Me & My Travels!

Hi everyone,

Well I think I left you just before going to dinner with everyone from the outback trip. What a great night, we ate (some ate Kangaroo & Camel - not me!!) and drank and then got involved in some very silly drinking games!! I got home a lot later than planned, a lot later than planned, and a lot drunker than planned. Not so good with another early start in order to fly to Melbourne on my whistle stop tour!!

So I got to Alice Springs airport and got talking to another girl checking in who is also called Helene, and comes from Enfield!! She had been on a similar trip to me and had also had a fantastic time. So we swapped stories over a cup of coffee and then found that they were calling the Final Call for our flight, so made a run for it!! We chatted on the flight down to Melbourne and became firm friends very quickly. Helene is starting a job as a solicitor when she gets home and I know she will be just brilliant - guess who'll be handling my legal matters in the future!!

Anyway, we made it to Melbourne, bizarrely half way through the afternoon. I was a little crest fallen as I had so much that I wanted to see and so little time to do it in. Never mind. We arranged to meet later and go to St Kilda for dinner. I rushed to the hostel, had a quick shower and made my way back into town. In a strange kind of way, it was nice to see trams - kick me for saying this but kind of made me feel warm inside thinking of Croydon!! That is, warm on the inside but warmer on the outside. Everyone had said to me, 'it'll be cold in Melbourne'. Huh!! It was about 35 degrees and boy was I feeling it with the tiredness and hangover!!

But it wasn't going to deter me from my mad mission. So I made my way to the Rialto Tower Observation Deck to get a good grounding of Melbourne and try to orientate myself. Fantastic views, I confess, and a great cheeeeesy promo film all about Melbourne with lines in the song such as 'Melbourne is just great, Melbourne is the place to be..' so on and so forth!!

I met Helene outside the tower and we made our way to St Kilda via the tram. We chatted all the way and took very little notice of where we were going, to the point where we were sat there for 3 minutes or so and then realised the tram had stopped and noone else was on it - oops!! So this was St Kilda!

We made our way to the beach and had a mooch around. The sunset was amazing and quickly diverted our attention away from 3 awful street performers who just don't seem to understand the concept that too much waffle just drives punters away!! Quite amusing though, with the highlight of the show being the streaker that ran straight through the middle of them!! Laugh? We were almost in tears!

We then walked on and found a very nice Thai restaurant where we ordered our meal (a simple 2 starter, 2 main course meal) and a bottle of wine. The wine arrived and we proceeded to have a very civilised evening. We then realised that our food hadn't arrived yet, when the waiter brought out our main courses!! We sent them back and continued with the wine!! All in all, it was a great meal, the food (when it arrived) was lovely and great company. Before we knew it, it was time to grab the last tram home and prepare for Sunday.....Except that in the dark it all looks very different!! With a couple of minutes to spare we found the right tram and headed back into the city. Helene was staying in NOrth Melbourne and I was in South Yarra. South Yarra is great. 2 doors away from my guesthouse is Issey Miyake!! Imagine my glee and dismay at the time of discovery. Glee at having a fab designer shop so close, dismay at not having the money or space in my luggage to buy anything!! Never mind - to bed it was, eventually hitting the sack at about 1.30am!

My alarm went off at 7am and I crawled out of bed, determined to cram as much into my day as possible. So I had breakfast (included in the cost of my stay!) and made my way into town to the Queen Victoria Market, one of the biggest markets in Melbourne..and it's great. Purchased a new watch following my stupidity on my arrival in Sydney, for the bargain price of $15!!! How long it lasts who knows, but at least I know what time it is now!! Again tempting to buy all sorts of things at market, but that little nagging voice in my head and my still aching back kept reminding of how I was going to carry the amount of luggage I already have so I didn't!!

From the market I walked over to Melbourne Museum. Fascinating. The streets themselves are lovely, lined with great architecture and interesting road rules, like pull over to the left in order to turn right?? I know, I know, made no sense to me either!! Got to the museum and made my way to the Aboriginal Gallery which was brilliant, as was the Australian exhibition. At 12.30 I made my way back down to Flinders Street, and St Pauls Cathedral (yes there is another one!) for my next adventure.............

Neighbours, everybody needs good neighbours, with a little understanding.............!!! Yes guys, I was heading to Ramsay Street!! So I got on the bus and we set off for Erinsborough!! On the way, we watched Charlene & Scotts Wedding, Madge & Harolds wedding and caught up on all the plot lines at the moment. We got to Erinsborough High and then made our way to Ramsay St. And it was fab!! No filming today sadly but still a must see for any pommie in Melbourne!!!

So back to the city to get a text from Helene who to my great joy had managed to get us tickets for the Australian Open Tennis Tournament Evening matches that night. Fantastic. So I flew back to the hostel, packed my bag (sort of) and made my way to the Rod Laver Stadium for another very civilised evening of tennis and good company. We watched Sharapova beat Hantuchova and then Johansson being beaten by Ljubicic. 2 fantastic tennis matches and a great finale to my time in Melbourne.

So I made my way back to the hostel and at 1am went to bed in order to get up at 5am for my flight to Newcastle. Nearly didn't make it up as turned my alarm off, but thankfully with Lynda texting me I woke up and scrambled my stuff together, got on the tram and made my way to the airport.

All in all a fantastic time in a fantastic city which I would love to revisit with more time. I have tried to attach some photos for you but it wouldn't work so will try uploading them into an album online and will email the link to you all!

I am now in Newcastle with Felicity and Erin and 2 very puffy feet which I'm hoping with a bit of R & R will deflate and I will feel human again.

Love to you all
Me
xx

Hi everyone,

Well I'm writing from Alice Springs following my great adventure to the Outback - and I survived!!

So Tuesday morning bright and early I left Manly and made my way to Sydney Airport for my flight to Alice Springs. It was pouring with rain and cold - well for me it was!! I got to the airport with plenty of time to spare and checked in nervously, not sure what to expect of the next 4 days.

We arrived in Alice Springs, and I managed to embarrass myself as soon as I collected my luggage. I had to find the 'Toddys' stand which was the backpackers I was staying in. There were 3 different desks all next to each other and they all looked at me expectantly as I walked over. So I shook my head at the 2 girls and headed for the guy on the Toddys stand. He was right next to the girls and I proudly announced that "I'm staying at yours"!! He replied kindly that I was welcome but was I booked in at Toddys!! I just wanted to die!! Anyway, I made my way onto the coach and we proceeded to Alice Springs. THe hostel was/is very nice and I was pleasantly surprised to find there were only 2 of us in the dorm and we had our own shower!! So I unpacked and got ready for my early start and then went for a walk into Alice Springs town.

What a shock. Nothing like anywhere else I've been except maybe West Croydon!! There is an Aboriginal Centre just down the road and they all sit out the front, with legs or arms bandaged and look mean. I am sure they are perfectly lovely people, but I was scared!! So I continued on, only to find an Aboriginal Mens Clinic - you can imagine my walkng pace is getting quicker and quicker!!

So I made it into town and then walked back to the hostel. Notmuch to report - it was soo soo hot it was unbearable so I read my book had dinner and went to bed early in preparation for my 4.45am start!

So Wednesday morning I am collected by Jason, the tour guide. I was the first one on the 4x4 so sat up the front. We collected 8 others, 4 Czechs, 2 Japanese, an Italian and a guy called 'Fred' from Sunderland 'Weye Eye Pet!'. We all chatted and got to know each other as we made our way into the desert for our adventure. We stopped off for breakfast at a Camel farm. THe camels all roam wild in the desert but here they are owned and offer camel rides - I declined - memories of the smell of the Koala came back to me and the thought of a confined space with strangers - it just wasn't going to happen!!

We eventualy made it to our camping ground for the night. Well, I had to brace myself. No tents - oh no just swags on the ground and then your sleeping bag on top. So we familiarised ourselves with the camp and then drove out to Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) where we stopped to take a photo and then went on to the cultural centre of Uluru (Ayers Rock). This centre is designed to tell you the Aboriginal stories that go with Uluru and try to discourage you from climbing it. It was fascinating and the aboriginals really are an interesting race. However, it didn't discourage me from the thought of climbing - it really just depended on how my back felt the next morning after sleeping on the ground!! We then drove back to Kata Tjuta where we did a short beautiful walk. It was here that we encountered Mr Speedo or Fabio (the most beautiful man in the world - NOT!). He was doing the walk n speedos in order to maximise the tan or try to pull - one of the options was a no-go believe me!! Then back to camp where we tok our champagne up to a look out to watch the sunset over Uluru and Kata Tjuta - very pretty although not the breath-taking experience I had envisaged - still worth it though. Then back down to camp where Jason cooked dinner and we all chatted. However by 10pm everyone was pretty shattered so we got our swags out and went to bed. Except that it was so hot you couldn't sleep inside them which in turn made me so paranoid that things were crawling over me or watching me that I barely slept!!

So an early start to catch the sunrise and disappointingly Fabio had short shorts on today- how we cried!! But he insisted on walking up and down the road 5 times to maximise pulling potential or for me comedy value!! The sun rose and it was again very nice but nothing mind blowing. We then headed round to the bottom of the climb and all 9 of us set off. The first part of the climb is so steep that you have a chain to pull yourself up on - and believe I used it. I was actually scared - I think more so thinking about going down again. But bless, my fellow Brit 'Fred' stayed by my side and carried my water for me all the way encouraging me and stopping whenever I wanted a break - he assures me that 4 times I swore that I was going to give up smoking!! Anyway, we climbed up and up and eventually got to the top - and oh my god what an amazing place. The sense of achievement was like nothing I have ever felt before, and the views were just stunning. I guess if there is anything you can climb in Oz, I'll climb it!!

After a while resting and taking photos we made our way back down which was actually a lot less scary than expected. The scariest part was coming face to face with Fabio at one point where he shouted something in Italian (probably 'I love myself!') and then carried on up - very strange!! I actually found my self taking quite a pace - sometimes scaring myself but well aware that the bottom was getting closer and closer. When we got back down Jason had fresh fruit ready for us, which we munched hungrily and then went off to explore the caves round the base. All in all an absolutely fantastic morning. Back to camp for lunch and then we made our way on to Kings Canyon.

We camped at Kings Creek, which was amazing. No rules, totally in the outback and we all sat round the camp fire, cooked 'damper' and generally relaxed. It had been a long hard hot day. And to bed - and this time I slept like a log - it was fantastic!!

Today we got up early, although not as early as we were supposed to due to Jason oversleeping - funnily enough none of us complained!! We headed off to Kings Canyon to climb to the top of the rim and complete a 6km walk. THe views again were fantastic and well worth spending an extra night 'bush' to experience. Once back we then headed back to camp and then drove 'cross-bush' on a very unmade road, the 300kms back to Alice Springs. A fantastic 3 days which is being rounded off this evening as we are all meeting in 'Bojangles' for dinner and a few drinks, no doubt combined with a bit of email address swapping!

So in short, I survived my camping bush-style experience, climbed the worlds biggest monolith, and came across Fabio!! Having been more than a little bit concerned about what I had let myself in for, I cannot recommend it highly enough. It has been a wicked time, and I am taking away with me some fantastic memories.

Tomorrow I fly to Melbourne for a whistle stop tour and then onto Newcastle on Monday to spend the week with my fab Ozzie friends Felicity and Erin!!

Hope you are all well and 2006 is still cool!! Love you all lots and see you soon - some sooner than others!! Oh and by the way the Coup is al off so Fiji is still on. Bring on the tan!!!!

Hels Bels
xxxx

Hi everyone,

Well I left you on Tuesday very sad and lonely cos the boys had gone home. I spent most of Tuesday very subdued with Tanea and Lou.

Wednesday I walked round to Shelly Beach and did a bit of sunbathing in agony. Why? I hear you ask. Well I have hurt my back. After trying to sit up and not being able to I decided to go and find some help so I found a chiropractor who could see me on Thursday so i went for a walk and went round to little Manly Cove and watched the kids playing and then made my way back.

So Thursday I got up early and headed to the chiropractor who basically said that I have had too much fun!! After 16 years of dancing and then carrying my backpack so much and drinking so much and generally relaxing after the traumas of the last year my back has collapsed!! It can't take the strain anymore and the disc has gone completely. SO she cracked my back and nearly had me in tears again and basically told me to take it easy. Another appointment was booked for Friday.

So the rest of the day I was in total agony and really didn't know what to do with myself so I just wandered around and went down to the beaches and kept moving. I iced it and then found I couldn't move. So a quiet alcohol free day it was.

Friday and back to see Zoe the fantastic chiropractor, who was pleased with my progress but still concerned for me. So she cracked me again and again and made me promise to take it easy over the weekend - we both laughed saying that I was on holiday and to take it as easy as I could!!

So Friday I headed into Sydney. The weather has been pretty crap this weekend so I took the opportunity to go and see the aquarium and go up Sydney Tower - which I have to say after doing the bridge climb I wasn't overly impressed with but never mind. I then wandered round to the Opera House and decided to treat myself to a fantastic last night in Oz. So guys, on the 1st Feb I will be watching Madame Butterfly at the Sydney Opera House - pretty amazing last night eh??!!

So I got back from my sightseeing and just relaxed. We got pizza (we as in me and Tanea and Cas and the kids) and just lazed around. COnveniently Bridget was on telly - always a good girly evening!!

Saturday and it was a sunny day - which seems to be pretty few and far between now! so we headed to the beach. It was lovely and very relaxing.

Sunday and again another yuk day although not raining so I headed back into Sydney once I got motivated and went to the Market at The Rocks and went up to the Pylon Lookout over the bridge. Just mooched around and then headed back. When I got back to the guesthouse Paula had invited Tanea and me to a 007 night at the restaurant she works at. So we had to get dressed up - which was interesting when you only have backpacking clothes with you!! and we headed down there.

OH MY GOD!! I drank too much, I danced too much and ended up sitting down with my back killing me. But it was a good night and I woke this morning a little worse for wear but with a back that is pretty loose considering what I put it through!! Been back to Chiro this morning and she's very pleased with me and have booked to see her again when I get back to Manly after my adventures!!

So today it's raining so I will do my washing and pack ready to leave bright and early in the morning for my flight to ALice Springs. Rumour has it that there may be a Coup in Fiji and the Australian government are advising against travel there so with that in mind and my back I may well be home earlier than planned - so be prepared to sit through millions of photos and hear me banging on about the fantastic people I have met and the fun that I have had!!

Take care everyone - take some joy in the fact that it's raining here even if I am still wearing shorts!!

Love you all loads
Me
xx

Well, I trust you are all back into the swing of work and things are going well for you all in 2006!! I'm still in Manly and have been staying at the guesthouse the whole time although tonight and tomorrow I have to stay at the hostel as there are no rooms at the hostel!! Not good - never mind.

So since I last wrote I have drunk far too much with the Kiwis and Scottish lads and generally been having lots and lots of fun. Been to the beach, been to the pub, and been into Sydney with the lads where we managed to get lost and find a fab pub that did brilliant food - so of course we ate!! It would seem that Singi doesn't go anywhere without eating so it seemed only right!! We wandered around Sydney, went and had a few drinks in Darling Harbour and then made our way back to Manly.

And that was the general itinerary for the whole week. Until yesterday!

I met up with Dad and Eve and we went and had Pancakes on the Rocks, which was, as always, fab!! We then made our way to the bridge office in preparation for our climb. I was so nervous - it takes 3.5 hours to complete and I must have gone to the loo 3.5 times before we left to ensure that I wouldn't reach the summit and need to pee!! Dad just kept laughing at me - however, the laugh was soon on him.

We donned our very sexy jumpsuits, and left all our possessions in the lockers and got our headsets and started the climb. There were 12 of us in the group and Annette the guide was lovely. She was soo informative - it must take hours to learn all that stuff. We climbed 1639 steps to the summit. The ladders going up were virtually vertical which was a bit scary especially as Sydneys busiest highway runs beneath you and the trains go next to you - aaaaaahhhhhhh!! So we climbed and climbed, and Dad made us laugh. He was 'scared'. I kept walking without holding on and he kept telling me to hold on. He wouldn't look down and was very funny to watch. I'm sure he will regale everyone with stories about his intrepid climb and how he wasn't scared at all - don't believe him!! We had photos taken along the way, and when I receive them from Dad I will post them on my website for you all to see. It really was a fantastic day and I would recommend it to anyone. I would even do it again - but at night next time - how amazing would that be.

So I got back to Manly and went up to the guesthouse as it was Singi & Scottys last night so we had a bit of a party. It just won't be the same without them - they were (and are) just fantastic - and I know I will stay in touch with them. I feel a Scottish Hogmany coming on...!!

Today we woke with huge hangovers, and waved the boys off. I am so sad today it's unbelievable - I really could just fly home today. I miss you all so much.

However, I won't be cos I have now booked up the next 3 weeks of adventure. I am off to Alice Springs on 17th and then spend 3 days out in the Bush to see Ayers Rock, The Olgas and Kings Canyon which I'm looking forward to. Then back to Alice for a night before flying to Melbourne for a couple of nights and then onto Newcastle to stay with Felicity & Erin (my bestest Road Trip buddies!!) for a week where erin assures me she will teach me to surf - that'll be interesting!! From there it's back to Sydney before I fly to NZ. By then I really will feel like I'm on my way home.

Anyway, love you all lots, some more than others even if they don't miss me.

xxxx

Well, welcome back to work everyone!! Hope you all had a fantastic time over xmas and that your New Year Festivities left you feeling as ill as I did! Anyway more about that later....

So I've been in Manly for a few days now and I love it. I arrived here and checked into the guest house and then came out for a mammoth walk all round manly trying to find an internet cafe only to find that it was just up the road - talk about take the long way round!! So I updated my web and did some shopping and made my way up to the guest house.

I was sat outside doing another Suduko (sad I know but addictive!)when a very nice Kiwi lady came outside and told me that noone sits outside her guesthouse without a drink and on their own. She then told me she is the housekeeper and proceeded to ply me with Sambuca on an empty stomach!!! Next thing I know a group of guys came back from the pub, 2 from Scotland (Singy & Scotty) and one from Oz, Tim. So we all sat around chatting and drinking and then made our way out to the barbeque area out back where Taneas partner then produced home made flans (not as good as mums cheese flan but pretty good!). We proceeded to get very drunk and they are all soo lovely and have really looked out for me.

So then Friday I got up and went down the beach with the guys and came back to get ready to go to Wendy & Ians for a Bar-B-Q where I would see cousin Paul for the first time in 5 years. Bit daunting so Tanea fed me sambuca again before I left. All in all a fantastic evening although it took me 2.5 hours to get back! But bless Singy waited up for me to make sure I was ok!

Saturday and it's New Years Eve!! So went for a walk into town and actually had my hair cut. It is now short at the back so that it can start growing into a bob - long hair again - oh my god!! Then I made my way into Sydney to meet Dad & Eve at McMahons Point for 3pm ready to 'cop a squat' to view the fireworks. McMahons Point is right in front of the harbour bridge which was the focus for the fireworks and the Opera House is behind that.. The view was amazing and although the wait was a little tedious (saved only by my bottle of water aka Smirnoff Ice!) it was well worth it. The theme for the night (and year) was Heart & Soul. So Dad bought Eve and I flashing red hearts which we wore proudly. At 9pm the first lot of fireworks went off and they were amazing. They are done for the kids and then the families tend to leave the party goers to it. At Midnight the show was like none other I have ever seen. It was beautiful and I just sat in awe hardly able to actually believe that I'm on the other side of the world and how fantastic it is. I am soo lucky and wish that you could all experience it too - hopefully this blog goes some way to helping you imagine!

So I got back to Manly where I met the guys for a drink, except that I didn't cos they had shut the main corso in Manly due to fights earlier in the evening so I didn't get to the pub in time. Never mind - I think I had had enough by then!! I sent loads of texts and hope you all got them.

New Years Day arrived and god did I feel ill. Not helped by the fact that Sydney experienced it's hottest day on record since 1939, hitting 45 degrees. It was too hot to go out so we just sat in the house and watched telly. Went to bed early and prepared for a day in the sun the next day.

However, It then all changed. The winds picked up and the rain was acoming!! The temperature plummetted and by 7am it was only 19 degrees and cloudy. I actually had to wear my tracky top all day it was sooo cold!! Kind of good in a way as I had to move out and into a backpackers down the road - just can't afford the rent in the guest house although I'm gutted cos I've made some great friends. Anyway, the guys helped me take my stuff down and I was gutted - it is awful - so hard when you are used to the guesthouse with a room to yourself and your own fridge and telly!! Anyway, they took me back to the house where I went and had a quiet cry and then proceeded to get me very drunk. Tan took pity on me and I stayed there again last night - even though most of my stuff is at the backpackers and very soon I'm going up there again to spend the evening drinking!! Was going to go down the pub but they guys have just text saying the pub is dead!!!

Today I got up and spent the day on the beach. It was a nice 30 degrees - deceivingly cool and I now have a little redness shall we say!! Never mind. So that has been my week so far.

As I said before I really do hope that you all have a fantastic 2006 and it brings everything you wish for. I promise I WILL come home once my tan is dark enough - but it will take a bit more working on for the time being!!

Enjoy work, and I'll have a drink for you all in Sydney!!

Lots of love to you all
Me
xxx

So we got dropped off in Newport where Jons family live and where I stayed for a couple of nights. Lovely family, and Travers (the son) took us out in Sydney on the Friday night(funnily enough I drank too much again and suffered the next day!!).We met Dad and Eve for a drink before going to eat at some Thai DIY restaurant in Pyrmont (nice food - just not so hot on service!) and then went to some record launch in town.

Saturday came and we headed down to the beach and then Dad & Eve came over to pick me up from Newport to go and stay with Ian and Wendy. Wendy is Eve's sister and just fab - the whole family were brilliant. That evening we just sat and chatted and got to know each other. At 6pm the boys wanted to go to bed cos Santa would come quicker but weren't allowed!!

Xmas day arrived and I really didn't know what to expect but it was fab. Having been hideously homesick yesterday, xmas in the Sun is a total cure!!

We started the day with the boys opening their pressies, and I even had a couple. I am now the proud owner of a Pink Passport Holder and Luggage Label, and an Australia Flag Umbrella - watch out Croydon!! Thanks to everyone who sent me a card out here - it made me feel really special (and not speshell!) and I loved them.

We then filled a few lemonade bottles with Champagne and Guava juice and made up our canapes (smoked salmon and cream cheese on little mini breads!) and packed the Eski and headed down to North Curl Curl beach. Straight into the water for a swim at 10am on xmas day - it was beautiful and just a perfect start to xmas. We then sat and quaffed our champers and canapes - 'a blessed way to spend the day'! We then headed home to Wendy and Ian's and sat in the pool drinking more champers and generally enjoying the 'xmas spirit'! It was perfect and sorry if you got upset if I sent you that photos by the pool!!!

Jacks and her hubby came round and brought the turkey and we did the roast potatoes and veg (well, Wendy did) and we had the best xmas roast ever - nothing like eating out under the stars in your bikini and a sarong!!! Definately a first - although I confess I felt a little underdressed!!

The day progressed with games, humming games and more games, and was just totally an almost perfect xmas. Why only almost perfect? Cos I didn't have all my family and friends there, but there's always next year everyone!!??!!..........

Boxing Day, Babbs, Lee, Jon, Dad, Ian and I all headed out on a boat into the harbour to watch the Sydney to Hobart Yacht race start. It was an all you could eat and drink boat and I did!! The yachts were amazing and we were amongst famous people like Billy Connolly - get me!! Not much else to say on that - probably cos it was just drinking, eating and boats.

We ended the day back in Sydney and Babbs, Lee, Jon & I headed for Pancakes on the Rocks - Yummmmmmmmm!!! Just the best pancakes ever! We then went for a bottle of wine by central quay before heading home - and that was eventful in itself. My phone battery went dead and I didn't have Ian & wendys number, dads phone was switched off and the information line on public phones will only give a cab number if you know the name of the firm!! So after about half an hour thinking about what I was going to do I eventually mananaged to hassle a nice lady posting her letters and made it home.

Tuesday I just spent the morning in the pool and then headed into Manly to meet Babbs, Lee, Jon & Kate for a meal and a few drinks. Kate very kindly invited me to stay so I didn't have to worry about getting back to Killara, and we went to BlueWater, the best restaurant in town!! Went for a drink in the Steyne, and then ate, and then headed back to Kates via the Boatshed!! A classic night which became a very drunken affair once back at Kates, with Me, Lee & Babbs debating the pros and cons of management etc etc. All in a fantastic night out, although my head the next morning said otherwise!!

I headed back to the City where I met Dad & Eve and we walked all round the Opera House, and then through most of Sydney City and then met friends of Eve's for a drink and then dinner in a cheap and cheerful (not that cheerful) place in town before heading back for white port at Wendys!!

And today I have come back to Manly and am now staying at a very nice guesthouse where I have my own room with TV and fridge and a whole double bed to myself - I can't wait to go to bed!!! I'm here for 4 nights and then have to find somewhere else but hopefully by then most of the backpackers will be flying home having recovered from New Years Eve in Sydney.

So on that note I shall leave and make a solemn promise to update more often from now on. I'm going to be really busy from now on with loads to cram into my time left in Oz.

Hope you all had a great xmas, are enjoying the snow, and I wish everyone a very Happy New Year. I know that 2006 totally has to be a year where things start going right for me, and I hope that it brings everything that you wish for - I love you all very much.

Happy New Year!

Hels Bels
xxxx

Well we met Babbs and Lee and drove up to Hunter Valley after a bit of frantic searching for birthday cake and then trying to find them. Eventually they found us and we headed off.

All credit to Sarah for finding a fantastic place to stay. We stayed at the Grapevines Boutique accommodation and it was just great. So clean, breakfast included - although somehow I got roped into cooking brekkie the first morning (Hmmmmm!) and amazing views from our veranda.

So we unpacked and headed down to the local pub where they did a good deal on steak and you could cook it yourself. All sounded great so we had a few drinks having already had a couple of bottles beforehand. Then came dinner...

Well, if you go there, don't, I repeat, don't do the cook your own option. It was disgusting. None of us had much good to say about it and decided that alcohol was most definately the best way to go. So the alcohol flowed, and then the pub closed. The walk back was interesting, we'd forgotten the torch and it was pitch black so it was eventful and probably not as funny as we all found it fuelled with drink but hey - we had fun!!

So bedtime, and then up early for Babbsy's Birthday (hence the cake being mentioned earlier!). So I cooked brekkie for everyone (sorry if it was horrible) and we got ready to start the wine tasting. We were picked up at 10am and headed straight off. We went to 5 different wineries and managed to consume copious amounts of wine, port and spirits, yet still stay remarkably sober considering. Sobels was absolutely the best winery we visited, and Babbs and I spent lots of money on lots of wine, all of which I hasten to add has now gone!! We liked McGuigans winery although not as much as Sobels and again bought wine there. Verdelho white wine is just the best and will be my favourite wine from now on - please take note in case you come to dinner!! And if you want to finish a night off in style - white port - yum!!

Anyway, enough of the wine, it's just making me thirsty. We got back, had a little nap to sleep off enough alcohol to be able to drive into town and buy provisions for the Birthday Barbeque!!

Many, bangers, burgers, steaks and kebabs later we were all pretty drunk and virtually collapsing. Didn't even get to eat the gorgeous cheese we had bought at McGuigans. Never mind, it'll keep!!

So we fell into bed and woke the next day early to check out and make our way down to Newport.

Hunter Valley is an absolute must for anyone coming to Australia - take my word and I look forward to comparing notes!!

Not long til xmas now - hope you aren't all too cold!

xx

Well firstly a big apology to you hungry bloggers that have been emailing frantically asking why I haven't updated my site since 16th Dec!! i'm so sorry everyone - I was having too much fun!!!!!

So I left you while the heavens were open in Byron Bay - I really do think that I had jinxed the weather on the Gold Coast - never mind - it was only one day and let's face it, it wasn't SNOW!!!

So we headed further down the coast to Bonny Hills which is a small residential area just up from Port Macquarie. Penny & Paul are Felicitys' friends and were just fab. They welcomed us like old friends, and it was great to be in the luxury of a beautiful home!! We had a barby that night and stayed up chating. The next day we all got up and hit the local xmas market. Somebody back home was lucky enough to have a pressie bought for them but I'm not saying who!!

We got back and just relaxed and then Erin, Jon and I went down to the beach where I had my first ever experience on a Body Board!! It was sooo funny, but bloody hard work. But I did it - and the sense of achievement when you actually catch a wave all the way into shore is fantastic - I loved it. Looking forward to taking it a step further with Erin in Newcastle later in my trip!! Monday was pretty much the same thing, sunbathing, body boarding and generally just relaxing. Bonny Hills was just a lovely place to relax and have fun!

Tuesday we headed down to Newcastle, where Felicity really did make my day. How? I hear you ask. Well, we got back to her house for a brief unpack and pack - yes Felicity has lent me her suitcase for my time in sydney so I don't keep having to disappear into the depths of my backpack - either that or unpack it totally - so now I have a case I can wheel around, and find things in - it's fab - Thanks Flick!! And Erin now has to look after the stuff I left there until I come back to haunt her in January!!!

It was a sad moment when we got out to the place where we met Babbsy and Lee to head to the Hunter. No more road trip. I cannot express how grateful I am to Felicity and Erin for taking us on board and putting up with the cramped conditions in the car to accommodate us. I really did have just the best time, saw some fantastic places and made a couple of friends I know I will keep forever!!

So, after the experience at Fraser Island we got back in the car the next morning with a huge hangover, and made our way down to Byron Bay. The journey went quickly, probably cos I slept!!

We detoured on the way, to pay a visit to "Crikey, have a ripper day!" at Australia Zoo, Steve Irwins zoo (you know the crocodile man!!). It was a brilliant trip and well worth the detour. Saw all sorts of animals that were just amazing.

We continued onto Byron and arrived last night to the YHA - where I joined Erin and Felicity in their room, whilst Jon went into a mixed dorm (for some strange reason there seems to be an attraction to sleeping in the same room as tanned women??!!).

We went out for dinner, but strangely everywhere in Byron shuts the kitchen at 9pm so we ended up having a curry at a BYO restaurant - and it was lovely!!

Today we woke and it was overcast and yuk, so the girls decided to do what they do best (which is easy in Byron) and go shopping. Jon went off and did his own thing. This afternoon the heavens opened and it poured - I seem to be jinxed on the Gold Coast!!

We leave tomorrow, and Felicity's friend in Bonny Hills has very kindly invited us to stay, so we are going to extend our roadtrip a little more and go there, and then continue down to Newcastle, where we should hopefully be able to meet Babbsy and Lee to go to the Hunter Valley for a 24 hour drinking stint - should be good!!

Hope you are all well - love you all lots

xx

So, Erin and I sat on the jetty waiting for the ferry back from Fraser Island to the mainland and watched the clouds roll in. As we boarded the ferry it started to rain. Now I don't know if I mentioned that when we were at the lake, Erin had refused to get in the lake - she didn't want to get wet - aaaaahhhhhhhh!! So it's raining but we decided to sit on the top deck in the open air and watch the storm behind us.

So we sat and laughed and generally recounted our fantastic day and the highlights of the trip. As we did, the rain came on harder, and Erin, poor Erin!, started to get wet. In fact, wetter than she would have been if she had swum in the lake!! I was pretty wet too but had my back to the rain so at least my face was dry!

It got harder and harder, and the then the thunder and lightening started. When we had sat down we vowed that no matter how wet we got we wouldn't move from the top deck! What a mistake! We were soaking wet by now and then the crew came and asked the remaining 20 or so passengers on the top deck to move to the front in the tiny protected covered bit. And I mean tiny. The boat was rocking from side to side and then it started.........

What started I hear you say? The Hail! The rain and hail were just coming at us from all angles. The boat was rocking all over the place, pitching from front to back just hitting the waves - and they weren't just little waves either. By now the sky was pitch black and the lightening show was amazing - just a shame we were too petrified to watch.

Picture the scariest ever Theme Park ride you have been on, and then imagine that, 3 times as bad and not being able to get off in a minute or so!! In fact, it was like there was no end to the terror.

So Erin is sat down with some random persons towel around her (cos her towel was already drenched) and I was stood clinging on for dear life. A very nice couple gave me a towel to put round me which kind of helped a little bit. Fear set in and then stayed when the crew told us that we weren't able to go into the harbour because it was too dangerous so we would have to stay in the shipping channel until it calmed down.

Oh My God - all I wanted to do was be on dry land. So we were out there in the storm for another half hour before we could go into the harbour.

Eventually, when I was contemplating somehow trying to find my mobile and phone important people to tell them I loved them and say goodbye, the crew announced that we could finally attempt to go into harbour. The relief - I can't describe!

So we stepped onto dry land and made our way onto the coach back to the hostel, where I proceeded to smoke and drink way too much!!

All in all, an absolutely fantastic day, with a real tale to recall and laugh about!!

xx