June 21, 2017
We had been planning this trip to Australia for two years, so when we awoke at 3:00 am to prepare to depart, we were more than ready!
We had been planning this trip to Australia for two years, so when we awoke at 3:00 am to prepare to depart, we were more than ready!
The limo arrived 15 minutes earlier than expected, but fortunately we were already downstairs spending some time with Winston before departure, so we were ready to load up. That ride to the airport is always so very exciting. We love getting a limo each time, as it makes the trip start off that much more memorably.
Once at Indianapolis Airport, we grabbed some breakfast and boarded our 4 hour flight to LAX. Tommy was upgraded, so Lizzy and I had a wonderful flight together. She watched Moana for the 80th time followed by some cartoons, and before we knew it we were in Los Angeles.
After landing, we got our rental car and headed to Santa Monica beach. We arrived shortly after 10 am, and proceeded to check in with the Beach Butler Service we had reserved. The Beach Butler got us set up with chairs, towels, a wind break, a cooler, beach toys, and a menu. Lizzy and I immediately headed for the water. The morning started off cloudy, but we had so much fun. We discovered sand crabs just beneath the sand, so we dug for those. Then I showed Lizzy how to catch mussels in between waves for awhile. The sun eventually came out. While I was taking a break and Tommy was in the water with her, a beach vendor came around with pouches of fresh watermelon and the sweetest mango I had ever tasted. She found 2 sand dollars, built Diamond Head out of sand, and had several wonderful hours playing in the Pacific.
Around 3, it was becoming clear we'd all gotten a lot of sun, so we told our Beach Butler we were finished at the beach, so he arranged complimentary bicycles for us to ride down to Santa Monica pier. Once there, we did the small aquarium (Liz loved all the touch tanks), then got her fortune from the famous Zoltar. We walked the length of the pier, then headed back to the other end for dinner at The Albright. We had incredible lobster rolls and enjoyed our dinner.
At this point, it was already 5:30 and the bikes needed to be back by 6:00, so we rode the mile back to our original location. We drove the hour drive back to LAX, headed quickly through security, then headed up to SkyClub for the 3 hour wait before boarding.
We used this time to get cleaned up and changed into our comfy clothes for the flight, eat a light second dinner, and wind down. Lizzy fell asleep at the SkyClub, so I got out the pillow and blanket I had packed and made her a little bed on the floor where she snoozed for at least an hour.
We went to our gate to board (me carrying her the whole time!) Tommy helped Lizzy and I get settled in our seats, then once I got sleeping beauty buckled in I fell asleep myself. We slept through takeoff and dinner service, but by that point we had been up for 22 hours so no chicken dinner in the world could have enticed us to stay awake any longer.
June 23, 2017 (We had no June 22, thanks to crossing the international date line!)
Lizzy awoke about 90 minutes southwest of Hawaii, having slept at least 8 solid hours. We passed the remaining 8-9 hours of flight time with lots of movies and cartoons. She is an absolutely delightful seat compassion. She let me take 3 20-30 minute naps during the rest of the time, spoke at a quiet volume so as not to disturb others, and didn't complain once the entire duration. I can't think of another 6 year old I would have rather traveled with.
Soon after breakfast service of scrambled eggs, sausage, potatoes, croissant and fruit, it was time to prepare for landing.
Once we were on the ground, we met up with Tommy at the gate, and then proceeded throughout immigration (it's all electronic now so no passport stamps), then grabbed our bags and headed out through customs. We got our rental car and drove into Sydney. We noticed the giant white wild cockatoos everywhere. It was so surreal! Once we got our wi-fi working, Lizzy caught her first Kanghaskhan on Pokemon Go, so her Australian Pokemon mission she had set out for herself was completed almost immediately.
We went to our gate to board (me carrying her the whole time!) Tommy helped Lizzy and I get settled in our seats, then once I got sleeping beauty buckled in I fell asleep myself. We slept through takeoff and dinner service, but by that point we had been up for 22 hours so no chicken dinner in the world could have enticed us to stay awake any longer.
June 23, 2017 (We had no June 22, thanks to crossing the international date line!)
Lizzy awoke about 90 minutes southwest of Hawaii, having slept at least 8 solid hours. We passed the remaining 8-9 hours of flight time with lots of movies and cartoons. She is an absolutely delightful seat compassion. She let me take 3 20-30 minute naps during the rest of the time, spoke at a quiet volume so as not to disturb others, and didn't complain once the entire duration. I can't think of another 6 year old I would have rather traveled with.
Soon after breakfast service of scrambled eggs, sausage, potatoes, croissant and fruit, it was time to prepare for landing.
Once we were on the ground, we met up with Tommy at the gate, and then proceeded throughout immigration (it's all electronic now so no passport stamps), then grabbed our bags and headed out through customs. We got our rental car and drove into Sydney. We noticed the giant white wild cockatoos everywhere. It was so surreal! Once we got our wi-fi working, Lizzy caught her first Kanghaskhan on Pokemon Go, so her Australian Pokemon mission she had set out for herself was completed almost immediately.
We arrived at the Sydney Hilton around 9:45. Our room wasn't yet ready, so Liz and I went down to the fitness center to shower and get cleaned up (which felt wonderful), and then met daddy in the executive lounge. We had some yummy cheeses, pastries and drinks while we enjoyed the views and waited for our room to be ready.
They came to get us and give us our room keys. We were very pleased to receive a large corner room with views overlooking the Queen Victoria Building right across the street. We got settled in and Liz and I had a little nap while Tommy showered.
He woke us around 3:30 to get ready to go visit his uncle for dinner about an hour away. We arrived, visited for a while, and he took us for pho for dinner. Afterwards, she and I walked around for a bit (a pack of Pokémon cards was her first Australian purchase) and got some bubble tea. We were all pretty tired by this point, so we drove back to the hotel and were all asleep by 8:00.
June 24, 2017
Lizzy and Daddy awoke at 5, so we had some lazy room time until breakfast opened at 7:00. Thanks to Daddy's heavy travel schedule, and his Diamond status with Hilton, we got complimentary breakfasts at the hotel restaurant. The breakfast buffet was perfection, and the view of the beautiful Queen Victoria Building wasn't too bad either. After we'd all eaten our fill, we went back to the room to get our bags and head out for the day.
Lizzy and Daddy awoke at 5, so we had some lazy room time until breakfast opened at 7:00. Thanks to Daddy's heavy travel schedule, and his Diamond status with Hilton, we got complimentary breakfasts at the hotel restaurant. The breakfast buffet was perfection, and the view of the beautiful Queen Victoria Building wasn't too bad either. After we'd all eaten our fill, we went back to the room to get our bags and head out for the day.
We walked toward the general direction of the Botanical Gardens, stopping to peruse some shops along the way. Tommy bought a new hat, while Lizzy and I found a gift for his upcoming birthday.
We continued onward, reaching the gardens. We meandered, played, let Lizzy take us down various pathways, and enjoyed the beautiful weather (sunny and around 65 degrees). We saw so many interesting species of birds and trees.
We finally arrived at the gorgeous view of the Opera House, so after sitting and enjoying that for awhile, we walked around Macquarie point to get the perfect view of the Opera House and Sydney Harbor Bridge together. While over on that far side of the Botanical Gardens, Lizzy loved climbing all the sandstone hewn staircases and rock formations, including sitting in Mrs. Macquarie's chair.
Eventually we started walking around the harbor over towards the Opera House itself.
We decided to step inside to visit the gift shop, then we waited on the steps to meet up with one of Daddy's old work friends from his HP days, Steph.
Steph and her boyfriend Alex arrived, and we talked through where to have lunch. Lizzy helpfully mentioned she'd like a steak for lunch, so they recommended a nice place over in The Rocks, so off we went. We headed around Circular Quay and arrived at our destination soon after. I ordered kangaroo for lunch, and it was so tender and flavorful, not gamey at all. Lizzy loved it also and ended up eating about a third of my kangaroo in addition to her steak! She absolutely loved it.
Steph and her boyfriend Alex arrived, and we talked through where to have lunch. Lizzy helpfully mentioned she'd like a steak for lunch, so they recommended a nice place over in The Rocks, so off we went. We headed around Circular Quay and arrived at our destination soon after. I ordered kangaroo for lunch, and it was so tender and flavorful, not gamey at all. Lizzy loved it also and ended up eating about a third of my kangaroo in addition to her steak! She absolutely loved it.
After, Lizzy mentioned she'd like a creme brûlée, so Steph and Alex took us to a great patisserie where we each chose something wonderful. We then parted ways with our friends (who adored Lizzy and want to adopt her) and we began the walk back to our hotel.
Along the way we found a perfect little souvenir shop where Liz bought herself an authentic boomerang, and we got a few other little things. We arrived back at the hotel around 4:00, with grand plans to take a short nap and then go shopping at QVB, then swimming in the hotel pool. Well, Lizzy and I "napped" from 4:30 pm until 3:30 am Sunday morning. Whoops!
June 25, 2017
After waking at 3:30 in the morning, Lizzy and I played, Skyped with Gay and Ed, and waited for breakfast to open and Daddy to wake up.
Along the way we found a perfect little souvenir shop where Liz bought herself an authentic boomerang, and we got a few other little things. We arrived back at the hotel around 4:00, with grand plans to take a short nap and then go shopping at QVB, then swimming in the hotel pool. Well, Lizzy and I "napped" from 4:30 pm until 3:30 am Sunday morning. Whoops!
June 25, 2017
After waking at 3:30 in the morning, Lizzy and I played, Skyped with Gay and Ed, and waited for breakfast to open and Daddy to wake up.
After breakfast, Lizzy really wanted to use the hotel pool so I took her down for awhile. It was a little cold, so we played in the hot tub the whole time.
Next we ventured out for some shopping. We hit a souvenir shop nearby, then went to the spectacular Queen Victoria Building (which was across the street from our hotel. Our room looked down onto the dome and the glass roof). Lizzy bought a new stuffed Pokémon (she's very serious about spending "her money.")
Next we ventured out for some shopping. We hit a souvenir shop nearby, then went to the spectacular Queen Victoria Building (which was across the street from our hotel. Our room looked down onto the dome and the glass roof). Lizzy bought a new stuffed Pokémon (she's very serious about spending "her money.")
Soon it was lunch time and Daddy and Lizzy both decided they wanted ramen, so we walked to a little ramen place nearby. It was delicious, and happened to be right next to a green tea ice cream place so that was a logical dessert.
We went back to the room so I could nap while she played and he did some more shopping. In the late afternoon, Tommy's uncle, aunt, and cousin arrived to pick us up. We went to an amazing indoor yet somehow outdoor restaurant. They had the heater torches on and provided Lizzy and I a big snuggly woolly blanket. It was so much fun! After an amazing dinner of BBQ spare ribs, crispy pork belly, wagyu steak and more we finally called it a night. The family dropped us back off at our hotel and we all went straight to sleep.
June 26, 2017
Lizzy woke around 6:00, having now fully adjusted to Australia time. Once everyone was moving, we dressed and headed down for our favorite breakfast buffet. After, we went to Hyde Park to kill some time before the shops opened. Lizzy spotted a giant chess set, so of course we had to play. Then we walked around for an it, played hide and seek and tag in the park, then headed over to Westfield for some shopping. Lizzy got some new trousers and a beautiful new coat.
Lizzy woke around 6:00, having now fully adjusted to Australia time. Once everyone was moving, we dressed and headed down for our favorite breakfast buffet. After, we went to Hyde Park to kill some time before the shops opened. Lizzy spotted a giant chess set, so of course we had to play. Then we walked around for an it, played hide and seek and tag in the park, then headed over to Westfield for some shopping. Lizzy got some new trousers and a beautiful new coat.
We brought our purchases back to the room, changed clothes, grabbed Tommy's camera bag, and headed out again. We stopped for lunch at a conveyer belt sushi place which Lizzy thought was the most fun thing ever.
We next walked to Darling Harbor to catch our whale watching boat. Lizzy and I took some seasickness preventative just in case (we had zero ill effects, but several people on board were quite seasick!) Right on time, it arrived and we embarked. Tommy headed up to the top deck for the prime photo spot, while Lizzy and I sat indoors on the middle deck. We were pleased that the boat made a second stop at Circular Quay, which meant we got an up-close view from the water of the Opera House. Lizzy took lots of great photos on her iPad!
Within an hour of boarding the boat, we were out in the Tasman Sea, watching juvenile males blow, listening to their whale song via the underwater microphone, seeing tail waves and dozens and dozens of amazing breeches. They were so close to us. We even had a playful pod of Pacific Dolphins swim alongside us for a short while.
We got to view the whales for nearly 90 minutes, but the time absolutely flew by. The crew sincerely said it was the best single cruise so far this season. She said they typically see a breach on 1 in 5 cruises, yet we were treated to so many we lost count. Lizzy was beside herself with joy. It was an INCREDIBLE experience!
We got to view the whales for nearly 90 minutes, but the time absolutely flew by. The crew sincerely said it was the best single cruise so far this season. She said they typically see a breach on 1 in 5 cruises, yet we were treated to so many we lost count. Lizzy was beside herself with joy. It was an INCREDIBLE experience!
We returned back to Darling Harbor and walked back to our hotel. We decided to head up to the Executive Lounge for tea time, which switched over to canapés and cocktails during our visit. That ended up being our dinner. We stayed in the lounge for several hours, just enjoying our family time and reminiscing about this amazing day.
June 27, 2017
Lizzy awoke around 6:00, at which point we took turns showering and dressing for breakfast.
We again enjoyed the amazing hotel breakfast. Even though it's the same selections each day, there is so much we all have figured out exactly what we want. Lizzy's plate this morning consisted of 2 pieces of sausage, 2 pieces of bacon, a hard boiled egg, a poached egg, 2 slices of watermelon, a piece of toast, a croissant, cheddar cheese, mango juice and tea. She LOVES this breakfast!
After breakfast, we headed out to finish the bulk of our souvenir shopping. Our first stop was our friend Alex's coffee shop, where we had the best coffee and hot chocolate. The hot chocolate had slivers of chocolate floating in it, which is what is stuck to Lizzy's tooth in the photograph below.
Lizzy awoke around 6:00, at which point we took turns showering and dressing for breakfast.
We again enjoyed the amazing hotel breakfast. Even though it's the same selections each day, there is so much we all have figured out exactly what we want. Lizzy's plate this morning consisted of 2 pieces of sausage, 2 pieces of bacon, a hard boiled egg, a poached egg, 2 slices of watermelon, a piece of toast, a croissant, cheddar cheese, mango juice and tea. She LOVES this breakfast!
After breakfast, we headed out to finish the bulk of our souvenir shopping. Our first stop was our friend Alex's coffee shop, where we had the best coffee and hot chocolate. The hot chocolate had slivers of chocolate floating in it, which is what is stuck to Lizzy's tooth in the photograph below.
Then we walked back to The Rocks where we'd found the splendid little souvenir shop on Saturday. I wanted to return there because they had the highest quality souvenirs and a great selection, and the woman was so kind to us and Lizzy. When we returned, she remembered us and was so glad we had come back again! We purchased lots of treasures, including a kangaroo Christmas ornament and a really nice digiridoo. The lady, as before on Saturday, remarked about what a special girl Lizzy is, and let her choose a stuffed animal for free. She chose a little stuffed kangaroo holding a boomerang.
Next we walked back by the hotel, as nearby is another souvenir shop we've stopped in a few times. Each time we would go in, Lizzy really was interested in a kangaroo claw backscratcher and a kangaroo scrotum bottle opener. She had finally made up her mind that she couldn't live without these two items, so she bought them. She was most pleased with her selections.
Next we walked back by the hotel, as nearby is another souvenir shop we've stopped in a few times. Each time we would go in, Lizzy really was interested in a kangaroo claw backscratcher and a kangaroo scrotum bottle opener. She had finally made up her mind that she couldn't live without these two items, so she bought them. She was most pleased with her selections.
After dropping off our purchases, we walked over to Darling Harbor, then south to Tumbalong Park. I had read about the delightful children's playground, so we wanted to give Lizzy a chance to play. The expansive playground had much to do, but the highlight was definitely the water area. Such fun!
We stopped to grab some sandwiches for lunch, had a little picnic surrounded by seagulls, and then played a bit more before returning to the hotel for some swimming and hot tub time.
Once getting dried off and dressed for dinner, we set off for a yummy Thai restaurant. It was really good, and Liz and I had some of the best noodles we've ever had. We needed dessert (obviously), so Lizzy decided on frozen yogurt with toppings while Tommy and I got the (becoming) world famous Uncle Tetsu's cheese tarts, in both cheesecake and green tea. They. Were. Amazing. We had to immediately find out when and how we can get these in our lives again, and were overjoyed to find we can get them in Honolulu when we visit this Christmas. Yay!
June 28, 2017
Sweet Lizzy awoke at 6:30, so we then dressed for breakfast and started packing up our hotel room. Our last hotel breakfast was again fantastic, and we enjoyed the views of the QVB one last time from our table.
Sweet Lizzy awoke at 6:30, so we then dressed for breakfast and started packing up our hotel room. Our last hotel breakfast was again fantastic, and we enjoyed the views of the QVB one last time from our table.
After breakfast, Daddy wanted to return to the nearby haberdasher for another hat, so we completed that transaction, then Lizzy really wanted to see the black iron spiral staircase again in the QVB (an oddly specific request), so we went up to the dome so she could view that. She was very interested in comparing the floors from the Strand Arcade and the QVB, so she took some photos so she could check the patterns against one another
Eventually we made our way back to the Hilton (yay for late checkout) and finished packing up, called down for bell services and the valet, and got loaded up and headed on our way to Bondi Beach for a few hours.
While overcast, the beach was amazing. Lizzy played in the children's pool area - a very cool setup of a small enclosed area which is fed directly from the waves. Then we walked nearly the entire length of the beach before stopping to have some lunch. The waves were huge and we watched lots of surfers.
While overcast, the beach was amazing. Lizzy played in the children's pool area - a very cool setup of a small enclosed area which is fed directly from the waves. Then we walked nearly the entire length of the beach before stopping to have some lunch. The waves were huge and we watched lots of surfers.
After lunch, we got in the car to make the drive to our rental apartment in Parramatta for the next 5 nights. Before gaining access to our apartment, we did some grocery shopping. There was a full grocery store on the main floor of our building, which was super convenient! We got some breakfast items, then our apartment host met us and we were delighted with our home for the next few nights. Two bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchen, office, living room, and laundry.
Tommy brought up the bags and I started some laundry, then we showered and I napped for a bit before some of Tommy's cousins came by for a visit. They all went to get some takeaway, so we had a yummy dinner at home before Liz and I turned in around 9:30.
June 29, 2017
What an INCREDIBLE day this was! Lizzy is lucky to have had lots of amazing days in her life, but this one really ranks highly.
We had breakfast of bacon, eggs, and croissant in our apartment, then headed out so we could get to Featherdale right around opening time. We arrived shortly after opening to find a nearly empty parking lot. The children in Australia hadn't yet started their winter break, so the crowds were light all day.
Immediately upon entering the park and crossing the first bridge, you are greeted by red-necked pademelons, which look like tiny kangaroos. They're just hopping about freely, and we had a great time petting and interacting with them for about 40 minutes. There was also a Cassowary that thought Lizzy was a giant bird (due to her coat) and he kept trying to peck at her. We were in stitches!
June 29, 2017
What an INCREDIBLE day this was! Lizzy is lucky to have had lots of amazing days in her life, but this one really ranks highly.
We had breakfast of bacon, eggs, and croissant in our apartment, then headed out so we could get to Featherdale right around opening time. We arrived shortly after opening to find a nearly empty parking lot. The children in Australia hadn't yet started their winter break, so the crowds were light all day.
Immediately upon entering the park and crossing the first bridge, you are greeted by red-necked pademelons, which look like tiny kangaroos. They're just hopping about freely, and we had a great time petting and interacting with them for about 40 minutes. There was also a Cassowary that thought Lizzy was a giant bird (due to her coat) and he kept trying to peck at her. We were in stitches!
I had been corresponding for months with Featherdale to put together the perfect personalized program for our family for this day. We had landed on a private mammal encounter to start our special day. We were shown into a lovely, warm room, with a private wildlife guide and photographer. While we all got to interact with these wonderful creatures, this was really an experience I wanted Lizzy to have, so she was the primary one to get to hold and love on these animals.
Her private encounter began with a baby (Joey) pademelon named Zoey. She was 10 months old and was just a tiny little thing. Lizzy got to hold her in her little pouch. She was insanely soft and so sweet. She eventually wanted out to hop around, so she did and Liz got to feed her some sweet potato. Her tiny little paw/hands were so cute!
Her private encounter began with a baby (Joey) pademelon named Zoey. She was 10 months old and was just a tiny little thing. Lizzy got to hold her in her little pouch. She was insanely soft and so sweet. She eventually wanted out to hop around, so she did and Liz got to feed her some sweet potato. Her tiny little paw/hands were so cute!
Next up was Cheesecake, a ring tailed possum. Cheesecake likes to climb, so soon after being placed in Lizzy's hand, Cheesecake was on her shoulder and atop her head. Cheesecake's prehensile tail was amazing to touch
Lastly was Bubbles, a sugar glider. Bubbles was the softest thing, reminding me of a chinchilla. Bubbles can easily glide long distances with a single leap, and we got to see her do so. She also likes mealworms, and they grab the worm and bite the head off before devouring their meal. It's pretty cool to see this take place in the palm of your hand! This experience was wonderful and Lizzy loved every second of it.
After the encounter, during which Zoey was hopping around freely the whole time, we went over to watch the pelican feeding.
Next up we had a koala meet and greet. Our koala, Victor, was quite sleepy.
Next up we explored, and we were lucky enough to get to pet one of the 7 dingo puppies when an employee brought one out.
After meeting the dingo, we headed back to spend at least an hour and a half feeding wallabies and kangaroos! They were so soft, and so funny. The joeys kept sticking their faces in the food cups, whereas the adolescents tried to grab our cups out of our hands!
Feeding video 1
Feeding video 2
Feeding video 3
As the park was nearing close, we left through the gift shop where Lizzy chose a stuffed platypus. We returned home and decided to catch the shuttle bus to Westfield to look around, then walked back and grabbed Nando's for dinner. Daddy left with his cousin for a rugby match, so Lizzy and I watched some Netflix and fell asleep on the couch.
June 30, 2017
Lizzy slept until 8:30 (!) so it was good to see her get some good rest. After breakfast, Daddy left around 10:30 to go to the airport to pick up his sister, who was arriving on a different flight than his parents and other two sisters this morning.
Rather than drag Lizzy to the airport, she and I stayed back and went to Parramatta Park for a long while. We had a lot of fun, then walked back home to prepare to be picked up. Tommy and Nhi arrived at our apartment, so we climbed in the car and headed down to Uncle's shop to see everyone. Tommy's mom and dad were there, so they got to see us before we went to have some lunch. We had wonderful pho, then went walking around (now joined by cousin Collin) to get some desserts and bubble tea.
Next we walked around and collected cousin Kitty and Ai Van and Josephine. Having found everyone, we proceeded onward to our car (just some of us) and drove to another Uncle's house for dinner. Lizzy was delighted there was a dog there (Chubby) and spent most of the night playing. We had a lovely dinner and came back home
Feeding video 2
Feeding video 3
As the park was nearing close, we left through the gift shop where Lizzy chose a stuffed platypus. We returned home and decided to catch the shuttle bus to Westfield to look around, then walked back and grabbed Nando's for dinner. Daddy left with his cousin for a rugby match, so Lizzy and I watched some Netflix and fell asleep on the couch.
June 30, 2017
Lizzy slept until 8:30 (!) so it was good to see her get some good rest. After breakfast, Daddy left around 10:30 to go to the airport to pick up his sister, who was arriving on a different flight than his parents and other two sisters this morning.
Rather than drag Lizzy to the airport, she and I stayed back and went to Parramatta Park for a long while. We had a lot of fun, then walked back home to prepare to be picked up. Tommy and Nhi arrived at our apartment, so we climbed in the car and headed down to Uncle's shop to see everyone. Tommy's mom and dad were there, so they got to see us before we went to have some lunch. We had wonderful pho, then went walking around (now joined by cousin Collin) to get some desserts and bubble tea.
Next we walked around and collected cousin Kitty and Ai Van and Josephine. Having found everyone, we proceeded onward to our car (just some of us) and drove to another Uncle's house for dinner. Lizzy was delighted there was a dog there (Chubby) and spent most of the night playing. We had a lovely dinner and came back home
July 1, 2017
What a huge day this was! We awoke and the 4 of us (us plus Anna) got ready and loaded into the car, and were on the road by 7:30.
What a huge day this was! We awoke and the 4 of us (us plus Anna) got ready and loaded into the car, and were on the road by 7:30.
We drove down the New South Wales coast to Kiama, and arrived at the Little Blowhole. We had the place to ourselves for the longest time, and spent a long while here sitting near the Blowhole and laughing with glee each time it would spout. This was absolutely magical, and we all thoroughly enjoyed this quiet little spot.
After a long while, we got a text that the rest of the family had arrived over at the Kiama Blowhole (the worlds largest) so we (somewhat reluctantly - it was hard to leave this place!) loaded back into the car and made the 5 minute drive over.
The Kiama Blowhole was certainly a sight to behold itself, but it lacked the quiet intimacy of the Little Blowhole.
The Kiama Blowhole was certainly a sight to behold itself, but it lacked the quiet intimacy of the Little Blowhole.
We enjoyed walking around for awhile, then Tommy, Lizzy, and I went down to the cafe for some warm drinks and fries while everyone else continued exploring.
From the Kiama Blowhole, a lovely beach was clearly visible, and Lizzy begged to go, so us 4 drove down to the beach while everyone else headed onto the temple.
Bombo Beach was stunning, and we all had so much fun running, playing tag, and making "sand pudding". The beach was powdery and lovely, and barely crowded. We enjoyed this little impromptu beach break immensely.
From the Kiama Blowhole, a lovely beach was clearly visible, and Lizzy begged to go, so us 4 drove down to the beach while everyone else headed onto the temple.
Bombo Beach was stunning, and we all had so much fun running, playing tag, and making "sand pudding". The beach was powdery and lovely, and barely crowded. We enjoyed this little impromptu beach break immensely.
After changing Lizzys pants which of course got wet, we headed on to Nan Tien temple for a visit. The grounds were beautiful and the temple itself was peaceful and lovely
After, we 4 headed back home to Parramatta to change, and walk down to our dinner reservation at the local German restaurant.
We enjoyed lovely German cuisine (Lizzy ordering her standard schnitzel and saurkraut!), beers of course, and the fun accordion player kept swinging by our happy and large table and entertaining with drinking songs. It was a great meal with great memories
Lastly, we brought this huge day to a close with a trip to the Winterlight Festival being held in the park across from our apartment. Lizzy entertained everyone with her dancing, and we all played Doggie, Doggie, Where's your bone? She and I rode the 1886 carousel twice before heading home, where we along with several cousins had an impromptu karaoke party before bed.
July 2, 2017
Another big day, with lots more natural beauty. We began our day by heading to Wentworth Falls. We enjoyed the beautiful overlook, then the group split into two hiking parties - one to hike to the top of the waterfall, and one to the other side to actually see the entirety of the waterfall.
Another big day, with lots more natural beauty. We began our day by heading to Wentworth Falls. We enjoyed the beautiful overlook, then the group split into two hiking parties - one to hike to the top of the waterfall, and one to the other side to actually see the entirety of the waterfall.
After several hours here, we headed into the town of Katoomba for a light lunch and some shopping, then headed to a local park for a big family barbecue.
Lastly, we went to Echo Point to see the Three Sisters rock formation. The Blue Mountains did not disappoint at all, especially seeing these formations just as the sun set.
We headed back home shortly after sunset, to have dinner in and begin packing up and cleaning our apartment.
July 3, 2017
Our last full day in Australia began with us waking, preparing breakfast, and packing up from our apartment stay. We loaded up the car and hit the road for Sydney central business district one last time.
We parked at our lovely Sydney Hilton from before, and walked down to our favorite souvenir shop in the Rocks from before. We bought Lizzy a kangaroo skin rug she'd had her eye on for the past two weeks and she was overjoyed.
Next the four of us walked to the Opera House and Botanical Gardens since Liz had been wanting to return to explore all the paths since our first visit when we first arrived.
July 3, 2017
Our last full day in Australia began with us waking, preparing breakfast, and packing up from our apartment stay. We loaded up the car and hit the road for Sydney central business district one last time.
We parked at our lovely Sydney Hilton from before, and walked down to our favorite souvenir shop in the Rocks from before. We bought Lizzy a kangaroo skin rug she'd had her eye on for the past two weeks and she was overjoyed.
Next the four of us walked to the Opera House and Botanical Gardens since Liz had been wanting to return to explore all the paths since our first visit when we first arrived.
After enjoying the sunshine and the gardens, more family members arrived, so we proceeded around to Macquarie point again for some fun.
We got notified that the rest of the family was due to arrive at the Opera House soon, so we began the journey around the harbor to meet up with them.
Once most everyone else arrived, we did some group photos.
We then proceeded onward to meet up with the rest of the family, over in the shopping area near the Hilton. While some shopped, Ai Van did Lizzy's hair, and we all played fun games together.
While the shopping continued, Lizzy, Daddy, Granddad, Greant Uncle Minh, and I walked over to Tumbalong Park so Liz could play some more at the best park ever, and be sure we were there in time for our dinner reservation.
After getting to play for a good while, we got to our dinner reservation right on time, and were joined by everyone else. We had a LOVELY final big family meal at a Brazilian Steakhouse. Lizzy is, of course, a Brazilian Steakhouse master.
After dinner, we walked back to the Hilton to get our car, and then went to the airport. We dropped Nhi off, as the rest of the family was flying onward to Melbourne that night, and then we went to return the rental car and get checked in at the Rydges hotel at the airport. I had booked us in a room with a view overlooking the runway. We got our bags ready for the following morning, showered, and got to sleep.
July 4, 2017
Our VERY long (33 hour) travel day began after a decent night's sleep. We awoke, and Lizzy and I said goodbye to the Sydney skyline, and to Daddy, as he was on a different flight leaving 2 hours after ours. Fortunately the terminal was LITERALLY right across the street, so one minute after leaving our hotel we were at the airport.
Our VERY long (33 hour) travel day began after a decent night's sleep. We awoke, and Lizzy and I said goodbye to the Sydney skyline, and to Daddy, as he was on a different flight leaving 2 hours after ours. Fortunately the terminal was LITERALLY right across the street, so one minute after leaving our hotel we were at the airport.
As she and I were waiting in line to check-in, she casually mentioned how much she'd like to someday get a Lego Minecraft set. I told her that she would probably get one at Christmas. As soon as we'd cleared security, immediately in front of us was a duty-free display of Lego Minecraft sets! As she still had some of her own money, of course she was able to get one.
After a bit more duty-free shopping, we proceeded through the terminal to find breakfast. The Sydney Airport McDonald's has fun touch screens where you order, then you proceed onward to pay and pickup. So of course she handled the ordering for us both.
After a bit more duty-free shopping, we proceeded through the terminal to find breakfast. The Sydney Airport McDonald's has fun touch screens where you order, then you proceed onward to pay and pickup. So of course she handled the ordering for us both.
We found a place to sit to eat breakfast as we prepared to board, so we had to get some silly photos as we waited.
Quite quickly, the time came for us to board. Since we weren't with Daddy, we weren't the first ones on the plane, but that didn't really matter as we weren't carrying much. (Sweet Daddy took all the bags since I was going to be travelling alone with her.) We got all settled into our seats, and prepared for our 13 1/2 hour flight (2 hours shorter going home than coming here.)
A few hours into our flight, she opened the window (it was SO BRIGHT that we had closed it) only to spot some islands under us. I didn't believe her, so she grabbed my face and made me look. Sure enough, she had spotted Fiji! She wanted me to take a photo, but I had my phone off. By the time I got my phone turned on and able to get to the camera, it was nearly out of view. Behold...Fiji. She was so pleased with her discovery!
Our flight passed quickly. We watched lots of movies and cartoons, enjoyed the snacks and meals, and had a lovely time. She, again, is a delightful seat companion.
Of course as we traversed the globe, we were ahead of the sun so it went from day to night to day again, with daylight coming just as we were approaching Los Angeles.
Of course as we traversed the globe, we were ahead of the sun so it went from day to night to day again, with daylight coming just as we were approaching Los Angeles.
We landed and cleared customs and immigration pretty quickly, and since sweet Daddy had all the bags, we headed straight outside to catch the shuttle bus to take us to the LAX Hilton for our day room for some much needed sleep. We didn't sleep at all on the flight, since it was a "daytime" flight according to our Australian body clocks, and therefore it was now bedtime.
We arrived at the LAX Hiton, and they got her and I all checked in with Executive Lounge access, even though we weren't with him. So, she and I went up for a quick bite to eat before heading to our room to lay down and get some rest.
We slept for about 7 hours, and awoke feeling great!
We slept for about 7 hours, and awoke feeling great!
Fortunately, during this time Daddy arrived and made it to the hotel too. So, we all awoke, showered, and she and I decided to head down to the pool for awhile before we needed to be out of the room at 6:00 pm. We came back, checked out, and had Italian dinner at the hotel before loading everything up to head back to LAX.
We got the bags all dropped off, then headed up to SkyClub for a few hours before our late flight home to Indy. We were a little loopy by this point, so we were struggling to suppress giggles as we were playing with a silly dancing hot dog filter on Snapchat.
We got the bags all dropped off, then headed up to SkyClub for a few hours before our late flight home to Indy. We were a little loopy by this point, so we were struggling to suppress giggles as we were playing with a silly dancing hot dog filter on Snapchat.
We boarded our flight, and she went to sleep pretty quickly and slept the duration of the flight home to Indianapolis.
July 5, 2017
Since she'd slept on the red-eye home, she was full of energy once we landed, and spent the limo ride home grinning ear to ear, excited to get home to see Winston.
July 5, 2017
Since she'd slept on the red-eye home, she was full of energy once we landed, and spent the limo ride home grinning ear to ear, excited to get home to see Winston.