| 16th Jan 2006 Early morning - had to get back to the city to catch a bus to Canberra. First long bus journey since SA!! Nat met us at the bus station and gave us a quick tour of Canberra in the rain! We went up to Mount Ainslea where you can see across the city and surrounding countryside. Canberra was a planned city and so very symetrical. Rain stopped play so we went back to hers before going out for dinner in Kingston, and Steve joined us. Terry and Steve found an Irish bar with every kind of whisky imaginable - came back a lot worse for wear! 17th Jan 2006 Today we played golf!! Pitch & Putt with Nat and some of her colleagues - all PE teachers on their summer holidays! Never played before, but Terry and I didn't embarrass ourselves - did pretty well considering, but Nat thrashed us all!! We then spent the afternoon at the Australian War Memorial - quite sobering. Terry enjoyed the museum while I waited for him outside, taking in the ambience of the memorial, where I met a man who pointed his name out to me in a book he'd bought listing everyone in the Vietnam War - he'd visited that day to find one of his mates names on the 'wall' - didn't know what to say! We stayed until it closed when a lone piper played a lament - quite touching! Nat cooked us a curry for dinner and we sat watching the Golden Globes, commenting on the stars! 18th Jan 2006 All struggled to get out of bed this morning - much needed sleep! Overcast and drizzly again, but we drove out of Canberra to a winery by Lake George - a huge lake that has dried up following the droughts. Tried a few wines and had lunch, before driving back to veg out, have chinese, watch the tennis and a film. 19th Jan 2006 Raining again - watching the tennis it is so nice in Melbourne - we're just unlucky with the weather! Drove back out of Canberra to a tiny, quaint village called Bungendore - again near Lake George. Full of craft shops - could have spent a fortune but restrained ourselves. Then on the way back to Canberra we went up the Telstra Tower - where we had 360 degree views from 870 metres high. Sun was out now so it was perfect. Nat left for Sydney in the evening, but kindly let us stay on at her place! 20th Jan 2006 Steve gave us a wake up call at 8.30am from next door and we went round for a bbq breakfast! Then we borrowed some bikes and cycled round Lake Burley Griffin, stopping to have a look around New Parliament House and the National Australia Museum. We had a late lunch on the Regatta overlooking the lake, with an ice cold beer - much needed as it was a hot day! After showering, we went to the Brumbies Social Club for a few drinks with some of Steve's mates, then all headed back into Kingston for a few more! 21st Jan 2006 Leisurely morning before Steve dropped us at the bus station. Central Canberra was dead as we strolled around before catching a bus to Melbourne, which took 8 hours and thankfully was air conditioned as when we stepped off in Melbourne at 9.45pm it was stiffling!! Toni, Paul, Zach and Bump picked us up and took us back to there's! 22nd Jan - 25th Feb 2006 Spent the next five weeks staying with Toni, Paul and Zach awaiting the arrival of Bump!! Whilst there we did plenty of swimming and playing with Zach and just had a bit of normality!! Had a few days and nights out...... went to Grant's Picnic area to feed the birds (cockatoos, galas and other colourful parrots, that just land all over you!), spent Australia Day (26th Jan) bowling - had to go somewhere air conditioned because of the heat! Also had a barbie with shrimps that night to celebrate! Visited the Sky High viewpoint in the Dandenongs where you can see across to the city and sea. Visited quite a few show homes (just to have a look) - very cheap!! Went to the Cuckoo for dinner one night - a Bavarian themed restaurant..... Claire ended up having to play cow bells on the stage during the floor show! Went to St Kilda to look at the famous craft market, but wasn't that big so spent an hour or so on the beach there. Celebrated Zach's 2nd birthday and that weekend we went to the Cranbourne Rodeo - saw bull riders and bucking bronco horses - something different and good fun!! Had numerous attempts to get Bump out - including curries, hot baths (Toni, not us!), bumpy rides in the car..... all to no avail!! We were due to leave Melbourne on the 18th Feb, but the night before we surprised Toni & Paul by changing our flights for a week. Needless to say they were happy and whether or not it was because Toni relaxed knowing we'd still be around, she woke us up at 7.30am on the 18th Feb to tell us that she had started labour!! So Terry looked after Zach for the day while Paul and I took Toni into hospital. Zoe May Sier was born at 3.41pm that day, weighing 8lb 5.5oz, after a water birth!! Considering I was a bit worried about being there, it was an experience I'm glad I didn't miss. Toni made it look easy, and I actually saw the head and body come out, but from a vantage point which meant I didn't see Toni's bits - thank God!!!!!!! Thank you Toni & Paul for asking me to be there! And thank you Zach for keeping Terry amused all day!! So... we had a week to spend getting to know Zoe - our new niece! Left Melbourne Saturday evening (25th) after a tearful goodbye, and flew to Cairns, where the humidity hit us as we stepped off the plane. 26th Feb 2006 Wandered down the main street of Cairns to the Esplanade along the lagoon. Lots of abbo's - more like we exected Australia to be!! So hot and sticky so spent a couple of hours in an air con internet cafe and then back to our air con room!! Boring day just stocking up on insect repellant, immodium etc...!! Went back to the Esplanade in the evening to the night market for something to eat and to browse the craft stalls. As we walked down there were litterally hundreds of fruit bats flying around and making a racket in the trees. Went to the cinema to see Walk the Line. 27th Feb 2006 Dome more mundane tasks in the morning and then off to the airport. Can't believe they played Walk the Line on the plane!!!!! Landed in Singapore at about 7pm, found a hotel straight away and then headed to Raffles for a Singapore Sling to celebrate my birthday! Raffles is beautiful - if only we could afford to stay there! Sat in the Long Bar with our Slings and a huge bowl of complimentary monkey nuts which we made the most of - the floor was littered with the shells, you just drop them! Back in the Northern Hemisphere - first time since leaving home!! |