Cairns, Australia - Day Five

THE WEDDING . . .

was so beautiful, held on a beach under palm trees. Honestly, we could have been on some tropical Island somewhere in the South Pacific.

My brother Phillip and his new wife Nik (Nicole) are one of the nicest couples I know. They both have really dry, wacky senses of humour. All those sayings like, "salt of the earth", "what you see is was you get" "straight as the day was long" etc etc apply to these two. I love them so much!

My new sister-in-law blew us away. She is a tomboy, I have never seen her in a dress, with a hair do or with make up and look what she walked down the sandy beach path in . . . a vision in white, the veil, diamantes, hair and make up. She looked so gorgeous. True to herself under that gorgeous bride doll dress she had on a pair of silvery grey jandal/thongs/flip flops!!!! I did laugh when I saw them peeking out!!!!

The ceremony was beautiful, very personal and meaningful with humour thrown in!

Introducing in this photo, Nicole and Phillip , the newly wed bride and groom, with their 18 month old daughter Georgia Mary and our 14 year old nephew Taila. Oh and under that gorgeous dress is a 4 month pregnant tummy. We do things back to front in our family on occasion!!!


Here's the Princess, Taila and me holding Georgia Mary!!! Because I know you will all scrutinise this photo (well I would!) I have to say it is a foul photo of me. The heat made Mum and I blow up so much regardless of the huge amounts of water we drank. The Chinese Cheongsam dress ($30 at an Op/Thrift shop) acted like a tourniquet around my arms!!! It was a beautiful fit two days prior to the wedding. Natasha if you are looking at this you will see I am wearing the Prom hair clip you made!!!!


the Princess took this photo of Georgia Mary, Gorgeous!!!!


The reception (photo taken by 5 yr old Princess) was further down the beach. Such a magnificent setting.


Tables beautifully set, fabulous food, lots of seafood. The Princess filled her plate with her two faves, 6 huge pieces of fresh pineapple and a pile of shaved Parmesan cheese!!!

Beautiful wines, lots of bubbles and a nice selection of good New Zealand wines. A nice touch!


And at the end of it all, one completely exhausted little girl!!!


Thanks for all the lovely comments I have been getting about our holiday posts!!!

It was sad to come home to wet Auckland but really good to sleep in our own beds, the Princess and I had been sleeping on a swag, you Aussie girls will know what I am talking about!!!

The Princess immediately got an ear infection the minute we got home and a tropical skin infection on a grazed knee. Tom our Korean home stay son broke his ankle at soccer and is in plaster for 6 weeks. Between those two we spent all last weekend at medical centres or hospitals.

I now have a chest infection . . . I tell you!!!!

Otherwise all good here, happy and motivated!!!!

Rachaelxo

Cairns, Australia - Day Four

My Mum arrived on the fourth day of our Cairns trip and brought with her a huge surprise, my 14 year old nephew, Taila!!! My youngest brother couldn't be at our brothers wedding (the reason we were all in Cairns) so Taila was sent with Mum to represent his side of the family.

Having Taila there was the best surprise!!! My Princess loves her big cousin, he is her "best cousin eva". She totally monopolised his time and he is so good with her.

So on the 4th day we did a family trip to a crocodile farm!!!! We spent all day there, it was amazing!!!!

Saw 100's of crocodiles, they are very scary in real life, very prehistoric looking with the coldest meanest eyes you have ever seen!! Some of them had names like . . . Bart and Paul . . . cute . . . not!!!!

We went on a crocodile feeding boat ride, saw a live snake show, a crocodile show, fed wallabies and spent ages watches a Mama Koala and her baby.

We started our visit off with lunch. From left to right, my Mum, Gamma my mother in law), the Princess, Taila and Gamma's partner Gary!!!


Followed by a boat ride to feed the crocodiles . . .


actually, you sit in your seat and watch them being fed chicken heads dangled from a very long bamboo pole. They come swimming from all over . . .


and leap out of the water and SNAP!!!!


My 5 year old Princess took those last two photos of the crocodiles, she's a budding photographer.

The cousins feeding tame, cute and non jaw snapping wallabies,


and finally Mama Koala Bear and her gorgeous baby. Precious!!!


Last Cairns post tomorrow which will be of the wedding and then back to regular posts about craft, thrifting and the complete house decorating redo I have planned.

Oh and an update on the physical well being of the various members of our home!!!

If it doesn't rain it pours and believe me it has been pouring here (literally!!!).

Nite Nite for now

Rachaelxo

Cairns, Australia - Day Three

Are you getting bored yet??

Day three saw us take a trip on a Sky Rail. It travels up a mountain, over a rain forest and is very, very, very high off the ground.


There are two platforms where you can get off and walk about in part of the rain forest and look out over the Barron Waterfall.


Hopped back into our car, just got off the platform and we STOPPED!!! A voice came over the speaker saying due to a TECHNICAL PROBLEM there would be a slight delay until the technicians came up from the bottom to fix the problem!!!

Let me OUT!!!! Gamma and I both assessed the situation in our minds and worked out we were not that high or that far off the platform that we couldn't be 'saved' if necessary.

As for the cars above us . . . dangling in mid air, not moving, very, very high off the ground . . .


By the time they had explained the technical issue in every language in the world we were on the move again. The journey just didn't have quite the same feel to it though!

At the top of the rain forest mountain is an amazing village called Kuranda. Its very touristy but very arty.

I loved the seats made out of railway tracks that were along the pathway leading to the village.


Some very eclectic looking shops selling ethnic clothing and jewellery.



Fabulous Aboriginal Art mural on a wall.


A sign that warms a girls heart . . .


as did the inside of this divine shop.


and to finish our day in Kuranda, a trip to the Butterfly Sanctuary, gorgeous, we love butterflies!


Then back to the Sky Rail (oh yahee . . .) before going down the mountain to Cairns.

Rachaelxo

Cairns, Australia - Day One

The Princess and I had a fabulous time away. Leaving cold and wet New Zealand to go to the hot tropics of Australia was just what was needed.

It was so nice to see the sun, feel warm, have no rain, spend lots of time with family, play tourists, relax and eat delicious food. The seafood was to die for!!!

After a long, 12 hour day of travelling, two flights and a four hour wait in Brisbane Airport we were totally exhausted when we finally arrived in Cairns.

Gamma (Babes mother, my mother-in-law) knew this, so on our first full day there she took us to a really cool playground called Muddy's down by the Esplanade. It was great, fresh air and the Princess was able to run around and let off some energy from being cooped up the day before.

Muddy's is the biggest playground I have seen, kind of like an adventure playground, lots of wooden and rope climbing frames. We had fun!!!


Here is the Princess taking a breather!


Gamma then took us to the "Bat Maternity" hospital which is situated behind the library in the middle of Cairns City. Its true, it is the Bat Maternity Hospital. They go there to have their babies. There are signs up around the base of the trees that say if you see a baby bat hanging on its own or has fallen to the ground you have to call the "Bat Ranger" who will come and rescue it!!!

There were 100's of bats hanging from the trees. Fascinating in a creepy kind of way!!!


Gamma made us a delicious dinner that night, Calamari (squid rings) big fat prawns and Morton Bay Bugs which are kind of like a mini lobster. Yummy!!! Gamma and her partner Gary introduced me to a Sparkling Burgundy wine which was delicious. Not as heavy as a red wine or as heady as a sparkling, a wonderful light combination of both. Very addictive!!!


And there ends Day One in Cairns. More tomorrow:)

Rachaelxo