Well I am writing this quite a while after I left Australia as I have been both busy and lazy up until now!!! The last time I wrote in my blog I was in Sydney and enjoying myself immensely! I stayed in Sydney until the 14th April 2005 when I left to travel some more of the East Coast. I was very sad to leave Sydney as I had been there for such a long time and the "Blue Parrot" had become quite a home. I had made so many friends that it was difficult to leave them but I also knew I would probably see them again up the East Coast in some pub or another!! Ha!!

Thus on the 14th April I left Sydney and headed by train up to Newcastle. I was only there for a few days and before long set off, with some of the friends I thought I had left in Sydney, in Steve`s car up to Port Macquarie. It was here in Port Macquarie that I teamed up with Eren and Caroline and a Pink Floyd van! We headed to Coffs Harbour, Byron Bay, Nimbin, Surfers Paradise and then onto Brisbane. It was great fun, although I was a bit apprehensive at first as I am not the camping sort even if it is in a campervan!! It was great fun though and we had a laugh playing many a game of cards and drinking goon (cheap wine!). The weather was nice and the beaches were beautiful. Along the way I saw wild dolphins, koalas and some waterfalls. I had a great time in the campervan. It was quite an experience and we had a lot of fun!! Thank you Caroline and Eren!

Anyway we dropped the campervan off at Brisbane and checked into a hostel where some of our friends were. Most of the Blue Parrot "crew" stayed here in the end too (including my good friend Jonathan)! Again Brisbane was great fun and I had a really good time there. I stayed there for a few months and worked a bit. It was wonderful to spend more time with my Sydney/Blue Parrot friends and we had some great times. I also got to go to Australia Zoo, and see Steve Irwin, which was a great day out. Eventually the time came in June 2005 to leave and I once again had to leave eveyone. It was sad but I was also happy, and lucky, to be doing more travelling and to be going with such a wonderful person as Nicky. Thank you Nicky!!

Nicky and I got the Oz bus up to Noosa, Hervey Bay, Frasier Island, Kroombit, Airlie Beach, the Whitsunday Islands, Magnetic Island, Mission Beach and finally Cairns. Here is a sum up of my trip - in Rainbow beach I painted a boomerang. On Frasier Island I camped for 3 days and drove a 4 x 4 on the beach ......whilst it was raining and you could hardly see! Not to mention the numerous times we got stuck!! It was freezing at night but we saw some beautiful lakes and it was fun driving the 4 x 4..... even though it broke down (which may have been my fault because I left the lights on)! In the Town of 1770 we drove scooters around. In Kroombit we stayed on a cattle ranch for the night. We sailed the Whitsundays on "Pegasus" which was an experience!! We did some snorkelling and got to see some cool fish. It was amazing!! It was sad leaving Nicky on Magnetic Island but I was hoping to see her again in Cairns. I really enjoyed the East Coast and got to see some wonderful things.

After the East Coast I headed to Alice Springs where I went on a tour of Ayers Rock, The Olgas, Kings Canyon and Rainbow Valley. I was camping again which was quite fun but again it got cold at night. The food was really good though!! Ayers Rock was impressive and huge!! Getting to see this part of Australia was also a great experience and a wonderful treat! After Alice Springs I went back to Sydney where I stayed, for about a week, until mid July - when I flew to Japan! I had a great time in Australia and I met some great people but I was ready to get a full time job and settle somewhere different for a while!! Although, I do miss all the friends I made - I will remember my time in Australia fondly because they helped to make it such a great experience! Thank you!