What's been happening?

Friend, 

Welcome back!

Good to see you around here again. I hope you've been well. I certainly have.

Ella (Ella Bella for most of her friends) is doing well. It seems she's here to stay so I might as well try and get along. You cutie. As long as she knows who's boss, 'course.

We popped over to Auckland last week for a few days. One morning Ella Bella and I got up early to go out to Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World.

Kelly was a serious adventurer, it seems. Serious toys, for one.

The penguins are just awesome. Spent a good 30 minutes watching them.

Massive eels (I hear they're in trouble in the wild)

And this little guy was ma favourite. Young member of a family of tiny tiny seahorses, this one kept tumbling down from the top of the acquarium, doing a dozen somersaults on the way down. Crazy 

This one though, this one is my favourite. Mmmh. Mama titi, me.

A wee while ago we also went to Melbourne. The highlight was the luna park in St Kilda. Ride the mighty serpent

Eat strange food from medieval times

 

Ride Melbourne's super-exotic city trains. We call them trams up in Europe, but hey, don't burst their bubble.

We're enjoying a stunning winter, and it's shaping up to be a splending El Nino year, sunny, warm and dry.

That makes for crisp foggy mornings in the Blue Mountains...

...and the occasional storm in Sydney

That's it for me folks. Again, good to see you back. Stay well

The Bay

More good times up in Port Stephens. We went out on the bay on Monday, supposedly to see dolphins. I saw a few and even got a picture of one:

The girls loved it. Cuddly creatures, these two.

But as far as I'm concerned, entertainment was mostly provided by a bunch of merry Koreans. They're a bit like dolphins. You've heard they're warm-blooded, mammals, smart and sometimes playful. But buggered if I know what they're on about.

The boredom on the top deck was getting torrid, so I sneaked down to the bridge and made a daring attempt at taking over the ship, cunningly waiting for the captain to turn his back on me...

... before pretending nothing had happened. Damn. So close.

Fairly dark landscape on rainy days around here

 
Ella safely hoisted us to shore. Thanks matey.

The weather was a tad better on Tuesday morning. Enough to venture out on the deck after breakkie. Port Stephens is just so nice. Shame we had to leave so soon.

It took us the best part of two hours to get everyone fed, cleaned, packed and harnessed in the car. It's pretty cool in the back of the car with E. Talking of which, I still can't quite figure out the colour of her eyes. What do you reckon?

We stopped for lunch at One Mile Beach, near Anna Bay. Not too busy, just like I like them..

Dad even explained stuff to me. I've long forgotten what it was. But hey, it seemed to make him happy.

The old ones can play, too. Must be good for their arthritis or something.

POWEEEER!

Nothing like a bit of personal space (yes, it's me over there, on the left).

So, four days of jolly good time. Can't wait for the next road trip.

Finn

Queen's birthday

Friends - 

Australia celebrates the Queen's birthday this weekend. Wait - didn't New Zealand celebrate her birthday last weekend? And the Commonwealth her jubilee last week? It's all very confusing.

Anyway, we're up in Soldiers Point, near Port Stephens. About 3 hours by car from Sydney. Lovely spot. We arrived at the house just in time to enjoy Saturday's nice weather. 

It's even nice at dusk.

This Sunday morning was as cruisy as they come. E was up early, and her usual good self. She's such a goer, that one.

We dropped mum off at the spa (a present from dad for her b-day - home is now officially a gerontocracy) and went to the farm. Time for me to get close and personal with the local fauna.

Ducks and geese


Goats. Good looking ones, too. Just look at this youngster here. Blue eyed, white haired, little horns. Could be me, really.


I even got acquainted to Rod the Goat. We shared intimate moments over goat food.


The local transportation park is impressive. From the airliner...


...to the tractor. Proud moments.


Got to feed baby goats milk in a bottle.


Pat midget horses.


Catch up on goss with Albert and Fred.


Give Gilda a nose scratch.


Say hi to Landon the lama...


...until the wretched thing licked my head!! Yuck!!


Play with the Simpsons


I tell you, it's a good thing koalas had no native predator in Australia. These things move at the pace of a Swiss public servant. They have more style, though. And smell of eucalyptus.

Then got to play with Jack and his mates. Furiously nice to pat, them.

Jack taught me how to walk roo-wise. Takes some practising but you soon get the hang of it.

I then introduced Jack to Ella. It was love at first sight. 

Ella had her own private audience with the black swans. I'll be on the lookout for any Odile-like behaviour in the coming days.

We eventually picked up a rejuvenated mum from the spa. Ella was over the moon.

Tomato sauce with fries. Three hats.

Topped by a rainbow ice cream. 

And still, that creeping feeling that I'll grow to regret these dress-like-mummy-outfits. 

Signing off for today. Thanks team for a brilliant day!
Finnou