A Ride Down the River

I had a coupon for a boat rental, so we continued my birthday celebration weekend by using it on Saturday, January 28, which was luckily a hot and sunny day. We picked up our little motorboat in the Docklands, and we spent a couple of hours driving it up and down the Yarra River. It's not exactly known for being the cleanest of water (they say it's brown because of the dirt-I'm not sure that's all!), so we stayed dry and didn't attempt going for a swim.

It was cool to gain a different perspective of Melbourne by going under the bridges and seeing things from the river. I had no idea how ornately some of the bridges were decorated or how much of a tourist attraction the Yarra River was. There were several riverboat cruises on the water that day.

My favorite part was probably going through the Federation Square area and near the Flinders Street Station. I couldn't believe that we were allowed to just motorboat down this river, passing famous sites, with no boating license or permit of any type.

I like this shot because it shows a cool bridge, palm trees, and the Eureka Tower (highest building in the CBD).

Back in the Docklands, we circled around some of the big shipping boats before heading back to turn in our boat. If we had shipped over our household goods, they would have come in a container on a boat like this. These things are huge!

We probably wouldn't have done this without a coupon, but I'm glad we had the chance to enjoy a day viewing beautiful Melbourne from the water on a gorgeous day.

Zack relaxes while I drive for awhile.

Australia Day and My 33rd Birthday

Australia Day is on January 26. It's kind of like Australia's version of the 4th of July, celebrated with BBQs on the beach and fireworks. It was on a Thursday this year, and since Zack had the day off of work, we threw together a spontaneous get-together with our friends Emily and Adam. They biked down to the beach right across the street from our place, we carried our portable BBQ downstairs, and we grilled up some sausages and played beach games for a couple of hours. That night, I enjoyed watching the fireworks from our balcony.

Luna Park makes a nice foreground for the fireworks over the city and atop the Eureka Tower.

January 27 is my birthday, so I decided to have some friends over to celebrate the Australian holiday in combination with my turning 33 on Friday night. I made some Australia-themed snacks for the party. I'm especially proud of my Australian flag fruit kebobs; thank you Pinterest for the inspiration based on the US flag.

Australian cheese and crackers, fruit and veggie kebobs, sausage rolls, and chips (and cupcakes!).

We had sort of a small crowd because several of our friends were gone for the holiday weekend, but those who could come were awesome. They even brought me presents, which was totally unexpected! Here's a picture with Kristy and Joy. I think Emily and her friend Andrea were outside on the balcony at this point. Below are the boys (Adam, Nigel, Zack, and Hannes) and a shot of my favorite chocolate cake that Zack gets at a place across from his work. Yum!

It was very strange celebrating my birthday in the summertime. I'm used to wearing sweaters instead of sundresses and planning snowboarding trips instead of beach parties, but I'm not complaining! I'm hoping my 33rd year is the best one yet. It sure started off nicely!

A Stop at Erskine Falls

While traveling the Great Ocean Road with the Keys, we stopped for a short hike at Erskine Falls near Lorne. We hadn't been here before, but I'd highly recommend it as a stop along the drive. It's a great place to see bright green plants, including huge ferns, and a big waterfall without much walking.

Straw Falls

We did hike a little further than the general viewing area near Erskine Falls and found Straw Falls. To get there, Zack and I took the more exciting path across the log. I even Tebowed on it. Zack and his dad climbed halfway up the rocks here, and then we headed back to the car to continue our Great Ocean Road trip. You can see many more pictures on my Shutterfly page (link in the top corner of the blog). This quick stop was worth it-check out Erskine Falls if you get the chance!

Erskine Falls from above.

Great Ocean Road with the Keys

On the first weekend the Keys were here, we took them down the Great Ocean Road. Here are some of the highlights...

Taking pictures in front of the beautiful views (Eagle Rock).

Spotting an echidna.

Checking out Split Point Lighthouse.

Seeing a blue tongued lizard.

Viewing tons of koalas on Cape Otway Road.

Staying the night across from Lorne Beach.

Admiring the Twelve Apostles.

Hooray for the Great Ocean Road!

Belated Christmas Dinner with a View

The Keys at Sails on the Bay.

In late January, as a belated Christmas present, we took Zack's parents out to dinner at Sails on the Bay, a beachside restaurant in the nearby suburb of Elwood. We also celebrated my birthday a few days early. We had some good food and a great view of the beautiful sunset that night!

View out the window at Sails on the Bay.

More Keys in Australia

For a couple of weeks in January, we weren't the only Keys in Australia! Zack's dad and stepmom came to visit and go to the Australian Open, and we had fun showing them around our new home. The picture to the left is the welcome table I had ready for them at our place when they arrived. You can see their personalized Cokes. I also made an Aussie themed dinner with kangaroo kebobs, lamb cutlets, chips with sour cream and chili sauce, salad, rolls, and vanilla slice for dessert. Yummy.

On one of the weekends, we headed out to the Yarra Valley region to visit some wineries. Instead of doing the major big ones, we hit up some of the smaller ones in Seville. It was nice to get personalized attention and not fight the crowds, and we enjoyed a platter of cheese and meats in the sunshine after our wine tasting at Seville Estate.

Zack's dad and Vickie posing with the Wine Dogs book-open to a page that looks like Molly!

This dog lives at the winery, and she's featured in a book of other winery dogs. I had fun playing with her and practicing taking pictures with my new lens (a Christmas present from the Keys-thanks!).

Lots more blog posts to come...check back daily!

Why My Mom is Cooler than Your Mom

Because even though I'm 33 years old and live on a different continent, she sends me care packages and random things like this in the mail!