Hey All,

Well guess what we've been up to since you last had a little peek!! Well firstly, there's a whole load of new photos up there of the first couple of weeks in the campervan, so have a little look. 18 in total I think, so don't think you get away with a short trip, get yourselves a cuppa!

So we arrived in Coffs Harbour with one thing on our minds...... sharks! We had always planned to get underneath the big wide ocean, and D-Day had arrived, for me anyway. Rich already has his dive certificate from his last globetrot. So I was back off to school for some very intense learning, a lot of mickey taking and a little bit of fear. We went to a company called Jetty Dive which was really great. All the people there were fab and we had a good laugh with the staff. After a school day, we both had a half day in a swimming pool all geared up and doing the practical stuff. Then day three was a 3 minute (!) boat trip out to Muttonbird Island and guess who got seasick! How ridiculous? I blame the very tight fitting wetsuit, 21lbs of weights around my middle (don't wanna float eh!) and having to focus on setting up your kit while the boat is (slightly) swaying! Still was fine in the water and managed not to panic too much. Oh except when i sunk a bit too much and nearly landed on my bum in the coral. For those who don't know they can sting and you don't want that on your behind. Hyperventilation is not the word! Saw a couple of Port Jackson sharks, some sand rays and what are known as LST's in the biz (little stripey things). The next day we both went to the Solitary Islands Marine Park (seasick tablets ingested, with full effect, hoorah!) and did two dives where we saw Wobbygong Sharks, a turtle (wow!), big blue groupers, lots of LST's and Nemo's, Dory's and Gills for those who like a bit of Finding Nemo! The visibility (apparently) wasn't great that day so we could have seen more, but having put myself through the course, I don't intend to give it up now. So, maybe next time! But as a little treat afterwards a pod of Humpback Whales gave us a real show on the way home, jumping up and spinning the kids in the air (no, really). Have a look at the photo's and your welcome to laugh at me, I don't care cos I'm a certified Diver!!!!

So there you go, that's what we've been up to. It's nice to give the brain a rest and actually sleep through the night without doing dive preparation in our sleep! But we will definately do some more diving soon.

We're now in Byron Bay, which seems to be a very nice little place. Spent today walking up to a lighthouse and visited Australia's most easterly point (not that we mind!). Again, we have been treated to a show from the whales migrating south, but this time some dolphins put in an appearance too which was cool. Some crazy big lizard tried to stop us in our path but we made it passed. Again no idea what it was, but took some photo's for the ever increasing album.

So, that's all for now (folks!). Hope you are all well as ever. Take care

ScubaKate and ScubaRich (flip flip!)

Hello Again!

Well it's been two weeks and there's so much to tell. So we thought we'd get started straight off and then hopefully we might just keep you up to speed......

So, where to start???? Well, we are both fine. Managing well with the campervan. It's ok to drive, eats petrol which we didn't figure, but now we know!! Sleeping is fine, we are so tired from all the fresh air we've been getting! Anyway, we have stayed in a variety of sites, from fully equipped Butlins style, to middle of a field in the bush with kangaroos, possums, echidnas and a pit toilet for company. All good. Without power we can still use everything apart from the microwave, which we've never used anyway. Had some little problems in the first few days...... being: Failure (of the hire company) to mention the 2nd safety valve on the gas tank, filling it up because it was empty (when it comes full!!!) and the full water tank (35L) running out after a day (when it comes full!!!). Hmmmmm, thanks guys! Oh and the -3 degrees on the first night in the Blue Mountains! Still, five sleeping bags, a ruby murray and a beanie just about did the trick!

You'll be pleased to know the weather is now getting warmer. Around 22 degrees at last count. The shorts and flip flops have made guest appearances!

So it's taken us 2000kms and twelve days to get from Sydney to Coffs Harbour (normally 5 hours drive we think) where we are now. But it's all good because we've been in and out of hicksville, to the beach and to the bush and it's been great so far. We haven't got lost because we haven't really got a plan! Not unless you count three trips over the harbour bridge to get out of Sydney. The first time was great "what a way to leave Sydney, in a campervan over the Harbour Bridge" we cried. Funny that! Not so funny the third time!

The places we have stopped so far are: Palm Beach (saw them filming Home and Away for those that are interested) Oberon in the Blue Mountains, Mudgee, Gulgong (Western style town in the outback, they did stare at the foreign campervan!!!) Hunter Valley, Newcastle (which is pretty ming) Port Stephens (which is absolutely beautiful) Great Lakes National Parks (again beautiful, unfortunately one lake was a little eggy!), Port Macquarie, Armidale, Dorrigo, Bellingen (where the annual jazz festival was in full swing so it wasn't so bad that we had omitted the showers for a couple of days, talk about hippiesville!) and now Coffs Harbour. We have mainly done lots of walks in the National Parks, been over some massive sand dunes, seen loads of wildlife which we always like! Dingoes, wild Koalas, black cockatoos, Brush turkeys (which gave us a fright), possums, echidna and only 10 mosquitoe bites so far. 9 for Kate, clearly, ladies are sweeter!!!!! Oh and got up close and personal with a python and three of the four most venomous snakes in the world [at a fete, ahem!]. Been to a Koala Hospital, eaten ice cream with mars bars, fudge, peanut m&ms, chocolate buttons and hundreds and thousands in for lunch (!), been wine tasting, drank champagne out of plastic mugs and read about four books each. Really it's just the high life!


So in a word, we're having a ball. The conversation is a little on the none-existant side! But when we're two of the four population in these towns there's not much call for making friends especially when two are brother/sister/husband/wife combo!!! What do you say?! Not a lot! You'll be glad you're not here cos you'd all get an earfull of gobbledegook!

Enough said.

Have fun people

Love

Kate and Rich xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hoooooorrrraaaaahhhhh!

We're back off on the road again, thank the lord. The working stint has finished (well almost, Rich finishes in 5 hours) so we will be officially unemployed again! Having been in Sydney for a grand total of four months it's definately time for some outback fun and frolicks and some lazy beach days. We're both hoping the weather will get a little better. Yes we heard about the British heat wave, the hottest summer on record we know.......and yes, Sydney is having the wettest winter on record, so we're REALLY happy!

Anyway, as you know we have the campervan booked which we pick up tomorrow and we're off up the coast for a magical mystery tour! Yes the above is what we will be like for the entire trip, apart from those small tiffs about who's who is the world of navigating and when the confined space thing gets a bit much! We're planning on a mix of outback hick towns, beautiful national parks and some amazing beaches. Of course the Tasmania Wildlife hunt will be back on and hopefully there will be more interesting sightings to tell you about. But even more interesting may be the hunt for a toilet! But maybe we'll keep that to ourselves!

OK enough waffle, hope you liked the latest batch of pictures, there'll be more where they came from for sure. Take care of you all and enjoy your hot hot summer!

Love

Kate xx

Hi All

Just a quick one to let you know that there are 18 brand spanking new photo's for you to look at (so don't think its just the nine you can see on this page that you haven't seen.)

They are from various places all within a few hours drive of Sydney if not in the city itself and show how we've been occupying some of our weekends while we've been here slaving away.

To see them all visit Rich and Kate's Flickr Photos

Oh and don't forget you can see them on our map here or our Google Map here.

Hope you like them.

PS - Bring on Tuesday 8th August........ Do I here you cry 'Road Trip'?