Australian Citizenship - January 27th, 2007

After a long five year process we finally got Australian Citizenship on January 27th, 2007. Our ceremony was held at Bracken Ridge Lions Club in Brisbane.

Soon to be Australian Citizens

Mum &Noel

Pre- Ceremony

Finally we are Australian Citizens

Seen here with Amanda Cooper Bracken Ridge local counciller

Pledging our oath

All the new citizens

Nick wins lucky draw - hamper full of Aussie goods.

Seen here with Brisbane Mayor Campbell Newman

Ready to take our goodies home

Random Pics of the Resort and Leaving Langkawi

The hotel lobby - Tanjung Rhu - Langkawi.

The hotel rooms at Tanjung Rhu.

This is one of the monitor lizards that live on the resort - there are two of them but rumoured to be more.

They are massive thats for sure - the resort have named them Jack and Ellie

The restaurant staff will give you bread to feed them, they are apparently trying to get them to breed.

This is the nurse in me taking this picture....don't know why!!

One of the three pools in the resort - fresh water.

Another pool this is salt water - usually there is no-one at this pool - maybe a monitor lizard!!

Nick enjoying the sun - amazing view to look at all day and so relaxing.

At Langkawi Airport waiting to fly out- I am happy cause I know that next time I use a public toilet there will be toilet paper!!!! Nick does not want to go home.

Langkawi Airport taken from the plane.

The view from the plane as we fly out.

Langkawi

Today we decided to take one of the kayaks and go around the little islands that were out in front of the resort.




We took out a double kayak - not sure if this was a good idea or not - I was worried that Nick was going to tip us out. But I did have the camera so this was my excuse for him not being able to tip us over. (I am sure he wanted to anyway)

This was way out of my comfort zone as I do not like being able to see the bottom of the water - so I kept paddling really fast - much to Nicks annoyance.


It was great being able to go around all the islands - there were lots of fishing lines hanging from the rocks - at night time you can see all the lights from the boats lined up below the rocks. And the water was the most incredible colour - it was like a real jade green - beautiful.

It also gave us a chance to see the resort from way out there. So it was a bit of fun anyway.

New Years Eve 2007

Today is New Years Eve and its going to be a great night. The resort has a NYE Masquerade Party organised. So we just have a nice relaxing day in the sun before getting ready for tonight. First we had dinner at one of the Restaurants - it was a five course set menu for the night - lovely food.

At 8pm there were drinks and nibbles around the pool with the Management and other staff - which was nice. They then had all these tables set up on the beach front, a dance floor with live band and a DJ for later - it really looked something.

All the tables had party packs filled with all types of whistles, hats and party poppers for the countdown. We also had masks given to us as we entered the party. All couples were then given a bottle of champagne as well. It really was a good night - lots of dancing, drinking and eating.

At midnight of course there were fireworks- and lots of them - it was great. There were also little boats out in the ocean with coloured flashing lights and then a big 2008 sign lit up. It really was a fantastic night. One of the best NYE that we had had in a long time, and one to remember.

Langkawi Cable Car

Today we hired the hotel car and decided to drive around the island - which can easily be done in a day. Cute little bright green car - could see us coming a mile away

We went looking for a tailor so Nick could get some shorts made - we did find one. It was quite a nice drive around the island - we decided to go and check out the Langkawi cable car... this particular day we did not actually go on the cable car as we both chickened out just by looking at how high it was.

But we did return a few days later to pick up Nicks shorts and we went back to the cable car and actually went on it .... and it was the most scary thing I think I have ever done. The village you see in the picture is where we started from.....

We shared the cable car with another couple and it was quite funny we barely spoke or took a breath - it really was quite scary. It was so silent and through a skylight the wind was blowing and it was just awful.

But the terrible thing was when we got to the top we knew that there was only one way down - we had to get back on the cable car. As we were going down I had to look back up towards the top I could not look down - it was just awful. But when we finally did get to the bottom we felt like we had accomplished something great.... the Langkawi Cable Car. It apparently is the worlds longest single cabled car- so there you go.

After getting off the cable car we had lunch in the Oriental Village - Thai ....good.

Langkawi .... sunshine

Today we were set to get some serious sunshine and work on getting a tan to take home. We reserved our sunloungers and then went to the Sands Restaurant for breakfast - buffett breaky with just about anything that one could desire. (I was afraid with all this food and drink mixed with lying around the beach that I was going to turn into a 10 tonne tessy!!!!)

The view of the beach was amazing and so peaceful - you could at low tide actually walk right out the the islands - we did not actually do this, some poor asian guy had to be rescued as he stayed out there too long and the tide came in.

We stayed out all day swam in the pool and just raised out little green flag and a girl would come and take out drink/food order - so we really had no need to move all day except to go swimming.

How luxurious is this...heaven.

Saffron for dinner again tonight and time for a big steak, and more to drink .... but no dessert tonight.

Langkawi - Day One

Flew into Langkawi with Malaysia Airlines which was crap, cramped and dirty...will never fly with them again. Flying over Langkawi was incredible seeing all the little islands and the colour of the water. We were headed for Tanjung Rhu Resort.

The service from the hotel staff was fantastic - we were picked up at the airport, check-in was done in the room and we were given a map of the resort and welcome drink. There was fresh fruit on the table for us - well stocked mini bar and coffee machine in the room. We had choosen an all inclusive package so we could eat, drink and be merry 24hrs a day, at any of the hotel restaurants and use room service.

The room was great - huge king size bed, lovely bathroom and a nice big deep bath - which I must say we took advantage of given the water restrictions here in Brisbane....its been such a long time, since I have had a nice long bubble bath....so it was heaven.

And the bathroom had the best ever tweezing mirror with a light around the edge - I wanted to take it home. (and you can buy them from Myers....no I have not bought one just yet!!)

So we just unpacked and relaxed for a while until dinner time. We had three restaurants to choose from for dinner as well as two poolside bars.

We chose the Saffron restaurant overlooking the ocean - sunset was amazing and the food was great too.

So we enjoyed lots of good food and lots of drink while watching a beautiful sunset...this really was paradise.

Tomorrow was time to get some serious sunshine.

December 27 , 2007

Today is our last day in Kuala Lumpur before we fly out for two weeks R&R in Langkawi. So time for some last minute shopping. We checked out Low Yat Plaza - full of mobile phones and all computer stuff, some cheap some not so.





Back at the hotel we sat in the room and watched a storm roll in it was quite cool against the background of the towers

Starhill gallery for dinner - Thai. Excellent choice as the food was great...we had beetle leaves with an assortment of condiments and then King Prawns for main, best prawns that we have had in a long while.

Did some more shopping before heading back to the hotel for an early night before flying to Langkawi.