Yo dudes, had a great flight from melbourne to Brisbane, rocked up to the airport half and hour before take off, checked in, went through security and boarded..if only it was always that easy!! virgin blue are ace! landed, got off, went to baggage claim, bags out already!lifes a breeze! got picked up by my cousins wife Rachel and little 9 month old baby Amy! went home to be met by my auntie and her husband, got some great hugs, much needed!! had lunch and a cuppa and a good catch up! they then left and Rach and I popped to shops and then went next door to a 4yr olds fairy party...yes i was in my element!!!! party food too, awesome!!! Saw cousin Chris when he came home from work and had gorgeous dinner, take away, i had chicken, egg noodles and barbecue sauce and it was in a pot like they have on friends...always wanted to eat noodles like that before!! what a day! So today up early and woken by baby and gorgeous sunshine, no worries!! did some research with rach this am and starting to make a bit of a plan for my time here...so should be good!!Went out to Chris's work, he has own sign business, then we went shopping!!!!went we went to the baby changing rooms and seriiously its like a secret society, had been to one with Jules in UK but over here, well they are a whole other world! made a note for when i need a rest/drink/watch tv whilst shopping, that they are the place to go!!! Back home playing with Amy now......

Ok...2 days to write up on....lots of baby talk and baby playing...all good fun! More shopping! Viewing cars as my cousins buying a new one.......and today we went out to lunch with other mums and babies!!! was crazy, dribble and puke everywhere, had a lovely greek lunch tho!!! in the middle of Brisbane city, they have a man made beach and pools....was gorgeous, gutted i didnt have my swimmers! Oh yeah and yesterday i went for swim while Rach did mother baby swim group, awesome olympic size pool!!! and today i went for a jog.....up a big hill and round a park, not fun in this heat tho!! trying to get fitter for when i start my surfing mission!! This afternoon we went down to the coast to look at a car, which they bought, then on way back stopped off at my other cousins sarahs and stayed there tonight for take away Thai..havent seen them for 2 yrs either, was crazy!!! Got a big bbq tomoz with everyone so should be awesome!!Making lots of plans for my time here, including swimming with dolphins......CAN NOT WAIT!! bye for nowxx

ok bbq was crazy kids everywhere!! great bunch of people tho and got to see all my cousins and all t heir children, who have all grown up so much!! I ate steak and pork kebabs, very unusual for me! had a couple of corona's but so tierd with having broken nights sleeps with baby around!she is so infectious tho, i miss her when shes not around! Today went to southbank again with Chris and Sarah and of course baby Amy, found a cool market, made some purchases and walked along river front and then over the bridge into the city..had some lunch and then back over the bridge for some cold rock...ok cold rock is an ice cream shop where you have all the diff flavoured ice cream plus many more and then you have most choccie bars and sweets that you can choose to mix into the ice cream, its amazing!!!! sooo tierd again, after being up half the night as Amy wasnt happy, however i have been putting my head phones on to block out the traumatic crys....very distressing!! really feel like im on holiday now tho and making the most of every day too as up early enough!!!ooo i forgot to mention at the bbq yesterday at about 4ish it started to rain and then got very windy and THEN thunder and lightening!!! crazy storm it was, so i hid inside with all the children but it was soo noisy! so been a bit windy today but still sunny and warm, but cold to the locals, haha!!\

Ok Monday, i got the train into the city and did some strolling around, recognised a few areas from 2 yrs ago, wen to STA travel and the Quantas shop to enquire about some of my future flights and stuff......actually got the bus back and got off near their house and tried to walk back but clearly had no idea where i was going so chose to ask the oldest couple ever who got out their map and asked me to read the grid ref and i just kept nodding and saying "oh yes i know where to go now" NOT!! then rach rung and explained where i was and where i needed to go and offered to come get me, but i was determined to make it home myself....which i did!! who needs sat nav!!! haha! Tuesday...my 27th bday!! woke early again and greeted with the beautiful smiling Amy....who then gave me a bday card...soo cute!! Auntie Av and Howie arrived with my cards that had arrived from England, so that was very special!!!(thankyou all!!) We then went out to southbank (my fav place!) for lunch, nice italian, then onto the city cat for a cruise down brisbane river, amazing views and a gorgeous day! Returned home via Cold Rock again for a new combination and me having to dodge several breeds of birds.....they are a big problem in the city..a problem for me that is.....also we wlaked past this woman and she was flicking food from a pot onto the floor and first i leaped as i thought she would get me with the food, then as the food landed the birds flocked...so an extra big leap had us all in hysterics....THEN.....i felt something in my shoe and as i was a big on edge i flicked my shoe which flew off into the air....bit overdramatic and not what i planned.....then av picked something up and said is this yours and it was my anklet that had come off and gone under my foot which had made me freak out!!!!!how emmbarrassing but couldnt stop laughing!! Too much excitement for one day me thinks!! Next we set off to my new location with Av and Howie to their home in Bribie Island, about an hour from Brisbane! They had just moved here 2 yrs ago when i was out and their house looks completly diff now! to finish my bday off we drove to the beach and watched the sun go down.....gorgeous!!

Today i woke early again, spoke to Alice and Dad on phone... that was great! Then we went to Malooloba! Its a coastal town! We did underwater world, with awesome seals and otters........and not so awesome creepy crawlies!! Then into the town for lunch by the beach!!!!! followed by a quick dip up to my knees whilst av and howie watched and laughed at my comment of this being a lovely quiet, beach and this is apparently because it is WINTER...who'd have guessed!!! On the way home, there was a bit of drama as a guy cam off his motorbike, just has he had over taken us at speed, he then came off on a bend, we didnt see it just cam round corner after but we stopped and looked after him, think he was lucky just to have broken ribs, well that was my assessment anyway!!! So ambulance arrived and we went......then when we got back, ava dn i took the dog for walk and heard sierns e.t.c and down the road, an old guy had been knocked over by a car!! 2 dramas within an hour, what a crazy world this is!!! both were ok tho, so all good!! Very excited as im going to australia zoo tomorrow...Steve Irwins zoo incase you didnt know! watch this space!!

Zoo was awesome........ hard to think that steve Irwin is not around anymore as he still has a massive presence at the zoo....lots of memorials for him tho and he really did make such a diff to animals lives in Oz!! So, i had fed an elephant, which was best bit of my day, sooo funny, how they eat through their nose, slobbered all over my hand! seriously the elephants are amazing animals, they live at elephantasia and it is amazing!! saw many animals and i fed kangeroos who were just in a big field area! I had a baf of food and was a bit cautious, so i only went and fed kangeroons that id seen children feeding cos i thought they would be safe ones! untill one started bouncing after me as i walked away and i freaked out so i gave the rest of my roo food to some children!! then i foudn myself walking through a bird sanctuary and it was the only way to get out..so put my hood up and wlaked briskly towards the exit as birds flew all around me, over me and in front of me....talk about facing your fears!!! The went i went to another kangeroo area, diff types of roos...i was walking through and over a bridge when i saw a child chasing this big bird and it was coming straight for me..so i turned and briskly walked out of there.....im sure all kangeroos are the same anyway!!!Went and saw all the crocs and read the stories how steve had rescued them...think i remember seeing some of them on t.v! got few souveniers to finish.....In the evening, we went out for dinner to av and howies local bowls club where they are social members, there friend marg came too....had a lovely meal and played on the pokies (slot machines!!) then went back to margs (who is apparently the town piss pot!) for a night cap! gorgeous house, right on water so you can keep a boat there, with own platform to sea.....was lovely at night with the lights.....a few contreaus later we went home!! Today found an awesome surf shop..found things id been looking for whole trip so felt very satisfied! Then to another bowls club on the beach for lunch.......amazing experience as i ate lunch i was priviledged to watch wild dolphins swimming in the sea outside, about 10 of them.......made my day that did!!! Chris, Rach and Amy are here later then off to Noosa tomorrow!! The back to Brisbane on Sunday!

Ok so spent beg of wk sorting out rest of trip and changed flight dates e.t.c, then tried to book the tour i wanted to do of new zealand south and north island but i should of checked first before i changed my flights as all the tours i wanted were booked up! Then looked at others but many dont run in June as its their winter and others dont coincide with my dates...so im just gonna make it up as i go along when i get there!!! I go to new zealand on the 20th June, then Bangkok for a wk on 9th July then home on 17th July! So last wkend went to Noosa, lovely coastal town, with a huge variety of people there!!! Great beach and reastarants and stayed in a unit with pool and spa which of course i made the most of!! On way back on sunday, we stopped at a beach and watched surfers.....which made me think its gonna be harder than it looked! That afternoon Chris and I went to the Gabba in Brisbane to watch aussie rules, Brisbane Lions against St.Kilda! What can i say....amazing game, what athletes they are, have to be soooo fit! Would love to teach/start the game in uk!!! Then after the game, all the crows are allowed on the pitch!! It is a tradition to race to centre.....was absolutley mental!!!!!! they all go on and play ball on there, never seen anything like it!!!Also saw players in their towels coming out of the showers after the game......why does that sort of thing never happen when i go wacth Jonny and the boys play in england, hey!!!So on Thurs evening i came to my other cousin sarah and her husband Adams house and their 4 yr old Callum! I was mean to be going to Byron Bay on Monday, however the weather here has taken a turn for the worse.....rains storms and severe wind....many beaches closed so no point going to Byron as couldnt do the surfing so i have booked flights and im going up to Cairns for the wk for some sun!!! Hope to do Byron Bay next wk!!! ON FRIDAY I COMPLETLED A Dream.....i swam with the dolphins...was out of this world and almost feels like it never happened!! I danced with a dolphin, played ball, stroked and held fins with!!! great photos as reminders of fab day! Saturday we went down to the coast no rain, just wind, saw lots of kite surfers and there was a blues festival on, which attracted a range of people!!!On way back we visited an area called millionaires row.........the most amazing houses on their own island, most with massive boats too, was quite amazing!!! obviously all drug dealers!!!Looking forward to sunbathing next wk, need to top up my tan!!! hope everyone is ok in uk!!