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.