Happy Australia Day

Happy Australia Day - to all of our Australian friends here and at home.  We decided to head to Perth on the train to check out the festivities.  It was a great day - we met some other Canadians that are on exchange this year in our area and enjoyed the longest firework display that we have ever seen - a half hour of fireworks, lazers and music.

Perth - we have arrived



Fun on Australia Day

Kade climbing to the top



The Flag

celebrating

lots of fireworks

Stalking the Dolphins

Today we took a trip in to the Mandurah City Centre to have a look around and to get a little more acquainted to the community.  We hit the Mandurah Boardwalk and toured around.  While walking around we spotted some dolphins playing in the water - yeah that's right real dolphins in the wild.  Ok so a little history for some reason I - Krystin - have been obsessed with seeing a dolphin - lets just say this made my day.  But this is just the beginning!!!  We headed to a beach area on the other side of the estuary so the kids could swim and go to the skate park and would you believe it there were more dolphins - and not the same ones - these ones were grey the others were black.  I don't think I even saw the kids in the water as I was chasing the dolphins down the beach. The kids then went to the skate park and I remained on dolphin watch - it paid off as one came within 25 metres of me after I made my way into the water to get a better picture - the pictures do not even start to describe the pictures that are etched in my mind forever!!!

Dolphins

Kade was about 100 m from the dolphins

One of the dolphins I was stocking

yet another dolphin - this one came to about 25 metres away from me

Our New Home

Well we have arrived in Falcon, Western Australia and have somewhat settled into Emma's lovely home.  We have a great view of the estuary from her house and are only 5 minutes from the ocean beach.

Our official welcome!

Our view of the estuary

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the dinning room/ my office



the living room - I know white couches
with our boys!!

The Beach

hot fun in the backyard

a swim at Kylie & Michael's house

A Great Weekend

Spent the weekend exploring the Yallingup area with Sue & Lawrie our gracious hosts.  We went snorkeling three times, body surfing, boogie boarding, have had great meals, drinks and laughs. We even had some heated crokinole games - on a board made by Lawrie.

snorkelling at the aquarium

the aquarium is to the left in this picture

splashing around at Smiths Beach

Sue and Sean relaxing at Smiths Beach

the family

Smiths Beach

The Canal Rocks

Playing crokinole

Western Australia We Have Arrived

Well we arrived in Western Australia on Friday and were greeted with some wonderful familiar faces at the airport – Sue and Lawrie.  We were so very pleased to see them finally!  We then headed to our new home in Mandurah to check it out and drop off our stuff.  The home is perfect and has such as great feel - I think we are going to settle in just fine. 

The Welcoming Committee

The view from our new home

We then headed to Yallingup for a visit to Sue and Lawrie’s piece of paradise.  The views are breathtaking and more beautiful than we could have imagined!  The pictures do not do it any justice.  Kim and John we can imagine you guys here and now have a much better understanding all of your amazing stories and pictures.

Yallingup Beach

Kade feeding the birds on Sue and Lawrie's deck

Sue & Kade

More Pictures to come!

Last Day in Sydney

Today we stayed close to the hotel - we were all a little tired .  We checked out Paddy's market and China Town.  We then had a lovely dinner with Karin and Mick Hilder - so glad to finally meet them.

Kade at Paddy's Market

China Town and our newest addition to our family- Pogo!

Meeting Karin & Mick for the first time in Sydney

Off to Perth in the Morning - to see our new home and Sue & Lawrie

A Visit to Newcastle

Off to Newcastle which is north of Sydney.  We took the train and it was about a 2 ½ hour train ride to get there – sort of nice to sit back and take in the scenery.  When we arrived we headed right for Newcastle Beach.  It was a windy day but they have this awesome sea water pool – actually filled when the tide comes in – that had water that was nice and warm.  Another great day hanging out at the beach!

between the pool and the ocean

The ocean pool

We then had a couple of drinks with Ray Sheffield and his family – a friend of Sean’s from Collingwood that now lives here.  The kids had lots of fun running around the harbour.

Ray & Sean

Monique, Matthew, Nate and Kade

Dusk at The Brewery in Newcastle

Were Going to the Zoo, Zoo, Zoo....

Today we explored the Taronga Zoo – this zoo is located on the north side of Sydney and is home to more than 4,000 animals and boasts amazing views of the Sydney Harbour and the Opera House (I am still not sick of that icon yet!)  Thanks to our new friend Michelle we got complimentary tickets to check it out!!!  Thanks Michelle it was a great day.

the Tasmanian Devil 

A kangaroo - first one we have seen

Hanging out with the mountain goats

Giraffe 

What big ears you have

Cuddling with the koala

never too many pictures with this background

Under the Sea...

Today we decided to stay close to the hotel and made our way to Darling Harbour and visited the Syndey Sealife Aquarium.

jelly fish

This information is for the Nanas

We then cruised around the rest of the harbour and enjoyed the day together.

Just hanging out