As I type this post my flight is descending for landing in Chicago. My trip was amazing. Cheers to my mates in Australia.
My blogging doesn't end here. There are many events I have yet to share with you. I promise to continue in the coming days. With photos!
Thursday, 13 October 2011
Monday, 10 October 2011
There's more to life than wine
Because I've been so busy and was without Internet I'm still blogging about Margaret River from last week.
Entering day two in Margaret River we were feeling more adventurous and ready to experience something other than wine. We couldn't wait for the Bush Tucker canoe trip down the river. We met our guide at the mouth of the river and jumped into our canoes with a guy traveling alone from Scotland. He would be in charge of steering the vessel while I would be setting the pace. Brianne chose the middle seat, dubbed the "Chardonnay seat" by our guide because you don't have to do anything.
With dark skies and an approaching storm, we made our way down the beautiful river until we got to an inlet fullnof interesting looking trees. We joined the group for some history about the trees from our guide Jim. They are 400 year old paper bark trees known for their healing properties and ability to take your worries away. Aborigines would use the paper thin bark of the trees as bandages. But they would also sit against them or hug them to relieve their stress.
Once back on our boat it started pouring rain as we made it to the next stop to have lunch and crawl through a cave. Lunch was full of exotic meats and other foods indigenous to Western Australia. We had kangaroo, emu and some other interesting fruits and nuts. I tried mot everything and none of it was terrible. But none of it was great.
Jim took us into the cave where we crawled on our bellies with flashlights. The ceiling height was extremely low. Not even two feet. All was good until we came upon a narrow area and for some reason a man smaller than the guide couldn't figure out how to get through. He then started screaming for his son who had made it to the end. Brianne started to get claustrophobic and I was telling her to to take breaths. The man finally made it through after yelling "bloody hell" a dozen times. And then we saw the light, squeezed through and were welcomed by our group of smiling faces.
It was quite cool to experience but we did have scrapes and bruises from doing the army crawl through the cave. I couldn't wait to rinse off in the river. But first we had to climb a steep hill to see a breathtaking view of Margaret River.
Once back to our boats we continued on and met Jim down the river where we gathered for more history. While sitting in our canoes it poured again! I could not make out everything he was saying but I learned a few things about the first family to settle there after the aborigines. They built homes and had lots of children. Today, the Cheney family lives in the home. No relation to the former Vice President.
We paddled back in the rain and of course it stopped raining when we returned our canoes. Overall though it was a really great experience.
Entering day two in Margaret River we were feeling more adventurous and ready to experience something other than wine. We couldn't wait for the Bush Tucker canoe trip down the river. We met our guide at the mouth of the river and jumped into our canoes with a guy traveling alone from Scotland. He would be in charge of steering the vessel while I would be setting the pace. Brianne chose the middle seat, dubbed the "Chardonnay seat" by our guide because you don't have to do anything.
With dark skies and an approaching storm, we made our way down the beautiful river until we got to an inlet fullnof interesting looking trees. We joined the group for some history about the trees from our guide Jim. They are 400 year old paper bark trees known for their healing properties and ability to take your worries away. Aborigines would use the paper thin bark of the trees as bandages. But they would also sit against them or hug them to relieve their stress.
Once back on our boat it started pouring rain as we made it to the next stop to have lunch and crawl through a cave. Lunch was full of exotic meats and other foods indigenous to Western Australia. We had kangaroo, emu and some other interesting fruits and nuts. I tried mot everything and none of it was terrible. But none of it was great.
Jim took us into the cave where we crawled on our bellies with flashlights. The ceiling height was extremely low. Not even two feet. All was good until we came upon a narrow area and for some reason a man smaller than the guide couldn't figure out how to get through. He then started screaming for his son who had made it to the end. Brianne started to get claustrophobic and I was telling her to to take breaths. The man finally made it through after yelling "bloody hell" a dozen times. And then we saw the light, squeezed through and were welcomed by our group of smiling faces.
It was quite cool to experience but we did have scrapes and bruises from doing the army crawl through the cave. I couldn't wait to rinse off in the river. But first we had to climb a steep hill to see a breathtaking view of Margaret River.
Once back to our boats we continued on and met Jim down the river where we gathered for more history. While sitting in our canoes it poured again! I could not make out everything he was saying but I learned a few things about the first family to settle there after the aborigines. They built homes and had lots of children. Today, the Cheney family lives in the home. No relation to the former Vice President.
We paddled back in the rain and of course it stopped raining when we returned our canoes. Overall though it was a really great experience.
Sunday, 9 October 2011
The Rules of the Road. The Aussie Way.
Margaret River is renowned for its wine so of course a trip to its vineyards was in order. Brianne bravely accepted my invitation for a three hour drive south on the wrong side of the road. It would be her first time to wineries and an adventure for both of us in so many ways.
We hit the road early morning in a white Barina compact four door. An easy drive with only five turns, as assured by the concierge. It was scenic at times with thick brush and wildflowers but there were stretches of farmland with cows and sheep grazing.
It was the roundabouts that kept me alert, even a little nervous because vehicles were entering the same circle from different directions. Roundabouts in Australia are used to connect and exit to different freeways. Whereas in the U.S. we have off and on ramps. The signage is different as well. For example, "giveway" appears on the signs instead of yield. And in some cases they have a yield symbol with arrows forming a circle. Confusing.
No worries. When in doubt I would yield and we arrived without incident and ready to experience the wine and adventure of Margaret River.
Greeted by the owner, Glenys, of Vintage Accommodations, I knew we were in a fun town with its own quirky personality. She highlighted a map and kept saying, "Right! Said Fred." But on a more serious note, she instructed how to carefully taste to keep ourselves safe on the road.
Off we went on our self-guided tour. Brianne learned how to read a map while discovering her palate for wine. Hard to believe 20 years ago I was holding her on my hip, making grilled
cheese, and today we're in Australia going to wineries together.
Our first stop, Red Gate, was a lovely little winery with a nice man doing the tasting and answering all of our questions. And a good salesmen because I walked out of there with
Chardonay and that's not a grape I typically fancy, but this one was quite good. Brianne seemed to like the less complex white wines and especially the sweet ones.
We continued on our way to four more wineries and a brewery. The weather was gorgeous and each place was beautiful in it's own way. Once I post pictures you will be able to see for yourself that they each have their own unique characteristics. My favorite place was Voyageur where they had Mediterranean style buildings and beautiful rose gardens.
We returned to our hotel safely to relax a bit and try to take a nap. Normally I would end my post here but something happened on this evening that must be shared.
Hungry for dinner, we went to a pub recommended by Glenys only a few minutes up the road. They had a wide range of local brews and of course, a nice selection of wines. I decided on drinking water so I could enjoy some wine we had purchased that day. We enjoyed our dinner and then hopped into the car to pick a DVD from Glenys' selection and settle into our beds to watch a movie and end the day with some of the delicious wine.
We made the turn onto the street of our hotel and we were laughing because whenever I used the turn signal I would turn the wipers on instead. I'm used to the turn signal being on the left side of the steering column. For some reason, I can't get used to it.
Amidst this, I noticed in my rearview mirror flashing lights. Yep, I was getting pulled over. The Aussie cop walked up with a breathalyzer in his hand. I couldn't believe it! I looked at Brianne and I looked at the cop in disbelief. He asked if I had been drinking this evening and I said no, just a ton of water. He explained they have random breath tests in Australia unlike the US where you need probable cause. I kept staring at Brianne in disbelief, uncertain what to do. I knew there was a limit of .05 in Australia and I had wine earlier in the day so my heart was pounding out of my chest. I knew I wasn't drunk or even buzzed because I was very careful and had listened to Glenys' instructions to remain safe.
So I asked the cop what happens after I submit to the test. He said, in a snotty manner, that if I haven't been drinking like I said I wasn't then I get to go. Again, I looked at Brianne and then back at the cop. All kinds of things were racing through my mind including my lack of trust for law enforcement, especially in a foreign country. What if they were setting me up? I went ahead anyway and blew into the machine. The cop looked at it, said "no worries," and let us go. What a relief! And I was still in disbelief over what had just happened. Random breathalyzer tests? Really? Wow!
I couldn't wait to celebrate in the comfort of our own room with a glass of wine. Cheers!
We hit the road early morning in a white Barina compact four door. An easy drive with only five turns, as assured by the concierge. It was scenic at times with thick brush and wildflowers but there were stretches of farmland with cows and sheep grazing.
It was the roundabouts that kept me alert, even a little nervous because vehicles were entering the same circle from different directions. Roundabouts in Australia are used to connect and exit to different freeways. Whereas in the U.S. we have off and on ramps. The signage is different as well. For example, "giveway" appears on the signs instead of yield. And in some cases they have a yield symbol with arrows forming a circle. Confusing.
No worries. When in doubt I would yield and we arrived without incident and ready to experience the wine and adventure of Margaret River.
Greeted by the owner, Glenys, of Vintage Accommodations, I knew we were in a fun town with its own quirky personality. She highlighted a map and kept saying, "Right! Said Fred." But on a more serious note, she instructed how to carefully taste to keep ourselves safe on the road.
Off we went on our self-guided tour. Brianne learned how to read a map while discovering her palate for wine. Hard to believe 20 years ago I was holding her on my hip, making grilled
cheese, and today we're in Australia going to wineries together.
Our first stop, Red Gate, was a lovely little winery with a nice man doing the tasting and answering all of our questions. And a good salesmen because I walked out of there with
Chardonay and that's not a grape I typically fancy, but this one was quite good. Brianne seemed to like the less complex white wines and especially the sweet ones.
We continued on our way to four more wineries and a brewery. The weather was gorgeous and each place was beautiful in it's own way. Once I post pictures you will be able to see for yourself that they each have their own unique characteristics. My favorite place was Voyageur where they had Mediterranean style buildings and beautiful rose gardens.
We returned to our hotel safely to relax a bit and try to take a nap. Normally I would end my post here but something happened on this evening that must be shared.
Hungry for dinner, we went to a pub recommended by Glenys only a few minutes up the road. They had a wide range of local brews and of course, a nice selection of wines. I decided on drinking water so I could enjoy some wine we had purchased that day. We enjoyed our dinner and then hopped into the car to pick a DVD from Glenys' selection and settle into our beds to watch a movie and end the day with some of the delicious wine.
We made the turn onto the street of our hotel and we were laughing because whenever I used the turn signal I would turn the wipers on instead. I'm used to the turn signal being on the left side of the steering column. For some reason, I can't get used to it.
Amidst this, I noticed in my rearview mirror flashing lights. Yep, I was getting pulled over. The Aussie cop walked up with a breathalyzer in his hand. I couldn't believe it! I looked at Brianne and I looked at the cop in disbelief. He asked if I had been drinking this evening and I said no, just a ton of water. He explained they have random breath tests in Australia unlike the US where you need probable cause. I kept staring at Brianne in disbelief, uncertain what to do. I knew there was a limit of .05 in Australia and I had wine earlier in the day so my heart was pounding out of my chest. I knew I wasn't drunk or even buzzed because I was very careful and had listened to Glenys' instructions to remain safe.
So I asked the cop what happens after I submit to the test. He said, in a snotty manner, that if I haven't been drinking like I said I wasn't then I get to go. Again, I looked at Brianne and then back at the cop. All kinds of things were racing through my mind including my lack of trust for law enforcement, especially in a foreign country. What if they were setting me up? I went ahead anyway and blew into the machine. The cop looked at it, said "no worries," and let us go. What a relief! And I was still in disbelief over what had just happened. Random breathalyzer tests? Really? Wow!
I couldn't wait to celebrate in the comfort of our own room with a glass of wine. Cheers!
Monday, 3 October 2011
Brianne turns 20 in an AUSome way!
Turning 20 is a milestone as it is, but then to celebrate in Australia is extraordinary! We have been celebrating Belle's birthday for a few days. It began at the Kings Park Festival in Perth where they have gorgeous flowers in the park next to the Botanic Garden. The wildflower season is known as one of the most fascinating of Western Australia's national treasures drawing people from all over the world.
After leaving the park, we took a bus to do some shopping. Their public transporation is great here and it was free on this Saturday. That gave us some extra money to spend on jewelry and special dresses for Brianne's birthday party dinner to come on Monday evening.
Saturday night was a fun time with a pre-party in my hotel room with wine and crackers and cheese for the girls. We then went to the strip, where all the restaurants and bars are located. We went to Norfolk for a drink in an outdoor setting. And then to to Newport to dance the night away. It was a bit wild and an whole lotta fun.
And the fun continued on Sunday with Brianne and I going to the Markets. The Markets are open every weekend and it's an awesome experience with vendors selling fresh fruit and vegetables, handmade Australian products and Aboriginal items as well. I was able to buy a few items for the special people in my life back home. It was nice to do some Christmas shopping in Australia!
Once we were finished with our shopping we had some lunch and then went to Cleos, where Brianne lives. I met more of her friends and toured her living quarters. It's a nice old building with wooden floors and rooms that are a little more spacious than the average dorm room. There are boys and girls living here and all seem to be getting along quite well.
In fact, Brianne was showered with gifts upon our return to her dorm and then we gathered up the troops and went to Little Creatures Brewing Company in Freo. It's located at the marina where there are several drinking establishments. It was quite fun, although we had the worst server ever. In Australia, the servers make good money and there is no tipping. This of course means there is no incentive to provide timely and friendly service. Thankfully, there was a shift change and we had a much better server before we left and ultimately a very nice experience.
Next stop: the Esplanade Hotel, where I'm staying. We enjoyed some wine and then went for a dip in the hot tub and then to relax in the sauna. I was also able to give Brianne her birthday gifts I had brought with me. I gave her a beach bag that had her initial stitched into it with a princess crown. I'm sure this will come in quite handy as she hits the beaches along the W. Australia coast. The other gift was a singing Justin Bieber toothbrush. She was giddy with excitement over it, but her friends were a little creeped out and obviously don't have the Bieber fever. Understandably so.
Stay tuned...the party continues this evening!
After leaving the park, we took a bus to do some shopping. Their public transporation is great here and it was free on this Saturday. That gave us some extra money to spend on jewelry and special dresses for Brianne's birthday party dinner to come on Monday evening.
Saturday night was a fun time with a pre-party in my hotel room with wine and crackers and cheese for the girls. We then went to the strip, where all the restaurants and bars are located. We went to Norfolk for a drink in an outdoor setting. And then to to Newport to dance the night away. It was a bit wild and an whole lotta fun.
And the fun continued on Sunday with Brianne and I going to the Markets. The Markets are open every weekend and it's an awesome experience with vendors selling fresh fruit and vegetables, handmade Australian products and Aboriginal items as well. I was able to buy a few items for the special people in my life back home. It was nice to do some Christmas shopping in Australia!
Once we were finished with our shopping we had some lunch and then went to Cleos, where Brianne lives. I met more of her friends and toured her living quarters. It's a nice old building with wooden floors and rooms that are a little more spacious than the average dorm room. There are boys and girls living here and all seem to be getting along quite well.
In fact, Brianne was showered with gifts upon our return to her dorm and then we gathered up the troops and went to Little Creatures Brewing Company in Freo. It's located at the marina where there are several drinking establishments. It was quite fun, although we had the worst server ever. In Australia, the servers make good money and there is no tipping. This of course means there is no incentive to provide timely and friendly service. Thankfully, there was a shift change and we had a much better server before we left and ultimately a very nice experience.
Next stop: the Esplanade Hotel, where I'm staying. We enjoyed some wine and then went for a dip in the hot tub and then to relax in the sauna. I was also able to give Brianne her birthday gifts I had brought with me. I gave her a beach bag that had her initial stitched into it with a princess crown. I'm sure this will come in quite handy as she hits the beaches along the W. Australia coast. The other gift was a singing Justin Bieber toothbrush. She was giddy with excitement over it, but her friends were a little creeped out and obviously don't have the Bieber fever. Understandably so.
Stay tuned...the party continues this evening!
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| Wildflowers at Kings Park Festival |
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| Brianne loves hugs. |
Saturday, 1 October 2011
Mother/Daughter or Sisters?
Awesome day hanging out with Belle and her friends today on their first warm day since they arrived. It didn't take long for a complete stranger to tell us we look like mother and daughter. Up until now, people told us we must be sisters. I guess I'm aging. And after a night out with Brianne and her friends I'm sure I'll look even older.
We had a nice day at the Kings Park Festival in Perth, in celebration of the start of spring and the wildflowers blooming. After the fest, we did a little shopping and then had a bite to eat in Freo.
It's a charming little town that I plan to explore and I will share the details with you.
Cheers!
We had a nice day at the Kings Park Festival in Perth, in celebration of the start of spring and the wildflowers blooming. After the fest, we did a little shopping and then had a bite to eat in Freo.
It's a charming little town that I plan to explore and I will share the details with you.
Cheers!
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