Journey to Paronella Park

I went on a journey to a place called Paronella Park. I had never been anywhere like this before so it sounded really mysterious and exciting. It was an interesting drive to get there past banana plantations and rolling green grasslands and over railway crossings. I bought my ticket, entered and waited for the next tour to begin which I was told would begin soon.

I sat on a chair on the verandah outside and waited with other travellers. I saw international tourists and families all eager to explore this place like me. Soon our guide arrived dressed in the green Paronella Park uniform and sporting a beard. He gave us each a map of the park and directed us to follow him.

Our guide guided us through the park, stopping at numerous locations for us to appreciate the beauty and take some photographs. We stopped at a water feature, the Tunnel of Love and at waterfalls. The first waterfall was small but beautiful. The second one was magnificent. A bridge crossed its top and water cascaded down into the big green pool below. I could not resist photographing the beauty. Our guide bid us farewell under some tall trees for us to explore the park ourselves.

I made my way over to the turtle feeding area. We had all been given fish food for the fish and turtles which had been included in our ticket price. The freshwater turtles clambered over and beside each other to get the fish food. This brought back memories of when my family travelled up to Cairns and stayed at a caravan park in the area. There there were freshwater turtles.

I wandered through the many paths winding through the rainforest of the park and took lots of great photos. Eventually I made my way back to my favourite waterfall with the bridge across it. I sat at a stone bench, marvelled at the view and just listened to the sound of the water cascading down. It was very peaceful. Then I walked up the stairs and crossed the bridge across the waterfall! I had to get my courage up to do this as I’m not a big fan of heights. I walked across the bridge and back again. I left the park awestruck at my experience there.

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In Germany!

I flew into Berlin, Germany a couple of days ago and it was brilliant! We came in over giant, green pine forests and over green landscapes. It was raining a bit but it was a nice change from the heat of England during the summer. England is currently experiencing somewhat of a heatwave. After landing in Berlin, I found my godmother Kerstin, my mum‘s dearest childhood friend, and together we caught a bus, train and taxi to Potsdam. I could not see much as it was nighttime but what I could see on my journey was exciting. Peering out of the taxi window, I spied old buildings, green, leafy trees and cobblestoned streets. I felt the cobblestones as we drove over them.

Yesterday we went to a giant shopping centre which is connected to the main Potsdam HBF train station. Again, it was rainy and fresh so it was nice to be inside and looking at interesting things along with all of the other people. There were lots of colourful European clothes and I bought some myself. I got some black shorts, a white strapless dress with a floral print near the hemline, a green, tropical top and some blue three-quarter trousers (or “pants” as we Aussies like to call them) with a nice brown leather belt. I passed black forest cake looking tempting through a glass baker window and the scent of big, square pizza slices drizzled with cheese wafted through the air in my direction. We did some grocery shopping, then caught public transport back starting with a tram. You buy your ticket from a machine once you are on board and there are German and English languages displayed on the screen. I could see Potsdams‘s castle-like towering city gates in the distance…And we were gone…

I love London!

Today I walked down Buckingham Palace Road to Buckingham Palace. I saw the royal guards and saw the flag was up at the palace, meaning the Queen was home! I walked through Green Park and St James’s Park in all their green glory. I found a lake with a bridge across it and a white swan gliding beneath it. Little fluffy goslings were sitting in the grass with their parents before going for a waddle as a family. I ventured to Trafalgar Square and beheld the gigantic, stern stone lions staring down at me. I admired the enormous golden water fountains and blue pools of water beneath them. It reminds me of a swimming pool because of the colour, but it isn’t one! The National Gallery is right near Trafalgar Square and I couldn’t resist looking at some paintings. I beheld many beautiful pictures but the landscapes were my favourite. Big Ben was calling my name next and I saw it in the distance. The golden tower with the white clock face is instantly recognisable wherever you are in London. At last I came across Big Ben, the Palace of Westminster and the Houses of Parliament. The bell in the clock tower chimed as Big Ben told everyone in London the time. I thought if I lived in London maybe Big Ben could tell me the time every day, I’d just have to be able to see it from somewhere-very handy and beautiful. Westminster Abbey was next where Kate Middleton and Prince William were married. It is a grand building and has amazing stained glass windows. Then I caught the tube back to my accommodation. I love London! 🙂 ❤

Wandering around Hastings: St Leonards and Ore

Today I began with a full English Breakfast at the B&B I’m staying at: absolutely delicious. Later I had a slice of Victoria Sponge cake and a cup of tea at a local bakery down the road: also delicious. 

I walked down to the Promenade with my lunch and the Daily Mail weekend newspaper. I walked to Ore Town Centre and back. I passed seagulls either sitting on the pebbly beach or bathing in the sea.

They did this in certain ways including sitting on varying levels of a structure which was in the water. This meant the seagulls on the lower levels got wetter than those on the upper ones and I thought the seagulls were very clever to have worked this out for themselves. I passed a theatre, 

a Queen Victoria statue in front of Warrior Square

and saw the castle ruins on the hill in Ore. I walked back past a jazz performance venue
and found St Leonards Gardens. Through a towering archway and open black giant spiky gates and onto the winding hilly paths past flower beds and trees.

There were bluebells, daffodils and many other flowers.

Birds chirped from the branches of the trees. I found an excellent vantage point almost at the top of the gardens where I could see across the entire area and look out to the sea beyond it: fantastic place to read my paper.