Small Steps: Day Forty-Two: Port Stephens with Family

finally,
FiNaLlY,
FINALLY,
F.I.N.A.L.L.Y!
mid-semester break!!!

You have no idea how much I look forward to this break. Two reasons...(1)I deserve it, and deserve it well, (2) my parents and grandma are coming to visit me =)

They arrived the day before. I booked a room at The Great Southern Hotel on George St for them. The room is alright, enough for them to stay in for few days. BUT, there is one thing that bothers me..and that is the fact that they have to charge us separately to use the safe key. Why why why??!!!! It is not like someone else can use the key, right? (at least I hope not). There is key is just there...why do we have to pay extra to use it? so dumb.

Anyhow, the first day, I just took them down to Darling Harbour and spend the afternoon chatting on a bench there. Soaking in the sun, feeling the breeze, just a fun family time.

Second day, we signed up a tour to Port Stephens to see dolphins =). We met at the Rawson Place at 7 am (so so early =.=). We had an entertaining bus driver/tour guide. He talked the entire way to and back, but the funny thing is no one minded. He told us all sorts of stories, things to do in Sydney, and of course some jokes (he laughs at his own jokes..lol).

First Stop: Australian Reptile Park

Not everything there is reptile

He snatched the bag full of food from me =.="...hungry guy.

awww....cutie =)

Can you see the joey?
I actually have been there twice. First time was before the wine tasting, but this time I came with my family.

My family

Next stop: Port Stephens, the highlight of the day =)
We boarded a ship at the dock. Our ship's name, Moonshadow.
Views of the port:

And out we go!!!!

Now the dolphins! This is the first time that I saw wild dolphins. There were so many of them. The captain told us that dolphins like to swim next to the ships like in a race. I couldn't get clear pictures so you'll have to look closer >.<.

and some videos (sorry about the bad quality..)

After the cruise, we head over to the sand dunes. Australia is a very interesting place. It has everything...beaches, ocean, deserts, waterfalls, mountains, rain forests...just about everything. At this point, we were only about 2 hours from Sydney and we were in the middle of nowhere or the desert. Never been to a desert in my life and I was amazed at this place. The sand was very fine, it is a massage walking on them =)

Camel!!

We hopped on a 4-W and drove across the sand dunes to a place where we go sandboarding. Yup!! Sandboarding. It is like snowboarding only not with snow but sand. You get a board and you sit on it and slide down hill. My dad and I did it together. It was really fun and what an experience. haha