Hi We are off to Australia on a home swap leaving the UK on 12th July, next week, I am going to add to this travel journal during our trip about the places we are visiting and how it is all going.Please visit regularly to see what we are up to.I will be updating the site and adding our teavels from Australia.Join us as we go.

We have 7 days to go and now it all starts to happen.I am busy cleaning the house from top to bottom i didt realise we had so much clutter under the beds!!! We have done all those jobs we have put off for years its amazing how they get done.
Home insurance and car insurance is sorted and all contact numbers and a little folder about the home and area have also been done.The tourist information centre has been handy.Bills all paid,neighbours warned and only the cases to pack now.How to get it all in !!!.

72 hours to go and we have just confirmed our flights with Singapore airlines from Heathrow.An excellent company to fly with always very helpful and the in flight entertainment system is a great hit with the kids.They cant get through all the nintendo games!!
Seats can be booked and menus can be chosen.We have a night flight out of london and arrive in Singapore 6pm their time on the Thursday.Seems a long time.We then have 2 nights stopover to explore the city.

This is it.The day has arrived.The house is sparkling we are all packed and we about to embark on our journey to the other side of the world!!
It is a 12 hour flight to Singapore and we are taking a night flight this time.We have booked into the Hotel Furama in the Harbour area as we want to go to Santosa Island on the Friday.We will travel by cable car across to the island.We then have one more day and fly off to Australia on Sat.Seems a long time from now and a lot of travelling!!Hope my nerves stand up to it.The kids are already on the ceiling.Large doses of Phenergan might solve that!!.
My next entry will be when we are in Singapore.

We flew out from London on a night flight to Singapore, arriving in Singapore 12 hours later but the clocks went forward to 6pm at night.It was a quick smooth process through the airport and our transfers to the hotel were excellent.We arrived at the Furama City Hotel which is on the edge of China town.The hotel was spotless and the service excellent.Fabulous location for the harbour areas and access to Sentosa Island.The rooms were excellent and the breakfast was very reasonable with plenty of choice.It also had a swimming pool and gym.I would recommend this hotel to families travelling though the rooms were not inter connecting and we had to split up with a child in each.

The weather in Singapore was very humid almost stiffling with no breeze or fresh air.We found it very tiring especially after the long flight.
On day 2 of our stopover we visited Sentosa Island,travelling there by taxi for 4 pounds and we came back by cable car which is worth doing.Cost of taxis is very cheap in Singapore.
On the island there is a large number of attractions which you get to by bus jst getting on and off where you wish.I would recommend underwater world and the children loved the skyrail and luge rides.Plenty of things to do and places to eat.
You can even just spend the day on the beach there.
We returned early evening and spent the evening in Clarks Quay which is alongside the river and had a fabulous seafood meal overlooking the river and the city of Singapore.Lovely way to round it off.
One thing we did notice was that the prices displayed did not include the taxes and the service charge all the restaurants add to the bills.10%.
On Saturday night we flew out of Singapore on our way to Brisbane Australia.Another night flight!!!
We would land in Aus on Sunday morning.

Well we have arrived in Brisbane and taken a flight to Rockhampton which is on the East coast above Brisbane.We arrived minus a rucksack-yes one of the boys put it down and it went!!! We were met by our family we are swapping with and taken to the house.
I must also mention that although it was warm it was raining!! The Aussies thought it was great we did not.
The home we are staying in is a queenslander style house with a fabulous verandah overlooking the 3 acre garden.This goes down to a small creek and you can watch the wallabies,birds etc from the comfort of the verandah.Reminds me of the Waltons.
A very light and open plan home with all that we need.It is just so nice to put clothes away and not live out of cases.
Yeppoon the town is a pretty seaside town with plenty of local shops and cafes and beaches galore.We could go to a different beach each day if we wanted to.
We were definately set up to have a fabulous holiday here.

We have been here for just over a week now and we have managed to cram the week with lots of trips.The weather is beautiful during the day with deep blue skys,but gets cooler at night.It is dark by 6pm which is hard to get used to as you loose so much of the day.We spent the day on Tuesday cruising the Keppel Islands,fishing and snorkling the small reef islands.The waters were a calm deep blue and there was plenty of wildlife to watch.
We caught fish and collected shells,a lovely day out.

Today we went to a crocodlie farm where they are raised as a commercial concern.Not something we really agree with but it was fascinating seeing the crocs and getting to hold them.It was also a rescue farm and had some huge monsters recovered from rivers and creeks around here.Thats put me off swimming here!!!
We have seen our first redback spider which was holed up in the meter box,so they are around.You do have to be careful especially in the bush here.

A visit to Rockhampton Botanical gardens and zoo is a must and its FREE.We spent the day here as there was lots to see and do.We rounded it off with a fish and chip supper on the beach in Yeppoon.
The beaches here are stunning and just go on for miles.You can be the only people on them as the aussies say it is too cold this time of year.We are all swimmng and playing on the beach they are wrapped up in boots and coats looking at us as if we are mad!!They then assume we are from the UK.

Today we decided to drive out into the outback to explore the countryside.The main roads are tarmac but once you leave the highway it is dirt tracks all the way.We came across acres and acres of pineapples growing on the ground.We spoke with the farmer and ended up on a guided tour in the back of his yute(thats 4x4 to us)all over the pineapple farm.The children picked pineapples and we ended up with some in the boot for tea.
Everyone is very friendly and only too happy to chat and show us their country.
We then made our way towards volcanic mountains standing on huge plains full of gum trees.Cattle were being rounded by cowboys,it was amazing being surrounded by these great plains yet only an hour from the sea.
A great day. We rounded it off with fish and chips on the seafront.Tomorrow we are off to Keppel Sands a golden beach that runs for miles and miles.

Today the sky was a deep azure blue with not a cloud in sight and sunny and warm. We headed off through Emu Park to visit Kepple Sands.These sands stretch for miles and miles and we had the whole beach to ourselves.Not a sole in sight.
We spent the day on the beach.I saw my first snake just meandering its way along the edge of the beach,
we dont know what kind,but we left it alone and it dissapeared into the grasslands alongside the beach.
Emu Park is rapidly expanding as a town and there are new estates popping up amongst the hills all vieing for the best spot with the best view.
We did all the things you do on the beach as a family and had a lovely relaxing day.
On our return to the house we spent the late afternoon on the verandah watching the kangeroos and wallabies playing in the back garden.Perfect.

It is worth mentioning the Capricorn Caves for a visit http://www.capricorncaves.com.au.
We also visited the Capricorn Ridges resort which is a fabulous hotel complex on the edge of Yeppoon with championship golf courses and private beaches.Stunning gardens and a great place to stay.
http://www.capricornresort.com
Today they were hosting a stage in the national Queensland Rally which was good fun.
It is situated on the edge of the most wonderful rainforests and wetlands which are worth exploring.Tomorrow promises to be a very sunny day so we have decided to spend the day on one of the many beaches here.

Today we decided to be part of the local community and went to the annual world coeeee competition and school fair held in Tarangaba a small region of Yeppoon.
It was similar to our school fetes we have but there were several competitions to get involved in.We had a go at the thong throwing(flip flops)to you and me,you dont realise how hard this can be.Then there was the billy boiling,followed by the damper making(bread)and the world famous coeee competition.Coeee is an old aboriginal word that was used to call to each other in the bush and the idea was to shout as loud as you could and it was measured in decibels.
My husband actually won and is now the international Coeee Champion for 2006.We are bringing home a trophy.He just missed out on the Kookaburra calling!!!
It was a lovely day and we all enjoyed it.The weather was very hot today.Tomorrow we are heading East to Emerald for a few days to go Fossicking.This is digging in the open fields for gemstones.We shall stay overnight and explore the Capricorn Central Lands as they are called.

We have just returned from Emerald where we have spent the past few days Fossicking. This is the art of digging in the saphire fields then sieving and washing the stones to find gemstones.The whole area of Saphire and Ruby is rich in precious stones.As a tourist we visited the Blue Hollow Mine in Saphire to learn about the stones and what to look for.We were then allowed to go off on a 100 acre site and dig for the gems.You are allowed to use hand tools which you can hire.A brilliant day for the children aswell as us.We then purchased some bags of dirt from the mine and cleaned these.We found about 12 small saphires,Very small and two large enough to have a pair of earings made for me.
We didt make our fortune but throughly enjoyed the experience.Well worth the drive to get there.
www.bluehallowmine.com.au

Sorry www.bluehollowmine.com
And if you are ever in Blackwater which is a small mining town you must stop at the Japenese Gardens Cafe for breakfast.Excellent.
If you continue further on from Emerald you come to Longreach which has the Outback museum and the Qantas jet that was flown in by John Travolta.
The distances are big and there is nothing inbetween these towns so make sure you are prepared with supplies and fuel.

We have just returned from a 8 day trip driving up the East Coast from Yeppoon To Cairns a total of 3000kms.We have spent every day exploring the East Coast and i would recommend to anyone to drive the coast as there is so much to see and do.We also visited the Barrier Reef,Karunda Skyrail,Cairns,Port Douglas and the Daintree and Cape Tribulation areas.Absolutely stunning and Breathtaking scenery.

We are flying home to the UK on Wednesday so once i hvae more time i will go into more detail of the trips and sights to be seen on the East Coast.

Well the trip is over and its onward for plans for next year. Now we are home and have time to reflect on the trip i would recommend the following things.
I would definately drive between Brisbane and Cairns again.Avery long way but worth it to see the amazing countryside and fabulous beaches on route. I would stay at Airlie Beach not Bowen next time.That is about half way up.
A visit to the Daintree and Cape Tribulation areas is a must and crocodile watching on the Daintree river.
The barrier reef trip was very memorable and one of the highlights of the holiday.Quicksilver were very organised and catered well for all the family. I would suggest you book beforehand and take note of the weather and wind speeds.It can get quite choppy!!!
The Karunda Sky Rail is also a good trip there is plenty to see and do. My children enjoyed the poisonous zoo which had all the spiders and snakes they wanted to see.
We will be returning in the future as Australia offers so much.If you can put up with the flight it is well worth it.

Adrienne can you let me know how you organised house swap. Really interested. Love Australia. Been once and would love to return .... this way sounds good with the kids.