Fine Scottish weather at Royal Aberdeen

You're not in Houston any more

Trying to stay warm on a cold, windy day

Pins were leaning

Aberdeen is a big oil center for Scotland.  Those are tankers out in the North Sea.

Well bunkered green

Narrow fairway!

Swilcan Bridge

Speaks for itself . . . a special day with my dad

Old Course!

It took 3 days but our number finally came up on the 48 hour ballot for a time on the Old Course.  What a day!

Jess next to 18 green with Valley of Sin in the background . . . ready to take up the game?

Don't hit in this one 

Dad stands at the top of Hell Bunker (#14).

Aim for the "L" in Hotel

Tee shot on 18

Crail

Our first day of golf on the trip was beautiful but very windy- basically 4 clubs different when playing in a headwind or tailwind.

Looking out over the Balcomie Links at Crail

Edinburgh castle on a sunny day

Aussie wildlife

So far, Jess and I have made our way through Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road and the Red Centre.  Along the trip, we've managed to spot a few natives.

A few important reminders to start . . .

Cyclists and reptiles just seem to go together

We knew this one already!

Good to know.

BULLSEYE!

Great Ocean Roadies . . .

This fellow was looking for a handout on the veranda of our hotel in Lorne.

Sulphur crested cockatoo

Koala enjoys breakfast at Cape Otway

On to the Red Centre . . .

Can you spot the rock wallaby?

There he is!

Camels are a good way of getting around in the desert

Apparently, wild camels are a big problem.  This one was doing a bit of road side rummaging.

A dingo moves on out

Grey falcon (camera shy)

Ranger rick?

Jesse hones her outback tracking skills.  It's that Paton nose!

 

'Roo closeup.  This one couldn't be bothered by us tourists.

Red kangaroo

Obviously not cooperating with the photographer

We couldn't visit Australia without a barbecue.  That white meat on the skewer is the only croc we've seen (so far).  Along with the crocodile, that's emu, kangaroo and bison.

See ya next time!

Footy at the Melbourne Cricket Grounds

We traversed the Big Ditch (aka the Tasman Sea) to Australia last Friday.  We're headed to Alice Springs in a few hours after a couple of nights in Melbourne and traveling along the Great Ocean Road- more to come on those.

On Saturday night, we landed tickets to the Australian rules football game at the Melbourne Cricket Grounds to see the Geelong Cats take on the Collingwood Magpies.  AFL is more like soccer than "gridiron" (as they call American football) or rugby.  The players kick the ball through the uprights to score.

This was a rematch of last year's championship game but Geelong didn't put up much of a fight (final score 110-79).  We still had a great time!

Go cats!

A Good Fellow

I've got one happy doc on my hands!!  Congrats to Pauly for completing his fellowship! 

Flight of the Conchords

Caught the Conchords in the motherland last night.  No Murray unfortunately but they still brought the house down.

It's business time!!

Not a great picture but you get the idea

Chu chu chu chu chuchaaangeszzzz

Heaps of emotions mixing through the mind as Paul and I begin to wind it all down here! One thing I will really miss are the amazing Sky Tower sunsets.  Tonight's was another stunner.  Much love to all!  

The clouds seems to be on fast forward here this time of year.

Fully engulfed.

And we're done but as you can see another wave is setting up.

One year in the books - Part Deux

Here are pictures from our days at Ninamu (resort) on Tikehau which is a coral atoll 340 kilometers northwest of Tahiti. The resort was on a small private island on the western side of the atoll.

Each bungalow was so unique - like living in a treehouse!

Setting crab traps (j/k)

Common space consisted of living room, bar, dinner tables etc - constructed from materials found on the island or in the sea.

Our first sunset at Ninamu was outstanding.

The beach was so pink from all the coral being ground and washed ashore.

Happy days

Working on his tan

Hermit crabs by the millions.  You could sit on the sand and see dozens crawling all over the joint.

We spent each morning on the boat for snorkeling, swimming, fishing or just riding.

Just couldn't get over all the colors represented in the water alone.

Looking for sharks - yep we saw and swam with the beasts.

Kayaking from resort over to next island in the atoll.

Fondu dinner with new friends at Ninamu.

Huge coconut crabs on the deck after dinner.  What a spectacle!

Took a ride over to the Garden of Eden island on the other side of the atoll.  A religious family from Taiwan has been living here for almost 20 years.  They live entirely off the land and only grow organics.  

Seems fairly reasonable!

They make their own sea salt.

Big Momma

On our last morning we tried the paddle boards.  Not as easy as they seem!

Stayin' lowwwww

Very last sunset back on Tahiti overlooking the airport.  That is Moorea in the distance. 

Cheers!