Hello everybody

Well, it's been a while since I wrote a blog, although I did finally manage to get some more photos put on, which you may have already seen. How about that snake I had wrapped round my neck !!?!!

After I left Malua Bay, I went back to Sydney to help Ian look after his 3 year old granddaughter, which was good fun. We took her to see the Dugongs (sea cows) at Sydney Aquarium, but she was more impressed by the huge model of the mermaid than anything else. It was so hot in Sydney - 41 deg C at times - that we had to keep finding air-conditioned places to go, so we have now seen just about every movie that's out.

Alex and Mike came up for the Australia Day weekend (AD was 26th Jan) and we went to a party at Ian's daughter to celebrate Eric's 50th birthday, which they also used as an excuse to say "farewell" to their friends, as Sarah, Eric and the girls are moving to Holland as Eric has a job there.

On Wednesday night Ian, Sarah, Eric and I went to see Paul Kelly (an Australian singer) and THE Leonard Cohen (who is now 75) in concert. Paul Kelly was very good but the highlight was definitely Leonard Cohen. He played and sang for nearly 4 hours and it was an absolutely brilliant concert. We all really enjoyed it but didn't leave the concert hall till well past midnight and I had to be at the train station at 8.30am - not too early, considering some of the start times I've had.

I am now staying in Malua Bay for about a week. Then it's back to Sydney for a couple of days to say farewell to Eric and to re-pack my bags ready to fly to Tasmania on Saturday evening. I am doing a tour with a group for 6 days, going to all the main points round the island. I hope I haven't forgotten how to "rough it" as we'll be sleeping in dorms and preparing our own meals. It looks like a really good trip so I hope there'll be a good group of people on it.

I've just read about the next cold snap heading England's way and I hope you are not too badly affected. The temperature in Melbourne hit 45.5 deg C the other day, with overnight temperature of 33 deg C!!! They are expecting more of the same, and even hotter weather, and it looks pretty difficult for people out there.

I am now going to join Alex to watch the second men's semi-final of the Aus Open tennis tournament. We watched Federer the other night playing superbly against Andy Roddik so I hope the Nadal match is a good one.

Lots of love to everyone.

Issy

xxx