Hello All!!

We are currently in Byron Bay and as I speak the rain is storming down outside. Again. We seem to be followed by bad weather where ever we go, so my tan is not as impresssive as i want it to be!!

We spent a few days in Melbourne with our old Rugby Manager, Claire Rimmer, who lovingly put up with our mess and drunken antics and Christie certainly fell in love with the place, with its cafe culture and bars. It is a lovely town, the beach is beautiful and lots of good food and drink. We quickly followed up with a visit to Sydney where we had to spend a week to get our China visas. You should see my passport, it is now so impressive, I want it framed!! Sydney was lovely, if expensive, and we did a ferry trip of the Opera House and Harbour bridge. Which just looked like a bridge to be honest. But the Opera House was lovely and we got two free beers with the ferry trip so we were happy!!

Australia is full of backpackers and they cope with us admirably with plush hostels, cheap meals and beer. It has lovely weather most of the time (apparently we keep missing it) and I have knackered myself body boarding repeatedly!!

Going to attempt to learn to surf tommorrow, the man promises your money back if you can't stand by the end of the day. I say he's hopeful with me, but I am determined to do it as the surfers are amazing. I also want to try Kite surfing as they are massively cool, but it maybe a little beyond me at present. One step at a time!!

We have 10 days left in the land of Australia. Then off to Japan at which Christie is going to fulfil her lifetime dream of visiting and then China, which I am soooo excited about. Australia has made us lazy, it is to easy to just laze around and everyone talks our language. No culture shock, so we are ready for a bit of a challenge!!

Love to all, love your comments! Speak soon x x