Seems like a while since I've posted an update, so here's a quick summary of what I've been up to.

On Friday, I took a day trip to the Blue Mountains, which was yet another awesome natural spectacle, and a good day out.

On Saturday, I managed to go for a run - and quite a long one too, helped by running through the botanical gardens and round the Opera House. I can definitely see the attraction of Sydney...

Later on Saturday, I went to Bondi Beach, where I saw a rainbow - rain on Bondi Beach not exactly what I was expecting. I then met up with Barb and Rog, friends of Barnesy - hello Tiger! Had a really good afternoon, which involved drinking 5 or 6 pints by 7pm. I was invited to an evening out by a friend of theirs, with his rugby-playing friends - as I was eating pie and mash as stomach liner at Pie Face, I had a rare flash of common sense which told me that meeting up to drink with rugby players when I had a 5 pint head start probably wasn't the most sensible course of action. I went back to the hotel, had a nap and watched the Cup Final in bed instead - I must be getting old...

And yesterday, Ben (old schoolfriend) came to pick up me from the hotel and I spent the day with him and his family - Liz, and sons Will, Sam and Tom. His mum Shirley is also over visiting at the moment, so they had a real houseful. The boys are great fun, extremely tiring and slightly bonkers - where do kids get their energy from? I found that the lowest impact way I could entertain them was sending them off to race each other round trees - worked for a while until they got bored.

After I was shown Aunty Betty in a family photograph, I managed to successfully identify her in the next seven consecutive photos (it helped that they were all taken on the same day and she was wearing the same clothes). This impressed the boys so much that I was presented with a certificate awarding me honorary uncle status, an honour not bestowed lightly. The family are visiting Northumberland in October - it would be great to catch up and see if I'm still venerated then...

This morning I'm sitting in Ben's office, waiting for Rog and Barb to pick me up for a tour around the Hunter Valley and associated vineyards - can't wait! I'm then off to (the other) Newcastle tomorrow, and Hong Kong Wednesday - where Louise will join me on Friday for her holiday. It'll be strange to leave English-speaking territory, and I'll be very glad of her company for the journey into and through China. Really looking forward to it.

Right, that's all for now folks - has anyone bought the Toon yet?