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G-day everyone, happy new year! Even though Christmas and New Year for us was pretty non-existant! Just like a long August bank holiday weekend, all everyone was worried about was keeping their stubbies cold, what they were gonna cook on the barbie and getting to the beach! Certainly different! But a lot more relaxing, no hassle, definitely gonna take a leaf out of their book next christmas!
So, what have we been up to since the last update? Well, we left good old Bussie on 5th Jan - got bus to Perth (4hrs) then train and bus to Scarborough Beach where we met our landlord. Managed to get a 2 bedroom apartment near beach, 100 steps and we're there! Our landlord is a right character, his catchphrase is "Hi, i'm Bill, my wife is Eve...and we believe!" He looks like Mr Tumnuss from Narnia! Mind you don't care cos the apartment is great, and cheaper than a hostel! Since arriving in Scabs we've spent most days sunning ourselves on the beautiful beach, complete with lifeguards in red and yellow hats like on TV! Waves are great fun, especially watching James get knocked flying and lose his shorts! Still not had a go at surfing yet, the new craze seems to be kite surfing or bodyboarding (still trying to find one big enough for James' belly - it's grown since India!). Spent a day looking around Perth, great city both modern and clean with parks, rivers and the usual skyscrapers! Lauren's highlight was going to the WACA - for you people that don't know thats the home of the warriors, and where we officially lost the ashes, yes i know it's hard to believe but i'm actually a cricket fan now! What's that all about! Even know a couple of the barmy army songs, now repeat after me...
"Everywhere we go...people wanna know...who we are...and where we come from...so we tell them...we're the England...the mighty mighty England...we're the army...the barmy barmy army...barmy army...barmy army...barmy army......"(with lots of claps and stubbies in the air!)
We managed to get a great aerial view of the WACA (tell you how on our return). Another confession from Lauren...Strongbow! Yes James has been a bad influence so far, but there is a reason for it. Can't take a box of wine to the beach so stubbies of Strongbow have to do, plus it stays cool in our stubbie holder! We're both starting to look Aussie-fied, tanned, fair and scruffy! Apart from that we're the same as when we left!
Feel very at home here still, making the most of our own space in the apartment. Especially our own kitchen, even had a roast dinner last week! First since England, was lovely! India seems like a lifetime ago and glad for it too! Still can't stand them, every time we see one we growl at them! The thought of a curry still makes us wanna vomit! There was an article on the news that made us chuckle this morning, a family was killed in Perth for no reason only after moving to the country a year ago. Doesn't sound funny at all but then they said they were Afghan immigrants, oh well! Someone let Tony Blair know how they manage the illegal immigrants in Oz - it certainly works!
Anyway, back to us! Our plans have changed a bit for the next leg of our trip. We pick up a 4x4 adventurer camper on 16th Jan from Perth and are going to drive along the coast to Darwin. It's not that far, in a straight line its 5000km but by the time we've been to the attractions along the way and got lost it will probably be more like 7000km. Planning to see the Pinnacles, Sharks Bay, Monkey Mia, Coral Bay, Exmouth, Karinjini National Park (full of gorges, rock formations, crocs, etc!), Karratha, Port Hedland, Broome, Fitzroy crossing and Halls Creek (Abo settlements), Kununurra, Bungle Bungles, Katherine, Litchfield, Kakadu and finally Darwin. Should take us just under one month, if we don't get caught up in a cyclone or a flash flood! Looking forward to seeing the true outback! We didn't plan to do it but after speaking to a few locals (some ex-English locals) they said its true, unspoilt Australia and can't be missed, more than we planned on spending but we think it'll be well worth it! Our van is like a Toyota Land Cruiser with a big box on the back end, should be great as we can go off-road, so keep your eyes peeled on the news for 2 english travellers causing havoc!
Hope all is well back in chilly England, they reckon its gonna be 40 degrees here on Sunday, don't know how we're going to cope with that!
If anyone can help James, he's missing out on all the footie and sports news and getting quite upset about it! He's heard that Spurs have got Arsenal in the semis and gutted he won't be going, come on you Spurs fans make it a semi to remember! Then bring on Chelsea (this years runners up). Keep him posted by text or e-mail, it'll make both our lives a lot better!
Keep those messages coming in, its great to hear from you all!
Take care, speak soon, missing you all lots!
Love Lauren and James xxxxxxx
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