Tranby House

Today is a public holiday in celebration of Australia Day on the 26th Jan. Rosemary and I organised a kayak paddle from Garrat Road Bridge to Tranby House for a visit and a morning breakfast picnic. The morning was glorious and the waters flat as. Lots of feathered birds and other kayakers around.

Rosemary looking cool as always.

A friendly pelican gliding near me.A shag sunning itself on the branch along the Swan River. The Swan River is spectacular with lots of walk tracks and bicycle tracks along the banks of the river and it is great to see so many people enjoying the morning and friendly 'Good Mornings" and "Hellos". We are blessed with this beautiful reserves and parks along the banks.
We moored near the jetty where Tranby House is located in Maylands. It was quite worrying as we noticed alot of dead blowies on the banks and along the river as well. I wondered what has happened. Rosemary is going to call the Swan River Trust to notify them of the find.

After a quick breakfast picnic......with me scoffing down crackers with tuna and peaches with mango sauce...yummo....that's my breakfast and lunch rolled into one. We strolled thru the Tranby House gardens. Unfortunately the house is closed for renovation until Feb. The grounds itself is beautiful and the views are spectacular.

check out the website: http://www.perthvista.com/tranby-house.html to read about the history of Tranby House.

LIFE IS GLORIOUS & WONDERFUL!!!! We had a fantastic time today and heading back home now for a "nanna nap".

Australia Day 2008

Celebration of a nation.....26th Jan 2008. Proud to be an Australian!!!!!!

Creative Motivation

Yesterday was full on physical activities with undergound tunneling and moonlight kayaking. Today I am just relaxing and recovering at home and gettting creative with pictures, videos and updating blogs.

I have created a couple of new blogs for:

Princess Magic: http://www.adventuresofprincessmagic.blogspot.com/

Pingu Penguin: http://www.pinguthekickarsepenguin.blogspot.com/

My babies: http://www.the3stoogies.blogspot.com/

I always have fun doing these blogs and it really does stimulate the creativeness in me!!!!! Do regularly visit these sites as you never what the mischevious buddies are up to!!!!!

Sunset / Moonlight Kayak

Straight after the Tunnel Tour, we meet up with Terry's kayking group for the Sunset kayak on the Canning River. Terry owns "Canoeing Down Under" and checkout his website http://www.canoeingdownunder.com.au/. During the summer months, he will gather a group together and organise a sunset/moonlight and picnic kayak for socialising and enjoying the beautiful waterways and the viewing of numerous feathered wildlife.

This is my second moonlight kayak with Terry and his group. Rosemary have been to quite a few, the times I missed out was either when I was on the drilling rigs or gallivanting overseas. It has been a while since I dusted the kayak and brought it down to the river.

Christine and I having a little "bumper kayaking" I couldn't stop in time.....getting a wee bit rusty in my controlling techniques!!!!!!! Hmmmm....need more practice.
Rosemary looking very professional indeed!!!!!!.
Kayaks all parked up in the embankment of Kent St Weir after the first leg of the paddle through the Canning River from Shelly/Riverton Bridge. Out came the picnic rugs, wines, cheeses, crackers, nuts and nibbles. Having a chin wag with good friends and new friends.
An very enjoyable day indeed..................

Fremantle Prison Tunnel Tour

Rosemary organised a tunnel prison tour for us last Saturday. Alicia, her daughter was our guide. The tour was very interesting as we learned about the history of Fremantle Prison, Western Australia in regards to the convicts and prisoners doing hard labour digging through the limstone to make "aqua ducts" tunnels to supply fresh drinkable water to the colony and the prison itself.

We were decked with safety harnesses, fall arresters, boots, helmets and overalls climbing up and down ladders, going to labyrinths of tunnels 20m beneath the Prison on foot and boat. When we kept really quiet we can actually hear traffic above us outside the Prison compound.

The boat ride was very interesting. There was a caravan of boats and Rosemary & I were the last in the group and somehow being on the back of the boat and not familiar with the oars I was making the boat hitting the wall left and right. It turned out that I was trying to 'kayak' rather than 'canoeing' with the oar. When rectified, we finally cruised nicely along enjoying and letting the history sink in. There were 'solution ducts' where tree roots had barrowed into the limestone. Very interesting indeed. This is so far my second tour to the Fremantle Prison, the first was the Night Tour laast year. I highly recommend making a visit to the prison and learning more about the history of WA. Check out their website on http://www.fremantleprison.com.au/.

Antarctica

My trip to Antarctica with the Madventure Group is drawing near and near. Below is a you tube clip filmed in a duration of a year in fast time lapse at a communication station in Antarctica. ENJOY!!!




And this one is beautiful and I can't wait to see all the different type of penguins especially the babies!!!



This is another clip from another adventurer in Antarctica. Just watching his video clip is making me excited now for my trip. See how beautiful the scenary and the wildlife is.

Zills - fingers cymbals

I started beginner's belly dancing class since I got back from my India trip with the group of bellydancers. I was the only non-belly dancer as well as 2 other husbands on the trip. Sufficed to say it gave me a very good impression to start up this creative activity when I got back home.

I have been to 4 classes so far and loving every moment of it. It great to let the feminine and inner child side of me come out and play. Tonight we were introduced to zills which are 2 pairs of finger cymbals.....wow I have discover a new favourite toy!!!!!

I loved the sounds, it reminds me of my tibetan singing bowls and bells. I wished I have a couple sets of hands so I can be a one-woman orchestra and make beautiful melodies!!!!

The three stoogies better get used to my new toy fast as I will be doing lots of practice, practice. The neighbours will hate me for this. hahahahahah!!!!!!!!! (evil laugh)

Rio Carnival Revisit

Tonight I had a phone call from my friend Patricia. She said that she saw me on National Geographic program "Inside Rio Carnival" on Foxtel. She was so excited and she asked if it was really me!!!!

I remembered whilst I was getting ready for the carnival, stuffing paper into my 'too big' slippers, Angie nudged me to look up and there was this tv camera person with his camera up close to my face.....and the first thing I said..."I can't believe I am actually here doing this...I must be crazy or mad (something along that line) The camera person started laughing as he recognised my aussie accent, which threw him out a bit as he must have thought that I was a japanese and when he started talking....bloody hell he was an aussie as well. Talk about a small world. I completely forgot about this episode until Patricia's call tonight.

Wow it is exactly 11 months since I danced at the Sambadrone last Febuary and the Carnival 2008 will be starting up again next month. Time sure has flown.

Here are some photos to reminisce. Spectators at the Sambadrome. Bottom left hand corner are some of the Madventure guys.Me, Angie and Jason are down below within the crowd doing our dance number in front of 80,000 spectators from all around the world. Precisely where we are??? I haven't a clue!!!! Me, exhausted and exhilarated and walking on cloud nine. It took me ages to wind down as I was in such a hyper mode.Jason and I in our carnival costumes. Angie was the other part of the trio but unfortunately she wasn't seated with us and was in another part of the grandstand.

Overall that was such an experience that I won't forget and will cherish the memories of my time in Sth America especially the Manchu Picchu ruins.

Inspirational Video

I came across this inspirational video on u tube and wish to share it with everyone.



The words are so beautiful and the messages so humble and inspirational.