Australia

Ending up not doing a lot in coffs harbour, walked along the beach and to mutton bird island. Also went to the porpoise petting place, watched a dolphin and seal show, got to pet the dolphins afterwards. Also stroked some lizards and big python. Got to see some of the poisionous snakes as well (funnily enough we weren't allowed to pet them!!!)

Went off to byron bay on the monday. Byron is really nice. Stayed at Byron Bay YHA which was nice. The first full day in byron started off towards the light house and it rained so ended up playing cards with some German girls in the afternoon. On the Tuesday went up to nimbin and some of the places around it for the day. Nimbin can only be described as a permanant glastonbury, set up by hippies in the 70's, I think some of them think its still the 70's.

The last day in byron walked up to the light house, saw about 8 humpback whales from the most easterly point in Australia. Also saw loads of Dolphins surfing!!!! Walked up through some coastal rainforest and saw some bush turkeys and then walked back along the beach

Heading off to Brisbane next

Still no photos yet, I'm getting round to it. Slowly

From Sydney headed up to Newcastle on the 27th. The youth hostel in newcastle has free pub meals three nights a week, so had bangers and mash and then a pub quiz.

Went on a wine tasting tour of the Lower Hunter valley. Stopped at about 5-6 winerys and a cheese place and a chocolate place. Felt a bit tipsy by the end of the day. All you could eat pizza at the hostel for 6 dollars in the evening!!!

The next day went and visited BlackButt nature reserve, saw a lot of flying foxes and saw koalas. Tried to spot some whales from the beach in the afternoon. Free BBQ in the evening followed by another quiz.
The YHA in Newcastle is really good, if you ever go, big leather sofas, massive kitchen and lots of free food.

Next morning headed off to Port Macquarie. Went up to the Koala hospital, where they rescue Koalas from bush fires and road accidents. Koalas sleep more than I do, 18-20 hours a day.

Went whale watching today, saw loads of Humpback whales on the migration North to their breeding grounds.

Just arrived in Coffs Harbour today. Can't stay anymore than two nights though, as there is some sort of student games on and everywhere is booked out, was very lucky to get a place here. Staying somewhere that feels like an abandoned leisure centre.

Might go and investigate hostels in Byron bay, as its the school holidays in New South Wales and every could be busy. I think that I might try and learn to surf as well, it looks fun, if not that then maybe body boarding

No photos of oz yet I'm afraid. maybe soon, if I find a computer that has an accessible USB socket or in about a month when I burn another CD

Need to decide what to do tommorow, Middle of winter temperatures here at the moment have been about 22 degrees and very sunny!!!!! The australians have been complaining its cold!!!!!!

Finally had a chance to update my blog at last.

Arrive in Sydney from Singapore on the 17th of June. On arrival virtually went straight out to the pub, oh dear!!!

The next day wandered down to the rocks and looked at the Opera house and the Sydney harbour bridge. Then wandered around the botanical gardens. Collapsed in heap later in the afternoon.

The monday was spent organising an Australian bank account. That was far far too easy to set up. Don't need any proof of address or anything, just your passport!!!. Though I'm never complaining about bank charges at home again. Australian banks charge you for just about everything. There are bank charges for just a normal account and they just about charge every time you take cash out and probably everytime you set foot in a bank (or even walk past one). But anyway I have the sum total of ten dollars in my account, they wouldn't let me put 50 cents in!! Also sent off for my tax file number so I don't get charged tax at 49% like the rest of them!!!!!!

Took the ferry over to manly the next day and took a wander up on some of the cliff tops. Got some good photos of the bridge and the opera house from the boat.

Been getting up at stupid times to watch the football. The night Austrlia got through to the knock out stages, there were people running around the streets and horns going off everywhere at about 7 in the morning. They were quite exited before lasts night Italy game, though suprisingly quiet this morning.

On the weekend went over to the blue mountains. Went on a walk through a place called the grand canyon through some pretty amazing rain forest, crossing creeks and walking up some very steep steps. There were some amazing views as well. The blue mountains are so called because of the oil given off by the euclaptus trees creates a blue haze over the place. Got very close to some Kangeroos as well!!! and that was just the morning. The afternoon was spent walking around the three sisters and down the furbur stairs and up the steepest railway in the world. I particulary liked the safety signs they had up at the bottom, typical australian humour.

"Please keep your arms and legs in the train, Arms and legs are difficult to replace" and "Please don't leave valuables, infants and cameras on the seat next to you, no responibility for lost or damaged items". I particulary liked the way infants came after valuables!!

Stayed in Katoomba for the night. The next day went horse riding in the megalon valley, (an aborignal word meaning valley under the cliff). Made the mistake of looking vageuly competent on the first horse I got on and immediately got put on one that I would acutually have to control which was nice, given that the girl in front had one that wouldn't move at all at times and kept on disappearing off in the wrong direction. Our guide for the riding was an 11 year old girl!!! Was a bit doubtful about this to start, but she was very good, made sure we all kept up, whilst trying to control her very flightly horse. Though she seemed to think that I might like to jump over a few logs (I was riding her old horse). After explaining that wouldn't be a good idea, as I was stuggling enough as it was. After a days walking and three hours horse riding I couldn't walk very well the next day!!! The blue mountains were also freeezing!!!!!!

Hobbled around darling harbour the next day and went to the aquarium, forgot my camera, so have no pictures. I've now identified all the beasties I don't want to get bitten, stung or eaten by. Its safe to say that I'm not going anywhere near the water here. If you don't get stung by a box jelly fish, you'll probabably get eaten by a shark or taken out to sea by a rip or a attacked by a blue ring octupus or something. The fresh water isn't much better, apparently duck billed platapus have venomous claw and then theres the crocodiles to worry about and I've not even started on the snakes and spiders yet.

Anyway this is getting long. I'm waiting to get on a bus to Newcastle. Debated whether to get work in sydney or not, but decided to go up the coast, going to go to bondi etc when the weather is better, its been raining here quite a lot and its not exactly sun bathing weather. (oh and I'm not going surfing, see reasons above).