Welcome 2000! We enjoyed our first year in Sydney so much, we've decided to extend our stay indefinetely.

By mid-January, Marc was well enough for both of us to return to work. He had the casts on for a few more weeks, but was able to work half-days until his back and foot got stronger. Many thanks to everyone for your support over the past few weeks. It was a very difficult time for us, and it was really great receiving the phone calls and emails of concern (and thanks Marc, Tara, Paul & Karonne for the care package!).

Due to Marc's accident, we had to postpone our trip to Nepal with World Expeditions to October. We initially planned to go this April, but will now go in October, hoping that this will give Marc enough time to recover and train for the trip. We are going to go with a 14-member expedition for a month of trekking and mountaineering in the remote Hinku Valley. This is the valley next to the Khumbu Valley (the Everest valley), and our goal is to summit Mera Peak (6500m; 21,450ft), Nepal's highest trekking peak. Although our friend Rohan has dropped out of the trip, we are still looking forward to going with Al and Diz.

In February, Marc and I went down to Canberra for our friend Kim's Boot Moot. Because we missed Surf Moot, it was a good opportunity to catch up with inter-state friends like Brad, Colin, Bruce and Mike, as well as Lachlan, Kim and Donna. Brad Osolin from Nanaimo was there as well, so we took him home with us, and also went over to Jason and Leonie's for a visit.

In March, my Guides attended their first camp of the year up at Glengarry, in Turramurra. It was a really hot week-end, so we found a few buckets and had some fun splashing each other with them and the hose.

Marc and I decided to get our own apartment and moved to beautiful, leafy Chatswood in April. This also cut down Marc's drive to work to a mere 5-minute downhill trip to Lane Cove. Our old place in Alexandria was nice, modern and close to the city, but it was in an area that was being converted from industrial to residential, and we missed the trees and parks. We are on the top floor of a low-rise apartment block, at the top of a hill, so we have a gorgeous view of the city and Lane Cove from our living room and kitchen. There is much more storage in the new place, and we also have a garage to keep the bikes, car and junk in. There is also a great pub on the street corner, for the odd drink and meal. Everything is within a 15-minute drive or walk from us, and I am able to ride to work in the city in 30 minutes. It is a 25km round-trip and I try to do it 3 times a week. There's also two pools nearby, so Marc and I like to go there for a cool-off and do some laps as often as our busy schedule allows.

The same week we moved, my long-term contract position as Mercer was made permanent, and I was hired as the graphic designer for their communications studio. This was a good outcome for me because I enjoyed working there and there was room to move up in the studio. As it turned out, in July, I moved up sooner than planned when my friend Antoinette took a position with another company, leaving me in charge of the studio, with Rod's help as a mentor.

A week after we moved to Chatswood, Marc and I took our first trip to the Hunter Valley for our friends Janine and Kim's wedding. It was a beautiful evening ceremony, held in a gazebo adjacent to the restaurant where the reception was held. One of the highlights of the evening was Kim's tribute to Janine, done with slides and music.

Marc joined the Mazda Automobile Club of Australia in May, which allowed him to really sink his teeth back into racing, after an extended absence from the sport. He is also the publisher of their monthly newsletter (some people just love to dob themselves into things, especially when they have a graphic designer for a wife to give them a hand). Although Marc plans to transform our RX-7 into a full-on race car, it's still a road car for now. He has met many new friends in the club and helps them out as pit crew when they race.

The annual Ranger week-end with RSS was held in May in Bungonia, south-west of Sydney. It was bone-chilling cold, and since Marc was unable to attend, I froze by myself in our little tent. But the caving during the day made up for the cold nights, and I got to do B4-5 cave for the first time.

In July, our friends Sue and Jim from Melbourne came through Sydney just before we left for Vancouver, and house-sat for us while were were away. Marc and I went home to Vancouver for a month to plan our wedding, and visit with friends and family. While we were there, my mom and dad came out from Montreal for a week, to help us with the wedding plans and attend our engagement party. We had the party at Marc's parent's house, where we were staying, and were lucky to have many friends join in the fun. The wedding planning went well, and we did most of that during the day, so we would have the evenings to spend with friends. Marc and I also took a four-hour road trip inland to Penticton, to visit his grandmother and relatives. When we are home, one of our favourite things to do is hike the North Shore mountains, so we spent an afternoon up behind Grouse Mountain with our friends Karine, Gus and Rick. Despite the mid-summer heat, there was still a fair bit of snow up at the top. So, although it was a pretty busy trip home, we really enjoyed the break from work and catching up with so many people at once.

While we were home in Vancouver, we made the decision to postpone our trip to Nepal indefinetely. Marc's foot has not healed completely, and he risks further injury by going on the trip. Our friend Al is still going with the expedition in October, so we look forward to seeing his photos for inspiration.

In August, the annual RSS & Friends weekend was held in Wee Jasper, and we caught up with some friends we had not seen in a while, and enjoyed some good caving too.

September was a very busy month for us. The first week-end, Rosalie and I took our Guides skiing at Perisher Blue in the Snowy Mountains. It was actually a division event, and we had an excellent turnout of girls. It reminded me of the ski week-ends I used to attend when I was a Guide. A few weeks later, our friends Sue and Jim returned to Sydney and stayed with us off and on for three weeks during the Olympics. Sydney was a really exciting place to be at that time, and although were not able to attend the events (we had used up all our leave for our trip home in July), we got caught up in the Olympic fever and watched the events every night on TV. The day the torch relay came through Sydney, I left for work early on my bike, and was able to see the torch as it came over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. We went to Macquarie University for the Opening Ceremonies, which was designated Canada Olympic Place during the Olympics. They had live CTV broadcasts and the big screen TVs and a Roots booth selling apparel, which Marc and I stocked up on. The night of the closing ceremonies, Marc and I went to a party in North Sydney, then met up with Sue & Jim, and walked across the harbour bridge into the city for some more festivities. We were lucky to get tickets to the Paralympics though, and spent the day seeing the events and touring the Olympic park.

In October, Larry & Phil Pereira (Marc's former neighbors in North Van.) were in Sydney for a few days as part of their tour around the world. Marc found thema nice little B&B in Sydney for them to stay at. We had the pleasure of their company for a very nice dinner at a seafood restaurant on Darling Harbour before they headed up to the Blue Mountains for a few days.

Soon after, our friends Rick and Al arrived from Vancouver and stayed with us until early December. Marc and the boys rented a car and drove up to Queensland for 10 days. (I could have gone with them, but the lure of having the RX-7 and apartment to myself for 10 days vs.sitting in a hot and crowded car was irresistable). After an all-day drive to Brisbane, they stayed there for a few days to visit with Colin, as well as Kim & Janine. Kim & Janine were in the process of building a new home in the picturesque suburb of Cleveland. Their home is on part of an old farm with some stunning parkland within their development.

After their stay in Brisbane it was up the coast to Hervey Bay: the gateway to Fraser Island. Marc and the boys stayed the night at a local hostel and rented a Toyota Hilux 4-wheel-drive the next morning. With a new set of wheels and an Esky full of food, they took the ferry to Fraser Island.

The ferry departed from River Heads Barge Landing, South of Hervey Bay, and crossed to Wanggoolba Creek on Fraser Island. Rick and Al were introduced to a Queensland icon on the ferry: XXXX beer. The results are in – Molson Canadian downunder.

First stop was Lake McKenzie where they took a dip in the crystal clear waters of this water table lake. This was a very popular spot as one tour group after another arrived. Before the boys could enjoy their refreshing swim, a small incident with the food had to be cleaned up. It seems a watermelon decided to crush a soup box and spread the vegetable soup all over the back on the truck and anything else it could coat. It's amazing how much mess one little soup box could make.

Next stop was the lookout over Lake Wabby. From high above the lake you can see how the sand dunes are slowly encroaching on the lakeshore, and will eventually bury the lake. The road down to the beach seemed to go forever, and judging by the rate of descent in some places it was probably a good thing they were going downhill and not up.

Fraser Island is primarily a big sand dune and as such the roads can be difficult and rough to drive.

Once on the beach/highway they headed North. The beach is only passable at low tide, so planning your trip is important as it is impossible to drive on some sections of beach at or near high tide.

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spent three wonderful days touring around the island, swimming in crystal clear lakes and streams, hiking over massive sand dunes, and driving over 300km of sand roads and beaches.

Cynthia arrived from Montreal in November, and although she didn't stay with us, we spent a lot of time with us (I think she liked the beach we took her to...). Our friends Steve and Libby also moved to Sydney in November, with the little ones, Dieter and Maddie. We got some good practice taking care of the kids while Steve and Libby went house-hunting, and have a newfound appreciation for how much work is really involved looking after a baby and an active two year old at the same time!

In December, Marc's grandmother passed away, so he had to make a sudden trip to Vancouver for a couple weeks. Unfortunately, he was not able to get there in time for the funeral, but met up with his family afterwards at his aunt's house. Everyone was very happy and surprised to see him, and he was quite a sight - still in the shorts and t-shirt he left Sydney in, despite it being winter in Vancouver.

Fortunately, Marc got back to Sydney just before Christmas, and we spent that day on one of Sydney's northern beaches, Palm Beach. It was a great way to cool off, and we packed a picnic hamper and enjoyed our Christmas lunch on the beach.

On New Year's Eve, Marc and I celebrated with our friends from the racing club, and then rode our bikes (it was a sober night for both of us) to the harbour so we could watch the fireworks.

And so, we welcomed 2001, and what lay ahead, while thinking "wow, we've been here for two years already". Although we miss the friends and family we have left behind in Canada, we have the good fortune of having friends visit us, and the friends around Sydney who have become our "family away from home" over the past two years. We are truly lucky to have the best of both worlds.