Holiday (Vacation) Reflections

Re. Dennis Theme - Whitewater World is a park with lots of water slides located in the Gold Coast. Luna Park is an old-fashioned 1930s style amusement park in Sydney.

I noticed that my packing list had some new terminology in it. I have taken on the kiwi terms jandals for flip flop sandals and togs for swimsuits. The term holiday is used for vacation.

We have been back home about a week now. The break from routine was welcomed. The top thing I wanted to do was to go to the Great Barrier Reef. We did that day two of the trip. We were picked up by a bus and then rode a big boat out to the reef. It was an overcast and windy day. The charter company has their own pontoon island which had snorkeling area marked. Tom and I snorkeled and Dennis went on one of the glass bottom boats. It was pretty cool to see the fish and corals in their home environment. Being nearsighted and without my glasses snorkeling, I didn't notice as much as Tom and Dennis. Near the end of the time on the "island" Dennis got more interested in snorkeling. We wore blue anti-stinger suits as an extra layer of protection.

When visiting our friends in Sydney, we decided that Australia is the land of "suits." The blue suits were for snorkeling. When surfing people wear wet suits. At the beach people wear rash tops or high SPF suits to protect from the sun. When we climbed the bridge we got to wear a special blue grey suit, so we would blend in with the bridge and so that we could attach hats, glasses and gear to it.

I did a couple of things that were up high. One was riding the cable car over the rain forest in Cairns. It was a three part ride with two breaks to walk on boardwalks in the rain forest. We ended in a small town called Kuranda. I enjoyed browsing the shops. We returned on a scenic rail tour. It was a pleasant day out.

You've seen the photos. I actually climbed the bridge in Sydney. I admitted to being nervous and so I got to be first climbing. One steep section, when I could see through the stairs, I had to breathe deep and just keep going. The guide told me afterwards that that was the worst part for those of us with height issues. She was right. However, the parts where we walked over steel mesh, I did not look down. Other climbers took this approach too. We were physically attached to the bridge the whole time. A roller mechanism was attached to our belts. It was like having an umbilical cord. Afterwards, we fondly admired the bridge and were glad the attachment was now emotional rather than physical.

I bought myself a piece of aboriginal art for a souvenir. I have to get it framed and then it will be a colorful addition to our lounge. Dennis would have liked to get a didgeridoo which is a long wooden musical instrument. Tom got around that one by saying we couldn't bring wood back into NZ. Dennis does just fine making noise without the assistance of a didgeridoo.

There was only one thing I wouldn't repeat. One night we stayed in a little trailer in a holiday park. The stove was gas and the flames were a bit wild. The sheets weren't soft. Tom was sick with a nasty cold virus and I was just starting to get it too.