From Bali to Sydney and then home...

Our depature from Bali was at a horrible time. We flew out at midnight, to arrive in Sydney at 8:00 am local time (6:00 am Bali time). Surprisingly, the girls faired really well despite the constant sleep disruptions. However, when we finally arrived at our hotel, everyone was really tired. So we all had a long nap. This meant that we lost a better part of our first day to sleep deprivation.

When we finally ventured out, it was much cooler than Bali. Thankfully we had packed some warmer clothes. We immediately set out for Darling Harbour. We took the monorail and walked around looking for some "comfort" food, which we quickly found. Our first impressions were: "Wow, this is pretty cool!" There is something to be said about seeing the Sydney Opera House as the backdrop to the Harbour bridge in person. It is such a Sydney icon. We still remember watching the firework display during the Olympics on television and saying one day we will see it live!

On our second day, we started off early and jumped on the hop-on, hop-off bus, which Mackenzie loved. We felt that this would be the most efficient way to get a bird's eye view of the city given our limited time. So we rode the bus for a while and then started visiting the city. Our stops included the Opera House, Circular Quay, The Rocks, Kings Cross George Street, The Opera House, Hyde Park, Sydney Aquarium, just to name a few. We covered a lot of ground. The girls were awesome. They were more than happy to hop-on and off the bus throughout the day.

Unfortunately, on our third day, the weather wasn't the greatest so we were told not to bother with visiting the Blue Mountains. We would have seen only fog. So instead, we rode the ferry around the harbour and went to the Zoo, which happens to offer some of the most spectalcular views of Sydney. The girls loved the Zoo and so did mom & dad.

Next thing you know we had to pack and leave the next day.

We definately saw enough of Sydney to know that we want to come back.

What a great holiday! Scott, Tanya, thanks for encouraging us to do this trip!
We really enjoyed it.

From Melbourne to Bali

What can we say about Bali... We really enjoyed Bali. We had not travelled to Asia yet. This was definitely a great introduction. For those of you who have been, this should make sense. It is a place that we would characterize as "organized chaos, transcended by tranquility"!

For example, driving is crazy. There appears to be no rules, except, whoever goes or gets there first has the right of way. We thought driving in Italy was crazy! Picture yourself at a stop light, surrounded by as many cars, vans, scooters and trucks that can be jammed in all at once. The only thing stopping them from going to 15 lanes of traffic is a cliff or ditch. The light turns green and off they all go. Just like Formula 1 racing, all vying to be at the front of the pack. The really odd thing is that we didn't encounter ANY road range or accidents. NONE.

The Balinese are very humble, kind and gentle people. They treated Mackenzie and Breeana like little princesses. Everywhere we went, whether it be shops, restaurants, boutiques or whether is was while we were sightseeing, the Balinese would always touch them and want to hold them. Mackenzie and Breeana were a little puzzled in the beginning but after a few days they were waving and smiling at everyone and actually enjoying the attention.

The weather was very hot and humid. Everyone had told us that it would be hot, but we hadn't figured that it would be that hot and humid. It was just like that crazy hot summer day we had in Ottawa almost 3 years ago when the temperature hit 45C. It was just like that everyday. Thank God for the pool and air conditioning!

The resort where we stayed was great. The accommodations were small 2 storey villas that could accommodate 2 families. Nice and quiet. So we thought...

It was our first night in Bali, and all through the villa, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse, EXCEPT for the rain drops dripping on Michael's head at 4:30 am! That's right, the roof was leaking. It wasn't funny at 4:30 am but we can laugh about it now... A good thing came out of this: we got upgraded to a larger villa.

On our second night, Breeana decided that she wasn't going to sleep. So on our second night in Bali, and all through the villa, not a creature was sleeping, not even a mouse. We were frantic and worried that Breeana was keeping the entire complex awake. Michael had the genius idea to drop her in the pram and walk the entire resort, which he did. Mackenzie, mom and the neighbours finally got some sleep. That morning, we felt so bad that we went to see our neighbours upstairs to apologize. Turns out that they couldn't hear a thing. We were lucky in our misfortune again, we met a wonderful family from Melbourne - The Gardiners: Jason, Rachel, Jessica and Abbey. We would hooked up with them daily by the pool to plan our itinerary, trade shopping strategies, or simply soak in the pool. They were awesome. They contributed to making our holiday that much more memorable. Breeana and Mackenzie loved playing with Abbey and Jessica. Hopefully our girls will turn our a lovely as Abbey and Jessica.

We would usually do a day of travelling and sightseeing and a day by the pool. Mackenzie and Breeana totally grasped the concept of lounging around the pool. They both enjoyed the water and didn't mind being in it all day. Bonus for Mom and Dad.

Some of our sightseeing excursions took us to Mount Batur, to Lake Batur, several villages including Kintamani, Ubud, Sanur, Sebat, Tegallalang, Pujung, Taro and Batuan. We saw rice fields, hundreds of temples, lush green landscapes, bamboo forests, markets, and a volcano. We also visited typical Balinese homes, saw how they hand-make silver jewelery, wood carvings, furniture, pottery, paintings, etc. We didn't realize how labour intensive rice cultivation is or how talented craftsmen the Balinese are. Everything is done by hand.

One of our favourite excursions was to Taro, where we went to the elephant safari park to ride the elephants. We had a great time! Mackenzie and Breeana were very curious. Both looked at the elephants in amazement, as did Mom and Dad. After viewing several elephants and taking photos we mounted our elephants for our hour long tour through the forest. It was magical. Michael and Mackenzie didn't appreciate their elephant deciding to go off into the forest for a snack but their guide (matou) was able to reign the elephant back in line. It's one thing to have your horse head off but very different when it's your elephant. The tour concluded with a bath and a drink in the LARGE waiting pool. The water goes up to your legs as the elephant submerses itself to cool off and get a drink. Something we will remember for a long time.

We can't talk about Bali without talking about the shopping and the bartering. The first couple of days that we were there we had to stand back and observe. There is so much stuff to choose from. From Louis Vuitton to hand made crafts in the market. It's just like Disney. Something for everyone. The fun part is that you had to barter (just like in Mexico) for your price. Lucky for us, Jason was an experienced negotiator. He took no prisoners and taught Michael how to go in for the kill! So we got sunglasses for 5$, DVDs for 1$, clothing for 3$. It was Christmas all over again.

Unfortunately for us, we had to be very selective in what we bought since it will have to travel all the way back to Canada. So we limited ourselves to purchasing, togs (swimming stuff), jewelery, sunglasses, clothes, pottery, DVDs, paintings and cushions covers. We could have bought so much more, including furniture! Darn luggage allowance. Does anyone want to share a container with us to ship stuff back???

We can't beleive that we almost forgot to write about the spa treatments or the food. Kathy got a full body 1hour massage everyday for the costly price of 10$ and a pedicure/manicure every other day for 6$. She is still experiencing spa withdrawal!

We ate like kings, indulging on great sea food and satay meals. They included dinner on the beach a couple of times watching the sunset and some meals tucked away at an oasis.

It seems really odd to talk about a holiday since we are in New Zealand but it was sure nice to get away for the daily routine and have someone else cook, clean and do our laundry for us.

Bali, we will come and visit again!

We are back...

It's amazing how three weeks can go by so quickly, especially when you are having so much fun. Our trip was filled with surprises, memorable moments and great weather.

We started our trip in Melbourne, Australia after a 6 hour flight. The girls travelled like little angels. We really enjoyed Melbourne. We would characterize it as a very cosmopolitan, artistic and tourist friendly city. We have to admit that before our departure, we were lazy. We did not read-up on the things to see and do. However, this proved to be beneficial since we didn't have any preconceived ideas about what to expect. As a result, everyday was a new adventure.

Some of our high points included:
- shopping;
- travelling with 2 "starlets";
- food;
- city landscapes; and
- free transportation for tourists.

We found it challenging to limit our purchases. We didn't want to max out our luggage allowance so early in the trip. So we sat on our hands and purchased very few items. Not an easy thing to do when you are surrounded by great fashion, both women's and men's, great sales, original items not to mention a favourable exchange rate. Despite these temptations, we manage to fend off our urges!

Interestingly enough, on our first day, we discovered what it may feel like to be pursued by the paparazzi, albeit on a smaller scale. Let us explain. We were crossing over the Princess Bridge, which is very touristic spot. It is an area surrounded by the National Art gallery, the Alexandria Gardens, the Queen Victoria Gardens, Hamer Hall (their NAC), Federation square, cafes, restaurants, etc. As we stoped to take some panoramic pictures of the view from the bridge, a Chinese lady asked if she could take a picture of Mackenzie and Breeana. Micheal told her to ask Mackenzie so the lady did. Mackenzie agreed and the lady handed her camera to her friend to take a picture of Mackenzie, Breeana and herself.

Nothing too strange so far. That quickly changed. Immediately after the photo was taken, we were surrounded by a large group of Chinese tourists, all waiting for their turn to have their picture taken with the girls! Not 3, 4 or 5, but more like 50! It seemed that every time we thought it was the last photo, another person approached us to have their picture taken. This went on for at least 15 minutes. Some of them even videotaped the girls. Mackenzie and Breeana smiled and laughed the whole time. We were all a little puzzled and Michael and I just kind of shrugged it off. When they were finally done, we realized that it was an entire tour bus. Their guide thanked us as he ushered them along. This happened several times during our holiday. Who knows, maybe the girls will be "starlets" in Shanghai one day!

The food... ok knowing the Quinns, we hope you guessed it - Sweets! Specifically CHOCOLATE and lots of it! Everywhere you looked there were these wonderful little cafes, chocolatier shops filled with decadent treats. Not to set a bad example for the girls, we would take turns and stop at these small shops during the girls nap in the pram, and the other kept walking to make sure they slept. It became our 2:30 pm ritual to find a spot and get our chocolate fix. We are still suffering some withdrawal symptoms!

We have to say that we were both very impressed by Melbourne. Having no pre-conceived idea about what to expect, we found this city very picturesque and filled with a little bit of everything for everyone. The Yarra River cuts right through the city and plays a focal point in the urban planning. There are many green spaces and outdoor markets. It is pedestrian friendly and a wonderful mix of old and new architectural buildings. There is a free tram and bus for tourists to use, which takes you to all the major sightseeing attractions in the city.

All in all, Melbourne definitely caught us off guard.

Unfortunately, the giant 100 million dollar fairestwheel that opened in January and closed 8 weeks later due to "serious architectural design deficiencies" was still not open. Not sure we would have gone for a ride anyhow...

As promised, here are lots of pictures. Hopefully you will enjoy them!