I played this course in August 2011. Surely it must be one of the world’s most spectacular golf courses. You access the course by a 10 minute ferry ride from Hamilton Island and the club house sits atop a hill which gives great views out over the Whitsunday Passage.

There are some tricky holes made even tougher by a stiff breeze which waits to push your ball off the fairway and into the coarse rough just off the fairway. I paid several penalties for lost balls, when tee shots hit the fairway and then rolled off the fairway into the rough.

The most memorable holes are definitely on the back nine. The par 3 14th, with fierce winds and a long carry over native bushland is as tricky an iron shot as you’ll find. The 15th is a great par four which runs downhill & into a stiff breeze, you’ll be best hitting something which keeps low here. Another distraction, when I played this hole, was the pod of humpback whales passing through the passage. The par 4 18th, hitting down the hill & with views forever is a great closing hole.

I thoroughly enjoyed the course, though it was one of the more challenging I have played.

To see my scorecard for the round: http://golfshot.com/Rounds/Detail/218-6406508-6406739

First day back at Pine Rivers Golf Club in 2011!

This photo is taken looking towards the green on 13th hole. This hole is not kind to me… It’s a 308 metre par 4, with a water carry, the hole is indexed as the 4th hardest hole on the course. I average a 6.4 on this hole…. I normally put my tee shot over on the right hand side of the fairway and trees stop me from having a reasonable approach shot.

Today though, I managed a 5, which included a stinky 3 putt! boo! My birdie putt was hit way too soft and the second putt was pushed to the right… blah!

Today’s round was pretty good. I hit a 90 off the stick, which is my second best score on the course, behind an 89 I hit in April 2009…

Going to have to check the Sunday Mail tomorrow morning to see if I manage to get on the podium.

The Brisbane International is a tennis tournament played annually in Brisbane. It’s an ATP World Tour event and brings some pretty big tennis names to Brisbane. In the mens draw Andy Roddick and Robin Soderling lead the way and in the womens side of the draw Nadia Petrova and Sam Stosser are the main drawcards.

The venue is fantastic, with the main court covered and close by to a train station. Further information on the Queensland Tennis Centre, which is where the tournament is, have a look at http://www.queenslandtenniscentre.com.au/

For more information on the Brisbane International have a look at http://www.brisbaneinternational.com.au/

You can find the Queensland Tennis Centre

http://foursquare.com/venue/346372

When I set foot in Africa it will see me tick my fifth continent off my to visit list. I’ll have visited Africa, Asia, Australia, North America and South America (in April 2011). Jackson will be visiting his fourth continent. I’m averaging one every 7.2 years and Jackson one every 1.75 years. Kylie and I want Jackson to be well travelled as we think this will contribute to him being more understanding of the world around him.

One of the places we’re going to visit when we’re in Africa is the amazing place shown in the video below. It’s called Sausage Tree Camp and it’s located in the Lower Zambezi. Looks amazing and it’s something we’re looking forward to very much!

More info on Sausage Tree Camp can be found on their website www.sausagetreecamp.com

It’s also interesting reading some of the reviews for Sausage Tree Camp on TripAdvisor

The Wineskin is a bottle shaped bubble wrap pack. They are built to be able to put a bottle of wine inside and then pack it into your checked luggage and have the bottle arrive safely & intact at your destination. If, heaven forbid, something does happen to the bottle and it breaks in transit the design is such that there are two seals which SHOULD keep the wine inside the sealed packet.

http://wineboxwarehouse.com.au/Accessories-Gifts/Wineskin

Great idea and at only $4.50 this is a great way to get a bottle or two or three home from wine hunting expeditions.

Sun going down on a beautiful Whitsundays day

Originally uploaded by ckjchambers

Photo Taken: 25th June, 2009
Photo Location: Hamilton Island, Queensland

This photo was taken at qualia, on Hamilton Island.

I love this shot because it captures a wonderful moment and a beautiful scene. The gum, with the sun setting in the background, with the waters of the Whitsundays behind it and the plunge pool in the foreground.

And soon enough we’ll be back there

Royal Links Golf Club

Originally uploaded by ckjchambers

Photo Taken: 1st January, 2010
Photo Location: 8th hole, Royal Links Golf Club, Las Vegas

This photo was taken on the par 3 8th hole at the Royal Links Golf Club.

This course is modeled on many famous holes from golf courses in the United Kingdom which have hosted the British Open. The course is pretty cool and I had a very good round to boot.

http://www.royallinksgolfclub.com for the courses official site. I did not get to use the services of the “Par Mates”, maybe next time.

In-room breakfast – what a view!

Originally uploaded by ckjchambers

Photo Taken: 27th December 2009
Photo Location: Palazzo, Las Vegas

From our room in the Palazzo we could see out towards the Mountains in the distance and had a view of the Mirage, Treasure Island (including the Pirate ships in the front of the Treasure Island) and the Fashion Mall.

On the 27th we had in-room dining for breakfast and took in the view. A cracking big breakfast with a beautiful view of the Strip.

The Long Road

Originally uploaded by ckjchambers

Photo Taken: 13th September 2009
Photo Location: Outback Northern Territory somewhere…

In September 2009 I went to Darwin & then toured out to Arnhem Land. This photo, with the road stretching off into the distance and seemingly never, never ending was taken somewhere on that tour…

California Pizza Kitchen

Originally uploaded by ckjchambers

Photo Taken: 30th October 2007
Photo Location: Beverly Centre, Los Angeles, California

In 2007 we holidayed in the USA, staying in Los Angeles around Halloween.

This photo was taken at the California Pizza Kitchen, at the Beverly Centre. According to their site, the California Pizza Kitchen (http://www.cpk.com) serves “Authentic California-style cuisine at all CPK locations. Try our innovative pizzas, distinctive pastas, salads, soups, appetizers and desserts.” According to me, they serve good, inexpensive food.

I’m not sure what was happening in this photo, but it looks like Jackson was getting a smack, which he certainly would not have been.