Australia is Perfect!

 

The weather here has been great. It gets hot during the day and it cools off at night for a great sleep. On Christmas Eve we went for a walk on the beach and then to the river for a beer. We are amazed by how many people are in the water and in the parks. The parks are well kept with every thing you need. They have clean picnic tables with cabana covers, garbage containers,  showers to wash off the salt water and sand from your feet, and FREE BBQ's. These beaches and picnic areas are always so busy. It's great to see the water front is well used buy everyone.

 

On Christmas Eve we went for a walk on the beach.

After our walk we had a beer by the river.

 

 

 

Christmas morning was very quiet with only one gift being opened!

 



 

After the gift was open it was off to Brisbane to Cherie's parents house for Christmas lunch. We had a great time sitting around the pool and then having a great lunch with lots of salads. This is what most people will do if there not going to the beach for a Christmas picnic. (no pictures) We all had a great time eating to much. Boxing day weather was perfect!. It rained most of the day and it gave us the day to sleep in relax and sit around the house. On Wednesday we wanted to visit with some friends we met in Dominican Republic and Mark wasn't feeling well. So this was my first solo drive and it was a little scary driving on the other side of the road. We met with our friends Peter and Janine and there kids and it was a great visit.

 



 



Have a merry Christmas everyone

 

We have had a very busy week!

Laurie and I started our in pool scuba course on Tuesday. We both were very excited to try some thing new. It's  one day in the pool on Tuesday and 2 ocean dives on Wednesday and 2 on Thursday. Tuesday night we were so tired we were in bed before dark! Wednesday was the 2 ocean dives and the ocean was very rough that day. The waves were about 6 feet so it was a bumpy ride out into the ocean. We finally got to the bottom and Laurie got a mouth full of water and returned to the surface. She cant get over breathing through her nose so she will practice with a mask and snorkel and continue with her ocean dive course in March. She will like that much better because the water will be warmer and more clear than it is right now. I continued with the 4 ocean dives and passed the PADI scuba course.
 When I arrived home from the second day of diving Laurie was trying to help out with the house work. Laurie's worst night mare came true!!!

 

 

Laurie ask me to get rid of it so I sucked it up with the vacuum. This thing was so big I felt it go up the hose. WOW!

 

We have booked a camper van!

I have made arrangements to rent a camper van to travel north starting Jan 8th 2018 to Feb 19th. We will pick up the van in Brisbane and head up the coast to Cairns. The van comes with everything. We will be starting the trip in the hottest time of the year but we like the heat. We have been told when we get farther north don't go into the ocean because of sharks, boxer jelly fish, and crocodiles! We will have to look for small fresh water ponds for swimming. It should be fun!

 

We have been away for the last week in Tarragindi, that's a suburb of Brisbane. We have been visiting with my son Ken and his girl friend Sharron. They took us out to Brisbane our first day there and this city is beautiful.

Here are some pictures from the top of Mount Coot-Tha with Brisbane in the background

We then went down town Brisbane to where they have a man made beach next to the river.

It a nice walk between the beach and the river.



We saw a lot of the city on the weekend

 

Laurie and I stayed at there home while Ken and Sharron went to work and did our on line scuba course. This worked out great because it took us 4 days to complete it and we are glad that part is over.

Laurie hard at work!

The front deck was a great place to do our course. It was a great view.

Some times we would have to stop and watch the Lorikeets right in front of the deck.

 Beautiful birds but very noisy!

 

After a long week of doing the on line course Ken and Sharron wanted to take us to Sharron's mothers Tea Tree farm. Here's the link for there web site.                  https://www.jenbrook.com.au/

 

But first on our way we had to stop in a small town called Nimbin. Nimbin is known for being stuck in the 60's and that's what we found. Every where we went people asked us if we want to buy some pot.

The local bar

Hemp Store



Road side shops

 The doctor was not in when we passed by!

 

 Town rules.

After Nimbin we were on our way to Sharron's mother's home near Alstonville just a few houses down from one of Olivia Newton John's homes. It was a beautiful house with a great view.

Laurie's new friend

 Standing next to the Rosemary

On Sunday we all went to the Tea Tree farm to have a look around. This was about an hours drive south in the middle of no where.

One of the workers used to live in here

 This is were they get some of there water from.

Sharron's step father Brian put some chairs in the back of the pickup truck and drove us around.

You have to cover up here in Australia because the sun is very intense.

And away we go

 

Today is Monday Dec 18 and we are back at Mark's home in The Pocket. Tomorrow we will start our in water scuba course. We expect it will take 2 days, should be fun!



 

 

 

 

 



 



 



We have been busy!

We have been going some where every day whether it's just to the beach or to a tourist area. I like the quiet town Brunswick Heads. It's next to the ocean and there's also a river in town for swimming. I like to sit in the out door bar and enjoy a beer and a bowl of fries!

Looking down the river

 Sitting at the out door patio

 Laurie and I

 Mark and I

 

It's not all drinking and eating. We all went for a hike to a National Park called Minyon Falls. It was a 2 kilometer hike down and of course back up again. It was like being in a rain forest. When we got to the falls it was a great view!

 

It was a long way up!

 

All the roads here are narrow and never straight!



Mark dropped us off in town so we could have our scuba diving medical When we were walking to the doctors we saw some bats, BIG BATS! They are called Flying Foxes and they are as big as a cat.

 

On Wednesday we went to the Currumbin Natural Park to see some Australian animals. Laurie very much enjoyed this day.

Laurie loved this guy!

Here's a pine cone, the size of a baseball and just as heavy.

 Cockatoo

 Lorikeet

 Tree Kangaroo

 Tasmanian Devil

 Kangaroo

Laurie and Mark feeding the Lorikeets.

Yesterday we went back to the river. It was very busy for a weekday

Strange looking pine cones.

 Cherie

 I'm taking Blue for a paddle

 Just me