Early start from Sydney, loved catching the bus at 6.08am! (this is as hard as being at work!!!) Got James and Laura at Wake-up!, boarded the bus and headed to to Canberra, dull, souless Canberra, possibly to worst capital city ever visited! Pimped around the Parliment house and got ourselves out of there sharpish! Back onto the bus and off to Lake Jindabyne, where we stayed in the most amazing hostel (well the location was amazing and it had clean sheets!) The view from the hostel was awesome, we overlooked the lake - it was so pretty. Especailly at sunset.

Picked a winning evening meal and barbecued our own steak (well James the chef did!) followed by goon, goon, goon! With a male vicki pollard, a girl with the wildest laugh and her husband and a mute artist! Eclectic or what!

Another early start as the following morning to the snowy mountains for a 10km hike. Incredible that in the blazing sunshine we were hiking up a snow covered mountain. It was so stange, the snow was proper ankle deep snow. Gorgeous scenary, some bits of it were like being back at home (especailly the snow!) and despite a couple of slips in the snow (captured on camera by James!) no injuries were sustained.
Spent 2 hours hiking up to the blue lake - and what a disappointment that was, i think I've seen more water in the bath tub! Although the views did make it worth it.

Back on the bus and onto Lakes Entrance, hairy hariy drive through Kosciuszko national park. We had to drive through the valley on a narrow winding cliff top lane, at some points there was a quite sheer drop to the righ handside - best not to look out of the window!
The national park suffered terrible bush fires in 2003 which destroyed about half of it, so as you drive through patches you see so many blackend trees and burnt down stumps. It's really strange to see the aftermath, especailly when they closest I've been to it before is seeing the burning fires on the news.

Despite the incredible bumps, laura still managed to get kip on! At Lakes Entrance we stayed in what can only be described as an old peoples home, random mix again including the 2 mysterious Russians! James and his porno lighter (all the way from Thailand - no surprises really!) and Andy and his bad bad jokes.

3rd early start onto Wilsons promentary, where we saw wildlife ago-go, Kangaroos, emus and wombats all running around in the same field as us - it was awesome. When a kangaroo sees you are there, the stand on their hind legs to stare at you and assess the danger of the situation, once one is standing and the rest realise - they all follow suit. So from walking throuhg the field and seeing one standing, the next minute they all pop up from nowhere and there was easily over 100 kangaroos just standing up out of the grass watching us. It was surreal. (look closely at the piccies on facebook and photobox and you'll see them).

It became harder and harder for us to control Dennis the crazy Russian, who against all advice was continually charging at the animals to try to get the best pictures, it didn't seem to worry him a) the possibility of being attacked and b) the fact that he was scaring them off - so nobody else could get the piccies!

Hiked onto Squeeky beach, beautiful, beautiful and squeeky! Totally Aussie beach, white sands, crystal waters and big waves crashing onto the shore. Even saw a wombat wombling around on the beach, it's amazing when you see wildlife in it's naural habitat, so different from zoos. (Althouh I'd rather give seeing a snake in it's natural habitat a miss!)

Then back to the bus for the most miserable long journey to Melbourne. Where I found myself getting even more and more frustrated as I couldn't get a wink of sleep!

Spent the night in Yha and have had a hectic day in Melbourne, James, Laura and I have trawled the city for 9 hours! Well worth it as we've seen some cool things - including Old Melbourne Gaol where Ned Kelly met his death, something to do with ropes, levers and trapdoors! Had a pimp around Federation Square (after a crazy but beautiful Japanese Pizza lunch!), Up Eureka skytower, 88 floors up, giving the most increbible view of Melbourne.

Wandered around the lovely Fitzroy Gardens, were the trees are full of possums, seeing captain cooks' mum's cottage! (A Little piece of engalnd in Aus) and a random magic tree. Stopped for pizza on the 26 mile hike home (or at least it felt 26 miles and contrary to popular belief flip flops (or thongs as they are in Aus) really aren't that comfy to walk in!

Off to The Great Ocean Road tomorrow.

H.xxxxxxx