Visitors From South Africa - Part 1

We knew when we decided to leave South Africa and move to Australia, that we'd miss out on some very special happenings in our friends and family's lives. The first of these special occasions took place on Saturday, 31 May in Camps Bay.... my bestest friend in the whole world married her soul mate, Claude, and became Mrs Lilly van der Merwe. Judging by the photos she sent me, it was an amazing day for them. Bok, know that my thoughts were with you the entire day & we were certainly there in spirit.

Lilly & Claude at the alter

And it's official - they're Mr & Mrs!

The first dance was something out of the ordinary.....!

Lilly looked like a doll - absolutely gorgeous!

And Claude cleaned up pretty well too!

CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH OF YOU!!!!!
WE BOTH WISH YOU ALL THE HAPPINESS IN THE WORLD!!!!!!
SEE YOU IN 2011 FOR THE RUGBY WORLD CUP!

And on the same day as Lilly & Claude's wedding in Cape Town, my folks arrived in Sydney for the start of their own Australian Adventure.....

Me checking to make sure their plain was scheduled to arrive on time

Touch down! My mom's 2nd time & my dad's first steps on Aussie soil!

Dad already hassling the pretty girls....

From the airport, we took my folks over the bridge & then a bit of a detour for their first real view of Sydney. We headed down to Luna Park at Milson's Point.

Taking in the beautiful Harbour Bridge

Dad still trying to figure out how to work the damn camera! LOL!

Taking a walk through Luna Park

Scott cooked up a great brekkie which we ate on our balcony before heading out for the day.

We also now share our balcony with these stunning King Parrots. We started out with the pair above and now also have a bachelor boy who comes to visit too.

At Wahroonga train station

Dad explaining one of his many theories.... He absolutely loved the trains! In fact, he spent a couple of days just riding the trains to the limits of the train ticket he had.

Mom on the train

Walking up to the Opera House

At the foot of the Opera House stairs

I managed to get the camera back! Some more pics at the Opera House.

Mom & Dad walking around the Opera House

Time to check out a yacht or two

A view of the Harbour Bridge from the Opera House

Check out the tourist on the left with the Aussie hat & the camera around his neck!

Mom having some fun with the water feature outside the Lindt Cafe at Darling Harbour

Mom & Dad at the fountain in Hyde Park

Me in the Hyde Park Barracks

We also took my folks to Bobbin Head. This is my Dad under the Cowan Catchment sign with Scott & I walking off to the right.

About to take a walk across the bridge to the mangrove trail

Scott & I somewhere along the trail with one of these weird gum trees that grows over rocks!

Mom & Dad on the bridge at Bobbin Head

And of course, the day wouldn't have been complete without checking out the Bobbin Head Marina.....

Super 14 Saturday

On Saturday, 24th May we finally took delivery of our car! A silver Holden (Opel/Vauxhall) Astra with a sunroof. The pics aren't great - taken in the basement of our apartment with the small Cybershot camera. But just so you can get an idea (if you're not into cars & wouldn't know a Mini from a Merc!), I've added a pic the car as it looks out of the box. :-)

Arriving home....

Me in the driver's seat...

Me trying to find where everything is - including how to open & close the sunroof!

And then that afternoon we donned our new Waratahs gear to meet up with some of Scott's old school mates to watch the Super 14 semi-final between the Waratahs and Sharks. We've said right from the outset of this little adventure of ours that we will embrace our new country completely - including supporting the local sports teams.

Now what some of you may not know..... Scott and I met at the Cape Town Sharks Supporters Club in Newlands. We'd both been Sharks supporters for quite a while and we were pretty staunch supporters - not an easy feat in Cape Town! Although in the last year, we haven't really watched much rugby - not with all the excitement of buying a house, moving, all the DIY and then moving to Australia!

So when the opportunity came along to go to the semi-final here in Sydney between our "old" team and our "new" team, we couldn't NOT go. But it wasn't as easy as we thought it would be. We shouted for the Waratahs but both of us were secretly rooting for the Sharks. Old habits die hard I suppose.

Funny though, it was far easier to support the Wallabies against the Springboks on the 19th July. We have been called "traitor" by every single South African and ex-South African we know. All I can say is that Australia has opened its arms to us - we are only too happy to take Australia into our hearts and support all Australian teams with every ounce of passion we possess!

Here are some of the pics from the Super 14 semi....

At a pub in Paddington before the game with Julian - a mate of Scott's from Grey PE.

At the Sydney Football Stadium - trying to find where we were supposed to be sitting.

Tah Man arriving at the stadium....

28 - 13 to the Tahs!!!