This is it, the last & final up date...

Hi Guys,

Well, in about 5 hours I'll be at home.... So this is it, the last & final update you'll get - well from this trip anyway :o)

Ok, time to test the memory again. I had to up date my travel journal yesterday afternoon, I haven't done it since Kakadu (2ish weeks ago..?) & it was rather
hard to remember what I'd been up to - I think I'm just going to have to go back through all the emails I've written you :)

Tuesday we did the great ocean road. It was pretty cool, lot's more rocks (or what was once land) that look impressive! The 12 apostles, London bridge, bay of islands plus a few others I can't remember the names of. When you see them in photos they look cool, but in real life - soooooo much better! Then on the way to Melbourne we stopped at bells beach & a few other bays on the way.

Tuesday night I stayed at the YHA that was about a 20min walk from the city so
needless to say I changed accommodation & ended up staying at a place right in the heart of the city :)

Wednesday it reached about 38oC, it was just a bit hot & not what I expected of Melbourne! I did a city sights tour which was ok but was really for grandmas & grandpas so I wouldn't recommend. At least I still got to see the sights. Then in the afternoon went to the dandagong ranges(I can't even remember if that's what they're called or how to spell it - I'm sure some one will correct me - Dave, Ian?? ;)

The tour was advertised as "walk through the ranges see waterfalls etc", once again for grandpas & grandmas we drove for about a hour & a half & got off the bus for 30min & fed some birds / parrots (which were pretty cool I must admit) then got back on the bus & that was it, not really worth the trip.

Hit the casino Wednesday night with a girl I met in Adelaide & I didn't lose any money which is always a good thing :)

Thursday, having a bit of trouble with this one... I know I slept in (that's the great thing about staying more than one night in a place - you don't need to check out early!) & that it was cold & pissed down with rain. I think I pretty much spent the day shopping - quite proud of my self actually, I only brought 2 tops that didn't cost a fortune - yes, it took a lot of self control!

Thursday evening (5.30) I took a tour to Phillip Island to watch the penguin parade. It's amazing how tiny they are! You're not allow to take photo's of them cause the flash blinds them. After they made there way across the beach I was watching them from the board walk & this girl goes to her friend "I just have to take a photo - the flash won't go off" so she takes the photo & guess what - the flash goes off. I must say I wasn't impressed! but what can ya do...?

Friday I went to the Queen Vic markets, they're pretty big & have all sorts. Walked round the city a bit more, Melbourne's pretty easy to get around. I met up with a friend I made form Surfers last night & we went down to Southbank. The casino has these fire flame things that go off every hour which are pretty amazing, we were underneath one & you can really feel the heat! The one thing that I would have loved to do here was go clubbing but I suppose there's always next time. I treated myself last night & stayed at a hotel - I tell you what after getting used to a dorm room & sharing a bathroom with a million other people you really appreciate the finer things in life :o)

Today I caught a tram to St Kilda beach but it's raining. According to the weather experts a few days ago, today was supposed to be really, really hot.... I basically just walked through the shops then jumped back on the tram to the city. I'd planned on spending some time on the beach but the rain ruined that for me so now I'm sitting in a Internet cafe trying to waste some time till my airport pick up in a few hours :)

Well, I think that's it - the last time you'll have to read these giant emails (well for a few months anyway :o)

Take care guys & for those of you in Sydney hopefully I'll see ya soon!!!! As someone who's just come back form holiday I'll have to bore you all with my photo's next, hehehe! I wonder what's worse - getting emails form someone that gos on & on, or having to look through 500 odd photos... ;) Don't worry the photos will be completely optional! If I get it together I'll post them on the web so you can all see them :)

Have a MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEARS GUYS!!!!!!

Lot's & lot's of love,
Rach xoxoxoxox

On myway to Melbourne

Hello!!!!!!

I can't believe that I'm going to be back in Sydney on Saturday! The last 4 & a bit weeks have gone so bloody quickly!

OK time for the up date, firstly - I LOVE TRAVELLING BY MY SELF!!!!!!! I'm meeting sooooo many people, it's fantastic! I can do what I want when I want, it's great! I think that I have about 10 people crashing on my floor at some stage in the next few
weeks :o)

At the moment I'm in Warrnambool on my way to Melbourne. Adelaide was great, the night life sucked a bit but I met up with a few girls & we had a good time anyway. I think last time i wrote I was just about to go on a tour of Adelaide & to Handof, it was
a really cute little village, a great way to spend the afternoon browsing through the shops. The next day I did the library gallery & the museum & it'd been a while since I'd hit the shops so I brought some jeans & shoes, I managed to squash them in my back pack :o)

The next day (Saturday I think) I caught a tram to Glenelg beach, browsed the shops & ate fish & chips on the beach out of news paper - I don't think life gets much better!

Sunday I met up with the Oz experience bus to go to Melbourne & we headed to Halls Gap on the way & stopped at some caves that have thousands of year old fossils which was pretty cool. Spent most of the day on the bus though.

Today like I said we're in Warrnambool. Did a bit of a hike at the Grampians this morning & went to a few look outs, then to a extinct volcanic Crater. The beach here in Warrnambool is pretty cool, the water's freezing though!

Gonna go get some food now. Hope everyone's good & those of you in Sydney I'll see you soon! I do the great ocean road tomorrow then & get to Melbourne tomorrow night.

Take care,
Love to hear form you!!!!
Rach xoxoxoxo

My tour's finished & I'm going it alone

Hi Guys,

I flew in to Adelaide today & the first thing I've noticed is that it's a lot colder here :o) but then again it's a really nice change considering it was about 39oC in Darwin.

Guess what, I think I might actually have a 'little' bit of a tan... very exciting!!!

I've got 10 min's to kill so thought that I'd let you all know that I'm still alive (like you could forget!).

My 25 day tour of the east coast & N.T finished on Tuesday afternoon :( Tuesday day we went to Litchfield National park & swam in some of the most beautiful rock pools & waterfalls, no croc's thank god :o) It was very much a chill out day cause Monday
night was the last night out with the whole tour which turned in to a bit of a big night :)

Wednesday I spent the day in Darwin & did a mini day tour to see the sights which was really good. I'm off to do a tour of Adelaide hills etc now so it should be
good. I've got 2 or 3 days here (my memory still doesn't't work - I blame it on lack of sleep!) before I tackle the great ocean road.

It's a different pace been by myself & was a bit of a shell shock the first evening but then I caught up with some friends form the tour & it was all good.
I'm enjoying been able to relax a bit!!!

Take care!
Rach

Update form the Outback

Hi me again,

Just let me know if you're getting sick of my emails! :o)

I'm still having a heap of fun. This part of the trip isn't quite as focused on the party aspect but we're still having a blast!

Don't know what I told you in the last emial - I can't remember what day of the week it is let alone what I've written in emails!

I'm back in Alice Springs & we're still in the high 30oC's but I think I'm getting used to it :) I'm sitting here having trouble remembering the day of the week... Todays Wednesday so that means yesterday was Tuesday & the day before that was Monday... My god we've just had to have a big discussion to try & remember the sequence of events of the last few days!

Ok... Sunday we drove to Ayers Rock & drove around the rock & did a few walks at the olgas, it's amazing stuff! I loved the olgas! much more to them than
ayers rock. Then we watched the sun set over the rock & slept out under the stars in a swag. It's amazing the amount of stars that you can actually see, thank god there were no encounters with any insects!

Monday morning we had to wake up at 4am - yes that's right 4am! & we watched the sun rise over the rock. It was ok but I'm still debating if it was worth waking up at 4 am... ;o) After we watched the sunrise we did a walk around the rock, believe it or
not its about 10k's around & yes I was feeling it, considering it was only 7am & 30oC. It wasn't too bad though & least I didn't have a hang over like some of the others, they did it hard. We were going to climb the rock but it was closed as it was still wet after a little bit of rain fall the day before. After the walk & the culture centre we drove to kings canyon. We stayed at Kings Creek Station in Safari Cabins, framed tents, then I did a half hour helicopter flight over the cannyon & the George Gill range which was very cool then I did a one hour sunset camel ride. I loved it!

We were up early again Tuesday (5.30am) & did the Kings Cannyon walk. It was pretty cool, the rock formations are fantastic! I've taken so many photos of them! We think it got up to the mid 40oC's when we were doing the walk, it took us about 3 hours & when we started at 7am it was already 30oC. Yesterday afternoon we drove back to Alice Springs.

Today we've just done a few smaller walks to Simpsons gap & Standley Chasm. The Chasm's awsome! It's about a gap of 5m that's 15m high on each side, pretty
impressive. Then we did a tour of the royal flying doctors base & have just had lunch. I think that brings me up to date.

My verdict so far on the out back is that it's amazing & that you should all visit it! Maybe when it's a bit cooler though :o)

Work people. Thanks for the updates on the christmas party. It sounds like you all had fun! It was a shame to miss it but I'm sure I'll see some photos or something...

I can't beleive that I've still got about 3 weeks of travelling to go...

Let me know how you all are! KEEP IN TOUCH!!!!

Love to you all!
Rach.