Well, so far so good in Australia! Diane is a great host and great cook. I feel like I have a personal chef. (-:
Anyway, after getting settled in Diane’s apartment (she had to go back to work), Tim and I just showered and researched our trip to the Great Barrier Reef. We managed to get it all booked. We are leaving on Monday and will spend the night in Arlie Beach. Then Tuesday we will board the SV Whitehaven for a two day two night cruise around the Whitsunday Islands in the Great Barrier Reef. Check it out: http://www.sailing-whitsunday.com/data/listings/l0037.php. We can’t wait!!!!
Friday night Diane took us to Kangaroo Point which was a little outside park with a beautiful view of Brisbane city. Some of her friends (Ben and Holly) were there, and we enjoyed chatting it up with them.
Saturday was a super busy day. We got up early and went to the markets and got all sorts of yummies…fruit, salmon, steak, cupcakes, coffee, crepes and sunflowers. It was a grand experience and all the food was very reasonably priced!
After the markets Diane packed a very healthy yet tasty picnic lunch, and we headed out to Ipswich (Di’s hometown). We went to Queens Park and ate in the Japanese Gardens where Di and I managed to get bitten by ants…blech. This was on top of my already many mosquito (or mozzie’s as the Aussies say) bites. The bugs have always been sweet for me. )-: Anyway, the park was cool, and we walked through the nature center and saw wombats and mini kangaroo things (paddymelons).
Then we went to Di’s parents’ house to pick up our car for the month. Car you say? Yes, car…craziness this driving business over here. Di took us out for a driving lesson, which was funny. Tim and I kept reaching for the gear shifter on the right side when it is on the left. We kept turning on the windshield wipers when we mean to turn on the ticker. It was funny, but I think we have the hang of it. Tim drove back to Di’s apartment from her parents’ house (a good 40 minute drive), and this morning we went out for groceries all by ourselves. So far we haven’t driven into oncoming traffic. Let’s hope we can keep that up.
On our way back into town we went to the bat colony (smelly and weirdo) and Di drove us by the jail to see REAL LIVE HOPPING KANGAROOS!!! Wahoo…for roos. They were awesome. I can’t to see them up close.
Last night we went out to two parties and meant all sorts of nice people. Di has nice friends, and in general I just think Australians are nice people. They are very inviting and fun.
This morning Di woke us up for a run in the park and now we are getting ready to go out for a hike. Di is keeping us active and making sure we see everything. She is a great host.
Tim will post pics later…we have a lot.
Hope everything is ok back home.
P.S. We tried to call our parents tonight, but neither set were home…what social butterflies out and about on a Saturday night. HA!
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oh yes . . .we were with our friends. She is a writer and he is a deep sea fisherman: Halibut fishing in the Bering Sea. Often he would cross the International date line and re-cross with the catch meaning that he caught "tomorrow's fish yesterday" How fresh is that!?
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