Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone. We hope your holidays were happy.

The outback update will be coming soon. Since October we've driven 12,000 kms. all at about 85km / hr. so we've got some stories to tell.

Here is our Christmas photo with cousin Jim in Canberra.

weeks 2, 3 and 4

Hello all!
It's time for an update.

Last time I promised you a story about one of the great people here, and Cindy has alluded to it already if you've read the comments section. On the way out of a remote non-cellphone reception campground one morning I got a message from Khalie Thompson. She said she'd found Kevin's wallet and phone at the take-away place we were at yesterday. The great thing was we hadn't realized they were missing and so had a restful night. We backtracked and met her at a garage, she being woken up by our early call, sorry Khalie! She had 3 of her lovely kids with her. We were so grateful and relieved. She was so sweet to be concerned about people she didn't even know. She took it upon herself to take our things with her and then call the numbers she found: me, Cindy, and even Barry who sold us the motorhome! Her husband travels to Canada at times performing with a BeeGee's revival tour, neat! Did I get that right? We couldn't thank her enough. And thank-you again Khalie if you're reading this. We count ourselves very lucky that there are great people like you here to save us from our own forgetfullness.



We are now past Cairns, in the tropical north. Here we have to worry about crocodiles and stingers (deadly jelly fish). You can only swim in the netted ocean areas and maybe you don't even want to swim there. Besides these things it's a paradise. It's been very hot and the rainy season is just barely starting.

Yesterday we snorkeled on the Great Barrier Reef! A large fast boat took an hour and a half to get out to the reef. We had lots of time to snorkel at 2 different parts of the reef. It's amazing to be in the middle of the ocean and yet be in shallow coral water, some so shallow the waves break on them. A soccer-ball size of coral takes 50 years to form, there were corals the size of cars in all shapes and sizes. Parrot fish pooping out sand, black spiky sea cucumbers, scary teethy baracuda-type fish that eyed the swimmers, and tonnes of colorful fish. It was wonderful to watch Kyra and Mercedes snorkeling with ease and diving down to get a closer look at things. They also met 2 sisters on the boat their ages. They loved hanging out all afternoon, they're missing kids.

Going back a few weeks:

We've been going out at night in the camping areas with our flashlights and finding great bugs and frogs. One night we found a green tree frog who was not camera shy. He tolerated us and then enjoyed a fat grasshopper meal provided by Mercedes. We got it all on film. We've found tonnes of cane toads. Cane toads were brought here from South America to eat the cane beatles off the sugar cane. Cane beatles live high on the canes and cane toads cannot climb. oops. Also, nothing here can eat them because they're poisonous so they've multiplied out of control and have been a great detriment to native wildlife. Many we find as flat pancakes on the roads. If you've ever read 'Toad Rage' you'll know what I mean by 'flat rellies'.

During on night excursion I had just turned away from a little green tree frog and suddenly felt a cool, rubbery thing clamp onto my knee. I'm not a sqeamish person but in this country you can get a little jumpy. I screamed (loudly i'm told) and the poor little frog leapt to the safety of the grass. We know it's ok to touch them now! Kyra picked up a little one that leapt to her shoulder, then onto a wall where it climbed up with it's sticky feet.

Northern Queensland is full of sugar cane fields, they seem to go on forever. We took a tour of a mini sugar cane mill to learn how it goes from stalk to that stuff you put in your tea. The girls found most of the tour a little boring but loved the end when they got complimentary fairy floss, or cotton candy.

THere are many banana tree farms here as well. At a roadside stand we found a giant banana, 2 grown together we thought. When we opened it there were 3 bananas inside!

Crabs, there are many! At a beach in a town called 1770 (for the year Captain Cook sailed into their harbour) at low tide, the beach looked like it was moving. There were herds of soldier and mud (or mangrove) crabs moving altogether across the beach. If you got close they would instantly all disappear into the sand. We spent hours playing with these guys. Kyra made a hermit crab pool and saw 2 of them change shells. The look spidery naked.

We came across our first beware of crocodiles sign in a place called Carmilla beach. Not knowing how to beware we ate lunch in the motorhome, playing quickly and alertly on the playground, glanced at the beach and left. It's strage being in a place where you could be part of the food chain.

One night the flying fox bats were flying over the full moon. Then the clouds drifted over the moon. The perfect beginning to a vampire movie.

The people here often swim in swimming holes, pools in rivers that are clear and cold, and so refreshing. We've found 2 so far, both beautiful and in the jungle, one at the bottom of a huge waterfall. The locals say crocs don't go there because it's too cold, to narrow. I keep an eye out anyway.

We snorkeled off a beachour first time. The irikanji jelly fish are supposed to be around now so we bought stinger suits: black body suits complete with socks, mittens, and hood. We look like a family of ninjas heading for the sea. In a place called Bowen we found a beautiful reef just offshore that locals told us about. Very popular spot, you could walk out to it at low tide.

Kyra has had her ears re-pierced and they look great this time. Different earrings. Mercedes has lost another tooth. They are both happy to keep travelling and love the fields of kangaroos we drive past in the evenings. They miss kids their own ages though and make friends whenever they can.

We hope everyone is well. I will try to post pictures soon (Gavin!) but cannot do it from this library and our personal internet connection is too slow. Excuses, excuses!

Cheers to you all and keep the comments coming, we love it.

Love,
the Cuthbertsons

on the road, week 1

Nov. 10



We've been on the road for a week. Thanks Cindy for helping us get our gear to the motorhome. Also, thanks for showing us the great Thai take-away (take-out) place that night. The kids got to like some new foods.



We're heading north. Kevin drove us safely away from the city while I navigated. After a whole week I must admit I've yet to drive. Kevin's doing such a great job driving on the left, and sometimes on the right. I've become an expert navigator, half the time.



We stay at different campgrounds each night as we work our way up the coast. We've now discovered free camping in rest areas designated as overnight locations.



The beaches are amazing and seem to go on forever. Surfers are riding the waves everywhere and the sand is a dream. We've been collecting shells, building sandcastles and riding the waves on body boards. Kyra held a cute crab that seemed to look at her, then she helped it back to its hole.



At Hat Head National park (yes, 'hat head') we startled a kangaroo that tripped and fell on its face (the bane of having little arms) and then ran off. The beach there was wild, beautiful and empty, except for a whale carcass. We met the lighthouse keeper on the way out and he said the whale had ben there for 6 weeks and had been very stinky. Cool!



Many kangaroos and wallabys hang out in fields late in the day. We saw 2 in a campground about 15 feet away. They just eyed us, then went back to grazing. One had a joey squirming around in her pouch.



We stopped at the koala hospital in Port Macquarie. We saw one koala on the way in. They're extremely cute looking down at you from a tree. Many of them at the hospital are there because of brush fires or were hit by cars. We got a great tour and watched them get fed formula with droppers. They loved to be scratched by their caregivers. They live about 14 years and sleep 20 hours a day.



We've seen many wild parrots and cockatoos. They're noisy, but not as noisy as the kookaburras. We caught a glimpse of a dingo on a back road. Red-headed brush turkeys are the scourge of the campgrounds. Some things are the same: the kids were catching grasshoppers in a field, although they looked strange. The grasshoppers, not the kids.



One day we searched back roads for the 'Grandis', New South Wales biggest tree. It's a 400 year old flooded gum tree. It was very huge, but obviously not so impressive when Kyra said 'we drove all the way here for that?' Oh well. We've been in rainforest where the evening noises from birds and bugs are deafening.



Yesterday we went to the Australian zoo, the crocodile hunter's zoo. We got to pet a koala (the fur is like rabbit fur), feed and pet their full and lazy kangaroos, and feed an elephant that left snot on our hands. The show at the crocoseum was educational. We learned valuable information about the crocodiles which may come in handy when we reach croc country (we're almost there). Safety is guaranteed if we follow the simple rules (that's for Grammy and Boppy).



We're also enjoying locally grown produce: pineapples, apples, mangoes, oranges and bananas. We're having a wonderful time. The people are genuine and always helpful

Pictures next time, plus a great story demonstrating how great people are here.

beach and boat

The top 2 are from Bondi beach. Cindy is assistant to the sand castle making and on the left you can see one of Bondi's large waves knocking Mercedes off her feet.

On the left we are aboard the Endeavor in Darling Harbour.

Today we saw an 'outback' show. The one-man show featured some authentic digeridoo playing that allowed for question-asking and gave advice on playing the instrument. It was a really great show. We learned that the aboriginees do not tattoo their bodies, but rather mark themselves by branding. Ouch. Also, in the 60 000 years they've been in Australia they've never had a written language and still don't. They had about 400 groups around the continent and each had it's own language and customs. We tried our hand at playing the digeridoo after the show. I'd say Mercedes was the best at it.

Sean's Mum

Cindy took us to meet Sean's mum, Ann. She and her husband have been to Nova Scotia for a visit recently. We had a great time at her home. She got out the maps and the photos from their trips in Australia and gave us a lot of advice on places to visit and places not to miss and on where not to go in or near the water! She made us some tea. For the kids she had some lemon pop and a bowl of gummy worms and smarties. The kids were happy. She and Cindy put 7 candles on a cake for an early birthday surprise for Mercedes. We also had cookies. What a nice afternoon tea. Thanks Ann. It was very nice to meet you.

Hi all,

Here's a picture from the aquarium:

We got to the beach yesterday, finally. Cindy and Sean took us to famous Bondi beach. At 10am the beach had 100's of people swimming, surfing, and lounging. There were large waves and it was fun to watch the surfers. There were many lifeguards, both volunteers and professional. Lifeguarding is a career here. We had fun playing in the waves. Kyra and Mercedes both got summersaulted by some big ones a few times, they weren't too keen on that. One large wave pulled Kyra's bathing bottoms right off! Speaking of skinny dipping, cheered on by his friends, a guy ran down the beach and into the ocean stark naked. The lifeguard made him get out of the water but didn't kick him off the beach. It's quite an education the girls are getting here! We stayed too long and got sunburnt, especially Mercedes. Grammy's rescue cream fixed her right up though. We've learned we have to be more careful here, the sun is extra strong.

Today we went aboard the Endeavor, the same ship Boppy went on from Halifax to Bermuda. We saw where his cabin was but it was locked. We got a great tour of the ship and learned about the cat of 9 tails and the bag it was kept in (letting the cat out of the bag) and also how Captain Cook was killed by natives in Hawaii and then eaten. Again, quite the education. In the maritime museum we saw a boat made of beer cans, among other educational exhibits.

We've been doing a bit of motorhome shopping, sheets, utensils, etc. Still trying to figure out how we can not drive the motorhome here to the hotel, in the centre of the city, and still get all our stuff in it. Cindy, help!

The burger kings here are called 'hungry jacks'

Friday and Saturday nights the streets were busy and noisy with partyers until the sun came up.

Love to all!

photos

Finally, I've figured out how to put on pictures! Here we are with the Sydney harbour bridge. Photo by Kevin.

And, here is one of the fruit bats in Domain park. They were so cool.

motorhomes and ears

Oct. 25

We've got our motorhome and will pick it up next week. Kevin did a great job test driving the 4 berth class c mercedes sprinter. Driving a large vehicle, on the left, on unfamiliar roads, a tough job. When Cindy was driving us around I sat in the front and had to cover my eyes for the first few blocks. It felt so strange sitting on the left and being on the 'wrong' side of the road.

The girls got their ear's pierced. Kyra's been wanting to and she got them done like a champ. Mercedes didn't think she'd get her's done but after she saw Kyra do it she jumped in the chair and was also very brave. They were very happy with how they looked. The ladies doing it thought the girls had cute accents. I thought they had the accents. Unfortunately a few days later Kyra developed a nickel allergy and we had to take her earrings out. The doctor said she can get them redone in a few weeks. We found out she can only wear sterling silver and 18 or 24 carat gold. The good stuff.

This morning we moved to a new hotel for one more week. This time we're right in the middle of downtown on the 18th floor. It's a great location, close to everything. In China town we found delicious BBQ pork buns that we eat while the seagulls eye us hungrily. At the fish market Mercedes was very insistant on trying an oyster. She slurped it in and then it promptly came out. Brave girl for trying. She also got some cooked shrimp that still had eyes. She loved those.

We're finding people in Sydney very friendly and helpful. The always say 'mate' and 'no worries' Mercedes has picked up 'no worries'

We've also got transit passes for the week and can ride the buses, trains and ferries freely.

The weather's been a little cool but supposed to be hot again by Sunday.

The moon sits sideways in the sky here, like a bowl.

Cindy

Our friend Cindy King picked us up this morning and very kindly drove us motorhome shopping. We got to see a lot of the surrounding areas and some ocean views. At one stop Kyra, Kevin and Cindy saw some lizards, some bearded dragons (we hope your pet doesn't grow that big Connor!) and, get ready, a red-bellied black snake, one of Australia's venomous creatures. All this they saw down in a little ravine (looking down into it from the street where nothing could possibly get at them) by the road. Cindy has lived here about 14 years and has never seen one, so I think it was pure luck and not that they're everwhere. Mercedes and I missed the snake because of a potty break but saw the bearded dragon.

We didn't get back until 7pm. The kids tried to sleep but we made them eat first. I don't think I've ever seen them so tired.

We're having trouble getting internet access here (all wireless connections seem to be blocked) and so it may be some time between stories. Today I'm using Cindy and Sean's computer at their lovely home in Sydney. However, I do keep track of days in a journal and so you may get many days at once and nothing for weeks.

love to all

October 19th

We woke up at 4am this morning, the schedule's quite off. We went to the playground down the street before breakfast and found it very fun, more daring than we're used to. As Mercedes said, 'These Australians really know what they're doing!' It was also fun hearing birds songs we've never heard.

After breakfast we headed out on foot for downtown via a large park on the water with botanic gardens. The gardens were full of new-to-us plants and birds such as gum trees, fig trees, cockatoos, the praying ibis. Then the biggest surprise, trees full of fruit bats, or 'flying foxes' We couldn't believe our eyes! Some were flying, most were hanging upsidedown sleeping, scratching and stretching. Our friend Sean told us later they stop here on their migration around Australia. He said at night you might see them flying by the 1000s like black clouds over Sydney. How Gotham-esque.

Continuing along an ocean walkway we came around the corner to a classic sight, the Sydney opera house which inspired Mercedes to practice her opera. Walking around it we found a great view of the city and the Sydney harbour bridge.

Many pictures were taken this morning.

We continued on downtown and window shopped along Pitt street. We ate oranges from a stand, ate MacDonald's and Turkish kabab wraps, then walked through Hyde park on a different (shorter) route back.

There are mini house flies here that try to get in your eyes, ears, etc. Not too many though.

Back at the room at 1:30 we rubbed our sore feet then ventured out again to find a grocery store in King's cross. We found some interesting food items like chicken drumstick flavoured (and shaped) crackers. Of course we bought them.

Our greatest danger? :Looking the wrong direction for cars when we step off the curb. I think we've got it now though. No worries mate!

The kids crashed at 5, we followed suit around 8pm.

October 18th

We're here!

The trip was long, about 32 hours from start to finish. the flights were great. On Qantas airlines (which we would highly recommend) we each had our own tv with many choices. They provided snacks, pillows, blankets, ear muffs (aka, head phones but Mercedes called them ear muffs), eye pillows, and socks. Yes, free socks. The staff was friendly and professional.

At one point Otto lost his hearing aid. Otto was sitting behind us on the last flight. We searched, other people began to search. The flight attendant anounced the loss and offered the finder a prize. No one found it. Later on Otto complained to his wife of a discomfort at his side. She told him to see what it was. Voila, a hearing aid in Otto's shirt. His wife won a bottle of wine and Otto was told not to cause any more trouble.

We arrived in Sydney after 7am, bedtime in Nova Scotia. While waiting for our room at Woolloomooloo waters hotel to be ready we went walking on a warf on the harbour and saw moon jellyfish.

Our room is great and we're here for 7 nights. The weather is in the 20s, nights are cool.
Rice krispies are called rice bubbles, and Frosted Flakes:Frosties. If something is full it is 'chock-a-block'. Things are a bit pricey (3.50 for a cup of coffee?) and they drive on the left.
Mercedes says I love you and also that she's learned to make armpit farts. Talent. Kyra says she liked the complimentary peppermints on Qantas airlines.

Getting there...

No more lists, no more last minute details. We're waiting for our first flight on the path to Australia. Saying goodbye to friends and family was hard but it really hit home when saying goodbye to Grammy and Boppy at the airport an hour ago. Tears were shed and tensed backs were cracked with tight hugs.

We're all sleepy, having had restless dreams for the past few weeks. Hopefully this will mean good naps on the flights. Mercedes had a dream there were crocodiles surrounding our house and we had to make a run for the car. Kyra had a dream of crocodiles as well that she'd rather not re-tell. Cousin Jim has assured them it's safe to go to Australia.

We're very excited and we feel the adventure has finally begun.

Cheers to you all,
The Cuthbertsons

the countdown

The countdown is on, we leave October 16th. We have tons to do and are very excited.

We are especially looking forward to the wildlife of Australia. As the kids say, even the roadkill will be different!

The kids have many questions, about the tooth fairy, Halloween, Santa, things they rely on. We are all exploring this new (to us) thing called 'homeschooling', soon to be 'roadschooling'.

The support of friends and family has been, well, supportive! It helps for the kids to hear people say 'your taking the kids out of school and travelling on the other side of the world for 8 months? That's fantastic!' as I think they sometimes question our judgement.

Thanks to Boppy for picking up our mail and adopting Birdy. Thanks to Grammy for all her encouragement and for putting up with noisy chirping for the next 8 months. Thanks to all of you who didn't look at us like we were nuts, well maybe you did at first, but then you were supportive! Thank you. Thanks to Cindy and Jim who have been our Australia connection via email. Your advice and support has meant so much. Can't wait to see you.