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31. December 2008 10:42
by Rene Pallesen
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New Years Eve 2008

31. December 2008 10:42 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

new years eve


Every year both Kim and I have been in the Sydney harbour area to watch the fireworks on New Years Eve.



But this year we decided to have a quiet new years eve just the two of us with a visit to the movies and then a nice dinner at home.



We did however watch the fireworks from our balcony at midnight and it looked just as spectacular as previous years (I borrowed the photo above from another site).

27. December 2008 11:53
by Rene Pallesen
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Smiths Lake Christmas Trip

27. December 2008 11:53 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

smiths lake christmas trip


Between Christmas and New year we drove with Kims family up to Smiths Lake (300km North of Sydney). We rented a house on the lake up there.

We hired a tinny (small aluminium boat) a couple of days and went fishing and managed to catch a lot of breams (a lot too small to keep).

Click here to see more photos from XMas

Click here to see more photos from XMas

Kims dad loves fishing and he quickly found out that in the morning and evening the fish were at the shore just outside the house.

In the evening we cooked nice dinners and BBQ's and the cookaburras came to the balcony around dinner time to check if there were leftovers. We had a bit of fun with them as you can see.

Click here to see more photos from XMas

In the evenings we played Blackjack (Kim and I cleaned up) and had nice food and wine.

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Chong (The husband of Kims sister) showed his more feminine side.

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The rest of the time we spent at the beach playing in the waves and playing with Kims sisters kids.

Click here to see more photos from XMas

Click here to see more photos from XMas

25. December 2008 11:21
by Rene Pallesen
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Christmas Day

25. December 2008 11:21 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

christmas day


Christmas day was celebrated with Kims family at her sisters house.

A lot of people were there and everyone had been asked to bring some food. Kim had cooked Red Duck Curry the day before while I was preparing the Christmas Eve dinner.

Click here to see more XMas photos

Again...lots of food, playing table tennis, jumping the trampoline and all the kids got to open their presents.

Click here to see more XMas photos

24. December 2008 11:16
by Rene Pallesen
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Christmas Eve

24. December 2008 11:16 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

christmas eve


Christmas even was celebrated in the traditional Danish way in the evening of the 24th December.

Kim and I had invited some friends over to out new house and prepared the traditional roast duck, ris-a-la-mande and large tiger prawns for entrees.

Click here to see more XMas photos

It was a nice evening and we didn't finish until well after midnight and all of us were really full by the time we finished dinner. There was a couple of kid and after dinner they got to open their Christmas presents.


12. December 2008 08:31
by Rene Pallesen
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Kims dads Birthday

12. December 2008 08:31 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

kims dads birthday


Every year on Kims dads birthday we celebrate with the family. Every couple brings a couple of dishes of food and we all share it.

Kims Family

18. November 2008 02:48
by Rene Pallesen
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Diving at Tulamben - Honeymoon in Bali

18. November 2008 02:48 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

diving at tulamben


On our honeymoon in Bali I really wanted to do this scuba dive that was recommended to me by my friend Andy. It is this old wreck of a US cargo ship (USS liberty) that was torpedoed by the japanese in 1942 and then beached to save the men and the cargo.

Click here to see more photos

The wreck has since slided back into deeper water (during a volcanic eruption in 1962) and it now in 5 to 27 meters of water just off the coast.

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I did two dives on the wreck while Kim was snorkeling in the surface on top of the wreck and it is without a doubt the most amazing scuba diving experience I've had. The ship is huge and you can swim through the cargo hulls and there is an amazing variety of fish and corals on the wreck.

I saw a 1.5 meter barracuda, a 1cm tall seahorse, a garden of eels and a great variety of other fish including a large school of travelly.

Click here to see more photos

I had my personal dive master for the day and I got him to take some photos and some video with his camera while we were diving. On the first dive we went all the way around the wreck (max depth 27 meters) and on the second we went through the wreck itself.

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Kim had a really good experience as well and really enjoyed the 30 degree warm water and managed to get her bum burnt while snorkeling for several hours.

I think we'll both go back there if we get the chance.

Click here to download video of me feeding fish

Click here to download video of me diving

18. November 2008 01:34
by Rene Pallesen
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Bali Honeymoon

18. November 2008 01:34 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

bali honeymoon


Our Honeymoon day after the wedding went to Bali in Indonesia. We did have some hesitation going there considering that the Bali Bombers had been executed the week before and that the Australian government discouraged all travel there.

The plane up there (and back) was only 25% full so plenty of space to get a good sleep.

We stayed in Nusa Dua Westin....a nice hotel although the rooms are a bit small.

On the first day we slept in and later in the day drove to Kuta to have a look around and do some shopping. Later in the evening we went to Jimbaran Bay for dinner. This is a whole beach where all the restaurants have put their tables and chairs out onto the beach itself...very romantic but quite expensive compared to local restaurants.

Click here to see more photos

Click here to see more photos

The second day we hired a car to drive us to Ubud in the hills, Monkey Forest and later in the day down to a small place called Tanah Lot. Especially the last one was very nice around sunset and we ended up not getting back to our hotel until 8.30 in the evening much to the dismay of our driver.

Click here to see more photos

Click here to see more photos

Dinner took place near the hotel and we found that the value of the food/prices was much better here.

A couple of days later we went for another drive (In between we went to Tulamben...see posting below) up to some beautiful lakes and temples up on the north of the island as well as rice paddies and we had a really nice trip despite driving with the most grumpy driver.

Click here to see more photos



Click here to see more photos

Time was running out and Kim felt that she hadn't spent enough time shopping so the last two days were spent shopping and sitting at the pool and on the beach.

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One evening we booked a really nice restaurant called "The Living Room" in Seminyak and I booked the whole outdoor area (cost a fortune) just so that we could have a romantic evening in the garden just the two of us with personal waiting staff.

Click here to see more photos

Click here to see more photos

The week was way too short and we never got to do everything we wanted to do so I have a feel we will be coming back in the future.


17. November 2008 12:40
by Rene Pallesen
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Wedding

17. November 2008 12:40 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

wedding


On Sunday the 16th November 2008 I got married to Kim. It was a fantastic day and thanks to family and friends joining us making this a very memorable day.


My day started out (Kims started much earlier) in the morning with my Best Man (Andy) as well as a number of other friends coming over to my house picking up trays, organising ribbons on cars and picking up supplies for the wedding ceremony.

Kim had earlier in the morning left the house to go to her dads place to get dressed and have hair and makeup done.

Once we got the call saying that she was ready we drove over to her dads place and on the way there we were stopped by the police who insisted on breath testing us...sorry guys you were out too early, we hadn't started drinking yet.

At Kims place I had to bribe my way in through the door before they would let me in...all part of the tradition.

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Once I was let in my friends carried the trays of fruit, wine and noodles upstairs and this was the first time I saw Kim looking absolutely gorgeous in her wedding dress.
We then started the Tea Ceremony where we first had to pay respect to the elders by burning incense and then serve tea to the parents. In return they would then present us with red envelopes containing money and Kim's dad also gave Kim an old bracelet and ring that used to belong to her mum.

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After the Tea ceremony I drove down to La Perouse where the wedding ceremony was going to take place. We were a bit early so they were still getting ready. The wind was really strong so the garden arch needed wires to stay in place etc.

Once all the guests has arrived (around 40-50) Kim arrived in Nancys car with her bridesmaid (Natalie) and the ceremony could begin.

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Kim and I had decided and written most of the ceremony ourselves and the celebrant presented it beautifully (and very loud).

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After the ceremony we had some drinks and snacks with out guests and then took pictures for the next couple of hours around La Perouse and Centenial Park.

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Click here to see more photos

Click here to see more photos

Click here to see more photos

Click here to see more photos

Click here to see more photos

Click here to see more photos

Click here to see more photos

Later in the afternoon we went back to our house to relax and freshen up for an hour until we then went to the Reception.

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We had invited 80 guests and they all arrived (more or less). People were greated out the front where they were served canabes and drinks and there was a pianist playing a piano.

People were then seated and once everyone were at the tables the bridal party was introduced.

Click here to see more photos

Click here to see more photos

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Click here to see more photos

After the entrees My dad and Andy held their speeches (both very good and unfortunately mostly true) and after the main courses it was the turn of KC and myself.

To everyones surprise we had arranged entertainment during the evening in the form of some drummers. Everyone was given a drum and had to participate in the drumming.

Click here to see more photos

This also involved us dancing as part of the entertainment.

This was eventually followed by us cutting the wedding cake (a tower of cupcakes) a then dance the bridal walz.


Click here to see more photos

Click here to see more photos

Kim had changed to a more practical dress for the bridal walz and she looked absolutely stunning in it. Because I'd been sunburnt during the day my face almost matched the dress.


Clieck here to see more photos

15. November 2008 12:26
by Rene Pallesen
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Moved into the new house

15. November 2008 12:26 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

moved into the new house


End of October we moved settled and moved into the new house. Not without a bit of of drama as the previous owner wasn't out of the house at settlement...but by the end of the day she was fortunately gone.

She was living there with three little boys (terrorists), so there was a number of smaller things that had been neglected and really needed some attention and there were a number of flaws around the place that needed fixing (it seems that the solution to every problem for the previous owners was silicone glue).

Most of this is under control now thanks to my dad helping out while here for the wedding (see next posting). Both Kim and I have now moved all our things and I've put kim in charge of selecting what colours she would like the walls to be downstairs before we go out and buy furniture.

We also need to get new lights downstairs as the ones there heat up and switch themselves off (cheap crap) so I may just as well do the ceiling now that I am at it.

15. November 2008 02:35
by Rene Pallesen
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My Dad in Sydney

15. November 2008 02:35 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

my dad in sydney


My dad was in Sydney for our wedding and arrived on the 5th November just in time for us to also celebrate his birthday (We took him to his favourite steak house to get his favourite T-bone steak).

It was great to have him here for the wedding as it would have been empty to not have any family members from my side at the wedding. It was also really sad that my mum couldn't come.

We had just moved into the house week before so everything was still messy and there was a lot of things that needed fixing on the house. My dad was really helpful helping me out with a lot of the thing I'd never done before such as replacing tiles in the bathroom. He also changed the locks, fixed lights, painted walls, fixed doors, leaking taps etc.

It gave us something to do together which was great for bonding. I just wish he'd been there a bit longer...but maybe I can convince him to come back to help me build a pergola.

We also managed to do a bit of sightseeing around Sydney and it was great that he got a chance to meet Kims family.



The wedding was something different for him and I think that he was pretty frustrated that he didn't know what the asian customs were (not a typical Danish wedding).

He did give a really good speech at the wedding and I'm sorry to say that everything he said is true (although not everything was accurate).
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21. July 2013 07:47
by Rene Pallesen
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Orange Cake

21. July 2013 07:47 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

orange cake


Kim likes baking too and these days she will ask Aiden to help her.

Her cakes usually looks much better than any of my efforts.

21. July 2013 07:42
by Rene Pallesen
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Baking Ciabata

21. July 2013 07:42 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

baking ciabata


A couple of weeks ago I tried to bake Ciabata bread.

It is a long process that takes about 24 hours (first you have to make this yeast and flour sponge which you then later use for the end result).

I substituted normal flour for wholemeal. This was the end result.



The taste was ok, but it was too dry for my liking...so will have to try again one day.


28. June 2013 07:40
by Rene Pallesen
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The Lightbulb

28. June 2013 07:40 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

the lightbulb


Light bulbs are really rare now as you can't buy them in the shops any longer.

We still have one in the cupboard so I decided to have a bit of fun with it one evening...



28. June 2013 07:25
by Rene Pallesen
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Vivid Sydney 2013

28. June 2013 07:25 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

vivid sydney 2013


Vivid Sydney was on again this year and in my opinion better than the previous years.

Because of the kids it was hard to find the time to explore, but I did manage to head in there one evening to get some photos from the classic angles.















13. June 2013 09:48
by Rene Pallesen
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Lucas 9 months

13. June 2013 09:48 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

lucas 9 months


Lucas is now 9 month old and the other day we went to the park to do some Autumn photos with him.

The photo of the day was definitely this one of Kim and Lucas having a moment together.



It was hard because he wanted to crawl around and play and because it was the middle of the day the light was pretty harsh.



We also tried to take some at one of the small bridges in the park but they were shooting a commercial shoot there and Lucas was more interested in trying to get into the water than posing.



And when we tried a family photo he didn't want to sit still.


13. June 2013 09:45
by Rene Pallesen
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Lucas 8 Months

13. June 2013 09:45 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

lucas 8 months


For Lucas 8 month photo we decided to do a profile photo of the four of us just like we had with Aiden.



A bit more difficult this time because there we two kids and getting them to look in the right direction and keep the right face expression.

13. June 2013 09:42
by Rene Pallesen
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Aidens 3 year birthday

13. June 2013 09:42 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

aidens 3 year birthday


Last week it was Aidens 3rd Birthday.

We celebrated it by singing happy birthday and having cake.



For his birthday he got a new car as well as some new shoes.





13. June 2013 09:40
by Rene Pallesen
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Aiden insect bite

13. June 2013 09:40 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

aiden insect bite


The other day was in the park with his daycare group to play at the playground.

While he was there he was bitten by some unknown insect and the morning after his whole face was swollen.



Fortunately he was happy enough and it didn't require any visits to a doctor.

30. May 2013 10:47
by Rene Pallesen
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Emma's Birthday

30. May 2013 10:47 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

emma s birthday


Last weekend it was our Niece Emma's first birthday.

This was celebrated with lots of cakes and a jumping castle on which Aiden had lots of fun.







2. May 2013 09:16
by Rene Pallesen
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Countries I have been to

2. May 2013 09:16 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

countries i have been to 61


I just updated the map of the countries I have set my foot in...now 69 countries.





AfricaRene(69)KimAidenLucas
Kenya YES


Tanzania YES


Uganda YES


Egypt YES


Tunesia YES


Morocco YES


Gambia YES


Senegal YES


South Africa YES YES YES YES
Zimbabwe YES YES YES YES
Zambia YES YES YES YES
Europe



Turkey YES


Spain YES YES

France YES YES

Swizerland YES YES

Austria YES YES

Greece YES YES

Italy YES


Lictenstein YES


Vatican YES YES

Yougoslavia YES


Croatia YES YES YES
Slovenia YES YES YES
Bosnia YES YES YES
Montenegro YES YES YES
Poland YES


East Germany YES


West Germany YES YES YES
Belgium YES YES

Holland YES YES

Denmark YES YES YES
Sweden YES


Norway YES


Finland YES


Portugal YES


Luxenbourg YES


San Marino YES


Monaco YES YES

Cyprus YES


Hungary (YES) (YES) (YES)
United Kingdom YES YES (YES)
Americas



USA YES YES

Canada YES


Mexico YES YES

Chile YES YES

Peru YES YES

Bolivia YES YES

Argentina YES


Brasil YES YES

Asia



Japan YES


Russia YES


Malaysia YES YES

Thailand YES YES YES YES
Singapore YES YES (YES)
Cambodia YES


Laos YES YES YES YES
Phillipines YES YES YES YES
Burma/Myanmar YES


Hong Kong YES


Yemen YES


Qatar YES


Indonesia YES YES

Diego Garcia
YES

Vietnam
YES

India
YES

Australia/Pacific



Australia YES YES YES YES
New Zealand YES YES YES YES
New Caledonia YES YES YES
French Polynesia (Tahiti / Bora Bora) YES YES YES (YES)
Vanuatu YES YES YES YES
Fiji YES YES YES YES
Cook Islands YES YES YES YES