Hello from Hanmer Springs! We've packed a lot into our two days here - we first visited the hot springs, where natural gases and minerals heat the water up... it was amazing being outside in any one of the ten (count em!) pools and having snowy mountains all around us and actually being hot! Today we went snowboarding on the Hanmer ski area. After a scary drive up the mountain on the shuttle bus (think the tightest and steepest corners you've ever driven aroun...

Hello everybody from very chilly South Island, New Zealand! We arrived here on Tuesday and picked up our campervan (named Elizabus... or Lizzie for short as she looks like a bus and has Lizards painted on her!) Since we've been here we've been doing some shopping for warm clothes (essential) and slippers, and Ugg boots and food to stock up Lizzie's cupboards. We've also been doing a bit too much sleeping - twelve hours a night, but I guess we need it... catch...

Wow we had a really busy time in Sydney catching up with people (and meeting new ones) and seeing all the sights of such a busy place. We spent time with Fleur's Aunt and Uncle, Nancy and Alan, and with Karen's cousin Karen (yes, just to confuse things - same name!) It was really great to see/meet them all and have some insider info on where to go and what to do in the city and surrounding areas. Also, it was a wonderful break from staying in hostels! We mana...

Last time we updated the journal we were on our way to the surf camp, which was at Crescent Head. We had two days of surf lessons and spent a night at the camp. We got there late afternoon and got our wetsuits then headed to the beach, which was stunning and we were the only people on it! We spent about half an hour going through stuff on the beach and warming up, and then hit the surf. There was a really strong rip tide so it was hard work getting out, but goo...

Gday from New South Wales! We are not in Byron Bay, where the weather sucks but the beaches are nice! We came here from Brisbane via a trip to a Zorbing centre. For those of you who have yet to look at our photos, zorbing involves being put in a big inflatable ball with water in and rolling down a steep hill... very fun... slightly odd though... Feels like you're in a washing machine (not that I've ever been in one... I don't think...) and at the end you have t...