Melons and Lucy, Sydney to Brisbane and on a little bit more after that.

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A week before Lucy arrived to catch up on...Tom managed to survive his few days working although a wee reality check for both of us about how hard it is gonna be to go back to work for proper when all this gallivanting is out of our systems. I managed a few days of beach time while Tom was hard at work, I'd like to say I felt bad but...well didn't feel bad but it did feel weird being on my own for a day or two. We did also manage to hook up with Sasha and Olly again which was completely unexpected but really great, defiantly taking stalking to a new level entering Oz about a month early for just one more drink with Tom and Anna...bless!!! As you can see from the photos we also managed a wee trip to Sydney Aquarium which was a great day-the shark tank was especially fun, nice little reminder for when we're off swimming with the shark helicopters overhead. Our last week in Sydney was filled with lots more fun in the sun, messing about in waves that at times got a little big even for Tom, it takes a lot to make Tom to feel like a rag doll but Bondi had it, more walks around the gorgeous harbor, a few more gazillion steps to climb, more naughty pies of course, Matt's birthday which for Tom and Matt included a trip to a big rugby league match, Surrey hills music festival which Bhanglassi played in, brilliant afternoon and a yummy dinner out with Matt and Mel to mark the end of an incredible 3 weeks in Sydney and some amazing hospitality on their part,thanks again guys for a fab few weeks, we def owe you.
Then the day we had been waiting for...Lucy's arrival, a very restless night was followed by a very early morning to get to the airport to pick Lucy up from her 6.30 flight. Excited doesn't cover it, I was a wreck at the airport, there was of course lots and lots of tears. It was so fab to finally have her here after what had felt like ages since she booked her flights. Lucy's arrival brought with it a ton of much craved and loved Cadburys chocolate (thanks so so much girls) as well as a little shipwrecked moment as Lucy brought cards, notes and some photos from home, it was so lovely to hear from you guys so thank you so so much, tears again of course but it was amazing to get wee hand written notes. So even though Lucy had been traveling for what prob felt like days we got straight onto some holiday making and headed for Bondi beach, we managed a while with some sun but the clouds and jet lag timed themselves perfectly for a wee afternoon nap before an evening of more family reunions, this time though it was Lucy who got to meet some long lost relatives. We had such a lovely evening over dinner and bubbles with Paul and his family as Lucy and Paul (who left England when he was 8 with his Mum who was Lucy's Grandfathers sister and nephew...think I've got that right) chatted about home and what everyone was up to these days. Lucy had brought some old photos with her and it was a really lovely evening of chat and giggles. Lucy's jet lag and a glass of bubbles made for a really entertaining train journey home for Tom and I, defiantly a few giggles at a very tired Beswicks expense. No time wasting though as we got into the swing of things for day two which included a whirlwind tour of Sydney, the harbor bridge, the Opera house, a jet boat ride around the harbor which was so much fun and a trip across to Manly beach on the ferry followed by a tame but lovely night out with our hostel, Lucy's first Aussie sausage sizzle and some good banter with a few other travelers from England.
Sydney seen and done in a whirlwind and it was time to pick up our campervan which thanks to Tom and Lucy was to be affectionately named "Melons" the Jucy van, or if Tom had his way "Jucy Melons"...not cool! It all took a little longer than planned to get sorted but as soon as we were on the road first stop was Palm beach aka Summer Bay. Although the clouds came in almost as soon as we arrived it was brilliant to see, no cast or crew lurking around but we managed to get all the mandatory pictures and mark off one of Lucy's Austrailian must do's so a successful day I think. First few days in the van came and went with very little drama, quite a lot of driving to head further up the coast and finally some proper sun so we managed a beach day in the beautiful Port Macquarie and a pool day when we arrived at the Kirkman recommended Arts factory in Byron Bay. A pretty funny night out in Cheeky Monkeys gave Tom his first ever "I feel so old" moment as we were dancing around on tables with hoards of other travelers most of whom were barely 18...stopped him calling me a fossil for one night and one night only. All very funny esp when 5ft nothing 18 year old German boys throw in some odd flirting techniques! Our few days in Byron Bay did not go to plan as the clouds and rain came in hard...not what any of us wanted to hear esp when it had started to get sunny at home, but we of course made up for it with...yes you've guessed it some nice food and bubbles, counting on the garden heat lamps at the bar nextdoor to top up our tans. Another entertaining evening thanks to some very Aussie Austrailians and Tom's very best Austrailian accent coming up trumps.
Leaving Byron was when the real drama started, a really rubbish day weather wise turned from bad to worse as we drove up to Surfers paradise, not sure where we were gonna stay and if this rain was ever gonna let up, a very frustrated car load looked for parking and headed for some underground parking near the centre, only to be followed by a shouting ticket guy, all of us initially baffled with his enthusiastic interest in us until we realised he was shouting because we were driving a 2.4 metre high vehicle in a 2.2m limit carpark-ooppss!!! I really am racking up the new traffic experiences over this side of the world. Our hearts all sank though as we worried about what damage I had done to the car and how it would effect our insurance (you will be glad to know though after having that worry in our heads for the rest of the trip, due to a huge chunk out of the roof box, a very nervous drop off in Brisbane with no issues and no money to pay I have literally today realised our worry and sleepless nights was unnecessary...looking through a photo from the 2nd day in the van that missing piece of the roof box was missing from day 1 and our little gafuffle hadn't done much if any damage at all, sorry for the extra unnecessary holiday stress Lucy Lou). So at this stage a not so great day needed some cheering up even if the rain was going nowhere so we headed for some crazy golf (which annoyingly Tom won and then tried to cheat me out of the second game with bad maths-poor show Tom!) followed by another Kirkman recommended dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe, Lucy fitted in nicely to our ongoing plan of if things aren't going well sort it out with a great meal! Although the sun only picked up for one more beach day while in Surfers Paradise we managed a few good nights out, some shopping for lovely new Uggs and a Surf lesson which was SO much fun but really hard work, esp if you bruise like a peach....Lucy def brought more home than just souvenirs sorry hun, hope your wounds have healed up ok?
From surfers we headed onto Brisbane which almost sent me crazy as we looked for our hostel and got stuck going around and around and around the cities one way system a few too many times looking for our hostel, which we finally found and got settled into. We'd been told Brisbane wasn't all that great but a mooch around the city and an afternoon by the lagoon with some much craved sun made us think differently. The last of our big things to do while Lucy was here was a trip to Wet'n'wild my first water park experience-def a day to remember...the rides were all fab, we had so much fun, we got a little sunbathing time in but we also managed a wee thunderstorm in the middle of our day which meant a very long, very very cold wait for the rides to open again, thunderstorm on Lucy's trip was not what we ordered thank you please. Really glad we waited it out though as the final big ride we all went on was the Aqua loop, 1 at a time, screams galore esp from Tom made for a very funny last hour.
Lucy's trip came and went way too quickly and although the weather was not what we ordered we had such a fab time with her here still cant believe she came all this way-your a gem Lucy Lou and we miss you lots. So we've picked up our new van a little smaller than Melons, this one called Jucy Lucy in honour of our departed traveller and are carrying on up the coast. First stop was Steve Irwins Austrailia zoo which was such a fun day, feeding kangaroos, cuddling Koala's, watching crocs at feeding time and seeing all sorts throughout the day, made me miss Caleb and Issac so much though, last trip to the Zoo for us was Caleb's first. My birthday was celebrated in style in Noosa on Austrailia's Anzac day, a yummy breakfast courtesy of Mr Callaghan, some lovely beach time on Sunshine beach followed by a perfect picnic by the sea, sun setting with all my picky dinner favorites (Mummy Morrell Tom did you proud but its still first choice dinner on my list for when I get home!) Easter eggs came a little late for us as we raided Woolworths first morning open after all the holidays and we bought way too many half price treats, apparently our treats from England opened up a little addiction we may need to get in check pretty quickly. Hervey bay was our next stop and where we are at the moment waiting to head off on our Fraser Island tour tomorrow, really looking forward to that and hoping that the weather holds out, I know we're here in Autum but Austrailia could do with cranking out some more sun for us, currently unhappy with this mizzily rain! So after our fraser Island trip only 3 and a bit more weeks of Australia and then onto our 4th and final chapter of this amazing year, time is going way to quick so best make the most of each and every moment. Hope all is well at home, still missing you all loads, but not long now, we'll be home before we know it, until next time x

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Photos

Incredible views
Feeling very lucky to see all these amazing things