Pearl meets baby Mac!

Tyson gets friendly with the Roo's.

Crikey's!! That's a big one!!!

Pelican 4X4 Hire Sucks!! Tell your friends!!

March 5

To start our day, we went to the car and our trusty mechanic was right.  The car wouldn’t start, so it required a phone call to the front desk to find someone with booster cables to get it going.  This meant that at 9 a.m. we started the car and we couldn’t turn it off until we were done our day trip, which ended around 5 p.m.  This also made it difficult for all of us, get out of the vehicle when checking out the sights, as it would mean leaving it unattended, running. 

To start the day, we went to Lake McKenzie to check out the sights.  However, with car issue we had to find the closest parking spot, and this led to a wrong turn, which lead to never actually seeing Lake McKenzie.  We thought we would just loop around, and apparently on Fraser Island there is no such thing as just looping around.  Maybe we will try again tomorrow.

We then bumped around the island, until we got to Seventy Five Mile Beach, where we could drive faster along the beach.  We went up to Indian Head, checked out the Champagne pools, the Mahano Shipwreck and drove past Eli Creek- as the tide was on it’s way up and we didn’t want to get stuck.  We can do that again tomorrow.

The ride at times was even more bumpy, than the day before.  And, because of the rain the potholes were even deeper.  With the commotion of the truck and getting Pearl sorted before leaving, lunch turned out to be sparse.  I had packed all the stuff for sandwiches, but no bread.  And I didn’t pack utensils for the potato salad.  Therefore, lunch was hummus wrapped in lettuce and we had to use the cucumbers to scoop the potato salad out.  So, I guess we could say we left our manners back at the apartment as well.

We had a few good laughs along the way. The battery in the truck continued to die as the day went on, so by around 3 o’clock we were losing power to operate all the extras in the truck.   Power windows, air conditioning, radio etc.  So, we triaged what we could use, forgot about the radio, stopped using the air con, and put the windows up when it was raining and down when it was not.  The most hilarious part about it was, the only way to get the windows up in the vehicle was to drive faster, to get enough juice in the battery to operate them.

Then, we got to the rainforest part of the trip.  The windows were up because it was raining, which meant the windows were fogging up with all our hot air in the truck (we even kept conversation to a minimum!).  So, Dan had to drive faster through the rough terrain to get enough power to use the defrost to clear the windshield.  There was something ironic about the whole thing.  We will see what tomorrow will bring!

Noosa and Fraser Island

March 4^th

Currently, we are sitting in front of the tv, in our suite at The Kingfisher Resort on Fraser Island.  It’s quite nice, a large open area with a fully equipped kitchen.  We have two bedrooms and a bathroom, which includes a Jacuzzi tub.  We are living the life!  And guess what Dan is doing?!? Laundry… he’s right at home!

I’ll update you on yesterday’s events before I do today’s.  It was a pretty lazy day again, slow start to the morning with eggs benedict made by Stu.  Delicious! And, then it was time to decide what beach to go to considering the hundreds around us.  We ended up in Coolum, which was beautiful.  The water was aqua blue, the waves great for surfing and the sand was easy to walk on.

The boys hired a couple of surf boards and gave them a go.  I also tried my hand at it, and managed only to get up on my knees a few times.  It was a good time, and the best part was I managed to keep my top on the whole time!  (Last time I was surfing, I lost my bikini top a few times- embarrassing!!)

Transportation seems to be our biggest logistical challenge, while in Australia.  Needing the car seat all the time, makes it extra complicated to figure out how to transport the four of us, along with Kristi and Stu in a five person vehicle.  So, we rented two cars and travelled separately, except for yesterday.  We had to return one car, so that meant Dan and Tyson took the city bus back to Noosa from Coolum.  They found it fine, but the driver suggested they get off at an early stop than they anticipated.  So, that meant that they ended walking about a kilometer and a half on the beach in the heat.  By the time they arrived back to the condo, they were both puddles.

Tyson was so hot, he jumped in the pool, forgetting that his wallet was in his swim shorts.  He found out that Australian money is waterproof.  (My guess is a few Australians have done the same thing).

The day ended with picking up the 4WD in Noosa, to get ready for our Fraser Island trip and then a night hanging out on the porch, enjoying a traditional Aussie feast, “Shrimp on the Barbie”.  They are actually prawns.  They were huge and so tasty!

This morning we got up early and left our place in Noosa with Kristi and Stu and headed to Tin Can Bay.  We were a little late getting there, but did get to see the dolphins that come to shore at 8 am to be fed by the locals.  It was pretty cool to see a dolphin so close.  Apparently, the one that we saw was attacked by a shark and for this reason had scratches all on his side.  The woman said, that the “alpha male” controls the pod, and therefore also defends the pod, and that’s why he was so scratched up.

The volunteer let us know that the dolphins really like pregnant women, because their super sonar hearing can detect the sound of the heart beat of the baby in the mom’s tummy.  Amazing isn’t it?!

Kristi and Stu left for Sydney today, and we headed to Fraser Island for our vacation within a vacation, within a vacation (as Tyson would say).  It’s our first day of rain, so we can’t complain.  We woke up with it down pouring and it’s been sporadic all day long.

We arrived on Fraser Island via the Iniskip ferry.   We then drove along the beach to turn off to go through the inland road to get to our lodging on the other side of the island.  To say road, is an over statement, basically it is a path free of trees, but not their tree roots.  The man on the ferry, said let the ruts carry you, kind of like a train track.  And so we did.  We laughed quite a bit, as we bumped around in the four wheel drive.  Pearl took it like a champ, and actually fell asleep for the majority of the trip.  To get a sense of how slow we were driving, it took us an hour and a half to travel 15 kilometres.

Upon arrival at the Kingfisher, we parked the truck and immediately it died, with the windows down.  This was at around one o’clock, it was sunny and very hot and humid.  Dan tried figuring out the problem, but then found a mechanic on the other side of the island that tried to tell him what to do over the phone.  It didn’t work so well, as all Dan had to work with was a pair of rusty pliers and flashlight with no batteries.  The mechanic said he wouldn’t be able to make it over to the other side of the island to help us, as he had dinner plans!  Needless to say, Dan let the mechanic know he would have to cancel them.  So, carless, Tyson and I moved our stuff up the steep hill to our accommodation.  Both of us, were sweating and Pearl was sweating watching us.  We got settled in the apartment, which is very nice and large.

Dan continued working on the car but couldn’t get it started, so he had to leave it at reception.  We all decided to go for a swim in the large pools by reception, which was very fun.  Pearl seems to be like Tyson, a fish!  They both love the water.

And then… the rain started.  The torrential rain started.  And the car still wasn’t fixed.  So, the rain made it’s way into the open windows of the vehicle and stayed there, soaking into the seats and the floor. 

The mechanic did show up around 8 o’clock at night in the torrential rain, with three friends and a six pack to fix the car.  They put a new battery in the truck, and rolled up the windows.  He said, we may have some issues in the morning, but if that was the case- just get someone to boost it for us- “should purr like a kitten”.  Thanks mate!

Wilderness Wednesday... not so much

Today was a lazy start to the day.  We had good intentions of making it, “Wilderness Wednesday” which was to include the markets, a hike on a trail and scouting out some waterfalls nearby.  However, we decided otherwise, while sitting poolside.  Kristi called it “Wiped out Wednesday”.  Yesterday’s hot day in the sun, wore us all out and chillin by the pool, seemed like a better idea.

We worked on Tyson’s science homework, while sitting poolside.  We thought it was appropriate, given we were talking about buoyancy, viscosity, mass and volume and their relationship to each other.   We had Tyson jump into the pool, (cannon ball vs. belly flop) to figure out the effect on buoyancy.  At first, Tyson thought he was hard done by, as he had to jump in the pool and get his hair wet.  We quickly reminded him of “hard done by”… when we said his schoolmates were probably sitting inside, reading textbooks about the same subject, and it was snowing outside.  He agreed and suffered through, the poolside lesson.

Pearl took her first dip in the ocean.  She wasn’t 100% sure about it.  We will try again I think the waves threw her off.  She did like playing in the sand and digging her feet in and out.  I gave up on trying to keep it out of her face.  It was next to impossible and she didn’t seem too fazed by it.  At one point, she stuck her hand in the sand and then her thumb in her mouth.  No reaction… we’ll see what the back end of her diaper looks like tomorrow, granular?

I think Dan is looking forward to getting back to straight roads when we return to Canada.  The roundabouts still are causing us trouble.  Can’t nail down what straight is, and once we do, the next roundabout doesn’t have as many spokes or it has more, which changes what straight is.  Needless, to say we need to keep our sense of humour when we are getting lost on a regular basis.

May be signing out for a few days

The internet access is challenging up here in Noosa... so just wanted to let you know that we may be taking a vacation from the blog for a few days.  We've been in McDonald's for an hour trying to get it up and running to send this email.  I actually typed the last two blogs on Word and uploaded the news, to speed things up.

We are going to Fraser Island on Friday for three nights and it should be an adventure 4WDing with a car seat!  Everyone's looking forward to the adventure and checking out some freshwater at Lake McKenzie.  We are getting used to the salt water now... it will be a change.

So, stay tuned come Tuesday night our time for a post.  We will be able to access faster internet in Sydney at the Wilson's and be able to post pictures as well.

Crikey!!! Steve Irwin Zoo was cool! (actually it was really HOT)

Today we ventured out to the Steve Irwin Zoo in Beerwah, about an hour inland from where we are currently staying.  It was a HOT day, the temperature was about 32 degrees.  Poor little Pearl was sweating all day.  I’d take her to the washroom and stick her in the sink to cool off.  The rest of us endured the heat, and snuck into the air conditioned shops occasionally to cool off.  Kristi was a trooper, marching around the zoo, 7 ½ months pregnant.

The zoo was pretty impressive with all the Australian animals represented as well as some elephants and tigers.  We learned a few things about koalas and birds of prey, at some of their live shows.  I learned that koalas are not actually stoned from the eculpytus leaves, but it takes a lot of energy for them to digest the leaves in their system and this is why they sleep the majority of the day and night.

I thought the coolest part of the day was walking around with the kangaroos.  Tyson got some good shots for this documentary.  And, as he would tell you- a group of kangaroos is a mob, so don’t mess with them.

We also survived having encounters with the majority of all the most deadliest snakes in the world.  Phew… that was close, thank goodness for the glass between us.  However, we did pet a white python, which was pretty freaky.

The roundabouts are proving to be challenging for us, and I think it’s proof men are linear thinkers.  I’ve never seen Dan struggle with directions like he does with roundabouts.  Yesterday we went out all three of the exits of the roundabout before we ended up in the right location.  We’ve now developed a system for me giving directions and it seems to be working.  Straight means the spoke directly across from where we enter, and the other two spokes are right and left.  Tyson, sits in the back and laughs at us… and when he’s not laughing, he’s defending his Dad saying that I said “Go right!” but really I pointed straight… and truth be told… I think it’s proof that Tyson’s becoming a man too, with his linear thinking.  Like father, like son.

Tyson turns 13

On Sunday we flew to Noosa with Kristi and Stu.  I’d been to Noosa before (it was actually where I skydived in 2000).  It’s a pretty beach town, if we were to compare it to a beach nearby us, it would be similar to Bayfield with a few exceptions and much more surf, plus a rainforest adjacent to it.  Okay, it’s nothing like Bayfield… but you kinda get the idea, right?

So, we’ve been bumming around here, hanging out on the beach, swimming in the pool where we are staying (which by the way is beautiful).  Kristi and Stu’s friend owns it and let us stay here.  It’s big, bright, modern and very vacation like.  Beats the hostel I stayed in when I was here last.  It had cockroaches in it.  There are geckos that climb the walls in the living room, but apparently that’s normal here and they don’t seem to bother anyone.

Pearl’s bunking with Dan and I in our bed, as there isn’t a crib or a playpen… and for such a small, little thing… she sure does take up a lot of the bed.  Dan and I are kissing either side of the edge of the queen sized bed, and little Miss Pearl is wiggling around in the middle comfortably.  She’s starting to sleep like her brother!

Yesterday was Tyson’s birthday, which was celebrated in style.  He woke up at 5:30 a.m. (not on purpose) and by 9 a.m we had opened cards, had some good chats, sang happy birthday, showered, gone out for coffee and made our way to the grocery store.  I guess, we now know what it’s like to be Uncle Al or Pastor Swartwood.  PRODUCTIVE.

Thank you to everyone who sent cards with us for Tyson’s birthday.  The now teenager, really racked in the cash and has already started his shopping adventures on the boardwalk.  After a day at the beach, he found a pair of Billabong surf shorts for himself and is considering a Billabong hat, as well as a backpack.  Surf’s Up! Tyson really does have the look of a surfer, and could fit in just fine here.  His tan is coming along nicely. 

Today we are off to the Steve Irwin Zoo, to see the Australian reptiles and animals.  The temperature is 30+ and trying to decide on which day will be coolest has been difficult as they are all looking to be in this range for the week.

I brought a range of clothes for Pearl to wear, as I didn’t want her to be too cold or if she spit up on them, I’d have clean ones for her.  So far, she has worn none.  It’s so warm, that her diaper is the outfit of choice.  She loves the water, and is staying cool by splashing around in the pool.  Maybe we will try the ocean tomorrow, when it’s not midday.  She tends to hang out in the sun tent that we bought, while at the beach.

Alright, gotta run… not literally… but it takes a lot of effort to get moving and on the road by 10 a.m.