Well, our French visitors have been & gone...a very busy but fun time.  Poor them, they arrived with colds....one of the 'joys' of travel with so many people passing through airports & of course, on the planes themselves, it is hard to avoid picking up some germs.  One tip I was given....avoid touching the rails if at all possible, on stairs & escalators as when you think about it, many, many hands have touched them.  I guess this is one time when a small bottle of hand sanitiser is useful, as you can't be rushing to the bathroom every few minutes to wash your hands!!


Their visit started with a very low key time, as they were also a little tired, having travelled from France, with 3 days in Kuala Lumpur to the Gold Coast, then to Sydney & onto Uluru (Ayers Rock) for 3 days, back to the Gold Coast...where our friends (who met them, when with us, on a home exchange holiday in France) took them onto Byron Bay.  Such a shame...wet, wet, wet....but not cold....unfortunately you can get that from time to time during a Queensland summer...it is our wet season.  I guess the weather didn't help their colds!!


Mr Fox fired up the rotisserie part of the barbecue for dinner that night, cooking a chicken stuffed with mushrooms & herbs (from the garden of course) & a piece of beef.  We accompanied that with a Moroccan Carrot salad (the base was quinoa) & that included yummy ingredients like pistachios, dates & chickpeas & a freshly made focaccia bread...with lots of garlic & rosemary....& of course..a wine or two!  To finish we had homemade ice cream (very easy recipe...no need for an ice cream machine) & mangoes. 
 
 The weather had cleared by now so we sat outside in our 'mediteranean' courtyard 
 (created by Mr Fox after our first trip to Europe) enjoying the balmy evening & being visited by one of our resident green frogs.


When we were last in France, I bought a few Laguiole knives & have really enjoyed using them, while wishing I had bought more.  They are very brightly coloured & quite nicely priced over there....& dishwasher proof (MOST important). Silly me...so concerned about keeping the weight of our luggage down...& then we were underweight!  Our French friends were kind enough to go shopping for me & brought knives, forks, dessert & teaspoons with them....I just love them & feel so good every time I open the cutlery drawer....small pleasures!!!  You can buy them sometimes in Australia but Laguiole appears to have a very good website...just in case you are interested. 

 http://www.laguiole-attitude.com/en/cutlery-set

A quiet day consisted of a trip to Coolum township to get a few basic supplies...& check out the supermarket....I love going to supermarkets in other countries...you really get a feel for the place as there is nothing so basic as  the food we eat.  Our French friends were also of the same mind, so we wandered around looking at the cheeses, fish, meat, fruit & veges etc....

& buying the odd thing, but we had decided to go to Bundaberg the next day, so not too much required.  A drive around Coolum & a stop at the lookout before heading back home to a walk on the lovely surfing beach we have & a dip in the pool.


Off to Bundaberg....nearly 300 km drive north....around 3 1/2 hours, as a lot of the Bruce Highway is not 100k/h so that slows things down....& we came across many roadworks, just to add to that.  Our first stop was at Maryborough, a town well known for the lovely old Queenslander homes....which are built up on stilts and have verandas all around to take advantage of the cooling breezes....they are however, disappearing, as their popularity means they are often bought, put on the back of a truck & taken to a new location.
Woodgate was where we stopped for a picnic lunch....spinach pie (homemade), french bread & a glass of wine by the beach.  Woodgate is not somewhere I would rush back to but there were some very quaint holiday houses on the Esplanade.  A lot for sale...no doubt a sign of the times, with people needing to sell their investment &/or holiday homes.

A Woodgate Resident...camouflaged (Kookaburra)

 Onto Bundaberg...or more correctly, Bargara Beach, which is very close by.  Great little spot & we had excellent accommodation for the night at Platinum Bargara Apartments. Huge apartment, 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom with a full kitchen & laundry & all mod cons....& only a block back from the beach.  I found it very hard to get a 2 bed/ 2 bath apartment...& for only 1 night, but this was perfect. 





 


That night, we went to the Mon Repos Turtle Rookery....every night between November & March you can see...if lucky....the turtle hatchlings & the egg laying....just brilliant.  It was another clear, balmy night...no jackets needed.  Once it was dark, we were called in groups to see what was happening....the rangers are always patrolling to check the activity & when they sight something, you are taken under supervision to watch.  Our first view was of the turtle hatchlings....just so cute...& so vulnerable....only 1 out of 1000 (yes, that's correct) actually make it to maturity.

 


  We were unable to take photos of them actually going into the sea as the lights from the flash would have disorientated them, but we have our memories.  After viewing this, we were invited to a 'nesting'...this is where they check the vacated nests, counting the hatched eggs & those unhatched to determine what any problems were.  This was not only interesting, but quite amazing as about 20 hatchlings were found in the nest....they had got caught in roots of grasses & hadn't been able to get to the surface, so these babies were retrieved & released to hopefully find their way back in 30 years to lay their eggs.

 We didn't get to see any egg laying....it was getting late & because of the tide they thought it would be about midnight before that occurred...so we called it a night, being a little tired...but very pleased with all we had experienced....& learnt...did you know that the hatchlings from one clutch of eggs can have up to 4 different fathers??....what an interesting sex life a female turtle has...perhaps. Do go if you get the chance....check out  Mon Repos Conservation Park online.

Next morning, after checking out, we had a wander around the small village of Bargara....very picturesque & a great playground for the children right next to the beach....

& then onto Bundaberg itself, a very busy metropolis....we hadn't been for years & were very surprised at just how busy it was.  Not a carpark available in the main street, but we were not into shopping so that was OK...it was off to the Bundaberg Rum Distillery for us, where we were booked in for a guided tour.  We duly presented ourselves..our footwear was checked...no toes peeping, please...(health & safety) & off we went.  Very interesting even if one is not a rum drinker...amazing the value of the product that is stored on the premises...all very secure as it is a bondstore.  After going through all the processes...& tasting one of the ingredients, molasses...which I personally didn't mind, but some did, we retired to the 'bar' area where the products for sale were explained & we could try 2 of the drinks....after an explanation of the alcohol content for the benefit of those who were driving. My favourite was the very yummy Royal Liqueur...served over ice & drunk through a layer of cream...mmmm...only available at the Distillery so there you have the perfect excuse to visit!  Lots of souvenirs pertaining to Bundaberg rum available as well as the rum products themselves.


Next stop, Childers...on the way home, for lunch.  Some lovely old buildings (by Australian standards) to be seen here but we were on a mission to get home as friends had asked us all to dinner & the French visitors had to pack to fly to NZ the next day.  Childers was, unfortunately, the scene of a fatal backpackers hostel fire in 2000...15 lives lost...very sad.

Kangaroo

On the drive home, our visitors kept a lookout for kangaroos....but there were none to be seen....mainly being the wrong time of the day...they are generally seen grazing early morning or just on dusk, so after arriving home & before going to dinner, we made a detour to Twin Waters Golf Club where there are usually lots of kangaroos....& luck was with us!

French Kangaroo Hunter

 At first, not one in sight but as we wandered through...yes!!.....found!!!  Mission accomplished.  A lovely dinner with friends, off to Brisbane airport the next day & guests deposited there in plenty of time for their check in.


We are now following their blog as they are spending over 40 days in NZ (staying with 2 lots of friends whom they met through us...another benefit of home exchange), some more time in Malaysia, a week in Bali, few days in Thailand & then 17 days in Japan to finish.  What an excellent trip!.....& we enjoyed their visit so much.  They have asked us to visit them at their apartment in Portugal...& we have to stay at least 2 weeks (lovely) so that is an extra incentive to arrange more home exchanges...as though we needed one!



Next blog....I plan to go back to our very first trip to Europe.....a bus tour of Italy, an apartment in Paris & our very first home exchange, in Santa Barbara....oh...& if you want the ice cream recipe, just ask me in 'comments'.

Around Melbourne...

So….off on the City Circle tram….a brilliant service for tourists as it’s free…can’t complain at that….and it gives you an excellent general idea of the layout of the city.  Many cities overseas have the ‘hop on hop off’ buses…which we always use when we arrive somewhere new….this is Melbourne’s answer to that. 

There is also a free bus service, similar to the tram, but trams are much more fun.  The

tram dropped us a couple of blocks from the market…just an easy walk…fine for a recovering patient.  We did the usual round of the produce halls, buying some duck, fruit & vegies, & cheeses to start us off.  Lunch in the food hall & a wander around the other area where they sell bags, shoes & all sorts of wondrous items that you never knew you needed….& some you wouldn’t want…we resisted temptation & got the tram back home.  The whole tram/train/bus system is excellent & very reasonable.  On the days we were going to be using it, a Senior’s daily ticket for $3.80 (each) gave us unlimited travel.  Excellent value.

 I looked rather wistfully at the Art Markets which we walked past on the way to our unit, some lovely quality crafts, art, jewellery etc…..nearly bought a coffee mug which said ‘man cannot live by chocolate alone….but woman can!’….so true.  The city was really buzzy on a Sunday afternoon but Mr Fox was tiring, so time to put our feet up & read.

Lots to do in the city, tram ride, bus ride, boat ride…& even a horse & buggy ride!  Promised the grandchildren that next time we’d do that.

Shopping is always fun ….even if you are not planning to buy much it is fun to look…. the  ‘Paris’ end of Collins St….where I definitely only looked…& dreamt,  Bourke St & adjacent, where you have the big department stores if those are what you like, or stores like Zara, recently opened…If you have been overseas, chances are you have shopped there.  Good quality, great colour range, competitive prices (especially on sale) & they have practical basics as well as other clothes which are slightly more a flight of fancy.  They cater for the whole family……and then there are the arcades & laneways.......
 

….really, you can just wander & discover all day….& if those accompanying you are not so keen, just park them on a comfortable seat in the Bourke St Mall & they will be entertained endlessly by the passing, & buskers….of a very high quality.

  Then, when you have finished observing &/or shopping, retire to one of the great coffee spots in the laneways….I recommend ‘Laurent’ in Causeway Lane…a great little French patisserie….we sat there, enjoying our coffee (& cake, of course), & observed how passionate Melbournians can be when it comes to food…a tiny sushi place had obviously just opened directly across the way (no signage) & there was a long queue for the whole time we were there…must have been brilliant food, so, if you’re in Melbourne & fancy some sushi, that is certainly the place to go!

Now….how did we go with our ‘Scoopons’….for those of you who don’t know, these are special deals available online for all sorts of things.  Several companies offer these….Scoopon,

                                                     Groupon Australia

                                                     Cudo

                                                     Living Social

                                                     Zizzle

                                                     Love it Up

                                                     Catch of the Day….to name a few.  Check them out & then register for where you live, or for where you may soon be visiting.  Our first voucher to use was at Ollo Messa….in Southbank….for $59 we received a seafood platter for 2 plus a bottle of house wine.  Complimentary breadsticks & olives beforehand was a nice touch (loved the olives…& I’m not an olive eater…tiny ones which are apparently grown by the owner’s brother in Ballarat…10,000 trees, no less!).  Meal was fine, nicely appointed restaurant, but no seafood on the actual menu….would have been nice to try some of their normal fare to get an idea of what we could  indulge in on a return visit.

Sunkee House….in Chapel Street gave us a 6 course degustation menu with 3 glasses of wine each, for $49.  Beautifully appointed restaurant, delightful staff & great food….especially the peking duck!  Just across the road from a tram stop so easy to find.  (Love those trams!).  Went for a walk up Chapel St after our meal & came across about 6 ‘heavies’ (security) milling around….outside a nightclub…no-one else was around at the time but apparently it is the club precinct & really hots up later on…we were a bit early for that so didn’t see any action…could we have coped with it????

Grumpy’s  Green…..Smith St….at first glance, I must admit, we would not have just walked in, but it was a real surprise package.  Obviously we were not their usual clientele, either, because as soon as we went in, the barman said…scoopon??  Why else would we have been there?  Lunch this time, interesting décor which I think would look really funky at night….daylight did it no favours….BUT….our meal was delicious!!!!  For $29.95 we had a choice of 2 mains & a bottle of house wine (or jug of beer or cider)…& the food was divine.  Mr Fox had an Asian duck salad & I indulged in the salmon on roast parsnips….yummy.  A bonus was the very personable barman to whom we got chatting & turned out he had lived 9 years in Paris….so envious.  His French was excellent, unlike my poor offering….mon francaise est petit peu…tres!  Even got a recommendation for a Paris restaurant for when we (hopefully) return.

The La Di Da Club….$19 for entry, a drink each & canapés (altho’ they were a little too popular…but what we tasted was fine).  Would certainly recommend this club….soooo long since we have been to a club but this one was really grown up!  We MAY have been the oldest patrons there  (Mr Fox says definitely)…but not by that much.  Red canopy outside & red carpet at the entry made it feel quite special.  Extremely pleasant staff.  It was Burlesque night….on entering there was a movie screen showing  old burlesque movies, in front of a catwalk….& every 20 minutes or so a gorgeous young thing came out & did a live burlesque performance…..very gorgeous, some humorous, some sexy, but always tasteful.  A little bit saucy but nothing anyone could take offence to….I wouldn’t imagine.  Had to laugh…after one particularly delicious young lady finished her number, the compere asked….’how many straight women have just turned?’ Mr Fox was even complimented on his attire by a younger guy….he’s still got it!!  They also served meals which seemed to be moderately priced.  May have to go again next time we are in Melbourne & sample the fare.

So much to do in Melbourne….lots of people there for the tennis, of course…lots of deals available in conjunction with that….just as close as your computer. Always the movies…altho’ we got a surprise when we took the grandchildren to the movies to see The Muppets…we were the only ones in the theatre!!!  I guess it would have been busier in the suburbs…. The Crown casino is always worth a look  & some great deals meal wise in some of the restaurants.  Fantastic decorations for Chinese New Year.  We took a wander thru’ & couldn’t believe how many poker machines there were….translates into just so much money & time…& yes, we did try our luck, but on a very limited amount of money…not really our thing.

View from the winery....

Finished off our Melbourne sojourn with a couple of days with our son & his family.  Great to reconnect with the children & get an update on all their interests.  They change so much when young.  Spent a most pleasant family day at Healesville….picnic at Hedgland…a maze, with mini golf & a few other bits & pieces….a very hot day, so a stop for wine tasting on the way home topped it all off very nicely.

Flew home with Jetstar…most probably the only negative note to an excellent home exchange holiday….they were 3 hours late leaving Melbourne, so consequently we missed out on a roast lamb dinner which friends had planned for our return…not a total loss….cold meat & salad the next night!!

Next time, shall relate our adventures with our French friends who are coming to visit...we met them thru' a 'hospitality exchange'....another side to home exchange, & have been friends ever since.  This is the second time they have visited us here....looking forward to catching up & showing them something new.