So we arrived in Sydney to find that our hostel, Footprints, was opposite the wholesalers of Fluffy clouds! Mel fell down the pavement with all her bags on in shock! Sydney did not make a massive impression it feels too crowded and tall compared with the rest of oz. We had an excellent day exploring paddy's markets - and found the John Williamson Cd with the song Christmas Photo on it (we had heard it on the Kuranda train!). We walked through Darling Harbour...

So we arrived in Chatswood to be met by Libby and Peter Meggitt. We had a cooks tour around the south of the harbour and got some great shots of the opera house and harbour bridge (which we climb on tuesday with very light pockets!) We have spent a lovely 2 days at Bilgola. Libby and peter's house is beautiful (made by Peter's father) and is honestly 10m from the beach. We look out onto the beach from our window. We have enjoyed the cooking, the company ...

So we arrived in hippy land and were crammed into a small minibus to take us to the arts factory. While staying here we were sleeping in a teepee which we liked although stu was less fond of the hairy caterpillars. We did the bush tucker walk on our first day with Cockatoo Paul and his cockatoo - he taught us how to get water from a tree, he made us eat hibiscus leafs which were not nice and taught how to make our own anti mosquito lotion as well as moisturisers...

Friday night we went to carols by candlelight - which has changed quite a bit since I went to one in Oz 15 years ago. Now you get battery powered tealights to hold and kids get fibre optics to wave around. carols were sung by lots of australian celebrities that we didnt know! Saturday we got up to go to free aqau aerobics in the outdoor lagoon pool by the river. Definitely much easier to get up and do in Oz. - and you get free yoghurt after! SO we spent the...

Friday night we went to carols by candlelight - which has changed quite a bit since I went to one in Oz 15 years ago. Now you get battery powered tealights to hold and kids get fibre optics to wave around. carols were sung by lots of australian celebrities that we didnt know! Saturday we got up to go to free aqau aerobics in the outdoor lagoon pool by the river. Definitely much easier to get up and do in Oz. - and you get free yoghurt after! SO we spent the...