THE BEST OF NOOSA BEFORE HEADING FOR NEW ADVENTURES The end of our stay in our Australian Paradise is approaching fast (April 1st). Therefore we are busy re-doing all the things we love the most about this place. One thing on the must-do-again-list was lunch and cocktail happy hour today at our favorite beach cafe with our good friends Naomi and Mickey. Other plans in our busy schedule are family barbecue at Gympie Terrace, a walk around the expensive river...

EVERYBODY LOVES STEVE Very shortly after our arrival in Australia, we were introduced to an icon in the Australian culture that seems to be a major source of pride to the Australians: the legendary Steve Irwin. Not many days after starting school, the boys were already talking about Steve as though they knew him in person. They knew all about Steve and his dangerous encounters with even more dangerous animals. So who is Steve Irwin? Steve Irwin is the real ...

AUTUMN JUST THE WAY I LIKE IT March 1st, the sun was shining brightly, degrees just around 27 and a light breeze. Therefore, I was a little surprised when the yoga instructor pointed out that it was the first day of autumn. But when I take a closer look, there are a few signs of autumn: - Night temperatures are down to 20 degrees, very comfortable for sleeping - Day temperatures stay below 30 and yet above 25 - The UV index has decreased from "extreme" to...

EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS I actually like the extreme weather conditions of Queensland; one day (thankfully most days) the sun shines brightly, the next rain will be pouring down from the sky in unbelievable amounts. In the last 2 weeks, we have seen quite a bit of rain, and combined with the high tides, the water is coming up to a level that we have not seen before. On Monday, we walked home from school through the park in water to our ankles, and some bo...

THINGS I LOVE ABOUT AUSTRALIA - AND THINGS WE MISS ABOUT HOME Coming to Australia on parental leave was a big decision for us. We had to invest all our savings (also future ones) and put Thomas and Daniel through a major culture shock away from their friends. Especially I was hesitant to take the big step, but I will always thank Bryan for pushing this decision as this is turning out much more valuable than the new car I was dreaming of .... Some of the thi...