I'm still alive!!!

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Some people have been wondering where I've been hiding since my last entry!! Been a bit slack in terms of updating things on here especially now that I have to pay for my time on the internet!!!

Quick update

I've now finished working in Queensland and my first stop from there was Sydney where I arrived after a 23 hour coach trip!! The contrast between Arcadia and Sydney was about as huge as you could ever imagine!! I spent a couple of nights staying in a dodgy little hostel in the city centre where I erm... "made the most of" the nightlife and consequently needed a couple of days to recover. During this time I did manage to take some typical touristy snaps of Harbour Bridge and the Opera house (pics to follow asap!)

Christmas

Christmas was spent in a rather swanky hotel in Parramatta, a suburb approx 25kms west of Sydney. The weather on Christmas Eve was awful with torrential rain and thunder storms all afternoon. The sunshine came through for Christmas day however and we were able to head over to Bondi Beach for the afternoon - have to say it wasn't as busy as expected and there wasn't a BBQ in sight!!

Blue Mountains

The madness of city life soon got to me so a trip to the Blue Mountains restored my sanity. More fantastic scenery along with a ride on the world's steepest cliff railway and a tour through some amazing caves. I also visited a wildlife park where I was able to see and stroke koalas, kangaroos and wombats. Wasn't quite the same as seeing them in the wild but it has made me more determined to find places where I can do so!

New Year

New Year just had to be celebrated in a spot with views of Sydney Harbour and, as expected, was spectacular. Photo ops were limited due to being crammed into a crowd of approximately 25000 people but it was well worth it - definitely an experience to remember.

What's in store for 2007?

With the festive period over I decided that it was time to leave the big city behind me so I'm now in a more peaceful costal town called Wollongong - just South of Sydney. Caught a lift here in a room mate's campervan which was great fun - now I feel like a REAL backpacker!!! In a couple of days I'm heading off to the very south of the Blue Mountains to stay with a family who are setting up an ecotourist resort. I'll be helping out with some odd jobs in exchange for bed and board and enjoying some more of Australia's wonderful countryside which is far more appealling than hanging out with half the population of Ireland and the UK in the cities!! I'll probably be there for a couple of weeks before heading further south so please watch this space ........... who knows where I'll be next?????

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Comments

[Fay]

Happy New Year!
Hi Helen, sounds like you're having some fab adventures, hopefully you'll get your koalas at the next destination... Enjoying reading your blogs, makes me feel v dull and boring though!! Loved the pics of the cute dogs, not sure about the giant spider, love Fay xx

[Des & Liz]

just wow
Glad to see you're still blogging.... sounds an amazing couple of months and u really sound as if you are getting to decide what it is u like about Oz. Look fwd to seeing the pics when they arrive on site.

[pegs]

hello!
Wow, you are having a fab time! Am very jealous. How long you staying out there for? I come out to NZ Jan 08, if you fancy popping in! Its now hailing out so im not going to go for my run! Take care pegs xx

[Jan and Ian]

We've got snow !
Hi Helen, Just read your account of Christmas and New Year - it was raining and windy here. Yesterday we had about 3 inches of snow and today it is beautiful sunshine and the snow is very picturesque. The pond is frozen but the fish seem to be ok swiming underneath the ice. Keep in touch. Lots of love XX