Australia

Arrived Monday 18th July into a very grey and cold Sydney - after a few mix ups on pick up point, was enthusiastically greeted by friend who came to pick me up, Renee - who kindly housed me for my first week in Oz! So much for sunny Australia, was greeted by horrific rain which continued for the first whole week. Probably a blessing in disguise at it took some time to get over the jet lag. Once settled had lovely week, with old Renbag, and her bro. Did the customary sight seeing, which included Bondi Beach, Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Opera House, and surrounding areas. Had a good chuckle most of the time with my new roomy's, and went out to very funky Surry Hills on the weekend, and also a great local drinking hole on another night. Had a some alcofrolic evenings, highlights of which included managing to steal a giant Helium letter balloon which I assumed belonged to someone having a party called ALEX.. his/her name was affectionaletly abbreviated to ALE after a mad scuffle to procure the trophy... Had some glorius coffee, at the prestigious Grind, with THE Coffee Club (3 members), and also spent a wonderful day exploring the botanical gardens, where there are wild Cockatoos which actually come and sit on you if you feed them bread! Anyway, the bad weather didnt let up for most of the stay and after my first week in Oz, I was glad to be heading up North to warmer weather...
Flew to Brisbane, where I met Miss Melanie, who kindly invited me to go to one of Australia's biggest (and most expensive) festivals, called Splendour in the Grass..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9PqwEspuVk&feature=share
Well we stayed in Brizzy for one eve with Mel's friends and then headed to the festival. As there are great prizes offered for groups who dress up, a theme was decided which had a catchy slogan...we all dressed as nuns with full habits (8 of us), and our team name which we proudly painted all over the car, with other wonderous festival graffiti was "Sisters of Splendour", well lets just say we caused quite a stir, we looked magnificient!! Photos to follow....
The festival was a camping festival, we arrived on the thursday - and set up the campsite, amongst 20 000 other campers, for the group of 15 or so of us. People in Australia dont bugger around with camping, I am talking solar panels for hot water showers, palatial sized tents, massive portable barbecues, jeeps and 4 x4's which looked like they were ready to trek through the amazon were a plenty! I wont go into too much detail of the weekend, but it was absolutely hysterically funny, wonderfully fun and freezing bloody cold at night! Musical highlights included finding new bands I enjoyed, watching Kanye West, Coldplay (whom I dont usually enjoy) and a load of other fantastic acts. Other highlights included being part of a drumming workshop, watching half of our group being included in a mock live sex show with hysterical skin tight naked suits, the glorius natural setting, ranning around like a nut case and of course the delicious food festivals always offer. A great time was had by all - and we packed up on Monday, all feeling very much worse for wear.
Left Brisbane for Airlie Beach, which is in the absolutely beautiful Whitsunday Area of Australia. Staying with Mel, and her housemates at a very spacious and lovely house. Airlie Beach which is a small coastal village is  a travellers hotspot. It boasts a wonderful bay which is filled with private and commercial yachts, and loads of boats offering trips to and around the Whitsunday Islands. Here for just 3 days, flying out to New Zealand tomorrow - there for a week snowboarding trip, then back to Airlie..
In parting, I will leave with the rather humorous image: Mel's car doesnt have doors which work (not too mention it looks a little worse for wear), so every day when we are out and about we have to get in and out the car through the open bloody windows... its a sight. What a laugh, ahahahhaha.
Anyhoo...more news to follow soon!!!