2 Year Old Comparison

You know, I thought it had been a while since my last comparison shot of the boys- here they are, right around two years old (Aaron is 22 months right now).

Nate

 

 

Aaron

 

Not bad! I think you can still tell they're related :)

Australian Grub

Yes, I need a special post to show off all the lovely Australian food :) Expensive but delicious!

Mmmmm

 

 

At Bondi Beach

Scrumptious!

 

Chips (French fries) served with a mayo type sauce. If you want ketchup, you need to ask for "tomato sauce". On the burgers they always seemed to put a tomato relish on

 

Lunch at the Opera House Tasting plate - two small chicken sandwiches and burgers with chips, shrimp/salmon salad, BBQ chips, and what appeared to be potstickers, scallops and mussels

Can't forget the vino too!

 

We came home with uh, a few bottles of Australian liquor ;)

Seafood tasting plate - scallop on seashell, tuna, baby lobster tail, crab with its legs still on :P, salmon? (I forget) and mussel shots - one mango, the other bloody mary like

Reef fish on top of risotto. Yum!

Afternoon tea- iced mocha and passionfruit cheesecake (much lighter than our counterpart)

 

Anchoive bruschetta (hubby's choice!)

Scallops on seashells and my pina colada (ex of price : my pina colada was $20!)

 

While I'd warn that Australia is a pretty expensive place to go , I'd do it again. The locals are so friendly and warm right up to you ( I couldn't get enough of their cute accent and the men addressing me as "love"!)  Plus there's just things there that you can't do anywhere else (like feeding kangaroos, holding a koala and swimming in the Great Barrier Reef!) An adventure indeed!

 

 

Daintree Rainforest & Great Barrier Reef

While up in Palm Cove, our host at the resort recommended two excursions in particular to do (noted above). We loved our 'apartment' we had and the hosts booked our shuttle and excursions for us, recommended food, we would totally recommend this little city and resort to stay in.

Our view from the apartment- through the trees is the ocean

 

Melaleuca Resort

Nice esplanade/boardwalk with shops, restaurants

 

Garden setting/lagoon pool

 

Our apartment had a full kitchen, dishwasher, fridge/stove, even a washer/dryer. We bought from local supermarkets for breakfast so it was convenient to have all the kitchen utilities.

 

 

Daintree Rainforest

 

We took a bus ride up to the Daintree River- had morning tea, then took a boat ride.

 

Eeks!

If you look hard at the branches, there's a baby croc (head)

Yep, that's a web!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a pretty bird nest!

 

 

The "Lipstick Palm". It got its name because of the red stems.

Mmm, sweet potato!

 

Josh swimming in a creek

 

Preparing our afternoon tea - tropical fruit and bread

Writing fun on the beach

 

 

 

 

After the river ride, we took a rainforest walk , had a BBQ lunch (our guides cooked for us- we had steak(!!), sausage, all different kinds of salads. We then swam at a creek and had afternoon tea there. Picked up some ice cream and went to a beach just to walk around. We enjoyed this all day tour!

 

 

 

Great Barrier Reef

 

 

We were so excited to explore here- though we were a little nervous since summer time/their wet season is known as their "stinger" season (jellyfish). We got lectured quite a bit, they strongly recommend wearing wetsuits that cover most of you to avoid being stung. At every beach they have bottle of blue vinegar to use if you got stung, and we were briefed on what to do (medical wise) after applying the vinegar. Serious stuff. Stings can lead to bad flu symptoms and even death. Definitely nerve wracking, since some jellyfish are really tiny (think the size of your pinky nail!)

 

In most bodies of water, too, they have crocodile warning signs. I think Australia is obligated to always post a warning about them in every body of water! We sort of laughed when we saw them at the ocean, though...

We very much enjoyed this excursion too- not thinking so in the beginning, but this was probably my favorite part of the trip. I think it really had to do with having a very pleasant snorkeling experience! (I've gone snorkeling a few times in the past, and none of them were very fun) We had morning/afternoon tea, lunch, got to go out in a semi sub and snorkeled to heart's pleasure. We snorkeled for probably almost an hour and a half! Great time.

Morning tea

 

Blue, blue water

Semi sub

The turtle from "Finding Nemo"! But I didn't find Nemo :(

Schools of fish

Pictures don't quite do it justice, but the coral was so pretty. Different colors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'd love a chance to go back someday!