Home Again, Home Again

This morning we gathered up our belongings and headed to the Sydney airport.

Our flight left Australia at 10:30AM (no delays!! – believe it or not) on Monday, July 23^rd.  We flew for approximately 14 hours and landed in Vancouver, Canada, at 7:30AM Monday, July 23^rd. 

Timelords once again; we traveled back in time, which technically placed us in two places at once.

By intentionally planning a lot of time before our connecting flight, we were able to take the train into Vancouver and wander around for a while.  It was nice to get a glimpse of the Canadian west coast; however the Australian winter weather followed us and we ended up spending our few hours exploring the city in the drizzle.  

We did manage to pay homage at the Rogers arena, home of the Vancouver Canucks; which made it all worthwhile.

When we boarded the flight for the last leg home to California, everyone was sufficiently exhausted.

We arrived in LA in time for dinner (still July 23^rd).

Thank you for coming along with us on our voyage to Australia.  We had a wonderful time meeting relatives, visiting beautiful places, trying new food, and cuddling unique animals!  I hope you enjoyed sharing some of our memories.

Day 21: Sydney (last day)

It is our last day in Australia and we managed to squeeze in as much as we could.

This morning and early afternoon, the weather was on and off rainy, so we dodged raindrops and downpours by visiting museums and getting to know some interesting facts about Sydney and Australia.   

Our first stop was the Police and Justice Museum, where we learned about the history and development of Australia’s police force and early justice system, as well as some more infamous Australian crimes.

Next we went to the Museum of Sydney, which was built on the foundation of the original Government House built in Australia in the early 1800’s.  Here we learned a lot of Australian history and got to see lots of artifacts from the early settlers.

Our third museum of the day was the Sydney Barracks.  It was originally built to house all the convict immigrants as they entered the penal colony, until they were sorted out and settled within the new, developing society.  It functioned as such for almost a century and processed hundreds of thousands of people.

I think all the museum hopping really tired everyone out...

When our minds were satisfactorily saturated with historical facts and the majority of the inclement weather avoided, we ventured out into the city to refuel with some hot chocolate and ice cream.  Once sufficiently replenished, we walked to Darling Harbour where we popped inside one more building, the St. James Cathedral, for one last bit of history. 

The rest of the day and evening we visited Chinatown, explored the harbour shops, and completed some last minute souvenir shopping.

After dinner, we headed back to our place to pack and get ready for our flight back to North America tomorrow.

Day 20: Sydney Opera House

This morning’s start wasn’t as early as yesterday’s; however, we still had a very full day.
We crossed to Circular Quay in time for the first tour of the Sydney Opera House of the day. We had an hour long guided tour of the facility which included detailed commentary about the construction and access to the various venues within the complex. We even got a private viewing of the world pianist competition rehearsal with the Sydney Symphony playing Rachmaninoff and a glimpse of the stage preparations for our opera later this afternoon.

After an early lunch and some window shopping, we headed back to the opera house to see the matinee performance of Aida. Even though it was a THREE hour performance with two intermissions, everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. (I think Lukas had a little snooze during Act III). It was quite spectacular.

After the show we rushed back to our place for a quick change of clothes (warmer). Dave’s cousin, Hani, and his son, were waiting for us to take us to their home. The kids were very excited to meet some more relatives their age. We were able to have a good visit, before we went to a restaurant for an amazing Lebanese dinner. Once again, our visit was far too short, but it was still nice to meet everyone and make some connections on the other side of the world.

Day 19: Blue Mountains

Today was a whirlwind of tourist activity!

We woke up very early to catch the first ferry of the day to Circular Quay, to catch a bus to the bus terminal, to catch another bus to the Blue Mountains (all went smoothly).

Our first stop en route to the Blue Mountains (100km from Sydney) was a quick visit with the critters of the Featherdale Wildlife Park.  This was another animal sanctuary that shelters only Australian critters, so, not only did we get up close to koalas and kangaroos (including some with joeys in pouches), but we also got to see some penguins, wombats, and, a crocodile.

We arrived in the Blue Mountains in time for lunch.  Our driver gave us an hour at Echo Point, close to the Three Sisters rock formation, to grab a bite.  We also managed to catch an Aboriginal demonstration at the Koomurri Aboriginal Centre where we were shown various tools used for everyday life and hunting.  The presentation included a didgeridoo performance which was quite entertaining and impressive.  By the way, didgeridoo is not its real name – there are many; all of which translate to “hollow log”, but not “didgeridoo”, which was Darwin’s nomenclature based on the sound he heard.  Before we had to run, we were fortunate to catch a glimpse of a traditional dance too.

Our driver dropped us off down the road to commence our Scenic World experience.  We boarded the Scenic Skyway which transported us 270m above the Jasmison Valley across to the Scenic Railway.  The railway, the steepest in the world, dropped us to the valley floor where we had a quick walk along the boardwalk to observe the rainforest and coal mine exhibitions.  Then we ascended the Scenic Cableway back up to the bus.

Our next destination was in the quaint mountain village of Leura, where we had a minute to buy some chocolate.

Back in Sydney, our driver took us past Homebush Bay, the 2000 Olympic Games site, for a drive-by of the Stadiums and facilities.

The bus tour culminated with a delightful evening cruise on the Parramatta River with commentary back to Sydney Harbour and Circular Quay.

Our touring completed for the day, we ate dinner in The Rocks, browsed in a book store, and then headed back to our jetty to turn in.

Day 18: The Rocks

This morning we took the ferry from our neighbourhood to the Circle Quay in the city centre.

Our vessel passed under the Bradfield Bridge and pulled up right next to the Sydney Opera House.

We spent the day exploring a section of Sydney called The Rocks, which is the oldest section of the city.

Our exploration included an interesting tour of a housing complex called Susannah Place which was built in the 1800’s.  The restoration of the different rooms provided representations that spanned the eras since it was established, including sections of wear that showed the layers of change.

After a full day of walking, we headed back to our own 19^th century abode for dinner and an early night.

Day 17: Cairns to Sydney

Our flight to Sydney was not until this afternoon, so we had a late leisurely breakfast at a restaurant on the beach and then walked along the beach quite a long way.  After our walk we changed into our “cool” weather clothes for the trip down the coast. 

In keeping with the theme of our flight departures, this one was also delayed.  Only 20 minutes this time and we had no connecting flight to worry about, so it was not a big deal.

When we arrived in Sydney, we took a “maxi” taxi, which we all fit in (!), to our new and final abode.

Our new temporary “home”, is beautiful.  It is a single home dwelling built in the 1800’s that has been eloquently renovated and decorated to preserve its heritage.  It is right on the Sydney Harbour and from the vantage point on the rooftop lookout there is an amazing view of Sydney.

We are all looking forward to exploring Sydney tomorrow.

Day 16: Another Beach Day

With our rental car returned, we were forced to spend another day relaxing at the beach. 

It was somewhat windier than the other day, but that only made the waves that much more fun to play in. 

We strolled along the beach and out to the end of the jetty.

It was a good day for Beachcombing.  The girls collected shells while the boys enjoyed launching semi-waterlogged timber.

This, our last evening in Northern Australia, was spent at a beach restaurant, enjoying some cocktails & mocktails in the sea breeze.

Day 15: Great Barrier Reef

This morning we woke up at the crack of dawn to drive to a jetty in Cairns to board the Passions of Paradise catamaran to the Great Barrier Reef.  The winds were up which made the 2 hour boat ride a little choppy.   When we arrived at our destination, Michaelmas Cay, those same winds made the air a lot chilly.

While five of us boarded a smaller, glass bottom boat that shuttled us to the shore of the Cay, Jasmin was plunging into the Pacific on an introductory SCUBA dive.  I’m sure she will mention it in her blog, but I can say I think she really enjoyed it.

Back on the beach, the rest of us donned our snorkel gear and waded out to explore the wonders of the reef.

We saw so many beautiful fish, giant clams (even possibly one with a pearl according to Lukas), and a blue spotted stingray.  Dave and the boys headed back to the catamaran via the shuttle boat, and Alia and I swam back, snorkeling all the way.  Back on board, we were all freezing from the wind.  A warm lunch was very welcome.

After lunch, although we had just barely stopped shivering, we put our suits back on and hopped back in the ocean for another snorkel.  The girls went with the big group on a guided snorkel tour and Ben and I had a personal guide, while Dave and Lukas headed back to the Cay. 

The water was a bit rougher, but seemed warmer (probably because the air above the suface was so cold!).  We had another fascinating experience before heading back to the boat.

On our way back to the mainland, while we warmed up again with hot tea, one of the marine biologist crew members gave a very informative presentation about the reef and other life forms we saw (or could’ve seen today).

What a Great day!

Day 14: Port Douglas

Early this morning we drove up to Port Douglas to the Sunday Market.  We inspected all the different booths with the vast variety of wares, from clothes and crafts to fruit and cane juice. 

We had to take refuge in some booths during a surprise rainstorm and we managed to come away with a few treasures to take home with us.

After our shopping spree, we drove a little further north to explore Mossman Gorge.   We made a short walk-about in the rainforest along the rocky shore.

Since we got back to the apartment before sunset, we attempted a dip in the ocean.  It was a very quick dip because the water was very rough.  The kids settled for a much longer consolation dip in the pool.

Day 13: Rain Forest

Our apartment proprietor, John, insisted that we rent a car on Sunday to go to the markets in Port Douglas.  He managed to get us a car from Saturday to Tuesday.  So, today we picked up the car and headed inland.

Our first stop was at the Skyrail, where we hopped on a gondola and glided above the local rainforest.  The mountain top was still engulfed in the morning mist and the coastline below disappeared as we ascended.  We disembarked at the first stop and had a guided tour of part of the rainforest.  We saw some awesome and beautiful foliage.

Our guide also told us about the various animals and insects that inhabit the forest.  Most of the local creatures are nocturnal, like the tree kangaroo, so we didn’t get to see any, except a few birds.

At our second stop we explored the rainforest and discovery centre on our own.  We saw the Barron Gorge which is currently a small trickle compared to the torrent that rushes over the rocks during the rainy season. 

The Skyrail terminated in the small village of Karunda.  We disembarked again to explore the village and have lunch.

After our unhurried exploration of the rainforest, we hastily headed to the next recommended destination of the Coffee Works; a coffee, tea, and chocolate tasting bar in Mareeba.  We arrived just as it was closing, but were able to get some yummy chocolate samples and refreshing iced libations.

We headed back along our route to Jaques coffee plantation in hopes of getting a tour of the ranch, but, once again, arrived as it was just closing.  The pilot, that gives aerial tours of the estate, was kind enough to allow the kids to sit in his micro-lights.

On our way home, we stopped to get some fun photographs of sugar cane crops and termite mounds and sugar cane.

We had great fun exploring the Australian countryside.

Day 12: Cairns City

Our apartment is located in Palm Cove, about 20 minutes outside the city of Cairns.  Since it was overcast and calling for rain this morning, we decided to take the city bus into the city to explore.  It never did end up raining, but we had a wonderful time exploring the farmers market and shops.

The tide was out at the beachfront, but apparently, even when it’s in, it isn’t ideal for the usual beach-going, so there is a large pool, just on the periphery of beach, where everyone escapes the heat.

Before catching our return bus back to Palm Cove, we spotted some fruit bats way up in the tops of the roadside trees (look very closely).

Overall, we had a pleasant escapade into the city.

Day 11: Beach Day

This morning we walked to the beach for breakfast.

Afterwards we strolled along the beach (safely in the daylight – no stingers or crocs). 

We walked back along the esplanade and stopped at the small grocery store to purchase some breakfast staples for the week.  Then we headed back to the apartment to put on our swim suits in order to brave the Pacific Ocean.  Everyone had a blast splashing in the waves.  The Pacific is much warmer on this coast than it is in California (and no stingers or crocs…in this season).

Before heading back to the apartment, we, of course, stopped for gelato, and then stopped at the pool for a quick dip before showering for dinner.

We ended our day at the beach with a  very distinctive Australian dinner.  Dave & Alia had kangaroo, I had a crocodile curry, and the boys shared an Aussie mixed grill of emu, kangaroo, crocodile, and barramundi (Jasmin clung to tradition with a beef dish).

Day 10: Perth-(Alice Springs)-Cairns

I must say Dave did a wonderful job this week driving the “Australian” way (opposite side of the road than we’re used to).  He was able to stay to the left for the most part, and except for the occasional slip-up between the wiper and the indicator wands; some legally questionable left turns; he managed quite well.   

And our visit wouldn’t have been the same without Charlie thoughtfully and selflessly (not to mention, patiently) leading us to many of our destinations (even in instances when he wasn’t joining us on the adventure).  Following the white Golf was a lot more fun than any Navi System out there.

So, this morning, with heavy hearts, we said good-bye to our hosts and headed to the airport for our flight to Cairns, on the opposite coast, in Queensland, Australia.

Once again our departing flight was delayed.  Only about 40 minutes this time, due to poor weather in the airplane’s originating flight.  We were slightly concerned about making our connection in Alice Springs, but were assured that because there were about 40 others also making the connection, the plane would wait for us.  Sure enough, when we reached Alice Springs, our arriving plane and the one we were departing on were the only two planes at the entire airport (!).   We disembarked from our plane, walked across the tarmac into the airport through one door, and exited via the next door, across the tarmac and boarded the waiting plane.  It would’ve been faster just to walk from one plane to another. 

As soon as we were off the plane in Cairns, we knew we were definitely no longer in Perth.  We were hit with a wall of warm humidity, very different from the cool, although damp climate we had experienced in Western Australia.  Our driver was waiting for us and took us to our new accommodations.  After we were settled in our new apartment, we went for a short walk to the beach.  We were contemplating putting our toes in the western side of the Pacific Ocean, until we saw this sign…

Then we thought we would wait until daylight.

Day 9: Rainy Day

Today was a rainy day in Perth. 

We took a drive down the coast with Dave’s Aunt & Uncle, Jamilee & Ken.

We stopped in Rockingham, but it was too cold to walk around.  We did jump out for a quick excursion out on a rocky outcropping to explore a bit and take in the view.

We drove further south to Mandurah and stopped for lunch.  Afterwards, we wandered around some shops and had a snack at a bakery (because it was too cold for ice cream!).  Mandurah is a lovely seaside community, which would be quite a quaint get-away in the warmer months.

In the afternoon, before dinner, we went to say good-bye to Dave’s Aunt & Uncle, Ava & Gus, and cousins, Khalil & Hanadi. It was just a quick visit, but we got some nice photographs of everyone as a great keepsake.

Once again, Aunt Jamilee, hosted a wonderful dinner for us and Charlie & Fouad and their families.  The kids were glad to spend some more time with their cousins and were reluctant to say good-bye.

It’s hard to believe that we leave Perth tomorrow.  This part of the trip has gone by so quickly!  We have had such a wonderful time getting to know our relatives and seeing the sights of Perth.

Day 8: Rottnest Island

This morning we took a ferry to Rottnest Island.  After we fueled up with some hot beverages, we rented bicycles and set out to explore the island. 

The tiny island is inhabited by a type of kangaroo, called Quokkas, unique only to the island.  They are small (about the size of a large cat) and very fuzzy.  They were so incredibly tame that the kids could go right up and pet them.  When they’d had enough, they just hopped away.  The kids kept a tally of Quokka sightings, which amounted to about 40 critters by the end of the day.

During our ride, we stopped along the way to take in the breathtaking views of the Indian Ocean and the city of Perth on the horizon.

We paused to climb the dunes and dip our toes in the ocean on one of the secluded beaches. 

While we were riding, we saw a ship wreck just off the shoreline too.

Before heading back to the main settlement area, we ascended the big hill to the lighthouse, situated on the highest point on the island. 

The route back took us along a cosway in between salt lakes.  The beaches here were closed due to nesting birds.

After a late lunch, we wandered around the settlement area, petting some more Quokkas, and looking in the shops, and then headed back to the mainland on the ferry.

 In total, we rode about 16km (for those of you linked to Strava, you can see our route online on Dave’s page). 

In the evening, after a light dinner at Dave’s Aunt & Uncle’s, we put the kids to bed and met Charlie & Fouad for some drinks.

It was a very fun day with more unique experiences.

Day 7: Food, Food, & More Food

This morning, Charlie, Fouad and their families came over for breakfast.  Dave’s Aunt made a huge spread and we all ate heartily.

The kids enjoyed more time with their second cousins.  As a special treat, Fouad came in his Lamborghini.  The boys (both small and big) enjoyed admiring it.

After our breakfast visit, we went to Dave’s other Aunt & Uncle’s for lunch.  They, too, set out a delicious meal and it was too tempting not to indulge.  We had a nice visit, including a walk around the block a few times to burn off some of the appetizing energy we’d consumed.

In the afternoon, we went to Charlie’s house.  We had a tour of the major renovations they are immersed in and a glimpse of the completed vision.  We had a nice visit, which of course, included coffee and cakes.

From there we went back to Dave’s Aunt & Uncle’s  for dinner.  As soon as we were finished, Fouad & Tracy dropped off their kids and took Dave & me to the Swan River shoreline to see the city at night.  It was quite pretty and a little chilly.

See Dave’s Perth, Western Australia photo in his Gallery.

Charlie & Megan met the four of us at a café for tea and hot chocolate (but no cookies, believe it or not!), before we headed home for the night.

Day 6: Chocolate, Wine, and Beer

This morning we went to a mall with a Target store.  We were so excited.  We purchased some socks and other essentials while we were there.  Afterwards, we met Charlie & Fouad and their families for lunch. 

Then we shuffled the kids (9 of them) and stuffed them into 3 cars and drove to the Swan Valley. 

Our first stop was the Margaret River Chocolate Factory where we had “Chocolate Tastings”, plus ice cream for the kids and coffee for the adults.  There was an observation window where we could see the liquid chocolate being stirred mechanically, as well as witness the preparation of some of the chocolates.

Next we visited a winery (not Yellow Tail), and had a wine tasting – not the kids, they ran around next to the vineyard.

From the winery, we went to a Brewery and shared a few flights of beer.  The kids continued to occupy themselves.

And from there, visited another winery. 

We were hoping to visit a cheese factory as well, but we informed that it was no longer open for business.

Afterwards, we headed Fouad’s house for dinner and more wine (and a movie in the home theatre, for the kids). 

It was another fantastic day!

Day 5: Authentic Australian

This morning after breakfast, we headed over to Dave’s other uncle’s house for “tea”.  We had a very nice visit with his Aunt & Uncle, Ava & Gus, and two cousins, Hanadi & Khalil.  They spoiled us with lots of cakes and cookies.  We even had some authentic Australian Anzac cookies, which were originally introduced to us by one of Ben’s classmates back home.  They were very yummy and fun to dip in the tea.

After tea, we headed to the mall to explore.  We bought a few more souvenirs -the boys bought authentic Australian wallets and the girls got some authentic Australian opal jewelry.

When we got back, Charlie & his family came over and the kids played in the park until it started to rain (real, authentic, Australian rain).

Later, we all met up with Fouad’s family for pizza and a movie; Ice Age 4 (the Australian version).  It was a lot of fun.

Day 4: Under the Sea

Today we went back to the Indian Ocean to a place called Hillarys and had a nice picnic at the beach.

Afterwards, we went to the AQWA (Aquarium of Western Australia) which is home to many Australian West Coast ocean creatures.  We walked along “under the sea” while Sea Turtles, Grey Sharks, and Stingrays swam above us and all around.

We saw some pretty amazing creatures, like Sea Dragons; and learned some interesting facts about the migration of Great White Sharks.  I think everyone’s favourite was the jellyfish; we got to see some pretty cool varieties.

In the evening, we spent a lovely dinner out with Dave’s cousins, Charlie & Fouad, and their wives, Megan & Tracy (no children).  It was a fantastic evening, with good food and great company.

Day 3: Kangaroos, Koalas and Cockatoos

Today we went to the Cohunu Koala Park.  This is a wildlife sanctuary, which contains mostly native Australian species, as well as an assortment of animals from other continents, and some prehistoric creatures too.

We were greeted by friendly Cockatoos and Parrots (they actually said “Hello Darling”, with an Australian accent), laughed at by Kookaburras, and introduced to some other unique Australian bird species; the Tawny Frogmouth (the plumage pattern resembled amphibian skin), and the Boobook Owl (very cute).  The kids fed the Emus, Peacocks, and Ostriches.

We saw three Echidnas (Australian Porcupines) and some stub tail lizards. 

We were able to pet, feed, and chase the lounging Kangaroos, Wallabies, and Wallaroos.

We got close up to Pelicans, Black Swans, and some other water fowl. 

And witnessed feeding time for the resident dinosaurs (oh my!).

The highlight of the day was cuddling the Koala!  The kids each got a turn holding and feeding an 11 year old Koala.  He was soft, and cuddly, and very heavy!