October 25-31: The Rest of the Week in Adelaide Part One

Back to where we left off in Adelaide. Sorry about the skipping around with the order of the posts here. We had a lot of fun touring Adelaide and its surrounds, including but not limited to Victor Harbour, Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary and Mt Lofty. Friday night we threw a big barbeque and had 39 people show up. It was great. I had double grills going and cooked more meat than I ever knew existed.

Mom and I took a walk one afternoon a snapped some pictures. Here's mom with a VW.

And a lovely portrait of dad. I had to try out the new telephoto lens.

Mom drinking her tea. I think she drinks more of it than even the Aussies do.

Sarah reading. It's her new favorite thing to do! I think she looks pretty snazzy in that good old "Voi kauhea!" shirt.

My beautiful mother on the bluff in Victor Harbour.

Mom and Dad enjoying each others company while waiting for a platypus that never showed.

Dad with a little roo.

Mom and dad watching the eagle handler with rapt attention.

We watched the sunset from Glenelg beach after our stint at Warrawong.

Friday and Saturday, November 3-4: Cape Tribulation and Hartley's Crocodile Farm

Mom and Dad left us in Cairns early on Friday morning. It was very sad to see them go. We've missed our friends and family a lot, and to have my parents here was incredible. Thankfully we've only got about seven weeks until we head home for Christmas.

On Friday afternoon Sarah and I drive up to Cape Tribulation. It's a beautiful spot about an hour and a half north of Port Douglas. The paved road ends just past the cape. The road past there is gravel and steadily gets worse until it becomes four wheel drive only.

Here is Sarah reading on Myall beach just south of the cape.

Sarah overlooking the bay just north of the cape.

On Saturday I decided that we should check out Hartley's Crocodile Farm, and we're glad I did. It was real sweet. There were big crocs everywhere. I could hardly contain myself. Sarah had to hold me back because I was constantly trying to jump into the water and start wrestling those babies.


This dude is my hero. He got in the cage with that croc and just took his boots off. He said if the croc got his leg those boots wouldn't do him a whole lot of good anyway. He then proceeded to show us the croc's death roll and prey shake maneuvers. This man was fast. He held a little fish right above the croc's head. Only when the monster had lept and its jaws were about to snap shut (with the sound of an elephant gun) did he let go and pull his arm away. He was the real deal.

Wednesday, November 1: The Rainforest

We got into Cairns on Tuesday at about noon. We spent the afternoon in the pool and on the deck chairs. Quite nice.

On Wednesday we took a tour of the rainforest by cable car and train. The rainforest is pretty incredible, and it's extremely mountainous near Cairns.

After the tour was done we ate dinner at a delicious Italian place called L'Unico.




Go here if you want to see more.

Thursday, November 2: The Great Barrier Reef

On Thursday morning we woke up bright and early and drove about an hour up to Port Douglas. At 8:15 AM we boarded the catamaran Poseidon and soon after cast off for the reef. The trip to the reef took about an hour. Wind was low, the sun was bright and visibility out on the reef was fantastic. We stopped at three different point on the reef. We snorkeled at all three, and Dad and I did introductory SCUBA dives at the first and last stops. Poor Sarah started feeling pretty sick during the second stop, so she stayed on deck after that. We were able to rent an underwater digital camera and take some nice shots. The following are some of the pictures we took while on the tour. You can find many more on my Flickr account here.

This one was snapped by the boat photographer before we set out.

Here I am heading down the rope for our first dive!

Dad with his gear on getting out of the water after the first dive.

Dad and I feeling pretty sweet after our first dive ever.

Snorkeling Sarah holding a sea cucumber.

Snorkeling mom very delicately holding the sea cucumber.

Snorkeling Dad.

Dad took a snooze about half way through the day.

Get tan with your bad self.

I think this is dad on our second dive. It might be me, but I'm pretty sure it's dad.

This is a lionfish. Look but don't touch.

Dad on our second dive.

The majesticness of Dad.

The pregnantness of Sarah.

Seasick Sarah valiantly staying the course.

Vacation

Mom tried to fall asleep on us before 9 pm several times on Tuesday night.

Sarah likes the weather lately.

So does Dad.

On Tuesday night I grilled some steak over Argentinian hardwood charcoal. It was pretty delicous. We also had some Rockford Basket Press Shiraz, which was fantastic. It was very smooth and full of flavor, but had a kick to it too. I had picked it up several months ago in the Barossa for the express purpose of drinking it with our parents.

Dinner at the Red Ochre

Last night we dined at the Red Ochre in North Adelaide. It was real good. Here are Mom and Dad getting ready to dig in. We had goat cheese tortillini and crocodile fish cakes for the appetizers.

Dad and I ordered the Game Platter, which came out on this barbeque with hot coals underneath. It was pretty fantastic looking, as you can see for yourself below. It included emu sausages, wallabee skewers, roasted tomatoes, kangaroo fillet, lamb, quail and mashed potatoes. It was a lot of meat, but we put it down like real American heroes.

Mom got the fabulously savory fillet mignon with potatoes.

Throughout dinner we drank water and a bottle of New Zealand Giesen sauvigon blanc. Sarah had the duck, which is not pictured here. Sorry. This last picture is the view from the restaurant.

Little Coop in Two D

The following are some screen shots we got from the obstetric ultrasound. This one is a profile of Little Coop's heand and upper body, with the head on the right and facing upwards.

This is Little Coop's face (mostly what's showing is the skeletal part of his skull) with his chin to the right and his little eyes peering straight at you!

This is the bottom of his/her foot. Right in the middle there. The toes are pointed to the right and down a little.

Mom and Dad are still enjoying themselves, but the time difference has hit them pretty hard. We had to keep them up until nine last night (or they will never adjust), and it was a struggle. We forced them to play Uno with us to keep them awake, but even so Mom almost fell asleep with the cards in her hands.

Okay okay...

Sarah wanted to wait until we had a chance to tell our some of our family and friends the news before we went totally public. We have now had that chance, so...

The baby looks like it's a boy!

I'll put up a couple ultrasound pictures when I get them scanned in. We are both very excited!

Mom and Dad Cooper just got in yesterday evening. They'll be stating with us here in Adelaide for a week and then we'll be heading up to Cairns for a few days. I'll put up a few picture of the five of us enjoying ourselves soon.

Healthy Baby

Well, little Coop has the right dimensions. Good stuff.

Wahoo!

Some exciting things going on around here. We have our obstetric ultrasound today. We just may find out if it's a boy or a girl!!! Then we can start buying up all sort of cute little baby outfits. I am pumped.

My parents are arriving for a two week visit on Monday evening! It has been seven months now since we have seen a familial face. I am extremely excited for them to get here. The second week they are here we'll be going up to Cairns for a few days: rainforest, beach and reef. It will be a beautiful time. I am ready for a little vacation!

Sarah felt the baby kick yesterday! Pretty soon she'll be big enough that her tummy will touch me in bed, and then I can get kicked too.

My parents are also bringing a couple used Nikon lenses along with them that I ordered from a website in the states. An AF 28-85 and an AF 70-210.

Also, I have started putting my pictures up on Flickr here. I'll keep putting pictures of Sarah and I and our kid once he or she is born up on this blog, and any others I think would be interesting to you the audience, but any other shots I'll just put up on Flickr.

More of the Birthday Party

Sarah and Sarah. The birthday girl and the soon to give birth girl. I hope little Coop is born on Sarah's birthday. The due date is within a couple days.

J.J. and I swingin' high.

Everyone's object of desire. Also, check out all that pink. Too much for me to take.

The birthday girl. Recieving isn't always all it's cracked up to be.

Victor Harbour and a Birthday Party with the F4

On Saturday morning Sarah and I went to a birthday party with John and Bridgett and J.J. for the daughter of a couple from church that we met at CV who live across the road from John and Bridgett. The daughter, Sarah, recently turned three. It was a beautiful day in the park.

This kid loved John's pants. I think she thought he was her dad.

J.J. got a kick out of the swings.

Lucy, Sarah's older sister decided that she was going to wear her pink tutu and fairy wings to the park.

Our Hills Hoist. I don't think it's actually made by Hills Hoist, which are the real thing, but most of the folks around here use the brand name to refer to generic hoists too.

That baby again, with Sarah, J.J. and Bridgett in the background.

And here's a few shots from the CV conference in Victor Harbour that didn't make it onto the last roll.