We've moved into our new office at Noosa Boardroom. DOING BUSINESS IN NOOSA NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD! hehe - We shall make it so!

I expected to celebrate just with my family in Noosa but gradually friends started to tell me that they really wanted to come. So I searched for a restaurant and enquired about a booking for 16 people, somewhere we wouldn't be turfed out onto the streets soon after we finished our petit fours. Rickys river bar and restaurant was my first preference http://www.rickys.com.au/ and after a few emails back and forth (I sent my first one on 1st March!) they agreed to take us on and let us have the place to ourselves for a few hours late in the day while they set up for a wedding. They offered to clear the restaurant of all other guests and move us into the bar for cake and petit fours and dessert wine and dancing. Booking confirmed!

As the months went by and more friends decided that a sojourn in Noosa was not such a bad idea, the booking at Rickys increased and finally I had 28 family and friends coming to Noosa to celebrate me. How special did I feel?! In no particular order the friends and family who came to Noosa were:

Mum, Landon, Nicole, Ben, Sophie, Ariarne, Phil, Jane, Choc aka Fiona, Clare, Sarah, Brian, Hil, Pete, Eck, Julia, Bin, Chris, Deb, Kylie, Kate, Tom, Jasmine, Cath, Mill, Kathy, Adrien and me = 28

My family were there from the beginning until the end. Although Landon and Nicole and Ben and Soph had to return to Sydney on the Monday, but really wished they could stay. Mum, Ariarne, Phil and I did!! Eck organised the first sip of champagne on our flight. Choc/Fiona and Clare flew up from Sydney for the day. Kathy flew down from Cairns just for the day. Kylie took 12 hours to get there from Sydney on my birthday. Jane arrived on my birthday and was shopping within three minutes of her arrival. Sarah and Brian flew in and brought along their usual excitement and enthusiasm. Hil and Pete snuck in for a bit of R and R (little did they know there wouldn't be much time for that! )- and they lent me their car! Julia came from a week long conference in Melbourne via her home in Sydney. Bin flew up, met Jane and was taken shopping within three minutes of her arrival - very very nice red platform sandals by the way. Kate, Tom and Jasmine enthusiastically embraced the party atmosphere that was all about me despite marrying (secretly) just days before. Chris and Deborah checked into the Hyatt in Coolum possibly to distance themselves from the unbecoming behaviour that was inevitable. Cath arrived and dived head first into the champagne - it makes me a very proud friend. Mill turned up at the party from a night in Brisbane without the husband or kids. Woo Hoo Paaarty! Adrien who turned 40 the day before me, drove from her holiday in Byron to join the celebrations.

1. Ten by Forty. As in 10 kilos by the time I turn 40. And I am proud to announce that I successfully manged to put on 10 kilos by the time I turned 40! No need for applause. It was easy! Far too easy.
2. Order cakes and rocky road from Ricciotti Cafe and Deli in Hunters Hill (like the plug?!) as gifts for guests
3. Write thank you cards - pre party cards are more likely to be completed than post. Case in point, three weeks after party thank you's remain unwritten. Um so thanks everyone.
4. Ask everyone for songs that remind them of me
5. Ask everyone for their favourite song or piece of music
6. Send out itineraries so everyone knows where to be and when or why or why not
7. Choose the wines  :-)
8. Make sure have address for bottleshops in Noosa
9. Organise showbags for the flight - Ben and Soph decorated the bags and I filled them with picollos of champagne, Nudie juices, freshly baked pain au chocolat, almond croissants and for the kids bags of lollies, party hats and prizes! When we were seated and just after my private inflight safety briefing designed to scare the hell out of anyone with a disability, the Flight attendant made the announcement that the consumption of alcohol that has not been purchased onboard is againts FAA regulations and large fines apply. So our picollos of french champagne stayed in our showbags. BUT luckily the next announcement was a Happy Birthday to Nicole who is turning 40 today from Ewan (aka Eck) and Patrick - and champagne was served. Kate and Tom down the back of the plane took advantage of us distracting the crew with pass the parcel and polished off their champagne straight from the bottle post haste.
10. Pass the parcel - made by Ben who ran it down to the back of the plane for Kate and Tom and Jasmine to have their turns.

Need a holiday and need time at a health spa? The amazingly beautiful Netanya Resort has teamed up with balancenoosa to bring you the best of both worlds. balancenoosa/Netaya Wellness Package

You're dreaming... you are staying in the Penthouse suite right on the beach in beautiful Noosa, Qld., one of the worlds most wonderful areas. Spending all day on the beach playing in the surf or shopping in Hasting St, some of the best shopping in the world.

...and then you are soothed to sleep by the gentle lap of the waves on the shoreline after your massages for two on your balcony. Our new partnership with Netayna Resort can make your dream come true.

This whole area is a paradise for those who love fishing, boating and surfing...not to mention the renowned ambience and sophistication of Noosa, just up the road. It is a hassle-free drive to the Sunshine Coast, southern beach resort attractions and to the picturesque villages scattered through the waterfall pocked rainforest of the Blackall Range hinterland.

Nearest Main Highway: Bruce
Nearest Airport: Sunshine Coast

Know what I like about this photo? The tree is not that interesting. The beach is not that interesting. The sky is not that interesting. But put them all together, and it is quite a compelling photo.

I use this photo when I teach to talk about holding the attention within a composition. The line of the water leads the eye in, until the tree takes over, leading the eye up and to the left, then back down to the water. So all the elements of the picture work together to make a composition that holds your attention. Or not...maybe I have just spent too long looking at this photo.

This pelican shot was taken in natural light without a filter. There were bushfires in the region and the sky was quite smoky, so the haze created a natural filter in the sky that created this 'liquid gold' effect in the water.

I showed this photo to a photography group on Myspace and they all thought the colours were too rich and must be fake. What they didn't know is that the light in Australia is so strong compared to some other parts of the world, we can get amazing effects without having to resort to photoshop to do it.

This photo was taken on a Nikon FM10 with Fujichrome Sensia 35mm slide film 100 ISO

Don't forget to vist me at www.naturesimage.com.au

I hadn't been to Noosa for a few years (I'd rather Byron) but some free accommodation at the Sheraton recently presented itself so we couldn't resist. We couldn't have asked for better weather, the sun was out and the sky clear. The ocean was beautifully calm and blue too. I did go swimming but it was a bit too cold.

On the way home we called at Eumundi for some P.Y.O. strawbs which were amazing. You pay by the kilo and they tell you to eat as you pick. We both haven't had better strawbs; kitty was in heaven!

Now it's time to catch up on some sleep.

All photos by Kitty.

Chris was telling me that the boat is licensed 24 hours a day and is open for private hire so here I am thinking what a cracking place for a Christmas or New Years party it would be.

Dass ich nicht im Internet war störte mich aber doch etwas, also begab ich mich mit meinem Laptop bewaffnet auf die Suche und wurde fündig. Neben einem Hotel gab es einen Hotspot. Mutti und ich machten uns dann mit dem Auto auf den Weg und saßen wie ein paar Hacker neben dem Hotel im Auto und nutzen die Internetverbindung, die sehr teuer war.

Es muss für die Passanten ein sehr kurioser Anblick gewesen sein, denn wir saßen mit einer Stirntaschenlampe vor dem Laptop, da der Bildschirm von Muttis Laptop nach einem Sturz sehr dunkel ist und meines keine Verbindung bekommen hat.

Aber naja, den Stress geh ich ja gerne ein, damit ihr auf dem Laufenden bleibt. Mir sind keine Kosten und Mühen zu hoch, um diesen Blog aktuell zu halten!!!!!

An dem nachfolgenden Tag konnten wir das erste Mal ausschlafen. Das hieß in meinem Fall halb zehn morgens, weil Mutti frühstücken wollte.

Der Tag verlief ziemlich gemütlich, denn nach den langen Autofahrten wussten wir gar nicht, wie wir den Tag füllen sollten. Letzen Endes bestand der Tag aus einkaufengehen, Sightseeing aus dem Auto, Kaffee trinken und essen, aber das war auch mal bitter nötig.

Abends sind wir dann in ein Irish Pub gegangen, den wir im Einkaufszentrum bemerkt hatten.

Das Pub war voll von einheimischen die irgendein lustiges spiel spielten, dass wir nicht ganz durchblickten.

Am nächsten morgen ging es wieder weiter Richtung Brisbane, wo ich jetzt gerade sitze. Auf dem Plan steht jetzt noch eine Sightseeingtour und dann packen, denn morgen geht es für Mutti wieder nach Hause und für mich nach Armidale, wo ich das erste mal auf meine Gastfamilie treffen werde.

Die Spannung steigt!!!!

Morgens sind wir wieder losgefahren. Zuerst sind wir in Gladstone gelandet. Dieser Ort war schon freundlicher als die vorherigen, aber ich wollte trotzdem schnellstens weiter Richtung Süden.

Als nächstes kamen wir nach Bundaberg. In Bundaberg befindet sich die größte und populärste Rum-Destille Australiens. Wir beschlossen an einer Führung teilzunehmen. Die Führung dauerte ungefähr eine Stunde und danach durften wir noch zwei Getränke mit Rum zu uns nehmen. Nach diesen Getränken (ich musste noch eins von Mutti übernehmen), wurde ich sehr müde. Zum Glück kamen wir bald in Hervey Bay an, wo wir die Nacht verbrachten. Hervey Bay ist bekannt für seine vielen Pubs und Backpacker (steht im Lonely Planet), doch diese habe ich leider nicht gefunden. Trotzdem ist es ein schöner Ort.

Aufgrund des schlechten Wetters sind wir heute schon wieder morgens aufgebrochen, obwohl wir einen Tag Vorsprung haben. Wir haben noch schnell einen kleinen Spaziergang durch den Hafen von Hervey gemacht und sind dann weitergefahren. Kurz gehalten haben wir in Maryborough. Dort sind wir eine Runde durch den Park gelaufen und haben uns die Innenstadt angeschaut.
Dann ging es weiter nach Noosa. Dieser Ort ist eigentlich eher teuer und voll von Touristen, aber es gibt auch ein paar günstigere Hotels.

Mutti und ich haben einen Abstecher in den Nationalpark unternommen, haben ein paar Fotos vom Strand gemacht, sind die Strandpromenade abgefahren und haben uns dann auf Zimmersuche begeben.
Zuerst haben wir in einem Backpacker-Hotel gefragt. Dieses hatte auch ein günstiges Zimmer für uns, doch wir hätten erst durch ein anderes Mehrbett-Zimmer laufen müssen, um zu unserem zu gelangen und das war uns dann doch etwas zu viel Nähe zu den anderen Bewohnern. Also haben wir uns schnell auf den Weg zur Touristeninformation gemacht. Dort hat uns eine sehr freundliche Dame ein Appartement besorgt. Das Appartement ist günstiger als viele der Cabins die wir hatten und bestens ausgestattet. Wir haben eine moderne Küche, ein Wohnzimmer und ein wirklich schönes Bad. Aufgrund dessen haben wir gleich zwei Tage gebucht und haben morgen einen Tag zur Entspannung.

Tal com ja vàrem comentar ahir a primera hora hem anat a Noosa per visitar el "Noosa National Park", una passejada de 2 hores que ha anat bé per despertar-se però res espectacular. Després de la passejada, nova activitat. A Eumundi, un poble proper fan un mercat molt famós i que pel que hem pogut veure molt popular. Nosaltres hem arribat al voltant de les 11 i estaba a reventar. Al mercat pots trobar botigues on venen tot tipus de coses (roba, menjar, joieria, massatges,..), música en directe, espectacles, etc.

Després de passar el bon matí hem trobat un lloc on vénen maduixes, el millor de tot és que no te les venen en caixetes sinó que et donen un "tupper" i tú mateix te agafes directament de la planta. 

Demà cap a Brisbane, ja tenim preparada l'activitat de demà. Ja penjarem fotos al blog.

Hem arribat a Noosa al voltant de les 12 i hem anat a la platja, a Noosa per 40 Euros tens 2 hores on t'ensenyen a fer surf (amb alguns ho intentarien pq jo no em veig fent surf després d'una classe de 2 hores). Feia sol pero aquí ara és hivern i les temperatures estan entre els 17 i els 20 graus així que a la que es tapa una mica el sol o corre una mica d'aire fa fred. La tarda l'hem dedicada a fer el parc nacional però no ens ha donat temps de fer el que voliem i demà hi tornarem.

Abans de marxar de Hervey Bay hem fet un passeig i fexeu-vos que tenen aquests australians pels carrers.

màquines de gimnàs

Hem posat més fotos de la barrera de coral

Cafe le Monde is located on Hastings St.  They urgently need to fill positions in:

• Kitchen Hand
• Wait Staff
• Runner
• Bar/Barista

Speak to Kerry or ask at Reception if you would like more information.

You can read about Cafe le Monde at http://www.cafelemonde.com.au/

オーストラリア、ヌーサでプチ留学をしませんか？

　好奇心旺盛なあなたにお勧めです。

5nights Special 　（５泊6日）

　（９月20日～10月５日，12月13日～は除きます）

Costa Bella Apartmentsに泊まて をご利用１人－６人お一人様の料金は＄４０５－＄１１２０。

Melaluka　Apartmentsに泊まて をご利用１人－６人お一人様の料金は＄３９０ー＄１０２０。

料金に含まれるもの宿泊費，　６時間の英会話レッスン，　１日アクティビティー。

きれいなサンシャインコースト・ヌーサにあるBruce’s Englishへの到着を

スタッフが歓迎します。

各自コースの説明があり、ローカル地図などの便利グッズをお渡しします。

その後、ヌーサの街を見学したり、１００メートル先にある１４キロメールの海へ行くなど

自由にお過ごし下さい(オーストラリアの一番きれいな海とゆうこと）。

きれいなヌーサで来て海の毎で英語オ勉強してもと通にめって下し。

【コース説明】

短期コース、長期コースがあります

全コースに、英会話レッスン・観光・アクティビティが含まれています。

素敵な時間と英会話レッスンを快適にそして楽しく体験して下さい。

アクティビティの説明は、２ページを御覧下さい。

人数の制限（最大・最少）はありません。好きな日数だけお越し下さい。

コースは以下のとおりです。

１．初級

このコースは、今までに英語を話したことがない人でもOKです。

自己紹介・電話のかけ方・買い物など、毎日使う基礎的な文法・語彙を

指導します。各回のレッスンで目標を決め、多種多様な表現・練習問題

を使いながら、ゆっくり進めていきます。

ここで使われる話題・読物はレッスンに興味をもたせるものばかりです。

２．中級／上級

このコースは、文法の重要なポイントを詳しく指導します。

多数の例や練習問題を使いながら、潜在的な問題点を指摘し、文法の

正しい使い方を教えます。

３．ビジネス

このコースは、ビジネスレターからEメール・電子通信まで、ビジネス文書

の簡潔な書き方を指導します。

自信を持たせ、仕事上で英語を有効に使い、ビジネスの上での成功の

手助けをします。

www.melaluka.com.au

brucesenglish@yahoo.com.au

宿泊施設には、メラルカとコスタベラがあります。

　　２～３ベッドルームにキッチン，ランドリー，リビングルーム，ダイニング

　　エリアなどの設備が全て整ったコンドミニアムタイプです。

　　シェアユニットまたはご自分のユニットでお過ごしください。

www.melaluka.com.au

brucesenglish@yahoo.com.au

Webサイトwww.melaluka.com.auで、ご覧いただけます。

節約したい方にはシェア・アコモデーションを、心地よさを求める方には

コスタベラをおすすめします。

ヌーサにはとてもきれいなビーチがあり、Bruce’s Englishからは１００mしか

離れていません。１４Kmも続くそのビーチは、きれいなサーフビーチです。

ヌーサ国立公園は、サンシャインコーストの北端からはじまり、ヌーサ滞在には

欠かせません。

息をのむほど美しい眺めの海岸，熱帯雨林，眠そうなコアラ・お腹を空かせた

イグアナ・数多くの鳥などの野生動物たちが魅力的です。

海には、毎日北へ向かうイルカの泳ぎを見ることができるでしょう（午前９時～

１０時頃がベストタイムです）。もしかしたら、午後、戻ってくる姿も見れるかも

しれません。

www.melaluka.com.au

brucesenglish@yahoo.com

Anne who was already in Noosa had broken into our apartment and stocked our fridge and cupboards. We were ready to start celebrating! Jane had arrived, and she along with Mum and Ariarne and Phil and Eck and Nicole and Anne and I took our celebrating very seriously. Landon was having a nap.

Ben went for a swim

[caption id="attachment_206" align="alignnone" width="128" caption="Ben went for a swim"][/caption]

And later we went to Catos at the Sheraton for pre-dinner drinks. It was after all my birthday!

And Sophie was having a ball!

Ben wanted to make cocktails but had to content himself with the job of counting coasters and getting us to guess how many there were - obviously he hadn't been counting empty bottles that day! We didn't do so well!

Then we went to Season for dinner and had pretty average service, especially when Ariarne had a hair in her meal. Didn't belong to anyone who works in the restaurant apparently....

And all this time, all this day we had been waiting for Kylie's arrival. Kylie had left her home in Sydney to catch her flight to the SUNshine Coast at around 10 am that morning. She joined us at Season at 9.30pm. She could've driven faster than it took Virginblue to get her there. Her flight was cancelled. She was put on another to Brisbane then a bus to Maroochydore / Sunshine Coast airport. Virginblue wouldn't send the bus directly to Noosa despite ALL the passengers on it needing to go there. Instead they dropped them at Maroochydore where they then had to then catch a taxi. Suffice to say she won't be flying virginblue again! She was told the airport would be closed for 3 days due to the atrocious weather. I worried for about a second that no more friends would make it to Noosa. But then I woke up to sunshine and blue sky the very next day!