Journey to "The Land Down Under"

Hello everyone!
Willie and I are off to Australia this Saturday - can't wait!!! If you are interested in following our journey, follow Cindy's blog which hopefully will be updated on a daily basis, with photos attached! I intend on having commentary
by Willie Simon included in the blog - stay tuned!

We leave LAX on a 10pm flight on Saturday,
and arrive at 7am on Monday... it is a 14 hour flight and I will have my melatonin nearby. We land in Sydney where we will stay for (5) evenings, then fly up to Cairns (northern Queensland) for (4) evenings. This is the area of the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest - both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. On Thursday March 26 we fly back to Los Angeles... we leave on a Thursday and arrive home in Los Angeles on the same day!!!

Saturday, March 14 - OMG OMG OMG - Breaking News!!

Friends and Family:
Even the best laid plans go awry...Saturday evening I check my "Australia" binder to see if I have all the travel info, did I pack the bathing suits, meds, glasses, and most importantly my needlepoint?! CHECK ...all taken care of. Willie hauls our suitcases into the car and off we go to LAX with Billy driving, to begin our Australia journey! So excited are we!

Upon arrival, Angel of a husband brings the suitcases to the United counter inside since we can't check-in curbside on this international flight. "Passports?" says the kind lady behind the counter. "Oh here they are!" I proclaim as I take them out of the special pouch labeled "passports". "Oh, Mrs Simon, your passport is no good... see the holes in the bottom of the passport? That means it's expired!" OMG OMG OMG! I had picked up the wrong passport!!! OMG OMG OMG! I am flapping my arms!!!

PRAISE THE LORD Billy had not left. I leap into action like an Angelina Jolie action character (while exclaiming OMG OMG OMG!!!) I grab the car keys and dash to the car which Bill blessedly left illegally parked at the curb (natch) and off I go back to the Palisades. The last sound I hear exiting the airport is "WE ARE GOING TO AUSTRALIA!! WE ARE GOING TO AUSTRALIA" 10 guesses who that was.

There is a Lord (definitely) as there was NO traffic on the 405 or the 10 (Proof Positive there is a Lord). I dash into the house, crashing by the dogs and kitties, grab the CURRENT and CORRECT passport, and roar back to LAX. Arriving at the United counter only 40 minutes later (a world record?) we proceed through check-in, kiss the hubby good-bye, and drag our way up to the United lounge, where Willie promptly circles in on a mother with her 2 good looking teenage daughters, as I collaspe in a chair and open the Melatonin. Stay Tuned...

Day 1 - Monday, March 16 - First day in Sydney

Hello friends and family:
After I awoke from my melatonin-induced slumber, we arrived in beautiful 75 degrees, sunny & breezy Sydney Australia! The city sits at a similar latitude as Los Angeles, and was founded on January 26 (Willie's birthday!!!) 1788, when the 11 convict-bearing ships arrived from England to establish the colony of New South Wales. (Convicts continued to be transported there from 1788 - 1840...we saw no evidence of freshly arrived convict ships to our knowledge). There are now almost 4 million people living in Sydney (and 21 million in all of Australia) That compares
with our fair city of Los Angeles which has nearly the same number of people at 3.8 million (while the United States has 304 million!)

Our flight got in early (around 6:30am) but fortunately for us, our Park Hyatt room was available for early check-in (my luck was changing). We immediately set off on a 5 minute walk to the Opera House, and lo & behold not much had changed in the 10 years since Willie visited it! Truly the sight of this magnificent building is "gasp" worthy. We walked and walked and walked, covering every side & angle of the building. Architect Jorn Utzon was selected in 1957 from over 233 designs submitted. The original cost to build the Opera House was $7 million - final cost was $102 million (those of you dealing with hostile contractors, take heart!!). Queen Elizabeth officially opened the Opera House in October 1973. Inside, the Concert Grand organ is the largest mechanical organ in the world with 10,154 pipes, and took 10 years to complete. Our Gov. Arnold won his first Mr Olympic Body Building title in 1980 in the Concert Hall (ho hum - but had to throw that in).

Our hotel sits under the Sydney Harbour Bridge - more news on this tomorrow as Willie and I made reservations to CLIMB it! (1439 steps - no problem!!!)

Off we went in a taxi to Neilsen Beach in Rose Bay, where Willie regaled me with stories of when he & Bill went there 10 years ago with Susie Dobson & Harry (we have it on video - Susie calling me in LA from the beach in Australia!) It is the most lovely beach with a charming Victorian lunch spot...the water was cold but believe it or not we BOTH went in for a swim (note in the 19 years we've lived in LA, I have only been in the Santa Monica Bay 1 time!). Lucky for us there is a wide netting surrounding the swimming area, to prevent sharks from getting to us.

Late in the afternoon I walked around The Rocks, which is the area in which the Park Hyatt is located - full of shops, art galleries, and restaurants. The Rocks community dates back to 1789 and is the birthplace of modern-day Australia. It is Sydney's oldest preserved colonial district - there is an excellent Visitor Centre that is a must visit for all tourists exploring this city. I did a little shopping I'll admit - at The Button Store, a shop full of thousands of buttons of every shape, color, and size. That night, Willie and I ate dinner at the Sydney Tower Restaurant, a restaurant that overlooks Sydney while revolving 360 degrees during your meal. Then it was home to bed, and asleep in 5 minutes (or less). Stay tuned!!!

Day 2 - Tuesday, March 17 - Bridge Climb and Bondi and more!

Hello Friends and Family:
Another GLORIOUS day in beautiful Sydney. God has blessed us with perfect weather - 70's, breezy, brilliant sunshine. This morning I got up early and enjoyed my coffee while reading the Sydney Morning Herald. The front page news of the day surrounds a female candidate in an upcoming the Queensland election, Pauline Hanson, where the Herald published photos of "what they SAID" was Ms. Hanson in her younger years semi-naked and posing with a belly button ring. Ms. Hanson, outraged, said "Those are not photos of me, and to prove it I will show you my belly button if need be. Those photos reveal an "outie" and I have an "inny" . Breaking news on TV later in the day - the Herald confirms indeed they are NOT photos of Pauline, but another lady altogether (this admission was buried in next day's Herald on 15). The candidate is suing. Politics the world over is dirty business.

Willie and I climbed the Sydney Bridge this morning, We were assembled into a group of 10 tourists, and we had to don these spaceman-like outfits, and had a metal chain attached to our waist that was attached to a wire that ran along the bridge, to ensure that none of us may accidentally fall overboard! (by the way, it takes 4 1/2 seconds to land in the water below should you decide to jump). The bridge is just over 75 years old, and is the world's largest & widest (but not longest - that title goes to the Bayonne Bridge in NJ) steel, single span, arched bridge. It's nickname is "The Old Coathanger" . Paul Hogan, of Crockodile Dundee and "Throw Another Shrimp on the Barbie" fame, was one of the many riveters who installed the over 6 million rivets. Over 300 families were displaced without compensation when the bridge was being built. 16 deaths occured during it's construction, but only 2 of those were due to men falling overboard.

Construction began in 1924, however it was not fully paid for until
1988 - nearly 60 years later!! Because of the weather, the climb made for spectacular viewing of all of Sydney and the harbor in all it's glory. You will see I attached a photo of climbers which I took the day before from our hotel - we were not allowed to bring a camera in case we dropped it and cause harm to pedestrians below (probably a better explanation is that they take photos of you during the climb which you can PURCHASE afterwards...which I did!)

Following our Bridge Climb, with wobbly legs, we jumped in a taxi and headed over to Bondi Beach which is a beautiful, clean, and "cosmopolitan" beach - made more so by the fact that topless is common! (amazingly, Willie did not seem to notice!)

The waves were up, and there were surfers and boogie boarders galore. Afterwards we had pizza at Bondi Pizza, and headed home for bed. Between the climb and the sun, we were worn out but very happy! Stay tuned!

Day 3 - Wednesday, March 18 - Darling Harbor and more!

Hello friends & family:
Another beautiful day in paradise - our morning started off with a 15 minute water taxi ride to Darling Harbour. When we entered the boat, the sign on the low beam said "Mind your Head" instead of "watch your head"! What used to be a derelict dockyard is now an amazingly beautiful harbour with museums, over 100 restaurants, an I-MAX theatre and a huge shopping mall with a food court (yippee!). Willie and I first toured the Sydney Aquarium where the highlight was a huge tank of the "soon to be seeing first-hand" Great Barrier Reef sealife. While I still think the Maui Aquarium is my favorite, this one came pretty close except for the interuption of peace and quiet when it seemed 10,000 schoolchildren descended on the exhibits...surely Carlthorp and Canyon students would NEVER behave so noisely!!! (maybe I'm getting old).

Afterwards we took a little train over to the other side of the Harbour where, due to it being "Sydney Senior Week" there was a 17-piece band playing live music - all Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra tunes...my favorite! I even got Willie to join me on the dance floor. Afterwards we ate at the nearby food court, where Willie found a KFC much to his delight. This time the mashed potatoes were to his liking (unlike 10 years ago during his visit with Billy - ask him to tell you THAT story sometime!

Due to it being rather hot outside, I decided we'd had enough fun in the sun, so Willie graciously agreed to join me at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, where there was a special exhibit of spectacular Aboriginal art. The museum closed at 5pm, so since the light at this time of day is so beautiful we decided to walk back to the hotel through the Royal Botanical Gardens. Of note in the gardens, other than the beautiful roses and native plants, are the THOUSANDS of "flying fox bats" screeching overhead in the trees, hanging upside down on the branches like gigantic pods, or swirling around in the sky. I felt like I was outside the castle in The Wizard of Oz. Inside the park, Willie took one route, and I took another, agreeing to meet in 10 minutes. Over an hour later, after an extensive conversation with Dennis, the Park Ranger - which included a tale of his only visit to the U.S. where the travel agent booked the newlyweds in a NYC hotel... located in the Bronx! - followed by his forces dispatched on their golf carts in all directions in search for Willie Simon, I found him on the steps of the Opera House conversing with a young couple from Tarzana. Taking a few deep relaxation breaths I called Ranger Dennis to say all was well, and we headed back to the hotel for a rest. Next thing I know, Willie says "I have a surprise for you in the lobby!!!" Wouldn't you know - there were the 2 lovely teenagers from the LAX United Airlines lounge with their parents, dressed up for dinner on the town - all arranged by Willie Simon! We had a delightful meal, and I made a new friend with the mom, who does NOT share her popcorn, and agrees Paris is just so-so.

Off to an early bed...if I could only find Willie who SAID he was going to the business center, but is definitely NOT there... Stay tuned.

Day 4 - Thursday, March 19 - Taronga Zoo and shopping too!

Hello friends & family:
Not to sound repetitive, but it's another beautiful day here in Sydney. Today we set off to the Toranga Zoo, a mere 12 minute boat ride away. As we boarded the boat we saw something that for us, was an unusual sight. Boarding in front of us were two ladies (I'm assuming this, as how would you know for sure?)in full black chadors...that's the completely black head-to-toe robe with only the teeny eye slits. Accompanying them was a lovely lady with a beautiful bright pink dress and head scarf. The contrast was jarring. Willie naturally asked them "Where are you from" and they replied "Fiji". A man from Houston behind us muttered "I don't believe it".

Toranga Zoo is magnificient! As you wander around the many exhibits, you have the view of the city and the harbour in front of you - a truly lovely setting. A brand new elephant exhibit is being developed (maybe "Save Bill" from the LA ZOO controversy can resettle here where he's wanted). We saw the most darling Koalas clinging to trees. Did you know Koalas are only found in Australia? They do not nest or seek any shelter - they live on Eucalyptus trees. Like the kangaroo, the mothers carry their young in their pouch. They only have (1) baby a year - called "Joeys" who remain in their pouch for at least 7 months, and then hang all over her back until they are ready to "separate".

Oh, and speaking of kangaroos, we saw them too, but they were less appealing, snoozing on the ground and eating carrots! We really walked & walked & walked around the zoo, and after a few hours we were exausted and hot, so we returned by boat to our hotel. After a rest, we decided it was time for some serious shopping, so we headed off to Strand Arcade in downtown Sydney - a beautiful 3 story building built in 1891 in a Victorian design- my photo will not capture it's beauty - you'll have to trust me it was really something special to look at. Inside are over 75 beautifully laid out speciality stores. Then we crossed the street to Queen Victoria Building - another masterpiece of architecture, described by Pierre Cardin as "the most beautiful shopping centre in the world". In previous times, this Byzantine building was a concert hall, a city library, and municipal offices. In 1984 it was completely refurbished as a shopping center with over 200 stores. We didn't have time to visit the big department store in Australia is David Jones, which according to the business section of today's newspaper, is doing quite well despite the economic downturn! Sydney is a city full of people out & about at all hours of the day and night, and they were out shopping, eating, and drinking cappuchinos in full force tonight!

Willie and I returned to the Park Hyatt for an early night. Stay tuned for tomorrow -our last FULL day in Sydney.

Day 5 - Friday, March 20 - Sydney: Luna Park & taking a break...

Hello friends & family:
Today started off with a bang when I woke up early and had breakfast
while reading the local newspapers. Apparently there is a long standing
rivarly between Melbourne and Sydney, and they continue to try to "one up" each other. The latest fracus is how Melbourne got Tiger Woods to play in their upcoming Victorian Masters...then Premier Nathan Rees of Sydney's New South Wales announces what he says is an even BIGGER coup - a concert by "ambient musician" Brian Eno. WHO? Celebrity manager Max Markson said the fact that Rees sees Eno as a bigger draw than Tiger Woods is "A joke! Half the public don't know who Brian Eno is, and the other half are probably still on acid". I hooted out loud in the restaurant!

Following breakfast, Willie and I set off for Luna Park which is a 5 minute ride across the bay by boat. Luna Park is a Coney Island arcade/ride amusement park and was full of more schoolchildren than those at the Zoo! These were teenagers however, and all had cameras and were on a photography safari. Everywhere we go, the schoolkids are in the most darling school uniforms - every school public or private has the kids wear uniforms. Most are rather old-fashioned in design with round-cornered collars and little bowties. The female students today had dresses made of seersucker - like a dress I bought last year at Ralph Lauren!! Very sweet. Luna Park was originally built in 1935 and their carousel dates from 1910 - it's spectacular. The park closed in 1995, and reopened in 2004 after an $80 million renovation. It's a fun city spot, but nothing like Disneyland or Universal Studios...I imagine it comes alive after dark.

After Willie rode on some of the "make me sick" rides, we went on the ferris wheel which gave us a magnificient view of Sydney Harbor and the city in all it's glory.(did I mention it is ANOTHER beautiful day?)We bought some popcorn and Willie started chatting up some young ladies in line... when they found out he was from LA they screeched "OH DO YOU KNOW MYLIE CYRUS?????" He said, "No but I know Arnold Schwarzenegger!" They said, "WHO???" Then we hopped on a water taxi to go across the bay to a restaurant called Sails, where Bill & Willie had eaten at 10 years ago, only to find NOW it is a very upscale seafood cafe, so that would NOT do
for Willie Simon.

We walked over to the train station and took the train back to our hotel and have been here ever since, just relaxing and writing postcards. I bought copy of NOW magazine, which is like our People Magazine (the lady at the newstand said THEIR People Magazine has nude photos in it...tsk tsk). I prefer the quiet of my room, but Willie prefers the bar where he gets free nuts & enjoys the people watching - as he told me "Mom - I'm 21 now so I can hang out at the bar". Oh - I included in this day's blog a photo of a painting by Sydney artist Ken Done. He has all kinds of little shops selling his brightly colored, almost folk-art like paintings - I LOVE THEM! He left school at age 14, and went to Art school for 5 years, and is probably Sydney's best known artist. He designed the logo for the Sydney 2000 Olympics. Google him - you will love his work too!

Tomorrow we take off on Quantas and head up north to Cairns, where we will be staying at the Thala Beach Lodge in Port Douglas, the barrier reef area. The decison to stay at this particular resort was made by Willie who discovered in his on-line research, that it is where "my favorite singer Natalie Imbruglia was married on New Year's Eve December 31st, 2003" to be exact. (She's now divorced). The brochure lists it as "the most romantic resort in all of Australia". From what I can tell, there is a lot of bird watching to be done. We've got all kinds of activities planned...stay tuned!

ps: Horrible tragic and untimely death of Natasha Richardson reminds me not to let one day go by without appreciating the very precious gift of my family and friends.

Day 6 - Saturday, March 21 - To Queensland or bust!

Hello friends & family:
Today we woke up early and threw our clothes in the suitcases, and grabbed breakfast. We were excited about heading up to a new territory - Queensland! Since our flight didn't leave until 1:30pm, Willie continued on his marathon postcard writing, and I went 2 blocks away to the HUGE Saturday arts & crafts market! Lots of vendors selling jewelery, flowers, clothes, puzzles, and food galore! (see the photo where the guy did NOT want me taking a picture of his ceramic chatch-kees) I bought a few special somethings for the Simon young ladies before heading back to join Willie and say Good Bye to the Park Hyatt. Would I reccomend this hotel to a friend visiting Sydney? Definitely! The location is A+, the service was professional yet friendly, they have free internet for the first 30 minutes (and I was able to talk them into waiving the fees when Willie went over that!), and the complimentary buffet breakfast was pure delight - by only the 2nd day they learned how to cook Willie's scrambled eggs and bacon exactly to his liking (something his mother has yet to accomplish).

Our taxi driver to the airport was from Ghana - did I mention my adorable niece Betsy Head is over in Ghana right now with the I.U. business school HONORS program? This lucky girl was in India last semester, Ghana this semester, and will be in Spain this summer !!! All paid for by I.U. ! But I digress...

The Sydney airport is NOTHING like LAX - it's clean, no lines, no panicky feeling, no paparazzi, wonderful stores, and polite people working behind the counter. We flew Quantas up to Cairns, and they offer you free headsets, a hot meal, and chocolate ice cream pops! (YES I had one...I tried to get Willie to give me his, but he said no)

Upon arriving in Cairns (pronounced Cans, like "May I have 3 CANS of peas?") our shuttle bus was late as there had been a fatality on the road. When we finally got underway, it was such a scenic drive, BUT I swear the driver was going 60 miles an hour and the road was curvy with all those blasted Round-Abouts they have back east...add to the fact that the driver (my age) was blasting Australian rap music and Willie was quizzing everyone up & down the aisles if they had ever met Natalie Imbruglia...by the time we finally arrived at the Thala Beach Lodgein Port Douglas,
I was NOT a happy mother.

In the lobby, mellow Rose checked us in...behind her I noticed a HUGE black & yellow spider on the wall within an intricate web. She said "Oh there are lots of those here". Then as I walked to the tree-top room we are staying in, the fellow carrying our luggage remarked that if I saw any snakes just to "stare them in the eye" and they won't bother you - "but don't pick them up, as they are pythons". He also told me not to swim in nearby Coral Sea (the Pacific Ocean) as "this time of year the jellyfishare running rampant".

Then, the best news of the day ... in fact BREAKING NEWS I'd have to say - we are not only at the same resort that Natalie Imbruglia got married in, but we are also IN THE SAME ROOM as she was in on her honeymoon!!! A miracle!! Since it was dinnertime, we retired to the lovely outdoor restaurant that looks right out of Robinson Crusoe. When the waiter arrived, he asked us if we had crossed paths with any of the 5-foot lizards that roam the property? OK I know we are in a certified Ecotourism resort but this is going too far. I'm taking a golf cart back to the room tonight, not only to avoid the wildlife previously mentioned, but also the thousands of poisonous cane-toads that are leaping all over the place.

Since we are on the subject of animals & insects in Australia, you'll like to know that there are more than 1500 species of spiders here, that Australia has the largest population of wild camels possessing one hump, there are more sheep (150 million) here than people, and with 25.4 million head of cattle, this country is the world's largest exporter of beef.

Tomorrow Willie and I awaken early and at 8am we set off for the Great Barrier Reef! I will now leave you as I search for someone with a golf cart to take me back to my room, where I will take 3 asprin (invented by an Australian in 1915) and "take to my bed". Stay tuned!

Day 7 - Sunday, March 22 - Barrier Reef

Hello friends & family:
Today's blog should be very short, as our experience today on the Great Barrier
Reef defies words... I should end here, but I won't!

This morning we had breakfast at the Thala Beach Lodge where the birds
fly all around you. See my photo of the birdies on the tree right next
to our breakfast table. By 8am we were on the shuttle bus heading off to
our "Calypso Tours" boat excursion to the Great Barrier Reef. When I agreed to this Australia trip with Willie, he was stipulating several RULES that I was supposed to adhere to if I wanted to travel with him on this journey...one of which was that we would not be leaving the city of Sydney... I had to totally badger him into agreeing to travel up to Queensland as I thought "I'm not coming all the way over here, and not seeing the Great Barrier Reef". Willie grumbled then...but after today he was NOT grumbling!!

Today was sunny and very breezy - the boat rocked like a swing for the 1 1/2 hour ride out to sea. I took some medication offered onboard for seasickness, and it made me a bit sleepy but I never felt queezy. During the day we snorkled (3) different reefs. The water was comfortably warm and we were given flippers, masks, and a full-body lightweight nylon wetsuit. It was like swimming in your pajamas!! Between the reefs we were given lectures of what we had seen, and also a delicious lunch.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Put on the top of your "things I want to do before I get too old, lose all my money, or enter the phase of life where my kids don't want anything to do with me" TAKE THE FAMILY TO THE GREAT BARRIER REEF. It was everything they say it is, and MORE! Willie's exclaimed "It's awesome!!!!" Truly, the coral and fish are beyond beautiful, words have not been invented to describe what we saw today. I hope you will one day get to experience it for yourselves. I feel incredibly lucky & blessed.

Captain Cook first encountered what is now known as the Great Barrier Reef in 1770. The reef as we are experiencing it today originated over 6,000 years ago - the beginning of the reef is said to have started over 500 million years ago!!! It is 2400 km (1500 miles) in length, and it's area mass is larger than the state of Texas. There are over 1500 species of fish in the Great Barrier Reef, and up to 860 can be found on a single reef alone!!! Willie and I saw a turtle and another person saw a white-tip reef shark! Over 2 million people from all over the world visit the Great Barrier Reef each year. The reef was declared a Marine Park in 1975, and listed as a World Heritage Site in 1981. (We are visiting ANOTHER World Heritage Site tomorrow, but I'm not telling you where!)

Unbelievable but true: One of the passengers today (a newlywed!) lost her diamond engagement ring in the Great Barrier Reef, and the tour guide FOUND it stuck in one of the millions of coral colonies! No one could believe it! Not quite as dramatic, but I lost my green scrunchy, and the guide found that too! St Anthony is alive & well in the Great Barrier Reef. Here's an interesting tidbit - the Great Barrier Reef has it's own mailbox. You can ferry out there and send a postcard, stamped with only the Great Barrier Reef stamp!

Due to the fact that Willie does not like the fancy food at Thala Beach Lodge, it was not too hard for him to convince me to have pizza for dinner tonight in the little town of Port Douglas. Unfortunately the shops & galleries were closed - we'll try again tomorrow as we can always use more postcards!

Early to bed again tonight, as our shuttle picks us up tomorrow morning at 8am...to where???? Wait and see!

ps: Tomorrow during the day the nice folks at Thala will transport our luggage over to the Sheraton hotel in Port Douglas where we will be staying for the next 2 evenings. You didn't hear it from me, but it is said Kylie Minogue (spelled wrong I am sure - ask your teenager!) is staying there also...

Day 8 - Monday, March 23 - Daintree National Park Rainforest

Hello once again friends & family:
This morning is our last day at the Thala Beach Lodge - as we ordered our breakfast we learned that our German waiter used to be a tennis pro/instructor at the Riviera Country Club - and now he is serving coffee at a restaurant in the middle of no-where's-land. He was very friendly, and claims to really miss Pacific Palisades (if his visa had been renewed he would still be there).

We soon boarded yet another tour van, and today we headed up north to the Daintree National Park: a World Heritage Site since 1981 that has been forever spared from logging...a part of the world that has been unchanged for 150 million years. Millions of years ago, ALL of Australia was covered in rainforest. This rainforest is believed to be the oldest rainforest in the world! We drove through the town of Mossman where it sure looked a lot like Maui on the way to Haiku House - sugarcane lining one side of the road, and the ocean on the other, with the mountains in the background. Sugar cane production is a distant second to the #1 industry up here - Tourism!

Our first stop was Mossman Gorge where there were nice, easy walking trails into the rainforest. Our guide was a young fellow named Dave, who was flirting mercilessly with two 20 year old ladies who were traveling together - personally I think they were much more interested in each other than in Dave, but it made for an amusing ride. Dave told us all early on, between facts about the rainforest and the various birds & insects we will find there, that last summer he met a girl who lives and works in NYC at "some place called Juicy Couture" and he was flying out to meet up with her next week, and try to talk her into moving back to the wilds of Australia with him. They have known each other for ONE night - he's convinced she'll say yes! Oh young love...

We took a riverboat ride through the rainforest, in search of crocodiles... apparently one was sighted sunbathing on the shoreline, but it seemed like everyone saw it except me. Remarkably there is a large house being built right next to the river, which literally crawls with crocks at other times of the year. hmmmm...The captain told us that there are over 300 species of birds in the rainforest, and over 40,000 different species of insects.

We then headed further north to the Cape Tribulation area where we walked on the huge vast beach, then hiked through the rainforest to a beautiful crystal clear river where we all went swimming. It was quite a hot & humid day today, and that river was soooooo great to jump into. To end the day we stopped at The Daintree Ice Cream Company for ice cream made from the local fruit trees. YUM!

BREAKING NEWS: Our tour van dropped us off at the end of the day to our NEW Port Douglas Hotel - when we drove up I exclaimed "I have seen heaven and it is the Sheraton Mirage Hotel"! Finally out of the wilderness, and into a huge, well lit, American-looking monstrosity of a hotel with 5 acres of saltwater pools, Playstations in the rooms, lights and lamps EVERYWHERE ("I can see...I can see!!!"), and air conditioning to beat the band. NO snakes to be found anywhere (so far) - but tennis courts, a spa, and an 18 hole golf course. It was just what the Dr. ordered...Willie went exploring, and I hit the seafood buffet.

Early to bed tonight YET AGAIN, as tomorrow we depart at 8am for a gondola ride over the rainforest. Until then, I'll see ya mates!!!

Day 9 - Tuesday, March 24 - Kuranda Village

Hello friends and family:
Another early morning but this one was an especially pleasant one, as the buffet breakfast at the Sheraton Mirage was spectacular - something for everyone, as noted by Willie who was getting tired of his regular scrambled eggs & bacon. Upon taking his seat he saw across the dining room a tower of glistening boxes of Fruit Loops! This morning was getting off to an excellent start!

It had rained heavily during the night, and this morning the sun was shining and the trees were sparkling with the morning dew...a perfect time to head off to the Rainforest - but this time we would be exploring it above the ground, not within it. We were picked up by a comfortable air-conditioned van whose driver did not stop talking for the hour drive to Cairns. It was all I could do to not walk up and strangle him saying "STOP TALKING...you are driving me crazy!!!" but I minded my manners, as did Willie (although he did have the advantage of his I-Pod). I had brought along the local newspaper, where the front page - inside - back page news all revolved about the latest drunken brawl some football or cricket sports star had gotten into...with everyone defending the player (including the coach) and not the organization who imposed a fine or penalty on him!

Incredibly, according to my Australia Guidebook, "Per capita, Australians read more newspapers than any other nation". Due to the quality of the content I find that hard to believe, but who am I to dispute the Guidebook?

Upon arriving right outside Cairns (remember that was the airport we flew into...the resorts are all north in the town of Port Douglas) we boarded the "most popular tourist attraction in North Queensland" the Skyrail. Seven years in the planning, and 1 year to be built, the Skyrail opened in 1994 and was controversial at it's time, as many felt any invasion into the sacred rainforest was wrong, wrong, wrong. Now it is known as the first tourist attraction in the WORLD to be certified with the Green Globe, as well as numerous other environmental awards. Another first was that the Olympic Torch was carried on the Skyrail in the Sydney 2000 Olympics! Willie and I sat together in a gondola that took us over 4.7 miles of the rainforest. Spectacular views, as once again (did I mention this before?) it was a beautiful day! We had a bird's eye view of the canopy of the dense rainforest, and gigantic waterfalls.

It stopped 3 times on the way so that we could step out and walk along the wooden boardwalk and listen to the sounds of the forest, and snap a few photos. The end of the ride lands us in the small village of Kuranda - It is basically a spot where people who are drawn to an "alternative lifestyle" have chosen to reside. Lots of restaurants, small shops and stalls full of local crafts and souveniers. Willie and I went to 2 of the big attractions up there - the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary, and Birdworld. We ate the most delicious vegetable fried rice at a little Vietnamese stand - you know how sometimes a particular meal tastes SOOOOO good? This one will be remembered by us for years to come!

Time to head back to the city, and this time we chose another route - the Kuranda Scenic Railway. For $10 extra, we upgraded to the first class section (we heard the market was up 500 points today, so we figured Let's Go For It!) This train was built over 100 years ago and was used to facilitate the search & exploration for...GOLD! It must have been a monster to build, as it has 15 handmade tunnels and 37 bridges. We came up so close to a huge waterfall that water was spraying us in our cabin!

It was a full day, and the sun was shining bright, and by the time we arrived back at the Sheraton we were exausted. Willie took to the 7 swimming pools and has not been seen since...actually I just found him in pool #4 chatting it up with some ladies from Sydney. At least he's not spending money at the business center on Facebook.

OK here are some fun facts about Australia, and even a quiz:

#1 In 1902 Australia was the 2nd country to give women the right to vote. Do you know who the 1st country was? OK before you all rush to Google to look up the answer (I'm sure Colleen already has, and is asking "What's my prize???"), New Zealand in 1893 was the first.
#2 Australia produces 95% of the world's precious Opals.
#3 Here's one that could have helped Bill Simon in 2002 - Australia is the only English speaking country to have made voting compulsory in federal and state elections. It results in 95% voter turn out! What was the voter turnout in LA's last election for Mayor? Anyone know? 30%???

You may wonder how I know all this trivia...I've just been collecting it on my notepad (invented by Australians in 1902).

Tomorrow is a busy day as we hope to grab "Breakfast with the Birds" at the nearby Wildlife Sanctuary before leaving on our Quantas flight back to Sydney for our final night in Australia. Remember - we leave Sydney on Thursday, and arrive home on Thursday! Must admit I am really missing you guys!!! (and the doggies & kitties).

Well, I'm off to turn out the globe (what they call lightbulbs over here) and enter slumberland.
xoxoxo

Day 10 - Wednesday, March 25 - Leaving Cairns.. OMG OMG!!

Hello Friends and Family:
So we are in our shuttle van hoofing it to the Cairns Airport and the van makes a stop at...Thala Beach Lodge! Willie makes a break for it and dashes out, as he has been dying to meet the lady from the front desk who had been emailing him back and forth with Natalie Imbruglia info. The people waiting for the airport shuttle get on board and away we go when this lady behind me says, "Isn't your son still in the Thala?". OMG!!!!

The shuttle stops and I race into the Lodge.... I pause... I look behind me at the people in the van who are all shooting me dirty looks like they think we are making them late for their flights... I make a quick decision to "go for it" and into the quiet eco-zen atmosphere I holler "WILLIE!!!!!". I hear back from way up in the dining room, "I'M COMING!!!!!!!" And down he runs to the shuttle. I cannot describe the looks of the employees and guests of the Thala whose scrunched-up faces are sending me the message "Ugly American!". I slink back into the van WITH Willie by my side. He continues to regal the passengers with more updated Natalie Imbruglia news -which he is positive they are interested in... and I close my eyes and enter deep meditation. Thankfully, I still had a few soothing images of our recent visit to Daintree and Kuranda running through my mind - to help assist with my meditation process! (See attached photos).

Day 10.5 - Wednesday Night - Return to Syndey

Hello Friends & Family:
Well we arrived safe & sound at the Cairns airport, where unlike our airport experience TO Cairns, we suffered through a long line at check-in. I was afraid we'd miss our flight since in Australia they encourage you to arrive at the airport only ONE hour before your plane leaves. Honestly we barely made it.

Willie found time to grab a bite at Australia's version of Burger King - called Hungry Jack's -right before boarding. We settled into our seats and tuned into the free movie called "The End of the World" (or something like that), and I calmly pulled out my needlepoint to do a bit of stitching. Next thing I know, the flight attendent is hovering over me and says "You cannot have that on board. That needle and scissors are a hazard to the other passengers". I said "I have needlepointed for years and have never had it taken away. In fact, on the Quantas flight north, the flight attendents were admiring my canvas!" However, she was really insistent, and took my needlepoint away from me regardless, and told me that it would be waiting for me at the exit door when I departed!! I couldn't even put it in the overhead compartment!

Another passenger told me later that the same flight attendant took away her daughter's little mask that covered her eyes so she could sleep - this was a mask that the mom had bought her with little sequins on it. Apparently THAT was a hazard also - and she never got it back!

We checked into a different hotel in Sydney for our last night, just to get a different perspective. Tonight we are staying at the Intercontinental, a 35-story building right near the Opera House. Our room has a panoramic view of the Sydney Bridge & Harbor, and a "kinda-view" of the Opera House since a few other buildings are blocking it. The hotel is just a block away from all the action on the Harbour, and when I was reviewing my notes I see that it is half the price of the Park Hyatt. Something to consider if (or according to Willie) when we visit again, considering he made quite an impression with some of the local school kids in front of our hotel, promising them a bona-fide return to Sydney!!

We hung out in our room tonight watching this rather scary DVD Willie brought starring Sally Fields called "Not Without my Daughter", a true story about an American lady who marries an Iranian Doctor in Michigan, they have a little girl, and then 7 years later the husband convinces them to go for "just a 2 week visit to Iran to visit my family". Well I won't spoil the movie for you, but the Dad lied and the rest of the movie is how Sally Fields is trying to get back to Michigan!

Tomorrow we are taking a tour of the inside of the Opera House, and then if we have time I am going to try and drag Willie to a needlepoint shop in downtown Sydney that I found listed in the hotel's Shopping Brochure! This will probably be the last blog of this wonderful vacation... but then you never know - a breaking news may occur out of nowhere and I'll be sure to shoot that forward to you as it happens! Until then - I'll see you in the 'hood before you can say "G'day Mates"!

Days later...

Hello Friends & Family:
OK we've been home from fabulous Australia for almost a week now
and are savoring our memories. I am putting together a 2,000 page
binder of our photos, postcards, and coupons etc from the trip in case
you want to stop by and take a look - and maybe I'll invite you all over
for a "look-see" at the DVD - complete with Natalie Imbruglia music (see photo) - that Griffy is assembling for me! WHAT??? You've had enough of the Cindy & Willie go to Australia trip? hmmm...

I could not end this blog without sharing a short article I read in yesterday's New York Times: THOUSANDS OF TOXIC TOADS CROAK "Residents of 5 communities in Queensland took part in the inaugural Toad Day Out Event, killing thousands of poisonous cane toads amid a festive mood. (something tells me Mellow Rose at the Thala Beach Eco Lodge was NOT in attendance). The toads can grow as long as 8 inches and were imported from South America to Queensland in 1935 in a failed attempt to kill off the beetles in the sugar cane plantations. But the toads couldn't jump high enough to eat the beetles which live on top of the cane stalks. The toads bred rapidly and now threaten many local species in that they spread diseases, and produce highly toxic venom. Townsville City Councilman Vern Veitch said of the bashing the toad celebration: The children really got into the character of the event!. " I have attached a few photos of the cane toads for your viewing enjoyment (not to be confused with the photo of Natalie Imbruglia).

Friends & Family - Onward & Upward to my next excursion and accompanying travel blog, wherever and whenever that may be!! Stay Tuned...xoxo Cindy