New South Wales - Australia

Bryon Bay - more of the same - sunbathing, walks around the coastline and up to the lighthouse. We did two days of surf lessons that was surprisingly addictive, and were able to stand up on these huge boards. The current was tough to work with. Ian struggled when he took out some smaller boards with being able to catch the wave and stand up much. In our lessons they didn't really encourage you that much to catch your own wave and would push you. Although that sounds easy, my body was very sore from the experience. What would have been really good to do was handgliding. Have to save that until NZ. Sydney - A couple of nights at Bondi Beach in a dodgy hostel. And then a night at the Blue Mountains with Mum and Dad, who had driven up, wanting to see us again before we left Oz, (not knowing when the next time is!).Stayed in the city for three nights and had five friends from home fly up to spent this time with us, which was fantastic. Wendy, Darryl and Pam, Tracey and Ali. We did the touristy things, such as dinner at Circular Quay, Darling Habour and Kings Cross, beers in The Rocks, seeing the Habour Bridge and the Opera House, walking through the Botannical Gardens, lunch in Hyde Park, going to an environmental exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum, and taking the ferry to Manly, and also to Mosman to catch up with Marg and Glen Morgan. (Studied Social Work with Marg, and Glen and I went to the same High School. They now have 5 children under the age of 7 yrs, and they both look fantastic!!) Ian nearly wasn't allowed onto the flight from Sydney because although he is allowed into New Zealand without a visa for 6 months, he has to have an ongoing flight. In the end he had to buy a one way ticket back to the UK, which he can get most of it reimbursed (-$50). Abit of a hassle, since most people know that travellers buy tickets and cancel them to get around the system. Well I must say that it's been expensive but absolutely fantastic seeing so much of the country. Now NZ for 6 weeks, Fiji for 3 and then South America for 6 months.