"Farewell Ode to Australia"
We love the Australians who are relentlessly cheerful. Rain is seen as a blessing and they can be so stoical often in the face of great adversity. They are more laid back than us, nothing seems too much trouble and their favourite saying is "no worries".
Australians have a habit of shortening many words and often adding "ie" at the end. It has taken us a while to get used to it but as we pack our bags to leave I think we have got the gist of how it goes.
It seems such a long time ago that we touched down in Brissie and then flew on to Port Dougie. It was very hotsie up there so we soon put on our cossies for a swimmie not forgetting to slip slap sloppie. Out on the Great Reefie we spied whales through our binnies and made friends with a couple of oldies from Tassie. We loved snorkelling amongst the fishies, thankfully no stingers or great whities today.
Further South in Sidney it was too chilly to get the shark biscuits out and go surfing off Bondi. We had a bonzer time though meeting our mates rellies handing over pressies and sharing a few stubbies, tinnies or coldies.
Flying on to Melbie we are really getting into out Aussie hollies now. We enjoyed going to the Theatre to Aggie Christies Mouse Trappie.
Hiring a car (shame it was not a ute) we head off down the highway for Addie via Lornie and Port Fairy. We do a uey to go back to see a koala and nearly do a wheelie missing an echidna. It's getting very chilly now so we have to buy a couple of beanies and put on all our sweaties. In the hotel we ask for hotties.
Up in Halls Gap the sun comes out and we go for a trekkie in the bush saying hello to Roos with joeys and to some emus.
From Addie we head into the outback setting down in Ali Springs. Streuth it's hot but lucky for us no flies this early in the season so we don't have to wear hats with dangling corkies. The museum of pioneering Shelias was pretty awesome and the grub was very exie. No witchitie grubs for us thanks.
On to Uluru it was all extremely specky. We were out before dawn and later eating under the stars but never saw a snake or heard a dingo, got lots of lovely pickies though.
Packing up our swag bags we fly into W.A. to start our housie swap. A visit to the barbies and Heather has all her hair cut off. David says he likes it which us really very lucky.
Had a lovely day in Freo before driving south to Cowtown in the Margie River. A Mecca for foodies and for winnies we are in seventh heaven and enjoy an Aussie barbie at the neighbours.
Out on the road again our next stop is Pembie to learn all about the karris the marris the jarras and the tingles.
At Albi we stay 2 nights instead of one and use up all our undies! We go back in time at the old whaling station but see no bluies or humpies.
Back at Cowtown we chill out with the Roos and go out on our bikies. We almost go swimming at Bunker bay but have the munchies so go for brunch instead. We are turning into a couple if lardies! We watch the grand final of the footie at The Settlers with all the other Aussies.
Returning to Perth it's getting very hottie and we are always wearing our hats and our sunnies. A grand day out at the Royal Perth Show has us playing with the kelpies and the cavies and watching the lumber jacks do their chopping.
We head off up the Northern Highway doing battle with the truckies. Bro' Chrissie at the monastery tells us all about the Aussies and the Abos. Here we practice our Aussie waves to bat off all the flies but are not troubled by the mossies.
We have a lovely day sailing up The Swannie and another with the flowers and a picnic in the parkie.
Now it's our last day and we are packing up our swaggies. Heather's done too much Aussie shopping and it won't all go in. A couple of happy poms we are heading back to Blightie to see all our lovely mates and rellies and our little dog called Scampi.
Singers first though for some more of that lovely shopping!
(Translations on request)