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Hello to you all. I know it has been a little while since I have last updated, but I have been enjoying some restful time to write and read and take in the surroundings. My time in New Zealand finished up well, I attended my first professional rugby match, which was quite entertaining, then I spent a few days in ChristChurch enjoying the museums and art gallery's.
My first stage of my time in Australia was spent in Queensland. I flew into Brisbane and was met by a friend I made over in New Zealand. He showed me the sights around the city, including some beautiful botanical gardens then took me out to the Gold Coast for a day. This part of Australia has been built up a lot in the past few years, do to the influx of foreign investment of beach properties and restaurants. It felt as if I was walking down the main beachs of California. They even have a town called "Surfers Paradise". It was quite interesting to see but not the typical area I would normally find myself walking around. Basically a Package tourist destination. Next I went up the coast to visit a family friend Alma McNaught in Maroochydore. She lives right across from the beach and has been living here for atleast the past 50 years. I had a great time learning about the history of the area and how in her eyes the changes of the city have come about. She also is a great cook and spoiled me rotten for four days with fullfilling feasts. Many thanks to Alma for her gracious and warm hospitality. I also got to visit the Australian Zoo, which is run by Steve Irwin the "Crocodile Hunter", and I really enjoyed this. The Koala bears, Kangaroos and wallabees were the biggest attractions for me as we don't get these creatures back home. The zoo is well run and their conservation efforts should be applauded by all. I even got to feed them.
The past five days I have been in the North part of New South Wales, in Byron Bay. Here I have been spending most of my day body boarding at the beach 300 meters from my hostile. Great location and home to quite a few surfers these days. Quite a scenic spot too as a lighthouse is perched up overlooking the whole bay area and at Australia's most eastern mainland point.
I do regret though that I will be unable to show you any pictures from NZ and Australia or give you a detailed report later on from my journal, as my bag containing my most valuable possessions journal, camera and few photo cds, etc., were lifted from my room yesterday. It is quite dissapointing as I would be glad to share my money clothes passport or other possessions, but I would really like to have my journal and photo's from this epic journey I have been on.
I leave for Sydney on a night bus tonight and will spend four days there, then leave for Fiji for 8 days, where I hope to do some more scuba diving and snorkelling. Then I will make a final stop in Los Angeles to visit some family that I have not seen for atleast 6 years. So the trip is coming to a close in the next two and a half weeks, but the memories and experiences will be with me forever. I look forward to seeing and chatting with you all at some point soon.
Much Love
Graham
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Sandy
non-member comment
My mother-in-law
Hello Graham, Just thought I would let you know that I have recently discovered the google search engine through my daughter and typed in Alma McNaught's (my mother-in-law) name. It was lovely to hear you say the lovely things that you did about her - she is truly a remarkable woman and a cook-to-boot. So, thank you on behalf of my husband Don and myself for your kind words - we will be sure to pass them on to Alma next time we speak with her - even though it is a year or so down the track, she would be delighted to hear of your praises. Sandy and Don