Laurieton

Last place within our tour, Laurieton! (If you'd like to see what this is all about; be my quest and read all the way from the beginning. :) )

So from Armidale we headed to the coast, over the hills and different views.

After three nights of walking on the beach and just relaxing we headed back to Singleton to meet my first family.  So that was the story of our trip.  "And everyone lived happily ever after" :P

Was good to see my original family,

Liisa

Armidale

You might want to get to the beginning of this little 'series' about our holidays, most welcome to do it by pressing this.  If not, then just keep reading! (:

We came back from Brisbane via inland, just to see a bit different part of the country before stopping in Armidale.

One more place to go,

Liisa

Brisbane

To the beginning of this travelling story from here.  So this stop is Brisbane. Just to be perfectly correct; we stayed in Windsor which is just outside of Brisbane, as we thought that wouldn't be ridiculously expensive and would save us driving in a big city (as, in the matter of fact, after Sydney no one was really eager either driving the car or sitting in it in those conditions. haha).  So first in the morning we took the train downtown and had a nice morning coffee, then took a tourist 'hop on - hop off' kinda bus which took us to the gardens and to a great look out.  After that we went to the art gallery (which was really great in aboriginal art; one more box to tick in terms of the wishes and expectations for this holiday), and just to finish up, we took a ferry up the river.  Phew, busy day! (:

If wondering about the differences amongst these photos, some of them are taken with a different camera which belongs to my brother.  And about the rest of them he took with my camera... so can't really take any credit for the whole post, awkward.  :D 

That was a full day,

Liisa

Brunswick Heads

The next stop on the list was Brunswick Heads.  The only meaning of this photo (besides that it's pretty much the only one I have from there) is to tell that it was first and foremost a family holiday; some days we spent driving like crazy, others in art galleries and some days just laying on the beach.  Four people, four desires and four different expectations for the holiday; I think, at the end, we did quite well with that.

Wait for the next stop for more photos (which will be better, promise),

Liisa

Port Macquarie

This post is a continuation to my little holiday photo series.  If you want to actually read about the trip and find out where we were, be my guest, but now to the pictures! (:

Will be continued,

Liisa

Sydney

This post and couple of the following ones will be photos from our trip. One stop - One post.  If you want to read more about the actual trip, feel free, but now; lets get started with Sydney!  (If I look over excited, just blame the fact that I haven't seen my family for over 7 months. :P)

One day - One place - One post,

Liisa

Road trip

Finally, finally, finally ! ! !  Waiting for some evidence from our road trip? Here it comes!  :)  I might have already told you some things as I made super quick updates along the way, but this is meant to be a proper one covering the whole trip.

Just to get started and make it a bit easier for you to follow what I'm talking about: this is our route.  So as you can see; doable in 12 days, but still quite a bit of driving.  We started our little family holiday by spending two days in Sydney.  After coming back to Singleton on Thursday (and participating my Rotary club meeting), we left on Friday afternoon after visiting my school. My family flew back on the Sunday afternoon, so we came back the Saturday lunch time, just to have enough time to spend with my first family.

* By pressing these little stars after the names of the places we went to, you'll get into a post with photos from there.  Hope it's not too confusing!  (:

TUESDAY: My family flies in at 6.05, so I'll wake up at three o'clock and my counselor and I drive to Sydney.  After picking them up from the airport we go to the Sydney Harbor to have a little breakfast all together before my counselor leaves us to drive back.  My family and I discover Sydney* together the rest of the day (and go to bed really early as they suffer a bit of jet lag hehe :P).  And my mum and I, just because we are the only ones awake at that point of night, see fireworks over the Harbor, how great timing! (:

WEDNESDAY: Ferries, buses, trains, Harbour Bridge, NSW Art Gallery (+Picasso!), Bondi Beach, The old part of Sydney, and my favorite one; The Observatory hill on night time.  Couldn't have a better end for such a great day!  (:

THURSDAY: Leaving to the airport to pick our car at three o'clock, just on time to get to Singleton at six to the Rotary meeting (not).  After making my dad to drive with an odd car, automatic as he has never driven one before, on the wrong side of the car, on the wrong side of the road, we all giving tips without GPS or proper maps...great time...we finally arrive to Singleton and actually make it to the Rotary meeting.  Phew.

FRIDAY: Leaving Singleton after showing my family the school I go to.  We leave later than we were planning so we end up spending the night in Port Macquarie*; not a bad place to be!

SATURDAY: From Port Macquarie to Brunswick Heads*.  We were thinking of going to Byron Bay as it's a small beach place many people go for holidays, but because it was Saturday night there wasn't room anywhere and we ended up driving a bit more.  We stayed the night in Brunswick Heads and had the best Mexican food for dinner.  (:

SUNDAY: Heading to Brisbane!!  And when getting there driving around for god knows how many hours trying to find a place to stay at.  600 dollar suite...hmmm...NEXT!  Finally found a nice place to stay at, just a bit out of Brisbane*.  We had a nice night in Windsor and decided to stay another one in the same place.

MONDAY: Brisbane!!!  Sightseeing tour, look out over the whole city, Gardens, Art Gallery, River cat  up and down the river and a bit of shopping. What a day! (:

TUESDAY: Starting to head back to Singleton.  We decided to go inland as we went up on the coast. Staying the night in Armidale*.

WEDNESDAY: Lets keep going.  After a short drive getting to Laurieton*; nice place just below Port Macquarie.  We decide to stay all of our three remaining nights before the last night in my first family.  Couple of hundred meters from the sea, couple of meters from the swimming pool, not too bad!

THURSDAY: Time to relax in Laurieton.  Ocean and the swimming pool, that's all you need, right?

FRIDAY: Exploring Laurieton and souvenir shopping, wait to see my blazer after this week!

SATURDAY: Leaving Laurieton after a nice swim in the sea with my brother: six o'clock, grey landscape, cold, ridiculously windy and pouring rain, lets say it was a refreshing experience.  FUN! :D

SUNDAY: After a great time in my first family we'll head to the zoo as we couldn't go yesterday (not that we didn't try; it has been raining and it was flooding there, and as we have a normal little hire car there's no way getting over the 40cm water...).  My family leaves after our time in the zoo, see you in 4,5 months!! (:

In the next post I'll send all the photos.  Just to be nice and not to block the whole thing; soooo many photos. :)

Tired,

Liisa

Back in one piece

Just letting you know that we all came back from out little road trip safely and had a great last night with my first host family.  And after seeing koalas and feeding the kangaroos this morning, my family flew home (hopefully; haven't heard about them since).

I'm quite tired from the travelling, but just be patient and I'll update about our trip.  I promise; won't be long, and won't be too boring as I have million photos. :)

Grateful for all of my families,

Liisa

Greetings from Brisbane

Starting to head home tomorrow,

Liisa

Back from Sydney

We got to Singleton late last night missing the beginning of the Rotary meeting, but at least we got there and the people in my club got to meet my family and vice versa.  But after making my dad to drive on the wrong side of the road in the wrong side of just rented car through Sydney for the first time, without a navigator or proper map, I think we did pretty well. :P

Today we are going to visit my school and drive around Singleton (won't take too long), and then head to the coast.  Our plan is to drive to Coffs Harbour first, but as my family just flew in and is still suffering a bit of jet lag we'll see how it goes.

Off again,

Liisa