G'day! Lisa and I sent one group email about a week ago from her email address but we didn't send it to everyone so am sorry if some of this is a bit repetetive to those who did get that email!! So...... Arrived in Sydney a couple of weeks ago - had 4 days there with Lisa's parents and her brother John. Saw the Opera House (which I thought looked a lot dirtier than it does in the pictures i've seen before! They must tart it up for the postcards!) Did a bit of shopping, went to Manley beach and got a bit burnt but it was great - huge waves! We are going to go back on our way back in March and have a surfing lesson then! Walked round Sydney quite a lot and had some great food - have eaten and drunk like there's an imminent famine since we got here so no doubt will come a back twice the size in april! Trying to think where else we went in Sydney and what we saw - obviously the harbour bridge! Didn't walk over it tho might do that when we're back there again. Lisa's parents hired a car and we picked up a friend of John's in Sydney and drove up to Newcastle - weather started to get worse at this point and we'd had one full day of sunshine as it was cloudy and rainy while we were in Newcastle - very disappointing! Spent a day going round the Hunter Valley (huge wine region) and tasted A LOT of very nice wine! This is my excuse for forgetting the camera in one of these places and nearly driving off without it! LOVED the wine tasting - felt right at home there! (Free wine - who wouldn't??!!) We were in Newcastle for 3 days then started the drive up to Brisbane (bout a 10 hour drive). We were going to stop in a couple of places along the way but it didn't stop raining for about 2 days so we stayed one night in Coffs Harbour which is about half way between Newcastle and Brisbane and then carried straight on up, so unfortunately the Gold Coast kind of passed us by which is a bit of a shame. Weather never looked like improving tho so there wasn't much point in hanging around places that are great when it's sunny but bloody miserable when its not! Stayed about 3 days in Brisbane with Lisa's parents and saw some more of her family up there who were lovely and cooked us a classic Aussie BBQ which was great!! Weather stared to improve so we had a chance to wander round Brisbane and along the river and through the botanical gardens there which are really pretty! Went to a place called lone pine sanctuary and held a Koala, fed Kangaroos, saw crocodiles, emus, giant fruit bats, and loads of other scary Australian creatures! Lisa and set out on our own - 'backpacking proper' on Monday and got the bus up to Hervey Bay where we stayed a few nights and did a trip to Fraser Island which was amazing. Walked through the rain forests, across huge sand dunes (thought I was going to die of heat exhaustion at this point as it felt like we were crossing the bloody sahara desert!) but we were rewarded with a swim in the most amazing freshwater lake. Bluey green waters and as warm as a bath! Had a crazy tour guide which made the trip all the more interesting and met up with some really nice girls from Ireland and Sydney who were also on the trip so had a good laugh (and drank lots!) Did a bit more sunbathing too and am slowly but surely starting to go brown! Left Hervey bay yesterday and got back on the bus to Rockhampton. It's a bit of a strange town - nothing is open on Saturday so lisa and I have traipsed round the town all day looking for an internet cafe and have finally found one at 5pm in the evening! People are bit odd too - am starting to understand why some say the north of australia is like the deep south of America! Rockhampton is the beef captial of Oz tho so we had ourselves a big steak dinner last night - very nice! We are doing a 'homestay' on a ranch kind of place tomorrow. Horseriding and motorbiking and all sorts of other riotous activities which I'm hoping the insurance policy covers! (Mum - seriously, don't worry - we've checked & it does!!) Will stop now as I'm sure I've gone on enough like a giant postcard and most of you have probably fallen asleep on your keyboards by now! So til the next "instalment"...... lots of love Anja xxxx