We woke up the next morning for a quick breakfast of Grandma Shields delicious muffins and freshly squeezed orange juice. I guess the cockatoo’s love breakfast as they joined us as they had back in September. The day before my Dad had noticed a second hand book shop that we took Mamma to. She came out with a stack of really interesting Australian garden design books. We were fairly close to Erskine Falls which I more than happy to see again. Interestingly it was not gushing as much as it had last time. This time though I explored more and got some great photos of the stream leading up to it. We needed to make our way back to Melbourne shortly after this but not before stopping off in Anglesea for a seafood lunch. My calamari salad was incredible. Sadly the local opshops (thrift store/ charity shop) were disappointing. And then it was time to leave the Great Ocean Road behind for the big city. I do hope I make it out there again one day further down the line. Once back in Melbourne we were rammed with people getting out of the city for Easter. My parents had booked their hotel through their travel agent and were very pleased with the location and spectacular views of Flagstaff Gardens. After freshening up it was time for me to take them out for some Australian grub. I had made us reservations at Charcoal Lane which is a relatively new restaurant that consistently has been getting good reviews. They source all local food and hire Aboriginal and disadvantaged young people. I had been wanting to go since it first opened as I go by it all the time on the tram. We sat down in a very modernly and tastefully restored 145 year old building. We started with a mixed appetizer plate which included all sorts of different fish and various accompanying sauces. My favourite was the school of sardine fish. One of the main reasons I wanted to take them there was so they could try kangaroo. I was going to get it too till I noticed they had pumpkin gnocchi, macadamia nuts, fried sage, pepitas, saltbush on the menu. It looked beautiful but sadly did not live up to its mouth watering description. The kangaroo though was flawless and my father liked it! Hooray! For dessert we enquired if we could get the dessert sharing plate for two increased to three if we paid a bit extra. After talking to the kitchen they arranged a spectacular plate for us that included raspberry & rosella flower cannelloni, fresh raspberries & native mint salad dark chocolate parfait, honeycomb, marshmallow gratineed strawberries, baked lemon aspen tart, yoghurt ice cream, and apple & rhubarb crumble. It was absolutely amazing. It felt really good to be able to treat my parents to such a wonderful dinner after they have done so much for me. The only downer of the evening was that the restaurant was a bit nosier then we would have liked.
Before I knew it Friday morning rolled around and it was time to show them my lovely neighbourhood that I have grown so fond of. As it was Good Friday the majority of the shops and restaurants were closed but I was thrilled to see how much Mamma was enjoying them none the less. We settled in the garden section of The Estelle for a late breakfast. I had been there a few months before when it first opened for lunch and was pleased that the breakfast food was equally as good. I was also glad we got to enjoy it in one of the many High Street restaurant gardens as they are such an integral part to my neighbourhood. We were to spend the rest of the afternoon in the Royal Botanical Gardens, truly one of my favourite spots of Melbourne. As most of you know it is where I had my first ever Summer birthday last year! We had a perfect cool sunny day walking around for hours exploring. Mamma was blown away by all the fauna she did not recognize. The coup de grâce came when she pulled me aside and said “I am really glad you moved out here so I could experience such an interesting country. I never would have come here unless you prodded me to and I am so glad you did.” I did a victory dance right there in the middle of the herb garden!!! In the late afternoon we made it over to Alana and Marc’s fab CBD apartment so they could see the views from the 32nd floor. I could see instantly that my parents thought they were a great couple. After soaking up the views we headed to China Town to meet a group of 10 of my friends for a “meet my friends” dinner. It would have been more of us but as it was a holiday weekend I mustered up who I could. We had not made reservations anywhere but lucky for us Alana and Marc knew a fantastic place. I have had some hit and miss meals in the area so was pleased they knew such a good one. I will definitely be going back there when I dine out in China Town next. As we were a fairly big group with little pickiness we went to town ordering an array of dishes. Every single dish was so fresh and flavourful but my personal highlight was the duck which was so moist and crispy I would go back to the restaurant just have it. Alas my parents were too tired for a nightcap but a few of us enjoyed drinks back at the 32nd floor. I was thrilled with how the evening went!
Saturday morning my parents came to collect me so we could head out to the airport to pick up my brother Jay!! I had not seen him since Pearsal and Iwona’s wedding last June. I was ecstatic when he decided to join us on our Australian adventure. On the way to the airport my head was growing as my parents told me how much they liked my friends! When we collected Jay he insisted we head straight to do as much as possible as he only had two full days in my Melbourne. We made our way to the ANZAC Memorial which I show all my visitors. ANZAC is the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. In the First World War the state of Victoria alone sent 19,000 soldiers over in duty to the king. Only about 20% returned, crippling the population. I think the ANZAC Memorial here in Melbourne is a stark and informative place. It never fails to catch my breath. You can actually see it when you are in the CBD as a reminder of all those who fought for our freedom today. After a sombre spell we made our way back in so I could show them some of my favourite laneways. I was disappointed I was not able to show them the La Trobe Reading Room at the library as I know they would have all loved it. We made our way to the Eureka Tower which prides itself on being the tallest residential building in the Southern Hemisphere. I had been waiting to go as I knew it would be something my Dad would want to do and right I was! The views at the top were fantastic and I was pleased at how much I recognized and was able to point out. It also made me realize even more than usual how sprawled out Melbourne is. We were all getting pretty hungry at this point and found a grand Italian restaurant with reasonable priced food. For dessert I treated them all to various chocolate concoctions at Coco Loco a fantastic chocolate speciality shop in my neighbourhood. They were all very impressed. I insisted Jay and I walk home so I could show him the area.
We woke up to another beautiful day of sunshine and warmth. We headed to Fitzroy the other great area near me for a divine Easter breakfast. We befriended our very friendly Canadian waitress who I have since become friends with. I am out tomorrow in the same area for her birthday. After eggs benedict, French toast and other breakfast goods we headed to the Carlton Gardens to explore the rather vast old exhibition building and impressively kept gardens. We were amused when we pulled aside the park ranger to ask him some questions and it transpired he had studied landscape architecture in Sweden for a year! This year marked the first time in as long as I can remember that we were not going to be having Easter lunch at home. To mark the occasion we decided to dine out in style. I had booked a few weeks before us in to one of Melbourne’s best restaurants, Donavon’s in St Kilda overlooking the ocean. We stared off with delicious and refreshing mojito prosecco cocktail which I thought was an excellent way to mix them. We were able to enjoy these on the terrace watching the world go by. Seated near us was obviously a very important Chinese man as he was flanked by security. Inside was like walking into somebody’s beautifully designed home as it was so comfortable and so stylish. They are an American Australian couple who opened the restaurant twenty years ago in an old 1920’s bathing pavilion. We started off with champagne and oysters. For my main I had fall off the bone pork spare ribs with orange and caramel sauce. We shared a Bombed Alaska and handmade chocolate Easter eggs for dessert. The former was something I had not had in years. It was another top-notch meal washed down with lots of well chosen Australian wine. We made a rule the first day of the trip we would only drink Australian on the trip. The staff kindly let us enjoy our teas and coffees in the very comfortable lounge area. Strange not to be having Dad’s crown roast but a wonderful alternative. We finished the day exploring Federation Square. I had to have a rather early night as I was flying out four hours earlier then the rest of them on a 6AM flight to the Great Barrier Reef!!
I woke up with adrenalin pumping through me for what the next portion of our trip had in store. Jay was lying in bed on his Blackberry to inform me he potentially had some very bad news. I immediately thought our flights were cancelled but it actually was in a sense even worse news. There had been a massive oil spill on the Great Barrier Reef the night before!!!! There are strict routes that people must follow when going nearby the area and though the ship denies it, it looks like a lot of people have been taking short cuts. Not cool!! The Queensland government needs to crack down on this a lot harder and instate a lot harsher fines in my opinion. Anyway back to the holiday! I had three hours to kill in humid Cairns the main town up in Northern Queensland. I had been given strict advice to stay in Port Douglas which is about another ninety minutes up the coast. Not even having seen it yet I knew this advice would prove to be excellent because I was not impressed with Cairns at all. I don’t think I would have even liked it as a backpacker! It is over developed with all the charm zapped out of it. The only two things I enjoyed were the town lagoon (great concept) and the pretty town hall which was sadly closed as it was Easter Monday. My tiredness caught up with me and I had a nap in the shade till they arrived. To get to Port Douglas you drive on the very picturesque Cookes Highway. Rex’s Lookout was particularly stunning. The only downer was that it was as I mentioned very humid and very overcast. The moment we arrived in Port Douglas it was obvious we had been given very sound advice. Gigantic lush palm tree boulevards, a quieter pace and tastefully designed properties. We had arranged to stay in a serviced apartment a friend had recommended. It was designed in a traditional Queensland style and the apartment itself was perfect. After settling in we headed to the shopping centre to book in our reef trip for the following day. Unfortunately the boat we wanted was already fully booked but they suggested another company called Calypso. We wanted to make sure we were not on one of the cattle ships with hundreds of passengers and we were assured Calypso would be the polar opposite. We made our way to the main part of Port Douglas to explore our dining options for the evening. We had been told that Nautilus was a good choice. It was a rustic secluded spot away from the hubbub of the main road. We pretty much had the place to ourselves. We clinked our cocktails to an exciting day tomorrow. Jay had a really interesting chilli margarita. We decided the food was a bit overpriced and went to The Court House which is a bit of a Port Douglas landmark and managed to get a seat on the terrace upstairs.
Waking up to rainfall was not ideal but to be expected as we were in Queensland at the tail end of the rainy season. And to be honest we would be in the water the whole day so we would be wet anyway. It did of course mean though we would not have the sun to reflect clearly on the ocean and a less likely chance of our clothes drying. On a whim we decided to see if we could reschedule for the next day which was a massive gamble as it was our last full day up north. Amazingly they let us and we set about to see what we could do. Downstairs in the lobby I noticed a flyer for a local organic grocery store which sounded a bit more appealing then the average chain shops. It turned out Blood Orange was exactly what we were after and stocked up on a variety of goodies to enjoy in the next couple of days. They also suggested a butcher a few towns over that was on our way to where we would be spending our day. Port Douglas is only about an hour south of the Daintree Rainforest which offers a variety of tours to explore it. Unfortunately as luck would have it by the time we made it to the information centre we were informed the rainforest was ‘closed’ for the day due to the continual rain and the 15 inches they had received overnight. Queensland has had a more then average wet rainy season this year. We were advised to get out of the area we were soon as the bridge in recent weeks has flooded. They did kindly also suggest a place to get food. The very quaint Daintree Tea House fit the bill perfectly. They get a lot of tour busses in for their fruit presentations but luckily I think the rain deterred a lot of people from coming so it was not jam packed as it probably usually would be. Mamma and I shared a melt in your mouth coconut crusted barramundi that came with a selection of local Queensland fruit. Some of them I had not even ever heard of and all of them were an explosion of local flavour that I could have eaten so much more of. I was very sad we did not get a chance to explore the rainforest as I think it would have been really beautiful with all the rain but was glad we got to see some of it as we drove back to Port Douglas. We particularly enjoyed the acres and acres of sugar cane fields which are very picturesque. That evening master chef Jay made us a beautiful three course meal. The lentil and parmesan salad was an interesting mix of textures and flavours and something I would like to make myself at some point. He had cooked the lamb to perfection and we ended with some delicious local cheeses with particularly delicious brie.
Waking up to sunshine pouring through the window was a pretty amazing feeling. And the day was only going to get better from there. Calaypso was an absolutely fantastic choice for our first experience on the Great Barrier Reef. The capacity of the boat is 130 but a few years ago the owners decided to cap off at 70 and lucky for us only 45 of us were out that day. The boat was in excellent shape, had incredibly professional and friendly staff and decent food served throughout the day. Also sensibly they start a tab with you that you square away at the end of the day instead of having to worry about sopping all over your wallet and such. We got some good seats outside at the front of the boat where we befriended a very nice family from the United States. We would be exploring the Opal Reef on our day out. Getting out there was a bit of a bumpy ride but nothing compared to what it would have been the day before with all the rain and wind. Instead we had beaming sunshine and a cool breeze running through. It took just over 90 minutes to get to our first spot. We were given full wet suits (thankfully not the traditional impossible ones to get into) to avoid being bitten by the tail end of jellyfish season and flippers. We had also hired out an underwater digital waterproof camera for the day which would allow us to take 150 of our own photos and 200 or so of the professional photographers. And so it was on to the main event of the day! I had only ever snorkelled once before at Kangaroo Island and it takes some getting use to how to do the correct breathing with the mask. From the moment I splashed into the water I was surprised by the perfect temperature of the water. And just 10 meters from the boat the world famous Great Barrier Reef was there for me to explore. Just writing about it now I start to well up when I remember how out of this world incredible it was. I had never seen anything like it (in the flesh that is) and was continually throughout the day blown away by it. Our first spot was particularly displaying a stunning array of tropical fish. Neon pinks, blues, reds, yellows swimming by me and with me. Small ones, massive ones, schools, individuals, partners and more. Every which way you looked there was something to catch your attention. And as for the actual reef itself I don’t even know where to start to explain it. Absolutely unbelievable and no detailed description could even come close to doing it justice. Textures of all kind, sizes ranging from A-Z, reef you have grown up reading about in text books and things that don’t even seem from planet earth. We had just over an hour out there. Twenty minutes later we were at our next spot and believe it or not the coral was even more to die for with more colours and textures to admire. You get into a rhythm with snorkelling and this is definitely where I came into mine just letting the waves take me. When you get that rhythm you can see why people make a hobby out of it as it is pure relaxation especially when you’re on the Great Barrier Reef! As I swam back to the boat and was just about to prop myself up a big fat (I didn’t even see it so this is all in my imagination) jellyfish stung me right across my lip! The cheek of it! I dashed up to the boat where one of the staff members sprayed vinegar to encourage it not to swell. If I wanted fish and chips I would have said so! Very strange sensation but helped heaps and within an hour my lip was no longer stinging. Before our last spot we had lunch which was much appreciated because as relaxing as it is snorkelling is also fairly exhausting. We had awhile afterwards to dry in the sun a bit and enjoy the boat life. I struck up a conversation with the American mother we had met and discovered she had been out here thirty years ago. Heartbreakingly she said the reef has deteriorated more then she expected. She said when she was last here in the 70’s you were almost blinded by the array of colours. We discussed at length about what will happen in the coming years and how much longer people will able to come out and see it. I said that if somebody does not believe in global warming they should come see the reef and she agreed wholeheartedly. It really makes you think why we ever thought it was a fair idea to rip sponge out of there, sell sea cucumbers and so on. Alright enough politics on to our final spot. The waves were a bit harsher here but still continued to soak up every last nook and cranny I could seek out. I don’t know when I will be back to the Great Barrier Reef and this is something that will long live in my memory bank as one of the most special things I have ever gotten to experience and with my family too! The ride back to land was a lot smoother and we were able to enjoy some beers in the glorious sunshine. Jay particularly enjoyed his namesake Pure Blonde! It was hard to come back to boring old land after such a spectacular day but at least the pain was alleviated with some drinks at the marina. When we got back Master Chef Jay started on that nights feast. Unfortunately I was not able to get off the boat for the rest of the night. As some of you know I have low blood sugar symptoms from time to time that lead to fainting spells in worse case scenarios. On this occasion the rocking of the boat must have caught up with me (even though it did not bother me whilst out there) because I had to end up going to bed a lot earlier then I would have liked to stop the vertigo I was experiencing.
Once again I was leaving a lot earlier then everybody else to head down to Sydney. My parents travel agency had booked us into a Holiday Inn, in the heart of Sydney's old town, in an area they call The Rocks. Thankfully they let me check in before everybody else got there so I was able to drop my stuff off. The hotel itself is a bit outdated but gets rave reviews for their 9th floor terrace with spectacular views of Sydney. I decided to take advantage of this and went up there to enjoy my lunch. I was spoiled with not only the view but also sensational leftovers from Port Douglas that Jay had put in a tupperware tin for me! I was pretty tired from having woken up so early to catch my flight I went back to my room to sleep for a spell. That evening after everybody else got to Sydney we headed to a very trendy apartment block that our family friend Linus lives in with his fiancé Leisha. For those of you with good memories you will remember I met up with this couple when I was in Sydney in September. The apartment block they live in use to be a wharf and now for sometime has been converted into a variety of flats. It reminded me a lot of Amsterdam. We had champagne at their place before heading to their favourite local restaurant nearby. It was a small little Italian seafood joint that does a variety of dishes. And like a lot of places in Australia it was BYO so Linus kindly brought along some excellent reds from his personal collection. We had a very relaxed and fun evening.
We had to wake up pretty early the next morning as it was our only chance to get out of the city to see Hunter Valley, the wine region of New South Wales. Dad had printed out a variety of recommendations from our good friend's favourite wine critique. Unfortunately unlike South Australia and Victoria's wine regions, Hunter Valley is not terribly close to the city. It was a lovely drive down though. Our first vineyard of the day was a family run vineyard called Peterson's that has been producing wine since the 1970's. It was run by a very jovial man who took a liking to Jay and Dad's good taste. Mamma had kindly agreed to be our designated driver for the day. Linus the night before had suggested a few restaurants out in the area and we made our way to one after Peterson's for lunch. Leaves and Fishes was a fantastic country Voguesque place with excellent food. Dad had a particularly tasty salad with his fish. The desserts were also fabulous and creative. It was the perfect suggestion and suited us all greatly. We then made our way to Broken Wood which was much bigger then Peterson's but had just as friendly of staff. Our final vineyard of the day was another family run one called Scarborough. They had a very comprehensive tasting session with cheese to boot! The very relaxed day finished with kangaroo sightings in the distance! They never fail to make me smile. Unfortunately they did not get as close as we would have liked and they were rather stationary but a fun experience none the less! That evening we had some of the wine on the roof terrace of the hotel as Sydney sparkled. I had to go to bed early as the following day I would be climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge!!!!
When I had been in Sydney the last time I had no idea you could actually climb the bridge. It was my wonderful January guests Phoebe and Andrew who informed me of this unique activity. I was determined to do it as I thought what a wonderful way to see the city and tell people I climbed one of the most famous bridges in the world! Sadly nobody else was interested so this was going to be a solo activity. There are three different ways you can choose to climb the bridge, I went with the one that focused on both the history of the bridge and the sights surrounding you. You go in groups of 10 lead by a tour guide. The first hour is signing declaration forms, getting suited up in your sexy one piece full length jump suit, getting fitted for a radio and putting away your personal belongings. Under no circumstances are you allowed to bring anything with you because if one thing falls whilst climbing the bridge will close to all future climbs. I managed to score to be at the front of the climbing chain which was a great spot to be in. We had a very good tour guide who told us everything you could want to know about the bridge. We actually had a woman on the tour who was the same age as the bridge, 74! When I say you are going to climb the bridge I am referring to a series of catwalks and ladders. As the bridge is 74 years old the ladders are not made with the gaps they are today so you are putting a fair bit of strain on your legs. You don't notice it in the moment but I certainly did the following day! Also you don't quite make it to the Australian and New South Wales flag at the top and you don't cross over to the other side to go back down. You do cross over on that side of the bridge to see other side of the city. We had a perfect day for our climb with the sun out and a light breeze. I never was too hot, always felt looked after and was learning interesting things throughout. And as for the views, absolutely amazing! I was sad not to share the experience with anybody but my group but still so glad I did it before leaving the Southern Hemisphere. On the way down is actually where you have hundreds of ladder steps to get down. Three and a half hours later I climbed her! Bragging rights for life me thinks? In the early afternoon I regrouped with the family for a tasty lunch at a gourmet café near our hotel before heading to the Opera House. We spent about an hour walking around taking in one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world. The sun was at a particular best casting interesting light and made the Opera House very, very photographic. Also at this time Jay heard back from a concierge service he is signed up with to inform us they had gotten us a cancellation booking at the Opera House that night to have dinner there!! We originally had planned to take him out for a seafood dinner for his 30th, in Queensland, but he said he would rather go somewhere great in Sydney. Guillaume at Bennelong has a six to eight week waiting list so this was a massive coup! In the late afternoon we separated for a spell. Mamma and I had a lovely stroll through the Sydney CBD on the way back to our hotel. That evening we put on our glad rags and went to go celebrate an amazing brothers birthday in roaring style in a truly amazing and unique setting. We got there a little early but managed to get some people to get great photos of us in front of the Harbour Bridge. The name Guillaume at Bennelong derives from two different things. The former is the name of the French chef who has run the restaurant for many years. The name Bennelong is the name of the first Aboriginal person to have lived at the site of the Opera House. It was a surreal setting to be dining in and a wonderful last evening with everybody before I headed back to Melbourne. Before calling it a night Jay and I went to go meet my friend Alana for a few drinks at a club that reminded me something out of the places I went to in Miami. It was fun to catch up with her for a few and we are hoping to meet up one more time before my visa expires!
6,172 words later I have now filled you all in on the incredible and inspiring adventure we shared. I am so grateful that Dad, Mamma, and Jay were able to come out here to share a part of my year with me. I am so thankful the four of us were able to share this unique experience together. I don't doubt for many years to come we will talk about this phenomenal trip. Next time we just have to make sure Eric and Lina can join us too!
I am heading out to the Australian Outback tomorrow for a ten day adventure from Adelaide to Alice Springs. I will be travelling in a 4WD and sleeping under the stars every night. I can't wait to see this part of the country! No doubt I will have another detailed post for you upon my return!
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