and sometimes they burned off excess energy carrying each other around.

other times they danced ......

The seven kids sometimes chilled while watching TV ......

The didjeridoo is only played by Aboriginal men so our one boy and the four Green boys gave it a go.

We spent one afternoon touring a botanical garden and listening to a didgeridoo. Al volunteered to lead the kids first as a kangaroo then an emu much to the embarrassment of his kids.

On April 10, 2010 we flew from Cairns on the northeast coast of Australia to Adelaide on the south coast to visit with Dave & Anne Green and their four boys. We met the Greens in Arizona while they were expats for Agusta Westland then the Greens moved back to England while we were still living in Merriott. They liked the Arizona weather so much they decided to move to Australia where they could also enjoy surfing in the Southern Ocean.

We left for Adelaide in the afternoon of April 10, 2010, but before doing so we drove up the coast in the morning toward Cape Tribulation. We didn't reach it, but we had a great time playing on the beach.

The gorge was running high with water following several weeks of heavy rain. (We were fortunate to SCUBA dive on the first good following the rains.)

The amazing thing about Cairns is its location between the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree National Rainforest. On our second day we took a skycar in the rainforest and enjoyed the animals and scenery.

We spent our first day SCUBA diving on the Great Barrier Reef. A boat took us 90 minutes out from shore where we dove/snorkeled for five hours then returned in the evening. The day was great with the exception of the bumpy ride out where all but Diana got seasick!

On April 7, 2010 we flew from Sydney to Cairns and arrived in time to see the sunset from our hotel balcony at Trinity Beach.

A wonderful dinner at Darling Harbour with Jean, Les, Courtney and Lindsay

Our trip to the Chinese Garden in Sydney involved more than sightseeing. We dressed up and strolled around the garden while other tourists took our picture.

We met some locals at iconic Bondi Beach

A view out to the head of the harbour. Looks like a little monster is held captive.

On the tour bus around the harbour we encountered the monster that tried to eat the opera house and harbour bridge!

Passing the opera house on the way out to Manley

The youngest one was a little too cheerful for the grumpy one ......

An Aboriginal band near the ferry departure site

Where else, but the Opera House?

We left Perth on Apr 4, 2010 and spent the next several days in Sydney where we toured the Opera House, took a ferry out to Manley, rode the tour bus and visited with my Dad's cousin, Jean, her husband, Les, and their friends Lindsay and Courtney.

Al and Becky worked on their netball game in the kitchen

These two are sporting buddies!

We drove to the north side of Perth to spend an evening with Steve, Becky and their kids who left England about a year ago to start a business in Australia.

Diana's idea of swimming in the Indian Ocean

The movie star and her cousin

The two youngest members of the families

Tomas and Fe treated the Stewarts and their kids to a boat trip on the Perth River. It was wonderful, but in hindsight, I think they really wanted to have a quiet romantic afternoon!

Tomas and the kids in Kings Park

The kids had to walk a bit and didn't have the stamina to keep up with their parents!

Tomas and Fe with their youngest daughter

Pyramid building was our specialty. We're in Kings Park overlooking the city of Perth

We flew from Singapore to Perth where we stayed with Diana's cousin, Tomas, and wife, Fe, and their four kids. Their family, like ours, has more girls than boys!

In the end we all liked it with the possible exception of child number one!

...... and so did number two

....but number three liked it .....

Diana wasn't too sure about the whole idea initially .......

We spent an hour or so with the Doctor Fish who specialize in eating dead skin!

("Wow, I can feel his six-pack under his shirt")

("My yiddle sister is really cuddly")

We spent a pleasant afternoon at Clarke Quay ("He's such a cool big brother")

Dancing in the Arab quarter with a mosque in the background

Hanging out with the guard at the iconic Raffles Hotel

The Mer-Lion near the Singapore Central Business District (observed from our boat tour)

The family Stewart on the tour bus through the city of Singapore

Sarah took us several places to shop and enjoy a meal

Their pool was the site of several waterballoon fights and 'Al vs kids' wrestling matches

On March 27, 2010 we took our home leave to Singapore and Australia. We spent our first two days with our wonderful hosts, Niall and Sarah Denholm and kids, not realizing that we would spend nine more days at their house after Australia because of the ash cloud.