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    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

    Pilot:

    This was the second night I was able to sleep through until normal morning hours. The relaxing effect of our surroundings and the warm climate is slowly taking hold. It is in especially stark contrast to crowded Southern California and the perfect getaway for every once in a while.

    Yesterday I brought up the fact that we have been lucky and have never seen a snake here in Australia (except those in the zoo). Well guess what? Today we saw not one, but two snakes! Yikes!! Each one of them minded its own business and crawled slowly across the gravel road. These sightings, although fascinating and beautiful, stressed me out quite a bit to say the least. The first one I saw from our patio on the path leading up to our house and the second snake my wife and I almost missed while walking over to the local lighthouse. There was a car coming our way that stopped rather apruptly and I wondered why since we were not close to the car at all. So we just kept walking and it wasn’t until we passed the car that the guy got out and asked us if we saw the snake. We hadn’t and that really freaked me out. So much for a relaxing morning walk angry

    Our daughter identified them as diamond pythons (most likely), which are apparently non-venomous snakes native to the coastal areas here in New South Wales. They’re pretty but I wouldn’t want to accidentally get too close either... 

    Relax...me and my kids saw two Diamondbacks (one of the worst venomous snakes you can encounter in nature) while going for a walk in Florida, they were literally next to our feet. We walked away slowly, even took a photo (from a safe distance with telephoto lens) of the "baby" one which was in a small swamp-like pile of water (see photo). Never panic. I know, easy to say but if you leave them alone, they leave you alone. No, I don' like snakes either.

    JO2XtUtg.jpeg

     


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    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018), Mercedes C63 S AMG Cab (2019), Range Rover Evoque Si4 Black Edition (2019)


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

    I live in Africa. Enough said.


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

    Spyderidol:

    I live in Africa. Enough said.

    Smiley Smiley


    --

    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018), Mercedes C63 S AMG Cab (2019), Range Rover Evoque Si4 Black Edition (2019)


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

     

     

    Valentine's Day!

    It is a beautiful summer morning here and we just had our Valentine's celebration. Mrs. Pilot is very happy and I'm so glad I was able to celebrate it with her again in Australia! 

    This day is all about love and hearts and we wish everyone a very happy day!


    --

    If I don't fly, I drive my .:RS  blush


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

    Haha RC, I tried to be relaxed but it didn’t work :( what stunned me was the fact that despite continuously scanning for hazards ahead of us where we walk I completely missed it! mail

    Great shot of the baby snake by the way. kiss


    --

    If I don't fly, I drive my .:RS  blush


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

     

     

     

    Mrs. Valentine, unedited...

    This summer vacation has been immensely beautiful so far. Despite coming here for the sixth time I always manage to fall in love all over again with so many things ;)

    The ocean is warm and sparkles in all different shades of blue. The waves this time have not been as brutal as last year, but the windy conditions yesterday and today caused many little blue bottles to wash up on the beach. This is not a deal breaker at all, you just have to be a little more careful as you get into the water and be more aware in the waves.
     

     


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    If I don't fly, I drive my .:RS  blush


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

    A few days ago my daughter started a conversation with a woman she met while she was swimming. Over the next few beach visits we saw her and her husband walking their dogs and we struck up a nice connection.

    As it was their last night here yesterday they invited us over for dinner and wine. They are from Sydney and have been visiting Seal Rocks for at least 30 years (so looks like we have some catching up to do smiley). For dinner we had delicious barbecued kangaroo flavored with fresh rosemary, baked sweet potatoes, and a salad that we brought along. Our conversations spanned so many different topics and flowed very easily. Also I'm not usually a dog person but the two dogs they had were awesome; one is two years old while the other is already 17. The older one was born deaf and has difficulty walking already, but he has the sweetest personality and was really a special little guy.  

    This morning we saw them at the beach on their last morning walk for this trip and we invited them over to our place for breakfast before they drove back to the city. It was a great time again, they're such nice people.


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    If I don't fly, I drive my .:RS  blush


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

    GG, so nice to see you are enjoying the... ahm... landscape? smiley
    Have a great time mate, your posts really radiate a true holiday vibe. Enjoy!
    -Joost-


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    Porsche, separates Le Mans from Le Boys


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

    Thanks Joost, it is an absolute pleasure to share this vacation here on Rennteam! It is past 9:00 pm here in Australia and it still has 24 C with a strong onshore breeze, which should be over by 4:00 am according to my iPhone.

    We really love it here. The culinary side is colorful, fresh and rich in flavor as you would expect from summer harvests. I wish I could migrate like the birds do. 


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    If I don't fly, I drive my .:RS  blush


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

    It is dawn here at Twin Pines. The wind has given way to calmness and the sun will rise in a few minutes. The batteries are fully charged, sunscreen is put on, and my daughter and I are ready to walk down to the beach...


    --

    If I don't fly, I drive my .:RS  blush


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

    Nice costume frown indecision   And do I recognize last year's Valentine's gift ? 


    --

     964 Carrera 4 --  997.2 C2S , -20mm -- 991.2 GT3 RS 


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

    Gnil:

    Nice costume frown indecision   And do I recognize last year's Valentine's gift

    No, that is actually my towel ;) we just share everything... smiley


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    If I don't fly, I drive my .:RS  blush


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

    Fancy towels indecision


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

     

     

     

    It is time to say goodbye...

    The beach part of our vacation is coming to an end. It is early Thursday morning and we have one more sunrise before we are off to Sydney :)

    The ocean water has currently peaked at 26 C and all three of us had so much fun playing in the waves yesterday. It is a fantastic location that just makes me want to never leave...

    Mrs. Valentine and my daughter were delightful as ever and I couldn't wish for a nicer family... 

     

     


    --

    If I don't fly, I drive my .:RS  blush


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

    Enmanuel:

    Fancy towels indecision

    Indeed. smiley


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    If I don't fly, I drive my .:RS  blush


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

    Smiley Must be hard to leave again...


    --

    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018), Mercedes C63 S AMG Cab (2019), Range Rover Evoque Si4 Black Edition (2019)


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

    RC:

    Smiley Must be hard to leave again...

    It was, you think it’d get easier. But now we are in Sydney which is nice too; maybe the weather will turn and we will have some sunny days here too. It actually started raining shortly after we departed from our beach house. The drive back (we didn’t stop) to Sydney (in occasionally heavy rain) was nice though. We had an almost brand new VW Golf from Europcar which performed incredibly well and I enjoyed eating the sandwiches our daughter had prepared for the trip ;)

     


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    If I don't fly, I drive my .:RS  blush


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

     

     

     

    Update from the city...

    Sydney has been good to us so far. The weather (except for Saturday) is actually pretty nice and the Four Seasons provided us with a very beautiful and brand new suite on the 31st floor overlooking the habour and Opera House. It has a very cool, modern flair, and the built in bar and foyer is amazing and elegant.

    We have been walking a lot in the mornings before breakfast and the many different (though familiar) views and fresh air are a welcome change from what we usually have in California.

     

     


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    If I don't fly, I drive my .:RS  blush

     


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

     

     

     

    Spectacular Sydney

    Despite the fact that many parts of the city are under construction (they are working on the new light rail transportation system among other things like tearing down several high-rise buildings) it never fails to draw us in.

    On our first day here in Sydney we registered for a guided tour of Government House located in the Royal Botanic Gardens, near the Opera House. This is the second official government house, is still in use, and was built facing the wrong direction (due south) because it was designed by an architect from the UK where facing south is a good thing indecision. The tour was very informative and we learned a bit about Australia's history (including the Sydney vs Melbourne rivalry), how the government works, and got a glimpse into the life of officials and royalty.

    Because photos inside Government House are prohibited, I'll share these photos from yesterday's early morning walk. The sun currently rises at 6:40 am local time, but the gate to the Royal Botanic Gardens opens at 7:00 am so we are usually a little early. The garden itself is as colorful and relaxing as ever though the Carnivorous Plants exhibition makes even plants seem dangerous...

     

     


    --

    If I don't fly, I drive my .:RS  blush


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

     

     

    A hike to Balmoral Beach

    Everyone knows the big sights in Sydney, but the city's gems don't stop there.

    Yesterday we took the ferry to the Tarongs Zoo Wharf and walked over to Balmoral Beach to see something new. Exploring the city on foot allows you to see things that you'd miss in a car or on a bus. There are so many beautiful homes in that area and each has its own character and flair. I have to say the area resonated a lot with me.

    After enjoying fish and chips at Balmoral we headed to Mosman Bay and hopped on the ferry back to Circular Quay at Cremorne Point. It was quite a bit of walking (see pink lines on the map), but the day was beautiful and the views and the experience was so worth it.


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    If I don't fly, I drive my .:RS  blush

     


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

    Lovely pics ! 


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

    Every city wakes up differently. The number of people I see every morning here in Sydney doing their workout routine is a welcome sight. The morning temperature right now is usually around 20 C which is just perfect to start the day in the fresh air.

    I know I would enjoy driving my GT3 here! Just yesterday while walking in the CBD I spotted a beautiful grey 991 Targa driven by an older gentleman. It looked really good!

    Currently I’m waiting with my family at Wharf 2 to catch the ferry over to Rose Bay; it is sunny with some high clouds so it should be nice. kiss


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    If I don't fly, I drive my .:RS  blush


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

     

     

     

    Impressions from Rose Bay

    Sydney Seaplanes operates from Rose Bay, which is actually the location of Sydney's very first international airport for flying boats. You can read the whole story and get all the history on the Sydney Seaplane website-- it's fascinating.

     

     


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    If I don't fly, I drive my .:RS  blush


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

    It is very early morning here in Sydney on Friday, March 1st :) My family and I are enjoying breakfast for the last time before heading to the airport and we are savoring every moment. We really enjoyed our stay at Four Seasons Sydney and can only recommend it to anyone that visits this beautiful city.


    --

    If I don't fly, I drive my .:RS  blush


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

    Our taxi ride from the hotel to the airport was quick, only 25 minutes. Everyone from the hotel was very friendly and it is this warmth and kindness that makes the Four Seasons more than just a place to stay and sleep. The usual airport routines are completed and we had no issues with security. The customs and border officers in Australia are courteous and polite while doing their jobs.

    Sydney Airport is now a “quiet airport” meaning no announcements through speakers and it does make a pleasant difference. QF11 is scheduled to depart at 11:10 am local time and we should arrive very early (6:00 am) in Los Angeles.


    --

    If I don't fly, I drive my .:RS  blush


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

    Okay, the Pilot-Family is on board the flying vessel :) Our flight is about 35 minutes delayed but the flight should be short (13h 34min). Going to airplane mode soon, getting pushed back as we speak...


    --

    If I don't fly, I drive my .:RS  blush


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

    Have a safe trip mate!


    --


    Porsche, separates Le Mans from Le Boys


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

    Inflight Update

    The flight so far has been very enjoyable. Our cabin chief has a strong French accent and it is so much fun listening to him when he makes announcements or when he is serving the cabin with refreshments. He also seems to be a bit of a ladies man with a great sense of humor and both Mrs. Pilot and my daughter are delighted by his manners!

    The flight itself is progressing smoothly. We are currently flying st 39,000 feet (11,887 m) which is an approapriate cruising altitude for an aircraft operating under instrument flight rules (IFR) and on an easterly heading. Right now we are about halfway and we are moving through the air with a speed of 564 miles per hour or 907 km/h.

    A little bit over two hours of flight time left to our final destination. In the meantime we climbed another 2,000 feet and we are now flying 41,000 feet over the water.

    It has been three weeks since our departure from LAX and as always it went by very quickly. Mrs. Pilot just put some fresh lipstick on and we are all getting ready for our arrival to California :)


    --

    If I don't fly, I drive my .:RS  blush


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

    Thank you Joost! We just landed safely :)


    --

    If I don't fly, I drive my .:RS  blush


    Re: The moment I've been waiting for...

    So glad to hear you and your family had another great trip. and thanks for sharing it with us !! This thread makes me want to visit Australia. 


     
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