Ballina/Yamba

Rob!!  We were all very excited to see Rob again...at the House With No Steps.  Rob was our coordinator and one of the people that greeted us when we landed in Australia. 

Crazy Girls; Rob & Raffle Jenn 

We had our presentation the first night in Ballina, our last club presentation.  The end really was just around the corner and we started to become a little emotional.  Kristen proudly served as sgt, while Jennifer helped to sell raffle tickets.  We were excited to share our experiences and enjoyed a wonderful meeting.

Team at Last Club Presentation, Ballina

The next morning we spent time at the Alstonville Flower Farm before heading off to Conference.  We learned a lot about the bulb and flower process and enjoyed a yummy morning tea.  The visit was very informational!

Flower Farm

Our roadtrip to Yamba was set to new music, Angus and Julia Stone, thanks to Rob.  We told stories and enjoyed the trip down.  Once we arrived, we were in awe of the scene across the street (the beautiful ocean)!  We settled in and dressed in our beachware for the evening, and then headed down the big hill to the Conference. 

Yamba and Ballina Beaches

Walking into the room was amazing!  Everywhere we looked we saw familiar faces and we had a difficult time knowing where to sit!  What do you do when your family fills the room?!!

Peter & Jayne Deane (raffle winners); GSE Meeting (with MO); Team; Jenn & Mariel

We enjoyed a wonderful evening with old friends!  We awoke early the next morning, ready to give our final presentation.  Wow, that's weird to say.  Our Conference presentation went well, with memories shared and many many thank you's.  Words will never be enough, but we could feel the love in the room!  We continued to enjoy the rest of the weekend, taking in presentations by other groups and speakers.  It was very inspirational!

Catching up with Coomera & Murwillumbah

After the Conference, it was time to head back to Ballina and the end of our adventure.  We enjoyed an evening with our host families, and began the task of packing and repacking.  Some of us also met Australia creatures up close and personal, including a spider the size of a hand!!

Australian Creatures

And the last day was upon us.  Our last day could not have been more perfect.  We spent the morning enjoying the absolutely beautiful Ballina beaches!  The weather tried to deter us, but we were determined to live up our last day.   

Beach Day Happiness

We had the opportunity to see Rescue boats up close (no, not in the water!!), and then continued on toward Byron Bay.  Our time there was quick, but just another wonderful part of our day.  Lunch took us back into Ballina, where Larry was up to his usual tricks. 

Coaster Tricks (including Larry staring them down prior to); JennTrying; Team Laughing

After lunch, we continued Beach Day with four wheeling on the beach, and a little play time.  It started so innocently, but then it was time for everyone to get wet!!

More Beach Day Good Times

It was then time to clean up and get ready for our last bbq goodbye dinner.  All these goodbye dinners, all these special moments.  And the final one was upon us!  Now that's a mouthful.

Ballina Goodbye; Jam Sessions

We wrapped up the evening with special gifts that were token reminders of our time in Australia.  Many "things" came home with us to remind us of our adventure, but what we carry in our hearts and souls is what will truly remind us of our once-in-a-lifetime experience.