Back from the Barrier Reef

Hallo to all of you!

We had a really great time in the last 4 days diving the Great Barrier Reef. The boat and the crew were phanatastic and the dives were excellent. One can say that everything went fine... and that will be probably one of only a few time where we will be able to say that. ;-)

We made 13 dives and saw: a lot of sharks, huge schools of yellow, blue, silver fish into which we sort of "merged into" :-), stone fish, lion fish, a lot of small stuff and thousands of corals.
It was really amazing. :-)

Now back on land we start to get "land-sick" because the ground does not rock any more :-)

We hope to be able to start from Cairns to Cape Tribulation (a little bit to the north) today in the afternoon or tomorrow.
We also hope that we will loose the kilos which we gained because of the excellent food on the boat (5 time a day) again soon ;-)

We will keep you infomed. :-)
Meanwhile take a look at the pictures from the diving trip.

Best regards, hugs and kisses to everyone.

Renate & Mirko

Accomplishments so far...

Hallo,

First: my luggage has finally arrived! juchuu! But...who the hell put so many clothes into it? Now that I am already used to have only two T-shirts and one pair of long and one pair of short trousers, a plastic bag with my deo and a soap...who needs all those things here... ;-)

Secondly: we have bought a car! JIPIIIEEHH! Let's see how long we say 'YIpiieh' before starting to say 'damn car...left us in the middle of nowhere!!!' ;-)
but at least we can leave Cairns and do our first trips to the table-mountains starting right tomorrow morning.

We bought a new radio for the car:
I said:'But who is going to install it in the car?'
Mirko said: 'What...Why are you asking? ME!!!!! Baby! I can do it, no problem...'
I looked incredulously.
We bought the radio.
Mirko took a professional look at the cables coming out of the car-front and said: 'Let's let the garage do it!' :-) :-)
That's travelling with a Software-specialist....
I have more than doubts for the outback. I truly hope we have no mechanical problems... ;-)

From the 27th of august to the 1st of september we are on the live-aboard diving trip to Great Barrier Reaf, so you wont hear from us during this time.
But we will be back as soon as possible, don't worry...;-)

Hope you are all well!
...missing you....

Renate & Mirko

Australaia - arrived in Cairns

Hallo,

after several difficulties with airport and airline personel (my bag has still not arrived) we arrived safely in Cairnes. The weather is fine and not too hot. Today we tried to find out more about buying a 4WD for us and it turns out will take some more time to find the right car for us.
We had a tough timetable today: buying clothes and stuff for me, checking on the car and visiting the town. What we already know is, that we really need a car...distances are rather wide to walk.

We checked into a hostel with shared bathroom after finding that all other options are rather expensive and not within our budget. So we are in the real "backpackers hostel" now... only that we are the oldest ones here, although trying hard to deny it. :-)

Food is rather ordinary compared to Singapore. No more cookies with shrimps and unidentifiable drinks, sweeties or other things for Mirko. Just "plain meat" :-) ...

Wish you all the best,
Renate & Mirko

p.s.: Where the hell is my backpack????

Arriving in Singapore

Hallo all togehter,

we have arrived in Singapore savely..but... as usual my bag did NOT arrive. :-( Why always my bag and not Mirkos :-) This is not fair. :-(
And they are "still tracing it" what makes me troubling even more.... uffff! :-(

Otherwise we enjoy the city ... it's rather hot (35 degress) and there's a high humidity. But the food is good and we try to see as much in four days as we can. Guess that will probably be enough.
And I hope enough time for my backpack to be 'located' and brought...

We will continue to Australia on August 20th. Looking forward to it. :-)

Click here to see more pictures.

We wish you all the best,

Renate & Mirko

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

Only 2 days left.....

The departure is still totally irreal. Are we leaving? Who is? We? Me? Where to? Interesting....

That's how my living room looks like.

The question which comes immediately to your mind will be: How are they going to put all those things into two backpacks? And that's what we wonder, too.

In earlier days, we only took a toothbrush and a T-Shirt with us.... but getting older you think about takeing: medicaments, sunhat, books, good shoes, something agains moscito bites, locks, shower gel, air pillow (??????), two or three T-shirts, leatherman, warm clothes,...... Uff...

I guess every outdoor-shop would be proud of our sortiment. :-)

And I hope that I thought of everything concering the things I leave behind.... close water tabs, check heating, redirect post, give plants in good hands for care, provide mother with good instructions :-) ....

As always there are a lot of helpers at home who will help us to arrange things from the far. Thank you to them right from the start. :-) without them we would not be able to leave everthing behind so easily!

The taxi for the airport will arrive on saturday at 12:00...

We will first leave for London and then in the eventing (21:30) from London to Singapure, which will take 12 hours, more or less. So everybody turning around in your nice bed saturday night can think of us. :-)

We will be back on the blog soon.... in singapore. :-)

Un beso, muchos abrazos, kisses and tears.....

Missing you already!!!

Renate & Mirko

First milestone completed...

Hallo,

I have sucessfully completed the first step: -> quit work.

Second step: -> relax and enjoy...completion of step two seems far away!!!!!!

Third step: -> prepare and complete travel arrangements... = work in process

It IS strange to be without work. I can visit shops during opening hours without fighting for breath and - for your information - the supermarkets DO have fresh milk...at earlier hours in the day - amazing, isn't it...

I have received only a few private emails today and got only about two phone calls...private phone calls :-) ...strange...stranger...the strangest feeling... ;-)

But I guess I will get used to this. more than I will like to. Coming back will probably be harder then letting go.

But missing you is hard. I miss you all. Already.

Mirko is still engulfed in work... so he hasn't even started with step one :-)

But at least he has - almost - cleared his "soon-going-to-be-ex-flat".

only..12 days to go... gulp...

Renate