Hi Hun,

how's it going?..... i'm very jealous!!!!! .... can't imagine spending xmas on the beach lapping up the sun & surf!.....instead i'm sat at a dull grey desk in the basement of my building in the lovely sunny toon, trying to keep warm from the crap radiator next to me.....boooooooooo...the only thing keeping me going is reading about your travels and that this time next week i'll be getting lots of cool xmas presents!!
(Oh and the free booze tomorrow at our office party! ....)
Keep the mails coming.....i'lll sign off now, as the last thing you want to be doing, is reading boring messages from me, and missing all the sun!
Grimes' email is [email protected].
Take care
Hugs, Nems x

i had a great weekend. i went down to Dunsbrough and hung out with my cusion niel. On saturday morning I went out for a run along the coast. just as i set off i came face to face with a couple of 'roo's', very cool. the run was fantastic (yes there is such a thing), i was basically running through a forest and every 10 mins would come across a breath taking beach, went for a naked swim and sunbath (it would have been rude not to)!

went hunting the surf, found some killer waves (no really they neally did... don't worry mum!) I got up on to my feet a couple of time, for about a second, which was good going nut i need a lot more practice to get on them like my cusion was doing. Also went caving. its brilliant being with a local as you get taken to all the best turist bits and them some not-so-turisty bits. the caves we visited required either a fair amout of climbing or braking into (as the rangers had locked them all up). well worth it though, sat in pitch black and complete silence, which was a bit strange but really nice the hours flew by. also went to a winery, brewery and few galleries and a chocolate factory.

went canooing and snokling the next day down the coast line, pritty amazing, hard word against the wind and tide.

off to perth this week to do some day trips and shopping with my nanna. hopefully see the new lord of the rings film aswell.

Sophie - was your evening with him all you imagined it would be?!? have you hear anything from the arts council?
maz - good to hear from you.. nanna seems to have more energy than me, i think she is taking it easy on me.. but din't worry i have a good eye on her.
jel - choclote cake good idea i may go for some now! what are you up to over christmas? hows house hunting? are you revising!?!
clarie - when is the christmas party, fill me in on all the goss.. stick it out on the bike it will soon be summer, kind of!
Paul - regarding the email you sent me. i am changing my answer. after the weekendi would have to say that theres lots of it and its fine dam fine!
Paula - it sound quite at the flat.. are you sure theres no badness?!?! hoew niel? enjoy your christmas meal. when is everyone going home for christmas?
mum - no questions? i didn't mind them really.

hey nick, am loving your holiday website-very educational! Sounds like all is going well, seems to be a communal fear of you being eaten by sharks so i'm glad that's not happened yet...to my knowledge! We're all geared up for christmas at this end, there's tinsel everywhere, a huge real tree from B&Q (bigger than me) and an empty tin of quality streets...it was empty when we bought it - honest!It's a bit sad we won't see you for christmas or your birthday, but on the other hand can get all your pressies in the christmas sale -not so sad after all! Don't tire nanna out to much, have fun big ears love Maz xx (and Owen) p.s Hiya Mum

just keep your head up and kick! So long as the sharks don't get the chocolate cake impression you'll be fine...Xx

Hey Nick, well, no danger of you getting bored then! Though I've always found the old uns are the best for partying with though. But then again, I am getting on a bit! Still pretty knobbly weather here, but then again it is the middle of winter. Certainly not easy to get out of bed in the mornings to get on me bike.
Emski angel and I went to see Eddie Izzard last night, it is fair to say I almost peed my pants.
I hope you're having a good 'roughing it' weekend - sounds like real fun. I am most disappointed to hear you don't have your armbands with you - they are swimming aids, and could save your life! You'll regret it you know, when you get eaten by sharks........ :o)
Off to the gym now mate, take care. C x

Hi Nick, just to remind you...today is the day I am off to see the most exciting thing i have seen ever....do you know what that might be......Glad to hear you are having fun. Since you left it has been quiet. Paul is grumpy (I think its living with girls) and it is dark when we leave now! Dead jealous of you, you know. Will write to let you know if Justin picks me out of a million other screaming 7 year old girls. Keep yourself safe...cocktail parties are dangerous too! Love soph x

I made a narrow escape... tonight (friday) I was going to be taken to a cocktail party by my Nanna (87 years old), she was due to take me into town today to buy a pair of slacks!! I would then have been paraded aroud all night to a host of mature ladies and gentlemen. I sure it would have been fun but maybe a little tring towards the end. Luckly my cuson Niel, is taking me out for the weekend and we have to set off this afertoon (so no slacks and cocktail party). So it should be a weekend of hunting surf, camping out in the bush or on a beach and walking amongst giant trees.

alex - funny you should mention the armbands, the guys in the centre got me some for my b-day before i left (i have to confess they didn't make it in to the siut case, maybe a big mistake)

Jane - wow ciro sound fantastic, did you buy many new outfits!! (I can picture all that jiggle ganggle now!!!)

andy - glad to hear things are still going well, are you in your house yet? is the little one sleeping through the night?

kamil - what is claire doing to my desk, TELL HER ITS MINE AND SHE CAN'T HAVE IT!!! glad to hear your alright. when are you off home? what your address in newcastle (email to me)

first off let me quickly answer my mums thousad and one questions
1. fine
2. yes quite a lot for someone with my lenght legs
3. sleeping was no problem, but you know i can sleep anywhere!
4. food was ok, I keep eating everything they put on my plate as i didn't know if it would be the last meal, however food just keep coming. i have a very good knack of waking just as food arrives. attendents fine.
5. didn't watch any films i had seem them all.
6. finshed PRAY 6 hours to early
7. change overs fine, fist was Dubi 20mins, them a few hours in Bruni (correct the spelling if you wish)
8. nanna, john and geraldine
9. nanna gets up early, plus been going to bed pretty early
10. like the beach in Bunbury very quite, i have been both ways, although i have not seen any evidenice (half of the beach is nudist to those who dont know)
11. I look forward to meeting my first, remember fish are friends!!
12. Nanna's good goes to the doc a lot and has to take a lot of pills, geraldine hold me she said she had had enough a few weeks back and was ready to die. however i have never seem an old lady with so much energy. as we walk through town she is dancing to all the music blaring from the shops.
13. Perth on Tues till fri tell you more later.
14. its not that hot yet (due to rise and fall and rise again over the next couple of weeks), i have more lotion.
15. yes
16. yes
17. fine
18. yes, but also going there today
19. yes
20. no, well actually yes i got some new sunglasses
21. not much
22. i will
23. funny

i hope that answers some of you questions NO MORE THAN 10 AT A TIME ALOWED!!!!

Hi Nick! Its good to see youve not been eaten by sharksyet.;) Have you started learning how to surf? If yes we in the Centre want to know if the dry run was anywhere near the real thing.

We have a X-mas lunch and a secret Santa on Monday. The office is full of sparkling decorations and our SSR with Helena are doing everything to make it even more x-masy. By the way, Clare has cleared up your desk a bit;) Have no idea what got into her.J It was fine by me.

Great stuff, well maybe not entirely when you compare it to busking in the sun and enjoying temperatures as low as 25c take care.

How was the flight. How much leg room did you have, did you manage to sleep ok and for how long at a time. What was the food like on the flight, the flight attendants. Did you manage to watch a film or two, which films were they. How far are you with PREY. How did the changeover to the next plane go. Did you have a long time to wait between flights. Who picked you up from the airport. What on earth are you doing up at 5.30am. How do you find the beach at Bunbury. Have you explored both ways. Watch out for sharks! How is Nanna. When do you go up to Perth, how long for, where are you staying when up there. Which trips are you doing. How hot is it and do you have more suntan lotion yet. Have you been into Bunbury. Have you seen any aborigines yet. How are Geraldine and John. Are there any plans to visit Dunsborough maybe over Xmas. Did the bottle of Brandy arrive without mishap. Did you purchase anything else in the shop at the airport. Have you seen any wildlife yet. Make sure you cook for Nanna too. What do you think of Oz TV, especially the adverts! Does Nanna have to water the garden early each morning or evening. What do you think of the birdsong. Next questions coming soon. Love mum

G-day Mate!
I'm in Helsinki at the moment - the only comment I can make is that it's like being in a freezer, dam cold to say the least!
As for your swmming I suggest that you invest in a pair of armbands (to aid flotation) and a puncture repair kit (just in case of a shark attack!).

Have fun, stay safe and enjoy your Gran's cooking.

Alex :o)

hiyah!! This is a great idea. hope to see your photos soon. Good to hear you're being well fed and making full use of the gym and beach. best get that hat sorted out.
Cairo was brill - got back last night. Still dealing with dodgy tum and catching up on sleep. Spent most of the week in taxis which were like blackpool illuminations on wheels, eating in restaurants with belly dancers jiggling around us, stripping in costumiers and getting needles stuck into us and extra bra padding and of course some time trying not to fall over in dance classes. We went to the pyramids - couldn't go to egypt and not - they are very impressive, very big and very old! Got ripped off by a few excellent salesmen - but not for much, sad to see how impoverished so many people are and the desperation for just a few pence. All in all a mixed week full of contradictions. Lots of fun. Xx