Home...

Gosh, well sorry, it really has been ages since the last update and there was a very good reason for this. We were going to fly to Singapore to renew visas and then decided that actually it seemed silly to pay all that money for just a few extra weeks and so we decided to move our return flights and come home a few weeks early...but we didn't tell anyone so that we could suprise our family and friends.

We left Bali and flew to Hong Kong, we were only able to stay 1 night there and then the next morning flew out bright and early to Heathrow. Hong Kong was amazing and super efficient. The hotel was great and Sam loved the fact that there was a remote control panel which did everything, radio, lights, curtaing, heat etc.

We arrived in Heathrow and were picked up by Jess and Al (who were in on the whole thing) and they drove us to Leeds where we suprised my parents. After a couple of days getting over jet lag (and them getting over the shock) we drove to Bristol and dropped Sam with his Dad. We have spent the last few days moving back into the house and settling back in.

We are all very happy to be home. It has been amazing travelling together and we have enjoyed every day (well, pretty much every day) and have amazing memeories which will carry with us always. Probably it will take a while for it all to sink in, particularly for Sam, but I think we have learned alot, about the world, about each other and about ourselves.

Thanks everyone for following theblog and your support along the way. I would definately recommend that this is something that everyone who has ever dreamed of travelling does (especially with a child). It's a truly amazing experience but...it's lovely to be home and if there's one thing travelling the world has taught me it's that I have the best friends and family ... literally in the whole wide world.

Over and out...Ruth Will and Sam xxxx

Sorry it's been so long...

Well it has been a long time since the last update, this is mainly due to Jess and Al being here and then moving back to Legian to meet up with the Vallenders. The past few weeks have felt more like being on holiday than travelling the world. It was brilliant to see Jess and Al and very sad to see them leave. I'm glad they came now and not in the middle of the trip because I think it would have made us pretty upset to have said goodbye to them knowing we wouldn't be seeing them again for months but as it is it's only a few weeks.

Sam had an amazing time playing table tennis with Al and his departure was softened by the arrival of the Vallenders and he has had an amazing time with them, spending a day at the water park, wandering the streets buying gifts and videos, eating loads of bad stuff...the usual 13 year old day to day activities.

We are all starting to wind down now as we think about heading home in a few weeks. Next week we will fly to Singapore and then back into Bali for a couple of weeks as we need to renew the visa. Half of us is really excited about coming back (I think Sam is even looking forward to going back to school!!) and half will be really sad to leave behind our nomadic lifestyle. I could quite happily move on to China or somewhere and spend another couple of months getting to know the country but there you go...instead it's homeward bound and there's lots of exciting things to look forward to when we get back.

It's a quick update today as yesterday I managed to get the dreaded Bali Belly and spent the whole day on the loo (lovely) actually it wasn't too bad as we have heard horror stories of people vomiting and sweating and shaking etc and fortunately I was spared all that. I now have anti-biotics and rehydration sachets which have made me feel much better and now I just feel a bit weak and pathetic...Will try and get back into the updating swing for the last few weeks and will update tomorrow.

Jess and Al

Well we have had a lovely time in Sanur with Jess and Al. It's strange being on holiday with people as we have been away for a year but not 'on holiday'. We have had to re-train our brains to think actually it's ok to spend more than £3.50 on lunch, it won't bankrupt us, but it's a hard habit to break after being so careful with money for so long. So we are allowing ourselves to splash out and last night had dinner and spent £5.00 instead (it nearly killed us!!). I'm kidding, it's been brilliant to lounge around the pool, playing ping pong and chatting about stuff. Jess says it's like we have been in the Big Brother House, as we have no idea what's been going on England and that side of the world generally. On an evening we have been partaking in a few cocktails (and beer for the boys, and milkshakes for Sam) and then we go out for dinner. We are usually in bed by 10pm and feel really guilty about making Jess and Al go to bed so early (until we found out that they want to go to bed that early).

We have had a couple of touristy days. Yesterday we went to the water park and Sam, Will and Al went on all the rides whilst me and Jess found sun loungers and had a lovely massage, bliss. Then we showed them the delights of Kuta and all the crazy people trying to drag you into shops. Jess is tryingto get her head around the bartering system but hates it because she feels like she's robbing people, I keep trying to say that it's what they expect you to do, it's all part of the system, but she still hates it. Anyway, they are both relieved we are staying in sleepy Sanur instead of Krazy Kuta. Today we went to Turtle Island which is a turtle sanctuary. Some bits were a bit suspect, we went to one place where there were big pools of turtles, and you fed them sea weed but the people had you cornered and kind of made you buy souvenirs, it felt really awkward, but we bought something from them anyway, it was a shame because it took away from the experience of seeing the turtles and you didn't learn much about the conservation so I'm not sure just how much good they are actually doing, or weather it's just another way to extract money from tourists (but maybe I have just become a bit cynical.) After this we went to see a temple and that was brilliant because everyone had to wear sarongs...yes, even, Will, Al and Sam and they looked hilarious.

So it's been great having Jess and Al to stay. Next step is to look for some cheap flights to Singapore for our Visa extension, probably around the 15th July. Hopefully we will fly out and then back into Bali the next day.

Pic attached of Sam surfing in Balian.

Sanur

Finally we are in Sanur with Jess, can't believe they are finally here. They had a great flight and weren't too jet lagged when they arrived so we went to a warrung and had squid and cocktails. A drink I have been looking forward to for months.

Sanur itself is like a quiet Legian. Much more touristy than Balian but not as busy as Legian. The hotel is as you would expect. A big complex with two pools and a spa. The rooms are nice and big and quiet on a night time. We don't have breakfast included here but if you walk to the beach, which the hotel backs onto there is a walkway and this is studded with more warrungs. Breakfast in the hotel costs more for one person then for three meals in the local places.

Sam is super excited to see Jess and it was great for us because throughout the trip he has remained fairly quiet about his adventures and so we weren't sure just how much he had absorbed but last night we couldn't shut him up. He told them about the Macchu Picchu, describing the journey in great detail, and the time he caught a fish and cooked it and ate it himself in Dongorra, which is just North of Perth, and the time in Corindi when he learned to skate board and on and on...even the waitresses came to listen... and then he showed everyone the magic trick he learned in Nicaragua and told of the time he showed it to the Japanese surfing team. And me and Will thought, well, maybe he was taking it all in after all.

Today will be spent lounging by the pool reading books, playing table tennis and water polo and perhaps a spot of yoga.

Picture of our beaautiful balcony in the Beach House at Balian.

Leaving Balian

Well, you can all rest easy, we are not about to be arrested and thrown into a Balinese prison. I called the passport office today and hurrah, the passports are in and ready for collection tomorrow... and as if that wasn't enough, we are on our way to Sanur tomorrow to meet up with Jess and Al. Sam as you can imagine is the most excited child in the world. Will is also very excited, but can't stop thinking about what he is going to do when we get back home, build houses, build vans etc etc... The other good news of the day is that we weren't savaged by mozzies last night. Our bed has a temporary kind of mozzie net (with a few holes) but the spare net we brought came in handy as we rigged it above the bed.

The balinese cottage we are in now is gorgeous. It's constructed from bamboo and beautiful Balinese wood with a kind of thatched roof and it overlooks the pool. It also has a little open aired hut to the side, kind of a platform and you can sit cross legged on cushions and play a traditional instrument which looks a bit like a glockenspiel and is called a gamelan. Sam sits there cross legged and plays amazing tunes (well kind of amazing and kind of cross legged). Sadly we had our last yoga lesson with the lovely Maureen today. It has been really nice learning a different style of yoga (she teaches Hatha yoga which is less intense that the yoga we do in Bristol) and has been brilliant for keeping us chilled and opening up our hips!!

So all in all, we will be very sad to leave Balian but are equally looking forward to our new adventures in Sanur and catching up with Jess and Al.

Pic attached of the gorgeous Sammy.

Subconscious working overtime...

I don’t know if it’s because we are on the home straight but I seem to be visited by moments of ridiculous anxiety at the moment. Let me give you an example. When we drove to Balian, Sam kind of hiccupped in the car, ‘was that a hiccup?’ I asked. ‘No, It was just a strange sort of noise,’ he replied. Of course I spent the rest of the journey convinced that he had developed tourets due to the trauma of being taken around the world... obviously he doesn’t heave tourets and hasn’t madeany more strange hiccupping sounds.

Last night I woke up at about 3am and started worrying about the passports (which are still with the agency who are renewing our visa). Our visa was due for renewal yesterday and last nights thoughts went something like this: ‘I bet they’ve lost our visas and passports...that means we are now over our visa period and we have no passports. What if we don’t get our passports back and they have lost them and then they will charge us £100 per day per person for overstaying. Perhaps then we will get put in Balinese prison...then all our friends and family back home will have to go to the media to get us released...no, don’t be silly... but what if they do? I’ll call the British embassy and meet them. They will have a nice cool, air conditioned building and I will drink tea with the official and explain our situation...but he will be corrupt and make us go to prison unless we pay a massive amount of money to them. Then we will miss our flights home and have to pay for new flights but we won’t have any money... and maybe they will give us a temporary passport but they won’t let us use it in Hong Kong and aaaaaarghhhhhh.....

As you can imagine it was a restless nights sleep and with the light of day came Will’s logic which seemed much more reasonable. That we had taken them to a reputable agency and he was sure it would be fine. And, if it wasn’t then we would deal with it at the time. Rather than worrying about it now. So there you are, although I am cool calm, chilled and collected in Bali, there seems to be something bubbling under the surface in my subconscience. Perhaps it was watching Bowling For Colmbine before bed, which was a brilliant and disturbing documentary. Sam was riveted and was surprised by a) the coverage of the plane flying into the twin towers which he hadn’t seen before and b) Just how stupid George W actually is. It was good to watch with Sam as he had some perspective on the documentary having met an American in Guatamala who sleeps with his gun under his pillow and having seen the devestation that the US has inflicted on Central and South America first hand.

Tonight is our last night in the Beach House and we move to another villa by the river for the next two nights. This is also two bedrooms but is built in a more traditional style and the bathroom is partially open air...hmmm open air by the river, I think it could be a mozzie fest...still there are nets over the beds so we should be ok. Only three days now until Jess and Al arrive.

Peaceful

It's difficult to describe how gorgeous Balian is. We have been here for nearly a week now and the days are just flying by. The hotel is run by a lady called Tati (although hotel is the wrong word to describe this place as it's more a series of cottages) she is a gorgeous, welcoming, silver haired Javanese lady who is obviously adored by all the people who work for her. In fact we love it so much here that we are not checking out tomorrow but have booked to stay for an extra week. Perhaps if I describe the walk to the internet cafe it will help you to experience the place.

Leaving the house you walk out onto a windy road which is probably about 2k and winds up to the main road. Along the way you pass banana trees growing on the side of the road with kites attached to them to scare of the birds. Behind the banana trees are terraces of rice fields just like you see in the films and men and women work in the fields wearing the pyramidal straw woven hats. As you walk up the road there are small Balinese houses each with a little offering of flowers and incence burning outside. The Hindu offering to the gods. And the people here are so gentle and each one greets you with a Hello and a wide cheery smile. It highlights even more the contrast between the busy streets of Legian and the peaceful village life enjoyed here. It feels incredibly safe and welcoming and you get the feeling that if you stopped to chat people would invite you in for a drink in their homes. Every so often a motorbike passes driven by an 80 year old and his family or a 14 year old and his brothers and sisters. They don't go fast so even that feels quite safe. And of course all of this is punctuated by tall palm trees and the occassional fat looking cow standing in the field.

Our days are steady. We have breakfast of pancakes and fresh fruit and then Sam does his school work. After this we walk the 2 minutes to the sea and Sam has a surf - the swell is pretty big here and he is doing really well. Then me and Will go to yoga for an hour and a half and Sam watched a DVD in the house. After this we are usually starving and go to 'Toms Garden Cafe' for Balinese food (my favourite is the fish curry). It's a great place to end the trip and I would recommend everyone to come here.

The picture attached is of a monkey sat on the temple wall that we went to in Uluwatu at sunset. Only 7 days til Jess and Al get here....

Beeeeeauiful Balian

We have now found our Balinese spiritual home. Balian is a small village with a long road leading down to the beach. It's the Bali we imagined. As yet unspoilt by Aussie tourists with plaited hair and bintang singlets. Along the road are a couple of places for surfers and surfing families to stay and these places are pretty rustic. We are in a house called The Beach House and it's beautiful. There is a loungw area with a nice little kitchen, a double bedroom with a really comfy bed with extra cushions and fresh flowers...and a single room for Sam with a very Balinese looking bed. It's like a four poster with a mosquito net around it. Then there is a gorgeous bathroom, with a stone walled shower and decorated Balinese doors. The place is a series of small, unique villas, they are run by a couple and the staff are all super friendly and want you to feel like family... it's gorgeous. There is also a flat screen telly and a DVD player, so whilst me and Will go for an hours yoga session with Maureen, Sam watches a DVD in the house. The walk to yoga is also lovely as we walk through the fields and past a few cows to get there.

Balian is like El Zonte (our favourite place in El Salvador) this is because it's so quiet and beautiful. It's like Bali used to be before the tourists came and I'm surprised more don't come here (but very glad they don't.) The beach itself has mellow waves which roll in all day. The beach is black sand and surrounded by cliffs. There are fishermen on the beach and kids playing football barefoot...we tried to get Sam to join in but he is in that embarrassed teenage stage at the moment and won't go over to play.

So we could stay here quite happily until it's time to leave Bali...give us this over the 5 star hotels any day...still we will make the exception for Jess and Al when they get here... although I know they would have loved it here...Sam is till counting the days...only 10 to go.

Bali time...

Ohhhh....now I get the hang of Bali....now I understand. The reason that there isn't much to do in Bali is because there isn't any point in doing anything in Bali. That's not why people come to Bali. Bali is not about tearing around in a car to see the sights. It's about lying on a beach and then strolling along to a local cafe to buy a drink. It's about watching the ocean whilst gentle music plays in the background. It's about self indulgence and massages and reading books and smiling at people. And once you understand that, you understand Bali.

It's a different time zone to anywhere else. It's a place where you have to lose the watch and the urgency and kick back and relax and I can now proudly say that I am on Bali time.

Tomorrow we leave Legian and head to Balian Beach. I feel semi naked as we have handed our passports over to a guy in a visa place in order to get a visa extension. Handing your passports over to a guy who looks about 12 years old and who says 'yes, come back in 10 days and your visa will be here...oh, and your passports' is a little unnerving. Especially because this is Bali time and so 10 days could mean absolutely anything... but as I said, I'm in the Bali frame of mind now and so I'm not too worried, I mean they have to show up at some point....don't they??

So, this is just a short blog because I'm far to relaxed to write much and think I may have over exerted myself with all this typing so I'll just head back to the room for a little lay down and perhaps when I fell up to it a cocktail x

The future

We are now out of 5 star luxury and after a confusing day of driving to places we didn't like much and checking out hotels which were either fully booked or way too expensive we now find ourselves back in Legian in a small hotel called the Sari Beach Hotel. It's about 100m from our last hotel in Legian but is a completely different experience.

The Sari beach is a small hotel amongst big resorts. It has 24 rooms decorated in a Balinese style with small gardens attached to each room and sweet Balinese gates. That's the word to describe this hotel. It's very sweet. It's run by Balinese people and the best thing about it is that it backs directly onto the beach which means you can avoid the chaos of the main roads and the traffic and the people trying to drag you into shops. Obviously that's still there but you only see it when you choose to. So ourdays here involve a breakfast (chocolate pancakes) followed by schooling and then a walk along the beach, possibly a surf, reading/films and then a nice meal in a warrung. I'm not sure it's enoughto keep me occupied for too long but it's ok for now.

That's the thing with Bali. In the other places there were lots of things to see and because we had transport we could explore but here we are a bit stuck in the places we end up and the only option is to wander the streets, but they are so busy and filled with people and cars that it gets a bit overwhelming. We can't really rent a car because it's just not the best way to travel and most people hire bikes bus seriously they look lethal.

Our next stop is a small place called Balian Beach. Again it's a quiet area but I think a little bit more the true Bali and here we should see the rice fields and I understand we can hire bikes to get around whilst we are there. The place is a family run hotel and I have a feeling we are going to like it there. But what we are all really looking forward to is the arrival of Jess and Al. For Sam it's like Christmas and he is counting down the days until they arrive. Trying to make the time seem shorter, 'Well we don't count today and the day they set off so that's only 15 days to go...oh, and we sleep for half of it so that means that we can half the time again....' you get the picture. So we are all looking forward to the 20th.

Between now and then we are going to Balian for a week and then we have to come back to Legian to get our visas renewed for another 30 days. Then we have 6 days and then over to Sanur for two weeks with Jess and Al. Then we are booked back in at the Sari beach as the lovely Vallenders will be here from Australia and then we have to fly out of the country and back in to get a further 2 week visa renewal....and then we will be heading home!!! God the time is just flying by and I think the next few weeks will whizz by. People keep asking if we are looking forward to coming home and I think we are, we are all looking forward to seeing friends and family (and horses) and have lots planned for the future.

Am sat writing this in a cafe with Indonesian music playing in the background. I think it's called the Gamelan. The beach is right in front of me and the usual palm trees, umberellas and blue skies...actually although we are looking forward to coming home it might not be long before the novelty wears off!!!

Pic attached of me and Will in infinity pool, arty pic taken by Sam with fountain of water in foreground!!!

Birthday boy

Yesterday was Will's 30th birthday... For my 30th birthday the best thing in the whole world was being able to ride my horse, after all, who would have believed he would still be around when i turned 30...and looks like he'll still be around for my 35th!!! yay.... anyway... for Will's 30th birthday his dream day would be surfing Uluatu, eating his body weight in food and lounging in an infinity pool overlooking the ocean...oh yeah, and maybe a complimentary foot massage thrown in, and perhaps an Uluwatu T shirt to remember his amazing day... and perhaps a photographer on hand to photograph him pulling into a barrel (see attached photo, one of many!!)... and perhaps this could be topped off with a few Bintangs as the sun goes down.... well guess what, this was how Will spent his 30th birthday, it's a hard life!!

So we have just spent our last evening at Blue point as we head off tomorrow. This really was the most amazing deal, we ended up paying about £15 each per night and of course we had the free room upgrade to the two story villa which should cost £200 per night...unbelievable. It's also brilliant having the Warungs winding down to the sea to take you back into the real Bali every day.

I was chatting to a guy at the pool yesterday who thanked us for staying at Blue Point, I explained that this was a luxury and that we were eating in the Warrungs to save money and he said that was fine because all the money from the Warrungs goes back into the village so everyone benefits if we eat locally which made me feel better. I think they share all the money around the village and are very pro tourism.

Anyway tomorrow we head to Changgu or maybe Balian which are spots up on the East coast. I spent about a million hours (only slight exaggeration) trying to find us an equally brilliant deal and eventually came up with another Villa, 2 story, this time with 2 bedrooms and a view of the ocean...but Will says we should wait until we get there and see what we can find!!! Grrrrrr it's so annoying spending hours on the internet trying to find places to stay only to be shot down at the last minute (deep breaths).

Tomorrow Nyoman, the lovely driver, is picking us up from the hotel to drive us the 2 hours to Changgu. Not sure if I said before but this is how tourists get around in Bali, you pay a driver and he will take you from place to place. Nyoman drove us to Blue Point and we will use him to get around whilst we are in Bali as it's the cheapest option (other than a moped which looks lethal) we will also use Nyoman for our day trips when Jess gets here Yay!! Can't wait for Jess and Al to arrive.

So, will update from new place (wherever that may be (hopefully the place I found)). In the meantime enjoy the picture of Will's 30th birthday wave!!

Ketchuk dance...

Well we are still living in the lap of luxury and our day goes roughly as follows. At about 6:30 Will gets up and goes for a surf, which is a 5 minute walk down the cliff to the sea. He has to paddle out through a cave and then over lots of coral reef until he gets to the wave. I wake up in our gigantic bed about 7:30 and do a bit of yoga and whatever needs doing on the internet (if we can get access). I usually do this on our terrace (see attached pic).

Will gets back at about 9:00 and we get Sam up and go for breakfast in the amazing restaurant which overlooks the sea, the cliffs and the infinity pool. Breakfast is a buffet and consists of: Bacon, noodles, rice, chicken, pankakes, cinnamon toast, freshly made omelette's, chocolate croissants, other pastries, fresh juices and coffee. Me and Sam usually have a selection, and Will ususally has the lot! Then we walk back to the hotel room, through the gardens with gorgeous flowers with amazing colours and past the natural pool (which is just outside our room and noone goes in so is like a private pool!). When we get back Sam does his school work (see picture attached) and Will has a rest/reads etc.

Then we head to the infinity pool where Sam spends the next couple of hours, mainly underwater. We think he is practicing his swimming and holding his breath, but he says that he is checking out the ladies bums!!! After a while Will goes in for a second surf ans about half an hour later Me and Sam wind our way down the cliff path, past the small stalls selling T-Shirts and into a warung which overlooks the ocean. We order a jaffle (which is a toasted sandwich - usually to share and have bacon, honey and peanut butter - I would prefer banana but Sam won't have it and insists on bacon!!) we also have a fanta and a coke and the whole thing comes to 40,000 rp (£3:00). We sit here and play cards and watch Will surf for an hour or so.

Then we head back to the pool for a short while and end the day with wither dinner and a bintang beer or a cocktail. Last night we went to the Uluwatu temple to watch a dance at sunset called the Ketchuk Dance. The temple is also set on the cliff and the dance is a nightly ritual. You are taken through the grounds and have to remove all accessories as the huge monkeys which wander around try and grab them. Then you go into a small circular open air area and sit on seats around the edge. A man comes and lights a huge candelabra and then as the sun goes down, 70 men with red, tropical flowers behind their ears use their voices to create an orchestra. A dance is performed to their voices and masked characters come in and out of the arena. It's more of a play than a dance and at the finale a circle of kindling is placed around one of the characters and set on fire, the wind catches it and for a second you think that perhaps you will go up in flames, but the barefoot dancers kick it away and the story goes on. There's no way that would passs the UK health and safety test. The dance itself was ok...it was a bit odd...it's meant to call up spirits so the 70 guys all look possessed and for a minute I wondered if my Nasi Goreng had been drugged. But it was worth seeing anyway.

Off to breakfast now

Faaaabulous Daaaaahling....

This is a big one so you may want to get a cup of tea and pull up a chair.

We arrived at the hotel and were given a tropical welcome drink as we checked in. 10 minutes later me and Sam sat in the infinity pool looking out to the ocean, and watching Will surf it all seemed worth it... the travelling, the crap places we have stayed, the night in Nicaragua spent with the scorpions...and now here we were as close to paradise as we had ever been. We were actually in the pool passing time until our room was ready and it wasn’t long until they called us.

We followed the porter through windy lanes, passing natural swimming pools, beautiful statues etc and all the while I thought, they are taking us to some shabby room at the back of the hotel but never mind... and then the porter took us up a couple of steps to a pair of double doors. As we walked in there were two largish beds with mosquito nets draped over them. Further investigation showed a TV, dressing table with hairdryer and a glass sliding door. Through this we found a huge, gigantic bathroom with a fabulous power shower, a jaccuzi bath and all the fun accessories. There was also a rickety spiral staircase, ‘Is this ours?’ Iasked the porter. He nodded and so me and Sam plodded up the stairs to a very small terrace – ‘what’s behind the door?’ I asked Sam. Gingerly we slid back the door and this revealed a massive terrace with a table and chairs a chez longue (is that how you spell it?) and a sink, complimentary water and tea and coffee...seriously we thought we had died and gone to heaven. There was one small problem you may have noticed, we only had two beds.

I walked back to reception and asked the man behind the desk about it...’Ah you have to pay an extra $30 per night for another bed.’

‘No I think you’re mistaken, I have the confirmation here and it clearly states three people.’ I waved the computer at him.

‘No you have to pay $30 for an extra bed.’ I could see he was not going to budge,

‘Ok’ I sighed ‘Well, we will just push the beds together then and all sleep together.’

‘Ok’ .

I wandered back to the room and we shoved the beds together. We had got a great deal on the hotel so I wasn’t too worried if we had to share the bed and once they were pushed together there was quite a lot of space. Then a though struck me and I checked the breakfast vouchers...Shit, they had only given us vouchers for 2 people. I stomped back to reception waving my vouchers and my confirmation. What happened next is too tedious to go into, but ended up with me rowing with two people on the desk, the head of the restaurant and the booking officer and speaking to the Balinese and the UK office of Agoda who we had made the booking with.

‘We have never had this problem before’ said the restaurant head.

‘Seriously, you have never had a booking where people have had a confirmation for three people including breakfast and then they arrive to find they have to pay an extra $30 per day even though their confirmation says nothing about it?’

‘Oh yes, all the time but usually people just pay the money.’

The thing is we don’t have the money,’ I said, ‘this is a real treat for us. We have been travelling for nearly a year and could only afford this because of the deal.’ I realised that I was talking to a Balinese guy who probably lived in a small room with his entire family and thought I was a right spoiled brat...but I only felt a little bit guilty. Anyway it ended up with us having to pay for 2 out of 7 breakfasts for Sam, so an extra $30 and we didn’t have to pay anything extra for the room as we would all share the beds.

So having sorted that I went and enjoyed the hotel and my day consisted of

1) Lying in the infinity pool with Sam

2) Reading my book on a sun longer overlooking the ocean

3) Eating in a little Warung on the side of the cliff

4) Having an amazing shower in the gigantic bathroom

5) Drinking a cocktail watching the sunset with Will (only spoilt by Will saying he wished his mates were here)!!!!!

6) Eating Pizza in a little cafe listening to Bob Marley

7) Sat in bed updating the blog whilst Will and Sam argue about whether Will should be wearing pants

So that’s all for now, a bit long winded I know, but a tale worth telling.

Ulu Watu

Today we move from our little hotel in Legian to a swanky new hotel near Ula Watu. (Blue Point Bay Villas - have a look on the internet it looks AMAZING). In some ways it will be sad to leave our little hotel where everyone chats to each other around the pool and the people are super friendly, but in another way it will be good to leave the hustle and bustle of the streets and the hoards of tourists.

Yesterday we got a taxi to Kuta so that Will could buy his reef boots - The taxi took a long time to get there even though it was only a short walk away but the traffic here is horendous so it took forever. The good thing was that we got to chat to the driver, who is probably the first true Balinese person we have properly chatted to. He was telling us that there are thousands of Aussies here and they don't give themselves a good name (think Brits in Spain) the only difference is that the lovely, gentle, Hindu Balinese don't get cross when a drunken Aussie, steps in front of his cab and wees, the Hindus believe that the tourists are their masters and just look on with sad amusement. Kind of like when your Mum says, 'I'm not angry, just disappointed with you.' He also told us that the Aussie women proposition him but he is very happy with his Balanise girlfriend (who basically isn't a slapper!)

When we got to Kuta we walked down a little road called 'Poppys II' where there are lots of second hand surf shops. We were probably there for 10 minutes before Sam decided that he might puke! Poor Sam has been suffering with 'something' for the last couple of days and has spent most of the time in bed watching, you guessed it, 'Harry Potter.' But thank the lord, by yesterday evening he was back in the pool playing with Will and that evening ate a massive steak. I think it was just the heat and perhaps the food that effected him but thank god he hasn't got the dreaded Bali Belly.

We have just finished brekkie and are off soon to get a taxi for the hours drive to Ulu Watu. Pic attached of Sam in his work suite when we built Chris's decking. Will update later from our hopefully luxurious surroundings.

Legian

Bali is a mixture of lots of things, there are beautiful buildings, surrounded by balinese statues and each morning, the people leave offerings of small baskets of flowers and food for the gods, however, these are soon trampled by the hoards of people who walk through the streets looking for a bargain, a fake handbag or a huge, carved willy!!! The people who own the shops are desperate for your business and literally drag you in off the street, we walk along and they shout, 'G'day boy, howya?' it's wierd, they have a kind of fake Aussie accent. This is because there are so many Aussies here, Bali is the Aussie equivalent of Spain and as a result has a similar feel. A strange mixture of cultures. The shop owners leave their shoes outside their shops and the tourists trample through in their flip flops. There is obviously a lot of religious belief amongst the Balinese but again this is diluted by the Bintang Beer swigging tourists. Kuta is busy, super busy, the busiest place we have visited so far. The streets are far too small to hold the amount of tourists which are crammed into them.

But there is also something quite beautiful about Bali. Although the people are pushy, they are also incredibly friendly and can't do enough to help you. They are also very interested in where you are from and your relationship, 'Are you married? Have you only one son?' are questions we have been asked a thousand times, it appears the Balinese like to know exactly where you fit into their social structure. Being married is fine (we say we are) and having only one child puzzles them! The weather is beautiful and once you get away from the bustle of the streets it's magically peaceful.

Today Will went for a surf on Legian beach, which is a long beach which stretches for miles. As you sit there planes come over the water and almost touch the sea as they cruise into the airport. Me and Sam walked into a big resort hotel and sat around the pool, hoping no-one would ask us to leave. I walked to the attendant to get some towels. 'What room?' he asked. 'Ummmm 20,' I said thinking it may have only been a small boutique hotel, 'Ok, 325.' thankfully he didn't understand my accent, gave me the towels and Sam and I spent a nice couple of hours lazing around the pool in one of those swimming pools which overlook the ocean. Lovely. Then we went for lunch and all had Nasi Goring, which is rice with chicken and egg and a couple of drinks for the equivalent of £7. Finally we braved the streets once again as we tracked down a pair of trainers for Sam. He grew out of his a while ago but we have made him wait til Bali as it's so much cheaper here.

The picture above is of us all in our finest clothes, dressed to the nines for our night out at Sydney Opera House!!

Bali

We have arrived in Bali in one piece, The flight was fairly uneventful (except for the lady who threw up loudly infront of us as we started to eat our lunch!). We were treated like royalty on the plane and were given a free fleecy blanket, toothbrush etc and treated to a hot meal when no one else was. The reason is that we are on the round the world ticket and this seems to entitle us to special treatment.

Getting out of the airport was a culture shock, the weather is hot and we found a taxi and loaded all the bags in and asked him to take us to the hotel in Legian which we had pre-booked, it's called the Sinar Bali Hotel and was well rated on trip advisor and the only place I could get for the three of us for less than $50. We drove through the streets which were filled with people on mopeds (hundreds and hundreds of mopeds) and the sides of the streets are filled with little shops selling shoes and souvenirs. Finally we pulled up a little side street and to our hotel.

The hotel is actually about 28 rooms all built around a large pool which has a bar in it. The rooms are a bit basic, small telly, air con and a bathroom, but it's a nice quiet location away from the hustle and bustle of Legian main street and the beach. After we dropped off our bags we went for a walk and got completely lost in the small windy streets, people come out and grab you and try and pull you into the shops to buy things and if they don't have what you want, they take you to their friends shop instead. After a while it's a bit wearing... So after a crazy afternoon adjusting to the new culture we finally found our way back to the hotel and had a quick shower. Now we are sat in the restaurant about to sample the local cuisine and hopefully avoid Bali Belly (keep your fingers crossed).

One fabulous thing about Bali is that it's so cheap. A main meal costs 30,000 RP which is the equivalent of £3!!!! A massive change after the expense of Australia where a main meal would cost £20!!!! So that's brilliant because we should make up the dwindling funds. We are booked into this hotel for the next three days and then we may head up to Semenyak which is a quieter area of Bali, this is super touristy and a bit too hectic for our laid back schedule.

So we are alive and well. We had a fab time with Charlotte and Neil and their lovely family and miss them already. Thanks again for having us guys and hope you can make it to Bali for a few days!!

Off to Indo

Tomorrow morning we are off to Indo - after 16 lovely days in Perth. I have just tried to check in on-line and the website won't let me. I hope that the airline hasn't messed the booking up as the flights are showing as confirmed on our tickets but there was a problem last time...keep your fingers crossed it all goes smoothly.

We are due to fly at 9:30 am which means another early morning. We have also packed our stuff and we are going to cable tie the locks as people can plant stuff on you on the way across to Bali and then there are pretty stiff penalties so we have made sure that the bags are extra secure so no-one slips in any unwanted items.

When we get there we have a hotel booked in Legian for three nights and then we will take it from there and decide what our next move will be. I'm nervous and excited about the next leg of the trip. Back to being in a strange country with a strange language etc. However it will be cool to see the temples, the waves and the friendly people and of course Jess and Al when they get there. Keep your fingers crossed it all goes to plan tomorrow.

Time for fajitas now - our last meal with the lovely Stone family.

Reflecting on Oz

Well I have a moment of peace where everyone is out of the house and we have a good internet connection so thought it was time for a bit of reflection. We are thinking more and more about home for a number of reasons. Firstly Bali is the last leg of the trip and we fly there on Friday so it's at the forefront of our mids. Secondly the tennents are due to move out of the house soon and so we need to sort out the deposit etc for them and thirdly it's fun to discuss what we will do when we get back. It's all very well packing everything up and saying 'see you guys, we're off round the world for a year' and another thinking, Oh good lord, we have to go home and re-build our lives again. But actually we are in a pretty good position as we have my job to return to. Will has work in the pipeline and the house will be empty and ready to move back in to.

Settling Sam into school is an unknown quantity but hopefully withthe right support from us and the school he will fly as he has learned so much this year and will probably enjoy being surrounded by kids again. He's certainly maturing, his legs are getting longer and he has started to act a little bit like Kevin The teenager, I read somewhere that teenagers are very selfish and they can't help it, it's a hormonal thing - well Sam is being uncharacteristically selfish and grumpy. Bless him, it's tough being a teen...although I didn't feel too sorry for him as he whizzed around the beach in Neil's car yesterday and then stayed up with us watching Gavin and Stacey videos last night as he didn't have to get up for school today... Infact after 2 hours of Shakespeare in the garden he's now taking a break and watching MTV, it's a tough life being Sam at the moment.

We have so many plans for when we get back (alot of them expensive) but it's fun to discuss them and we are all really looking forward to getting home and Will can't wait to get back and start digging holes again. So there we go - I'm sure there was loads more I was going to write but have a mind blank now. Pictures will be put online when I get my computer online, currently we are using Charlotte and Neils.

The North

Hey all. We are now back in Perth after a few lovely days up North. The North is arid and far and there is lots and lots of desert and not a great deal else... it's bloody miles away. We ended up in Monkey Mia where we were able to see dolphins (wild ones) which swam in to shore to be hand fed. They have to be careful how much they are fed otherwise the dolphins don't survive because they can't feed themselves and look after their young properly. The dolphins are amazing, they are super friendly and it makes it all the more special that they are wild... the place however is a bit rubbish, I mean the beach is beautiful, but there is a resort near by and so it's really expensive. The camping facilities aren't up to much either and you pay loads for a very small patch of sand.

The van however is amazing and the fridge works, the beds are comfy and the whole thing doesn't smell of sick. At some parts we were a bit worried about running out of fuel because it is so far between places. After Monkey Mia we went south again and stopped in Dongara with Charlotte and family. Dongara is um, well, i'm not sure I'd make the journey just to go there again as there isn't a whole lot happening, but we had a nice time anyway, walking, fishing and drinking wine. Sam LOVES fishing and caught a Bream which he cooked himself on the BBQ with some salt and lemon and we all had a try, it was fresh and delicious.

Today we drove back from Dongara to Perth and stopped off at The Pinnacles which are loads of stones randomly stuck out of the sand, there are hundreds of them and it's a really odd place, a bit like walking on another planet. They think they were formed in the ice age when the sand blew away the rock that wasn't as solid, leaving behind the pinnacles. Or it may be calcified plants which have formed peaks, either way it's a pretty spectacular drive. Then we stopped at Wedge Island, so called because it's an island shaped like a wedge. The beach was gorgeous white sand and Sam drove Neil's 4x4 across the beach. He thought it was the best thing in the world, however I had to get out the back of the car as it was a bit scary having Sam at the wheel, but to be fair he did a good job, didn't roll the car or run anyone over.

On Friday we head to Bali which we are really looking forward to. It will be great to be in a different culture again. However, as home looms closer we also realise that we have a gazillion things to sort out when we get back, top of the list is still the schooling situation, but also moving back into the house and sorting out the furniture etc. We will also have to tighten our belts in Bali as Australia has drained the funds a bit. Anyway fish and chips on the way so must dash... but we are all happy, healthy and having a great time with our brilliant friends here in Perth. My advice to those in Pert with a van, head South. It's much prettier and there is way more to do and see.

Quick update

Super quick update in internet cafe in Kilbari and is crazily expensive... we left Perth yesterday and have driven up to Kilbari which is a million miles away - well not really but feels like it as the drive is through hot desert and the sand is all red, it's the Australi you see in the movies, with red rock and sand storms and small farm houses with rickety old windmills outside and not much else.

Last night we stayed in Dungari (I think) which is where Will's friend has a house. After we got rid of the spiders and the frog in the toilet it was a lovely place to spend the night and tonight we will probably stay in Kilbari. This is a small coastal town with lots of fishing for Sam.

Anyway must dash before Will sees I am updating this and not checking bank balances etc....

Freemantle Jail

Perth is beeeautiful. The weather is hot and the beaches are lovely - this morning Sam and Will went surfing and Sam had a great time catching a few waves which is rilliant because he had started to lose his confidence over the past few weeks. Sam and Will currently have no hair as we took the clippers to them and got rid of the worst of the mop top.

This afternoon me and Sam and Will went to Freemantle where we went around the prison. It was really good to see the Australian History and to find out how the colonies started. We found out the difference between a convict and a prisoner. A convict was a prisoner brought from overseas (usually England) to help build the roads, prisons etc and a prisoner is just an Aussie prisoner. Once the convicts had served their sentences they were free to go and build houses and make a life in Australia and their families were also brought over for free. Better than a spell in a UK prison cell that's for sure. But actually life in the prison was pretty horendous. The cells were 7ft x 4ft and actually they had to make the cells larger as people suffocated. We also saw the solitary confinement cells, the gallows and the area where people were flogged, it was pretty grim and the crazy thing is that it was a working prison until 1991!!! and there were no toilets or water in the cells so the prisoners were still using a bucket for a toilet!!!

We are now back at the house and tomorrow we are due to set off in our whizzy van up the coast which will be brilliant. I'm also starting to plan the Bali leg of the trip which looks like loads of fun. Everyone is telling us how amazing Bali is so now we can't wait.

Perth

We are now in Perth with Charlotte and Neil and family. The trip was fairly uneventful, although it did entail a stupidly early flight which set us back a few hours and as Perth is two hours behind Sydney it confused us even further, but now we are in the swing of things and our new body clock has been set.

It's so nice to catch up with old friends and Perth is great because the weather here is amazing. We have been to the beach and had a surf and went to Sam's favourite restaurant yesterday so that he could eat Kangaroo steak.

Today we picked up our van from Britz (that's right this time we have landed ourselves a luxury model and it doesn't cost alot more than the crappy smelly van we had on the East Coast.) The only problem is that they wanted a $7,500 deposit which was not available on our credit cards... so we had to call Mum and Dad at 4:00 in the morning to see if we could use their cards. God Bless Mum and Dad they weren't even cross about being woken up, just a bit dazed and confused!! After we had paid the deposit we were shown our van and it was like a palace. The bedding isn't sticky, the fridge doesn't smell of sick, the handles don't fall off when you open a door. Infact everything works and it's an automatic so Will thinks it's amazing to drive.

The plan is to stay here until Monday and then drive up the coast, North towards Monkey Myer where you can hand feed the dolphins. Then Charlotte and Neil are going to come and meet us so we will spend a few days with them and then back to Perth for a few days when we fly to Bali on the 20th May. I love the West Coast, it could be the sun, it could be the company, it could be the long stretch of sandy beaches and the perfect waves for Sam but most probably it's a combination of all these things.

Right now Sam is doing his homework whilst Charlotte and Neil's 18 month daughter Sienna is colouring in and Will is making chicken sarnies. In a few hours I will call Mum and Dad back and apologise for the early wake up call (sorry Mum and Dad, you're the best).

Much ado...

What a marvelous day we have had. This morning the sun was shining and we drove to Manley beach where Will got some amazingly big waves. The waves were so big that as he got out of the van a guy asked if he was going surfing and warned him that the waves were really powerful and people often got into trouble out there, a good start... Then he endured Sam saying that he thought his board was too small for the big waves and he hoped that he wouldn't die. So, filled with confidence Will walked out to the beach and me and Sam watched from the comfort of a nice little cafe. As it turns out Will had an amazing surf and much to everyones relief is still alive to tell the tale. He got some great waves and although his heart was pumping a bit too fast for comfort he caught some of his biggest waves ever.

After the epic surf we drove back to Chris's house and had a quick shower and then jumped on the bus into Sydney. We walked to the opera house and Will and Sam went in to get the tickets whilst I waited outside. The reason is that the Opera house does a concession ticket for under 30's where you pay $30 and not $68, whilst this is true for Will and Sam we weren't sure I would pass for 30 so I had to wait outside (very sad). But isn't that a great price, £60 for the three of us to watch a play at the most famous opera house in the world.

Much Ado About Nothing was brilliant, it was 2hrs 40 (including interval) and I wasn't sure how Sam, or Will's attention span would last for all that time but after about 10 minutes of getting used to the Shakesperean works spoken with an Aussie accent we managed tune in and it was hilarious. Sam followed the plot and laughed in all the right places and we all had a fab time. It was a great introduction to Shakespeare for Sam and I think that now he will enjoy studying the play in more detail. The show started at 5pm and we left at 8pm. We found the train station and after a short train ride and three bus rides (one the wrong way) we ended up back at Chris's, by this time it was 9:15 and we quickly drove to the RSL for a hurried dinner and bed.

A fabulous day was had by all. Tomorrow we may head to the zoo if the weather stays fine.

Rugby or a rave???

Well we have finally finished the deck and it's looking very nice and inviting. The last couple of days have been busy drilling, cutting, staining and fitting bits of wood but it's all come together now and looks lovely. We have all worked hard on it and Sam looked hilarious in a pair of bright orange workmans overalls, but has got on brilliantly with the drill and has passed his apprenticeship in carpentry.

On an evening we have been really tired and have been going to the RSL for tea. Every town in Oz has an RSL (returned Services something or other) you have to show your passport when you go in and you aren't aloud to wear flip flops but that aside the serve amazing food and it's pretty cheap. We can get a three course meal for $17 (£11 ish)and for Sydney that's pretty good. The RSL's are like social clubs as Sydney doesn't have nearly as many pubs as the UK. After the food we came home last night and Sam was forced to watch the Royal Wedding but actually I think he enjoyed it and it was great to see London in all it's glory.

Today we worked on the deck and then we jumped in the van and headed off to try and catch a Super 14's rugby match which was being played at the stadium in Sydney. First we went and found food and in true traveller style ate it in the front of the van down a side road. Sam munching a KFC and me and Will a Pad Thai, then we drove to the match. It was super busy and all the car parking was full but eventually we found a spot along a side road. Will made us practically run to the stadium which was not fun on a bellyfull of Pad Thai. The road was filled with people and some of them seemed strangely young and drunk to be going to a rugby match but we thought perhaps that's what the young folk in Sydney do of a Saturday. We found the stall selling tickets and ran up to it, 'Do you have any tickets left' asked Will, 'Um yes,' said the girl looking slightly confused, 'Great we'll have three please' said Will desperate to get in, 'are you sure?' asked the girl, eyeing Sam suspiciously. 'Yes, three tickets for the rugby,' shouted Will growing more agitated by the second...'Oh the rugby, that's about 100m up the road. These are tickets for Creamlands.' For those of you who don't know Cream Lands is a huge rave which started in Liverpool and now tours the world. I can't believe we nearly bought tickets for a bloody outdoor rave with Sam. We wandered up the street, past the blue flashing lights and the heavy base, past the young girls with their short skirts and the guys with their day glow sticks and into the welcoming, family friendly atmosphere of the rugby stadium, never have I been so pleased to be at a rugby match.

The game was good (I think) I can't tell you who played, something like the Woolamoos and the Rebels. The Rebels lost. The atmosphere in the stadium was pretty subdued but it was nice to be there and Sam enjoyed himself (although he would have had loads more fun at Creamlands but we may have lost Will for a few days!!) So after a lovely evening we headed home and of course got lost and took in a late night tour of the botanical gardens before we stumbled onto the right road and drove home.

Tomorrow we are going to watch Much Ado About Nothing at the Sydney Opera House as part of Sam's English work as the next topic is Shakespeare. It's a hard life travelling the world at 13.

Picture above Sam at a famous surf spot called Snapper Rocks.

Almost time to wave goodbye...

We are now back in Sydney with Chris. We set off from Corindi a couple of days ago and spent 9 hours driving down to Newcastle. It was Anzac Day (which is like the Aussie remembrance day and where Anzac biscuits come from). Sadly as we were driving we missed 'Two Up' which is a game that is played in the pubs on this day and this day only. It replecates heads or tails which is what the soldiers used to play in the trenches. Basically there are three coins and people place bets on weather when they are flipped it will land with at least two heads or at least two tails. The whole thing is just run on trust and people gamble amongst each other, it sounds like loads of fun, but unfortunately we were all squished into the van singing songs and missed the whole thing.

Eventually we arrived in Newcastle and spent a couple of lovely days (well rainy days actually) but still very nice days with the Vallenders. Highlights included Michelle's amazing cooking - particularly the date pudding with butterscotch sauce and cream!!! Sam couldn't believe that when presented with the dish her kids were just like, 'Oh thanks Mum', Sam thought it was the most amazing pudding he had ever seen (and so well presented it should be served in a restaurant). Yesterday Me and Will went for a bike ride through the bush which was really nice, actually it was really nice when we swapped bikes and I got to ride the cool, speedy one!! Meanwhile Sam had stayed behind with the boys and spent the afternoon building a skate ramp on a derelict patch of land (he also managed to stand on a nail but went to the lady who lived next door (who he had never met) and asked her if she could clean it for him!! Who says travelling isn't good for confidence) Don't worry though he has had his tetanus and it looks fine and only hurts when he stands on it (and I'm not sure that's true as he seemed fine on it when he was riding his skateboard this afternoon).

So we set off this morning for Sydney and we are now back with Chris and Will is planning the next build of our travels, her balcony. So tomorrow we are off to the hardware shop to buy wood and nails and stuff - whoopie!! Hopefully the balcony will be done and dusted by Sunday so he can catch the good swell and meet up with his friend Ferg.

Picture attached of Will and Sam on the scary ride at Wet and Wild.

A day in the life of Sam

Sam has found some good friends here and yesterday morning got up at 7:30 (yes, 7:30) to go out body boarding with his friend Ethan who lives across the road. The beach here is so close and Corindi is so safe that they can walk down by themselves and spend a good hour in the water without us having to worry (the biggest hazard is the brown snakes which live in the sand dunes but lets gloss over that one).

After body boarding he came rushing in to tell us that he was now going to the skate park, 'Don't you want breakfast we asked?' who was this child that had jumped out of bed at the crack of dawn and wasn't demanding food?

'It's fine' he said, rushing out of the door with skateboard under arm, 'we shared some chips earlier.' and so he disappeared to the skate park for a few hours.

It was Ethans Grandads birthday yesterday and we knew they were heading out for lunch so planned to drive to Woolgoolga to pick up some supplies. After the skate park Sam rushed in again, 'they've invited me to go for lunch,' he said excitedly, 'can I go? I told them that I didn't want to impose.' Good word I thought, proud of our progress in English, 'But they said it was fine,' he continued, 'so can I go.' After a hasty change into a clean pair of board shorts and a T-shirt with just a small hole in the side (his smart clothes) he disappeared with a $50 note and instructions to not order the most expensive thing on the menu and we wanted at least $30 change. We know what Sam's like let loose and wouldn't put it past him to order the fillet stake with pepper sauce and a side order of your finest prawns please waiter - but it was ok he just had the ceaser wrap and came home with the correct change.

Meanwhile me and Will went into Woolgoolga and bought Sam his easter egg and a few other bits and pieces. We also wandered around the local market and I managed not to buy anything (not even the beautiful leather belt which had pockets for storing things and would have been very handy). Then we drove to the golf course because Will had seen loads of kangaroos there yesterday. It's brilliant playing golf in Australia. You hire a golf cart and go into the bar and ask for beers. The barman fills up a cool box with beers and ice and off you go for your round of golf. Along the way there are literally hundreds of kangaroos on the course, lying in the sand bunkers, stood around the tees and the holes watching the shots, they are so close you could touch them and if they are in the way you just shoo them to the side. We sat in the club house in the sunshine and watched the golfers negotiating the kangaroos, brilliant. They come to the golf course because the grass is cut regularly and they like to eat the new shoots.

After a couple of beers we drove home and I went across the road to give Sam his anti-biotic. Of course it was John party and so we were invited in for a drink. And so we stayed until about 9:00 chatting, drinking beers and eating a sausage sizzle (lovely). We wandered the short distance across the road home and fell into bed.

Our plan was to leave today but yesterday Sam was showing signs of a cold and this morning has woken up with puffy, red, weepy eyes and a runny nose - he has a proper head cold (not that that will stop him playing with his friends) but we have decided to stay another day to aid his recovery (and because as usual we are crap at leaving). Tomorrow though, we will get up early, pack up the van and head off to Newcastle (I think!!!)

Picture attached of Sam and Mr Mick Fanning, surfing champion extraordinaire (and a man with a lovely chest I think you'll agree)!!

Random stuff

We are now back in Corindi and Sam is having the best day playing with his friends in the street. This morning he got up and went body boarding with them whilst me and Will went for a romantic stroll along the beach (a 13 year old is such a great age to take travelling (apart from the moods) because they are so much more independent and don't need constant supervision) after his body board he came home grabbed a piece of toast and has spent the rest of the afternoon skateboarding in the street and knocking on peoples doors and running away!!! In fact he is having so much fun he even turned down a game of golf. Will has just gone with Mark for a quick game and then this evening we are headed back to the Red Wok for a chinese.

Yesterday was interesting, one of those days where things feel like they are backing up against you. Sam has a sensitive gum so we took him to the dentist. Turns out he must have bumped it a few years ago and has exposed the nerve (something like that) anyway he is on anti-biotics and may have to have root canal (we are keeping our fingers crossed that this won't happen until we get back as it's bloody expensive to have dental treatment out here but we'll have to wait and see). He isn't in any pain at the moment which is good news so he will just need to be extra careful. His ipod also hasn't arrived after 3 weeks!!! A few weeks ago I woke up at 4am with cold sweats thinking the company we sent it to may not be legit and have taken our money and scarpered, I was so worried that I got up at 4am and called Barclaycard to see if they had cleaned us out - but it's ok - the ipod is now on it's way to Sydney so we should have it back soon.

We also now have a plan, we are leaving Corindi on Sunday and heading back to Swan Bay for a few days and then on to Chris where we will build the balcony and then we have a few days with ferg before we fly out to Perth.

I was just looking back through some of our films whilst we have been away - all very funny - and can't believe how much Sam has grown. The Flip has been brilliant (the Flip is a little hand held video camera) and it made me think about other useful items that we have brought with us so I thought I would write about them for any Lonely Planet readers thinking of doing a similar trip.

1)One of the most use items has been the sowing kit (not because I have fixed many clothes - although we have fixed a few) but the pin has been brilliant for removing splinters and we have picked up a few of them as we spent most of our time in NZ barefoot. It's just a little kit that I picked up free in a hotel. Also take tweezers, again, brilliant for the splinters.

2)The medical kit has also been brilliant with easy access to plasters/savlon/mozzie bite

cream/antihistemines and veruca treatment stuff. This is also a neat little travel sized bag which also contains surgical needles and things for more drastic treatments, which we thankfully haven't yet needed.

3)The head torches have been amazing for late night reading (especially in the van) and for power cuts in Central and South America. Have enough head torches for everyone though because otherwise fights break out as to whose turn it is.

4)Sleeping bag sheets. These are silk sleeping bag liners so are very cool to sleep in but meen that you don't have to lie directly on a dodgy looking bed, they also should be big enough to reach over your head if like me you are afraid of bugs and spiders crawling on you in the night. They fold up really small (get different colours for different family members).

5)The computer. We have a Netbook Acer and it has been fantastic for what we want. Which is basically uploading pics, checking internet and updating blog etc. We also watch movies on it on rainy days and the screen is big enough to do this even though it's only about 10 inches. The Netbook doesn't have a disk drive but this has only been a problem because we haven't been able to listen to Sam's French CD (much to his joy!) So far it's been reliable and the battery life is still pretty good.

6)Document folder. I have a small, document folder, a green plastic wallet which is great for filing things such as hotel confirmations, flight details, passport copies, insurance documents and receipts from treatments to claim back on insurance. Basically any important paperwork is kept neatly stored in this little folder (plastic is best because it stops it getting bashed).

7)Our rucksacks are brilliant. They are side loading so you don't have to shove it all in the top and then unpack everything to find something. I would agree with all the other travelling bloggers who say no matter how many clothes you think you will need, half it and then half it again. We don't have much but still have way too many clothes.

8)Guide books (Will disagrees with this) but I think they are amazing for finding the little things along the way that you would otherwise miss. For example in Central America we stayed in a little town called Montezuma. It was pretty touristy and not that great but we checked Lonely Planet book which directed us to a little restaurant on the beach front and here we had one of my favourite meals of the trip. If it hadn't been for the guide book we would have eaten overpriced garbage in a tourist trap instead.

9)Playing cards. Of course this is super important not just for boring waits in bus stations/airports etc but also good for nights out as people join in and it's a good way to meet new friends. Also a good way to occupy a bored child. Variations of card games are also useful and one of our favourites has been the Monopoly card game.

And that's about it. Make sure it's all travel sized and packs neatly away and you're laughing. We travel with just two backpacks and three day packs (although one is completely filled with school books)...oh and of course we also have the three surf boards, the fishing rod, the skate board and the yoga mat... but they are optional.

Above is an arty picture taken by Sam on the way to Byron...although I look like I'm about to sleep (yes Debs, eyes are closed again!!) and Will's head looks MASSIVE.

Sorry Byron...

Ahem... well I guess I owe Byron Bay a little bit of an apology, perhaps I was a little too hasty to criticise it quite so severely, because as it turns out we have had a brilliant time there (inspite of the rain). So following my little rant the other day we spent a hideous night on a camp site in Byron and lay awake listening to the base from the nearby club, thumping away until 1:00am (which as you can imagine added to my feelings of desperation)....However, the next day we called Will's friend Luke and went round to his house. Luke and Will met in Brazil and he is married to a lovely Brazilian girl called K and they have a gorgeous little boy called Tex who is almost two (and as big as a four year old).

They invited us to stay at their house which is just outside of Byron. This was perfect as it got us away from the hoards of people. It turns out this is the busiest time of year for Byron due to the Easter holidays and the Blues Festival (Bob Dylan is playing there!!!) so as you can imagine there are literally thousands of people in one very small area, however staying outside meant that the claustrophobia lifted. Their house backs onto the ocean and is painted in yellows and blues, very welcoming, very relaxing and way better than the inside of the van. We have spent the last couple of days with them, surfing, chatting and sitting at the beach.

This morning we got up at 6:30 and drove to the Lighthouse in Byron. From here we walked along to the furthest point East to look for wales as it's their migratory season and they can sometimes be seen passing this point. The sun thankfully had decided to shine and although we stayed for about an hour and didn't see any sign of wales, we did see pods and pods of dolphins swimming along and playing in the ocean. It's very relaxing to watch dolphins swim as they have such a fluid, gentle movement...anyway.... eventually we headed back to the house and had a BBQ breakfast with tomatoes, bacon, fresh juice etc...mmmmm. After this we went to the beach and then had a couple of beers in a bar overlooking the ocean.

On the way back to Corindi this afternoon we were chatting about the trip and all agreed that it's the people you meet who really make the trip memorable. We often have a choice, do we want to see everything, in which case it's a whistle stop tour, taking in all the tourist attraction. Or do we want to travel at a steady pace, taking in the occasional tourist attraction and getting to know people. We agreed that for us the latter is definitely better. We will all remember our time in Byron, but now, not because it was crowded and rainy, but because we met up with friends and shared dinner and wine and stories. Once again we spent the journey home singing and chatting and eating McDonalds, but we were all pretty sad to leave so soon.

We also can't believe how quickly the time is going. We have two weeks left on this coast and in that time we have to drive 1,000 km to Sydney (something like that anyway) and stop in and see the lovely Vallanders (hopefully) and Will's friend Ferg, and build Chris her balcony, if she has the materials. Then we fly to Perth for two weeks and then we are off on the final leg of the trip to Indonesia and then before we know it we will be home again. The time is flying by.

Rainy Byron Bay and a touch of claustrophobia...

What can I tell you? We have now left the Gold Coast after an amazing time - Coolengatta was lovely and the boys had lovely surf and beautiful weather. The day before we left we went to 'Wet and Wild' which is a huge water park with the biggest scariest slides you can imagine. Sam's favourite was one which was a plastic tube with a vertical drop. You stood at the top and a trapdoor opened lauching you vertically downwards and with such force that you did a loop the loop. Naturally I sat that one out.

Will's favourite was a surboard type ride which launched you into the air on a horse shoe shaped track - whilst spinning around - it looked horendous... and my favourite was the Tornado.

The three of us sat in a big inflatable ring and you are launched down a dark tunnel into a vertical drop and then up the sides of a horizontal cone before being sucked through the base of a tornado.It was right bloody scary and I screamed my head off - which was actually quite nice - fairground rides are the only time you can officially scream as loudly as your lungs allow. We had a fab time at the water park - got there when it opened and left just as it was closing.

Then we headed down to Byron and this is where things took a turn for the worse. There are a few reasons for this 1) It's pissing down and there is nothing worse than being stuck in the van in the rain...except when combined with 2) It's ram jammed here - seriously it's like a tourist trap - i'm sure once upon a time this was a nice hippy community but now it feels like a place that's trying a bit too hard to recapture it's lost youth (as are many of the people who live here). There's nothing worse than a load of drug addled 40 somethings riding around on skate boards with no shoes. I'm sure when I was 18 I would have thought this was the coolest place, now it just makes me feel claustraphobic and makes me want to cry (or maybe that's the weather!). Anyway I have managed to escape the confines of the van and have found a coffee shop with free wi-fi whilst Will and Sam surf. There are actually loads of coffee shops here which of course would usually mean heaven but all of them are full to bursting because it's the Easter holidays and some stupid Blues Festival is taking place here. Hopefully we will only have to stay one more night and then we can escape to another place where there is space and fresh air and nice walks and room to breathe.

Will and Sam are currently surfing and I have left the van locked up so will have to depart and unlock it for them - but first will have to fight my way through the crowds of people who are also huddled in the coffee shop to escape the rain... So sorry to moan again but I hate the bloody rain. Hopefully a more chipper update next time (but don't hold your breath because it's not meant to brighten up until Weds).

Having a Fanningtastic time...

We are staying at a place called Coollangata just north of Byron Bay where NSW meets the Gold Coast. The beaches here are gorgeous and go on for ever. The sea is crystal clear and across the bay, through the palm trees sits Surfers Paradise a skyline across the ocean, outlined against the clear blue skies. It really is paradise...and even more so because there aren't just good waves for Will, but also good waves for Sam... and friends... and a coffee shop nearby.

Yesterday we spent a lovely day wandering through the town. In the morning we went for a surf and then went to the cafe where Sam did his maths, then as we walked back down to the van we saw Mick Fanning coming out of the sea (for those of you, who don't know like me, Mick Fanning is 2 x world surfing champion) anyway Sam had his picture taken with him and you should have seen his grin it stretched from ear to ear (Sam's not Mick Fannings, I'll put the pic up soon). In the evening we had a Thai and it was nice to eat out again after all that wholesome home cooked food we have been having!!

We have had another lovely day today just relaxing by the beach and Will has a bit of heat stroke he thinks, oh and sore lips, oh and a surfing rash, oh and a broken toe...not that you would know because he never mentions it!!!!! So another night on the campsite here and then off to Surfers Paradise for a couple of nights and a trip to Wet and Wild (think that's what it's called) a big water park near Surfers Paradise with loads of hellish slides.

Also met a guy today who gave us loads of telephone numbers for Indo, a driver, a guy to renew the visas and a cool place to stay...lovely.

Yeeeeehaaaaaw...

Well we're back on the road and have assumed our usual, familar position in a McDonalds Cafe. The world feels right again as we tear down the motorway (well, that's an exaggeration as Will doesn't tear and slow lorries overtake us regularly) Sam and Will throwing punches as we sing Oasis at the top of our lungs. Sam gives the thumbs up to road side workers and we are free free free...

That said it was a wrench to leave the comfort of home, the re-runs of Top Gear and umm The Brady Bunch were unfortunately very appealing. But here we are exploring again all squished uncomfortably into the front of the van and loving it.

We are headed to Byron Bay or maybe beyond. Will has drivers fever and won't stop (except for food) and wants to drive as far as he possibly can - hopefully he will stop soon as there is an awful long way one can go in Australia. The van, is sparkly and clean (apart from the dodgy, smelly cushions)and doesn't smell quite so much of sick. So who knows where we are going to stay tonight, but that's just the way we like it - a little bit of the unknown!! The weather is overcast but even that can't dampen our spirits and I'm looking forward to a sing a long to Simon and Garfunkel for the next leg... 'Iam a Rock I am an iiiiiisland,'

Only a quick update as Will needs to email his friend and I am in a race against a Big Mac!!!

Moving on...

This morning we planned to leave Corindi and head up the coast to Byron. We got up and started to sort all our stuff out ready to leave. Will mowed the lawns and tidied up the tools and the garage. I washed all the sheets, another load of clothes which were hiding from me in the bottom of the suitcase, and cleaned the kitchen, the bedrooms and the bathroom. Sam did his school work online and then me and Sam cleaned out the van. Washed the curtains, Sprayed all the sides and wiped them down and mopped out the floor... and by the time we had finished it was 3:00 and we were starving...and so we had lunch and in true 'us' style, decided that we should stay another night and head off tomorrow morning.

So now we have another evening to relax at the house which is cool because we still have a few bits to sort out online etc. Yesterday turned out to be a really nice day. We went to the curry festival in Woolgoolga. There were lots of stalls selling curry and hundreds of people there. It's odd because curry isn't as big here as it is in the UK so there wasn't much variety. Most of the stalls sold butter chicken and a generic lamb or veg curry with white rice, and that was about it. We queued for 10 mins and had a very disappointing small portion of curry with congealed rice...and we paid about £7 for it!!!

We decided to abandon the festival (but not until Sam went on a fairground ride and ended up sat next to a at kid who looked like he was going to puke all over him...brilliant) than we headed to the beach with Mark and Trilby for a surf. Later on Mark and Trilby came over for pizza and Sam was invited to a BBQ at his friends house. We watched the film Australia which was really good (but then anything with Hugh Jackman is amazing).

Picture above is of the completes fence (well one side of it)!!

A bright rainy day

Things are looking up, Sam's demonic mood seems to have lifted and once again we have back, lovely, smiley Sam (who is also a bit more helpful). The teenage hormones are starting to kick in though and spots are starting to appear, not many, just one in his nostril and one on his nose!

Today it's raining but we have had a really nice day. We drove down to Coffs Harbour to all go swimming but when we got there the waves were really good and so Will decided to have a surf. He dropped me and Sam at the pool and we had a great time swimming. Sam was teaching me to front crawl and it all went well except I can't swim in a straight line, I can't keep my right hand flat and when I try to breath I look like a fish gasping for air - I think we can safely say that I didn't glide through the water. Anyway it kept Sam entertained because he was laughing his head off at me (which was brilliant because it echoed all around the pool and I'm sure everyone else was smirking). After the swim we went for a cake and drink in the local cafe and did the cross word in a magazine whilst we waited for Will to arrive.

The fence is now pretty much finished, we just need to fit locks to the gates and so that's a relief. The fence actually looks fab - Will is very very good at making fences! The other news is that I have started writing again (just to shut my parents up) and actually it's quite enjoyable. So i'm aiming for 1,500 words a day, this is not too difficult as long as Sam is not wittering in my ear.

I'm really looking forward to going to Perth and then Indo, it doesn't seem too far away now. We watched Top Gear, Bolivia special last night and it was brilliant. It was good to see them driving over the Andes and dealing with the altitude, driving on the long dangerous windy roads and through the Atacama and to be able to identify with it all. It was especially good for Sam. So onwards and onwards... I leave you with a picture of the jolly fishermen on a much brighter, sunnier day.