We're home now, arrived on Friday 27th Feb 2009, slightly longer journey home than expected but we got here safe and sound, after being away for 353 days and visiting 13 countries and 3 Continents. We have enjoyed every minute and wish we could do it all over again (never say never!) We have met some great people along the way, heard lots of funny stories and it will stay with us forever! Thank you to everyone for putting up with all my spelling mistakes and all the boring bits but most of all reading our blogs throughout the year. Lots [View Full Entry]

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A little update of what we have been up to in NZ. Stu, Simon, Steve(Simons dad) and Wayne (Sys friend from work) went on a 3 day/2night hike around Tongariro National Park (Whakapapa Village, Ski area for the North Island), they said the hike was excellant but challanging at times, poor Stus feet proved this, they were covered all over the bottom and heels of both feet, they stayed in huts which had a basic kitchen area and a long drop loo. Bonnie and I had a hard few days we had Pedicures and facials!! We have been to the local [View Full Entry]

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We arrived onthe 2nd Jan 2009, taxi waiting and straight to my(Lisa's) sisters in Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty. We have about 2months in NZ, we are planning to hire a car for a week to travel around and see some more of NZ, which we didnt have time to do when we last came 3years back, we may go away with Bonnie, Sy and kiddies or just sit a enjoy the time we have left. Stu has been feeding the Chickens, moving the cows and keeping Mable the Goat happy by stroking her and giving her new areas of [View Full Entry]

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We arrived safely in Sydney but my backpack didnt!! Stu was happy he got his but mine was being flown to Melbourne, then to Sydney by 0730 Christmas Eve, I was glad to see it again! Our friend Mark picked us up from the airport, we're staying at his girlfriends flat in Manly, ideal location right next to the beach. Christmas Eve - We had a look around Manly town and then we hit the supermarket for some supplies and of course BEER and WINE, we spent Christmas Eve at Nicks flat in Manly (Marks mate), it was a good night. [View Full Entry]

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2nd Dec - 21st Dec 2008 Our last mileage chart (we are about 2000 kms out, but we think its because we took lots of scenic routes which arent onthe map, plus I was map reading!!) Forster - Port Macquaire 136km P Mac - Yamba 385km Yamba - Surfers (Via Byron Bay) 168km Surfers - Wet n Wild/Campsite 20km Wet n Wild - Brisbane 45km Brisbane - Landsborough 80km Landsbrgh - Mudjimba 40km Mudj - Noosa 40km Noosa - Tin Can Bay 110km Tin Can Bay - Kinka Beach 541km Kinka - Mackay 344km Mackay - Airlie beach 142km Airlie Beach [View Full Entry]

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We were recommended this small town/campground and it was great, we drove down past pineapple platations into a lovely campsite. We descided to chill out for 2nights. It was right on the sea front (no swimming - Salties) with a lovely pool and large ponds around the site. Again we didnt do alot apart from sunbathe, read, listen to the Cricket(borning!!), and go swimming in the big tropical swimming pool. We used their camp kitchen to save our gas in the van and i was reading a notice about Townsville snakes and I looked up and I thought there was one [View Full Entry]

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We went on to Airlie Beach and booked our day trip to the Whitsundays for the next morning. In 1770, Captain James Cook sailed through the Whitsunday Islands and marvelled at the many bays and inlets that were a sanctuary for his weary sailors who, until then had experienced nothing but raging seas and rough weather. Little did he know that these islands were the remains of coastal range which sunmerged when the sea level rose at the end of the ice age. They are now the largest off shore island chain on the east coast of OZ. We were picked [View Full Entry]

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We arrived in Noosa and we planned to have a day on Fraser Island, we would of liked to have done a couple of days with camping but time is running out and fast. The weather was good, clear skies and nice and hot, just how we like it! The campsite was pretty busy but we had a good shady spot and right next to the inlet, so we sat by the water for the afternoon. The next day we were up early for a 4x4 Day on Fraser Island, we had a good group of people (mainly familes) and we [View Full Entry]

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Just a quick update on the mileage we are currently doing, much shorter distances now. Adelaide - Port Elliott via Christies Beach/Victor Harbour 120km P.Elliott - Robe 318km Robe - Port Fairy 356km P.Fairy - Anglesea 271km Anglesea - Melbourne 129km Mel - Lavington 294km Lavington - Snowy Mountains 329km S.Mountains - Canberra 235km Canberra - Cowra 292km Cowra - Blackheath 218km Blackheath - Katoomba 5km Katoomba - Wisemens Ferry 121km Wisemens Ferry - Cessnock 102km Cessnock - Newcastle 55km Newcastle - Nelson Bay (Anna Bay) 57kms Nelsons Bay - Forster 150k [View Full Entry]

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We drove to Newcastle to stay with some friends (Holly, Pete and Little Matilda), the weather was rainy and non stop for most of it, but we had a great time, met some of their friends and had a BBQ. Holly did a grand tour of Newcastle by car due to the rain. We all travelled up to Nelson Bay for the day, Stu and I stayed up there and the weather was great, not a cloud in the sky (thats what we all like), we had a nice time and Matilda loved the sea and sand. We only stayed the [View Full Entry]

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