Picnic at the Botanics

Today we took our pals the Kiwis for a picnic. John and Pam come over to Noosa every winter and look after a house nearby while the owners go further north to Port Douglas to 'escape the cold'!! It was 23 degrees here today! The Kiwis have been doing this for years. What a jolly good idea.

We went to the Botanic Gardens, as they had never been there (they don't have access to a car). We had a lovely day there, and only forgot the tablecloth.

We had a walk round the gardens, and I spent a bit of time trying to get some bird shots. White herons were swooping around, chasing each other, but there was a tree in the way, and I was running this way and that as they swooped and came around again. This was the best one, and although I would have liked his wee beady eyes a bit sharper, I rather liked the way the wing and tail feathers caught the light. It was cropped a LOT!

We heard a kookaburra for the first time. We've seen them before, but last time any laughing they did was drowned out by the Very Loud Banjo player. And there must have been some laughing, as they made off with someone's meal!

When we came back, Pam and John invited us in for a coffee at the RSL (Returned Services League) which is an excellent tradition in Oz. And a very good coffee too.

We went to see the Travel Agent again about the upgrade (you have to keep ringing and asking). No result and much frustration!

Supermarket shopping as we're having a couple of neighbours over for a meal this week before we leave.

How many times have I been down at the beach in the evening to take photos?

Dozens of times.

Tonight we did not go down to the beach.

Tonight there was a beached baby humpback whale being pushed back out to sea by crowds of people.

You couldn't make it up.