HRH Crown Princess Mary of Denmark at Sculpture by the Sea

While we are in Sydney we went to Sculpture by The Sea at Bondi. It was the last day of the exhibition and the first day of HRH Crown Princess Mary and HRH Prince Frederick of Denmark's tour of Australia. We were lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time to watch the Danish royals present awards to the artists, and mum had her camera.

Seoul Palace Restaurant and Mind Games - Yes it's Canberra!

Here I am in Canberra at the Coffee Club in the Canberra Centre enjoying a Tropicana frappe before spending all day at Mind Games, my favourite shop.
The night before I took Mum and Dad to the Seoul Palace Korean restaurant in the Melbourne Building on Northbourne Avenue.
I came to the Seoul Palace restaurant on Tuesday October 25 on a school excursion. At my school we learn Korean and we were experiencing Korean food. I liked it so much I thought I should take Mum and Dad.
We ate KimChi pancake, Kun Man Do, Bibim Bap in a hot pot, Kim Chi Bibim Bap, LA Galbi and Bulgogi. It was so delicious. I ordered and said thank you in Korean too!
The owner was so happy that I brought my parents to the restaurant that she gave us free drinks.
Friday night is late night shopping night in Canberra, so after dinner we headed over to Kims Supermarket - an Asian market. Here we met Hee-Kyoung Lee, a teacher at Narrabundah College, who traveled to Korea with Mrs James from school. It really is a small world and I love travelling in it!

Game on @ Macquarie Uni

On Saturday October 29 I went on a school excursion to Game On at Macqaurie Uni.

To get there we had to leave school at 6.30am- Mum and I had to leave home  at 5.30 am to get to school on time to meet the bus.

This photo shows Darren the robot from Good Game Spawn Point - one of my favourite shows on ABC TV.



Thank you Mr. Hackett for organising this excursion.

It was worth the early start from Temora.

Shot on my Sony Bloggie.

Nickeoldeon Kids Choice Awards Sydney - I had the slime of my life!

The KCA's were awesome and I got slimed at the end by all the celebritys. The security people rotated the slime pit audience and I got right at the front for the last session:)
I was slimed by Jenette McCurdy ( Sam from I Carly) Nathan- (Freddie from I Carly), Guy Sebastian, Matt Preston, CM Punk, Cody Simpson and  Natalie Bassingthwaite. It was EPIC!

Mum and Dad were sitting in the seats and took photos of the slime-fest.



Nickeoldeon Kid's Choice Awards- Sydney Entertainment Centre

So I have tickets to the KCA's in Sydney. I have tickets for the floor - AKA the "Slime Pit".
There is a huge crowd outside the Sydney Entertainment Centre for the walking of the Orange Carpet.
This is me - ready for the KCA's.

I'm wearing my "Space Invader" T-Shirt from Paris. I decided to wear this shirt because that the slime would not be likely to damage this shirt. I got this shirt in Paris because of the anonymous artist who creates mosaic "Space Invader" art on buildings all over Paris. We saw a lot of these mosaics in Paris, they are really cool.
I'm looking forward to the Kid's Choice Awards - I've been wanting to go for the last couple of years, but this is the first year we were able to get tickets. Thank You Mum and DAD!

Central Coast of NSW

We used to live at Woy Woy on the NSW Central Coast, so this school holidays we spent part of our time visiting friends from our time living on the coast.
This photo is of me and my friend Grace at her house. She has an amazing cinema room which I am very envious of. I also visited my friend Siena, who I used to go to school with at St. John the Baptist in Woy Woy.

Grace is going to America in April 2012 - so we looked at the hotels she is staying at in New York and Studio City LA on Google street view.  It is good to do this if you are booking hotels - so you get a feel for the area before you book.

We had dinner at the Dragon's Door restaurant at Erina. It was good and I'd recommend it as a good family restaurant. It is really close to Hoyts cinema and the ice skating rink, as well as the shops.

Canberra - The Australian capital city

Located just 175km from Cootamundra is the city of Canberra, within the Australian Capital Territory.
On Tuesday September 27 we took my cousins to Canberra for a two day trip. We stayed at the Canberra Motor Village, a quiet caravan park with comfortable cabins and motel rooms located in O'Connor, just 4km from the city centre.
Canberra Zoo is a small zoo with a remarkable collection of animals including white lions, tigers and cheetahs as well as Australian native animals. We took my cousins, Annika and Olivia, to Canberra, as they had never been there before.



Then we went to Black Mountain Tower, a radio and telephone transmission tower with observation decks at about 8o mtrs above the top of Black Mountain. From the top you can get a really good feel for where everything is in Canberra and how the suburbs are laid out.

Mum and my cousins also went to the Mint, where the Australian coins are made, the National archives and Parliament house.

Canberra is well worth visiting, whether you are visiting from overseas or a local. The quality of the museums and galleries is world class and it is a city which is not too big. It really is the bush capital because you even see kangaroos on some of the roads in Canberra.

Back Home - Fathers Day in Tumbarumba

Tumbarumba is a town on the southern slopes of the Snowy Mountains. My great great great grandmother was a well known Tumbarumba identity - Granny Broadhurst. She is well known because she was the Tumbarumba midwife and her house is on the historic places walk.
On father's day Mum and I decided to surprise Dad with breakfast at one of his favourite cafe's - The Four Bears Cafe in Tumbarumba - I think it's a funny name because my forbears come from Tumbarumba.
On the way we phoned Pa and made arrangements to pick him up. Pa lives on a big farm near Adelong.
With Pa we drove to Tumbarumba on the back road through Yaven Creek.
We had breakfast - Dad had crumbed steak eggs benedict - I think Tumbarumba is the only place in the world were you can get that many calories for breakfast!

At the Four Bears cafe with Pa and Dad

Then we went out to the cemetery and looked at Granny Broadhursts grave.

Mum and Pa at Granny Broadhurst's grave site

Then we drove to Uncle Kent and Aunty Tina's place in Tumut to deliver their gifts from Europe and have afternoon tea.

Their gifts included this Craybob hat from Finland. Uncle Kent was happy because he goes to an annual motorcycle hat rally and he thinks this hat will be an absolute winner in 2012. Good luck Uncle Kent:)

Last day in Singapore

I really want to come back to Singapore. We only had 5 days here and they've been great. The food is better than Europe and the Singaporean peoople are very courteous.

The MRT is really easy to use and I don't understand why Australia can't have the card ticket system work like Singapore.

We fly to Australia tomorrow on QANTAS - our first QANTAS flight this trip.
We have flown British Airways, SAS and FinnAir. We traveled by Costa Cruise and Viking Line across the Mediterranean, Black and Baltic Seas, we travelled by train in Italy, the TGV train to Paris and MRT in Singapore, by bus from airports and across towns and Dad drove the Volvo in Sweden. And we walked everywhere, through strikes, and riots, and sadness in Norway and through sunshine and a little bit of rain.
It's been a good seven weeks - I'll be keeping my blog going - because I'm not going to stop travelling just because this trip is nearly over.
I'm trying to talk Mum and Dad into coming back to Singapore for New Years 2012. :)

Singapore Zoo

Breakfast with the Orangutans - I did it when I was six but can hardly remember it, so we got up early and caught the train to Ang Mo Kio station ( NS16) and then caught bus 138 to Singapore Zoo for breakfast with the Orangutans - known as the Jungle Breakfast.

The orangutans were very close and the  baby was very active. I also got to hold a snake - it was just a little one - it weighed about 70kg!

Then I got to ride on an elephant - I also did this when I was six, back then Dad came  with me.

it's hard riding elephants - they are uncomfortable and hard to get on -  but once you are on it it is a great feeling:)

Our hotel in Singapore

We are staying at the Novotel Clarke Quay  I'd recommend staying here because it is a great hotel, and it is attached to Liang Court which has a Koptiam food court where the locals eat - and it's cheap!! My favourite duck with noodles is just $3.90 SD - if you want to you can go out to Clarke Quay, and undercover street area and eat the same thing for $15 SD - but really why would you?? It is a short walk to Central station - get an EZ Link card for $12 SD - which costs $5 and has $7 travel loaded on it. The card is good for 5 years and is how the locals get around quickly on trains and buses. The trains come every 5 minutes and are really clean, quick and quiet. Why would you get a taxi?? only place I'd get a taxi to is the Zoo and Changi airport. I Love Singapore:)

A wet day a Universal studios Sentosa Island

Outside Shrek's house at universal studios Sentosa island. Even though it was wet we had a good day. I went on every ride - the best was Battlestar Galactica rollercoaster which has two tracks Humans and cylons - the Cylon track was better - I went on it three times :) In the Donkey show I was selected for an interview and made an honorary "ogre" Universal Studios Singapore is way better than Universal Studios California - no drinking, no smoking and the park is designed better.

I love Singapore!!!

Mum and Dad reckon I'm part Asian - here I am about to eat Inari in Singapore.

And outside Ion centre Orchard road We went to Shaw cinemma and watched Cowboys and Aliens - a good movie - I mean who could resist watching James Bond and Indiana Jones together in a movie ( Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford) in a shoot em up Alien film?? Not me.

Delayed in Finland

That red line on the board is our flight, eventually we left nearly 4 hours late at 3.30am. Talk about a long day. The plane had radar problems and the Finn's took the time to fix it which is great - safety first. Luckily we were in the Finn Air lounge and not just hanging around in the airport - Thanks to Dad's Priority Pass ( thank you DAD).

I had computers to keep me busy while we waited - oh, and food, lt's of food.

Back to Finalnd by Viking Line ferry

We got up really early to catch the 8.00am ferry back to Helsinki. We had breakfast and then went to sleep in the cabin for a couple of hours. Whe caught the 3T tram at Helsinki and got off at Central Train station. At the station there are big lockers that cost 4 euro for a day - we left our bags there because our flight was not until 11.34pm.
We went and looked at the shops and then the Modern Art Gallery which had an exhibition of contemporary African art.

I really like this sculpture of a rainbow serpent made from old oil can lids. This artist also made soome really cool masks from recycled items - like this one.

Then we walked up to the cinema to see Green Lantern, and we passsed this bar.

Aussie Bar - their advertising campaighn is "be served by the ancestors of convicts" - the Finn's love this kind of stuff.

Our last night in Tallin - dinner at Vaneaema Juures

Traditional Estonian dishes like your grandmother used to make if a) she was Estonian and b) a really good cook!
We had entrees of Meatballs with fresh horseradish and Pancakes with cavviar
Then we had mains of Roast Duck with bacon, sauerkraut, beetroot and horseradish, Roast Wild Boar with potatoes and brussel sprouts and Roast Wild Elk with potatoes, tomatoe, pickle and juniper berries.
And dessert was chocolates, roast apple stuffed with raisin and nuts, and ice-cream with berry jam and roasted nuts. This restaurant is a highly regarded Estonian institution and it is tiny - just 8 tables, many people tried to get in while we were dining but they did not have a reservation. A fantastic way to end our Estonian visit.

Tomorrow we have to be up early to get our ferry back to Helsinki. We will be in Helsinki by 10.30 am and we have the day to look around some more before going to the airport. We are going to leave our bags in lockers att the Central train station which is where we catch the bus back to the airport. Our flight leaves Europe at 11.40pm Tallinn was in the news for a hostage drama at the Ministry for defence which is about three blocks away. At the time this was happening Mum and I were at the Bastion tunnels. The man who broke into the Ministry of defence and took the hostages was shot dead - we are still not sure who shot him?

Bastions beneath Tallinn and Kiek in de kok

In the Kiek in the Kok ( which actually means "to peep into the kitchen") there was a museum showcasing some of the military history of Tallin. The Kiek in the kok is a tower built by Swedish occupation. Beneath the Kiek in de Kok their is one of the most mysterious parts of Tallin's past. The tunnels were built during the Swedish occupation in the 16th century. During the 17th and 18th centuries the passsages sheltered men, ammunition and supplies. During the 9th and 10th of march 1944 the passages sheltered Estonian people from relentless bombing of Tallin by the Russians. During Russian occupation they were used as a Nuclear fallout shelter, in the 1980's Punks used the tunnels to escape Russian persecution and arrest because their hairstyles and fashion were considered illegal - they listened to music in the tunnels. Up until 2004 the tunnels were used by homeless people for shelter. The tunnels are between 10 and 17 meters below ground and are a constant 8 degrees. Parts of the tunnel network are still being discovered by archaeologists and during building work. One part of the tunnels are not open to the public because a rare Estonian cave spider has been found living there. You have to book for a tunnel tour - but it is well worth it.

Towers of the Old Town of Tallin wall. I walked up the tower at the front today.

And the interior of St Olaf's church which is just beyond the town wall.

Estonian History Museum - everyone should visit.

Estonian History Museum - the history of Estonia is one of sttruggle and war. The Swedes, the Danes, The catholics, The Lutherans, the Poles, The Russians, The Germans again and then the Russians again all have fought wars in Estonia. Estonia finally gained independence in 1991. According to the world happiness index Estonians are the second most unhappy nation in the world ( I don't know who is worse off) - but all the Estonians we have met are pretty happy - and somewhat amazed that Australians a) know about Estonia and b) bother to come to Estonia. I would reccomend anyone coming to Estonia and I would like to come back.

The Estonian History Museum armoury has some excellent multimedia displays showing how weapons actually worked.

And the wall of messages were pretty funny at KUMU

KUMU - still the coolest

These globes had all kinds of statistics represented on them

And this installation was part of an artwork called "looking for a husband with an EU passport"

KUMU is cool

You pointed this monitor at the data codes on the wall and the monitor showed you artworks.

At this artwork you typed in text which was then converted into voice which talked to the plants - apparently it helps them grow;?

And believe it or not - these snails have RFID chips attached and you could send an email by "snail mail" - these artists were called boredomresearch.com - pretty cool idea.

KUMU - the coolest art gallery in Tallin - European City of Culture 2011

We went to KUMU. It had a huge mobile phone in the foyer that worked! I randomly dialled some numbers and they rang - it only worked on Estonian numbers.

The first artwork on level 5 was a water sculpture that spelt out different words in water drops - it was cool.

It's a trident - not a fork

Peter the Great's summer house - Kadriorg Palace, Tallin

Peter the Great had a summer house in Tallin, called Kadriorg palace. It is about a 3 km walk from our apartment. It now houses the Estonian art museum as well as being a house museum. We saw an exhibition about Estonian icons, like the one below.

The palace also has a pretty good garden, and a cool fountain with a trident ( not a  three-tined fork, that would just be irregular cultery)

Gidic fromTallin

So on Monday in Tallin we walked from the Old Town to the airport - about 4 km, and on the way we saw an Australian run backpackers. It was a bit overcast but it didn't rain while we were on our walk. We wanted to see Ulmeitste lake and it is opposite the airport. At the airport Mum and Dad bought newspapers printed in english - the Global Tribune and The Finanacial Times - just because they were desparate to read something. We caught the number 2 bus back to Tallin town centre - it costs just 1 euro. Why would anyone get a Takso ( Taxi) in Tallin when the taxis and trams are so cheap and reliable. Takso's are unregulated and set their own fares - but everyday we see travelllers using them to go places that we just walk to. Everything is pretty close in tallin - it is not a large city.

Not in prison in Tallin

This is the view over old town Tallin. most of it dates vack to medieval times. No building in Tallin is allowed to be built taller than the tower of St Olaf's church seen in the distance. The three round towers are part of the old town wall. We are staying in old town in an aprtment in Vene street, just near St Olaf's.

In Prison in Tallin

Possibly the worst thing Dad has ever taken me to, this prison was in use until 2005, It was built by the Russians and is just awful!!! Why it is on the Tallin culture kilometre walk ( wwhich is actually 2.2kms I do not know!!)

This dental surgery was in use until 2005 in the prison. It looks like they just waleed out and left everything behind.

This stuff was just left behind in the prison.