Australia Adventures - Part 2

Where to begin when you have too many adventures and photos to even think about deciphering and putting into a coherent blog entry?  With a giant exhale of the good-kind-of-exhaustion and a short but sweet rant but more rave about all the happenings of the past few weeks....

There was the visit to Murwillumbah, Lamington National Park and Springbook National Park.  Me Likey.  It was great to be back in the mountains.  We enjoyed some incredible scenery, the rainforest and some damn fine trails. 

There was a wet run through the rainforest and the clouds to the top of Mount Warning and the kid who followed me right to the top.

A solo run on the Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk. There was incredible mountain and rainforest scenery to behold and snakes and birds and things that make bizarre noises in the night.  We drove the narrowest, steepest, twistiest, turniest mountain roads I've ever driven. Keith and I have survived and enjoyed driving on the left. :) Australia has surprised us!

There was a drive to Perigeon Beach near Noosa, to enjoy some quality time with my Uncle Ian and his fine lady Berna.  Walks on the long and amazing beach.

Runs through Noosa Heads National Park with Keith.

There was much ice cream and many cocktails.  It's my Uncle Ians latest thing in retirement. :)  I'm not sure what this photo has to do with ice cream.

There was lots of food and Aussie television.  I got to see my Uncle Ronny again. 

I even got to meet and hang out with my cousin Dionne and her family and 3 kids.  Keith got to go skateboarding.  And boogie boarding.  And more body surfing.  And more ice cream.  Australia's beach culture is addictive.

 I got to squeeze in another long solo run on the Sunshine Coast Hinterland Great Walk.  It was rather spectacular and I jumped in a few cold water holes.  Bliss!

*BTW - what exactly is Hinterland?  I want to know.*  More incredible scenery.  More trails.  More time spent running around the Aussie bush.  Bush = Woods in Australia.  Bush Walking = Hiking.  Fair Dinkum is something the uncles say that makes me giggle.  The uncles make me laugh a LOT!  We got to go body surfing with both uncles and their "budgie smugglers" aka. Speedos.

We tried to do "urban" in Brisbane and realized we don't do "urban".  Had fun riding bicycles all over Brisbane and got the heck out. Cities are busy and noisy. But Brisbane is beautiful, as far as cities go.

Stayed with Berna's 91 year old mother - a definite highlight.

Spent a day with Cherie Devlin - our Banff friend in her own backyard.  Took a road trip to the Glasshouse Mountains and gawked over more amazing scenery.  Enjoyed more ice cream and good company!

 Got to meet Helen, my blogging buddy and her family!  Yaaaay!

Got to hang with my cousin Robin and Uncle Ronny made another surprise appearance. :)

Hopped on a plane and arrived in Melbourne yesterday.  Learned our lesson and got out of the city, ASAP.  Maybe we'll do Melbourne later.  Or maybe not.  Currently sitting in Apollo Bay at the most incredible hostel in the most incredible place!

On Saturday, I'm going to run 100km's on the Great Ocean Walk.  I'm pretty excited to be running the GOW's 100 and incredible stoked to see more of the scenery in this corner of the world.  What a better way to see it?