Bondi, Blue Mountains and blimin long bus journeys.

Back in the chair again folks. You'll be glad to know I'm feeling a bit better although not braving any kind of night life for fear of waking the angry god of tonsils.

Right then....Wed 11th Oct. The weather just keeps getting better and today was a scorcher by my standards. So it was off to Bondi pretty much just so I could say I'd been there. Funny to think Claire was living here in an apartment overlooking this beach on the other side of the world a couple of years ago.

And it is just a city beach but there's a really nice feel about the place. Jack and Gracie were thoughly amused with sand and me and Lib nattered and set the world to rights. The people watching here is fabulous and we had plenty of interesting specimens to ogle. There were a lot of testosterone filled teenage boys out that particular day and an unusual amount of mullet hair do's...perhaps I'm getting behind the times but I just can't bring myself to fancy a mullet. Could you?

Some of these boys had buried their mate in the sand in the shape of a mermaid...Jack wanted to be a mermaid too so Libby obliged. But when the lads then gave their mate a set of boobs, of course Jack wanted boobs too and what can you say...so Jack also had a set of boobs. Was hilarious! I made Gracie a racing car that turned into a Beetle (has to be on Bondi does it not?) and she loved it. I thoughly enjoyed playing in the sand with the kids and can recommend a day out with children at the beach any day.

Next stop, the Aquarium which was fab. Got my first glimpse of some Platypuses and they're so much smaller than you think! Like little wind up toys! They have a great tunnel that goes through the shark and stingray tank and was amazing watching them glide over the top of you. I have some dreadful pics of this but will show you anyway. Also went to the Wildlife park next door and saw Kangaroos, Wallabies (massive), Koalas and loads more. Poor Jack walked straight into a window bless him, if it hadn't been him it would definitely have been me!

By this time we were utterly nackered so Phil met us with some wraps that we ate by Darling Harbor as the lights of the city came on...it was a lovely end to another marvelous day!

Thurs 12th Oct

Managed 40 lengths of the pool!!!! Whoa...think I'll have to lie down for the rest of the day! But nope, it was another tourism extravaganza with a trip to the Blue Mountains to the west of Syders. For some reason I'd really got it into my head I wanted to see these mountains...well, their mountains and it's me so that's enough of an excuse I suppose. And Lib being the lovely lady she is said she'd take me and the kids despite the long drive in the heat...and it was seriously hot!

The drive was fantastic as it goes, me and Libby did not stop blethering the whole way! She's a real kindred spirit and it's so nice to have normal conversations that go beyond "Where are you from?/ where are you going?/ where have you been?" Lib, I think you should move back to the UK when I go home, OK?

So yeah, the mountains did not disappoint. A quick lunch was had at a nice secluded lookout point, followed by the touristy part with the coaches but a fabulous view. By now it's properly baking! A short walk down to the 3 sisters (some rocks) and then Gracie sets her heart on the cable car and Libby is scared of heights. Oh dear.....hats off to Lib, she went for it! And this thing had a see-through floor for godsake! She did really well I have to say and the views were great.

On the way home we played car games for sweets and yet again I was amazed at how well Jack and Gracie get on together. If that had been me and any of my siblings after a long hot day, we would be bashing eachother to bits with various souvenirs and screeching till the windows shattered. Of course these two have their moments but they actually play together.

That night was spent mostly catching up on the everlasting blog....which  is like having a part time job as it goes, not that  it isn't fun . And a very exhausted Shelley went to bed far too late thinking she'd be able to sleep on the bus tomorrow so it was better to get as much blog time in as I could now. PLONKER!!!! Never assume you'll sleep on a bus!!!