Putting it all together

It's been a busy week again for those fresh off the boat. Mostly we have been pounding the car lots of North Sydney and Parramatta and mostly it's been in vain. I hate cars. They are 99% uninspiring and you always view them with the constant dread that you're about to embark on a long dark period of untold headaches. Anyway, we are getting there slowly and hopefully we'll be mobile in the next week...

On another key front, things are moving very quickly. The anticipated start of work for mid March has been shunted up the agenda and I'm heading back down the coal mine this coming Wednesday. Almost three months to the day since I last did anything productive it's time to get the old-grey-matter firing again.

We have managed to have a bit of fun as well. On Monday we took a trip from Manly to Circular Quay on the ferry to meet our friends Conley and Lindsay (over from the UK). Good fun but rather dodgy weather...

We also spent a few late afternoons down at the local Dee Why beach. It's one of the quieter beaches and a few minutes walk from where we are staying. All was well, but unfortunately, Isy got zapped by a Blue Bottle Jelly fish (alternatively known as a Potuguese Man Of War. How appropriate...) before she made it into the water and got a big red toe for a few hours. Mr.D however seemed to enjoy himself enormously. Apart from trying to eat the sand at each and every available opportunity, he had quite a time!!

House hunting looms large now. Seen a few on the net we like and thanks to cousin Tina lending us her car for a week, we now know a few of the suburbs. We just need a 5 bed with a pool, double garage and ocean views for $300 a week and we're set... ha ha ha...

p.s. Apologies for the quality of the pics - phone cam.

Sydneysiders!!

Phew.

21000km (12900 miles), a lot of money, too much hard work, some laughter and some tears later, and we've finally arrived in Sydney. No more plane rides for a bit, that much I can tell ya.

Famous for it's sun soaked beaches and gorgeous people with tanned bodies and pearly white teeth, we turned up with our pearly white bodies, tanned teeth and in a near thunderstorm. Marvelous. Collected from the airport by our good friend Mike, we drove up to our new (temporary) home at Dee Why and dumped the suit cases for the last time. Cracked a beer, flopped in a chair on the veranda and thought... "Now what the hell are we going to do?"

Since then we've been busy "achieving". Mobile phone sorted. Bank account sorted. We've got our eyes on a few cars and are starting to figure out where's a nice place to live... However, today is Saturday so it's time to play. Been for breakfast this morning at Curly's cafe followed by a nice walk around Curl Curl and this afternoon it's a BBQ at cousin Dave's where, I've been faithfully informed, we will "Play it by beer."

I'm sure we will.

(p.s. I've added a few more pics to earlier posts)

Australia!!!!

Wahooo!! We're here!!

Arrived in Perth yesterday lunchtime to glorious sunshine and a very pleasant 29C. Had a fantastic flight over from Joburg with Qantas as Dylan slept for most of it. (If anyone from BA is reading this - sort your baby seats out!) Getting through Perth airport was a dream and the nice man at customs even stamped our visas which was a helluva relief :-)

We are now staying with our friends Megan and Michael and their kids in their wonderful house in Sorrento (Dylan has never seen so many toys). After breakfast this morning we walked down the road to the beach, took a dip in the Indian Ocean and watched the kids cause havoc. Might summon up the energy to go for a coffee this afternoon.

A couple of days of this then the final leg to Sydney to catch up with family and friends.

Can't wait.

Lightening, Lions and the odd Lager

It seems blogging in Africa is a full contact sport. A second PC as succumbed to the awesome power of African storms and I'm starting to wonder if I should wear rubber boots when typing. Back to the net cafes it is...

Well, we're now averaging something like 4.5 braii's a week (BBQs) and I'm starting to pine for a egg mayo sandwich rather than flame grilled red meat. Curiously however I'm still Ok with the level of beer consumption. The last one was watching England show Wales how to play rugby which was most enjoyable. (Ronan, fancy another tenner this year on Ireland?)

Having said that, we have managed to venture out a bit more and "do" things this week. First up was our introduction to the wonderful sport of golf at a local 9 hole course. I managed to get round in 46 and one lost ball. Or to put it another way, 18 over. Look out Tiger, I'm coming for ya fella.

On Tuesday, Mr.D was introduced to some of Africa's finest at the local Lion and Rhino park. The males were out and about strutting their stuff and coming very close to the car. I think the little guy was impressed but on first sight of his first lion ever he let out a sort of "huh" and continued to play with the gear stick. Dylan's latest party trick goes something like:

Me: "Dylan what do lions say?"
Dylan: "Grrrrr"

Awesome.

Tomorrow we're heading up to Pretoria for the day for a bit of a look the on Friday it's Sun City and a play in the "Valley of the Waves" amongst other things. Then on Saturday it's lunch with the family and then the short hop (!) to Perth where we will finally stamp the visas and in the Lucky Country and begin our adventure in Oz. Ulp.

Later.