Blogs from Maroochydore, Queensland, Australia, Oceania - page 3

Wow - nearly two months since I wrote the last blog. We are currently in Mooloolaba - arrived at the Marina yesterday and are having a few “lay” days. Its hot and sunny and half of Queensland seems to be on the beachfront having breakfast , surfing, swimming or just relaxing. We came over the Wide Bay Bar yesterday - and yes - having decided someone had moved it when we went across in June as it was so flat - now they’ve put it back.......lots of green frothing water, big churning waves - and what seems like hours with only a spare metre under the keel. There was the usual convoy of boats attempting it - we were behind a very smart new Beneteau yacht called “YES DEAR” (!) A very nice guy helped us ... read more

I am back to the grind of classes and keeping busy all over the Sunshine Coast. Last week was orientation "o" week and there was a great opening welcome session presented in one of the great big lecture theaters on campus. There was lots of useful information provided about everything from course material to great tips and offers for travelling around all of Australia (much more important, i think. haha). There was presenters from the international office, STA travel, and security officers on campus. The next morning was the vice chancellors welcoming session that had a lot of the same information, but more focused on the new upcoming research projects going on all over campus. There was a session focused just on int'l students and a poll taken of the class included 16% Americans and the ... read more

After 10 weeks in the back arse of the planet, Sydney airport was a technological marvel. It had newsagents, coffee shops, deli counters (Marcel near tears at the sight of them) and most importantly a reliable transit system. The driver’s relatives were not ushering us into a numberless bus. No sketchy ‘bag man’ disappeared behind the bus with our lives in tow. Just a friendly "G’Day" from a forty something Ozzie sporting khaki shorts and socks wrapping his knees. “Ahh……the first world” we smugly reflected as our ghastly early bus left for our new home, the Blue Parrot Hostel in the ever charming and always unpredictable suburb of Kings Cross. Sydney should be the capital of Australia! For those who don’t know, in their wisdom back in the early 20th Century, the government, undecided on whether ... read more

Awaking slightly later this morning, as we were late to bed last night. 6.00 am Andy made us both a cup of tea, anticipating 7.00 when the pool was open and we could go for an early morning swim i.e. without any children around so that you could actually swim the length of the pool. We met the site caretaker yesterday, he was English, came from Lode Lane in Solihull, then moved to Bournemouth before coming to Australia, him and his wife have been here for 8 years. Jim explained that he would be cleaning the swimming pool before it opened, also explaining that he take a job for a while in one place and then moves on to another part of Australia. Feeling refreshed and ready for the day we head back to pack our ... read more

Today, was exceptionally warm and humid, we needed to get out for the day and stop thinking about tents and trailers, there was a need to just get out and explore. We left Alexandra Headland on route to Noosa and beyond, if we could make it happen, just felt desperate to move. We filled the truck up with 125 Litres of Diesel which came to £71.00 UK (bearing in mind we have in addition to the main tank a sub tank and an additional 20 litre diesel can. We had loaded the truck with the Swag on the off chance that we decided to stay out tonight, some food in the form of a picnic, and our 25 Litre Water container half filled (so ready for action). The roads were really quiet so we meandered along, ... read more