Pool of reflection

Today we have purchased our Grey hound ticket for the east coast and our trip for the Whitsundays.  It took a lot of organising, but its done now and I am glad it is!

The girls went on their secret shopping adventure, so I went over to the park with the boys, played cricket for the first time in my life and soaked Grant in the pool of reflection at Hyde Park, which gained me a soaking in return of ice cold water.

Had the best Spaghetti Bologenese cooked for us for dinner by Mike tonight too, it was delish!

Coogee Beach

Had a girls day at the beach today with Jackie and Lauren.  Another new beach that I hadn't been to yet, called Coogee.  Gratnt tagged along too - got himself a little pinked up after falling asleep and is resembling something of a lobster now!

Tonight I am playing my first game of Polka with the boys, so looking forward to that.

Summer bay

We have taken a trip to another beach today called Palm beach but most of you all know it as Summer bay from Home and Away.

We have had a really fun day here today though, I was buried in the sand by Mike and Jay, clothes, money, cards and all...

Then when I went to wash all the sand away I lost most of my bikini in the waves! I am just pretty pleased there is a dip in the sand to the sea is all I can say!

Tonight we are going to the pub to watch the Tottenham, Villa match so looking forward to seeing how much its raining its home on the TV...

Christmas Eve Autopsy

So here goes last night...

• Lauren in bed at 10pm
• Neesha in bed at 11pm
• Jenny in hospital by 12pm
• Jay was knocked out
• and Mike pulled...

So today our hangovers are pretty heavy!  It turns out we had our drinks spiked, so I guess we have learned our lessons from that one and I am pretty lucky that I got to sleep it off pretty early in the evening!

We haven't made it to the beach but we have made it to Pizza Hut which is our version of Christmas lunch!

Christmas Eve

Well we are a little ahead of you here, but its Christmas eve already and we are planning on getting very dressed up tonight and going out!

We are going out shopping for some Christmas lunch first thing this morning thought and then I am off to get my hair done, so that I look slightly less like a hippy traveler for the evening!

Happy Christmas Everyone!

Bondi Beach

Today we took our first trip to Bondi, which I wasn't too impressed with to be completely honest.  It was pretty windy and full of people with nothing much to do if you can't surf... maybe some surfing lessons should come in order!

Although if I had to chose between Southend-on-sea and here... guess where I would pick?  The six packs on show here aren't the kind that you buy in Tesco!

Here's a visual for you:

You can take the boys out of Essex but you can't take the Essex out of the Boy

So last night we went out to the Side Bar like I said and we had an amazing time.  We have made some new friends from the delightful Canvey Island who I apparently had been working right next to in the city before we left for the round the world trip!

Had the best night last night since I left home and was introduced to the Australian alternative to a pint (a schooner) and the drink that went into it: a snakebite!

Who knew it rained in Australia?

Well it does, and last night it rained a lot.  It sounded like it was going to come through the window.  The weather looks much better this morning though, which is the main thing, but there are still lots of clouds.  The weather isn't supposed to be great on Christmas day either - so we will have to see...

source: destination360.com

We are going to try and go to the beach today though, not sure which one but I am sure it will probably be the famous Bondi!  So we are hoping it brightens up, so that once Jay has his 'bomb' (the thing the hospital has on him to monitor his heart) taken off today we can take a trip there to see what all the fuss is about!

Syndey Harbor

Today we have had a wonder around the city and its amazing.  I completely love it.  We have taken a trip to the harbor to see the bridge and the Opera house.

We might have also stopped in a few shops on our way down, but you will be pleased to hear (mum) that I haven't managed to spend any money on clothes just yet!

Tonight we are off out to the Side bar (in the basement of Wake Up) so we have bought two boxes of goon (boxed wine) on the way back, ready for drinking games before happy hour!

Wake Up Sydney Central

Wake up, wake up.. its a beautiful morning out there... (this is the familiar wake up call we get every morning in our new hostel ironically called: Wake Up Sydney Central).

Well we arrived after a 5 hour flight in Syndey where Jay was there to pick us up with his 'girl friend' Magna - which was actually a car, but you kept us all going with that one.

It was really great to see such a familiar face after such a long time and a massive surprise for Neesha. I somehow managed to spot Jay straight away when we landed but it took her a while to gather he was there!

We have just checked into our new hostel, which I have to say is absolutely fab and are just waiting for our room keys (or card).

Can't wait to get settled in and say hello to Michael too, who is here with Jay and then go back down to see the Bridge again, which we have already driven over (by accident) from the airport.  I cannot wait until I am actually climbing the bridge though now.

Speek to you all soon xxx

Last day in Freo

So we are leaving the first place that's felt like home since we left home today, but I am so excited to go to Sydney that I dont mind too much.  We have seen all that we can here in Perth so its time to go and explore the east coast for a while!

My favourite picture of Perth's Kings Park

I am now well prepared for my 5 hour flight to the opposite side of the country with a new book and sickness tablets (traveling is soooo glam) and soon we will be on the bus to the airport.  In just about 7 hours I will get to see Jay and Michael again - but before we leave Freo for what hopefully wont be for good, we have to go and enjoy 'the best fish and chips in the world' down by the harbour.

See you all on the flip side xoxo

Kings Park in Perth

Today we took the train back into Perth and went to see Kings Park.  It was soo hot we could barely drag ourselves up the hill there!  So we took to sunbathing on the grass for a bit and listening to our iPods.

We had a nice little packed lunch that we had taken with us too, so we had that to enjoy while we were there and then some how ended up on the wrong bus back to Freemantle with a bunch of hill billys.  Two hours later and we were back in Freemantle, just in time for dinner and all in need of a rest again.

Rottnest Island - Perth

So Rottnest Island was amazing, another place that I know I will never be able to forget in a million years.

We got on the ferry two days ago and it took about 30 mins to get there, which isnt too bad at all.  The first thing we did when we got there, was dumped our bags and went to se what the nearest beach was like and well it was stunning.  We thought that the beaches we had seen in Perth so far were amazing, but they havent got anything on this, the beaches are out of this world and more beautiful than anything you would ever see in a magazine.

We were in another YHA here, which was actually a converted army barracks and we even had real matresses there (aka not made of sponge).  The girls we were sharing our room with were from Dartford, so it was a bit like a home from home hearing our own accents for a bit while we were there.

Our hostel

On the second day on the Island, we jumped on the bus that runs all around the outside with a bit of a guided tour.  it took about 2 hours and then we went and enjoyed our own little bit of the beach near the barracks where we were staying.

We found a sports bar on the Island too, so we spent and evening there and made some new friends who are from the north of Australia and are aiming to catch up with when we get to Cairnes later in the trip.  They were there on the Island for their Christmas Party with work - they were all plummers, but its a pretty amazing trip to go on with work for xmas.

Our new friend Ti

One day we even had a little encounter with one of our little qwauker friends.  This little fella managed to get into our room and get his hands on one of the girls loaves of bread.  I was actually brave this time, grabed the bread which he was still dangling off of and brought him outside.

It was the one night that I braved going to the loo outside that was the most amazing, as we went to run across the court yard, I looked up and saw what looked like a million diamonds that had been thrown up into the sky.  I tried to take a photo of it for you guys - but you cant get a photo of something that beautiful unfortunately you have to go see it for yourselves.

Anyway we are back home today in Freemantle (ha calling it home already?!) and we are planning on seeing the last few bits of Freo before we have to move onto Syndey for Christmas and New Year.

Night night all xoxo

Another Laundry day

Today was another day of CHORES.  Done all of my washing in preparation of going to Rottnest tomorrow and considering how small my back pack is, there was a lot.

I then had a little power hour to catch up with the lack of sleep I have been getting in the hostel...

See you all when I get back from Rottnest xoxo

Water park in Perth

We made it to the water park today and it was awesome.  No photos I am afraid, but the odd loss of a bikini bottoms/top was all the rage for poor Jen.

I finally managed to get some colour today without being burned, thank god and the plan is to go to the pub later with Dermot and watch that same guy perform on his didgeridoo again.

See you all in the morning xoxo

A good nights sleep

Had a good nights sleep last night so I am feeling a lot better.  Today is our first cloudy day though, so we havent gone to the beach as planned, but I have cooked us Spag Bol for dinner instead and then watched a film in the common room at the hostel with a few of our new friends.

Tomorrow the plan is to go to the water park here, so I am sure that we will have lots of fun there... another bright and early one to get there though.

Night all xoxo

Tired... and emotional

Been very tired after another  rough nights sleep last night and rather tearful.  I think the homesickness is setting in this week and for the first time I am feeling like giving up.

We went to the round house today, which is the smallest and first jail that they ever had in Freemantle and it was literally tiny.

We have also visited the indoor marketes and treated ourselves to a few little bits and bobs.

This is the view of Freemantle from the roundhouse:

Not feeling my best

today, after a terrible nights sleep.  Its one of the 'perks' of sharing a ten bed dorm I guess!  We had a series of lights on, lights off, snoring, ping pong rally's outside the door and then a match of who can slam the door the loudest... so as you can imagine I am feeling a little groggy today.

Never mind, we have still got up and gone to the beach today and have managed to still catch no sun yet... if you are all wondering why I still look lily white in all the photos?  So I am off on the hunt for some lower factor sun cream....

Curry and a night out tonight, so I dont think I will be updating you just as early tomorrow morning peeps! xoxo

Early Risers

Since being here near the sea and catching up with all that jet lag, we have become early risers - so we have to make special care not to wake everyone up when we are getting ready to go out sharing a dorm with 7 other people.

This morning we went to Freemantle Jail, which was rather interesting and we learned that it was the last place that someone was hanged in Australia back in 1991 when they left the jail.

 I even got to have a little trip in the stocks...

Tonight we are going back to the hostel, where Toby an Aussie guy we have met from Sydney is going to cook us a traditional Aussie meal... including Kangaroo.  Jen is giving it a miss, but me and Neesha are excited to tuck in and see what its like, even though I am a little dubious about the Kangaroo myself?!

Later on this evening we are going to go and see the Southern Cross (Stars) which you can only see from here and then to a pub to listen to some very talented young man play the piano, didgeridoo and sing all at the same time!

Speak to you all tomorrow xoxo

Getting Organised In Freo

This morning we have been very organised, we have been out and got our postcards ready to send to you lovely people, with stamps, booked a trip over to Rottnest Island and gone shopping.  We have another mouth watering dinner waiting for us for tonight, chicken salad with new potatoes.

I am extremely tired tonight after such an action packed day of walking around everywhere and seeing what there is to see.

We love this place so much we have booked to stay here until next Thursday, when we will be off to the little Island just half an hour away from here, so named because the qwakers that live on the Island look like rats and when the English discovered it all those millions of years back, they called it Ratsnest island and the name has just evolved...

Night all xoxo

YHA - Freo

We have finally moved along the coast to a little town called Freemantle or Freo as everyone else here calls it.

The reason for the move, was not only because we wanted to, but because the hostel mucked up and we got an unwelcome early morning wake up call in the form of a guy trying to get into our room at about 4am.  After we checked with the staff, they informed us that they had tripple booked the room and would need us to pack asap - RUDE.  So definitely not recommending the Underground Hostel to anyone any time soon.

We have now been introduced to the wonderful world of YHA hostels and this one is lovely along with all the people and the staff.  We have been out and bought enough food to last us for two days and I for one cannot wait to get stuck into some proper grub.

We are staying in a ten bed dorm with a hippie who is the strangest of people (and not because she is a hippie).  We have also been to the beach this evening to watch our first ever sun set.  It was beautiful.

See you all in the morning xoxo

Back to Australia

We have got to Perth safely, must admit though we dont think much of the hostel! Only staying here three nights, before moving accross to Freemantle and Rottnest island!

Been to cottosloe beach today, where we have successfully gone from white to red - finally got some colour (at last)!!

We have tried to upload some photos for you all, but unfortunatly only two have uploaded!! :( so we will try again soon...

Scarborough Beach AUS

Today we got up early saw how sh*t the breakfast was a toodled along to the beach on the train.  The beach on the other hand was beautiful and I am a little tiny bit sun burned... I missed the back of my legs a little bit (wont make that mistake again).

Not much else to report here, speak to you all soon xoxo

First Stop in Australia - Perth

Well there is one way to describe Perth and thats Boho!  Its great, proper surfer dude vibe here and lots of stunning beaches (not that I have got to see them all yet).  Its a lot more different to what I was expecting though in all seriousness, but I love it.

We have arrived at a bit of a funny time of day and are staying in a hostel called Underground (from one London to another) and its a bit skanky here.  But I am willing to give the hostel a chance and see what happens...

So far today we have met some crazy 'dude' from NZ called David who Jen seems to have pulled... (lucky her).  Everyone here seems to actually live here, so I kinda feel like an outsider, think they might have a lot of DSS (or the aussie equivalent) type people living here and their none too welcoming.  I dont think that we will be here for much longer than tonight to be completely honest, as its not the cleanest of places either... we can investigate in the morning though.

We are off to Nandos for dinner tonight and then for an early night ready for an early morning tomorrow!

Speak to you all tomorrow,

xoxo

Our Last Day In SIngapore

Today is our last day in Singapore and its my darling little sister Kelly's 16th Birthday.  So just for you Kell:

Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear Kelly,
Happy Birthday to you!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hope you all get your postcards soon, see you in Australia! xoxo

'Laundry Day'

Ok so we havent actually done any laundry today, but its been a day of doing all the less fun practical parts of traveling (this is where its different from a holiday mum).  So we have been shopping for a few bits and pieces that we need like postcards, stamps, looking for some more practical shoes (mine died in the monsoon yesterday - actually smells like someone died in them), some food - and I even tried some traditional stuff this time, the veggie stuff is actually REALLY NICE :) - no more rice and garlic bread for me...

We are off the the famous Raffles hotel tonight to have a taste of the Singapore sling from the home of its birthplace and if we have enough time, we might even take a trip to the pan pacific hotel too!

Speak to you soon xoxo

UPDATE - Singapore sling... YUM YUM YUM :) same again tomorrow?

One Week In...

Sorry we haven't put any pics up yet but the computers at this hostel don't allow us to upload any, as soon as we get to Perth and find a computer that is in the 21st century we will upload them for you to have a butchers at.

Well we have been to Santosa Island, where we got a cable car around the island, really fast go karts down this well big hill, went in a 4D cinema and chilled out on the rather lovely beach.  Been to Singapore zoo today which is the best zoo that we have all been too.  Its like in a rainforest and most of the animals are not actually in cages but just really big enclosures with water around them.  I got a bit snappy happy and has taken pics of nearly all the animals.  Jenny has been on an elephant ride, how cool is that?

The hostel is lovely, we must admit we were quite surprised, the room mates we have had have all been lovely and easy to get on with. We are close to all the shops so jen is well happy about that.

Oh yeh and we have to tell you all about the 50 thousand million gnat bites that neesha has got, she just seems to sit there and attract them, unfortunately thats all, no men have been near us.

Singapore Zoo

 

So in case you hadn't already guessed, today we all went to Singapore Zoo and saw so many animals, its not even possible to list them all.  My main reasons for not liking Zoo's, is because I dont like to see animals in cages.  However, here it wasnt like any of these animals were in captivity at all.  If you take a look at my favourite picture from the day you can see the Tiger just looks like he would in his natural habitat.  

We even got to see these absolute beauts being fed and swimming in the massive channel that they have around their enclosure (and when I say enclosure, its a massive 20 foot high mud mound - no bars AT ALL).

After our day in the Zoo, which included watching the baby elephants get a bath from their mummy's, a monsoon and our first glimpse of the natives of Australia that we are to be seeing soon in their actual natural habitats, we booked to go to the night safari too.

The night safari was a little scarier than the actual Zoo itself, mainly because all that was separating me and a hippo was a small chain you wouldn't even use to walk you dog, but because it was dark and pretty hard to see anything anyway.

Singapore Zoo is somewhere I would highly recommend EVERYONE to go to and it should be on everyone's 'bucket list'.  Its practically a man made rainforest.

Today has been the best day of my travels so far, a memory I would never want to forget. Neesha even has a couple of souvenirs in the form of massive gnat bites to remember it by... they have had a feast!

Speak to you all soon,

xoxo