not as diligent as BP....

So - we were in Australia from March 5th - 20th - YES we loved it. Didn't take any means to communicate ( no computer or phone - I kinda planned it that way - make it a real holiday ) - really a small problem. It was hard to get computer access ( I wasn't looking too hard ) - hence my lack of posts and FB & Twitter absence. Blogger was even worse. I was the polarity of Mr. Payne's near twice daily postings ( BTW his blog post is awesome stuff !! Don't stop Bryan ).

This is my sister's deck pool in Trinity Beach - Cairns - Queensland looking out at the Coral Sea. The cyclone Uliu was ~ 1200 kms offshore - making for more than average winds and churned surf. It landed south of Cairns about 3 days after we left. Queensland - LOVED it. Too humid - killer jellyfish and crocs prevent swimming at the beaches - but it is paradise in the Tropics. Running was a bitch with the humidity and heat.

This is Longreach Bay on Rottenest Island off Perth Western Australia. My brother lives there with his wife and daughter. YES - my sibs couldn't live any farther apart ! A five hour direct flight thank you.
WA is gorgeous - and yes you can swim in the surf.  Did LOTS of running along the West Coast Highway. The driver's are so disrepectful to cyclists ( even worse to pedestrians ) - that the roadies also use the paved path on the WCH. I didn't get to ride a bike - probably a good thing. While I did drive cars on the wrong side during the stay - I felt that riding a bike with the locals would have been a shitty endeavour. Couldn't believe how many Giant bikes there were - at least 3/4's of all bikes I saw were Giants....

So - one of my highlights was a little reconaisance in Busselton. Why ? Oh this little get together every December called IMWA. My goal is to participate in 2011. Scouting report ? Everybody I've spoken with about this race LOVES it. I can see why - a near perfect 1.84 km long jetty makes the swim a follow of it's periphery. Flat course - lots of international participants. Mind you - December in WA is gonna be stinky hot - so get ready for a 38 - 40 degree Celcius day.

Near Busso is Margaret River. Home to at least 60 wineries and a real playground for the Perthites for weekends - holidays - whenever. Again paradise. This does make for costly accommodation - so be prepared that anywhere near Busso - Dunsborough - Yallingup - is gonna be pricey for the stay. But well worth it !!

If I had the cake - I would live 2 months of the year in Yallingup. A gorgeous little villa on the slope of the Cape Naturaliste point - overlooking the Indian Ocean. Mind you - I would miss the mountains and snow and dark hours run & bike training.

Thanks again to our extended families on both Coasts of Australia - the hospitality you extended our way was incredible !!

So - gotta cut short on this post - will write more in the next couple of days.

Cheers

Brent