We're all going on a Winter holiday!!!!

One of the main reasons that mum and dad chose to come to Australia at the time of year that they did was so that we could all celebrate their Ruby wedding anniversary together.  So, to make it special we decided that a family holiday was in order - a long weekend at the Sunshine Coast, Queensland.  So it was with much excitement that we all met up at the airport to head for Noosa.

On the plane Darren and I were lucky enough to have a spare seat next to us......that was of course until I went to the toilet and came back to find a visitor - bringing his biscuit with him!

We were going to be staying at Noosa Shores which is in a World Heritage Listed National Park.  It's billed as a 'Wilderness Retreat' and as this would suggest it was a fair way from the nearest town, and a car ferry trip to get out of the Park.  We had therefore hired a car so that we would be able to get around and see a bit of Noosa.  It was genius as we set off in the 8 seater and Mark played the theme tune to 'The A-Team' at full volume!

After a quick detour to the supermarket to pick up supplies, it was time to see where we were staying............

The holiday home is described as being a 'nature-based' holiday - meet the spider outside the front door that luckily didn't move the whole time we were there.....

Once we'd explored the house it was time to make the most of the late afternoon of our first day.  Mum and dad walked to the beautiful beach that was close by, while the rest of us headed to the pool....with heated spa pool!

The pool had a few other visitors too....

After the pool/beach it was time to head back for dinner.  The holiday homes have a screened decking area with a bbq, which sounds great in principal - but I think the chefs might have a word to say about the smoke!

And dinner was served!!!

Mother's Day on the other side of the world!

Australian Mother's Day is a different date to Mother's Day in the UK, so it meant that I got to see my mum for the upside down one!  She'd already got a card and prezzie for the UK one, but it was still nice to give her a card and a tiny present this side of the world too!  Mum and dad were staying with Mark and Emma at this point, and Mark and Emma had gone away for a night, so I went round there for the day to play with Mabel and Kieran, and mum and dad!

Hoola hoop - grandad Jim style!

The number of games you can play with a hoola hoop is endless!

The girls!

The boys!

Mabel takes a great photo!

And Kieran does too!

Lucky you're with AAMI

While mum and dad were staying we took them to the opening night of a new sports stadium, AAMI Park, on May 7th 2010. 

Melbourne, despite its long history with sport, has lacked a stadium purpose built for football codes which use a rectangular playing field.  AAMI Park is Melbourne's first large purpose built rectangular stadium, the others - the MCG and Etihad Stadium are of oval configuration and best suited to Australian rules football or cricket. 

The new stadium features a distinctive "Bioframe" design, with a geodesic dome roof covering much of the seating area, whilst still allowing light through to the pitch.

The exterior of the stadium is covered in thousands of LED lights, which can be programmed to display a variety of patterns and images, setting it on par with the Beijing National Aquatics Center and Allianz Arena.  This picture from the outside doesn't do it justice!

The interior of the stadium is awesome and we were very excited to be there on opening night!

Prior to the game, an opening ceremony was staged which featured a laser show, some of Melbourne’s finest sporting events beamed onto the ground, and Ex-Bulldogs star Hazem El Masri had the honour of kicking the first goal at the new venue.

Before the game, the New Zealand All Blacks treated us to the famous Haka:

Australia won 12-8 in this one-off Anzac Test.  And then it was back home on the train again!

Great night had by all - apart from those that got wet!  Before the game had even begun, the roof started leaking!  It rained really heavily that night, and water was pouring in through sections of the stadium!  Security were handing out ponchos!  Luckily we were in the dry!

Operators confirmed the roof was not completed before the official opening and sections of guttering and drainage were still being constructed.  Russell Caplan, chair of Melbourne and Olympic Parks Trust, said the operators were "caught out" by the bad weather.  Excess water proved an ironic subject for Melbourne Olympic Parks Trust the next morning after a small office fire forced staff to relocate.

Flaming tradies!!!!

Just like home (almost!).....

Oh what a treat!!!  Darren and I came home from a hard day at the office to the smell of a roast dinner cooking!  The number of Sundays that I've wished that I was going to one of our parents' for a Sunday lunch!  Hmmmmm.....

Mum was so pleased that she had been able to get a joint of Silverside beef because it was a cut that she recognised from home - but after being in the oven for over the required cooking time the meat still looked red raw.  Turned out it was actually 'corned silverside beef', which apparently should be boiled, and although it was cooked (and tasted lovely - a bit like gammon according to mum and dad), I just didn't fancy red beef, considering I like mine well done (preferably burnt!).

But all was not lost, Darren and I ran (literally) up to the local supermarket to get a 'hot cooked chicken', and were back in time to have it with all the lovely roast potatoes and veggies, including sprouts, that were already done!

Another night she did pork, complete with apple sauce - roast potatoes twice in as many weeks - we felt spoilt!!!

Most evenings were spent relaxing in front of the telly and chit chatting about nothing in particular - the stuff you miss when you can't do it any day of the week.  And dad seemed chuffed when I came home from work each day with an 'MX' - the freebie newspaper from the train station - not dissimilar to the 'Metro' at home.

Despite being in Oz, mum felt the cold - no she didn't want this picture taken in my head hugger!

We've since worked out how to use the heating!!!

Sunday afternoon with mum and dad

We did lots of nice things while mum and dad stayed with us, but one beautiful sunny Sunday we decided to walk along the beach from Brighton to Hampton.  It's a lovely walk and a chance to take some photos along the way!

When we got to Hampton we met up with my brother and family for a coffee at the Brown Cow, and then another walk down to the beach with them before sunset.

Like I said, it's a lovely walk, but Darren and I decided to get the train back while mum and dad walked back along the beach, stopping for a glass of wine on the roof of Brighton Baths!  They got back just in time to catch up with Darren's mum and dad on Skype!  I love this picture of Darren chatting to his mum and dad in the UK with my mum and dad on the other side of the world!!!  Jackie and John - here's a piccie of you in Oz without even leaving your front room!!!