Well for the Chinese New Year holiday, the Woodland clan were jet-set to the land downunder for the first time(most likely the first of many times if we can help it)
COUSIN YARIS
We got outta the airport quick-stix and met up with our new best friend, Cousin Yaris.
Cousin Yaris only had 10kms when we first met, but by the end of the trip, we were able to rack up 2197kms in 10 days. Thank God for unlimited kilometers.
Here is Cousin Yaris on the Great Ocean Road.
Here is Cousin Yaris having a well deserved sleep in the 12 Apostles parking lot (that's a car park in Aussie language)
This is Cousin Yaris at Dave and Nina's beautiful home on Phillip Island
DAVE AND NINA!
Aside from the tour guiding, piano lessons, BBQ dinners, surf lessons, jam sessions, backgammon schoolings, Milo "the Aussie way" introduction and driving-on-the-left tips, we couldn't wait to see our friends from our days in Japan.
Here Dave is pointing out the way to win at Backgammon. It has somthing to do with trapping my piece in the middle until all his pieces are off the board.
In this shot Dave is still wondering how he lost a BEST OF FIVE competition for the first time in his Backgammon career.
Our jam sessions were generally held in Dave's recording studio
It was great to be in a room and have access to all Dave's instruments and recording equipment. It makes you wonder how long it will take before the Woodland house has a similar creative space.
Now Dave looks cool playing guitar, but check out this shot of him surfing Flynns beach. There was no photoshop manipulation done here. The sunset actually looked like the shot.
MARLEY AND OTHER ANIMALS
They graciously allowed us into their home and introduced us to their newest family member Marley.
Now Marley may have been the first animal friend we met, but she would not be the last. The first evening we were at Dave and Nina's, we took Marley for a walk along the beach and low and behold there was a seal sitting by the water's edge.
We saw sheep everywhere! This shot was taken along the Great Ocean Road.
On our drive home from Wilson's Prom, we got a chance to see Wombats, which really are Australia's little known gem of an animal. They are so cute, solid and cooly go along eating grass.
A trip downunder wouldn't be complete without a kangaroo sighting either.
Birds
The Three Stooges eating.
We also saw this echidna running down the road.
WILSONS PROMONTORY NATIONAL PARK
This national park is filled with beautiful beaches, wildlife and stunning sunsets. It is known to the locals as THE PROM.
Dave brought us to this beach as it is a surf beach with training wheels.
These crazy looking trees were all over the park and reminded me of something out of a Tim Burton movie or Edvard Munch painting
Although this is not a picture of us or Dave and Nina, I loved the light and the composition.
About 20 minutes after the shot above was take, this dramatic shot was taken. It was amazing how quickly and drastically the scene changed.
THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD
So after a few days reacquainting ourselves with Dave and Nina we started our road trip.
We stopped often to take photos of us being goofy.
I also fooled around with my flash to take these self portraits.
Here is Bells Beach. The first time we heard of Bells Beach was in the movie Point Break and thanks to Dave, I now know what point breaks, reef breaks and beach breaks are.
The sunset was fantastic so we stopped to take shots of this pasture.
This silly shot was taken about 30 minutes later.
We made it to the 12 Apostles after spending the night in Cousin Yaris. It was much more comfortable than you might think. The experience of being awoken by CONSPIRACY THEORIST WAYNE and being trapped listening to his banter for an HOUR was much less comfortable, in fact it was vexatious.
I love the mist and the ominous looking clouds in this shot facing away from the 12 Apostles.
Wayne talked to us for so long, we missed the sunrise shots we were hoping for.
Here is the classic 12 Apostles tourist shot.
We are chilling at Lock Ard Gorge in the shot below. When we were leaving we found out a tour group of senior citizens thought we were doing a photo shoot so we told them we were a famous Canadian model/photographer duo.
WINDING DOWN
We still had a few days to truck around and see some of our other friends after were returned from the Great Ocean Road.
Daisy wasn't sure what to think of us when we first saw her but she soon warmed up to us, even if she didn't totally remember who we were.
If memory serves, I think Sarah couldn't believe the smell wafting out of Morris' diaper.
On our last day in Aus, Dave and Nina took us to their old stomping grounds in Melbourne for some awesome pizza and pasta on a sidewalk patio. It was Great!
Australia is a place to love. Everyone we met was chilled out and super friendly (even conspiracy theorist Wayne).
So here is where we give our kisses to Australia and all our friends there until the next time and I'm sure there will be a next time. Many next times if we have it our way.
