Travelog for: Ashley

I begged my mum for ages before she said yes and now I'm really allowed to explore the world like Shane does. Okay, I'm not like Shane. She changes the countries monthly, whereas I want to stay longer in a country - okay also having different hosts - and see a lot of it.

I hope that I can start my trip in Australia, as it's my homecountry and I'd love to hang around there. Maybe I'll be able to see a real koala as well? Or any other typical Australian animals? I also would love to see the different sights of Australia - and hanging around at the Great Barrier Reef. Furthermore I'd love to get to know the typicals Australian way of life. So just hope that I find a host for the beginning. I don't care where in Australia I start due to the fact that I really want to see everything as I mentioned.

Of course I would love to see different countries as well. I don't want to name another one yet as I really want to begin Down Under.

That's it for now! Write as soon as something changed in my life

Cheers,
Ashley

Finally I found my first host in Australia. That's totally amazing and I really can't wait. I'm not sure where I will end up, but my mum told me and showed me, as she has a map of Australia on her wall at home (and tons of other Australian stuff).

Here you can see me in front of a painting she made a couple of month ago.


Furthermore my mum showed me the flag of Australia. I didn't even knew how it looks like. After that I tried to hide me. But maybe you can find me? Isn't that hard in that picture


And then, I found a sign which said "Koalas next 4km." I wonder if I will ever see a real koala or if I will be that close to one. Of course I could go to Duisburg and see one in the zoo, but it's not the same, isn't it? Furthermore I found a hat. Do I really have to wear one of those in Australia?


That's it for today as I really have to sleep. Tomorrow or the day after it's going to be my big day.. I'm going to Aus

Cheers

Wow, finally it was the big day. I got my name tag in pink (I really love pink as I'm female) and got sended to Australia. My journey really started today. Can you believe that? It's hard to believe, isn't it? I wonder how long it will take? Do you know? Mum just told me that she has to fly 25 hours to Melbourne. But I guess it won't be that short for me as well.

So see you in Australia.

Ashley arrived to me Friday.  Ashley says G'Day to all.

Ashley is just chilling out at the moment. 

i have a photo to post but its not uploading at the moment

Dec 1 2011

Back again, Ashley has another TV visiting use.  she is a cutie and Ashley is enjoying the company with her.

Ashley has been helping me feed the calves (pics to come), been for a bike ride, and seen some storms.  Ashley tried playing in the mud but i had to stop her, before she got there.  My brother wanted her as well but I wouldn't send her to him.

Ashley says hello

HI here we are again.

Gee we never seen to stop, going to town.

Yesterday we went to lunch with CWA ladies for the Christmas break up.

Then it was shopping.

today we went Christmas Shopping.  Anne bought some interesting things for her Grandkidlets.

I have also went for a ride on the 4 wheeler, what a ride that was.

The wind blowing in my fur, had to hang on to.  Buddy was riding on the back. 

I have had fun and see a lovely area. 
we have photos but at the moment having trouble uploadin them to here.

Tomorrow I am off to visit another host in Australia.

I wonder where i will travel this time.

Some of the things i have been doing

Hi
I've just arrived in Sydney, surprising my host who didn't know I was on my way. She was happy to see me though as she had just been saying to her family last night how strange it would be to not have a ToyVoyager visiting over Christmas for the first time in five years!

No photos at the moment though as the internet is running a little slowly here at the moment and Bec has to work out how to upload photos using an iPad rather than a computer... But we will figure it out!

The weather is Sydney is nothing like I expected - it's wet, cold and miserable; My host says that they're experiencing the coldest, wettest December on record but hopefully the weather will be fine, if not hot by the weekend - fingers crossed!

I am told that we will be heading into town on Christmas Eve to view the Christmas lights and huge trees, and in the new year we will have lots of fun while we babysit my host's god-daughters!

Will report back soon - Ashley 

Tonight I was taken into Sydney's CBD to view the Christmas decorations in the windows of David Jones. DJ's is one of Australia's largest department stores and every year they decorate their windows with animatronic puppets along a theme, and usually incorporating mice for some reason. This year's theme was Christmas Carols...

Silent Night

Ashley on Christmas Eve by becka_kate, on Flickr


Ashley on Christmas Eve by becka_kate, on Flickr

While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night (or maybe while they washed their socks by night?)

Ashley on Christmas Eve by becka_kate, on Flickr

Little Drummer Boy

Ashley on Christmas Eve by becka_kate, on Flickr


Ashley on Christmas Eve by becka_kate, on Flickr

Later we went onto St Mary's Cathedral to view the Christmas light show. Images are projected onto the facade of the cathedral to celebrate the spirit of Christmas.

White doves

Ashley on Christmas Eve by becka_kate, on Flickr

of peace

Ashley on Christmas Eve by becka_kate, on Flickr

Kaleidoscopes of colour...

Ashley on Christmas Eve by becka_kate, on Flickr


Ashley on Christmas Eve by becka_kate, on Flickr


Ashley on Christmas Eve by becka_kate, on Flickr

and famous images of Mary and Jesus...

Ashley on Christmas Eve by becka_kate, on Flickr


Ashley on Christmas Eve by becka_kate, on Flickr

Leaving the Cathedral at the end of the show, we were walking through Hyde Park when we saw a group of very excited people. Slowing down to see what they were looking at we spotted a group of possums dining around a tree. My first Australian animal encounter! How cool!!


Ashley on Christmas Eve by becka_kate, on Flickr

Next stop... dessert where I sampled yummy Caramel cheesecake and an Aussie delicacy (though the New Zealanders also claim it as their own!) - a pavlova. Yum!!


Ashley on Christmas Eve by becka_kate, on Flickr


Ashley on Christmas Eve by becka_kate, on Flickr

Merry Christmas!
Wonder what Santa has bought everyone??


2011 11:50 PM by becka_kate, on Flickr

I made myself useful helping to prepare Christmas lunch... I bet cold meat and salad wasn't on the menu back home!

2011 1:32 PM by becka_kate, on Flickr


2011 9:45 AM by becka_kate, on Flickr


2011 10:48 AM by becka_kate, on Flickr


2011 11:11 AM by becka_kate, on Flickr

My host is a teacher and currently enjoying her long summer holiday. So we've been doing lots of relaxing and hanging around home while she recharges her batteries after a long and busy school year....

This has included:

washing the dogs...

2011 12:15 PM by becka_kate, on Flickr

(more to come)

Off to Taronga Zoo today. The zoo is right on the edge of Sydney Harbour and the lucky animals (especially the giraffes have the best views of both the harbour and the city skyline.


Ashley at the Zoo by becka_kate, on Flickr


Ashley at the Zoo by becka_kate, on Flickr


Ashley at the Zoo by becka_kate, on Flickr

At the zoo I met some Australian animals, like these bearded dragons

Ashley at the Zoo by becka_kate, on Flickr


Ashley at the Zoo by becka_kate, on Flickr

and a brolga - Australia's largest flying bird.

Ashley at the Zoo by becka_kate, on Flickr

The Asian elephants are very popular at Taronga Zoo, especially the three babies, who were the first elephants to be born in Australia. We enjoyed watching their 'playtime' session, especially the soccer and football matches 

Ashley at the Zoo by becka_kate, on Flickr


Ashley at the Zoo by becka_kate, on Flickr

One of the best things about the zoo is how hard they have worked to try and make the enclosures as similar as possible to the animals' natural habitats, like they have here in Pelican Cove.

Ashley at the Zoo by becka_kate, on Flickr

All too soon it was time to leave and take some very tired children home again. We had a great day!

Ashley at the Zoo by becka_kate, on Flickr

Today was the perfect day for a ferry ride on the harbour.

Here I am in Cockle Bay, a tourist / restaurant precint near Darling Harbour.

Ashley on Sydney Harbour by becka_kate, on Flickr


Ashley on Sydney Harbour by becka_kate, on Flickr

Once we were on the harbour we passed a number of boats that cruise the harbour during the days and nights

Ashley on Sydney Harbour by becka_kate, on Flickr

Great views of the CBD - the weird curved building to the right is Wildlife World - a mini zoo of Australian animals. The tall spiky building in the middle is Sydney Tower. You can go to the top and view the city from its obsevation decks.

Ashley on Sydney Harbour by becka_kate, on Flickr

Sydney's north shore

Ashley on Sydney Harbour by becka_kate, on Flickr

Ahh - I'mm sure I don't have to tell you what it was we saw next!

Ashley on Sydney Harbour by becka_kate, on Flickr

Luna Park - looks like a whole lot of fun!

Ashley on Sydney Harbour by becka_kate, on Flickr


Ashley on Sydney Harbour by becka_kate, on Flickr

Oh WOW! We went under the Harbour Bridge!

Ashley on Sydney Harbour by becka_kate, on Flickr

and out the other side 

Ashley on Sydney Harbour by becka_kate, on Flickr

Then we went past the Opera House with its famous sails.

Ashley on Sydney Harbour by becka_kate, on Flickr

before arriving in Circular Quay, Sydney's "Central Station" for ferries.

Ashley on Sydney Harbour by becka_kate, on Flickr