Seems like months since we left England. Train journey from Bangkok to Singapore was very interesting, Thai families we befriended who were going on a religous retreat, grumpy guards, friendly guards, delays and problems with the line at Butterworth. Sleeping berths were very good as were the first class seats on final day train which were very similar to business class airline seats. A journey on three separate trains of over 2000 kilometres for less than one hundred pounds per person. When crossing borders into Malaysia and Singapore we had to take all baggage off the train pass through customs and get back on again. Easy in Malaysia but not Singapopre. We took opportunity to visit Penang whilst waiting for our connection at Butterworth. Good flight to Sydney and our apartment/hotel is ideally situated with rooms on one side overlooking the Bridge/Opera House and on the other Elizabeth Bay close to where the Sydney to Hobart yacht race starts on Boxing Day. We have stayed in both either side of our venture in to the Blue Mountains where the weather was not as good but managed to get some good walking in at Katoomba and Blackheath and made a trip on the steam Zig-Zag line.Train journey Sydney to Katoomba was fantastic. Sydney is a fantastic city and in addition to visiting Manly and Bondi beaches we have seen a show at the Opera House and climbed the Harbour Bridge. Favourite haunts are The Rocks and Darling Harbour.Christmas is very different here in Sydney.Coincidence has struck again as on our second day here we bumped into Eddy Bird an ex colleague of mine from Shipley who now works on a cattle farm further north and is known as Pommie Ed on the rodeo circuit. We are due to meet up with him again in Rockhampton. Wishing all friends and family a very Happy Christmas and New Year.Indra cooked a fabulous Xmas lunch on our two ring apartment cooker and later in the day we spent a couple of hours on Bondi Beach to savour Xmas Ozzie style even with a christmas tree in the sand. Boxing Day we plan to watch the start of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race and the day after we start our journey north.