Terence and family in Brisbane

We are very spoilt to have been able to spend time in Brisbane with Terence, Lizelle and “Little Monster” Dylan - Terence’s nickname for little Dylan who is the most delightful, good-natured, darling child!! It was lovely catching up after last seeing Terence about 30 years ago!! We even managed to have a “conference” chat with Brenda and Gert on the phone in South Africa from Terence’s house!

Terence let us pitch camp in his driveway close to his shed which is as good as the local Bunnings. It was so interesting hearing his life story up until now where he is settled and living a normal, suburban life with his amazing wife, Lizelle, and little Dylan. Terence spent many years crewing on yachts all over the world’s oceans, lived in Thailand running a diving school, and then lived in New Zealand for 8 years. He has been in Brisbane for 3 years and loves it here though probably works way too hard!! His dream is to live in the country on a smallholding. I hope it can happen one day. He really needs to write a book! Just this weekend we waved goodbye to them as they set off on a 3 week journey across the Simpson desert!! The car was so full poor Dylan just managed to fit in but he was absolutely delighted when he found his spot amongst all the gear required for the desert!!

They are such an organized, focused couple it puts most people to shame. They are just the NICEST people too!! (There is a very visible spot of both Monica and Paddy in Terence - the parts we loved in both of them as we spent many happy hours at their homes in Craighall Park and the nursery in Fourways in the 1970's!!) They have left us their house for as long as we like while they are away. We feel as if we are back home and already forgotten how to be grey nomads … but we will be on our way very soon!!

It was also lovely hearing a little knock on our caravan door when Dylan wanted to come and visit us in the driveway. He loved examining all the parts of our caravan!! It reminded me so much of Eva, Eloise and Ali's knocking on our caravan door when we stayed in Nat's driveway. The only difference was that Nat's 3 just climbed into our bed for cuddles and stories - not so easy with 5 in a caravan bed - but we DO miss that!!

I posted the photos, as promised, for Barbara, Bren and Gert. ENJOY. Wish you were here!!

Last day in Noosa

Noosa has been 8 fun filled days for us. We will be very sad to go but we will leave with great memories.

I managed to catch up with Barb (Schutte) after being together in the same class at Rosebank Convent 40 years ago. We weren't friends at school but seeing that our class is having its 40th reunion in Jhb in a few weeks time we arranged a private "Aussie/Tewantin" reunion. It was great just chattting together about our lives since leaving school. We had a great morning with our pancakes and coffee and hopefully she'll visit us one day in WA.

Denize said we had to join her and LLoyd on the beach one last time before we left. As usual, because of the perfect weather, the beach was stunning. We had an afternoon coffee together in a cafe right on Noosa beach before giving each other a great big hug, and us, saying a HUGE thanks for being so spoilt by both of them.

The park we stayed in was 5 mins out of Noosa in a small town called Tewantin. It suited us just fine as it was close to everything and we think we had the best site in the whole place.

We're off to Brisbane tomorrow via Eumundi and Montville. We will be staying with our friend Terence Smith and his wife Lizelle before they leave for their trip across the Simpson desert.

Great times with the family and riding in Noosaville

Denize has been a star arranging for us to meet the family in Noosa. We spent a wonderful day having a picnic lunch on the Noosa North shore, and an evening picnic on the banks of the Noosa river where we stayed late into the night laughing and sharing memories but were forced to leave as the temperate got lower and lower. We were all freezing though I don't think the kids minded at all. They had the whole playpark to themselves. Everyone else had gone home.

I have posted photos of Dee and Lloyd, Nushka, Rufino, Darma and Julian (the sweetest children), Chad, Dom, Cheyenne, and Savanna (great, confident little girls), Kurt, Megan and their boys. (Thomas and Matt were having a sleepover, but we met Josh and baby Alex.) We also met Megan's sister and her husband who have just immigrated to Aus and are staying with Megan and Kurt. It was a great pity not to have had Che and Nicole with us but as everyone knows they are in the USA launching a new invention of Che's.

Denize adores her precious grandchilden and misses Che's 3 awfully. She's hoping to get to see them soon.

I felt a tinge of sadness that Chantal was not there to cuddle and spoil her beautiful grand-children. Nushka says that Darma misses Chantal a lot.

Have fun recognising everyone! We have had a great time with them all and agree that Noosa is a wonderful place for them to have chosen to settle. It's also great to be a part of the "De Senneville" thread!

Drive to Double Island Point - Noosa

This is such an amazing place I've decided it needs a post of its own!

The only way to get to Double Island Point is using the magnificent beach highway which runs meters from the ocean. Checking the tides is also very important as it's possible to get to Double Island Point and not get back until the high tide has passed.

Double Island is the end point of the beach in the Great Sandy National Park in Noosa - about 65 kms from point of entry onto the beach highway. As I attempted to describe in my previous post roaring along the beach so close to the ocean is totally thrilling - something that has to be experienced. The sights along the way are often unique - both the activities of the rare humans with their fishing rods, caravans!!, tents, 4wds and the Mad Max brigade (the ropey boat they were towing was called FKDD3!) - and of course, the sparkling, turquoise ocean. For 15 km along the beach track there are great camping facilities where anyone who loves the beach can pitch their tent. You would need to be fully self contained. We were very tempted to come for a night or 2. It would be fantastic!

Once we parked our car at the end of the beach we made the steep climb to get to the lighthouse at the top of the point. We were very proud of ourselves as we made it!! Many people go half way and never get to the top. We met a great volunteer couple who were given a turn to man a tiny information centre for 2 hours a day for a week. They were ex-Zimbabweans and were having a ball having just spotted a pod of whales migrating North. We just missed them!

The views from the top of the point were amazing as was the "playing" on the beach before the tide came in and we had to return to our starting point.

It was a day we'll always remember - yet another one!!

Noosa – the place to be!

The impression one often gets of Noosa is that of the rich and famous walking down Hastings Street. This is rather far from the truth as the place is stunningly beautiful - the Noosa river and its ferry over to the North Shore, the parks along its banks, bike tracks all over the town, the ability to drive for miles and miles in the Great Sandy National Park in a 4wd one meter from the ocean (our poor navlady was stressing thinking we were driving in the sea!!), the stunning views over the ocean from accessible walkways, the forests, small coves along the beaches for safe, year round swimming and amazing hinterland views – and of course, the family, who have all been so kind to us! (This is what we have seen. We would need a few more weeks to enjoy what we haven't.)

Hastings Street is there with its funky coffee shops and upmarket shops, restaurants and boutiques, often very original and inviting…if you are one of the rich and famous. Picnics on the beach for lunch, at the end of a 4 wheel drive or after a long forest walk along the edge of the azure ocean does us fine!

It appears to be the perfect place to settle though property is exceptionally expensive. Many people we spoke to and observed appear to be retired (though lots of young ones too), environmentally conscious, keen on exercise, willing to help us when we kept getting lost using the marvelous maze of bike tracks, beach and 4 wd lovers - all fiercely protective of their “place” in Noosa – perfectly justified. I even spotted the university of the third age. My current university is Radio National!!

I think if one has “made it” this is the place to come though I believe the summer is very hot and humid. The one good thing about Noosa is that the ocean is swimmable all year round – no life-threatening jellyfish!

We are loving every minute in Noosa and are so glad we chose to stay for 8 days before heading down to Brisbane.

(I will post all the family photos on the blo.g after the weekend as Denize has arranged a picnic on the river for all the family on Saturday evening. It should be fun. The only thing missing will be the family in Perth!)

P.S. Chris couldn't resist the "Mad Max" look on the beach with the 4wds all in a row! and the last picture is of Coolum beach about 20 mins from Noosa.