Melbourne to Ballarat - 120 Km

Ballarat

MONDAY 5 JANUARY 2009

We are heading off into the outback for 4 weeks in a Toyota Landcruiser Campervan.  After picking up the Campervan, we drove back to Tony’s house to pack everything. It was a lovely day and a comfortable 30 degrees. We left about 1.30 p.m. and arrived in Ballarat about 3.30 p.m. Ballarat was founded during the gold rush of 1851 and has lovely boulevards and bluestone buildings.

Jess's last night in Melbourne

Jess's last night

New Year's Eve, Melbourne

New Year's Eve

Christmas in Melbourne

Christmas morning on the beach

15 DECEMBER 2008 - 4 JANUARY 2009

Our daughter has been travelling since last summer and is now spending three months in Sydney so she came to join us for Christmas and New Year in Mentone.

It was lovely spending time together as a family in Australia.

Brother and sister surfing at Bell's

Thailand

Wat Arun, Bangkok

MONDAY 8 - SATURDAY 13 DECEMBER 2008

On the way to Australia to visit our son and his wife, we stopped in Thailand for a week staying in Pattaya for three nights in order to go diving with the excellent diving centre, Mermaid Dive School.

We then spent three nights in Bangkok, visiting some of the beautiful temples there, travelling by water taxi and sky train. The Grand Palace was amazing, with several temples and the Emerald Buddha. We also visited the immense Gold Reclining Buddha, which is 46 metres long and 15 metres high. The Calypso Caberet with the Ladyboys was interesting! On the last night we had dinner at the impressive Breeze restaurant on the 52nd floor of the State Tower. The entrance to the restaurant is over a lit glass walkway with stunning views of Bangkok.

Wat Phra Kaew Temple - Temple of the Emerald Buddha

Selling brushes

The Dor-Shada Resort, Pattaya

Visit from Junko

Junko on Susannah

WEDNESDAY 19 - FRIDAY 21 NOVEMBER 2008

We met Junko, who is Japanese, in Seville last year in our Spanish classes and we became good friends. She has returned to Spain to continue improving her Spanish and came to stay with us for a couple of nights on her way to Malaga. It was quite a test for our Spanish as she doesn't speak much English, but we managed.

Visit from Diane and Graham

Parque de la Mata

SATURDAY 25 - THURSDAY 30 OCTOBER 2008

Our friends, Diane and Graham, came out to stay with us for a week. Unfortunately, the weather was not at its best with very strong winds and some rain - even a tornado! We had hoped to go down to the Mar Menor for a couple of days, but only managed a sail one morning. However, as Diane and Graham had hired a car, it gave us the opportunity to explore some of the hinter land.