We got to Maryborough around 4pm Monday afternoon. Back at Jake’s house we had some dinner, talks and pool games before I had a quick workout before bedtime.Tuesday was a fully packed beautiful sunny day. After breakfast Jake’s parents took us out for a drive. We went in to town, looked in some shops and did some nececitises before we drove to the local wildlife sanctuary. We had a wander, fed the kangaroos, watched the dingoes and the beautiful birds and hold a big phyton. It was a nice experience and good family fun.
After the sanctuary we drove to a café for lunch. We had yummy wraps and a salad to share. Full and happy we went to Aldi before we drove back home. Lida had to work for some hours while Jake and I wanted to go to the gym. We did a good legday before we got some groceries for dinner and went back home. I started some dinner preparations with homemade pizza and roasted veggie salad on the menu and when the preparation were done Jake and I did some airrifle target shooting in the garden. Good fun and creative targets. Imogen and Tony came for dinner and we all ate and had a nice time together.
After dinner we played loads of pool games and the winners got scratchies.
Wednesday to Thursday Jake and I were supposed to go to Fraser Island so we packed our bags for the trip and got organized with food and plans. After a last pool game we went to bed.Wednesday morning we had an early breakfast before we drove to Hervey Bay to take the ferry to Fraser Island. The ferry trip took about 45 minutes and it took us straight to the Kingfisher Bay resort where we were staying. We took our bags to the luggage room before we went for a little walk half in the bush and half on the beach. We looked for dingoes but didn’t find any. It was a nice walk and the weather was pretty good. Back at the main beach we did some swimming and relaxing before we checked in at the hotel around 1pm. After checking in we played some tennis, I did a workout and a run and we had another bush walk before dinner. Nice 33000 steps that day. We went to a really nice restaurant at the hotel for dinner. We had salmon, potatoes and beautiful chargrilled vegetables. After dinner we played some pool and basket before we listened to crime junkies in bed and fell asleep after a good first day on Fraser Island.
Thursday morning we got up early to go on a guided 4WD tour to some highlights of the island. We drove to Eurong Beach resort and followed the 74 mile long beach up north. First stop was Eli creek. We had a walk, took some photos, felt and tasted the water and enjoyed the beach before we continued the drive to the Pinnacles. The Pinnacles was basically just a colored sand hill which was really pretty and then the last stop on the beach was the ship, the Meheno wreck. Maheno was a 120 meters long boat that was washed ashore by a cyclone in 1935. Now the remains are a famous tourist attraction.
After the ship we drove all the way back to Eurong. We were served a nice lunch buffet at a restaurant before we drove to the rain forrest for a little boardwalk wander. The forrest was so beautiful, plants in all different tones of green, bright blue water and birds singing.
Next up was lake Mc Kenzie. The lake was the best part of the trip. It was so damn pretty. Clear blue, totally clean water, refreshing temperature and mostly sunny. We swam, wandered and admired. Such a good way to finish off the trip.
After an hour or so we drove back to the resort. Jake and I went down to the beach to see the sunset. It was really pretty and bloody red and when the sun was down and the people were gone we did some abs and chest workouts and got eaten by hundreds of mozzies. When the rain came we went up to the pools and jumped into the jacuzzi.
It was nice and warm and we had a chat with an Italian guy. At 7.15pm we joined a guided night spotlighting walk and it was so, so good. The guide was gourgous and I learnt a lot. We saw loads of frogs, different spiders, kookaburras, bats, eels and a super cool sugar glider. Down by the jetty we saw stingrays, fish and two green sea turtles. In other words a well spent hour.
At 8.30pm we took the ferry back to River Heads. Dennis and Lida picked us up and drove us back home. It was quite late and we showered, ate and went to bed. A nice Fraser Island adventure!
Jake and I relaxed on the gras listening to another crime junkie podcast before the weather changed extremely. The sun was replaced with clouds, the wind got strong and the rain poured down. Time to drive home. On the way back we visited Tony and Imogen before we went back to the house. Jake caught up with an old friend and I went to the gym for a short session. In the evening I made some salmon and salads for dinner before Jake and I had a night stroll and went to bed.
Saturday morning Jake and I were supposed to go to Rainbow beach but because the weather forecast was thunderstorms and 90 % rain we rather went to Hervey Bay which is way closer. We did a lot of shopping for Jake and he got a whole new wardrobe. We had lunch on the beach and picked up Lida from work around 2. Later in the afternoon Jake and I went to the gym and in the evening we had some tacos and played some pool games.
Sunday morning we had a nice breakfast. The boys played some pool and Lida and I worked out a bit. At 10am we drove to the train station and caught the train back to Brisbane. Back to everyday routines and work ❤️ a good couple of weeks gone and more to come!
We saw many kangaroos on our way home. The evening was nice and relaxing. Sunday morning Dana was working again. She works at a nice Cafe in town. Brett, Stef, Harry, nanny and I went in for coffees and juices.
Afterwards, Stef and I went to Torquey to look in some shops. I wasn’t meant to buy anything but with Stef’s support I ended up buying a very comfortable and colorful outfit. So happy about it!
Stef also bought an outfit and before we drove back home we had a really nice walk on the beach.
Back home we had some lunch before Dana finished work and we all went out for a stair run workout. It was a good session with a lot of sweat and fun and we saw some random camels in the beach.
After a shower we cooked a delicious nutritious dinner with different salads, cauliflower, roasted vegetables, tatziki and pita bread together with the main chef Brett and it was so, so good.
Monday started out with a 30 minutes home workout with Dana before brekky and road trip.
Lucy, Dana and I drove towards the Otways national park. The weather was grey but nice and we drove the Great Ocean Road to the Redwood forrest. On the way we had a stop at the swing Bridge Cafe where we cleaned the beach for free coffees. Brilliant idea! We filled three buckets with rubbish and got a coffee each.
In the redwood Forrest we had a walk among the big trees and ate some lunch in the rain. The nature was beautiful and we also had a walk to a little Waterfall. On the way back we had a stop in Lorne before we drove to Linda’s house.
The rainbow on the way home was beautiful.
At home, we had a relaxing afternoon with a dog walk and some podcasts. A beautiful day!Tuesday morning Dana was working again. I had a relaxing morning with a good gym session at the local Anytime Fitness. A little interesting insect was joining the gym too.
After the gym I made granola with Lucy, it turned out really good. We met Dana at the Cafe in her lunch break before Lucy and I had a wander at Pako street.
When Dana finished work we went to a gym session with Dana’s cousin. It was a group session with a bit of boxing, running and legs. It was really good and fun and with some competitions and team work it was pure joy. Afterwards we went to Brett’s house and had a relaxing afternoon with another beautiful dinner and some scrabble.
Wednesday morning we drive to Linda’s house again. We had a walk in the park with Spud (the dog) together with Lucy, Bowen and Bowen’s sister Edy.
At 10 we went to trampoline world, aka supatramp. Supatramp is a big indoor playground with loads of trampolines, obstacles, balls and fun. It was a playful hour and we all survived without broken bones.
After supatramp I had a gym session before we made some beautiful nourish bowls for lunch, thank you Lucy and Dana! So yum!
After lunch we relaxed for a bit, I had a walk with Spud and Dana did some reading. We also did one of Dana’s gym sessions on the kitchen floor. It burned! Around 5 Dana and I started making dinner. We made zucchini pasta with a tomato sauce filled with mushrooms, lentils and chickpeas and it turned out very nice. Right after dinner Dana and I went to the cinemas to watch “Five feet apart”. It was a beautiful and sad movie. Back home we pretty much just went to bed after a long and adventurous day.Thursday morning we got up at 6am to volunteer and feed the homeless. We made toast, eggs, beans and more and served breakfast to more than 50 homeless people in Geelong. It was a really nice start of the day.
I didn’t feel to good on Thursday. I was really tired and needed a rest. I had a nap after the breakfast program before I went for a long walk and some fresh air. I felt a bit better after the walk and joined Brett to a group session at the gym a quarter past 6. It was a great hit session and Brett was a good gym partner. Defo do that again! I had an early night.
Friday morning started out with a private boxing session at the gym at 6am. Dana was working until 4 so Stef took me on an adventure to Point Addis beach. We looked up the tides and seaked for a cave during low tide. We found it, crawled through it and took loads of photos. I was a bit on the outside of my comfort zone a couple of times climbing slippery rocks, walk through millions of flies and letting the waves attack you from behind, but it was an adventure I won’t forget. Back on the beach we did some tanning, running and swimming. Such a beautiful and warm autumn day!
Around 1 we headed back to the car and drove home for lunch. I had some beautiful leftovers from Stef’s vegetable fritatta. In the afternoon, after a leg session at the gym, Dana got home from work. Jack came over and we watched a movie before bed.On Saturday Dana and I started the day with some yoga before Dana went to work at 9. We all went to the Cafe at 9.30 so that I could say goodbuy before Brett and Stef and I went to Melbourne for a day in the city. We went to the kettle black Cafe and had a wonderful yummy pretty looking brunch.
Afterwards we walked through the art gallery and had a wander through plenty of shops. I didn’t buy anything, but Brett found a suit and we were all very happy. On the way back to the car we got some really good sushi before Brett drove me to the airport around 5pm.
I flew back to Brisbane at 6.45 after a wonderful week with one of my many wonderful Australian families. Love you all to the moon and back. I got home pretty late after a flight, a train and a bus. I had a shower and some food and went to bed.Sunday was spent together with Brynnin. It was a nice day. We did some washing and cleaning and I repacked my bag ready for Maryborough and Fraser Island with Jake. Midday Brynnin and I went to Indooroopilly shopping center to get some necessities and to print out some photos. Back home we had lunch before we went to the gym for a bit. I was still not feeling too well so I took a slow upper body session instead of the planned cardio workout. After the gym we went home and had dinner before we did some writing and reading and went to bed. A nice and pretty relaxing day. Now I’m going up to Maryborough and Fraser Island with Jake. New adventures are waiting.
My wanderlust reality 