2008 Gong Xi Fa Cai – The year of Rat

May peace on earth & all the best for its habitant…

back to Perth. again ? yes, this time for Matt. Celebrated his 1st birthday on 28 Jan. He’s now crawling like trained soldier in a battle field. Yes, its different from other baby’s crawl – that usually like cat or dog position.

Talking about dog, sniff dog in the airport especially. Perth Int’l has cute beagle. Don’t judge the capability w/ its appearance. I had cut apple in the flight & this beagle can trace it from my tupperware. As stated in every banner in this airport. WA authority won’t allow any fruits, milk & egg products, soil, and many more things to be brought in. Beware !!!

Then business as usual – we rented huge Toyota Kruger SUV & drive down to Balingup, WA. Check our new well.. mmm isn’t finished yet. Bob the builder can’t find underground water to fill it. Perhaps we just collect surface water & let the wild life enjoy it as long as it isn’t dry. Good deed for this month.

Staying 2 nights in our little house in the prairie, then back to Perth & staying in the Aaron apt hotel. This time we had a parking lot inside. Before, we must walk 2 blocks & park in a public building. Little surprise this time : I didn’t know that every Friday night is late night shopping in this city. Other suburb has Thursday night. All shops must open to 10 PM. This privilege is common for most Asian. Our shops always open from 10 AM to 10 PM, 7 days per week. But since we’re here, we must do like the Ozies do. We found many good books, but pity some bookshops prefer to close early. No one read after 10, I guess

2007 Australian Tropics : 1st. Cairns

Take Qantas midnight flight from Perth to Cairns, leave Western Australia’s tortured summer to humid pleasant weather. Left all bugs & flies behind. Touched down Cairns in dawn & sprinkling rain welcomes us. Water is life !!! What do I need more than this

Many more, indeed

First, a vehicle will be nice. The Eastcoast car rental won’t open before 6.30 AM. Its staff promised me to park their car outside domestic terminal & left the key in the unlock trunk. Stupid me, didn’t ask its licence plate no. So, in this dark, we checked almost every car booth. Lucky us, no one accused us do mischief. After around 1/2 an hour, we gave up. Heading back to the terminal, find a cafe. My husband need to sip an espresso. Then we waited for the car till half past six.

Around 7 AM, Jenny from the Eastcoast picked us up w/ a huge van. Oh no, we didn’t order this elephant. We just need a compact city car, but tough enough to explore unsealed road. A Toyota Corolla will be perfect. After signing the form & swept the card, we drove to the hotel. Cairns felt like Denpasar. Lay back & relaxing. Minus the temples, crowd, motobikes & jams. Also the road pattern was easier, checker block. We won’t be lost here.

Second thing we need : fresh shower. Our hotel apartment Southern Cross, smacks in the city center. Opposite the mall, a stroll away from bars, cafes, restos, casino & few blocks from the beach. Yes, we don’t need car to browse this city. But exploring its beyond, we definitely won’t walk.

Third, these gorgeous places :

Kuranda,

Port Douglas,

Mossman, Daintree,

Atherton, Lake Barine, Lake Eacham,

Babinda Boulders.

Forth : great meal. Bayleaf resto in the corner of Lake & Gatton street, was amazing. It’s Balinese w/ great setting, good food. Our menu : Crocodile satay, soto ayam, grilled fish, were awesome. And all waterfront cafes, resto, bars offer almost everything. Wood-fire oven pizza, ice cream parlor, Middle East meals, Chinese & Japanese fast food, Golden Arches, Australian fine cuisine – pardon me, I’m not sure what exactly it is and the variety go on… and on…

Fifth, billion thanks that we’re here for pleasure, not for hectic business purposes. Cairns looks like a sleepy town, but it has Royal Australian Navy base, great exhibition center, Casino and many more local business. No mater Great Barrier Reef is the main tourist attraction, tourism isn’t the only income for this city.

2007 Cairns Hinterland

Cairns has two Great things. Great Barrier Reef on its east. And Great Green Hinterland on its west. Both are awesome.

2007 Brisbane QLD

Left Cairns w/ overloaded great tropical sceneries. Brisbane also felt tropics. Especially if you’re staying by the river. Fresh air, serene breeze, humid but pleasant. Lush green trees & great garden. Cut ! Change the scene. its Brisbane, hallooo !!! The city center is similar to other metropolis. Concrete jungle, people buzzing like bee. Cars, their honks & their traffic jams. And we’re stuck in the middle. No regret, we love it.

It was w/ Oaks at Margaret Str. A hotel-apartment again, but our unit this time was much bigger than Southern Cross in Cairns. And its setting definitely the latest style. Clean line, less is more & airy. But its parking lot was a nightmare. Stingy & dingy. Perfect is only for heaven. The rest is compromise.

Brisbane city center remind me of Manhattan. Pardon its size & variety. It’s in a tip of a river’s bank, a peninsula, not an island like Manhattan. Opposite this tip on the south bank, is my favorite place. Museums & Uni parks.

2007 Happy Birthday Grandson

He is almost 3 years old. Time flies when we’re having great fun. But sorry Lovey, we won’t be at your side while you’re celebrating it. This Nov, after a week in Perth, we continue browse Queensland till the end of this month. May all joy, good health & happiness be with you always. Happy Birthday in advance, Lovey )

2007 Meet my new grandson

he is only 2 weeks old, but his curiosity’s eyes could kill me )

2006 Pat, Thank you..

Meet my Tina Turner. She has happy feet and also hands. She isn’t only alive in a dancing floor, but her hands dance better shaping my hair.  

2006 Little house in the prairy

Balingup, again.

2006 Balingup

We’re back to Balingup, again yup, this is our 2nd trip in this year, whasap ?

make long story short, early morning we went down to this lovely quiet tiny town, engage w/ JG the earth contractor, met the plumber & heading back to Perth before dark. Spent a week w/ my grandson, rushed back & forth Maddington – Malaga, find all gadget & things… Time realy flies when you’ve plenty things in your hand, not always fun, but fortunatelly it was specialy when you relieze it, you’re already in the flight back to KL.. phuih what a week

2006 wow… he has 2

show us your teeth please He has 2 now and he loves ice cream also cut carrot, banana & pasta. He hates rice, so does his Ommie

we’re in Perth again, time to play w/ him He’s a big boy now