No I'm not at a zoo!! this is a pelican on Kings Beach on the Sunshine Coast and thats a gecko on Danielles porch in the garden!

Then we passed the “Big Pineapple” now you may think Oz is famous for its wide expanses and stunning scenery but you’d be wrong.. its famous for having huge stuff dotted around the country for tourists to take photos of!!!
I am there standing by it so you can see how huge it really is!!! So you can look forward to photos on big prawns and big bananas…


Then we headed to Noosa.. which was really busy.. a million tourists but I was still excited to be there! I ran out on the back for a swim which was blissfully warm (after Danielle had instructed me on the meanings of all these flags on the beach – i.e do swim here don’t swim there.. ie you will die here.. here you might not…
Then we travelled down the coast stopping at all these gorgeous beaches and generally exploring the Sunshine Coast all the way back to North Lakes.. there were some huge waves in some spots where I nearly got flattened! (they had warnings for dumper waves… now I know what they are.. we made it back about 7pm absolutely shattered! So Danielle made us dinner and we chatted with Todd and Chris.. and I collapsed with exhaustion in my own bedroom!!

Now its today.. were in the local library and when I’ve done my photos and Danielle’s downloaded Coronation Street were off into Brisbane. I have a bus to Dubbo at 6:30am tomorrow so I’m going to stay at a hostel by the bus station tonight and then I can get there no probs in the morning…
So the plans is for me to chose a swimsuit and hat all within 20 minutes.. none of this 5 hour shopping malarchy.. and then we can explore the city..

So after exploring the glass house mountains we went wine tasting at this little place in Maleny.. i have to say it was the best wine I have ever tasted.. we tasted a few and they got better and better (lol and no I wasnt getting drunk!).. all theri wines were good but I've never really drunk sweet wine wine before but wow this was like sugary sweet yummyness! For future reference should anyone ever go there its called "Sweet Sunshine". I bought us a bottle for tea (Danielle had been insisting on buying me everything, meals out so I insisted back on at least buying something!! we were near arguement in a few places argueing on who was going to pay...!)
Then we went to The Penne fathing pub in Montville which was so scrummy - fantabulous food! and nice views and relaxed.. we had such a relaxing day.. we (by we I mean Danielle) drove miles over the day but we didnt feel stressed or rushed.. it was great!!

Near one of the glass mountains we went for a little walk along a path and I (yes stupid bloody pommy tourist!) was barefoot… yep never again.. this is not NZ toto..I stood on something that wiggled under my foot (as in a snake or a lizard – I think probably a lizard..0 now I’m not the wussy squealy girl type but buy did I shriek.. after all we are warned that in Oz your surrounded my things that will kill you..
There hundreds of insects biting too so have a nice covering of mozzie bites.. I should probably get some spray before I turn into a walking bite..
So these pics are of the glass mountains and Danielle.

So the next day (yesterday) Danielle and I decided to go on a road trip which was a brilliant day!
We drove up the towards the Sunshine Coast through the blue mountains which are absolutely stunning.. we went past Steve Irwins zoo which I plan to go to next time I’m up this way and lots of cool signs I couldn’t resist taking photos of. We drove past kangaroos on the side of the road and even a blue tongue lizard which was huge!! Needless to say I was beside myself with excitement – it was bigger than any lixard I’ve ever seen!!

Its been so nice to see Danielle again.. we’ve been reminiscing about America when we met in 2001 which seems so long ago. She’s really well travelled (basically been travelling for the last 10 years!) so have been hearing all about that and getting more and more inspired with the places I want to go!
Its also been great to be in a home rather than a backpackers.. and not have to sleep with earplugs in! ( I know it had been only a couple of nights since I was in the comfort of Pat and Tony’s place but I was knackered after the plane journey and with the heat.. and busy surfers paradise so it was a relief to relax and be in comfort while I adjusted myself to the fact I am now living in a new country!
Thought it was mad how these wild kangaroos hang out with the horses… and thought I’d better take a photo of my new flag..

So these kangaroos are not far out of Brisbane.. where Todd and Danielle hang out most days flying Todd’s model airplanes.. look up close and this ones got a joey in its pouch

Some kangaroos!!! You wouldn’t believe my excitement every time I see a kangaroo.. the first time I was squealing with excitement and after taking my photo skipped back to the car!! The photos are bit grainy because I can to zoom in on the camera.. hopefully will get some more photos over my stay here in oz!!

This bird is apparently called an Ibis.. there were a few of them in the park opposite trekkers hostel in Southport… have since seen a few more in the distance so I guess they are quite a common bird over here?!
This is Danielle and her cousins son Todd when we went out for lunch in North lakes where they live..

I saw Kangaroos!!!! I saw kangaroos, I saw kangaroos!! IN THE WILD!!!!!!

So Pat and Gary took me to Auckland airport and we had our emotional goodbyes.. I was so sad to leave NZ and a bit scared of Oz!!
Checking in was late and went we took off the plane made strange noise so the pilot told us we the emergency light had come on (how reassuring!!!) so we landed and they had a look at it and said it was fine.. watched "The Gift" on the plane which was good. I'm such a wuss so of course I cried!! tho I can reassure myself I didn't cry as much as the lady sitting next to me (who was very nice and gave me her address so I can come and stay)!
Coming off the plane was like an oven.. the shock of the heat at least 10 degrees warmer then NZ!!!
I had been worried about getting my visa approved but I needn't have been.. they didn't even ask if I had money!! They did however go through my backpack in customs.. but I understand that they need to protect their country from dodgy tourists!!
Getting out the airport I decided not to be touristy and to pass on the tourist shuttle taking you straight to accomodation.. and got the local bus.. hmnn well that was a bit stupid of me!! It took 4 different buses and alot of stress finding the right ones to get!!! the first one tho... I wish I'd taken a photo as these guys got on.. surfboards under their arms.. I coudn't stop grinning and thinking yeah this is OZ!!! but the 4th bus there was this psycho girl who I thought was going to attack me so I stared at the floor while sneakily looking up to check where I was... and trying not to get blood on my backpack after it leapt off the side and whacked my arm against the side of the bus..(At this point all I could think was "why oh whydidnt I get the shuttle?!!"
Eventually after my heart rate was at its max I found Southport and trekked to my hostel aptly named Trekkers.. nice hostel.. boiling hot tho and no light in my room.. and I was on a top bunk.. It was party party and I was knackered.. 3 hours time difference from NZ so I think I might have been jetlagged!!!
Observations of Surfers Paradise:
Girls wear hot pants or dresses that don't cover their arses..
drink, drink, party party...
Loud and busy!
settled into the hostel and made the mistake of reading the paper where I saw pictures of sharks circling local surfers and a local man who had, had his ears cut off in a reservoir dogs style attack... so theres me.. in a new and scary country thinking "What have I done?"!!
The next day I got myself a phone sim (the one Ruth had given me didnt work) and texted Danielle who I met at Summer camp in the USA in 2001... that made me feel better as she called me and said she'd come and pick me up the next day! I was fine getting a bus but she insisted!!!
Then I took a bus to Pacific Fair which was about 6 times bigger than NZ@S biggest mall and stressed myself out looking for a bikini... 5 hours later I was ready to have a breakdown.. and left without one (so here I am bikiniless - why didnt I get the first one!? but excitingly I got some perfume from Lush - I've missed that store!
All the girls in the hostel were so brown and skinny jumping around the swimming pool in their bikinis.. and hot pants... But whenever I tried on anything remotely skimpy I alternated between looking like I was pregnant or like I'd had 6 kids and not fared well..
The following day (after telling the japanese girls in my room to shut up at 4am) I joined the bank who refused to send me a bank card out to Bourke saying it would get stolen.. so am having it sent to Danielle's instead..! then Danielle arrived and picked me up and took me to her place in "North Lakes" (above Brisbane on the Sunshine Coast) where she lives with her cousin and his son..
We then went out for lunch and to their local model aeroplanes club where Chris and Todd are really into flying their planes.. and guess what?!!!! I saw KANGAROOS!!!! as we drove in we spotted one and I leapt out of the car to take photos..! there they were in the wild!!! we wandered around and I took lots of photos skipping around in excitement!! we spent a relaxing afternoon chatting to local club members and watching Todd fly his plane.. it was nice to be off the Tourist trail...and see roos!!! (one had a little joey in its pouch... photos will follow...!)
Then we came back to the house which is where I am now.. all happy and relaxed! Danielle and I are going to do some exploring over the next couple of days which should be great!!! Maybe a day in Brisbane city and a day up the coast depending on the weather... theres been lots of rain and storms so far and really high humidity!! I had to keep leaping in the pool in Southport to cool myself down!!!

last views of NZ!!! the ferry from waiheke, auckland sky tower and Pohutakawa.. the next photos you see will be of Australia!!!

Me on the ferry back.. and auckland.. the city of sails!

I had also been texting pat and tony (anna's husbands brothers family) who met me when I came off the plane 2 years ago about meeting up with them on my last day in NZ so I called them while I was in waiheke and they invited me to come and stay and they would take me to the airport. So I got the ferry to devonport rather than Auckland central and pat and her brother gabriel who is visiting for a month picked me up..
We had a lovely day, came back and had lunch and then went out to the biggest mall in NZ in Albany, then I caught up on laundry (as waiheke is on water shortages so we werent allowed to use the washing machine) so I had arrived in my last clean outfit which was covered in red wine from a guy falling into my and tipping his glass over me! and have bneen putting my photos online. It was taking forever so tony has devised a way for me to do it really quickly. Had a great evening last night, nice BBQ and met their friend Steven, had a few glasses of wine and have sworn to be very careful when I travel to South Africa (they are all from S.A)!
Now its the morning.. I'm putting my last photos up and after being fed a substantial breakfast of bacon and eggs.. its only an hour till we have to leave for my flight.. they are such lovely people!, I was looking at Summer Garden book by Paullina Simons as its her newest novel thats just come out and I have read all her others... and they bought it for me as a surprise! So I have my beach reading sorted... cool!! I just finished 19 minues by Jodi Picoult so was searching for a good book to read!!
cant believe i'm going to be leaving NZ!! I'm so nostalgic!!! I feel like crying.. but I know I will have a fab time over there too!!!

These are the pohutakawa trees which are called the NZ Christmas tree..

Karina at the restauraunt in Onetangi beach.. she was great as she had less clothes on than I would wear for the beach so hitchhiking around the island was very easy..
All the road workers were on their lunch break so happily gave us rides round the island..
Karina was cool.. I'm a bit dim though.. here I was dragging her around the entire island wondering why she was a bit slow on the uneven ground sometimes and feeling her way down the stairs to the beaches.. and I had wondered why she never took her sunglasses off.. it was only when I asked her to take a photo of me that she said well I'm not sure if i'll get you in it.. I am almost blind.. still she took a bloody good photo even just guessing.. and she'd never hitchhiked before so all in all a great day.. we saw a lot of the island and met loads of nice people.. it was abeautiful day and I got badly burnt (am going to arrive in oz looking like a pom having just arrived...it'll be like a sign accross my forehead!! god you'd have thought I would have learnt by now, I've been here 2 years!! But waiheke is meant to be 5 degrees warmer than the mainland.. and I have to admit it felt it!
waiheke and Hekerus lodge was great http://www.hekerualodge.co.nz/ so cilled out, full of hippies who'd got stuck thier for years. The backpackers in particular was full of poms who were hippies in the 60's and never stopped!
Had a great time swimming in the sea, walking along beaches, chilling out in the spa in the evenings... chatting all night and meeting new people..

Waiheke Island

First sights of waiheke island.. not great weather but still beautiful!