Our Last Day in Oz

After Sharon and I returned from our day on the Great Barrier Reef, we enjoyed a nice peaceful dinner and a glass of wine at the restaurant "The Deck". This was perfect as it is located right here at Captain Cook Cabins.

We get an early start this morning (May 14) for our drive back to Surfer's Paradise. We decide to just grab something for breakfast on the road. Hmmm, Kangaroo sounds pretty interesting for breakfast doesn't it?

Lucky us! We were able to get back to Surfer's Paradise in time to enjoy a few hours on the beach and get some last minute shopping done before catching our flights in the morning.

As we were heading back to our car after some souvenir shopping, Sharon decided to join in on a backgammon game with a gentleman sitting on the terrace in front of Del Greco.

This was a Greek Mediterranean restaurant and it seemed like such a fun place. So we decided to have dinner here before heading back to the house to get our packing done.

Well this is the part I hate the most. When another great home exchange comes to an end and I have to go home.

This has been an amazing 3 weeks in Oz! It's been great to share such an awesome experience with my good friend Sharon. We've met so many wonderful people, but none as wonderful as Helen! And this is one of the great things about home exchanging. You meet the people who "Live" where you are visiting. And there is no travel book or Internet site that is going to have better information than the tips the locals will give you about the best places to go and sites to see.....and especially where to eat!

I miss you Helen!

I wonder where in the World my next home exchange will take me?

There's a Lighthouse at Byron Bay!

The great thing about home exchanging is that you meet some really wonderful people that are always happy to share information with you about where they live. They love to give you tips on the best places to eat, which typically are not in any travel book. And they love to tell you what "must see" places you should visit.

Helen has certainly made my trip to Australia an unforgettable one! With all that she has to do to prepare for her 9 week trip to Europe, during dinner last night she can't help herself but to offer to take Sharon and I to Byron Bay!

Why I'm I so excited about this little excursion today? There is a Lighthouse there people! And for those of you who have been following this blog and reading about my travels, know very well how excited I can get about a Lighthouse.

What a beautiful drive to Byron Bay which is about an hours drive south of Surfer's Paradise on the Pacific Highway.

Helen decided that it would be great to see the Lighthouse from a distance first. What a great idea! And apparently this is also a great spot to wake up in the morning and brush your teeth.

Okay, I'm ready to get closer to that Lighthouse you see in the background of the picture above. Helen dropped Sharon and I off at a lower parking lot of the Lighthouse so that we could enjoy the views as we walked up to the Lighthouse.


Helen opted to drive around to the other side and walk the trail up from there and meet us at the top.
The Cape Byron Lighthouse was built in 1901 and stands 22 meters (approx. 72 feet) tall and has the most powerful light in the Southern Hemisphere.
After taking pictures from every possible angle, we decided to take a closer look at the little cottages that you can rent. We then came across someone selling ice cream and decided it's time for an ice cream cone! Mmmmm, nothing better than fresh mango ice cream on a hot day walking around a Lighthouse.....life is good!

It's time to start taking the trail down the other side. On the way down I am breathless by the views of the ocean, the coastline, the Lighthouse! And then to top all this off, the trail takes us to the "Most Easterly Point of the Australian Mainland".

Well I say "Let's get down there so we can say we stood on the most easterly point of the Australian Mainland!"

As we continued walking along the beach to get to where Helen had parked the car we came upon some surfing competition.


We make it to the car but Sharon and I decide to continue to walk along the path that will lead us to where Helen will once again meet us. It's time for some lunch now and we decide on a great little restaurant, The Byron Bay Cafe which is located right on the beach. So you know what this means....lunch outside on the deck!

As we were enjoying our lunch we noticed that a triathlon was taking place just a few yards down the beach.

The time has come when we have to start thinking about heading back to Surfer's. So we decide to take a little walk through the streets of Byron first and check out some of the sites. It was pretty exciting to see "The Beach Hotel". Why? Because it is owned by Paul Hogan, you know "Crocodile Dundee"!

Now the next thing we come across might not seem to exciting but I have never heard of an organic donut. So you know I had to try one!

This was such a great day and we will never forget all the amazing sites that we saw today. The Lighthouse, the most Easterly point of the Australian Mainland, surfing competition, a triathlon and Crocodile Dundee's hotel.
 

If you would like to see more pictures of our day just go to "Where's Debbie" and click on the album "Byron Bay"

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

The day has finally come when I get to hold a Koala Bear and see some Kangaroos!

I had been to Australia once before while on my very first home exchange in December 2006 to this very same place on the Gold Coast, Surfers Paradise. But as unbelievable as this may sound to you, I NEVER got to see a Koala Bear or a Kangaroo. Well I wasn't letting that happen again, so today(May 7th) Sharon and I headed to the Wild Life Sanctuary in Currumbin. The Sanctuary is home to the world's largest collection of Australian native animals. It's not a zoo but a research and conservation facility with a collection of over 1400 mammels, birds and reptiles.

We wanted to make sure that we would get there in time to hold the Koala's so we left about 9am for the 30 minute drive down the I2 Gold Coast Hwy. Within 5 minutes of paying our $39.60 AUD admission we were holding a Koala Bear! His name was George and he was handed to me by one of the sanctuary employees. She first made sure I had my hands in the right position, then she placed a towel over my hands before she put George in my arms. What was the towel for you ask? Well it seems Koala's just keep poop'in and they will do so during the split second that you get to hold them. I was surprised how heavy George was and I was informed that he weighed about 20 pounds.

After Sharon got to hold George we noticed all the other Koala's nestled in the trees still sleeping. It's amazing how they do this and don't just fall out of the trees.

Okay, where are the Kangaroos! On our way to see the Kangaroo's we stop in to check out the Australian reptiles, some of which seemed to be pretty friendly.

We happened to meet a very nice sanctuary employee who was sweet enough to walk with us in the direction of the Kangaroo's and share some information about the sanctuary and some of the shows that would be going on throughout the day. We came to a fork in the road....Kangaroos to the right, Dingo's to the left. Hmmmm. Well Sharon is a big dog fan so we decide to detour to the left and catch a glimpse of a Dingo. On our way we come across some more Koala's hanging out in the trees munching on some eucalyptus leaves.

Of course we spent entirely way to much time here taking pictures. Somewhat satisfied that we have taken pictures from every angle possible, we wander around a bit trying to decide which way to the Dingo's but we can't seem to figure it out. We did pass a spot where the Wombat's hang out though, but they were nowhere to be seen. Alright then, let's get to the Kangaroo's.

I realize I am a bit obsessed with seeing the Kangaroo's but it comes from a picture that was taken when my son was in this very same place in 1997 and he is kneeling beside a Kangaroo! I was so impressed when I saw that picture and thought what a great experience. And now I have the chance to do the same thing. Who knew!

When entering the area of the Kangaroo's it reminds me of taking my children to a petting zoo. Minus the goats of course. There are Kangaroos everywhere! This was so cool because you could just have a face to face conversation about life in Australia.....

or just lay out together and work on your tan.

Well it's time to get something to eat so we decide to buy a sandwich and we settle in at a table that wasn't occupied by an Ibis.

Then Sharon decides that she needs some of those little mustard packets for her sandwich. So she leaves her sandwich behind certain that it would be there when she returned. No I didn't eat it. But within seconds an Ibis swoops down on our table, snatches her sandwich and then boldly lands just steps away from us and proceeds to eat it. I guess this happens a lot here because her sandwich was replaced immediately.

We then bought an ice cream cone and decided to take the little train ride that takes you through the park. But when it arrived at the front of the park, which is where we started, it stopped and the conductor annouced that it would not continue on because the bird show was about to begin. Bummer! So we decided to walk back in the direction of those Dingos! This was the better choice as we were able to see so many more animals. We saw crocodiles, tree kanagroos, wombats, red tailed black cockatoos, emu's, a cassowary, black winged stilts and several other types of birds, and lizards. We were unfortunate though and did not get to see the Tasmanian Devil. But we did see that Dingo!

This has been a full day of being one with the animals of Australia. So what better way to top off this day then to drive just around the corner and be back at the Viking Surf Club. We enjoyed a glass of wine while looking out over the waves crashing against the rocks and tried to wind down from the excitement of our day at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.

If you would like to see pictures of all the animals we saw just click here "Where's Debbie" and then click on the album "Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary"

A Day in Springbrook National Park

The last few days have just been a lot of taking it easy and enjoying the beach. But it's Monday, and Sharon has been here one full day now and we agree that it's time to get out and see some more of the Gold Coast!

Actually Helen and I had already planned a little outing for today while we were shopping in Surfer's on Saturday. So today Helen, Sharon and I are heading into the Hinterland to Springbrook National Park with Helen playing tour guide once again.

Our first stop is "Natural Bridge". Now this is Sharon's first glimpse of the rainforest and she is amazed with the Strangler Figs

and Yellow Carabeen trees that we pass while crossing bridges over creek beds to reach our destination. Of course I am still equally impressed even after hiking twice now through the hinterland.

This is a very short walk and it doesn't take us long before we come upon a waterfall that is spilling into a cave below.

As you well know I could just stand here all day and look at this waterfall. Of all the waterfall's I've seen I have never seen one falling into a cave. The "Natural Bridge" was actually created over millions of years by water tumbling through the roof of this basalt cave. But what has me really excited is that we can actually go into this cave and see the waterfall from there.

This is the coolest thing I've ever seen.

It's too bad we were here early because at sunset this cave is illuminated by thousands of glow worms. But there is more to see here in the hinterland and the day is a wasting!

As we continue on this scenic winding route through Springbrook we come to the border where Queensland meets New South Wales and there are some breathtaking views of the mountains from here.

On our way down the other side of this mountain range we come to the little town of Chillingham N.S.W. which is in the Tweed Valley. We decide to stop at the Chillingham Village Store and have ourselves a bite to eat.

This historic general store was built in 1922 and as we entered, it felt as if we were not in 2009 anymore. We placed our orders with John who seemed to have that bygone era friendliness.

And what better place to enjoy our coffee's, latte's and meat pies then in the beautiful little beer garden just outside.

When we finished we absolutely had to walk next door to the" Chillingham Bush Tucker".

This is Australia's version of a vegetable/fruit stand but not with your typical items you would find in America like tomatoes, corn, bananas, apples, and oranges. No they have Yuzu Fruit, Kaffir Lime Leaf, Budda's Hand and unique Bush products. And plenty of fresh Australian Native Fingerlimes.

I'm sure you are asking yourself "What the heck is a Budda's Hand"? Well it is a citron with a very strong scent and very unusal segments which represent fingers. I have never seen anything like this and I was having some fun with it!

Now what's really neat about this stand is that you can actually take a walk out back and see all of these unusal fruits and vegetables growing. So you know we had to do that!

We end our day in Currumbin at the Vikings Surf Club where we met with some friends of Helen and enjoyed a glass of wine while watching the sun set on another wonderful day on the Gold Coast.

You can see more pictures of our day by clicking here "Where's Debbie" and then click on the album "Natural Bridge"

Sharon and Birds and Beaches, Oh My!

It's May 2 and my friend Sharon has arrived from Michigan bright and early this morning. We met each other on a Windjammer cruise in the Caribbean in January 2006 and we haven't seen each other since. So what better place to have a reunion than here on the Gold Coast.

We started with a little breakfast out on the balcony along with a Mimosa toast to friendship and a safe journey. While talking non-stop (me?) I noticed that some Rainbow Lorikeets had just decided to take a little dip in the bird bath down below.

As many times of I've seen these beautiful birds now since I've been here I still get so excited to be able to see them in the wild and not behind bars. But this was Sharon's first glimpse of Australian wildlife and she was so surprised to see it in the backyard!

After we got past the excitement and settled back into enjoying our breakfast not 2 minutes later a Kookaburra decides to join us. Well out come the cameras again! This is a first for me too so you can imagine the level of excitement going on now.

It seemed as though the Kookaburra did want his picture taken as he just patiently sat there posing for us

Then we decided that what he probably really wanted was some fruit. Amazingly the Kookaburra ate right out of our hands as we feed him some grapes.

It wasn't until later though after talking with Helen that we discovered that Kookaburras are meat eaters. I guess this explains why he just held this grape in his mouth and then would drop it after his picture was taken.

It's now time to show Sharon a little bit of where she will be spending her next two weeks. So I suggest that we head on down to Surfer's Paradise and take a walk on the beach where she can unwind a little bit from her long trip. Because tomorrow we are heading to the Hinderland!

If you would like to see more pictures just go to "Where's Debbie" and click on the album "Sharon's First Day"

Lazy Days on the Gold Coast

My first few days in Australia have been filled with so much exploring, with hiking for two days in the hinterlands and a day checking out hot spots with Helen. So that is why during the next couple of days I have decided to just take it easy and do some laying around on the beach for a day.

So Thursday was a great day for doing just that! And then to top that off, Friday I am invited to Helen's for a complimentary massage by her husband Grant. Well you know I'm not turning this down! Turns out Grant is a qualified massage therapist and personal trainer. Lucky me! So not only did I get a well deserved massage after hiking for two days, I also received some great tips on my workout.

Afterwards while Helen and I enjoy a glass of wine out on her patio, she then invites me to join her for dinner with some fellow Bushwalkers. And then knowing that I would like to get some souvenir shopping done, Helen suggests that on Saturday we spend sometime at Marina Mirage and then head to Surfer's to get my shopping done.

First we headed out to the "Spit" and watched some hopeful surfer's practicing their technique during a surfing lesson. This will be something that I will probably never attempt to do because if you know me, I'm not getting in the water!

We then backtrack passing Sea World again and spend sometime at Marina Mirage which is situated overlooking the Broadwater. We first take a walk through the newly updated mall that is now filled with designer shops such as Calvin Klein, Domani Shoes, Tommy Bahama, Tommy Hilfiger and so many more. Then as we take a walk around the Marina to have a look at all the boats and yachts, we pass several restaurants, which all have outdoor dining with views of the Broadwater and Surfer's Paradise in the distance.

Now a must see is the Sheraton Mirage Resort and Spa which is situated directly across from Marina Mirage. This place has the most incredible view of the beach right from the lobby!

And then to top it all off we take a walk through the world's first Palazzo Versace Hotel. This is where famous people like John Lennon had stayed after docking their yacht. Which by the way could not be docked in the Marina because it was just too big. The minute we walk through the doors and enter the lobby I can smell a subtle scent of roses which is coming from the thousands of fresh cut pale pink roses that are displayed throughout the lobby. My eyes are trying to focus on just one thing, but they are drawn to the Italian Marble beneath my feet, and then to a view of the pool which has it's own sandy beach entry. Amazing!

We must now head on over to Surfer's Paradise and get some shopping done. As we make our way through all of those little typical "Aussie" souvenir shops, we stumble upon Surfer's newest shopping and leisure precinct, Circle on Cavill. And here I see the "BIGGEST" big screen tv I have ever seen. All I could think about was how great this would be if Stijn were here, he would love this! Especially since his favorite football team (soccer to us Americans) was playing. This is obviously a great spot to stop and have a bite to eat or a cup of coffee and just sit with your head bent back looking up at the "Boob Tube".

Our day has come to an end but certainly not the adventures that still lie ahead. My girlfriend Sharon will be here tomorrow and we have a lot of exploring to do while she is here for the next two weeks!

To see more pictures just go to "Where's Debbie" and click on the album "Lazy Days"

Another Day in The Hinterland

After a wonderful day of hiking and making new friends during my day in the Lamington National Park this past Sunday, I was invited to join the Bushwalkers Club for another hike they would be doing on Wednesday at Tamborine National Park in the Palm Grove section. Well you know I jumped on this offer not only because it was going to be less than 12k but because if the hike in Lamington was any indication as to what I would be experiencing in Tamborine, I'm There!

So at 7:30am I was picked up by Wilma and we met up with two Bushwalkers, Helen and Josie in Nerang. We all piled in Helen's car and headed on up to Tamborine where we met up with about 15 more Bushwalkers.

After everyone was introduced and I got a group photo,

we then began our hike into Palm Grove.

Within just a few moments a fellow hiker has picked up a sort of pod to show me and how some animal apparently worked very hard at trying to open it to eat whatever had been inside of here.

Soon we come upon one of the biggest Carabeen Trees I've seen since I've been here. These trees are very common in many of the rainforests here in Australia. They have prominent buttresses at the base of the trunk that provide extra support in shallow soils. Or, a great hiding place if you just want to play a little hide-n-seek.

As I walk thru this rainforest I am trying to compare it to someplace in the United States. I finally decide that it would be the Redwood Forest National Park in California. The trees of course are different but the setting is much the same with Carabeen Trees as tall as 164 feet (50m) and the groves of tall Palms with the sun flickering through this dense tropical forest.

After our hike through Palm Grove we all load up in our cars and head over to the Joalah section of the Tamborine National Park for another hike. But first we stop at a little place called "The Nature Walk Cafe" and have some coffee. But for me I must have an Aussie meat pie!

Everyone is ready to go again and we walk across the street and head into those trees you see behind me in the picture above. Destination "Curtis Falls". As we walk on the path through more Palms, Carabeen and Strangler Figs I soon hear the sound of a waterfall in the distance. Now if you have been reading my blog you have a good idea that I love lighthouses. My other FAVORITE is waterfalls! We come into a little clearing and walk onto a platform and there is Curtis Falls. I am a happy girl!

We continue on our path following along the little creek from Curtis Falls. And then there is a big dilemma. Or as I like to say "Options" . We must now cross the water to be able to continue on our walk. Now some just decide to get their feet wet and walk through the water and others tested their balance while carefully and skillfully stepping on the rocks making their way across. But then there were the few who decided that was all just to riskey. So we made our way upstream a bit and chose what we felt would be the best method for getting to the other side.

Some of us could make it on our own while others needed a little push.

We are just about to the end of our walk when I hear something that is very different than any of the sounds I have heard during my two days of hiking in the hinterland. I've heard Kookaburra's, Whipbirds and Cockatoos, but this was different. As I look up to the tops of the trees I can't quite seem to make out exactly what all those are up there trying to find the perfect tree limb. Then it is brought to my attention that those are "Fruit Bats". Oh My Gosh! These things were huge and I'm glad that they were more interested in finding a place to hang upside down for their afternoon nap then swooping down on me.

Our hike has come to an end and it is decided that we will eat our lunch in the picnic area of the Botanic Gardens. Afterwards we take a walk through the gardens where there are several trees, shrubs and flowers on display that are native to Australia.

It's been another beautiful day and I say good-bye to all the wonderful people that I've had the pleasure of meeting and the privledge of spending time with as they shared with me some of their favorite places here on the Gold Coast in the hinterlands.

As Helen, Wilma, Josie and I are heading on down the mountain we are treated to the unexpected paraglider who is just about ready to take off. So we parked and took our spot on the grass and watched as he waited patiently for just the right wind conditions. And then away he went...........floating gracefully to the valley below.

Alrighty then......it's decided that we need to have a glass of wine before heading on down the mountain. So Helen suggests the St Bernards Hotel. As we walk up to the entrance there is "Leo" the St Bernard, napping on the front porch and not the least bit interested in us or of me taking his picture.

Now this was a treat but he didn't compare to the view I was about to see from the outdoor dining patio where we would sit and enjoy a glass of wine.

As the four of us are enjoying our wine reflecting on our day Josie has a fantastic idea! She invites us to her home for a gin and tonic to top off our day.

Does it get any better than this?

There are more pictures of my day at "Where's Debbie". Just click on the album "Another Day in the Hinterland".