Archive blogs - Round the world Xmas 06

17th December 2006
Singapore baby !!!!!!!!! Current mood: tired
So, we finally arrived after what was probably THE most hideous check in EVER. 3 hours to check in f*cking bags at Heathrow !!!!! How ridiculous is that????? Anyway, 12 hours in the air and we land in Singapore, nice airport, very slick, quick and clean. See that's the thing about this place, everything's immaculate, everything. I love it. Last night we went to Chinatown for dinner then after a mooch at boat quay (which we had a very confusing conversation about with the taxi driver, we thought he'd taken us to booky!!!) we ended up in a kareoke bar. And, it has to be said, much alcohol had been consumed so i find myself, having been egged on by 2 Aussie blokes, singing "i'll stand by you" - not too shabby a performance if i say so myself, even after the vat of alcohol I'd drank !!! The two blokes we were talking to were hilarious, i don't think I've seen Andy laugh so much in ages (though, it has to be said, some of that is alcohol related!). One of them did this crazy rendition of crazy little thing called love, running round the bar, it was v.funny. We eventually called it a night around 3.30 and after some shennannigans in the lift (which Andy did not realise was glass walled until this morning - hehehe) we crashed out !!!So, today, we have been mostly shopping - well mooching. Haven't really bought anything but god it's torture. Now, i'm a handbag sucker, with my two Mulberry's and so it was like physical torture not to be able to just go mental with the credit card, i was having to remind myself everytime I looked at one i like that for the same price, I can have a new dining table for the house or a new washing machine!!!Then we went to the infamous Long Bar at Raffles for a Singapore Sling - YUM! only had one though cos I'm off for a Thai massage shortly !!!! This evening we're off to a restaurant on the 70th floor of the Stanford which should be pretty cool and then tomorrow I think we may do the cable car (gotta get used to these heights before we climb Sydney Harbour Bridge) before we head off to the Airport in the early evening.Well, I'm gonna shoot now, go and have my head, neck and shoulders massaged along with my feet - my god, my feet !!! I felt them blowing up on the plane in spite of the flight socks and asprin. I have a balloon for my left ankle and it's pissing me off!!! I think Andy's sick of hearing it but it's so f*cking ugly !!! I hate having granny ankles and it's all to do with bloody flying !!!!! Have to sort that one out or else i'm screwed !!!Ok, enough whinging, Singapore is truly lovely (even though it's pissing it down - its like walking around in a warm shower !) and I'm pleased we chose here to stop off.Next Stop, Brisbane - YEAH !!!!!!!!Speak soon beautiful people

17 Dec 2006
Nobody told me it would hurt ! Current mood: sore
Ok, so it's a quicky (i'm just checking the cricket score 265 for 5 - could we still be in the game?Anyhow, had the Thai massage - FUCK it hurt, nobody told me that !!!!! she climbed all over me the little minx and not in a good way !!!!! Having said that, i now feel like Mr Soft (those of you old enough to remember the advert will know what I mean) and all my aches and pains have gone !!! BEST OF ALL - she seems to have pummelled away my granny ankles and my bones are back !!!!!!speak soon babes, xxxxxx


19 Dec 2006
Brisbane Baby !!!!!!
So, we've arrived in Oz !!! God I can understand why Nikki and Ian moved here it's gorge !
Quick update on the last bits we did in Singapore - The meal at Equinox was fab, 70 floors up it was amazing and the food was excellent I did however, get a case of the sleepys and this was only remedied by a couple of Kir Royal's in the bar next door, very effective. Andy also showed my how he's got rhythmn but got it took him some effort, i almost wet myself laughing !!!
The final day, after something of a tiff where he walked off for half an hour while I checked in on line (and drove myself to vomit with worry) we went on the bus tour for a bargain price of 2 quid each - which meant we could get on and off and we did, a lot !!!. Little India was awesome, we ate off a banana leaf (i'll post the photo of me, god it wasn't good eating with hands but the food was beautiful), 2 quid each for a set meal - HOW CHEAP IS THAT? and it was all so damn yummy !!!
Singapore airport it p'd down so we were a little late taking off and despite my promise to self to sleep on the flight, i was so perky it wasn't true so I watched The Devil Wears Prada and finished off Gary Barlow (ooh er). Oh yeah, yet again, no veggie meal, even though we booked it in May!!!!
Anyhow, we're here in Scarborough at Duley's mansions which is the most beautiful house, it's enormous, exquisitely furnished and it's just amazing to see them all. Went for lunch on the beachfront, it's so like home and away it's not true !!!!!!!!
Went in the spa tonight, ah this is the life peeps, beer, wine, spa, sun, you still with me....................
Well, i'm off now, we're going to Brisbane tomorrow shopping for Xmas pressies and the Australia Zoo on Thursday and then a Dolphin cruise friday. Can't wait, this place is amazing, i'll get to cuddle a koala, feed an elephant, god it's just amazing !!!!
I'll write more soon, promise
love ya !!!!!!!!! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

21 Dec 2006
I cuddled a frickin Koala !!!!!!! Current mood: hot
Ok, so it's been one of my "things" I've always wanted to do along with swimming with dolphins (done!) and today I did it!!!!!!!
We went to Australia Zoo, Steve Irwin's place in Queensland and it was soooooooooooooooooo worth it. We took Nikky and Ian's 7 year old daughter (yup, that's right, me and Andy took a child with us, more about that later). I was totally besotted with the Koala's from the off, they are just the most chilled cuddlers ever, I mean they just sit and cuddle a tree all day, that's it. How cool is that ?????
Of course, it's famous for it's crocs and there are plenty there, the show at lunchtime is awesome (as they're fond of saying here). Did you know a croc can swim about 35kph in water, the same as the average speed of a dolphin (see, every day's a school day !). Also, they're not much use on land as their tail acts as a handbrake (always learning, always learning !). It's cool cos the shows are more about education than anything else and the guys who look after all the animals really really love them you can see that.
Ellie (Nicky and Ian's daughter) and I had our photos taken with a koala and I didn't want to let go of it, it was the best cuddle ever, honest !!!! Then we fed the elephants (so cool, so effin cool) and oh god, i'm animal mad today !!!!! Oh, yeah, saw Tasmanian devil too. They are the cutest, they really are, one was trying to escape (it reminded me of the penguins from Madagascar, so coniving, so calculated, we stood and watched him for 10 minutes convinced he was gonna make a break for it !). We also saw about a dozen wild lizards, really big ones and I wasn't a bit scared !!!!!!! I refrained from stroking any snakes though (don't laugh) I couldn't quite pluck up the courage, I prefer my animals furry.
So, yeah, babysitting. Ellie's 7 and she's a poppet but you forget how everything is black and white to kids don't you. They are more turned on by swings and roundabouts than animals (unless they are feeding them or they're doing something stupid or rude!) so we had a few compromises but I was proud of our efforts. I must have sang Rudolph the rednose raindeer about 40 times on the way there with Ellie doing backing vocal and then Raindrops on Roses about 20 times !!! We I spy'd for about an hour and we must've given about 30 piggy backs each !!! But we survived all 3 of us, intact.
Tonight we barby again, veggie kebabs and wine (oh god i've done nowt but eat and drink, i'm soooooooooo gonna be punished for this) and then I'm gonna look at dolphin cruises for tomorrow.
Hey, guess what we're doing on Xmas day (ok if you get jelous easily, don't read on), we're either going out on the boat or having a barby by the pool playing diving games !!! How much better than cold miserable England is that ?
Anyhow, I'll write some more tomorrow before I go off out on my girly night. Hope you are all well, love ya lots, xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
ps, no sunburn yet but the freckles are developing nicely !!!!
pps, I can't upload photos till i get home but i'll upload a slide show of the best from the trip, i promise !!!

24 Dec 2006
Girls Night Out - Redcliffe County Current mood: happy
If it sounds a little redneck it is !!!! Went out with Nicky and a group of her friends who were really great girls, most of them ex pats and we went to this place called the Leagues club. The only way to describe it is that it's a bit like Pontins or Butlins !!!! Well, you've never seen such sights, I felt like Cindy Crawford compared to the locals.
Obviously there were a load of Xmas parties going on, god, we think we make a show of ourselves at our parties, we ain't got nothing on this lot. They have no inhibitions when the dance (and not in a good way), we had funky chicken woman who's arse had a life of it's own (we were sat at the side of the dance floor like the panel from Strictly, we must have looked like a right coven of witches !!!) I laughed so much I needed my inhaler !!!
Then we had hisnhers, the two oldies in their matching jumpers slung over their shoulders. Not forgetting the two women still in their 80's party frocks, partying like it's 1999!!! Honestly, I've not had such a good laugh in ages.
Once we'd exhausted ourselves there, we went to the Bay View Hotel in Redcliffe. Now if anyone was wondering what anybody under 25 does on a weekend in the middle of nowhere in Oz, well, this is where they go. I felt SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO old, it was awful !!!! Having said that the sheer number of pretty young boys more than made up for it for an hour or so. At least I had good eye candy to keep me occupied !!!
We went out on the boat today but not for long cos it got really choppy, a bit scary and so we moored up in the harbour and ate our picnic in the baking sun. My freckles are coming along nicely along with my ozzie impression!!!
So, tomorrow's Xmas day isn't it? Wow, and we're gonna have barbeque breakfast, light lunch by the pool and drink champers all day !!!
Well, I might not get to post a blog now until after Xmas Day so, my dear friends, have a wonderful Xmas, whatever you do, sending you much love and big huge wet kisses, slurp, slurp, xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

25th December 2006
Xmas Down Under (ooooh er !)
So, how was your Christmas Day? Good I hope? Want to know what we got up to?
Ok, so, we were woken up by the next door neighbours a 5am (yup, that's what time it gets light over there) playing Xmas tunes (which, I mean, I have to say, you know, I'm all for the spirit of Xmas and all but come on, 5am?!?!?!?!). After dozing off again, Ellie was awake for about 7am so we trudged downstairs to watch her open her pressies (and we had to put the air con on cos it was so hot – jealous yet?).
Can you believe this, we had breakfast on the BBQ !!! Ian made McDuleys (like egg mcmuffins!) and we sat in the garden eating breakfast – ON XMAS DAY ! It felt a bit weird but lovely at the same time.
Our day progressed with a lovely walk down to the shore, champagne by the sea, a couple of hours in the Jacuzzi and pool (where Ellie almost, but not quite drowned Andy). I've got a cracking piccie of me, Nicky and Ellie in the Jacuzzi !!! check out the photos.
Xmas dinner for us was the whole turkey bit but with salad instead of all hot veg and potatoes – it was absolute bliss and I think we sunk gallons of wine. AND we had some wildlife in the garden !! There was this big beetle thing, about the size of my fist ( I kid you not!) and guess what it was? A Xmas beetle !!! No shit, honest!! It hissed and everything but it was dying so it didn't last long !
After dinner, Ellie treated us to her version of "deal or no deal". Now I've never seen the show but I'm sure it doesn't work the way we played! Apparently she'd managed to secrete the highest value deals into her pile !!!! Clever little chick eh ??? With all the wine we'd sunk we were peeing ourselves laughing.
I have to say, it's been one of the loveliest Xmas day's I've ever had. Very different but lovely. Early night time though as we've got to fly to Melbourne in the morning !!! We're up at 3.15am !!!!!
Night night from a very drunken ali xxxxxxxxxxxx


Melbourne Travelblog - Boxing day to New Years Eve
Melbourne – Boxing Day to New Years Eve – BARMY ARMY (SUPERFRED)
Boxing Day – So, we've arrived and guess what? It's bloody freezing, 18 flippin degrees. Now correct me if I'm wrong but isn't it meant to be summer here???
We arrived at the MCG in the rain, in the cold, in our shorts and cricket tops – not our wisest move I have to say. So, at lunch we haul assed back to the hotel to change clothes into England winter warmers !!! Now clever dick here didn't pack for winter (because, as I said, I thought it was going to be gorgy hot all the time) so I had to spend some money(oh woe is me!) on a lovely big warm Nike hoody ! I didn't realise just how big the MCG was though, people were really tiny !!! we were on the 4th level and whilst it was cold and dreary everyone was gagging for Warney to get his 700th wicket. The whole place went totally mental when it arrived, really, really, mental. It's weird you see, and I'm not quite getting it yet but at cricket, all the fans get on. I mean there's loads more chanting than football, loads more drinking openly even but it's all done in good spirits. Dunno why, maybe it's a class thing (so I've since been told). But it was totally cool, 90 odd thousand people on their feet applauding the best spin bowler ever !!!! I'm even learning about the game now, I mean I kinda got it before we came out but I'm actually getting it properly now which is cool !!! Tonight we stayed local, we were pretty pooped after getting up early so we trundled down to Federation Square and grabbed a bite to eat and a couple of drinkies (now, I've lost count of the amount of drinkies so far, I think we've passed the 100 mark, we must have by now !).
Oh, before I forget, I've got a TOTAL crush on Alistair Cook!!! He is so gonna be my next husband !!! Andy packed some binoculars so I could see at the MCG and boy can I see. That guy is totally hot, he has the fittest arse in the world !!!!! I mean, he wasn't on for long but I can't wait until we're fielding !!!!!.
Oh and one final thing, Andy's discovered that the trams are all free here in Melbourne. Well, nobody ever checks for tickets anyway so he's chuffed that transport is free (he does this, it totally worries me but I go along with it, it's a laugh after all !).
Day two, Melbourne – Well, at least the weather's a bit better eh, even if the cricket isn't. But hey, there are two ways to cheer myself up at cricket:
Micro sleeps – I just can't help it. I had one beer today and within 5 minutes I was asleep on Andy's shoulder (note to self, don't drink beer at cricket).
Cook Watch – this boy is a god, a true god (google him ladies, yum yum)
So whilst the cricket might be somewhat pap, I mean lets face it when the Aussie average joe is getting his first test century against us somethings not right yeah? The Barmy Army more than make up for the cricket though. They have the funniest songs, really really good. We kept forgetting to watch the cricket and were watching them instead !!!! And guess what, tomorrow we're sat in with them, it's gonna be so cool !!! Has to be said though, with a score like this, we're gonna have to do ourselves justice tomorrow when we finally get in to bat again. If it goes to pot we're screwed, no dignity or anything !!!
Found a darling little restaurant near the hotel tonight, real tiny place but delish food. And great wine (seems to be a common theme here, I've yet to have a bad glass of wine, but don't worry, I'll keep going until I find one, it just might take a while !)
Day 3, Melbourne (what day of the week is it, I've totally lost it you know).
Ok, so today was heaven and hell in one it really was. On the one side we had a ball at the cricket this morning. For a few hours, we were part of the "MIGHTY, MIGHTY ARMY" that is Barmy. We were right in the thick of it, singing our hearts out (and of course, cook watch, again not in for too long but long enough to ogle). I've not had so much fun in ages, it was better than football and I'm totally hooked, I admit it I LOVE CRICKET !!!!! And we're shit, can you imagine if we were good?
But anyway, let's get to hell eh? So, months ago I booked lunch for us at fifteen (Jamie Oliver's) cos they didn't have any evening availability. Now, we'd talked about cancelling and going to London instead (when we get home) but no, we left it. Now, we had a beautiful lunch but how were we to know that England would be shite and it'd all end (bar an hour or so) whilst we were in the restaurant. Well, of course, it was all my fault, I mean he's never, ever, ever been that mean to me before. I wanted to come home, I really did. All he had to say was that he didn't want to go, I would have happily knocked it on the head but no, so, it was all my fault. But then everything is isn't it?
After several hours of vileness and sulking (I went to sleep – I won't go through the conversation we had, it's too painful and I come across as weak and I don't want to) we got ready to go out and miraculously we were back to normal. We had a top night. We went to Fitzroy, a suburb of Melbourne, well, it's like Camden in the sun!!! We loved it!!! I've seen a pair of shoes I like (well, I think I like them, I've drunk a lot tonight) in one of the shops and Andy's promised we can go back tomorrow now there's no cricket (rubbing it in at every opportunity).
Day 4, Melbourne – I think it's Friday or is it Saturday?
Today, we did sightseeing !!! There's this tram thing that's free (not Andy free but really free) and it goes around the city. So we went to the Victorian market which was lovely (never seen so much gorgy fruit and veg in my life !) and Andy decided we should got to the deli bit and get some stuff for a picnic (cos It's really really hot now, great picnic weather !!! We bought way too much (but my god, this stuff is all really cheap, so it didn't matter really) and went on the free trams (!) to a park, sat in the sun and chilled. It was really lovely, I like the sun, I know I shouldn't with my colouring but I do. Afterwards we went back to Fitzroy and I bought my new shoes !!!!!!!!!!!! Loving them, really loving them, the're a bit like tap shoes (I know, I have a shoe thing).
Tonight we went to St Kilda. Now I loved the place, but the people, my god how f*cking pretentious? I mean these two huge lesbians were totally eyeing me up (and not in a lechy way but in a "who does she think she is kinda way") and Andy almost said something to them, we were just walking past them and they totally did it!!! I don't like that, I really don't, I mean we all people watch don't we? But nastiness, nah, not having that. Anyhow, we went for a walk on the prom, had a lovely Italian meal, I had too many cocktails and we got a free tram home (!)
Day 5, Melbourne – Tomorrow is NYE !!!!!
Today was lovely, we wandered round Chinatown, Fed Square, by the river and took some gorgy photos. It's really, really hot and I'm loving the heat, I could live here you know, I really could !!! Had a very nice lunch at Fed Square in this nice café / restaurant and yet another gorgy bottle of wine (see photo!). Didn't really do much in the day but went for a lovely meal at Walters Wine bar tonight (we had a view over the river, gorg !!!). Afterwards we went to the Barmy Army pub but it was quiet really, maybe everyone's already gone to Sydney?


Travelblog - Sydney (NYE to Jan 3rd)
New Years Day – Sydney !!!..:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
We've arrived !!! Got here yesterday and I love the place !!! It was buzzing with everyone getting ready for last nights events. We were glad we'd decided to stay in our room to watch as the harbour was rammed from about 3pm !!!! It was getting a bit lairy too, too many people, too many cases of beer and wine, not a pretty sight. Went for a walk around the rocks just to mooch really and then after a little lunch (god, do we do anything apart from eat and drink on this holiday?) walked back towards our hotel.

I've had the most amazing NYE ever, I have never, ever, ever, ever (get my drift) seen anything like it !!! We had drinkies in our hotel bar early on (well, I say drinkies, a bottle of wine!) and then our room, which is totally totally awesome, became the main viewing area for the fireworks. Andy had pushed one of the beds next to the window seat (we have a harbour and bridge view room – OMG). It has to be said, they know how to put on a show, the 9pm family fireworks were better than any I've ever seen !!!!!! Honest !!!!!

By midnight we'd sunk the best part of another bottle (champagne this time) and we were all set for the spectacular. We weren't disappointed, I promise !!!!! The theme for this year is diamonds cos the bridge is something like 75 years old so it's approaching it's 75th anniversary in 2007. I videod it on my camera and when I watched it back today, god, it's amazing. We just kept sitting there going "wow, ooooh, wow" it was sooooooooooooo cool.

In between fireworks, Andy was spying on the apartments opposite our hotel – there were a lot of dinner parties going on and he had a grand old time commentating !!!!

Anyhow, a very, very, very enjoyable NYE, the best !!!!! xxxxxxx

So, to today! We went for a wander round the harbour, this time the Opera House side, took some amazing piccies, really beautiful. We wanted to go on a harbour cruise but cos it's the holidays today, they were all rammed so we've booked to go on Wednesday (can't go tomorrow, cricket !). Instead, we went on a hop on, hop off bus. I do like those things, you get to see all the good stuff!!! Couldn't find anywhere to eat tonight so went to the restaurant in our hotel. We couldn't really drink either cos tomorrow (and I'm trying not to think about this) we do the ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Sydney Harbour Bridge climb !!!!!!! I'm sh*tting bricks about this I really am, especially after all my bravado !!! We've got to be up at 3.15am as we climb at 4am !!!

2nd January – Sydney
What a day, what an amazing day !!!! I did it, We did it, we did the bridge and it was awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have to say guys, if you go to Sydney and you can only do 1 thing you have to climb the bridge, you really really have to !!!! So, we got there at about 3.45, I still hadn't come round yet so I wasn't even speaking and to top it all off it was raining ! Anyway, you have this safety briefing and they kit you up in a space suit and waterproofs and hats and gloves and all the bumf you need, in fact you're about a stone heavier with all your harnesses on and everything !!! So, I was third in our climb, Andy behind me; the worst, absolute worst bit is the first bit. You have to walk along these gantry's over the roads below and parkland, it's just awful and I really wanted to turn back, then, oh yeah, this bit is worse !!! Then when you get out of the towers, you have to climb 4 steep ladders to get you onto the frame of the bridge. You go up, through the bridge road !!!! Well, I just took a deep breath and went for it !!! Andy said I shot off like a rat up a drainpipe I was so fast !! At the top, I was knackered cos I had held my breath but once I was there, god it was amazing !!! It was as like a blanket of calm descended over me !!! The frame of the bridge is so wide, it's not at all scary and the steps are not that steep either. And the views, oh the views are totally amazing. I really can't describe or do it justice by writing about it but I've never experienced anything like it. It was just so amazing. I have to say, it was blowing a gale but at least it had stopped raining by then. Our climb leader, Kat (total honey, grrrr) was excellent, really informative and funny. We had pics taken (see my photos) and it was just a totally awesome experience, I'll never ever forget (and I'd do it again !). When we got back it really did rain, I mean it peeeeeeeeeed down. We got drowned getting in the blinkin taxi !!!

Back at the hotel, dried off, showered and fed, we got ready for cricket (well, I went to sleep on the bed in my cricket gear, I was tired !). Cos of the rain it was supposed to be delayed until 1pm but they said they were going to start at 11.20 so it was a mad scramble to get to the SCG !!!!! We were a bit nervous cos we'd bought our tickets off ebay but we got in no probs !!! Only problem was, Andy got out of the taxi and into the ground and realised he'd lost the camera (bollox !!!) so we'd lost the photos taken on New Years Day (thank god we'd changed the memory card from NYE!). Anyhow, it didn't dampen the day, Flintoff won the toss and chose to bat (again, on a wet surface where the ball won't travel – come on, why?) so it was back to Cook watch as he's first in to bat !!!!! Oh my boy !!!! How I love him !!! I'm sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo gonna marry him !

Anyhow, the Barmy Army were very quiet in the morning, probably hungover as there was a big event yesterday but they came into their own after lunch. Now, I like hot, but my god at the SCG it was bloody boiling. I could feel the heat burning me (which I quite like but I know what it does to me !!!) and knew I'd pay for it later (though I had OBVIOUSLY put my factor 40 on in the morning. It was great to be near the field though, when McGrath, Lee and Clarke were between overs, they were stood about 5 yards away from us and the banter was hilarious. I really really have enjoyed the cricket you know. I'd love to do this again, I really would.

So, tonight we went to Darling harbour for dinner. We were late getting out for some reason (have no idea why, just were!) so we mooched a bit, had a couple of wines (oh god, how many now!) and went to a lovely Italian restaurant. A good end to a very truly memorable day !!! (even though we've lost the bloody camera!).

3rd January – Sydney
I'm writing this on the plane (well, handwriting it so I can type it up when I get home!) and OMG, I'm sat opposite the most divine Charlie Simpson lookalike !!! Andy was totally ripping it out of me when we boarded the plane, but I'll get back to this in a bit !

Anyway, we went on a harbour cruise today which was fab cos there were only 4 of us on the boat !!!!!!!!! The captain came to the back and gave us our very own personal guided tour of Sydney Harbour. God there's some money there you know !!! Some of the houses with views are totally amazing they really are. We saw a nudist beach and were rewarded with a flash, which was nice, you can never get too much of that kind of behaviour can you? Every day's a school day as they say and do you know that the only place people can bathe nude in Australia is where the land is owned by the forces? So all the little nudist beaches are at the bottom of Navy bases !

Back in the harbour we wandered around the Opera House again and through the botanical gardens which was really nice cos it was sooooooooooooo hot and I knew this would be our last day in the sun (well in the heat anyway). Then unfortunately it was time to get changed and got to the airport. My camera hasn't turned up at the taxi company so that's a pain in the arse isn't it !?!

Anyhow, back to our flight, yeah so, this guy opposite is one of 3 brothers travelling with mum and dad (who are in business, nice approach !) He's got to be about 6'3" and a total god. I reckon he's about 18/19 at the most but I can't stop looking at him (and Andy thinks its hilarious !). I've been watching a couple of films but his look way more interesting (he's watching you, me and Dupree – I'm gonna watch it next). I keep wanting to reach across and feel his arms (they're sooooo muscly !!). I'm such a bad girl, I'm almost old enough to be his mother, but hey, you can look, drool and imagine can't you? And, it makes a 13.5 hour flight pass nicely doesn't it?

Final Travelblog - San Francisco and Home !!! (boooo)
January 3rd – San Francisco "All you can do is step back in time"
Hey, a Kylie song !!! But we have, we've travelled back in time. Andy thinks its hilarious to confuse me and keeps saying he's going to bet on the cricket for today cos he knows the score but I don't get it, you don't really go back in time do you ? It's just that it's a different time, or has the cricket really not………… oh, I'm not going there, I just make myself sound thick !
Wow, our hotel is gorge !!! We're staying at the Westin St Francis on Union Square and we upgraded to a gorgy room when we got here, we have views apparently but as it's foggy we can't tell. I just know it's high up cos the glass elevator goes up a long way before we get out (25th floor!). Anyhow, we went shopping today and melted the plastic !!! We bought a new Ipod for which we'll buy a docking station when we get home from Bose., loads of clothes for Andy and most importantly some decent comfortable trainers for me. I could have cried when I tried them on (how pathetic do I sound now?). After hours and hours of shopping we did a quick turn around and went to North Beach for dinner. Problem is, it's pissing it down at the moment so we got drenched but we found a fab Italian restaurant with a lovely bar which meant we had some lovely wine and then 2 more bottles at dinner (oh my liver). We also had a really good chat about this whole arguing thing. I explained to Andy how he'd been making me feel when it happened and he hadn't realised. Whilst it's probably only been about 8 hours over the 3 weeks in total, it's all magnified and it hurts when it happens. We're both at fault but it was good to talk about it and we had a cracking night (though we are now both totally hammered which is why I'm not writing much tonight).
January 4th – San Francisco – THE ROCK!!!
What an amazing day! We went to Alcatraz and it's brill, it really is one of the best tourist attractions I've ever been to. Jojo had said if it rain's you'll get totally soaked so we had our nob macs we'd bought at the cricket (but never worn) with us just in case but the sun shone !!! (it does on the righteous though, doesn't it?). The audio tour is hilarious, it's narrated by some ex guards (one of whom is very bossy and you get worried about being shouted at if you're not in the right place at the right time !!!) and ex prisoners and it's just really, really good. We'd watched loads of documentaries before we went so it was great to see where the escapes and attempts had happened.
OMG and the funniest thing happened. Alcatraz is a wildlife sanctuary for birds too you see and this annoying little kid kept crreping up on the birds and scaring them away. So while I went to the loo before we boarded our boat, Andy crept up to this little kid and stomped at him saying "see, you don't like it do you?". As I came out of the loo, he hurried me onto the boat before anyone could see us, just in case there were some angry parents after him !!! I was crying laughing!
We wandered to the waterfront after the trip and went onto the piers, had a look at the seal's in Pier 39 which was totally adorable !!! Then, when we were wandering up to Pier43, we went to get another disposable camera and popped into a photo shop. We got talking to the owners who were big football fans and had pics of Manchester and Birmingham City on their walls. The long and short of it is we've bought another camera !!!! It's just the updated version of our old one but it's awesome !!! So of course, we had to go back and take pics of the Rock from pier 39 and the seals again !!!
Tonight we went to a restaurant that had been recommended to us by a guy I work with and it was amazing. We had this oil tasting thing for starter which was great fun !!! Also I had a salad with pistachios and cranberries YUM !!! Oh, yeah and a bottle of wine !!!
January 5th – San Francisco – And Now, the end is near !
Again, I'm writing on the plane on the way back, our trip is over bar the flight and drive home. I'm sad, I really am because we've had the most awesome time but I'll reflect some more later.
We went on a tour via the trolly's today. We went to China Town, Lombard street (the windy one), and all the way to the waterfront again. I've take some amazing photos, and a little video clip of the trip down hill which is quite amusing.
We went for lunch at the Cheescake factory in Macy's today. We'd walked past it a few times and fancied it so we thought we'd give it a try before we came home (oh, I so had to get changed, I'd obviously trailed the bottom of my jeans in some vile fishy water when Andy had me wandering round the fish stalls – I hummed, I was mortified !). Anyway, back to cheesecake. We had lunch and then shared some banana cream cheesecake OMG that was soooooooooooooooo yum, like sex in a cheesecake it really was.
Anyhow, back to now, we're on our last leg, an 11 hour flight back to the uk, they've actually got my veggie meal on this one (go jo jo for sorting it) and I'm hoping to get some sleep otherwise I'm screwed (and not in a nice way). Oh, funny thing, the airplane is really quiet at the back and Andy always jokes about, well, you can imagine (I don't have to spell it out do i) when we stand at the back together. So we totally had our chance just now and he chickened out !!!! Swine !
So, what have I enjoyed the most about this amazing holiday? God, where do I start? Erm, blimy, we've done so many things, lets see if I can come up with a top 10 in no particular order;
Climbing the bridge – awesome, no other word really
The cricket – ok result was crap but lets face it three things made it worthwhile; Barmy Army ,Cook watch and The Australian cricket team (who are truly gods)
Holding a Koala – I've always wanted to, it was totally worth it
Nicky – it was like we'd never been apart and that was truly wonderful
Melbourne, an amazing city, in every way
NYE in Sydney, everyone should do it sometime in their life
Having 3 weeks together, ok, we had our moments but god it's been good
Wine – need I say more
Juice Bars in Australia, in particular Juice Boost – I'm addicted and I'm worried how I'll cope when I get home (I know, I'll buy a juicer !)
Alcatraz – totally lived up to our expectations, thanks for a great Xmas pressie jojo.
So, there we go, the end of the travelblog. You know I should be mortified that it's back to earth with a bump but I'm not. We move into our house this weekend (or Monday at the latest) and that gives me something to focus on. But I'm sad that it's over, I really am. I'd do it again in a heartbeat and it's been worth every single moment.
I'm glad I wrote about it too, even though I've had to handwrite (I don't do that anymore, it's all keyboards for me!) since Brisbane. I kinda didn't want to forget about it all and wanted to capture the key stuff, and share it too.
I hope you've enjoyed it (I'm sure not as much as I have, you'd have to be there !), xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx