Miss Lucy Washington! All grown up- i lived in the basement apartment of their home when i was in atlanta....it was great to stay a night and catch up with such a beautiful family!
The races in Melbourne...we didn't go but just watched all the girls in their crazy hats...
Lucy at her beach on Long Reef...
In Tauranga....
Time for the All Blacks Rugby Game. We went to the fan zone this night....it was for the semi-finals....
Making a bracelet out of flowers....
Crew halloween party...i was an i-tunes giftcard even though i did it two years ago....hey when you live on a ship you gotta go with most low maitenance..
Visiting Kristen- a good friend from my days at Cirque du Soleil where she was our Physio. She bought a unit on the Gold Coast and we stayed with her and her roomate Kylie for a while.
These photos are obviously not in order! With Kat who was the cutest pin-up calendar girl!
Most Eastern Point of Australia's mainland....
Hey- a gift card's gotta eat.
Stayin with Steve and he took us to his favorite breakfast spot on the beach- had brekkie and then swam before our flight to the gold coast....this is Kurt, Steve, and Glen our cruise director...
At the Wallabies- bronze finals game!
My hip and back put me out of commission so i slept and waited for Kurt. He took a photo when he returned....
Kat and I scared of the volcano....
this just makes me smile....the wales fans kept trying to put their flag in our photo...
After my first time body surfing....:-)
With my dresser on the Volendam...Richard Sia!
Start of game...
Tuaranga NZ
Gold Coast
On the Bridge....had a little tour and this is me steering the ship!!!! Don't worry it was only for a split second for the photo opp!
With Kristen and Kylie....
Akoroa NZ
Lighthouse on the most Eastern Point of Australia....had a cute museum inside...
Went for a hike by Kristen's house....this was a beautiful lookout point!
ah......the scenery is always amazing here.....
just hanging out with sheep....
First Aussie Barbie....Sausage rolls. We had a picnic at the park by the beach. Took some food and champagne :-) Such a beautiful night...
With Steve's daughter Emma...we baked awesome brownies with crushed up candy bars and m&m's on top...they were so good we made more a few days later...:-)
Kristen's neighborhood...
Burleigh...
Just read the sign...
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.....
kisses for the crocodile....not sure why- Kurt told me to and since he is the photographer I just followed his direction....i would usually never kiss a croc....
Kurt got to play on Steve's soccer team....
In Dunedin NZ we went to the Cadbury factory- it was the highlight of New Zealand :-)
The Volendam....the background look so fake....like a painting!
The cutest things in the world!!!!!!!
Kassie and the chocolate factory.....
Can't risk getting hairs in the chocolate
With an Emu....these birds were funny....
gettin close to the sheep...these two baby lambs were so freakin cute...
Tuaranga
I <3 Kangaroos. I seriously could have spent all day with the kangas at Currumbin. We fed them and played. One in particular i named Gracie bc we became good friends...she followed me everywhere. :-) I may or may not have had food that she wanted but im gonna pretend she just loved me as much as i loved her...
awwwww
notice the wink?
This is Gracie!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know bc her ears are ripped...
With the aboriginal dancers....
Tree Kangaroo....such a pretty coat!
Last formal night!!! We clean up well :-)
This pose just couldn't go on without me grabbing the camera. It's like an underwear ad waiting to happen.
You know you're getting old when you have to tape your toes like this at night bc you bunions are throbbing so bad you can't stand it!
Okay turn you head to read this card bc my Rotate Photo option obviously didn't work!!!!! Kurt's mom- Carol James and stepdad Jeff came to visit the Volendam- see previous blog- and they told me about their jewelry business. Then they sent me this beautiful bracelet!!! Its one of their pieces and I absolutely love it! If you are looking for a unique Christmas present (or anytime present) check these out. They are made in Africa of elephant hair- and their jewelry company makes the same designs in precious metals. They are very unique: the four knots represent the four elements. You can slide them to adjust the size. See below....:-)
Meat pies are all the rage around here. I had one. My mouth liked it. My digestive system did not.
So our contract ended on the Volendam and we have been vacationing in Australia. We spent the first night with the Washingtons- had a great dinner and night out at Manly Beach. Then we went to Long Reef beach the next day with Lucy before heading back to the city via ferry...We met up and stayed a night with Steve- who was one of the guys that ran the company that chartered our ship for the Rugby charter. His place is quite luxurious and we had a great time!
The next day we flew to the Gold Coast....sooooo excited to catch up with Kristen!!!! Kurt thought she was awesome too so we all had a wonderful time....the beaches there are beautiful! We spent days at the neighborhood beach- Burleigh. We also went to DreamWorld- which is the huge amusement park for Au/NZ- but made us laugh at how tiny it was compared to the states. We did the waterpark as well...it was a great day regardless of how quaint it seemed. At the park we got wrangled in by those people that try to sell you vacation homes (timeshares)...you got to choose your gift for attending the one and a half hour presentation....so we chose a $120 nice dinner gift certificate. We figured why not- it would be like an acting lesson. So we made up our story on the bus on the way there....so we would have all our details the same about work, our relationship, our income, our travel wishes, etc. :-) It was actually quite fun. I dressed in my best preppy blouse and shoes and it actually only lasted an hour- we turned it down, got our giftcard and left!....Then we walked to the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary...which was amazing!!!! Totally a highlight. The Kangas and Koalas stole my heart! One day Kristen had off we drove up to Byron Bay- where the eastern most point of Australia's mainland is... it was a beautiful neighborhood....apparently a lot of stars buy homes there. We hiked up to the lighthouse and outlooks. Such breathtaking scenery! We layed out on the beach and then went for lunch and shopping. Kurt got new "sunnies" and i got a bikini....and lost my "sunnies. :-( oh well. Got my sisters Christmas presents as well....good shopping! Then we had homemade ice cream in the park before the drive home. It was so sad to leave the Gold Coast!!! Maybe I will be able to buy a vacation home there one day!
We flew back to Sydney to Steve's and after the first day he convinced us to change our tickets and stay longer....why not if we are already here? So we are still here...last night was the party for the people who put on the Rugby charter. Today we took his boat out- which was amazing! And mostly just relaxing and hanging out in his movie theater and enjoying internet access :-) Tomorrow is our last day.....then we head home Monday! Kurt back to LA and me back to Florida... Happy to be home and see my family. Sad to leave Australia...and sad it will be a while till I see Kurt again...but we have had an incredible time and we are so lucky to have traveled and experienced so much together. We will have some great memories forever!
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