Those beaches sure did look nice. Was it possible to swim there or were there nasties in the water. Have you both settled back as though you hadn't been away? Nothing changes here except the weather! 3 fine days in a row and another today and tomorrow so we are all feeling as if summer has arrived at last and last night we went to Waiheke to have dinner and it was positively hot where we were.
Phoebe was 18 on Friday and we went over there to celebrate and had a very nice evening. 4 out of 6 grandies left school is a bit scarey as it makes us realise how quickly the years are flying. News from Oz is horrid but Vicky is still trying to be brave and cope with it. The best thing she is doing (for her head) is opening a shop in Hawthorn about the end of April. It is going to handle higher level product and will have some stuff which no one else has. We hope it goes well for her sake. Matt says that the higher end products in America are selling well so hopefully that happens in Oz. In the meantime it gives her something happy to think of and she sure needs that. Dawson of course, is wonderful and he has been making display beds and tables out of recycled timber. Michael is in Roma for quite a while apparently. 3 weeks out there and 1 week in Brisbane. Vicky thinks he is a little lonely there but it won't be long until the job starts and they work 7 days a week - no time to be lonely then. Of course Ingrid is lonely without him in Brisbane but she was looking for a flatmate so that should help. David is still being David and needs a boot up the backside to get going. He was 23 the other day!
I am off to bridge today and bowls all day tomorrow. Charles hasn't been playing much golf mainly because something else seems to come up which actually takes precedence.
We have booked to go to the USA at the end of August flying to LA, Phoenix and then on to NY. We were hoping for a week on our own in the apartment but Mr. Bossy Boots (who thinks his parents need guidance when we go to the USA) is arranging so much that week that we will not be having a week on our own. We are going to the US Open a Broadway show and a special restaurant that Charles found in the N Yorker. Matt (and Paula) cannot resist organizing us when we are there and we just trot along in the back seat so to speak and it is great. We will go up to their bach for about 10 days I think.
No other news at the moment. We will write again soon and hope you keep enjoying your time there and look after yourselves. Love R. & C.
I am loving your travel diary and the photos are lovely. Can 't wait to see all this for myself. I hope to be living quite a different life in a couple of years' time xxoo
another great one. Have Jonny here right now , Andrews son. he knows the beaches you talk about as he is a keen surfer. They look stunning and nice and isolated, great for skinny dipping !!
How are the golf courses. ? Had a great round for a change and pissed Lizzie Coote off no end as we were playing a match ! Any way. It was good to break 90 for the first time in a year ! Loved your oics and look forward to the next one. Love Jules.
Brave! Exceptionally brave climbing that tree. Pics looks amazing! You guys are in charge of writing an Aussie tour itinerary for us. Looks like a 'summer' weekend ahead of us here. up to the farm tonight.
Super fun. Dear P and D. Was so sad not to see you both before leaving. Was hoping for a re try for the movies. What a lovely time you are having and all this is new to me so great to see the pics and get the commentary. Looking forward to the next blog. Love Jules.
Great area, we loved it too! Good to see you made it to the top of the Glouster Tree, and are loving the area. Really following in our footsteps! The best place to be in oz at present, away from the floods. Enjoy your travels.
Regards Chris and Lynne
Good day and cheers from Melbourne Very excited for you both, to hear that you are back on the road again. Your newsy blog is always a pleasure to read and we do look forward to all of your updates. We thoroughly enjoyed catching up with you on your home turf and would love to be back out on the road again as you are. We are tossing around a few ideas to head across to Perth in mid June, then Bali for a 50th birthday, then back to Perth and North up the West Coast as far as Broome. Nothing except the Bali trip set in concrete yet. Our 2nd daughter, Jade was married 2 weekends ago in 37 degree heat (wonderful day) and now only have 1 left till empty nesters. A bit scary !! Anyway, keep on enjoying our beautiful country and stay safe. Till next time, regards and cheers, Bev and Steven.
Back tuit! Good to see you are getting back into your traveling around Australia. We are still following your progress and enjoy reading your comments and your photos. Wish we were there too. Hope to be sailing in the Whitsundays later in the year. All the best. Linda & Denis.
Hi Pattie & Don, glad to hear your Xmas in NZ was pretty good! The weather here hasn't been great either-but not as bad as home I believe! Hope this next trip will be as fab as the last....great to be able to follow your travelling adventures!
Lol The Harveys
Mount Isa Golf Course Hi Don,
I woulkd like to point out that the Mount Isa Golf Course has grass greens not sand as mentioned in your blog. Since the rain and recent coring and sanding by the greens staff, the greens are as good as any coast course and the fairways are lush and inviting.
Still watching and learning Very interesting commentary on your blog. Amazing the bits we learn reading it, and I come from Perth, W.A. and we have been visiting for the last 30 years. Still learning ! You know more than we do.
Steven has mentioned that we will be in Auckland about mid January so would be lovely to catch up with you for a few hours if possible. What's it like for you to be back in the land of the living? I'm still trying to get my self around the routine of cooking for the family. I hate planning, cooking and meal times. I am off to Bali on Tuesday with our girls and another couple of their friends, for a week before Steven heads off to Canberra for his basketball week when we get back. Then we won't be far off Christmas, etc. etc. then our holiday cruise in Jan. Till then, cheers, Bev and Steven
Greetings Hi Guys, Thanks for another informative blog. Am going to miss the reports, but also good to see you both again when you get back. Cheers, Ron
What a life! Hi Don and Pattie,
What an adventure you two are both having. I keep catching up with your adventures when Bev tells me you have updated your site. Don you caught two blue bone, they are the 'Rolls Royce' of Australian fish and a lot of Aussie's travel up there just to catch them. Also glad to see you managed to squeeze in a round of golf you forgot to mention who finished in front. I don't know whether Bev has mentioned it or not but we will be in Auckland for a day on or around the 13 January arriving on the Dawn Princess. Perhaps we will be able to catch up for a few hours.
Steve.
What a life! Hi Don and Pattie,
What an adventure you two are both having. I keep catching up with your adventures when Bev tells me you have updated your site. Don you caught two blue bone, they are the 'Rolls Royce' of Australian fish and a lot of Aussie's travel up there just to catch them. Also glad to see you managed to squeeze in a round of golf you forgot to mention who finished in front. I don't know whether Bev has mentioned it or not but we will be in Auckland for a day on or around the 13 January arriving on the Dawn Princess. Perhaps we will be able to catch up for a few hours.
Steve.
Wow ! We're still watching and very envious of the wonderful time and activities that you're having. Karratha sounds awesome for you, yet we couldn't wait to get out of the place. Steven tried so hard to catch a bluebone, without success and how lucky you were to get the mud crabs too! Would just about have given our right arms to be in your place. It makes such a difference when you have a local that knows the way around. We settled back in to the freezing cold here and about to watch the football grand final. Stay safe and keep on exploring and enjoying. Cheers, Bev and Steven.
Good reading and good times it seems from the blogs we have read since we arrived home Well you are lucky to be in such warm conditions because here it is very windy, showery and cold with a few sunny periods. What's new for NZ in September. Rugby fever is on in a big way with everyone it seems interested. We have been watching and tonight NZ plays Japan. Mils Muliena, Richie McCaw and Dan Carter are out with slight injuries but I think there are enough goodies left to play well. Up until a couple of days ago Dawson had not got a job and from what we read in the papers whilst there the Queensland job market in his field is not good. Michael finishes his big job soon and the company he is with has no more jobs on its books at the moment. Richard thinks the market (building) is looking up here slightly but is still fairly slow. He managed to get a new smart Hotel which is going to be built where the Team NZ shed is at the Viaduct and another smaller one (2 star - backpackers) in Queenstown but neither of them have started yet. We are wanting to have a drinkies party some time soon and wondered what date you are coming back. I think Dianne knew the date but I haven't found it on the blogs. Can you let us know? Matt and Paula settled their bach purchase the day of the hurricane but the house stood up to it well although the land around and under the house flooded. Matt said he was sitting on the terrace later that week and the water was all around but that the sunset was beautiful with the reflection right up to the house and there was someone water skiing off the end of the garden in the sea (like Orakei basin)!! Apparently it floods a bit but Paula said the other day that she was "sure the stars were aligned because they were meant to have it and it was beautiful" Not like her to be so ecstatic about things that are beautiful. Matt hired a truck to take stuff up to the bach and Simon Fenwick helped. They were stopped by police going out of NY on the 9/11 weekend and searched for bombs. I guess with their funny wiskers and probably old clothes they could have looked like terrorists but a less likely pair it would be hard to find (actually the police probably thought they were a gay couple)!! They struggled to get Simon's couch down from his apartment. They were working on the premise that it went up to the apt. therefore it should come down. Having taken the legs off because they couldn't get it in the doorman told them when they got down that the other lift in the building was bigger and it would have fitted in quite easily.
No more news. Will talk soon. Love us.
Great trip! We are really enjoying following your travels. Pleased to see you are making the most of the caravan. Sounds like the wildflowers will be awesome this year. Can't believe it is a whole year since we were over with Crumps.
Still jealous Glad you are both well, its certainly a beautiful coastline. We have been to Broome but not ventured south like you have. Well not much to tell from this end, unfortunately DJ hasn't got a job yet, and been runner up on three occasions, so pretty frustrating for him. Will keep in touch. lots of love
We're back home and envious Hi to you both. Have just been catching up on your latest entry and can relate to all of your adventures. I must say the commentary and stats on your travels are very interesting and informative. In fact, I think you know more than we do!! Pleased to hear that you enjoyed Broome and particularly Cape Levique so much. Definitely a marvelous place to visit.
Steven and I have been home 1 week today. We are both on the mend. Steven is quite good and off the drugs but for me it's taking a little longer. I still have at least 1 more week of antibiotics with a review after that. Having said that though, my leg is almost healed and more importantly, all intact. It is good to be back home in familiar surroundings but gee, miss being out on the road. We will keep following you and relive our outback travels through your eyes. Stay safe and keep on enjoying. Fond regards and cheers, Bev and Steve.
We are two Kiwis who have travelled quite a bit in Australia as we love golf and tramping, etc. We are now on a journey around Australia travelling in a counter-clockwise direction starting from Southern Queensland.... full info
Craig
non-member comment
Esperance
Esperance.... mmmmm.... sounds just like the Kaipara! Fine white sand and clear and turquoise water!