Crikey! What a week or so we've had! We went to Australia zoo last week, in the hope of seeing old Stevo, but no such luck! However, the zoo was very good and there was lots of information on how to keep yourself safe if you are unlucky enough to get bit by a snake, croc, alligator etc! It was a lovely sunny day and we were joined by Katherina the German girl we met on the help exchange. We took lots of photos and seemed to take a particualr liking to the koalas (which you could touch and they felt just like a teddy, as did the kangaroos). After the zoo we moved on to our next help exhcnge place in a place called Yandina Creek. It is about 20 minutes drive from Noosa, which is a famous surfer beach/ tourist spot. Anyway, we eventually found our destination after a slight detour of about 40minutes driving in the middle of nowhere! Mick and Jan the couple we are staying with are great. So much so, that instead of staying 1 week, we are staying for 2. We would stay for longer but unfortunately have a schedule to keep! The house is beautiful and we have our own room and bed and indoor toilet and shower! It is amazing how these things have became luxuries to us. Mick is a surfer so Fuz is in his element. They have watched one or two surf movies over the last week, as well as going surfing, talking surf, checking surf etc, etc, etc. Fuz is getting tips and is improving by the day. I have been going to yoga with Mick every second day, which is great and in an amazing holiday complex. It is extremely posh and not really for your average backpacker, let me assure you! You get a bathrobe and slippers on every visit, fresh towels, body lotion, mouthwash, razors in the boys changing - oh the list goes on! It is going to hit us hard when we get back on the road I suspect. Mick and Jan have done everything possible to make us welcome in their home (as have Smudgy and Peanut the dogs). I take the dogs for a walk through the sugar cane fields everyday which is really nice and peaceful. oh, I can't believe I nearly forgot this...they have snakes that live in the rafters!!! Real, live, wild snakes. And they are massive! Yes, I have seen one and am still here to tell the tale. They are carpet snakes, which are harmless to humans (apart from the effect they had on my stress levels and nervous system of course) and I have photos which I took, which meant not actually running in the opposite direction from it! Jan actually had a hold of it by the tail so I could get a better look. Luckily, Peanut is great at alerting us when there are any snakes in the area so no fear of any getting too close. We also seen a smaller one in the rafters but Mick wasn't convinced that it wasn't a deadly one, so we kept our distance (not that we would have got any closer anyway!) Anyway, have to go as tea is almost ready and I have a beer chilling. Hope the good weather holds out for the wickerman, look forward to hearing the craic. Em and FuzXXX