Well Jesus, I am sitting here trying to work out what photos we have posted and what ones we haven’t! Lucky im at work getting paid for it! The only problem is I can’t upload when at work L so net café tonight to upload I guess. We have uploaded some ones but I forgot (slap wrists) to rotate so ill go and do that as well tonight. Right ok so I’m going to start with the build up to Cobb1 and Barne coming over…Lets just say for the record we were a tad excited, I know they are Sehs parents but cus I have known them for like well ever (well about 18yrs or something!) I was just as excited! Pandy on the other hand maybe had other feelings…fear, apprehension and cobb1 syndrome (Cobb1 one has a rep in OZ, no thanks to the bubba and I!) So we decided that if they were coming to Sydney in the morn we would get a good nights sleep…don’t you hate it when things never go to plan..the night before was a Wednesday and on Wednesdays we always, let me state again ALWAYS go the side bar! As possibly the best acoustic band I have ever had the pleasure of hearing play, and we love them. Sooooo we went out and got very blotted! Got in at about 4am…had to get up at 6am to get the airport. Im sure it would have been better not sleeping! Anyway the airport has to be one of my funniest memories whilst travelling. Pandy was lets say “bricking” it. The kid was shaking! Seriously! Now you may think he was going a bit overboard…but he really wasn’t, all the way to the airport and waiting we were telling him how Cobb1 is a respectable gentleman and you must courtesy when you greet him, that you should never look him in the eye and never let him catch u smiling at Sarah…he swallowed the whole lot hook, line and sinker! Poor b*****. Obviously after meeting the cobb1 he realised we were lying and things started well. Cobb1 and Barney were tired after the long journey..you cant blame them! This really is where the fun begins…read on next post…. Sydney – We went to dinner @ Cockle Bay, Played the $10 rebuy @ pokerdome (Cobb1 came 9th out of about 100 peeps, I came 11th – yes I will never live it down) Cairns - Obviously Seh and I have been here before and loved the party town!! The weather has gone to rainy season now though, so not very sunny, however very weird seeing the old drinking holes and eve weirder pointing out to Barne and Cobb1 where their very wonderful daughter was pole dancing. (its only 2 moves, but boy she does them well!) We stayed at the Shangri la, Cobb was not impressed by the service, and I quote “this is mickey mouse, very falwty towers” they had three staff working! The sun did shine for us though and we sunbathed all day following. We then shot up to Port Douglas… Port Douglas – I contacted an old acquaintance and we managed to get some good rates at the Sheraton Mirage, this place was very very nice, set upon masses of water, like a lake house, but a stones throw away from the beach! (but of course no sea action due to the jellyfish!! Or as Steve would say “THE KILLERS” we had a very nice meal in the quinte little town and came to the conclusion England needs more bars with live music and outdoor eating (if we could only change the weather!) I think we all loved this place and the following day we went to the country club and played a few rounds of tennis in 90degree heat…yes we are crazy…and yes I have never sweat so much!! But for the record..Cobb1 got beat! We all loved port and I think its one of the places I could come and settle when I’m older. The following day we went to the outer reef for the day, snorkelling and going in a semi submergible boat, was a very good day and Barney even got in with some very big fish, she done extremely well! We were all very proud. Also, Pandy, She and I went a little further out snorkelling and we had a lifetime experience with a green turtle, we just swam along with it stroking it as it came up for air, was absolutely beautiful and I will never be able to even remotely describe that feeling! Was “something else” as Seh would say. After a few great days in Port we were off back down to cairns to catch a flight to… Hayman – Via Hamilton Pls look at the photos of this place, they will have their own folder as I’m sure they deserve it. We flew from cairns to Hamilton then got what can only be described as a yacht worthy of Roman Abromovichs spare change!! The thing was HUGE! We felt like royalty and the transfer to the island took about one hour…we lapped up the free OJ and coffee! As you pull inot this island you realise why its listed as one the most luxurious in the world…its completely secluded. Getting off the boat you realise your in paradise. The palce was lovely, after unpacking etc we went down to the hotels private beach (
it’s the only island owned by a hotel in the whole whitsundays collection (74 islands I believe) we raced on hobbycats (I loved this!! And ofc was the fastest boatman!) we went around the corner to the 3rd best diving spot in the reef and saw some lovely coral and wicked fish! I even saw 2 rather large stingrays! Was amazing! The place is so lovely and the restaurants and facilities are really top drawer! (well apart form the French place!! Don’t ask!) have some memories from here which Im sure are impossible to ever forget. So after 3 days on this paradise we went over to Hamilton for two nights, we stayed on the 17th floor in some form of penthouse. The view was pretty amazing as you can imagine (and also see from the photos!) WE hired a golf buggy and toured the island, some great Japanese tourist shots, then she hurt the “TOE” again…shock horror, then we witnessed her very weird coloured blood, it’s the strongest red I have ever seen! Im sure she has some very rare blood type! Like royalty or something (she paid for that comment) Ok so that’s the islands… Noosa – Stayed in “BUG CITY” cockroaches haunted our dreams for the next two nights, this hotel was more like a woodland resort, very similar to centre parks. We kept finding bugs in the lodge though (good work pandy getting them out) we played tennis all night one night and then we watched a DVD and ate pizza. The beach here was nice however the surf was very very choppy or as they say over here “messy”. We had been dying to get in the sea though as we had been kept out everywhere because of the marine stingers “killers” in cobb1’s world. So we desperately got in..and would you believe Barne got stung on the leg. The mark was looked pretty painful, but not once did she complain and got some ice form the lifeguard and was happy again after a few mins. Bless her. Next we went to… Surfers Paradise - Ok now as you avid readers probably have realised we have already been here before, but somehow enjoyed it a hell of a lot more this time, infact its moved into my top 5 destinations of the trip so far! It may be due to the hotel in which we stayed – Sheraton Mirage – Gold coast resort (if you were listening earlier you would have realised it’s the sister hotel of the one in port!) this hotel was plush, the rooms lovely and the beach a stone throw away! And you could get in it!! AWESOME! The waves were class, funny considering the place is called surfers paradise. I mean some big ones as well 1.5/2m waves. We body boarded and its rocked! Cobb1 was a bit fearful of the head, after the tragic accident 3 years prior. Its was a sunny Australian February and Cobb1 misjudged the drag of the wave and ended up hitting his on the sand, which then resulted in him sitting under a brolley for the rest of the day. But today was different, today he was with the Kelly Slater of the body boarding world! It was some great fun out there and the beach absolutely secluded. We chilled out for a few days, on the second night Seh, Pand and I went into town and met with Pinners and Sophie again. We met their Irish friends then danced the night away in the club, was a good night and I was hammered…Two days later when I had recovered we went down to Wet n Wild…another class day with the Cobbings. I had the chore of pairing up with big daddy for some rides, and I wont lie we hit the weight limit on a few of the rides, which in English means we MOTORED! Im pretty sure I wont forget the ride “Tornado” for the rest of my life, we nearly hit the roof! It was a gr8 ride and we rode it a few times. Was a great day when the park was closing we met some Japanese tourists and they wanted me in there photo :P That really was a class day. All over to soon really! Back in Sydney and im at the Side bar! The epic joint and ofc Barney and Cobb have come along, Barne looking spectacular as per usual and Steve donning one of those new Boss shirts J they drank and we laughed. Then we proceeded to get hammered. All in all it was amazing, 10/10 for sure, it was great seeing them again. I mean it made Sarah beam from ear to ear and of course I have known them forever it was like seeing my parents too. I don’t think I can ever thank them enough for their generosity and kindness. They really want to join in and have a laugh; they are by far the coolest parents I know. So this paragraph is dedicated to them and the love they brought us in Oz. I wouldn’t have changed it for the world and I remember thinking on Hayman island…if I was to pass away right now, I would die a happy man. So I just want to say from the bottom of my heart and from Sarahs and Pandys too. Thank you guys. You really are special, and Barne you truly are my best friend as I mentioned at the Side Bar. Sorry bubba.