Leaving the beautiful Blue Mountains on Tuesday 9th Dec we were heading to Milton aprox 3 hours south of Sydney. On the way we off loaded the ute and drove into Penrith to get Tim a new much wanted new phone. Lotte and Archie spent most of the time at the pet shop and then with Santa.

Departing Penrtith we started our trip to Milton then while driving the 4 lane hwy Tim said "we have trouble -there's smoke" Fidge jumped up and grabbed the fire extinguisher while Tim crossed two lanes of traffic to get the big bus on the slip lane. As we pulled up a police siren started making the kids quite nervous. We were faced with the trailer having no back wheel, brocken axle, trashed hub and a policeman but luckily no more smoke. Our own personal policeman was very helpful and friendly latter showing us a video on his police car camera of our bus passing along the hwy followed by our wheel bouncing along dodging traffic and crashing into the long grass just near the police car. This recording proved to be benificial to us latter when " our senior counstable" went and found our tyre in the grass, something we would have had no chance of finding without this footage.

We needed to get this fixed and get off the side of this very busy hwy, so we off- loaded the ute, Tim removed the brocken axle and we headed to a trailer workshop it looked like it would have what we needed but unfortualty did not have our large size axle in store and either did any of their suppliers. It was going to be around 3-4 days before it could be fixed. Back to the bus Tim strapped up the brocken axle and we limped it down the road escorted by the police with only 3 wheels to a LIA where we off loaded the boat. After saying goodbye to constable we headed to Milton in convoy keeping a close eye on the bus trailer, arriving at 10.30 pm very tired and ready for a sleep. Tim had a bundy night cap to finish this stressful day.

Waking to rain at Milton Wednesday was a very quite day of recovery and settling in at the show grounds.

Thursday again raining we went for a drive north to Berry to collect our mail then to Nowra to the movies where we watched a funny movie called Alexander's very bad no good day.

Friday Tim took the ute to an auto electrician while Lotte, Archie and Fidge wrapped Christmas presents, sewed Santa stockings and made cards another quiet day at the bus.

Saturday headed to Nowra to pick up the axle from the courier and we put the boat in at Jarvis Bay. Nice area and well known for fishing but with the weather and our luck out all was caught was an undersized snapper by Tim. Stopping at the beach at the opening of the river we had a nice walk and Archie was very happy with the shells he found.

Sunday we went to the Ulladaulla markets and Tim fixed the axle while L A F continued with Christmas preparations. Finishing the day off with a BBQ at Mollymook foreshore.

Monday we took the boat to Batemans Bay another well known place for fishing, unfortunately again too rough to head out to sea so we went up river which was very brown in colour and lined with oyster leases. No fish but at least not windy or wet. On returning to the boat ramp we rescued a boat with an older man and 3 teenagers who had brocken down. Thanks to our smaller Quintrix with the 30hp motor we towed it to the boat ramp. Back at camp Lotte and Archie were very happy to be given a little Christmas present from some friends they had made Tanya, Steven and Knuckles the dog.

The next day we headed to a town further south called Bega again to stay in the show grounds. Parked up on the grass. We felt like we where on top of the town, easy show grounds and a nice mellow town This is the town where the Bega cheese is made so up for a cheese feast we headed to the factory unfortunately due to health rgulations no tours are lowed but we did get to watch a movie, visit the meseum and taste lots of free cheese. Small purchase of strings and smoked slices Lotte and Archie were very happy.

Wednesday we went for a 2 hour drive south to Mallacoota just inside the boarder of Victoria as we needed to collect some more mail. On visiting the CVP run by the local council right on the waters edge with your own moorning we decided to book for when we return from Tas. At least we can say we stayed at Mallacoota and we had our own private jetty and morning, let's hope we can catch at least one of the huge flathead we have seen photos of! Stopping at Edan on the way back to look over the bay which once was thoroughly hunted for whales and now on the other side of the bay is a wood chip port.

Staying another day at Bega we went for a bike ride together around the river and town. After lunch we went for a drive to Tathra wich has an historic warf. The coast line has been very pretty and we are surprised at how much bushland is around, both at times reminding us of Tasmania.

A drive over the Snowy Mountains stopping at Coomba the town of where 100,000 work force from 30 different countries built the dams and infrastructue for Snowy Hydro. Renewable energy the water from the beautiful mountains supplies alot of the power to all the eastern states, as well as 75% of Australias irrigated water while trying to keep the environment useable and sustainable. Continuing on the drive to arrive at Canberra mid afternoon in time to spend 1.5 hours at the Australian Natioanl Museum a timeline of history from Aboriginal and TI times through to colinisation and onto the moden day. Then onto some takeaway dinner on the lawn of Parliament House (dumplings, Indian and Bundy) made all the more exciting with the federal price continually driving around watching everyone's moves. Saturday was a quick look around Canberra's farmers Market, full of fresh and yummy produce. Followed by a 1.5 hour tour of the Australian Institute of Sport, starting with the interactive sports machines and then a look at the basketball, volleyball, gym, gymnastics and swimming centre.

Feeling like our year is coming to an end of travels and adventures we headed to the Howard family's diary farm at Oxley just out of Wangarratta to park the bus up for around 4 weeks. Great to see the Howard family and the kids to play again. Much to our excitement they were planning a ski day at Lake Bufalo the following day. Sunday 21st was a great day had by all, sking, wakeboarding, knee boarding, surfing and riding on the biscuit behind the boat. Archie getting up skiing, knee boarding and Lotte knee boarding (unfortunately she got bit of a fright when she came off and became stuck under the knee board but was able to free herself before Tim got out of his predicament and went to the rescue- as a result I don't think there will be any more knee boarding by the Agnews). All in all a fun day with all of us having a go and achieving some success- very proud. A sure highlight seeing Anna, Howey, Henners and Tim all surfing behind the boat in the wake- how cool man! Nothing like we have seen before. The day was topped off with some yummy takeaway pizzas for dinner.

Packing ready for Christmas at Ec and Lesleigh's, heading to Tas for 3 weeks and then camping for 5 nights before returning to the Howards was done and completed Monday am, sad to say goodby to our mobile home and hospitable Howard family for 4 weeks we headed to Mt Eliza.