Hi All - we have finally gotten around to doing another entry to let you all know what we are up to.

After a wonderful stay with Louise and Paul, we left Sydney on the 29th and stopped for a night on our way up to Byron Bay at a place called Port McQuirie. Here we met some British guys at the backpackers we were staying at and adopted one of them who wanted a lift up to Byron - Fennel is his name and he is a gentle long-haired drummer and fork-lift driver from Hereford.

Leaving the next day with terrible hangovers we left for Byron Bay and finally there arrived there 5hrs later after numerous coffees, lunch and loo stops.  Byron is full of good looking people so conversation between Bob and I was v stop and start as we admired all the boys with their tans and tops off .  New Years Eve was spent at the Beach Hotel with Fennel and a band called True Live who played hip hop with a full plethora of instruments.  Several vodkas and silly pictures later (see Oz 2 of the photo albums) the night was called to a halt at 1:30am which displeased Bob no end.  I sobered up quickly as I watched her trip, skip, fall, crall, call a friend and shout at bouncers of alternative and later opening drinking establishments for not allowing us in without paying exhorbitant fees.  She stayed up until 5am chatting to other backpackers whilst I smuggly and oldly went to bed.

We left Bryon on the 2nd after a spectacular walk up by the lighthouse and a hike down to the most easterly point of Oz where we saw some dolphins swimming off the point - see picture of beach in Oz 2 album).  From Bryon we spent two night in an odd B&B where the owner was an ex singer and lawyer and now record producer.  His partner rehabilitated Eagle Owls and was v hippy and odd.

Then up to Nimbin for a night which after 6 becomes dead!  It is quite a funny place as during the day lots of travellers come through on tours really just to buy weed - there is little else there other than some nice organic food.  There is a little hippy museum which has signs everywhere saying that selling of hash etc is illegal - you read one and then the next second you see someone pop up from a window offering you a huge bag of the stuff!

The following morning we had a problem with Eeeee - the car.  The alarm would not go off so we called the road side assitance.  The 'nice mechanic man' said that tht alarm needed to be disabled as it was obviously faulty.  However, the auto electrician was still off and the closest town was 36KMs away.  Several alternately irrate and pleading calls later the 'nice mechanic man'  said that it could be the battery in the alarm key fob - thankfully it was.  The whole morning turned from a nightmare into a wonderful day - even the sun came out as it had been raining heaviliy for 3 days.

Actually the weather was not all that great in New South Wales and has only got better since coming into Queensland.  We arrived in Brisbane on Friday 5th and stayed with Paul and Helena Morrey untill Tuesday.  Their apartment in New Farm in Brisbane is lovely and we made good use of the long pool, gym, steam room and jaccuzzi.  Paul and Helene spent the whole weekend showing us around Brisbane which is a lovely city full of greenery, the wide river with all its handy transport, and well thought out sky rizes next to suburbs of traditianal 'Queenslander' houses, great restuarants and soothing parks.  It also gave us a breather to recover from our horrible chesty coughs.

We left Brisbane on Tuesday 9th and stopped at Steve Urwin's 'Australia Zoo' which to be honest we were not too impressed with.  We are both not too keen on zoo's as we find it hard to see animals in captivity.  A lot of the animals there are native to Australian so you can see a lot of them in the wild - it feels like cheating when you see them in the zoo!  Bindy (Steve's little girl) was doing the Croc show but it was too packed for us to get in and to be honest I don't think I could have stomached the show after hearing the cheesy musical build- up they did.  It seems to me that any child coming from a Oz-US marriage (especially one so loud albeit amazing father as Steve) is going to be at least a little in-your-face and annoying - I think I have lived in England for too long!

Our next stop was Noosa Heads and I must say that its one of our favourate out of city places so far.  Needless to say it's quite exclusive in terms of shops, restuarants etc, but is also has a gorgeous river and lagoon.  We spent 2 nights in a winery B&B with great breakfasts, pool and lovely rooms.  The best meal so far was to be had here at Gusto's.  I am just going to have to describe my meal to you - starter was fresh young figs from the over wrapped in pancetta ham and sitting on goats curd with crushed walnuts, chilli and red onion.  It was so good that I think I looked like an advert for the restuarant or for 'When Harry met Sally' as I couldn't stop making moaning noises at how delicious it was.  Its official - Food is better than Sex! Or maybe the memory has just faded!  The main course was home made pasta of ravioli stuffed with prawns and garlic in a leek and butter sauce.  We decided we had to have dessert and shared a delectible lemon pie and a flourless choclate cake.  Wow it was good!!!!

We left Noosa (after deciding that going to Gusto's for lunch would not do our waistines any good) and headed for Hervey Bay which is where we are now.  It's a bit of a tacky seaside resort but it;s the gateway for Fraser Island where we are headed for a two day tour tomorrow.  We are staying in a very nice appartment with all mod cons.  After Gusto's we decided a detox fruit and veg diet was in order and we went for a run and a swim on the beach this morning! 

Fraser Island is a 200Km x 15Km island made purely from sand from long shore drift.  It is thousands of years old and so has woodland and plenty of animal life as well as crystal blue waters, lakes and lagoons to visit - so that will be good!  We are looking forwards to a few days where we get on an air-con 4WD and are taken round and shown things.  The car is fab but going it alone gets tiring!

We will write again once we have been up to the Whitsundays and done some diving.  It sounds like we are having an amazing time - and we are!

Miss you all!
Love Nes and Rhi
XXX