The Adventurer's Pot of Gold

Last night I tossed and turned quite a bit, and the thought occured to me that we haven't been taking enough "spontaneous adventures" lately here at our "home base" in The Netherlands. Sure, we have our usual winter flu and the weather's been bad, but all of that kind of melts away when you're wearing an explorer's hat.

Whether or not we have time for full-fledged adventures, if there's extra time, there's adventure time! With this in mind, more often than not I try to get beyond my innate last-minuteness, and give myself a 10-15 minute cushion to get somewhere. Instead of rushing, feeling guilty, and risking astronomical speeding fines, I notice the colors along the way, the changing seasons, and the occasional rainbow.

And what a special treat rainbows are! Today I discovered that just circling around to admire them in all their splendour; finding your way back to that perfect spot on the side of the road for a kodak moment, well in my book that's adventure enough. Who needs a pot of gold?

And if you do need a pot of gold, maybe you'll find it on the list of Passports with Purpose prizes (scroll down for a list of prizes). All contributions go towards building a school for children in Cambodia. Forget the "lucky charms"... this is a tangible treasure in the making!

PASSPORTS WITH PURPOSE PRIZES

Books/Music

Periscope Book Light in a Book Cover plus a novel.
$75 Lonely Planet Gift Certificate
A One Year International subscription to Wanderlust!

Cameras

FLIP Mino 60 Minute Video Camcorder
Flip Ultra Video Camcorder
Casio Exilim EX-S5 10 Mega Pixel Digital Camera
Kodak Zi6 Pocket Video Camera
Fuji Instax Mini and film
$100 Gift Certificate to B&H Photo and Video

Destinations

2 Night Stay at NYC's Roosevelt Hotel in a Suite With Room for the Whole Family
Two night stay at Monteleone Hotel in New Orleans
Three Nights at an Aqua Hotel in Waikiki
Five Nights at Los Suenos Resort in Costa Rica
2-night Stay at the Shangri-La Hotel in Vancouver, B.C.
One night at Seattle's Inn at the Market
Lunch and Walking Tour of San Francisco
$100 Gift Card
Hyatt Gold Passport 50,000 bonus points
Four Seasons Seattle - One night + Breakfast
$100 Gift Certificate to BedandBreakfast.com
Resort package for Coconut Bay, St Lucia
Great Alaskan TourSaver book filled with 2-for-1 travel coupons
Tranquility Bay resort package in Belize

General Gear

Kuru shoes
Briggs & Riley Large Shopping Tote
Tom Bihn Synapse Backpack
Briggs & Riley Baseline 20” Carry-On Expandable Wide-Body Upright
$100 OtterBox Gift Certificate
Road trip with Rover: Dog car safety package PacSafe
Kelty Backpack
A PHOTTIX® CLEON II Remote Trigger and 3-in-1 Cleaning Kit
Alpha Sherpa Back Pack
Sierra Designs Lightning XT 4 Tent
Horny Toad Men's and Women's Jacket
Klean Kanteen grab bag
ERGObaby HandsFree System
Maclaren Quest Stroller
iPod Touch

Other

$100 Gift Certificate to Buckheadlife Restaurant Group
$100 Gift Certificate to Tots on-the-Go
$150 in gift cards from Shutterfly.com
Portable DVD Player w/2 7" Widescreens
$250 voucher for use on Travellerspoint's budget accommodation area. ´
Prism Portable Digital TV
Tifosi sunglasses
Ko'Aloha Soprano Ukulele
Personal Photo Shoot in Puget Sound Region
$100 Amazon Gift Card
$200 gift certificate for Viator.com tours & activities
Tahitian Pearl
$100 Gift Certificate for Children's Travel Activities
$150 Gift Certificate to Restaurant.com
Nintendo DS Lite
Free Tuition to Matador U's online travel writing program
Southwest Airlines $75 e-gift card
Gift Certificate to PosterBrain

Feeling lucky? Click HERE to donate!

Passports with Purpose

It's that time of year again. Passports with Purpose has chosen a new charity and has begun their fundraising efforts. This year's goal is to raise $13,000 to fund the construction of a new school in Cambodia. To that end, I'm happy to announce that - together with my favorite travel magazine, UK-Based Wanderlust - I'll be giving away a 1-year air-mail subscription to their fabulous publication, PLUS a copy of their latest book, "Visions of Wanderlust 3". The total vaule is about 103 USD (or 62 GBP).

If this doesn't tickle your fancy, you can see what other participating bloggers have up for grabs, or read more about the American Assistance for Cambodia (AAfC) initiative.

Together, we can make a difference... and who knows, maybe you'll win something along the way! Please check back soon for more details, or enter your email address in the field below to receive updates to your email.

Wishing you, and yours, safe and happy travels this holiday season!
Liz

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Charity, and The Somewhat Bitter Truth About Life Abroad

We smile a lot. We photograph everything. We write about our journeys. But do those photos and musings really reflect how we feel as expatriates in a "strange" country? How honest are they?

Here's what we may write:
Being overseas at Thanksgiving is fabulous. We love sharing our traditions with the locals, and are adopting a few new ones along the way!

Meanwhile, here's what we're actually thinking:
Man, I really miss my family at this time of year, and wish I could go home but can't afford it. Yet, while being away is killing me, I'll have to do my best to share traditions with my child/children in an environment that's not at all conducive to American traditions. (In fact, it kind of feels like an uphill battle at times to celebrate something that less than 1% of the population is interested in. So forced!).

So why put on a front? Are we misleading readers? There are three reasons:
1) 75% of the time we probably are loving our life, so it's not all lies.
2) When we're not enjoying life abroad, we figure, "Who wants to read about my depression?" and "How popular would my blog be if all I did was write negatively about this country?" and,
3) Writing positively actually improves your outlook and well-being. Kind of like smiling can make you feel better, even if you're in a real funk. So sometimes you write about the sun shining, even if it only happened for 15 minutes three hours ago. It was there. You saw it. And chances are you'll see it again.

I guess what I'm saying is, the holidays may not be quite as "happy" as they appear, because the bitter truth of the matter is that living "abroad" is (often) much less glamorous than one expects it to be.

But just what can you do about it? Well, this holiday season, why not do a different kind of "good" deed? Reach out to your neighborhood "foreigner" and do your best to make them feel at home. At times it may be uncomfortable and awkward, but chances are they're homesick and longing for a bit of family, and you might just make their stay one of the most memorable time of their life (and learn something about their culture along the way!).

Wonder how I know this? The answer is, it's happened to us. And perhaps that's what's really meant by 'charity begins at home'. Honestly, I know of no better tradition or lesson to share with my children.

Spontaeously Serene: Another Miraculous Zeeland Sunrise

As I walked out the door for my pre-dawn walk with the dog, the brisk morning air was rich with the sweet-vinegary smell of the orchard's unharvested apples. The sound of roosters and pheasants punctuated the otherwise silent country scene, and a light mist rose off the fertile, freshly tilled soil. As always, the dead-end farm road gave me no choice but to stop in my tracks, briskly retracing the muddy path back towards the orchards. But - unlike always - I was feeling spontaneous and decided to pause to appreciating the beauty around me.

Standing in silence, I watched huge flocks of birds migrate overhead, and wondered where they might be headed. Slowly, the clouds, trees tops, and tall amber grasses that surrounded me changed colors like chameleons, reflecting the picturesque Zeeland sunrise. I suppose even I took on a firey orange-hue as I stood admiring one of mother nature's greatest feats.

I believe in miracles. In fact, I think we're surrounded by them, wherever we may be. And imagine, if we grant ourselves just a little more time, the ordinary will become extraordinary. What a beautiful way to see the world.

Lose Yourself in Antwerp

Give me 24 hours, and I'll show you a cobblestone city square straight out of a fairy tale, along with Europe's trendiest shops, world-class dining, hidden gardens, and a stunning cathedral filled with some of Europe's most notable Rennaissance art. All this, packaged nicely into one location; the metropolis of Antwerp.

Exploring it early in the morning, just after the sunrise, you'll see Antwerp unveiled slowly and deliberately, like an artist revealing a great masterpiece. Indeed it is a masterpiece, one that's taken many years to complete, and is still busily evolving into one of Europe's dearest destinations.

Shop on Meir, dine at Flamant (where you can also shop and stay), wander through the Grote Markt, attend a service at the cathedral of Our Lady, take a horse-drawn carriage through the narrow cobblestone streets, eat a Belgian waffle at Désiré de Lille... See, Taste, and Feel Antwerp in all its grandeur.

Most importantly, get lost. Let yourself wander. Allow enough time to satiate your curiosity as you constantly consider what treasures lie behind the next corner. If you love Europe, you'll feel like a kid in a candy shop. I know I did.

One Last Action Packed Day Down Under: Bridge Climbs, Zoos, Museums, and Lookouts

When you have less than 24 hours left in the "land down under", and a half dozen things yet to explore, there's only one logical thing to do: sacrifice sleep.

And so it is that you find yourself getting up at 2:30 am to climb an 80-meter bridge...

Or riding 30 minutes on a bus with your two kids to finally feed those rainbow lorikeets (not to mention cuddling koalas, jumping with joeys, and running with emus)...

Soon you're racing back to the center of town to hit that museum ("Queensland Museum South Bank") you planned on going to, but never managed. And while you're there, you can meet friends for one last coffee (which is much needed by this point in your hectic day).

Just before dashing off to the airport, you'll drive up Mount Coot-tha for one last view of the big city skyline.

It may sound crazy, but it's your last day in Oz. Make it count.

One Fine Day in Scenic Byron Bay

Byron Bay. A bay so beautiful, we named our first born after it (Lukas Byron Kraft). If I had my way, I'd stay there for a week. Somewhere in a quaint little house on the steep hills of the village. I'd walk to the beach every morning, to admire the curious crab constellations (before they're washed away by the sea and beach-combers). I'd have lunch on popular Lawson Street at the artsy Twisted Sister Café, and take a leisurely stroll through town, discovering a new shop or gallery every day.

Afternoons would be filled with tandem hang-gliding off the steep cliffs of northern New South Wales or in any combination of surf, kayak, and stand-up paddling lessons (obviously, at this point the children will be away at college). As dusk fell, I'd join the locals for sundowners (BYO!) on the beach near Fishheads (at the intersection of Jonson Street and Bay Street).

I'd time my trip to coincide with the first Sunday of the month, which would put me there for the Craft and Produce Market at the pristine Butler Street Reserve. But if I missed the Butler Street Markets, I'd head out to explore some of the regions' other popular weekend gatherings, such as the Channon or Bungalow Markets.

It would be a magical week, and by it's end, I will have evolved into a proper beach bum. :)

Instead, we settled for a day in Byron Bay. We did manage to have lunch at the Twisted Sista Café, and I hiked from town up to the light house (5km), with Alex in-tow, enjoying many spectacular views along the way. At the top, we spotted a mama humpback whale with her calf and some dolphins.

As for the afternoon, it was spent combing Byron Bay's picturesque beach, searching for remaining crab constellations, and basking in the warm Australian sun. Not long now... in a few days we'd transition from the Aussie Spring to the European Autumn, saying goodbye to one of our very favorite places, and hoping only that we're lucky enough to return some sunny day.

Whitsunday Fun... Hamilton Island Hell

Aside from the two tired children at our side, it was romantic. Exclusively outdoor dining, tables topped with fresh white linen overlooking the Whitsunday Islands, the soft glow of the backlit overflow pool and fountain, flame-topped tiki torches.

Our dinner and accomodation at the Pepper Coral Coast Resort was still romantic in some way, even with the 3-year-old who's forgotten how to feed himself, the tired baby who tosses anything in his reach onto the ground, and the fights over who gets to play with what. And for something to maintain its romance through such adversity is nothing short of a miracle. Truly.

Coupled with the snorkeling trip to the Great Barrier Reef, lazy walks through quaint Airlie Beach, and splashing around in the centrally-located Airlie Beach Lagoon, our time in the Whitsundays was pretty magical.

...Until, that is, it came time to fly out of the Hamilton Beach Airport. Man, was that hell. They're so not equipped for large crowds, and it was vacation time for many schools across Australia. But then again, we survived it. To avoid landing in the same predicament, during big vacation times get to the Hamilton Island Airport 3-4 hours early, rather than 2. Sounds absurd, but it will save you a whole lot of headache. Wish we hadn't ended our time in the Whitsundays on such a rough note, but that we were able to visit at all was a blessing in itself.

The New South Wales and Victoria Chapters

More than any other country, what's incredible about Australia is its sheer concentration of incredible things to see and do on any given road trip (save for, say, the Plenty Highway in the Northern Territory's, where you'll see a whole lot of nothing).

In Queensland there's the Great Tropical Drive, Glass House Mountains and Gold Coast Hinterland to explore. Meanwhile, New South Wales' boasts the Blue Mountains and Hunter Valley routes. Still further south, Victoria's Mornington Peninsula and Great Ocean Road are great fun to drive. Out west, the fabulous Drivewa.com outlines "8greatescapes". Or how about the NT route from Uluru to Darwin, taking in Katherine Gorge and Devil's Marbles along the way? Regardless of where you end up, what's critical is that you leave yourself some flex time, for the many surprises that await you along each journey.

Ultimately, as with any journey, it's the people you come to know along the way that makes it extraordinary. Wondering how to meet people before you go? Here are a few thoughts:

1) Talk to friends and family. Do they know anyone in Australia?

2) Re-evaluate your facebook "friends". Maybe you have one that lives in Oz.

3) What's your hobby? Is there a group that does it in Australia? Try to get in contact with them before you go.

Now with a little over a week left to go here in Oz, we've discovered that this country continues to tug at our heartstrings, and although I can't upload all the photos just yet, there are a few extra special moments that are worthy of mention, if for no other reason than to encourage you to include like-adventures to your travel itinerary in the near (or distant) future.

[I've included link wherever possible to simplify your trip planning and online reasearch.]

So here's the scoop on our time in NSW & Victoria. After leaving Queensland, we chose to spend some time in Sydney, Melbourne, and the Mornington Peninsula, intentionally leaving out the Blue Mountains with its stunning Three Sisters and Great Ocean Road (both of which are spectacular), and focusing instead on exploring some new territory.

You can drive from Sydney to Melbourne, taking either the inland "Heritage Drive" or Coastal route. However, since both of these road trips take several days to complete, we opted to fly this time around.

Without giving you a play-by-play on the events of the past week, here are a few highlights:
In Sydney:
-Breakfasting at the Botanic Gardens Café - beneath thousands of frisky fruit bats - in Sydney's magical Botanical Gardens
-Sailing with the Tribal Warrior to "Be-lang-le-wool" island in Sydney Harbour, for an aboriginal performance.
-Eating scrumptuously fresh fish at "Fish At The Rocks" (and later that night, Tobi took this incredible photo of Sydney Opera House from The Rocks)
-The boat ride to the quaint village of Manly, and dining with old friends at Manly Grill.
-Riding high on the cable cars at Taronga Zoo, and exploring the zoo itself... with it's unrivaled views.

In and around Melbourne:
-Melbourne's Botanical Gardens. Although we missed the visiting hours of the Ian Potter Children's Gardens, the kids still had a blast running through the meticulously planned gardens, and up the stairs of the memorial.
-Melbourne's South Bank. We dined at an Italian eatery, but there's cuisine for every taste, and some fabulous views of Melbourne's skyline!
-Driving The Dandenongs (not to be confused with the community "Dandenong" -- this mountain range is about an hour East of the city center -- think Carolina's). Here, we paused for breakfast on Main Street in Olinda, navigated our way through the maze (GREAT FOR KIDS!) at Sky High, and meandered through the serene surroundings of the William Ricketts Sanctuary.

The Mornington Peninsula
(See Website: http://www.visitmorningtonpeninsula.org/)
-Staying with friends in the sweet town of Yanakie, with it's tiny town store.
-Four-Wheeling along the Corner Inlet National Marine Park
-Driving through Wilson's Promonotory National Park, and our short walk to the beach at Tidal River.
-Stopping at the Caldermeade Dairy Farm to see cow's come in for their daily milking, pet the baby animals, and have a scoop of dairy-fresh ice cream.
-Driving along the picturesque, cliff-lined coastal road from Mt. Martha to Mornington (see above Mornington website for details).

It's a bit long-winded, I know... but I hope your sold. :)

I'll add photos soon, and if you have any questions, please ask!!!
Signing off from Airlie Beach in the gorgeous Whitsundays (your clue to my next blog posting!),
Liz

Brisbane, Our Home Away from Home

Spring in Queensland is magical. Nestled between the palms, gum trees, Jacarandas and frangipanis, are exotic birds, oversized lizards, possums, and koalas. Weekend markets take place under old fig trees, and after buying fresh fruits, veggies, and meats from the market, people spend evenings outdoors, eating meat from the "barbie".

"Easy come", but very hard go. If you're in Brisbane, tour the Southbank markets on a breezy Summer night. Drive the beautiful Mt. Neebo-Samford drive, stopping at Café Boombana for a tranquil afternoon tea. Hike the stunning paths of Lamington and Springbrook National Parks (two hours from Brisbane, but well worth the drive). Explore the Glass House Mountains and Sunshine Coast Hinterland, stopping in Montville, Maleny, and Eumundi (for the markets). Shop on Queens' Street. Take the "City Cat" down the Brisbane River, hopping off and on at your leisure.

That's what we did, and we've loved every minute of it. Brisbane... it's our home away from home.

The Recovery, Mountains, Zoo, and Sand Storm of Queensland, Australia

Wonder what we've been up to these first few days in Queensland? Here's a quick recap, and a few tips on things to do while visiting the Brisbane area. (But there is also much, much more to come!!!)

The Day of Recovery (Sunday, September 20th)
Napped, had sandwiches, enjoyed Viera's home-made beef stew for dinner, walked aroung The Gap (an upscale community north-west of Brisbane) in the evening... beneath the soaring cockatoos and noisy parrots. At night, wondered if we had made a mistake by subjecting our kids to such extreme jet lag, as they perked up at 10 PM. With a little creativity (walking with the stroller outside, a late-night dinner, warm milk, and a quick bath), by 11 we were all sleeping soundly once again.

The New Farm Day (Monday, September 21st)
Woken up by the calls of an early-morning Kookaburra. And as the suburb of New Farm holds a special place in our heart, that's where we headed next. It's where we used to live. We lunched at the Italian-owned New Farm Deli, walked beneath the jacarandas in New Farm park (pronounced "New Fom Pok"), played amongst enormous fig trees at the historic New Farm Playground, followed the footpath along Brisbane river to Sydney Street, had coffee at Café Moray, walked down Merthyr Road. Then enjoyed Viera's home-made lasagna back at her cozy hilltop home in The Gap.

A Day in the Glass-House Mountains & Australia Zoo (Tuesday, September 22nd)
Missed the croc show with Terri and Bindi Irwin, but enjoyed the later "Wildlife Warriors show". Also liked cuddling with the koala for a Kodak moment, meeting Luca (our "adopted" Koala), seeing the wallaby cuddling with it's binkie, and getting up-close-and-personal with numerous water dragons. The drive back down to Brisbane was spectacular, as the sun set into the oddly shaped peaks of the Glass House mountains (although I was slightly heartbroken that there was no good spot for a photo). We ended the day with some brilliant grilled barramundi, fried calamari, and a bottle of BYO wine at one of our favorite Brisbane eateries: "D'lish Fish & Chippery" in the historic little suburb of Winston.

The Sand Storm Day (Wednesday, September 23rd)
Another day of R&R, to offset the chaos. Ate breakfast at our friends' house in the suburb of The Gap, took a nap, went for a coffee, enjoyed a pedicure in the trendy James Street district. All in the midst of an eerie sandstorm that overtook much of the East coast. Hope it clears up soon, so we can visit the incredible light house at Byron Bay, hike the hills of Brisbane Forest Park, and meander through rainforests in Lamington and Springbrook National Parks. We do love this place, and there's little question why.

Opulence -- Dubai-Style

Wealth. Indulgence. Opulence. Dubai.

A traditional Ramadan dinner ("Iftar") on the beach. Ice sculptures in the desert. Man-made islands shaped like palm fronds. Pools and water parks with refrigerated water.

That's Dubai. Actually, that's Atlantis.

Now on holiday in Australia, the amount of time I have for blogging is limited, but I think you'll enjoy these snapshots of our adventures on Palm Island, at the Atlantis resort. And while it's not cheap, this is a fantastic place for families, and a great way to experience Dubai in the heat of the summer.

Kid-centric Zeeland

Ask any Zeelander, and they'll proudly tell you what a fabulous place this is for kids. And they're not exaggerating! Indoor gym areas for kids every 30 kilometers, kid-hikes, kid-events, etc.

And Zeelanders go all-out for their children. Just over a week ago there was an incredible event catered to, and hosted by, children in the nearby city of Goes. Goes Kinderstad had plenty of cool, kid-focused events -- from squirting a fire hose to trying their hand at field hockey, and everything in between. Jumping castles, cotton candy, face painting... you name it, they had it! Needless to say, Lukas had a blast. One of my favorite stands was one were kids could decorate a t-shirt for a child in a South African orphanage (sometimes with a little adult help). It was fun but meaningful.

Another one of Lukas' favorite things to do here in Zeeland is to visit the butterfly gardens in the small town of Langeweegje, which is why we shared the experience with friends yesterday afternoon (above photo). After roaming through the sub-tropical indoor garden he'll dash outside, running through the bamboo forest to get to the wooden playground. Usually, we'll end the afternoon with a yummy hot chocolate at their charming café.

As a rule, I think Dutch parents do a fantastic job of keeping their kids busy (afterall we all know that busy kids tend to get into less trouble). An hour of cycling to school (often in the rain), an hour of cycling home (again, often in the rain), plus dinner and homework... really, there are too few hours in the day for these little-athletes!

But what is our role as parents? Should we be sheltering our children and keeping them as safe as possible? If so, Zeeland is the place to be. Or should we be showing them as much as we can of the world, teaching them about other cultures and ways, and instilling tollerance and open-mindedness (which Dutch parents definitely do more often than not)? I'm not sure we'll ever find the answer to that question, but we certainly were lucky to have experienced Zeeland, as a family.

Preparing for, and Remembering, Australia

As we begin to pack for our big Australia trip, I've been thinking a lot about some of my favorite memories in a country that we were once lucky enough to call "home". Unfortunately, I wasn't yet blogging at that time (just before Lukas was born - from June of 2004 to August of 2005), but I've long wanted to put something together for the blog on our year in Oz, a year that was both trying and life-altering, in ways that I can't quite explain. But I can share with you some of the highlights...

BRISBANE
1) Our stay at the Queen's St. Hilton for the first few weeks, right smack in the middle of everything.

2) Later, the terrace / extended kitchen of our New Farm apartment, which overlooked the Brizzy skyline and river.

3) Learning to play tennis at New Farm Park, walking to local restaurants, and weekends at the nearby Powerhouse Market.

4) Taking the City Cat (public transportation in the form of a catamaran) to local eateries, and the stunning South Bank

5) Viewing the city from Mount Coot-tha, and hiking the trails to nearby waterfalls.

6) The Whale-Watching boat tour -- our boat departed from Moreton Bay. We got so close, it seemed we could almost touch these boat-sized beasts!

BRISBANE AREA
6) Byron Bay Lighthouse (whence the name Lukas "Byron" Kraft). If you're in the area, this is a must-see. Walk up there from the sleepy village of Byron Bay. It's an incredible hike!!! Adventure seekers, try hang-gliding above the bay from the cliffs near the lighthouse.

7) The Lamington & Springbrook Rainforests, and 4-wheeling up there.

8) Fraser Island - The dingos, the pristine beaches, 4-wheeling, camping, swimming in the crystal clear fresh-water lake, hiking through the rainforest

9) Noosa Heads - Especially the Noosa National Park. Hike along the cliffs to the secluded beach for some truly incredible photos. Keep an eye out for koalas! Also fun: learning to surf at the Noosa surf school.


10) Sunshine Coast Hinterland, with it's eerie volcano-shaped mountains. The towns nestled in the Glass House Mountains are wonderful. My favorites: Eumundi (with its Wednesday and Saturday markets), Montville, and Maleny. Another must-see: The Australia Zoo, made famous by the iconic Steve Irwin (aka the "Crocodile Hunter").

11) Carnarvon Gorge. We hiked for 20 kilmoters through this incredible gorge, then camped out nearby and watched the kangaroos bounce past at dusk.

12) Small-town Chinchilla, with its too-cute-for-words bi-annual Melon-Festival

THE REST OF THE COUNTRY
13) Sydney. If you ask us, there's no better place to spend New Year's (pre-kids, or with older kids). Watching the fireworks over the Opera House from our spot at the Royal Botanic Gardens will stay with us forever. Also fun: The boat ride to Manly and surfing on Bondi Beach

14) The Blue Mountains and "Three Sisters" rock formation. A few-hours' drive from Sydney, and well worth it!

15) Melbourne, the Dandenongs, and the Great Ocean Road. Okay, so there aren't exactly "12 Apostles" anymore, but those that remain are still worth seeing!


16) Our 3-week road trip through Queensland and the Northern Territory. Highlights: The "Walkabout Creek"pub from Crocodile Dundee, getting a flat tire and ending up stranded at the Huckitta cattle ranch along the Plenty Highway, watching sunsets and sunrises at Uluru, staying in an actual hotel in Alice Springs, a boat ride through Katherine Gorge, walking through Devil's Marbles at sunset, stumbling into the Daly Waters -- a typical Outback pub, the Sunset Markets in Darwin, the swimming oases at Litchfield National Park (less overrun than Kakadu, and with less crocs), wandering the rainforests of Daintree in Northern Queensland, kanoeing to a remote island in Northern Queensland for breakfast, Port Douglas (visit the town and the lookout point), and our boat ride and walk amongst the awesome Whitsunday Islands

17) Reef-fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, mudcrabbing in the Gladstone-area mangroves, snorkeling the reef.


And voila! Our favorite Australia sites, in a nutshell. And now, I'm off to plan next week's trip... with children. Stay posted for more photos of our past, and upcoming trips to magical Oz.