3-30 Hello Johor Bahru

 Our drive got us to Johor Bahru around 4pm.  We were very happy to not be traveling on our butts for awhile.  Malaysia means another family time as youngest daughter Alexis and her husband Rob, and Lia and Natasha had arrived in Malaysia a few days earlier.  We were glad they had as they had had time to find their way around.  Our driver dropped us off at the wrong place - but not too far from where we should have been.  We were able to call her and she lead us to the correct apartment building complex.  

We had time to go out with the family to find something to eat and explore a little before we collapsed for the night.

We didn't have to go too far to enter a mall.  It had mostly restaurants and cheap goods stores.

Our group wondering around the mall.

And escalators that went nowhere!

Actually coming and going.

Outside the mall the street was lined with more places to eat.

I love Chinese lanterns.

Then we headed to the beach - not far from our apartments.

Lots of colored lights - these changed color.

Lia contemplates a magical outdoor pool in our complex.

The beach is behind these trees.

The building our apartment is in says it has 29 floors.  That is actually incorrect.  The first 7 floors are a parking garage.  They call the first floor that has apartments on it - the first floor.  Our apartment is on the 6th floor - but actually is the 13th floor - does that mean it is unlucky!

Alexis and Rob's apartment is in another building in our complex.  There building has 48 floors, they are on the 47th.  But really they are on the 54th floor.  I am glad we are on a lower floor - it takes so long to get up to their apartment!

3-29 Last Walk and Birds

 Our last few days in Australia were busy getting last minute things done, finishing photos and last meals.  Nicholas succeeded in getting 3 surfing lessons in.  He was disappointed that they had not discovered the surfing school until so late in our trip.  We also had some heavy rain which seemed to bring joy to the parrots that loved to sit on the electric lines in front of our house.

                                            

At first we thought they were just preening or doing a mating dance.

But as they rain came harder, it was clear they were taking a shower!

This large black and white bird came to commune with Lisa.

On the morning of the 29th - after I had finished all my packing and was waiting for the rest to finish and our drive to Perth, I took a last minute walk alone.  It was a great way to say goodbye.

I did walk all the way down to the end of the board walk, but not on the sand - we have enough sand in our rental car already!

We are below the memorial to the 9 who died when the cliff collapsed while they were watching a surfing contest.

Then I headed back to the house.

I'm not sure what kind of flowers these are - but they look like succulents.

One last view of Grace Town.

Our rental house and rental vehicle.  So thankful for Tim who did all the driving while in Australia.

A lot of homes here survive on captured rain water and have these large containers to hold the water.  Our house had two large containers like these in the backyard.  They do not do much good for the view out the windows - but do conserve water.

We saw some people practicing for this race.  Grace Town had a great small town vibe to it.

And this brings us to the end of our sojourn in Australia.  We make the 3+ hour drive from here to Perth and fly out to KL late afternoon.  Tomorrow Lisa and Tim fly home to Medan and Michael and I take a car and driver for the 3+ hours it takes to get from KL to Johur Bahru.  

3-26 Wills Domain Meal and Hydro Foiler Boarders

 This was one of the Winery's that Tim picked out to go to have a great meal.  The food looked amazing and tasted great as well.

As a starter - this flavored butter was served with fresh seed bread.

Lisa's appetizer of scallops.

Tim's "tomato" main course.

Michael's appetizer of a pate - he had a hard time finding the food for all the decorative stuff on the plate.

My cocktail.  It was some kind of martini - and very good.

a couple of us had this fish entre.  

The salad.

And - hard to believe, but this is the potato dish we were served.

Wills Domain landscape.

The kitchen in the back.

The bar.

Back at the house - I had to get out a lens that was 12-200mm to be able to tell what the people were doing on the water.  This was a long ways away!

As near as I could figure out they are hydro foil boarders.

Our next few days will be spent traveling to the last country on our agenda this spring - Malaysia.