On Tour with Triple Sec

For those not familiar with the interior dimensions of an 1985 Toyota Hiace, I can reassure you there ain't a lot of room to swing a cat. That said off we head to the Brisbane airport to pick up Taylah and reduce everybody's personal space ratio (PSR). Drinks have been a big factor in this adventure so far and catching up with The Seccos, Chopper, Toy & Heather can only mean more of the same.

Our king size bed
(Look Mum!  My rooms tidy!!)

Built in cupoards & walk in wardrobe

Carpeted throughout

Our spacious kitchen

Freshly painted and open plan living

Home office

Plenty of storage

Friday was seeing some of the sights over at Southbank and had a squiz through the museum - Burke & Wills were mugs!  Gray, now he should be in the history books cos he was the only one who survived!!  Caught a ferry along the murky Bris River and bailed at Bulimba and a quick walk around Oxford St darling!!

Wake up and back to the Sunny Coast to reunite with the all Bell's (Arch & Cath) and whistles (Jimmy & Dana) and down to the Maroochy River and pick up our pontoon boat and cruise about in search of fish!  The Ladies were most impressed that the boat had a toilet, the blokes more excited about the Bbq and esky!

Sunday morning and off to Point Artwright and get amongst some waves.  Cracking day, with great surf and beautiful weather, it was very hard to get Taylah and I out of the ocean.  The arrival of a non-swimming kiwi (Chopper) and a great idea to have some lunch.  Over to Noosaville and lunch at The Boathouse - a bit of an institution it is a floating restaurant/bar with a smashing view of the yacht racing on the Noosa River. The problem with being jobless is when you are walking the streets of Noosa, window shopping becomes a massive tease, because not only can you not afford to buy anything, you've got no room to put anything!!  Sorry Jamie!

Pt Arkwright looking to Mooloolaba

Beach Belles!

The weather gods were pretty kind to us for the first half of the week so Jamie, Taylah & I, the newly christened "Triple Sec", were able to get ourselves a couple of boogie boards, and some good quality surf time.  We made our way around the very trendy Mooloolaba, where during the school hols, its a mighty fine place to avoid.  The surf club is sensational with its deck stretching down to the sand and amazing views.  We have noticed that all the surf life saving clubs are in the PRIME spots of any town and their food and beer prices are great.

Archie & Cath's mate Stokesy just happens to be a Surf Instructor, so we were able to tee up some lessons and under the expert guidance and encouragement we were up and into it!!  Taylah in true form, stood up on her very first wave, rode it all the way into the beach and came back out for another go - and didn't even get her hair wet!!!! Much to Jamie & my disgust, as we did our best to drink as much salt water as a human can!  Taylah did however prove to be fallible, falling off repeatedly and drinking her fair share of the oceans finest.  Stokesy's brilliance shone through and by days end we had all stood up and all agreed it was one of the most fun day's we have had. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR ALL!!

Two hours of surfing leads to a couple of things.  Solid sleep, and the next day being sore in places you didn't even know about, which meant that we were happy to jump in the ocean with boogie boards and splash about.  The waves at Marcoola were sensational and after Jamie telling me several months earlier she wasn't too keen on the ocean and the creatures which inhabit it, it was a surprise that I was the first out of the water and Jamie and Taylah (not surprising) did not want to get out, even as the rain clouds came rolling in. Unfortunately the clouds signaled the start of some ordinary weather, so our plans to practice our surfing and join the Roxy Pro circuit were dashed - for a little while anyway.

The Eumundi markets are renowned for being a "must see", so we did what every other tourist on the Un-Sunny Coast did that day - and jostled our way around these massive markets.  Lots of clothes, jewelry, dream catchers, anklets and friendship bands for sale as well as heaps of massages, tie dyed clothes and all things "alternative".  The markets have pretty much everything you could want (except bric-a-brac) from your market experience, with heaps of leather craft, wood working, fresh fruit and veg, live music and amazing food stalls.  We love you Paella Fella!!  Oh yeah and we also love the guys making the Spanish doughnuts with the chocolate sauce!

The weather continued to be crap, so we headed back to Brissy after going through Caloundra and checking out if there was any possibilty of swimming - but NO.  The lovely Sophie & Woosa requested our presence at their gorgeous home, on the good side of the tracks in Morningside, for a BYO BBQ.  BYO in the way of "Hey can you guys grab some steaks, salad, nibblies and drinks before you head over!  Hey Woosa was providing the ambience and the company and of course Toy was the Entertainment.  Jamie apparently kicked Taylah & Sophie's butt on the Wii (I am only getting Jamie's version) in dancing and from all the cackling, one had to assume it was fun!  I was giving the Woosa & Toy a darts lesson!! (I am only getting my version).  Hey but I did hit a very nice ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY.... ah gamin 140 but.

Brisbane was not missing out on the rain and while the Secco's went to try their luck on the ponies, we thought our money was safer over at Southbank.  Jamie very coyly kept our dinner date a secret until that night when we all headed back over to Southbank to catch up with Heather and her "mystery man"..........PEGO!!!  Much red wine consumed with plenty of laughs and old stories and Pego giving Taylah a hard time about everything!!  Sunday morning and the rain was pelting and Taylah was maybe a little relieved to be getting out of a very wet South east corner and go back to school.. maybe!!  But it was a great 10 days and we are looking forward to the Christmas holidays.