Escape to BrisVegas . . .

On Wednesday last week, I had a spontaneous notion to fly to BrisVegas for the weekend to visit Ode and the crew up here ... so I booked my flights and I flew up here on Friday, 21 April!!

Wow ... what fun I've had ... and how relaxed do I feel! I can't wait to get home to download all my photos from my trip! I arrived late on Friday night so I didn't do too much except to catch up with Odes over a coffee before hitting the sack! Ode went to work on Saturday morning and I spent the morning with Nikki (Ode's sister) watching Tristin (Ode's nephew) play his first soccer game for the season!! They won 1-0 so everyone was happy and it was so cute to see these little guys playing with all their hearts ...

Ode & Tristin ...



Tristin's first soccer game for 2006 ...



Tristin in action ...




A personal touch of coaching ...



Then we went into the city and met up with a bunch of people (about 30 of us!) to celebrate Janis' birthday. Janis is Martin & Zelda's daughter and I used to work for Martin at the Golden Hawk Spur in Durban in 1991 so I've known them for years and years! We had a lovely lunch and then we spent the afternoon playing lawn bowls ... and my team won !! It was such a laugh!!

Martin and friends ... lawn bowls ...



Ode ... gives it her best bowl ...



On Saturday night, we went around to Martin & Zelda's place for possibly the hottest curry in the world ... fortunately, for those who know me well, Zelda had catered for the fact that I don't eat hot curry and had made a completely separate dish for me ... some were wishing they had had my special dish too by the end of it ... it was a lovely relaxing evening!

Martin & Zelda ... at home ...



Tristin, Nikki & Ode ... contemplating how to eat the hottest curry in QLD thanks to Zelda!!



Sunday morning, Ode and I got up about 8.30amish and we trekked up to the Sunshine Coast for the day ... got into Noosa Heads and walked around chatting with locals, soaking up the sun and had a lovely lunch there ... the weather has been superb the whole time I've been here and although there was some cloud cover, it was sunny and warm for most of the day! We made our way slowly down the coast on the way back, stopping in Coolum, Moolaba and Caloundra before getting back in time to go to church.

My dream house at Noosa Heads ...



Noosa Head ...



Ode, Nikki & Tristin go to the Albany Hills Christian Centre in Warner which is a lovely church and we had a top evening ... great teaching and lively worship!

On Monday, I dropped Ode off at the station ... then bravely drove myself back to the "complex" where they live ... basically Ode lives in a 4 bedroom house on her own right next door (literally) to Nikki & Morne & Tristin which is lovely for all of them! Anyway, I made it home safely, had some brekkie and freshened up and then hit the road to visit Gina, Cullen & Jade ... got slightly lost along the way but nothing major!! I spent the day with Gina (nee Skordis - went to school with her!) and with Cullen (3yrs) and Jade (4wks) ... it was lovely to see Gina again and we had a good catch up chat about life, love and everything else ...

Cullen Haua ... Gina & Wiki's little man ...



Cullen ... enjoying a choc bikkie ...



Jade Haua ... the latest addition to Gina & Wiki's growing family ... isn't she a cutie!





Little feet ... the world awaits her first steps in months to come ...




Today, Tuesday (ANZAC Day - 25 April), we had a BBQ lunch at a picnic spot called "Bullocky Rest" - everyone came along to join us ... Natachia and her mum, Gina & Wiki with Cullen and Baby Jade and Gina's mum, Denise, Martin & Zelda, Nikki, Morne & Tristin, Mike & Reagan and Ode and a bunch of her friends from church ... Carly, Troy & friends ...

Girls get it together ... (L-R) Gina, Natachia's Mum, Zelda, Natachia, Denise, Reagan, Ode, Noosh & Nikki



Gina, Nikki, Zelda, Denise & Ode ... a reunion of note!



Boys at the BBQ ... Morne & Martin ... cooking up a storm ...



Wiki & Jade ... lullaby rock ...



Ode, Tash and Reagan ... the QLD Girls!



Ode & Nikki ... a superb "Sister Act" !!



At 3.00pm Ode and I went to the Coffee Club at Aspley and we caught up with Narelle & Craig who I was in East Africa with ... what a laugh ... it was brilliant to see them both again ...

Craig & Narelle ... looking buff and healthy ... a catch up with East Africa mates over coffee! It was great to see them again!!




And then I flew back to Sydney at 18:15 ...

At the end of the day ... I've had a relaxing, fun, breathe of fresh air ... cleared my head and revived my thinking ... and I'm ready to change my world ... watch this space! It's amazing what a dose of spontaneity can do for one !! Love it!!