Emma's Australian Bloglet

I'm sat in Perth Airport at the moment, trying to decide what to spend my last few australian dollars on. I've been left to my own devices this week as Ann-Marie's new job started on Monday. However I managed to negotiate the very efficient public transport system here in Perth and seen the Western Australian Art GAllery, Museum and the Perth Mint. I've also bought a lot of souveniers ranging from the rather good to the incredibly tacky.

I'm looking forward to getting home, but not the going back to work part of that. I'm going to miss Australia, I've still got so much more to do and see here, but at least this guarentees that I'll be returning "down under" soon!

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Oh dear, I sent a post on Sunday night with a bit of gossip about Ann-Marie and I going out in Manly (a Brisbane suburb) getting drunk amongst the sleasy locals and then heading to the Gold coast and surfers paradise and getting tattoos, but it doesn't seem to have appeared on my blog. Ah well, here are some of the photos you've been missing out on.

Jim and Ann-Marie aboard the Aristocat2 - A catamaran we took around Monkey Mia bay spotting dolphins, dugongs and loggerhead turtles.

The best kind of graffetti, the amusing kind - turning the harmless little bilby into a fanged and clawed monster!

In front of Uluru (Ayres Rock for the politically incorrect/insensitive) at some ridiculously early hour in order to catch a distinctly unimpressive sunrise from a viewing point that, on my camera at least, required a 30-odd degree angle to take the whole thing in. However I have walked round it, which is one thing I can tick off my list, but the evening "Sounds of Silence" dinner under the stars was cancelled due to the thunderstorm we had later that day. Bloody weather had to follow me didn't it?

Tattoos for Ann-Marie and myself (guess which is which!) taken whilst hungover on the beach at Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast, Queensland.

And here we are! A gaggle of Farnworths - taken by Maori Jon, Catherine's boyfriend...

...who is here, with Catherine, as we are about to board the plane. He's just got out of hospital, having collapsed the day after we left, so get well soon Jon.

That's all I have time for today boys and girls, but I hope that puts paid to any doubts about the existance of my Australian family and satifies your hunger for photographic evidence of my trip.

Oh and BTW... They are temporary tattoos. Sorry if I disappoint ;)

Just flown into Ayres Rock. Not literally of course... that would be all over the news.

We've arrived at the resort and are setting off stupidly early tomorrow to get a sunrise view of the 2nd largest rock in Australia - Uluru. The largest, for those fact fans is actually Mt Augustus in W.A. but is apparently not as interesting (Thanks to Dan and his Pub Quiz MemoryTM).

Then tomorrow evening we have a evening meal with a view of the oversized pebble. It's called the "sounds of silence" tour, but I know for a fact that there is to be a digeridoo accompaniment so how "silent" it turns out to be is yet to be seen/heard.

No pictures yet, coz I haven't taken any, but rest assured I shall get them to you as soon as possible.

Off to the pool now... *sigh* it's a hard life.

Finally some photos! We went on the Kalbarri Explorer at 6am this morning, bleary eyed and getting increasing seasick on the journey out. We saw a whale splashing about which was enough to keep my mind focused away from nausea. By the time we arrived at the first of the stops, I was feeling destinctly peaky and was very glad I'd had no breakfast.

We fished for a while and to my surprise I landed a Trevalli (so I'm told) but managed to tangle up 3 peoples lines in the process. Beginners luck! Excellent.

A bit later, at a different point I landed a small North West (or Sweet Lip) Snapper (darker and a little stripey, instead of light blue. This was good :) still felt a bit ill though.

Then there was talk of a shark tangling someones lines but I was a bit busy. I'd got a bite of my own, and it was heavy. And difficult to pull up. And, crikey! I've got a shark on my line!!!

Lots of struggling and pulling later, with plenty of instruction from Roscoe and Bob (his uncle - no really) We managed to get it on board, remove the tackle in its mouth and pose for a few pics before throwing it back into the water.

Shark, Skipper Bob and Me.
And here's our reward at the end of the days fishing... 4 fish (3 Snappers and 1 Travalli) 8 fillets and tonight's dinner. Can't wait :)

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