Week One

I am still pinching myself.

How are we this lucky? 

Coming down south was a HUGE leap for us. Taking off from YVR back in September, I was giddy and soooo nervous. Leaving everything we know, taking a step outside of our lives for 9 months- it sounds so exciting, but when the actual moment really came- I was pretty terrified.

Having the Satakes here has been huge. They have welcomed us into their family and have taken us on many adventures. Inviting us to join them on their Christmas vacation to the Gold Coast was the most incredible blessing. Brian, Helen, Maya, Grammie, Scotty and I flew into Brisbane, we spent the night on bunk beds in a Backpackers before hitting the man made lagoon in Brisbane's Southbank.

BRISBANE FROM THE SKY

ENCOURAGING MESSAGE IN THE ARRIVALS AT THE AIRPORT- "THE ACTUAL SIZE OF THE LARGEST CROC EVER FOUND IN AUSTRALIA- 8.1 METRES"

THIS ONE ALMOST MADE ME WANT TO GO BACK. THERE WAS ALSO THE PICTURE OF THE REEF ASKING YOU TO FIND THE MOST DEADLY SEA ANIMAL.... IT WASN'T THE SHARK, RAY OR EEL- IT WAS THE TINY, CLEAR BOX JELLY FISH.... BASICALLY, IF YOU GET OUT OF AUSTRALIA ALIVE, YOU'RE LUCKY.

SLEEPING ON BUNK BEDS AT THE HOSTEL... KIND OF LIKE THE DAYS WE ALL MET BACK AT QWANOES

BRISBANE ACROSS THE RIVER

STUNNING FLOWER WALKWAY

MAN MADE LAGOON ON THE SOUTHBANK IN BRISBANE

NAPPING IN THE PARK

While the Satakes played in the pools and built sand castles, Scotty and I strolled through the Christmas Market, looked for a good cuppa (ordering coffee here is still a mystery to me... long black, flat white?), and then we took a nap in the shade. Southbank had set up lounge chairs, giant ground pillows, lawn games and they strung paper lanterns in all the trees as a free community Christmas service (the signs read "Made with Love: A Picnic Under The Trees").

We arrived in Coolangatta on the Gold Coast that evening. The room was HUGE! Scotty and I were totally willing to crash on the floor, or on the balcony. Seeing the spacious living room and pullout- we knew we were set up.

MAYA LOVED HAVING SCOTTY AS HER DANCE PARTNER

Brian had big plans for our fun filled week. We pre-bought our passes into Sea World, Dream World (Australia's Disneyland equivalent) and White Water World (a giant water park).

We took it easy the next day and browsed an organic farmers market and a craft market on the beach in Surfer's Paradise (where I picked up a little gift for one of my nieces- everyone back home is always at the back of my mind). At the farmer's market there was a sign board set up by the exit. It addressed the over-consumption that plagues the Holiday season. One of the things that really resonated with me was the discussion of St. Francis of Assisi and how he believed that the birds should not go hungry on christmas day, so he would walk through the forests and scatter seeds. My eyes got pretty weepy reading about it. What a simple and beautiful tradition.

DREAMIEST JOB

 On monday we hit Sea World. The highlight for me was getting to interact with the stingrays. They were in this giant pool, and people could stick their hand in at the edges. The stingrays could choose whether they wanted to interact with the people or not (much of the pool was out of reach of people). The rays clustered at the edges. They swam back and forth against the walls looking for a pet. I think I went back to the ray pool about four times. Such beautiful and gentle creatures.

I NEVER KNEW I COULD LOVE STINGRAYS SO MUCH

BLUE PENGUINS (WE HAVE THEM DOWN HERE IN DUNEDIN)- WORLD'S SMALLEST PENGUIN... ABOUT THE SAME SIZE AS A SEAGULL

BOO.

SEE? DIDN'T IT TURN OUT AWESOME?

HI SHARK. I'M A HUGE FAN.

We attacked Dream World the following day. 

The first ride we went on was the tower of terror. I pulled this description off the website. Neither Scotty or I realized that the ride went backwards. We climbed into the front row, and as the countdown ended, we fully expected to fly forwards and have the wall in front of us drop away. I cannot explain how confusing and terrifying it was to be rushing backwards when you really thought you would be moving forwards.

An eerie silence lasts for just milliseconds before the car blasts backwards rocketing guests out of a 206m tunnel at rapid speed hitting up to 161 km/h in seven seconds flat. Riders soar 100m into the atmosphere dangling for several seconds of stomach-churning weightlessness at its peak before plummeting back to earth…only this time it’s face first. Hold on tight and brace for collision because the ultra narrow tunnel appears impossibly small for re-entry.

I GOT CAUGHT TAKING A PICTURE OF THE SCREEN. THE LADY GOT PRETTY CHOKED WITH ME, SO ALL I GOT WAS THIS BLURRY ONE. NEVER WEAR HEAVY EARRINGS ON FAST RIDES. I THOUGHT MY EARRINGS WERE GONNA RIP RIGHT OUT.

I thought I was screaming at the top of my lungs on the whole ride up to the top of the tower. That was until we began free falling back down. I didn't stop to take a breath. I screamed louder than I have ever screamed in my life. I snapped a picture of the ride photo. I was beat red from the lack of oxygen. When the ride stopped, I was inches away from crying. Way over-stimulated... FUNNEST RIDE OF MY LIFE.

Wednesday we had a "family fun day" at the beach. Our resort pulled out kayaks, sailboats, stand up paddle boards and sailboards. Brian was pretty impressive with his windsurfing skills. I tried to bust out a little yoga on my stand up board and nearly fell in (apparently they do yoga classes on them in White Rock in the summer- people who can do that must be rockstars).

MAYA ENJOYED FREAKING US ALL OUT BY GRINDING SAND IN HER TEETH. I AM SURE MY LAUGHING AT HER ONLY ENCOURAGED HER TO KEEP GOING.

A Christmas concert was held in the park below our suite. Scotty and I enjoyed it from the balcony. The summertime Christmas is pretty amazing.

 The waterpark at White Water World was full of slides that made me scream my guts out. The park is attached to Dream World (we had a park hopper ticket), so after a second day of rides, we hit the water park to cool off. While in line for our second slide, we met these two kids (about 10 and 12- a brother and sister) who had been riding all the slides all day. They told us what rides we just had to try before the park closed, and they actually led us around the park and joined us on the multiperson tube rides. I think my screaming made the rides that much more entertaining for them.

Their favourite was "The Wedgie"- which, true to its name, gave the most incredibly massive wedgie. It was probably the most terrifying slide i have ever been on. You climb into a near vertical chamber, the operator closes the door behind you and you are told to stand straight against the wall, cross your ankles and brace your neck.

"3 seconds to wedgie" is announced over a speaker, and then "3,2,1" the floor under you drops away and you are sent screaming down a tube slide. The water splashes so hard into your eyes that you have no other choice but to ride it with your eyes closed. You have no clue where you are gonna go next as you scream around corners and drop down into more corners. I let out an awkward "whoa" as I fell (in a strangely deep voice), and as I lifted my head above the water at the bottom- the two kids we were with there smiling at me from the bottom, "how was it?" It took me some time to gather myself. I was literally speechless... and my shorts were WAAAAAAYYY up there. Picking it out in front of an audience wasn't exactly what I wanted to do, but it didn't seem to phase them, and within seconds of Scotty crashing down, we were running off to the next ride.

One of my favourite slides was the "Water Coaster"- a three person tube is hurled down drops and then is propelled up by magnets, and then drops back down. Hilarious.

HUNGRY JACKS- AND AUSSIE CLASSIC. ANYTHING LOOK FAMILIAR ABOUT IT?

SURFER'S PARADISE ACROSS THE WATER

We hit Dreamworld a total of 3 times. Brian is just as theme park crazy as Scotty, and they accompanied each other on the one ride i refused to go on: the giant drop (a 119m free fall).

THE BUZZ SAW. I HAVE VIDEO OF THIS ONE IN ACTION. I SCREAMED, LAUGHED AND CRIED ALL AT THE SAME TIME. SCOTTY LOOKED AT ME WHILE WE WERE JUST HANGING UPSIDE DOWN AND SAID, "I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING TO YOU"

YOU CAN SEE THE WHEELS TURNING IN MY HEAD: IS THERE ANY WAY I CAN BRING YOU HOME WITH ME?

We enjoyed family dinners which were almost always followed by a magic show where Brian tried out his latest purchases (I still think he should have bought the flaming wallet), and then a dance party which centered on Maya convincing Scotty to dance with her on his knees and pretend he was Henry (her kindie crush). Having a kitchen, cooking together and sharing food made it feel like Christmas with our Kiwi family. Poor Grammie had to put up with constant teasing from Scotty and Bri. Scotty would parade around without his shirt on and try to convince her to feel his muscles or to punch him in the stomach as hard as she could. She just laughed it off, or dished it right back. Clearly we feel at home with these people.

UGH. CUTEST ANIMAL EVER.

LOOKING AT THIS MAKES ME MISS MOWGLI

A BILBY. WHAT A FUNNY LITTLE MARSUPIAL.

RED KANGAROO. SO MUSCULAR.

CUTE ZOO KEEPER TAKING THE WOMBAT OUT FOR A WALK.

WAITING TO SEE THE CROC FEEDING AND WE LOOK ACROSS THE ENCLOSURE TO SEE THIS GUY.

THERE IS THIS REALLY LOUD POPPING SOUND WHEN THE CROC SNAPS HIS JAWS SHUT. IT'S LIKE THE AIR GETS TRAPPED IN ITS MOUTH. SO FREAKY.

SPOTTED THIS IN THE PRINCESS STORE AND BEGGED SCOTTY FOR IT. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ME.

ADULTS NEED PLAY TIME TOO.

Christmas eve came way too fast. We said our goodbyes at the airport. Scotty and I tracked down our little rental car and bee-lined for the bottom tip of the Great Barrier Reef, hoping to snorkel with the fish on Christmas morning....