Visitors – YAY!
I’ve been a bit of an online hermit for the past week. Visitors have a way of taking me away from my Writer’s Nook and into the big wide world of Adventure Tourism.
I was so thrilled when my son and his girlfriend stopped in at the RUC for four days on their way to Japan. We hit Port Douglas, Trinity Inlet, Cairns Wildlife Dome and ate Yum Cha at the Casino as well as the normal farm stuff including the daily dog walk.
Are you feeling tired yet?
It’s not a great time for crabbing at the moment (too cold) but the crab gods smiled upon us.
Below is a picture of Anna with the Catch Of The Day.
We have a lot of these fig trees near where we live, but I saw this one in Port Douglas and thought I’d snap it.
We saw this magnificent (and very cheeky) Black Cockatoo at the Wildlife Dome
We saw a koala chewing on some eucalyptus leaves
We stopped at the Port Douglas Lookout
Luckily I didn’t trip over this naval mine before lunch
Now I’m back to my regular routine and working hard at relaxing (I’m good at that).
Have a great week!
Dianne Gray author 
That koala is so cute and that water so blue. Gorgeous. And how exciting to be headed to Japan. Nice you got a chance to see your son and his girlfriend before they left.
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It was great to have them here, Carrie – so sad they’re gone now 😦
BUT – I’m over half way through Eating Bull and am loving it! Your characters are awesome and it’s a great story. You have a load of talent 😀
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Oh my goodness, you’re quick, Dianne! Thank you so much. Made my night!
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My pleasure! 😀
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Wow, look at the size of that crab! What lovely scenery you have, Dianne. I don’t know how you get any work done. I love the fig tree and that shot of the beach is glorious. Enjoy your relax time!
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Awww, thanks, Amy! We got a load of work done on the house before my son arrived. I’ll have to post some pics of the updated RUC soon 😀
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Nothing like a little family distraction to remind you of what the area has to offer.
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It’s amazing how available these places are but I don’t think of going there until I take someone. So very true 😉
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I’m surprised no-one was running away from a crab that size Dianne.
xxx Huge Hugs xxx
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LOL – I don’t post the crocodile they saw when they were crabbing – it was enormous! 😀
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Wonderful pics! I so want to visit one day. 🙂
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It’s certainly a beautiful place, Jackie 😀
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Are most of your crabs that big?!
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Not necessarily, Joy. This was a particularly big one. We’re not allowed to take small ones or females which is really good because it gives the crabs the opportunity to grow and the females to breed. We caught 4 big males on the day so it was enough for a nice dinner 😀
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Just WOW! Nice holiday for all!
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Yes! It was, thank you Sharon 😀
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Thanks for the update and pics. Glad to know you are alive and very well!
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Thanks, Allen! I’ve been offline again – but this time it’s due to technical issues (but I wish it was because I’d had more visitors) 😉
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Great photos. Reminds me how much I love Port Douglas. It’s time to go back.
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Oh so true, Carol. Port Douglas is absolutely beautiful 😀
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Love the photos Dianne that tree looks like it has a story of its very own.
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I don’t know how old it it, Kath, but I’m guessing it’s a lot older than us. I just love figs 🙂
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I have that exact same photo of the fig tree. Isn’t it a beauty. And how about that house below the lookout at Port Douglas??? Spectacular. I think I spent more time checking out the house than admiring the beautiful view.
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That house is for sale – a cool 7 million. We thought about buying it (LOL) 😉
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Yes we saw that too. Do you want to go halves?
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LOL – Sure! I’ll have the cash ready this afternoon 😀
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What a cute koala! And that fig tree is spectacular, it makes me want to turn it into a character in one of my stories. 🙂
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It’s amazing how we see characters in trees. There is another tree I see on my dog walk that reminds me of the Far Away tree. I’ve tried to get photos of it, but they just don’t do it justice.
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That is one big crab– and looks delicious! Great photos.
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It was YUM YUM, Dannie! 😀
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Love the look of that beach from the lookout. Glad you enjoyed the visit without getting too crabby.
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LOL – I love getting crabby 😉
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So fun. That crab is humongous! Wow! Port Douglas looks pretty. Glad you had fun with your family. That’s worth taking a break from writing for.
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It was so much fun, Char. I got to do loads of things I wouldn’t normally do. Visitors are the best 😀
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That tree–so gorgeous. There’s a full story from that one picture, all those roots going different directions. Lovely.
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It’s an awesome tree, Jacqui and I’m really glad the picture shows that 😀
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Stay-cations with visitors are fun and a good reason to tour your own region remembering why you love it so. I’d like the Catch of the Day on my plate. Yum 🙂
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Catch of the Day was very yummy indeed! I just love it when the kids visit. Next stop over is my darling daughter in October – YAY!
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Beautiful pix until that last one! Doesn’t it look kind of scary?!
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Yes – I kept my distance! We have found small bombs on the farm left over from the war (our area was a practice range) and that is very scary indeed! My hubby and our neighbour tied one to the back of their bikes when they were kids and rode around the road and sheds. When their parents spotted them all hell broke loose – LOL 😉
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That little koala looks so sleepy, maybe too many gum leaves… Beautiful view of Port Douglas. Too cold for crabbing??? I’m guessing the temps have dropped below 25!!!! (tongue in cheek…) Nice to spend time with family.
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LOL! Yes, it the temp gauge must have been in the low 20’s brrrr (hahahaha). The koala was really gummed up and very relaxed. We knew how he felt because we were all full after yum cha lunch 😀
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🙂
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I’ve never seen such a huge crab or fig tree or cockatoo. And the koala looks like he wants to say something to you. That’s great that you were able to spend that time with your daughter. Now it’s back to the nook! 🙂
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I tried to get back to the nook, but our telecommunications lines decided to play up when the visitors left so I’ve been offline now longer than anticipated. I guess it’s good to have a break once and a while 😉
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Gorgeous photos! (Although at first I wondered if some were from your yard!) And so wonderful that you could spend time with your son before his trip to Japan.
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I’m glad I don’t have that bomb in my yard 😉 They are having a lovely time in Japan (I’m so relieved because that region was hit by a series of typhoons in the previous months). All good now 😀
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I want to bring that Koala bear home! I think the cats would be cool with it. ; )
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They’d love it, Britt! I don’t know if the koala would love them, but I’m sure he’d get used to them 😀
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The cats are pretty cool, Dianne. You never know! 😉
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beautiful pics – and what a catch!!
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Oh yes and it was SO YUMMY! 😀
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I visited Port Douglas last year and didn’t see a single koala. Jealous! Although I did enjoy a splendid day on Four Mile Beach.
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That beach is just beautiful, Janna. The drive is spectacular (although not so great for me because I can get a little car sick at times) 😉
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That is some magnificent beach there Dianne, but I guess there are loads like it in Oz. We have them in miniature 🙂
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One thing we certainly have a lot of here is coastline, Roy. I admire the old salts who came here a few hundred years ago and decided to map it – wow, what a job 😉
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A naval mine! How perfectly random! All great pics. Glad you had a nice visit and were far from being bored!
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The naval mine was very interesting indeed – I’ve seen them in old movies, but never in ‘real life’. I’m so glad I wasn’t on a boat when I saw it 😉
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Great pics – that’s some crab! I sympathise about visitors interrupting – I’ve had visitors almost back to back for the last few weeks. The last ones left yesterday… the next ones arrive tomorrow, so I’ve been writing madly today!
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I feel your pain, Susan. Visitors back to back is exhausting. Ours will be about a month apart this year which gives me time to take a breather in between 😉
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Oh, for a fig tree! And maybe that bench with the divine view 🙂
Glad you enjoyed your company, Dianne.
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My brother-in-law bought home a small fig tree and wanted it planted in the yard, But I’ve seen how huge they grow so I declined and planted it down the creek! 😀
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I loved the pictures, Dianne! I am a sucker for a koala bear – I wonder if they are as lovable as they appear!! I also wondered if they were the inspiration for Nicole Kidman’s movie Ted?? 🙂
I am also a sucker for Nicole Kidman!
Go glad you enjoyed your time with your family!!
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Thanks, Shelia 😀 I’m a sucker for Nicole Kidman as well 🙂
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I want to see a Koala!! So jealous!
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They’re VERY cute indeed 😀
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You are a great leader of adventure tourism. Love the photos and seeing your part of the world. Just beautiful.
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I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Pam 😀
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Hi Dianne,
How wonderful to have a visit from your son and his girlfriend. I loved the photos, and now I have a much better idea of where you live. Some years ago we went to Port Arthur and visited the wildlife park, stayed in Cairns for a few days. I loved the photos. You look like an excellent tourist, and tourist guide! Thanks for letting us all tag along.
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My pleasure, Naomi! I’m so glad you enjoyed it 😀
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Yay, no pictures of snakes or spiders. 😉 Just kidding. Sort of.
How wonderful you had a nice visit with your son and his girlfriend. Great pics – I’m blown away by that view! You live in an amazing part of the world, Dianne.
I want Rich to take me out on the bike when the leaves change, so I can try once again to take some pictures locally. Dried up cornfields are better than nothing!
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Oh no, Maddie – I just put up a new post and it has (wait for it…) a spider in it OOPS…. it’s only a tiny one, if that’s any better 😀
I can’t think of anything better than getting on that bike and heading down the highway to take some pictures of the leaves 😉
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Family visits are an awesome reason to take a week offline 🙂 love the koala and the gorgeous water!
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You’re so right, Janna! I just love these visits 😀
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