The landing was pretty rough.... so after detaching my fingers from the armrests we had to sit there and wait for some ground staff to get on the plane and see to an elderly man who was ill. It just meant not doing the usual thing of everyone going mad to collect there hand luggage from the overhead lockers and scrambling all over each other. The crew asked us to wait in our seats for an extra 10mins whilst the bloke was being seen to, which really pissed the two American blokes off behind us. They started complaining and getting all impatient whilst the rest of us just sat and waited. We eventually got off the plane and whizzed through customs etc to be greeted by a very slim looking Damo, he has lost loads of weight! He started telling us how he had gone to the domestic Airport to wait for us only to realise 30mins later he was in the wrong airport which made us laugh. He took us out to his works van and paid for the parking ticket then we clambered into the front - it was only really for 2 people so it was a squash. He then started driving to the gate and realised he couldn't find his ticket which meant we all had to get out again and search high and low for the ticket, couldn't find the bloody thing so Damo convinced the ticket man to let us out - it was all bloody hilarious as we had only been with Damo for 10mins!!

Good to be with him again - very funny bloke

Got back to his new house which he had just bought when we left last year, Jodie, who now lives in the same house as Damo, gave us all big hugs then showed around the partially renovated house which they had both been working on. The place was lovely and they had done a fantastic job so far, it's going to look fab when they are finished.

Jodie showed us our room which had a King size bed in it, bloody fantastic. so we dumped out stuff and had a beer and a glass of wine before Jodie dished us all out a wonderful dinner which we were gasping for as we hadn't really eaten all day - polished the lot off.

Didn't stay up too late but did manage to have a bath - one of my favourite past times then fell into the fluffiest most comfortable roomy bed in the whole world.

Had the most wonderful nights sleep in the whole of sleepy kingdom....... woke up early though because of the two hour time difference. Had some b'fast with Jodie as she is not working at the mo, she is hoping to get back into teaching again. Toby started fixing their computer whilst i popped up the shops using Jodie's car and got some food - really into a health kick at the mo so it was all salad and more salad. I was so shocked when i went into the supermarket as I had forgotten how bloody fantastic all the produce is over these parts. They had a massive range of every fruit and veg that you could wish for and it was all so big! they also had a wide range of foreign fruit and veg which is something i haven't seen for a while.

I went back and did my diary then went out for walk to listen to all the wonderful birds i had so missed all the time in NZ - really looking forward to seeing all the wildlife again.

I did a huge chicken salad for Toby and myself for dinner trying to stick to the healthy eating plan. Whilst Jodie cooked a big Mexican dinner for her, Damo and Penny a little later on and,Toby also ate that aswell

Went out in the evening to watch the State of Origen rugby in a local Irish pub. Because it was raining outside Jodie put on her shower cap to stop her hair getting wet which i thought was hilareous. Jodie supports NSW as that i where she comes from so i thought i would back them aswell but we were outnumbered by all of the Queensland supporters in the pub who really didn't like us cheering everytime we scored and got quite shitty. NSW kicked there ass!! much to everyones disgust including Jodies mate, Penny who was gutted but after a few more drinks it didn't seem to matter as much.

We got back and Damo had the munchies so he cooked baked beans on toast with melted cheese which Toby also jparticepated in - thats his 3rd dinner for the evening.

Weather still a bit dull but by no means cold.

After b'fast we walked down the train station and caught the train into Brisbane City Centre. Went and sorted out the Malaria tablets and had a wonder around, the City is just fantastic and so pretty, i really had forgotten how cosmopolitan Brisbane is. We had some lunch then walked down to the park and sat in amongst all the wild birds and even managed to see a Kookaburra which made my day! We had a coffee in a little cafe set in the park which was lovely and then walked back to watch Bruce Almighty which i thought was really funny - best bit is the news reader, i honestly was crying.

We then went back to Damo's place and found out on the news that the Irish pub had just blown up from a gas leak which Damo then got all worried about as he was a gas fitter. So him and Toby went down to check the place out - saddo's.

Jodie did a wonderful dinner for us all before i had an early night.

Woke up to blue sky and sunshine so after b'fast we went for a walk up to the nearest shopping complex which was a 20min walk, but the weather was soooooo beautiful i could have walked for miles. Can't believe it is coming into Winter over here and it's really quite hot, just shorts and t-shirt weather really.

Went and bought some camping stuff and sent a thank you card to Dr Ring who did my eyes - he is a great bloke. Then we did some food shopping and i went into a clothes shop an and purchased a couple of tops that were only $3.99 each!!! and they are really pretty. Spent the afternoon reading my new Harry Potter book and writing the diary.

Got up early to the sound of Kookaburras so just got up and read my book in the quiet of the kitchen whilst the others were still asleep. Jodie friends turned up later on and they went out for the day whilst Toby and I and Damo went to the Sheep shearing farm, basically it was a park that had some animals and other attractions - sheep sheering and sheep rounding. The weather was really very hot which was such a nice change and felt really good on our backs. We paid to just see the animals so walked around for a while cooing at the koalas and talking to the Cockatiel who i took a fancy to. We then had coffee and i ordered a mud cake which i had a mouth full then gave to Toby to eat because i felt so guilty. Later on when we got back Jodie and I went shopping for some food for the BBQ that evening. We had a lovely time and laughed for the whole outing the laughed for the rest of the day and evening, videoing ourselves doing a cookery programme - absolutely hysterical. Robin, Declan, Grant, Ray, Janine came over later and witnessed our hysterical ranting's which were bloody funny. Will be watching that when we get back to the UK and need a fix.

We both got a bit tipsy and didn't stop laughing till we went to bed

We all went over to Robyn and Declan's house and chilled out for the day, they also had another couple over who they had met though the fire service so it was a lovely afternoon eating and drinking - they all had fish and chips whilst i had some left over pasta and salad - gosh i'm good. We then went for a quick walk on the beach which was opposite the house. The tide was out so it was just all mud which Jodie and I thought was horrible to walk in whilst Toby, Damo and Chris ( Robyn's son) and Dharma ( the dog) all went for a walk out in the mud to paddle in the sea.

We later took out a video - Catch me if you can. Jodie and Damo went home and Robyn and Declan went to bed early because he has to get up early - he is a postie

Toby and I watched the film which i thought was really good!!

Slept like a log! Robin very kindly took us to Chermside to the shopping centre so that we could get a pressie for Jodie who's birthday is on Friday. Also managed to get some wonderful popcorn, they have huge popcorn stands that sell every flavour of sweet and savoury popcorn you can imagine - UK really need that.

Didn't do much in the afternoon apart from read my book then went for a short walk up the beach opposite then watched TV and i had my salad for dinner whilst Toby had steak ....... snot fair..

Bit of a cloudy and cold day for a change so didn't do a lot really, just mooched around for a couple of hours in the morning then Robin let us take her car out which was very kind of her. So we drove over to Bribie Island about 30mins away and had a look about the area and a quick run onto the beach but it wasn't very warm so went back to the car. We then drove back to Deception Bay and to a shopping mall to get some bits and pieces - salad for my dinner as usual, whilst Toby kept his options open and wait to see what Robyn was cooking for dinner.

I spent the rest of the afternoon reading and finishing my Harry Potter book - fantastic.

Declan went out for the evening to do some Fire Drill Training whilst the rest of us watched Big Brother. I phoned up Julia and made arrangements to catch up with her on Friday (she is the Welsh girl i i met in Queenstown) i also phoned up Kathy and Adam whom we met up with last time we were in OZ with Beau and Clare, and arranged to meet up with them Wednesday afternoon and stay the night.

Declan came home at 8.30pm and Robin cooked a wonderful dinner of corned beef and veggies whist i had my salad - Toby's plan of eating the same stuff as me didn't last long.....as he had the same as them, lucky sod.

Toby and I walked down to the shops to get some milk and came across a whole gaggle of cockatiels sitting in the trees and on the telephone wire making an apsolute racket - now this is what i missed, all the wonderful birds..

after lunch Robyn gave us a lift down to the train station which was kind of her then waited for our train to Oxley to go and meet up with Kathy. The journey took about an hour and was really very nice, we then walked to Kathy and Adams new house and had a very warm welcome from Kathy and Belle (the dog). We spent the afternoon sitting out on the verander relaxing and enjoying the sunshine then we went to get some wine for dinner.

Adam arrived home about 5ish followed by his younger sister, Jess who was staying with them and we were treated to homemade pumkin soup made by Kathy and Spag bol made by Adam - apsolutely delicieous and i was really good cause i only had a little bit but did drink alot of wine!!

Stayed up till quite late chatting and having a laugh then collapsed into bed.

I got up at 6.30am thanks to Belle - she is bloody beautiful. So i sat around for a bit until Toby got up then we walked to the shop to get some coffee. Kathy was up when we got back suffering from a slight hangover and cooked her and Toby a big pile of scrambled egg with bacon and toast whilst i had munched on rice cakes earlier........ He seems to be eating so much more since i started eating a lot less - he is not helping much.

Kathy gave us a lift back to Damo's house in the afternoon, Damo got back not long after still running around and sorting out Jodie's birthday...... he is naughty

Toby went off down the shops with him to get a pressie for her then when Jodie got back from her day out we all got ready to go out to an Indian restaurant for dinner as an early b'day get together as Damo has to play football on the Friday night.

Ended up with about 10 of us and we all had just the bestist time - didn't stop laughing once again with Jodie

We were up at 6.30 and piling into Jodie's room to give her gifts and cards HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Toby and i bought her a gift voucher to have a facial done at a beauty salon and Damo has arranged to take her to a show called 'storm' and some lovely candles, Robyn and Declan got her a new mobile phone which she was ecstatic about.

Damo went to work and Jodie went out for the day and had coffee with Robyn whilst Toby and I took Damo's Ute and drove over to Sandgate to catch up with Julia my friend whom i first met in Queenstown a year ago. She is 7months pregnant and looking wonderful, she showed us all her wedding photo's then we went and had a stroll down on the water front chatting all the while and having a lovely time. We saw about 5 sting rays wallowing around in the shallow water, looked amazing. We all went and had some lunch at a little cafe then dropped Julia into town for a doctors appointment then had to say goodbye and wish her well.

We got home for about 3pm and Jodie came in not long after so we started to get ready early and do some girly pampering whilst drinking vino and nibbling popcorn. Toby was invited to join in but didn't seem to be getting into the swing of it? Jodie ended up wearing some new outfit and looked a squillion pounds - sex on a stick actually!! i actually put some of her eye makeup on and borrowed some clothes and ended up looking like a lady for a change.

Damien got home after playing football and said he didn't want to come so in the end he dropped me, Toby and Jodie into town for 10pm, we had been waiting for Penny and Jo to come over but said they would meet us in town. It was now getting late and we weren't really in the mood - but that all changed when we got into the pub and had a few drinks!!!! Ended up having a fantastic evening and got quite merry on Bacardi and Tequilla. Toby was a little quiet to start with but soon became a wild diva on the dance floor who didn't stop until e left at 4ish the next morning........ Penny, Jo, Grant and Janine turned up and added to our growing crowd and we all just had a ball. When we did finally get home we ate tons then fell into bed.

Got up at 9am, Jodie went and got her and Toby a bacon and egg muffin whilst i had some cardboard and milk then they collapsed back to bed whilst i had a bath and went out shopping. Ended up getting some darker sunglasses and all the bits and pieces we need for out next leg of our travels then Damo and Toby went off to footy and Jodie and I went and got a couple of videos for the evening (girly night) and some food, i found some fab shoes which i wanted to buy and send home but realised Toby would kill me so overcame the over powering need to purchase

i was now rapidly going down hill though and was feeling rough - all for a good cause.

Myself and Jodie got a couple of videos whilst the men went out to play, i made my way through yet another big bag of popcorn. In the end i had to get Jodie to take it off me as i was feeling really sick - all i kept saying was 'save me' 'save me' the films were pretty poor so Jodie went to bed about 10.30pm whilst i stayed up to 1.30 for the boys. They didn't stumble in till 2.40am quite pissed and very loud which kept us up till 4am until Jodie stormed into the lounge shutting off all the lights and telling Damo to get to bed! good gal.

Felt very tired thanks to the boys........ but after a hearty b'fast of more popcorn Damo and Jodie drove us to the airport and we had a coffee. I said goodbye to Robyn and Declan over the phone then we said goodbye to our lovely hosts. It was a long wait to get through the passport control which was a bit annoying, we then bought some alcohol for the island and waited for the plane.

FIJI >