Well, alot of stuff to report back on and one event in particular which was very exciting/shocking so you will have to sit on the edge of your seats for that!! Here goes... WEDNESDAY Today we woke up early for our Blue Mountains day trip, which was about an hour and a half drive out of the city. We arrived at Wentworth Falls at 10:30ish which was to be our first stop in the Blue Mountains ranges. We walked for about 45 minutes and came out of the dense forest to a viewpoint overlooking the valley below us and Wentworth waterfall itself. We then carried on to the waterfall, which was pretty timid, as the area has not had proper rainfall for about 100 years! Disappointing waterfalls aside, the Blue Mountains were not lacking in picturesque views, and we left Wentworth Falls to make our way to Echo Point, where the 'Three Sisters' rock formation stood. Naturally, we indulged in the necessary touristy photo-taking behaviour before turning our attention to the free wine tasting that was happening inside the information centre. After sampling an interesting chardonnay and a dodgy merlot, we set off round the cliff top to the meeting point about an hour away. It was good to get some fresh air and some exercise, and I felt thoroughly invigorated by the time we arrived at our meeting point. We regrouped and boarded the bus for the second part of our tour, which was a trip to a wildlife park, so expect more kangaroo-feeding, wombat-cuddling behaviour! However, it was on the way there that it happened... While innocently resting at some traffic lights at a busy junction, about 15 minutes away from the wildlife park, we were smashed into from behind by a lorry whose brakes had failed as it was approaching the intersection. We were shunted out about 10 metres into the intersection, with the screech of metal on metal and the sound of shattering glass all around us. Everyone woke up from their slumbers to the chaotic scene and luckily there was not much traffic going across the junction at the time, so we were not hit from the side, but we were all sitting at the back of the bus so felt the force of the impact quite substantially. I was sitting next to a man whose leg had been forced under the seat in front of him, so Harry and I, with the aid of some truckers who had seen the accident, helped edge him out from under the seat. The emergency services responded amazingly and soon the scene was awash with flashing sirens, policemen, ambulance men, and firemen. We were rounded up and assessed for any damages, yet thankfully there were no serious injuries: one girl had whiplash and the guy I was sitting next to had twisted his knee, but apart from that it was just sore necks all round! After giving the police our details and being thoroughly checked over, we went across the road to a café where we waited for a bus to come out and pick us up. We waited for a good 45 minutes, hungrily accepting the generous offer of free chips from the café's staff, and then our driver decided he would pay for us all to get on the train back to the city. We boarded the train and sat down to try and take in the whole ordeal, talking it over in dazed conversation. Before we knew it, we were back at Central station, so we walked back to the hostel and treated ourselves to Thai for dinner. Alas, no wildlife park, but an experience that I'm sure will stay with us for the rest of our lives!! THURSDAY Today we were off to Manly, a suburb of Sydney with a very famous and apparently beautiful beach to its name. We got the ferry from Circular Quay providing some excellent photo opportunities of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, but I, in true muppet style, forgot my camera, so was reduced to using the rather less comprehensive photographic equipment on my phone! However, the little phone did me proud and I did actually get a few good pics of the infamous landmarks. Once on Manly, we headed straight for Manly beach where, we were told, we could get some of the best fish and chips around. The rumours were all true, and we munched on freshly caught and battered fish by the sea, watching the joggers and pram-pushing mums go by. After our delicious fare, we strolled along the beach itself, admiring the surfers who were blowing away the day's cobwebs with a spot of high-octane, water fuelled fun. Upon walking back along the promenade, we happened to bump into 3 members of the currently visiting English Rugby Union team, who were going for a bit of a frolic with their body boards. Needless to say Harry and I mugged them for a photo opportunity, so that was an added bonus to our day. (It was Andy Goode, Mark van Gisbergen, and Peter Richards in case you were wondering!) We slowly trudged back up to the ferry terminal and made our way back to Circular Quay, providing the chance for some more cell phone-camera heroics from my little Motorola! Upon arriving back at the hostel, we decided that we were all in the mood for a few drinks, so we drank 3 litres of 'goon' (boxed wine) and a bit of raspberry vodka and orange juice. We then went and collected our free drink from the hostel bar, got some food, and went back to the room for a couple more drinks and bed. Deep sleep ensued, and for once, no one complained about my sleep talking when we woke up the next morning! Hope that was nail biting enough and I'll fill in friday for you soon! See ya, love to everyone xxxxx