Hot in the City!

Well-Perth was officially the hottest city in the world on Christmas Day when temperatures reached 40.7!
Had a wonderful day. Typical Ozzie barbecue- sausages, steak, lamb, cold tinnies and expensive champagne- fab. :-)

Luke woke us up early on Boxing Day so we headed out to King's Park for an early morning walk. Temperatures later on in the day hit a scorching 44.2 so Lydia, Ruth and I went for an afternoon swim to try and cool off.

This morning temperatures were back down to a reasonable 33 so we had a wander around the city and enjoyed morning coffee in one of the many pavement cafes.

On Saturday we're off to Perth Zoo.

Hope it's not too cold in the UK! ;-)

L & R x

Perth

G'day from a VERY hot and sunny Perth- 36 degrees today and it's going to be 38 tomorrow- Christmas day!

Arrived here last Thursday and it was great to see my sister Lydia and little nephew Luke at the airport. He's grown so much!
Had a busy day on the Friday- worked all day doing a buffet, serving drinks etc for 1000 people. It was a bit of a shock to the system as neither of us have worked for 5 months! Good fun though.

On Saturday morning Luke got us up early so we went to the gym and then took Luke swimming.

We've had a couple of very lazy days relaxing in the garden which has been lovely. Looking forward to our Ozzie Christmas tomorrow.

Hoping to go to Perth Zoo and Kings Park in the next few days so will update the blog and add some pictures.

We wish you all a very Happy Christmas and Best Wishes for 2008.

L & R x

Melbourne- The End

Sunday saw our trip to the Grampians. A great day. :-)
On the way there we stopped at Brambuk Cultural Centre- a good Aboriginal Exhibition. We then headed to the Grampians. Did some short walks (only about 5K) around the mountain ranges including a walk to MacKenzie Falls.

On Tuesday we met up with a couple of girls who we had befriended earlier on in our travels. Enjoyed coffee and cake in the city and caught up on all the gossip! In the evening we did an Aquacise class which was good.

This morning we walked to Federation Square and visited the National Gallery of Victoria. Still don't quite understand John Olsen's work- did anyone google him?! This afternoon we're going to go for a swim, sauna and spa. We have also booked ourselves a massage- bliss! :-)
Tonight we're going to have a wander around the Queen Victoria Night Markets and hopefully get something to eat there.

Off to Perth tomorrow. Yippee!!!
Love to everyone,

L & R x

Melbourne- The Middle

The second installment from Melbourne....
Last Wednesday we got the train out to the suburbs of Melbourne to a place called 'Seaford' to spend the day with Ruth's family- John and Heather. Had a great day. Weather was hot so we relaxed on the beach after lunch and paddled our feet in the sea. :-) In the evening we had a wander around the Night Markets and enjoyed a crepe.

Thursday was our tour to Phillip Island. A fabulous day. Stopped off along the way for lunch at a wildlife park- koalas, kangaroos, emus, wombats......etc. Had a stroll along Woolamai Surf Beach before heading to the island. Settled down on the beach- right at the front and at about 9pm groups of penguins (called 'rafts') started to emerge from the sea. It was an amazing sight as they waddled up the beach- some of them coming really close to us. Something we'll both never forget. :-) Arrived back at the YHA at about 12.30am- tired after a long, but brilliant, day.

On Friday we made the most of a really hot day and got a free bus to the beach town of St. Kilda. Again- another relaxing day. Spent a couple of hours on the beach, swam in the sea and enjoyed lunch in the park. Who wants to work?!!

Today the weather was not so good so we visited Old Melbourne Gaol. A fascinating insight into the lives of some of the criminals sent there. We were lucky enough to also see a play about Ned Kelly. Brilliant. This afternoon we went for a swim.

Tomorrow sees our tour of the Grampians- lots of walking!
Will update the blog in the next few days.
Love to everyone,

L & R x

Melbourne- The Beginning

We arrived in Melbourne a few days ago and have already seen and done so much we thought we would write the blog in 3 sections.

After settling in, we spent Saturday morning at the Immigration Museum which was good. We then walked to Fitzroy Gardens to enjoy our picnic lunch before walking around Captain Cook's Cottage- shipped all the way from Yorkshire in 1933! In the afternoon we went up the Rialto Tower and enjoyed spectacular views overlooking Melbourne.
In the evening we went to 'Bennets Lane Jazz Club' for an evening of good music. :-)

On Sunday we dragged ourselves out of bed and did an aerobics class- mad! We then had a lazy afternoon wandering around the Queen Victoria Markets. I spent $100 on a new pair of trainers!

Monday saw our tour day on the Great Ocean Road. An early start with the bus picking us up at 7.25am! A fabulous day incorporating- Bells Beach, Split Point Lighthouse and a short rainforest walk in Otway National Park. The highlight of the day was seeing the huge limestone stacks in the sea which included- 'London Bridge', 'Loch Ard Gorge' and 'The 12 Apostles'. Breathtaking.

Today we went on a 5K Heritage Trail Walk around the city. Very intersting to learn about Melbourne's past and present and see old Victorian buildings next door to modern buildings and sculptures.

Have emailed my photographer a few pictures.
Will update blog with next installment in a few days. Off to Philip Island to see the penguins on Thursday!!! :-)

L & R x

Canberra- The Nation's Capital

'Canberra'- from an Aboriginal word meaning 'meeting place'- just one of the many random facts that Ruth and I have picked up on our travels through Australia!
Had a very 'cultured' time in Canberra.

On Sunday morning we walked to the Old Bus Depot and had a wander around the markets. Then, in the afternoon we visited the National Gallery of Australia. We can both now tell our 'Picassos' from our 'Monets' but we don't get ' John Olsen's' work.... (you'll have to google him!)

We spent most of Monday at the Australian War Memorial- a fabulous museum dedicated to the First and Second World Wars. Very moving.
In the evening we enjoyed a drink (or two...) in the YHA Transit Bar.

Tuesday 4th December was our half way point of our trip! :-(
We visited both the New and Old Parliament Houses and enjoyed very good tours around both. Popped into the National Archives so that Ruth could indulge her passion for family history!
In the afternoon we walked around Canberra Museum and Art Gallery.
Continuing our cultured week we found an Irish pub in the evening for dinner!

On our final morning in Canberra we visited the Museum of Australia. We then got the Greyhound to Albury.
Spent one night in Albury before our final Greyhound journey to Melbourne.....

L & R x

Blue Mountains

Hello!
Ruth and I have had a fabulous week in the Blue Mountains.
We arrived last Friday 23rd Nov. The Art Deco YHA was lovely- especially our ensuite room. :-)
The weather during the week was a bit 'hit and miss'. We had mist where we couldn't see more than 2m ahead of us, blue skies and sunshine and torrential downpours! We quickly invested in some very sexy, flattering ponchos- one size fits all!

We did MANY walks and found muscles in our legs we didn't realise we had. These walks included-
* The Three Sisters incl the Grand Staircase (1000 steps!)- about 8K
* Wentworth Falls- about 4K
* Leura Cascades & Gordon Falls- about 10K
* Katoomba Falls incl the Furber steps (hard work!)- about 5K
* Prince Henry Cliff Walk- about 9K

We also enjoyed a great evening in a club listening to a live jazz band. They were fantastic.
One afternoon we made the use of a nearby sports centre and went for a swim and then relaxed our tired, aching legs in the sauna and jacuzzi.
One evening we went to 'The Edge' cinema to see a film about the Blue Mountains- very interesting and great to see aerial views of the Mountains on a HUGE screen.

During the week we treated ourselves to lattes and hot chocs in some of the many coffee shops in Katoomba. One place called 'The Paragon' was particularly good with Art Deco features and homemade chocolates.

We arrived back in busy Sydney today. One night here and then we're off to Canberra early tomorrow morning.

Love to everyone,

L & R x

Newcastle

Had a fantastic time in Newcastle.

It's our last night here tonight- so our last chance of free pub food! :-)
Arrived late last Saturday night. On Sunday we walked into town, around some small markets, enjoyed a coffee and hot choc and shared a calorie-free chocolate brownie. We then made our way to Newcastle Regional Art Gallery.
In the afternoon we went for a swim in the Ocean Baths- freezing but lovely. Free pub food in the evening.

On Monday we headed to the Hunter Valley on a wine tour. Weather gorgeous. The wineries we visited included- Mount Pleasant, McGuigan Wines, Brokenwood, Audrey Wilkinson, Rosemount (my favourite!) and Drayton's. We also stopped at the Hunter Valley Cheese Company and Olive Centre. It was great to taste some of the different wines and enjoy the cheeses. Had our picnic lunch at the Hunter Valley Gardens Village. A great day.
Free pub food and pool competition in the evening.

Today we went on a tour to Port Stephens. Walked a VERY steep 1k to the top of Tamoree Lookout- stunning views across Nelson Bay. Had a paddle in the sea afterwards to cool down.
After lunch, we headed to Anna Bay to do some 'sandboarding'. Absolutely awesome! Zipping down the sand on skateboards, the sand stinging your skin...really exhilarating. :-)
Just about to head down to the pub for our food and quiz night.

Off to Sydney tomorrow.......

L & R x

Port Macquarie

Hiya!
Hope everyone is well.
Had a great time in Port Macquarie last week.
On the Wednesday we walked into town and visited the Port Macquarie Historical Museum. A fab little museum displaying artefacts from convict times (1821).
In the afternoon we walked to the Koala Hospital- the only one of its kind in Australia. Got there for the 3 o'clock feeding and tour. Quite a moving place.

On Thursday we walked to and around Kooloonbung Creek Nature Reserve- only 3K (short for us!). Weather lovely so found the local outdoor swimming pool in the afternoon and between us swam over 2K. Met up with our friend Jules for a drink in the evening.

On Friday we got the bus to 'Tacking Point Lighthouse' and then walked the 8k coastline walk back to Town Beach. It was wonderful. Views were amazing- including a couple of people on the beach 'letting it all hang out'!

On our last day we did a fantastic 2 and a half hour canal cruise. It was brilliant to see some dolphins along the way. Stopped for Devonshire Tea and visited an oyster farm. Went back to outdoor pools for a swim in the afternoon.

Left on Saturday at about 5pm and arrived in Newcastle at about 10.30pm.......

L & R x

Coffs Harbour

Hi!
Arrived in Coffs Harbour last Friday afternoon. YHA very clean and quite modern. :-)
Once we had settled into our room we checked out the facilities and then went out for dinner.

It was still raining Saturday morning so, after a sesssion at the gym, (mad!) we got the bus into town. Had a wander and enjoyed a nice lunch.
There was a small break in the rain in the late afternoon so we made the most of it and walked to 'Mutton Bird Island'. This island is the habitat for thousands of Mutton Birds who nest here. After a bit of a climb we reached the top and were rewarded with great views overlooking the ocean.

On Sunday, we had planned to go whale watching, but again, the weather wasn't great. So, instead we did the 'Creek Walk' to the Botanical Gardens- about 9K altogether. :-) The Gardens were quite impressive- some of the best we've been to so far. We had our picnic lunch on the way back as the weather started to brighten up.

Yesterday, we hired a car with our friend 'Jules' and headed to a place called 'Dorrigo'. Our first destination was the World Heritage Rainforest Centre. The rain was beginning to stop so we did the 6.6k 'Wonga Walk' taking in some fantastic waterfalls along the way. Brilliant. Enjoyed a lovely lunch here at the Canopy Cafe before visiting the town of Dorrigo and the Dangar Falls.
Made the most of having 'Yolande the Yaris' (!) and drove to 'Ebor' to see some more waterfalls. Returned to the YHA early evening. A great day.

Weather has certainly brightened up today and the sun has come back out again- yippee! :-) Going to have a walk along the beach and then chill out by the pool before we get the Greyhound this afternoon to our next destination- Port Macquarie.......

L & R x

Byron Bay

G'day from a rainy Byron Bay.
Unfortunately the weather hasn't been good since we arrived here last Monday.
But that hasn't stopped us being busy...

On Tuesday we luckily got a 2 hour break in the rain to walk to Cape Byron Lighthouse. A difficult but rewarding walk as the views from the Lighthouse were awesome.

Wednesday was a very interesting day. We decided to go on a tour to a place inland called 'Nimbin'. Our tour company was called 'Jim's Alternative Tours' and it certainly was alternative! Our guide/driver was an ageing hippy who seemed to be stoned for most of the day.
Arrived in Nimbin- and how can I describe it?- a sort of parallel universe where most people were high on a variety of substances, hippy shops selling tie-die items of clothing and hemp and one nice cafe which Ruth and I found to enjoy lunch, a coffee and a hot chocolate. Didn't have any of the cake!
We then got back into our hippy bus and were taken to Jim's friends garden so that everyone could smoke what they had bought in Nimbin- excluding Ruth and I. We went to look at the flowers and trees instead!
Our final destination were the Minyon Waterfalls. Unfortunately there was not much water.
So, all in all, an interesting day. Ruth and I had a giggle.

Today the weather wasn't too bad so we hired a couple of bikes (for free) from the YHA and did a 2-hour bike ride to 'Broken Head National Park'. Had a swim in the pool this afternoon. Tonight we're off out with some of the girls to a bar/club called 'Cheeky Monkeys'.

Head to Coffs Harbour tomorrow morning....


L & R x

Busy Brisbane

Had a fantastic time in busy Brisbane!
We arrived last Thursday and found a day spa. So- being broke backpackers we booked ourselves a massage, a morning at the spa and 7 days free gym membership!
Friday morning- made the most of our 7 day gym pass and used the gym for an hour. We then had a wander into the city centre and into the main shopping area. On the way back we visited St. John's Cathedral.
We were extremely fortunate on Friday night. The Australian Ballet Company were performing for free (!!!) in Brisbane in the Botanical Gardens. Gates opened at 4pm so Ruth and I arrived at about 4.05pm with our picnic, tim tams and wine and settled down about 10 metres from the open air stage- right in the centre. You could say- we had the best seats in the house.
It was a brilliant evening. The ballet was superb. :-)

Sat morning- we were up early again to go to the gym (mad!). We then enjoyed a whole morning being pampered- full body massage, sauna, steam room, jacuzzi, exfoliating body scrub, free fruit and tea......it was bliss! Just what we needed after nearly 3 months travelling with heavy backpacks.
In the afternoon we got the train to the Southbank and visited the Queensland Museum and Art Gallery- very cultured!

On Sunday (after the gym!) got the train and then the 'City Cat ferry' to Eagle Street markets. After stopping for a drink and a French crepe we used our passes to go as far as we possibly could on the Brisbane River. Lovely.

Arrived in Byron Bay this afternoon. Time change of one hour so we're now 11 hours ahead of the UK. YHA is nice. Close to beach, shops, cafes etc.
Will write again soon.

Love to everyone,

L & R x

Noosa Heads

Hello!
Hope everyone is well.
We had a very relaxing time in Noosa Heads. The YHA was lovely. Our room was very spacious. Visited Noosa National Park, chilled out on the beach and spent a morning at Eumundi markets- the largest in Australia.

Arrived in Brisbane this afternoon. Nice to be in a city- makes a change from beaches. Got several things planned including going to the City Botanical Gardens tomorrow evening to see a ballet, art galleries and museums.

Will up-date blog in a few days with some pix.

L & R x

Hervey Bay & Fraser Island

....well we didn't go kayaking in the end as the group wasn't big enough so we chilled on the beach all afternoon- much more sensible!

Arrived in Hervey Bay on Thursday afternoon. Excellent YHA. Had cakes and juice on arrival. Nice swimming pool etc. Enjoyed a BBQ dinner in the evening.
Our 2 day 'Northern Adventure Tour' started the following morning. Got the ferry across to Fraser Island.
It is the largest sand island in the world so driving across it in our 4X4 was rather a bumpy ride!
Visited several places on our first day including Eli Creek, Indian Head and the Champagne Pools. It was great fun driving along the beach. Had a paddle in Eli Creek and a swim in the freezing Champagne Pools. The views from Indian Head were spectacular. We saw a group of whales- brilliant.
Headed back to our camp after a very busy day and enjoyed steak for dinner. Again- made some more friends. Slept really well in our tent- more comfortable than some of the YHAs we've stayed in!

Day 2 started with an early breakfast. We then headed along the beach to the Coloured Sands- layers of different coloured sands- a sacred Aboriginal site. Further along the beach we stopped at the SS Maheno shipwreck. The ship has been stranded on the sand since 1935.
We then did a very difficult 4K walk across the hot sand to Lake Wabby. Had a swim here to cool off.
Our final destination was 'Lake Birrabeen'. This was the best place of all. A freshwater lake- crystal clear waters and white sand- brilliant for exfoliating! Stayed here for a couple of hours before getting the ferry back across to Hervey Bay.

Met up with our friends last night and enjoyed a few glasses together. :-)
Moving on to Noosa Heads today.....

Love to everyone,

L & R x

Agnes Water/Town of 1770

Arrived in Agnes Water yesterday at about 10am. Settled into our twin room. The first hostel we've stayed in that's not YHA. A nice place.
Agnes Water and the Town of 1770 are next door to one another.
1770 was the first place which Captain Cook landed on in Australia on 24th May 1770- hence the name!
Agnes Water beach is only a short walk from our hostel- as are a few shops, post office, cafe etc.
Yesterday we did a 'Scooteroo Adventure'. This comprised of riding 50cc motorbikes customised as Harley Davidsons. Unfortunately, I didn't make it out of the drive way (!) so a very kind man let me ride on the back of his bike. Ruth was much braver and turned 'biker chick'- completing the 60K without damaging the bike or herself. It was great fun. On the way, we saw lots of wild kangaroos- awesome (as they say over here).
Towards the end of the tour we stopped at a pub and enjoyed wedges and a beer overlooking the sunset.

This afternoon, Ruth's trying to convince me to do a kayaking trip! I'll give it a go......

Love to everyone,

Scooteroo

Sunset over 1770 Beach

L & R x

Rocky Rockhampton

Had a short stay in Rockhampton to break up the journey from Airlie Beach to the Town of 1770.
Not a great deal to do in Rockhampton so we hired a car with a couple of Swedish girls and headed to Capricorn Caves. The caves were a nice break from beaches but not as spectacular as we hoped they would be.
The following morning we made the most of having 'Timothy the Toyota' and drove to Mount Archer (a place we obviously couldn't miss!) Did a short walk despite it being a bit overcast.
Up early yesterday morning and got the Greyhound bus to our next destination.......

Mount Archer

L & R x

Whitsunday Islands

Had a fantastic time sailing around the Whitsunday Islands!
Our ship was called the 'Solway Lass'. Beautiful tall ship.
The food was great.
Our twin cabin was small but comfortable.
On the first day we visited Whitehaven Beach. The best beach we have been to so far. Beautiful golden sand and blue sea.
On the second day we went snorkelling. The fish swam so close to us.
On the last day we did a short bush walk and then relaxed on the ship.
All met up on the final evening and enjoyed a few drinks in a bar in Airlie Beach.
Met some great people.

Got the Greyhound Bus to Rockhampton. Arrived here last night.
Will up-date blog in a few days.
Love to everyone,

L & R x

Whitehaven Beach

Solway Lass

Airlie Beach

G'day!
Hope everyone is well.
Ruth and I had a very relaxing time in Airlie Beach. YHA situated right in the heart of the town near all the restaurants and bars.
We spent some time relaxing near the lagoon. On Saturday morning we had a wander around the markets. We also did a 4K walk in Conway National Park. Weather was hot and sunny. Nice just to 'stop' for a few days.

L & R x

Airlie Beach

Magnetic Island

G'day!
Hope everyone is well.

Ruth and I had a lovely time on Magnetic Island. Our accommodation comprised of a twin log cabin which was great. The YHA was situated in a Koala Village and the wildlife was just amazing.
The possums joined us for dinner in the evenings outside the kitchen and the Kookaburras woke us up in the morning- at 5am!
On the first morning there we enjoyed a champagne breakfast and a guided tour around the wildlife park. I held a huge 2m Python, a blue-tongued lizard and a small crocodile! Brilliant.

We went on a couple of really good walks- both of them quite challenging- especially in the heat. The first one took us up into some old World War Two ruins (Forts Walk). The second walk incorporated three of the bays- Horseshoe, Balding and Radical. The views were stunning.

We arrived in Airlie Beach yesterday so will up-date blog with some more photos in a couple of days. (Luckily my photographer has returned from his travels!)

Love to all,

Horseshoe Bay

Python

Koala

L & R x

Paronella Park

As part of our stay in Mission Beach we decided to hire a car for the day and drive to 'Paronella Park'- a castle set in some beautiful grounds built by a very ambitious and hardworking man called Jose Paronella.
We picked up 'Delilah the Daihatsu' early last Friday morning and drove to Paronella.
First we were taken on a guided tour to find out about the history of the Park. The castle itself has been damaged in recent years by floods, cyclones and concrete cancer.
The Park grounds are beautiful. We fed the fish, eels and turtles and observed a huge colony of bats in the trees above us.

We made the most of having 'Delilah' and then drove through the Atherton Tablelands to 'Millaa Millaa' and visited 3 spectacular waterfalls.
A great day.

Waterfall at Paronella

Swimming Pool at Paronella

L & R x

The Treehouse in Mission Beach

The place to stay if you...
* smoke
* drink
* like spiders
* like GIANT moths sharing the toilet with you
* don't mind getting bitten
* enjoy listening to loud music (all night long)
* pick fruit for a living
* like to shower with beetles

- want to see some amazing forest views
- want to see some fantastic Australian birds
- want to relax and chill out for a few days

WE SURVIVED THE TREEHOUSE AT MISSION BEACH!!! :-)

Love it or hate it- it was a unique place to stay. We did some fabulous walks- totalling 16K, paddled in the warm, blue sea and enjoyed a secluded beach with soft, golden sand.
A place to remember for lots of different reasons. :-)

Bingil Bay

L & R x

Tom Hanks in Port Douglas

Unfortunately he's not staying at the YHA with us!

It's beautiful here. Ruth and I are having a wonderful time.
Last Thursday we did a 4K walk which included the Four Mile Beach. The sand is so soft here and the sea so warm and blue- bliss!
On Friday we went snorkelling at the Great Barrier Reef. It was amazing to be so close to the colourful fish and corals. We stopped at two different places with a fabulous lunch in between. A brilliant day.
Yesterday we visited Mossman Gorge. Again- beautiful rainforest. We walked the circuit through the rainforest and then cooled off in the Mossman River before enjoying our picnic. I had a swim in 'Norman's Billabong' and it was absolutely freezing.
This morning we have had a wander around the markets. This afternoon we've got to pack up our rucksacks as we return to Cairns tomorrow- just for one night before heading to Mission Beach.
Tonight we're going to the theatre.

My professional photographer is back soon so hopefully a few pictures will appear in the next few days.

Love to everyone,

Chillin' on the Four Mile Beach

Great Barrier reef

Rainforest at Mossman Gorge

L & R x

Karunda

G'day everyone!
Had a great couple of days up here in Cairns.

Yesterday we went on a day trip to the Crystal Cascades, Lake Placid and Trinity Beach. (All for only $29) It was fabulous. We swam at the waterfalls and in the lake despite the cold temperature of the water. Ruth jumped in about 3 times (mad woman!)
On the way back we spent a little bit of time on the beach- again I couldn't get Ruth out of the sea! :-)

Today (Ruth's 21st!) we went on a journey into the rainforest via Skyrail to a place called Karunda. The rainforest was beautiful- very peaceful.

We've also survived staying in a '6-dorm' room for a couple of nights....an experience not to be repeated.
Going out for dinner tonight to celebrate Ruth's b'day. Meeting up with a couple of friends from Darwin which will be nice.

The photographer that I have employed to upload our pics onto the blog is away for a week or so- but as soon as he's back they will appear!!! (Thanks 'J')

Will 'blog' again when we arrive in Port Douglas in a couple of days- our next destination......

In the Rainforest

Bat in Karunda

Barron Falls

L & R x