I know I know, I'm rubbish at updating this site. I trust you all had a fantastic Christmas, and hope you have a happy and peaceful new year.

I've done so much within the last couple of months that I'm actually excited about writing this entry : ) ......here it goes.....

So, Sydney. I liked this place as it has lots to offer; It's a City I could live in. Hilde (the local I'd met - somehow) had generously shown me around various parts of Sydney, including The Rocks (the eldest area), the renound 6km walk from Coogee to Bondi (via the beaches), The Opera House, Harbour Bridge and The City; passing on her knowledge all the while.

Having stayed with Vinny and Justin for a wee bit, Andy and I moved into a studio flat in Annandale. I attended a birthday party that first evening and that's where I'd first meet the Scottish girls who lived within the complex. Louise, Stacey, Dani and I went out afterwards, and would become good friends of mine. They would later introduce us to Shane and Sam....good boys. I met up with Steve again and went to a basketball game with him (Sydney Kings Vs. Perth Wildcats). What an amazing game, going right to the wire - excitment galore. More sports came in the form of David Beckham, as his LA Galaxy team visited to play an exhibition match against Sydney FC. Sydney won 5-2, however Becks scored a trademark 30 free-kick, making the spectacle worthwile, the 80,000 people packed into the Olympic Stadium agreed.

Two lads I know from home (Dave and Mark) arrived in Sydney during their travels. It was good to catch up with them over some beers and transmit our travel stories to one-another. I spent a fair amount of time withthose lads, who were followed to Sydney by another friend Tommy. The Scottish girls' freind Mel also arrived. As niether of us were working, we spent some time together also, taking in the Botanical Gardens and Parks surrounding the river.

Andy, Vinny, Justin and I thought we'd treat ourselves to a boys weekend. On the Friday, the four of us went for dinner on top of the AMP Tower (the tallest building in Sydney) at the rotating restaurant for sunset (amazing views), followed by a night out. On the Saturday, we went to the Australia Vs. New Zealand one-day cricket match at the SCG (Sydney Cricket Ground). We'd only see half a dozen overs due to rain, we were satisfied though.

Alex, Leon, Jamie, Paul, Craig and Dawson arrived in Sydney in quick succesion. My social diary became a bit messy. A group of us went and climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge at sunset, which took about four hours, again providing some spectacular views of the City. Then........ten of us went up the coast to Crescent Head for a weekend of surfing. Steve lent us his 4x4 convertable jeep for the trip - a big thanks to him for that. I'll admit, I'm not the best surfer out there, however I managed to stand up on a few occasions - I was more than happy with my progress. The word skinny dip comes to mind next; I won't be going into detail.

Onto Christmas day. Pretty much all of us went to a beach festival in Bondi (which is where we'd stayed having vacated the flat). The festival turned out to be a great idea and kept us going through till late. This'll be the time when I first meet Lucy. I was wearing Andy's Santa outfit when she joined a few of us for drinks by the beach. At about midnight, I recieved a planned call from home. My family were all sat together having christmas dinner while I was on the speaker phone. Rather earily, this was the first time I had felt any home sickness. We filled our time in Bondi with beach cricket et cetera...

Vinny's family (who came to visit him) kindly invited Andy and I over to their place on Boxing day, it was nice meeting his parents, brother and sister. They would join us on New Years Eve. Typically, we decided to buy some dissposable BBQ's, food and drink; we found a great spot by the river bank opposite the Sydney Opera House to watch the fireworks on the Harbour Bridge - they didn't dissapoint; the twelve minute show of exploding gun-powered was an amazing specticle.

Lucy and I went to the Aquaruim by the Harbour, which gives a close-up of the Sea-life that reside in the Australian Shores - well worth a visit! Then came a day of goobye's. I went for a drink with Hilde to voice my thanks to for; I really hope to see her again in future. I made a few calls bidding farewells to good friends. The initial eight of us went for The Last Supper; an emotional time considering the amount of time I'd spent with Vinny, Justin and the girls over the last five months. I've just found out that the lads will be in Bangkok towards the back end of April, so we'll meet up for a week before I go home.

So Andy, Leon, Jamie and I left Sydney heading to Byron Bay. We stopped off at the Blue Mountains en route, taking in the fantastic scenery that it has to offer. Our ten-hour overnight drive up the coast was, well, gruelling. We arrived in the early morning and couldn't find any accomadation. It's lucky that we'd hired a ar as we had to stay about twenty KM's out of Town. Our hopes of doing some surfing were wiped out due to the relentless bad wheather. We managed some before Leon and Jamie drove back to Sydney a few days later to catch their flights. I think they enjoyed their time in Australia - I hope they did.

Andy and I stayed on, meeting up with April (who lives there - we met her in New Zealand), then Becky and Amanda (who we'd met in Fiji). We all went to a Sneaky Sound System concert (a big band in Oz); great night had by all. Andy flew back to Sydney as he had some unfinished business there, leaving me in Byron. I lost my wallet (which was already a replacement from loosing my first one in Peru). Fortunately, some fella found it and kindly handed it into the hostel I was staying out - a decent and honest act, thankyou, whoever you are! I met a Canadian girl called Shannon, who I spent some time with; stunning looking, but she didn't know it. I burdened her with my company for a few days, along with Lucy who'd arrived in Bryon just as Andy left. I made several bike-rides up to Byron Lighthouse, Australia's most easternly point where, in season, you can spot Whales and Dolphins migrating North.

Lucy and I had arranged to go to a music festival for my birthday weekend. The Aussie fellas we were due to go with had lost their car keys and so we knocked that plan of the head after a few hours of looking for them. Gues where the keys were the whole time........in the pocket of the jeans one of them were wearing the whole time - absolute dickhead (pardon my words), how stupid can a man be (that isn't a question inviting responses)?

I had two birthday celebrations (naturally). On the Friday (birthday eve), Lucy, Shannon, Sam (who had arrived in Byron), a few others and I went out. They generously bought my drinks and contributed to a great night; this would be the last time I saw Shannon and Sam; yet more farewells', I detest them. The following morning (birthday day), Lucy and I rose out of bed early to go Dolphin Kayaking. As part of a tour group, we'd kayak out past the Bay into the calm waters. Lucy and I spotted some Dolphins in the distance, they soon sorrounded us, dozens of them, right up close. This was as good an experience that I had with my family went we went swimming with Dolphins in Florida in 2006. Well worth the money....incredible! So Lucy and I caught a bus to Surfer's paradise...

Lucy and I caught a bus to Surfer's Paradise. Rather fortuitously, there was large a bar crawl on the evening of my birthday; we couldn't not go. T'was a good day, we went for dinner first and had a fun-filled evening. The place we were staying at had entered into a lawn bowls competition the following day. I teamed up with a coupls of Northern English lads and progressed to the Semi's, jut missing out to some Aussie regulars - cheats!!! A group of us went to the water park and spent a couple of days playing any sport we could find - loved it.

Onto Brisbane where I'd scheduled my flight to arrive in Singapore, meeting the boys at the Airport. Whilst in Brisbane, Lucy and I sepent some time haning out with a few people we'd met up the Coast. We also hired a car for the day to visit Australia Zoo (also known as Steve Irwin Zoo). It's easy to see why he attained legendery status in Oz, he'd done so much to help his native animals prospire.


All in all, I loved Oz. I made some good freinds and some some unforgetable experiences with them. Bring on South East Asia.

As I write (5/2), I'm now in Bangkok, having travelled through Singapor and Malaysai along the way. Another blog will follow this. I'd had a coupld of strange experiences whilst I've been on my own, and also lost my Ipod having left it on the plane.

Until next time- take care!

xPx