After some uncomfortable sleep on the Greyhound, we arrived in Newcastle 11 hours later, just after 8am.

Vicky's sister Anna and Anna's boyfriend Jon were there to meet us which was so nice as usually we arrive in a new place with no idea where to go.

Jon drove us to his parents house, in the suburb Eleebana. (On a side note, Jon and his family were in the UK last year and visited Paris, when their Eurostar broke down. I was the person who dealt with their complaint and gave them a measly £8.25 refund each when I was working there - small world!)

The house is lovely and so homely, and Linda, (Jon's mum) had prepared breakfast for us all which was so nice after our long journey.

We had showers and changed, and then Phil (Jon's dad) and Jon took the four of us (Hannah, Anna, Vicky and I) out for the day. We went to Caves Beach, which was beautiful, and explored the caves and rockpools whilst the tide was low. The others all went for a swim but the surf was really strong so I decided against it. Partly because I didn't want to be sucked out on a riptide, partly because I had sharks/jellyfish in the back of my mind, but mainly because I didn't want to get my newly washed hair wet and salty and knotty. (I'm only a sea person on special days when I have mentally prepared myself in advance).

The others had a good time fighting the huge waves though, and I was happy sitting on the beach building a sandcastle! By the time we were finished at the beach it was 2pm, so we went to get some lunch at 'Maccas' (Maccy D's, McDonalds) - unhealthy but oh so good now and then.

During the afternoon we visited Lake Macquarie, a huge salt water lake which is 4.5 times the size of Sydney Harbour (that's big). We saw a pelican which I found exciting!

We then headed to 'Catho's' pub for a schooner of beer. Schooner is pronounced skooner, but I pronounced it shooner which the others found hilarious. Easy mistake to make I think!

We made one last stop at a different part of Lake Macquarie, where this time
I saw a pelican catch a fish, which was really cool, before heading back to Linda and Phil's.

Linda had prepared an amazing meal of chicken cacciatore complete with real life vegetables - we have missed veg so much! We had wine, music and a lovely desert of brandy snaps with blueberries, ice cream and maple syrup. The meal was such a treat and it is so nice to be away from dorm rooms and instead in a lovely house. During the meal we went outside a couple of times because there were possums - two big bushtail ones and a little ringtail one - and a tawny frogmouth, which looks just like an owl but isn't actually an owl. We also saw huge golden orb spiders (ew). The possums are really cute and tame!

After dinner we went online to book somewhere to stay in Sydney. The Ruffles (Linda, Phil and Jon's surname) had recommended a YHA in a great location, but unfortunately it is $48 per person per night for a dorm. Instead we have found a Nomads hostel in the next best location for $25.50 per night, for a 6 bed ensuite dorm. There was the choice of a 32 bed dorm for only £19.50, but we decided it would be worth paying the extra for a much smaller dorm!

By 10.30pm we were shattered so I'm in bed now, feeling full and cosy.