A holiday of a lifetime in sunny Australia!

What a beautiful sunset....and those blue skies! It must have been a memorable trip, Sheilabub!

Thats really a lovely memory Sheilabub

its like something from a dream ~ it looks amazing! i hope you have those photos printed up large in your house

Oh wow, what a first photo, love Schooners. I was lucky enough to cross the Atlantic, sadly not on a schooner, it was a motor yacht and the breeze didn't pick up for our whole journer of 21 days and we had to motor. Bet you had a fab time in Oz. I went once but left my heart to NZ!

Thank you all - you're quick: I do love a good sky! No Sticki, but what a good idea . . . and I agree, Lulu, we like NZ better too. OH would live there, but for friends here. At least you must have had calm seas for your Atlantic trip: good in one way. :)

I lived in Queenstown for a year and cried when I left. It was either leave or marry my boyfriend, it wouldn't have worked !!!

Gorgeous photo`s, both of them and lovely trip to remember.....

Wow - love to hear more/photos very inspiring.

Sounds very relaxing :o)

me too kf ~ please sheila

Goodness Kf and Sticki . . . aaw, nice of you to ask, but what can I tell you? First, you need a partner who can take control of a boat, knows about sails, radio contact and navigation. Then his "crew" just have to respond to shouted instructions, and be able to take the helm, and hook a buoy by leaning over the side with a long pole. The crew have to not mind washing in 2 inches of water (they are forbidden from washing their hair!!) but it is all good fun. The Great Barrier Reef is a beautiful area, with countless uninhabited islands, so you take prepared meals with you (ask for a provisioned boat when you rent). We saw very few other boats or indeed people. Once at anchor, one of the best things for me was donning a mask and snorkle tube, and swimming on the surface looking down at the colourful fish and coral! Nothing quite like it. :))

i very much like the sound of the snorkling and even better the uninhabited islands; a provisioned boat sounds excellent
I have a partner who can take control but knows next to nothing about sails or radio contract or navigation; the crew - me - is used to responding to shouted instructions but cant take the helm. im sure i could lean over the side tho!!
how am i doing?
oh by the way - i would need tablets for sea legs.
do you have any more of those lovely photos? please?

Oh Sticki, you do make me laugh . . you're a tonic! Just what I need today! Am about to watch Carol Klein, but I'll have a look for photos later. x

thank you! enjoy the cottage garden - i have no tv aerial at the moment so im hoping to watch on iplayer later

Sheila, what a great adventure, I too go sailing , with a friend , around the south coast, normally twice a year, he has a beneteau, ( spelling) 39ft, and we do have a laugh and a good time. Not as good as going round the exotic places though.

Well, Ll, there are some lovely places to sail around the south coast, and it's great that you have the chance and the energy for it. It's just fun to be on the water . . . we once chugged a boat across the Solent with friends, and it was one of the best days of my life!!

I'm jealous and amazed, snorkling on the great barrier reef - wow. Its on my list of things I must do in my life, so i take my hat of to you - personally couldn't do the boat I would love too but I suffer terrible motion sickness (not a pretty site !).

i have friends who sail but on one occasion they took the boat to the scilly isles the forecast was choppy for the return journey so one of them opted out and got a helicopter back!

I would hate choppy seas too - you have to pick your spot! I know I'm a lucky so-and-so, and really glad we did it when we did . . . couldn't do it now because of Chronic Fatigue (but only mildly - lucky again).

Have you been to the Scillies? Many years ago I was in touch with an "old" boyfriend, who kept his own little plane in a field in Cornwall, and invited me to fly with him there for an hour or two. V exciting, but would like to go back and see the gardens!!

no ive never been - my mum and dad went and loved the gardens but im sorry to say i dont have any old helpful or any other old boyfriend who would kindly fly me there.

How did I miss this Sheila??? They are beautiful photos, such skies and colours, lovely memories of Oz....I'm lucky that I've been able to visit twice, as my boy lives in Sydney and it is such a wonderful experience, just the ferries to and from Sydney were amazing, to pass the Opera House and see such sights was fabulous.

It's funny you should mention the Scillies.....only yesterday I mentioned to Ian, I would love a visit to the gardens at Tresco...did enjoy an Island Parish too....:o))

I know what you mean, Janey, there's so much on here it's very easy to miss things! We only had a few days in Sydney, many years ago, loved it. And we stayed for a week in Melbourne before the sailing. Our elder son lives there (he's been in Oz for 10 years). Two years ago he got married to Gabriella, and as her parents live near Adelaide that's where we went for the wedding. First grandchild expected in April!

Oh, you will be excited Sheila, congratulations! Will you be able to fly over and visit?

Thanks Janey, I'll PM you.

Another fabulous blog Sheila, I would love to go to the barrier reef if we ever get back to Oz :o)

Thanks Annie . . . I'd forgotten all about this, but now I'm smiling at the memory :))

It made me smile too on this wet grey day, what an adventure you had :o)))