Coolum, Queensland

We rented a car in Brisbane and drove up to Coolum.

We stayed with our friends I met over 35 years ago, Ernie and Aileen Presser.

We took a walk to the store and along the beach in the rain.  So cool!

Caitlyn was still at Ari's, and would join up with us the next day.

Ernie, me, and Aileen. 

 I was drenched from our little walk to the beach.

The rest of the evening we hung out with the Pressers, catching up on the last 35 years.

The next day, after morning tea, Dean and I decided we wanted to hike Mt. Coolum

The trail itself was amazing, then you add the view when you get up on top......awesome!

After our hike, Ari and Caitlyn showed up.  

 We had to take them to the beach.  In case you can't tell, I loved this beach!

From the beach, we went to find a Kangaroo.  A guy in one of the beachfront shops told us, "if you go to Murdering Creek Road at 5:00 you will see Kangaroos".  He was right!

This Kangaroo was just "chillin" in someone's yard.

Next adventure:  Noosa National Park, but first, Caitlyn has to stop at the local fruit stand, Australia has some amazing fruit and Caitlyn was not about to pass that up! 

The same man that told us about the kangaroos, told us that we would see Koalas at Noosa...but we couldn't find them, but enjoyed watching the surfers.

Although this isn't a great picture of me, I love it.  Not much could have been much better for me....I love the beach, I was with the funnest people ever, and I was eating an awesome mango!  I was loving this moment and wanted to be able to remember it!

Back to the Pressers, we had this guy wanting to join us for dinner.  

Aileen, any idea where the rest of his tail is?

Aileen had made us a great dinner, and for dessert, mini Pavlova!

I love this stuff!

February 17, 2013

Happy Anniversary to Me and Deaner!  

31 years

It started off with a morning walk to the beach.

When Caitlyn and Ari showed up, we headed to Underwater World in Mooloolaba

Dean practicing telling his fish stories.  This was in the underwater tunnel.  It was awesome, we kept going back for more.

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Caitlyn and Ari.  I think they had more fun than they were supposed to!

After Underwater World, we went back to the beach to watch the Ironman.  We got there just as it ended.  We got to see the crowds, and interviews, but not the race. That's ok, we had fun at the beach anyway!

Ari was supposed to be taking a picture of me and Dean....she missed, but cute picture Ari!

After the beach, we decided we wanted to go back to Noosa, we loved it up there.  We were planning to do a 5 mile hike, and we got caught in a downpour!  Caitlyn and Ari met some surffers on the trail, and they talked us into turning around because it was getting dark, and, well these guys were willing to walk back to the car with the girls...I think that is why we turned around!

To top this romantic day off, we ordered "take away" and sat in the car and ate it during a crazy rainstorm. 

It was a great anniversary!