G’day everyone, this is Cat. Today I will be your guide through the life of Trish and I on our adventures through Oz. Today was a great day. After a leisurly morning with a great breakfast of Bacon and eggs, (mmmmm…bacon) our tour began. We were driven to a sky rail station where we rode a cable car up the mountains into the rainforrest. There were two stops along the way to Karrunda where we could take senic guided walks through the rainforrest. Upon arrival at this modern and touristy rainforest village we headed over to a georgeous restaurant and sat outside in the forrest eating crocodile and kangaroo meat. Fabulous! After that we headed over to the markets to look at some local souvaniers and then over to the little zoo there where we could once again hug a Koala. This time was amazing. We could snuggle the georgeous soft and warm animal for several minutes. It was very docile. We aksed about its care and were happy to hear that the animal is only allowed 30min of cuddles per day so as not to stress it too much and is well looked after and is essentially in Koala paradise. Its keeper was a very kind and lovely lady who even took a picture of us with the Koala using my camera. After that we saw a few more animals including a wallaby and a wombats butt. On the way back from Karrunda, we took the senic rail tour. I think Paul and Al would have loved that part of the trip. (next time we will have to take you guys). Tomorrow it is more rainforrest adventures as we rent a car and head up to Cape Tribulation and the Daintree area. Roadtrip! Yay!
Today was a quiet day we sepnt in town. There is a zoo on top of a major hotel here that was very cool we took in a lizard show than walked around the birds were free to go anywhere. I was taking a picture of one and (pigeion like) and it came closer and closer and i thought cool great pic! But it came closer and closer then flew what i thought was over my head. Only to land on my hat on my head and sit there for aabout 5 mins while many including cat took pictures that i will show when i can. May i say pigeons especially well fed ones are heavy! We ate lunch on the beach of beer and pizza. We go to this place called the calypso for dinner everyday as the prices are amazing and the food is great. I brought dinner and it was 2 complete and great roast beef dinners and 2 beer for $20 how can you go wrong? We met our halifax friend from the boat who is also badly burnt. Tommorow we are going to a place called Krunada. Very eclectic. But it is high up we are going to the lift off point the going up by sky train and down by train. http://www.kuranda.au.com/ More pictures of wildlife. We got our pics taken with a koala that turned out great. They are so soft but have such sharp claws. Between the koala and the bird it was a wild kingdom day. It was about 26 today in the winter! Todays trip http://www.cairnsdome.com.au/ love to all Trish
Hi All Cat (who says hi) and i are now in Cairnes. It is pronounced Cans. Yestereday we went to the reef. Out on a sailboat i went snorkeling and she did 2 scuba dives so the pics we got where amazing. So very cool. But I badly sunburned my feet so we treated the. On the dive yesterday we were taken to a place called green island for lunch and a walk around after at noon. It was very tropical like you think of when you think fiji or something. Today we are checking out the zoos in town and tommorow we are going to the rainforest. Last night i slept with a towle soaked in cold water around my feet as they are the colour of cherries.And blistered. But nothing is going to stop me. lol it is about 30 here but 0 humidity so it is nice to stay out and then pay for it later. I did buy my aussie hat that i have on now at a night market at a great price from a guy who seemed to know a lot about them Tonight cat is going for a massage while i watch. The thought of a massage for me makes me scared. The reef was amazing the colours were so vivid. The staff was so neat. We had a scottish austrailian captain. Believe it or not. His accent was neat. He liked to poke his head up out of the boat canapy and get sun while controlling the helm with his feet that is exepreince. We met one person from Hallifax who was an improv comedian who is also a buisiness major and is going skydiving today. We also met russians (could not talk to them 
) and Irish and of course made lots of mates. We all exchanged addresses tp exchange photos. Cat dove and saw a safe shark and a sea turtle. Like i said great photos. Then we had a great meal at the warf. Today we are going to see lots of animals and more pics will write again but love to all
So wendy i hope the dogs are not too much trouble. Has there been fights? Where do they sleep? I hope all 3 are getting walked. Is all ok? Say hi to all there for me. love trish
I am still in Cairnes and met Cat this am. It was sure good to see her again and as it got closer to the time i got more and more excited. The weather here is a very nice 25 hot yes but without humidity it is nice. We went to a place called the espandle wich is a man made lagoon with resturants and shops there and kept our feet in the water and had a picnic. That was so nice and relaxing. we were there most of the day and i got burnt. Cat did not but i did. It is connected to the ocean so you could see ships come in but much more relaxing. Tommorow we are going scuba and snorkeling. there is a little about the place i went to here http://greatbarrierreef.com/s/cairnscity/index5.html LIke i said very nice and relaxing. Then we went for dinner at a hostel great roast beef dinner all the fixings for 2 and 2 beer for 20 so I know where we are going tommorow. I am beat thouhgh as the sun took a lot out of me so I will write more tommorow. love trish
Ok I am now in Cairnes Cat comes tommorow morning. It is 230 here and i can not belive the weather difference between Melbourn and Cairnes. Last night with the penguins I had on a wool sweater, jean jacket, and jeans and hiking boots. Now it is shorts and a tshirt It is a very nice 25 not too hot 25. Last night the penguin thing was very very cool. I was not sure at first if i was going to go as I was nervous about the idea of finding a cab to come home in downtown Melbourne. But I knew i would kick myself if i did not go. And I am so glad I did. The driver Tony gave a great commentarty the whole way I am going to try to get a copy of. Telling us all about the area we were going through. Then it was on to a working cattle ranch (lots of pictures no worries) where you could see and take pictures of all the animals including kanagroos. They also serverd homemade scones and devonshire tea. With the best butter I have ever had. Next stop was a koala sancturary again lots of pictures i will post here. Where there were all kinds of the little guys to photograph. You could not pet them as they stayed high up in the trees and can be nasty. Then it was on to the penguins boy it was cold with rain. They spook at pictures so i could not take any sadly. I was amazed how far they went inlad to thier burrows. Must have been a mile easily. They do wadddle on land as thier bellies are full of food. A quick dinner stop and then home. Or at least to downtown Melbourne where it was easy to find a cab to take me back to the hotel. I am now in Cairnes as I say but am starving so i will write more later. Love to all dogs and people and cats…
I have to keep this short as my flight from Melbourne to cairnes will be boarding soon. The penguins were amazing. Alot like i thought Australia would be. I meet Cat tommorow at this time. But promise to write more about the penguins next chance i get. I wll be glad to be leaving the cold as last night it was near 0. Love to all Trish
So today I left the hotel and went to the Ray Branham garden. After a walk of about 3k I found it connected to an arts and cultural center. The arts center was closer to the civic center in town for conventions and such. there were no plays on while i was there but the ones they usually have according to the fellow i talked to were made either for or by kids. So I went to the garden. Because of cutbacks there was really nothing to see as i had been warned about. Also because of the drought the lake beds were dry. I also found the market it was a very cool place. Kinda between the flea market and gastown. I say flea market because theere were little booths like a flea market selling things you would find in say a dollar store or an outlet store. But most if not all the booths were buisinesses so it was closer to gastown. I had a couple of pieces of pizza and a coke for a quick lunch. There was a lot of food booths there but you had to take it home and cook it. Leg of everything you could imagine. Fresh fish, chicken etc and the smell was neat. Sorry no tripe. But the market was in this cultural area, the stores around it were cultural something. I marked where i was so i would not get lost by the culture i found and remembered to turn left at the croatioan bookstore.
So I walked back to the hotel and then into another direction for the northland mall. About 5k. I am so glad that i brought a warm knit sweater because although it is not raining it is a bit cool and the sweater, jean jacket and jeans i wore were perfect as i think it never got to 15. Along the walk i saw a place called rent a bomb. I could not help but think that was funny for the terrorist on a budget. But looking futhere it was thier version of rent a wreck. I got to the mall and walked around but it was a mall. Stores and a food court not a lot to tell. I had lunch at a kfc (i know i can get it there as i could most food there but i wanted somehing fast everything else was sit down like chinnese food) I did not buy anything. But was amazed at the number of mobile (cell) phone stores in the mall and the walk. they take it serious here. I think the mall had 5 or 6 places just for that and then other stores sold them to. I was amazed that again there were places sellling fresh meat you could take home and cook just like the meat dept at overwaitea but this was its own store in a mall. I guess you can buy anything.
Tommorow i am going to see the penguins. I will have to post pictures later as Catherine is brining the card reader to plug into the computer. I debated about going as it is an expensive cab ride to the travel office where they will take me from (i am a bit out of main part of melbourne) and when they drop you off at night about 1030 i was nervous about trying to find a cab late at night in the big city but was assured they will be right there so there is no worries so i think i will do it. Only here once right?
the hotel i am at is nice. I have pictures of the room. The hotel itself i was told was a hospital and converted to a hotel. Most of the surronding area is medical something. Many residents of the medical clinics stay here. Looking at it i can see the hospital. Most hospital buildings are shaped the same way. Kinda v like. Most of the tv news here is either the olmpics or what they call footy very similar to our rugby. As well as soccer. The staff at the hotel is very nice and if i ever make it back I will stay here the room is cheap and the grounds are nice with an outdoor hotel and tennis courts and a gym too cool for outside though i think. When i got back to the room my feet hurt so i laid down for what i thought was a few minutes hours later…it is almost 10 as i write this and i have not eaten since kfc so i am now going for something. I must have walked over 10k easily today.
http://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/melbourne_details.php?id=2223 Preston Market
Bramham, Raymond Basil (1928-1984) Person
Description:
Ray Bramham was the City Engineer for Preston, having previously worked for the Shire of Violet Town and Violet Town Water Works Trust.
Council works organised by Bramham included the building of two large swimming pools, repairing parks and gardens, and numerous road construction projects.
The Ray Bramham Gardens in St. Georges Road, Preston are named after him.
The hotel is cool both nice and literally. But i had a heck of a time getting here. When i first got to my gate in Vancouver after a bit of finding it i am paged to come to the gate immediatly. Luckily I am just getting there but talk about scaring you. Turned out that they did not have my info. They had my ticket but not my address or passport. So i gave that to them. and i coudl bored the plane in an hour as it turend out i was faster then i thought. So I had a glass of wine and boarded the plane. The flight to Sydney was very rough and i had a hard time sleeping with my head bouncing all over. My neck even hurt. The rough trip delayed us geting there 30 mins. We got there at 830 am instead of 8 and i had to catch the next flight at 930. I must have looked rought as they choose me to search the luggage of. They went through and took out everything. IN the Sydney airport and took my empty luggage away to xray. After bringing it back they told me they broke the zipper. I can still use one but it makes me nervous I may buy another bag just so it is not so ful and thus the zipper under strain. At 915 I said i have a 930 flight and they told me it was not going to happen. At 920 they let me go with vague directions on how to reach the correct terminal. I was surprised the Qantas termianal in Sydeny was hard to find behind construction. But after about a 10min walk i found it. There was a long line up but when i got there the lady was very nice (btw she said the r in cairnes is silent and they like it when you say ualaru not ayers) she told me the plane had not left yet but i was not going to make it as when i leave her i go through security then take a 20 minute bus trip through the tarmac to the domestic departure area. She told me she put me on the noon plane (and i was thinking i would have been at the hotel by theN) so she did and i got to the write place with time to kill so i wrote you. And others. ten minutes prior to departure i find out the plane is delayed and will not leave until 1230 what can you do? so i wait some more and get on that plane. Finally making it to melbourne i find i have lost the paper with the shuttle on it between the hotel and the airport (i think customs took it) so i go to someone who gives me a list of phone numbers it could be. Now to not only find a phone but change. So i can call and say was it you? Now about 2pm. I am now getting mad so i say forget it i will pay again. I go out to someone outside to ask them who to take and she is very helpful and calls around and finds out there is only one company that goes to this hotel so it must be them BUT one of thier 2 busses has broken down so they now run every 2 hrs and will be here at 345. Remember i thought i would be in the hotel by noon. What can i do but i sit at the bus stop and try not to fall asleep but i listen to people complain about how cold it is. Myy bus comes early wich is good but I am in a bus stop and that cab that just came up shoudl nto be there. A fight ensues between my driver another driver the cab driver until parking authority comes and gets the cab to move. It is now 345 And my driver is calming down. Apparently she can not see the cabs as they get to focused on the other side watching people that a cab going between 2 busses can get hit easy. So after all that it is now 5pm before i get to my hotel room where i have a hot shower and a cup of tea to relax and warm up before having a nice dinner of wild mushroom and pasta. I was going to go to the penguins tommorow but i am going to make it the day after and tommorow just cruise the area on my time table this time. And relax…but thank yyou for letting me vent. By the way the deloused the plane and will not let you bring food into the country ie chocolate…i am going to go now and relax the rest of the day and watch mcleods love trish
After some initial problems and one missed flight from Sydney to Melbourne I am now in the Sydeny airport as my flight leaves here for Melbourne in about an hour it is 1030 am here and a bit chilly only 9. I am exhausted as my flight from vancouver was bumpy and hard to sleep. I shared a row with one other lady and there was 3 seats one between us. A very nice cattle farmer from Brisbane who had been touring Canada. Kinda I mean she went from Van flew to Toronto then bussed to and through the Maritimes. I am starving and have time so I am going to get something to eat before my flight. From PG to Vancouver we were followed by the most beautiful sunset and I thought to myself …thanks mom. The plane landed in Sydney and was delayed a further 20 minutes or so as everything is sprayed with a kinda chemical so you do not bring something into the country. I had my bags totally checked and xrayed by cutsoms in sydeney then it is about a 10min bus ride to the gate where the flight leaves for Melbourne so I had to change to the next. But I wanted to let you know I am ok. I am going to write more later but I have been going for what seems like days and i have to get food. From where I am i can see my gate so it is not bad. But I will write more later…Trish
CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS 6:35 – 19:40
2008/8/9
HONG KONG(HONG KONG INTL) / CAIRNS(CAIRNS AIRPORT)
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CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS 3:30 – 08:35 (8/10Ar)
2008/8/15
CAIRNS(CAIRNS AIRPORT) / AYERS ROCK(CONNELLAN ARPT)
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QANTAS AIRWAYS
08:50 – 11:10
2008/8/19
AYERS ROCK(CONNELLAN ARPT) / SYDNEY(SYDNEY KINGSFORD SMITH ARPT)
2008/8/23
SYDNEY(SYDNEY KINGSFORD SMITH ARPT) / HONG KONG(HONG KONG INTL)
7:35 – 15:05
2008/8/24
HONG KONG(HONG KONG INTL) / NAGOYA(CENTRAL JAPAN INT’L AIRPORT)
Departure/Arrival(Airport)
