There's No Place Like Home

Day 167-After a plane, train and bus ride, we were on our way home.

No, no, not Calgary. Our new home in Noosa Heads, Sunshine Coast at Joey and Michelle's beach house, of course.  We settled into our new room downstairs and made dinner while catching up with our friends. 

Day 168- We hung out at home for most of the day, using the fully functional wifi, with a quick visit to the beach to get beat up by the waves before heading home to prepare dinner. Our plan was to win Joey and Michelle's love by feeding them, so they would let us stay. 😀

Day 169-We were just loving our quality chill time and for the first time on the trip we realized how much we missed our own space. The only problem was it was christmas eve and we still felt like christmas wasn't happening. Even our hosts were missing the holiday cheer from back home and we were all a little home sick for family and celebrations. So Mike and I decided to do something about our melancholy and attempt to cheer up our housemates as well.  After grocery shopping for christmas dinner we popped on some christmas movies and music and let the spirit of the season inspire us. We might have gotten carried away...

                            

After we had sufficiently killed enough trees, we picked up Joey from work and headed to the mall to do some christmas shopping. Mike and I awkwardly tried to hide the fact that we were both buying each other the same gift and took turns making our purchases. We picked up Michelle from the salon and drove home together, as a family! We were excited to reveal our surprise. We entered the house with christmas music blaring then stood by while Joey and Michelle took notice of their paper decorated home. I think it made it feel like christmas for all of us. 

After a brief visit Joey and Michelle hit the road for their family's christmas in Brisbane. With the house to ourselves we settled in with some leftovers, wine and the Bill Murray christmas special. 

Day 170- CHRISTMAS DAY!!!!! Mike and I woke up to a cozy rainy day in Noosa and began our Christmas by sitting at the foot of our christmas tree and opening the gifts we bought for eachother. WOW! What a surprise? We both got eachother fitbits!!!! Even the same color! I sure didn't see that coming. 

We rushed to 10 am mass in an open air church before returning home to make a delicious christmas day brunch. We spent most of the day relaxing and making phone calls back home to family and friends. Once Joey and Michelle arrived, we got started on a make shift christmas dinner. It was my first time making a smoked turkey and with the guidance and help of my sister and brother in law, the turkey turned out pretty darn good. I also redeemed myself from last christmas when I accidentally misread the recipe and added 3 pounds of butter to 15 potatoes. Oops.

And we had the support of our lovely hosts all the while. 

Dinner was served up while christmas music in the background.

Our attempt to take a photo of all of us failed when I realized how glossy I was. Once again, I didn't want the reflection to damage the camera lens so I shielded my face as quickly as I could. When I went to shield my face, my hand slipped off my skin and I almost knocked over my glass of wine. 

As christmas approached, Mike and I were sad and homesick for our christmas traditions, friends and family gatherings. We learnt that as long as we make the effort, we can celebrate any holiday from abroad and it will be just as good as ones back home... Well, almost. Thanks to Joey and Michelle, we had the best stand in family anyone could ask for. 

Day 171- We chilled out for most of the morning and played in the waves on the beach. Then we headed to the store to buy groceries for our day of fun on the Noosa river. We met up with two of Michelle's friends as we boarded our cute little river boat and set off on the water. The boat was equipped with a grill and the freedom to fire it up along with some beers at any point! They would never allow that in Calgary!

Our Captain and her first mate.

Their distinguished guests. Lots of fun.

Our view.

MK grillin up some shrimp on da barbie. (Insert Australian accent here-shrimp on the BARBIE, hey look, a WALLABY)

Miss Michelle and I. 

We parked the boat to eat more food and took turns jumping off the boat, trying our best to look as synchronized as possible. The photo below took way too make tries. Not because we didn't look cool but because the guys couldn't figure out how to take a photo on time. Not cool. 

The guys all did a flip into the water and us girls timed it perfectly, the first TIME!

Two buds, two beers. Haha I would like to superimpose their faces with pictures from their childhood because they look like two kids in the water. Kids with giant beards that is...

The drunkest man on the island walked by and Mike thought it was a good idea to ask him to hold my professional camera above the water to take a photo of our group. Turns out it wasn't such a bad idea. Minus the photo bombers, our group looked pretty darn good. (That's my nervous smile)

On the way back to the dock, Michelle and I sat on the front of the boat while we soaked up the last of a great day on the water. Our four little feet dipped in the water took a dramatic turn when the boat went under a wave and started to plow through the water!! After a few shouts and screams to get to the back of the boat, we realized that we were bringing the ship down with us. Mike however opted to go for the camera instead of going for the back of the boat. Luckily, contrary to tradition, the captain was not going down with her ship and Michelle quickly jumped up to avoid catastrophe! I guess it was time for me to get my fitbit in action and loose my holiday weight! 

We went back to the beach house and sat in the sand while Mike and Joey went for a surf. Both board and body. 

The body surfing is always quite funny to watch as their heads pop out from the waves and their arms are pointing ahead like superman. 

Day 172- We woke up early and went golfing in some wicked humid weather. Thank goodness it was overcast because otherwise I may have sweat to death. Michelle had offered me a golf shirt before we left the house and I was so glad I declined, I was sweating so much that it looked like I'd gone for a swim. 

Here are two handsome fellas checking out their next shot. 

After golf I had a doctors appointment to have my health checked out. I wasn't feeling top notch and I wanted to get things sorted before we left the country. 

Day 173/174/175- These next few days were spent running along the beach, swimming in the ocean, working on the blog and hanging out with Joey and Michelle. We also went to cheap tuesday at the movies to see Daddy's Home and this time instead of a scary note from Charlie on our windshield, we found a friendly note from our friend.  Yay!

                            

Our hosts had more friends coming for the New Years celebrations so we moved out to the Nomads Hostel for a couple of nights. 

We found ourselves in a game of beerless beer pong (I know right) and the outcome was really not even worth mentioning. There is a reason why beer pong has the word beer in it. 

Day 176- NEW YEARS EVE! The day began with a visit to the doc, who cleared me to continue on with our travels, then to Hastings street to find something new to wear for the nights festivities. After Mike and I got ready for the night, we headed over to the beach house to begin our goodbyes for 2015 and ready our hellos for 2016. The beach house was full of big boisterous laughter from the new houseguests and there was plenty of energy to get us all geared up for the night. 

Deano, Stephanie, Allen and Alex were a mix of new and old friends of Michelle and Joey's, who welcomed us into the group with ease. Deano was especially kind and made us feel like old mates.

Mine and Michelles outfits complimented eachother quite well and also managed to fit the 70's theme for the party that we didn't even know about. 

                      

Mike was handsome as ever in a fresh shirt donated by Joey and a fresh trim on his full red beard. 

We had dinner across the street at Mooshkas and the streets were already buzzing with excitement for 2016.

The main event for the evening took place at Cafe Le Monde on Hastings street. We walked in to hear Caravana Suns rocking out on stage and it didn't take long for our back and forth sway to turn into full body jumping and arm flailing. We danced the night away and cheered on the countdown in a crowd of happy dancing people. Surrounded with our new and now old friends, an overwhelming feeling of ecstasy surrounded us as the clock struck 12.  

Thanks to Uber we made it home with little effort. Even though we were having a hard time keeping our eyes open, we weren't ready for the night to end. We headed to the beach to put our toes in the sand and enjoy the salty air for the first couple of hours of 2016. 

Another successful holiday celebrated abroad, with great friends. 2015 was perhaps one of the best years of my life and I very much look forward to see what 2016 has to offer. 

Day 177- We were all pretty tired the next day so there was no better way to spend the afternoon then to give ourselves up to the waves and let the ocean have its way with us. 

We all took turns jumping over the waves and filming the best moments. 

Here is a compilation that Mike created to show off our sweet moves. This is how we make waves in the ocean.

                                

As refreshing as the ocean was, we were all dogged after it and needed sleep. Deano, Joey and Michelle cooked up dinner while Mike and I booked our next destination. Then we said our goodbyes to Michelle and headed back to the hostel. 

Day 178- We tried to organize ourselves and our bags for our flight before heading to a cafe to do some blogging. Joey and Deano picked us up to drive us to the train station but first we took the scenic route and stopped at a cool pub for a beer. 

Australia was an all around great experience. I went into it not really wanting to go at all but I can definitely say I was wrong in my apprehension. There are endless adventures of all types for any traveller. The people are nice, the scenery is stunning and there is something to be said for the ease of travelling in a first world country. Our experience in the campervan was the main highlight of our journey, along with the great new friendships we built along the way. See yas lata Australia. 

Next stop, Fiji.