so we didn`t stay in for long. That night we drink the second bottle of Veuve on the verandah watching the sunset over the ocean.
I must take a moment to describe the food here - it was all-inclusive and just divine. Breakfast was your usual fare of bacon, eggs, croissants, coffee, juice and fresh fruit. Lunch, down on the beach, started with a design-your-own salad: the usual choice of salad ingredients plus bacon, nuts, olives and a choice of salad dressing - all tossed together before your eyes. Then comes a pasta course such as crab spaghetti or vegetable risotto. For main course there is a choice of fresh fish or a huge steak all served with potatoes and veggies. Finally there is fresh fruit or a fruit tart and coffee. It`s all you can do to stagger onto a sun lounger and snooze it off. Dinner, served up in the main house, is bigger still. The starter is usually fish such as a lobster or octopus salad. This is followed by another pasta course, then a choice of main course such as curry, fresh fish or meat. For dessert it might be orange pancakes or banana flambe. Then, if you still have room, there`s a cheese course, although the waiters didn`t seem to get the cheese idea as they brought us teaspoons to eat it with.
All good things have to come to an end and after 4 days of total relaxation we were very sad to realise it was our last night. We crack open the final bottle of champagne and have a couple of glasses on the deck before dinner. The food that night was somehow even better than the other nights: fish cappaccio, spinach ravioli then a barbequed lobster which tasted out of this world. We somehow squeezed in a chocolate tart for dessert before returning to our room to finish off the champagne in the hammock watching shooting stars. Thank you Jason and Fiona.
With our flight to Nairobi not until the afternoon we left the Sultan Palace early Saturday morning to take a look around Stone Town, the main town on the island. We make our way through the winding alleyways past back-to-back curio shops until we eventually arrive at the sea front outside the Beit el-Ajaib (House of Wonders). This was the ceremonial palace of the Sultan but I thought it looked more like a colonial government building. By now we were hot, dusty and thirsty so we stumbled into the western pub Mercury`s (named after Freddie Mercury who was born in Zanzibar). As it`s nearly lunch time we order pizza which suitably revives us. Across the road is the Old Dispensary which had been beautifully restored and we took a look around the cool interior which now houses local art displays. We still had a few hours until our flight so we took a look in the Beit al-Sahel (palace museum). This was home to the Sultan`s family until they were overthrown in 1964 - it was really interesting to see how they lived - they even had Formica furniture from the 1950`s on display! However like most of Stone Town the very fabric of the building was crumbling with holes in the ceiling and pigeons roosting on the rafters. Stone Town was a fascinating place but it`s a real shame that despite all the tourist dollars being spent on the island none of it is being used to restore the wonderful architecture here.
We arrive at The Hotel Boulevard in Nairobi to find it fully booked; we are told we are to be put up in their `sister hotel` The 680. Amy, our tour guide advises us to eat at the Boulevard as it`s best to spend as little time in The 680 as possible. We soon see why - the lobby is full of suspicious looking characters and there is a security guard sitting outside the lift on our floor. Since Nairobi is nicknamed `Nairobbery` due to it`s reputation as the most dangerous city in Africa we don`t have the best night`s sleep. The next morning we return to the Boulevard to meet our overland truck Lucy and the rest of our tour group. We have plenty of time to get to know each other - we`ll be on the road for 12 hours a day for the next 3 days to make it to Rwanda. The first day is a real introduction to Africa - as we leave Nairobi we pass an accident with a body lying face down on the tarmac. Further on, whilst bumping along the worst road in Africa we pass gazelle, baboons and zebra - we`re very excited to see our first African animals. Eventually we arrive at the Naiberi River Camp and pitch our tent. It`s an amazing camp - the bar, reached through a covered tunnel is decorated with bridges, trees, a waterfall and a huge roaring fire. We`re on a ridge above the Great Rift Valley and it`s surprisingly cold.
The next day is another long day on the road - we cross into Uganda mid-morning, stopping for lunch at Jinga where we cross the Victoria Nile. We pass the time watching Africa go by out of the window - there are people walking everywhere carrying all sorts of things on their heads and grinning children in colourful school uniforms waving furiously. Once again we are reminded that life is short in Africa - we pass a petrol tanker overturned on the wrong side of the road with a matatu crashed head-first into it`s undercarriage. Matatus are minibuses and the main form of public transport in East Africa: although they are only supposed to carry 16 passengers they pack them so tight that they often double that. We later found out that 30 people died in the crash. We reach Uganda`s capital city Kampala by early afternoon and after shopping for dinner we arrive at the Red Chili Hideaway where we camp for the night.
We`re up before dawn again for another big driving day but we haven`t gone far before we hit a huge traffic jam. Eventually we realise there is a road block ahead with armed police in riot gear stopping every vehicle. We can`t quite work out what`s going on but it`s very disconcerting to see the police hacking off number plates with machetes. We think they were checking for illegal vehicles or perhaps just looking for bribes but Colin our driver must have said the right thing as we pass through without problem. Soon after we cross the equator and stop for coffee in a lovely cafe. Then we are given the swirling-water demonstration. As everyone knows, water drains anti-clockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere. Or does it? Our guy fills the same round pan just north of the equator line then floats a flower as he opens the outlet hole - cue the collective gasp as the water indeed swirls out anticlockwise. The opposite occurs just south of the line. Finally he fills the pan at the equator itself and it sucks the flower straight down. It`s a very convincing show - but I`m a cynical scientist and can`t believe stepping 20 yards north of the equator makes the blindest bit of difference. Back in the truck we amuse ourselves playing charades until we arrive at a small campsite behind the Little Ritz Restaurant in Kabale, close to the Rwandan boarder. It`s a beautiful setting surrounded by lush terraced hills.
On Wednesday we officially sign off the tour and wave goodbye to Lucy the truck, who doesn`t have the necessary papers to travel to Rwanda. We pile into two mini-buses and cross the border. Almost immediately the scenery changes - huge volcanic mountains covered in terraces and lush greenery. As Rwanda was originally a Belgian colony we are driving on the right and the official language is French - it`s all very peculiar. Once we reach the capital Kigali we stop at the Genocide museum. The exhibits are too shocking for words - it`s unbelievable that such utter carnage could happen without international intervention. After watching the heart-wrenching video testimonies of survivors we walked through the gardens where the mass graves are: one section had been left uncovered so you could see hundreds of coffins piled on top of each other. It was incredibly moving and we all sat shell-shocked in the minibus for sometime afterwards. As we drove back out of Kigali it was difficult to imagine this thriving city as the setting for such horror - there`s a lot of regeneration and development and the city was clean and green. Eventually the happy smiling and waving children who were too young to have known the genocide lightened our mood as we drove towards the mountains. Rwanda is Africa`s most densely populated country and every inch of land is cultivated - apart from frequent grassy areas where children played football. In the setting sun it looked absolutely idyllic. We arrive at the small mountain town of Ruhengeri to find the hotel has let our rooms: we end up staying in two houses that may have been guesthouses or just someone`s house - we really weren`t sure. After eating camp food for the last three nights we are excited to eat out: a buffet of rice, vegetables and goat stew.
Early next morning we wake to heavy rain and low clouds but nothing can dampen our excitement - we`re really going to trek for gorillas! There are 8 families on the sides of the volcanoes that have been habituated to human contact and gorilla tourism is big business. The permits cost several hundred US dollars but hopefully this will help protect them from poaching and deforestation. There are only 650 mountain gorillas left on earth. Our group is assigned the Umubano family group consisting of Charles the silverback, two adult females, three young blackback males and two baby boys. As we bump up a dirt track to the base of Bisoke volcano we are surrounded by children waving hand-drawn gorilla pictures for sale. When we can drive no further we hike through cultivated fields of pyrethrum and sweet potato before reaching the park boundary wall. Here we are joined by three armed guards: protection for both the gorillas and us. We had expected to have to trek for several hours through the jungle but as we enter the park we are told the rain has encouraged the group to move lower down the mountain in search of juicy vegetation. At that moment we hear the silverback beating his chest and a shiver runs down my spine - they are really close! It takes less than ten minutes hacking through the dense vegetation to glimpse our first gorilla: a blackback eating wild celery and seemingly oblivious to our gasps of delight. We move off and soon come across the rest of the group. We had been told that we must stay at least 7 metres from them to prevent them catching diseases from us, but because the vegetation is so thick we can only see them if we are right up close - we are often within touching distance. All of a sudden Charles the silverback rears up on his hind legs and thumps his chest - I`m less than a metre away and frozen to the spot as he bounds past us into the undergrowth. The next hour is spent following Charles as he crashes through the jungle stopping every now and then to sample the plants. Eventually the rain eases off and steam rises from the gorillas and us. At one point we are between a blackback and the rest of the family - he casually ambles up right between us and even puts an arm up to push George`s leg out of his way - unbelievable. All too soon our hour is up and we slide precariously down the steep muddy slopes to the edge of the forest. It was a truly incredible experience never to be forgotten.
We have another couple of days in Ruhengeri as the rest of the group gets to trek for the gorillas so the next day we are taken out to a pygmy village on the edge of the forest. Now the word pygmy to me conjures up images of a tribe of short people with poisoned darts and shrunken heads but apparently the word means `of the forest` and although they were definitely shorter than George they weren`t obviously small in stature. Unless the ones I took to be children were actually 45. As the minibus stops we are surrounded by a swarm of children screaming `photo photo` - they loved posing for a snap then crowding around you to look at the image on the digital screen. Their innocent delight at this was probably the best part of the visit. The kids led us into the village where the adults sang for us with amazing harmonies and frenetic dancing - there was much hilarity once George joined in. Then we were shown inside their mud huts and taken to see a girl shivering with malaria - it was heartbreaking to see her exploited in the hope of a few francs. It was a fascinating visit but I left rather depressed: these families had been displaced from the forest where they were hunter-gatherers for centuries and are now forced to grow crops to survive. The children looked malnourished and many of their clothes were ragged and torn. Apparently we were only the tenth tourist group to visit but you could see their culture becoming more and more commercialised and before long the children will be bored of the photo photo and asking for franc franc instead. That night a group of local drummers and dancers performed for us in a nearby hall - they were fantastic and pulled me up to dance with them. It`s been really nice to settle in one place for a few days and wander around the town on our own.
With just three of our group left to trek for the gorillas in Rwanda George and I selflessly volunteered to wait and travel back with them whilst the rest of our group left earlier in the day. We were waiting quite a while - the trekkers got held up in roadworks which left us only three hours to get to the border before it closed. Then to make matters worse we were caught in a torrential thunderstorm that turned the road into a river and reduced visibility to zero. When we finally arrived at the Rwandan side of the border a power cut had plunged the whole area into darkness. The immigration officials had been tipped off about our late arrival by the earlier minibus so for a small bribe our visas were stamped and we were waved through the barrier. However an hour time difference made us very late for crossing into Uganda - we arrived at the gate to find it padlocked. Amy our brave tour leader attempted to bribe the border police and called several contacts in Uganda with the hope of enticing an immigration official to return to the border. It was all in vain - the man with the keys was in a bar and had turned off his phone. After about an hour of sitting in the van in the dark whilst it was lashed with rain a deal was struck: they would let us cross into the country without visas, leaving the minibus in no-man`s land. We called the taxi company and they sent out another minibus, but there was another catch. The police insisted on keeping our passports to ensure we returned in the morning. Amy, ever protective of our property, insisted that she would stay with the passports. So we left a nervous-looking Amy with Bruce, an Irish policeman (and bodyguard for the night) to sleep on a desk in the police office. The rest of us became illegal immigrants for the night as we drove back to Kabale to regale our tale of abandoning our tour guide to the rest of the group.
The next day we are up before dawn to return to the border and exchange Bruce and Amy for a stamp in our passports - it all goes very smoothly and we laugh at how we left Rwanda on the 5th and arrived 10m away in Uganda on the 6th. We pass time on our long drive to Kampala playing endless rounds of charades but I`m suffering from the inevitable Africa belly which makes the bumpy journey very uncomfortable. Still, it didn`t put me off take-away pizza at the Red Chili Hideaway that night! The next day we stock up with supplies at the `Western World` shopping complex where we get our fix of good coffee and supermarkets. It only took a couple of hours to get to Jinja and we arrived at the Nile River Explorers camp just before lunch. The camp is in a wonderful setting up high on the banks of the Nile - the showers here have no back wall so you can look out across the river as you wash - very romantic. That afternoon we volunteered with Soft Power, a British-based charity, to help paint a local school. We expected to be whitewashing walls but when we arrived at the primary school we were pleasantly surprised to see beautifully decorated classrooms covered in pencil drawings of animals, plants, letters and numbers. It was our job to colour them in. Knowing my distinct lack of artistic talent I volunteered to write the names of a wall of objects: cup, tree, knife, hut etc. Although the brushes left much to be desired it was an immensely enjoyable afternoon, especially at lunchtime when we were mobbed by hundreds of excited schoolchildren. Some came into the classroom to comment on our work and practice their English - others just peered through the windows. Eventually one girl asked if I would take a photo of her and suddenly everyone wanted to be in a photo. One boy called Joseph asked to take a picture of us and did a fantastic job - he knew how to use the zoom and went down on one knee to change perspective. I really hope he gets a chance to own his own camera one day. Before we left we were invited to join an English class - they sang us a welcome song then asked us each to teach something. George drew the world and showed them where Uganda, England and Australia were. Then it was my turn but put on the spot I completely lacked inspiration and ended up just writing the names of some fruit on the blackboard whilst they chanted them back to me. Finally Justin (an Aussie primary school teacher working in London) showed us how it was done by teaching them all the famous Australian song `Home Among the Gum Trees`. Back at the camp we were taken on a walk through the village by two of the Soft Power volunteers - we hadn`t gone two yards before the local kids ran up to us wanting to hold our hands or be carried. We were shown the pottery and health clinic set up by the charity but being surrounded by such happy smiley innocent children was probably the highlight of the whole trip.
You can`t come to the source of the Nile without rafting the grade five rapids here so the next day we were picked up by the Nile River Explorers team and taken to their headquarters. Mary, Keith, Simon, Bruce, Justin, George and I were all on the same boat with a cocky Scottish guide called Tom. Unfortunately Tom was so hungover he could barely talk which didn`t bode well for an extreme adventure. It was wonderful to be cruising down the Nile - we were surrounded by cormorants, fish eagles and lush scenery - we even spotted monkeys on the banks. It was a very different experience to our rafting trip on the Tully river in Queensland - the Nile is massive and the volume of water phenomenal. The biggest rapid contained the G Spot - a huge wall of water that if caught correctly can surf your boat for minutes. We flipped almost as soon as we hit it - somehow Simon and Justin held onto the side of the boat as it bucked against the wave but the rest of us were thrown clear. I was sucked down for what felt like forever, surfacing gasping for air only for a back wave to knock me under again. We flipped a couple more times, once with George turning blue as he was held under the upside down boat for ages. The last rapid of the day was called the Bad Place and it was probably a wise decision to give it a miss and take the easier Other Place instead, but it did feel like a bit of an anticlimax to not go out on a bang. That night we sank a few beers whilst watching the video of our exploits - another wonderful day.
The day after our rafting trip we crossed back into Kenya. It was another long driving day to get back to Eldoret but we passed the time playing Pictionary: Judy sat at the front of the bus with a list of words whilst we sat at the back in two groups guessing them. It was great fun attempting to draw as we bumped along the awful roads. That night we stayed again at the Naiberi River Camp but by the time we arrived it was pouring with rain: everyone opted for an upgrade. We had a lovely wooden cabin with on-suite: absolute luxury! Dinner was a buffet in the bar - more goat stew, then we were invited to join in the owner`s brother`s wedding anniversary celebrations with food and beers until after midnight.
Our next stop was at Lake Baringo. Robert`s Camp is set right by the lakeside and for the first day since joining the Kumuka tour the weather was hot - perfect for spending the afternoon by the pool. That evening we got into little boats to see the wildlife on the lake - grey herons, fish eagles, pied kingfishers and finally a huge family of hippos wallowing in the shallows - magical. On the way back across the lake we were suddenly surrounded by hundreds of crocodiles: I screamed like a girl when one thrashed against the side of the boat right where my hand was dangling over the side! It was our turn to cook that night but just as we started chopping the veggies for a curry a huge thunderstorm rolled in - the wind was so strong that it blew the rain right under the tarpaulin. During the night we could hear hippos grunting as they grazed around the campsite - they sounded very close but I was too scared to get out of the tent to look!
On Friday we crossed the equator again. This time George and Simon attempted to replicate the swirling water experiment after much debate over it`s validity. Things started well with the water pouring straight down our funnel at the equator, but it swirled clockwise in both the north and south hemispheres: proof to me that it could be faked at least. After a couple of hours wandering around the market in the town of Nakuru we arrived at Kembu Campsite by early afternoon. The camp is on a working farm so after setting up camp we wandered down to a workshop where local women knit local wool into dolls and clothing. We couldn`t resist buying a lion tea cosy which was big enough for George to wear as a hat! That night we hit the bar and Amy taught us how to do Springbok shooters. It got quite messy, ending up with just Amy, Justin, Jenny, George and I playing 21, the stand-up game and fuzzy duck all at once. All fun and games until George knocked my beer bottle with his elbow (no pointing) and rammed it into my tooth - one chipped incisor as a memento of our honeymoon!
The hangover didn`t help us get up at 5am for our first proper safari drive in Lake Nakuru National Park. Although we left the campsite at 6.30am we spent over an hour just outside the park gates as our driver couldn`t change out of first gear. It wasn`t all bad: whilst we waited for the mechanic we were entertained by vervet monkeys, a troop of baboons and zebras and gazelles grazing in the surrounding fields. Just as we were begining to suffer a sense of humour failure the problem was sorted and we piled back into the safari truck. We headed straight to the lake spotting fish eagles and maribu storks on the way, gazelles fighting each other and a warthog and baby hiding in the long grass. We were only 5 minutes in when we spotted our first white rhino. Once at the lake shore we were told it was ok to get out and walk around - a little scary considering we could still see the rhino in the distance! The flamingos on the lake were pretty impressive despite over 1 million of them dying in some ecological crisis over the past few weeks. Back in the truck we saw buffalo, a baby silver-backed jackal, impala, Rothschild`s giraffes and dik-diks on the way to a lookout point at the top of a cliff. The view as we looked out across the savannah to the lake was incredible. This was where the movie Out of Africa was filmed and I became quite emotional at the realisation of a life-long dream to go on safari. We retrace our path back to the bottom of the cliff then follow the track around the lake edge. We spot more rhino then another herd of giraffe, an ostrich and a troop of amorous baboons. Did you know it only takes baboons 30 seconds to fornicate? Paul our guide promises to find us a lion and a traffic jam further along the track indicates we have found one. We spend forever trying to make out the male hidden amongst some bushes under a fallen tree, eventually he blinks and I can fix on his face and mane. Then we move further around the tree and get a full view of him and a female lying alongside. It`s time to leave the park but even on our way out we spot waterbuck and colobus monkeys. I could have spent all day driving around - an incredible experience. Back in Lucy the big truck we drive straight on to Crayfish Camp at Lake Naivasha. We`re spending a couple of nights here so we treat ourselves to another upgrade.
We`d been told that it was too dusty to do the planned excursion of mountain biking in Hells Gate National Park but I was really keen to see it. We decided to go anyway and get some hiking practice for Kilimanjaro by treking on foot. Everyone else had decided to do a walking safari in Crater Lake so George and I packed some sandwiches and set off walking to the park gates. We were exhausted by the time we got there: thankfully the warden told us it was fine to cycle and they had bikes available for hire. It was wonderful to be off exploring again, just the two of us. The park was very quiet with amazing volcanic scenery. Without the noise of a vehicle we were able to get very close to zebra, gazelle, eland and impala. It took over an hour to get to the Lower Gorge - thank god we hadn`t walked it. We dumped the bikes and set off to explore the steep-sided gorge on foot - we hadn`t even left the picnic area before we got lost. Thankfully a guide appeared and offered to show us around. He was very knowledgable and claimed to have had dinner with Angelina Jolie when she was there filming Tomb Raider II. The gorge was stunning - Joseph led us down a side-gorge where we had to clamber over rocks until we eventually ended up in a massive chamber at the base of a huge dry waterfall, which must be truly impressive in the wet season. Back in the main gorge we found geothermal springs with steaming hot water - at one point we had to negotiate our way under a hot water waterfall! Finally Joseph led us up some steep steps at the side of the gorge wall; the view from the top was breathtaking. After a picnic lunch we hopped back on the bikes to complete the circuit of the park but suddenly it seemed very hard. The road became very steep and it was very very hot. It also became much less scenic - the dirt road became tarmac and we cycled past ugly geothermal power stations with huge plumes of steam escaping from them. After pushing the bike up another seriously steep hill I was really regretting not going back the way we came in; then suddenly we spotted a family of 10 warthogs grazing by the roadside. As we stopped to look four giraffes appeared from the bushes. We threw the bikes down and set off on foot for a close up encounter - three of the giraffes ran to a more comfortable distance but the biggest one stood his ground and posed for some great photos. Then George decided to get down on the ground for a different perspective. The giraffe seemed to see this as an act of submission and took it as a cue to approach us... It was quite scary and we retreated very quickly! It was still quite a long ride back to the camp along the edge of Lake Naivasha and we had to avoid buses, potholes, pedestrians, oxen carts and hundreds of other cyclists. It was exhausting and on a downhill stretch I lost concentration and careered off the side of the road into a crater, gaining a grazed knee and a bruised pelvic bone for my troubles. That night was our last as the original Kumuka group - some were off on another tour to Tanzania and another load of passengers were joining us for the trip to the Masai Mara. It was a great night - a lovely buffet dinner followed by lots of beer and curdled cowboys (eugh - I shudder to think how long the Bailey`s had been open in 35` heat). There was dancing on the tables, then dancing on the chairs when we were told not to stand on the tables, a limbo competition and several drinking games. A brilliant night to top off an awesome day.
Next morning we bade a teary farewell to Lorraine, Mary, Justin, Scott, Bruce and Sonia and joined the new group in two open sided trucks for our drive to the Masai Mara. The vibe was very different on the bus but the roads were just the same - so potholed that everyone made their own path on the left, right or even beyond the bushes at the side of the road - complete chaos. That night we stay at a functional campsite on the edge of Narok. Next morning we continued bumping along worsening roads until we were just on the barest dirt track across endless grassy plains. We stopped at a Maasi village for a tour - the women sang then the men showed us their ceremonial outfits and told us some of their traditions. Apparently every boy has to kill a lion to prove his manliness before he is allowed to take a wife: he also has to give his prospective father-in-law 10 cows and several litres of homebrew. All this and a painful sounding circumcision ceremony too. We were taken inside their dingy cow-dung huts: Whilst George the Maasai explained their living arrangements (a man can have many wives but they each must each build their own huts) a calf mooed in one of the rooms - they are kept indoors to prevent them being taken by lions. It was very dark inside - probably for the best as even in the half-light I could see hundreds of cockroaches crawling over every surface. They made their money from us in their market - I brought a necklace and George brought a spear - we would worry about declaring that at customs later. Once within the Masai Mara reserve there were animals everywhere: wildebeest, zebra, gazelles, impala, topi (large antelopes) and our first wild elephants. All this just on the drive to our campsite! After lunch we go on our first proper game drive in the park, seeing for the first time the hundreds and hundreds of wildebeest from the migration stretching as far as the eye could see. There is a group of safari trucks in the bushes - as we draw nearer we see what the commotion is about - a pride of lions devouring a wildebeest. We pull up right next to a huge sleepy male, and there are 3 females and 4 young cubs. We watched for ages - mesmerised by the cubs playing with the adults and lazily pulling bits of meat off the carcass. As we moved off we spotted a huge family of mongooses, then follow the track to the river where hippos wallow in small pools. Again we`re told we can get out of the truck for a closer look but with lions just around the corner I`m more than happy to get back in the vehicle! Finally we see another group of safari vehicles in the distance - there`s a beautiful cheetah just lying in open grass. Another teary `I can`t believe I`m actually on safari` moment. That night after dinner a group of Maasai dance for us around the fire. It was incredibly evocative as they sang with guttural grunts and `huhs` whilst dancing around our group. They pulled me up to dance with them and I think George thought he`d lost his new wife as one of the warriors put his blanket around my shoulders and led me off! Then George joined in with the jumping competition - the way the young boys prove their worth to the ladies.
We were up at 5am the next morning for our dawn game drive. After being treated to the most incredible sunrise we came across a herd of six elephants including a gorgeous baby. More hippos, a hyena, baboons, bat-eared foxes, jackals and giraffes made it another wonderful drive. After a huge breakfast back at camp we packed up for the drive back to Nairobi. As we drove out of the park we could see heaps of safari vehicles across the plain - we begged Amy to let us take a look at what was happening. Thankfully she said yes as there were three cheetahs devouring a freshly-killed topi with 10 or more vultures looking on and waiting for leftovers. A fabulous end to an amazing trip. That night, back in Nairobi, after saying a sad farewell to everyone on the Kumuka tour, we sampled the delights of the world-renowned Carnivore restaurant. After a soup starter the waiters keep on bringing you huge pieces of barbecued meats such as ostrich, camel, crocodile, beef, pork, lamb and chicken and don`t stop until you put down the flag on your table. We were done in after such a huge feast so hailed a cab back to our hotel. Despite being face to face with a lion the night before this was probably the most hair-raising experience of the trip. The taxi had dents and scratches all down the sides and several cracks across the windscreen. As the petrol tank was empty we pulled into a service station where the driver filled up with just 2.4L of petrol. We found out why a little later when we noticed that we had jumped four sets of red lights in succession: the driver explained that it was too dangerous to stop. I thought he meant that the poor standard of driving meant that you were likely to get someone in the back of you - the reality is that car-jackings are so common that no-one stops after dark. This was also the reason why no cabbie drives around town with more petrol than he needs for that journey. We were more than relieved to arrive back at the Boulevard in one piece.
After another night at the Boulevard in Nairobi we boarded a shuttle bus to take us into Tanzania. The scenery changed quite quickly after crossing the border; Tanzania was much more arid with dusty yellow-brown vegetation. Then we got our first glimpse of Kilimanjaro across the plains: the snow capped peak floating above a layer of cloud was awe-inspiring. We changed buses at Arusha under the shadow of Mt Meru and for the rest of the journey to Moshi we were overlooked by the towering peak of Kili. After some confusion about which hotel we were staying at, we arrived at the Bristol Cottages and met our tour organiser. We`d expected a small group of 6 to 8 but it transpires that George and I are the only ones on the tour - with our own personal driver!
First stop after lunch the next day was at Meserani Snake Park where we got to hold baby crocodiles and be scared by all the killer snakes in Africa - thankfully they were all behind glass. Just down the road we entered Lake Manyara National Park for the first of our Tanzanian game drives. Our first wildlife encounter was a group of 20-30 mongooses just wandering down the track seemingly oblivious to our truck. Then elephants, impala, baboons and vervet monkeys. As the track meandered through the bush we came across a stream where a mass of zebras, wildebeest and warthogs were feeding off the lush grass. As we turned another corner we almost ran over a huge Masai giraffe grazing the acacia trees. We stop to watch as a huge elephant lumbers past - a magical spot. The stream ran into a tiny pond teeming with at least 15 closely packed hippos and hundreds of pelicans, storks and cormorants. As we drive out we pass dik-diks, a herd of 8 elephants and a herd of buffaloes under a baobab tree. Brilliant. That night we sank a Kilimanjaro beer by the pool watching the sunset over the lake at the fabulously positioned Lake Manyara Lodge.
We get up before dawn to watch a stunning sunrise from the escarpment overlooking the lake. After breakfast we meet Freddie our driver and drive to Ngorongoro crater. This is one of the world`s largest calderas - an imploded volcano leaving a crater 20km wide. Unlike the serengeti it has constant fresh water and grassland which, along with the steep sides, creates some of the highest concentrations of animals anywhere in Africa. As we climb the outside of the crater we pass through lush rainforest, but it`s our first view of the inside of the crater that`s truly breathtaking. We can see the salt pan of the nearly dry soda Lake Magadi, vast yellow savannah, woodland and lush green swamps - it`s like something from Jurassic Park. The descent track is steep and bumpy but once at the bottom we are immediately surrounded by hundreds of zebra, wildebeest and gazelle. We have only gone a few hundred yards when we come across a pride of lions sat in the sun beside the track. There were four lionesses, three cubs and the big daddy. As we get in close, two lionesses stand up and slink under the back wheels of another safari truck - they are looking for shade! We are laughing but soon it`s our turn - the other two females and the cubs come and settle under our vehicle - I could have leaned out of the window and given them a head rub. Once we`d inched forward to flush the lions out we head towards the lake spotting ostrich, buffalo and hartebeest. Rounding a rock outcrop we come across an enormous bull elephant ripping up reeds in a shallow swampy pool. Just to the right were 20-25 hippos rolling and sloshing in the muddy shallows. The noise from the hippos grunting and the elephant munching was incredible. After lunch we drive through the eastern side of the park where we spot our first black rhino and a baby. Unfortunately they`re a long way away and lying down but it definitely counts as a sighting! More lions and a cheetah complete an awesome safari. Again our lodge is in an incredible location with views across the crater from every room.
Next morning we enter the Serengeti National Park at Naabi Hill Gate. The plains of dry yellow grass seem to go on forever, but we haven`t gone far before I spot three cheetah heads popping up above the grass. Then we spot another cheetah right by the side of the road with a freshly killed gazelle in it`s jaws. It`s dragging breakfast back to the rest of the pride and we must have missed the kill by minutes. Our route along the river reveals eland, giraffes, gazelles, hartebeest, baboons, hippos, a couple of lions and even a snake sunning itself on the road. We check into the hotel before lunch to find it overrun with hyraxes (like overgrown guinea pigs). We have lunch at the visitor centre which has an excellent display about the serengeti ecosystem, all set amongst one of the distinctive rocky outcrops called kopjes. Back in the truck we get a tip-off and head back past the hippo pool to where several safari trucks have amassed: a leopard is lying under one of the trucks! He doesn`t seem remotely phased by all the attention and eventually he saunters amongst the vehicles giving each of us a perfect view - unbelievable. Unfortunately the experience of spotting the `elusive` leopard was marred by the tens of vehicles aggressively jerking forward or darting up verges to get the best view - a complete circus. Eventually we were in the middle of a huge traffic jam as the trucks closest to the leopard selfishly hogged the view, presumably waiting for a kill. It did look as if the leopard was preparing to go for a gazelle but suddenly it took flight - not because of a noisy safari vehicle or a huge male lion - it was a baboon that scared it off! Later we came across a tree alive with baboons but watched in horror as a large male terrorised a tiny baby: he held it by the tail and thrashed it on the ground, lazily clutching it`s tail every time it tried to escape - very distressing. Buffalo, giraffe and elephant completed an amazing drive. That night we watched the sunset from outside a bar set atop a kopje: an amazing setting from which we could see antelopes grazing and monkeys and hyraxes in the trees.
Next morning we are up at 6am for a dawn game drive - just as the sun peaked over the horizon we spotted five lionesses tearing apart a hartebeest carcass. It was especially magical as we were the only truck there - it was so quiet you could hear the bones crunching. As we head out of the park we pass more lions - a female and 3 cubs and a gorgeous male. I`ve come to the conclusion that lions are just exhibitionists - all those endless plains and they choose to snooze by the side of the main access road. Leaving the park we detour to Olduvai Gorge where a small museum explains the significance of the fossils of hominids and ancient animals found there - it`s home to some of the oldest human remains - the so-called `cradle of mankind`. We spend the night back at Lake Manyara Lodge where we can see giraffes wandering the plains from our bathroom - fantastic.
Our last game drive took us to Taragire National Park - we stop at the gate to get the car fumigated to deter the endemic tsetse fly. We see waterbuck, warthogs and giraffe, then Freddie points out a gazelle carcass hanging from a tree. He tells us how a 14 year old Australian boy was killed by a leopard as he walked from his tent to the campfire in one of the campsites - by the next morning the leopard had been hunted down and killed. The park was beautiful with undulating landscapes and lots of baobab trees. From the top of a cliff we look down at the river and spot two lionesses preparing to attack a group of zebra - it`s unsuccessful but incredibly exciting. Huge herds of elephants grazed by the river - two are fighting and the sound of them trumpeting is incredible. We eat lunch at a picnic spot overlooking the river and laugh as a group of Japanese tourists is attacked by a troop of baboons who make off with the entire contents of their lunch boxes. Our safaris over we sadly return to Arusha where we say goodbye to Freddie and check into the Impala Hotel. I could have happily driven out to the national parks every day for 10 weeks but again we`d exceeded every expectation - spotting the big 5 and so much more.
The day after our Tanzanian safari we wandered around the markets in Arusha before getting the shuttle bus back to Moshi. We`re staying at the Springlands Hotel just outside town and the views of Kilimanjaro from the verandah are amazing, if rather daunting! The day before our climb is spent exploring Moshi, relaxing by the pool and organising the hire of hideous but warm clothing for the climb. We get huge ski jackets, waterproof trousers, fleece tracksuit bottoms, ski gloves, balaclavas and a walking pole each. That evening we attend the climb briefing. In order for us to climb the mountain, we will have an entourage of seven: Stephen our guide, an assistant guide, a cook and four porters. That night at dinner we sit next to a dutch couple who had just completed their climb - she made it to the peak but her husband had to stop at Gilman`s point at the crater rim as he was suffering from altitude sickness. Out of everyone we`d spoken to who`d attempted the climb it seemed about 50/50 to reach the top. And we were hardly prepared - we`d just spent 4 weeks sitting in a truck. We must be idiots for even attempting it as a `tack on` to the end of our honeymoon - most people spend months and months preparing and we`d only done a few 3 hour walks to wear in our boots. And that was over 2 months ago. I was looking forward to the start of the trek but we were not at all confident of reaching the top.
Day one of the climb started with a 7am breakfast before jumping into a matatu for the hour drive to Mandara Gate. We shared the journey with Anette and Yngve, a Norwegian couple we`d met at the briefing the night before. We are the only people from the Springlands Hotel starting on the Marangu route - it`s good to have some travelling companions - even if we do have different guides! It takes a while to get everything organised at the gate but eventually, just after 11am, we pass through the gates and start our ascent just as a couple pass triumphantly through in the other direction. The path meanders gently upwards through lush thick rainforest; it`s quite beautiful and once we find our rhythm it`s not at all hard. In fact the trickiest thing is to remember to take it `polé polé` - slowly slowly. We fall behind Anette and Yngve quite soon but it`s good to know we are taking it steady - apparently that`s the trick to avoiding altitude sickness. We stop at the halfway point for lunch then it`s another hour and a half to the camp at Mandara Hut. After cups of tea and popcorn in the dining hall we walk up to the 3000m point at Maundi Crater which gave us beautiful views across the mountains. After dinner there wasn`t much to do but sit in the hut we are sharing with the Norwegians playing cards and reading, but it`s lights out by 9pm!
It`s a 6.30am start to Day 2 and after an endless breakfast of maize porridge, avocado, bread, omelette and sausage we are on the track by 8.10am. It`s steeper today but still fairly easy going. We soon leave the tree line behind and are in open moorland with the hot sun beating down behind us. After an hour or so we get our first glimpse of Uhuru peak since starting the trek - although it`s still so far away it is great motivation to see your final destination. After around three and a half hours we reach a windy hilltop where we devour our lunch despite it being before noon! With most of the distance for today done it`s another one and a half hour slog to Horombo Huts. It feels really late as we demolish our plate of popcorn but it`s only 2pm! The afternoon is spent sheltering from the wind reading, playing cards and snoozing. Dinner at 5pm then in bed by 8.30!
Day 3 was our optional acclimatisation day where we do a short walk to gain some altitude but return to Horombo Huts for the night. Despite it being a `rest day` we`re up at 7.30 for breakfast. We set off for Zebra Rocks and I`m full of energy bounding off ahead and have to be told `polé polé`. It takes just over an hour to reach the striped rock formation and we rest for a bit before attempting a very steep zigzag slope to a viewpoint above. Stephen our guide tells us this is what the climb to Gilman`s Point will be like - but ten times longer and in the dark! We`re caught up by a group of 11 private schoolgirls from Newcastle: they`re infuriatingly cheerful and are singing `Little Donkey` because they are on a dusty road. As annoying as they are, they prove to be good motivation to get to the top - if they can so can I! The views from the top of the ridge across the Saddle to Kibo hut and Uhuru peak are incredible. Stephen points out the vertical path up from the hut to Gilman`s Point: a 1000m vertical climb. It takes no time to return to Horombo huts and we are back for lunch. The afternoon is spent chilling out in the sun, reading, chatting and trips to the bathroom every 1-2 hours as we are forcing 4 litres of water through us each day in the hope of warding off altitude sickness. It`s beautiful here above the clouds and every now and then our reading would be distracted by the whoosh of a pair of ravens swooping low overhead. We start a game of Yatzte before dinner with Yngve and Anette but it`s too dark to continue afterwards so we`re in bed by 8.30.
Day 4: We set off polé polé at 8.30am. The going is very tedious through the stony desert but we reach our lunch stop on the saddle by noon. It`s a quick stop; despite the sun there`s a strong cold wind and we shelter behind some boulders. After lunch it seems to be even harder going - the hut just doesn`t seem to be getting any nearer. Eventually the path reaches the base of the towering rocks on top of which are perched the huts, but the steep, sandy path up to them is torture. George and I are both exhausted with headaches and dizziness, but tea, popcorn, two paracetamol and an acetazolomide tablet sort me out. We can`t quite believe we have made it this far, and we start to see the attrition of altitude: a guy in our share dorm is feeling really unwell and we see a girl vomiting outside the huts. This time we`re in a big 8 bunk dorm and as well as the Norwegians we are sharing with three hairy South Africans who insist on a full body wash and having the windows open all night. It`s minus degrees outside and whilst we are having dinner clouds blow right through the open windows! We`re all in bed before it`s dark - we have to be up again at 11pm!
Day 5: Despite being tucked up in bed since 7pm we both failed to sleep a wink. We`re up at 10.30pm and put on every item of clothing we own - 3 vests, a long sleeve t-shirt, fleece, long-johns, tracky bottoms, waterproof trousers and my very fetching Michelin-woman coat. We have a bowl of porridge despite having no appetite. Anette is feeling awful and decides not to climb leaving Yngve to attempt the summit on his own. He leaves a little before us but we are on our way at 12.15am. We joined a long line of head torches zigzagging up the mountainside, quickly passing the Newcastle schoolgirls who already have one vomiter. The first hour was fairly easy and I was full of confidence but by the time we reached Hans Myer Cave (about halfway to Gilman`s Point) I was exhausted. The path criss-crosses a scree run so it was often two steps forwards, one step back. The lack of sleep was also catching up with me. As the path got steeper I had to stop every 10 steps or so. If I sat on a rock my eyelids would droop and I`d find myself drifting off to sleep for a second before jerking myself awake. When I couldn`t sit I`d lean forward on my pole (who had fast become my best friend) and often found myself nodding off in that pose too. The only motivation to keep going was the cold that set in as soon as you stopped moving. Eventually, maybe 100m from Gilman`s Point, the path turned into an almost vertical scramble over variously sized rocks. By now we were well over 5000m and each step required a herculean effort. Getting to Gilman`s Point on the edge of the crater was by far the hardest thing I`ve ever done - my camelback had frozen solid so I had no water which can`t have helped. Stephen helped me up the final rocks to Gilman`s but George collapsed only 5m below not knowing how close he was! It had taken us 5 3/4 hours and by now the sun was nearly up - the sky was a beautiful shade of pink but there was no time to stop and enjoy the view - we had to keep going before the motivation left us. It was easy to see why so many people stopped here - the last part of the climb to the crater was just impossible. But to me it was motivation to reach the very peak - we`d done the hard bit and I wasn`t putting myself through that torture without the glory of reaching the summit. We rested no more than 10 minutes before turning our backs to the sunrise and starting the 2 hour trek to Uhuru. Now it was light we could see into the crater and we followed a path dangerously close to the precipitous sides along the inside of the crater rim. We`d only just started when we met Yngve coming in the other direction - he`d steamed to the top and was now on his way back down! Unfortunately the path to Uhuru started downhill which, though nice for the legs, required a further slog to get back up to our previous height. I`ve heard the effects of altitude being described as breathing through a straw but I didn`t really find it hard to breathe - it was more like walking for 7 hours through waist-deep water. Halfway to the peak we began climbing alongside an amazing glacier, and at about this point Stephen took my hand and pretty much dragged me step by step to the top. Eventually we could see the Uhuru peak sign and took our final steps towards it independently. It was incredibly emotional to have really made it - such an amazing sense of achievement. We stayed long enough for a few photos and congratulations before retracing our steps. Downhill was easy, especially now it was light and we could see exactly what had almost defeated us on the way up. Once past the rocks we mustered enough energy to throw ourselves down the scree run. This was great fun and an incredibly quick way down the mountain. It took us almost 8 hours to get to the peak but only 2 1/2 hours to get back to Kibo hut. Elated but exhausted we crawled into our sleeping bags and passed out immediately. We were woken for lunch because it was time for the long walk back to Horombo huts. When we got there we were told that the Norwegians had already gone down to the next huts. We later found out that they had gone all the way to the gate in one day - Yngve had walked 40km in one day including a successful summit attempt - what an incredible feat!
Day 6: We leave Horombo hut at 7.45am and make good progress down the mountain - the sun is out and it`s really hot. Just above Mandara hut I almost tread on a chameleon - we stop to take photos and move him safely off the track. Then I realise that stopping was a bad idea; I`ve totally seized up and manage the rest of the descent walking like a robot. We spot black and white monkeys in the trees and a dik-dik just before the gate. We pass through Mandara gate at 12.30pm and are the first off the mountain that day. We get our climb certificates then make our way to the van. All the guides and porters are laughing at me saying `polé polé` because slowly slowly is the fastest I can go! Our transport is a clapped out matatu with `I love Jesus` emblazoned across the windscreen. We take the front seat with the guides and porters all jammed in the back. We are given the full mutatu experience: overtaking on blind corners, swerving to avoid trucks overtaking on the other side of the road and who-knows what speed we were going - the speedo was broken! It`s a relief to arrive safely back at Springlands. After a much needed shower we joined the Norwegians by the pool and sank some celebratory beers.
Next morning it`s my 30th birthday - we are rudely awoken by the generator starting up just outside our room. I open my presents and cards - George has got me a `Just Done It` T-shirt, and Katie & Gill got me a Spa Day to enjoy on my return to Sydney. Then there`s a knock at the door and Anette and Yngve are stood at the door holding a bottle of champagne and two glasses, singing Happy Birthday. They join us for breakfast but are off on safari that morning. George and I finish off the pop by the pool and we spend the rest of the day trying not to move too far - I`m unbelievably stiff. It`s a great chilled out day.
We have one more day relaxing by the pool before it`s time to say goodbye to Africa. It had been an incredible honeymoon which exceeded every expectation and we`d finished on a total high by actually getting to the top of Kilimanjaro. Still, we were looking forward to being back in Sydney and drinking proper milk again!
As always, it`s never too hard to come home to Bondi and it was great to catch up with everyone again. AJ and Flipper hosted an hilarious Bad Taste party in their new flat - take a look at the photos to see just how far we pushed the theme! September is finals season for AFL and we were there to cheer on the Swans to a place in the Grand Final. We weren`t going to miss another trip to the MCG so Katie and Dan flew down with us to Melbourne. Unfortunately luck wasn`t with us and the Swans lost to the West Coast Eagles by just one heartbreaking point. Still, it didn`t stop us celebrating until the early hours, singing along to the pub jukebox with random strangers.
The next weekend we joined Nick, Beth, Shobana and Ian at a lovely beach house in Avoca Beach to celebrate Nick`s birthday. The weather was lovely and we were right on the beach front. There were many silly games and long sessions of poker, and even a midnight swim. A very relaxing weekend. The next week Nick and Beth hosted their annual Cheese and Wine festival - an excuse to drink lots of wine and eat lots of cheese. Despite some serious competition George and I did surprisingly well to win first prize in the tasting competition. Probably due to all the practice we got the previous weekend.
Katie and Dan hosted a Halloween party - again with fancy dress. There was apple bobbing, mummy wrapping, pin-the-face-on-the-pumpkin and an informative Halloween quiz. Seems like these days we can`t organise a party without a theme and fancy dress!
After spending most Saturdays in September and November trawling around houses in Bondi and the surrounding area we were just about giving up hope of finding a somewhere to buy in the Eastern Suburbs. Pretty much everything is sold by auction out here and it`s impossible to gauge how much the place will actually go for or even what the seller has set as the reserve. We`d become rather disheartened after seeing properties in our price range go for $100,000 more than advertised, and then things got a little more urgent - the owners of our Edward Street flat were looking to sell and refused to renew our contract. Eventually we saw a lovely 3 bedroom semi with a little garden, just up the road in Bondi - I fell in love with it immediately but George was more cautious, not believing we would actually be able to afford it. On the morning of the auction neither of us could sleep and by the time we reached Bennett Street I could hardly stand I was so nervous. Things looked up when the auction was held in the back garden - a very low key affair and it soon became apparent that there was only one other guy bidding. George took control of the situation with confident bids and soon the other chap dropped out - we hadn`t even reached the reserve! We were beside ourselves as we negotiated an excellent price and signed the papers. Despite it being still only 10am we went straight home to open a bottle of champagne on the balcony and say goodbye to our wonderful view. The celebrations continued after volleyball at Icebergs and then the Bondi Hotel - a very messy but happy night.
With George hassling the bank every day the mortgage was approved in record time and we exchanged and moved in just 20 days after the auction. We didn`t know what to do with ourselves in so much space but we are now very much used to shouting at each other down the hallway. George got his priorities right and headed straight to the barbecue shop the day after we moved in - the next day AJ, Philippa, Gill and Creg helped set up and christen the barbie and plant a lemon tree in the back garden. Although we miss the view of the ocean we are so happy to have a place to call our own - we still can`t quite believe that we own a little piece of Bondi. With a spare room that is no longer George`s office we are looking forward to welcoming lots of visitors over the next few years....
We are very proud to announce a new arrival to the Australian arm of the Burrows family. Hes called Claude and arrived at about 8pm on 15th December 2006. Hes 1.5 pounds, and 25cm long. Fay didnt ask for any pain-killers and is recovering well
After entertaining the parents last year we were determined to get back to celebrating Christmas in traditional Bondi style - on Bondi Beach. However since our first Bondi Christmas the police have cracked down on alcohol and for the last couple of years there have been security guards at each entrance to the beach checking bags and confiscating any booze. A traditional Bondi Christmas just can`t be done sober and one night back in September the boys started talking about burying beer on the beach. It became something of a master plan - how would we ever find our stash again in the vastness of the Bondi sands? What if the chap with a metal detector discovered them? Or if they were overturned by the beach comber? Many strategies were suggested including using a GPS, triangulation, a mobile phone and even a baby monitor to identify the location. It wasn`t so much about drinking the beer anymore, it was now all about the burying. I was convinced it was all talk and the boys wouldn`t actually be bothered with buying and burying beer, but as we watched the rain clouds go by from a beachfront bar on Christmas Eve afternoon George and Craig suddenly decided to head to the bottle shop and buy 30 cans. After all the elaborate plans a spot was chosen right on the southern end of the beach by a prominent rock. All that was left was to find it again in the morning.
Christmas Day dawned grey and drizzly - we were hosting a turkey brunch and George somehow managed to wake up at 6:30am to put the turkey in the barbecue. It looked like the beach beer plans would all be for nothing if it rained all day. After opening our presents it began to brighten up and by the time our guests arrived the sun was out. Turkey rolls all round and then present opening around the tree and lots of celebratory champagne. We hit the beach by early afternoon to find the earlier inclement weather had greatly reduced the crowds, even though the weather was now wonderful. We headed straight for the spot where the beer should be hidden to find a lone man sat in a deck chair reading a newspaper, right above the burial site. He moved off when he saw us approach but seemed to be watching from a distance - was he an undercover cop about to bust us for beer smuggling? As we all hovered trying to look as normal as possible (of course we looked as guilty as sin) George and Craig began digging. The spot they`d chosen was actually below the high tide mark but thankfully the tide had receded just enough for them not to have to dig in knee deep water! Eventually the first beer was retrieved and because of the recent soaking they were even cold! We quickly dug up the rest and moved away from the scene of the crime. How good did the beer taste after all that!
That evening we had again brought tickets to the dance party at the pavilion on Bondi Beach, this year hosted by Gatecrasher. It took a while to get into it but by the end we were up by the stage giving it rocks. Unfortunately the party has to end at 10pm and we seemed to loose everyone but Katie and Dan on our way back up the hill to Bennett Street. No worries - more turns on the Singstar for us....
Thanks to Gill and Creg for the beach photos - we din`t dare take our posh new camera where beer, salt water and sand were involved!
With both Philippa`s and Al`s parents out this year we suggested going to Shark Island again for the perfect view of the fireworks. There were 20 of us this time, including two babies, and we arrived at Rose Bay in plenty of time for the first ferry at 6.15pm. After the debacle of last`s year`s ferry transport where we were still waiting for a ferry at 8.30 and almost missed the first fireworks at 9pm we were pleased to see they had allocated people to specific ferries. We joined an unruly queue near the front only to be told that we needed to make room for the normal ferry service and to queue along the pavement. "Don`t worry` the man said `if you`ve got a 6.15 ticket you`ll all get on.` The ferry arrived and we waited patiently as more and more people joined the queue from the sides but started to get worried as the queue slowed just in front of us. As we reached the front of the queue `Sorry` the nice man said `too many people with buggies and eskies have stopped on the bottom floor and the captain won`t let anymore on.` I might have vented my anger a little here but there was nothing we could do about it and we cracked open a couple of beers while we waited for the next ferry. Of course it now meant that some passengers with 7pm ferry tickets wouldn`t fit on the next ferry and we couldn`t quite believe it when those passengers were Al, Annie, Al`s parents and Gill`s sister Jen and friends Kate and Gav. Despite the trauma of getting to the island we managed to secure a wonderful spot right at the end with an unbeatable view of the bridge, opera house and the city. Phillipa and Annie had done a wonderful job with the picnic and we opened the first of many bottles of champagne. The first fireworks at 9pm were fantastic and several bottles of pop later it was minutes to midnight. Every year the fireworks seem to go on for longer and we all sat in stunned silence as an incredible display lit up the bridge and, for the first time, the city. Then a faltering rendition of Auld Lang Syne before joining the queue for the ferry back to Rose Bay. Whilst waiting on the jetty George took the opportunity to phone home, passing the phone to me to say hello to his mum but actually throwing the mobile straight into the water! Things then got a little messy on the boat with George mistaking a group of rowdy Scots as Aussies and singing `get your s**t stars of our flag` very loudly. Luckily no-one was too offended and we all got off the boat in one piece. Steph very kindly drove us home were we collapsed exhausted.
Having had such a great time on the Hawksbury for the last two years we decided to extend our stay this year and make the most of the Australia Day long weekend. This year we hired a huge 12 berth houseboat called Ascension from further upriver at Wiseman`s Ferry. George and I left work early on Thursday to pick up the boat, and it wasn`t long before Katie, Dan and Chris arrived and we sailed down river to anchor up and wait for the rest of the gang. It had been a scorching day and I couldn`t wait to jump in... until we saw jellyfish the size of car tyres! George bravely jumped off the top and it seemed like the jellies were all swimming towards him: Katie and I were shouting directions to the back of the boat avoiding them! Katie and I decided to wait before our first swim. Gill, Creg, Jen, Philippa and AJ arrived later that evening and at dinner we explained the Pamplemousse rules to the houseboat first timers, Jen and Chris. Having told everyone that the game was now `live` and any further mention of `the P word` would result in us all stripping down to our swim wear and jumping off the boat, Chris asked me a question: `with this Pamplemousse game...` I didn`t hear anymore because I was pulling off my dress and dashing to the back of the boat - jellyfish or no jellyfish everyone was in the water! There was quite a strong current running with the tides and George discovered that swimming under the boat was like a water park ride as the current swept you along in darkness. It was all fun and games until George hit his eye on a low hanging piece of metal and gave himself a beauty of a black eye. After a drunken game of Pictionary there were two more pamplemousses that night, and in the dark both Chris and I walked straight into the hole for the engine at the back of the boat bruising toes and breaking toenails. Jen then cranked up some tunes on the iPod and not much sleep was had as Jen, Gill, AJ, Flipper and George danced and drank until 4am.
The next morning we sailed a little way upriver then anchored up for some serious sunbathing, swimming and fishing. The boys went off in the dingy and came back with two bream and a huge eel that had nearly sunk the boat getting it in. Craig had this story of a massive eel that had `got away` with his tackle..we didn`t believe a word of it until we saw Chris` video clip - The eel was literally towing the dingy with all 4 boys on board! The caught eel was thankfully returned to the river but George gutted the two bream and cooked them up on the bbq for dinner. That night, in between the pamplemousses, we played poker until the early hours.
Saturday was another gloriously hot day and we sailed much further upriver to the mouth of the Colo River where we anchored for the night. It was a lovely quiet spot away from the hundreds of wakeboarding boats everywhere else on the river. More fishing, jumping, swimming and snoozing before settling down to another night of beer and poker.
Sunday morning we reluctantly retraced our steps back to Wiseman`s Ferry, stopping at a huge cliff for George and AJ to jump off. It was at least a 20m drop but we`d seen some lads jump it successfully the day before so I wasn`t too worried. Some more jumping off the boat before it was time to return Ascension to her owners and make our way home. It was another fabulous weekend and we`re already looking forward to next year....
After a wonderful weekend on the Hawksbury River we returned to sad news: George`s Gran had passed away that weekend. There was never really any doubt that George would make the trip home to pay his respects, and with compassionate leave available from the hospital I was able to make the trip too. We left the following Thursday and arrived in London early Friday morning to cold, grey February drizzle. We were staying with Ewan and Olivia in Canary Wharf so decided to drive through the centre of London. Despite the weather it was fantastic to pass all the sights - Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square (yes, we shouldn`t have passed it but I took a wrong turning), Trafalgar Square, The Strand, Embankment, The Tower of London, Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf itself. It was great to catch up with Ewan and a heavily pregnant Olivia, and we had lunch with Phillipou who works nearby and dinner at a lovely restaurant.
The jet lag ensured we were up early Saturday morning for the drive to Cornwall. It was a beautiful crisp winter`s day with a clear blue sky and we really enjoyed the drive through the countryside. We stopped at Andover to meet up with Rich and Clare. Even though Rich was coming over to see us in Australia in just over a week we hadn`t met Clare before and it was great to have a chance to get to know her over lunch. That night at Barton House we lazed by the roaring fire until Jason, Fiona and Dylan arrived straight from a skiing holiday in France. Dylan had grown so much since we first met him in July and was now crawling everywhere. The next day we drove deeper into Cornwall to Veryan where George`s Gran had a house (Heart`s Content) overlooking Pendower Beach. Sue had organised a lovely farm cottage nearby for her children and their offspring, and we arrived at the same time as Penny, Greg, Abi and new baby Jake. That evening we ate at Granny`s house, and met George`s cousins and their babies - another three boys.
The morning of the funeral dawned crisp, bright and frosty. The service at the Crematorium in Truro was a moving and fitting tribute to an extraordinary lady who had touched so many lives. We sank a few beers in her honour at the pub in Veryan, then the whole extended family took a stroll along Pendower Beach below Heart`s Content. Much to little Abi`s amusement George and I took our socks and shoes off and paddled in the freezing waters of the Atlantic - Abi splashed around too but sensibly had welly boots on. Everyone returned to Heart`s Content for supper and more catching up. Unfortunately something we ate that night wasn`t right and Greg and I spent the whole night throwing up. On calling Sue the next morning it appeared that John and Uncle Jimmy had also had a bad night. Feeling rather sorry for ourselves we returned to Heart`s Content one last time to say goodbye before facing the long drive up to Oxfordshire. George had been feeling under the weather with a bad cold and by late afternoon he was also starting to feel the effects of the food poisoning. By the time we arrived at Lynn`s new house in Chipping Norton it was all he could do to crawl into bed with a bucket beside him. Still, it gave Lynn and I a chance to catch up with all the wedding plans for July.
When organising flights back we realised we would be in England for my Gran`s 90th birthday and couldn`t resist a surprise visit on the day. Lynn and Julieanne were the only people in on it - even Mum and Dad didn`t know I was back in the UK. Wednesday morning George was still very unwell so Lynn and I left him in bed and drove to Abbey Farm. I waited in the back hallway until the coast was clear then Lynn announced one more surprise for Gran. There was lots of tears and incredulous looks from the parents... really wonderful to see everyone again so unexpectedly. We celebrated with tea and cakes by the roaring fire.
Next morning we awoke to find a thick blanket of snow all around - a good 6 inches and it was still snowing! It was stunningly beautiful so as George was feeling a little better we took a walk around Chipping Norton, even passing cross-country skiers in the park! Unfortunately our little crappy hire car was snowed in, facing the wrong way down a tiny lane sloping towards the church. The neighbours hadn`t been able to move their Range Rover on the unsalted road so there was no hope for our Hyundai. We were sad not to be able to visit Stonefold as planned but it was Dad to the rescue as he managed to come and pick us up and take us to Abbey Farm again. Before we left we managed to dig the car out and get it onto the main road ready for the drive to Heathrow in the morning. We arrived at Abbey Farm just in time to see Julieanne, Mike, Nicola, Alice and her friend piled into the Trooper heading off with sledges to a steep field down the road in Radford. We couldn`t wait to pull on Welly boots and warm coats and join them. Or at least I couldn`t. George, still feeling rather unwell, didn`t have any boots that fitted him so Julieanne decked him out with plastic bags over his feet. Quite effective at keeping the feet dry, but hopeless at providing any grip for getting to the top of a snowy hill. George was also wearing a rather fetching hat with streamers of all colours coming out the top - we all just fell about laughing watching him attempting to climb the hill and the streamers going everywhere as he fell over. Sledging was every bit as much fun as I remember from my childhood, but eventually we couldn`t face the climb one more time and returned to Abbey Farm to dry off by the fire. That night Alistair, Lynn, Mum, Dad, George and I had a wonderful dinner at Lynn`s new local, the Chequers.
Due to the Chinese New Year we had great trouble organising return flights - unfortunately we had to spend a couple of nights in Tokyo on the way home (sigh). George had booked a wonderful hotel room right in the heart of town at Shibuya which had incredible views across the City to the mountains beyond. With George still not feeling great and both of us affected by jet lag we took the opportunity to collapse on the enormous bed. That night we walked a few blocks to a wonderful sushi restaurant. It didn`t seem to matter that we couldn`t` speak the language - we sat up at a bench next to the chefs and just pointed at the pictures of the sushi we liked. As we left we were caught in a torrential storm and were drenched by the time we arrived back at the hotel. It was only slightly warmer there than England and we were glad we had coats and scarves.
Sunday morning we had a much needed lie-in then took the ultra-efficient metro across town to Asakusa, home of an ancient Buddhist temple called Sensoji. In fact only the site of the temple is ancient - the building itself was rebuilt several times after fires and then was pretty much destroyed (like the rest of Tokyo) during the carpet bombing of WWII. Still, it was a beautiful but very busy place and we watched in wonder as pilgrims performed their rituals of cleansing their hands, lighting incense and candles buying good luck charms. We paid our 100 yen to buy an omikuji - fortunes written on a small slip of paper. Your fortune is chosen by shaking a metal box with a hole in one end until a stick falls out - the character on the stick corresponds to a drawer in a cabinet above. The Japanese family behind us found it very amusing that we couldn`t match our character to the drawer and pointed it out to us - we then realised the character was just a number and the drawers were in numerical order! My fortune seemed rather mixed - `you will go on a long journey` (hmmm... how did they know?) `the patient will die` (I work in a hospital - eventually some patients will die even under my tender care...) and `The birds will fly away` (???!!) I followed the instructions to tie my folded fortune to one of the racks provided so the wind can disperse the bad luck. We then took a walk around the district past a beautiful Shinto Shrine with some rather weird statues of Racoon Dogs, where we lit a candle for the Jizo statues which protect travellers. Although the streets were very crowded at no time did we feel unsafe - in fact everyone seemed to go out of their way to avoid jostling on crossings or in the tube stations. The guidebook told us that it was considered very rude to blow your nose in public so poor George, who was getting through half a pack of tissues a day, got quite a few odd looks on the train on the way back to the hotel. That night we attempted to find a traditional Japanese tavern for dinner but the combined issues of Tokyo not having street names (addresses are numbered within a district) and our inability to read Japanese meant we were wandering in circles around the Dogenzaka area for hours. We did however stumble across Love Hotel Hill, another area you would expect to be unsafe but was distinctly unthreatening. Love Hotels are where you can stay anonymously in a themed room (Hello Kitty seemed quite popular) for an hour or two with your lover - essential in Japan`s famously reserved society. Most rooms can be booked by a vending machine in the front of the hotel, eliminating the need for human contact. We end up in what we think might have been a Korean restaurant where we order the speciality - a seafood soup that is served to the table on a gas ring. We are about to dig in when we realise that the meat on the top of the stew isn`t just rare - it`s totally raw. Grasping the idea that we have to dunk the seafood and meat into the boiling broth we just about manage to save ourselves from total embarrassment - although the couple at the next table (who also seemed to be having trouble with the same dish) found our predicament and lack of Japanese absolutely hilarious.
I`d really wanted to have a look around the massive central fish market but Monday was a bank holiday so a lot of touristy places were closed. After another slow start we made our way to the Detached Palace Garden beneath the skyscrapers of Shiodome. The Shogun palace is no longer there but the beautiful formal gardens with a pretty duck pond and manicured trees was the perfect place to escape the city bustle. The guidebook told us it was essential to take whisked green tea at the tea pavilion on an island on the pond. Dutifully we joined the queue to find there was no menu - everyone was brought a tray containing a bowl of bitter tea and a strange tasting confection. Not quite to our taste but the surroundings were wonderful. Sadly all that was left was to return to our hotel and make our way back to the airport for our flight home. It was a wonderful end to an unexpected trip home.
Coogee Beach, present day. Eight elite volleyball students have been selected to become the `best of the best`. The organisers called it the SLAM! Volleyball Tournament: we called ourselves Team TOP GUN.
The competition was fierce: Teams ranged from complete novice muckabouts to international world championship players. There was serious competition in the fancy dress stakes too - we soon realised that our Top Gun outfits of combat shorts, dog tags and aviators wasn`t actually that original - especially when compared with the Superhero Team and a group of lads dressed in bunny rabbit outfits. After a good warm-up session we were pumped and ready for our first game, against a team from the Beach Palace Hotel. All was going well until about half way through the match when Team Top Gun`s ego started writing checks our bodies couldn`t cash and we sort of fell apart. So much for the best of the best - we`d lost our first game. After regrouping in the ocean for a while we were ready to face our next opponents, Hotch Potch, and somehow we were scheduled to play on the show court. Always ones to rise to the occasion Team Top Gun gave it everything they had with some fantastic team play and last ditch saved shots. After a nail biting second half the full time hooter sounded.... it was a dead heat and we had to play one more point to see who would win. The tension hung in the air as Al served up; Hotch Potch managed to return the serve to George`s corner of the court but at the last moment he left the ball... it hit the sand outside the court and Team Top Gun erupted. Hotch Potch are bugging out and going home.
So with one win and one loss we had failed to be the `best of the best`. The teams who had won both first round matches went on to compete for The Cup, but we were rather proud to have got through to the competition for The Plate rather than The Bowl which was competed for by teams who`d lost both their matches. We watched as our opponents were written up on the whiteboard - we were to be playing The Kath and Kim`s. Expecting a team dressed up as characters from the Aussie comedy Kath and Kim we were rather surprised to see a team wearing serious Fitness First T-shirts and thought perhaps we had got the wrong court, but the umpire assured us that these ringers were our opposition. A little unnerved we started warming up, not noticing that the other matches had already started. The umpire didn`t seem to have much of a clue what was going on and we had to ask him to start the match - we`d barely played for 2 minutes before the half time hooter sounded and we had to change ends. It meant we had a shorter game and despite playing our hearts out and all of our team believing we`d done enough the umpire declared it another draw at full time. This was it... lose here and we were out of the tournament. In an almost exact reverse of the last match The Kath and Kim`s served, We returned, but then George thought their return was going out... it landed just inside the back line. We were devastated. The Top Gun team had lost that loving feeling and retreated to the Beach Palace to drown their sorrows.
With Rich out to visit for a couple of weeks and Claire arriving from SE Asia at the same time we decided to take a week driving up the coast to Byron Bay. With four people in Susie there isn`t much room for luggage so we had strict instructions to pack light. We left Sydney on Friday night and nailed it up to Port Stephens to check in at the Samurai Beach Bungalows hostel by 8.30pm. We just made it and were shown to a cute two bedroom cabin set back in the bush. That night we sat out on the verandah drinking beer whilst Clairey introduced us to all the drinking games she`d learnt on her travels.
Saturday we awoke to a bright blue sky and the promise of 30` - perfect for letting Susie loose along Stockton Beach. We had a delicious breakfast at a little cafe at the top of Stockton Beach then let Susie run free across the dunes. For George and I it was an emotional return to the spot where we got engaged. By the time we were about halfway along the 32km beach the sea just looked too inviting so we stopped the car, hopped out and ran into the sea. I was first in and about waist deep when I heard shouting behind me - turning around it appeared that no-one was following me and George into the water - A fisherman nearby was gesticulating wildly and I eventually heard him shouting `Get out of the water`... he had spotted a huge shark patrolling the beach just feet from where we were standing. Safely back in Susie we turned away from the sea and drove into the massive dune system. We had borrowed some sand boards from the hostel and hauled them up to the top of a steep dune. After waxing the undersides with candles we were ready for the races to begin. It was awesome fun careering into the sand, so much so that Rich decided to take a video of his descent. Unfortunately that was the last video his camera ever took as he crashed sideways and filled the camera with sand! When we couldn`t lug the boards up one more time we had a few jumping competitions before heading back to the shoreline. After reaching the wreck at the far end of the beach we took the same track out of the dunes that George and I had got stuck on two years before - this time Claire`s driving did us proud and we were back on the main road in no time. Driving back into Port Stephens we noticed a winery and stopped off to try a few wines, eventually purchasing a bottle of a Bailey`s type drink which we demolished that night. We were back at the top end of Stockton Beach in time for a sunset swim - we took boogie boards in but the waves were just as easy to catch bodysurfing. That night we had fish and chips and more beers on the verandah as rain poured down around us.
Sunday morning we were up early for the long drive to Port Macquarie. We had breakfast back at the lovely cafe overlooking Stockton Beach then hit the road. Our first detour was along an unsealed track to see the tallest tree in NSW. It looked much the same as it did in 2004... Very tall. When we hit the coast again we jumped out for our first swim of the day in huge waves on Boomerang Beach. It was one of those days where the sun is so strong that the glare off the sand and the water hurts your eyes. We weren`t there for long before the wind got up and blew sand painfully over us so it was back in Susie and on to Foster for lunch. From Foster we headed straight for Port Macquarie, breaking up the monotony of the drive with a few games, including the horse game (shout horse if you see one, minus points for calling a cow a horse) and the dog-in-a-ute game (same rules but with dogs in utes). As we approached Port we were looking out for some four wheel driving beaches but it wasn`t until we were in town that we took Susie onto the sands at Lighthouse Beach. This is where we stayed last Easter and the rips were as fierce as they were then, but it was great fun driving Susie up to the tide line and jumping in. We had two nights booked at the South Pacific Apartments overlooking Flynns Beach but all the apartments had the character of a retirement village. That night we walked into town and along the breakwater where the rocks have been decorated in bright colours with messages from locals and visitors. We ate at a pub on the waterfront then played pool for a bit before they threw us out at 10pm. Being Sunday we thought the night was over but as we walked past the next pub we saw they had live music playing. There were several acts all seemingly trying to get discovered and it was a fantastic intimate atmosphere and a lot of fun as some band members seemed to be playing with every act! It ended up being a very funny and very drunken night with George winning $25 on the pokies and Rich introducing the hilarious Wizard drinking game. When that pub threw us out we tried to get a cab home but ended up pushing each other back in a shopping trolley. The night didn`t end there either - we decided to break a few rules at the apartment complex and broke into the pool area with a glass of wine each. When we got bored of sitting in the spa we had races through the main pool and kiddies pool. Considering all the apartments overlooked the pool it was amazing no-one complained!
Monday was a bit of a nothing day with a late start and then a swim in unseasonably cold waters at Lighthouse Beach. Our sunbathing was cut short by storm clouds gathering on the horizon so we foraged for supplies for dinner at the local store then cooked pasta and watched crap TV all night. The next morning we were on the road north again and we drove through storm after storm. We`d planned to stop at a beach north of Coffs Harbour but the weather was miserable so we pushed on to Ballina and the Big Prawn. The Big Prawn is one of our favourite big things and it also happens to have a fish shop right underneath, so we stopped for a lunch of prawns (of course). We took the scenic route into Byron Bay and arrived at the Pacific Apartments by late afternoon. We were right across from Clarks Beach and as we`d just about managed to outrun the rain we dashed across for a swim. That night we hit a few bars in town then went to Cheeky Monkeys for a cheap backpacker meal. I wasn`t too keen on visiting this notorious party bar and there was no doubt that George and I were the only married couple there. We were also almost twice the age of most of the clientele. We decided to sit near the back and observe the competitions going on the stage from a safe distance. After a very average meal Claire introduced the horse racing card game which kept us amused until they stopped serving cheap jugs of beer. After a few more beers at The Rails pub we arrived back at the apartment block and thought it would be a good idea to skinny dip in the pool. Another very messy night.
We were praying for sunshine on Wednesday - our only full day at Byron. Unfortunately the rain barely let up all day. After breakfast we wandered around town and met up with Cousin Anna and her friend Oli who had arrived in town that morning on the Oz Experience bus. We decided the only thing to do in such miserable weather was to hire surf boards but the conditions were terrible. We walked miles up the beach to get away from the swimming area only to find that within minutes the riptide had pulled us all the way back again. We soon gave up and hit the pub again. That night we had pizzas at The Great Northern Hotel and taught Anna and Oli all the drinking games we knew so they could use them on their trip. Oli was hilarious and was always the last to work them out.
Thursday dawned bright and sunny so we decided to delay leaving Byron to have a swim and sunbathe at Clarks beach. The water was beautiful - really warm and clear and you could see lots of little fishes in the waves. We were so eager to jump in that we didn`t realise our stuff was right by the tide line - and the tide was coming in! Rich managed to save our belongings from getting washed out to sea but everything was drenched. We ended up leaving early afternoon after fish and chips at Main Beach. It was a long drive back down the coast to Nambucca Heads and we stopped off at Coffs Harbour just long enough for the obligatory photo at the Big Banana. The apartment at Nambucca Heads was the worst yet - it looked and smelt like an old lady had died in it fairly recently. After faffing around getting supplies at the supermarket we walked down to the Boatshead for dinner. We arrived at 8.31pm to be told that they stopped serving food at 8.30. Despite pleading they informed us that the guys who we`d seen drive off in utes just seconds before were the chefs and there was no more food to be had that night. Back in the car we headed up into town only to find the same story... everything was closed! We eventually settled on Mexican only to be told that they would only do take-away. So we ended up eating our fajitas in the horrible apartment, washed down with plenty of wine.
Our last day was a long drive back to Sydney. Claire, George and I were off to the Hawksbury for the Playground Weekender Festival but Rich was flying back to the UK the next day. We said our goodbyes at the train station at Wyoming, but not before Rich claimed the prize in the horse competition by spotting the final horse painted on the side of a van. It had been an awesome trip and although the fun was over for Rich the rest of us were planning to finish the holiday in style at the festival. It was also a fitting goodbye to Susie - the next week she was traded in for a nearly-new Jeep Cherokee. It was a sad goodbye but it was time to get a car that didn`t get you wet when it rained.
We`ve always thought Australia lacks a big music festival like Glastonbury so when we were handed fliers on Bondi Beach advertising the inaugural Playground Weekender festival we couldn`t resist. Knowing how much Clairey likes a good party we had her booked up before she even arrived in the country. The setting was a holiday resort on the banks of the Hawksbury River at Wiseman`s Ferry and it was absolutely perfect. The resort was a little like a Butlin`s Holiday camp with a swimming pool, bar and (oh bliss) real flushing toilets! We arrived in Wiseman`s Ferry late Friday afternoon and met up with Katie and Dan before heading across the river to the resort. There was a wonderful relaxed vibe and security was pretty laid back for the Aussies - `You don`t have any alcohol or drugs in there do you?` was the only question we were asked as we entered the site... and who would say yes to that? We pitched our tents on the golf course before hitting the bar. The first thing we noticed is that the owners of the holiday resort didn`t seem to have appreciated the popularity of the event and that festival goers usually drink quite a lot of beer. Initially we were being served seriously cheap schooners of New until someone remembered that the bar was effectively a private club and that everyone would need to be a member before they could be served. Chaos ensued as Clairey got herself nominated and seconded as a bono fide member of the Del Rio Social Club! After we`d taken full advantage of members prices we checked out the other stages and were delighted to find table football and table tennis tables, as well as some kicking tunes, in the Cocktail Tent. Outside we found a giant Jenga and played an intense game, helped along by some very friendly police officers! After the bands wound up we went back to some random guys tent and the night got very messy from then on.
Saturday morning we nursed our hangovers by the pool, jumping in whenever it got too hot. At midday a DJ started up in the corner of the pool area playing some chilled out tunes - lots of happy people mucking around in the pool and chilling out on the grass - a really awesome atmosphere. We had a wonderful afternoon wandering from stage to stage then back to the pool and we even played a random game of volleyball as the sun set. That night we were all on it and the Avalanches DJ set got us up and dancing - at one point I remember us all going wild for a Bon Jovi remix! The rest of the night was a whirlwind of flashing lights, awesome tunes, table tennis, hammocks, too much Smirnoff Black and a straw fight in the middle of the dance floor in the cocktail tent. An absolutely awesome night.
We were all a little fragile Sunday morning so we sought shade by the pool and snoozed for quite a while. Again there was a wonderful chilled out vibe and we wandered from tent to tent checking out the acts. Unfortunately we oldies with jobs had to pack up the tents and get on the road back to Sydney that evening but Clairey, having hooked up with a guy the night before, decided to stay on another night. Clairey had been chatting to one of the organisers and apparently they hadn`t sold enough tickets to make a profit this time... fingers crossed they keep going with the idea because it was the best weekend I`ve ever had.
After having such a great time in Port Macquarie last Easter there was general agreement on the same again in a different location for this year. As usual we left it to the last minute to book somewhere but Katie struck gold with a 4 bed house on Hyams Beach in Jervis Bay. Everyone raced down on the Thursday night but by the time we arrived Katie and Dan and Nick and Beth were already cracking open the beers having bagged the double beds. We grabbed the double/bunk room leaving AJ and Flipper to get cosy in single bunks. Katie had brought a bag of powdered Kava root back from a trip to Vanuatu and brewed it up like tea. It`s supposed to have relaxant and appetite suppressant properties but the only effect we could distinguish from the beer was that it left us with numb mouths and tasted like dirty dishwater. Still we managed to down a few glasses before moving onto the wine...
The rest of the weekend followed in the usual predictable style - huge meals, too much beer and lots of games: Poker, Singstar, Buzz, a frustrating logical problem game called Mindtrap and of course the usual repertoire of drinking games. The weather wasn`t fantastic but we still managed a stroll in the national park and a swim most days in the crystal waters of the world`s whitest sand beach. Martin joined us on Saturday night and went off surfing with George and AJ on Sunday but the rest of the time we kept ourselves warm with a roaring fire.
On Sunday we awoke to find the Easter Bunny had been and had hidden little bags of Easter eggs around the house. We had a lot of fun finding the bags (and eating the chocolate) but when Katie counted up the total bags found we were one missing - it must still be hidden somewhere!
Every year we try to attend a Sydney Swans away game and having travelled to Melbourne for two grand finals this year we thought we`d take a trip to Canberra. The Western Bulldogs have been having a few financial difficulties so have been having some of their home games away from Melbourne where they hope to pull bigger crowds. Things must be pretty bad when you think a capacity 15,000 attendance in Canberra is better than playing to your home fans. Having not stayed overnight in Canberra before we were looking forward to a big night out in a city famous for porn and fireworks. Unfortunately we found neither! Katie and Dan, Gill and Creg and George and I had really pushed the boat out on accommodation - a stinky 6 bed dorm in a city centre hostel. The rooms were above a large Irish pub which was where we spent all of Saturday night - it was just too cold to explore too far!
Sunday morning we made our way to the suburb of Woden for the Sydney Swans footy breakfast. It was the first time we`d attended a Swans function and although the special guest Barry Round (a former Swannies captain) gave a funny account of Aussie Rules before players were professionals, there was no escaping the fact that we were surrounded by very `special` people. With an hour to spare before the game, we stopped off at Parliament House. Only Gill and Craig went inside - Katie, Dan, George and I just wandered up to the top of the grass roof for the view and to roll back down again. The game was a sell out but the Swans piled on so many points in the first quarter that the outcome was a forgone conclusion - it didn`t make for an edge-of-the-seat match. All that was left was the 3 hour drive back to Sydney... and I had a huge abscess on the back of my thigh and couldn`t put weight on it - the drive was absolute agony!
The previous Monday night I was travelling home from work on a 380 bus when I felt something bite my thigh as I sat down on the back seat. Thinking it must just be a mozzie I took some antihistamines and ignored it for a few days. By Friday the histamine reaction had gone down but there was a huge hard lump under the bite mark and a surrounding red area the size of a saucer. By Sunday night the bite mark was the size of a 10 cent piece, black and unbelievably painful. As soon as we got back to Sydney I saw a GP who told me it was infected and prescribed me antibiotics and painkillers. I had a couple of days off work feeling sorry for myself but by Wednesday the lump had erupted and released some of the pressure - it wasn`t as painful so I went back to work. I stood for an hour long staff meeting (sitting was still painful!) then went for coffee where another pharmacist persuaded me to get it looked at by one of the doctors in Emergency. Before I knew what was happening I was hooked up to IV antibiotics and put in a hospital gown awaiting a surgical review! The surgical registrar booked me in for an excision and drainage of the abscess under a general anaesthetic as soon as he tried to squeeze the bite and I screamed blue murder. I spent the afternoon in a morphine-induced haze before being taken to theatre that night. I had to spend a night in the hospital (on my old ward!) and I slept rather well thanks to being pumped full of sedatives and opiate painkillers. It was a totally surreal experience but I was released into George`s care the next day. I was left with a centimetre deep hole about the size of a 10 cent piece on the back of my thigh which needs daily packing with gauze - hopefully the tissue will grow back without leaving too much of a scar. We never found out what it was that bit me but the best guess was some non-deadly but rather dirty spider. Only in Australia.
With Dan turning 35 at the end of May he decided to celebrate growing old disgracefully with a trip to Australia`s party capital: the Gold Coast. Katie and Dan flew up mid week to be there for Dan`s birthday on Thursday and George and I had booked flights for after work on Friday. We weren`t sure we were going to make it, as I had only been discharged from hospital the day before, but the flights were non-refundable and I was given the all clear to fly by the doctors. It wasn`t a comfortable flight but I was too dosed up on opioid painkillers to care. Peter had come down from Brisbane to join the celebrations and we stayed in a classic 70`s style apartment right on the seafront at Surfers Paradise.
We kept Friday night pretty quiet as the plan for Saturday was to run riot at Dreamworld - the Aussie equivalent to Alton Towers - not the place for a hangover. We met up with Chris, who now lives in Brisbane, and his new girlfriend Mags then hit the park. The mission was to ride every one of Big 5 thrill rides at least once. We started on the Tower of Terror: 15 minutes queuing for a 30 second ride in a car at 160kph towards and up the side of a massive tower 38 stories high. Absolutely awesome - and it didn`t even hurt my leg! Next up was The Claw - a huge swinging pendulum turning you sideways, upside down and packing huge Gs. Not so good for the leg. Peter had warned me that the Wipeout ride was probably a bad idea for me - but I was feeling invincible on the painkillers so joined the queue. This ride is supposed to simulate being wiped out in a huge wave as it throws you upside down then hangs you there. I`m not much of a fan of being suspended upside down by my pelvis and as soon as the harness pushed me back into the seat I knew Peter was right...bad idea. Time for a ride where your feet stay on the floor - the Cyclone - a jolting loop-the-loop rollercoaster. By now I wasn`t the only one feeling a little shaky so we girls were happy to watch as the boys changed into their boardies and grabbed a boogie board to ride the Flowrider. By now we`d built up enough courage to face the Giant Drop. You can see the 39 storey high tower from miles around and we`d been watching the seat clunking up to the top with the riders feet dangling from everywhere in the park. It didn`t seem so high when we got to the top and the views were amazing - but the wait for the drop (the highest free-fall ride in the world) was excruciating. Suddenly you`ve left your stomach behind and are careering towards the floor - an unbelievable sensation until the deceleration threw my leg into the seat...absolute agony. Everyone else was up for another run but I hobbled outside to watch. With the Big 5 completed we finished up with the rather tame rapids ride and log flume - a lot of getting wet for not a lot of thrill. Exhausted we made our way back to Surfers for a night on the cocktails at Hog`s Breath Cafe followed by a rather swanky Russian themed bar. We made the mistake of checking out the main strip after midnight - imagine small town England on a Saturday night at closing time - lots of scantly clad teenagers stumbling around and boys in lowered suped-up cars cruising the streets. We got as far as the Shooters Bar but when Dan asked the girl on the door what the crowd was like and she replied that it was mostly local kids, but there were some `people of your age` we retreated to a nice quiet Irish pub and watched football. Yes - it was time to face it - we are middle-aged.
After months of drought and dire predictions about water restrictions June started with a huge storm over the Queen`s Birthday weekend. As flood waters rose along the Hunter Valley cars were swept off roads and villages, towns and even Newcastle city centre were under feet of water. Thankfully we`d already changed our plans to visit the Hunter and we stayed in Sydney that weekend to celebrate Katie and George`s birthdays at Sounds on Sunday - a dance party in North Sydney. It didn`t stop raining all week (in fact it`s rained for almost every day of June) but that didn`t deter AJ and Flips, Katie and Dan, Amanda and Steve and us from driving up to the Hunter Valley the next Friday night. Katie had found a wonderful cottage in the middle of nowhere down an unsealed road and as we approached we could see the flood damage from the previous weekend. That night we ate at the Irish pub in Pokolbin. George and I remembered there being some good cheesy tunes and a kicking dance floor there after Sally and Matt`s wedding but there didn`t appear to be anyone under the age of 50 in the building. The only dancing was by a group of 60-something women screeching along to Abba and occasionally flashing their bosoms. It wasn`t long before we returned to our lovely cottage to crack open some beers, and we spotted several kangaroos in the fields alongside the lane on the way.
As we intended to sample a lot of wine on our wine tasting tour we sensibly organised transport. Why book a minibus when you can be driven around in style in an eight seater limo? Steven, our chauffeur, arrived at midday and drove us out along the bumpy unsealed track fording streams and navigating past fallen trees. The plan for the day was to drink a bottle of champagne on the way to the first winery then to buy a bottle at each tasting to consume in the limo on the way to the next place. First stop was Briar Ridge who gave us a great introduction to their wines. We must have been already quite tipsy as both George and Steve signed up to their wine club! We were already very behind schedule so a quick stop at the cheese shop to get supplies for later got us back on track. With the bottle of Briar Ridge Semillon finished we arrived at Vinden Estate. Here again we were sat at a table and the wines were brought out to us. Every time the guy poured us a taster he would leave the bottle on the table then leave the room to serve other people. Of course by the time he returned the bottle would be almost empty... The rose went down very well so a bottle of that was brought for the drive to our favourite winery, Honeytree Estate. The owner, as on a previous visit here, had obviously tasted a lot of his own produce that day and he regaled us with stories of his life whilst pouring the wines. Next stop Peterson`s Champagne House where we had to pretend we were not part of a big group. Far too hard for us by this stage and it was here that the wheels really started to fall off. There was another winery after that, possibly called Sobels, but not one of us remembered anything about it. Thankfully Steven counted us all back into the Limo and drove us safely back to the cottage. The rest of the evening is a collection of random memories - sitting by an open fire in what is best described as a bandstand in the cottage grounds, card games with cards dripping in spilt wine and beer, dinner of fried meat and scrambled eggs(!?) after abandoning the idea of a barbie, George burning wooden spoons in the fireplace, Amanda and Steve having cheese throwing races at the fridge. Poor Katie was crook all weekend and retired to bed shortly after dinner - she awoke to total carnage whilst the culprits were still sleeping off the hangovers. Sorry Katie, and thank you for cleaning up!
We took a detour through Newcastle on the way home - the storms the week before had beached a enormous cargo ship on Nobby`s Beach right in the city centre. The Pasha Bulker had become something of a tourist attraction and the traffic jam as we tried to reach the area was like Piccadilly Circus at rush hour. It was obviously the biggest thing to happen to Newcastle for quite some time and the everyone and their dog were on the headland getting their photos. As we were leaving we called Steph and Adam to see if we could pop in for a cup of tea - they weren`t at home because they were at Nobby`s beach... looking at the Pasha Bulker! We met up for a Harry`s pie and a quick cuppa back at theirs before the long drive back to Sydney.
Yulefest time... Fay drinks too much wine. Yes July means Yulefest in the Blue Mountains and this year was promising to be another great weekend. Katie was fully recovered from her deep throat infection, Fay didn`t have a cold sore for the first time in 3 years, Gill had swapped out of being on-call and Creggy was joining us for his first Yulefest celebration. Gill drove us up after work on Friday night with the Christmas CD on a loop and we arrived in good time to meet Nick, Beth and Shobana in the pub. This year there was no assassin game (it had been done to the death... ha ha), instead we were given an envelope with the first task for The Amazing Yulefest Race. As more of the usual Yulefest crowd arrived we formed groups of three or four and began scouring the pub for answers to the rather tricky clues. We also had to complete a jigsaw against the clock and complete an electronic buzz game - much to the disgust of patrons at neighbouring tables. The games kept us amused until the pub threw us out at 2am and then it was back to the cabins. Another huge change this year - no karaoke! Once everyone got over their disappointment that Katie and I would not be delighting them with our Abba renditions we realised that there was life after karaoke and set about bashing each other with newspapers playing `Are You There Moriache` until the early hours..
Saturday morning we were up reasonably early to continue the Amazing Race. The clues had lead us to Govetts Leap, a viewpoint across the valley, and eventually we found the required key ring and obtained the next envelope from the visitors centre. Our next task was to decorate one of our team with body art - then photograph the art with three groups of strangers. It seemed an ideal opportunity for a pre-lunch beer so we returned to the pub to dream up a design. We soon realised our one felt-tip pen wouldn`t be sufficient and sent Gill out to buy more colours. We were rather proud of our finished design across Creggy`s back and caused quite a stir in the pub with such a manly torso on display! With all the tasks completed we returned to the cabin for a light lunch and the first of many glasses of Katie`s excellent mulled wine. The rest of the afternoon was spent preparing the Christmas dinner - I was rather pleased with my efforts at boiling some sprouts, and George again made wonderful pigs in blankets. Then it was time for the final of the Amazing Yulefest Race. Ian`s team had finished first in the previous rounds but we had more bonus points - there was everything to play for and Katie and Dan in third place still had the opportunity to take us from behind. The choice was to blow eggs and decorate them, with minus points for broken eggs, or hunt for four marked lentils in a huge pan full of them. There was a time incentive so we worked out we were better off looking for the lentils even though we didn`t think we stood a chance. We just couldn`t believe it when we found all four in less than a minute! The final playoff was a game of Jenga, precariously balanced on a rickety picnic table. It didn`t take long for the tower to collapse - on my turn. We were in second place, but with our points advantage we could still win depending on the public vote for best dressed egg and the body art. Dinner was extraordinarily well organised this year with everything ready at the right time - and it was absolutely delicious. Time for the best bit of Yulefest - the Kris Kringle. Everyone had placed a present under the tree along with a poem for the recipient. There were some really outstanding efforts this year, I only wish I could remember more of them. Katie`s second batch of mulled wine had gone down like water and suddenly I was really rather wasted. Apparently after the presents there was dessert, a quiz, The presentation for the Amazing Race (which I think we won) and more games back at the party cabin - I can`t remember a thing about them. What luck that Katie had recorded a video of my appalling behaviour to remind me in the morning.
Considering my efforts the previous evening I didn`t feel too unwell the next day and after bacon sandwiches we hit the road back to Sydney to watch the Swans beat Freemantle at the SCG in the rain. It was another awesome weekend in the Mountains - cheers Beth for organising and apologies to everyone for my behaviour!
After coming back to England for our wedding last year we vowed not to return for at least 2 years: little did we know we`d be back twice in a year! We wouldn`t have missed Lynn and Alistair`s wedding for the world but this time we thought we`d stop off somewhere on the way. We can`t remember the last time we had a `proper` beach holiday and as neither of us had been to Thailand it seemed the perfect choice. July is rainy season in Thailand so accommodation is easy to find and relatively cheap - we planned to go with the flow and only booked the first three nights in Phuket.
We arrived late on Friday night and were met at the airport by a driver from the Marina Hotel. Our room was beautiful - a bungalow perched on the rocks at one end of Karon Beach. We were lulled to sleep that night by the sound of waves crashing on the rocks below. Next morning we got down to the serious business of sunbathing, bagging a sun lounger on the beach. When black clouds appeared on the horizon we asked the attendant to put up the sun umbrella expecting a light shower - two minutes later we were lashed with torrential horizontal rain and the lifeguard evacuated us from the beach! The storm was over in half an hour and we expected to have to deal with that sort of weather every day - in fact most days the rain came in the evening if it came at all.
By Saturday we were already settled into a routine - breakfast at the hotel, sunbathing by the pool or at the beach all morning, lunch of green curry or noodles, more lounging, cocktails at sunset then dinner in town. Saturday night we explored a little of the strip behind Karon Beach - Phuket is quite developed and it`s package holiday central. We didn`t have to go far to see the seedier side of Thai tourism. We made the mistake of eating in a very touristy restaurant - not only was the food very average but just after we`d ordered we were aurally assaulted by the worst cover band ever.
We were told the ferry to Phi Phi left Phuket harbour at 8.30am so we were up early on Monday morning and down at reception for the pick-up at 7.30. When we were still waiting at 8am the receptionist came over saying she thought the bus should have been for us by now. After much misunderstanding it finally became clear that when reception had called us to see if we wanted a transfer and we said we were going on the ferry they thought we`d already got tickets - which came with a free pick up. We thought the hotel would take us to the ferry. It was now too late to get to the harbour, but no worries - nothing was booked and buses to Krabi went every hour. We hopped on a local bus to Phuket Town bus station, arriving just in time for the next coach to Krabi. The journey was actually quite pleasant - no chickens or bags of rice in the aisle, only terrible Thai karaoke videos played very loud for three hours. To get to Railey Beach we had to get a taxi to Ao Nang then a longboat around the coast to Railey. The taxi driver dropped us at the longboat office by the beach, but we had to wait for at least four other customers to fill the longboat before we could leave. We had a delicious lunch of green curry overlooking the sea and when we returned to the office two other couples were waiting to leave. We all had to jump into the back of a ute which drove us 5 minutes down the road to the longboat jetty. The longboat trip was wonderful, passing beautiful limestone karsts rising steeply out of the glassy sea. In no time we were beaching up on idyllic Railey Beach, which was even more beautiful than we`d imagined and its isolation from the main touristy areas gave it a very low key and relaxed vibe. After checking into the Sand Sea Resort we felt like a refreshing dip - no such thing here as the sea is as warm as bath water! That evening we came down for dinner at sunset to find all the locals playing soccer and volleyball on the beach at low tide. A few English lads had joined in the volleyball so George stepped in too. Dinner of noodles and spicy soup then cocktails in a lovely chilled out bar on the beach. We were exhausted after our day of traveling and in bed by 8.30pm!
The next few days on Railey were heaven on earth. Breakfast at the resort then lying by the pool until we couldn`t take the heat any longer. Lunch in a shady cafe washed down by several beers then back to the beach for a dip and more sunbathing until sunset when the volleyball net would go up and we`d join in the fun. The locals had a very small court, a low net and a very light ball - with six on each side the rallies would go on forever! No-one cared too much about the rules and most days we mixed in with the Thais. One day there were enough `visitors` to form a team - it was very close but the visitors won 4-0 - probably because the five boys on our side were all twice the height of the locals! For dinner we`d try out one of the four places to eat along the beach, then sink a few cocktails at the bar watching the lights of the fishing boats out at sea. One evening a terrific thunderstorm came over - we watched the lightening from the bar and just made it back to our room before the torrential rain started. We were just getting off to sleep when I felt a drip on my face - the rain was coming through the roof of our bungalow! We pulled the bed out into the middle of the room and drifted back to sleep.
After four perfect days at Railey we were very sad to say goodbye, but everyone had raved about Phi Phi and we couldn`t wait to see it for ourselves. The ferry was due to leave East Railey Beach at 9.30am but by 9.40 there was no sign of it. Just as we were wondering how a huge boat would dock up without a pier we were ushered out into knee deep water and loaded onto a fleet of longboats. as we motored out of the bay we looked at each other in disbelief - surely we weren`t spending an hour and a half crammed in these? Then the real ferry appeared on the horizon and soon each longboat had docked up alongside and transferred us and our luggage. Arriving at Ton Sai, the main town on Phi Phi, was a bit of a shock. This is backpacker heaven (or hell, depending on your point of view). We brush off the accommodation touts at the pier and make our way through the busy narrow lanes, slowly realising we won`t be able to hail a taxi - there are no roads or vehicles on Phi Phi. Eventually we find Phitaron, a hotel with bungalows set into the steep hillside at one end of the beach. It`s a hard slog up the steps to our room but the view across the island is breathtaking. In much need of relaxation we head to the beach. The bay is circled by high cliffs and the sea, as flat as a lake, is about 30`. That night we hit the town and are quite unprepared for the clientele. There are teenage backpackers everywhere - boys in just football shorts and sun burnt shoulders and screeching girls in miniskirts falling out of tacky Irish bars. We feel very old and are beginning to wish were back in the calm of Railey. Seeking some peace we wander along the beach and stumble into the Sunflower Bar. The ultra-chilled atmosphere, yummy cocktails and cushions on the beach is much more to our liking. As we order more cocktails we give up on the idea of dinner and when a huge storm rolls through we retreat to cushions under a shelter and order our first Thai Bucket. Trouble. Two more buckets later and we are stumbling back to our room in total disarray.
The next day is quite slow - we have to go back to bed after breakfast to sleep off the hangover. We take the rest of the day easy chilling out by the pool. Sunday was our first wedding anniversary and after lunch we hired a speedboat for a few hours to take us around the island. First stop is Lahlanah Bay - a beautiful deserted beach on the north side of the island. It wasn`t always so deserted - a whole resort was washed away here in the Tsunami, killing 12 members of our boat driver`s family. Next stop is an off-shore reef where we snorkel amongst beautiful pristine coral. The driver throws us some bread and a huge shoal of sergeant majors surrounds us, giving us little nips when the bread runs out! Back in the boat we head for the uninhabited Bamboo Island. Initially it`s quite busy with day trippers so we walk around the headland to another beach which we soon have to ourselves. By the time we returned to the boat most of the other visitors had left allowing us to enjoy the island in peace. That night we dine at a wonderful French/Thai restaurant: garlic mussels followed by spiced duck.. totally delicious.
Next morning we`re up early for a dive trip to the next island, Phi Phi Lei. Our first dive was around a small limestone karst called Bida Nai where we saw loads of fish, a leopard shark, several moray eels and our first ever nudibranch. Unfortunately the visibility wasn`t great but the 28` water was beautiful. We anchor up in the famous Maya Bay for lunch. This is where the movie The Beach was filmed, but no-one had told me that the amazing surrounding cliffs in the film are computer generated. It`s slightly overcast and although the bay is beautiful it doesn`t live up to the expectations. Our second dive was a wall dive off Phi Phi Lei island, where we see patches of fantastic coral, a turtle and barracudas. All that activity left us exhausted so the rest of the day was spent by the pool.
The next couple of days were spent doing as much relaxation as possible: lounging by the pool or on the beach, dinner in town then cocktails at the Sunflower bar until late. On our last afternoon we hiked up to the lookout for amazing views across the island. We`d intended to stay until sunset but the mozzies were on the attack and we`d left the repellant back at the hotel. We were back on our balcony, beer in hand, for the best sunset yet. That night we spoil ourselves with grilled lobster for dinner.
All too soon it`s time to pack up and catch the ferry back to Phuket and our flight to the UK. We loved every bit of our Thailand trip - even Phi Phi once we found our home at the Sunflower bar. We`ll be back.
The journey back to Phuket from Phi Phi was uneventful and we had plenty of time to spare before our flight to KL. We had about 90 minutes to catch the connection to London - heaps of time. That is until our Phuket-KL flight was delayed by over an hour. Our luggage was checked through but stupidly Malaysian don`t give you boarding passes for your onward flight. We land at KL with less than 15 minutes before the London flight was due to depart and find a huge queue of angry people at the connection desk. There were 6 of us trying to make the connection and we barged to the front to try to get them to hold the flight. Eventually, after nearly punching a guy who had already missed his flight and insisted his problem was more urgent than ours, we were escorted to another terminal and onto the plane. On arrival at Heathrow we waited patiently at the luggage carousel but deep down we knew there was no chance in hell that our luggage had made the connection. No worries, the next flight was only 12 hours away - they would surely deliver to us that evening. We filled out the paperwork, and were then told that there was no guarantee our luggage would arrive on the next flight and even if it did they couldn`t deliver to our hotel before lunchtime on Saturday - the wedding was at 3.30pm! George`s shoes and shirt for the wedding were in our luggage, as was all my make-up, toiletries, underwear and contact lenses. Thank god Claire had already brought over the bridesmaid dresses and shoes! We were given 35 GBP each to purchase essentials, and we asked them to call us as soon as our luggage arrived. It was still only 8am by the time we picked up our hire car and we decided to head straight up to Lincolnshire where we were booked in at a hotel for the wedding. Desperate to clean our teeth and take a shower we stop off in Grantham to sort out an emergency supply of contact lenses, buy toiletries and underwear, and hunt for a few decent items of clothing in the town`s best clothing stores: New Look, Dorothy Perkins and Burtons. Slightly delirious we stumble into the hotel reception around midday to find our room isn`t ready yet - we have to shower and change in the leisure centre changing rooms, surrounded by screaming kids. Still slightly dazed we drove over to Granby to Alistair`s parent`s house where wedding preparations were in full swing. Probably more of a distraction than a help we were put to work folding napkins and laying out place names. That night, after an amusing wedding rehearsal where we met the very feisty lady vicar, the whole extended family had dinner at Belton Woods hotel. It was a lovely evening catching up with everyone.
Saturday morning and no sign of our luggage and no phone call from the airline. Knowing there was no guarantee that it would arrive before the wedding we set off to an out of town shopping centre to purchase George a shirt and shoes and for me to buy suitable underwear for my bridesmaid`s dress. We make it back just in time to get my hair done and for George to get dressed and meet the other ushers at the pub for lunch. As I came back to our room after the hairdressers I almost tripped over two large rucksacks - our luggage had arrived! Too late for George but at least I could apply my own make-up! Suffice to say I wasn`t much help as a bridesmaid to Lynn, who was even down on her knees in her wedding dress painting my toenails! With plenty of time to spare we were ready to set off to the church in Granby. It was a beautiful service, and the reception afterwards back at Granby house was just perfect - wonderful canapes on the lawn then a delicious sit down dinner, hilarious speeches and the obligatory cheesy disco - a fantastic day.
Not content with hosting the biggest wedding in town on Saturday we were invited back to Granby house for a replay on Sunday - a fabulous BBQ for the family friends who couldn`t be invited to the wedding. After a wonderful lunch we saw off the happy couple then after saying our own goodbyes drove down to Ipswich. George`s mum was to turn 60 the next week and Sue and John had driven up from Cornwall to meet us at George`s sister Penny`s house. We were met at the door by George`s niece Abi, wearing the flower girl dress she wore to our wedding, and a pink cycle helmet. Very fetching. We were also met by her walking, talking brother Jake - quite impressive since he was only 9 months old! It took us a few moments to realise that it wasn`t Jake but George`s other nephew Dylan, and that Jason and Fiona had flown in from their boat in the med to be at the family reunion. We`d thought they couldn`t make it so it was a wonderful surprise to see them again. On Monday we were treated to some almost summery weather and had a lovely day in Penny and Greg`s back garden, keeping the kids amused and drinking lots of Pimms and champagne. All too soon it was Tuesday and after a walk and picnic by a lake it was time to say goodbye and make our way to London. George had a quick business meeting in the bar at terminal 3 before meeting Berni who popped over after work to say hello and goodbye - the only friend we saw in the whole trip!
Our first weekend back in Sydney marked the one year anniversary of Creg`s arrival in Australia. To celebrate Craig and Gill threw a fancy dress cocktail party and we all had to wear something English. There were some very extraordinary outfits, including a very inventive Oxford Cambridge boat race crew. Soon the cocktails were flowing and the behaviour deteriorated... by the time the Mai Tai circulated (which although made to the instructions contained only spirits) most of us had reached the point of no return. Thankfully George and I retreated home before the Angel Delight was made up.... Shobana hadn`t ever seen Angel Delight and as the picture on the cover of the packet showed a kid with an Angel Delight beard she thought the idea was to wear the stuff - not eat it! Of course it then followed that everyone was covered in Butterscotch flavour Angel Delight. An awesome party. Sorry - I should say `what a super soiree old chap: spiffing!
Having missed out on a trip to the snow last year (can you believe we let a wedding and honeymoon get in the way of a ski trip?) we were very excited by reports that the Snowy Mountains was enjoying the best snow in 20 years. Making the most of the Friday low activity day at the hospital Gill and Craig drove us as far as Cooma on Thursday night. We arrived almost exactly the same time as Katie, Dan and Chris and by the time we`d sorted out ski hire it was gone midnight. Slightly disappointed that we wouldn`t get to have a night out in the kicking metropolis of Cooma we all retired to our rooms at the Cooma Motor Inn. Getting up early on Friday we drove to Perisher Valley and were on the snow by 10.30am. The conditions were perfect - soft powder and sunshine. Creggy hadn`t skied before so Gill got him started with the basics while George and I headed to our favourite slope at Blue Cow and were soon flying down the run non-stop. It was such a wonderful day skiing that we spent the last 15 minutes going up and down the easy run at Perisher Front Valley catching the very last lift of the day. That night we drove up to Thredbo where we had booked two townhouses, and met up with Steph, Adam and Steve at the pub. Martin and Charlie arrived later that night, and Al, who had got an overnight bus down from Sydney, arrived just in time for breakfast.
Saturday morning we were raring to go and warmed up with some top-to-bottom runs on the Supertrail. After a while we split off with Steph and Adam and got some tips on our style whilst negotiating some tricky black runs. As we ate lunch it started to snow/rain and we nearly gave up for the day but conditions at the top of the mountain were great with a thin cover of powder. Exhausted we returned to the chalet for mulled wine and a crucial Swans match against the Lions, which incredibly ended in a draw.
Sunday we spent most of the day on the right hand side of the resort, and we enjoyed the High Noon run so much we did it again and again. After a delicious lunch at my favourite restaurant on the slopes I was rapidly loosing the ability to stay upright and after wiping out at the feet of the ski patrol it was time to call it a day amd face the long drive back to Sydney. Just outside Thredbo village we spotted an emu grazing at the side of the road - our first wild emu sighting! A totally awesome weekend. Same again next year?
Lets be honest. Wagga Wagga was never high up on our Australia `must see` list but we didn`t really go there to see Wagga: We went to visit The Hoopers who have moved out West for 2 years for Hoopy`s work. Wagga Wagga is the largest inland city (yes city!) in New South Wales and it`s name means `place of many crows`. I would tell you more interesting facts about Wagga Wagga but I couldn`t find any. It`s about a five and a half hours drive south west from Sydney but we took the easy option and flew on a tiny 33 seater prop plane with Regional Express. One hour later we are met at the airport by Emma and driven back to their beautiful house in the centre of town. Gracie was already in bed so we had a lovely dinner then curled up on the sofa to watch the AFL preliminary finals.
After breakfast on Saturday morning we all pile into the car for a guided tour of Wagga Wagga. We start with a drive through the posh suburbs, laughing at all the hideous Greek style developments. Next stop Lake Albert, where we watch Gracie play in the playground. Our tour was complete with a quick stop at Wagga Beach, a slightly sandy river bank alongside the Murrumbidgee River. By now it was nearly lunchtime so we headed back via the supermarket to get supplies for lunch. The afternoon was spent chilling out in the garden then we attempted to wear Gracie out with another trip to a playground in the City Centre park. That night Emsie and Hoopy cooked up a delicious Thai red curry then we cosied up to the fire in the lounge. Emsie and Hoopy hadn`t lit the fire in their new house yet, despite winter evenings getting down to below freezing. It was still getting down to around 2` so George subtly added some firewood to the shopping basket in the supermarket!
Sunday morning dawned bright and sunny and we had a delicious breakfast at The Monastery by Wagga Beach. Another trip to skim stones at the beach then back to the Hoopers to watch Hoopy mow the lawn with his new manual mower. It was a beautiful afternoon and very warm in the sun - perfect weather for chilling out on the deck. Our late evening flight had been canceled - thankfully they called us in time to get us on an earlier flight so at 5pm we waved goodbye to the Hoopers. A really lovely weekend.
Sculpture by the sea is something of a landmark in the Sydney calender for us: we stumbled across this outdoor exhibit when we first came to visit Sydney in 2001. Sunday dawned bright and sunny so Katie and Dan joined us and several thousand other art-lovers to view the 206 sculptures scattered along the cliff path from Bondi to Tamarama.
Just when life seems pretty perfect you get some news that totally knocks you flat. My Uncle Michael collapsed and died after a game of squash: he was only 54. Uncle Mike was one of life`s good guys - always ready to lend a hand and put others before himself. He had been so fantastic helping out with our wedding (the reception was held in a barn on his farm) and he will be missed terribly. The next week we were hit with more bad news - little Claude Cat was hit by a car and although a helpful neighbour took him to a vet he was too badly injured and had to be put down. We were devastated - in the last year Claudie had become a huge part of our lives and the house felt very empty without him. We were never more in need of a holiday.
Several friends with children had advised us to take a holiday in the second trimester: the last chance to get away just the two of you. The Whitsundays had been on our to-do list for years and it promised to be a very lazy and relaxing trip. Somehow George managed to persuade a bareback boat charter company to let us take a boat out by ourselves- we didn`t tell them that the last time we were in charge of a yacht on a flotilla holiday in Greece in 2001 we lost both an anchor and the boat in a few short days! It wasn`t a very relaxing start to our holiday - we were up on Sunday morning at 5.15am for our flight to Hamilton Island. When we get off the plane we have a message from the charter company - the starter motor on the yacht had broken and although they were getting it fixed the boat was still at their base at Airlie Beach on the mainland. So much for our leisurely breakfast at Hamilton whilst we wait for the boat, all we get to eat is a meat pie on the ferry to Shute Harbour. By the time we arrive at Airlie Beach we`re exhausted but have to sit through a 4 hour orientation. By now it`s too late to sail out to the islands that afternoon. We`re taken out of the marina to a buoy in the harbour where we unpack our supplies and make dinner. While washing up we discover another problem: while we were practicing tacking in the harbour a drinking water container had fallen into the tap in the galley and all of our precious fresh water had poured away. So much for making an early start the next morning - we`d have to go back into the marina to get topped up again. We`re totally exhausted and fall into bed at 9pm.
We`re finally underway at 9.30am Monday morning after sorting out water and a few last minute supplies back at the marina. We head straight across the Whitsunday Passage to Hayman Island. It`s great to be sailing and everything seems to be coming back to us. We`re making good progress on a broad reach until we hit the flood tide flowing against us. According to our instruments it will take us 3 hours to get to Hayman Island and as it`s nearly lunchtime we reluctantly turn on the engine and motor sail the rest of the way. We reach Blue Pearl Bay on the North West side of Hayman Island just before 1pm and take a mooring. After lunch we pull on the stinger suits and and go for a snorkel. The coral is pristine with some fantastic colours and lots of reef fish including a big groper and a couple of parrot fish either kissing or fighting - it was hard to tell! We put the sails up again as we head around the top of Hayman towards Hook Island but as we come around the headland some flukey winds play havoc with our close haul and we struggle through a few tacks until we reach our planned anchorage at Butterfly Bay. We`re relieved to find free moorings - we`re not quite confident enough to rely on our anchor yet! It`s a beautiful bay but our peace is shattered by the arrival of a big catamaran full of screechy voiced girls who are singing along loudly to cheesy tunes. We try not to let it annoy us too much - after all it`s usually us making a public nuisance of ourselves. We crack open a bottle of champagne at sunset followed by a wonderful dinner of steak, baked potatoes and salad followed by cheesecake. Finally we feel like we`re on holiday.
It`s hard to lie in on a yacht - once the sun is up it gets too hot and bright to stay in the rather claustrophobic cabin. After a huge barbecued breakfast we snorkel around the bay spotting another groper and a stonefish. It`s a short sail around the top of Hook Island to Pinnacle Bay where we have the spot to ourselves for lunch. As soon as we cut the motor we are surrounded by hundreds of fish - fusiliers, damsel fish and a massive napoleon wrasse who appears to be expecting us to feed it. We can`t wait to get into the water and swim around with the big wrasse for a bit. He`s about the same size as me and very friendly but I get a bit of a surprise when I hold out my fist and he closes his mouth around it - I`m very relived to pull it clear with all my rings intact! Again the coral and fish are incredible - as good as anywhere we`ve seen. We BBQ up some prawns for lunch then feed the heads to the Wrasse who thanks us each time by turning on his side and waving a fin... someone had him well trained! Our anchorage that evening is Cateran Bay on Boarder Island. It`s one of the lesser visited islands and we`d chosen it with the hope of getting the place to ourselves so we`re mortified to find a huge backpacker boat and a dive boat both anchored in the bay. We take the only mooring and we`re just cracking out the beers when the other two boats begin to leave. It`s fantastic to have this little bit of paradise all to ourselves. As the sun sets we take the dingy into the beach and enjoy the view drinking wine and eating chips. Dinner is again cooked up on the barbie then we lie on deck with all the lights off watching the millions of stars. A fantastic evening.
Wednesday morning at 7.30am we are awoken by the sound of rain and leap out of bed to batten down the hatches. By the time we`ve had breakfast it`s clearing up so we have a quick snorkel then head out of the bay. We turn into the wind to hoist the mail sail and... trouble. The halyard has somehow wrapped itself around the anchor light and despite George jiggling the rope for what seemed like hours it just wouldn`t budge. We radio HQ who promise to arrange someone to meet up with us tomorrow so we end up motoring across to Whitehaven Beach. Whitehaven is a must see destination and the subject of a million picture postcards. Maybe because it was slightly cloudy and choppy or because I`d seen so many heavily polarised photos but the huge stretch of dazzling sand didn`t really live up to my expectations. We dropped anchor in the bay and surfed the dingy into the beach, drenching ourselves in the process. Once ashore we didn`t really know what to do with ourselves - we wandered along the beach for a bit before deciding we`d head back to the boat. More trouble. The waves are pushing the dingy up against the shore and try as he might George just can`t get the outboard to start. We were just starting to panic: there was no way we`d be able to paddle against the wind back to the yacht and the only other boat on the beach was several hundred metres away and it was very likely they would leave before we reached them. Finally, with me revving the engine as George yanks the ignition string the engine catches. We breathe a huge sigh of relief as we step back onto the yacht. We`re not done for disasters that day - as we attempt to pick up a mooring in Tongue Bay just behind Whitehaven Beach the boat hook handle comes off in George`s hand leaving him clutching a useless piece of rubber while the boat hook and mooring float away - George is straight in overboard after it. We watch with trepidation as the bay fills up with backpacker boats but amazingly they are all quiet. Dinner of chops and roast veggies is eaten on deck, listening to fish jumping all around the boat.
Our mission for the next morning is to motor around Whitsunday Island to Cid Harbour where a guy is meeting us to hopefully fix our halyard. We have lunch while we wait but we are constantly under attack from horse flies. These little demons drove us to distraction and we took to keeping George`s thongs on deck to splat them where ever they landed. Every time you killed one three others would appear in it`s place. Thankfully Colin arrives soon after and eventually he unhooks the halyard using a throwing ball and fishing line. Excited by being able to set sail again we goose wing out of Cid Harbour and around the top of Hamilton Island. As we passed through the narrow Fitzalan Passage on the ebb tide it was like shooting rapids: the wind against the tide created some fantastic waves. Our anchorage for the night is beautiful Turtle Bay on the south side of Whitsunday Island.
Although Turtle Bay is sheltered from the prevailing North East wind it provided no protection from the southern swell that came through around midnight. As the yacht lurched from side to side on the rollers the whole boat began creaking and the crockery smashed back and forth in the cupboard. We toss and turn and roll with it until the swell finally calms at about 6am, but by now it`s light so only manage another hour or so of sleep. A quick snorkel to wake us up and although there is no coral on this side of the bay we soon spot a massive turtle feeding on the weeds - awesome. We really enjoy the sail back through Fitzalan Passage and across the Whitsunday Passage to South Molle Island where we anchor for lunch in the beautiful secluded Sandy Bay. We planned to spend the night in Nara Inlet on the South side of Hook Island and the most direct route took us through Unsafe Passage. Despite the fringing reef on both sides of the passage, our pilot guide assured us this route was safe as long as you followed a specified trajectory and had the engine on ready to change direction quickly. We sailed sweetly through on a close haul - it was only after I reached down to turn off the engine that I realised I hadn`t switched it on in the first place! Nara Inlet was a fantastic spot for our last night aboard - very sheltered, quiet, and we spot two more turtles as we motor in. That night, after polishing off most of our supplies, we slept like babies.
Despite a few minor hiccups, we had a really wonderful week. Anchors lost: 0. Runaway yachts: 0. Turtles spotted: 6. Hands eaten by napoleon wrasse: 1. Hands retrieved from napoleon Wrasse: 1. Horse files squished: 167. Man-overboards: 1. Jellyfish stings: 0. Rope burns due to unintentional jibes: 1 (sorry George). Blocked toilets:0. Unstarting motors: 2. Run agrounds: 0. Shark attacks:0. Fresh water shortages: 1. Beautiful secluded bays visited: 7. Competent sailors: 2 (just).
I have to admit to not really looking forward to a sober Christmas and New Year - although drinking at Christmas has only been a tradition since coming to Australia I haven`t had a sober New Year`s Eve since sometime in my early teens. To top it off after two blistering Christmases in a row the forecast this year was for cool temperatures and showers. That said, we were looking forward to little sister Clairey and her boyfriend Gareth arriving back in Sydney on Christmas Eve after driving all the way from Darwin. Christmas day started with coffee and present opening around the tree - we had a very reasonable pile of gifts to work our way through. Then it was over to Gill and Craig`s in Tamarama for brunch of BBQ turkey rolls. This year we had set up a secret Santa with everyone buying two people in the group a gift and writing a poem for one of them. There were some fantastic presents and a lot of hilarious poems - we had to cover little Cooper`s ears for some of them! The plan then was to head down to Tamarama Beach but as the weather was pretty ordinary we hung around the flat for a bit longer playing with the presents. Eventually we decamped to the beach and had our ritual swim - the water felt really warm compared to the air temperature and we spent ages being buffeted by the huge waves. Once it started to get dark it was back to Gill and Craig`s for Christmas tea - quiches, sausages, salad, mince pies, mini Christmas puds and my first slightly solid effort at a Christmas log. Around this time everyone seemed to suddenly be quite drunk and then the drinking games started - it soon became clear that I wouldn`t be persuading George to come back to ours to Skype with our families back home. Gill ended up setting up her lap top for us in the spare room but the light was too dim and we ended up chatting with George`s sister Penny, her family and in-laws and George`s Mum and John whilst sitting in Gill`s bath with the lap top propped on the sink - extraordinary!
After such a grey Christmas day the rest of the week brought fantastic weather - this was the first year where I took the days off between Christmas and New Year and most of it was spent at the beach. It was a really relaxing few days. This year we were going to miss the NYE fireworks on the harbour for the first time - we had tickets to a concert in the park at Bondi Beach. We started the night in Thai Terrific where George started his mission of drinking for three by demolishing a six pack of beers all by himself. Once inside the gates at the gig George got stuck into the Smirnoff Ices with a vengeance. It was pretty chilled while we watched the support acts, and began to kick off once Sneaky Sound System took the stage. There was a countdown to midnight then a few fireworks, lots of drunken hugs then Groove Armada came on. They played all our favourites, but once again I found that I just couldn`t quite get into it without being a bit drunk. I managed to keep myself awake until their set finished at 1.30am but then it was home time. George thankfully decided that he couldn`t stand for much longer either and we piled on a bus back up Bondi Road to bed, leaving Claire and Gareth (who we`d failed to meet up with all night) to push on through with our friends until late the next day.
After such a great weekend on the Hawkesbury last Australia Day weekend we were all keen for a repeat performance this year. AJ and Flipper couldn`t make it so Claire and Gareth came along, and this time Chris brought his Girlfriend Megs along too. We had hired another 12 berth boat from the same place in Wiseman`s Ferry. Once aboard it became obvious that it was the same boat as last year - the dents in the ceiling from the Russian chair dancing were still there! George, Gill, Craig, Gareth and Chris went up early on the Friday to pick up the boat but by the time Katie, Dan, Claire, Megs and I arrived it was absolutely pouring with rain. Craig and George met us in an enormous tinny at a muddy pier and we were all soaked through by the time we made it on to the boat. The rules of the pamplemousse game were explained to the newcomers and it didn`t take long for the first call to be made... but what was this? After such a drenching getting onto the boat I called pregnancy privileges and stayed dry - but Gill, Craig and Megs also sat resolutely in their seats... Could this be the end of pamplemousse? That night Gill and Craig cooked up a fantastic fish dish on the BBQ, then the beers started flowing and I retreated to bed with my earplugs leaving the rest of them partying until the early hours.
The rest of the weekend passed in a similar fashion to before: far too much food, lots of jumping off the boat, sunbathing on the top deck, the boys going off fishing in the tinny for hours and far too much alcohol consumed every evening (not by me unfortunately). In keeping with Hawkesbury Houseboat tradition we avoided crashing into the bank by seconds... whilst we were tucking into lunch on the top deck the tide changed and the anchor must have slipped - suddenly Chris noticed we were inches away from a large prickly bush and a very solid riverbank. Quick thinking from the boys had the engine on in a jiffy and the only casualty were a couple of fishing rods in the tinny that got caught up in the bush. The daytime pamplemousses were all still well observed but on the second night Clairey called her`s - and then after a lukewarm response from the rest of the crew refused to strip off and jump in! We only forgave her once she`d finally got wet, and then only because she we a newcomer to the game. Dreadful!
Monday came around all too soon and we made our way back upstream to Wiseman`s Ferry. This may very well be our last houseboat trip for a few years... not really sure how a 9 month old would go with the pamplemousse game!
After having so much fun at last year`s Slam volleyball festival at Coogee everyone was up for a repeat performance this year. Everyone apart from AJ (who decided not to cut his honeymoon short to join us) and myself (who decided not to risk early labour by jumping around like a maniac at nearly 8 months pregnant). As all the players were English the team name of Pom Poms was decided on, with the idea that we would all dress as cheerleaders, including the official cheerleader, myself. Things didn`t however go quite as planned. First the council didn`t allow the competition to take place at Coogee and a last minute change of location to Maroubra was announced. Then there was trouble with the outfits - cheap cheerleading costumes couldn`t be found - we even failed to find pom poms. At the last minute George went foraging at Paddy`s markets and found some obscene florescent tops and tight shorts - pink tops and yellow shorts for boys, yellow tops and pink shorts for the girls. We looked fantastic.
The competition was set up in the same manner as last year - the results of the two pool matches determining whether you progressed to the cup, plate or bowl competitions. Last year we won one of our pool games putting us in the plate competition - we then proceeded to lose our first knock-out game. This year, with a team made up of league two-a-side players, we were quietly confident of making good progress through the competition. Unfortunately our professional players found adjusting to 6-a-side Slam rules a little hard. To start with, instead of rope marking off the edges of the court, the sides of the rather large courts were inflatable - and any ball hitting the inside edge and bouncing off was still in play. The inflatable tubes were awesome fun to jump on though! As you couldn`t stand behind the back line you could serve from anywhere on the court - something Creggy took advantage of later in the competition when he was practically serving at the net. Spiking a serve, scooping and net touches were all allowable. The first match was disastrous, and although the Pom Poms lifted their game for the second pool match they were convincingly defeated. On the positive side, we were now in the Bowl competition, meaning we would now be drawn against other teams that had lost both of their first matches.
First up were Striptease, and there were two main differences. Firstly Al abandoned his team mates after the pool matches, leaving 6 players left which meant there was no longer the need to leap-frog over the inflatables to swap in or out of the court at each rotation. Secondly Striptease weren`t very good. An easy victory and we were through to the quarter-finals, against Dig Deep. But we were carrying an injury - Dan pulled a muscle in his leg serving and hobbled off to the first aid tent to get it strapped up - like a trooper he was back for the next match. Dig Deep put up a bit more of a fight but were no match for the Pom Poms who relentlessly marched through to the semi-finals! One Night in Paris, despite some fantastic outfits, gave us a run for our money with the scores neck and neck for most of the game until with a couple of minutes to go the Pom Poms put it out of reach. Time for serious celebrations - we`d made the finals! Looking at The Unbelievables we knew we were in trouble - a team of tall buff lads and their `hilarious` outfits were just board shorts - serious stuff. We had also suffered another injury - Steve had bent a finger back in the previous match and was now strapped up and looking like he was in quite a lot of pain - he bravely soldiered on. The Pom Poms pulled out all the stops and made a great fight of it but as the final seconds ticked by and Dan hobbled off the court clutching his other leg, The Unbelievables took it out of our reach. A fantastic effort, and all that was left was to make our way to the Coogee Bay Palace for the after-party...
With less than 3 weeks to go until the baby is due to arrive Flips wasn`t going to let me get away without a baby shower. So while the boys had a `man shower` bowling and drinking beer, we ladies brought along pies and cakes and talked girly stuff on the grass at Tamarama. It was a beautiful afternoon - far too hot for the baby bonnet Flips insisted I had to wear. There was a labour and childbirth quiz - with lots of looks of horror from the childless amongst us, and a guess the sex of the baby questionnaire. As Annie is fairly certain she is going to have a boy, it was very funny to find out that according to the quiz, Annie was 70% likely to have a girl, whilst I was 65% in favour of a female baby. Just goes to show it is all nonsense!
As if AJ and Flipper didn`t have enough to organise, what with their imminent wedding in South Africa, they also managed to organise accommodation for the annual Easter weekend away. There was only one stipulation from us: we couldn`t be more than about an hour from Randwick in case Bump put in an early appearance. After much deliberation a fantastic house at Palm Beach, the most Northern of Sydney`s beaches, was booked in. It promised fantastic views across the Pittwater, close proximity to the ocean beach, and best of all, four double bedrooms. George and I were the first to arrive on Good Friday and soon realised there had been some sort of mistake - only one of the rooms had a double bed (which undoubtedly belonged to the organisers). Two other rooms contained two single beds and a bunk and a single. Bemused, we searched for the fourth room - downstairs, only accessible from outside, was a rumpus room with a single bed and pull out single and a double foam sofa bed. We quickly bagged the two singles and waited for the rest of the crew to arrive. After 3 weeks of glorious sunshine throughout March, Easter was predictably wet - it rained on and off all of Good Friday and didn`t clear up until Easter Sunday. We wiled away most of Friday afternoon in the Golf Club social club.
Saturday afternoon we wandered over to the ocean beach to set up the volleyball net but before we even set foot on the sand the wind blew us away so we decided to set up on the more sheltered Pittwater beach. The sand was really hard and stank to high heaven when we dug it up to bury the sand anchors. Every time the ball bounced off into the water we`d have to wade through muddy sand to retrieve it - not the most picturesque surroundings for a game! That night the Swans played their first game of the AFL season against the Saints in Melbourne - it was a close but low scoring match with a disappointing loss for the Swans. Afterwards The Godfather was on TV so George and AJ devised a drinking game to play whilst watching - drink every time Sonny gets angry, or every time someone gets into a car not realising they are about to be shot - it seemed like a good idea but by the time the film finished at 2am I was the only one still awake!
Sunday afternoon we all tried our hands at Golf on the 9 hole public course just across the road. Only AJ and Flipper had played before so there was much hilarity at our attempts to hit the ball. Nick and Beth went off first with AJ and Flips leaving George, Katie, Dan and myself to muddle on behind. There were an awful lot of air shots and most of the time we looked more like we were playing croquet, but thankfully everyone who got caught behind us was very patient and happy to play through. The funniest moment was when Dan tried to chip his ball out of the rough at the side of the fairway. After about 8 attempts where he failed to make contact with the ball he finally chipped it up - it flew about 10 yards before it hit a tree and bounced back to just in front of Dan`s feet - we were all falling about in stitches. We completed the 9 holes in about 4 hours - double the usual time taken! That night we played the obligatory poker game where Dan redeemed himself and won the pot.
Another fantastic weekend away and no new arrival yet!
With the renovations on our kitchen and bathroom still not complete we weren`t too concerned about going past my due date - in fact I was avoiding long walks and spicy food like the plague in the hope of putting off bump`s arrival. Bump however had other ideas and at 6am on my due date, April 4th, I was awoken by the sensation of something trickling down my leg. It stopped as I sat up and I began to think I`d dreamt the whole thing... no-one actually gives birth on the day they are due. So I went back to sleep for a bit. When I awoke a couple of hours later I had the same trickling sensation - my waters had definitely broken. George went off to work leaving me to wait for the onset of contractions. We were still not home at this point and were staying with Gill and Craig in their flat in Tamarama. I spent the day packing our bags, tidying the flat and doing a load of washing as the contractions slowly built in intensity. By lunchtime they were still 15 to 20 minutes apart so I went on a short walk around the cliff path to Tamarama Beach and back, which certainly got things moving. I called George home and we managed the contractions there until making our way to the hospital at 8pm. We`d booked into the birth centre, which has a more natural approach to childbirth and gives you the option of a water birth. They also have big double beds that you and your partner can sleep in after the birth, and this was my main motivation to make it through without an epidural which required transfer to the delivery suite.
I got in the bath soon after arriving at the hospital and when the contractions got too much for me requested gas and air to help me through the last part before I began to push. At this point I was away with the fairies and having trouble getting traction in the bath for pushing so we moved out to a mat and beanbag at the end of the bed. I had to give up the gas and air so I could co-ordinate the pushing with the contractions, and after 2 exhausting hours little Emily Susan burst into the world at 1.30am on Saturday 5th April 2008. Weight 3.37kg (7lbs 7oz), length 53cm. Very big feet.
We ended up staying in the birth centre all day on Saturday as I lost quite a lot of blood overnight and needed IV fluids and monitoring. It was so lovely to chill out on the big bed and have so much room for visitors. We were moved up to the post-natal ward on Sunday morning where Emily and I stayed until Tuesday afternoon, which was pretty good timing as the bathroom at home was just about finished. It was an extremely emotional homecoming, we`d been away for over 10 weeks. We still didn`t have a working kitchen so that night we got take away and washed our plates in cold water but we didn`t mind - it was just great to be home with our beautiful daughter.
If the house was still uninhabitable by the time I was due to be discharged the plan was to try every trick we could to get to stay another few nights in hospital. In the end I was begging to leave after one night of sharing my room with another woman who`d had a caesarian that day. Her light would go on every hour for the midwives to do their observations and Emily and her baby were like a screaming tag team - as soon as one stopped the other started. I couldn`t have taken one more night. The advice is to take it easy at home for the first few days but with plumbers, electricians, builders and painters still busy finishing off the extension we were out and about every day. We escaped during the day to Gill and Craig`s flat for showers and some peace and quiet, returning home at 5pm to order take away. On the Friday the wooden floor was sealed and varnished and as the fumes were quite potent we packed up our bags one more time and spent one last night at Gill and Craig`s. Peter and Susie came over for lunch at the cafe on Tamarama Beach while Emily slept peacefully in her little bassinet. That night Gill cooked dinner then Peter, George and Gill demolished several bottles of wine. Emily was very well behaved and hopefully didn`t disturb Gill`s sleep too much! On Saturday Emily came to support Daddy playing volleyball at Maroubra beach, which she enjoyed even though she was mostly asleep. That night Steph, Adam and Luciana popped in to say hello then George went out to Olympic Park for the Swans match which Emily and I watched at home with AJ and Flipper. Sunday was spent entertaining visitors. Emsie was up from Wagga Wagga for the weekend and her and Nicole very kindly brought around breakfast, then Martin and Charlie popped in for a cuddle with Emily.
`What is it with pregnancy and renovations?` We heard this a lot. In fact this exact comment was made by the midwife at the birth centre when I called to let them know my contractions had started. `Keep working through them at home` she said. I had to explain that I wasn`t actually at home.... but more on that later.
When we brought the house in November 2006 we knew we`d need to replace the tiny kitchen and dingy bathroom, we just didn`t get around to it until we were up against the deadline of Emily`s arrival. The previous owners had already got council approved plans for a new extension on the back of the house, but they didn`t quite fit with our ideas of opening up the back of the house with big doors leading out into the garden. With the help of Creggy who drew up our new plans we had our submission into council in early December. A new kitchen had been designed and ordered and we had a builder lined up who could start straight after his summer break in the first week of February. He reckoned the job would take six to eight weeks... Without a working bathroom we would have to move out for the duration of the work, but we`d be in by Easter, with two weeks to spare before the baby was due.
WEEK ONE: Angus the builder turns up on Monday morning, 4th February, ready to start... but we still don`t have a construction certificate. Despite George falling over backwards to get the plans, and then the amended plans, into council in plenty of time, they appear to have lost our application. Without the certificate there can be no building or demolition. We`d spent the weekend packing up the back of the house and moving Claire and Gareth (who`d been staying with us since Christmas) out to a share house in Wooloomooloo. George and I were moving across the city to Katie and Dan`s flat in Pyrmont - they`d left for South Africa a couple of days earlier. Monday evening also saw the start of our weekly birthing classes at the hospital. When we rushed home after work to collect our suitcases we could see that Angus had been busy - clearing out the fittings in the kitchen, bathroom and sunroom. It was a relief to get to the hospital and collapse into beanbags, but with so much else going on it was hard to pay too much attention to something that hopefully wasn`t going to happen for a couple of months. It`s Wednesday before the construction certificate is granted. On Friday the old sunroom is dismantled. The previous owners who built an extension made of asbestos sheeting no doubt did so because it was cheap... we had to pay extra to have it removed safely! We were now a couple of days behind schedule.
WEEK TWO: As the demolitions continue Angus discovers a huge problem. Our house is semi-detached and when the attached house next door built their extension they built their double brick wall half on our side of the dividing line. This meant that our double brick would encroach on the space for our kitchen, and our painstaking design would no longer fit into the space. It`s a total disaster. After much agonising, and with the agreement of the next-door neighbour, we decide to knit our wall into theirs which means we can still use our kitchen plans. We are now a week behind schedule and on Tuesday George abandons his pregnant wife and flies off to South Africa for AJ and Philippa`s wedding that weekend. This was the wedding that we tried to schedule the pregnancy around.... When we were thinking about trying for a baby we decided that at 7 months it would be fine for me to fly. What we didn`t consider was what we`d do if there were any problems whilst we were overseas. Reluctantly we took the sensible but rather boring decision that I would stay home. I had a very peaceful week pottering about at Katie and Dan`s, and spent my first Valentine`s Day alone in over 10 years.
WEEK THREE: Rain. It`s one of the wettest Februarys on record and it`s the last thing we need after the dividing wall fiasco. There`s yet another setback: we`re lowering the floor at the back of the house so we can step out onto a small deck and then down into the garden, but Angus discovers a huge sandstone block nestled under the old kitchen. It appears to be a method of cooling installed before the days of air conditioners but it will cost us time and money to get it removed. George returns Monday evening just in time for a very jet lagged attendance at the birthing class and afterwards we move into our next temporary residence at AJ and Philippa`s flat in Coogee. We`re greeted with suspicion by Rocky and Frankie, their cats, but they soon get used to their surrogate parents and it`s lovely to have kitty company again.
WEEK FOUR: Angus` six week estimate is beginning to look a little unlikely. There still isn`t hardly anything actually built. Every time I turn up at the house Angus looks at my ever increasing bump and breaks out in a cold sweat. Unrelenting rain has now put us 2 weeks behind schedule.
WEEK FIVE: AJ and Flipper returned from their honeymoon this week. They very kindly offered for us to continue to stay at their place but to be honest we thought it best to leave the newlyweds in peace. We`d run out of friends with empty houses until out of the blue Annie`s cousin Tom was sent to Chicago on business. He has a lovely flat right on the beachfront in Bondi. Perfect! So after filling AJ and Flips` bed with confetti we packed up yet again and moved back to Bondi. It was great timing... This was my last week at work and after a dismal February, March began with some fantastic weather - the beach was just a short waddle away. Finally the builders start building and by the end of the week we have walls. Yay!
WEEK SIX: We`d hoped to be able to move back in at the end of this week, even if things weren`t quite finished. There was no chance. There was still no roof or floor, let alone bathroom fittings and running water. With Tom returning on Friday we were again homeless, and Gill drew the short straw of putting us up whilst actually still living there. We move into their beautiful Tamarama flat on Thursday night.
WEEK SEVEN: It`s Easter this weekend, and the renovations are supposed to be complete. We now have a roof, and the folding doors are installed, although there is no glass. We`ve been trying to organise the kitchen installation but this can`t happen until the floor is down. The floor can`t go down until Angus can get the floor fitters to answer their phone. Days go past without much getting done. I spend a frantic Thursday before Easter chasing up our tile order for the bathroom as Angus has arranged the tilers to come in on Tuesday.
WEEK EIGHT: The tilers, after all the fuss last week, don`t start until Thursday. When they do, they can`t find the little blue tiles for the border and fit the larger brown tiles chosen for the kitchen splashback. It`s a massive mistake - the white tiles are all cut and lined up to fit around the larger tiles.. short of tearing out all the tiles and starting again we need to find blue tiles in a larger size - and soon as the shower screen can`t be fitted until the tiles are finished. We return to the tile shop and find a reasonable larger blue tile... but the suppliers are moving premises and aren`t open until Tuesday - we can`t even call them to confirm if they have stock. David the tile shop man assures us he will call them first thing on Tuesday and hopefully we can pick up the tiles next week.
WEEK NINE: The tile suppliers open on Tuesday - but can`t find our stock. We end up getting the tiles in on Thursday. Andrew the kitchen fitter is due to come in on Wednesday but gets put back until Friday because the floor people come a day late. Friday is D Day. George and I come up to the house Friday morning to see how Andrew is getting on. Angus is working on the deck in the garden. I tell Angus that I`m having the baby today and he laughs nervously, but thinks I`m joking as he knows it`s the day I`m due. He looks more nervous as I grip the partly finished kitchen island as my first contractions kick in. I return to Gill and Craig`s to work through early labour but our worst nightmare is about to come true... I`m having the baby and there is no way we can bring her home to the house in this state... there isn`t even a toilet yet.
WEEK TEN: We leave hospital on the Tuesday night and get home to find the lights aren`t working yet so get out torches and candles. The bathroom is just about usable, once George connects a tap and spout over the bath so we have running water. It`s cold though, and the plumber isn`t connecting the boiler until Wednesday. The kitchen bench tops are being fitted on Wednesday, but the appliances can`t be connected until the floor is treated, and this won`t be done until Friday. There are painters, electricians, plumbers and builders everywhere so George, Emily and I spend the days at Gill and Craig`s flat, returning in the evenings to eat takeaway then wash the dishes in the bath. Friday night we stay over at Gill`s to escape the fumes from the floor treatment.
WEEK ELEVEN: Andrew is booked in to fit up the kitchen appliances on Wednesday. On Monday the floor guys return to polish the floorboards only to find that the previous treatment hasn`t dried as it was a bad mix - they have to apply it all over again. They have to come back for the polishing on Wednesday, so we bump Andrew back to Friday... except he`s fully booked and can`t come until Monday.
WEEK TWELVE: Almost done! On Monday we can finally move back into the kitchen - we have a working dishwasher, oven and stovetop, and the kitchen sink has hot and cold running water. The painters are finishing up and Angus just has a few last jobs to do on the deck. Despite all the setbacks and delays, Angus had done an amazing job of keeping it all together, juggling the tradies and our requests. It looks fantastic, we`re really pleased with the result... please come and visit to see for yourselves!
With the builders packed up and moved out and George back at work Emily and I were left home alone to get to know each other. My new job took a bit of getting used to but Emily got the hang of eating, sleeping and filling her nappy really quickly. We must have been doing something right: we were rewarded with her first cheeky smile at 3 weeks.
June is birthday month and it kicked off on May 31st with Dan`s celebrations at an Indian restaurant in Surry Hills. Emily came along too, sleeping during the first course then being passed along the table for cuddles. For Gill`s birthday on June 5th Emily was thrown out of the pub - already! Thankfully they let her into the Mexican where she slept in her buggy for the whole meal. For George`s birthday we had an extension warming barbecue on Sunday afternoon: two big roasts of pork and lamb. Sadly the weather was dreadful and we had to close the folding doors!
The 20th of June marked 10 years since George and I met outside a kebab shop in Bath. We hadn`t organised anything special but thought we`d go for dinner at one of the local restaurants. Emily had other ideas. Asleep for most of the afternoon she didn`t wake until 8pm - then she wanted feeding. We ended up in a Thai place at 9.30pm with a baby that didn`t want to stay in her bassinet. Thankfully when our food arrived so did a little old Thai lady who cuddled and amused Emily while we wolfed down our food.
The next day Clairey and Katie celebrated their 30th birthdays with a barbecue on Tamarama. The weather was beautiful - lovely blue skies and sunshine, but once the sun dropped behind the houses on the hill it got pretty chilly. Unfortunately Emily wasn`t welcome at the pub everyone was moving on to so George and I spent a quiet night in.... again!
Since George became a father and turned 34 he`s developed a strange urge to brew his own beer. AJ has caught the bug too and the pair of them have brewed two batches so far. The tasting will be for AJ`s birthday on the 18th July....watch this space!
With Jason and Fiona successfully across the pacific in their yacht George`s mum Sue now had two grandchildren on South Pacific Shores. A great excuse to escape the English summer! After a week cruising the Marquesas in French Polynesia and catching up with grandson Dylan Sue and John arrived, only slightly jet lagged, in Sydney on July 18th. They wasted no time getting to know Emily, and we wasted no time employing their babysitting skills when George and I went along to Helen and Graham`s Hen and Stag parties the next day. George had to work the next week but Emily and I showed Sue and John some of our favourite parts of Sydney including the Chinese Garden in Darling Harbour and the cafes at Bronte Beach. The rest of the time was spent chilling out in the winter sunshine in the garden. For our second wedding anniversary on the Tuesday Sue and John were again left holding the baby while George and I had a lovely meal at Iceburgs Bar and Grill overlooking huge waves crashing into the swimming pool below.
With Emily being a touch young for ski school we didn`t think we get a skiing trip in this year so we were delighted when Sue expressed an interest in seeing the Snowy Mountains. Sue retired from skiing a few years ago and was happy to spend some quality time with her favourite granddaughter whilst we showed John the slopes. At 73, John had officially hung up his skis last year but couldn`t resist a try on Australian snow. Emily (and her parents) survived the car journey down to the snowfields pretty well, especially as the normally 6 hour trip took us 9 hours... There had been loads of snow in the mountains and it began snowing just outside Jindabyne. We`d not seen snow on the approach roads before and we had to stop and engage 4WD as the snow got heavier and heavier. It was a slow crawl into Thredbo with Emily really over the car seat and kicking off in the back. It was a relief to turn into Thredbo village. The agent had told us our chalet was `just behind the River Inn` and was called Snowy. I assumed he meant that it was on the main road next to the Inn but we couldn`t find anywhere called Snowy. In the dark, with deep snow everywhere covering pathways and signposts, it took us an hour to find our chalet. It was down a small snow covered path off a dead-end back road tucked in behind the chalets on the road. Just parking the car in an icy narrow car space was stressful. Thankfully the chalet was beautiful and Sue stoked up the fire while George and John went back out to forage for food. Everything was shut and they were lucky to return with pies and roast beef baguettes - the only thing left in the pub!
Next morning it was easy to see where we had gone wrong. The small wooden sign saying `Snowy` outside our chalet was hidden behind a bush and covered in snow, and the pathway from the road was obvious in daylight. Emily was happy to sleep in her pram while Sue explored the village, and John, George and I hit the slopes. The conditions were fantastic, but after a couple of tumbles John soon retired to the pub. With such fantastic snow cover George and I were able to nail a couple of blacks that aren`t normally open and we had a great day on the slopes. By Sunday lunchtime we`d pretty much skied the resort and were happy to pack up the car and get back on the road.
To break up the journey home we`d looked into staying a few days somewhere between Sydney and Canberra and found a fantastic old house in Berrima, an historic village in the Southern Highlands about an hour and a half south of Sydney. The Magistrate`s House was right in the centre of the village and had lots of antique features, including a pianola (which George wasted no time playing) and an amazing record collection and a gramophone to play them on! Our first day was spent exploring the quaint but expensive shops in the village, then we had a fabulous afternoon tea of local cheeses and pickles. On Tuesday we drove through the Highlands to Fitzroy Falls, where we had a lovely walk through the bush to the falls, which rival anything in the Blue Mountains. Wednesday was Sue`s birthday and we attempted a wine tasting tour. Several of the wineries were closed but we found a couple of nice boutique places. Poor Emily would doze off just as we pulled into the next Winery, and by the time we stopped at the 4th place she`d had enough. The best part of our stay in Berrima though was that we finally spotted the elusive platypus! Over the years since arriving in Australia George and I have wasted countless sunsets waiting on river banks to spot Australia`s most bizarre animal in their natural habitat. We just wandered down to the river at the bottom of the garden and spotted two straight away! Fantastic.
All too soon it was time to head back to Sydney and for Emily`s last cuddles with Granny and Granfa. It has been great to have family here and Emily will miss Granny`s fantastic story telling!
Last year I had to come up with an excuse not to run in the annual City to Surf race: Emily was still a secret back then and I was advised to walk the course instead of killing myself running. George was also going to walk but the night before, in the pub, George and Craig decided to run. I recorded my worse time ever - Gill and I stopped for a lemonade in the pub while we waited for Al, Annie and Cooper (in the buggy) to catch us up! This year I was determined to get back in shape enough to run the whole course, no matter how long it took me. Unfortunately George woke with a migraine (or so he says) on Sunday morning so Emily stayed home with Dad while I made my way into town for the 9am start. Craig, who again decided to run at the last minute and used George`s bib, left me for dust, but the great atmosphere kept me going. I even managed to keep the jog going up the dreaded Heartbreak Hill, although I was being overtaken by walkers. It took me 95.42 minutes to complete the 14km course from Hyde Park to Bondi Beach and I could hardly walk after crossing the finish line. George brought Emily down to the pub for a celebratory beer and then it was back to bed for me!
Life as a Mummy has settled down into a weekly routine of meeting other mums for coffee, boxercise classes in the park, walks along the beach and pottering around the house and garden. It`s fantastic. Emily has reached some milestones this month - she now rolls onto her tummy every time we put her down on her back and last week she graduated from the bassinet to the big cot in her own room. She is still sleeping through most nights and even lets us lie-in on the weekends! More photos and videos are (of course) attached.
September has brought a number of firsts for us. We started solids a little early at just over 5 months, hoping to get feeding established before our San Francisco trip. To begin with, most of it seemed to be spat out again but so far, pumpkin, banana and carrot have been hits, and apple and avocado have resulted in looks of utter distaste. Emily is getting more and more mobile - we had our first forward motion on September 8th, a Caterpillar impression with her head down and bum in the air. She pushed herself about 3 feet along the carpet, but hasn`t yet repeated the feat! Instead she has discovered turning in a circle on her tummy, always in an anticlockwise direction.
We also had another first - our first night out with a professional babysitter for Flipper`s birthday on September 20th. It was the first really hot day of spring and poor Emily was quite out of sorts with the heat. While we enjoyed several beers at the Coogee Palace, the poor babysitter was trying to get Emily to take a bottle. She eventually succeeded but soon after she left, Emily vomited in her cot. It went everywhere! Great fun clearing that up whilst still rather tipsy.
We have also bought our first video camera so expect lots more videos on these pages soon!
Not so long ago George and I were the sort of people who`d glare at parents of young children sitting anywhere near you on an airplane. So although we were very excited to have been invited to Widden and Claire`s wedding in California, the thought of a 14 hour flight with a six month old baby filled us with dread. That said, we`re still up for an adventure so a two week trip around Northern California was booked, with a stopover on the way back in Hawaii. Emily behaved beautifully on the flight out, sleeping most of the way in the bassinet. Our problems only began once we`d landed and collected our seven pieces of luggage. We were over an hour late landing and suspected the pre-booked shuttle bus (with baby seat) would be long gone. We never found out if they were waiting for us as, after battling with the worst lifts in the world, we just couldn`t find the pick-up zone. We end up hopping on a hotel shuttle with Emily fast asleep on George`s chest in the Baby Bjorn. Our room at the Westin has fantastic views across the city to the mountains but the exploring will have to wait: we`re all in need of an afternoon nap. That evening we ask the front desk for a recommendation for dinner and the Hungry Bear was a real find: delicious tapas and micro-brewed beer. Emily sleeps in the pram all through dinner and doesn`t wake until 10am the next morning. Bliss.
Sunday starts with a classic American diner breakfast with bacon, eggs (sunny side up) and pancakes. We decide to explore the city on foot and head off from Union Square, through Chinatown to the Italian quarter of North Beach. Then we struggle to push the buggy up steep Lombard Street to get to the famous crookedest street in the world, then it`s back down the hill to the tourist hell of Fisherman`s Wharf. We would have given this area a miss but we`d read about the wild sea lions on the marina walkways of Pier 39. There were hundreds of them, and the views across the harbour to the bridge and Alcatraz were pretty awesome too. By now we`re pretty exhausted but make our way back along the Embarcadero to our hotel. Dinner of sushi (California rolls of course) then bed.
Although George has been to San Francisco before, this was my first visit and I was surprised by how much I liked the city. We were blessed with unusually warm and sunny weather, without a hint of fog. It was a shame to leave so quickly but we had a whistle-stop trip organised and it was time to hit the road. We pick up our hire car, kicking ourselves that the first time we are offered an upgrade to a convertible we had to be sensible and plump for the SUV! We`re on our way by midday and drive north over the Golden Gate Bridge. It`s not far to the wine region of Sonoma and we stop it the main town for lunch in an Irish pub. We make it to just one winery, which is just about to close. We buy a syrah, as we`d not heard of this grape before. It`s only when we get home that we find out it`s just another name for shiraz! We`re staying just up the road at Jack London Lodge, a quaint motel by the river that looks just like the setting for a horror movie. As it`s Monday night there are only two restaurants open, and neither of them looked particularly baby friendly. We end up getting cheeses, meats and olives from the deli and eating outside on picnic tables by the roadside, washed down with a bottle of bubbly. We begin to realise that the evenings on this trip are going to be quite quiet.
We set off Tuesday morning on the winding Trinity Road which connects Sonoma Valley with the more famous Napa Valley. It`s a beautiful drive dodging squirrels and spotting a pair of deer in the woods. We then drive through the pristinely manicured wineries of Napa Valley to Napa itself where we stop for coffee. We don`t even taste a Napa wine. We`ve got a few hours drive west to our next destination in the Gold Country and by 3pm we`re in the middle of nowhere and hungry. As if by magic a huge produce stall appears on the side of the highway. It was the highlight of our whole trip. We buy cokes and plums then finish up last night`s cheese and crackers on picnic tables under the trees. Then we find the Pumpkin Patch... hundreds and hundreds of pumpkins of every size, shape and colour. We knew Halloween was big in the states but this place was incredible. What made it even more special was that they had a maize maze made of maize. Although it`s not open on weekdays the guy on the till let us enter. It`s bigger than we expected and it`s all fun and games until I finally lose my sense of direction. Then I catch sight of what I thought was a boot pulling back from a corner. It was probably just a bird but I`m freaking out that someone is in the maze with us, watching us... like something out of the Blair Witch Project. We break through a wall and thankfully find ourselves at the exit. We`re just relieved to be out before it got dark! We reach Sutter Creek by 5pm and wander around the sleepy little town. Dinner of pasta and steak at the Palace Hotel was surprisingly good, then back to our quaint B&B.
Wednesday morning starts with a lovely omelette cooked by our hosts at the Hanford House Hotel then we take a 12 mile detour to the even sleepier town of Volcano. We`ve got a long drive to the edge of Yosemite National Park, and we pass through more Western-style Gold Country towns on the way. In Sonora we pass a shop selling `coffee, snacks, bait, groceries, guns, ammo, sundaes, ices`. Crazy country. Finally we`re on the long winding road up into the Sierra Nevada. The Californians don`t seem to believe in crash barriers and it`s quite terrifying being so close to the edge on seriously steep switchbacks. We reach the Evergreen Lodge by 5pm and decide to check out the nearby Hetch Hetchy area of the Yosemite National Park before sunset. This valley has been dammed and the O`Shaughnessy Dam is very impressive, as are the surrounding cliffs reflected in the lake. We have a short walk along the dam and through a tunnel on the other side, and as we drive back we are treated to a beautiful sunset. The lodge is a bit like an old fashioned summer camp and although our cabin is lovely, dinner in the restaurant is so drowned in salt it`s almost inedible.
We`d read a lot about Yosemite National Park, and seen a lot of photos, but that didn`t stop our jaws dropping at our first view of Yosemite Valley. Despite the altitude the weather is warm and sunny. It`s just stunning. First stop the almost dry Bridal Veil Falls to feed Emily and eat our picnic lunch. Then an hour drive up to Glacier Point for the incredible views along the valley. We manage a one mile hike up to the top of Sentinel Dome with fantastic 360` views of the park. By now it`s getting late so we rush back to the Tunnel Viewpoint for the perfect sunset view of the valley. Unfortunately we take a wrong turn on the way back to our lodge and end up leaving the park at completely the wrong exit! It`s pretty stressful as a hungry Emily kicks off but we make it back by 8pm. We`d really pushed our luck with a long day of driving, and we were dreading the long drive back across the Central Valley to the coast for the wedding the next day. Despite that, I really wanted to see the Giant Sequoias on the south edge of the park, so we`re up at 6.30am. It`s bitingly cold - there is even frost in the meadows. We stop at Yosemite Village for a short walk around Happy Isles then make our way to Wawona and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. It`s a lovely walk through the forest to the famous Grizzly Giant, but I can`t help thinking that yet again we`ve made an enormous detour just to see a big tree! Back in the car we wind our way out of the mountains and as soon as we`re back on the valley floor the mercury soars. We cross dust bowl plains for miles and miles then suddenly we`re climbing into the coastal range mountains and we hit rush hour traffic. We`re all frazzled by the time we reach the Seascape resort. It`s a beautiful setting, and somehow we`ve scored a two story, two bedroom apartment overlooking the ocean. It`s great to catch up with Phil and Sofia, Rich and Claire and Ewan and Olivia, and to meet their little boy Jack. We reminisce over dinner at a Mexican place across the road.
In my mind, a California wedding means neat rows of white chairs, a flower-covered arch and a setting on a clifftop overlooking the ocean. Claire and Paul`s wedding didn`t disappoint. The beautiful ceremony was followed by champagne and canapes, then I took Emily back to our apartment to leave her with the babysitter. Unfortunately that meant I missed most of the speeches, but I was reliably informed that they were excellent and suitably hilarious. The disco cranked up straight after the meal, and although it felt a little odd to be strutting our stuff with sunlight streaming through the windows we were soon joining in with the conga, YMCA and even a Jewish circle dance. The Bath boys then showed the Californians how to jump around like an idiot to Come on Eileen. The main ceremony was wrapped up at 6pm, then we all got changed into warm clothes for a bonfire on the beach. It was supposed to be a low-key affair with hot chocolate and s`mores (toasted marshmellows sandwiched between chocolate and biscuits) but we Brits know that a wedding means alcohol.... and lots of it. We sent Paul`s brother Steve off on a golf buggy to get beer and wine. At some point we returned to the hotel bar, and suddenly it was midnight and I had to rush back to relieve the babysitter. Thankfully Emily was fast asleep - I might have been a little tipsy by now, and I had great trouble signing my name on the agency paperwork! George appeared several hours later after getting in the spa in his pants...
Thanks to Rich for most of these photos. Our camera went back to the room in the pram with Emily and she didn`t bother bringing it back to the reception for us. More training is obviously needed...
The morning after the wedding we`re all a little shady, and we fill in the blanks over a buffet brunch at the hotel restaurant. George somehow devours prawns and crab legs but I struggle to finish eggs benedict - hardly getting my money`s worth at US$24.95 for all you can eat! Ewan, Olivia and Jack, Phil and Sofia, and George and I are all booked into the same hotel in Carmel, and we leave in convoy heading to Santa Cruz, on the coast a few miles south. Santa Cruz is a typical seaside resort, with a tacky 100 year old amusement park and Brighton-style wharf. After bumping into Claire and Rich we decide to find the town centre, hoping it would be a little less touristy. Unfortunately we walk in the wrong direction and after a couple of blocks Olivia and I make the executive decision to head back to the beach to grab a late lunch. That may have been a mistake - the tuna sandwiches (their `speciality`) appear to have been deep fried. It`s a relief to arrive in pretty Carmel and get ourselves checked in at the very pink Hofsas House, where we discover that Rich and Claire have booked in too. That evening, we join Phil and Sofia for dinner at Jack London Bar and Grill, where I order the vegetarian dinner of stuffed mushrooms and brown rice to make some sort of amends for the stodgy lunch.
I first heard of Carmel in American novels where the heroes invariably had a beach house in this exclusive little town. It`s everything I imagined and more - tiny hilly streets, beautiful houses and quaint shops. Local bylaws prohibit anything remotely down-at-heel such as neon signs, and there are no street lights - it`s like stepping back in time. After spending so much time in the car we`re very happy to spend a quiet day exploring the town. We find a deli with great sandwiches then wander down to the beach. It`s beautiful - clean white sand and ground squirrels running among the bushes. We wonder why no-one is swimming, then dip a toe in the surf... it`s positively arctic! The hike back up the hill to our hotel is exhausting, but we soon recover on the sun loungers by the pool. It`s Rich and Claire`s last night with us so we all go out for dinner at a lovely Italian restaurant. Emily and Jack take turns to play up, but eventually Emily falls asleep and we go for a couple of beers at Jack London`s.
On Tuesday we feel ready to tackle Big Sur, the famous coastal drive south of Carmel. Highway 1 runs for 90 miles squeezed between the mountains and the huge cliffs, without a single junction. As soon as we hit the first switchback we are terribly jealous of Phil and Sofia`s convertible hire car - it feels like this drive should only be undertaken with the wind in your hair. With Emily snoozing peacefully in the car seat we drive as far south as we can, stopping only to take photos of the stunning views. We`ve not gone far when we see `accident ahead` signs and as we turn a steep hairpin two huge tow-trucks are almost hanging over the cliff edge. They appear to be winching up a vehicle from the base of the cliff, perhaps 300ft below. We stop at a viewpoint a little further around the curve and I overhear what I take to be a local telling someone that the car went over a couple of days ago with 3 people inside... and no survivors. We carefully continue on our way, eventually stopping off at the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. From the carpark it`s a short walk to McWay Falls, California`s only coastal waterfall. It`s a pretty spot but the waterfall fails to live up to the hype. As we eat our lunch we make a snap decision to drive another 40+ miles further south to see elephant seals at Piedras Blancas. The guidebook makes them sound pretty amazing - it promises up to 7500 seals, some the size of SUVs, all lounging around on a beach right next to highway 1. Unfortunately the big bull seals are yet to return for mating season and the only SUV sized things we see are SUVs - and lots of them. There were however lots of smaller funny looking seals, and it was fascinating watching them lumber across the sand and bark at each other. The extra drive was worth it just for the scenery: the drive back is just as stunning, especially as sunset approaches. That night we say goodbye to Ewan, Olivia and Jack with a lovely sushi dinner.
Wednesday is our last day in Carmel and we spend the morning in the beautiful Point Lobos State Reserve. We take a short walk along the Monterey Cypress Trail, looking out for sea otters hiding in the kelp in the rocky coves. Then a quick hike around Sea Lion Point, with seals and sea lions on the rocks and pelicans in formation in the air. It`s blustery and exposed so we don`t stay long and head back into Carmel for lunch at a little coffee shop. After another relaxing afternoon by the pool we spend our last night with Phil and Sofia at a seafood restaurant.
Next morning we pack ourselves up again and head back towards San Francisco. We`ve got all day to get to the airport hotel so we start with the tourist route of 17-Mile Drive. This bizarre private road runs along the coast from Carmel to Monterey; we`re given a map at the entrance gate which details 21 points of interest. Seeing as 5 of these are golf courses, we immediately decide to take the most direct route along the coast and avoid several stops. However this means we are doing the route in the wrong order, so we only see the signposts once we have passed them and have to turn around and come back! Number 17, `The Ghost Tree - With a trunk bleached white from wind and sea spray, this unique Monterey cypress has a sinister silhouette worthy of examination`, didn`t even warrant a photograph. However the coastline was quite stunning and the drive was pleasant enough. The best sight, hundreds and hundreds of stacked pebbles at Spanish Bay, wasn`t even mentioned in the guide. At the far end of 17-Mile drive we find ourselves in Pacific Grove - famous for the swarms of monarch butterflies that descend each winter. The guidebook directed us to the Monarch Sanctuary, where they promised that from October to March the butterflies `cluster by the millions`. Someone can`t have told the butterflies - we saw approximately four. Back on the road we drive through the tourist hell of Cannery Row in Monterey before hitting rush hour traffic near the airport. It`s burgers from room service for dinner, and an early night.
After our exhausting trip around California we knew we`d need a proper holiday - and where better than on a beach in Hawaii? We had hoped to find somewhere to stay away from the big city of Honolulu but with only a few days to spare and a really early flight out on Monday morning it just seemed too hard. We ended up reluctantly booking ourselves into the Hawaii Hilton Village, a massive resort-style complex on the Northern tip of Waikiki Beach. The `Village` is crazy - a complete tourist experience... why would you even want to leave the complex? We`re in a high-rise tower, but the views across the ocean and down the beach to Diamond Head are stunning. After checking in and waiting an hour for our luggage to arrive we find a Japanese noodle shop for a late lunch then hit the beach. The famous surf actually breaks a few metres out at this end of the beach so our swim is in calm lagoon-like water. We have a sundowner cocktail in the beachfront bar then return to our room to watch the weekly Friday night fireworks display from the balcony. We`re too exhausted to leave the room again so dinner is a couple of beers and a bag of crisps!
We finally leave the complex on Saturday morning and stroll to the downtown shopping area. We pick up a few presents in the market stalls then grab a sushi lunch. We thought it would be nice to wander back along the beach but it`s not possible to walk the length of Waikiki beach - at least not at high tide. What`s left of the beach is packed and a bit crazy so we retrace our steps to the street and rejoin the beach closer to the resort. We set up our towels on the sand outside the hotel but it`s soon way too hot and Emily doesn`t look too comfortable so we investigate getting loungers under an umbrella at the lagoon. As soon as we set up camp a staff member comes across and tells us it`s US$15 per person for the loungers - insane! Thank god we didn`t pay as moments later the heavens open. We retreat to our room and watch the storm from the balcony. We`d noticed a smaller, quieter pool below our tower block and we spend the rest of the afternoon on the free loungers there. We have a nice dinner at the resort pizza restaurant - we don`t even manage to finish one large pizza between us and have the leftovers for breakfast!
Sunday is our last day on holiday and we spend most of it by our secret pool or on the balcony soaking up the rays. We finally get around to drinking the bottle of syrah we brought in the Sonoma Valley as we watch sunset from the balcony, then go out for dinner at the Italian in the resort. The food is pretty good, but the service is so quick that we are all done and in bed by 9.30pm! A lovely end to a very relaxing few days.
Only three days after arriving home from our California trip we were at the airport again to greet Mum and Dad, who were meeting their eldest grandchild for the very first time. We had a great time showing them some more of our favourite parts of Sydney and the grandparents had a wonderful time getting to know Emily. On the first Saturday of their stay George was keen to meet up with friends at the beer festival in the Rocks, so we all set off into town. The beer festival wasn`t really my parent`s cup of tea but we had a lovely walk around Circular Quay under the blossoming jacaranda trees, leaving George to ensure the beers were of suitable quality. He did a thorough job.
Emily had her first swimming lesson on Sunday morning and George just about shook off his hangover to take Emily in the water. On the way home from the pool we stopped to have lunch by the beach at Brighton-Le-Sands, overlooking Botany Bay. Dad amused himself looking for our family names on the memorial to the landing of the first fleet. Back in Bondi we joined the masses walking along the Bondi to Tamarama cliff path for the annual Sculpture by the Sea exhibit. It took us so long that we had to retire halfway through and Mum, Dad, Emily and I returned to finish the job a couple of days later. The rest of the week was spent taking the parents on various walks around Sydney - the Harbour Foreshore Walk to Shark Beach, Watson`s Bay to South Head, and the Bondi to Coogee Cliff Walk. At the end of the week Mum and Dad flew down to Melbourne for a few days with Claire and Gareth.
On their return to Sydney we had a couple of quiet days at home with Emily, who was delighted to see her grandparents again. She made the most of being the centre of attention, because the day before Mum and Dad left we welcomed a new arrival into the Burrows family. Paul, a beautiful British Blue kitten, was ready for collection from a breeder in the Southern Highlands. We made a day of it, driving down in the morning and having lunch and a bush walk at the impressive Fitzroy Falls. We then stopped in Berrima, where we`d stayed earlier in the year with George`s Mum and John. This was where we`d spotted a platypus in the river, and with Emily asleep in her car seat we parked up and I sent Mum and Dad off to the riverbank in the vague hope that they might see something... amazing they came back with big smiles on their faces - the platypus hadn`t disappointed! Collecting Paul wasn`t as straightforward as I`d imagined - as he`s a pedigree we were sat down for a long lecture about caring for our new baby. They wouldn`t even let me take him away in a cardboard box - we had to buy a proper plastic case! It was a long drive back to Sydney with Paul meowing the whole way, but once we got him home he didn`t take long to start exploring. Emily was very excited to meet her little brother, and Paul and Emily are going to be firm friends.
With quite a few of the usual crew overseas for Christmas Day it was decided to have an early Christmas party in the park behind Bronte Beach. Everyone brought a bit of food and a lot of drink. The highlight of the day was the annual Secret Santa present exchange, with the accompanying poems all containing the now infamous three word phrase. Much enjoyment was also had from Cooper`s new rocket launcher, which fired phallic looking rockets high in the sky. It was an awesome day, topped off with a lovely dip in the ocean at dusk.
This year`s plan for Christmas was to have Jason, Fiona and Dylan to stay here in Bondi. They`re still sailing the seas on their yacht, and were planning on arriving in New Zealand in November, then flying over to Sydney for Christmas. Things all changed when Fiona fell pregnant just before their Pacific crossing. With tinker two due to arrive early January we would have to go to them instead.
After almost six years in Sydney we were still to cross the Tasman Sea and `do` New Zealand. We`d been waiting for a chance to spend several weeks in a campervan driving the length of both islands. And it wasn`t going to happen this trip either. We almost didn`t make it to New Zealand at all after our connecting flight from Sydney to Melbourne on Christmas Eve was delayed by over an hour. I was nearly in tears at the thought of spending Emily`s first Christmas in an airport lounge, but somehow we made the connection with minutes to spare. Fiona and Jason`s yacht Trenelly was moored in Opua in the Bay of Islands, a four hour drive north of Auckland. It was, of course, raining when we arrived, but the drive still treated us to stunning views, although we kept getting the feeling we had landed in rural England. We arrived at Opua at around 8pm, and a very excited Emily got to meet her cousin Dylan for the very first time.
Christmas day dawned with grey skies and drizzle, so we remained below for the present opening ceremony. It was done in Burrows family style - everyone has a pile of presents, then in a flurry of wrapping paper you all dive in. The grown ups were done in seconds. Dylan took a little longer, and he carefully placed his presents out of reach of Emily.. I`m not sure he was quite ok yet with this interloper. Breakfast was served up on deck - smoked salmon and poached eggs, washed down with the traditional bottle of pop. Time to go sailing. With the presents stowed and Emily attached to the cockpit, we sailed out into the bay and across to Roberton Island, dropping anchor in a beautiful bay beside a double lagoon. It is now tradition to swim on Christmas day, so George and I took the plunge, leaping off the side of the boat. The water was breathtaking. Literally. We were back on deck in no time. That evening we met the crew of Summer Wine, another English family who had crossed the pacific at the same time as Fiona and Jason. They came aboard for a few drinks and nibbles, and they had even brought Emily a present. Christmas dinner was a delicious roast chicken and veggies, washed down with plenty of wine. It was probably the quietest Christmas since leaving the UK, but it was very special to share it with family.
Finally the sun came out on Boxing day so we joined the Summer Wine crew for a walk to the top of the hill on Roberton Island. This was the first place Captain Cook dropped anchor in the Bay of Islands, and the view from the lookout was just fantastic. Summer wine joined us for a BBQ dinner, followed by an outdoor screening of Mama Mia!... complete with running commentary from Ilona, Finn and Laurie who had watched it several times that day already!
The next few days were spent cruising around the islands, chilling out and eating our way through Jason`s extensive chocolate supplies. Emily settled really well into life at sea, sleeping soundly in Dylan`s bunk and keeping herself busy stealing Dylan`s toys. Dylan soon warmed up to his cousin, and he kept her amused for hours. The first night was at Otaio Bay on Urupukapuka Island, where we dingyed in to a beautiful beach for chips and dips with the family from summer wine and some of their friends on another yacht. The next morning we met up again to follow a path up to the top of the island, where again we were treated to some fantastic views. The afternoon brought rain and storm warnings, so Fiona found a sheltered anchorage at Paroa Bay on the mainland. It was a slow day, with lots of reading and eating chocolate. The next morning, as the weather got worse, we headed back into Opua marina for a day on land. After delicious fish and chips in a harbour front restaurant we drove up to Keri Keri to visit a chocolate factory and a touristy ceramics shop claiming to have free fudge tasting. the tiny `free` taste was rubbish, and I had to work very hard to get to even try a bit of one I wanted to buy. Thankfully the sun came out on the 30th so we set sail back across the bay to Urupukapuka Bay, a beautiful and quiet anchorage despite the campsite on land. We`d heard that the town of Russell put on quite a fireworks display for New Year`s Eve, so we headed there the next morning, and after dropping anchor in the bay we had a look around the town. We had lunch in a pub garden, with an amusing cover band playing in the corner, then ate ice creams in the park. Russell is a picturesque old fashioned place, and it really reminded me of a Cotswold town. Back on the boat Fiona cooked up a fantastic lamb dinner, accompanied by her legendary potato dauphinois. It was all we could do to keep ourselves awake for midnight, but the fireworks were fantastic, and we popped another celebratory bottle or two of fizz to see in the new year.
After a week on the boat it was time to give Fiona and Jason a break and see a bit of New Zealand. Originally I`d had great plans of getting around most of the North Island in a week, but we soon realised that the distances and travel times made that impossible. I`m usually super organised for our road trips, with the itinerary and bookings finalised weeks in advance. This time we were winging it. We decided to restrict ourselves to Northland, the little peninsula north of Auckland, and on New Year`s Day morning we found a little bach (beach house) on the beachfront in Ahipara on the Northwest coast. It was available for two nights only, just enough time to explore the Northern tip, Cape Reinga.
So after a New Year`s Day breakfast of pancakes we waved goodbye to Trenelly and loaded up the crappy Toyota hire car. It took a couple of hours to cross the peninsula, and we arrived in Ahipara at the southern tip of Ninety-mile beach, late afternoon. The bach was pretty basic - two double bunks, a sink and a plastic table and chairs, but it was in a fabulous position just across the road from a beautiful rugged beach. I got on with Emily`s dinner while George went in search of fish and chips. He returned with tales of rough and ready locals kicking off when the chip shop closed early because they`d run out of fish. We set up the table and chairs out on a patch of grass outside the bach and were tucking in when a big 4WD with a trailer carrying two quad bikes pulled up right outside, obscuring our view of the beach. We watched with amazement as they slowly unloaded the bikes, oblivious to us. As if that wasn`t bad enough, when the bikes were unloaded the driver told us we needed to move our table a few feet to the right, as he needed to park the trailer on our little patch of grass! Somehow it didn`t feel quite as relaxing outside anymore so we retreated inside to our bunks.
Next morning we hit the road early for the four hour drive north to Cape Reinga. Our first stop was at Gumdiggers Park. Northland is famous for it`s ancient and enormous Kauri trees and in the late 1800`s thousands of immigrants rushed to the area to dig holes in search of the kauri gum, which had become a valuable commodity. The park is basically bush with a path snaking around hundreds of small holes. It was surprisingly fascinating! Next stop was at Waitiki Landing where we had ostrich burgers for lunch from a run-down servo. After this the main road turned to gravel, and it was slow going until we finally reached Cape Reinga. Typically, the clear blue skies disappeared as we neared the cape, and as we walked down to the end of the cliff the lighthouse kept coming in and out of low cloud. It did lift enough for us to make out the turbulence in the ocean where the Tasman Sea meets the South Pacific, but we didn`t get to see the ocean stretching out to the horizon. A quick detour to the beautiful beach at Tapotupotu Bay, then it was time for the long drive back south. We made one more stop - to hire sandboards at Te Paki Stream and take turns to walk across the enormous dunes and throw ourselves down a scarily steep slope. Awesome fun. That night we had delicious pizza from the Gumdiggers Cafe back in Ahipara.
With no accommodation booked for the next night we just followed the west coast southwards to see how far we could get. First stop was at Rawene, after crossing Hokianga Harbour on a ferry. We had a lovely lunch on the deck of the Boatshed Cafe. At Omapere we walked to the headland overlooking the harbour, but didn`t stay long as it began to rain. The big tourist attraction on the west coast is Waipoua and it`s stands of the last remaining kauri trees. Tanemahuta, the largest Kauri in NZ at 51m tall, was just by the main road so as Emily was sleeping George and I took it in turns to dash along the boardwalk in the rain. We both laughed at the plaque that stated that the tree `may` have been around at the time of Christ. The guidebook states the tree is between 1200 and 2000 years old, and Jesus walked the earth for around 30 years. Quite a leap. The other `must-see` trees were a 20 minute walk from the car park, so we got the waterproofs out and traipsed through the sodden forest to the Four Sisters (four trees close together) and Te Matua Ngahere (the widest Kauri tree at 5m girth). It reminded me of trekking through the forest in Yosemite National Park - I`m not sure when our holidays became trips to see big trees. It was starting to get late so we began stopping at B&Bs, and then began to panic as we they were all full. Eventually we arrived in Dargaville, the main service town for the region. The best place in the guidebook was the Kauri House Lodge `a grand colonial homestead... hosted by an entertaining cockney.. packed with amazing antiques and curios... bookings are essential`. We didn`t hold out much hope as we drove up the long gravel drive. Amazingly, Doug (who was most certainly an entertaining cockney) only had one guest staying, and that was an old friend of his up from Auckland). The house was amazing, and had a lovely pool out back so while Doug made tea (`more tea George? Nice one!`) we had a refreshing dip. Not much was open for dinner in town so we got take-away curry which we ate at the grand dining table.
Doug served up a traditional English breakfast then we headed to Baylys Beach for a swim in the surf. Emily was asleep so George and I again took turns to run into the waves. The lifeguards watched warily as they hadn`t put their flags up yet due to strong currents. George spoke to one of them as I ran in and he said that as I took my feet off the bottom for just a second (compulsory for an official swim) I was pulled several metres along the beach. Funnily enough, the lifeguard recognised us from the pizza restuarant back in Ahipara the night before!
Doug had recommended the Kai Iwi Lakes, and Lake Taharoa was the perfect place to relax for the afternoon. The clear blue water and white sandy beaches were very similar to Lake McKenzie on Frazer Island. We were back at Kauri House in time for afternoon tea by the pool. That night we walked into the town centre for a wonderful dinner of huge green-lipped mussels followed by steak at Blah, Blah, Blah Cafe. `Booking at 8 O`clock? Nice one George!`
We bade a fond farewell to Doug next morning and made our way back across to the East Coast. We`d booked ourselves into the cool sounding Leigh Sawmill but when we called to confirm the next morning we were told they had a no kids policy. So we were homeless again, until we found the Goat Island Campground on an local accommodation listing. We were in luck - their self-contained cabin was available for one night only. I`d read about Goat Island Beach and it`s marine reserve - and it was described as `one of NZ`s special places`. So after lunch at the sawmill we hired snorkel gear and headed to the beach. The beach itself was tiny, and again George and I had to take turns to go in the water. Unfortunately I think we`ve been spoilt with all the amazing diving and snorkelling in Australia, as the underwater world here didn`t really impress. There were plenty of good sized fish though, big snappers, red maki and rock cod, and I spotted some freaky little squids bobbing in the surf on my way out. That night we sat outside our little cabin enjoying the view while we sank a few beers, then whiled away a few hours playing scrabble. A really lovely evening.
We took the back roads out of Leigh, hoping to find a somewhere to stay on a secluded beach, but our first choice was booked up. We continued up the coast to Mangawhai, where we found a one-bedroom cabin at Farm View Cottages. We were a little way from the beach, but had amazing views of the coast and islands beyond. Best of all, we were booked in for three nights so we could really relax. After a wonderful lunch at the Sail Rock Cafe we stocked up on supplies before hitting the surf beach for a swim... and stumbling into a surf carnival. Back at the Cabin we checked out the cobweb-strewn pool and spa before chilling out with a pasta salad and bottle of wine on the verandah. That was where we spent all of the next day too - until the sun disappeared, when we adjourned to the garden. A lazy lunch of pates and cheeses, then dinner on the BBQ. Fantastic. For our final day at Mangawhai we tackled the Mangawhai Cliffs Walkway. We started off along the beach and as we scrambled over yet another pebbly beach we kept thinking we had missed the steps up to the cliff path. Finally we reached the hole in the rock and began the climb. It was probably the hottest day so far and we were exhausted by the end, but the views across the gulf were simply stunning. A much needed dip in the surf then the cheapest fish and chips in NZ (NZ$5 - 1 pound 60 - per portion!) That night we finished up the cheeses washed down with more wine.
With our little tour almost over it was time to head back to Opua. We stopped at pretty Whangeri Falls, then took the scenic back route towards Russell, stopping at another stunning beach at Oakura, before getting the ferry back across the bay to Opua. We were greeted by a very excitable Dylan and a still pregnant Fiona - we were starting to accept that we wouldn`t be meeting Tinker Two this trip. Jason`s Mum Sue was also in town and we were booked into her B&B up the hill from the Marina. For Jason`s birthday present we brought him a trip on the Excitor - a jet boat that zooms around the Bay of Islands, George and Jason returned looking rather windswept but with huge grins on their faces. That night Fiona brought up a yummy lasagne that we ate on the terrace at the B&B.
Our final day in NZ was Jason`s 40th birthday. We all had a slap-up breakfast at the Marina Cafe then headed out into the bay towards Russell to see the Tall Ships racing. It was all very exciting as we circled the amazing old boats. We were all exhausted by the evening so we got take-away pizzas and settled down on the boat to watch Batman: The Dark Night. It was a lovely way to end a great trip.
We already knew Emily was gorgeous, so when one of our friends asked if we`d be interested in doing a photo shoot for a hip and trendy baby clothing company, we jumped at the chance. Emily was a consummate professional, despite it being the hottest day of the year so far. We`re looking forward to seeing her in the Rock Your Baby brochure very soon!
Next week Granny Sue stopped over with us for a few days on her way to meet her newest granddaughter in New Zealand. Unfortunately on the night she arrived Emily was in casualty at the children`s hospital with a high fever. She`s been sick for a few days and the GP thought it may be a urine infection. We`d been unable to get a urine sample at home so the GP suggested taking her to the hospital so they could get a sample with a big needle. We never considered the possibility of Emily being admitted, and we were quite taken aback when the doctors appeared very concerned about her. We ended up spending Sue`s first two days in Sydney with Emily and myself staying in an isolation room on the children`s ward. Finally her fever settled, and she came out in a fantastic red rash all over her body, which was a good sign - the doctors were then confident it was `just` a viral infection. With only a couple of days left with Sue, we made the best of the bad weather and visited the Australian Museum which had a fantastic exhibit of wildlife photos. Emily loved playing in the children`s area, which had lots of fun displays at crawling level for her to explore. After a fun day in the park on Sunday it was time to say goodbye to Granny, until next time.
Dan wasn`t a huge fan of last year`s skimpy pink and yellow crop top and shorts ensemble George organised for last year`s Slam! volleyball tournament.So we weren`t really surprised when he suggested that we return to the army camouflage theme, which seems to be the only fancy dress that Dan is comfortable with. Unfortunately the team name, which was decided upon when we were planning a very different style outfit, couldn`t be changed from Goldfingered. After a few late drop-outs due to injuries and conferences, we were down to a core team of just six: Katie, Dan, Peter, AJ, George and myself. Steve, Cailie and Flipper arrived just in time to take on babysitting duties, and we were ready for our first game.
We knew from previous years that we didn`t really want to win the first two games - by losing the pool games we`d be entered into the bowl knock-out competition with all the other losers giving us the best chance of getting to a final. Our first game was against a pretty good side, but by half time it looked like we should win easily. But with the taste of defeat in their mouths our opposition lifted their game and beat us by one point. Time to regroup.
Our second team game was against Hawaii 5-0. We were used to the inflatable court and Dan had surreptitiously deflated the overly hard ball. We were quietly confident. We got off to a good start, with some beautiful net work from the boys, but they brought on the big boys for the second half and their power serves defeated us. Not to worry, we were confident about progressing well through the bowl competition.
Our confidence was justified. Team 3, a team of girls dressed in black bikinis with `Security` written across their backsides, were rubbish. It soon became embarrassing and after I lost count of how many unreturned serves I`d sailed across the net I handed the ball on to Dan to give my arm a rest. Our first win, but it was hardly hard-fought.
Our next match against the Black Wallabies, was tougher. They weren`t bad, and it took some big AJ slams and some nifty digs from the girls to keep us ahead. We thought we`d one it, but at the final hooter the umpire seemed to indicate their win. A quick double check of the scores and we were celebrating.... onto the quarter finals. Exhausted, we returned to base to recuperate, only to find we were on again in the next round. Our opposition, The Mile High Club, were an all male team of well-muscled men dressed as pilots. They let us feel like we could win, but then let rip with the big hitters and Goldfingered was dust. Time to debrief at Ocean`s bar back in Coogee.
Last time we took a wine tasting tour in the Hunter Valley in 2007, we were chauffeured around in a limousine and drank a bottle of wine between each winery. We were so drunk we ate steak and scrambled eggs for dinner. That sort of irresponsible behaviour is out of the question now we are parents, but we jumped at the chance to have a baby-friendly trip instead. With Flipper`s whole family over from the UK they very kindly invited us along for a weekend in the Hunter. Flipper`s brother and his wife (Alex and Gemma) have an 18 month old boy called James, and we planned to share a babysitter for the wine tour on Saturday.
We all arrived late on Friday night - the girls and babies arriving first and the boys coming later after watching a rugby match. The house, in the vineyard of Hanging Tree Winery, is fantastic - a huge living space and an enormous deck wrapping around the whole property. We have a couple of drinks then hit the sack.
After a leisurely breakfast on Saturday it`s time to abandon the kids and climb aboard our minibus. First stop Ivanhoe wines, which we leave with several bottles and a slightly fuzzy feeling. Next up was Tulloch, where we were served by a crazy dude who drank as much as us and proceeded to tell us all about a drug-addled trip to South Africa. Then on to Sobels. Apparently this was our last stop on the messy trip two years ago, and we revived some hazy memories. A quick lunch of too much cheese in the village centre, then onto Blue Tongue Brewery for a spot of beer tasting. Our final stop for the day was Peter`s Champagne House, where we had the pleasure of being served by possibly the angriest lady in Australia. We proceeded to wind her up by asking to taste everything on the menu.
Back at the ranch we somehow managed to feed the kids and put them to bed before the boys cooked up a fantastic dinner on the BBQ. A few more bottles of wine on the deck finished up a perfect day.
Back in January we tried to take part in the Australia Day Havaiana Thong Challenge, which involved taking to the water at Bondi Beach on giant inflatable thongs. It was the worst organised event ever, and we didn't end up taking part in the record breaking attempt. We did however end up with 20 giant inflatable thongs between us. Somehow we came up with a plan to use all 20 of these thongs to decorate our house for Emily's first birthday party. As the thongs were green and gold, we naturally arrived at a jungle theme for the party.
With my Aunt Julieanne and Cousin Alice visiting for a few days we had lots of help getting ready for the party. When it came down to it we couldn't work out how to use the giant inflatable thongs, but we did find some great plastic vines to decorate the sunroom with. The party started in the afternoon with a sausage sizzle and pass the parcel for the kids. Emily had some wonderful presents, and Julieanne and Alice made a fantastic monkey cake. Then once the kids were in bed the real party began, with cocktails for the grown-ups. Gill brought a very interesting Gin Jellay, which was in the style of a jungle swamp with snakes floating in it. The snakes had begun to dissolve in the alcohol - a very interesting texture! It didn't take long for the night to get messy.
The next day was Emily's actual birthday, and our last with Julieanne and Alice. We had a quiet day at the beach, and we all felt better after a dip in the ocean. That evening we gave Emily her own special cake fashioned from the off cuts from the monkey cake. A lovely day, and so great to have family here to celebrate with us.
We've had some wonderful times staying with Fiona and Jason on their yacht at various places around the world, and it was about time we returned the favour. With baby Molly now 3 months old the Harvey's finally arrived in Sydney. We had a wonderful time showing them our favourite parts of the city, including several days at the beach making the most of the tropical ocean temperatures.
The day after they arrived was Dylan's 3rd birthday so we threw a little party for him in the park at Tamarama. Fiona had made a fantastic Thomas the Tank Engine cake, and we cooked up sausages on the BBQ. The next day we caught the bus into Circular Quay and Fiona and Jason got their first view of the Bridge and Opera House. We had a quick snack in the Botanical Gardens then caught a ferry across to Watson's Bay for fish and chips on the beach. At least that was the plan. From nowhere an icy cold wind had blown in and we took refuge behind a big fig tree in the park. Fish and Chips was a gritty affair as dirt kept being blown into the trays, and wasn't quite as relaxing as we'd planned! Somehow Fiona had left a rucksack on the ferry so we had a hot chocolate in the cafe while we waited for the ferry to come back, thankfully with the backpack still on board. The day got worse before we got home - both Molly and Emily kicked off in the packed bus on the way back to Bondi!
George took the first week off and took the Harveys to Featherdale Wildlife Park where Dylan got to meet and feed kangaroos, and ducks. Most days we had to get out the house to stay sane, but on the Thursday the rain just would not stop so we decamped to an indoor soft play park to wear the kids out. Annie brought Zach and Cooper and the kids had a fantastic time in the ball pit and running wild all over the place. The parents quite enjoyed the bouncy castle too!
On the Friday, after a relaxing day in Centennial Park, we abandoned the children to a babysitter and headed off to the airport for a sunset helicopter ride. It was Jason's treat and a very special trip, with the harbour looking incredible in the setting sun. We flew up across Darling Harbour, out over the Bridge then circled around the Opera House a couple of times before following the North Shore across to Manly and the Northern Beaches. Then a thrilling,, stomach churning few minutes as we followed the coast line down from South Head to Bondi and around the Eastern Beaches to Maroubra before heading back to land safely at the airport. We were all on a high as the limo dropped us back in Circular Quay and sank several cocktails at the Opera Bar in quick succession. That was followed by another cocktail across the water at Quay, before rocking up half cut to our dinner reservation at the rather posh Cafe Sydney. In a mood for celebration, we ordered bottle after bottle of Veuve Clicquot, and after a mountain of delicious oysters we were all way too far gone to even taste the main course. At some point the waiter must have asked us what we were celebrating - and someone said it was Fiona's birthday. So when we took our dessert out on the balcony looking over the Bridge, Fiona's cheese platter had a candle stuck in it! We had a great night, and our apologies to the other patrons...
On the Sunday we left the kids with the babysitter again, which proved slightly traumatic, and escaped to the SCG to watch the Swans beat the Tigers. After a couple of beers at the Belgian Beer Cafe we didn't want to go home again.
The next week the Harveys had a couple of nights in the Blue Mountains. Then on Thursday I took them into the Rocks and back to the Botanical Gardens so Dylan could ride on the train. Friday was another day spent at Centennial Park, watching the ducks and chasing Galahs.
On the Saturday we walked along the cliff path from Tamarama to Coogee, stopping to ride the train and eat fish and chips in Bronte. George and Fiona's Mum had sent us a Geotag, which she wanted placed in a Geocache somewhere near Bondi. Not having heard of these before, we looked up the Geocaching website and discovered that there were thousands of little boxes hidden all over the world. We found our first hanging off the rocks near Clovelly Bowling Club, and happily placed the Jethro Dog Tag inside. It was actually quite exciting - so we went on to track down another cache at Gordon's Bay. Geocaching is strangely addictive, and the next day our trip to the fish markets wasn't complete without looking for the cache hidden there. Sadly we failed to find the box this time, and George nearly got his hand stuck in a rat trap instead. We did however have a lovely lunch of lobster, prawns and oysters with Katie and Dan.
We had a wonderful few weeks and Emily loved having her big cousin Dylan to follow around. The house seemed very empty and quiet after they were gone!
Yulefest 2007 was the Yulefest to end all Yulefests. Or so we thought. Beth had abdicated from the role of Yulefest Queen, after 9 outstanding years of organising the annual event. And a month after my rather embarrassing performance at the 2007 Yulefest dinner, I fell pregnant with Emily, which meant the end of such irresponsible behaviour - at least for a little while.
But something was missing from the 2008 Australian winter and on a night out with Nick and Beth there was drunken talk of starting again with a smaller group and new location. Beth booked a couple of earth cottages in Wentworth Falls and George took over the rest of the organisation. A select 12 were on the invite list, and Yulefest was reborn.
It wouldn't be Yulefest without winter illnesses and this year was no exception. The weekend before Peter, George and I attended the St Vincent's Staff Ball and were off all week with suspected swine flu. We had to drag ourselves out of bed to head up to the mountains on Friday morning to get supplies and set up the Yulefest Treasure Hunt. The fun kicked off in the pub on Friday night as everyone set to work finding clues. We obviously didn't make it hard enough as everyone was done by 10pm so back at the cottages we stoked up the fire and cracked open the beers. We'd resurrected the murder game and it wasn't long before the first victims met their grizzly ends.
After a slow start on Saturday morning and breakfast in town it was time to kick of part two of the Yulefest Treasure Hunt. Three teams set off in search of a very small tub hidden somewhere in the Blue Mountains wilderness. They needed to use the clues from the pub the night before to find a GPS co-ordinate, then answer more clues at that location to find the next stage. After searching Wentworth Falls town centre, the lakeside, and the cemetery, the final GPS co-ordinate should find them standing on the treasure. Or at least that was the plan. After a few hiccups and a retired team, Peter, Craig and Kate were the winners. Each team had to pick a mascot and get photos of themselves with this at each location. Nick, Beth and Shobana choose a full size broom - their account of running along the footpaths at Wentworth Falls lookout brandishing the broom was very funny. George and I were itching to be part of the hunt - but it was also quite nice to sit by the fire in the warm cabin sipping beer! AJ and Flips arrived soon after the treasure hunt started, and within minutes of setting foot in the cabin Flips had assassinated both AJ and myself. With the return of the treasure hunters we had all the Yulefesters together, and the murders came thick and fast. Katie cooked up her legendary mulled wine, and by the time dinner came together at around 8pm everyone was pretty steamed. The food was demolished in what seemed like seconds (I did myself proud with a cracking cauliflower cheese, George again whipped up delicious pigs in blankets). It was finally time for the best bit of Yulefest: Kris Kringle presents and poems. There was again a definite theme to the poems, but Flips '12 Days of Yulefest' was an outstanding effort. The presents were of varying quality, with the hideous monkey and dog latex masks an instant hit. Dan's quiz kept us all from dozing off after dinner, then the rest of the night was spent bundling each other on the sofa, floor, reclining chair....
Another outstanding Yulefest weekend. The winner of the Assassin game was Shobana - after a three way stand off with Pete and Beth where Beth refused to go to the bathroom all night! Same again next year?
Our long awaited return to the UK didn't get off to a great start. With George and I still recovering from suspected swine flu and Emily with a hacking cough and seemingly endless rivers of snot, we were truly dreading the 24 hour flight. The less said about it the better, but a 15 month old doesn't get her own seat and is too big for a bassinet. And
the Chinese couple next to us complained to the flight crew about us coughing and wanted them to force us to wear face masks... enough.
We touched down at Heathrow at 4.45am, exhausted but delighted to put the flight behind us. George had booked us a room in a swanky hotel at Chelsea Football Club, and we were very relieved to be able to check in before 7am! No time for snoozing, we had a big day ahead. First breakfast with Jason, Fiona, Dylan and Molly. The Harveys were back in England for the whole of July and were renting a Chelsea flat just up the road near Earl's Court. Emily was very excited to see big cousin Dylan again. Next we hopped on the tube to Stamford Brook to take a look at our old flat in Westcroft Square. The new tenant had done wonders - he'd done quite a lot of work and the place looked better than when we lived there! The flat and square brought back some wonderful and very funny memories. Time for more nostalgia - lunch at the George on Chiswick High Road. This was our home from home when we lived in London, and with Emily crashed out in the pram we could get stuck into a few beers in the garden. We were joined for lunch by a Mark, Matt, Sally and Justin: George's old work mates. Justin stuck around after the others went back to work, and his wife Sam and gorgeous daughters Maisie and Grace arrived later in the afternoon. We stumbled out of the pub at around 6pm and descended on Fiona and Jason who very kindly fed us all. We were back in at the hotel and fast asleep by 9pm!
Saturday morning we again joined up with the Harveys for a trip to Kensington Gardens. We're really seeing a different side of London now we are parents, and in the old life the Princess of Wales Memorial Playground wouldn't have had a look in. Emily had a great time, and we quite enjoyed it too! It was lovely to walk back to the hotel through the streets of Kensington, Earls Court and Fulham. We had one more stop in London before driving up to Oxford, a quick drink at the Pitcher and Piano on the river at Richmond with Lili and Brad. Arriving at Stonefold we were met by two very excited Grandparents, and Emily seemed at home straight away. After dinner we put Emily to sleep in the cot I used as a baby, and we were in bed soon after.
We'd organised to meet my old school friends Catherine and Sarah for a pub lunch on Sunday, and it was yet another blast from the past. We met at the Bell in Ducklington, where a teenage Fay spent many a drunken night. No such behaviour this time, Catherine has 3 year old twins and Sarah has a 5 year old son and a 2 year old daughter! We spend a wonderful afternoon catching up whilst the kids played in the beer garden. Back at Stonefold Emily met her cousin Charlotte for the first time. There's only 2 months between them, and Emily was fascinated by her cousin.
On Monday we introduced Dad to our new favourite time waster, Geocaching. There were several caches near the ruins at Minster Lovell, and as I hadn't been there since I was a kid it was another nostalgic moment. Dad seemed to enjoy the hunt and spotted the first two caches straight away. That afternoon we drove over to Abbey Farm to introduce Emily to her Great-Granny for the first time. My Aunt Daph was there too but Emily had crashed in the car on the way over, and slept soundly for the first hour or so! Eventually she woke and could finally meet Great-Granny. My cousins Alice and Nicola were there too, and we got to say Hi to Julieanne who arrived home from work just before we left. Emily coped brilliantly with all the new faces and loved running around the garden.
With Emily happily settled in at Stonefold we were finally able to take advantage of doting grandparents and abandon our daughter for a two night break. We'd booked into the wonderful old Priory Hotel in Bath, the city where George and I first met 11 years ago. Arriving at Lunchtime on Tuesday we headed straight out to George's favourite lunch stop, the Cornish Pasty Shop. After wandering around the city for an hour or so, marveling at how small it now felt, we soon decided to grab a beer in the garden at the Pig and Fiddle. We ended up on a mini-pub crawl of our old favourites, and several beers later we realised it was 9pm. Time for a curry in another of our old haunts. The next morning, after a blissfully uninterrupted night's sleep, we headed to Bathampton for lunch in the pretty beer garden at The George. I was keen to have a poke about at Bath University, not having been back since graduating in 1998. Not much had changed, except the one place I wanted to see - the Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology. The whole front entrance was boarded up so we snuck around the back and had a wander through the corridors instead. It all seemed a very long time ago indeed. That night we dined in the rather posh restaurant at the Priory, and reminisced about the old days.
Sadly all good things come to an end and it was time for George to head to London for a night out with Phil and a work meeting, and for me to make the nostalgic drive back up the M4 to Oxfordshire. Stopping at Stonefold to collect Emily we arrived at Lynn and Alistair's house in Chipping Norton in time for dinner. Emily and Charlotte stared each other out across the kitchen table whilst competing to make the most mess! That night Julieanne, Anna, Nicola and Alice came over for a lovely dinner. We collected George from the station the next day and drove to the quaint Cotswold town of Bledington for a wonderful lunch at the King's Head Inn, apparently frequented by Prince Harry. Probably good that he wasn't in residence as Emily and Charlotte found the piano and made some very special music together.
The next couple of days were spent back at Stonefold, helping prepare for Mum and Dad's 40th wedding anniversary party. My oldest school friend Twiz brought her husband and 2 year old daughter Lucy to see the house where we'd played as kids - it was lovely to finally meet her gorgeous little girl. Thankfully Dad had borrowed a marquee for the party as it was yet another showery day. Clairey and Gareth arrived that morning and it was wonderful to have the whole extended family together for a delicious lunch. That afternoon we all watched a slide show of Dad's photos of us as kids, much to the husband's and boyfriends amusement.
The next day we waved goodbye to Stonefold and made our way West towards Cornwall. To break up the journey we'd arranged to drop in at Sarah's house in Cirencester for lunch, then stay overnight at Ewan and Olivia's new home just up the road in Perrot's Brook. Ewan and Olivia, and their little boy Jack, had just moved to the country from their 3 bedroom flat in East London. Their new home is an enormous sprawling stately home complete with a guest wing, seven bathrooms and a private wood. Emily absolutely loved Jack and the pair of them tore around the kitchen island chasing each other on trikes and baby walkers. Very cute. Olivia, who is expecting baby number two in October, and I exchanged pharmacy and motherhood stories while Ewan showed George all the computer stuff he had in the hundreds of boxes cramming his office.
The chaos that Emily and Jack caused was nothing compared to pandemonium that descended on Barton House with the arrival of the 5 cousins. We were the last to arrive and Abi, Jake and Dylan already had the run of the place whilst Molly watched quietly from her bouncy chair. Emily was a little overwhelmed at first but as soon as she saw the toy pram and dolly in the garden she was off. Very wisely Sue and John moved out to the next-door neighbour's and retired to some peace and quiet each night. We had a wonderful few days exploring the countryside and relaxing in the garden, and the kids played really well together. The 22nd was our 3rd Wedding anniversary, and John laid on a very special treat for us. Jason and Fiona had cleared out a load of old furniture and junk from the storage van at the back of the house and John had built an incredible bonfire in the back field. We took a wheelbarrow of beer down and cheered as John poured on the petrol and lit the tractor tyre at the front of the pile. It was a very impressive, if slightly toxic bonfire, and we all took turns to have a family photo in front of the flames. It's been a long time since we've had an exciting night out like that!
We'd arranged to have Emily christened that Sunday at Tremaine church, where George's father is buried. Godmother Emma Gemma and Godfather Rich arrived on Friday night, just in time to meet the vicar for tea and biscuits at the vicarage. It did go on a little bit, so we had to rush down tiny Cornish lanes with the hedges touching each wing mirror, to get to the Rising Sun pub before they stopped serving at 9pm. We made it with seconds to spare, and joined my parents and Clairey and G who had just finished eating. It was really lovely to see Emma and Rich again and as they were both staying in the caravan in the garden at Barton House we had plenty of time to catch up. Saturday promised to be a warm and sunny day so we headed to Widemouth Bay for sun, surf and sand. Godfather Phil and his girlfriend Sofia had driven down from London that morning and we met them huddled under towels on a windswept beach. The boys braved the elements and went off for a surf while we girls ate ice cream and shivered under blankets. We really had been reminded what a real English summer was like! That night we had a lamb roast at Barton House as Emily's pre-christening party, and sunk several beers in her honour. It was a really lovely evening and a chance to catch up with friends and family who had made the journey to Cornwall.
On Sunday we awoke to rain and a strange feeling of deja-vu.... almost exactly 3 years after I dashed up to the church in the rain for our wedding we would again be arriving at a church huddled under umbrellas. The beautiful little church was packed, and Emily behaved beautifully during the service - not even crying when we handed her to the vicar for the baptism. A couple of local boys read out poems they had written about Emily which was really sweet. Back at Barton House we all huddled in the kitchen for tea and Cornish pasties, and the obligatory photos. It was a wonderful day and so great to have an excuse to get all our friends and family together again.
All too soon (or perhaps not soon enough for Sue and John) it was time to pack the bags one last time and start the long journey back to London. Emily was fantastic and slept most of the way, only waking when we stopped in Reading to meet up with Berni for a quick dinner at a pub by the river. It had been a crazy and exhausting trip, and certainly not a holiday. but it had been so wonderful to catch up with family and friends.
Call us suckers for punishment but less than one month after enduring a 24 hour flight from the UK we were back at Sydney International for an early flight to Queenstown on New Zealand’s South Island. With a strong tail wind we shaved 45 minutes off the journey time! We picked up the hire car and headed straight up the mountains to Wanaka. Fiona had booked a fantastic 3 bedroom house minutes from the town centre and we arrived shortly before the Harvey family descended. The first evening was spent getting supplies, skis and boots and trying to get the kids to bed.
Emily, Dylan and Molly were booked into the creche on the ski fields at Cardrona, but getting them there was a whole other matter. The resort was a 45 minute drive from Wanaka, the last part up a steep, winding unsealed road. By the time we’d done breakfast, loaded the cars, strapped in the kids, got up the mountain, unloaded the car, unloaded the kids, checked into the creche and got ourselves lift passes and food it was gone midday. Only 4 hours until the creche closed! It was a beautifully sunny but windy day and we strapped on the skis and hit the slopes with great excitement. An hour later we’d pretty much skied the resort. There were only 3 lifts, and 2 of them ended up at the same place. Thankfully the lift queues were short, as we had quickly found our confidence and were skiing top to bottom in minutes. We soon worked out a few favourites and even tackled some rocky blacks before conditions got quite icy and we called it a day.
The next day we managed to get up the mountain by 11.30, despite having to stop half way to fit snow chains. Conditions were very different - a big dump of snow and deep powder in places, but absolutely no visibility. It was like skiing in a different resort, which was probably a good thing seeing how small the resort was. We stuck to our favourite blue/black run to start with, pretty much skiing blind. Great fun, and we virtually had the resort to ourselves. It was much the same on Friday but the sun came out briefly for one amazing run in bright sunshine and calf deep powder. Fantastic!
We were getting good at the morning routine and got up the mountain by 10.30am on Saturday to find bright sunshine and clear skies. We also found that everyone in New Zealand had heard of the big dump over the last couple of days and had come out in force to make tracks in the fresh powder. Add on the New Zealand Winter Games events and the resort was heaving. We were spending 30 minutes in the lift queue for a 5 minute run down a crowded slope. So frustrating! We ended up mucking around with little jumps or gullies trying to stretch out the time before we rejoined the queue. We resorted to a long lunch in a rather nice café, washed down with plenty of mulled wine, and enjoying some kid-free time. We had one more run before giving up on the lifts and taking Emily out in the snow for a play.
Evenings at the house at Wanaka were initially quite exhausting trying to get the kids fed, bathed and put to bed in time for us to cook, eat and relax. Some nights we weren’t eating until gone 10pm then crashing soon after. Again with practice we got better at the routine until we were a well oiled machine. Towards the end of the week we even had time for an abridged game of Trivial Pursuit one night and a homemade and hilarious Pictionary competition another night.
After battling with the queues on the Saturday we decided to take a day off on Sunday and visited Puzzling World instead. We’d heard a lot about this place and had seen numerous pictures on Getjealous, so we were looking forward to seeing it for ourselves. Sadly the rain kept us from enjoying the Great Maze, but we had a lot of fun inside looking at the optical illusions and crazy sloping rooms. The kids (and grown-ups) had a great time playing with all the toys and puzzles in the café while we all had lunch. Sadly the excursion ended abruptly when Emily fell off a bench hitting her nose on the concrete. Lots of blood but thankfully nothing broken!
Monday was our last day on the slopes - and my birthday. We planned to go hard and ski all day, hoping the weekend crowds would have cleared. We had a good day, but there was still too much waiting around so we had a lazy lunch of lamb shanks and more mulled wine before heading out for one last session. We’d just skied down to the first lift when everything stopped. We waited patiently for 30 minutes, but eventually everyone began walking back up to the resort. We followed suit and joined the trail of disgruntled skiers and boarders winding their way back up a track to the main road. Thankfully the resort had sent down buses to carry us back up to the top, but we’d lost a good hour and a half skiing. Just time for one last non-stop top to bottom race before it was time to pick up the kids. So disappointing!
That night one of the girls from the creche came to babysit and we went out for drinks and dinner at a fancy restaurant in town. It was a lovely meal, made all the more special by the waiter bringing me a candle in a slice of blue cheese. A perfect end to a great trip.
Flipper has been going on about having a cats and dogs fancy dress party for ages, but somehow, when it came to choosing a theme for her 30th birthday party, monkeys and dinosaurs were included too. I was pretty sure I’d be going as a cat, but when we got to the fancy dress shop I was very excited to find a fantastic Dorothy the Dinosaur outfit. For those without kids, Dorothy the Dinosaur is a cuddly and very girly character from The Wiggles. George got fitted up in a Cat in The Hat costume, and we were all set for a messy night.
Everyone had gone to an amazing effort with some truly inspired costumes, and AJ and Flips brand new kitchen/lounge renovation was the perfect setting. With cocktails and vodka jelly added to the mix it wasn’t long before some of us were a little worse for wear. We ended up piling 5 of us in the back of a taxi, and I had to do a sprint of shame down Bondi Road to an ATM in my dinosaur outfit to be able to pay the taxi driver. A legendary night.
As if there aren't already enough photos of Emily on this website, here are a few from the last few months that didn't fit into the other diaries. Our little baby is growing up so fast - lots of words ('cat', 'more' and 'tea' being favourites!), running, jumping, climbing, dancing and cleaning!
When Matt and Tam, George’s old work friends from London, announced they were getting married near Perth, there was no way we were going to miss it. Finally a wedding where we didn’t have to fly half way around the world! That said, the flight across Australia took a very long 4 hours, with Emily skipping her afternoon nap to run manically up and down the aisles. Why we keep putting ourselves through these torturous flights is beyond me. The annual Society of Hospital Pharmacists conference just happened to be going on in Perth the same weekend as the wedding, so Peter booked off the week before to come to the Margaret River with us. As Peter was arriving the next morning we spent our first night in a Big 4 holiday park near the airport on the outskirts of Perth. It was perfect as our cabin was right next to the pool so while Emily napped we chilled out on the sun loungers.
With a 3 hour time difference we were all up early the next morning and killed time waiting for Peter by attempting a few Geocaches. We didn’t have much luck - we got scared by snakes in the first location, then wandered around by a small lake but couldn’t complete the multi-cache there due to a missing clue. With Peter on board we began the drive to Margaret River, our only nursery rhyme CD on repeat. We stopped for ice-cream at Pinjarra, then had another pit stop for coffee at Bussell, famous for it’s 2km long pier. Sadly it had begun to rain, but it still looked a lovely spot. We finally arrived at Margaret River town with just enough time to pick up some supplies then make our way to our beachside house in Gnarabup before Emily‘s bedtime. The house was perfect and George set about cooking up a spaghetti bolognaise while I got Emily to bed. It was surprisingly cold at night, and we were very grateful for the open fire every night!
The Margaret River region is famous for it’s hundreds of wineries, but we accepted early on that there wouldn’t be much wine tasting with Emily in tow. With it being cool and cloudy it wasn’t really beach weather so we set off on a gastronomic Geocache hunt. The first stop was Yahava Coffee, for a caffeine hit and just a quick liquor tasting. Then we drove to the northern part of the region to have lunch at a café in Dunsborough. Our next stop was Simmo’s Ice Cream Parlour…. A bizarre theme park with arcade rides and an ice-cream eating emu. On our way back we passed the Yallingup Maze, and couldn’t resist trying it out. Peter and George’s logic got us through it, but not before we nearly lost Emily a hundred times! The Maze must have worn Emily out as she crashed on the way to the Margaret River Cheese Company. The boys went to taste cheese while I stayed in the car. After failing to find the cache at the chocolate factory we finally we got to taste our first wine. It was worth the wait. The Ashbrook Estate was highly rated and we brought a few bottles to have with dinner that night.
Most of Sunday morning was spent waiting for our breakfast at the Sea Gardens Café just down the road at Prevelly. The food was delicious, but the service was atrocious!. We head south to the next gastronomic Geocache at the Berry Farm, where we taste some interesting sweet wines. With Emily asleep again I stay in the car whilst the boys taste some beer at the Colonial Brewery. Our next stop is to taste lots of olive oils at Olio Bello, then we return to Mr Chocolate Company where, after much rummaging in the undergrowth, George finds the cache. The shop had huge tubs of chocolate drops for tasting - so we all dived in. Emily had a ball. We found the final cache at the Bootleg Brewery, so we had to stop and try their tasting tray. A quick stop at Clairault wines for a tasting, then to complete our tour of breweries we arrive at the Duckstein Brewery to find Octoberfest in full swing. We have a quick beer on the deck overlooking the lake then head for home.
By now Peter was singing the 10 songs on our nursery rhyme CD in his sleep, but that didn’t stop us driving for an hour south to Augusta, and the Cape Leeuwin lighthouse on the south west point of Australia. It’s ridiculously blustery at the cape, so after the obligatory photos we took shelter in the café for lunch. Although it was sunny the wind was bitingly cold and we were very close to wimping out of our first Southern Ocean swim - but with Peter happy to entertain Emily George and I stripped off and ran into the waves. It stank of sulphur and couldn’t have been much warmer than 16’ so we were out again pretty quick! It was only fitting that our next winery was Leeuwin Estate, which is famous for it’s award winning chardonnay. It was truly exceptional, and after tasting the full selection we watched Emily chasing kookaburras on the lawn. It was such a lovely setting, we could have stayed for hours. We have one more tasting at Thompson Estate, then get venison snags and ribs from the venison farm shop for dinner which we wash down with a couple of bottles of red. Perfect.
Finally on Tuesday the sun came out for Melbourne Cup. With the time difference, the big race was on at midday so we got ourselves to the Settler’s Tavern for an early lunch and a punt. We all failed to back the winner, but made up for it with a lovely wine tasting at Cape Mentelle. The afternoon was spent at Gnaranup Beach with Emily throwing herself in the surf until her teeth chattered. That night I cook up a Thai Green Curry, washed down with a crisp white wine.
With Peter due back in Perth on Wednesday for the conference we decided to spend a couple of days in the city before heading inland to York for the wedding. The drive up from Margaret River was mercifully quick, having somehow ended up on a fast new freeway. We stopped for lunch in Mandurah, just south of Perth. Our take away fish and chips were eyed up by hundreds of hungry seagulls. Just when we started to feel more than a little threatened, a huge pelican waddled over. Emily was fascinated but the bird was big enough to swallow her whole so I made sure she kept her distance! Not wanting to stay in the city we plumped for the seaside town of Fremantle. With nothing booked we dropped into the tourist information booth and took an old cottage just up the road from the town centre. Or at least that was what we thought. We soon discovered the house was a good 15 minutes further away up the steepest hill in Fremantle! After the cool weather of Margaret River we were quite surprised by the baking heat and humidity, and by the time we reached the house we were exhausted. The beautiful Fremantle Cottage was built in 1898 but the inside looked more like a student flat. A cheap Ikea kitchen, rickety DIY shelving and mismatched furniture only added to the effect. That night we had dinner at Benny’s on the main strip in town, South Terrace, before turning in for a very early night.
Thursday was a lazy day, coffee and eggs Benedict at Gino’s on South Terrace then a wander along the Esplanade to Bather’s Beach. I thought I could remember a pretty swimming beach here but it all looked rather industrial and not at all tempting, despite it being another hot and steamy day. That afternoon we explored the park near to the cottage then got take away pizza for dinner, washed down with a bottle of Cape Mentelle white.
Friday morning we packed up again and drove into the city to meet Jess, an old Vinnie’s pharmacist who now lives in Brisbane, for coffee. We rocked up to the conference centre just as the morning session broke for tea and ended up with most of the current Vinnie’s pharmacists filing past us in the corridor! We killed a few hours with lunch and a walk in King’s park . We arrived in York by 5pm, and were delighted to find that the York Cottages were a bit of a step up from Fremantle cottage. Matt’s sister, her husband and their 3 kids were in the cottage to our left, and Matt’s brother, his partner and 2 year old daughter, along with Matt’s sister were in the cottage to our right. There was a garden spa, swings and slides, and a pet kangaroo. Perfect. We quickly changed and made our way to Faversham House in the centre of town for the pre-wedding BBQ. It was a little bizarre to see everyone from Orbis out here in Australia, some of whom we hadn’t seen for 6 years, but in between the rounds of bush dancing we had plenty of time to catch up. It was only at 1am that we discovered the downfall of our fantastic accommodation - a 1km walk home with a sleeping Emily in the pram!
Saturday morning was hard going, but we made our way into the town centre for breakfast and re-hydration. A soak in the spa completed the recovery session, then it was time to return to Faversham House for the main event.. Matt and Tam’s ceremony was held in the grounds, and it was a beautiful relaxed occasion. We were delighted to find out the night before that the happy couple were expecting a baby, but sadly that meant Tam was feeling sick for most of the day. We managed to party hard on her behalf though! Emily had a great time playing in the garden with the other kids, and after the delicious meal we put her to bed and handed the monitor to the babysitter. The rest of the evening is quite hazy, but it did involve us serenading the happy couple (who had already retired to bed) from the dance floor!
Having lived in Australia on various visas for six and a half years it was time to catch up with our daughter and become official Australians. We’d taken the citizenship test a few months before, an easy multiple choice exam requiring you to know where the 1956 Olympics were held and what the official flower of Australia is. The actual citizenship ceremony took place just up the road at the Waverley council chambers on November 26th. It was a lovely informal ceremony, with kids from the local primary school starting us off with a violin recital. After the owner of the Bondi Jewish club had made a speech about how much nicer it was to be an immigrant in Australia these days it was time to go up and shake the hand of the mayor and receive our certificates. I was getting a bit choked about singing our first rendition of the national anthem, Advance Australia Fair, but when a haggard old man appeared from behind a curtain playing the first bars on an accordion I collapsed in a heap of giggles. After beer and lamingtons we collected our native plant and made our way to the Beach Road Hotel for celebratory champagne. Aussie Aussie Aussie!
George has been embracing his new nationality by taking part in the very Australian sport of ocean swimming. His first competitive swim was the Bondi to Bronte race, on Sunday 6th December. With big surf and a distance of 2.4Km to cover, I was a little worried as we waited at Bronte for his arrival. We actually missed seeing George cross the finish line as he completed the course in a brilliant 42 minutes, much quicker than he had expected. We spent the rest of the afternoon in the park at Bronte, having a BBQ and splashing about in the rock pool. Very Australian.
Our Festive season started with a Christmas show at Emily’s day care. We had great expectations: Emily had been singing and dancing along to The Wheels on the Bus and If You’re Happy and You Know It for weeks. However the occasion proved a bit much for our shy little girl, and she spent the whole performance in the arms of a teacher, absolutely dumbstruck. She enjoyed the cupcakes afterwards though.
Emily’s first Bondi Christmas started pretty quietly. With no visitors this year it was just the three of us unwrapping the presents under the tree. Then we headed over to Maroubra to AJ and Flipper’s house for a fantastic Christmas lunch. That was followed by the traditional Secret Santa present ceremony, complete with a poem for each recipient. As usual, the quality was very variable, but they were all hilarious. The rain that appeared around midday didn’t deter us from the obligatory Christmas day swim at Coogee beach, but we didn’t stick around long. Back at AJ and Flips the party kicked on, and with the arrival of Nick and Beth around 10pm the port was cracked open and things got properly messy, ending up with George getting into bed with an angry Christophe then wearing his shoes home.
Having missed the fireworks on the last two new years eves George organised tickets to the lawn of Vaucluse House. We got a fantastic spot with panoramic views of the city, opera house, and harbour bridge, and tucked into our picnic watching the sun go down. The 9pm fireworks were very impressive, lighting up the whole harbour. Then down to the serious business of drinking our way through 3 kegs of Heineken, with Denise adding in some straight vodka shots. By the time the midnight fireworks began Denise was face first on the ground. As always, the big finale was unbelievable, with a full 12 minutes of explosions. Then it was time to go home. As designated driver (the baby still being a secret at that point!) I had to do two trips to get everybody home. It took an hour and a half to get to Peter’s flat - just 5 Km down the road. The traffic was crazy. By the time I got back to pick up George, Katie, Craig and his two friends Solen and Ed, they’d narrowly escaped arrest for moving all the one way signs on the street. Happy New Year!
Last year we tried and failed to participate in the Australia Day Havaianas Thong Challenge, but after much complaining and far too many free giant inflatable thongs as compensation we were guaranteed VIP entry this year. It was a big day - our first Australia day as true blue Aussies. We met up with Katie, Dan and Peter to claim our giant inflatable thong then chilled out on the beach waiting for the fun to start. AJ and Flipper very kindly took Emily to the kiddie pool while we paddled the thongs out through dumping waves to form an enormous ‘H’ in the water. The idea was that at the sound of a horn, everyone would let go of the rope and hold hands, attempting to break the world record for the number of people holding hands whilst floating in the ocean on giant inflatable thongs. Sadly we failed to hear the hooter, and blissfully unaware we clung to the rope for dear life all through the record attempt! Once it was all over it was time for much silliness surfing the thongs into the beach until we were exhausted. It was a super hot day and by 4pm we were hot, tired and sunburnt. A great day. Sadly, the 1262 participants at Bondi were beaten by an amazing 1301 at Cottesloe Beach in Perth, so no world record for us.
The theme for this year’s Slam volleyball competition was ‘Op Shop’ (which is an Australian second-hand store) and as Dan couldn’t find a way to work camouflage into the outfits it was decided that everyone would find the very worst old ladies dresses to wear. Then at the last minute the Maroubra competition was cancelled due to bad weather. The boys were devastated and desperate for an excuse to don their frocks so we signed up for the Manly competition a month later. Sadly, that meant Craig, AJ and Peter couldn’t play, and with the bump sidelining me we were two short of a team. Thankfully Al’s brother Tom, who had never played volleyball before, was more than happy to climb into one of Annie’s maternity dresses and join Katie, Dan, Al and George as the Second Hand Slammers.
We knew the score - loose the first two games to be placed in the bottom competition for the bowl, and then hopefully progress easily through the knock-out stages to the reach the finals of the worst of the worst. We started true to form, with a lack-lustre performance against the Captains of Goodtimes. Tom showed great promise at the net but hadn’t quite got the hang of the dig so we kept him at the net while the rest of the team rotated. It was a better performance against Dik n Giney, and to begin with it looked as if we might actually win, but a few too many shots in the net and it was all over.
But the Second Hand Slammers’ biggest game was still to come. While warming up on one of the courts earlier that morning a TV crew had approached them and asked if they would like to be filmed playing against the boys from the Manly Surf School. They were currently making a documentary along the lines of Bondi Rescue and liked the idea of pitting them against some old ladies. It was hilarious to watch as the Manly boys hammed it up for the cameras, and we were smashing them, but without scoring it was hard to get excited about winning points. No doubt it will be carefully edited to make the Surf guys look awesome and us look like losers. Then George and I got snapped by a photographer swinging Emily between us, and were asked to do an interview for a Sunday magazine. Such fame!
Back to the real competition and we had reached the knock-out stages. Our opponents looked very beatable, and the Second Hand Slammers started well. The scores were close at half-time, and it looked like we could win it…. But then a series of unreturned serves put the match out of reach and it was game over for the ladies. The dresses were binned and it was time for a well-earned beer at the less than salubrious New Brighton Hotel.
We'd been meaning to pay a visit to the Hoopers for ages, now they were happily settled back in Tasmania, and with the end of the summer fast approaching it was time to make the most of Emily's free travel and book our flights. We were met at the airport on Thursday morning by Emsie and a gorgeous Sam, who had grown so much since we last saw him in Sydney. Emily and Sam took no time in getting to know each other and we were left in charge whilst Emsie went to collect Gracie from her grandmothers. A very grown up Gracie had lots to show and tell us, and much of the rest of the day was spent bouncing on her enormous trampoline in the back yard or reading her the book we'd brought down for her. At afternoon nap time, Emily wasn't at all sleepy so to avoid disturbing the other better behaved children we took her for a walk around a nearby park, and she eventually fell asleep in the pram. Emsie, Gracie and Sam then met us at a playground at the beach for some swing and slide action. That night Emsie and Hoopy cooked a lovely dinner and we caught up on all the news.
Hoopy was working on Friday but the rest of us went down to a great new playground on the beach at Sandy Bay. It was a lovely warm and sunny day and it wasn't long before the kids were naked and running into the icy waters of the Derwent Estuary. That night Hoopy had a college reunion but Emsie's Mum and Dad were kind enough to babysit so Emsie, George and I could go out for dinner in Salamanca Place. It was great to be out in the buzz of Friday night in Hobart, and we watched the antics from an outside table at a lovely Italian restaurant.
Saturday morning we walked into town and braved the crowds at Salamanca Markets, trying not to loose the kids (or George). We picked up some tasty tempura mushrooms before heading to another playground at Battery Point. All too soon it was time to say our goodbyes and head back to the airport for the flight home. It was so lovely to catch up with Emsie and Hoopy and Emily had a wonderful time playing with Gracie and Sam. Thanks to the Hoopers for putting us up and driving us all around Hobart - a great weekend.
Parenthood has put paid to most of our annual weekends away - no more houseboats or 5 hour drives up or down the coast. But we were keen to make the most of the end of the summer and when George found a fantastic Tuscan villa near Terrigal on the Central Coast with 6 double beds, a games room, pool and lake, it sounded almost too good to be true. We arrived on a hot and sunny Friday afternoon at the same time as Katie and Dan and we couldn’t wait to explore. As organisers we took the ‘parent’s retreat’ - an enormous en-suite room with views across the lake. There were another 4 double bedrooms on the ground floor, along with a massive sunken living room and a open-plan kitchen. Downstairs we found another double bedroom, and a huge games room with table tennis and full sized snooker table. This room also had another 5 beds and a bunk - so plenty of room for the kids! Outside the pool, which looked out over the lake, was surrounded by a terrace lined with sun loungers, and this was where we spent the rest of the day. By dinner time we’d been joined by Flipper and Al and Annie, and Denise and Peter arrived just in time for dessert. Time to introduce the pamplemousse game. It wasn’t long before Alex said the magic word by mistake and we were all in the pool. That night we hung out in the games room, Peter narrowly beating Flipper and I at pool and Katie and Annie beat George and Dan at table tennis. AJ arrived at some point during the games, and Nick and Beth arrived much later, just in time for the port.
Saturday morning George introduced the Terrigal Olympics, a series of pool based races involving giant inflatable thongs, an inflatable whale and a couple of inflatable goal posts. Not to be left out, Emily kept taking her clothes off to jump in the pool and wanted to stay in the water until she turned blue. She was so excited to have so many grown-up playmates! That night the house was turned into a Wild West Saloon for a murder mystery party. Everyone had done a great job getting into character with some awesome costumes, and Lily White (aka Flipper) introduced us all to her Last Chance Saloon. Shots rang out as we enjoyed our first beers, and Sheriff T. Pott falls dead from the balcony. A pistol had been rigged to the door of an upstairs boudoir, meaning the murderer was amongst us! As the rounds went on we discovered we all had a few dirty secrets, and each one of us had a motive to shoot the sheriff. Finally, after a fantastic curry dinner cooked up by Nick and Beth and dessert made by Alex and Annie, the accusations were made. There were three main suspects - Dot Dash (the telegraph operator played by Annie), Scarlet O’lahlah (saloon ‘dancer’ played by Denise) and Ace Lender (the bank manager played by Dan). The majority of us had fingered Dan (so to speak) and he was delighted to confess to the pre-meditated murder of the sheriff. In retrospect, we all should have guessed it was Dan as he was the only player who kept his character notes hidden in the bathroom. Very Dan.
It had been a brilliant and very chilled out weekend, and somehow we’d managed to keep the noise down enough to not upset the neighbours - so we will undoubtedly be back next year!
Emily’s first birthday was more about the grown-ups - fancy dress and cocktails and the now legendary Gin Jellay. With my enforced sobriety there wasn’t going to be a repeat of all that this year, but we were still going to throw Emily a nice party in the park. Her birthday fell on Easter Monday, and most of Easter Sunday was spent baking and icing a cake in the design of a character from Emily’s favourite TV programme Yo Gabba Gabba. Emily had been to a couple of birthday parties in the preceding weeks so she was pretty excited about her party. Every time we mentioned the word ‘birthday’ Emily would reply ‘cake!’ We had a lovely afternoon in Centennial Park with sausages on the BBQ and an Easter Egg hunt. Emily loved having so many of her friends there to play with and it was nearly dark by the time we packed up to come home. Happy Birthday Emily.
After seven years in Australia we were still to visit the pacific islands and with Fiona and Jason getting ready to sail from New Zealand to Fiji for the next leg of their round the world trip it seemed a perfect opportunity to get the family together in a tropical paradise. George’s Mum and her partner John decided to join us, and the timing worked perfectly for a second trimester getaway while I could still get travel insurance. Flights were booked for late April, and we were very excited about a proper beach holiday. Then things started to go wrong. Sailing to Fiji is only possible once cyclone season is over, and Fiona had miscalculated the dates - it wouldn’t be safe to make the passage in Trenelly until early May. Fiona decides to fly to Fiji with Dylan and Molly leaving Jason to sail the yacht with the help of a couple of crew, hopefully arriving during the last few days of our holiday. Then a couple of weeks before we are due to depart John is taken ill and spends a few days in hospital. He makes a full recovery, but he isn’t allowed to fly. Poor Sue and John have to cancel the holiday.
We’d planned to arrive a few days before everyone else and have a relaxing few days at the family friendly Shangri-La Fijian Resort on the South Coast of the main island. Things didn’t start very well - we spend 5 hours killing time in Sydney airport after our flight is delayed.. We don’t arrive at the resort until 10pm, but Emily is very excited and refuses to fall asleep in the taxi on the way there. Emily’s cot is in one half of the room, and there’s a curtain to separate her from us. Once she’s asleep we order room service then crawl into bed.
Saturday morning was perfect weather for our first day - partly cloudy and not too hot. Emily couldn’t wait to jump into the pool and most of the morning was spent in ankle deep water watching her splash about. We explore the resort in the afternoon, and book Emily into the kids club for the rest of the stay. As she’s too little to be unsupervised we arrange for a nanny to look after her - at $5 an hour it’s an easy decision. We meet Rebecca that evening when she comes to babysit, and George and I have a lovely meal at the Kaleva restaurant. Rebecca is booked for 3 hours and with an hour or so to spare we look for a nice bar, but we’re told the only place open is the Black Marlin nightclub. We feel very old as we walk into the neon-lit room, it’s soulless and (I know I sound like my Dad now) the music was too loud to talk. We end up buying beer and juice from the shop and take them down to the beach where we lie on sunloungers watching the stars.
The next 3 days follow a similar pattern. Rebecca collects Emily at 9am and takes her to breakfast at the noisy buffet restaurant then joins in with the kids club activities until 12pm. We retreat to the peace and quiet of the ‘Adults Only’ restaurant and have a leisurely and enormous buffet breakfast. On Sunday it rained most of the day, so we sheltered under a beach umbrella reading our books until lunchtime. The next day we discovered the ‘Adults Only’ pool and indulged ourselves by sitting on sunloungers all morning reading without interruptions. Afternoons were spent playing with Emily in the kid’s pool - she got more and more confident as the days went by and once we’d brought arm bands and a swim ring she was happy to kick about in deep water. In the evenings we’d either get a babysitter or take Emily for an early dinner with us. On our final night, we finally found the chilled bar we’d been searching for. The Bilo bar was right on the beach and was advertised as only being open for sunset drinks until 7pm, which was why we hadn’t visited before. We were delighted they were still serving and we sat watching the fish jumping in the spotlights below the deck, even spotting a brightly striped sea snake amongst the rocks. For dinner we went all out with a 5 course buffet feast at the Lagoon restaurant, stuffing ourselves stupid with antipasto, salad, pasta, meat, and an overwhelming selection of desserts. We slept well that night.
After a relaxing few days at the Shangri-La resort it was time to pack up and head out to the islands. We met Fiona, Dylan and Molly at the ferry terminal at Port Denaru with plenty of time to spare before our 2pm transfer to Musket Cove. Emily was very excited to see her cousins again and was soon copying everything Dylan did. Malolo Lailai island looked stunning as we approached across a perfect turquoise sea, all white sand and palm trees. Fiona had booked us into the Reef House, a privately owned 3 bedroom property a few hundred metres from Musket Cove Resort. Once we'd settled in we wandered back down to the resort, stopping at the first swimming pool we came across for a splash about. We'd brought Dylan an inflatable whale for his birthday and this was a huge hit. We discovered a little cafe next to the store and ordered pizza for dinner whilst we shopped for supplies. I didn't realise the vegetarian pizza was so spicy until Emily burst into tears - I thought she'd burnt her mouth so tried to placate her with a cooled down mushroom from the same pizza - more screams! Eventually I tried it for myself and realised why Emily was so upset. By now the kids were all exhausted and it was a long walk back to the house in the dark.
The next morning the kids were up early and Fiona cooked up an big batch of porridge to eat on the deck. The porridge was delicious but the al fresco experience was ruined by voracious mosquitos which seemed oblivious to the copious amounts of repellant we dowsed ourselves in. This was an ongoing problem, and it meant we didn't use the outside of the house very much at all. The house was situated just behind a small beach and we were looking forward to spending lots of time chilling out in the calm lagoon-like waters there. Unfortunately a lot of the sand had recently been washed away by a big storm, and as the tide went out we were left paddling in muddy sand with water only as deep as your ankles. Add in the persistent mozzies and we soon decided we wouldn't return to this beach! It was a long walk down to the resort - Molly usually slept in her buggy but Emily wanted to walk with Dylan... very slow progress. The tide was out at the resort too but we found the pool at Dick's Place and after lunch the kids spent a few hours happily playing with the inflatables in the water. We would be spending a lot of time at this pool over the next few days.
Friday morning started early - very early. All the kids were sharing one big bedroom but when Emily woke at 3am with a sore bum she woke Molly and despite several attempts Fiona and I failed to resettle our girls. It was the start of a long day. Thankfully Emily fell asleep in the buggy on the way to the resort, and awoke full of beans after lunch for more pool action. Emily had really got the hang of swimming with the arm bands on, and would fearlessly leap from the sides at any opportunity. That night we stoked up the BBQ on the deck and ate outside before walking up to the ridge behind the house to watch the moon across the water.
The next day again involved plenty of poolside fun, and although Dylan had been sick in the night he was still full of energy in the water. That night we'd arranged for the housekeeper to babysit so we could try one of the resort restaurants, but when Dylan was sick again Fiona decided not to leave him. George and I hopped onto one of the rickety old bicycles provided with the house and reached the resort in no time. After a relaxing drink at the island bar we had a lovely dinner at Dick's Place.
We were getting a bit tired of the long walk to the pool at Dick's Place so the next morning we arranged for a golf buggy to take us over to Plantation Resort just around the bay. We set up on the beach playing in the shallows chasing fish then found a pool with a water slide. Emily and Dylan loved splashing down on our laps, although it was a bit fast for them to go down by themselves. Molly enjoyed it most of all - huge grins every time she landed in the water. We have a nice lunch at the beach side restaurant then back to the slide for the rest of the afternoon. Plantation Resort was much busier than Musket Cove but it was nice to have a change of scenery. That night George picks up take away pizzas which we eat on deck, watching the resident skinny cats get braver and braver looking for titbits.
Monday was another beach day. High tide was now around mid-morning so we spent the day on the main beach. George and Fiona hired a couple of kayaks and took the kids around the little island bar. That afternoon Fiona bravely volunteered to look after all the kids while George and I went out in a small boat to a sandbar just off the island. To begin with we were the only ones there and the snorkelling here was amazing, lots of trumpet fish, anemone fish and beautiful Moorish idols. That night we order a BBQ pack from the store and cook it up on the wood-fired BBQs at the island bar. It's a lovely spot for dinner and the kids loved playing around at the bar.
On Tuesday George and Fiona take Dylan on a fishing trip out beyond the reef. It's a successful trip, George and Fiona both catch tuna. I'm left with Emily and Molly, and after a very slow walk to the beach we have fun building sand castles. We finally manage a night out with a babsitter left in charge, and cycle to Ananda's restaurant for a lovely meal.
On Wednesday we hang out at the island bar again, with kayaks and a picnic lunch of pies and sausage rolls. George and I take Emily snorkelling at the end of the island but the water is a bit too murky for her to see anything, We spot a few blue starfish and a huge shoal of tuna passing by. Emily is delighted just to see a little black and white humbug swimming back and forth by the steps. After days of wrangling the kids back and forth to the pool we finally get it sorted on the second to last day - all the kids sleep on the way home and stay asleep long enough for Fiona, George and I to enjoy a very peaceful hour relaxing at the house. That night we cook up the fish caught yesterday by George and Fiona on the BBQ then feed the leftovers to the cats.
Thursday was our last day, and after packing up our gear we took a minibus over to Plantation Resort again for one last play on the water slide. We'd arranged a pick up at 2.30pm to allow us plenty of time to get back to the house, pick up our bags and catch the last boat off the island at 3.30pm. We're starting to worry when at 2.45pm there's still no car. The kids are getting bored and climbing all over a couple of parked golf buggies by Reception. All of a sudden the buggy Dylan is playing in lurches forward, mounts the kerb and knocks Fiona down before crashing into a tree. Amazingly no-one seems seriously injured - Fiona just has some grazes to her shins and Dylan has taken a layer of skin off his chin. Someone had stupidly left the keys in the ignition AND left it turned on - Dylan had just stepped on the accelerator and it had taken off. It could have been so much worse. Everyone is pretty shaken, and there is still no car. Eventually a buggy arrives, but we've only gone a couple of hundred metres when it's battery dies. It's all very stressful but eventually the minibus arrives and we make to the ferry just in time. We say hurried goodbyes to the Harveys, and look forward to seeing them all in Sydney this Christmas.
The second week of June is packed with birthdays and to celebrate we decided we needed a weekend away somewhere warm. It wasn't just George's, Katie's and Beth's birthdays we were celebrating, but also the Queen's Birthday - and she had very kindly given us the Monday off. Dan had found this fantastic Balinese Beach House on Sunshine Beach in Noosa, and we made an extra long weekend of it by flying up on Thursday and not leaving until Tuesday. We were joined by Nick, Beth and Craig on Friday night, and Chris and Megs drove up from Brisbane on Saturday. The trip coincided with the start of the Football World Cup and on Saturday night we all stayed up until 2am to watch the opening game. The first England and Australia games were at 4.30am - and most of us were up to watch them. The days were spent wandering along the beach, lunching at the local surf club and driving around town trying to find more stickers for the boy's Panini albums. The weather was warm but not that sunny, and we failed to get ourselves motivated for an ocean dip despite the water temperature being 22'. On the Sunday we got a cab to Noosa Heads and had a walk through the National Park back to our house on Sunshine Beach. Each night we'd take turns to cook up a huge dinner, then settle down to watch the football or play a few hands of poker. A very relaxing and chilled long weekend.
Having missed out on the Fiji holiday after John was taken ill, George's Mum decided to make the trip by herself a couple of months later. The plan was to join Fiona and Jason on Trenelly to make the crossing from Fiji to Vanuatu, and help keep Dylan and Molly amused. Sue had a one night stopover in Sydney before flying onto Fiji, then she flew back from Vanuatu to Sydney for five days in Bondi with the Burrows'. Emily was very excited to have Granny Sue here, and we were able to show Sue what our life has become recently- two children's birthday parties, swimming sessions and a trip to the indoor play area to escape the rain. During school holidays. Sorry Sue. No appearance from Bump2 yet, so Sue will have to come back soon to meet it.
Bump2 was due on Saturday 31st July but after three weeks of maternity leave I was more than ready to get the baby out. We'd spent a wonderful night at the Shangri-La in the City on the 22nd to celebrate our wedding anniversary, but after that we were happy for the baby to make an appearance anytime. We thought things might be kicking off on Sunday evening after a lovely afternoon at AJ and Flipper's house as a sudden painful contraction took me by surprise as I was driving us home. The contractions were fairly regular at about 10 minutes apart, and I started packing our bags and preparing to get to the hospital. Then when everything was organised I sat down on the sofa and the contractions stopped. We decided to go to bed and see if things kicked off during the night. Nope. Monday morning mild contractions returned so I kept myself upright, tidying the house and going for a short walk. Things were progressing, but very slowly. What really got it going was standing up to fight evil foes in the final part of Zelda Twilight Princess on the Wii. By 5pm the contractions were fairly strong and 5 minutes apart, so George went to collect Emily while I called Katie and Dan to come over to put Emily to bed.
We arrived at the hospital at 7pm, and everything stopped again. Compared to the state I was in when I arrived to have Emily, it was fairly obvious that the baby wasn't coming anytime soon. I was starting to feel quite conned - everyone had assured me it would be much quicker second time around, but the whole thing only took 18 hours with Emily and I had been in pre-labour for 26 hours already. It was quite surreal as we sat with Jessi the midwife calmly discussing the upcoming election. Why wasn't I swearing and groaning and screaming at her to make it stop? Jessi gave us a couple of hours to see if things would pick up by themselves but at 9pm I was still only 4-5 centimetres dilated so she offered to break my waters. Things really kicked off about 10 minutes after that and I got in the bath as the contractions intensified dramatically. It wasn't long before I was pleading for the gas and air, but this time it didn't seem to do much and only made me feel sick so again I gave it up before it was time to push. Suddenly, only one hour after my waters were broken, little Zoe Jean entered the world underwater at 10:06pm on the 26th July 2010. Weight 3.43kg (7lb 9oz) length 48cm. Dark hair.
As the birth was uncomplicated and Zoe was healthy and given the all clear from the pediatrician we were asked if we'd like to go home the same night. We'd have to stay in for 4 hours to ensure I didn't loose too much blood again, but we'd be free to leave at 2am. After a shower I felt so normal and lucid that we spent the time calling family back home and chatting on the sofa whilst Zoe slept in our arms. It felt crazy to be sneaking out of the hospital in the dead of night with a 4 hour old baby but we were back in our own bed by 3am. When Emily awoke the next morning, she was initially very excited that Katie and Dan were still here - but then we showed her the bassinet and a delighted Emily exclaimed 'Baby! Zoe!'. She is already besotted with her little sister insisting on big suffocating cuddles and snotty kisses. Our beautiful new daughter is making things very easy for us so far, feeding well and sleeping constantly. Lets hope it lasts!
Little Zoe has fitted so well into the Burrows household, and has made life pretty easy for us, sleeping lots and settling really easily. With Emily still in daycare for three days a week we've had plenty of time to get to know our new daughter, and Emily runs to see her every evening when she gets home, calling her 'my Zoe'. Emily is so keen to help look after her baby sister, and often brings her toys or blankets and gives her big kisses and cuddles. Zoe seems to thrive on the affection, giving us her first smile at 3 and a half weeks.
After over a year of working from home George decided he couldn't take knocking around the house all day with the wife and kids and found himself a proper job. His new role at the film studio Animal Logic was starting in just over a week, and with it came the realisation that he would have to work 5 days a week and only have 4 weeks holiday a year. George was adamant that we needed a few days away somewhere hot, and called it a 'break'. I was quite sure that the trip wouldn't be a 'break' for me from my full time job of looking after two kids, and the idea of an unsettled 8 week old and a bored toddler knocking around a tiny hotel room filled me with dread. In the end we found a two bedroom apartment at the Peppers Resort on Magnetic Island in North Queensland, and I started to get quite excited about a few days in the sun.
Things didn't start well. Our holiday nearly didn't happen when the taxi we booked with a baby seat didn't turn up. With only 30 minutes until our flight closed George dashed down to Bondi Road and somehow flagged down a cab with a suitable restraint. We made it to the check-in counter with seconds to spare, only to find that George had booked both kids under the name Emily. The lady behind the counter was not amused. The flight went surprisingly well, although George did almost leave our luggage at the news stand in the terminal. He ran back just as the sales clerk was calling security to have them blown up. When we arrived at Townsville airport, we were told that there were no taxis with baby seats in Queensland, and Zoe slept in the Baby Bjorn all the way to the ferry terminal. We finally arrived on Magnetic Island at 4pm, and were very happy to see the hotel directly opposite the marina. The apartment was perfect, overlooking a huge pool. Emily couldn't wait to don her swimsuit and arm bands and splashed around confidently on her own. With no supplies in the fridge we decided to have dinner with Emily at the posh Peppers Restaurant. It could have been disastrous but Zoe fell asleep just before the food arrived and an overtired Emily just about made it through her fish and chips. Our steak was delicious and we managed half a bottle of wine before Emily lost it and we made a hasty departure back to our room.
Magnetic Island was billed as the sunniest place in Australia with 320 days of sunshine a year.Not for the four days of our holiday. Friday morning we made it out to a cafe for breakfast, just as it started to spit with rain. Emily amused herself with the toy box while we waited for our food to arrive. 30 minutes later Emily was starting to trash the place and my pancakes finally arrived. I'd nearly finished by the time George realised his big breakfast wasn't coming. It took them another 15 minutes to cook another order. 'Worst holiday ever' I muttered. We stocked up on beer and wine and spent the rest of the afternoon shivering in the pool and dodging the rain showers.
We'd been to Magnetic Island once before for two nights as part of our East Coast trip with Clairey and Philipou back in 2003. That time we'd driven ourselves across the island and Claire and I had ridden horses along the beach while the boys went on a fishing trip to the reef to catch our dinner. How times change. Without a car and Emily refusing to sit in the pushchair just getting to the shops was a major expedition. Our next few days were spent by the pool if it wasn't raining, and hanging out in the apartment if it was. Without sunshine on the pool the water was freezing and even Emily couldn't stay in for very long. On the last day we woke to torrential rain. George made pancakes for breakfast then Emily climbed into bed with us and watched non-stop kids TV on ABC2 while we read our books. It was actually a lovely chilled out morning, and we continued the rainy day theme by hiring a DVD for the afternoon.
The sun finally came out on the day we were due to leave. By the time we'd packed up we only had an hour or so by the pool in blazing sunshine before it was time to catch the ferry back to the mainland. We survived the flight home and again Zoe was fantastic - sleeping happily in my arms. It may not have been the sun-soaked poolside holiday we'd hoped for but we'd had a lovely time and arrived home relaxed and rested.
It's been two years since Mum and Dad last visited, and we were very excited about Zoe meeting the grandparents for the first time. They arrived late on Wednesday night, and on Thursday morning when Emily awoke she rushed down to the spare room to meet our new house guests. Our first day was spent at the beach, with Emily very keen to show Grampy the paddling pool at 'my Bondi Beach'. Grampy was kept busy with a new bucket and spade set and Granny looked after Zoe while I headed off alone for the first ocean dip of the season. On Friday we squeezed Granny Brenda between the two baby seats and headed off to Western Sydney to the Featherdale Wildlife Park. Emily had a great time stroking kangaroos and fending off emus and goats that wanted to nibble on the crumbs in the pram, and we got to see wombats, echidnas, koalas and Tasmanian devils up close. On Saturday we'd booked tickets for a island hopping harbour cruise. We set off from Circular Quay in blazing sunshine, congratulating ourselves on choosing the hottest day of the year so far for a trip on the harbour. First stop Goat Island, where the park rangers were recreating life in a penal colony. Dad was enthralled by the history, and George was accused of stealing and got 50 lashes. Next stop Shark Island, where Mum and Dad had joined us to watch the New Year's Eve fireworks in 2005. We had a lovely lunch at the cafe, then wandered around the island looking at exhibits of native Sydney wildlife. Emily was particularly excited at touching a blue-tongued lizard and a Tawny Frogmouth (a bird). Just as we were thinking of heading over to Clark Island, the last stop for the day, ominous clouds rolled in across the harbour. We huddled in the bandstand as the heavens opened, and with the rangers handing out plastic macs we made a dash for the ferry just as the thunderstorm passed directly overhead. We were drenched. The foot well of the pram was filled with a good four inches of water, and it was standing room only in the packed indoor area of the ferry. Emily was pretty freaked out by it all; Zoe just slept in the Baby Bjorn on George's chest. It was a relief to arrive back at Circular Quay, just as the rain started easing up. Such a shame we didn't get to see the Aboriginal displays on Clark Island, but we'd still had a great day out.
The rest of the week was spent avoiding the storms with indoor activities including swimming lessons and a trip to see the scary dinosaurs at the Australian Museum. When the sun did come out, we took the opportunity to do a couple of walks: along the coast from Coogee to Maroubra and the Bondi to Bronte coastal path to see the Sculptures by the Sea. All too soon it was time to say goodbye, but Granny and Grampy will be back in a few weeks after visiting Melbourne and New Zealand.
After a couple of weeks in New Zealand Mum and Dad arrived back in Sydney on a Thursday night, and on Friday we packed them up again for a trip down to Jervis Bay. We'd had the inspired idea of sending Mum and Dad down on the train to save Mum from a 3 hour journey squeezed between the baby seats. It would have worked perfectly if it wasn't for them getting on a train to Cronulla instead of to Kiama. Emily, Zoe and I enjoyed a leisurely drive south, arriving in plenty to time to greet Granny and Grampy at the train station in Nowra. The train arrived, Granny and Grampy didn't. Eventually they turned up on a bus, an hour late. It was the only setback on a wonderful weekend. The house was fantastic - right on Collingwood Beach in Vincentia, with big windows the length of the lounge looking over the bay. To make the weekend even better, Clairey was flying up from Melbourne after work and George would pick her up and drive down later that night. The weather was perfect, and to top it off we could watch dolphins frolicking in the bay each morning. Awesome. Saturday morning George took me off for an ocean swim, then we wandered along the beachfront to the pub in Huskisson for a late lunch. A work colleague of mine who had moved down to Jervis Bay invited us for all to afternoon tea, then we headed into the National Park to see the kangaroos at Green Patch. On Sunday we returned to Green Patch and after a short walk through the bush and a BBQ lunch we settled on the beach while Emily played in the creek. A perfect spot.
Back in Sydney Granny and Grampy spent more time playing with Emily and Zoe and exploring places we'd not been to before. On Wednesday night we got a babysitter and took Mum and Dad to Bel Mondo restaurant in the Rocks - a really lovely night.
When we first arrived in Sydney in 2003 Fiona and Jason were sailing their way through the Caribbean on their round the world trip. We were really excited that they would soon be in the Pacific, and had big plans to join them on the ocean crossing from New Zealand or one of the Pacific Islands across to Australia. But an unexpected return to the UK meant the round the world trip was put on hold for a bit. Six or so years later, Trenelly was finally entering Australian waters. Funnily enough, we weren't that keen to join them this time, what with four children between us, but we were thrilled that The Harveys would be hanging out with us in Sydney for a while. As my parents were still staying with us when they were due to arrive in Sydney we didn't even join the boat for the sail down the coast and between the Heads - Trenelly snuck into Sydney Harbour in the middle of the night and dropped anchor in Rose Bay. Despite only 3 hours sleep, Jason and Fiona invited all of us, parents included, onboard for the very last, but most important leg of the trip - the sail past the Opera House and under the Harbour Bridge. It was so fantastic to share a very symbolic sail with Jason and Fiona. After passing under the Anzac Bridge we anchored in Blackwattle Bay and George and Jason took the dingy across to the Fish Markets to get dinner, which Jason cooked on the BBQ on the back of the boat. Welcome to Sydney Jason, Fiona, Dylan and Molly!
With less than three weeks until the expected arrival of Baby Briance, it was time to get the girls together for a baby shower. It was a perfect day for a picnic under the trees in Centennial park and everyone brought some delicious baked goodies and piles of presents for the mum-to-be. Of course there were the usual silly games, including a rather hilarious spit--the-dummy competition and a 'guess the baby item in the nappy game'. According to the baby sex quiz, both Katie and Philippa are having girls. I can now reveal that the quiz was wrong twice - Katie's gorgeous son Hugo was born on December 15th, and Philippa had a beautiful boy named Jack on January 28th.
It's not a Sydney summer without visitors from up over, and it was great to have my old school friend Sarah and her partner Dean come to stay for a couple of days. We had a lovely day showing them the sights at the Opera House and Botanical Gardens, and spent the next day at Bondi Beach. And of course the Harveys are now moored up in Rose Bay, and we're enjoying spending lots of time with them at the beach, on the boat and staying over at ours. The three older cousins seem to create havoc everywhere we go and Emily is loving having her cousins so close. December passed in a blur of sunny days and before we knew it our next visitor arrived - Granny Sue somehow made it out of the snow chaos at Heathrow and arrived on December 23rd, just in time for a crazy Burrows family christmas.
The festive season kicked off with the arrival of Granny Sue on the 23rd December. A carol concert at Rose Bay got us in the Christmas spirit, then Christmas Eve was spent at Bondi Beach. On Christmas Morning the Harveys arrived in time for a BBQ breakfast in the garden followed by a mammoth present opening session. This year the Smith's bravely offered to host the traditional Christmas lunch, so we headed over to theirs around midday. They'd laid on a fantastic spread, then we got stuck into the now infamous Secret Santa presents. We'd all tried to keep the poems clean this year, but one of us (who shall remain nameless) went all out with one of the rudest poems ever! Luckily it takes a lot to shock George's mum. It was such a scorcher of a day that we just had to go for a dip at Bondi. Alex very kindly offered to look after the kids while we piled into cars and made our way to a busy but beautiful Bondi Beach. The evening was spent back at ours devouring cheese and downing port with Granny Sue, Jason and Fiona. An exhausting but perfect family Christmas.
There was no way we'd miss the opportunity to get out on the Harbour on Boxing Day for the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, and we just about managed to get ourselves organised and onto Trenelly in time. It was pretty crazy out on the water, but we got a great spot just by the start line. After watching the start, we headed into Watsons Bay for fish and chips.
This is what dreams are made of - relatives in Sydney with a boat on the harbour for New Year's Eve. Fiona and Jason found a great spot to anchor early in the afternoon, and had invited The Smith Family to join us all on the boat. With most of the access roads to the south shore blocked off, we had to trek through the national park to one of the harbour beaches so Jason could pick us up in the dingy. We were on board by 6pm, and Fiona had prepared a delicious dinner which we ate as the sun went down. The kids ran rampant around the boat, having a great time chasing each other through the forepeak hatch. Finally after the 9pm fireworks we sat them down in the saloon in front of a movie, and could get on with the serious business of drinking lots of champagne. We'd hoped at least some of the kids would crash out but every hour, on the hour, a short burst of fireworks marked the countdown to midnight. It was just enough to rouse them, but by the time they'd climbed up to the cockpit the show was over! Ony Zoe slept soundly through the commotion. Five very tired children sat up with us on the deck to watch an outstanding midnight pyrotechnic display. It was an emotional end to a huge year. With both girls now awake, Jason dropped us back at the beach and we'd hiked back through the national park. It was pretty precarious with George carrying Emily in a backpack and me stumbling up steps with Zoe in the Baby Bjorn. Thank you Sue for driving us home. Happy New Year!
A couple of days later Fiona and Jason invited us back on the boat for a trip under the bridge and up to the fish markets. We got some supplies then headed back to Farm Cove, dropping anchor just off from the Opera House. A truely fantastic spot for lunch.
Granny Sue left us in early January and the Harveys quickly settled into Sydney life. At least once a week we'd meet them at the beach, at our house or have a day on the boat. The three cousins have become as thick as thieves and Emily nearly falls over with excitement every time she sees Dylan and Molly. On January 19th Molly turned two, and we helped her celebrate with a tea party at the playground in Queens Park. A week later, the Harveys joined us for our first Australia Day as True Blue Aussies. We'd originally planned to set up camp at Bronte, but Dan had scoped it out early in the morning and found the park already crammed with gazebos and tents. Luckily he found a great spot in the park behind Coogee Beach, and we joined Dan, Katie, Hugo and Katie's parents there. Despite several attempts to tell Fiona and Jason of the change of plan, they were too busy cycling with the two kids down the steep hill to Bronte to answer their phones. They weren't impressed to find us three beaches over and were pretty hot and tired when they finally made it! Despite a weird sea fog that hung around all morning, it was a really lovely chilled-out day. Dan had brought their BBQ so we cooked food throughout the day, and the grown-ups would take it in turns to look after the kids so others could run over to the crazily busy beach and take a dip. Peter and Denise, AJ and a very pregnant Philippa, Steve and Cailie, and Sam and Vicky joined us in the afternoon and despite alcohol being prohibited in the park we sneakily poured beer and wine into plastic cups and hid the bottles from the police! We stayed until late evening, having one last twilight dip.
Only 4 months after renting a house in Vincentia with my parents we were back in Jervis Bay, just a few houses up the street. Beth had won a week in a 4 bedroom holiday house there at a charity auction and we gate-crashed for the weekend. Ref and Paul (who we know from the old yulefest parties), Nick and Beth and Emma and Paul (drinking friends of Nick and Beth) had been chilling out all week. We arrived Friday evening to find everyone very relaxed - it took us no time at all to settle into the holiday mode. Paul and Emma had an 18 month old son, so Emily had a playmate. We'd signed up to a funny attic bunk room over the garage but when we looked at it we decided the open staircase was a bit of a hazard so Nick and Beth kindly swapped their room for the attic. Despite the four of us crammed into a small bedroom the girls slept really well. The house was perfect except for one thing - it looked like the floor hadn't been vacuumed in decades. There were thick piles of fluff under the sofa - perfect for Zoe to chew on. We were so close to the beach, making it easy for Beth to look after Emily while George and I took boogie boards down to the surf . Can't remember the last time we've body-boarded but it was awesome fun. We only left the house once to head into Huskisson for lunch and a trip to the playground. On the Saturday night, after far too much beer and wine, Ref and Paul decided to have a moonlit swim in the ocean, just over the fence. They came back frothing about phosphorescence, so we just had to strip off and run into the water too. It was indescribable. The water was so warm and every movement shot brilliant light through the water. With each breaking wave a glittering streak would run across the shore. Very very special. With a late check out on Sunday evening we had plenty of time to work through the hangover the next day before heading back to Sydney.
Our summer of fun with the Harveys was rapidly coming to a close. As the weather got cooler, we made the most of a last few trips to the beach. Emily had a wonderful sleepover on the boat, and Jason and Fiona went out to dinner with us for a farewell meal at our favourite Mexican. All too soon we were standing on South Head madly waving flags as they motored between Sydney Heads for the last time and off on the next leg of their travels.
Emily turned three on a Tuesday, so after opening a few presents in the morning she was packed off as usual to preschool. I picked her up early, after she'd shared her cake with her friends, and met George, Amy, Milla and Audrey at the Westfield food court for a birthday tea. The day before we'd celebrated 8 years in Australia. George took a sickie and we made the most of a glorious autumn day at the beach followed by a lovely lunch and bloody marys at a cafe in Bronte. But the real celebrations were reserved for the weekend, when we made our promised return to Terrigal. Last year Emily was the only child on that weekend away; this year she was one of eight... it was going to be a very different weekend. This year the Harveys joined us, having been moored up in the Hawkesbury for a week. It would be the last time we'd see them for some time. Dylan, Molly, Cooper, Zach and Emily had an absolute riot playing in the pool, games room or running circles around the sofas in the lounge. The parents took turns to entertain the big kids on Saturday so we all got a couple of hours lying on the sun loungers or mucking about in the pool. For our turn we had a little birthday party for Emily with a treasure hunt, Twister and other party games on the lawn followed by afternoon tea and a cake. The weather was perfect - really hot and sunny. The evenings were very low key - no poker, drinking games or murder mysteries this year, just plenty of beer and funny conversations and dozing by the fire. We must be getting old. Looking forward to next year already!
With Anzac day falling on Easter Monday we had an extra holiday on the Tuesday after. A huge 5 day holiday with nothing planned. We kicked off with a trip to the Family Show at Moore Park on Thursday. George took a long lunch and popped over the fence from Fox Studios to join us. Emily was really excited about all the rides but when she actually got on them she was totally overwhelmed! The animal barn was totally crazy - a few terrified baby farm animals surrounded by hundreds of overexcited children. No wonder the poor mice were eating their babies... On Easter Sunday we met up with the usual crew at Paddington bowls for a few drinks and an attempt at throwing big balls at a little white ball. And on the Tuesday Charlotte, Chris and baby Alex, and Nick and Beth came over for a BBQ lunch.
Emily has been so excited ever since Gill asked her to be flower girl at their upcoming wedding. She absolutely loved dress shopping, and would have worn the dress to bed every night if I'd let her. We were delighted Gill and Matt decided to get hitched in Bondi - the church is just around the corner and the reception at Bronte Surf Life Savers Club just down the road. There just so happened to be another rather special wedding on the same day, back in London, and Gill's Mum had written to the Queen to tell her that her daughter would be sharing Prince William's wedding day. The Queen very politely replied, saying how delightful that was! The Sydney Morning Herald leapt at a chance of a local angle on the Royal Wedding and sent a photographer... there was a fantastic photo and write up in the weekend edition the next day! Emily was so beautifully behaved, even entertaining the guests during the signing of the registers by doing a bit of ballet in the aisle. At 6pm our babysitter collected the girls and George and I could get on with celebrating. By the time the band started, George was in very good form. By the time we were asked to leave at the end of the night, he was more than a little disheveled. The table surfing incident is now legendary!
After the success of our family holiday to Fiji last year we were keen to return again. Mostly, we were keen to make the most of ridiculously cheap babysitters again. Despite our insistence that there would be lots of kids around, including ours, Nick and Beth eagerly signed up to join us. They hadn’t really done a resort holiday before, but once Beth found out about the swim-up bar at the Radisson she couldn’t contain her excitement. We had 4 nights booked at the Radisson at Denarau on the mainland, then 3 nights at Plantation Island Resort on Malolo Lailai Island, where we stayed with Fiona, Dylan and Molly last year.
As fantastic as it was to have Nick and Beth along to ensure that once the kids were in bed we very much enjoyed our ‘adult time’, they also served to remind us what we were missing when the kids were awake. This started on the plane, when we found them comfortably ensconced in extra legroom seats demolishing cans of beer whilst we tried to stop Emily smearing food across the seats and get Zoe to sleep in the bassinet without her falling out into our laps. Or onto her head. Oops. It’s already dark when we touch down in Fiji, but it’s a really quick taxi ride to the Radisson. We take the girls with us for a buffet dinner at the Blu restaurant, and then once they’re asleep we sink a few beers on the patio of our adjoining rooms.
Saturday is Beth’s birthday and it’s a big one: 40 years young. As it’s the first day we spend it with Emily and Zoe exploring the pools. Nick and Beth spend it at the swim-up bar. The resort pools are fantastic, with a water slide, sandy pools and gentle slopes for Emily and Zoe to splash in. Finally the girls are in bed with a babysitter and we take a taxi 5 minutes down the road to Port Denarau. This is like the town centre with shops, restaurants and a Hard Rock Café. We decide on a place called Caudreys, and order cocktails, red wine and beer. Then we see another table with a Vonu Tower. Vonu is a local beer and it’s served in a 3L tower with a tube of ice inside and a tap on the outside. It wasn’t long before we’re taking turns to see how much we can slurp from the tap in one go. Our waitress wasn’t impressed. After the worst cheese and herb bread we’ve ever tasted (sliced white bread with a blob of melted cheese in the middle, sprinkled with a couple of parsley leaves) and a couple more Vonu towers, we barely taste the steaks and lobsters when they finally arrive. Back in our room we crack out the cowboys and it gets messy.
Sunday is George’s birthday and after breakfast we drop the girls with a babysitter so he can enjoy his best present: a morning of relaxation by the adults only pool. Nick and Beth join us for an uninterrupted lunch before we collect Emily and Zoe. We have a perfect afternoon after bagging the best sun loungers in a secluded area directly across from the pool bar. Zoe snoozes in the pram whilst Emily shows off her underwater swimming and jumping skills in the huge family pool. Happy hour starts at 4pm, with two for one cocktails. They’re quite strong. Emily is happy jumping off the bar stools, and when Zoe awakes we wheel the pram around to the side of the bar and she watches us through the bushes. Eventually we have to take the girls back to the room to get them to bed before the babysitter arrives. Two hours later Nick and Beth appear dripping wet and still clutching half-drunk cocktails. Bastards. That night we return to Caudreys for dinner. We wash our steaks down with three more Vonu towers. We arrive at the Hard Rock Café just in time for George to take on an enormous Kiwi in a race to down five schooners. George gives it his best shot but both he and the muscle man are beaten by a little guy who demolished the five glasses like they were water. The evening ended again with more cowboys back in our room.
The next morning George is still drunk at breakfast and crawls back to bed after the babysitter arrives. I enjoy some me time at the adult pool. The afternoon is spent in the pool with Emily and Zoe again, then we eat at the Asian restaurant in the resort that night. Sashimi, noodles and sweet and sour pork washed down with plenty of wine.
Our Catamaran to the island departs from Port Denarau at 10.30 the next morning and we’re packed and ready with plenty of time to spare. This time we’re staying at Plantation Island across the bay from Musket Cove where we stayed last year. We’re greeted by a ukulele band and adorned with shell necklaces before enduring a tedious orientation. Finally we’re shown to our garden bure, only to be eaten alive by mosquitos. We can’t wait to hit the pool and water slide, although Emily steadfastly refuses to go down the slide, even on our lap. Zoe absolutely loved it. The afternoon is spent by the pool or on the beach, and as the sun goes down we take the kids to the restaurant for their free dinner whilst we sip cocktails watching the sunset. Remembering how bad the food is at the main Plantation Resort restaurant, we walk along the beach to have dinner at Anandas restaurant, serenaded by the ukulele players.
Wednesday morning we meet our babysitter who takes Emily and Zoe off to the kids club. Nick and Beth join us for a hilarious game of tennis in baking heat on a bumpy court. Everyone found serving hard, so we allowed infinite attempts at getting the serve in. After a couple of sets we were ready for a beer beside the big pool. After collecting Emily and Zoe we walk around to Dick’s Place for lunch and a swim in the pool. Not sure if Emily could remember splashing around here with Dylan and Molly but she loved the pool and soon was swimming from the centre island to the edge without a float. We organise a BBQ tray to take to the island bar for dinner, then take the girls back for dinner and bed. We meet Nick and Beth at the island bar, and instead of focusing on getting the fire ready for cooking we concentrate on demolishing several frozen margaritas and sex on the beaches. We finally eat at 10pm and stager back to Plantation resort.
For our final day we take a boat out to the sandbar to snorkel the reef. The conditions are perfect and we see thousands of fish – a family of Nemos, two eels, big parrot fish and two puffer fish, one of which I chased into the shallows as we emerged onto the deserted sandbar. Back on the beach at the resort we spied on Emily taking part in a treasure hunt on the beach with the kids club. We play with the girls at the beach that afternoon, but it’s a really low tide and the water is further out than we’d ever seen it before. As the tide starts to come in the shallows fill with unbelievably hot water. Then we head to the big pool and Emily gives the other mums palpitations as she leaps off the centre island and disappears under the water. That night we return to Dicks for a slap up dinner. I finally get to try the kokoda dish I’d been hankering after all week, which was followed by a delicious seafood pie in a coconut. We’re given a great table just by the pool and just as our starters arrive a troupe of villagers in traditional dress start singing and dancing right in front of us. Beth is mesmerised by one particularly ripped guy who happens to be naked from the waist up. Just as they finish there’s a sprinkling of rain – the first all holiday, so we retire to some low chairs by the bar for a few more beers. It’s the perfect end to a fantastic holiday. Just to really rub it in, while we are wrangling the kids onto the ferry, bus and aeroplane back home, Nick and Beth get to stay another couple of days in paradise. Bastards.
There were no plans for a Yulefest this year, but when Philippa organised a weekend away in July, the nicest house she found just happened to be in Katoomba, home of Yulefest. Before we knew it we were planning Christmas Dinner, games, secret santa and offensive poems. Just to be clear - this is NOT yulefest.
Despite major delays on our drive up due to a gas leak closing the Great Western Highway for several hours, we were the first to arrive at the house. It was perfect - four big bedrooms, a well equipped kitchen and a Christmas tree already set up in the lounge. Best of all, it had fantastic central heating and we got the place cozy in no time at all. AJ, Flips and Jack arrived next, then Ref and Paul and Nick and Beth. Ref and Paul were on dinner duty, and cooked up a huge vat of cheese fondue that was duly demolished, washed down with plenty of wine.
Even though Katie and Dan didn't want to come for the whole weekend we persuaded them to come up for the day on Saturday. We'd spent a few hours on Friday organising an Amazing Race around Katoomba, so once Katie, Dan and Hugo arrived we set them to work with the first roadblock - a tricky jigsaw puzzle with the next clue written on the back. George and I were on babysitting duties while the teams raced off to the teapot museum. We didn't know how long it would take everyone to find the next two clues, but we'd made it fairly easy so the parents would be back with their babies before dark! Even so, Nick and Beth appeared back at the house in around 30 minutes. Very impressive. Their final task of building a model airplane was a piece of cake and our winners were crowned. Once everyone was back we got stuck into the mulled wine and mince pies, followed shortly after by a slice of cake to celebrate AJ's birthday. No one was hungry by dinner time, but everyone agreed that the Yulefest dinner was the best ever - everything was ready at exactly the planned time of 8pm and the turkey, pigs in blankets, potatoes, veggies and gravy were outstanding. Time for presents and poems. Without a doubt, this year we outdid ourselves with the filthiest poems of all time. And the rudest present of all time too. We finished the night with a few rounds of ring of fire, and an actual fire into which we threw the wooden model airplanes so lovingly constructed earlier in the day.
In true Yulefest tradition, Sunday morning was quite slow. It was much harder for us this year, as Emily was up at 6.30am. Somehow we got the house cleaned up by 10am, and were back in Sydney in time for the Swans game at the SCG. Best not Yulefest ever.
When Emily turned one, it seemed entirely appropriate to celebrate with a cocktail party. After all, most of the people we knew were adults. Roll forward two years and we seem to know more children than grown ups. The thought of our house being overrun by dozens of 0-5 year olds was a little frightening so we settled on a child-friendly afternoon tea in Bronte Park. In honour of Zoe's first word, 'CAT!' The theme was of course, cats. George and I had stayed up late the night before drinking beer and assembling a cake in the shape of a cat. Zoe did us proud by exclaiming 'CAT!' as soon as she saw it. After a week of torrential rain, we were very thankful for a cloudy but dry day. Zoe had a fantastic time opening presents and playing with the big kids, while the grown ups stood around and drunk beer. No jungle punch or gin jellay this time. In fact the only similarity to Emily's party was the arrival of Nick and Beth just as we were about to pack up and go home. They needed no persuading to come back to ours to help us continue the celebration with far too many bottles of red wine.
Zoe's actual birthday was the following Tuesday. She had a lovely day hanging out with Mummy, and visits from Philippa and Jack, and Amy, Milla and Audrey. The day finished with the last of the cat cake, and she got to blow out her candle again while Granny and Grampy sang Happy Birthday on Skype.
Having missed the ski season last year due to Zoe's arrival we had pretty much accepted that it wasn't going to happen this year either. Then George's workmate JP suggested a kid friendly trip with his girlfriend Lisa and kids Maddie and Isabel and we were in. We booked Emily and Zoe into Snowy Daycare at Perisher Valley: Zoe would spend the day playing indoors with Isabel, while Emily and Maddie donned their ski gear and Milo vests and learnt how to snowplough. The apartment in Jindabyne was perfect for our two families, except it was in Jindabyne. We had to get the 8.20am Skitube to get Emily to her to her lesson on time. We made it only to find out that all the chairlifts were on wind hold. We don't let it kerb our excitement at being on the slopes again and join the queue for the drag lifts. An hour later and we've still only done a couple of short runs - two turns and we're back in the lift queue. It's heartbreaking. Thankfully after lunch the wind drops and we head out as far as we can, only to hit a slow lift queue. At 3pm we're supposed to be picking up the girls and we're still on the chairlift. We point the skis downhill and race back, only to find that childcare doesn't close until 3.30pm. Emily had a great day on the nursery slopes and Zoe loved having a play in the snow before we headed back to the apartment. The apres-ski is a bit different to the last time we stayed in Jindabyne. It's chaos in the apartment as we try to get four exhausted but over-excited girls to bed so we can relax over a bottle of wine.
Sunday we hit an even bigger disappointment - rain. As we stepped off the train into swirling snowflakes we were really excited about fresh powder but by the time we'd dropped off the girls it had turned to drizzle. We headed over to Blue Cow to tackle our favourite run but the fog and rain soon put a dampener on our enthusiasm. George's 10 year old ski gear isn't as waterproof as it used to be and when we stop for a hot chocolate he discovers he is drenched right through. It's no fun and we make the tough decision to quit at lunchtime, only to find the Skitube is having technical problems and we can't get home. Thankfully by the time we've picked up the girls it's running again. The rain has run down into my boots and I'm walking in puddles of freezing water - I can't wait to get to the car and put the heating on. Slight problem. George had the electronic car key in his trouser pocket and it got so soaked it won't work. We can open the doors with the metal key but the engine won't start. I get the girls in the car seats and take off my boots while George puts the key under the hand drier. An hour later and still no life in the key. I'm getting hypothermic and the girls are feral in the back of the car. George is on the phone to the Mercedes helpline, who pretty much tell us that without a spare key we are stranded, when he clicks the button just once and we get a connection. He quickly puts the key in the ignition and amazingly the car starts. We are so relieved. When we tried pushing the buttons again there's no response - somehow it came to life for just a moment before dying again. We drive back, and leave the key in the ignition overnight so we can get home!
A week later George and I were preparing to get soaked again. For the first time in living memory the annual City to Surf race was starting in the rain. We joined the blue start group wearing plastic macs but a few minutes before the start the sun came out. Dodging the puddles I watched George disappear into the throng along William Street. As usual we hadn't done as much preparation as planned but somehow I manage to run all the way. George and I were both delighted to post personal best times: George in a cracking 75:12 minutes and I stumbled over in 85:29. It'll be a tough job beating those times next year!
After the relative success of our wine tasting tour in the Margaret River two years ago, Peter suggested spending the October long weekend in the Hunter Valley sipping shiraz and chardonnay. The weather was unseasonably cold, so the first task on arriving at the rather lovely Silky Oak Cottage was to light the fire. Peter and Denise arrived just in time to throw some kebabs on the BBQ, as we pulled the girls away from the piano and put them to bed. The next morning over breakfast Peter set about planning our wine tasting tour. His priority was to visit all the five star rated vineyards. My priority was to visit wineries with playgrounds. According to the free map, Saddler's Creek Wines was the only place where we would both be happy. Once we arrived it didn't take long to establish there was no playground. There was however a box with balls by the door so I took the girls outside on a patch of lawn and tried to keep them from running into the car park. Denise isn't much of a wine drinker, preferring vodka mostly, but Peter encouraged her to taste at least some of the whites and the dessert wines were a real hit. Saddler's Creek was a bit too busy so we soon moved on to Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard. This was more of a success. No kiddy entertainment at all but the girls kept themselves amused chasing each other around the huge tasting room and outside on the windswept deck. Lunch was at the packed Hartigan's pub, then we headed to Pepper Tree Estate. After picking up cheese and nibbles for dinner we headed back to the house to catch the NRL grand final, followed by the England v Scotland Rugby World Cup match, followed by the rerun of the AFL grand final. Lots of sport, cheese and red wine in front of a roaring fire. Fantastic.
Sunday arrived with heavy rain so after a slow start we headed out through the flooded roads to one of our favourite Hunter Valley wineries, Honeytree. We were delighted to see the winemaker, Henk in his usual spot behind the counter, and today he even looked relatively sober. With Zoe asleep in the car and Emily dressed in her raincoat splashing in puddles outside we were free to enjoy the tasting. Next was McLeish Estate. We were a bit complacent after the success of Honeytree and settled in to taste every one of their extensive tasting list. It took all of five minutes before Emily was climbing all over the furniture. There were tables laid out for a big group tasting with pencils, paper and crackers. It was all too tempting for Emily, looking all the world like the drawing tables at daycare. Time to go. We'd left it a bit too late to get lunch at a cafe so ended up with toasted sandwiches from the general store. George took the girls back to the house while I stopped at Mistletoe Wines with Peter and Denise. We'd just started tasting the whites when I realised the key to the house was in my pocket. We rushed back, and George immediately disappeared off with Peter and Denise to Piggs Peake wines to wear a hat made out of a fox. That night George cooked a spaghetti bolognaise but the lid fell off the salt shaker, emptying a bucket load of salt crystals into the sauce. Disaster. Fortunately there was heaps of cheese and cold meats left over. We filled the evening playing a sadly amusing Australian board came called 'Imaginiff' (imaginiff Peter was a body part? Or imaginiff Denise was a vehicle?) while finishing up a bottle of Baileys. A great weekend despite the weather, and as we are working our way though the wine rack rather quickly we will have to return again soon!
Strictly speaking, it was our turn to visit the family in England, so we were delighted Mum and Dad decided to come out and spend Christmas and New Year with us. They arrived after a crazy few weeks spent redecorating the house; mostly after dark once the kids were in bed. With Clairey coming up for Melbourne to join us for Christmas, we just had enough time for a weekend in an historic cottage in the Hawksbury. Mum squeezed in between the baby seats for the drive up on Friday afternoon, then Clairey, who arrived at Sydney airport that evening, picked up a tipsy George from his work Christmas party. The cottage at Singleton's Mill was built in 1865 and had stunning views of the river from the huge verandah. It was 15 minutes drive along a mostly unsealed road from Wiseman's Ferry - such serenity. Most of our time was spent sitting on the verandah watching the occasional boat or jet-ski zoom by on the river. We did venture into Wiseman's Ferry for lunch at the pub on Saturday, and the legendary portion size of the Wiseman's Ferry Inn did not disappoint. Sunday afternoon was spent attempting to play volleyball on the gigantic court next to the house, which somehow turned into a yoga/gymnastics session... who knew my parents were so flexible?
Sadly Zoe, who had been out of sorts since the parents arrived, developed a high fever and cough. The poor girl was so miserable, and so hot, that we packed up first thing Monday morning and drove straight home to take her to the doctor. Thankfully it was just a virus and a couple of days later she was back to her happy smiley self. Just in time for a trip to the Sydney Opera House to watch the New Zealand Ballet dressed up as mice in the Angelina Ballerina 'Big Audition' show. Angelina Ballerina is probably my least favourite kids TV character but Emily and Zoe just loved it, and I think the parents enjoyed the Tchaikovsky score. We spent the rest of the day walking through Sydney enjoying the Christmas decorations.
Summer so far had been a bit of a damp squib and after a scorching Christmas Day last year we were preparing ourselves for a bit of a washout. We were delighted to wake to a bright blue sky without a cloud in sight. A very excited Emily seemed to have forgotten about waking up when 'Santa' was hanging up the stocking, and Zoe and Emily couldn't wait to open their presents. The traditional breakfast BBQ was served in the garden, then we attacked the enormous pile of presents under the tree. The plan for this year was lunch at Bronte Beach with the usual crowd, and it was absolutely perfect. We set up a gazebo on the grass near the kids playground and everyone brought a plate of delicious food and plenty of booze. The grown-ups chilled out in the shade whilst the kids amused themselves in the playground. We even managed a couple of swims in the huge waves. After lunch it was time for the annual secret santa present opening, accompanied as always by some very amusing poems. That evening back at home with Mum, Dad and Claire we demolish a bottle of port and far too much cheese whilst playing our new board game Cranium.
Clairey flew to New Zealand to meet up with G man on Boxing Day, and we spent the next few days making the most of having the grandparents around, even leaving them in charge for a night while we stayed in a posh hotel in the city. For New Year's Eve this year we decided that trying to watch the harbour fireworks was just too hard, so the plan was to head to Coogee for the 9pm fireworks there, then back to AJ and Philippa's for more drinks and midnight celebrations. We arrived at Coogee early for a swim and fish and chips on the grass behind the beach, bagging a great spot to view the fireworks over the headland. The girls were great, playing happily near us on the grass, at least until Emily ran off and was quickly lost in the crowd. Just as we were beginning to panic we spotted her in the arms of a friendly policeman. Phew. The fireworks were fantastic - I'd been expecting a rather amateur production but was pleasantly surprised at how good the show was. It was a bit of a mission getting two exhausted children into the car, but they were both fast asleep by the time we arrived at AJ and Philippa's. Then something strange happened. With no real plan for this part of the evening it was suggested that we played a drinking game, and somehow Ring of Fire began. My parents soon realised that there was no skill or knowledge required, the only purpose of the game being to get drunk, and quickly. As Dad was designated driver and Mum doesn't really drink, they soon sat back and just watched the chaos. The rest of us were so into the game that when midnight arrived we all stood (like we were watching the Queen's speech) stared at the fireworks on the TV then swiftly resumed the game! Happy 2012!
The forecast for Australia Day this year was like every other day in January. Rain. We'd hoped to be able to set up the gazebo on the grass at Coogee again but with dark clouds on the horizon we agreed to meet at the Palace hotel instead. With Katie, Dan and Hugo, AJ, Philippa and Jack, Peter and Denise and Nick and Beth it was soon pretty crazy with all the kids climbing on and off the tables, but eventually the sun came out and I took Emily up to the playground so she could climb without being told off by security guards. Then the rain came back and we dashed for cover at the Palace where Nick and Beth were happily settling in for a session. Finally just as we were thinking of heading home the sun came out - perfect for a late afternoon dip.
With the imminent arrival of Baby Sharratt it was time for a little get together for Gill. The weather was perfect for an afternoon at Tamarama park, and everyone brought a plate of delicious treats to tuck into. We played a few games: cut a piece of string that will fit around Gill's belly exactly, draw a baby on a paper plate; and change a doll's nappy. Blindfolded. I managed to find a 'scientific' quiz to determine the baby's sex. It confirmed the old wive's tales quiz that Gill was having a boy. Just goes to show it's all nonsense, as Libby Maria Sharratt was born 3 weeks later. Congratulations Gill and Matty!
There are definite advantages in having a birthday in early April. With the big day on the Thursday before Easter, Emily's birthday weekend lasted 4 days! She woke on Thursday morning to find a large, bicycle shaped present in the living room, so we were out on the street in our pyjamas for a test drive. The day was spent at the Easter show at Moore Park, where we met up with Emily's friend Eva and her mum. Katie and Hugo, AJ, Philippa and Jack and Gill and Libby came too. We got both Emily and Zoe a pass for the rides so they could jump on and off as many as they liked. The bouncy castles and giant slide were huge hits, while the grown-ups got to go along to look after the littlies. Tough job, but someone had to do it.
We'd planned a party at Bronte for Good Friday, and the weather was perfect: clear blue skies and hot sunshine. George set out early to bag a picnic shelter near the playground and we were very glad he did - it soon became very busy in the park. We'd invited lots of our friends, and some of Emily's friends from daycare, expecting lots of people to be away for Easter but almost everyone we invited came - it was quite a crowd! We had an Easter Egg hunt amongst the trees, and the kids spent ages playing together in the playground. Once the party was over we hung around in the park, having a swim in the enormous surf and chilling out on the grass. A really special day and Emily was so excited all her very best friends came to celebrate with her.
Saturday was the first Swans home game of the season at the SCG and was another stunning sunny day. In fact it was almost too sunny, the glare making it quite hard to watch the players on the field! The swans beat Freemantle convincingly, a fantastic start to the season. On Easter Sunday we had a quiet day catching up at home whilst the girls demolished the eggs the Easter Bunny had hidden in the garden.
Easter Monday was another corker - bright blue skies. It's hard to remember an Easter when it hasn't rained constantly so this weekend was a rare treat. We headed to Neilson park and settled on the Western end of the beach where the rocky headland shielded us from the wind. The girls played happily in the sand and rock pools and George and I got to lie in the hot sun and swim in the still warm water. The perfect end to a great weekend.
We don't need much persuading to spend a week in Fiji, and Dan's forthcoming 40th birthday was the perfect excuse. Katie had hustled together a good crowd to help Dan celebrate: Nick and Beth; AJ, Philippa and Jack; Amanda, Paul and Joshua; Family Burrows and of course Katie, Dan and Hugo. Everyone had their own itinerary, but apart from Amanda and Paul who were spending the whole week on Mana Island, we were all having a few days chilling at the Radisson on the Mainland before the celebrations really kicked off at Mana Island.
We were on the same flight out as AJ, Philippa and Jack and despite the four of us being squeezed into three seats it went pretty well. It was only once we'd landed and packed into a minibus that the trouble began. An exhausted Zoe who hadn't slept all day refused to sit still, and it was all George could do to stop her climbing out of the window. Thankfully it was a short drive to Denarau and we didn't have to put up with the screams for too long. Nick and Beth were in the hotel lobby to greet us, just a little wobbly for having gone straight from the pub to the airport for their 6am flight. They joined us all for dinner at Blu restaurant in the resort, then it was back to our apartment to crack open the duty free gin.
It was so easy coming back to the Radisson. We knew how everything worked and it took no time at all to settle in. We made sure we booked a 9am babysitter for the girls for the first day, and happily packed them off to the kids club, only to find they had changed the start time to 11am. Oh well, the sun loungers by the adults only pool were calling us and the babysitter could entertain them for 2 hours. We tried not to feel guilty as we snoozed in the warm sun. We collect the girls at 1pm and meet up with Katie, Dan and Hugo at the main pool. AJ and Philippa and Jack join us later that afternoon and eventually Nick and Beth emerged from their room to take up their seats at the swim-up bar. This year Emily was brave enough to go down the water slide, not only by herself but on her knees, on her stomach, face first... That night Katie is feeling unwell but the rest of us are up for a return to Cardo's restaurant in Port Denarau, home of the infamous Vonu tower. Last year Nick and Beth helped us demolish 4 of these 3L beer towers, and it was a messy night. This year we ordered two towers to the table, just to start. Nick and Beth had only crawled out of the pool at 7.30pm after a large session at the swim-up bar. They kept falling asleep at the table. Beth was particularly amusing as every time she nodded off she's slouch forward then snap awake groaning in pain. She'd slipped in the shower and fallen sideways onto the edge of the bath, but the alcohol seemed to have numbed the pain for now. With food ordered we started the Vonu Tower Challenge: put your head under the tap and see how much beer you can drink. This quickly evolved into playing the Wizard drinking game, only instead of the wizard we would explain that 'this is the Vonu Tower'. The food was delicious - a sizzling steak washed down with plenty more Vonu. We'd demolished 5 towers between us when George took it up a notch by suggesting we should take turns to lie on the floor beneath the Vonu Tower tap and see how much you could drink. So we did. It was christened the 'Vonu Long Drop' and we were soon making quite a spectacle of ourselves. Even Beth with her sore ribs was lowered down for a turn. Some local guys from the next table joined the fun and each bought us another two towers. It was an hilarious night. Finally at midnight they refused to sell us any more towers so we started heading home only to find Nick and Beth had got their second wind and were staying for a few more. Turns out Beth had actually broken two ribs that night. Legendary behaviour.
The next day is our last at Radisson. We decide to keep Zoe with us and drop Emily at kids club at 11am. We had the best located apartment in the resort - on the ground floor directly across from the main pool. Zoe sleeps in our room while we doze on sun loungers just outside. We feel surprisingly ok and I even go for a beach run along the whole length of Denarau beach. We have a lovely afternoon with the girls in the pool spending hours going up and down the water slide. That night Nick and Beth join us for a trip into Nadi to an Indian restaurant recommended by a random guest who got chatting to Katie a few days ago. It was a good tip. Fantastic curries and amazing service - no sign of Fiji time here! Luckily they didn't have the Vonu tower but they did have Vonu on tap and the waiter swooped on our empty glasses and refilled them in seconds. Everyone took the utmost care to ensure we didn't step outside the gated grounds of the restaurant and the Denarau taxi driver insisted he had to pick us up. The streets of Nadi didn't look that mean, but we were happy to comply.
Our boat to Mana Island didn't leave until noon so there was plenty of time for a last swim in the pool. We had a minor panic when the transfer bus to the port departed without George and Beth on board - after 45 minutes at the checkout desk the receptionist was still unable to split the bill from our adjoining rooms. Thankfully they arrived in a cab just a few minutes after the bus. We are welcomed onto the pier at Mana with shell necklaces and a ukelele band, then marched through the resort to the bar and made to wait for a hour while we filled out pointless forms and our daughters threw glasses of sticky cordial all over the floor. Then Nick and Beth were pulled aside. Oh yes, it wasn't bad enough that they got to lie-in everyday and spend all afternoon at the pool bar - to really rub it in the couple who had got the best deal for the accommodation on the island got an upgrade to the honeymoon bure. With their own golf buggy. Bastards. Eventually we had the keys to our garden bure. It was the real Fiji deal - thatched roof and an awesome outdoor shower - but all four of us were sleeping in the same small room. Finally we get to the pool, and meet up with Amanda, Paul and Josh. Just in time for a gale to have blown in. By the time we've got a beer from the bar it's raining. Just like Dan, Mana Island Resort was celebrating it's 40th birthday this year, and just like Dan it's age was showing. The drizzle just accentuated the crumbling concrete and peeling paint. Thankfully the storm blew over quickly and the sun came out for a fantastic sunset. Amanda and Paul warned us that the food at the resort was pretty ordinary so we joined them, Nick and Beth and Katie and Dan at the backpacker bar. It was all quite happy clappy when we arrived and before I could sit down I had to introduce myself to the crowd in true Blind Date style: 'My name's Fay and I come from Australia!' The food was cheap and tasty - the Fijian fish was freshly caught on the reef. AJ and Philippa join us later and we discover they sell jugs of Gin and Tonic. Awesome.
Emily couldn't wait to get signed up for the Mana kids club, and we booked Zoe in at the babysitting room with Hugo, Jack and Joshua for 2 hours each morning. We'd discovered a much nicer pool with a view across the beach and spent our time there reading books and sunbathing. We returned to the backpackers for lunch, then headed to the South Beach for the afternoon.It was sunny and calm on this side of the island, and by just standing ankle deep in the water you could see hundreds of fish, starfish and a live conch shell. We grabbed some snorkel gear and swam out just a few more metres to find amazing coral bombies with trigger fish, clownfish, a couple of puffer fish, Moorish Idols and hundreds of other reef fish. It was quite amazing how close to shore it was. Things got even better when a chap arrived to open the sunset bar. We had a lovely few hours playing in the shallows supping cocktails and watching the sunset. That night was Dan's birthday bash. Katie had done a great job organising games: all we had to do was turn up in fancy dress. The murder game, an old favourite from Yulefest, was resurrected, but with a tropical twist. Amanda was the first to expire, done in by a considerable quantity of sand in a dark or shady place. Her murder was all the more gruesome for the sand having been stored in George's pants. We had a table reserved in the main buffet and Katie started the night with a quiz about 1972, the year Dan was born. As most of us weren't even alive then, we did surprisingly well. Nick was the eventual winner after defeating me in a tie-breaker. Next was a rather violent game of hunt the small piece of drinking straw in a bucket of plastic creepy-crawlies. The bucket was tipped over in seconds with everyone scrabbling around on the floor and elbowing each other out of the way. The final game was to make an origami boat and decorate it in tropical style. There were a few good efforts, and Amanda's tropical effort won. Time to move on to the backpacker bar. We find a pack of cards and set up the infamous ring of fire drinking game. It takes forever as it's several part packs put together and the drinking chains soon became ridiculous. Time for the introduction of another old favourite - the Pamplemoose game. George introduces it as his final Ring of Fire rule, and I waste no time calling it, vaulting over the side of the bar and dropping down to the beach to run into the waves. Swimming in your clothes is always more fun in fancy dress.
We battle through the next morning until it's time to drop the girls at kids club and childcare. Then we snooze on sun loungers for a couple of hours. Emily had made a friend at kids club and the two of them spent hours in the pool in the afternoon jumping in and swimming together. With Zoe happily floating in her armbands we were free to sit back and watch from the loungers. That night we book at table at the 'popular upmarket restaurant' South Beach. We'd hoped for a romantic dinner for two but when we arrived we realised it was just a big barn with long tables filled with overtired kids. We got a drink at the bar and waited for AJ and Philippa to arrive, and asked them to join us. Good company and a couple of bottles of wine would save the day. The kokoda starter was ok, but my steak, served with a side of two potato wedges, was practically inedible. Wish I'd gone for the pizza like George and Flips. After dinner we make our way to the backpacker bar and are greeted by the rest of the crew who excitedly inform us that they have become guests at a Russian wedding. It's kicking off with Mike the Fijian guitarist taking requests and the newlyweds falling across the floor clutching bottles of vodka. It's such a happy atmosphere we can't help but join in and when George calls his Pamplemoose the happy couple join us in their clothes in the ocean. Another soggy stagger home at the end of a great night.
Our final day is spent on the North beach. We take the snorkels out across the reef and are staggered by the numbers and variety of fish. There's also patches of brilliant blue coral. I'm eyed off by a large sturgeon fish, chase puffer fish and swim above an enormous eagle ray. I go out by myself that afternoon and swim through a school of cuttlefish. Having such an incredible reef just splashing distance from the beach really made it worth coming out to the island. It's a lovely afternoon with the girls on the beach and in the pool and we're treated to a wonderful sunset. Nick and Beth had invited us all to the honeymoon bure for pizza that night, but with our very boat leaving at 6.30am only George and I are game. It's a pretty quiet night, although we do manage to finish up the duty free gin. No doubt we'll find an excuse to return again next year.
It's been 3 years since our last trip up over, and we were very excited about taking Zoe to see the mother country. My excitement was slightly tempered however by the thought of a 24 hour flight with two bored girls squeezed into one seat. We were saving hundreds of dollars by flying back just before Zoe turned two, but it meant we would miss the London Olympics. And Zoe would be sitting on our lap the whole way. Eek.
The first leg to Hong Kong went surprisingly well. We were given bulkhead seats, and despite Zoe being blatantly too big for the baby bassinet we managed to persuade the flight attendant to let us have one. Zoe loved her 'cot' so much she was happy to sit and play in it even when she was awake, and curled herself into a ball to fall asleep when she got tired. Result. Even when the seat belt signs were lit a hour out from Hong Kong due to a cyclone off the coast of China Zoe happily snoozed in my lap. A couple of hours for the girls to run around at Hong Kong airport then onto the next flight. No bassinet for us this time, but Zoe slept across my lap for a good 10 hours. As I couldn't move, I got a good sleep too. Emily eventually put down the iPad and passed out, but we were probably all awake by 3am UK time. It was going to be a long day.
We took a cab from Heathrow to Pimlico where we were staying the first night in Alistair's family flat. The Sinclairs were there to meet us, and in no time the four cousins were thick as thieves. Alistair and Lynn made us breakfast, then took Charlotte and Isabel back to Oxfordshire, leaving us to explore London. The early morning rain had cleared to a beautiful blue sky, so we decided to walk down to Buckingham Palace and watch the changing of the guards. Zoe fell asleep on the way back to the flat so we stopped at the Jugged Hare on Vauxhall Bridge Road for a pub lunch and pint of cider in the sun. The plan was to return to the flat so Emily could also get some sleep, but it was George who crashed out whilst Emily bounced off the walls. Finally at 4pm we took our last chance to show Emily the sights of London and set out towards Westminster. Emily was dragging her heels a bit, and as we approached the Houses of Parliament she was getting bumped around by the hoards of tourists. Eventually she began to cry, and as soon as I picked her up she passed out on my shoulder. With Emily asleep there really was no point in sightseeing - we've seen it all before and Zoe was still to little to remember being there. We slowly made our way to St James Park and chilled out on the grass for a bit before heading back to the flat. We'd hoped to watch Murray's Wimbledon match on the TV that night, but we were tucked up in bed by 8pm.
Getting around London on foot with only one pushchair was proving quite hard, so George set off to the car hire company early Sunday morning to see if we could pick up our car a bit earlier. We couldn't, so we ended up meeting George at Buckingham Palace then getting a cab to the Princess of Wales Memorial Playground in Hyde Park. Or at least that was where we'd asked to go to, but we were dropped a good 25 minutes walk away. We'd been at the playground for half an hour when it started to rain. At least it was time to pick up the car. We'd scored an upgrade to the ultimate family car - a VW Passat estate. Plenty of room for the pushchair. The drive to Ipswich took us through East London and past the Olympic Park, and the Passat was great to drive. As always we enjoyed driving in England again, despite the traffic. We arrived at Penny and Greg's by mid afternoon, and Emily and Zoe and Abi and Jake quickly bonded on the trampoline leaving us adults free to enjoy Pimms in the sunshine. Once all the kids were in bed we caught up with Penny and Greg, and with British television, over a couple of bottles of wine.
Abi and Jake had school in the morning so we headed into Ipswich to do some shopping. Our Aussie dollars were going a long way compared to our previous trips back, and I may have got a bit carried away in Boots. The shop assistant was positively horrified that we wouldn't be claiming our $3 on an Advantage Card. There were sales everywhere and we could have spent all day in our favourite stores - but we had a long drive to Oxfordshire to face. Emily couldn't remember being at Stonefold before, but she was so excited to see Granny and Grampy again. She had their attention all to herself for a couple of hours while Zoe slept in the car. That night Lynn brought Charlotte and Isabel over for dinner, and much hilarity ensued as the cousins hit it off like a house on fire.
On Tuesday Zoe got to meet more family, with my Gran, Aunt Daph and Auntie She and her partner Bernie coming for lunch at Stonefold. We're stuck inside again, as the rain continues relentlessly. That night we head over to Chipping Norton to stay the night with the Sinclairs. There is more cousin chaos as we try to get the girls fed, bathed and into bed. Emily and Charlotte share a room and we listen to their chat on the monitor for several hours after bedtime! Julieanne and Alice came over for dinner, a delicious fish pie cooked by Alistair.
Poor Lynn was suffering with a nasty chest infection, so the last thing she needed was four overexcited small children running around her house at 6am. The rain hadn't let up so the girls amused themselves with DVDs and jigsaws until finally being let loose on a very damp trampoline. At lunchtime we headed up to Abbey Farm to visit Granny, and with a bit of sunshine finally peaking through the clouds the girls had a lovely time playing on the swings in the orchard. Clairey and Gareth arrived, straight from the airport after their 3 month trip around South America. There were plenty of presents to open, then a lovely afternoon tea in Granny's front room.
Thursday morning the rain cleared early, and with such gorgeous sunshine, we decided to tackle a Geocache in Witney with Dad. I'd discovered an intriguing looking cache using an old fashioned treasure map, but after a good hour searching in a boggy field we had to give up and head home. That evening we drove over to Chalbury for dinner with Sue, John and the Harveys who were staying at a campsite there for the Christening weekend. Dylan, Molly, Emily and Zoe took no time reacquainting themselves with each other, and spent a happy few hours chasing Buster, Sue's new dog, around the playground.
The plan for Friday was a trip to the Cotswold Wildlife Park, which we visited often as children. It was bucketing down with rain, but it didn't put off the Harveys, Sue and John, Clairey and Gareth, the Sinclairs and Mum and Dad from joining us for the mudfest. We started off with a trip on the train, only to discover that there was no getting off at the far side of the park - it was a one-way trip back to the station. Still the children were ridiculously excited, and we got to see rhinos and zebras grazing the sodden grass. Most of our time was spent fending off crowds of school children in the reptile and monkey houses - the only escape from the rain. I'd promised Emily there would be lions, so we trekked off past the rhinos to the lion enclosure. By now the grandparents had seen enough and left us to it. Thankfully the lions performed on cue, stalking through the long grass and coming up close to the glass. Everyone was drenched and exhausted by the time we got back to the car. Longing for a cosy pub, the Harveys and Clairey and G followed us to Alvescot where we were treated to a few pints of cider and a roast lunch in the warm and dry. It was a lovely couple of hours catching up with all the travelling tales from Fiona and Jason and Clairey and Gareth, while the cousins tried to break into the quiz machine.
With the whole Betteridge family back in Oxfordshire Dad was finally able to have his 70th birthday celebrations, all be it 4 months late. With all of George's family and many old friends of ours also in town for the christening it was the perfect excuse for a big get together. And a bouncy castle. The village hall at Churchill was a great location, with a big field and playground next door for the kids to run around in. The bouncy castle was THE place to hang out, even when it started drizzling. It was a lovely afternoon and an opportunity to catch up with old friends and meet their latest offspring. Once it got late, we sent Emily and Zoe home with Mum and Dad and moved onto the Chequers pub for a couple of pints of cider before closing.
Sunday morning we awoke to - you guessed it - more rain. Zoe's christening was to be held at the Church in Swinbrook where we got married 6 years earlier, and although we didn't get a thunderstorm this time, the wet weather was very reminiscent of our wedding day. And Emily's christening. I guess by now everyone knows to bring an umbrella to a Burrows family occasion. Cedric Reavley, who conducted our marriage service, very kindly agreed to officiate at the christening, and started the service by choosing the first hymn from our wedding. He even produced the order of service from 6 years ago! Zoe was a little bemused by the whole occasion, but was very good, sitting on the edge of the font and not making any fuss when the vicar poured water over her head. Back at Stonefold the sun made an appearance for just long enough for us to enjoy tea and cakes in the garden, followed by the obligatory photo session. The rain began again just as the last guests were leaving, and The Harveys, Sue and John and the Sinclairs stayed to watch Murray narrowly lose the Wimbledon final. The perfect way to end a very special day.
As much as we love our gorgeous girls, we were terribly excited about abandoning them for 3 days of much needed 'us' time in Italy. The plan was for Mum and Dad to drive the girls down to Cornwall for 3 days at the Sinclair's holiday cottage in Lerryn, while we jet off to the Med. There were so many places on our wish list, but in the end we settled on the Amalfi Coast simply because we could get direct flights on a Monday from Bristol to Naples. It was a fantastic choice. The layers of stress melted away even as we began the drive to the airport. And the no-frills, no-legroom charter flight was simply divine. Funny what becomes pleasurable without children.
We arrive to 32' heat in Naples, more than welcome after a week of English rain. We pick up our little Fiat Panda hire car, relived to see it already has plenty of scrapes and bumps. We're like little kids - so excited to be off on our own adventure. As soon as we join the autostrada we can see Vesuvius towering over the city. I'm supposed to be navigating, but get distracted trying to get a photo of the huge volcano. I fail to notice that our lane is turning off the motorway until it's too late. We are immediately in a very industrial area of Naples, probably one that not many tourists venture into. Unless they are looking for ladies of ill-repute. We lock the doors and make the first u-turn we can. Thankfully we negotiate our way through crazy rush hour traffic back onto the autostrada. Once we hit the coast the views are breathtaking. It's a delightful drive, and we arrive in Positano just as the sun sets. The whole town is set on a steep cliff, with a one way street winding down through the town centre. We somehow miss our hotel on our first drive by, and have to come back around the top road to try again. Half an hour later we are shown to our suite in the Villa Rosa. It's perfect. And Huge. And has a spa bath. And a terrace with the most amazing view across the Mediterranean. We sit on the terrace with a couple of beers watching the boats below and congratulating ourselves on finding such a perfect location. It wasn't going to be hard to relax here. We make it for a late dinner up the road at Cafe Bruno: A plate of seafood antipasto followed by linguini marinara. We fall into bed for a long and uninterrupted night's sleep.
The next morning we're woken by breakfast being delivered to our sun drenched terrace. We were in no hurry to leave, but eventually we dragged ourselves down the narrow alleyways to the beach. We were surprised to find very, very hot black pebbles instead of sand, so swimming involved walking in thongs to the edge of the water then running fast into the water. It wasn't hard, the water was as warm as a bath. We lie on our towels on the pebbles but it's stinky hot - and approaching lunch time. We pick a restaurant right on the beachfront, and take our time over salad and pizza. The rest of the afternoon is spent on a sunlounger, reading and snoozing. Utter bliss. At 6pm, when we'd usually be deep into the dinner/bath/bed grind, we wander into a beachside bar and order a beer. That night we eat at Caffe Positano, and land ourselves the best seats in the house on the edge of a terrace cut into the cliff. The food is fantastic, with the mussels brought to us on a mussel shaped platter. It's all washed down with a couple of bottles of chianti.
Wednesday is our last beach day, and we make the most of it, spending all day on a sunlounger leaving only to demolish a couple of pizzas for lunch. Late afternoon we finally decide to go exploring and follow the path along the cliff to pretty Fornillo beach, just west of the main beachfront. We're pretty hot after our walk, so we grab a beer from the bar and sit in the sea to drink it. Eventually we drag ourselves back up the hill to our hotel for a relax in the spa bath. A really hard day. We take a wander along the main street looking for somewhere different to eat, and end up at Il Capitano. The terrace overlooking the sea is packed, so we wait at the bar. It was worth it, we get another great table right at the edge overlooking the sea. We order more pasta and seafood, and plenty of wine.
Thursday morning we are up in good time to pack up and drive to Pompeii. I've been dreaming of visiting the site since studying Latin in my 3rd year at secondary school, and it didn't disappoint. The archeological area is vast, but backs onto the current, living breathing town of Pompei. It was amazing to be wandering, completely immersed in these 2000 year old ruins, so perfectly preserved, only to turn a corner and find a busy town street with mopeds and shops and buses. We chose to wander around by ourselves, and managed to navigate to most of the famous sites. I was particularly fascinated by the casts made of the holes left by bodies in the lava. We took a lengthy detour to see the famous 'garden of the fugitives' where casts of a whole family were on display. When we got there there the area was fenced off. Seeing as no-one else was around, we vaulted over the wall and had a closer look. The casts were made in the mid 1800's when Pompeii was first rediscovered, and the detail of clothing, fingerprints and agonising expressions are extraordinary. We spend several hours following in the footsteps of the Romans, and only see maybe a quarter of the site. Our feet are aching by late afternoon when it's time to leave to drive back to Naples and catch our flight. We arrive in Bristol at midnight, and drive straight down to George's Mum's in Canworthy Water to sleep before meeting up with the girls in Lerryn the next morning. An unforgettable few days.
After enjoying our last lie-in together for quite some time,we headed straight down to Lerryn for an emotional reunion with our girls. They'd had a wonderful time at the 'pink house' with the Sinclairs and Granny and Grampy. We spend a lovely day hanging out at the cottage, then head out to the river to feed the ducks and get ice-creams from the village shop. Once the girls are finally asleep the grown-ups sit outside with several bottles of wine. It's a lovely evening, although it's cold enough for us to need a fire in the wood-burner.
Next morning we drive back to Canworthy Water for a few days with Granny Sue and John. It's a delightfully calm few days, and there are enough breaks in the rain for a trip to the otter farm and the beach at Widemouth. With the forecast on Monday for continual rain, we plan a trip to Trethorne Leisure Farm, and the Sinclairs join us for one last crazy cousin get together. It was a suprisingly hilarious day out. First we pet the cows, pigs, sheep, goat and ponies in the farm, and the girls have horse rides around the yard. Then we head into the indoor play area. The kids and grown-ups both enjoy the free-fall slide (I found it terrifying - Emily absolutely loved it!) and the enormous ball pool. Then we find the Jolly Roger's Ball Blast Arena and the big kids (George and Alistair) get a bit carried away firing small foam balls at each other. A perfect way to spend a washed out day.
On Tuesday we wave goodbye to Granny Sue and John and drive back up the M5 to Ewan and Olivia's country manor near Cirencester. Last time we came to stay with the Wilcocks their son Jack was 2 and Emily was 15 months. They spent hours chasing each other around the kitchen on trikes and baby walkers. This time Jack and Emily were a little more reserved with each other, although Zoe and little George bonded over an etch-a-sketch. We headed out to the local pub for a few pints and a lovely pub dinner. Back at the house we catch up over a few glasses of wine.
Our next stop is just up the road in Minchinhampton, where Alex and Annie have set up home after returning from Australia last year. We have a few hours to kill before Cooper is home from school so we have a walk on Minchinhampton Common. I used to come here many years ago to visit a family friend and it brought back lots of memories. We have a lovely afternoon with Annie, Cooper and Zach. The sun finally came out so we walk around the village with Cooper proudly showing off his new school. We hang out in the playground for a while, an idyllic spot with the grounds backing directly onto the common. As their new home was quite small, we drove over to Annie's parent's house to spend the night at Nailsworth Vicarage and were joined by Alex when he got home from work. Annie's folks leave us to it, and after the usual bedtime shenanigans from the kids we order Indian and sit around the kitchen table putting the world to rights. The next morning Annie and I go for a run then we borrow wellington boots and take a lovely but very muddy walk through the fields and woods backing onto the vicarage. Lunch at a lovely pub in the middle of Minchinhampton Common is a perfect end to a lovely couple of days with great friends.
Our last night is spent back at Stonefold with Mum and Dad. Typically, despite sleeping really well all trip, both girls are up several times in the night. With everything packed up we drive to London and a final pit-stop in Wimbledon to see Phil and Sophia and meet their gorgeous new baby Henrick. We have a lovely lunch in their beautiful renovated house, then Phil takes Emily to the toy shop to buy presents. All too soon it's time to make our way to Heathrow. There's a complicated plan to drop off the car seats at the Sinclair's flat in Pimlico, then I take the girls on the underground while George drives the hire car to Heathrow with the baggage. Without any phone contact I start to panic as the minutes tick by and George still hasn't arrived at the terminal. Finally he appears, 2 minutes before check-in closes. The hire company had taken forever to complete the paperwork over a cracked windscreen. At least it meant there was no time to kill in the departure lounge!
Having only arrived back in Australia the week before Zoe's birthday was a fairly low key affair. Her actual birthday fell on Thursday, and Gill, Katie and Phillipa brought Libby, Jack and Hugo to the park for a morning at the playground. Her birthday party was that Saturday and we had a sausage sizzle in the back garden. Emily and Zoe both had a whale of a time playing with a house-full of small people, and Zoe relished being centre of attention for a change!
After the success of our Yulefest-like celebrations in the Blue Mountains last year everyone was keen to book in again this year. Same house, same crowd (although no Katie, Dan and Hugo this year) and same insistence that this was NOT Yulefest.Once everyone arrived on the Friday night and the kids had been put to bed, we tucked into an enormous and very tasty chilli cooked by AJ and Flips. The rest of the night was spent catching up with Nick and Beth and Ref and Paul over a few beers.
The festivities began on Saturday afternoon with a Yulefest Amazing Race rematch, this time organised by AJ and Philippa. All three couples were to leave the house at the same time and there was some very silly driving going on as we raced to Echo Point to search for the first clue. Nick and Beth immediately disadvantaged themselves by parking in an official parking spot and even buying a ticket, while we screeched into a disabled spot metres from the lookout. Next stop - a pub. We were first in but had to politely wait while the barman served a large group before we could whisper him the codeword. He then preceded to pour me a schooner of beer and a shot of tequila. Bleugh. Back across the railway we had to search a pub toilet for the final clue, then down a Guinness while wearing silly glasses. Nick and Beth had caught us up by then, and Ref raced in just as we were leaving. We were confident in returning first to the house and claim our crown. Then we hit a ridiculous traffic jam and took 20 minutes to get back across Katoomba. By the time we got through the door Nick and Beth were already celebrating their victory and Ref and Paul had also finished the final task of hitting 3 golf balls in a bucket and downing a shot of schnapps then spinning on a broomstick then running around a course in the garden. Still it was a very funny race, and much more alcoholic than the one we organised last year! Time for mince pies and mulled wine then everyone got down to cooking the roast dinner. It was an outstanding meal again, and we were all completely stuffed as we collapsed on the sofas for the traditional Secret Santa and obnoxious poems. A small misunderstanding resulted in me getting two presents - including a very interesting cook book from Philippa. Can't wait to have them over for dinner...
We hadn't done very well at getting to the SCG to cheer on the Swans this year but they managed a cracking season without us, finishing third on the ladder. We made sure we got to the preliminary final at ANZ stadium to watch them take on the mighty Collingwood. The Swans hadn't beaten the Pies in 10 match ups, but somehow they produced an incredible win to book a place in the Grand Final against the Hawks. With the kids it was too hard to make the trip to Melbourne this time, but we booked a babysitter to look after the kids at home while we watched the game at the North Bondi RSL. It was an epic final. The lead changed hands many times, with the Hawks getting ahead in the first quarter then remaining goalless in the second quarter when the Swans roared ahead. It was all level heading into the final quarter, setting up a nail-biting final term. The Hawks lead for much of the quarter, but a couple of quick goals put the Swans just in front. The Hawks then missed a couple of easy shots, but a final Swans goal put them 10 points clear as the final siren sounded. The whole place erupted. Back at the house we celebrated with plenty of beer while watching the replay on TV. Go Swannies!
The way we view the annual Sculptures By the Sea exhibition has changed over the years. We no longer even attempt to see all 110 sculptures in one go but accept the limitations of two small children and take it in bite-sized chunks. AJ, Philippa and Jack joined us at Mark's Park on a Sunday afternoon and we took our time wandering around the exhibits without having to battle the crowds on the narrow cliff top pathways. Katie and Hugo and Philippa and Jack joined us a Tamarama Beach the following Thursday where we checked out the sculptures on the beach, including a fantastic foam dumper truck that was collapsing under the weight of sand inside it's bucket.
Christmas planning came skidding to a halt in early December with the news that my amazing gran had passed away at the age of 95. After much soul searching I decided to make the trip home, leaving George in charge of the girls for a week. The funeral was very sad but a wonderful send off for such an incredible lady. It was very odd to be in England without a husband and two little people but I made the most of the opportunity to spend some quality time with family and old friends.
Back in Sydney we were enjoying some wonderful early summer weather so hopes were high for a scorcher on Christmas Day. Not this year. The rain started at 9am and didn't let up until Boxing Day. We'd hopefully put up a gazebo at Bronte Beach early in the morning but by lunchtime we had to move to plan B: Christmas at Katie and Dan's house in Eastlakes. With no family here for the first time in 3 years the day started quietly. Or as quietly as it can be when two excited girls crash into your bedroom at 6am with bulging stockings. Once we'd opened all the presents and George had finished cooking the turkey we made our way to Katie and Dan's in time for a slap up lunch: turkey, ham, salads and plenty of sparkling wine. Being forced to stay inside made it feel very much like an English Christmas, minus the roaring fire. Once the kids were in bed we settled down to a relaxing game of Cranium. Gill decided it would be too boring for the couples to team up and suggested we split up. The plan backfired on Gill as she and Katie failed to move from the second spot on the board. There were many accusations of cheating, especially directed at Katie's Mum and me, just because we got a few questions correct. Eventually Liz and I were victorious, mainly because everyone else was so over the game they gave us an easy question to finish up. George later confessed that he and Roger, Katie's Dad, had cheated at every opportunity – and they still lost.
It's been almost 6 years since our last Aussie road trip, but with the the girls now pretty good in the car it was time to finally see the Great Ocean Road for ourselves. We flew into Avalon airport on Boxing Day afternoon and picked up our hire car - we'd scored an upgrade to a Mitsubishi SUV with heaps of room for all our gear. After all the rain on Christmas Day we were delighted to see warm sunshine and as soon as we reached the coast at Fisherman's Beach at Torquay we quickly changed into our swimmers and dived into the warm ocean. After an ice-cream at the cafe we climbed back in the car and joined the start of the Great Ocean Road. We have a quick stop at the lookout above Bell's Beach, a world-famous surf spot but the water is pretty flat so we drive straight onto Lorne, a pretty tourist town right on the coast. We had booked a lovely one-bed apartment at the Mantra - one night of luxury before two nights camping with Clairey and G. They drove up from the campsite to meet us in Lorne and we had a delicious but crazy dinner with two over-tired girls at Mexican Republic. Back at the apartment we catch up with Clairey and G over a couple of bottles of red before they return to their tent for the night.
Thursday morning George takes the girls to the swimming pool while I pack up. Clairey and G join us at the beach for a swim and to give the girls their Christmas presents: beach shoes and a big bag of beach toys, perfect for our coastal road trip. After a quick lunch of chicken and salad on the grass we head out to Erskine Falls. It's a bit of a walk down to the bottom, but I encourage Emily by telling her there were fairies behind the base of the falls. She then procedes to climb across the rocks looking for them... and falls in. It's even harder getting the girls back up the steps, and it obviously wore them out as they both crash out on the next leg of the Great Ocean Road to Apollo Bay. We stop to stock up on food and grog then follow Clairey and G up an unsealed road to the Aire River Campsite in Otway National Park. Claire and her friends had been at the camp for over a week, spending Christmas day there. The set up was amazing: the campsite was very busy but they'd blocked off a big area with a central yurt chill out room, a gazebo over the kitchen area and a second gazebo dining area. And of course tents for everyone, even a little one for the Emily and Zoe. We were introduced to Claire's friends, Matty and Bec and Kerry and Andy who cooked up an amazing feast of chicken, steak and blue cheese mushrooms on the campfire accompanied by several salads. Next door were a couple with a girl called Maisie who was a similar age to Emily and they became instant friends. After dinner and toasted marshmallows we were were treated to an incredible hoola hoop light show, fireworks and sparklers. Clairey has become rather good at hoola hooping, and tried to teach the girls who made up for their lack of skill with plenty of enthusiasm. Emily and Zoe were finally in bed around 10pm, and we were up much much later drinking beer and wine around the campfire.
It was not a good night's sleep. Rain, late night parties, hoons in utes, an inability to get warm, a crying Zoe, a sweating, sickly husband and a very early dawn chorus all conspired to ensure I barely slept a wink. A tired Emily and Zoe were awake at 6.30am, only a couple of hours after our childless hosts hit the sack. The campsite was deserted, and it was freezing cold and drizzling. I manage to find food for the girls' breakfast then occupy myself washing up last night's dinner. In the rain. Three hours later a peaky looking George emerges, but there is still no sign of our hosts. With Zoe losing the plot we throw the girls into the car and turn the heating up high to warm our bones. We head back to Apollo bay and Zoe is asleep almost immediately. We manage to find a parking space outside a cafe and leave her in the car while we demolish eggs and bacon at an outdoor table. Finally the sun comes out, but George is still feeling too cold to leave the car so I take the girls for a short walk through the dunes to find a geocache. We need a plan, so I suggest having a look around the Cape Otway lightstation. The lighthouse was ok, but it was the drive there that really lifted the day. The trees on either side of the lighthouse road were teeming with koalas. Emily and Zoe were so excited and continued to shout 'Koala' every few seconds for the next kilometre as we continued on our way. Then we spotted one at the side of the road. As we slowed down he ambled onto the asphalt and sat down in the middle of our lane. The car coming in the opposite direction stopped too, and suddenly there was a huge traffic jam as everyone leapt out of their car for a close up. The koala wasn't the least bit bothered by the fuss, eventually wandering off into the undergrowth. Brilliant. At the lightstation we have a walk around the area, then lunch at the cafe before climbing up inside the lighthouse for a bracing view at the top. By the time we arrived back at the campsite Kerry and Andy had already left and Matty and Bec were just leaving. It felt quite empty without all their gear. Maisie and her mum joined Clairey, Emily, Zoe and I for a walk through the campsite, spotting a koala in the trees just across from our tents. Then we walked up to a lookout to see the estuary inlet and beach. Such a shame the weather hadn't been nice enough for a swim. That night Clairey and G cook up a delicious chicken pot roast in a camp oven before another impressive hoola hooping light show and beers around the fire.
Our second night in the tent was marginally better than the first - George slept in with Emily in the little tent and Zoe came in with me. After G cooks us french toast on the bbq we pack up camp and drive out along a sandy dirt track back to the Great Ocean Road. We stop at cafe at Lavers Hill for an early lunch while we wait for Clairey and G to catch us up. Then it's onto the most famous stretch of the Great Ocean Road - the Twelve Apostles. Zoe is asleep so Clairey stays with her while we walk to the lookout. Sadly it's a cloudy, blustery day but the remaining 8 Apostles are stil impressive. Zoe is still snoozing when we reach Loch Ard Gorge - it's G's turn to babysit and Claire comes down to the beach with us for a paddle. There are a couple more stops at London Bridge and The Grotto - a rather picturesque sinkhole. The sun finally comes out for a photo stop at the Bay of Islands, then before we know it we are at the end of the Great Ocean Road and arriving in Warrnambool for our last night with Clairey and G. The executive 3 bed apartment is pure indulgence after the last two nights, and we all take turns in the spa bath before tucking into a Thai take-away, which was delicious despite G forgetting to order any rice.
Before Clairey and G say goodbye and head back to Melbourne they join us for a play at Lake Pertobe Adventure Park in the centre of town. We all had much fun in the maze, flying fox and waterfall. Emily even had an impromptu swim in the boating lake. It was nearly lunchtime by the time we'd wrangled the girls back in the car, so we backtracked to Cheeseworld, on the Melbourne side of town. Clairey had been very disappointed that the place was closed when we drove past the day before, but the disappointment was still to come. The place was a ghastly tourist trap, with only flavoured cheddar available for tasting. Not exactly cheeses of the world! The ploughman's platter that we ate on picnic tables outside however, was unexpectedly good, and absolutely enormous. Bellies full, we waved goodbye to Clairey and G and hit the road. The sun is out again so we take a detour to Cape Bridgewater. There's a beautiful white sand beach with a real holiday vibe and although the wind is a bit chilly the water is lovely and warm – Emily and I catch waves together for ages. From here we follow a scenic and quiet backroad to Nelson then cross the border to South Australia. It instantly feels different – the vegetation is more desert-like and the roads straighter and wider. It's only 20 minutes further on to our hotel for the night – The Barn, just outside Mount Gambier. We'd booked a spa room, and were a little disappointed to discover it looked more like a portacabin. The restaurant on site is a posh steakhouse, and we bravely take the girls along to dinner. They behave impeccably, allowing us to enjoy a couple of fantastic aged steaks along with a few glasses of wine. Back in the room, we finish the bottle of wine in the spa. Monday morning we are on the road by 9.30am. Our first stop in Mount Gambier is the incredible Umpherston sink hole – a gorgeous garden set in a huge hole in the ground. Next we drive around the famous Blue Lake, a crater lake with an unbelievable blue colour. We wander around a nature trail by the Valley Lake, eventually spotting a couple of kangaroos ears in a bush. We circle around only to find a mob of around 20 who bound off up the bank at the sight of us. Quick stop at the playground then a picnic lunch at Cave Gardens in the Town Centre – another bizarre sink hole. With Zoe asleep we drive straight onto our stop for the night: Beachport. It's New Year's Eve and we've booked a room at Bompas, a hotel right on the beachfront. We'll have front row seats on our balcony for the midnight fireworks off the pier. After checking in we take a scenic drive along the dunes to the Pool of Siloam – 7 times saltier than the sea. All of us run along the little jetty and leap into the water, which is bathwater warm in patches and icy cold in others. As we arrive back at the hotel we overhear someone telling the receptionist that the fireworks are cancelled – they hadn't arrived in time! It's all a bit disappointing, and we suddenly feel a bit aimless, wandering along the jetty and hanging out at the playground. We get fish and chips for dinner, and as we are eating them we are approached by a journalist from the local paper looking for soundbites about the cancelled display. We told her that having come all the way from Sydney to see the famous Beachport fireworks, we were 'disappointed', before posing for a photo. We wander up the beach collecting shells and finding a Geocache in the dunes before putting the girls to bed. We sit on our balcony that night anyway, drinking champagne and watching the Beachport youth loitering on the roads below. It's a bit of an anticlimax at midnight, but some lone rockets explode up the beach. Happy New Year! 2013 starts at 6am – with the girls on a sofa bed in our room it's impossible to get back to sleep. Eggs Benedict at the Bompas Cafe and a quick dip at the beach help to sort us out, then we're back on the road. First stop is Kingston, home of the Big Lobster, Larry. Our visit wouldn't be complete without a lobster for lunch at the kitsch cafe. We carry on up the coast, past salt pans alongside the Princes Highway, spotting two emus at the side of the road.,then take a detour on unsealed Coorong Scenic Drive, past more salt pans and stinking lagoons covered in sea birds and pelicans. We stop to wander across the salt, spotting tracks of emu, dingo and kangaroo. Lunch is pies and jam tarts by Lake Albert at Meningie. Our stop for the night is the quaint German town of Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills. We've got a fantastic two story apartment and after a swim at the pool we eat take-away pizzas in bed. Girls are up early again on Wednesday morning, so George takes them for a swim while I pack up the room. We have a delicious breakfast of muesli and crumpets at Udder Delights cafe, then wander around the touristy shops on the main road through town. At Beerenberg Jam Factory we head out into the strawberry patch to pick our own berries, then drive to the Bird in Hand Winery. With Zoe asleep in the car and Emily playing with her new doll outside we are free to taste the full selection of wines. Zoe is awake in time for a stop at Melba's chocolate factory, where there is much tasting to do. Next door is Woodside Cheese Wrights, and after some more tastings we buy a couple of yummy cheeses for dinner. We weren't going to miss the opportunity to see another of South Australia's Big things: the Big Rocking Horse in Gumeracha. It's definitely big, and we climb a narrow ladder inside to reach the seat. The Toy factory next to the rocking horse is another cheesy tourist trap, but we are amused by a talking cockatoo that keeps saying hello. It's a long drive but eventually we reach Adelaide and our apartment on the Esplanade at West Beach. It's been a scorching day, so we have a late afternoon swim at the gorgeous dune-backed beach just across from the apartment. The water is warm and flat as a lake. Once the girls are asleep we have a sunset beer in the garden then cheese and wine for tea. Adelaide is renowned for it's super hot summers, and Thursday lived up to that reputation. It's 39' by mid-morning. With the girls up really early we decide to sightsee from the cool comfort of the air conditioned car, driving into the city centre, and well, out again. We did see some nice churches, but there isn't much going on in Adelaide. We spend the rest of the morning at Glenelg, Adelaide's equivalent to Bondi Beach. There are some awesome waterslides at the Beachouse, and we have a lot of fun throwing ourselves down them. Zoe even went down by herself! On the beach we paddle in the gorgeous warm and calm ocean, watching teenage boys launching themselves off the pier. It's crazy hot – the sand burning your feet as you walk. After Zoe's sleep we are back on West Beach, building sandcastles and collecting squishy jelly stuff from the water's edge. That evening we drive up to trendy Henely, finding an outdoor table at a tapas bar overlooking the beach. The girls devour all the dishes we order, except for the oysters, and we wash it all down with sangria. We follow up with ice creams while we watch the sunset over the beach. A perfect end to a fantastic holiday.
It was a very special start to Australia Day this year, as we were lucky enough to be able to attend Gill's citizenship ceremony at Waverley Council Chambers. It was an amazing ceremony with a real party atmosphere. Emily and Zoe loved waving their flags and cheering each new Australian citizen. The ceremony was followed by VB beer, wine and lamingtons on the balcony.
The weather was perfect for an afternoon at Bronte Beach under the gazebo. We cooked up some sausages on our little portable BBQ and spent hours in the ocean, either with the kids in the Bogey Hole or battling huge surf between the flags. Nick and Beth joined us later in the afternoon, just in time for the SMH Australia Day quiz. A perfect Aussie day.
It seems unbelievable that our tiny baby daughter is old enough to start school. Where have the last 5 years gone? Emily could barely contain her excitement, waking and dressing in her school uniform hours before it was time to leave. It certainly brought a lump to our throats seeing our daughter in her little Aussie school dress and hat. Emily was very brave, not even looking back as she followed her new classmates up the steps to her classroom. The next chapter begins....
After our traumatic couple of days camping on the Great Ocean Road, I seem to remember vowing never to camp again. So it was surprising to find ourselves in an outdoor store purchasing a brand new family tent. Now just needed to persuade another family to come camping with us. We hadn't seen the Dorflings since their move up north to Forster and somehow Amy convinced Marc that one night camping with the Burrows would be fun. Hopefully.
We drove up on Friday night, arriving at Forster by 9pm. The Dorfling girls were already asleep, but our girls, who had only just fallen asleep in the car, were far too excited to get back to sleep. Eventually we were able to pop a bottle of fizz to toast Amy and Marc's lovely new home.
On Saturday morning we went for a walk/cycle along the Forster breakwater, hoping to spot dolphins. Unfortunately they were dredging the beach where they usually frolic, but we did spot a couple in the channel. Next we have an hilarious trip to the supermarket to stock up on supplies. It was lunchtime when we arrived at The Ruins, a campsite in Booti Booti National Park just 20 minutes south of Forster. It was blisteringly hot, so we set up a picnic in the shade for lunch. After much deliberation we found a spot to set up camp. Putting up the tent in direct midday sun was exhausting and we couldn't wait to hit the beach, where we spent the rest of the weekend. Dinner was a delicious BBQ, then time to put the girls to bed. Emily and Zoe went of to sleep quite quickly but Milla and Audrey were a bit harder to settle. There are no fires allowed at the Ruins, so we sit around a lamp drinking beer, looking at the stars and putting the world to rights until late.
We slept pretty well, and once everyone is awake we cook up a breakfast on the BBQ, then chill out on the beach until lunchtime. Once we were all packed up we drove down to Bluey's Beach for a lovely lunch at a cafe before parting ways with the Dorflings and heading back to Sydney. I think we could call it a successful trip - although I'm still not sure we convinced Marc!
After the success of our Forster camping trip, we decided to brave it again. This time we roped in two other families: Katie, Dan and Hugo and JP, Lisa, Maddie and Isabel. Still not quite brave enough to attempt two nights, we left home early on Saturday morning to get to Palm Beach for the 9.30am ferry across the Pittwater to The Basin: a campground in Ku-Ring-Gai National Park in Northern Sydney. We miss the ferry but it doesn't matter - a water taxi takes us and another couple of groups directly across the water. It's a perfect blue sky day and by the time we've pitched the tents were are baking hot - time for a swim. Just as we're getting changed a bell rings out across the campsite - the coffee boat has arrived at the jetty! We join the queue for our cappuccinos and ice-creams. How very Sydney. Behind the grassy camping area is an amazingly secluded bay, perfect for wallowing in the warm water. The kids find starfish and minnows in the shallows. When it gets too hot we retreat to the shade for lunch. The afternoon is spent playing volleyball, more swimming and chilling out on the beach. After a BBQ dinner we build a fire in one of the fire pits and toast marshmallows as it gets dark.
We sleep fairly well, but I am vaguely aware of animals brushing past our tent in the night. When I poke my head out at dawn, a large wallaby is busy scattering our provisions around the campsite. When everyone is up we cook up bacon and eggs on the little portable BBQ then play a bit more volleyball. We're just heading down to the beach when we meet a distraught Maddie coming in the opposite direction. She'd trodden on an oyster shell in the shallows and a large laceration on her foot was spurting out blood. After some first aid it obviously needs stitches so sadly JP and Lisa pack up and catch the next ferry back across the Pittwater. It's an unfortunate blip in an otherwise fantastic weekend. We stay on at the Basin until 6pm, floating in the current in the channel and lazing on the beach. As the campsite empties of people it's gradually filled with the locals - wallabies and lace monitors looking for scraps. We get the last ferry back, enjoying the million dollar views. We absolutely loved the Basin and will be back next year. Maybe even for 2 nights!
Easter kicked off with Emilys first Easter Hat Parade at Bondi School. Emily helped me make an enormous hat topped with a stuffed rabbit and she wore it with pride as her class paraded around the amused parents in the sports hall. On Good Friday we took the girls to the Easter show at Fox Studios, where they had awesome fun throwing themselves on top of bouncy castles, down slides and around merry-go-rounds.
But the main focus for the Easter weekend was our 10 Year in Oz Party on the Saturday night. We had requested people come dressed as 'Bondi', and we had some fantastic interpretations of the theme. Everyone was greeted with the customary skittles vodka shot, then we set to work trying out each of the 20+ cocktail recipes lining the kitchen walls. By midnight, we were ready to crack out the singstar, which continued until the wee hours. A really great party, and the perfect way to see in our 10 year anniversary.
April 4th marked the 10 year anniversary of our arrival in Australia, with just two suitcases and a holdall containing rollerblades. In a fitting illustration of how our life has changed, we spent the evening decorating Emily's birthday cake. We did at least find time to crack open a bottle of champagne to mark the occasion.
Emily's birthday fell on a Friday, and as it was a schoolday we thought it would be nice to invite her whole kindergarden class, plus a few other special friends to a party in Waverley park straight after school. It was very low-key, just a few party snacks and cake, and the kids had a whale of a time running around the playground whilst the parents gossiped over a few beers.
After celebrating our 10 years in Oz, it was time to welcome back my Mum to stay with us in Bondi for a couple of weeks. It was the start of Emily's Easter school holiday break so it meant that we would all get to spend lots of time together.
After a couple of days chilling out in Bondi, we decided to head into Darling Harbour to visit the new Sydney Wildlife Park. We had a great time wandering around visiting the different areas, including a Butterfly Exhibit where we were surrounded by them flying around us - which the girls absolutely loved. After playing with the Kangaroos, watching the pre-historic looking Casawarries, and willing the big crocs to do something exciting, we headed over to the playground in Tumbalong Park. It is a great area with lots of fun rides, and a big water area where the kids are able to play with pumps, fountains, and locks to guide the stream down the hill.
After an already big day, we went out to Oxford Street to have all-you-can eat Churras - There was a massive variety of meat which beat John pretty quickly, and I was soon to follow. Fay and Mum managed to keep going until the last course which was a sterling effort - They are ladies with a very strong constitution.
On the following Monday, it was time for Fay to head off to give a talk at a Medical Conference in Montreal. It was a big deal for her and she was very excited as she left the rest of us to try and cope with life without her! Luckily my Mum and John were there to help out!
On Thursday it was Anzac day. John and I went down to watch the sun come up over the Dawn Service in Bondi. It was probably the most moving memorial service I have attended - watching the surfers bobbing up and down in the surf whilst being reminded of what the soldiers went through when landing at Gallipoli. We followed it up with a BBQ breakfast in the garden and then spent a few hours at the beach in Clovelly with AJ and Jack. We tried to go for a quick 2-Ups and beer in the Clovelly Hotel afterwards but it was rammed and none of us fancied staying for a drink.
The next day we went to the Dudley Page Reserve for the girls to have a ride on their bikes whilst we watched the sun set over the Sydney skyline. It was a beautiful spot to show Mum and John and we relaxed and chatted in the dusk until we made a sudden change of plan to meet AJ and Philippa over in the Queens Park playground. An hour later and we were all eating pizza in the pitch black whilst the kids run around blind over the climbing frames - Maybe not the wisest of choices but it was a fun evening!
After our amazing camping trip to the Basin, I'd planned to take the folks on a day trip to see it for themselves. Unfortunately it was Steve's stag do the day before we'd planned to go and, predictably, I wasn't in any fit state to take the journey up to Kuringai National Park. We ended up heading down to Parsley Bay instead which was almost as good.
Mum and John headed back to England the next day and Fay got home a day later. It was lovely to have them here and the girls had a great time getting to know their Granny and Granfa again.
The Burrows love a good wedding, especially when it involves a trip to a new country. So when Cailie and Steve announced they would be getting hitched in Bali, we had no hesitation accepting the invite. The plan was to spend a few days in Ubud, in the centre of the country before heading to Seminyak on the coast for the festivities. Our arrival at Bali airport was typically chaotic, made worse by waiting for half an hour for our hotel pick-up to arrive, only to discover George had provided the hotel with our departure time from Sydney instead of our arrival time in Bali. We end up negotiating a taxi to drive us through the manic streets of Kuta and out into the beautiful Balinese countryside, whiling away the hours playing spot the dog, statue or chicken. Emily and Zoe's faces were full of awe and wonder as motorbikes loaded with four small children without helmets sped past us. We finally arrive at the Bali Rich Luxury Villas on the outskirts of Ubud just as it gets dark. We are shown to our gorgeous 2 bed villa, complete with a private courtyard and plunge pool. We throw ourselves into the girls bedtime routine, ordering noodles from room service. It's not until 9pm, sitting on the sunloungers with a much needed Bintang beer that we realise we are still in our jeans. And we hadn't even been in the pool yet. That was quickly remedied!
The plan for our first day was to just relax at the hotel. Breakfast at Bali Rich was pretty special: two cooks arrive at your villa, cook up bacon and eggs, serve it to you at the table then do the washing up for you. Awesome! We spend the morning at the main pool, which overlooks a stunning lush green valley. Then back to our villa for Zoe's sleep, more pool fun and snoozing on sunloungers. That night we take advantage of the incredibly cheap babysitting service and head into Ubud town centre, wandering down busy Monkey Forest Road until we chance upon Ibu Ra: an authentic looking Indonesian restaurant. It was a great choice, the Balinese whole fish and beef ribs in Red Bean Soup were sensational.
Next morning we visit the famous Ubud Monkey Forest. As soon as we walk through the gates there are monkeys everywhere - mothers and babies, cheeky youngsters, grumpy old males. Emily and Zoe were a bit hesitant at first but it wasn't long before Zoe was insisting that she wanted a monkey on her head. In the middle of the forest is a beautiful temple, and the guide outside sold us some bananas to attract the monkeys. Suddenly they were everywhere - climbing up our backs and leaping onto our heads from trees - absolute chaos! The girls were pretty freaked out but eventually Emily bravely asked for one to sit on her lap. And Zoe did get to have one on her head. Turns out her hesitancy was well founded - an cranky looking monkey gave her the evil eye inside the temple complex then leapt across and scratched her face and bit her arm - thankfully not drawing blood. Zoe was a bit more cautious after that! It was a hot and dusty walk back up Monkey Forest Road into Ubud and we're pretty cranky by the time we reach the Three Monkeys Restaurant. It's a perfect sanctuary, and we devour our first Nasi Goreng overlooking a paddy field filled with ducks. After lunch we wander back towards town, then catch a taxi back to the hotel. There's a huge storm in the afternoon, so we watch DVDs and swim in the rain. That night we eat at the hotel restaurant. The place is empty, and we are served a very ordinary duck curry. We end the night drinking wine on the sunlougers in the villa, sheltering from the rain under the sun umbrellas.
Sunday is our last day in Ubud, and we'd booked a trip to the Elephant Safari Park. We're picked up by a bus, and drive through beautiful countryside - lush river valleys and verdant paddy fields with a shrine on every corner. The park is home to Asian elephants rescued from deforestation in Sumatra. It's a serious tourist trap, but as soon as we climb onto the back of the elephants for our trek through the jungle, it's completely magical. I sit with Zoe, and she chats away as we slowly meander around the park. Emily is with George and sits in awed silence, filing away the memories. We arrive back at the centre of the park, where our elephants wade into a pool and squirt water at each other. Once we've dismounted we can feed some of the elephants, including a mother and baby. It's amazing to interact with these incredible creatures. We devour an enormous three course buffet lunch then it's time for the elephant talent show. Four of the younger elephants have been trained to play football, basketball, do maths, paint pictures, walk on a beam and sit on a stool. It's fantastic, made all the better by an hilarious Indonesian compere, complete with South London accent. Back at the hotel we spend the afternoon by the pool, George and I taking turns to have a wonderfully relaxing massage at the Dewi Kunti(!) spa. We head into Ubud again that evening to watch a Balinese Dance in the courtyard of the 16th century Ubud Palace. We get some warm beer cans from a haggard old lady at the gate then take a seat. The dance is a 'Mahabrata Epic' and the music and costumes are amazing. After the first few acts we realised it named an epic for a reason and probably wouldn't finish before midnight so we snuck out and found a traditional warung for delicious mie goreng and nasi goreng.
For our last morning in Ubud we head into the town centre to explore Ubud palace with the girls. Emily immediately spots the frangipanis decorating some of the statues and makes it her job to decorate everything in sight with flowers. We fill in time before lunch wandering around the markets getting dresses for the girls. Lunch is at the Ibu Oka restaurant, famous for suckling pig. We order the 'special' as recommended by the guidebook and some plain rice for the girls - the pork comes with a fiendishly spicy sambal. It's a very authentic Balinese dining experience - a grimy terrace with ants running over our feet as we eat. The pork is delicious but sadly I was just starting to feel the onset of Bali Belly and didn't have much of an appetite. We arrive at the Breezes Seminyak by late afternoon, only to find our two adjoining rooms aren't ready. No worries, the rest of the wedding party are chilling by the pool so we sink some complimentary beers at the pool bar while we wait. We end up with an upgrade to a junior suite - one big room rather than two but with a terrace that opens straight onto the pool. That night we are invited to pre-wedding drinks at the huge bar/club Potato Head. Cailie and Steve had reserved an upstairs terrace - a fantastic location with views over the pool to the beach and ocean beyond. We're just in time for sunset and have a great time catching up with old friends and making new ones. We kick on at another huge club, Ku De Ta, arriving just as a massive storm breaks. We are seated in a covered outside area but the rain lashes in through the side drapes - everyone huddles together to try and keep dry. The taxi ride home is interesting - the roads are flooded deep enough for the water to be starting to come in through the bottom of the doors...
Tuesday is a lazy day at the hotel. As soon as the girls are awake they are in the pool, just outside our patio door. As soon as the kids club is open we take the girls in but discover that Zoe needs a babysitter with her so we take her to breakfast with us while we wait for the babysitter to arrive. It's an awesome buffet affair, and Zoe makes the most of having her parents all to herself! Once Zoe has been dropped off we relax on sunlougers by the pool. That afternoon I join the girls from the wedding party for a manicure and pedicure while George entertains the girls in the pool. That night George and I have an amazing dinner at Gado Gado on the beach. We choose the 5 course set menu: kingfish carpaccio, nut encrusted pink snapper, scallops, rump steak and creme brulee all washed down with a bottle of red. We end the night with a walk along the beach.
Wednesday is the Big Day. We line our stomachs with an enormous buffet breakfast, then I'm back to the salon for an up-do: much needed given the humidity. We arrive early at the wedding villa - a stunning complex with two separate villas, gorgeous gardens and all set around a huge swimming pool. There's a bit of confusion about the babysitters that had been organised for the 5 children, but eventually we settle the girls into the second villa just in time to take our seats down behind the infinity pool ready for the arrival of the bride. It's incredibly hot and humid, and an ominous clap of thunder sounds out just before Cailie walks down the steps. It was a very emotional ceremony, with barely a dry eye as the stunning bride walked down the aisle to Steve. it was a very touching service with beautiful readings and more tears during the heartfelt vows. It wasn't just the tears that were flowing - by the end of the service everyone was covered in rivers of sweat. We are greeted with icy cold towels as we return to the lawn for mojitos. Eventually the rain comes, but it doesn't phase the wedding organisers - the tables on the grass are quickly moved up to the terrace. The meal was delicious and the speeches hilarious (not sure I've ever heard the use of the F word quite as much in a best man's speech before). Then everyone hits the dance floor and it's only a matter of time before we're all in the pool. At least I remembered to remove my shoes first. There's a bit of confusion when Steve's parents retire to bed, only to find the door open. They think maybe they've been burgled, then see something moving in their bed - it's only Emily and Zoe, put to sleep in the nearest bedroom by the babysitters. We are summoned from the pool to retrieve our children, so I ride home in the cab wearing a towel around my dress, holding Zoe. When we arrive at the hotel I trip on the towel as I step out of the car and promptly drop Zoe on her head on the concrete. Zoe's ok, until well-meaning hotel staff grab her and she starts screaming. They reluctantly hand her back to her irresponsible mother.
The girls are packed off to kids club the morning after the wedding so we can snooze off our hangovers by the pool. That afternoon we return to the wedding villa for the post-wedding pool party. It's surprisingly easy to get back on the beers and we have a great time with the girls in the pool. There's a lovely chilled out vibe with everyone relaxing on beanbags around the pool. We leave around 7pm to get the girls back for bed then order room service which we eat on our terrace.
Friday is our last full day in Bali, and we hadn't even had a beach swim yet! After a lazy morning by the pool we wander down to the beach and find a chilled out restaurant on the beachfront with colourful beanbags out on the sand. As soon as we sit down we are surrounded by hawkers filling our daughters' arms with bracelets - we eventually succumb to purchasing one each for $1. We order pizza then a quick dip in the ocean. There's a really strong rip and the water is so warm it's not in the least bit refreshing. Suddenly the rain starts so we huddle under an umbrella until it passes. We watch sunset from the beanbags, sinking a couple of beers before walking back to the hotel. It's our last night in Bali so we get babysitters but we don't really have a plan and wander up the street looking for a nice restaurant. We notice the AFL playing on TV in one of the bars so stop for a couple of beers while we watch the Swans defeat the Pies in an unexpected victory. We wander back towards the town centre looking for a cool restaurant I'd spotted the day before from the cab, only to find it's closed. We end up in a place across the road from our hotel. We're the only ones there and it's safe to say it was the worst food we'd eaten in Bali.
Our flight on Saturday isn't until late, so we spend the day by the pool. It's a lovely relaxed day, but somehow we leave it too late to get a car to the airport. Our driver, Denny, takes some hair-raising turns through the Kuta streets and thankfully drops us at the airport doors just in time. We still almost miss our flight - at the gate we are told to take a seat and we're waiting patiently for the call to board when we just catch a staff member asking another couple if they were on the Sydney flight. Turns out there was a second waiting area down some stairs and we were 15 minutes late for boarding... we got some hard stares as we did the walk of shame to our seats at the back of the aircraft!
Zoe had a special treat for her birthday this year - Aunty Clairey and Uncle G flew up from Melbourne to join her celebrations. Zoe's actual birthday was on the Friday and Katie invited us over to have cake with Hugo. That evening we celebrated with a trip to Hurricanes at Bondi Beach for their famous ribs. With the girls in bed we got on with the cake decorating - this year Zoe wanted a Rapunzel cake. Aunty Clairey kept the wine glasses topped up whilst Uncle G took charge of creating the perfect purple colour for the icing. It was finished in no time.
We had perfect weather Zoe's party, bright sunshine and clear blue skies. It was held in the park at Bronte beach and we were joined by her best friends for a play in the playground before cutting the cake. A really lovely day.
The annual festive gathering in the Blue Mountains almost didn't happen this year. AJ and Flipper weren't keen to bring their new baby, leaving just a core crew of Nick, Beth, Ref, Paul and the Burrows. With Ref, Paul, Nick and Beth in Fiji in July we ended up booking a house in Wentworth Falls at the end of August. So it wasn't Christmas in July. And to be clear, it most definitely was NOT Yulefest.
The house was perfect, surrounded by a beautiful garden and backing onto the bush. Nick and Beth prepared dinner on the Friday night - a delicious shepherd's pie washed down with plenty of red wine. After dinner I introduced the first stage of the inaugural Yulefest Puzzle Hunt. With only two couples competing we didn't think the Amazing Race would work, so I set about compiling some fiendishly hard puzzles for the teams to complete. As Nick and Beth are almost unbeatable together, we decided to split them up. So Nick and Paul and Ref and Beth sat and stared at the first clue and scratched their heads. Eventually, with a bit of prompting they began to work it out, and Ref and Beth were first to find an envelope containing jigsaw pieces in the wardrobe. The game continued with a picture round, which also left the teams completely stumped. The second two rounds, a word search, and a music quiz were tackled the next day. At each stage both teams needed all the available hints to complete the puzzles: maybe I'd made it a bit hard. Finally both teams had all the envelopes and could start assembling their jigsaws. They were frantically racing, making it absolutely priceless when they realised they both had pieces from each other's jigsaw. This triggered a kind of Mexican stand-off, where they each refused to swap, and Beth started hiding pieces under the table mat. Finally Beth and Ref finished the puzzle, revealing the final clue - search the garden for an object. It didn't take them long, and once again Beth was crowned Yulefest winner.
This year we had the Christmas dinner early so Emily and Zoe could join us. George roasted the turkey, and I whipped up a cranberry stuffing. Everyone was so hungry that we ate in almost silence, stuffing the delicious food in. Once the girls were in bed it was time for the traditional Secret Santa poems, and Beth got her own back on me by setting me a riddle to solve before I could find the location of my present! Ref, who is known to get a bit feisty during board games, was hilariously given a game designed to cause arguments. The idea is that you are given a controversial statement about politics, sex or religion, and have to state your opinion and why. Bizarrely, no-one disagreed with each other, and the statements sparked some very grown up conversations. Haven't we got old!
Everyone was a bit slow Sunday morning, and as we had to be out of the house by 10am we decided to get an take-away egg and bacon roll in town and take the girls to a playground. But not one of the cafes in Wentworth Falls would do take-away, so we got some eggs, bacon and bread and cooked up breakfast on the BBQ at the playground, feeling a little bit like tramps. Before heading for home we had a walk down to the falls, with the girls paddling in freezing water the pools at the top of the waterfalls.
I must need my head read for agreeing to taking the family to Cairns for the annual conference of the Society of Hospital Pharmacists. Instead of spending the flight leisurely perusing the conference program and catching up on some reading, I spent it completing Peppa Pig workbooks and acting as referee in battles over the iPad. And when we arrived, instead of heading to a nice restaurant for dinner, wine and intelligent conversation on the first night, we had fish and chips in a playground. It wasn't that great for George either: he got to be the solo parent all day on Friday as I headed out with colleagues after the first day of the conference. It wasn't all bad, George did get to come along to the conference dinner on Saturday night. It was a lavish tropical themed affair, seated outside on the terrace of the Cairns Convention Centre. There was lots of dancing and far too much wine.
We need to check out of our apartment by 10am the next morning, but packing everything up seems to take forever. We're finally done with a couple of hours to spare before we catch our boat so we make our way down to the lagoon to meet up with Gill, Jane and Warrick and their little girl Chloe. The girls play in the water while we devour bacon and egg rolls, starting to feel human again. The boat to Fitzroy Island departs from the very furthest end of the jetty at the marina and we are exhausted by the time we've lugged the bags and shepherded the kids to the berth. The crossing is easy and we are delighted by the sight of Fitzroy Island. There is just one very understated resort, and a few campsites. We can feel ourselves relaxing as soon as we step off the boat. We set up immediately by the pool, and eventually have to drag the girls away to head down to the white coral beach - it's not far, just the other side of the wall. There is a floating trampoline about 50m out in the bay - the girls swim out with us and have a ball leaping and jumping on and off it. The one big drawback of Fitzroy Island Resort is there is no room service, so we have to take the girls with us for dinner at Foxy's Bar. It's a pretty basic bistro menu but we get a seat right by the beach to watch the sunset and the girls make new friends with the other kids. Once the girls are asleep George and I relax on the balcony listening to the gentle lap of the waves.
After breakfast on Monday we descend on the dive shop to hire snorkeling gear then take a meandering walk through the rainforest to the stunning Nudey beach. Sadly the tide was too high for the girls to see anything, and I only find a small bombie with a lone trigger fish. The girls happily play with the hundreds of bits of broken coral on the beach while George and I snooze. We return to Foxy's for lunch, then join a tour to the Turtle Rehabilitation Centre where we see two big green turtles being prepared for release. Back at the pool George and I get a cocktail at the swim-up bar, then I head out on my own for a bit of snorkeling on the beach directly outside the resort. I'm astounded to spot three lion fish swimming behind the first bombie I find. Further on I see a barracuda, huge shoal of snapper and a massive batfish. I want to stay out there for hours but drag myself away to get George and the girls. George is rapt to spot two manta rays, but the girls totally freak out with what actually lies beneath the waves. Back in the hotel room, we get a take-away antipasto platter from Foxy's and wash it down with a bottle of wine on the balcony.
On Tuesday we are all up early for a swim in the pool - by 9am it is already baking hot. We'd signed up for a glass-bottomed boat trip and we are viewing pristine coral moments from leaving the jetty. Sadly the boat seemed to scare the fish away - when Zoe did spot one she would scream 'FISH!' Got a very brief glimpse of a turtle. We headed around to the far side of the island to Hidden Beach for a snorkel. Zoe immediately freaks out after jumping from the boat and although Em tried to have a bit of a swim she wasn't very comfortable either. So we sat the girls back on the boat with some snacks while we snorkeled around. The coral was amazing and we saw a purple spotted ray, clown fish and Moorish idol. Back on the boat we finish the circumnavigation of the island. The afternoon is spent in the pool and on the trampoline in the ocean, with George and I taking turns to snorkel off the rocks on the main beach - more rays and huge batfish. That night we eat again at Foxy's and Emily and Zoe play with two girls they met on the trampoline. Turns out they live down the road in Double Bay! We stop at the pier on our way back to our room to feed the fish under the lights. They aren't in the least bit interested in our bread but we do see the three lion fish from the snorkeling earlier!
We get an early boat off the island and are back in Cairns by 11am, picking up a hire car for the drive north to Port Douglas. We head straight into the town centre for breakfast at the Java Blue Cafe, allegedly home of the best coffee in Port Douglas. It was only once we'd taken our seats that we discovered that after midday Java Blue turned into Bulls Burgers. Pretty ordinary burgers and even more ordinary coffee. The apartment on the outskirts of town was more impressive, overlooking a huge pool and with a view to the mountains beyond. The afternoon is spent by the pool then once the girls are in bed we get a Chinese take-away to eat on the balcony.On plan for Thursday is a day trip up to Cape Tribulation. First stop, Daintree to see the Big Barramundi - one of Australia's Big Things that we had somehow bypassed on our last trip to FNQ. The girls are very excited to cross the Daintree river on the little ferry, and the winding drive along the coast is beautiful. We stop at Thornton Beach and have a walk along the sand before a lovely lunch at the Beach kiosk. We're hoping we might spot a cassowary so our next stop is the Dubuji Boardwalk, which, according to Trip Advisor, is THE place for cassowary sightings. We get a bit excited when we hear some scrabbling in the undergrowth, but it turns out it's just an orange-footed bush fowl. Then we realise the bird is sitting in an enormous nest mound, which is almost as tall as me, and she's trying to defend her eggs from a determined lace monitor that is frantically digging into the side of the mound. Eventually the monitor gets tired of the dirt being kicked in it's eyes, and wanders off. There are some stunning giant butterflies but sadly no cassowaries. The boardwalk ended up on scenic Myall Beach, where a few brave souls were defying the crocodile warning signs and frolicking in the waves. We weren't so brave, and headed to a freshwater swimming hole behind Mason's store. It's a beautiful peaceful spot with dappled sunlight falling across the water. It's not quite as peaceful once Emily, George and I find a rope swing to launch ourselves into the water. The river is full of fish, including an inquisitive catfish who follows around like a dog. After an ice cream we head back to Port Douglas, just in time for a night at the Moonlight Cinema. We watch Turbo, about a super-charged snail, while lying on large beanbags under the stars. A really lovely evening.Friday morning is spent at Port Douglas beach. The tide is out and we walk for miles out in the warm shallow water. Emily finds a beautiful shell on a sandbar and we are half way back to the shore when she suddenly screamed - the shell had bit her! On closer inspection, it turns out a hermit crab had made the shell it's home, and wasn't that keen on being kidnapped. We have trouble finding breakfast again, this time because the restaurant on the harbour recommended in the Lonely Planet didn't exist anymore. According to a local who saw me scratching my head in the middle of a grassy park, there was a building with outside seating exactly where I was standing but it was demolished 6 months ago. We end up with delicious eggs benedict from a sandwich bar on the main street. Again we spend the afternoon by the pool, and Emily makes friends with a girl from Melbourne called Gabby. That night we take the girls for a lovely meal at the Beach Shack, delicious crispy skinned barramundi and a reef fish curry. They had squeezed us in with an early booking and politely asked us to leave before we had time for dessert, so we stopped at the IGA on the way home and bought a yummy cheesecake to eat in the apartment.Once we'd packed up the apartment on Saturday morning we headed back into town one last time for a browse through the shops and brunch at a nice bookstore. Then we drive up to Flagstaff Hill for views across Four Mile Beach, then head down to the beach for one last swim, this time between the flags at the North end of the beach. Emily hurts her foot so I take her up to the lifeguard station, and while the buff lifeguard is cleaning the wound I quiz him about why it's safe to swim here but there are warning signs about crocodiles both north and south of the beach. I'm not particularly reassured by his answer - there are crocodiles everywhere and they had been sighted at Four Mile Beach recently - but usually someone raises the alarm if a croc is spotted rounding the headland. We spent the rest of the day on the sand. Zoe and George both fell asleep, and I leave it a bit late to wake them for the drive back to Cairns to catch our flight. We quickly shower and change, but we're panicking a bit knowing we have no time to drop off the hire-car and make check-in. I'm frantically trying to check-in online as the Internet connection dips in and out while George tears along the winding roads. We come up with a plan that George will drop me at departures so at least the girls and I make the flight while he drops the car. Luckily the hire car area is moments from the departure gate and we make it with minutes to spare.
The Burrows haven't really bothered with Halloween before. Usually we just draw the curtains and pretend we're not home. But Halloween is a pretty big deal at Bondi Public school, so for the first time ever we decorated our front garden with cobwebs and pumpkins, donned our witches hats and jumped on in. It was dress up day at school, so we packed Emily off in her black cat outfit. Then after school we joined up with our neighbours to go trick and treating. Not in our street. Oh no. We snuck down to Avoca St, where all the cool families live who spend hundreds of dollars decorating their houses and have plastic pumpkins the size of cauldrons full of lollies. Apparently we were early, which meant we got first choice of lollies. Result. Back at Bennett Street AJ, Philippa, Katie, and Gill and kids joined us for a Halloween party. There was apple bobbing, marshmallows hidden in flour, and ghoulish food. The kids ate way too much sugar, and the adults drank way too much gin. A great night.
We were super excited to be invited to Peter and Denise's wedding. Not only was it the long-awaited marriage of two fantastic pharmacist colleagues, but it was our very first Greek wedding. And it was happening just down the road from us in Kingsford. The girls joined us for the Greek Orthodox service, and although we found it quite hard to follow it was very atmospheric and romantic. After waving the happy couple off in their car to have the photos taken, we took the girls home to a babysitter and make our way to Darling Harbour for the reception. It's a gorgeous sunny Spring day and the balcony overlooking the harbour was the perfect spot for apple martinis in the sunshine. The meal was delicious, and the speeches equally moving and hilarious. But it was the photo booth that entertained us for most of the night. We ended up with dozens of photo strips of us in various states of disarray. Unfortunately we soon forgot that the bride and groom received copies of all the photos. Sorry Peter and Denise. After dinner the dancing started, with us non-Greeks attempting to join in with the traditional Greek dances with varying degrees of success. That was until the Greek drunken dance, where the men take turns to freestyle around a shot glass on the dance floor. George put his limbo and break dancing skills to great use to get down and pick up the glass without using his hands, much to the amusement of the Greeks in the audience. Awesome wedding.
After last year's non-stop downpour on Christmas Day we were due a scorcher this year. We'd planned again for a BBQ at Bronte, but we didn't even get a chance to set up gazebo. The rain started drizzling as soon as we were up and didn't stop until after sunset. The back-up plan was for everyone to come to ours. Luckily no-one had parents visiting, as the regular crew of the Curtis', Sharratts, Carter-Briances and Burrows filled the house completely. As soon as everyone had arrived we settled down to a fantastic Christmas lunch of turkey, lamb and salads. Then it was time for the kids' present opening, a frantic five minutes of flying wrapping paper and shrieks of delight. A swim is a Christmas Day tradition, and last year was the first time we failed to make it to the beach. No excuses this year. Philippa and Dan stayed home with the kids, Gill drove as many as could fit in her car, and Emily joined the rest of us on a bus down to Bondi Beach. The rain was still falling steadily, but it only made the water feel warmer. Back at the house Katie brewed up the mulled wine to warm us all up. The rest of the evening was spent chilling out, but eventually Katie and Dan and AJ and Flips took their kids home, leaving Gill and Matt to help us finish up the port. Merry Christmas.
Mum and Dad landed early Boxing Day morning bearing gifts from the Motherland, so we cracked on with the present opening soon after they arrived, accompanied by tea and mince pies. After so much rain on Christmas Day, the sun was out in force so we headed off to the North Bondi Golf Club to set up camp and wait for the yachts in the Sydney to Hobart race to sail past. The girls played amongst the flowers while Grampy dozed in his chair.
The great weather continued on Friday so we had a delightful walk along the Hermitage Foreshore from Rose Bay to Shark Beach where the girls spent hours playing in the sand and swimming in the harbour. The water was so inviting even Mum came in for a swim.
On Saturday, with the sunny weather still holding out, we managed a Christmas Day replay at Bronte Beach. The gazebo was set up in our usual spot next to the playground and our little camping BBQ was perfect for cooking up the snags and chops. A perfect afternoon in the sun... if only Christmas Day could have been like this!
Last summer we finally managed to complete the trip from Melbourne to Adelaide along the Great Ocean Road. It took another year for us to return to Adelaide and finish the final leg - crossing the Backstairs Passage to Kangaroo Island. We flew down with Mum and Dad on New Year's Eve, arriving to a perfect sunny day and temperatures of 34'. We'd hoped to find accommodation in Adelaide to watch their New Year's Eve firework display, but with no room at the inn we settled on a beachfront apartment at suburban Christie's Beach. Clairey and G were already settled in when we arrived, having driven across from Melbourne a few days earlier. It didn't take us long before we were splashing in the calm waters of the Gulf of St Vincent's. That evening we were treated to a stunning sunset across the water. Clairey and G cook up a delicious Thai beef salad, then we crack out the champagne. No big fireworks for us, just a few sparklers on the lawn and a nudie run across the road for a midnight swim.
It's a lazy start to 2014, we take the girls for a swim and play at the beach, but it starts to rain by lunchtime. George and I drive up to McLaren Vale for a spot of wine tasting. We only manage to visit one winery, but we sample the full list at Chapel Hill. That evening we watch Clairey's baby ultrasound video and get take-away Chinese from the restaurant next door.
It rains constantly for the drive to Cape Jervis, but the scenery is still stunning with steep hills dotted with sheep, rolling down to pristine bays. The ferry crossing in bumpy and windy, and the girls think it's hilarious that they can't stand upright in the aisles. Our first stop on Kangaroo Island is at American River. This little fishing village is high on the list of attractions for Kangaroo Island, but despite the rain easing up, it feels grey and desolate. There is a freezing wind blowing across Pelican Lagoon, and we dig out jeans, socks, jumpers and fleeces. They don't come off again for 3 days.... We get a dozen enormous oysters from the Oyster Farm Shop, and sit looking out at the oyster beds as we knock them down. We need to get to the far western end of the island before dark to pitch camp, and it's a long monotonous, rain-swept drive. Thankfully the rain abates as we arrive at the Western KI Caravan Park, and the kangaroos watch us as we pitch our tents. It's raining again by the time we settle down under the Event 14 for a Thai red curry. It's absolutely freezing, despite wearing all the clothes we own!
We take the opportunity to do a spot of sand boarding on Friday morning when the clouds part and the sun appears. The dunes at Little Sahara are very impressive, but the sand must still have been a bit wet as our boards were a little sticky. Still it was a lot of fun throwing ourselves down the dunes, until the wind picked up and the ensuing sandstorm stung our faces. We have an outstanding lunch of whiting burgers at the Vivionne Bay General store, then drive to Point Ellen lookout for stunning views back to Vivionne Bay. The sun comes out again and we have a wonderful time clambering like monkeys over amazing quartz rock formations dodging the waves breaking over the top. We set up on a deserted, pristine white sand beach. George and Dad join Emily, Zoe and I in the gentle waves for a game of Frisbee, until a crab takes a nip at my big toe! Back at the camp we take a wander along their koala walk. We spot one koala high up in a tree, but there are heaps of wallabies and kangaroos. Back at the campsite there is much excitement when a big koala is spotted in a gum tree right in the middle of the powered site area. He grunts a bit, then slowly climbs down the tree, over the fence surrounding it, and sets off across the campsite completely oblivious to the big crowd that had by now surrounded him. We all follow him at koala pace, to a special branch that allows him to climb over into the koala walk enclosure. Emily is off after him, and eventually manages to get close enough to stroke his head. She is delirious with excitement. That night Clairey does her magic hoola hoop light show.
It's another freezing night camping, and the girls are up early chasing wallabies across the fields. We drive further West into Finders Chase National Park to the Remarkable Rocks - which didn't disappoint. Emily and Zoe gave me several heart attacks climbing up the granite outcrops, but it's fun exploring the strangely shaped rocks. Next stop Admirals Arch to view hundreds of seals basking on the rocks and swimming in the ocean. It's blustery and exposed but the seals are seriously cute. Wraps for lunch at Rocky River Picnic area, where we spot an echidna. Zoe is fast asleep in the car, so while Clairey, Gareth, Mum and Dad head off on the platypus loop walk, I take Emily to excavate some megafauna bones at the visitor centre. With the others still not back from their walk, we drive down to Hanson Bay, a beautiful secluded beach with white sand and turquoise water. It's still quite windy so I don't really want to go in, but Emily is insistent so George and I join her. It's freezing, but very refreshing. It's our last night camping, and Clairey and G cook us up a delicious Moroccan Lamb dish, which we wash down with plenty of wine.
Emily and Zoe spend most of our last night camping squeezed onto our double airbed. As delightful as the campsite was, we were more than ready to return to some creature comforts, somewhere with four walls and a roof. We'd rented a house on a farm at Antechamber Bay - reputedly the oldest house on the Island. But before we could collapse onto a comfortable sofa, we had an island to cross. After striking camp in the rain, we headed North to Stokes Bay. The rain has stopped by the time we arrived, but it's still cold and blustery. The beach where we park the car is pebbly and strewn with seaweed, but we follow a narrow path marked 'beach' through the rocks at the Eastern end. Eventually we emerge through a tunnel onto a delightful secluded beach with a calm rock pool. We're almost contemplating a swim when the rain starts up again, so we retreat to Rockpool Cafe for delicious fish and chips, seafood platters and salmon spaghetti. We head along the North Coast Road towards Emu Bay, but make a sudden stop when we spot battlements. George's Castle is one man's personal wonderland, and it made for a completely random detour. George appeared as we drove up the drive, and was more than happy to give us a tour. Zoe missed out, completely sparko in the back of the car, but Emily went from surprised to astounded as we were shown his Viking rowing boat, miniature railway, witches tower and magic faraway tree. Funnily enough it wasn't in any of the guidebooks, but it was a definite highlight of our trip. Emu Bay was blustery but beautiful, and at our next stop in Kingscoate, we're just in time for the pelican feeding. The old salt gave an hilarious spiel while feeding pelicans, gulls and seagulls - great fun. Stocked up with provisions we head to Antechamber Bay, but have considerable trouble finding our house, Nat's Retreat. Down an unmarked dirt track, off another dirt track, it was literally off the map. It's almost dark as we bump over the cattle grids past fields of sheep, but it's worth the drive. The house is situated on the top of a cliff, with views across Backstairs Passage to the mainland. In no time we have a fire in the grate and pizzas in the oven and we settle in for a lazy night chatting on the sofas.
After all that exploring Monday was a perfectly lazy day. Clairey cooks up a breakfast of yummy poached egg, avocado and feta smash, then the sun comes out in time for us to wander down through the fields to our private beach. It's completely unspoiled, and we are surrounded by spiders, bees, butterflies and cicadas. It's sheltered from the wind enough for us to brave a swim in the crystal clear water. The girls have an fantastic time playing in the dunes, and discover an enormous rock topped with crystals. Mum and Dad walk through the fields to St Alban's Point, but we spend the rest of the day snoozing on the verandah. That evening George's workmate JP and family, who happen to be holidaying in Kangaroo Island too, join us for cheese and wine while the kids play.
There were still a few more sights to see so on Tuesday we drive back to the middle of the island to climb Prospect Hill for amazing views across the island. We're close to American River, so we decide to head there for lunch. Unfortunately the only cafe in town is closed, so we scratch together a picnic lunch from the very limited selection at the General Store. Our experience of American River was not much better than our first day on the island, and we hurried down our lunch sat at windy picnic table. Next stop Clifford's Honey Farm. It's billed as one of Kangaroo Island's main attractions but we found their shop and 'museum' (random collection of 70's beekeeping equipment, some faded pictures and a child's rendition of a bee lifecycle) a bit ordinary. Still, the honey ice cream was as very tasty. At Penneshaw, we walk along the beach to Frenchman's Rock, where a French explorer carved a sort of 'Pierre was here' into the rocks in 1803. Emily and Zoe have a swim then it's back to the house for our last night together. Gareth produces a BBQ feast, washed down with plenty of wine.
With our ferry departing the Island at 10.30am we have to pack up first thing. It's an emotional farewell to Clairey and G - the next time we see them they will probably be parents. Our flight out of Adelaide isn't until 5pm so we decide to explore a bit more of the Fleurieu Peninsula on the way. Just beyond Cape Jervis we explore some atmospheric silver mine ruins in Tallisker Conservation Park. Then we set out across unsealed roads to Ingalalla Falls. Zoe is sleeping so George stays in the car while Emily, Mum, Dad and I walk down to the slightly under whelming falls. We're starving by the time we reach the coast at Normanville, so we get fish and chips from the kiosk and eat them on the grass by the beach. It's the hottest we've been since our first day of the holiday, so we can't resist a quick swim, but suddenly we realise we are out of time and rush to get back on the road to Adelaide, only just making our flight!
With Mum and Dad in charge of the girls, George and I escaped for a couple of nights at Stanwell Park in the Royal National Park. We wanted to just get away from it all - and we ended up with the hotel to ourselves! Tumbling Waters Retreat is set up mainly for weddings, and when we arrived on Thursday night the place was deserted. We used our code to enter the gate, found our room and discovered a 3 course meal sitting in an esky ready to be reheated in the microwave. It wasn't hard to relax on the huge daybed on the balcony, and we spend most of Friday there or by the infinity pool, which we also had to ourselves. The isolation continued that evening, when we were treated to a private dining experience in their Edge Restaurant. Reluctantly we checked out on Saturday morning, had a hike through the bush, collected a couple of leeches (eek!) and drove across the Seacliff Bridge to the Scarborough Hotel for lunch. A truly wonderful break.
The next day was Australia Day, and with the weather looking a bit iffy we prepared to head to Rose Bay RSL to watch the ferry races. At the last minute the sun came out, so we decided to set up camp in the playground at Lyne Park in Rose Bay, where we would have distant views of the boats on the harbour, and a fence to contain the kids. It turned out to be a really lovely afternoon, and we ended up walking along Rose Bay beach to an impromptu dance party with music pumping from a boat anchored off the beach.
All too soon it was time for Mum and Dad to head back to chilly England. We took them out for dinner at Fish at North Bondi, where we ate....fish. It was delicious, and a lovely end to our time with the parents.
After the success of our trip to the Basin last year we were keen to go again - and this time AJ and Flips joined us. Quite brave considering Charlie had only just turned one. Katie and Dan met us at Palm Beach to board a water taxi on Friday night, and AJ and Flips came over on Saturday morning. The weather was perfect for splashing around in the warm water, jumping off the pier and chasing wallabies around the campsite. Despite a storm rolling in on Saturday evening, the boys managed to get a fire going in the fire pit, and we took the kids over to toast marshmallows. Like moths to a flame, children appeared from the shadows until a whole school trip had surrounded us to toast marshmallows and play with the embers. We ended up leaving them to it, returning to our tents to put the kids to bed before cracking on with the gin in our 'lounge tent'. Sunday morning was spent chilling out on the beach, until we saw an ominous cloud on the horizon. We dropped everything to rush back to our tents and strike camp before everything got wet. We just made it - stacking pillows and sleeping bags on the deck of the office and pulling the last of AJ and Flips bags under the gazebo as the thunderstorm hits. It's torrential, with gusts of wind that threaten to lift the gazebo off the ground. We're not the only one seeking shelter - we are joined under the shelter by dozens of hungry mosquitos. Finally the rain stops, and we finish packing up and head to the jetty to catch a ferry home. As I pull on my jumper I feel a sharp pain in my shoulder - and it's spreading across my back. Soon I feel nauseous and my heart is racing...The Parks and Wildlife ranger thinks it might be a redback bite. Probably not fatal, but he give us the number of the water police just in case. It's a relief when the ferry arrives and we can head home. The pain subsides over the next few hours and I feel better after a sleep in the car...another spiderbite story to add to the collection!
The release of the Lego Movie was a pretty huge event in the Burrows household. We got to see special previews, with unfinished scenes and an alternative ending. And we all got to attend the cast and crew premiere, and sit until the very end to watch George's name roll past in the credits. But the highlight for Emily and Zoe was when Emmet and Lucy came to animal logic - and they got to say hello in person. Very cool.
This year Emily requested a cat theme, so when her friends arrived at Bronte park we set them to work making cat collars, cat ears and decorating their faces with whiskers. Games included Simon says copycats, a mouse hunt, and sleeping cats. Then George, dressed as a giant mouse, ran down the hill and all the kids chased him around the gully - hilarious! It was such a beautiful afternoon that we stayed down at the beach long after the party goers went home, and had a lovely swim at the beach.
To celebrate the start of George's 5th decade, we booked an enormous house near Berry on the NSW south coast for the Queen's birthday long weekend. We arrived in the dark on the Friday night, and eventually arrived at Indooropilly after negotiating a rather hairy unsealed and steep track. The house was amazing - 5 bedrooms, a huge kitchen and living area, a pool, trampoline, and a particularly awesome games room, complete with stage. There was also a separate cottage, which was a perfect retreat away from the kids for Peter and Denise and Nick and Beth. On Saturday night we had arranged a caterer to come in and cook for dinner. They served up an amazing 4 course meal, and even washed up afterwards. Sunday evening was 80's night: an hilarious 80's murder mystery followed by 80's singstar until the early hours. Everyone made an outstanding effort with their costumes, but the game took so long that half of the contestants were in bed by the time we discovered that Gill had heartlessly smashed in Peter's skull with a Rubik's cube.
For Yulefest this year we traveled further into the mountains to Mount Victoria, the highest town in the Blue Mountains. Despite the altitude we didn't get snow. But it was so cold that when the boys couldn't find the firewood pile we seriously considered hacking up some furniture to burn. Eventually the firewood was uncovered, and we settled down in front of the fire to catch up with Nick and Beth and Ref and Paul.
Yulefest day started slowly with a walk to a lookout and a few board games before we got down to mince pies, mulled wine and Ref's awesome Dutch pancakes. Ref changed it up this year with a murder mystery dinner. So instead of sitting down to Christmas dinner in our Santa hats we were dressed as members of a rock band that sounded a lot like Queen. There were some dodgy accents thrown around and plenty of hammed up emotion at the death of our beloved lead singer. With accusations flying, a couple of us actually managed to identify the suspect.
Another change this year was a new version of secret Santa: dirty Santa. Everyone had to buy a gift that they really wanted for themselves, and once someone opened a gift it was up for grabs by the next person to open a present. George and I quickly worked out we could collude to get the gifts we really wanted - the ones we'd bought of course, but not before some heated arguments! A great night and good to change things after 10 years of Yulefest dinners!
With Zoe's birthday falling on a Saturday this year, we'd booked up a session at the Build-a-Bear Workshop and invited a few of her best friends. A week before, Build-a-Bear emailed with a bombshell - the store was closing on that Saturday, and we'd have to change the date.Luckily everyone could make the Thursday before, and George got to escape the workshop carnage and arrive in time for dinner. The workshop was hilarious, and all the kids loved creating their own teddy. Afterwards we took over a few tables at Bondi Pizza for a birthday tea. Complete chaos, but somebody else got to clean up the mess. Happy Birthday Zoe.
An invite to a wedding back in the UK is usually enough of an excuse to book flights back home, but this was Phil and Sophia's wedding, and it was happening in Sweden. We didn't need much persuasion. The long-haul flight went suprisingly well, despite Zoe vomiting all over herself and Emily spillng hot chocolate down George's top. We've planned a couple of days in London, staying in an apartment hotel in Fulham. It's 10am by the time we leave the airport, too early to check in so we head to our old stomping grounds of Chiswick, parking outside our old local, George IV - no nostalgic pint of Stella for us, the place was gutted and undergoing renovation. We grab breakfast at a cafe on the High Street then decide to do a drive-by of our old flat at Westcroft Square. As we pull up opposite we recognise Emma, the owner of the flat above ours, and Jonathon our tennant chatting on the step. Despite our unannounced arrival Jonathon happily shows us around. By now our apartment is ready, and after a shower and change of clothes we take the Tube to St James' Park and walk along the lake to Horseguard's parade, then down Whitehall to Big Ben, arriving in time for the 5pm chime. By now the jet lag is catching up with us, so we catch the number 11 bus back to Fulham Broadway. We grab a couple of pints and a pie each outside a pub at the Broadway - the girls are asleep on the table before we even leave!
Sunday morning starts badly at 3am - Emily is awake and ready to go for the day. We eventually head out in search of breakfast at 8.30am only to wander aimlessly past boarded up cafe shopfronts - brunch is obviously not such a big thing in Fulham as it is back in Bondi! We hit crisis point with the girls refusing to walk any futher, so we end up piling in the hire car and searching google for somewhere open. We hit the jackpot with Love ...... devouring a full English Breakfast outside in the square. Without much of a plan we drive along Embankment, past Big Ben and St Paul's Cathedral enjoying the lack of traffic. It gets busy when we hit the City, but we make turning near the Tower of London and discover the holy grail of free Sunday parking metres from the Tower entrance. It's a glorious day and we spend some time in the playground just across from the tower. We wander past the impressive red poppy installation outside the Tower to the far side to get a view of Tower bridge, then back to the car to drive to one of our favourite pubs by the river in Hammersmith, The Ship. We're meeting Emma Gemma and her new husband James, who have got the train up from Folkstone to meet us. We spend a glorious afternoon drinking cider and eating Sunday roast in the sunshine. We drive up to Oxfordshire late in the afternoon, and the girls are fast asleep as we pull at Aunt Julieanne's new house in Enstone. Anna and Nicola are home for the weekend, but there's only time for a quick catch up over a cup of tea as we are due at the Sinclairs for dinner. The girls almost explode with excitement to see their cousins Charlotte and Isabel again. Mum and Dad are there too, and Lynn and Alistair cook up a feast of BBQ salmon for us, washed down with champagne.
Monday is spent revisting old haunts - lunch at the Mermaid Inn in Burford then a walk along the river from Widford to Swinbrook and back again, stopping to look around Swinbrook church, the venue for our wedding 8 years ago. That night Lynn and Alistair cook up a fantastic BBQ pork, and we mark the centenary of the start of WW1 by turning off all the lights.
Tuesday morning, despite the drizzle, Lynn takes us running up through the fields around Chipping Norton. We settle on Oxford Ice Rink for a wet weather activity with the kids, but first we have a sumptuous lunch at Malmason - the restaurant where Lynn and Ali first met. The ice skating was great fun: Emily and Zoe were whizzing around in no time., but I fell head over heels after getting a bit over confident. Ouch! Back at Lynn's their friends Kirsty and Giles came over for an Indian take-away, and far too much red wine.
Wednesday morning we say goodbye to Chipping Norton, and drive over to Sandford to put flowers on Granny's grave. We have a lovely lunch at Julieanne's sitting outside in the sunshine. We have dinner outside too - at Stonefold with Mum and Dad.
My old school friend Catherine brings her twins over to Stonefold on Thursday morning, and we walk down to the river for a paddle. Then Sarah, Elan and Ivy come for lunch. So lovely to catch up with old friends. That evening we walk down the lane with Mum and Dad to watch the combine harvesters at work in the fields, then pick some early blackberries from the hedgerows. We put the girls to bed, then drive to London for a night in an airport hotel before our early morning flight to Sweden.
We just don't get tired of the feeling of freedom we get when we board a flight without our children. It was very exciting to land in Gothenburg, our first visit to Sweden. Our first challenge was leaving the airport car park with a manual hire car driving on the wrong side of the road. We manage to navigate ourselves successfully to the island of Skafto, one of the many beautiful islands in the fjords on the West coast, and the location of Sofia and Phil's wedding. As we drive through Reskarvik village searching for the hotel we spot Phil in the forecourt and are immediately ushered down to Sofia's parents' summer house for lunch of delicious seafood soup on the deck. Once we'd checked in we wandered down to the seafront and found the beach where Phil's old housemates Pete and Miley, and Lucy and Mart were playing with their respective children. We are certain that everyone is having us on claiming the water is 23' - we are practically in the arctic circle - but we dive in from the jetty anyway and stay in until we start to shiver. After a bit of sunbathing we head back to Sofia's parents for a BBQ dinner, where we catch up with Ewan and Olivia and Phil's brothers. It's a delightful evening spent sat on a rug in the orchard drinking beer and catching up with old friends.
Saturday is wedding day, but the nuptials don't start until the afternoon so after a breakfast of pickled herring and egg we return to the beach and swim across the bay to a small rocky island. We climb up to the top of the rock for amazing views back to the village. Lunch is fish and potatoes at the hotel, then it's time to smarten ourselves up for the ceremony. We all meet at the dock, then everyone boards a pleasure boat for the mystery tour of the bay. No-one seems to know where the actual wedding will take place, and the boat seems to slow at every pier as we cruise between the islands. Eventually we stop by an old lighthouse, and everyone piles off the boat. The glorious weather that morning had given way to threatening clouds, but the rain held off just long enough for the brief but very moving ceremony, held on the grass by the lighthouse. A short poem, the exchange of vows, rings for bride and groom, then back on the boat for champagne and the most amazing Swedish fish sandwich cake. Soon the rain is lashing down, making the top deck of the boat only for the brave.. willing to risk a drenching to escape the hot and noisy chaos downstairs. Just as we think we are about to get off, the boat turns back for another half an hour cruise of the bay. Things get much better once we are safe and warm in the hotel restaurant. Somehow we have scored a seat at the top table with Phil and Sofia, a perfect spot to enjoy the excellent speeches. The reception was up there with the best - fantastic food, awesome music, far too much wine, and dancing until 1am. Congratulations Phil and Sofia.
The sun came out again the next morning, so once we'd dragged ourselves out of bed and reminisced with the other guests over breakfast we sunbaked on the beach for the rest of the morning. We drive to the next village of Fiskebackskill for pizza at a cafe on the marina, then drive on to Gundsund with it's pretty canal for ice cream at the end of the pier watching the crab fishermen. That evening we are invited for dinner at Sofia's parents: hot dogs, seafood and potato salads. It's still light by the time things wrap up so we head off for a 4km walk through the village, admiring the immaculately maintained houses, all of which had robot lawnmowers busy whirring their way across the grass.
We say goodbye to Phil and Sofia on Monday morning and drive up to Tatum, a Bronze Age historic site with thousands of rock carvings. We spend several hours walking around the forest following a trail of rocks with various carvings. We eat amazing prawn, egg and salad open sandwiches at the museum cafe, then drive out to another site at Litsleby to view the 2.3m high Spear God engraving, then on to the Aspeberget panels. We are taking a train from Gothenburg to Stockholm, and spoil ourselves with a first class upgrade. We share a bottle of wine watching the fields, lakes and forests pass by - we're even treated to a full rainbow. It's one stop on the Metro to our hotel and we arrive just in time for a late dinner of meatballs at a courtyard restaurant.
Our hotel is in Gamla stan, the old town, and it's a perfect starting place for a sight-seeing stroll through the city centre. We follow the Lonely Planet walking tour, crossing the river to Central Station then stumbling upon street artists and stages set up for the annual culture festival. Crossing back to Gamla Stan, we pass the Parliament building and go inside the amazing Stockholm Cathedral to view an ancient wooden stature of St George and the Dragon. The tour then takes us to the Royal Palace, and we arrive just in time for changing of the guard. We join the crowds lining the courtyard to watch an impressive mounted brass band provide a musical accompaniment to the ceremony. We wander through the stuffy state rooms of the palace then head to Stortorget, a pretty square lined with cafes. We pick one for lunch, then return to the palace to see the Royal Jewels and the ancient ruins of Tre Cronor, the old castle underneath the foundations of the current palace. The walk ends near our hotel, but I'd read about an amazing elevator in Sodermalm, which takes you up to a cafe with amazing views of the city; so we wander across the bridge to the next island. Unfortunately the Katrinahissen lift is closed for renovations, but there is a set of steps in the cliff that we walk up to reach the cafe. We have a beer while taking in the views. Back at the hotel, we settle down with our books and a bottle of wine - a luxury we don't get to enjoy very often at home! Dinner is at Den Gyldene Freden, and after a gin and tonic we order sill (three different types of cured herring) and crab salad for starter. The sill is traditionally enjoyed with aquavit and beer - so we each have both. By the time the main course of fried mackerel and a bottle of white wine arrive we are pretty well oiled. A truly lovely dinner.
Wednesday is our last day in Sweden, but our flight isn't until the evening so we have plenty of time to cram in some more sightseeing. After breakfast at the hotel we head out to the narrow lanes of Gamla stan to buy gifts and souvenirs, then wander along the waterfront to the park-like island of Djurgarden. We amble along the quiet leafy avenues looking for a cafe for lunch. The guidebook recommended a restaurant set in 'Monet-style gardens' but the canteen style servery wasn't very appealing, so we walked back to the water's edge to Sjocafe, where we demolish a delicious seafood stew watching the ducks on the water. We explore a bit more of the park, but when it starts drizzling we walk back to Gamla stan for a must have saffron and honey ice cream at Cafe Jarntorget. It was far too short a stay in Stockholm to do it any justice - and has only whet our appetite for a return visit!
Our flight back from Sweden arrives at Heathrow late in the evening, and we stop the night at George's Mum's before heading deeper into Cornwall the next morning. Emily and Zoe had been at Lynn and Ali's holiday house in Lerryn, and it's a hairy drive through the narrow lanes. At one point, we somehow end up on a single track road that was closed for resurfacing - thankfully the steamroller had pulled to the side for lunch and we could scoot past! My Aunt Daph came down for the day too, and after a teary reunion with our daughters Lynn and Ali cook up a BBQ lunch. We walk along the river to the 'troll bridge' and Ali, George and the girls wade down the stream to the estuary. By the time we catch up with them the girls are rolling around in the mud, screaming with laughter. It's all great fun until the heavens open, and the girls start shivering. We race home, then hose the girls off in the garden. Mum and Dad head off late afternoon, then dinner of roast lamb and rosemary potatoes is demolished outside. Ali lights the wood burner and we share photos and swap stories of our week.
Next morning we pack up and drive through more crazy Cornish lanes to Noss Mayo just over the boarder in Devon. We're spending the night with Fiona and Jason - in a house for a change now they are back on dry land after 10 years living on their yacht. We have lunch at The Ship - a lovely pub on the waterfront, and sink a few pints of cider in the sunshine while the kids catch whiting and crabs in the muddy shallows of the bay. Once the kids are in bed Jason cracks out the champagne and cooks up a lovely chicken and mustard tagliatelle.
Next morning Fiona and Jason show us around their 'project' - a gutted house at the other end of the village. With walls and staircases missing it looked an enormous job - but we could still see how great it could be once it's fully renovated. We pick up Cornish pasties then drive up to Canworthy Water for one more night with Sue and John. The afternoon is spent playing with John's car and a ride-on lawnmower. Then next day is Sunday, and we drive out to a local pub, the Winds of Change for a delicious carvery sunday lunch. We say goodbye to Sue and John in the car park, and drive up the M5 to Nailsworth to stay with Alex and Annie in their fabulous new house. Cooper, Zach, Emily and Zoe hit it off immediately, spending most of the afternoon on the trampoline. Annie serves up a lovely lasagne, then a babysitter arrive and the adults hit the Britannia pub for a couple of pints on a quiet Sunday night. There's lots more wine drunk back at the house, and a rather hilarious interlude with a mouse running under the piano.
Monday morning we drive with Alex and Annie to Minchinhampton Common to walk amongst the cows to an old fort. There's a minor panic when we lose Zoe, but discover her sat on a bench 10 minutes back along the path. After a quick lunch we say goodbye to the Smiths and drive down to Longleat to begin our 5 day Center Parc party. We are sharing a chalet with Sue and John, and the Harveys and Knowlers are next door. We're the last to arrive, and the keys to both chalets are with Fiona - at the pool. Looks like we're hitting the rapids before we even unpack! It's almost exactly 10 years since our last Center Parcs trip, for George's 30th birthday. We loved the rapids then - and they were just as good as we remembered. Zoe didn't let being 4 stop her from throwing herself down them - and somehow she always popped to the surface! Back at the chalets Fiona has made chilli, and after the kids are in bed we stay up chatting and drinking cider.
For our first morning Emily, Zoe and Molly are booked in for the Time Out Club, leaving us free for a few hours. We have breakfast at the Village Square, then head to the Aqua Sana spa. With only two hours left, it's hardly relaxing as we race from foot spa to tepidarium to tyrolean sauna to Greek steam room to Turkish steam room to cold rain shower to the hot Swedish sauna and then Japanese salt steam room. Refreshed and glowing we rush back to the Time Out Club just in time to see the kids perform a song for us and join in for some journey stick craft. It's pool time all afternoon, with all the cousins racing down the rapids again and again. Emily and Dylan are signed up for an aerial tree-trek, and although Dylan whizzed around, Emily gets a bit freaked out on the zip wire and tricky climbing wall - but makes it around in the end. That night we have babysitters book and go for a fantastic dinner at Cafe Rouge - lots of wine and an hilarious waiter make the night.
Wednesday starts early with roller skating for Emily and Zoe, then an amusing family portrait session. We hang around at the Jardin Des Sports then take charge of all the kids. We decide to do a treasure hunt, but start off trekking to the wrong zip wire. By the time we've walked all the way around the lake the kids are exhausted so we soon abandon the trail. After lunch we play badminton and Emily, Zoe and Molly join a dance class before we hit the pool again. Back at the chalets, we have a BBQ dinner, cake and champagne to celebrate George's 40th.
Our girls are at the Time Out Club Thursday morning, so George and I attempt a tennis game until rain stops play. We decamp to the sports cafe for a huge fry up breakfast and the papers. It's a cold day, so we head back chalet for a quiet afternoon. We hit the rapids one last time before dinner, the cousins having a great time throwing themselves down head first, sideways, feet first, backwards! We all have dinner together at Strada, with the adults necking limoncello shots as the kids play in the soft play zone. I've had a bit too much wine for the cycle home with Zoe on the back in the dark - we almost crash twice!
Friday is the last day of our epic UK trip. Hungover, we head to the pancake house for an enormous pancake stack with maple syrup and bacon. We say goodbye to everyone and head out back to Heathrow, stopping in Swindon to pick up some last minute Marks and Spencer essentials. Center Parcs was like a holiday in a holiday - really great fun.
The festive season started with an early Christmas present for the Burrows: after more than 2 years of searching for a house with more space and a bigger garden, we somehow came out on top at the auction for a beautiful old house just down the road in Waverley. It ticked pretty much every box on the wish list - it was like all our Christmases come at once. A week later, we had a very unwanted Christmas present - Emily broke her right arm on Hugo's trampoline, requiriing a closed fixation under general anaesthetic and six weeks in a plaster cast. Total disaster - the whole of the summer holidays and she wasn't allowed to swim....
After two years of washed out Christmases spent holed up indoors, everyone was praying for sunshine this year. And we got it... for a while. Mixing things up this year we chose the peaceful and secluded harbour beach at Parsley Bay, and pitched the gazebo early, serving bacon and egg wraps for breakfast as everyone arrived. It was the usual crowd, the Carter-Briances, The Sharratts, The Curtis' and us. The weather was beautiful, around 30' and clear blue skies. We mixed up the secret santa idea this year too - dirty santa instead. Everyone bought a gift for around $20, then we take turns to pick a gift - or chose to steal someone else's. The suprise favourite gift was a fetching blue handbag, and it got really tense when the couples paired up, working out the permutations to ensure the handbag was snared by Gill, who had bought it in the first place. Just as the game was coming to an end, the sky darkened and distant thunder crashed. It was action stations to pack everything up before the heavens opened, and it was an incredible storm. With only one car between us, and cab companies telling us an hour wait for a taxi, we huddled under the trees and waited to be rescued. We ended up back at AJ and Philippa's, watching frozen and playing Cranium. An epic Christmas.
Mum and Dad had flown into Melbourne on Christmas Day evening to stay with Clairey and G, and we flew down on the 27th to join them at a lovely beach house on the coast at Balnarring Beach. The 28th was designated Christmas day #2, and after George and I searched the local supermarket for turkey specials we cooked up a huge roast turkey dinner followed by Christmas pudding. Feeling rather stuffed, we moved inside to the lounge and set about opening the mountain of presents. Mum's present from Claire and I was a trip to the Peninsula Hot Springs - a rather lovely spot with hot and cold pools set into the landscape. We spent the day moving from pool to pool getting more and more wrinkly. There was also a fun day out at the Enchanted Adventure Garden, with an adventure playground, beautiful gardens and a crazy maze where we lost everybody before we'd even entered the hedges. Most fun of all were the tube slides, which finished off a rather lovely day. New Year's eve was a rather quiet affair - After a trampoline show from the girls we sat around the fire pit until midnight, when we could just see fireworks off the beach. Then we went to bed.
With the parents arriving late January we only had a few weekends to squeeze in a camping trip. We'd successfully persuaded AJ and Flips to join us, and they'd even bought a brand new tent. Even Philippa was sounding almost excited. As we are all fair weather campers, the plan was to ditch the whole idea if the forecast was wet. Friday morning it was looking a bit dicey, with the possibility of storms Friday evening. But Saturday and Sunday looked good, so we rolled the dice, packed up the car and hit the road for the hour long drive to the Upper Colo River. As we reached the outer suburbs, the horizon darkened, and a massive thunderstorm rolled in - we had to slow to a crawl as the rain was lashing the windscreen so hard. The rain had eased to a steady pour by the time we pulled into the huge campsite, and KT and Dan were already set up in a secluded corner - they had just finished pitching their tent when the storm struck. AJ and Flips arrived just after us, and decided to start putting up their tent when the rain eased off for a few minutes. Drizzle and clingy kids don't help much when putting up a new tent for the first time, but they managed admirably, with only a small puddle in their living area. Once the tents were all up the rain stopped enough to get a fire going, and soon the beers were flowing. For some of us. Flips wasn't feeling too great, and retired to her tent early. That night, the rain returned, heavy enough to make climbing out of the tent, pulling on raincoats and boots and sploshing across to the toilet block a real feat. So when we arose the next morning to find a grey looking AJ and Flips already collapsing their tent, we knew they must have had a bad night. The whole family had been struck with gastro, and AJ and Flips had played tag running outside to vomit in the bush. Utter camping fail.
Strangely enough, once the Curtis' had bumped out of the campground the sun came out, so we wandered down to the river, which was wide and shallow with a gentle current to float downstream on. It would have been idyllic, but poor Emily struggled again with keeping her arm dry, desperate to swim properly. The rain came back again that evening and continued all day Sunday - instead of sitting around the fire we huddled under the gazebo playing card games by torchlight. We packed up our soggy tents first thing after breakfast on Sunday, and headed home for some much needed rest!
After the Mornington Peninsula holiday Mum and Dad spent a few more days in Melbourne with Clairey and G, then drove slowly up the NSW south Coast up to Sydney. They arrived in time to help with looking after Emily at the tail end of the school holidays. Their timing was also perfect to witness the pantomime that is getting a home ready for open house in Australia. George and I were frantically painting decks, removing oversized furniture, ironing bed sheets, removing all personal photos and artfully arranging bowls of green apples ready for the photo shoot and VIP preview viewing. Mum and Dad had never seen anything like it, and couldn't quite understand the fuss - surely your house was supposed to look like a family home? But they obligingly packed up their suitcase and loaded it into the car as we evacuated the house for the first viewing. When we weren't getting stressed out by keeping the house clean, we had some lovely days at the beach, and a rather excellent night out at the theatre to see Wicked for Mum and Dad's Christmas present. George and I even escaped for a night in the city, staying in a hotel in Darling Harbour. We had booked for dinner at the rather swish Flying Fish restaurant, and chose their 9 course degustation menu with matching wines. Perhaps the pre-meal bottle of wine in the hotel room was a mistake, as the first course was accompanied by a wine glass of neat gin. Things went downhill from there....
After days of blistering sunshine we woke on Australia Day to drizzle. It didn't let up all day. We'd planned to head into the city to see the ferry races and military flybys close up and in many ways the weather made it easier - there were no crowds and we wandered easily from the Nickelodeon kids party in Hyde Park past the vintage car rally into the Botanical Gardens to take a spot on the rocks underneath Mrs Macquarie's chair to watch the boats go by. Our English stoic refusal to let it rain on our parade ended up with us on the Channel 7 news with Dad being interviewed about what he thought about a washed out Australia Day. As the rain got heavier we wandered around to the Opera House just in time for the 12 gun salute and tug and yacht ballet under the Harbour Bridge. A very different Australia day.
With The Knowlers arriving on the Sunday before Easter they were just in time to join in with Emily's birthday celebrations. Emily's birthday this year fell on Easter Sunday, but as we were heading up to Far North Queensland on the Saturday we had her birthday party a couple of days early on Friday afternoon after school. Lots of her friends made the trip down to the park at Tamarama, and Abi and Jake helped us set up the Easter egg hunt. Greg was in charge of the sausage sizzle. After the cake was cut and most of the friends had departed we ran down to the surf for a splash in the waves as the sun set. Perfect.
Emily and Zoe were beside themselves with excitement at the arrival of their cousins, but they were sound asleep when we snuck Abi and Jake into their room in the early hours of Monday morning. With a routine week of work and school to get through before we could show them around, we left them to explore Sydney for a few days. Thursday was Emily's last day at school, bookended with the Easter hat parade and her birthday party at Tamarama Beach. Friday was a complete washout, which called for a rethink on our plan to walk the cliff path from Bondi to Clovelly. We ended up at the aquarium, with half of Sydney, but despite the crowds we had a great time watching the sharks, rays and dugong.
The Knowlers were keen to see the Great Barrier Reef, so we headed off to Cairns, leaving early Saturday morning. Things didn't get off to a great start: one of Penny and Greg's bags was missing. The Qantas employee assured us it would arrive in a few hours, so we got on the bus to our apartments in Trinity Beach. The kids wasted no time jumping in the pool, where we spent most of the day, That night a total lunar eclipse was promised and with clear skies we were hoping to get a good view. After dinner in an Italian restaurant on the beachfront we settled down on the sand to watch the show. Despite a few thin clouds, we could see the blood red glow at totality. Spectacular.
Emily's 7th birthday began with present opening after breakfast, then several hours of splashing about in the pool with Abi, Jake and Zoe. Lunch was burgers and salads at the cafe over the road, then at 3pm we return to the cafe for milkshakes, and Daiquiri slushies for the grown ups. A swim in the sea followed by crab hunting on the rocks, then back to the pool to test our 10 year old snorkeling gear. Luckily it still worked perfectly, and the kids had great fun learning snorkeling skills before we head to the reef on Tuesday. Dinner is a rather good Thai takeaway, followed by a strawberry cheesecake birthday cake for Emily. With the kids asleep, the grown ups play card games on the balcony until late.
The plan for Monday, our last day at Trinity Beach, was an excursion of some sort. We'd wanted some extreme white water rafting on the Baron River but the rafting company weren't running child friendly trips. Plan B was to hire a car and drive up to the Atherton Tablelands, but the only hire company in Trinity Beach was closed for Easter Monday. We ended up with a last minute decision to take the sky rail up into the rainforest The gondola ride was spectacular, with stop offs for a rainforest walk and lookouts at Baron Falls. It's lunchtime when we arrive in the quaint town of Kuranda. We wander through the town looking for a suitable spot for lunch, and it's the kangaroo burgers on the specials menu at the Rainforest View restaurant that lure us in. With Penny's luggage still missing, we meander through the Markets looking for tops and dresses. There's just enough time to race through the koala gardens and catch the end of wombat feeding time, and for Abi and Jake to cuddle a koala, before dashing back to the other end of town to catch the. 3.30 departure on the Kuranda Scenic Railway. As the carriages were built in the early 1900s, there was no air conditioning. The train was hot, noisy and very, very slow.... but the views were certainly scenic. We finally arrived back in Cairns 2 hours later, and jumped in the pool immediately to wash off the grime of the day.
Tuesday was our much anticipated trip out to the Great Barrier Reef. We'd found a tour company that could drop us Fitzroy Island on the way back to Cairns, saving us the cost of the ferry to Fitzroy and two boat trips out from Cairns. We were a little apprehensive booking with a big company that had a permanent platform out at Moore reef, but it worked perfectly. Conditions were calm on the trip out, and the water a delightful 28'. After a bit of faff getting goggles, stinger suits and life vests that fit, we jumped into the crystal clear water and snorkeled through the stripeys and yellow jacks by the boat to the coral. Despite the number of visitors every day, the coral was pristine, and at the far side of the reef there was a huge drop off with large parrot fish, a leopard-spotted sweetlips and a couple of large nemos flitting in and out of their anemone. Zoe did fantastically with just goggles, and was particularly taken with the 'kissing fish' (parrot fish). After an enormous buffet lunch complete with all you can eat prawns, we were back in exploring the other side of the reef, spotting more nemos, sweet lips, a big school of surgeon fish and eventually a huge turtle. I managed to show the girls before he swam off, then he swam up from the ocean floor towards George, brushing his head against Georges hand. George and Emily swam with him for a bit, Emily diving down to touch his shell. We tried to find him again later with Abi and Jake but he was nowhere to be seen. We pointed out the nemos, and all too soon it was time to get back on the boat. We were on Fitzroy Island in no time, and once we had checked in the kids all jumped in the pool. Dinner was at Foxy's Bar, overlooking the bay, then we got the kids to sleep in Penny and Greg's room and drank wine on the balcony listening to the waves roll onto the beach.
The next few days at Fitzroy fell into a relaxing pattern. Up late, swim in the pool or ocean, jump on and off the trampoline tethered out in the bay, lunch at Foxy's, more swimming or snorkeling, perhaps a cocktail or two at the swim up bar then dinner back at Foxy's. Even an afternoon of rain didn't spoil our fun. We even managed a short walk through the rainforest to picturesque Nudey Beach on our last day. Unfortunately it was blowing a gale and the water was far too murky to see any of the promised coral reef below. Emily, Zoe and I had an explore along the beach, climbing rocks, hunting shells and funky shaped coral and enjoying the isolation of a desert island beach.
We decided to risk taking the kids to the resort's upmarket restaurant Zephyr's for our last night. The food was fantastic - oysters and scallops to start and perfectly cooked duck and lamb for main. However the service was abysmal, and the meal took 3 hours - far too long for overtired children, who thankfully spent most of the time running around the entrance hall and reading books in the little library there. We finished up the night on the end of the pier, watching the schools of fish swarm underneath the walkway, even spotting a rusty coloured cuttlefish bobbing back and forth.
We took the first ferry back to Cairns on Saturday morning, and spent the rest of the day by the lagoon, enjoying our last few hours of tropical sunshine.
Our beloved home went to auction on a Monday evening late in February. Our estate agent assured us we had several interested buyers, but nothing can prepare you for the heart stopping anxiety as the auctioneer called our house as the next lot. What if no-one bids? Or we fall well short of the reserve price? Thankfully our panicked faces soon grew huge grins as bidding began furiously, reaching our reserve in less than a minute. Our grins just got wider and wider as two hopeful bidders battled it out to eventually reach a final price well over reserve. We could barely believe it as the hammer came down. Time for some serious celebration.
It was still another two months until we could move into Henrietta St but we filled the time entertaining the Knowlers and a trip to Far North Queensland, immediately followed by a week in Nice for me for a transplant conference. Before we knew it, the removalists were here. It took all day to pack up and transport all the clutter we'd accumulated in our 9 years in Bennett St - the removal guys didn't leave until 10pm. It was so sad to say goodbye to a house with so many memories - the house we'd bought just after our wedding, where we'd brought both our babies home to. All those parties, drunken Singstar sessions, lazy afternoons in the garden and quiet nights in front of the television. We're so looking forward to making many more memories at Henrietta Street.
May was spent unpacking and settling into the new house, and by late June, after George returned from a quick trip back to the UK for Rich and Carol's wedding, we were ready to start our first decorating project. The plan was to turn one of the downstairs bedroom into a playroom for the girls, complete with a rainbow arch and chalkboard wall. With the walls painted, all we needed was a daybed from Ikea and a TV on the wall to give us somewhere to put the kids to watch movies when we had friends around. Perfect.
The housewarming was planned for a Saturday night in July which gave us the theme - Christmas in July. We put on a turkey roast, mince pies and cheesy Christmas songs, and requested everyone arrive in a festive jumper. Some were very special indeed, and much needed - with all the doors open to the garden the house was freezing. The warmest place by far was out on the patio in front of the roaring fire. The mulled wine and mulled cider disappeared in no time, and sometime after midnight the Singstar was turned on, along with disco lights and the fog machine. A great night, and we left the neighbours with no doubt that the Burrows had arrived.
Lucky Zoe had another gorgeous winter day for her fifth birthday, which we celebrated with an Inside Out party at Bronte Park. After some more traditional games such as pass the parcel and musical statues, and a slice of Joy's cake skirt, the kids found a better way to entertain themselves by rolling down the grassy hill for hours. Happy Birthday Zoe.
Since arriving in Sydney we've been subjected to many adverts for New Caledonia - a tropical paradise 'only 2 and a half hours from Sydney.' With French food and culture on a South Pacific Island it's been on our must-do list for years.It only seemed right to book a bucket-list holiday for the week after I ran my bucket-list 'before I turn 40' marathon. The plan was for 4 nights in a hotel by the beach in the capital Noumea, then to fly to the legendary Isle of Pines for 3 nights before returning to the main island for 2 nights on the south coast.
The quick flight to Noumea was easy - the transfer from the airport to the hotel took almost as long. We'd booked a one bedroom suite at the Chateau Royal Beach Resort, and were expecting a partial sea view. When we were shown to our 6th floor apartment, we had unbelievable full ocean views from both rooms. The girls couldn't wait to get into the pool, so we headed downstairs to settle into the poolside sun loungers. The girls were in the water for all of 10 minutes before they emerged with their teeth chattering. We braved the pool later to sit at the swim up bar for sundowner cocktails but were shivering too in no time. The pool temperature changed our plans for whiling away hours sitting by the pool with a book, and we spent more time up in the room enjoying the late afternoon sun on the balcony.
On the second day we took a water taxi over to Duck Island, a tiny islet visible from our hotel room. It was an amazing spot, and the girls joined us for a snorkel along an amazing underwater trail off the beach. We saw lots of clown fish, eels, amazing batfish and wrasses. The girls headed back in fairly soon leaving George and I to explore the far side of the trail - we nearly had heart attacks when we saw a fish the size of a car just holding still in the current just off the coral. No idea what it was, just very relieved it wasn't a shark! Back on the island we had lunch at the little cafe, sitting amongst the palm trees, then took 10 minutes to walk around the circumference of the island. That night we ate out at a French restaurant set out at the end of the pier in the next bay along. The food was OK, but the highlight was throwing bread to the reef sharks circling under a round hole in the floor in the middle of the restaurant.
We really wanted to get out to see the fringing reef so booked a trip to Amedee Island for our last day in Noumea. We were picked up on a tour bus, and taken to the main harbour in Noumea. It was everything we hate about big organised tours, but once we stepped off onto the island and bagged ourselves some sun loungers on the deserted beach away from the crowds, we were in heaven. We had to skirt past a few tricots rayé sea snakes, apparently deadly with no antidote so we gave them a wide berth! Emily and Zoe have a blast collecting shells and coral, then we joined them in the shallow water to look for turtles. We weren't disappointed - the most turtles we've ever seen in one place - and one even had a cleaning fish stuck to it's back. Amazing. Before lunch we returned to the boat for a trip out to the edge of the reef, where they fed fish off the side of the boat. Back on the island an impressive buffet was spread out for lunch, but then we were forced to sit in a large hut and watch their 'cultural show'. Lots of shrieking, drums and whirling dancers. We escaped back to our quiet end of the beach as soon as we could to snorkel on the other side of the breakwater where we saw amazing pipe fish, barracuda and squid. It was a long day, but an incredible island.
Noumea was amazing, but the real draw card was the legendary Isle of Pines, a short 45 minute plane ride from Noumea. We're at the check-in counter at the tiny domestic airport when Emily and Zoe spot Charlie and Mackenzie - two kids they'd made friends with in the pool at the Chateau Royale. They're on our flight, and the kids entertain each other while we wait to board. It's a tiny prop plane with about 40 seats, and we are treated to stunning views of the main island and it's tiny outlying islets on the way. We have just left the mainland behind when suddenly the plane turns sharply to the right and makes a large circle over the ocean. By the time the announcement in English comes over the tannoy, we have turned 180' and heading back to Noumea. Turns out there is only one fire engine on the Isle of Pines, and it was out fighting a bushfire. International flight regulations prohibit landing at an airport without a fire engine on site, so we were redirected to the nearest airport... Noumea. On landing the polite aircrew direct us into the luggage reclaim hall, and before we know it we are back in the terminal. We join a long queue to secure a spot on the next flight, but we are too slow - all the flights for today are all full. With no alternatives, we book onto a flight for the next day and book ourselves a hotel back on the beach at Noumea for the night. Gutted. We are just looking for a taxi when Charlie and Mackenzie's Dad approaches us with an offer. He has been talking with a helicopter company who have an 9 seater chopper available immediately. Even if we didn't join them, they would take the 5 seater available, so we would only pay the difference. It was still stupidly expensive, but with only 3 nights booked on Isle of Pines it would salvage our holiday - and be an amazing experience too. George heads back to the airline desk to get a refund on our flights, and I get in the first cab around to the helicopter company with the four children. An hour later, the other adults finally arrive. Another hiccup - the 9 seater helicopter has to land at the Isle of Pines airport. And the Isle of Pines airport has no fire engine. So we can't land at the Isle of Pines airport. The solution is two flights in the 5 seater chopper, which can land at a helipad on the north of the island. The catch? There is only one pilot, so we have to wait for another 2 hours while Iris the pilot takes the other family then comes back for us. Finally we are strapped into the helicopter, and heading out across Grand Terre. It lived up to the expectation - the views across the island and the coral reefs was incredible. All too soon Iris is pointing out the resort nestled in the trees next to a lagoon - she promises the landing pad is somewhere below us but all we can see are palm trees - She touches us down gently in the smallest patch of grass amongst the trees - just amazing. There is a car from our resort waiting for us, and we arrive at Nataiwatch just in time to walk down to the beach at Kanumera Bay for sunset. Our home for the next 3 nights is a small two room traditional bure set back from the beach, and after dinner at the rustic on-site restaurant we sit outside and congratulate ourselves on being on the Isle of Pines that night.
The next day was spent down at the beach at Kanumera Bay where we pretended to be guests at the posh resort at the far end of the beach, making ourselves at home on their sun loungers and ordering from the bar. The girls made friends with two sisters from New Zealand, and we alternated reading our books in the sun with snorkeling just off the beach. The coral and fish were quite amazing - and just within a few strides of waters edge. The water was warm enough to stay in for hours, chasing parrot fish, clownfish and pipefish and spotting the most incredible iridescent squid. That night we are back at Nataiwatch restaurant to sample their speciality - escargot. These land snails were simply enormous with amazing conical shells - But of course tasted just like all other snails - like garlic.
Our last day on the Island was a Friday - and that meant the cruise ship was in town. Our peaceful beach was filled with brightly dressed families, so we took the opportunity to escape the crowds and explore the island. We hired a car from the resort and headed first to the nearby town of Vao to explore the church. The guidebook described a path up behind the church to a fantastic lookout, so we duly set off on a steep trail. Eventually we came to a cemetery unlike any we had seen before - all the graves were adorned with necklaces, shells, masses of flowers and even clothing. Not sure where the track continued we attempted to ask a local tending the graves - he gestured vaguely at a gravel road through the undergrowth. We continued on what we thought was the path, but still hadn't found a lookout. eventually the track began to head downhill, and miraculously we finally arrive back at the church. By now a busload of cruise ship tourists had arrived, so we quickly looked inside the church then set on our way to St Joseph's Bay. This spot was a bit blustery, but is famous as the place where pirogues, little outrigger canoes with sails, are built. We eat the picnic lunch we'd brought, then head inland to the Hortense Grotto. This amazing cave was pitch black until you reached the far end where it opened up to the sky - an amazing space with tree roots and slippery rocks to climb over. Legend has it a tribal queen called Hortense lived in the cave while hiding from rival tribes. Back on the road we head to the main attraction - the piscine naturale on the far north of the island. It was a bit of a hike to get there, and we had to ford a fast flowing river, but it was more than worth the effort. The pool is filled by sea water, but the mouth to the ocean is closed by rocks. It was high tide when we arrived, and the water glistened with the most incredible blue. We had arranged to meet Charlie and Mackenzie's family here, and Emily and Zoe spotted them immediately. Words cannot describe how extraordinary the pool was - huge reef fish swimming between coral bommies, the clearest water imaginable, star fish and clams attached to every surface. George and I swam out to the ocean entrance and clambered out, squeezing around sharp rocks to see the waves pounding on the far side. Sublime. Eventually we dragged ourselves away and back up the river to the rather lovely Meridian at Oro Bay, where our friends were staying. They insisted on paying for lunch to make up for us waiting for the second helicopter flight, and it was rather lovely sat in a cabana by the beach drinking a few beers while the kids played and swam in the pool. Unfortunately we had to get the car back before dark, so we said our goodbyes and headed south. The guidebook recommended another grotto just off the main road on the way home, so we took a detour along an overgrown dirt track. Eventually we stopped in a clearing. We were the only ones there, and a tree by the path was covered in thongs. It all felt very eerie, but we pressed on down the path. We'd gone a few hundred metres when a fallen tree blocked our path. There was no sign of the grotto. Spooked, we turned back, and were about to get back in the car when we realised the path to the cave was just next to the thong tree. The grotto was basically a gaping hole in the ground, and with no-one else around we sensibly opted not to descend the gloomy depths and quickly retraced our steps trying not to think of the Blair Witch Project. Safely back on the main road, we had one more stop to explore the ruins of a French penal colony jail, which was very atmospheric at dusk. Our last night was again spent in Nataiwatch restaurant where they served up a rather delicious seafood casserole.
The flight back to the mainland was mercifully uneventful, although we did have a comedy moment at the check-in desk where the officious clerk insisted our bags were overweight, despite being the exact same bags and contents that we flew out with 3 days earlier. Suspecting some corporate scam to force us to pay excess baggage fees we began forcing the girls to don 3 jumpers and re-distributing toiletry bags, holding up the queue as we insisted each bag was reweighed until the clerk finally gave up and grumpily issued our boarding cards. We picked up a hire car from the airport and drove back into Noumea to collect the suitcase we'd stored at the Chateau Royale. It was nearing lunchtime so after stopping at Ouen Toro lookout we drove back to the seafront to Brasserie les 3 Brasseurs. The menu was only in French, but we could translate most of it, and chose a Salade Landaise with duck and potatoes, and 'geisers' which I couldn't translate. When the dish arrived it looked nothing like what we would call a salad - cold potatoes, slices of duck and some unrecognisable part of an animal.... turns out geisers are gizzards. Serves us right for not playing safe with pizza! We drove through the centre of Noumea, stopping at another lookout before heading South to our final stop - the Cases de Plum. Plum is a small village on the coast an hour south of Noumea, and our stop for our last two nights was a cute Balinese style bungalow set in the back garden of a family home. The photos on trip advisor showed a tropical pool so we headed down as soon as we arrived, but the water was freezing so the girls only stayed in for a few minutes. The host family were very attentive, offering us beers and soft drinks, but we did feel a bit like we were sitting in their garden! That night they cooked us dinner and we sat at a large table under an awning by the pool. No-one spoke much English, and our conversational French was far too rusty to make ourselves understood. Sandy, our host, resorted to google translate on the laptop, with some hilarious results. The food was delicious, and we made plans to visit a national park the next day thanks to Sandy's recommendations.
We set off after breakfast inland to the Parc Provincial de la Riviere Bleue (Blue River park). We completely underestimated how remote this end of the island was, and after about an hour of driving through wilderness we arrived at the park gates and realised their was no kiosk or cafe here - lunch would have to be half a packet of biscuits we found in the back of the car! We have a look around the visitor centre, which explains how New Caledonia is so mineral rich due to it basically being a bit of the underside of the earth's crust pushed up to the surface by volcanic activity. The landscape of the park was like driving on Mars - deep red soil and a strangely milky blue river. We stop for walks through the bush, searching in vain for the illusive cagou, a flightless bird beloved by locals. We continue along the edge of the river, finally following a trail to an enormous kaori tree. We eat our meager lunch in the car before heading back to the main road. Still not really appreciating how isolated this spot was we decided to continue on into the centre of the island rather than return the way we came. The lonely planet had an entry on a campsite with a swimming platform and canoes for hire, so we assumed they would also have a kiosk with food. Wrong. There was a small shack with a few warm cans of coke. We wandered down to the river and watched some kids jumping off the platform, then continued on back towards the coast, driving through a dusty red lunar landscape. Eventually we see a sign for the historic village of Prony and follow the steep winding dirt road down to a gorgeous secluded bay. Surely they'll be a cafe in an historic village? Nope. It was however a rather atmospheric place, and we pretty much have it to ourselves. No cars are allowed, so we park and walk down the main street past cute cottages and convict ruins. There is a rather fascinating sign detailing the gruesome ways the convicts were tortured, and some nasty props to demonstrate the point. It's late afternoon before we finally return to civilisation - and despite looking out for a shop or petrol station all the way back we are in Plum before we stop at a service station to buy yogurts, sandwiches and cold drinks. That night Sandy is having a night off, so we order pizza from a take-away in the village and eat outside our little cabin.
Sadly our trip had come to an end, and we drove back to Noumea the next morning to catch our flight to Sydney. Getting lost on the way we stopped at a petrol station for directions, and a newspaper billboard caught my eye: 'Crash d'helicoptere - pilote mort'. We thought of Iris who flew us to Isle of Pines and feared the worst. At the airport our friends were also checking into their flight to Melbourne and showed us a copy of the newspaper - the pilot, although not named, was female. It could only have been Iris. She'd been water bombing a bush fire in the north of the island. How sad.
Remember remember the fifth of November....Guy Falkes night is a bit of a non-event in Australia, but we were inspired by our fantastic outdoor fireplace to invite our English friends to join us for dinner and sparklers. The kids all helped make a guy to throw on the fire, dressed in Zoe's old clothes. The blue/green flames it created were a little bit worrying, but we managed to avoid burning the house down.
An amazingly uneventful flight saw us land in early morning gloom of Heathrow at 7am on Sunday. Somehow our 12 bags squeezed into a black cab and we were in Pimlico with the Sinclairs in time for bacon sandwiches and much needed coffee. No time to relax, we had tickets for ice skating outside the Natural History museum at 10am, so we rugged up and headed out. Skating was great fun, Emily and Charlotte soon got confident to skate by themselves. The drizzle started just as we returned our boots, so we hurried along Cromwell road to Harrods, only to find it didn't open for 15 minutes. We fail to find space for us all at a couple of cafes nearby and end up back in the Harrods queue. George and I duck off to Boots, then scour the crazy departments trying to find the others. We catch up in the queue for the chocolate cafe, get a table, order hot chocolates then decide we should go to a pub for lunch before it's too late to get a table. Cancel the order, steer the kids out of Harrods without breaking anything and hop in a cab to the Lord Coddrington. An awesome roast beef lunch and several bottles of red wine later, Zoe was asleep on the bench seat and Emma Gemma and Jimbo arrive to catch up over yet more red wine. By now it is getting dark, so we hop in a cab into Oxford Street to see the lights and stumble drunkenly around Hamleys. With the jetlag kicking in fast we walk down to Trafalgar Square to see the huge christmas tree. Quick cab ride past Buckingham Palace back to the flat where George and I fall asleep instantly on the sofa.
We manage to sleep until 5am, but it still takes until 10am to get packed up and out to the hire car company. We drive up to Stonefold through grey drizzle, arriving just in time for lunch. Charlotte and Isabel appear soon after, and we wander around the garden and up the lane until it starts to get dark. Time to drive over to Chipping Norton for a quick snack before we walk up the road to the theatre for the pantomime. It's Emily and Zoe's first panto, and they happily join in booing the baddie and singing the songs. I reckon it's been 30 odd years since my last pantomime, and it brought back such memories. Back at Lynn and Ali's house we put the girls to bed then order Chinese for dinner before nodding off on the sofa.
Tuesday morning and we needed to get some shopping done so after breakfast we drive into Witney and stock up on teabags and marmite at Sainsbury's, and finish up the Christmas shopping. It is so strange to be back in my old stomping grounds, so much is still just the same. By the time we get back to Lynn and Ali's Granny and Grampy are already there, ready to start on our 'Christmas before Christmas'. Granny and Grampy fly to Australia on Christmas Eve to be with Clairey and G, so this is our last chance to see them before they go. The girls can't wait to tear open their presents, then we sit down to a delicious turkey Wellington dinner prepared by Ali. George has a power nap, then joins us by the fire later for cheese and port.
Next day Julieanne, Anna and Nicola bravely volunteered to entertain the girls in the morning giving us some peace and quiet to get some jobs out of the way. Things were impressively calm when we arrived at Old Orchard House a few hours later, with a batch of cookies freshly taken from the oven. Things got less calm once we had 4 children and 2 dogs out for a muddy walk around the fields behind Abbey Farm, but luckily Julieanne had packed a flask of mulled wine for a Christmas picnic by the swings in the back garden of Abbey Farm. Back at Old Orchard House we were treated to a delicious dinner, then exchanged presents by the tree. That night, despite being completely stuffed from Julieanne's dinner, Lynn and Ali's neighbours came over for take away curry and plenty of wine.
Christmas Eve was always about driving home for Christmas, and we manage to get on the road by 10.30am. It's a good run down to Cornwall, despite unrelenting rain. Fiona and Jason had just arrived, and Penny and Greg arrive soon after us. The cousins are soon thick as thieves, and the grown ups tucked into a few gin and tonics while we caught up. After beef stew for dinner we settle in the lounge to watch a Top of the Pops episode from 1978, waiting for the kids to go bed before Santa could make his deliveries.
Emily is up early on Christmas Morning but we manage to keep her in bed until 6am when she can no longer contain her excitement and runs downstairs to open her stocking. Present opening happens immediately after breakfast, and in typical Burrows style every present has been torn open within minutes. The kids all have lots of new toys and games which keep them busy while the grown ups head to the pub for a couple of Christmas pints at the Coombe Barton. We get back just in time for Christmas lunch, an amazing feast of roast turkey and all the trimmings followed by Christmas pudding. The afternoon is spent playing games, watching ET and grazing on food.
Boxing Day in England is all about a a bracing walk in the country and we certainly chose a bracing location. There was a gale force wind blowing off the Atlantic Ocean as we followed the footpath down to Tintagel Castle but the beach below was much more sheltered. A trip to Mythical Tintagel isn't complete without a scramble through Merlin's Cave to watch the sea spray against the rocks on the far side. By now we'd worked up an appetite so we headed to the Millhouse Inn for lunch. The rest of the day was spent playing board and card games back at Barton House.
A trip to Sue and John's isn't complete without a visit to Trethorne Leisure Farm. We had the place almost to ourselves, with the cousins loving having cuddles with bunnies and guinea pigs, feeding the goats and sheep and riding a slightly feisty pony. Then it was indoors for trampolines, death slides, ball pits, go-carts and bungy running. A perfect way to spend a grey and drizzly day.
Our last day was a little brighter so Sue took us all to Bude to walk along the pretty canalside path, just as far as the Weir Bistro where we stopped for hot chocolates and cake. That evening, just as we are making plans for a trip to the pub for the evening, disaster strikes. Zoe, dancing in the lounge in just her open pyjama top, puts her hands on top of the wood burner to push up and see herself in the mirror above. She's screaming, and at first I think she has only burnt her hands, but as I force her hands under the kitchen tap I realised her bare chest had touched the edge of the burner and she had a long angry burn right across her ribcage. I run her up to the bath and cover her in cold water from the shower while she sceams in terror. The rest of the evening is spent at Launceston minor injuries unit, where her chest and hands are dressed. The chest burn is deep, and the nurses debate sending us to Plymouth to the burns unit. We are allowed home, but we require daily dressings - just as we are about to head across the country spending 6 nights in 6 different beds.
With Zoe's dressing needing changing daily, we now had to fit visits to the hospital into an already jam-packed few days of catching up with friends before returning to Oxfordshire for New Year's Eve. First stop Launceston Hospital to assess the damage in the cold light of day. It's still pretty angry, and one small section looks waxy - a sign of a deeper burn. After a second opinion from a colleague the nurse decides we don't have to spend the day at Plymouth Hospital Burns Unit and sends us on our way with instructions to get it looked at again the next day - wherever we would be. It's not far up the M5 to our lunch stop in Exeter. Emily's very best friend from Kindergarden had moved back to the UK with her family earlier in the year and they had invited us to drop in on our way through. After lunch we pulled on our jumpers and coats to walk down to the nearest playground. The kids didn't seem to feel the cold but eventually the icy gale was too much for the grown-ups and we returned our muddy children to Freya's house. Next stop was Bath, which is always a delight to return to, even arriving in the dark with rain lashing at the windscreen. We were spending the night at Owen and Sal's house, and their gorgeous boy Sam wasted no time showing off his smarts by dividing roman numerals in his head. Impressive. The Bath reunion was completed with the arrival of Rich and Carol and baby Keira, and Phil and Sophia and their son Henrik. George had seen them all earlier in the year at Rich and Carol's wedding but this was the first time I'd met little Keira. We caught up on everyone's news over dinner, then confirmed we were all still capable of being highly inappropriate with a game of Cards of Humanity until late into the night.
By a stroke of luck Owen and Sal lived just across the road from Bath Hospital, so after breakfast Zoe and I braved the rain to present to their emergency department. They weren't impressed that we weren't an actual emergency, and after answering lots of child abuse questions we were ushered into a first aid area run by paramedics. The chap who saw us seemed very knowledgeable and didn't agree with the dressing choice at Launceston hospital. He cleaned the wound then applied some flash sounding special dressing which he told us was the latest thing. He sent us away with a few extra dressing packs and told us we wouldn't need the dressing changed for a few days. Awesome. After a lovely long lunch at Hall and Woodhouse in the City Centre we reluctantly waved goodbye to the Bath crew and headed up the A46 to Nailsworth and an evening with the Smiths. I love how our girls always get on so well with Cooper and Zach, they remember each other like long-lost cousins. While the kids played happily together we had time to meet the newest Smith - baby Gus. That night we get a babysitter and head out for a mini pub crawl then dinner at the Egypt Mill. After dinner we sit outside next to a roaring log fire, perfect for a midwinter night.
We're a bit shady the next morning, but it's New Year's Eve and we have one more stop before we return to Chipping Norton. My old school friend Sarah was still at the shops buying lunch when we arrived at her house in Cirencester, but returned home soon after. Elan and Ivy soon made friends with Emily and Zoe while we caught up over cups of tea. All too soon it was time to head back to Chippy for a dinner party with Lynn and Alistair's friends at the Vicarage down the street. But we have a problem. Zoe is complaining her wound is itchy, and I can see gunk coming through the dressing. Worse still, it's starting to smell. I'm worried it's become infected, and we are flying to France in less than 48 hours. Thankfully Chipping Norton has an after hours first aid unit at the cottage hospital, and we're waiting in the car park for it to open at 5pm. The paramedic is amazing, and quickly recognises Zoe has had an allergic reaction to the whizz bang dressing, made worse by the Bath paramedic covering it all in a waterproof dressing - the whole thing had become a pustulating festering mess underneath. He cleaned it up, redressed it with another type of dressing, and asked us to return the next day. Back at Lynn and Alistair's we begin the celebrations with a few gin and tonics as we get ready, then it's a short walk down the road to the vicarage. We are in esteemed company, other dinner guests included the Mayor of Chipping Norton. After champagne in the drawing room we move through to the dinning room for a sumptuous four course meal. It's almost midnight when we move back to the Drawing room, and the New Year is welcomed with a rousing rendition of Auld Lang Syne. Amazingly the girls are still awake, so before the wheels fall off we stumble back up the Lynn and Alistair's. Definitely our poshest New Year's Yet. Happy 2016!
The hangovers all catch up with us on New Year's Day morning and it's a slow start, but Lynn organised a lunch in Chipping Campden with Aunty Daph months ago. Lynn and Alistair head off to join Daph and her friend on a walk while we make our final visit to the first aid unit. It's the same lovely guy and he reassures us it doesn't look infected. I'm given a lesson on how to look after it for the next week. Phew. We arrive in Chipping Campden with just enough time for a short walk through the village to work up an appetite - we picked our menu choices weeks before, not appreciating how nauseous we would be! The meal is lovely, if a bit too big, and it's so lovely to see Aunt Daph again. With a long drive down to Gatwick ahead of us we head off straight away after lunch. Our flight to Lyon leaves at 8am so we are staying the night before in an airport hotel. There's a bit of trouble dropping off the hire car when they complain about mud in the back seats. It's midwinter and we've been in the English countryside. Of course there is mud. Fiona, Jason, Dylan and Molly are already settled into their hotel room when we arrive, and after a room service pizza we tuck ourselves in for an early night.
As lovely as it was to see family back home for Christmas, our real reason for coming back up over in winter was the chance to return to our favourite French ski resort: Val D'Isere. When we were last there in 2003 we were a big group of carefree, childless twenty-somethings. The days were packed with as much skiing as possible followed by nights packed with as much beer and toffee vodka as possible. We had an amazing ski guide called Rob who had told us one day of the fabled Ski Club of Great Britain Le Fornet to Tignes Le Brevieres race. It was basically a challenge to ski from the top left of the piste map to the bottom right, including the highest point of each of the four ski areas. We had planned to attempt if on our last day in 2003 but the excesses of the week caught up with us and we spent the day in bed with gastro. We had to do it this time - or it could be another 13 years until we returned again!
A lot changes in 13 years and this time round we were travelling with family - Fiona, Jason, Dylan and Molly. The snow reports before we left England had been pretty ordinary, but we were delighted to see our first flurry of snowflakes as we travelled up into the alps on our airport transfer bus. By the time we reached the resort it had been coming down heavily for 24 hours. It was going to be a good week. The kids were booked into ski school from Monday, but for our first day we had a nanny come to entertain the kids in the chalet. The funnival express train to the top of the mountain departed just across the road from the chalet and we were on our first slope by 9.30am. It took us a few minutes to adjust to skiing in fresh powder but we were soon nailing it down the OK Orange piste at full speed. The morning was glorious sunshine but by early afternoon the clouds rolled in and visibility changed dramatically. After lunch we had been enjoying some easy greens and blues off the Grand Prix lift but suddenly the deep snow turned into invisible moguls and we went to pieces. So we called it a day and returned to hear our excited children regale stories of sled rides, snowmen and igloo building.
It snowed all night and was still coming down heavily on Monday morning as we bundled the kids with their skis, boots, gloves, helmets and goggles on the bus to the ski school in Val D'Isere itself. We were worried they wouldn't enjoy it, especially as we left a grumpy looking Emily trudging across to the kids zone. With very poor visibility we stuck to the runs we knew well from the day before and took advantage of a less than perfect day for a leisurely lunch with plenty of vin chaud. We arrived home in time to be greeted by rosy faced children beaming after an afternoon of playing in the snow. Ski school had been a complete success then Katie the nanny collected the children from ski school at lunchtime, took them home and gave them lunch then entertained them all afternoon. What a fantastic service. The evenings in the chalet were a far cry from our nights in the Morris Pub 13 years ago. Cups of tea, cake and performances from the kids! Our chalet hosts Noah and Ben were avid ski boarders who entertained us each night with tales of their exploits building their own ski jump behind the chalet. After they finished for the night they would leave us a carafe of table wine and we'd spend a quiet night in front of the fire.
Tuesday we woke to glorious sunshine so after dropping off the kids we hopped back on the bus to Le Fornet, possibly my favourite part of the Espace Killy. It's a small area with only a few runs but with fresh snow and virtually no-one else around it was perfection. At the top of the gondola we skied around to the next chair lift to get to the top of the mountain only to find it hadn't opened yet. We got numb toes waiting the 5 minutes for it to open but it was worth it - we were the second group on the lift, and the first ones on the freshly groomed piste. The stuff of ski dreams. We were all beaming like children when we got back to the lift. Second time down and we spot an ungroomed run off to the right. We can't resist the idea of skiing in knee deep powder although none of us have the remotest idea how to turn. There's much hilarity as we fall and disappear into human shaped snow holes. Lose a ski and you are searching for half an hour for it under the snow. Eventually we get the hang of lifting our ski tips, turning slowly and leaning RIGHT back. Definitely need more powder practice! We reluctantly stop for lunch at the rather lovely Signal restaurant and it's also perfect - gorgeous French food and stunning views back down the valley to Val D'Isere. After lunch we take the up and over lift into La Solaise and eventually ski back down into Val. A truly fantastic day.
Filled with confidence after our great day yesterday we were more than ready to tackle the Le Fornet to Tignes Les Brevieres race the next day. Fiona and Jason decide not to join us and spend the day at a bit more of a leisurely pace - they kindly offer to be home in time to meet the nanny at 4pm. There were so many variables that could stand in the way of us completing the challenge. Not enough snow and the tracks at the lowest altitude into Les Brevieres would be closed. High winds or poor visibility could close high altitude lifts and crucially the up and over lift connecting Le Fornet to La Solaise had to be open - yesterday it didn't start operating until 11am. Anticipating we wouldn't have time to stop for lunch we stuffed our pockets with croissants and headed straight to Le Fornet. The ski gods were looking kindly on us - gorgeous sunshine and the up and over lift planned to open at 9.30am. When we reach the top of Le Fornet we have to wait 5 minutes for the drag lift to take us to the very top and the official start. At -15' it was beyond freezing but we are glowing inside with excitement. We nail the run top to bottom non-stop at record speed. It's so good we want to do it again - but the race is on. The up and over lift is running so we head straight into Solaise and up to top of Saint Jacques and our second peak. We barely stop until we get to the bottom of Val D'Isere village and it's straight onto the gondola to Bellevarde peak. It's only 10.30 and we are going great guns - we spend the whole time in the gondola frothing about how good the last run was. It's an easy run on familiar piste to the lift across into Tignes, then up the Grand Mott funnival to the Tignes glacier. Here we hit the only disappointment of the day. The cable car to the very top of Grand Mott is closed due to high winds. Nothing else to do put race downhill back to Tignes village. Two more lifts and we are at our final summit - l'aiguille percee: the pierced rock. The clouds have rolled in and it just begins to snow as we follow the signs to Tignes Les Brevieres. As the visibility drops we take a left fork marked as a blue run, but somehow end up on a double black. Just what we need after 3 hours of non-stop skiing. It's a sudden change of pace as we negotiate narrow ravines and steep moguls. We'd usually relish a tricky technical black but not today - a bad tumble here and it's all over. We schuss out the bottom of the run with big grins on our faces - it's literally all downhill from here. We follow the easy road trail down through the trees, passing stunning icicles on the rocks. We arrive in Les Brevieres at 2.30pm. Smashed it. We'd been researching cab options to return by road to Val in case we didn't make it before dark! A plate of chips and a celebratory vin chaud at a bar while we let our achievement sink in. Then we decide to ski all the way back. To Le Fornet. We make it to the up and over lift into Le Fornet just 3 minutes before it closed, then skied non-stop to the bottom of Le Fornet. With legs of jelly we schuss down to the road. 3 hours 30 minutes and 49km to Les Brevieres, 2 hours 17 minutes and 28km back. Epic. And it was still only 5pm. Time for a celebratory beer at the Morris, then home to Jason and Fiona and a bottle of champagne.
With our newly acquired extensive knowledge of the piste map we took Jason and Fiona over to Tignes the next day. It was still snowing, but it was a little warmer and the snow was very wet on the bottom slopes towards Les Brevieres. By the time we reached the village we were covered in snow - and dripping wet. We hole up in a warm restaurant for a leisurely lunch, then head back across to Val D'Isere. It's a total whiteout at Toviere peak, and the wind is so strong we are almost skiing backwards. The usually easy Edelweiss run suddenly became the hardest run we'd ever done. With zero contrast the edges, lumps and camber of the piste were invisible - drop offs or mounds would just appear beneath your skis. Even worse this run had a few schuss sections - if you don't pick up speed on the downhill you end up walking for ages uphill. We had to trust to blind faith as we guessed the points to schuss from - occasionally picking up too much speed and getting some big air on the other side! It was time to call it a day, and we spotted our kids with the nanny sledging by the side of the road - time to join in! That night we have a babysitter and head out to the pub.
Friday was our last day skiing so we head to the one area we hadn't skied much - La Solaise. Not much is open early so we whizz up and down some easy motorway greens and blues until lunchtime. There's no nanny today so we pick up the kids and take them up in the chairlift to La Solise. The afternoon is spent following the kids down the green Madeline slope - they were really rather good - Zoe and Emily even performing some mid-ski front rolls! The girls were so excited to show us their skills and didn't get bored going down the slope again and again and again. We have such a good time that we almost miss the last gondola down the mountain. Val did not disappoint - a truly awesome ski trip.
All good things come to an end and the next morning we are up at 4am to get the transfer coach to Lyon airport, then our flight to Gatwick is delayed 2 hours. At Gatwick we wave goodbye to the Harveys, then catch a coach across London to Heathrow. With 6 hours to kill we set up camp in a Cafe Rouge at the terminal ordering small things infrequently. Eventually we are on the airplane back to Sydney, arriving home some 40 hours later. Huge thanks to Fiona for organising the whole ski trip - everything was just perfect.
With just 5 days between us returning from our European trip and Mum and Dad arriving there was barely time to unpack before we were welcoming them to our new home for the first time. To add to the chaos the car had been in the garage the whole time we'd been away after I'd crashed it 2 days before our flight. Oops. They had promised us the car would be ready the day before the parents arrived - of course it wasn't. In fact it didn't return to us until 4 days after they left. We celebrated the grandparents' arrival with dinner at the new outdoor dining table. With the parents in charge of the girls while George and I were at work, we left Dad a job to do in the garden - fixing up the brickwork around the fireplace. It kept him busy for days! Tuesday was Mum's birthday - the girls set up a treasure hunt following a red string around the house to find her present - very Frozen! With Australia Day on a Tuesday George and I had taken the Monday off to make it an extra long weekend. The plan was four nights in a lovely house by the beach in Bundeena, deep in the Royal National Park. Clairey, G and Sophie flew up on the Thursday and met us at the holiday house. With the car still out of action, we squeezed Mum, Dad, Emily, Zoe and myself into a hire car. Stopping to pick up groceries on the way we had to wedge the bags into every spare nook in the car! George came down on the train after finishing work, and I met him at the station at Loftus. The house was perfect, just a minute's walk from a calm beach on Port Hacking bay. We spent the days playing on the beach, swimming in the ocean and walking in the bush. The Curtis' came down for a day trip on the Sunday, with George and AJ taking their bikes off for a trail ride through the national park. The next day we walked along the river basin and through the bush to have lunch at Maianbar beach. The cafe was set back a bit from the bay but afterwards we wandered back along the shore line at low tide, spotting crabs and wading through the river - a really lovely afternoon. All too soon it was time to pack up and head back home - and we still had the problem of not enough room in the car. So we packed Mum and Dad off on the ferry across the bay to Cronulla with directions to the train station, while I drove a wounded George home (he'd been attacked by a spider in the night and had a very sore armpit). Back home there was only one more day until Emily returned to school, and after the weekend Zoe's first day in Kindergarden came around far too soon. A very excited little girl in her sparkly new uniform excitedly waved goodbye to us, and Granny and Grampy, at the gate. Will miss my little helper at home.
This year Emily asked to have a group of friends join her at Skyzone to bounce on trampolines and scale climbing walls. And to have a disco party. And to have a sleep-over. With all 7 friends. Somewhat naively we said yes. Skyzone was great fun, lots of bouncing action then everyone had a go at climbing the walls in Skyclimb. Back at the house we fed them pizza before putting on the disco lights. Finally they settled down to sleep on matresses on the floor of Emily's room. Or at least some of them did. Some of them were still awake when George and I got to bed...
With George's birthday falling on the Sunday of the long weekend there was no excuse not to get away to a holiday house. The weather had turned very wintry so our little cottage in Bowral with it's huge open fire was perfect. It was just us and the Curtis', but with the added complication of their new puppy Elvis. We hadn't been able to find anywhere to stay that allowed pets, so we were banking on the cottage being in splendid isolation on the edge of the village. No such luck. We were right next door to the owner's residence, and he came over to greet the girls and I when we were first to arrive on the Friday night. We had no choice but to confess the next morning, and thankfully we weren't asked to leave!
On Saturday we braved the cold to drive up to Mount Gibraltar for a short walk to take in the stunning views over Bowral. The wind was whipping across the outcrop so we were back by the fire before too long! That afternoon Flips and I spend a delightful few hours exploring the antique shops, then it's back to the house and time to get out the jigsaw. I must be nearly 40! We cook up a lovely dinner that night.
Sunday is George's birthday and he celebrates in style with an invigorating mountain bike ride with AJ, and a bit of wine tasting at Centennial winery. That night we leave the kids with a babysitter and head into town for drinks in the pub followed by dinner. A really lovely evening.
All good weekends come to an end, and we spent 4 hours packing up and cleaning the cottage before we left - this was our first Air BnB booking and we wanted to make up for bringing a secret dog. So we were quite surprised when a few days later we were given an appalling review... 'never in the 10 years of renting our cottage have we had it left in such a filthy state' We couldn't believe it - we had cleaned the kitchen, emptied the dishwasher, stripped the beds... Then I remembered George making espresso martinis with our leaky cocktail shaker. He had taken it into the bathroom to avoid spraying the kitchen cabinets. Which meant he had sprayed the bathroom walls with a brown coloured liquid. Ewwww.
Our good friends Danny and Caroline have a holiday home up the coast at Smiths Lake and bravely invited the Burrows to stay for a wet weekend in June. Luckily for us our daughters are great friends with their daughters Heather and Skye, who also go to Bondi school. By the time we arrive on Friday night the log fire is lit and Danny is cooking up dinner. On Saturday, we have coffee at Bluey's Beach then take advantage of a break in the weather to walk along the beach. Later that evening we wander down to the lake, looking for crabs and watching the fish jump out of the water. That night the neighbours join us for dinner and we discover that their children go to Pacific Palms school - where Emily's old friend Milla is at school. They are friends - and know Amy and Marc too! We end up arranging to meet at Pacific Palms social club for lunch the next day. Somehow I hadn't relised how close we were to Foster. So lovely to see the Dorflings again.
We were so spoilt with such amazing snow in Val D'Isere that we didn't think we could ever go back to the Australian ski fields. Then Marc sent us an email asking if we would like to join them on their first family holiday to the snow, and we said yes. We booked in for 5 days, staying in the Station in Jindabyne. Last time we were here, we were childless 20 somethings, hitting the bar every night. This time we were heating up lasagne and playing cards. Very rock and roll.
We drove down on Sunday, breaking up the 6 hour drive with a stop at our nation's capital to show the girls around the parliament house. We got there in time for lunch in the cafe, fending off the pigeons as we ate outside in the wintery sunshine. We arrive in Jindabyne just in time to sort out the hire gear for the girls, then check into the station. We are in a single room for the first night, so we head out to the bar for dinner.
The Dorflings arrive early the next morning and we meet them on the snow in Friday Flat. The girls have lessons in the morning, and Amy is also learning to ski. Marc joins us on the lift as we find our ski legs again. It's a great day skiing and we've done most of the resort by the time we collect the girls and have a few goes with them down the nursery slopes. For the rest of our stay we are in two portacabin apartments, and we take turns to host dinner each night.
The next day there is snow/rain, and everyone gets cold and wet. When we collect the kids, Milla is complaining of a sore wrist after a fall from her snowboard. Pharmacist Fay decides it's just a sprain, and recommnends ice packs. The next morning, Amy is worried and takes her to the medical centre. One X-ray later and it's a confirmed break. Think I should stick to transplant medicine!
After two days at Thredbo we are booked in for two days at Perisher. It's blowing a gale as we park the car and head into the terminal, but we buy our ski passes and head up the mountain in the ski tube to Blue Cow where the lessons are held. The meeting point is on top of the bluff and the girls immediately start crying and refuse to join their classes. There is nothing else to do but swallow the bitter thought of $400 down the drain and attempt a few runs down the valley. Emily is soon shivering so we return to Perisher for hot chocolate while we wait for the weather to improve. Emily refuses to ski for the rest of the day so George and I take turns taking Zoe up the lift in Front Valley. Not our best day skiing!
Our last day is better - the sun is out and Emily and Zoe join their lessons, having a great time. We ski across to Guthega finding some unexpected deep powder amongst the trees resulting in an epic full sumersault wipe out from me. That afternoon we take the girls down their first blue run and they are amazing, completely owning the slope. Not long before they are whizzing past us on the double black diamonds! The trip back to Jinabyne that evening was made a little more exciting by George not tying the ski bag onto the roof rack, and it sliding off in front of Marc's car half way down the mountain. Oops. Later that night I take our car to pick up Chinese in town and the ski bag again slides off on a roundabout - George had untied them but not taken the bag down!
After breakfast in Jindabyne on Saturday morning we wave goodbye to the Dorflings and head back to Sydney, stopping of course at our favourite big thing, the Big Merino in Goulburn.
It's hard to believe it's 10 years since we exchanged vows in the middle of a thunderstorm. Where does the time go? To celebrate this momentous milestone we thought we'd throw an anniversary party. Midwinter weather in Sydney isn't much worse than the weather on our wedding day, so we cranked up the heating and attempted to recreate a marquee vibe in our lounge room. The dress code was 'your wedding' and we invited all our friends, old and new to join us in their wedding outfit, bridesmaid dress or wedding guest attire. There were photos, plenty of champagne, and Cornish pasties for all. We asked everyone to send us their first dance track and added them to the play list - it was fantastic to see each couple take to the floor to relive their wedding dance. All except Susan and Hamish, who were so excited to hear their tune that they threw each other across the room. Literally. No party at our house finishes without Singstar, so George mixed up some espresso martinis and we sang until the early hours. A really great party - almost as good as the first time.
Our actual anniversary was the next weekend and Caroline and Danny kindly offered to look after our girls while we headed down the coast to Mollymook. We were staying at the Banister's hotel, perched on the cliff above the beach. Friday night we drank beer and ate tapas in the poolside bar, and on Saturday we dined at Rick Stein's amazing Banister's restaurant. Delicious. We even got to amble around some antique stores on our way home....
What with our wedding anniversary celebrations and the school holidays we somehow didn't get around to organising a party for Zoe until August. It all worked out well though as another mum from Zoe's class at school suggested sharing the party, and she booked the entertainer! The theme was pirate fairies, and we invited the whole class to join Zoe and Evie at Waverley Park after school. The weather was perfect and the fairy entertainer kept the kids amused until it was time to cut the cake.
It's not every day you turn 40, so to honour this milestone George organised a long weekend in Far North Queensland. We were joined by Katie, Dan and Hugo, The Curtis' The Sharratts, Nick and Beth, Peter and Denise and Clairey, G, Sophie and Baby Ben. This was my first chance to meet my new nephew, who was already 2 months old. We had apartments in a hotel complex on Trinity Beach, with a huge swimming pool overlooking the ocean. The birthday celebrations were on a tight schedule - spa day with the ladies followed by afternoon tea, dinner out at Blue Moon Grill, a tapas night with a onesie dress code, oh and a sky dive. From 15,000 ft. With a 60 second freefall.
Back in Sydney, George and I took the day off for my actual birthday, on a Wednesday. We had a delicious lunch at Catalina's overlooking Rose Bay, then took the ferry into the city for more drinks at the Ivy and Ryan's Bar. We were having so much fun we almost forgot to pick up the girls from after school care! The day was finished off with dinner at the little joint in Bondi. A rather good birthday week!
We love a good camping and music festival, so when some friends from Bondi School invited us to join them at Wollombi we signed up immediately. In the end, those friends couldn't make it, but we discovered another Bondi family would be there to keep us company. We drove up Saturday morning, pitching our tent right up close to the entry to the festival field. It was a beautiful site, a gentle sloping field down to the main stage, with plenty of market stalls, food trucks, a bar and lots of kids entertainment. We soon found Kelda and Steve and their 3 kids, and settled down to listen to some chilled music in the sunshine. Come night time, instead of wanting to go to bed the girls insisted on dancing until the last band had finished. It rained overnight, and the rain woke us the next morning at 6am. After a coffee and bacon roll from the only food truck still on site, there wasn't any reason to hang around so we packed up our soggy tent and headed home. A snap decison to take an unsealed road back to Northern Sydney via the Hawkesbury River found us bumping along through forest and riverside scrub, with plenty of wallabies to spot. Gorgeous. We'll be back next year.
After having so much fun burning a small model child last year, we invited the crowd around again for an evening of fire and sparklers. Only the Curti's could make it, but that didn't stop us having a lovely balmy evening in the garden, making the most of our new outdoor sofas.
This year Katie and Dan offered to host Christmas, so after an early morning swim at a beautiful and still calm Bondi Beach we set to opening the presents under the tree before heading to Coogee for lunch. Katie and Dan had put on an amazing seafood buffet, washed down with plenty of wine. Then we headed to Coogee Beach with a bucket of frozen dacquari in an esky. It was packed at the beach with an impromtu dance party kicking off on the grass behind the beach. We claimed a spot close to the water and settled in to watch the drunken backpackers get pummelled by the dumping waves. Finally, as the lifeguards started to drag the more inebriated revellers out of the surf, we headed back to Katie and Dan's place for cold meats and cheese, and more wine. The annual dirty santa present giving was as predictable as usual - we all ended up with the present we had bought! I had got the Pie Face game, and Flips ended up with a card game called Exploding Kittens, so the next few hours were hilariously spent playing games and getting covered in cream. Happy Christmas!
It's become an annual event - Mum and Dad coming to stay for a couple of weeks after Christmas.As always, we had a job to keep Dad busy. This year was building a deck in the back of the garden to put the outdoor dining table on. George and Dad spent many hours planning, buying equipment and timber, then clearing the site and constructing the deck. It was a labour of love - and the final result was fantastic. In between we had trips to our favourite spots in Sydney - Parsley Bay and the cliff walk from Bronte to Clovelly. We had some sensational nights out too - Symphony in the Domain, a free concert under the stars finishing up with Tchaikovsky's 1812 overture, complete with fireworks and cannons. And for Mum's birthday, I took her and Dad out to dinner in the Rocks followed by a engrossing ghost tour around the oldest parts of Sydney. We didn't see any real ghosts but it was still spine-chilling!
It’s been a long time since we’d taken the parents up into the Blue Mountains, and now the girls are old enough to enjoy a bit of bushwalking we thought it would be a nice break from the city. We found a lovely cottage in the centre of Leura and I drove the girls and Mum and Dad up on Friday morning. George would join us later after work, coming up on the train. Back when we came for our first Australian holiday in 2001 we’d joined a tour to the Blue Mountains which had taken a detour just as we reached the mountains into a park with wild kangaroos. Having not seen kangaroos anywhere in the mountains since, I did a bit of research online and decided this must have been a place called Euroka campground, in the Blue Mountains national park. It was raining hard as we followed the motorway into the mountains, but it eased up just as we pulled up in the campsite carpark. Pulling on our anoraks we walked across a gully and into a clearing to find a family of roos right in front of us grazing on the wet grass. The weather had been good to us - if it was hot they would have been lying in the shade and harder to spot. It started raining again just after our amble around the clearing, so we ate our picnic in the car. By the time we reached jellybean pool off the road back to the highway the sun was shining - perfect for a dip in the jellybean shaped curve of the river. There were some teenagers there that took it upon themselves to show Emily and Zoe the safe rocks to jump off so they had immense fun splashing around for an hour or so. It began raining again as we walked back to the car so we drove straight to Leura and checked into our cottage. George joined us in time for a lovely dinner out on the deck.
Saturday dawned bright and sunny so we took a walk along the cliff top path to the Cascades - a series of gorgeous waterfalls below the town of Leura. We were all exhausted by the time we got back so we spent the afternoon chilling out on the deck.
On Sunday we drove a bit further around to the cliff drive to Katoomba and walked down to the base of the Three Sisters, squeezing our way down the steep staircase and across a rickety bridge to stand right underneath the huge rock formation. Following up a tip-off from a friend who had been to Katoomba recently we followed a different path back and came across a huge pile of carefully arranged pieces of blue rubbish - a Bowerbird display and bower. Unfortunately there was no bird in sight, but it was amazing this display was untouched so close to one of the main tourist walks in the Blue Mountains. It was lunch time so we drove on to Blackheath and set up our picnic at the top of Govett’s Leap. Another short walk along the cliff top to the top of Bridal Leap Falls, then back to Katoomba for a hike down to Minihaha falls. This was another tip off from our friends, and we didn’t realise how far the walk was. Mum was feeling the heat so we left Dad and Mum in the carpark and headed down with the girls. The falls were beautiful - a long drop into a deep, cold pool. George and the girls leapt from a sensible height - but some of the other kids there were jumping from several metres above the water. Eventually George plucked up the courage to jump off the cliff edge from way up high - heart in mouth! Back at the cottage the girls were in the garden and spotted a few blue pegs under a fir tree - another bowerbird bower right in our back garden! After watching quietly for a few minutes we spotted mr bowerbird himself - and occasionally a lady bowerbird come down to check out his effort - it was just magical to watch the courtship. That night we played a couple of hilarious rounds of our new favourite board game - the Fame Game.
George went back to work early Monday morning, but the holiday wasn’t over for the rest of us… time to ride the world’s steepest railway at Scenic World. In fact we enjoyed it so much we rode it 5 times! We also took the gondola over to the far side of the valley, where we managed to lose Emily for at least half an hour. I was really starting to panic when my phone rang - a kindly stranger had met her several hundred metres around the cliff walk and offered to help - luckily Emily remembered my phone number!
Tuesday was time to head back to Sydney - but not before a pit stop at Wentworth Falls to follow the Valley of the Waters track down to another gorgeous waterfall. At the bottom we watched some canyonners abseil down the cascade - in wetsuits - the water was freezing! It didn’t stop the girls jumping in of course! On the way down we also spotted a Lyrebird scratching around in the leaf litter - fantastic. We hadn’t been in the mountains in summer for years and years - but it was a wonderful trip.
After the success of the onsie party for my 40th birthday Emily was itching to get her own unicorn onsie. So we bought her one for her birthday - then arranged a onsie sleepover. First of all the girls had an hour at the ice rink - great fun then back home for pizza, cake and dancing followed by a movie and not much sleeping. Happy Birthday Emily x
With our big renovations looming Sue squeezed in a visit before we packed up and moved out of the house for 3 months. We had a few days taking Sue to the beach and snorkelling in Clovelly, and a lovely afternoon in the rocks climbing the pylon of the Sydney Harbour Bridge to take in the views from the top.
Having spent a lovely day in Kangaroo Valley a few months earlier we were keen to go back and explore properly. With a long weekend booked off, and making the most of Anzac Day on a Tuesday we had found a lovely cottage on the edge of town and drove down on Friday evening. We spent a lovely day wandering around the town, checking out the antique shops and homeware stores, then searched for Jasper on the stoney river bank. That night we drove out to a nearby camp sight to see if we could spot wombats - we hit the jackpot. There was a big mummy wombat sitting in the mouth of a burrow, then her little baby came out to join her. As dusk gathered more and more wombats emerged from their burrows and munched away at the grass, oblivious to our delighted squeals!
The next day the nearby pioneer village was open, with blacksmiths, butter making and old style school lessons to attend. I'd read about a gorgeous road by a river just outside of the town, so we headed there for a picnic lunch, stopping by the local community hall on a patch of grass at the roadside. It wasn't the best place to stop. Within minutes our patch of serenity was filled with parking cars - a film premiere was taking place at the hall! After a trip to the stunning waterfall at Fitzroy Falls we had another dusk drive out to the countryside, this time to spot kangaroos - again we were delighted to spot a huge mob out in the field by the side of the road.
For our last day we drove out to the coast at Shoalhaven Heads for a swim at the deserted beach, some beach combing and sliding down the dunes.
It was Anzac Day when we left Kangaroo Valley, so before we departed we wandered down to the town centre to watch the ceremony. It was lovely to watch the small community come together to honour their fallen ancestors, and afterwards the bakery passed around free sausage rolls. Very special. We broke up the drive back with a stop outside Nowra to walk the Bomaderry Creek Walking Track. It looked like a simple loop on the map but after walking along one side of the creek for over an hour we decided we would never come to the crossing to come back the other side and retraced our steps. Then it started raining. We were all exhausted by the time we got back to the car!
We always love a night out in the middle of winter to see Sydney lit up for the Vivid Festival. This year didn't disappoint
With both AJ and Gill turning 40 this year it seemed like a perfect excuse to get away somewhere warm for the winter holidays. AJ wanted to rediscover his 20-something backpacker self at a full moon party on Koh Phangan, and found a fabulous villa on the island big enough to house the Carter-Briances, Curtis’, Sharratts and Burrows. Then Gill managed to get herself pregnant and with the zika virus scare at its height the Sharratts reluctantly pulled out of the holiday. They were much missed.
Katie and Dan had flown to Thailand the week before so we shared our flight with the Curtis’. After landing at Koh Samui airport we took a songthaew (basically an open back truck with benches along the side - great fun on the bumpy roads) to the pier and jumped into a speedboat - our personal transfer to Koh Phangan. Emily, Zoe, Jack and Charlie were so excited and raced to the bow, while I was more concerned making sure everyone had adequate sunscreen on. While trying to apply cream to Emily’s face we hit a particularly large wave and Emily’s head slammed into the prow of the boat. Blood immediately splurted from her nose, and sprayed onto everyone else behind her - absolute carnage! Not the best start to the holiday. We were met at the beach at Koh Phangan by Mika, who took us in the back of his ute to the villa. The place was amazing - a huge open living space overlooking a beautiful pool set in tropical gardens. We wanted to dive right in but we had to have the tour first….Katie, Dan and Hugo arrived soon after and we could get down to the serious business of relaxing. First priority - a traditional Thai massage on-site. If you don’t cry they aren’t doing it right! That night we wander into the village for dinner at a cute restaurant right on the sand.
The next day AJ borrows Mika’s 4WD ute and we pack the 3 families in. AJ and Flips in the front, the 5 kids on the back seat and Katie, Dan, George and I sitting in the tray on towels. It’s pretty bumpy as we make our way across the island to Haad Sadet beach. After a snorkel and swim, we have our first green curry under the trees at the edge of the beach. At the north end of the bay, some steps lead over the rocks to some hidden cabins on stilts looking out to the ocean - we will be back to stay in these one day! It’s pretty hot when we climb into the back of the ute again, so we’re glad to stop at a waterfall for a dip on the way home. Our next stop is at a Thai supermarket to stock up on supplies for the next few days. The shopping is thrown into the back of the ute with the rest of us.
The next day is spent relaxing at the villa, then getting ourselves ready for AJ’s big night in Haat Rin for the full moon party. We had babysitters booked but KT had twisted her ankle the night before during poolside shenanigans. It had swollen up like a balloon so she sadly decided to stay home with the kids. The evening didn’t start too well when a sudden thunderstorm forced us inside the worse bar on Haat Rin beach. Luckily the storm passed quickly and we were back out on the beach hunting down buckets of Thai whiskey and strutting our stuff on the stages. We lose Dan early on - he reappears at one bar then he’s off again - we don’t see him again until the next morning! The rest of the evening is quite hazy but at one point, after limboing under a flaming stick, George hung upside down from a pull-up bar and landed on his head. An Epic night.
The next day is spent in full recovery mode, then Wednesday is AJ’s birthday day - although his birthday is still a week away. We head out exploring again - to the north of the island this time at Thong Nai Pan Yai Beach. The tide is a bit too far out for snorkeling but we make up for it with a fabulous lunch right on the beachfront. Then we head to Challenge Phangan - a series of obstacles and water jumps in a murky lake. KT and Dan sit it out, but AJ Flips, George and I attempt the course a couple of times - always failing to make the last huge jump onto a slippery ball. This was followed by the pillow launch. You lie on your back at the very edge of an enormous inflatable pillow - then 3 limber Thai men leap off a platform onto the other end of the pillow - launching you high in the air and landing (hopefully) in the lake. Absolutely terrifying but hilarious to watch! The party continues that night. Mika and his wife cook us a fabulous Thai feast then we set to each other with face paints to turn ourselves into African animals in AJ’s honour. I was very proud of my attempt at a honey badger. Others may not agree.
The weather had been amazing all week so it was only just that we would have one washed out day. On Thursday we watched the storm clouds gather then a torrential thunderstorm broke. We pulled down the plastic blinds around the house and huddled indoors for card games and beer. A really awesome home for our Phangan stay.
After an amazing week in Koh Phangan it was time to say goodbye to Hugo, Katie and Dan who were returning to Sydney and head across the sea to Koh Tao. We had separate accommodation to the Curtis’ but thought it would be nice to share the hour and a half ferry ride. It was not nice. As soon as we left the shelter of the harbour the boat hit a squall and pitched through huge swells and the lovely undercover outdoor area we were sat in was quickly drenched. Somehow Charlie fell asleep, then woke up and vomited over AJ’s shoulder. We were all traumatised by the time we arrived at Mae Head Pier. Arriving at our hotel cheered us up - a lovely 2-bed apartment right on the beach. That night we explore Mae Head town.
The next day is spent relaxing at our hotel and exploring Saree Beach and the winding passageways that make up the town behind. That night we meet up with the Curtis’ for dinner and cocktails on the beach. An awesome vibe on the beachfront with fire dancers and great tunes.
We obviously have short memories as we signed up for a half day snorkeling boat trip around the island on Sunday. All was calm as we motored out of Mae Head but as we turned the headland south the swell hit us (again!) and suddenly our pleasant day trip became a simple matter of survival. The floor of the boat flooded with water, as I reached up to grab lifejackets for the kids. Emily felt claustrophobic on the front of the boat so we moved to the side, right next to the struggling diesel engine spurting out dirty smoke. I began to feel like we were on an unseaworthy small vessel full of refugees heading to northern Australia. I was planning on how I would make sure we all made it to shore when, not if, the boat sunk. Eventually we pulled in behind a rocky island on the south side of the island, and just as we got ready to jump in for a snorkel, it began to bucket it down with rain. Only one thing for it - to leap in. This was Shark bay, where we were promised sharks. There weren’t any, but the water was warm and there were plenty of fish and coral to distract us from the rain. It soon cleared up and as we pootled around to the next bay it was like a completely different trip - the sun was out and the water an incredible aqua blue. We have lunch at Aow Leuk Bay which has amazing coral gardens to explore. Back on the boat we motor all the way around the East side of the island to Nang Yuan Island, a gorgeous atoll with a sandy beach connecting the two parts of the island. We climb to the top of the hill for fabulous views of the bay, then one last snorkel in the sheltered lagoon. Unfortunately we then had to face the swell one last time to return to Mae Head. We were more than ready to reach dry land! We head straight to a bar to recover, staying out until late at Saree Beach. That night a huge storm comes through and I am again disaster planning lying awake at 3am in a power cut wondering how we would escape if a storm surge flooded our apartment….
We wake the next day to find downed trees and damaged roofs - there was no damage to our hotel but up at AJ and Philippa’s place on the hill the wall surrounding their residence had fallen in. We have a quiet day preparing ourselves for the final sea crossing to Koh Samui the next day. Gulp.
After our previous dramas on sea crossings we took no chances with the 2 hour catamaran voyage from Koh Tao to Koh Samui. We sat ourselves in the middle of the air conditioned indoor saloon, turned on our noise canceling headphones and watched Netflix. We arrived in no time. Our home for the next 5 days was the incredibly chilled Treehouse resort, a collection of brightly coloured beach huts nestled around an open air restaurant right on the beach front of Maenam beach. Unfortunately the owner had double booked us, so we could only spend one night in our beachfront bungalow before moving further back to a bigger, but less scenic hut for the rest of our stay. The next two days are spent totally unwinding, lounging on the beach or in a hammock while the girls chased kittens and made friends splashing in the waves. We eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at the fantastic restaurant, and were first in line for the happy hour mojitos at 4 pm. A very chilled couple of days.
For our last day we hire a dirt cheap runaround and head out to tick a few more things off Gill’s must see list. We pick up a sightseeing map from the front desk of the treehouse, which has a treasure hunt to keep the girls interested. First stop the Big Budda, and amazing views back towards the Treehouse. After poking around the tourist shops nearby we head to our next stop, the fabulous Wat Plai Laem with its ornate temples and huge statues. The lake surrounding the buildings was full of carp - for a few coins we could buy some fish food and watch the hundreds of carp jumping for pellets. Next stop the hilltop pagoda of Khao Hua Jook, for more spectacular views and a replica of the Budda’s footprint. Then we take a break from our tour to pop in to see our friends from Bondi, The Fergusons, who happen to be staying in a posh 5-star hotel on the beachfront at Chaweng. We make use of their pool, and swim up bar, before heading on our way, stopping for a quick green curry lunch at a roadside shack in Lamai. Our next destination is the very tacky tourist trap Hin Ta and Hin Yai. These rock formations look like male and female private parts - we stay long enough for the obligatory selfies then run back to the car as a storm rolls in. The rain is so heavy I can’t even see the road ahead as I drive along the main road and we have to pull over until it eases off. We are on our way to a popular waterfall, so decide it doesn’t really matter if it’s raining, but when we get there and find out it’s a good hour walk to the falls, we decide to give it a miss. As I reverse in the rain-soaked car park, I completely miss a tree directly behind us and dent the back of the car. Doh. We decide to ditch the tour and drive back towards the Treehouse. Then we see signs for the Pink Elephant waterpark. It’s only 30 minutes until it closes when we arrive and the place is deserted, but the girl at the counter flatly refuses to give us a discount on the day pass rate -which is more than a night at our hotel. We usher our teary girls back in the car and head back for a swim and happy hour cocktails. That evening we are joined by the Fergusons. After far too many mojitos it seems like a good idea for George, Caroline and I to swim out to a buoy in the middle of the bay. It doesn’t seem too far but George soon leaves us behind, and then Caroline turns back. I try not to think about sharks at dusk as I do my best crawl to get back to shore! It’s a fun night kicking back on the beach drinking too many cocktails. The next morning George the man arrives to collect our hire car - we are dreading how much he would fleece us for the damaged bumper. Amazingly he asks for only a few hundred bhat - about $50 for his mate to touch up the paintwork. Time for one last swim and green curry before we head to the airport and home.
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We arrive back in Sydney after our Thailand trip and let ourselves into our still very unfinished house. The stairs aren’t in, so Angus the builder has built a temporary ramp. We set up a camp kitchen in the playroom and settle into living in 2 rooms upstairs for the next few months.
Without anywhere at home to host a birthday party we chose the easy option of pizza and movie for Zoe and a few friends. I even manage to create a cake by borrowing the neighbours oven and rolling out icing on the camp trestle table.
The next day George hires a top-of-the-range Go-Get car for a few hours - one with no roof. We take it for a spin over the bridge and over to Freshwater beach for lunch at a beachfront cafe followed by an icy swim. A fabulous day.
This year Emily was super keen to join us for the 14k run to Bondi. With George leaving early in the red group hoping to beat his personal best time, Emily and I teamed up with Emily's friend Eliette and her mum Charlotte to start in the blue group. We managed to run most of the way, with a few stops for refreshments and photos. As we neared the beach at Bondi Emily and Eliette took off at top speed - it was all I could do to keep up and cross the line just behind them. By the time we arrived George had been in the pub for 2 hours!
After the fun of City 2 Surf the girls were very excited to do the Colour Run - 5K around Centennial Park getting covered in coloured paint and foam. Zoe in particular wanted to make up for missing the City 2 Surf and ran ahead at full speed when ever she could! It was such a fun day, especially cycling home in our filthy outfits!
Inspired by their wives, both George and Matty signed up for the Sydney marathon and began their training plans. Unfortunately Matty came down with flu the week before the big race, leaving George to run alone. Gill and the girls came along to cheer George on at Centennial park and Pyrmont before watching him cross the line at the Opera House. George ran an incredible race, finishing in 3:39:49 and smashing the current Burrows family record. Emily is next...
We were very overdue a trip down to Melbourne to see Clairey and G' new house in Tecoma. We arrived Friday night in time for dinner and lots of cousin chaos. On Saturday we took a ride on the fabulous Puffing Billy railway up into the Dandenong Ranges. We stopped for lunch at a nice cafe in Emerald, then on to Emerald Park where we took a couple of pedalos out onto the water. After an ice-cream it was time to board the train back to Belgrave. That night we sit around the fire at the bottom of the garden and discuss Clairey and G's wedding plans. Before we head off on Sunday, we have a walk in the beautiful Sherbrooke Forest where we found this fascinating Dragon's nests - large constructions of woven branches. All too soon it was time to head back to the airport and home. A lovely weekend.
After having such a great time last year at Wollombi we didn't take much persuading to sign up again for the Labour Day weekend. The site had changed this year, and the festival was much smaller, but we still had a fantastic time drinking beer in the sun with the Davey's. The next day we packed up the tent and drove across to Smith's Lake to stay with the Fergusons at their lovely lakeside house. What a great weekend.
Only a few weeks later we were heading to Smith's Lake again, without George this time, for a weekend with the Sunbirds netball team and Mums. The weekend got off to a dramatic start when Caroline and I were involved in a car accident on the slip road just North of Newcastle. I managed to avoid a collision by millimetres but Caroline was not so lucky. She was hit from behind and got an ugly dent just behind the rear tyre. No-one was seriously hurt, but we were all rather shaken. Eventually the fire brigade turned up and handed out beautiful hand knitted 'trauma bears' for the children - such a lovely gesture. One Firie helped us pull the broken bit of car off the wheel so we could drive on. Very slowly.
The rest of the weekend was lovely and relaxing. We drove over to a different part of Smiths Lake for the girls to swim and kayak, then had sunset drinks down by the lake at the bottom of Caroline's and Danny's property while the girls put on a show.
Sunday morning was all a bit hard after a few too many glasses of wine the night before. We stayed to help tidy up, then drove to beautiful spot on Myall Lake to swim and read the papers before we hit the road home
We're getting good at this camping lark, and this was about as easy as it gets for a campsite. We were invited along by our Bondi school parent friends for a weekend camping on the grass behind Coledale beach. Only an hour and a half south of Sydney we got there easily on Friday evening and set up tent. Then we went to the RSL for dinner.
Saturday morning is bright and sunny so we head straight for the surf and a refreshing dip. After breakfast we walk into Coledale for coffee at the cafe. Not really camping at all! The rest of the day is spent surfing and relaxing on the beach. A fabulous day, except for almost losing Emily in the rip - luckily her boogie board got entangled with a random surfer who kindly brought her back to shore. That night we cook up snags and salad and drink until the early hours.
More swimming on Sunday, then we pack up and head just down the road to Gill and Matt's new place in Thirroul. Fantastic weekend.
Friday evening is our new favourite time to stroll around the sculptures in Marks Park and along the cliff walk to Tamarama.
With the renovations finally complete we were very excited to host Christmas at Henrietta Street for the first time. Cousin Nicola came to stay from mid-December, and we put her to work tidying the garden and painting the wall behind the kitchen splashback window. Clairey and G arrived on Christmas Eve, and cousin chaos decended with Ben running around like a Duracell Bunny!
Christmas Day dawned bright and sunny so after breakfast we headed straight down to Bondi for the annual Christmas morning swim. Back at the house George got the turkey on the BBQ then we attacked the huge pile of presents under the tree. AJ and Flips, KT and Dan and Nick and Beth joined us for Christmas lunch on the deck. The weather turned cooler that afternoon, the perfect excuse to light the fire and don our Christmas jumpers! It all felt very English as we played charades by the fire. Unfortunately both Clairey and G came down with a gastro bug and spent most of the afternoon in bed. They were serenaded by Singstar until the early hours.
On Boxing day Clairey and G headed up the coast to see some friends, giving us a few days respite before Mum and Dad arrived on New Year's Eve. We couldn't decide what to do for the end of year celebrations, eventually deciding to drive to Coogee for the 9pm fireworks. AJ and Philippa joined us for the firework display, then back at ours we lit the fire and drank wine until midnight.
Clairey and G arrived back with us on New Year's Day and we had a few lovely days in Sydney, hanging out at Little Bay, the Botanical Gardens and Marks Park. After Clairey and G left we had a few more days with Mum and Dad, returning to the Botanical Gardens for a wonderful interactive roaming Wind in the Willows production.
We have really got into this camping lark, so much so that we have planned 10 days of living in a tent for the end of the summer holidays. The plan was to head north to the Barrington Tops National Park, but we persuaded Katie and Dan and The Curtis' to join us for the first weekend on the other side of the Hawkesbury at the historic town of Saint Albans. The camp site was a patch of grass next to the river opposite the pub, and we wasted no time getting ourselves a beer or 4 once we'd set up the tents on Friday night. It's a funny old pub, full of even funnier locals, but we had a nice enough meal for dinner then birthday cake for Jack and Charlie.
Saturday was a blistering 40' day so we followed some local advice and drove a but further down the river to a lovely spot where it was deep enough to swim. There was also a steep sand dune to roll down and land in the refreshing water - heaps of fun. We spent most of the day there drifting around in inflatables before heading back to cook on the campfire.
On Sunday morning it was time to part ways. We packed up our gear and headed north on an unsealed road towards Woolombi, as the rest of them headed back to Sydney.