Hellooooooooo.... Well after finally leaving our beloved Fiji we arrived in a very cold Sydney. Lucky for us we had our ponchos.....hahahahaha that was a sight walking through Kingscross..... So we arrived and stayed at an awesome hostel called the funk house with our new friend Jimmy, who we met on the plane from Fiji and who had a similar plan to us, head up the east coast, and then he was flying from Cairns, as we had decided to travel back down the east coast and head to Melbourne see some mates and then over to Perth to see family. Well that is kind of what we did do, although after spending a few days in Sydney we bumped into an old schoolfriend from the isle of wight who had a van to sell, so after looking at Betty the beast, or the maroon magic flyer, we decided that a deal was a deal and we would have her. So Jimmy helped in paying for the fuel as far as he wanted to go, and we started to drive...... It was so cool driving over the harbour bridge in Sydney, especially in a camper.... 'Off we went wind in our hair and a house with wheels happy to take us' So after driving up to Seal rock and checking out the views from the lighthouse we headed further up the coast, 3 staying in the camper was fun, if not a little cozy but we figured if we all went head to toe we had heaps of room, but we had to find flat ground to park on, which is easier said than done!!!! It started to rain, probably on the second day into our adventure, and this is where we realised that Betty had a few holes.............in the roof!!!!!!! So sleep that night was very interesting is not a little damp, However our new panel beater Kimmy, fixed the holes with some putty filler and off we popped again.......... Slowly, as you do in a camper, on our third day and we stopped for some fuel.... all good, however 10 minutes up the road, Betty started to smoke........ and then bellow with smoke..... Kimmy pulled over and we lifted the seat only to see Oil and water pouring out of our little steed..... Not sure what to do, we did what every english person would do in our situation... make a cuppa tea..... Then back to the problem solving, so we sent Jimmy to thumb down a lift to the next petrol station and get us some help, After a very feeble attempt Kimmy jumped into action with me following and we managed to thumb a road train........good work me thinks... so we sent Jimmy on his way and had another cup of Tea. He returned bearing bad news that we would have to be towed to the next town which would cost, but the guy who brought him back to us and Betty decided to have a look under the bonet, after 30 minutes of poking about he said we would be ok to limp to the next town ourselfs as she was running again, so not wanting to give up on the girl, we all jumped in, said goodbye to the aussie helper and started again, only to pull across the road and for her to stop completely, 'oh' the engine was running fine, but we later found out that the excelerator cable had slpped out hence no movement when i put my foot down..... So we had to be towed, so off we went to Kew....... ever heard of it???? Nope neither have we or any other person it would seem as if you blink you will miss the town. It has three garages and a pub/hotel and a corner shop.... thats it..... So Kew was our new home for 3 days... 'yes' 3 while they sorted the little lady out!!! Sorted her out, and managed to disconnect the indicators in the process... and told us to sell her as soon as possible as she really wouldn't make it far at all..... So three sad travellers set off to get to Byron Bay, where we had a few friends staying and knew we could at least stay for a few weeks and try to sell her. So off we popped, and after heading through Coffs Harbour, Kimmy noticed a Surf Museum on the side of the road, so we headed in to check out the boards and pics...... only to start chatting to Scott Dillon...... no-one to you lot but a legend within the surfing community, he was a great shaper and big wave rider, but now runs a small business and makes a few boards now and then and is just a legendary guy. Well, bless him he offered for us three to spend the night at his house, cooking a meal and watch the boxing, and after checking out surf Films....... just what we needed to pick our spirits up. So off we popped the next morning with dreams of waves inn our heads as we neard Byron Bay. The only thing was we notices everyone seemed to be heading to Byron that day, and later found out that it was splender in the grass, a big weekend festival.... cool cool.... So we parked up, used a Hostels showers and popped off to find somewhere to park the van for the night, as luck would have it we met another guy in a camper who was also looking for a place to stay so we teamed up and found a plot of land at the end of a road where after asking the neighbours we could stay for the weekend.... Brilliant!!!!! Byron was lovely, and most of all the beaches were amasing!!! Both of us fell in love with the character filled town and decided to hang out for the week with work in mind. Unlucky for us, we did find work but need to have the work visa to go with it, after looking around discovered that we really couldn't get a job without one, well we probably could have but if we had been caught it would be goodbye Australia from us both for the next 3 years!!! So after meeting a couple of locals who let us paint and redecorate for accomadation we were set on staying for a little longer. We then met some people down at the main beach one day while trying to figure out where to camp for the evening. Typical Frenchys they were camped on the main street of Byron and hadn't been moved on for 3 nights, so taking the chance and having just met an old mate from New Zealand, Pete, we decided to park up on the main street and hang with Pete in his hostel. We met the Frenchys again, all in the hostel and it turned out that they used the hostel for the showers and Kitchn but didn't pay a penny and slept in the van. So, a new plan in mind, well a new money saving plan in mind, and we did the same as our new European friends, Bak, Jerome and Marco. We had a great week, going to the beach to swim and we saw dolphins pretty much every day. One unlucky day we had decided the night before that a whole group from the hostel would go with us in Betty and Bak in Sheela to the beach 15 minutes down the road, so all eagar to get on we jumped in the vans and started to head off up the main street of Byron, only to find, Betty had had enough of us all an stopped working, well stopped in the way that the exccelorator wasn't working AGAIN!!!!!! What a sight it was, 12 people all pushing Betty up the main street, you should have seen the faces of all the people looking at us, and i really wish we did get pictures of the event, but a nice little lap done and we got back to our original parking place and parked up........ Bak the star managed to bundle us all in the van and off we went to the beach with Betty left on the side of the road....... Something she would soon become used to.... That evening we got back to the hostel and were chatting to our mate Aaron who said he would have a look at Betty for us, turns out the transmission oil had gone, so added a bit more and off she went again, happy as pie, although drinking the oil like it really was going out of fashion, she had a leak and a big one at that!!!!! Anyways a few more days went by, and by this point we had parked Betty in the carpark of the hostel and used the whole place but slept in the van.... always thinking us!!!! Anyways one morning Jerome came out to see us, and said that the reception had asked him what room he was staying in, and that he really couldn't go back into the hostel as he managed to escape the receptionist by saying he wasn't sure of the room number and would go and have a look, runninng away. So Bak and Marco decided that they would drive back to Sydney as they all had work there and could start the next day, so Me and Kimmy decided that we had better leave Byron and head down to Melbourne to see Jonno and Raymo, and hopfully get some work with Jonno. So we all headed off.... on convoy...... Two little campers popping away..... After a few hours i could tell that Betty really wasn't happy and by this time the indicators had gone again!!!!! So she really wasn't road worthy, we pulled over for something to eat and to have a rest, but decided that the money we would have to fork out on oil and fuel would be a rediculus amount, plus we would have to continue the journey on our own as Bak was on a mission to get to Sydney in one night. So after thinking it through, and also realising that Betty wasn't in our names yet, we left her, Keys in and loaded up Baks Van with our stuff and off we drove in Sheela, Poor little Betty left behind!!! At first we were quite upset about it as we really wanted to drive around Australia, but then we figured out how much money we had saved over the time that we had been sleeping in her and it appeared that we had actually saved money.... and had a brilliant time on the way up to Byron, plus we both know a lot more about Vans now!!!!!!!! So to Sydney we headed, a little detour before Melbourne, but we made it in a night, yep a night, not a week like it had taken us in Betty!!! hahahaha So after seeing Sydney again, we headed off to Bondi beach where we bumped into a couple of boys from the island that both me and Kim know and who are living over here!!!! We spent a great afternoon and early evening catching up with them and they gave us so much info about coming back to Aus. So off we headed to Melbourne, saying sad goodbyes to our new European friends, we headed off on the night bus, which no-one catches as you really can't sleep on the thing!!!! back to good ole public transport although this was a different one, as it was early into Melbourne, not by 5 minute, but by an hour!!! have you ever heard of that... a bus actually early?????? So we saw the sights of Melbourne and finally got in touch with our friend Raymo, who, bless him, put us up for just over a week. Unfortunately he had to work while we were with him, but he had a lovely get together on the saturday with his girlfriend making the best Chinease food.... amasing!!!!!! Thanks Raymo!!!!! Jonno also came to see us over the weekend, and he treated us with members tickets to the Football, Adelaide v's the West Coast Doggers.......... probably means as much to you guys as it dd to us, as this wasn't football but Aussie rules, with no idea of the rules and far too many players on the pitch at any one time, we had a great introduction to the sport and are now hooked!!!!!! We booked our flights to Perth the following week, and after getting some great directions from Raymo.....thank you my dear, you actually sent us to the wrong Airport....... 'Oh yes' only we would go to the wrong airport!!! We caught a train and then a bus and got to the only airport we thought, but 'OH NO' there are two in Melbourne and the one we needed to be at was the other one!!!!! typical!!!!! So we managed to get a taxi and with an hour left to go made it to the airport and got on the plane............. phew!!!!!!!! So Nan and Pap Dyer met us at the airport, both looking eager to hear all about our trip so far, but in all the excitement pap lost the car in the car park....... hahahahaha, so finally getting to the house, cup of tea and a good chat about what we have been up to, they both had to leave us over the following few days for a holiday they had both booked months back. Thankfully we were the new house sitters of the house and my Aunty has given us her car so we can drive around and check out perth! Marc and louise (old family friends) looked after us over our first weekend in Perth, Firstly taking us to Freemantle, which was really cool checking out the market, and then Marc treated us to taking us out with his friends to see the football... big game, Eagles and Freo........ really good game, but a far too many pints later leaving us with a hangover and a half. Marie (Marks Mum) then arranged for us to stay at her house for a few days and see her town of Mandara, Beautiful city just south of Perth, but what we didn't realise is that Poor Marc made it into hospital with his appendix having to be taken out!!!! nothing to do with the football drinking!!! Promise!!!!! So a few days with Marie, and i think we managed to leave her with a hangover and a half and headed back to Perth, which pretty much brings us up to date. We have both caught up with Katrina (a uni mate from London) and Fiona (an old mate from School in Aus when i lived here) and Kimmy has some spiffing new Ugg boots.......... 'Oh' and we are going to spend about two weeks on a farm up north looking after sheep!!!!!! hahahahaha, more to be told about that little adventure when we get back from the farm, but i'm sure much fun will be had!!!!!! So that should be about it for now folks!!!!! I hope you have enjoyed the update as much as we have...... Take care and love to you all!!!!!!! Enjoy and see you soon xxx