Update From the East Coast...

Well, we're now on our second leg of the Australian adventure. As requested mum, we've put the update all in one posting in date order. Hope this helps!!
Speak soon
M & D
xxxx

Tuesday 19th

Up around 9:00ish. Nice and surprisingly cool. Breakfast on the deck with Kanga and Roo back for some Alpen. Amazing! Into Busselton and found an internet café. Posted our first proper Blog and updated Flickr.
M bought Mask and Snorkel and discovered toothpaste is good for cleaning mask. Lunch at The Goose, overlooking the jetty and the sea. Gorgeous salads.
Down to the beach for an afternoon of swimming, snorkeling and sunbathing.
Back to the Carriage for a shower, game of cards and general lounging around before heading back to The Goose for dinner.
Saw three dolphins swimming in the sea and a ray whilst sat eating dinner. Wow!

Wednesday 20th

Packed and left the Kangaroos and carriage nice and tidy. Drove down south to Margaret River through the forest. Went to the tourist office and decided on visiting Lake Cave (It was raining so no chance of a sunbathe on the beach).
Both flagging a bit so tea and cake before the tour was very welcome.
1 hour tour round the caves then back to Margaret River for a wander round the shops and some lunch.
Met up with Miles, Iain, Bethan and Dave then drove the short distance to check into the chalet.
Spa, ensuite, outdoor beer fridge, pizza oven and BBQ. Great!
Evening spent drinking, eating and using the spa – a lot!

Thursday 21st

Up early and drove to Busselton for our jetty dive. Bit overcast and quite windy. Got all kitted up then got the boat out to the end of the jetty and had a great 50 minute dive through the pylons of the jetty. Swimming within shoals of yellow tails was amazing. Saw countless other fish, corals, octopus etc.
Back on the boat we were served much needed soup and rolls. Yum!
Quick lunch then a drive back to Margaret River – all snoozing on the way back after the early start.
Went to play 9 holes of Supa Golf (oversized clubs and balls). M a natural and D winning an easy victory.
Back to the chalet before heading in to town for dinner and drinks. D managed to persuade the pizza chef to give him some dough balls for the pizza oven!
Great walk home – no lights so the stars were amazing. Also a serenade by a group of frogs!

Friday 22nd

Leisurely start. Picked up at 10:00 by Matt, the chalet manager, for a wine tour.
Went to 2 cheese farms, 3 vineyards (Brookwood, Brooklands and Graylans), chocolate factory, venison farm and olive oil farm before heading to the Voyager estate for a delicious lunch.
Finished off the day with the Leeuwin winery (more wine!) back to the chalet via town to get beer and pizza supplies.
Homemade pizzas were a success all feeling very stuffed and tired.

Saturday 23rd

On the road by 6:00 to get the hire car back to Perth by 10:00 then off to AQWA for our shark dive – eeek!!
Both a bit nervous – D more so than M.
Quick tour round the aquarium whilst we were waiting for our Dive Master. Saw the sharks and other large fish that we would be swimming with. Very large and sinister looking.
Had a quick brief from the Dive Master – told us that the tank made the fishes look 1/3rd smaller than they really were. D now really scared!
30 minute dive was amazing, getting really close to sharks, stingrays, eagle rays, turtles etc. M was very surprised when a stingray swam over head rubbing his underside on the top of her head!
Lunch at the appropriately named ‘Sharkies’ then a lazy evening at Miles’s.

Sunday 24th

Had arranged to go to see Miles’s friend in Rockingham to go to Penguin Island.
Got down to the beach at 12:00. Quick burger (chips & gravy for M) then walked along the 200m sand bar to Penguin Island.
Lots of furry penguins sheltering under the rocks on the beach. Very cute and cuddly. Haven’t got any photos unfortunately but I’m sure dad would tell us they weren’t penguins! :o)
Went snorkeling and saw lots of fish – including a very rare weedy sea dragon. Amazing!
Quick stroll around the island then the return wade to the main land.
Beer at Dave’s with Miles accompanying on the piano.
Evening spent wrapping presents and getting ready for Christmas day with Miles, Iain and Bethan.
Late night stroll to look at the stars and dodge the sprinklers in the park!

Monday 25th

Christmas day! Father Christmas had been. Yay!
We all opened our presents before heading down to the beach for a BBQ. Couple of hours spent at the beach swimming, drinking, playing boules, having a BBQ before the sun got too much and we headed back to Miles’s.
Quick turn around then off to Iain and Bethan’s for Christmas dinner. Finally sat down at 7:30ish and had the feast of all feasts. Very yummy!
All fairly early to bed – we must be getting old!

Tuesday 26th

Woke at Iain and Bethan’s. Lazy morning then cycled down to the river for a few hours there. Played a little bit of cricket. I bowled and caught Dave!
Managed to borrow Iain and Bethan’s car so we drove down to the beach for our last dip in the west coast sea then back to Miles’s to pack.
Evening back at Iain and Bethan’s for left overs. Another feast!
Iain drove us to the airport (after a last minute panic hunt for Miles’s iPod) and we boarded the plane at midnight for our flight over to the East Coast.

Wednesday 27th

It’s raining. I don’t like Brisbane. Hopefully it will improve.