We’ve had a busy two days

Yesterday we went shopping, spent far too much money and got the majority of the Christmas presents.  The children went swimming with Hope and Jenny while I sat in the cafe and did some work.

Today the children stayed at home and played in the paddling pool while Hope, Jenny and I finished the present shopping - we were out for hours and on return we discovered that Hoppit hadn’t left the paddling pool once!

Not sure what the plan is for tomorrow but the weather is looking good so far so maybe a day out with all of us.

J’s been fishing today

It’s about 5pm here now and J has spent most of today fishing - he caught a couple of eels and some bream (at least I think they were bream) and he’s going again tomorrow.

We took the girls shopping today and bought them some great new hats - Ellie’s got a pink cowboy hat which she loves and Hoppit has got a pink straw hat. We also bought Hope’s mum a singing Turkey christmas toy and we got a gingerbread sleigh kit that we’ll be doing Christmas Eve (I think anyway).

Tomorrow is swimming in the morning and then more fishing for the boys then I think next week we’re going to go to the prison and possibly into Sydney for the zoo - we want to do that before the schools break up over here so it’s quieter.

Another lovely day today, no storms yet and it’s about 28C.

We’re here!!

We had a great journey, left the house at 3am Wednesday and arrived 9.30am Thursday (UK time - 8.30pm) - the flights were fine, very comfy and lots of really nice food.  J slept for a while but Hoppit got the most sleep of us all, she’s so small she just curled up in her seat and snoozled for hours.We’re had a fairly quiet first day, we didn’t get the kids to bed until 2am and it was gone 4am by the time we got to bed so today has been a quiet, peaceful day.  Did some shopping to get some more clothes for J and then pottered down to the local pub for tea.  J made a new friend with the landlords son and the girls had a great time playing in the park next to the pub.It’s been pretty hot and humid today, was very sticky about 6am and we had a long thunder storm this afternoon, about 3 hours all told.

No photos today but check again tomorrow.

Fi xxx

last post before we go

Well, this time tomorrow we’ll be on our way and this time Thursday we’ll be there!!  Very excited, seriously very excited.  MP3 players are loaded (Hoppit has My Chemical Romance, Linkin Park, Lostprophets etc on hers) and mine is full of everything and anything - from Barry Mannilow to Slipknot and pretty much eveything in between!).  DS Lites are charged, passports are in my hand luggage and the money is in the bank (always useful).

So yes, this is our goodbye post until some point on Thursday - there are a LOT of heavy storms this time of year in the afternoons and the power trips out so while I’ll try to get the blog updated daily if I don’t it’s because the power’s off.

Have a wonderful Christmas and see you all in the New Year.

packed!!

I’m very impressed - with the exception of a few bits and pieces we’re packed.  We bought two brand new hot pink suitcases today (have given them to the girls rather than J) and Hope spent most of this afternoon packing while I worked on my assignment.

Still don’t have insurance, forgot again today and will have to do that on Monday now and need some AU$.  Also have to get the various meds and hand luggage sorted out and then we’re set to go.

The children have started asking loads of questions about the flights, although most of it centres around what movies will be shown and what the food will be like!  Hopefully it’ll all go smoothly and we won’t have any problems.  Don’t really fancy having to deal with turbulance with 3 first time flyers!

We’ll be there in a week!!

The countdown has really begun now, the children have less than a week in school, the cases are almost packed (admittedly we have 2 more cases to buy!) and we’ve almost finished our Christmas shopping for the family members we’re leaving behind.

The weather in Hinton, NSW (where we’re headed) is currently 37C and is forecast to be in the low 40’s C when we arrive - something tells me the children will notice the difference!!

Applied for the visas this morning at 8.30am and had an email confirming them at 11.30am - total cost was £33.69 for the 4 of us, whereas the travel agents were wanting to charge £25-30 each!  It’s times like this that I’m very grateful for the internet.

Still need to do the insurance, keep forgetting that (!) and get some AU$ sorted out and then I think we’re ready to go.  There’s a sickness bug going round the schools at the moment and we’re desperately hoping the children don’t go down with it as I don’t fancy having to take them on the plane if they’re sick and if we have to cancel the flights we won’t get out before Christmas as everyone is fully booked now.

If anyone wants a postcard then you’ll have to let one of us have your address (either email it to us or give it to one of the children) and we shall send something suitable!

Started packing!

It’s all very exciting - we’ve only got 9 days left, can officially say “We’ll be in Australia next week” so we’ve started to get on with the packing.  We need 2 more suitcases and then we’ll be able to actually pack properly, at the moment it’s all in a cardboard box ready to be put into the actual suitcases.

I still need to get all the visas done and the insurance (ooops!) and then we’ll be legal to enter the country - the visas are easy though, just a couple of minutes on the internet and they’re sorted.

Have got 2 essays to get in before we leave, most of one of them is done and the other will be done next weekend and we need to tidy the house up a bit and then we’re sorted.

Australia - here we come!

Baggage allowance mutterings

We’re flying from the UK on KLM and then between Amsterdam and Sydney on Malaysian airlines - then reversed for the way home.

So not amused by this as the bagggage allowance for Malaysian is only 5kg for cabin baggage and it’s 12kgs for KLM!  I’m going to have to have a bag big enough to get my laptop into for leaving the UK (can only take one item of cabin baggage from Manchester) and then remember to take it out when we leave Amsterdam or I’m screwed on the weight!  It’s so crazy - especially as my books themselves weigh over 6kgs!!

Grrrr!

22 days to go!!

We’ve got all the passports now and are on a serious countdown (it’s 6 weeks to Christmas - wahey!) and have already made a start on the packing.  I’m determined that we’ll actually be organised and it won’t be a mad panic at 2am trying to find things while we’re waiting for our taxi to the airport. 

We’ve been doing lots of Christmas shopping already for the folks we’re leaving behind and have go Jenny on the job with the shopping in Australia for the kids etc.  Current weather over there is high 30’s but a bit damp, still anything is better than over here where it’s cold and wet and generally miserable!

26 days to go!!

Aaaaarrrrrggggghhhhhhh - so little time and sooo much to do! 

So excited seriously can’t wait.  The kids are counting the days and I know that Hope’s parents are thinking the same as well.  Ellie’s passport is here, just waiting for J’s now and then we’re all ready to go.  Will give them another call on Wednesday to find out where it is - would hate to have to leave him at home!