Today I’m crossing the ditch to Brisbane, on the Sunshine coast of Australia. We were last on the Sunshine coast when my two kids were 3 and 7, and probably a little young to enjoy the Theme parks we dragged them to.
Highlights.
Dreamworld. I just loved Tiger Island and catching a glimpse of the keepers walking one of the tigers through the park was a buzz. A lot of the rides here were too scary for my two, so we seemed to spend most of the day walking around in the heat and seeing some of the native Australian animals in other parts of Dreamworld. Fifteen minutes before the park closed by brother-in-laws finally offered to keep an eye on the kids while my husband and I went on one ride – we chose the The Giant Drop. A really, really bad move for someone who doesn’t like rollercoasters and is afraid of heights. Winched up to 120 meters above the ground and then suddenly dropped and reaching a speed up to 135km per hour, what was I thinking?
Warner Bros Movie World. A few more kid-friendly rides here, so my husband and I took turns taking our 7-year-old son on the Roadrunner rollercoaster. It wasn’t until we were nearly done to the day that we discovered the 3-year-old was in fact tall enough to ride – whoops! Fun getting our photos taken with ‘celebs’ like Austin Powers and Wonder Woman – well, my husband really enjoyed getting his photo with the voluptuous Wonder Woman…
Surfer’s Paradise. We visited Brisbane and Surfer’s Paradise in the winter, so we gave swimming a miss – and the waves at Surfer’s certainly lived up to their name. No way any of us was hitting the water. We still had fun on the gorgeous sandy beach though, and enjoyed burying my boy and creating a mermaid’s tail on him – we told him it was a shark’s tail to make him feel better!
Australia Zoo. No sign of the Irwins unfortunately, but we had a great day here and it was really cool to get up close to some of Australia’s cuddly, and not-so-cuddly critters. My son and I queued up and had a photo taken of us with a large python draped around our necks, my husband, strangely (not), offered to stay with our 3-year-old.
Brisbane has far more to offer than the tiny parts we saw, so hopefully on our next trip across the ditch we’ll have time to explore them!
Tracey
Welcome to my Friday I-Wish-I-Were-There Blog.
Today I’m winging my way to the city of all cities – New York. It is with affection, respect and sadness that I’ve chosen to revisit New York this week. Like many other people worldwide, I grieved with New Yorkers and indeed all of America for the tragic loss of life on 9/11.
Highlights:
Ground Zero. I had always sworn that if I made it to New York I would visit Ground Zero to pay my respects. Our first visit to this great city was in 2007, six years after the tragedy and much work had already taken place in lower Manhattan. It was an eerie, sobering experience, but I felt we as a family needed to do this in remembrance before enjoying the rest of our time here.
Tick Tock Diner. On the corner of 34th Street and 8th Ave, we first discovered this gem at around 3am on our arrival to NYC. Due to our stuff up with accommodation, we found ourselves without a room shortly after hopping out of our yellow taxi at our hotel. So two kids in tow we headed into the darkness and stumbled across this diner where we stuffed the kids with sugar and ourselves with coffee to stay awake.
Times Square. The neon is something not to be missed and it’s a fascinating place to people watch – even in the early hours of the morning! New York’s truly a city that never sleeps!
Statue of Liberty. We hopped on a Staten Island ferry for a free glimpse of this icon, and then another day we paid to spend the morning here on a tour. It was all very surreal to a girl from a small city in New Zealand. My kids enjoyed earning their junior rangers badges, but we gave up on the huge lines waiting to go up into the statue itself.
Top of the Rock, the Rockefeller center. This, we found out, is the place to see New York from above. The atmosphere was relaxed, there were comfortable couches you could sit on when your feet got tired, and amazing panoramic views through clear safety glass.
Brooklyn Bridge. We walked over here and got caught in a thunder storm, but what a blast to say we’d done it!
Toy shops. Since we have two kids it was kind of inevitable they we were going to end up paying a visit to Toys R Us and F.A.O Schwarz. The kids loved the huge ferris wheel in Toys R Us, while I had a major sentimental moment watching my daughter dance across the keys of the floor piano used in the movie ‘Big’ at F.A.O Schwarz.
Street food. OMG. Hot pretzels—I loooove hot pretzels. And bagels. And hot dogs.
Squirrels in Central Park. OMG. I loooove squirrels and all their nutty, hyper cuteness! (FYI—we don’t have squirrels in New Zealand, which is why we found these critters so fascinating).
New York Public Library. Could there be a better place for a writer to visit in New York City? I don't think so!
Hope you’ll return next week when I return to New York again—there’s just too much to see in one visit!
Tracey
While we’re on the topic of different types of heroes – last week I wondered which were sexier, guys in suits or guys in tool-belts (my vote was with the tool-belt guys) – this week I’m thinking Beta versus Alpha heroes. This occurred to me after watching the movie ‘Music and Lyrics’ and the actor Hugh Grant’s portrayal of the main character, Alex Fletcher. Hugh Grant plays his usual foppish, self-depreciating beta-male character. I couldn’t help compare him to another British actor, Colin Firth, (who has played both Alpha and Beta characters) and well, sorry, but Colin plays a better Beta—and I just can’t see Hugh as an Alpha.
In case you’re not familiar with the terms Alpha and Beta to describe two very different types of romantic heroes, here are my definitions. A Beta hero is generally a nice guy. He’ll make the heroine laugh, he often owns a cute dog which he rescued from the pound, and he wouldn’t dream of ordering the heroine around, understanding that women know their own mind and are often quite capable of saving themselves, thanks very much. Some Beta’s are edgier than others, but on the whole he’s caring, can vocalize his feelings, and he’s a cool guy to just hang out with, or bring home for a family dinner.
Alpha’s, on the other hand, you wouldn’t want near your family get-together without some strict ground rules, and Alpha’s don’t tend to like rules overmuch. An Alpha hero is many things, but in another generalization, nice isn’t a word often attributed to him. He likes to do things his own way, and when he sees something he wants (like the heroine) he goes after it with focused intent. Alpha males often get a bad rap—especially the ones penned a few decades ago in some romance novels—they were basically verbally challenged bullies who showed few redeeming qualities and left the reader wondering why the hell the virginal heroine didn’t just hide in the closet and never come out. Bullies to the last few pages, that is. And then suddenly they proclaimed they loved the whimpering little heroine all along. Ick.
So which do I prefer? Both – but not the old style Alpha, that’s for sure. I like reading books whose heroes are Betas, and I also like books who have strong Alpha heroes, and sometimes I’ve even discovered a unique hero who is a combination of the two. A hero who’ll protect the heroine, and kick the ass of anyone who tries to harm her. A hero who has a hard outer shell, and a tender heart hidden inside. But a hero who can laugh at himself when he does or says something dumb, who enlists the heroine’s cooperation and help to get out of a sticky situation, and has the balls to say, “I stuffed up. So let’s try it your way.”
So what’s your pick? Alpha or Beta?
Tracey
What I’m reading this week: Cover Me – Catherine Mann. The first in her Elite Force series, this has been a gripping read so far, and the hero is defintely an Alpha male (but in a good way)!
What I’m watching this week: Music and Lyrics. Drew Barrymore is gorgeous as a quirky but endearing plant-caregiver who kills her charges. It has some funny moments and was nice to curl up and have a nostalgic giggle about 80’s music.
This week’s favorite quote: It is not the critic that counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or the doer of deeds could have them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the Arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but he who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great devotion; who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails while daring greatly, knows that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls, who know neither victory nor defeat. — Teddy Roosevelt.
Hot guy of the week: Sorry, it’s not Hugh Grant. Instead I’ve picked the other Brit – Colin Firth. He's ever so dreamy... :-)
Welcome to my Friday I-Wish-I-Were-There Blog.
Today I’m off to New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty, a lush stretch of native bush covered hills and beautiful beaches. We visited around New Years, and the summer weather was just amazing.
Highlights.
Maraenui. A tiny little settlement, too small to even be a village, we still found a little paradise here. With our 5th wheel caravan parked right beside a stony beach we spent hours wandering along it, playing with the driftwood and making forts, teaching the kids how to skip stones and enjoying the isolation of being nearly the only ones in this lovely place. On our final morning in Maraenui our host rushed down to tell us there were a pod of Pilot whales moving across the bay and what a thrill watching them in our binoculars.
Omaio. A little village, popular with the tourists, a short drive from Maraenui. Our kids had a fabulous time swimming and enjoying an ice-cream from the local shop afterwards.
Opotiki. Another gorgeous beach to go swimming in (this time we’d bought the kids some boogie boards for the surf) but sadly, our two kids were too chicken to take part in the 130 meter downhill mudslide—personally I can’t blame them, it looked really scary!
We enjoyed our summer holiday in the Bay of Plenty. It was a wonderful opportunity to get away from the bustle and non-stop noise of the city, the electronics and the ‘mum, can I play on the computer’ and just spend time playing with our kids in the sand and sunshine.
Tracey
This week I’ve had three dudes in tool-belts replacing the roof of our house, while I’ve hidden inside my office with the shade drawn shamelessly eavesdropping on their conversations. Mostly what comes out of their mouths ends or begins with a four letter word, but these are authentic Kiwi blokes and their good natured heckling of each other is entertaining, to say the least. These are the type of guys to call a spade a spade, but will take their boots off before coming into the house and politely address me as ma’am (which I hate cos it makes me feel like an octogenarian).
There’s something sexy about a man in faded blue jeans with a tool-belt slung around his hips – well, I think so anyway. And the only thing sexier than one guy with a tool-belt is a crew of them! On a recent episode of Grey’s Anatomy (yes, I’m an addict) Derek had his co-workers and friends show up to pound nails into his deck – a real guy way of dealing with tension and suppressed emotion! As an aside, while in the middle of watching this episode I sat bolt upright in bed (freaked my poor husband out) and said, “Blast! I have to change my hero’s scene with his best mate, they’re waaay too chatty about their feelings!” Once I’d made the appropriate notes I was glued to the screen again watching Derek and Owen, replete with tool-belts, operate power-saws and slam nails into wood planks.
These are the type of heroes I find hot. Ordinary guys (okay, Patrick Dempsey and Kevin McKidd are not ordinary) but their characters are. Yeah, they’re surgeons, but they’re not surgeons who swan around the hospital in dark suits and perfectly knotted ties. They’re guys who are more comfortable, more themselves, in jeans and a tee-shirt, just hammering nails and drinking a few beers with their buddies. Real guys. The kind of guys I like to read about, and write about.
So…guys wearing a suit and tie, or guys wearing a toolbelt? Which do you prefer?
Tracey
What I’m reading this week: Breakfast in Bed – Robin Kaye. Sexy Italian hero, plus quirky heroine and the cutest three legged Bengal cat called Tripod (who totally steals the limelight). Love it.
What I’m watching this week: Miranda. A British sitcom starring Miranda Hart. One of the funniest sitcoms I’ve seen in ages. And Tom Ellis as Miranda’s love interest ain’t too hard on the eye either…
This week’s favorite quote: Women speak because they wish to speak, whereas a man speaks only when driven to speech by something outside himself - like, for instance, he can't find any clean socks. ~Jean Kerr, The Snake Has All the Lines, 1960
Hot guy of the week: Patrick Dempsey & his tool belt. Courtesy of ABC 7.
Welcome to my Friday I-Wish-I-Were-There Blog.
Today I’m escaping to the Happiest Place on Earth – Disneyland, California.
From as far back as I can remember I’ve had a fascination with the U.S.A and Disneyland – probably learnt at my uncle’s knee listening to his stories about his travels around the States. He, if I remember correctly, introduced me to the delights of Fruit Loops (a cereal not available in New Zealand until a couple of years ago). I never did get to Disneyland as a kid, but taking my then ten and seven-year-old, was somehow even more special. I’ll never forget the joy and excitement on their faces, and there is a glimpse of this in one of the photos below—when my son finally (finally!) got selected to take part in the Jedi training. And seeing my little girl with the Disney Princesses was so worth the hour wait in the queues.
Highlights:
Rides. If you’d asked my daredevil daughter, she would’ve said her favorite ride was ‘California Screamin’ in California Adventure park, and I believe her and my husband went on it about five times. I went on this roller-coaster once, and did indeed scream my head off. I wasn’t keen to repeat. My son loved Space Mountain and seeing his mum get wet on Splash Mountain. My husband loved anything that made me sweat and croak with fear (I nearly lost my voice after California Screamin’). Being a gentler soul, I enjoyed taking my daughter on Dumbo the Flying Elephant and the Indiana Jones Ride – I was very disappointed not to bump into Harrison Ford!
Shows. Disney’s Aladdin Musical Spectacular was fabulous – so fabulous that we had to go and see it twice. Wonderful, Broadway-quality stuff, something we unfortunately can’t afford to see much in New Zealand, so it was a real treat. And the fireworks displays and Fantasia? Wow. The interactive shows (like Jedi training) were fantastic, and I think my two kids will always remember battling Darth Vader and Darth Maul!
Parade. Yeah, okay, I admit I had a few sentimental tears in my eye watching the huge Disney parade. It was a like a culmination of all my childhood dreams. And when Kate got selected to dance to Y.M.C.A in the California Adventure park parade? I was so proud I thought I’d bust!
Meet & Greet. The 1hr+ wait in the queue to see Mickey Mouse was not fun with two kids, but was it worth it? Totally! And the buzz of seeing your favorite characters walking around is great fun. Both my kids had made their own autograph books, so it was a blast watching the characters ‘react’ to seeing their names and printed cartoon pictures on the page ready for them to sign. We had a special 7th Birthday party breakfast with Goofy and Friends at the Disneyland hotel. Typical kids hardly ate any of the buffet, but they did enjoy talking to Pluto, Chip & Dale, Goofy, The Mad Hatter and Aladdin (who I also enjoyed ogling, er, talking to.)
On our last day in Disneyland we were there until the Park closed, and it was really hard to say goodbye as we turned around in Main Street to catch our last glimpse of Sleeping Beauty's castle all lit up with lights. The starry-eyed little girl that’s still living inside me expected Tinkerbell to make a last minute flight overhead with her little sparkly wand and to shower pixie dust on my upturned face. Magic.
Tracey
