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December, 2003 - January, 2004
Australia 1
Cairns, Queensland
 We
arrived in an OVEN otherwise known as Cairns, Queensland.
(Pronounced Cans...using a Midwesterners aaaa) It is so hot.
Did you hear us complaining about how cool it was in NZ? We
take it back, every word. I will never complain about the cold
or cool again. I promise.
New Zealand was lovely. We had a great time. It was nice to
move on. We are really looking forward to settling down in SYD
and MEL for most of the next after 6 night in Cairns.
Yesterday, while eating a caramel, I blew out half an upper
molar. Fortunately it doesn't hurt and it's on the cheek side
so my tongue isn't feeling it every second. Unfortunately, if
I can't get a bondo job, I don't know how I will be able to
get a crown done in the time we spend in Sydney or Melbourne.
Everyone takes vacations over Christmas here...it's going to
be trouble. We've got air tickets booked to leave MEL on Jan.
15th. Doesn't leave much room and I doubt Bali is the place to
get a crown done!
The Barrier Reef is what we are here for. Hopefully it goes
well enough to go out two times for snorkeling. We are trying
to talk AD into another whitewater experience. For some reason
he's shy about it. He loved it in Peru. I'm not sure what
happened.
Good news -- The dentist in Cairns was able
to fix my tooth. Who knows how long it will last. He said
"could be forever". I am so happy. The thought of ruining
Christmas with a crown was more than I wanted to bear. Feels
good too. He was surprised when I refused Novocain.
HOT is about 95 and full humidity. It was 35C when we got up.
We had a great day at an nature preserve and swimming in a
waterfall/stream.
Australia Journal 1 ...»
Australia 2
 Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you
all.
It is certainly nice to be in one place for a while. We
are having a marvelous time in Sydney.
Our plans for the holidays are to eat, drink and swim too much
with Linda and Co. On Boxing Day (26th) we’re going to go
watch the sendoff for the Sydney to Hobart sailing race. As
you know Sydney Harbor is a fantastic setting for anything on
the water and we’ll get lots of photos.
On the 28th we’re heading for Canberra and then on to
Mansfield, Victoria for New Years Eve with Michael Inman.
We’ll stay in Victoria for 2 weeks before flying to Bali.
Our travel plans for the last half of the trip need to be made
soon. We’ve decided not to do the overland from Capetown to
Victoria Falls in southern Africa. We still would like to go
to Africa but not spend 3 weeks on the back of a lorry. When
we know, you’ll know.
Australia Journal 2 ...»
Australia 3
Happy
New Years to you all.
 We have spent the past week in Northern
Victoria at a country resort area called Mansfield. Our
friend, Michael Inman and his family have been our hosts on
Lake Eildon. We drove south from Sydney through Canberra,
Australia’s capital city to get here. It’s been almost 100F
every day but as they say in Arizonia “it’s dry heat!” Nothing
like the heat in Cairns which was a sauna. Our days have been
spent playing in the water, eating and drinking too much, and
relaxing. It’s been wonderful getting know some of Michael’s
friends and neighbors. Many of them are gourmet cooks and
we’ve tried showing them some home cooking. The most recent
joke has been taste testing “prison eggs vs. free range egg”.
Of course you can guess that I’d never spend 75% more for free
range eggs. I called one friend a “food snob” in jest.
Andrew has been on Christmas break from
writing and school work. He’s had two horse rides with Andrew
Carnegi, Michael’s partner. There’s plenty of open space for
riding out here. We are spending this coming week in
Melbourne, 2 hours south of Mansfield.
Australia Journal 3 ...»
Australia 4
Visiting the Inmans
 Melbourne
is a city of 4 million. It’s the second largest in the
country. It has a significant skyline visible as you approach
the city. There are lots of trees in the hilly terrain. the
Inmans live in an eastern suburb called Toorak. It
continues to undergo redevelopment where people tear down a
smaller old house and build a BIG new one. We were happy to
get settled into their house and relax.
Next weekend, we visit some other friends of Michael’s, Marie
and David, at their holiday house on Wilson Promontory,
Australia’s southern most point. We spent time with them 7
years ago on our last trip to Australia. On January 15th, we
leave the comfort of our friends in Australia and fly to Bali
to begin our 3 months in Asia. Our plans for the trip after
India will be made this week.
Australia Journal 4 ...»
Houston ...»
South America ...»
New Zealand ...»
Bali / Singapore ...»
Thailand / Cambodia ...»
Nepal ...»
John's London Journal ...» |
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