Glorious Sun.....

Well howdy doody folks... (sorry!!) :-)

Back out in the van again

Bit nicer than the last one and it's got a fridge so no more buggering around with eskies (iceboxes ya plum), and is a lot quicker as well as the Queensland rozzer bloke noticed when I got pulled over for speeding for the first time in my life on the A1 about 100 k's north of Brisbane. 114 in a 100 area apparently and it's cost me $150 so not very impressed!!!!

Anyway first sign I saw in Noosa was this which was noted....

Well I had 3 days in Noosa and went to the Glasshouse Mountains just for the sake of my wee sister so here you go Lou and quit pleading now - remember I'm off to New Zealand in 2 1/2 weeks so will be plenty mountain shots there!!!!

Noosa is the home of the rich here and is a bit like walking around Ascot or similar. There are so many 4wd's here that it's almost like being in Chelsea. At least they have a reason for them here (you should see the state of some of the roads - sheesh!!)

Went on from there to Rainbow Beach which is goyjuss (that's phrenetic before you ask thicko!!!!)

Saw the most BEAUTIFUL sunsets in Town Of 1770 (yup, that's what it is called!!!!)

And after night in Mackay (which I didn't like at all) am now in Airlie Beach and off out on the Ocean Rafting tour tomorrow then a Great Barrier Reef tour on Friday for some XXX snorkelling (as in hard not pornographic!! Jeepers, you lot!!), so all is good.

Best dash now, got to find a bottle shop but I couldn't end without a couple of last shots of Sydney - yup they're fruit bats in the city centre.... oh and some little foot bridge with a little rowing boat going under it.... Take care one and all and lots of love. Back soon xx

Got Cold Yesterday

Howdy howdy howdy howdy lovely people. Not been on for a while but thought you'd all be bored sh**less of views of Sydney etc etc. So....... have been up to the mountains (it's OK Lou you can call off the hit squad now!!!!), have seen bats, spiders (well one and up a tree too), possums, oh and some beautiful beaches and weather... see for yourselves.... Some of you may recognise the beach......

Oh and I saw the Dalai Lama at Sydney harbour a few weeks ago!! Heyho... And I thought Joan Rivers at Heathrow was a decent famous person spot - she can SO bugger off now.... xx

Bit Of A Sporty Weekend

Morning all.

Been out and about at sports events last 2 nights and just thought I would publish a few of the pictures for you. Enjoy Lou!!!!

First ones are at the Melbourne Telstra stadium watching Essendon v. Geelong Aussie rules football and others are at the Sydney Telstra (Olympic) stadium with Robert watching Australia v. South Africa tri nations cup match (won by Aus 25 - 17). That's Stirling Mortlock lining a kick up pretty much in front of us. And yes, it was bloody cold both nights hence the scarf, and no Karl, Rich, Nards, I didn't buy an Australia rugby shirt and switch allegiance so don't worry!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also included some shots of unique Melbourne that I spotted strolling around. It's fab and a bit weird at same time. Enjoy.....

The PRESSURE, The PRESSURE!!!!

Rich, chill out man, I'm on me jollies here, all this pressure man - jeepers....... Its' enough to drive a man to the other side of the world. Hang on.......!

Anyway, enough clarting about, I'm in Melbourne and it's hilarious. The place is full of crazies, and not just the ones that Dr. Neath works with!! Seriously there's a new one every day -

Day 1 - Man running around the park with a beer in his hand wailing and screaming at random people at the top of his voice, sprinting off into the bushes for a scream and then sprinting back out again (bet he's fit though!!) followed by bloke in kilt on bridge over the Yarra River playing the bagpipes and not for money either, just for the hell of it and it was chuffing freezing

Day 2 - Big man standing outside Flinders Station arms outstretched yelling at top of his voice "Yer all fu**ed, you'll burn in hell" etc etc, now I think he was just pissed....

Day 3 - Crazy free weirdly (unless you count Rosie - Jo & Barney's dog...)

Day 4 - Bloke in shop shouting out "Mate, mate, how much is a diet coke?" really loudly at a the shopkeeper two feet in front of him who just laughed - really helped the situation as you can imagine.

Sure there are countless others that I have missed but people's dress sense here is far more cosmopolitan and expressive and even shop fronts etc don't care e.g. - This one is in Brunswick Street near J & B

It's a fantastic place Melbourne where basically anything goes and people do just what the hell they feel like, but............. if you don't like AFL you're in all sorts of trouble!! I am now an Essendon fan I think (Barney's team) and am off to watch them tonight against Geelong at the Telstra stadium in Melbourne with 60,000 other people. Best part about that is our tickets are free!! It's not what you know............ and I have absolutely no idea where Essendon is - great int it.

It's also snow season in the mountains here and they have had a metre of snow in the last 2 days about 2 hours east of here so all the snow shops doing really well. Not sure they really know what surfing is in Melbourne!! Whilst flying down here from Sydney I could see it on the mountain tops and that's weird as we all associate this country with heat. Bugger all of that down here at the mo!!!

Now, I thought that Lords was a great cricket ground and we had state of the art stadiums in England.. bugger me the MCG blows that notion out of the water!!!! I have never seen such a well oiled, huge, awe inspiring, fascinating and superbly conditioned ground in my life, it is truly awesome and seats over 100,000 people
the press box -

So that was pretty fantastic and have always wanted to do the tour. The history of the place is great and - oh sorry, have you just fallen off your chair snoring????????? Ok, ok I know - it's cricket yah di yah di yah.

Back to the crazies and weirdo's (Nards were you in St. Kilda yesterday??) here's Jo & Barn (& Rosie) and Alana

Ok think I'm done for now - no Barbies yet - too cold and wet and am off to Sydney again first thing tomorrow to go to Australia v South Africa tri nations at the Telstra stadium - come on yer all jealous aren't you???? There for a couple of weeks in a little apartment with view across the harbour to the Opera House (and it's not expensive!!) in place called Neutral Bay, then will probably come back down to Victoria again and see bit more of this bunch before heading over to freeze my bollocks off in New Zealand.

Keep well and happy and Lou the mountain shots are coming - promise.

See ya Dx

2 weeks in Sydney

Ok ok ok I'm back. Been bit busier in Sydney than elsewhere on my travels so have been out and about seeing friends etc and having a social life at last, so it's taken me a while to get around to this.

Anyway now down in Melbourne for the week with a snotty cold to pass on to Jo Neath and unborn child...... Sydney was great and am going back up there for the rugby at Telstra stadium on Saturday - Australia v. South Africa with Robert. He thinks I'll be supporting OZ...... not so sure, but then that means supporting SA and again, not so sure. Might just wear my England shirt and piss everyone off!!!!

Weather has improved thankfully and It's not rained for 2 days now but it's good to hear that England has got the same at the moment, and it's summer there hee hee. Done loads so far and have attached a few snapshots for your pleasure. Best things so far were Manly and the Sydney Aquarium and watching Oz beat New Zealand in the Lord Nelson pub with Rob and Macca, worst things (apart from the rain) are the noise (well after WA what did you expect), feeling sick on the ferry to and from Manly and the amount of McD's and Starbucks there are here.

Quick photo explanation. That's Sydney's equivalent of No. 10 - bit different hey, me trying to be clever and get Opera House to reflect in my glasses (didn't work), sharks and stuff I have come across, the most vivid rainbow I have ever seen over Bondi Beach, a 10 foot paint stain under highest point of the harbour bridge (still makes me laugh....) and the local nutter at the harbour....

Right I'm off to the MCG and will be back soon kids. Now all behave x