And I want, and I need, and I love - ANIMAL(s)

Today was the day. After months, even years, of harping on about it I *finally* got to go to Australia Zoo. Home of the Crocodile Hunter. And guess what? Loved it, didn't I?

So yeah, when Duncan and I were planning our trip, he had a massive check list of places he wanted to go to and things he needed to do. Places that had stirred his spirit. Places he'd learned about when he was a kid. Places he'd studied. Places that were going to complete him. Me? All I really wanted to do apart from see the Big JC in Rio (done it) was meet Steve Irwin and hold a koala. And, in the words of Meatloaf, two out of three ain't bad.



Roger Bishop had chucked us on the insurance for his massive BMW so that Duncs and I could rock up looking the bomb. Which we did. And then it began. Hours and hours of animal interaction. Guys, I know how to have a good time.

Steve Irwin (God bless his soul) opened the croc show on a massive screen. From beyond the grave. I cried (right, it was emotional, okay?) but the tears soon dried as the whole stadium had to do a 'crikey-off', one side against the other. We won. For sheez.

Then we checked out Tasmanian Devils (old lady in ear shot: "they don't move as fast as the cartoon character do they?"), wombats (another old lady in ear shot: "the Wombles were wombats"), snakes, lizards, koalas, fed elephants, fed kangeroos and watched tigers splashing about in a huge tank. It was ace. Ace. Mo.



I'm a bit over koalas now. They're cute and everything and I was *totally* stoked to get my mitts on one properly, but as with men I'm fickle (right Ady?) and my new favourite is the kangeroo. Duncan and I spent ages feeding them in the park and apart from the one that hissed at me and went to claw my face off (never try and kiss a wild animal, Sam) they're wicked. Daddy, can I have one?



So after an amazing day (the only thing that could have made it any better was if Duncan had actually got to hold Bindi Irwin) we finished the night off at Roger Bishop's family Halloween party. Drinking wine, eating fine food and carving pumpkins. Did I mention he's a star?

ROGER BISHOP!

Let me give you some background. Roger Bishop is a star. STAR. So much of a star that you can't just call him by his first name, you have to add the surname on too. In more of an excited-shout type way. I worked with him at Hachette and never have I met a man who would go so far (and beyond) to make everyone happy. He's quite incredible. And everyone - EVERYONE - loves him.

So when he said we should pop in on him in Brisbane, we were totally up for it. No sooner had we arrived - he gave up his bed for us, put us on his car insurance, took us out for lunches and meals and even sorted us out with a bed at his mum's place up the coast. And that's before the family shin dig. Just amazing.

Roger Bishop - we're having the best time with you. And as soon as you come back over to London give us a call. Our place has got your name written all over it.

Darling it's better, down where it's wetter, take it from me...

Just look at the world around you, Right here on the ocean floor, Such wonderful things surround you, What more is you lookin' for?





Yesterday we went snorkelling over the Great Barrier Reef. And, yep - you've guessed it - it was UN.REAL.

Set off was pretty early and we were on the boat by 8.15am, popping shed loads of sea sickness tablets. They'd warned us that the ride would more than likely make us yackedy yack. Joy. I can't remember the last time I spewed on a boat but I wasn't relishing the thought in the slightest. As it was, my stomach was flipped no sooner had we got on board...at the sight of the young, hunky deck boy Jack. Grrrr. Believe me, they don't make them like that in the UK. So anyways, Dunc and I held on to our breakfasts and sat out at the back loving the wet, bumpy ride and (funnily enough) loving the view - Jack. (Swoon.)

An hour later we'd reached the reef, were wet-suited and flipper-booted and ready to rock. And man alive, was it amazing? Answer = it certainly was. We had two hours out over the first reef, but it felt like 5 minutes. I could have stayed there all day. It was just like being in Finding Nemo. Or The Little Mermaid. Or Sponge Bob Square Pants. Just incredible.

Now, I've done quite a lot of snorkelling in some pretty impressive places (the least impressive but perhaps the funnest being Porthscatho in Wales where cousin Kate and I would freeze ourselves yearly to oggle at murky, brown rock pools. I think we were more interested in the hot rice pudding and flake which always followed...) like Brazil and stuff. Saw loads of tropical fish there. Even a star fish. Ooooohhhh. Aaaaahhh. Yeah, all pretty cool. But this. This was just something else. It doesn't even slightly compare. Not slightly.

Whilst Anthony went diving, Duncan and I flippered along with bright green and purple parrot fish the size of Holly Dog, over masses of bright blue and yellow coral, swam down to see huge sea clams yawning, dodged a stingray, saw fish I couldn't have invented even if I'd tried and held a massive sea slug thing (think the Wichety Grub that Jordan gobbled up on I'm a Celeb, but the size of a cat) that had been plucked from the seabed by Jack (swoon.) Jack also grabbed hold of a shark - with his bare hands - so that we could have a look. Chicks dig dare devils. (Swoon, swoon.)











So after a buffet lunch and lecture about coral, fish and marine biology we jetted off to another reef and had 2 more hours there before heading back to land. Neither Duncan or I wanted it to be over - not ever - and I think we've decided that although it's expensive, we're going back out there for more of the same next week. It's topped everything I've done so far. Totally loved it, didn't I?

Up on the shore they work all day, Out in the sun they slave away, While we devotin', Full time to floatin', Under the sea, We got no troubles, Life is the bubbles, Under the sea...

Animal Lover

My aim, whilst in Australia, is to hold or touch as many exotic animals as I can. And as you can see, I've been here less than a week and I'm doing pretty well. I'm practically Bindi Irwin (is it just me or does she look like something out of the Dark Crystal?)

Holding a koala



Holding a Tasmanian Devil



Holding a little croc



Stroking a (real) koala (seriously, look how happy I am about it)

Never smile at a crocodile

I've had the BEST day. We spent the entire day at Hartley's Crocodile Adventure Park in the sun (which was good for my condition.) I got to see crocodiles feeding, crocodiles attacking, crocodiles hanging out and crocodile bags and belts (in the gift shop - I found this a bit weird.) I even held a baby crocodile and had a crocodile burger for lunch (I know. I like them. But I like eating more.) Then we went to a snake and lizard show, took a crocodile boat tour and..., wait for it..., STROKED KOALAS! Crikey.

No trial, just Tribulation

I love Australia. Did I mention that? But I'm also super paranoid about the spiders. I might have also mentioned that.

So, after a day of sight seeing in Cairns we decided to head up to Cape Tribulation. Now, as nice as it sounds (it's the most North you can go without special wheels, and as delightful as she is - Deluxe Samantha isn't special enough - ha) this is the place where EVERYONE claims to have seen one of the massive Huntsman spiders. The ones that you can hear walking up the paths. The ones that if you stare at them lunge at your face. The ones that are as big as large cats. The ones that jump off shop roofs into your hair. Those ones. So, clearly I wasn't really looking forward to it.

Didn't see one though, did I? After all that panic, all that toilet checking, all those hours lying awake in my bunk - nada. Had nothing but a great time. Checked out all the beaches on the way up. Went on loads of walks through the rainforest. Looked at bats. All without the arachnids.

Burn baby, burn

Love the sun, don't I?

We're off to see the Wizard...

I've got S.A.D. That medical condition where your mood is controlled by the weather. It *totally* makes sense. I wasn't very happy in New Zealand even though it was stunning and super special. But as soon as I get off the plane in Cairns I'm all over it. LOVING Australia. Yet it's nothing special. Dave says that Australia is like Gwyneth Paltrow - pretty but bland. It's true. But..., it's sunny. And sickly hot. And tropical. And I love it. Of course I do. I'm S.A.D Sam.

It was a tearful fairwell. Saying goodbye to Welsh Eve ("Erm..., what's for tea?!") but before we knew it our two flights were done and we were being greeted by Anthony at Cairns airport. He's flown over to see us for two weeks. Of course he has. Everyone jets to the other side of the world to see Sam and Duncs.

Anthony, being the very organised chap that he is, not only had a plastic folder full of print outs and leaflets of stuff that we're going to get up to over the next two weeks but had already hired us some wheels. A camper van! And not just any camper van. It's called Deluxe Samantha. She's pretty special, although thinking about it now I'm not sure we're going to get on. If she's Deluxe, then what am I?







So yeah. Apart from constantly having that TERRIBLE Manics song going round in my head ("In Australia...") and having to come to terms with my new medical condition it's all good. All good.

"Class of Lady Lazer Babski 2006 - we did it!"

Finally. We shifted the car. And kinda shafted some Irish dude. Sorry mate.

After 3 soul destroying days sat with the Lazer at an empty car market a lovely Irish guy called Kieran came in and just bought it. We had to slash the price considerably and despite the crack in the windscreen, the oil leak, the dodgement wheels, the about-to-die gear box etc..., he got a right royal bargain. Barge.

It was a *total* answer to prayer. With one day to go we were convinced we'd have to dump it. But we sold it. Sing hallelujah. Sing it, sing hallelujah.

It ain't over till it's over...

...and it's very nearly over.



Duncan and I have spent the entire day sat next to LLcoolB at the Backpackers car market, Christchurch. We've already had to drop the price by $1000 and it looks like there'll be more dropping before our time in New Zealand's done. "You'll sell it for more than you bought it for," they told us in Auckland. "They'll be selling like hot cakes," they told us in Auckland. Whatevs. The truth is that no one here seems to be buying cars. And if we do manage to sell it (it's not looking good) we'll get a lot less than we paid for it, and that's before all the repairs are taken into consideration. Beautifuls, beautifuls, beautifuls.

Starry eyed surprise

Ever since she got here Anna's been (some would say bleating) on about going to Lake Tekapo and checking out the stars. I'm not really in to stars. They're pretty and everything - and the ones I saw on the Bolivian salt flats will stay with me forever (seriously - the sky was more white than black, saw the milky way and everything) - but I'm no Patrick Stewart (Duncan, is he the right one?) But they all seemed pretty up for a night of star gazing, so I was in (practically a hippy these days aren't I?)

The drive to the lake was, again, pretty special. Check me out - loving New Zealand all of a sudden. Amazing lakes, snow capped mountains - the usual. And then we were there. In the middle of nothing. Literaly, a hostel next to the lake and nothing else. Took a drive up to the astronomy observation point which was on a hill overlooking a whole lot of nothing. The sky was massive, with really weird clouds hanging over a whole load of nothing. There was just nothing. Nothing. It was pretty awesome.



The wind, however, was stronger than anything I've felt before. It actually bowled me over. It was so strong that the star gazing was called off (still don't really get this - surely the wind can't blow the stars out of the sky!?) so, gutted, we had to settle for an evening inside playing Risk. This in itself was an education. I learnt that India is in fact BELOW China. So thankfully the evening wasn't a complete waste.

Who loves you?

Ferg does.



So, forget the heart-racing outdoor stuff and the stunning scenery - the best thing about Queenstown is Fergburger. Fact. We were told about it by people we met in South America. Loads of people. They said if you're going to Queenstown, you *have* to have a burger at Fergbuger. So we did. And, hand on heart, I have never tasted anything like it. I think it's fair to say that it's the best thing I've ever eaten. And (quite clearly) I've eaten a lot of things. Can't quite explain what's so good about it - it would be boring to explain a burger anyways - but I had the Little Lamby (lamb burger, mint sauce - blah, blah, blah) and it was unreal. So unreal that we went back the next day. Badah-ba-ba-baah, I'm lovin' it. Aren't I.