A Visitor From Home

You may be surprised to learn that we haven't made many friends since we have been away. If I'm being honest, we haven't really tried. Kerri has a natural hatred for backpackers, and I really can't be arsed to spend 20 minutes every other day reciting the same lines about where Uxbridge is, what "Interactive Multimedia" means and the ins and outs of where we have been or where we are going. Actually, what is worse is having to look interested while some tosser from Surrey drones on about his gap year, his "amazing experiences" and the plight of the indiginous peoples of the various countries he has walked barefoot around.

So it was with some excitement that we anticipated the arrival of Marco E. Campisi, a shining beacon of lighthearted humour, someone who didn't require endless smalltalk, someone bringing news from home, someone who's arrival signalled the day I could happily walk out of yet more meaningless employment. That day came and went, and we spent the next three weeks travelling up the east coast, from Sydney to Cairns.

You might think that being couped up in a 4 berth mobile home for 2 weeks might strain a few patiences, but not so. Fortunately Marco has known me, and I him, long enough to be past annoying each other and, apart from one heated discussion in which I offended his wishy-washy lesbo-leftie ideals about how the American government justifiably treats suspected terrorists within their perfectly humane and legitimate Guantanimo Bay holding facility, there were no incidents as such. (Bloody teachers)

And so progressed a perfectly pleasant time of mooching round tat shops, drinking a few tinnies, throwing various crustacions onto the barbie and parking in the streets because we were too tight to go to a campsite. We had a relaxing 9 holes of golf at chilled out Byron Bay, refused to inhale in hippyfied Nimbin, got Wet 'n' Wild on the Gold Coast, saw a croc show at Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo and did no less than 11 dives on Queensland's glorious Great Barrier Reef.

We got the campervan back without incident and Marrco got his $5000 excess back much to his relief - oh, except for a small administration fee for a speeding ticket, sorry Marco!!! (PS. Mum, just ignore it when it turns up in the post)

All in all a great time was had by all - check the photo website for more evidence. If anyone else fancies an adventure, we only have New Zealand, Fiji, the Cook Islands and America to go so you'd better hurry up!