Tour de Geelong, Melbourne, Brisbane, Caloundra, Perth

First port of call on my last trip to Australia before bunkering down for a life at training college, was Geelong to visit Dad, Deb, Emily and Beetle. My sister Jessica was also visiting at the time which made for a full box of crayons except for brother Ben who had visited the week earlier. I arrived on the Monday morning and on Tuesday Jessica and I headed for Melbourne to visit one of our other sisters, Brooke. While I didn't capture that particular reunion, I did get snap happy with my friend Sammy who you may recognise as having worked at Emirates. She left in December and is working in Toorak, right next door to Brooke! Small world. Anyway, here are a couple of photos before we move on!


It was great to see our cousin Louise when we went to Nanna and Grandpa's for coffee and cake and spend some time playing with our 11 month old cousin Brodie (he'll be 1 on July 3) - he's really cute as you can see, and very well behaved!







Later that night we got a chance to catch up with brother Aaron which was really good.


Emily loves Prince Eddie who more or less rules the house these days. Queen Daisy is heading to retirement. She still has the final word but I think she is getting ready to abdicate the throne and relax in her old age. (We are talking about dogs here so you know!)


I am quite certain I get my vanity streak from my father! Pictured here after a day of intense shopping to update his questionable non-work wardrobe...



On the last afternoon of my stay I insisted on a sunset walk down at Eastern Beach, Geelong's most famous place. The promenade around the beach was restored about 13 years ago and was in part funded by the public who purchased personalised brass plaques to go on each plank of the walkway. As you can see, our family got involved quite early on in the piece! And finally we headed off to dinner with our mob, the Coles and Ebbotts to celebrate me leaving!


Next stop on my Tour of Oz was Brisbane where I had only a very short time to see some of my friends before I went to see Mum and David and co in Caloundra. The pictures more or less end here, but Mitch and Tracy, Macy and Ava, Nathan, Paul and Drew, Sue, Tania, Jodie and Ben all kept me entertained even if it was for a short time each and even that was pretty exhausting. So for those I didn't get a chance to catch up with, you'll be first on my list when I'm home next :)

Then finally it was off to Caloundra to spend a couple of days with Mum, David, Jessica and Georgia. It was David's birthday on the middle day and I'm sure he must have enjoyed it, because I had a ball. We finished the night at the nicest restaurant on the Sunshine Coast (The Spirit House) and Ben and Julie came to that - this time it really was a full pack of crayons!

No mishaps this time on the way back to Dubai via Perth, where I began my trainers course last Sunday. Photos and words to come really soon!