G'day y'all

Sorry for the break in communication.

I've been staying with my aunt and uncle in Palmerston North where I was born.

I've seen Auckland, Palmerston North and Wellinton.

I visited my great Aunt in Wellington who is nearly 88 years old and originally came from Donaghadee. She stood and made me pancakes and homemade Lemon curd for my visit and she'd been gardening that morning. A true inspiration.

She can't do the whole flying thing but the enthusiasm and drive is second to none.

I saw the hospital I was born in and where I used to live - another ocassion when the bronzer was running off my face with emotion.

I also visited a wind farm - where I was expecting to get baked beans at the entrance... but its wind turbines for generating electric - I think I powered it for a couple of days after the Qantas flight over - trapped wind!!!

Having a really fab time and really really like New Zealand. It's a little cooler and the less re-applying needed - happy days. The accent is slightly softer too.

Hope all is well at home and i'll keep you all posted

Love

K x

Well Brisbane is lovely and its very hot too. Its sub tropical which is how people describe it because its not a dry heat its very humid.

I'm only about 5 mins from the city centre which is great and the hotel is 4.5* which is also great but I don't know why they have 2 queen sized beds in the room for one person - but I'm not complaining. I use the bed beside the doors to the balcony so that I can see the sunrise - yeah right on.

Anyway - although I'm only 5 mins from the city centre - there are alot of steep hills - which is grand for walking into town but I've had to now rely on public transport for the way home or taxi. You see walking up all those hills on the way home - like twice the length of the Stormont hill and its 35'C - heavens - you would think that I was having an asthma attack when I get to the hotel and I don't even suffer from Asthma.

Going to go and have some lunch now - haven't found any classy bars yet but found a clothes shop with a Champagne Bar - didn't go in as there was no-one in it. Can you imagine - my bronzer sliding towards my knees and me standing there going "Gis a glass of Champers sweetie" - no. But I will find somewhere nice.

Chat to you soon.

Miss you all

K
x

Well both the Queen Mary 2 cruise liner and the Queen Elizabeth 2 cruise liner have now left Sydney amongst great media attention. So I took my queue....

I'm now in Brisbane and the weather is just as hot here - its 32'C today and the testing is going well for Jean Paul Gaultier heatproof Bronzer.

I took a wee cultural turn the other day and went to South Bank to see Brisbane Museum, State Library and Art Gallery. I also used their internet facilities in the Library until the overpowering stench of BO from the guy next to me nearly made me pass out. I sprayed him with my Roberto Cavalli fragrance and said - sorry Ozone or no Ozone - I need to breathe.

I was also in the off license and spotted a vodka from Holland called Effin Vodka - I'm going to ask for it in the pub tonight ..... Effin vodka....

Brisbane has its own Louis Vuitton shop too - so I returned my loafers that I bought in Melbourne - explaining that my feet swelled up like Belfast baps and ripped the stitching - they're sending them off to be restitched - yes - thank you.

Hope all is well at home.

Luv K x

I'm not sure if its on the news there but the Queen Mary 2 has arrived in Sydney - just in time to pick me up and take me on a little cruise - its only 200 pounds per night.

Some people are on it for 4 months for the round the world tour............

Anyway - really enjoying myself but finding it difficult to upload photos from my phone to the computer - but i'll keep working on it.

Hope all is well at home and i'll keep you posted....

K x

Well I managed to get to see a show in Sydney Opera House - the actual opera or theatre were mostly sold out and very expensive but this was David Howels SOS in the Studio.

I arrived in good time for a glass of bubbly which I enjoyed outside admiring the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House.

The show was excellent - he was a stand up from Manchester - not very Australian but a good laugh.

During the day I had gone down to the Rocks and took a walk round Rock Markets - this was a craft market and good fun. I had my characture done which I'll frame when I get home. I called into the Four Seasons Hotel in that area - just to see what it was like - really plush - so I visited the toilets for a no 1.

Still really warm here - in the 30s and thank goodness for air conditioning is all I can say.

Luv K

Today I travelled down to Paddys Market in Sydney with over 800 stalls - it runs thursday to saturday.

Well - have to be honest - not that impressed - maybe i'm not really a market person. NO DEAL !!! I had been looking for craft items etc but it tended to be more T shirts etc and I'm already paying excess baggage on my lugagge and i've only been on one internal flight - oh heavens.

Really enjoying Sydney and it's open 24/7 but by the time i've done all my walking during the day and with the heat - my feet are up like Belfast baps and there's no way they're squeezing into those Louis Vuitton loafers I got in Melbourne - what's a boy to do.

Most people wear flip flops but I need more support - you know with my dropped arch etc - flip flops just don't do it - and besides Prada haven't brought any out yet.

Hope all is well in Norn Iron and I never thought i'd say it but I could do with some cooler weather - my bronzer is sliding off faster than I can apply it.

Love

Keith

I love myself so much that I treated myself to lunch down at Sydney Opera House and overlooking Sydney Harbour Bridge. For my present, I bought myself tickets for a show on Saturday night at Sydney Opera House - I'm very good to myself.

In the afternoon I caught the bus outside my hotel to Bondi Beach for a romantic stroll along the beach and a drink in one of the cafes.

It was lovely.

There were some surfers out - I was just surfing the net but that counts - just think - me surfing on Bondi Beach on Valentines Day !!!

It was nearly 30'C yesterday so really hot and although there is a general water shortage in Australia - I'm sorry but I have to shower. They were telling me that most of the locals have buckets in their showers to recycle the water for the toilet - hmmm.

Chat soon. Love K xoxo

Well - Sydney brace yourself.

I've arrived in Sydney and I love it. Very like London - fast moving, not as polite but I've been to see Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House - which is amazing. I may go and see a show.

I then caught the ferry round to Darling Harling - sounds fab within itself but it is lovely and in the Chocolate Cafe I had White Chocolate ice cream - just to cool down. I then got the citys monorail from Paddys Market back to Castlereagh Street - shopping district - so much of it reminds me of home - namewise anyway.

I'm off to Bondi beach - heaven help them - i'll maybe work out these photos some time.

Love to everyone
K

On Saturday I went round the shops during the day and it was so hot - but really busy and good.

I decided that I would make the effort and try some oysters - Australian Oysters - I'm not really a fish person but I thought I'd give it a go - just down the street from the hotel is an Oyster Bar - so I braved it and asked the woman about them - she said that they're best raw - you can roll them round your mouth or just swallow and the taste a bit salty !!! Like the sea !!!

So, I was advised that they're best taken with lemon and chilli sauce. I was pleased with myself for trying them and was even more pleased that I kept them down and didn't spit.

On Sunday I went to Queen Victoria Market - no sign of Peggy or Phil at the Queen Vic but what I did see was Camels - hello - right in the middle of Melbourne and there were camels.

In the afternoon I went down to the Docklands - which again was really hot but that's were all the rich ones hang out - dock their boats and have a glass of wine - didn't see anyone - unless they were on board.

Later in the afternoon was the end of the Midsumma festival in Treasury gardens which again was round the corner from my hotel. It was fabulous - and there were some great singers on - which I caught on camera.

Anyway - all going well down under - I've had champagne, oysters and gambled on the roulette tables. I've seen St Kilda beach and sampled the speciality cakes from Ackland Street.

I'll going up to Sydney for a while soon to see what I think of that..............

Hi all,

I travelled out to Melbournes Super Casino Complex - The Crown yesterday and spent most of the day there - it was great fun.

I enjoyed a lovely lunch there and read the leaflets on Roulette before "playing the tables" - such a pro - at losing on them.

They also had Bingo, and slot machines and loads and loads of things - I actually got lost at one stage but found my way again.

In the evening I found a great bar round the corner from Hotel - The Champagne Lounge - he he he. It was great - Champagne Cocktails galore - yum but hangover city.
The bouncer on the door nearly didn't let me in as he said that they didn't allow ripped denim - I explained that it wasn't ripped denim it was designer denim sweetie - he apologised and let me in - YES - HELLO.

All is well and the sun is beating down as I struggle along with my designer bags - who am I kidding - I know - I have a personal shopper - brings stuff to the hotel and I get to pick - its great and I'd recommend it. Only kidding - I have to carry my own bags - oh well - has to be done.

Excess baggage is going to cost a fortune - but L'Oreal sweetie - because i'm worth it...

Speak soon for the next installment.....