Bila Vista Apartments Coolangatta

... on a cold Melbourne morning.)

Unfortunately, it weighed over 10kg so was check-in material anyhow. Still, impressed that I did it.

Tiger Airways... It was the convenient timing of their schedule to the Gold Coast (and good price) that got them the job of flying us north. Ordinary terminal, squwarking kids, cramped seats... bearable for 2 hours ...

Arrived at Brisbane airport just before midnight on Saturday, got through customs after only a little bit - thank goodness for Pauly's Australian passport. They were really really hot on anything that could cause new species / disease introduction and had cute beadles wandering around sniffing for fruit (rather than drugs!) and they had a huge list of restricted items from wood to food. Loads of the Chinese passengers on our flight got hauled off to a long queue to get ...

... from the top bunk making as much noise as possible. I made even more noise opening the door to the balcony and telling Simon to get me when they were done. Hopefully I ruined the mood - how disgusting and rude is that?! If you want an audience go somewhere else. Of course Simon just went back to sleep so I was left shivering on the balcony in my pj's until I thought it was safe to return. The next morning we had a very ...

... along some of the beaches, heading from North Kirra to Kirra, then down through Coolangatta and to the Greenmount Headland. The walk over the headlands was really pleasant and the views of the beaches really make you feel as if you are on a little tropical island. The view from the Kirra beaches includes a nice sky line of the city, that bears a passing resemblance to a little city called New York. Then again, any place with tall ...

... the trip here was a 4-wheel drive tour we took into the Tambourine Mountains, about 30 minutes away. There, we learned how to throw a boomerang (well, our guide taught us how...I'm not sure we learned). We also learned how to crack a whip. Not surprisingly, I was a natural at this. We had "smoko" which is the same as afternoon tea or taking a smoke break. We were served scones, which are these enormous biscuits, with rhubarb jam and fresh ...

... than we had been used to previously on the trip and we were getting pushed and pulled in all kinds of directions. It was fun but it wasn't long before we'd swallowed too much seawater and had to return to the safety of the beach! In the evening we went to the local shopping centre to look for last minute presents for each other and to see a film. We watched Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium which Theresa enjoyed, but Mark was ...

... who made Trainspoting. Next morning we & the other parked camper vans got a rude awakening at 7am from the hostel people telling us we weren't allowed to park there & we had to move on...man I feel like a proper gypo now. We drove down to the beach & chilled there for a while & watched the sunrise for a change, when I noticed a lighthouse perched on the cliff further down the bay. The sky was a deep blue & clear ...

... descended, using the mooring rope, and started off. We were only a few metres from the rope when I realised I kept swimming at diagonals, down. I used my BC or 'Buoyancy Control' to add air to my jacket but I could not stay Neutrally Buoyant (when you are at a point where you are suspended, weightless, neither sinking or rising in the water). I kicked and kicked and Charlotte turned around, asking me 'OK?' (you make a circle with your ...

... our heads and sang it during the whole trip. It was funny but annoying. On my first day in Sydney I mostly just wandered around a bit and went to a wildlife photography exhibit because it was cloudy and I didn't want to go to the big sights until the weather was better. On Tuesday I took the train to the Blue mountains, about 2 hours from Sydney, and went hiking around in the canyons. The next day I went on a tour to the Jenolan Caves nearby and they were ...

... certainly stand out from the crowd in my dapper Red Cravat! Rob, Chris, Mardi and Carolyn due to arrive in next few hours, so time to sign off Croc Blog for now, as keep needs to collect his service wash from launderette (he Said he CBA to do it himself, and I need his help with the reaching all the keys on the keyboard). Couple of days here now with the guys now, stay tuned for another exciting Croc blog. Big Cheesy Croc Grins to all. Croc (Living The Dream!)