Glad to know I'm not totally bonkers. Couldn't believe you'd travelled so far but the map indicated you were in the north and as I hadn't a clue where Fraser Island was I just believed it! Silly me! Got it all back in perspective now.
XX Mum
Gina
Hey, superb photos. I'm checking weather and whether Rosanna's flights will go today as planned. As your Mum says the weather is foul, 70 mph winds but so far the various websites aren't showing anything cancelled. Rosanna in Melbourne on Monday to Wednesday, gets to Perth Weds at noon. She is going to Perth College so if you do go to Perth then do say hello. The Sydney fireworks looked marvellous, they did a pretty cool one from the Millenium wheel. looking forward to your next instalment. xxxxx
Sarah
Mum...we are on the East Coast - You are too quick.... you must have been checking it just as we updated it and didnt give us time to fiddle factor!! Got to dash now as going on a tour of the Township of 1770.... will email later, S xx
Mum & Dad P
Well its Friday night, thank goodness and we've just watched Big Brother> Did I say Becky has called in on her way to Coventry for Louise's birthday!! That's not fair as I can't really blame Becs as Dad and I have become a bit addicted as we have got drawn into all the controversy. Whatever next!
Your pictures are really cool, again. Love the hair. I can't believe that's you crawling out of that hole!!
Rosanna sets off to Oz this weekend so she is no doubt feeling both excited and a bit scared.
When I saw on the map and where you are I couldn't believe it. Somehow I still imagined you were on the east coast. Let us know when you have made your next plans as it's fun imagining what you are doing.
Better go and get my beauty sleep as taking Becky to the station in the am. and not too sure how we'll actually get there as chunks of Preston have been closed off with the tremendous gales and storm damage. It took me ages to get home last night and then we spent all evening with no power. Thank goodness we were ok this am. so I could have my cup of tea! I must say I was glad the tree over the stables had been sorted as it could so easily have come down. There's loads of trees been blown over and quite a few schools closed because of roof damage and flying debris, but ancient though our place is it remained unscathed.
Yes, have been in touch with Jo, thanks. Will keep you posted should I go mad and do anything crazy!!
Dad's snoring so better go,
Love MumXXXXXXXXXX
Jo R
Hello!!
Just realised that although i read your entries regularly, i haven't actually been in touch in a while- sorry!
Jealous does not even begin to describe my raging envy. I am living at home again for now with no car and feeling like a 14 year old! Reading your srcibbles reminds me there IS bigger world out there! Anyway, i've decided to do a masters in birmingham in sept- international development- so i guess that's something.
Are you gonna see danielle in se asia? Have you been reading her blog too? I really miss you both- when we are all in the same country again, one day, i am booking you two for a weekend, ok. Went to ed for new year, was so nice to catch up with people and just be there, forgotten how beautiful it is.
Anyway, HUGE hug and BIG kiss.
Jo
x
Becky
Hey guys, hope you are both well. I've been back at uni a week and a half now and thoroughly enjoying not having any exams!!Mwahahahaha!!Got an essay due in on wed but thats pretty much done and then its 2 weeks of freedom:-) Going to visit Louise at Warwick this weekend for her 21st and stopping off at home on the friday night on the way so i can check on the parents.
Been at work today. It was an hour of reading/scribing for a first year doing a mechanical engineering exam. Basically I sat there reading my book and then read the questions out loud for him when he wanted me to.....very easy money!
Apart from that i don't think ive got much to report, still not sure where i want to go on my hols, but probably won't go til summer. Been thinking of Croatia tho and then there's always new york!I'm looking forward to it although I don't want second year to end:-( Anyway, thats ages away! I think im gonna go to Lux for a week this easter and Pitt says he'll drive to Brussels to pick me up cos then its a much cheaper flight for me! But don't worry, we definatley won't be missing xmas in march with you two!
Jodie just rang me to tell me she got 68% on her last essay-the essay she spent one day on and had prob not even been to a lecture, whereas the essay ive been doing for the past 3 weeks and have been to every lecture for, ill probably fail!ah well, Pitts doing well, ill just live off his money:-)
HELLO THERE YOU TWO, I HAVE BEEN BACK AT WORK THIS WEEK AND IT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN ALL GO WITH EXTRA SUPPLY COVER NEEDED, AND THOMAS COLLECTING HIS THINGS TOGETHER TO GO BACK TO UNI. DAD TOOK HIM BACK EARLY SAT MORNING.
IT WAS THE YFC PRESENTATION NIGHT YESTERDAY AND IT WAS A GREAT EVENING. BRILLIANT FOOD (the hot carved buffet etc) STEPHEN MADE A GREAT SPEECH WITH JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF STEPHEN WIT, WHICH WAS VERY FUNNY. [It seemed strange without you there] DISCO WAS V GOOD AND EVERYONE WAS KEEN TO DANCE UNTIL LATE.
IT IS SUNDAY AFERNOON NOW AND THE SUN IS SHINING FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR AGES, BUT YES YOU GUESSED IT DOOM AND GLOOM LATER THIS WEEK RAIN AGAIN. COLD WINDS ARE STILL WITH US.
DON'T THINK WE HAVE VERY MUCH NEWS, STAPLE OAK HAS BEEN SOLD SO A NEW FAMILY WILL BE MOVING IN THERE SOMETIME.
GRANDAMA IS WELL, SIMON HAS JUST GONE DOWN TO SEE HER AND SORT OUT HIS FISHING ROD WHILST HE WAITS FOR ROB TO COME DOWN TO THE VILLAGE. WELL BEST GET ON WITH SOME JOBS NOW.BUT I WILL JUST LOOK AT YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS FIRST.
MISSING YOU LOTS, LOVE YOU XXX
Rjw
Geoff - Good luck with the OFSTED next week. You will have earned a bottle of wine or two by the weekend!
Rjw
Weather report - Been hiding inside today after yesterday when it was so hot that I thought my head was going to explode! Tip - Swimming and cold showers seem to cool me down (try it at home!)
Some really cool messages guys - thanks a lot. Will update the website with Brisbane, Noosa adventures soon. Just a few things:
Thom-ass - Good to hear that you are embracing exercise. I think your first target should be reducing the Body Fat % to around 50.
Keith - Don't make me challenge Green to a head to head - I've never seen him cry before.
Mr Tan & Ickle Faye - I'll drop you an email with NZ thoughts soon.
Marsden - Amuse him. It will just be a 'chaps' phase. He'll grow out of it.
Hazel - Spent a lot of time thinking about you whilst in Sydney. Can't wait to chat about it. What jobs are Annie going for?
See you.
Sarah
Hello everyone, really great to get back to civilisation and read all your mesages - thankyou We have just spent the last 3 days canoeing through the Noosa Everglades which was fantastic but very very remote! In fact thats one of the main reasons we liked it, because it is so quiet and off the beaten tourist trail of the East Coast beaches, which is more like a beautiful people's fashion show than true backpacking. How these people fit a ton of makeup and 27 outfits, with matching shoes and jewellery, into a backpack is bewildering!! Anyway, it was good to escape it for a while, camping by the side of a black river!!! Dyed black by the Eucalyptus oil from the bush and so absloutely lovely to swim in...you feel like you have been in a spa therapy pool when you get out. The black water meant that the reflections were amazing too - a perfect mirror, especially first thing in the morning. Camping was fun - pretty scary with stories of all the oz bush animals....we had a rather too friendly Iguana hanging about and we saw kangaroos as well as lots of bird life...oh and a St Andrews Spider which was very freaky. I developed a new walking style - with my hands infront of my face in fear of walking into a spiders web - Becky - you will sypathise!! Anyhoo, best go, lots of stinky washing to do.
Lots of love to you all, catch ya later chaps (sorry Laura!) he he,
Sarah xx
Salli
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU BOTH - Can it get any better for you??? What a fantastic trip! You will come back to an island if little green people - all envious of your adventures and experiences. Every photo has a smile on it! Your views of New Zealand are fabulous. It is high on my list of places I really want to visit as I have friends living on South Island - next year I hope.
Meanwhile it is back to school for me - I'm at a Special School for not very bright and not awfully well behaved teenagers - challenging! To balance the weekdays I have been asked to ride/train an ex-racehorse. He has raced in the Pardubichi (spelling?) and the Grand National and he is an absolute gent. Continue to enjoy - and thanks for sharing your trip with us. Cheers Salli
Hazel
Happy New Year to you both. Sounds like you had a brilliant time at new year, it brought loads of memories back for me of been stood in thousands of people all just stood gazing at the fireworks - amazing. Sarah i am definately jealous of you going to the Blue Mountains, that was definately one of my favourite trips whilst I was there, and Richard, definatley to brave for me learning to surf (to much chance of getting my leg bitten of by a shark)
Everyone here is well, actually I have just had 3 days of with a bad chest infection and now im back onto nights for a week. Gary is well he is on a course, not liking it much prefers to be learning on the job. Annie has had a interview with another one next week. Clare and Wayne are fine and Mum and Dad are going on another of there farming trips, this time it is to france in a couple of weeks. The weather here is rubbish, blowing a gale and pouring down most of the time.......nothing new there then
