AUSTRALIA

Well, I’m still in Sydney! I left Bianca’s on the Friday and headed to the City to meet Megan, and we went to see Arctic Monkeys.. who were amazing! The gig was a lot smaller than when I last saw them, which was really nice, and the venue was pretty cool (Enmore Theatre). On the Saturday we had a little party/bbq, the people were very lovely but maybe a bit too straight for my liking!
On Sunday Tessa & Nick picked me up to go back to their apartment (my next couch to surf), which was really lovely place about 40mins from the centre of Sydney. It’s strange when you’re couch surfing because you feel so comfortable around the people almost immediately, and I’ve always been made to feel at home straight the way. Nick took me for a ride on his motorbike which was so much fun, we went on the highway and down some country roads- it was pretty exciting! Not sure I’d dare do it on my own though.
Tessa took me into the city for a day to do all of the touristy stuff, where we went to Luna Park (which is like a fairground with all old rides), we saw the Opera House, walked across Harbour Bridge, went through the Botanical Gardens and went to the Art Gallery (which had some amazing work in it).

I left Nick & Tessa’s on the Wednesday, when I came to Marrickville to couch surf at Sonja’s house. When I got there I found out that it was actually a shared warehouse, so if I’m honest I was little wary, but when we got there it was lovely! There’s 5 English Backpackers that live in one half of the warehouse, and 5 people who live in the other half (with Sonja). Each half has it’s own living room, kitchen and bathroom, and everyone has their own bedroom. It’s actually illegal (a bit like squatting) so the rent’s real cheap, but apparently there’s lots of warehouse’s in the area that do it. Because it’s only a warehouse, they can do whatever they want to the walls and stuff, so when I first saw the living room there was lots of random objects glued on one wall such as a book/lighter/sweets, but by the end of that week we’d knocked that wall down and began more painting on the walls! Below the warehouse is a futon shop, so they have lots of beanbags and cushions etc that are all made from the foam from the futons, and they’ve put the cushions on stacked milk crates to build sofas. In the bedrooms they’ve done some pretty amazing things, like built their own beds and study’s and extended roofs etc.. they’re all really creative!
There's a huge warehouse community around here, and they all have names (Purple Garlic, Midian, The Garden, Sushini, Cosmo, The Hutch etc), and they all have parties and gigs on all of the time, and because they're illegal you can smoke inside and everyone's wearing crazy clothes etc, they're pretty fun!!
The five that I’m staying with include Sonja, Maggie, Glen, Roque and Ali.. they’re a bit like a little family. Sonja’s a fairy with dreadlocked red hair, and she never wears shoes. Maggie is bonkers, but so lovely, Glen is a burlesque star who has lived a crazy life, Roque is a typical tie-dyed clothes hippie and Ali is never around.. so my first night with them was an experience! I found out that they go dumpstering (so take food out of supermarket bins), which I was quite fascinated by.. they kept laughing because all night I was asking “so, do you get chocolate? What about tea bags? Milk?”, but I think they mostly get vegetables and fruit. Seems quite sensible really.

On the Thursday I met up with a friend Annaliese, and we went out for a few drinks in a bar in the city, with a few other friends. A few drinks turned into a lot of drinks, and I ended up crashing at hers for the night. On the Friday we chilled out during the day, shopping and whatnot, before coming back to the warehouse to get ready for the Chinese New Year Parade. We met up with another friend first, but ended up just going out and getting drunk, and sitting in Hyde park for a while.. it was a really nice night.
On the Saturday a few people were over at the warehouse so we ended up chilling out and drinking etc back here, and on the Sunday we had a big feast with people over.. yummy garlic mushrooms and lamb!
Monday morning I had my Camp America interview, which when so well (yahoo!), and for the rest of the day (and Tuesday and Wednesday) I can’t really remember what we did.. I think we were just drinking/partying/chilling/painting... I began painting my big elephant on the warehouse wall, with all Indian and colourful patterns. It’s so much fun, every time I’ve felt slightly stressed (mainly about my uni application), I picked up a paint brush instead. Best de-stressing tool ever!

Thursday was AUSTRALIA DAY! It’s a pretty big day here- shops shut, nobody goes work, lots of fireworks etc. Me and Sonja spent the day drinking and eating steak (true Aussie style) before heading to Enmore Park to the markets and music. We saw the Crooked Fiddle band, and a Columbian band, it was pretty jazzy. We stood at the front dancing like loons with a few other people and lots of kids, before watching the fireworks.
On the Friday me and Sonja both had a few errands to run in the city, so we spent the day doing that. She found out she is eligible for citizenship, which is mega exciting news, and I was walking along genuinely thinking that could be me one day! I really love Sydney, and think I could live here in the future. The atmosphere is so chilled out and friendly, and there’s always things going on.
In the evening we went to Pirate Jenny’s Stripclub- one of the funniest nights out I’ve ever had- Sonja ended up getting on stage and stripping, as a volunteer!

We went to Victoria Park on Saturday morning for a Med Mob. Lots of people met in the park and we all meditated for an hour in silence, before sitting in a circle and chanting. For a few hours after I was in such a dazed state because it was so relaxing.
In the evening me and Sonja headed over to Rita Vontane’s and Cherry Lush’s apartment.. two of Sonja’s friends who are burlesque dancers. That meant they knew how to do my hair and makeup amazingly well! We all headed to the Annandale to watch some bands, particularly the Crooked Fiddle Band again. Maggie and her friends were also there, and I ended up poy-ing in the garden with them for a little while (Maggie uses fire poys!). The bands were crazy and the atmosphere was amazing, Maggie ended up taking her top off and crowd surfing at one point!
Sunday evening I met up with Annaliese for a few hours before meeting another friend in the city, to watch the Chinese New Year finale parade. It was huge! Lots of floats and giant dragons and sparkling fire things.
I got home around 11pm, and Glen ended up telling me his (pretty amazing) life story for 2 hours. He’s worked with Cher and Madonna, travelled all of the worked, competed (and won) auditions against Patrick Swayze, been in Jackie Chan movies, dealt drugs, dealt with the mafia, spent time half paralysed... it’s crazy! Then at 1am Sonja’s burst through the door declaring she was taking me to party at another warehouse (which is open pretty much all the time for parties). We sat with a few Boylesque guys, and they were explaining to me what the industry was all about, and all the underground Voguing etc that goes on.. I was fascinated! I realised that if you’ve got a closed mind and aren’t open to all this crazy stuff, your life must be pretty mundane!
One thing I’m really enjoying about travelling is the people I’m meeting- everyone seems to be so open and free spirited, and so un-judging. I feel like I’ve known half of them all of my life, when really it has been a week or two, or maybe even a day. I feel like my whole outlook is changing on life- I’m walking around in Hawaiian style sarongs and no shoes and painting crazy elephants and singing and dancing down streets, and just not giving a crap what anyone else thinks.. it’s an amazing feeling.
I feel as though I am in no rush to decide what to do with my future, because every new day is my future, and at the moment I’m waking up every new day saying wow I’m so happy, life is so f*cking good. I feel so me and so alive! I guess the hard part will be keeping that feeling when I’m back in England, although my whole head space is changing so I’m going to give it a go!
I’m still applying for Uni, but whether I’ll go this year is a different story. Maybe I’ll complete my art foundation and get a massage qualification and work, or maybe I’ll travel more, or maybe I’ll do a degree in global studies. I don’t know, but I definitely am not stressing about it!
I don’t know when I’ll be moving on- I’m pretty darn happy in Sydney right now! I stayed at a different warehouse for a few days, and now I'm renting a room in a house with three guys- it's pretty lush! The room's huge and I've got a balcony that everyone chills out on. I think I've got an interview for a fundraising job next week too- it's amazing that I've just been having fun at this warehouse and being happy and suddenly the perfect house and a job fall into my lap without me even looking for them!

I went dumpstering for the first time the other night too! I felt a bit crazy standing next to a dumpster acting really shifty whilst Sonja was throwing onions at me, and it was weird walking home with loads of shopping bags as though we'd just been to Tesco's.

Also I’ve decided to change my name to India. I’ll be doing it officially when I get back in England, so if you could try and call my India that would lovely thank you (everyone here is calling me India and every time someone say's it i'm like OOOH THAT'S MY NAME!!)

Sorry for the lack of pictures! I spent ages typing that essay, so will add some pictures asap,

LOVE YOU ALL XXXXXXXX
(and thanks for the blog comments, it always makes me smile when I read them)

I flew into Sydney at 6am on the 11th of January, it took one a half hours which shows you how big the country is!
Then I caught a (double decker!!) train to meet a girl named Bianca, who's house I'm staying at. We met through CouchSurfing, so it was my first CouchSurfing experience, and I loved it! You get to see all of the stuff you wouldn't normally see, places that aren't in the tourist books.
A German girl named Karen was also staying there, so the three of us, and Bianca's Spanish friend Manwell, spent the afternoon in Whatson's Bay, which was lovely.

In the evening we met more of Bianca's friends and went to a bar called "The Sheef".. it was so busy, and it was like a pub/bar/club all mixed together.. they even had a bottle shop attached to the side! After we went to Manwell's house, where we got to see all of his artwork (he's holding an exhibition soon!)... it was an awesome night!

On the Saturday, Julia, another girl from Germany, arrived and we all went to La Perouse, along with Bianca's boyfriend. It was a bit of a trek to get to, but so worth it- it was just gorgeous! There were layers of rocks along the coast that were covered in different craters and holes from the erosion, and all different colours. There were giant rock pools everywhere, which had lots of animals and sealife.. it was pretty awesome! The sea was glistening like crazy in the sun and the waves were so high so when they hit the rocks there was so much spray.
We sat in a little abandoned concrete shed type thing, that was apparently used as a lookout for the army, but now it was covered in graffiti (which I think looked kinda cool), and had our little picnic.

We then walked around to the other side, which was just as amazing, and found an old rusty shipwreck. We also met a lady called Penelope who had been dancing on the rocks... she was pretty crazy!

The six of us stood on the edge of a rock, waiting for the spray to hit us.. it was like being on a roller coaster ride, everyone was screaming and laughing! We got completely drenched but it was amaaazing!

Then we sat in the old concrete shed thing again and did a bong, before heading back home.. it was such a good day!

In the evening we ordered pizza and chilled out watching a film
Definatley glad I'm couchsurfing!!

I'm lovingggg having an underwater camera (although it feels strange actually putting a camera underwater!);

XOXO

Today, I'm feeling a little homesick. Well, a lot homesick.
It's such a weird feeling, it's as though i'm really sad because I miss you all and want to see you, but at the same time I feel happy inside because it makes me smile that I know you all and that I've got you all in my life. I don't think it's a bad feeling, and I'm so glad I'm here.. I would rather be homesick than home!

I think it's just the first time I've really realised I won't be home for Christmas, and it's strange.. I want to eat Emily's mince pie's, help Dad decorate the tree, be wrapped up in lots of layers Christmas shopping with Mum and stand outside of a club still only wearing a dress and be freezing like a total muppet with my friends!

I guess Dorothy was right, there's no place like home!

xoxo

Well, I suppose I should start by saying sorry for the lack of entries, but i'm going to start again (especially as I'm heading to Sydney in a month-ish, so excited!)

I'm still at the Gold Coast at the moment, I'm working in a clothes/cheapy shop, and I'm reaaally enjoying it! It's really laid back, I can wear what I want, use my phone, drink coffee and have a really good laugh with the other girls there, it's a good job!
The wages here are crazily high, I get £14 an hour, but I suppose that just shows you how expensive it is to live here. It's going to be strange when I come back to England and have a job that pays just £5.65 an hour! I've made a few friends here, although it has been harder than it was in Brisbane, and finding work was tough- I think I handed out about 75 CV's and heard back from 3. I went out in Surfers Paradise the other week which was really fun, it's so strange when it's the middle of the night and i'm still wearing a strap top, and I'm still warm.

I don't feel very festive at all. I keep thinking Christmas next week?? Surely not- I'm wearing a bandeau top and shorts, and still sweating! Although they do keep playing Christmas songs at work... Justin Bieber's Christmas Album is something I never want to hear again in my whole life! I don't think Australia go as crazy at Christmas as we do, it just seems a lot calmer. It's lovely speaking to everyone at home though and all of the presents they've been buying each other, and the snow of course! I wish it was possible for you to send some over to me, just for a day, then I'd like the sun back please I'm spending Christmas day with Chrissie and her family, which will be lovely. It's going to be strange that my Christmas will almost be over whilst yours is just beginning, NYE will be even stranger! Hopefully I'll be back in Brisbane for NYE with friends, work depending. I can't wait until I get my Christmas and Birthday parcels/cards.. I love getting post! I'll let you all know when I've got them, thank you for sending things.
I can't wait to get my chocolate from Mum... the cadburys selection here is amazing, but it just doesn't taste the same! And being a chocohollic, I'm struggling!! Mango's and Greek yoghurt seem to be my new addiction though.

I had my first rainy day the other week, and watched a movie in my hoody, and it was so nice, I've never enjoyed a rainy day so much.. I felt like I was back in England for a day! I'm getting used to the heat I think, the sun makes everything look so beautiful. I have moments where I'm walking along and thing jeeeze this really it beautiful, I love it. It's strange when friends tell me they're in bed with big jumpers and a million socks on, and i'm living in shorts.
I've had a few "small world" moments recently. A customer at work told me her daughter lives off of Narborough Road, and I found out an old school friend has been living in Australia for four years, on the Gold Coast, so I think we're meeting up next week... it really is a small world!

My plan has changed slightly- I'm heading down to Melbourne (stopping at Sydney), then meeting my Mum at Melbourne and travelling back up to Brisbane (where we'll see Elbow, so excited!) and then I'll travel up to Cairns. I'm really looking forward to having some quality time with my mum, I think it's long overdue and we both deserve it
So, when I finish work in January, I'll be off to Sydney for my travels to really begin! If I'm there by the 8th, I might be going to see Arctic Monkeys with a friend, although I'm not sure if I will have finished work by then. So if not, I'll be heading down later in January, and staying at another friends apartment for a few nights by Bondi Beach, before spending two weeks in a warehouse. The warehouse is being converted into a music/arts centre, and you can stay for up to two weeks working two hours a day for your accomadation and food. It looks awesome and I'm sure the accomadation will be rough sleeping, but I don't mind, it's going to be a great way to meet other travellers, and an experience! I'll feel like a true traveller, I'm sure.
I'm curious to try Couch Surfing as well.. it looks like fun, and there's some amazing people involved.

I feel like the world is my oyster at the moment, I really do. I'm applying for Camp America for summer 2012, applying to do a Fine Arts degree at uni, and I'm completing a TEFL certificate which means I will be able to teach English abroad. Out of curiosity, I emailed a few schools in Thailand to see what they would offer me with this certificate, and one offered me work experience straight the way, but said that as soon as I have my degree they would be able to offer me a proper job, which is exciting!!! Thailand is on my list of must-go-to places.

I'm so happy with myself at the moment- I was really worried that I would have regrets regards to not going to Uni, and leaving my au pair family, but I don't at all. I feel excited to go to uni next year, which is a lot nicer that feeling panicked and pressured, like I was doing.

This is my Camp America Application..

I'm not sure how it will fit in with my travelling etc, I'll see if I get a place first! (fingers crossed!!)

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's Christmas photos, and of you all in the snow, and of all my friends being back together in Leicester (I reckon some of you are going a bit crazy at uni, cough Jazz cough!). I can't believe Olivia's 20, I'm going to be 19 and Emily is going to be 17 and starting to drive!! It's just scary, I want to stay young forever.

I think I'm falling in love with Australia, the other day I was almost laughing I was so happy! And I feel like a real desperate housewife because they throw the newspapers on the lawn. The bus drivers are crazy though, the other day they stopped the bus and told me to get on the bus behind, so that he didn't have to go where I wanted to go... so half my journey was on the school bus with all of the kids in uniform!

Hope everyone is well, and getting into the festive spirit!

Love you all lots and lots and lots,

Bear
xxx

p.s. my australian phone number is +61413202856, and I no longer have my english one

a bit cringey but here you go;

XXX

I've had such a good weekend- really made me feel a lot better about a few issues i've had with my job!
Friday night was pizza night so just really chilled out, and then on Saturday I met a friend in Brisbane City, and we wondered around for a while which was really nice. We took a walk through Botanic Gardens in the dark, and we we're both saying how strange it is that you can do things like that.. in the UK it would be trashed! After that, we met up with some other friends for my friends birthday drinks, and we went to an Irish bar, where a few live bands played. Then we went to the Down Under bar to do some dancing- such a good night! Next time, I will have to stay at a friends so I can drink rather than driving though!

On Sunday evening I took Emily & Matt trick or treating- I don't know who was more excited, me or the kids! But it was great fun and so we're going again tonight haha! They think i'm just a big kid

round two hehehe...

This photo's for dad- See I have done some fishing with Matty, in the pond!...

BEASTY spider;

The kids just got a huge trampoline in the garden, so so good! On Saturday at dusk i'm taking Emily to see the original The Sound Of Music at Southbank, but it's an outdoor temporary cinema, where you take a deck chair, i'm soooo excited it's going to be just like out of the movies!!

Oh, and I got a tattoo...

haha

Hope you're all well, lots of hugs and kisses xxx

I had a lovely weekend away at Chrissy’s (22nd-23rd October), its so confusing being an hour ahead when I visit her, in New South Wales, compared to when I’m at home in Queensland! Chrissy met me at Robina station, and we went straight to Springbrook Mountain; it was gorgggeous! We sat and had pumpkin scones with golden syrup, and went to Best Of All Lookout, so we could see all of Tweed Valley.

It was a little cloudy, but still gorgeous. Then we went to stand next to a waterfall and see another amazing view- I couldn’t believe how high up we were! It was a semi-tropical rainforest up the mountain, and felt so moist in the air.

The tree’s were amazing, and so tall! It was a lovely morning! After our picnic lunch and tea in a Faulty Towers cafe, we went to Natural arch, which again was stunning...

Christine show’s me the most amazing places! She told me how she used to go swimming in that cave and jump through the hole, but you can’t anymore because it’s fenced off, which is a shame, the water looked so clear and glistening in the sun. Saw some amazing birds like small parrots and rosilla’s, and they have these tree’s with violet flowers on, they’re so pretty!

On the Sunday we went to Coolangatta beach side market, which was so cute, and like a “proper” market with lots of craft stalls, I wish I could buy things for everyone back home but it’s just so expensive to send!
It was such nice weather today, so hot! We went to a shopping mall and had the yummiest forrera rochea ice cream, and then took a walk around her parents estate (around the Tweed river) The water is so blue and looks beautiful in the sun. We also fed banana to a water dragon in her parents yard!!

Thank-you for a great weekend Christine xx

p.s. I have been eaten alive by mosquitos

Hiiiiiii,

Sorry for not updating in a while!! The internet has literally just been installed in the new house.. it’s made me miss everyone even more not being able to talk to you (last week I was really homesick, and missed the weirdest things; my quilt, strawberry flan, tesco, normal traffic lights, the rubbish but normal choice of mcflurrys, but i'm feeling okay now!)
I’m still having lots of fun and loving Australia
The new house is amazing, especially the garden. There’s decking all around the back that I love sitting on reading, and a pond that I spend ages drawing by. Then there’s a path to the lawn, which is surrounded by forest and the kids have a little Cubby house in it, which is really cute. There’s lots of flowers, plants and palm tree’s everywhere, so it’s very green!

Here's some photo's from the garden;

I was standing near my decking, just inside the open door, and there was a bang, so I looked down and next to me was a huge snake! I ran back inside, and then had to run back to shut the door, and it started banging it’s head on the window. The kids think it was a python or a carpet snake, but I have no idea. Now doors are being kept shut (which is also because I have 18 mosquito bites covering my legs, and it isn’t very attractive!) There was another snake yesterday as well, slithering near the kitchen wall before it crept into the roof!

Not all of the wildlife is so scary.. there’s lots of birds that are really colourful, like rainbow lorikeets who drink out of the pond, and funny cockatoo's with yellow feathers on the heads who sit on the lawn. I’m being stalked by a magpie, which are actually really scary.. people have been on the news with holes in their heads where magpies have attacked them, so cyclists have cable ties on their helmets to keep them away. Every time I go outside this magpie flies down and comes really close, so I run inside and he sits watching me, he flew into the living room the other morning. Matty and Alex throw “Special K” in the air so he swoops and catches it.
I learnt that gecko’s drop their tail when they’re scared. I found out because there was a scaly tail flipping around on the floor, and you could see the nerve endings, it was gross (or festy as the kids say!).
This morning, the best thing happened... I SAW A KANGAROO IN THE GARDEN! I was outside and heard a rustling, which scared me because of the snake incidents, and a kangaroo appeared out of a bush near the bedrooms, and started bouncing away into the forest.. Australia really is awesome.. it's just crazy, I saw a kangaroo, in the garden!??!

The local village is really cute, and there’s load of quaint houses and churches that I drive past. The drive to school is really nice, although the kids begin to feel a bit sick because of the winding roads. The birds here are suicidal, and have had a few near misses with my windscreen.

I’ve been having lots of fun with the kids, baking and playing games etc, I think they really like me which is good! Matty and Alex are both crazy, they run ON the roof, which scares me to death, chasing eachother. Matty loves free running and jumps off and over everything, including the roof, and climbs everything including the beams in the house. He’s already had something like 6 ticks which is a bit worrying. I’ve been helping Tom with his maths a lot, which he said he really enjoys, and so do I... it makes me think I could be a maths teacher! Emily’s lovely, and reminds me of my Emily sometimes, when she goes a bit crazy... I think you’d get along with her Woo!

I’ve made loads of new friends already, and I’ve been to the city (Brisbane) a few times with them.. I even watched the rugby in a pub (The Pig N’ Whistle) one evening, which was so much fun, everyone was shouting Allee Le Bleu! The train’s here are easy and fairly cheap, it’s just like the tube.
I went to a restaurant by the river one night, and it was gorgeous.. everywhere is lit up in different coloured lights, like Story Bridge (which was designed by the same architect as the Harbour Bridge in Syndey) covered in red lights, and the huge sky scrapers along the river. There’s so many boats as well.
I feel so safe here, it’s nothing like England at night! Everyone just seems so happy and enjoying themselves, and happy to meet new people.

Story bridge at night;

Views of the Southbank from bridge;

Moi avec mes amis, près le pont Story;

The weathers been gorgeous; on Sunday night I was on the train home at 10pm, still in a strap top and eating ice-cream!(“Macca’s” McFlurrys are the best here!) I think i’m actually beginning to tan. Although, when it rains here it’s crazy. I was at the city beach and you could see the storm cloud coming over, literally like a black curtain across the sky, and everyone started running in the opposite direction, and when it began raining everyone ran under shelter, because it feels as though someone is throwing a bucket of water of you. Half an hour later it’s sunny again!

Australia’s way less PC; less swear words are blocked out on the radio, and they get away with saying things that you wouldn’t in England. They called the Australian Priminister a Ginger Ninja, and the Queen “Madge” for her majesty.
They don’t have Ben & Jerry’s here, and Cadbury’s doesn’t taste the same! Although you can get cherries and coconut covered in Cadburys chocolate, called a cherry pie, Milo bars which is brownie and caramel covered in chocolate, Coke bottles with your name on, and Drive Thru off licenses! Australian’s don’t know what jacket potatoes are, call flip-flops Thongs and swimming costumes Togs.

The weekend just gone I had a great time with Christine, visiting Natural Arch, Springbrook Mountain and Coolangatta beach side market, but that's a whole new blog entry!

Missing everyone lots.. I can skype you all again!

I hope that Auntie Debbie and Grandad had great birthdays, and that Kayleigh had a great 19th on Sunday (sorry I couldn’t be there to get drunk with you!), and sorry i’m so rubbish at getting my post out on time!
Love you all trillions and millions and zillions, can’t wait to talk to everyone now that I have a phone line and internet!

lots of love

Bear
XXX

I’m soooo pleased for you, and so so so proud! Gutted I can’t be there to give you a huuuuuge hug.. I hope that it’s going well and you’re learning lots, and that the people are nice, and college is fun and you’re enjoying it, and that you’re happy and smiling every single day!
Love you millions and millions and missing you lots! You would be a millionaire if you were here (the other day I saw a sign for a trim and blow-dry... $99! and that was meant to be cheap!).

So lots of hugs and kisses from me you little star, keep being amazing!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

ps. I have that picture on the back of my door and it makes me smile every time I see it! : )

Southbank's "City Beach"

Visited Southbank in Brisbane on Wednesday, which is one side of the river. It's gorgeous, and the city beach is great! It's a man made beach with real sand and a lagoon to swim in, and even a lifeguard, near the shops.. its bizarre. Sat in front of the Brisbane Wheel, near a giant lizard, then saw two Ibis birds attack a woman for her chips, the animals here are crazy but definatly beat the pigeons! Bike riders put cable ties poking out of there helmets, so that the birds can't land on them. There's some metal arches that create a walkway, that are all wrapped in these beautiful pink flowers, it's so pretty. Everywhere is so clean here.

I've been driving around loads now, picking the kids up from school. Getting along really well with them, Matty can't stop high-fiving me.
Moving house to Samford tomorrow, where there is the cutest little village, and some seriously amazing views of mountains and bays, can't wait! Hopefully going to the city as well, but there's a thunderstorm predicted so who knows.

Views from the current house in The Gap, Brisbane;

also went to Westfield shopping centre, which was huuuuge