Winery and Roos

This was from a trip we took out to Kooroombah winery with some friends one weekend. It's about an hour away. Gorgeous views. They also had a lavender farm next to the vineyard.

These were out in the field next to the vineyard...just a reminder of where we are in the world!

New Zealand Part 2

And here's part 2...about time, hey? ;) The captions tell the story of our adventures.

New Zealand Part 1

Little taste of NZ

Here's a teaser to hold you over until I get through the editing down of over 1,200 photos from the trip. :O These are some highlights of our bungy adventure in Queenstown, New Zealand. We're jumping off the Kawarau Bridge over the Kawarau River. A historical site...this was where commercial bungy began. The water was an amazing color...glacier water. Loved it so much we had to do it twice. Little chilly, but our adrenaline kept us warm ;)

Race of the Roach

Australia Day - January 26. Meat pies, bbq lamb chops and the Day of the Roach...well, at least in Brisbane at the Story Bridge Hotel. Unfortunately Dale Squirmhart and Shoe Be Gone did not cross the line, not even sure they made it across the line before a sole was their demise. This racing of the cockroaches is a tradition apparently started back in 1981.

"As the story goes the Story Bridge Hotel Cockroach Races were started when two old punters sat in the bar arguing over which suburb had the biggest and fastest roaches. They decided to race some roaches the next day and history was made. The races have now been held at the Story Bridge Hotel for 28 years."

There are ten races, one every half hour. About 40 "entries" in each race. You have to enter your roach under a name (which is a game in and of itself) and their number is drawn on its back. Your lucky if your steed even makes it through the race...once they let them all out there's a lot of screaming and stomping of feet as they scatter over the mat and into the crowd. At one point a roach was even thrown into my purse. Disgusting! Some of the Hall of Famers are: Sir Roachalot, Cocky Balboa, Cow Cocky and my personal favorite and 2003 winner - Lord of the Drains.

Here's a taste of the fun:


For the history of Australia Day: http://www.australiaday.com.au/studentresources/history.aspx

Hunter, Wine and Bob

Our first trip of '09. Hunter Valley, New South Wales. Wine region. B&B. The photos tell some of the tale. 

The unknown world of cricket

So much to catch up on...that's what I get for not keeping up with this, hey? (btw - "hey?" added onto the end of a sentence is a huge Australian thing...we've somewhat adopted it :) 

I'll start at the cricket. Now this is a game that neither of us could follow for awhile. So many rules, foreign rules. Different types of games played. Strategies. I guess I always just thought of it as a croquetish type game played by white vest-clad, white zinc-lipped gentlemen with large brimmed hats. Ahh, it is so much more than that, my friend. One of our good Australia friends, Brooke, had the patience to help these feeble minded Yanks understand the game and how important it is to this nation of Australia and many other countries. Let me start by saying it is a big deal. Like baseball to the U.S. We've had the chance to go to a couple of 20/20 games, these are the shortest version of the professional game...about 3 hours. They tend to be a little more exciting as well, more fast-paced than the traditional test match cricket which sometimes takes 5 days!!!! Yes, days.... about 7 hours per day!!!! ugh. That of course includes a break for tea. :) I feel like our sports are so barbarian - if only we would allot a tea time during a football game, automatically more refined. Anyway, we've come to appreciate the game to the point of playing it ourselves. We already taken part in cricket in the park as well as beach cricket. Maybe we'll bring a set back to share in the joy of this new found sport in our lives. 

Dog and Keys Show

New Year's weekend we spent a couple days down in Cooloogatta, on the Gold Coast, to see a Dr. Dog and The Black Keys show. Good show. Beautiful beach town. 

A Tassie Christmas

Do you remember those nights when you were little and could barely sleep because you were so excited about the family adventure that was about to transpire early the next morning? A departure so early in the morning the sun had yet to rise? The alarm set at 4am? Packed in the car with your pj's on and pillow in hand? That was me the night of December 16th... I wish I could've gone to the airport in my pj's like back in the day though, should have just done it. :) We had no idea what to expect out of this trip... but whatever they may have been, they were exceeded. I heart Tassie!!! This may have been the most diverse, naturally beautiful places we've ever visited. Nothing will replace spending Christmas with family, but this definitely helped take our minds off that fact. Truly an amazing little island.

Day #1

We landed in Hobart, Tasmania - the capital of the state and last port on the way to Antarctica-picked up our rental for the week, Suki, and headed to the harbour. We heard the laid back, comfortable, picturesque port has some of the best seafood in Australia so we immediately found Mures, a famous local restaurant on the harbour. Possibly the best fish and chips...ever! Bellies full, we went to find our B&B with Garmin's help (we brought her along and quite glad we did!). Cute, heritage place full of antiques, lush lavendar surrounding the porch and a great view of Mt. Wellington and the water. We decided to venture up to the top of Mt. Wellington before it got dark. The 1271 m (4,170 ft.) mountain rises above the city of Hobart. The view was amazing and the large cloud that was looming at the summit blew away just as we got there. I stayed clear long enough for us get some pics then it returned just as we were leaving. It was a bit of the heavens opening up for us - ah ah ah *Ariel's voice*. Back down the mountain for a nap then to Lurk's, a little whiskey bar Brent spotted on the way into Hobart. We had a drink then headed back to Mures again for dinner - this time it was the upper deck restaurant, oh la la, more formal. Again...amazing seafood. Delicious first day. 

Day #2 

We headed to Port Arthur, a convict settlement about 45 minutes away from Hobart. On the way there we stopped at the Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park - sooo glad we did, one of my favorite parts of the trip. The devils look less like the cartoon and more like mini "r.o.u.s's" of Princess Bride. They are quite shy normally, but as we watched them feed on raw meat they resembled the animated version...screaming, chasing and attacking each other for a morsel. We also saw some rare birds of Tas and then.....the roos and wallabies! It was on a Thursday so no one else was around - we had dozens of marsupials to ourselves... I almost peed my pants! They hopped away when we would get close until we found the food and key to our success. Lured in, some would let us pet them while others looked on in curiosity. The wallabies wanted nothing to do with it - must be a size complex. After spending about an hour with them, I had one of those wow moments, "We just freakin hung out with some roos!" It's the little things, honestly. Give me some food pellets and an animal, and I'm content. Onto the convicts.

Port Arthur was actually a beautiful setting, a contrast to the life there. The whole settlement was an experiment in punishment and reform as the goal was "discipline and punishment, religious and moral instruction, classification and separation, training and education." It was a machine that unfortunately had many flaws, some men were beaten until they went insane, some left there with valuable skills. The convicts were repeat offenders, the youngest being 9 years old and sent there from England due to repeatedly stealing boxes of toys. Geez. There was a separate island for boys 17 and under...a sort of juvenile detention centre that probably had harsher conditions than on the mainland. Overall, it had some interesting stories. 

Day #3

Up early, great breaky at the B&B, off to the Tahune Forest Airwalk and the Huon River. The airwalk is basically a metal walkway that was built in the treetops of a forest, 65 ft. off the ground. Part of the walkway included an arm that stretched over the Huon River 160 ft. up and bounced up and down as you walked on it...little unsettling dangling that high over a river, amazing views though. We then did a hike that took us over two swinging bridges, played on those for awhile, then back to the car for a long drive. We drove over to Strahan, on the west coast. About a 5 hr. drive through some of the curviest roads either of us has ever been on...I was breaths away from getting car sick. Aunt Cindy would not have done well on this road...thought of you as I was getting sick :D The drive was so beautiful though - and diverse - steep cliffs with ocean views, sheep-dotted green rolling hills, thick forests through National Parks, barren mining towns. We finally arrived in the small fishing port town of Strahan right before dark, found our nautical-themed bungalow, visited the local pub then headed to bed. Why is traveling in a car so exhausting? 

Day #4

We booked a river cruise at the suggestion of a few people, normally we hate going on tours, but this was actually a great investment. They took us out into Macquarie Harbour (lots of fish farms here, salmon and ocean trout) and through Hell's Gates (once dangerous entrance into the harbour from the Southern Ocean). Then the next stop was Sarah Island where we got off and toured the ruins of a harsh penal colony, smaller but worse than Port Arthur. Got back on the boat for a posh lunch (lots of smoked salmon, yum!) and traveled down the Gordon River. The river winds through Tasmania's World Heritage Area of cold-climate rainforests and Huon Pines - beautiful. The Huon Pine cannot be found anywhere else in the world and is highly protected as it extremely slow-growing and long-living, they've found several over 3,000 years old. We made a stop along the river to walk through the what seemed like an enchanted rainforest! Had the pleasure of seeing a Tiger snake, one of Australia's deadliest, 5th in the world. Nice. Back on land, and onto another hike to Hogarth Falls, right outside the town and one of the 60 Great Short Walks in Tas - I think we did about 8 of them (some were not so short). We went to a play that evening called The Ship That Never Was. It's the longest running play in Oz and is about some convicts from Sarah Island that highjacked a ship to escape. There were only two actors in it, the rest was all audience participation from an audience of about 20. Pretty funny, I think at one time more people were on stage than in the audience. Both of us were somehow involved in the shananagins. Then it was a dinner of what else? Seafood and oysters. There was a xmas celebration in the middle of the town that night with a local orchestra band, free hot dogs and a decorated pine tree that kind of looked like a maypole, big time for this small town of 650. Another funlicious day.

Day #5

Morning drive over to Cradle Mountain National Park, about an hour northeast of Strahan. There were several different bushwalking paths to choose from in the park. We did about a three hour hike that day around a large lake called Dove Lake, didn't want to push my ankle too far as we were planning on doing the "big" hike tomorrow... had to save it for that. So we took our time this gorgeous day, absorbing thia amazing, rugged place God created and reflecting on how many things we had already seen in just 5 days. We still had four more to experience! On our way back to the cabin we spotted several wild wallabies and minutes later we had our one and only wombat spotting. They look like a cross between a small bear and a koala...so cute! 

Day #6

Probably one of the most physically and mentally challenging days of my life, yet incredibly satisfying for us both! We ventured on a 9.5 hr. hike up to the summit of Cradle Mountain. Didn't really know what to expect on the hike, but we could tell from far below that it would be a challenge to reach our destination. It started quite pleasant, a walk through a prairie full of button grass and into a rainforest with multiple waterfalls. Then it started upwards to a lookout point and our first "rock climb" of the day. This was also the halfway point and I was a bit nervous about my foot managing the climb (the fractured/torn tendon/sprained foot I obtained several weeks prior). Pain is gain, right? Onward to the base of the mountain. Stopped for rest and some food at a shelter hut. Then another debate went through my mind as we looked up at the terrain we had yet to conquer. Can't stop now. Then we hit them...the boulders. Large boulders that had to be ascended quite strategically, and the only way to know where to go was to find the metal poles that were stuck in crevasses of the rock sometimes 100 ft. away from each other - find any way you can to get there. Finally we got to what we thought was the summit only to learn that there was more - deceived! I think at that point was when the mental challenge really began... the cold wind was blowing hard then we started feeling raindrops. ugh. After what was probably the steepest part of the journey and spotting a large patch of snow below us that some guys were sledding down (yes, on a mountainside, did look fun though), we reached the summit. The view was spectacular. We conquered this massive pile of rocks! Amazing sense of accomplishment. Persevered and here we were. 5, 069 ft,. No Everest, but considering the conditions and my condition, pretty satisfying. Then there was the whole...we still had to go down what we just came up. At this point my physical pain was starting to effect my mental status. Praying for hind's feet, we eventually made it to the base. My foot was done...I wasn't. After the base, we still had another 2.5 hrs. to go. Patient Brent was there the whole way helping me hobble down the last treacherous rockface. So glad we did though, even if it set me back several weeks in the healing process. Carpe diem. Might never get that chance at Cradle Mountain again. Back to the cabin for some much needed nourishment and sleep. Crazy, fulfilling, adventurous, painful day!  

Day #7

The next morning we had the cutest surprise out our window - a wallaby scrounging for food by the deck. Love this place! Sad we had to leave. Brent did one last short hike on the Enchanted Walk (yeah, no hiking for me for awhile, not even walking :), then we left for a drive over to the east coast. Another beautiful drive. We stopped in a little town called Scottsdale for lunch - great salad at the cafe btw, if you're ever driving through there. Some more treacherous road curvatures, and we were in St. Helens on the northeast coast of Tas. Small fishing town, not much there and our motel was quite...umm... interestingly retro. There was a waterfall about 20 min. from St. Helens - the tallest in Tas - and Brent took a trip there while I vegged and iced the foot in our room. He brought back some great pics then we found dinner....oysters and seafood. Surprised? Actually Brent had wallaby, the cute little guy that was outside our window that morning :( Tasted like roo.

Day #8 - Christmas Eve

The day started with a drive to the Bay of Fires and Binalong Bay. The large rocks along the coast are covered in orange lichen which are great photo subjects. The white beach was gorgeous, the sand was extremely fine and the water was an incredible clear blue. Apparently one of the best beaches in the world and also one of the sites of a very recent shark attack. We headed south to the town of Bicheno after several pics and shell hunting. This was where I heard you could watch the wild Ferry penguins come up out ocean at night...soon found out that was true. We were so coming back there that night. Another natural attraction there was a place called the Blowhole. This was a large formation of lichen-covered boulders along the coast where when waves crashed at just the right time and with enough force, water spewed out of a crevasse in the rocks to form a sometimes 10 ft. tall tower of water. Very entertaining and picturesque place - there were several of those on this trip if you haven't caught on ;). As we had walked up to the area, I noticed a distinct scent - it smelled just like the penguin house at the STL Zoo. This must be where they nest! The next stop: Freycinet winery for a glass of wine and relaxing on the deck next to the vineyards in the sun. This is xmas eve?? We stopped by our hotel in Swansea for a quick change into layers to prepare for the penguin watch later on that night. Then it was back to Freycinet National Park to see Wineglass Bay. We elected out of the three hour hike to the lookout and went to the lighthouse in the park for a view of the bay by the suggestion of a lady at the winery. Turns out it was freezing, cloudy and windy up there and you could barely see the bay off in the distance! Oh well. Back to Bicheno for some dinner (yep, oysters again) and penguins. El cheapos didn't want to pay for the tour to see the penguins so we went by a bottle shop and the lady there told Brent that the Blowhole was our best bet to catch them without going on the tour. I knew it smelled of penguins there! Got there as the sun was setting. You are supposed to camouflage yourself, find a hiding spot and wait till dark to see them come up out of the ocean onto the shore after a long day of fishing and fun. They nest on the shores with their young every night. We found our spot, waited till it was completely dark (about 45 min.) and started to wonder if we chose the wrong area when all of the sudden we spotted about 10-12 white-fronted bodies hobble up onto shore out of the water. Our eyes were adjusting in the dark, at first we thought we were seeing things. A few minutes later and two of the little guys started waddling right towards us! My heart started beating so loud I was sure they could hear it. They passed inches from our feet directly in front of us! One slight movement and they scurried away and into the brush where their nests were. We got up to walk back to the car and on the way there passed about three more 12 in. cuties wandering around. Wild penguins! A xmas eve we'll never forget. 

Day #9 - Christmas Day!

Merry Chrissy! No snow here...we woke up to a sunny 70 degree day and a view of the vibrant Tasman Sea. We packed up and took a drive down the east coast towards Hobart. More sheep along the way, little jealous of the view they get everyday ;) Stopped by an amazing, idyllic beach that looked like it came out of a coffee table book. Did some more shell hunting, tons of unique ones on this beach, then it was back to Hobart to catch our plane home. Even as the plane took off the scenery didn't end. Brent caught some great shots from the plane window. If given the opportunity.... I'd be back here in a heartbeat. Easy decision. Amazing Christmas.