Sophie & Ollie´s Travels

Hey Everyone,

Hope you're all good - though having only been away for four days I'm sure not too much has changed.

Well Australia is Australia as most of you know it. It is hotter and sunny than home. However, it is not as hot as I hoped. I wouldn't swim, and I wish I had brought more jumpers. There are more multi-coloured, deadly looking spiders including freaky funnel webs in the grass everywhere. Tree frogs that sit next to the electronic bug zapper waiting for an easy dinner. Red, blue, yellow, pink, white parrots fighting for the bird seed every morning. And other interesting stuff missing from home. At least I have managed a vague tan as well.

The flight over was good. We actually left the runway at Auckland within five minutes of the scheduled time. Ol stole the window seat (he actually was assigned it which I thought was sexist, giving the male the first seat as always happens, but I suppose alphabetically he should come first). Anyway, a quiet, non-smelly, normal-sized guy sat next to me and I got to play sudoku on the screen in front. Also, considering I don’t like pies or plane food the lamb and mint pie tasted delicious. The loos didn’t leak and customs didn’t search us - we only got a quick bomb scan. So it was a rather good flight.

The main place we have been staying is out in the sticks a bit. About 40 minutes from Brisbane central. It is nice out here with lots of birds, trees, two dogs and sunny days. However, it freaks me out at times. It is the perfect setting for a horror movie. Went for a walk around the block yesterday - it took an hour and 10mins. It was deserted except for vicious-looking, barking farm dogs, rusty barbwire fencing, abandoned cars, sparse Eucalyptus trees, broken signs and crows. Hah I am wuss but it was straight out of a horror movie where the sadistic local kidnaps you in the middle of nowhere with a massive dog and takes you to a barbwired farm and slowly tortures you to death (yes Leon, I am thinking of Wolf Creek).

Anyway, heading down to the Gold Coast tomorrow and then on Saturday to the Sunshine Coast so will see a bit more outside of the scary rural area.

Will email again soon.