alilou's Adventures in Wonderland - Rarotonga, Oz, Vietnam

[alilou]

Those photos are absolutely gorgeous!!!! Keep 'em coming!

Glad you like them. I'm often amazed when they turn out.

[Angelskates]

Are you from Canberra?!

No, I'm from Adelaide, but I moved from Canberra to Beijing. My family moved back to Adelaide after I moved here. I went to uni in Canberra and worked for the ACT government. When I go home now I only go to Adelaide, but I miss my friends in Canberra, the good roads, Tree of Life, and Cafe Essen a lot.

[kwanfan1818]

alilou, if you don't have a lot of time to read and go straight to this thread, V&M are in for next season and are taking one year at a time, and they have a four-year sponsorship deal with Roots.

Hope you're having a grand time, and I look forward to reading the next chapter.

[alilou]

No, I'm from Adelaide, but I moved from Canberra to Beijing. My family moved back to Adelaide after I moved here. I went to uni in Canberra and worked for the ACT government. When I go home now I only go to Adelaide, but I miss my friends in Canberra, the good roads, Tree of Life, and Cafe Essen a lot.

It's always amazing and wonderful to hear of people who know Canberra. Most people outside Australia haven't even heard of it.

alilou, if you don't have a lot of time to read and go straight to this thread, V&M are in for next season and are taking one year at a time, and they have a four-year sponsorship deal with Roots.

Hope you're having a grand time, and I look forward to reading the next chapter.

Thanks for this info. I've hardly had time to look into any of the threads. I did know there was a news conference coming up but hadn't heard what they'd said. Very very pleased to hear they're continuing.

Finally got my next blog post done. We're having a fabulous time

Here's the link
http://alisonarmstrong.blogspot.com/

Enjoy.

[Aussie Willy]

Cool blog. Nice to see what you and Don look like. Looks like a great trip.

BTW - are you coming back to Sydney? I am up there next weekend and then have a two day training session for work on the Monday and Tuesday.

[kwanfan1818]

Wheeeeeeeeeeeee!

You and Don look great. I could hear your voice narrating your blog

[skatesindreams]

Wow! and Wow!
Thank you for sharing this with us.

[star_gazer11]

Thanks for sharing. I would freak out if I saw that spider in person; the picture is making me shudder.

[Japanfan]

Enjoyed it Allison - thanks for taking the time (though I don't know where you found it).

Your photos and commentary about the wildlife upped my own excitement for the trip we're taking to San Diego (leaving in just a few days). The main purpose is to go the zoo, wild animal park, and seaworld.

That spider freaked me out as well, I must say.

And the photos were great, you and Don look like you are having the time of your life. Look forward to the next installment.

[alilou]

BTW - are you coming back to Sydney? I am up there next weekend and then have a two day training session for work on the Monday and Tuesday.

Alas no. We go from Port Douglas to Uluru to Perth to Vietnam, then home to Vancouver.

Enjoyed it Allison - thanks for taking the time (though I don't know where you found it).

Your photos and commentary about the wildlife upped my own excitement for the trip we're taking to San Diego (leaving in just a few days). The main purpose is to go the zoo, wild animal park, and seaworld.

The time comes in the evenings. Plus there is an excellent internet cafe in PD so it's a fun way to spend the evening. Don't know how it will be from now on. There may be an internet cafe in Uluru, and hopefully we'll find one in Perth.

Have a great time in San Diego


And thanks everyone for your nice comments. It encourages me to keep going. I'm also emailing it to lots of friends/family too so it's a good way to share our trip.

[alilou]

I can't believe it's only been about 7 days since I last posted. It feels like weeks. Anyway I've got a new blog entry done. Here's the link
http://alisonarmstrong.blogspot.com/

Hope you enjoy.

[Japanfan]

Wow to climbing the rope ladder up to the tree house. I would have had an a
anxiety attack on the third rung and had to turn back.

Loved the camel and koala photos. We just went to the San Diego zoo and I was thrilled just to see koalas and camels. Hugging the koala and riding the camels would take the experience to the next level. That photo of Don and the koala is so sweet!!

Did you get used to the camel smell fairly easily? They were by far the smelliest animals in the zoo, you smelled them at about the same time you saw them.

[Buzz]

Thanks for the update Alilou!!!! Sounds like you are having a blast and those pictures were gorgeous!!!!!

[alilou]

Wow to climbing the rope ladder up to the tree house. I would have had an a
anxiety attack on the third rung and had to turn back.

Loved the camel and koala photos. We just went to the San Diego zoo and I was thrilled just to see koalas and camels. Hugging the koala and riding the camels would take the experience to the next level. That photo of Don and the koala is so sweet!!

Did you get used to the camel smell fairly easily? They were by far the smelliest animals in the zoo, you smelled them at about the same time you saw them.

Just to put it into context, climbing that tree was the equivalent of climbing up the side of about a 15 story building! Crazy! But.... it wasn't a rope ladder, it was strong and stable metal bars driven into the tree. Rope ladder - not even I'm that crazy

Didn't notice the camel smell at all, and glad you had a good time in San Diego.

Thanks for the update Alilou!!!! Sounds like you are having a blast and those pictures were gorgeous!!!!!

Thanks Buzz. Glad you're enjoying them.


Hey manhn! You out there? We're in Vietnam and loving it. What an amazing place!

[skatesindreams]

What a wonderful travelogue!
How well you share it.

That "dinner in the desert" sounded like an experience of a lifetime.
Your photos are great.

I'm so happy that you have internet access along the way.

[kwanfan1818]

Keep having a blast, alilou! It's wonderful to see your photos and to hear about your adventures

[Angelskates]

I love Australia.

Have you been robbed of lamingtons and pavlova though? Totally better dessert choices than bread and butter pudding!

[Japanfan]

Just read about the desert dinner - how special. I'd love to try crocodile and macadamia nut in filo pastry.

Hey manhn! You out there? We're in Vietnam and loving it. What an amazing place!

Looking forward to hearing about it.

[manhn]

Hey manhn! You out there? We're in Vietnam and loving it. What an amazing place!

I'm here! So glad you're having a wonderful time! Have you been to Halong Bay yet?

[alilou]

I love Australia.

Have you been robbed of lamingtons and pavlova though? Totally better dessert choices than bread and butter pudding!

OMG I had actually forgotten about lamingtons and pavlova! And you are so right - they are way better desserts that bread and butter pudding (which I must admit I found a strange choice), but bread and butter pud seems to be the dessert of choice in Ayers Rock as it was also on the menu at another hotel we had dinner at there. But I do have to say that the roasted wattleseed and apple crumble was unique and absolutely delicious. We also had wattleseed icecream in Qld on our drive up to Cape Tribulation. It's a new Australian flavor since I was last there.

I'm here! So glad you're having a wonderful time! Have you been to Halong Bay yet?

We've had a day and a half in Hanoi which is wild and magical all at once. Our friend who lives there took us to some of her fav restaurants and the afternoon of the 2nd day we were there we all had a massage which was much needed. Then we came to Sapa where I am now.We've spent the entire daytrecking among the mountain villages of the region, and then got rides back to Sapa on motor bikes. It was a really fabulous day. Tomorrow we go to Bac Ha for the market,then back to Hanoi on the overnight train. We'll spend a few days in Hanoi and then finally next Friday we go to Halong Bay. Can't wait. From all I've heard it sounds fabulous. As is Sapa. Lots more details to come when I get back to my blog but I can't do it at the moment as I have no way to upload pics here in Sapa.

And thanks everyone for your nice compliments and words of encouragement. I love doing the blog, it's really fun. And new for me. I'm not usually this communicative. It's good to hear you're enjoying it.