Just discovered we haven't written since before Christmas!Here goes…

Turned up all excited on Christmas Eve at our Toowong villa to find a pokey room with just a microwave and a toaster… We had a chicken to roast on Boxing Day!So we thought, stuff the money - this is Christmas, so we got a 2 bed villa with kitchenette and balcony overlooking the city.We even went to carols at church that night.Christmas Day saw Ade barbequing and a proper roast the day after.The rest of the time was filled with sunbathing and watching christmassy movies!

Campervan Time!Funny little thing - an old converted Toyota People Carrier, but very cosy.Our trip saw us pop into Warner Bros. Movie World and Ballina where we ended up parking and sleeping in a supermarket car park!We then - via Port Macquarie, reached Sydney just in time for New Year's Eve!Started queuing for our spot at Mrs Macquaries Chair at 5:00AM.This ensured we had the best view possible, right in front of The Opera House and Harbour Bridge… Happy New Year!

Back to Brisbane we went, but this time it was for work!Unfortunately for us there was no Job Shop like there was in the West and so finding a job seemed to be a struggle.After applying for many ads on Gum Tree we got a phone call from a farm foods company.We went for an interview the following day to be a milkman!The job entailed knocking on doors to sell milk and bread around Brisbane and the surrounding areas… we even made it to the Gold Coast on a few occasions!We soon realised that we were quite good at this job and could not believe how forthcoming people are with their credit card details!Within 2 weeks we were promoted to team managers, had a van to ourselves and a base wage on top of commission!We suddenly found ourselves making quite good money - far more than we imagined.The job was great fun and very sociable with 'mandatory' pub nights on Fridays, but this meant free drinks so who's complaining!Our last night saw Ade get drunk beyond belief!Our manager Kevin was true to his word…

We spent a lovely few days chilling in Bryon Bay and Coffs Harbour and then we took a very early bus to Sydney…

After a few harsh words and a refund from a hostel we were originally going to stay in, we found other accommodation.A quirky place together with a quirky landlord!We would soon learn that the carpet beetles in the room would be visiting us every night that week!

We surprised Mum, Dad and Auntie at their hotel as they arrived from the airport and, of course, had drinks to celebrate!We wanted to show them the most spectacular view of the Sydney landmarks, so took them for a walk around the Botanical Gardens (where we spent NYE).Astounded by the views and the wildlife, the fruit bats in particular, we visited The Opera House and ambled round to Circular Quay for fish and chips overlooking the harbour.Lovely first day with the Woolners!

Fantastic trip to the Blue Mountains.We all got to feed the roos and pat the koalas.We saw the Three Sisters rock formation and the spectacular landscape with the blue haze lifting off the eucalypts.To get down to the valley we took the scenic railway, which is apparently the steepest funicular railway in the world at 52 degrees (can you believe Auntie went on this!!).We watched an aboriginal presentation with music and dancing, which is just what Holly wanted to see before leaving Australia. Our pleasure cruise through the harbour to end the day was rather wet and choppy, which led to Dad accidently falling into other passengers!

A beautiful hot sunny day was spent with the family at Manly Beach.The waves were perfect for body boarding, so Holly, Ade and Mum caught waves all the way back to shore.Nice meal at The Menzies Hotel afterwards as we showed off our new tans!

After our rain soaked scenic bus tour the following day, we took Suzanne's advice and ate at Pancakes on The Rocks.Pizza rivalled that of Naples and the pancakes were the sweetest, sickliest things you could imagine… yummy!

We then said goodbye to Sydney and visited Canberra for the day - the coldest day since we were in Perth!We didn't have much time so we walked the 6.5kms to Parliament House and back.Not quite as impressive as the Houses of Parliament we must say and the 'Great Hall' looked as if it were an assembly hall at a school!

Overnight bus to Melbourne.Met back up with Mum, Dad and Auntie at Federation Square.A lovely buzz to the place.Took a free tram to Harbour Town to do a little shopping - Ade and Dad were in their element, due to the trams mind, not the shopping!

The 6th March was Auntie's Birthday!We celebrated the day by visiting, Queen Victoria Market, The Shrine of Remembrance and the Botanical Gardens.Together with Mum and Dad we brought Auntie an opal necklace to match the ring she brought herself in Sydney.Dinner at The Shark Fin House in China Town - delicious food.On par with the Paramount and Great Wall in Southend!

Next day we took a trip up the Eureka Tower with Mum and Dad - the tallest building in the southern hemisphere.Awesome panoramic views of the city.We decided to go on 'The Edge'- a moving platform that moves horizontally outside the tower.Now Holly has never been afraid of heights and has fallen voluntarily out of a plane 11,000ft high, yet something about this experience made her feel rather faint.Mum had to prop her up for most of the ride!The afternoon river cruise was very pleasant and allowed us port and harbour views.

The following day we went to the St. Kilda seaside and spotted a pelican trying to have his lunch!And yes we took a tram to the end of the line… Yippee!

Our final tour was the Great Ocean Road.We had a lovely Devonshire tea in Torquay - they still haven't got the clotted cream quite right!Highlights were seeing the Twelve Apostles (even though there are seven!), Bells Beach, London Bridge and the road itself with its astounding beauty.

The final two days with the family were spent wondering the city and parks, shopping and sipping coffees in the many cafes.Holly bought her lovely Emu Boots, which she was really chuffed with yet as we were crossing the road from the store, she fell over (not wearing the boots mind!) and injured her back quite badly.It didn't help that a Chinese woman came over to assist - making Holly do all this weird stuff in the middle of the street to help the bruising!If someone had a video camera…!Shark Fin House again for the farewell dinner… we just can't get enough!

The morning of their flight to Singapore, we all had a coffee in Federation Square (of course!) where Mum, Dad and Auntie surprised us with tickets to the practice sessions of the Grand Prix.Thanks ever so!

Can't quite believe that our time in Aussie is up.We've had a tremendous time over here with great people, great food and tonnes of life experience… It's now off to New Zealand!