Canberra

I arrived in Canberra last friday (12th) August. The journey was a 4 and a half hour train ride from Sydney, through  bush-land. I am staying with another cousin who goes to University here, so I'm currently staying in her small uni room. There are many tourist attractions here in Canberra which I have visited; such as the war memorial and the new Parliament house, which unknown to me, Alice and her brother George; the day we decided to explore the grounds there was a huge dramatic protest against the proposed law out here of carbon tax. I kept my mouth shut whilst we were there, as some protesters approached us complaining about some of the poms out here! It was my first experience of a protest and it was good to see that people can peacfully protest, unlike what is going on back home at the moment! Tomorrow night I am going out with the uni on a pub golf night, which should be interesting as I don't drink! and then I am heading back to Sydney friday morning, to begin work in a school the following monday.

Lots of love xxxxx

I made sure we had a photo of funny faces!! Being 20 years old now..... I like to think I can still be immature! :)

THE BIG TWENTEEN BIRTHDAY!!!

I woke up to a lovely breakfast with Peter and Betty. With the two local parrots looking in through the window, I opened my cards sent from my wonderful family back in the UK. I then spent the day browsing the local shops and treated myself to some new earings. The rest of the family arrived around 5pm and were being very secretive about something! Then at 6pm I had a phonecall from mum and dad and I was told to look at the computer, to find they were on skype at the same time! So, along with the Hancock family, I had "Happy Birthday" sung to me at the same time in two different countries! It was lovely and really good to see my favourite three on my big day, despite it being a bit emotional when I first saw them! Whilst on skype Betty handed me the present from the Hancock family, which was a ticket to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge! I am still in complete shock and am so thankful for such an amazing present! I hope to do the climb during my last week in Sydney.
It was a unforgettable birthday and a great start to my 20's!!! I'm off to Canberra this friday to stay with Alice at her uni and to also visit a friend of hers, which is also a cousin of mine!

Lots of love to everyone and thankyou for all the birthday wishes you sent/emailed me, it was awesome and I am so lucky to have such a lovely bunch of friends and family both here and back home.
xxxxxxxxxxx

Sydney continued.....

Having been in and around Sydney for over a month now and im still loving it! Since my last update I have been staying in a place called Janalli, with a cousin called Liz. Waiting for my working with children certificate to be approved for a different state, I spent my first week exploring the city and seeing all the different sites! This included meeting up with toms dad and his wife for a nice lunch in the city and a coffee, followed by a walk around the botanical gardens next to the Sydney opera house. Iv also experienced a night out in Sydney with Lizs' son Tim and some of his mates. This included a nice meal at the Hardrock cafe located in Darling Harbor and seeing the opera house and the Sydney harbor bridge at night, which was beautiful! Iv also visited the famous Bondi beach via a trip through the city on the train. The weather out here has been gorgeous and im happy to say the tan is coming along swimingly! Iv also been doing some coaching out here with disability athletes, including athletes that have been a part of the paralympics. I have also helped out at a after schools care group for primary school kids, which is really fun, as it is the best excuse ever to just play! The kids are adorable and keep trying to put on a posh english accent when they see me.

I am now back with Peter and Betty and have just returned from watching Brittany play a basketball match. Tomorrow as you know is my birthday!! Not sure what the plan is yet, as it is all being kept a suprise! So I shall update once I have officially become twenty at last!

Lots of love xxxxxxx