Thailand Adventures

I recently took a trip to Bangkok, Thailand - it was a really fast-paced city full of shopping everywhere....as most of you probably guessed already - I was in heaven!! I arrived very late in the evening and I had to get myself from the airport to the hotel to meet my friend...of course the taxi drivers don't speak English very well but thankfully I was headed to the Four Seasons...so that definitely helped.

I joined my friend that had a meeting in Bangkok on Friday, so I was able to crash in her hotel with her. So we were spoiled for the first 2-nights in Bangkok. Our journey then continued to Cambodia, where we stayed in a very small family owned hotel...similar to a hostel but we had our own private bathroom ;-)

Throughout the next few stories are just a few of the photos I took during my very short visit in Bangkok. I tried to see as much of the city as I could and of course find any markets where they were willing to bargain for beautiful goods.

There were amazing temples and statues throughout the city....

Sydney City Adventures

We recently tried a wonderful Peruvian restaraunt with our friends - Rebecca and Prideri, and their beautiful daughter Isabel. Isabel took a liking to me, we were best buds throughout lunch. Here are a few photos from the lunch










Tango Dancing with my mate - Rebecca!

Blue Mountains / Wentworth Falls

We made a trip to the Blue Mountains and we took over 150 photos...it was very beautiful and peaceful. We hiked for about 10 hours in the 2-days we were there

In & Around Syndey

I try to take the camera with me anytime I leave the house...there are always beautiful sites that I want to shoot and send home to
share with everyone!!








Here are just a few of them...I am sure I will continue to add more as the weeks and months go by.













This is one of the most beautiful trees - it is a Jacaranda tree and I think it is one of my favs so far. I say this, and then everyday I see a new flowering tree.








The birds below are my little rainbow lorikeet friends that I met while housesitting in Watsons' Bay.

Sydney - Hobart Sailing Race

We watched the start of the Sydney-Hobart race from Watson's Bay on Boxing Day (26th December). We joined our friend Rebecca at her home for a barbie and hiked up to the peak in Watson's Bay to ensure we could find her husband's boat (Matt). This was Matt's first Sydney-Hobart race and it was a very exciting event to watch kick-off.

As you can see in the left hand photo, there was quite a bit going on in the water that day when the race began. I don't believe I have ever seen that many boats in one place. There were thousands of people crowding around for this exciting event.












Mandi - Tim - Rebecca


Matt's boat is one of the white sailboats off to the left

Sydney to Melbourne Drive

We made the drive from Sydney to Melbourne over the Christmas holiday...it was a beautiful and relaxing drive. The total distance is approximately 1100 kilometers (10/11 hour drive). We took our time and stretched it over 8nights/9days. We made a few stops on our journey in coastal towns; country towns; and small villages.
Day One
We stopped in Kiama on our way to Bateman's Bay (our first 2-night stay). Kiama is known for its blow-hole that is known to blow water a few meters high....it wasn't cooperating when we were there but it was a cute little town.

Jervis Bay

Bateman's Bay

*We loved the black swans, first time we have seen a black swan!

Day Two

We went on a Clyde River Cruise on day two. I met Razie and Georgie, they were very excited to meet me because I reminded them of Debra Messing and they were anxious to take a photo together to post on their 'almost famous' wall in Bateman's Bay.

Day Three

After we left Bateman's Bay, we drove along for a while and stopped in at Broulee to talk a walk along the beachside. I wasn't quite awake yet and just working on my morning cup of coffee when a wave came up and stole my cup of coffee, I was able to rescue it from the water but it was a bit gritty with sand after that.

Lakes Entrance

First Spider Encounter (Details included)

Well - we made it through our first "warm" Christmas...I really don't think I could get used to it.
Of course, I know, you are all cursing me right now when I say that but it truly doesn't feel like Christmas when it is 60-70 degrees outside...it feels like a summer holiday (of course I realize this isn't the worst thing in the world). If it makes you feel any better, we were in Melbourne for NY's Eve and it was the hottest NY's Eve day in over a century (42.2 Celsius) - yes, that is a whopping 110 Farenheit....still jealous of the hot weather?

I had my first "Real" spider encounter during our 9-day journey from Sydney to Melbourne. We were about 1/2 way through our trip and we stopped in a little coastal town to check out a few sites...I proceeded to make my way in to the outside public toilet (they are everywhere at least and pretty nice) but outside toilet areas are the prime locations for a few of these lovely creatures.

So I made my way in and I wasn't even 2 steps in to the doorway when I spotted it high up on the wall; just staring at me. It was right next to the sink and there was a young girl standing there washing her hands. Of course I couldn't help that my normal reaction was to go "Holy S*&*" It was just the natural thing to do at that point. Well I startled the girl more than anyone as I pointed just above her. At that point her mom came out and all 3 of us pretty startled by it, but yet everyone else was able to still go in and use the bathroom like it was no big deal :) Not me!

After the girl took her flip-flop off to try and kill it (here, they call them thongs..and think we are crazy for calling them flip flops) she decided very quickly that she just couldn't do it....well, I still had to go to the bathroom. So I came out and told Dale the entire story and of course he told me to quit being a sissy and to go in and use the bathroom. I made him come in and see this lovely spider with his own eyes, just so he knew just how large this spider was...I think it freaked him out a little too but he would never admit it.

So for all of you that are there chuckling at me now, because you know just how scared I am of spiders...I have included a close up photo of this little sweetheart just so you all know how brave I was that I went back in and used the bathroom...knowing that this thing was just outside. Funniest part is that everytime I had to use an outdoor bathroom after that on our trip, I certainly checked all of the walls when I entered.