Thursday, 28 February 2008

Surfers Paradise 27th February

Left Brisbane / Moreton Island and now heading south along the Pacific Highway. Passed by Surfers Paradise.

The art of sand tobogganing

You lay on a board about 3ft long by 1ft wide. Wax the bottom, bend the front of the board up, elbows high, legs high and off you go!

The Pro in Action

Kev on his way down. It takes about 8 mins to climb up the 80m high sand dune and about 4 seconds to come down. Travelling at between 50-60km an hour.

Tobogganing

Kay arriving down the bottom. Once was enough for Kay but great fun.

Tobogganing

We went sand tobogganing. This Kay at the top ....... Kev's down the bottom taking the picture.

Moreton Island

Moreton Island is 98% sand and 2 % volcanic rock. The sand originally comes from the Blue Mountains near Sydney. No crocodiles here, lots of birds, snakes, lizards and iguanas.

Moreton Island is moving one metre a year.

Feeding the Wild Dolphins

We hand fed the dolpins. We fed
Rani - he was lovely. The resort does a feed every night but only give the dolphins 10% of their daily feed to they are not dependant on the feed.

We saw a shark too ......... didn't feed him though!

Moreton Island

We stayed at Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort

Tangalooma is an old Aborginal word and means 'feeding of fish'.

Dolphins

Went to Moreton Island an hour away from Australia. Saw our first wild dolphins.

Brisbane beach

They have built a man-made beach right in the middle of the city. We didn't try it as it was far too busy for us.

Brisbane

Brisbane was proclaimed a city in 1902.

Brisbane


The Brisbane river's original name is lost -it was an old Aborignal name but no one knows what it was called. It was named the Brisbane river in 1823.

Brisbane by day


Went to Brisbane for the day and got a river cruise and saw the sights.

Cuddles

Kay cuddled the Koala (well its a girl thing).

Did you know they only work three days a week for 30 minutes a day - sounds great to me!

Koala


So busy looking at the Koalas when a lady pointed out a very large spider right next to us - you've never seen Kay run so fast. She warned us about a snake too!

Tigers

Kay wanted to stroke the tigers but Kev wouldn't let her!!!


Gosh its hot - 100 degrees today!

Kay stroking a Kangaroo


Their fur is so soft!

Kev stroking a Kangaroo


Saw kangaroo's too - did you know they can't go backwards.

Australia Zoo


Went to Australia Zoo (Steve Irwin's zoo). A fantastic day. Crikey - saw lots of crocodiles.

Brisbane by night


Went into Brisbane for evening dinner but very very busy and commercialisd.

Brisbane by night


We reached Brisbane Friday 22nd February. Got very lost in all the traffic. Travelling down down the Bruce Highway we travelled for miles and miles without seeing anything - now covered over 2000km. Oh yes saw some enormous beetles (the size of three fingers!) - HORRIBLE. Kay wouldn't get out fhe camper whilst Kev filled up with fuel!

Lorikeets


The best thing about Australia is the wildlife. Lots of lovely birds around us all the time. We've stayed at some great campsites, with turtles in the lake, and lots of different birds.

Flooding!

Travelling along the Bruce Highway and through the floods!! Australia has had the worst February rain full for years! We travelled through Mackay a flood hit area. Roads were awful!

Friday, 15 February 2008

Moving on ....

Hi Guys, moving south today. Gosh its so hot here - 84 degrees in the motor home at night!!! Never thought Kay would say can't wait to be a bit colder!!

Great Barrier Reef


Batfish

Great Barrier Reef


Nemo

Great Barrier Reef


Yellow tail fussillier

Great Barrier Reef

Kev hired an underwater camera for the day.

Snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef


Kev and Kay snorkelling. Wow! We went on the Haba boat to two reefs so snorkelled at both reefs. What a brilliant day.

Snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef


Kev in his one piece lycra suit - we had to wear these because its too dangerous (because of the stingers).

Port Douglas Marina


What a lovely place. Lots of nice restaurants, lots of little shops (now need another case for all the clothes we've bought!!!!)

Crock Creek Bridge


Here's Crock Creek in the Daintree Rainforest. You have to cross this to get further in the forest. It looked like it would collapse any moment, made of all timber. The sign next to the bridge warns for crocodiles present so do not enter water!

On the Daintree River


Heard some amazing facts on our boat trip - did you know a 500kg crocodile only eats 5kg a week! So he's got a small appetite!

The Mangroes on the Daintree River

Cruising down the river looking for crocodiles. Wow we saw a couple of crocodiles lazing on the edge of the water (good job we had the binoculors).

Cape Tribulation


We drove through the rain forest to Cape Tribulation - wow great beach but you can't swim as its too dangerous - too many jelly fish (the Aussie's call them stingers).

Kev with the Motor Home


This is what we are living in for 3 weeks! Well we are cheating a bit! Spent our first 3 nights at a campsite and have an en-suite (our own shower and toilet) ................ only trouble is the frogs!!!! The big green one comes up the toilet - Kay is not impressed!!!

Tuesday, 12 February 2008

Australia

Arrived in Australia 12th February 2008. We changed planes in Brisbane and it was raining! Now in Cairns and stayed at the Figtree Lodge for one night. No rain here (just a heavy shower last night) but very hot. Today we pick up the motor home which we've got for 23 days.

Elvis !


Forgot to mention we saw Elvis in Thailand - he was everywhere!!! He must have been singing in most bars every night of the week! So he is still alive!!!! Long live the King!

Singapore


Singapore at night.

Singapore


Singapore at night.

Singapore


Singapore by night.

Singapore


Singapore by night - now have tripod!

Singapore


Here we are in our hotel by the pool all ready to go out for the evening to the Singapore Night Safari. The Night Safari is only open at night, we had a tram ride through the Safari then you can walk around looking at the animals in the dark! Great fun but very commercialised. Sorry no pictures as no flash photo's allowed and as we don't have a tripod yet the night setting on camera isnt very good!

Singapore


Kev in the Orchid Garden.

Look at the size of this Orchid - wow!

Singapore


Botanic Gardens in Singapore. We visited the National Orchid Garden - wow the flowers looked beautiful.

Singapore


River cruise

Singapore


The Fullerton Hotel, used to be the old Post Office and now a lovely hotel ..................... where we plan to stay when we visit Singapore again!
The bridge in front is the most photographed bridge for newly weds - apparently everyone wants a wedding photo on the bridge.

Singapore


River cruise

Singapore


We also had a cruise round the river and saw all the sights. In the background are the new big banks that are now established in Singapore. In the foreground are the original buildings which are now restaurants.

Singapore


Well you can't go to Singapore without having a Singapore Sling in Raffles Hotel.

Singapore


Here's the boat we cruised the harbour