Blimey, it's hot here- In Australia!

---

Hello everybody,

How are you all in the very cold UK that we have been hearing about on the news?! Sounds like winter has really set in early this year! We are missing the snow but not the feeling of being cold!

We arrived in Australia a week ago and after a few days in 33 degrees hot Cairns, soaking up the sun by the lagoon we began our journey down the east coast on the Greyhound bus.
We then spent a few days on Magnetic Island as a hostel there was doing a very good deal and whilst we were there we went for breakfast at the Koala sanctuary, getting a bushtucker breakfast and being shown a small crocodile, a python, a tarantula and then a very cute Koala named Barney! We both got to have our photos taken with him, and we had a great morning seeing the native animals. We got a bit scared though when the ranger told us the tarantula's are found on the island!!!

We then got another bus to our current location in Airlie Beach, where we are staying in a hostel here before going on a 2 day/2 night sailing trip around the Whitsundays tomorrow (8th dec). We're really looking forward to it and it will be a nice way to spend Abi's birthday!!

Everybody seems to have the same idea about going down to Sydney for christmas and new year so the east coast is very busy and we have had to book a lot of our stops now before the hostels get booked up and even more expensive. We are staying in 8 bed dorms mostly, which is quite fun, getting to meet lots of people! It does not feel Christmassy at all here, being in the heat but we are looking forward to our different Christmas.

Hope you are all well and please drive carefully in the ice, glad you are ok Liz after your spin.
Miss you all, Lots of love Simon and Abi x x x x x x x x

---

Comments

[Emily]

appreciation
Hi Simon and Abi, Just a message to say that I loved the blog again! I am super keen and read your blogs as soon as I receive them!! It's flipping cold in UK- don't be sad that you're missing out on the snow - it's all melted now! Keep the blogs coming. lots of love Emily xxxxxxxxxxx

[Robert Coleberd]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Just a note to wish you a very happy birthday and the weather here is exactly the opposite to what you are enjoying, no snow now but heavy frost with fog frozen on all of the hedges and trees making the scenery very christmas card like,I don't think your Dad is into viewing your blog yet because he phoned earlier this morning to say, don't forget to wish you a happy birthday,Adam will be home soon and I will try to get him to set up your blog on Dad's laptop, anyway have a happy birthday, lots of love to you and Simon from Gran,Grandad and all of us back here in the very cold but picturesque weather XXXX

[Liz Rendell]

Bah Humbug! Not really envious at all - thoroughly enjoying cold, dark England! Happy Birthday Abi Love Paul and Liz