After spending almost two week travelling to Vancouver and visiting with relatives we are now in Sydney. Japan Airlines via Tokyo was smooth without any problems.

Sydney is a beautiful city with many historical and modern buildings. It is exceptionally clean and the people are very friendly. We are staying in the downtown area and we are walking everywhere. We have taken the Monorail around the harbour area. Yesterday we took in the Opera "The Marriage of Figaro" at the Sydney Opera House. The building is quite spectacular! Tuesday we pick up our van camper only a few blocks from our hotel
(Philip Street Travelodge).

Our camper rate is $49.95/day with insurance and is almost 1/3 the price of some of the quotes we received on the Internet and Travel agents. With our sightseeing I have seen 16 new birds. Some quite brilliant and very different from ours. We are fine and so far jet lag has not been much of a problem.
Bye for now Irene and Chris
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Sept 28, 2004 Hi Everyone The story goes that a man went to his travel agent to inquire about a driving trip to beautiful Australia - land of sunshine beaches and Kangaroos. "Very good choice" said the agent, "but they drive on the left". "Let me think about it" said the man, "I will call you tomorrow" The next day he called and cancelled the trip. He said "I tried this driving on the left and did not like it".

We picked up our camper - a Toyoto the size of a VW about a week ago - travelling north from Sydney. Driving on the left is one thing but why do they have the turn signal lever on the right and the one for the windshield wipers on the left? Every time you turn a corner you turn the wipers on. Should have a word with Toyota.

We drove about 3 hours per day and usually stayed in National Parks overnight. A little bit of rain but mostly sunshine. Great changes in scenery from hilly country along rivers, lakes to rock formations. Good hiking, 90 new lifers (birds) for Irene so far. Parks do not allow pets of any kind, no picking of firewood off the ground . Firewood provided in some locations. Fees from $3 per person plus $3 for making a fire in primitive campsites. Met many friendly and helpful Aussies, some birders, but very few foreigners. The only shortwave signals in English that we have been able to receive so far are from the USA. "Voice of America" and a few American christian stations - the same type that we get in Mexico. We can get German and Dutch but no CBC. CBC broadcasts in a dozen languages all over the world but does not seem to be heard in Australia.

We are halfway up to Brisbane inland above a gorge and waterfall in a wooded park with mostly eucalyptus type trees. Irene did some laundry today. We have a clothesline strung between two trees and over the campter. Have seen different species of Wallabys and Kangaroos, and one wild dog called a Dingo. I don't think they call female dogs Dinga.

Here is a list of our overnight stops Myall River Camp Crowdy Bay National Park Dorrigo Cathedral Rocks National Park Oxley River National Park For all of you heading south - we wish you a safe trip.