Global Ablutions

Four weeks in - eating various cultural dishes and travelling through countryside and city, the average human body must ablute at regular intervals...

I can honestly say that someone should write a book about the Toilets of the world! So far we have experienced some of the following... Singing toilets, spraying toilets, rotating toilets, toilets that talk to you, toilets you talk at, holes in the floor, seats with a view and the general white ceramic bowl. Seats with plastic, seats of steel, seats with cushions and seats you would avoid at all costs! Toilets that flush on their own, some you just stand and they get going, some you push a button, some you pull the plug and some that simply don't flush!

But the winner thus far is an operatic self cleaning loo on the beach front in Melbourne! It talks you through each step of the process and finishes by steam cleaning itself throughout - best you don't get stuck on the loo. P.s. there is a timer on the loo - so this is no library experience!

Puffing Billy

This is the life!

It seems every second day we are exploring somewhere new and seeing amazing places and meeting great people - plus I am getting to spend quality time with my amazing Shiela! Life is currently being pulled out of the top draw!

Anyhow, remember when you were a kid and you read Thomas the tank engine, well this is the Aussie equivalent to Thomas. A steam train that takes you through the mountains surrounding Melbourne! A good but very chilled out day!

Poker!

Making mates by losing money!

So we have started making some great mates here in Australia - some we explore with, some we eat with, some we work with and some we play poker with!

So far I am ashamed to say but the South Africans have yet to win a cent! In fact we keep losing money but this is a legendary game!

O what a week

So yes it is February and the year is well underway but the Aussie universities are only just heading back to class to start the year!

Over the past few weeks we have been spending time on various campuses such as Deacon, Melbourne university and Monash university. I know, we both want to relive the university days!

Anyway - the church hosted an O-week camp and Katie and I volunteered to do the cooking on camp. I am proud to say that no-one has food poisoning!

It was an excellent camp held in Riddells Creek in the countryside and we had a great time with students from around the globe!

Phillip Island

Phillip Island -

So Valentines day came and we decided to explore something truly Aussie... we headed up the coast to Phillip Island.

What an excellent little spot that plays host to a Koala sanctuary, the worlds largest fairy penguin colony and various other truly Aussie things and animals.

It was an excellent day but perhaps the greatest highlight was watching thousands of these little penguins march up the beach looking like the underground tube station in London at 5pm on a work day.

Culturally relevant

So how does a boytjie wiff a seriously lekker accent camouflage in Australia...

Simply, grow a mullet and get a tattoo...

Gday mate!

Melbourne and me Mum

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie...

Welcome to Australia, where everyone sounds like Richie Benaud and it is hot, super hot - G'day you beauty, great to see ya, its a stinker today mate, see ya lata.

The first few days here have been action packed as usual. There has been brilliant cycle rides along the Yarra river, an evening at the MCG watching the Aussie win again but what a stadium and also spending some good quality time with Mum and Dad.

We have even inadvertantly explored most of Melbourne by getting lost on the tandem, 5 hours later we finally made it home!

Keep you all posted...

Singapore Slam

Singapore is an unbelievable city! It is big, busy and highly efficient! It is one of the most cosmopolitan cities that is buzzing 24/7.

We arrived and toured the city by night on the river and enjoyed great local food, beverages and ice creams. Singapore was 3 seriously busy days... we explored the whole island and took in the city shops and sounds . One of the multitude of highlights has to be the botanical gardens and the zoo, both of these places are such a contrast to the rest of the city that they capture your imagination. The gardens are like central park with a twist, because you get lost in the gardens filled with orchids and rain forests. The taxis are replaced by birds and the trendy fashion malls are completely out done by the plants. This city is one that really works - super efficient and a must see for anyone heading out to South East Asia. The zoo is a great mixture of each continent and every aspect is interactive and entertaining.

In both Malaysia and Singapore keep an eye on the culture - East meets west. There are these hectic metropolis centres that have amazing 1st world areas and the country that would remind you of driving through the back roads of Africa. The religions here vie for attention and air space and would seem to be predominantly Muslim with the Blue Mosque in KL having an attendance of 40 000 people at a time.

Malaysian Moments

So we left Sunny SA after the multitude of farewells, packing and even selling our home in Parklands. We boarded the flight east bound and headed for Kuala Lumpur... KL, the city that never sleeps filled with scooters that never stop and a language I don't understand. I must admit that we were a little conspicuous - a 6ft 4 blonde haired gregarious Saffer and his pretty wife walking through China Town and not being able to stomach much of the food and beverages but thoroughly enjoyed the vibe!

From KL it was off to Pangkor island, a little island resort off the west coast of Malaysia. This was an incredible spot filled with sun, sea and sensational beaches. We shared Pete's birthday on the island and celebrated by renting scooters and touring the island - what a hoot. So there was plenty of snorkeling, trekking through the dense forests of Malaysia and even a spot of fishing, or more like casting... one day I will catch a fish! What a sensational few days on the island - a great honeymoon to start off the year! Bring it on.