Our first night in Oz!

So after arriving at the Gold Coast airport the lovely Robin picked us up and we began our Aussie adventure! I have to say, this country is breathtaking!! I ( Jennifer typing here) think I was expecting the outback ( I blame Hollywood and that Hugh Jackman movie)instead it looked like we were in some kinf of tropical paradise! Palm trees and jungle like weather, so green and beautiful! We stopped by a little beach restaurant with an amazing view, took a stroll by the water and grabbed some dinnner, roast lamb & Strongbow on tap, I am in love with this place already!! We then went to Robin & Lizabeth's where we are staying for 2 days, way on top of this beautiful mountain...we actually passed Koala bear crossing signs!! How cool is that??? Once we got to the house, there was an incredible view of the valley, but we were exhausted and decided to head to bed. I put my hand on the rail to the stairs and from underneath it ran the BIGGEST spider I have ever seen in my life!! Now for any of you Aussies reading this, it might be nothing to you, but we just don't have 'em like that in the states! It was black, bigger then my hand, and with legs so big you could hear the pitter patter of it's 8 legs as it ran across the stairs!! Robin said it was a "huntsman" spider and not to worry, but Pash renamed it the Demon spider...and I think that name is more apt, lol. If you know me at all you know I suffer from true arachnophobia, and I was reduced to a shaking crying mess, sooooo embarrassing!! We finally went to sleep but our internal clocks are so messed up witht the time changes we were up and ready to go at 5am, oops!! Off to the first class at the lovely Lisa's house, promise to post some pictures soon!!