AuZ so Far by Z

Our Aussie trip is coming to end and it has been an amazing past 2 weeks! I am so glad we decided to venture out to East Coast Australia in late November 2014. We took several flights to travel here and in a somewhat roundabout way but all flights were super comfortable and only one was delayed (so far, we still have to make it home J). This also allowed us to make a pitstop and see the Great Wall of China on our way to Auz which was worth it for sure. While Australia had some wicked weather in Brisbane (super storm) and Sydney (heatwave) and several areas we travelled to had major events going on like APEC and the G20 Summit, we managed to just miss all the hecticness! The weather we did get was perfect. In Port Douglas, it was hot and sunny with 30 degree ocean temperatures at the shore and warm waters when we explored the Great Barrier Reef. In Noosa, it was also sunny each day, a little cooler than Port Douglas (28 degree water!) and we were situated next to the National Park which we hiked in several times. 

In Sydney, it cooled off just enough to allow us to explore the city in comfort. Our accommodation everywhere has been just right. Apartments with everything we needed in Port Douglas and Noosa and great hotels in Beijing and Sydney located centrally so that we could walk or take transit anywhere we fancied. Many things are definitely more expensive in Australia than back home (restaurants, groceries, drinks) but good deals can still be found especially along the harbour where I enjoyed a delicious Northern Australia fish called Barramundi (a very flavourful Seabass like fish that is more meaty than sweet) several times for lunch or dinner! I swam in 4 Mile Beach in Port Douglas (had to use the stinger net because of jelly fish season), Main Beach in Noosa (a perfect white sand beach with no stingers!), Alexandria Bay in Noosa National Park (accessible only by foot), Manly Beach in Sydney (cooler at 22 degrees but still enjoyable especially with the surf) and on our last day in Sydney I hope to swim in either Coogee or Bondi beach. 

After discovering a tasty Shiraz called Tscharke from the Barossa valley, I found myself trying more Shiraz’s at any opportunity I had and they were equally tasty. Lory discovered a white wine she really enjoyed as well made from Semilon grapes and the 2013 De Bortoli Willowglen Semilon Chardonnay also ended up in several of her glasses during the Sydney portion of our trip. Another amazing Aussie experience was all the wildlife we encountered on this trip in mostly natural settings. We saw koalas, kangaroos, possums, monitor lizards, dolphins, sea turtles, many MANY fish and coral in the reef and so many beautiful birds everywhere. I enjoyed Auz immensely and especially enjoyed seeing and experiencing everything for the first time on this continent with my wonderful travel partner and life partner! J