....

I am not surprised that more people aren't getting killed by buses and cars here. Just the other day a bus came zooming onto the bus stop outside Australia Fair and hit someone who was standing to close to the curb. Luckily she wasn't badly injured but it literally knocked her off her feet and she went flying onto the concrete and rolled over. You could see it coming but there was nothing you could do. Me and Debra learnt from a near miss ourselves that you should never stand to close the the curb as we nearly got knocked out by a wing mirror of a bus zooming in to stop. They don't tell you to stand a metre away for the curb in the travel magazines or on the bus stops. Also, pedestrian crossings, what are the point in havin them, I am sure the law is the same here as it is in NZ in that cars must stop for pedestrians. But the amount of times you see a car about 6 metres or so away and think that it is ok to cross but then they coming bowling towards you and nearly run you off the road as they drive past. Maybe its a game and they try and hit as many people as possible during the day.

I had my first encounter with an Australian insect invading my space last night. At about 10.30 when I went to go to bed, in the stifling heat, I was turning off my fan and because the fan doesn't have a mark to tell you where the off is I was looking up at the roof to see if it was still moving and saw, the biggest SPIDER I had every seen, it was as big as the fan (that may be a little over exaggerated, but it was like 2cm big each way). I was about to scream, but thought that since Debra was sleeping that I wouldn't and act as a sensible, not afraid of anything adult. So I ran to the cupboard where, luckily the first week we went shopping stocked up on bug spray, and sprayed the intruder which then fell onto my bed and started running away so I sprayed it until it was white and couldn't move. I then ran into the kitchen again to get a jar in which to put my bug in. But it started running again so I sprayed it again until it stopped moving again and carefully, which hands shaking, put it into the jar. I quickly screwed on the lid and it was still moving and put it on the table for Debra to see in the morning, and just to make sure it wouldn't get out cellotaped the top on. I then went to bed in terror that it might have friends lurking in the corner. I couldn't get to sleep for ages though cause I started thinking abouts its friends, and then I started thinking that what if I hadn't of seen it and it fell on me in the middle of the night!!!!!!

Well have to go Dr Phil will be on shortly and then ready steady cook.

I hope I get a job soon.

Miss you all.

Looking forward to everyone visiting. So many exciting things to do.

Toni

Hi Everyone

I really have nothing remotely exciting to write about. This last week has been extremely boring.

Last Saturday night we did something that we would not normally do on a Saturday in Hamilton and went to the beach to watch a movie on the big screen. Sort of like the movie we watched at wet 'n' wild but at the beach. This time we were prepared though and brought blankets and warm clothes. We are also going there tonight to watch The Pacifier with Vin Diesel.

A basically the last couple of days I have been watching tv and watching my phone in case I get a call about a job. Finding a job hasn't been easy I have been to almost every recruitment agency in the gold coast and emailed every firm as well hopping that someone will have an opening. I have an interview today with a recruitment agency and hopefully something will come out of that.

We had another electrical thunder storm last night. That is two since we have been here, although last nights one was not as scary as the first.

The most exciting thing that has been happening is Home and Away. For all those fans out there who want to know what juicy things are happening keep reading and for those who don't don't.

I am a little confused at the moment what is really happening as there are new characters and people have left but will just fill you in on all the exciting stuff.

Amanda is going out with Scott. Amanda has just found out that Scott is the father of Hayley's baby. Amanda is in trouble with an old cast member called Josh and owes him $2 million dollars. Josh has come back and is quite evil and has made the mayor resign and is trying to become Mayor himself. Alf is also going to run for mayor. Just also found out from the TV that Amanda is ...... pregnant!!!!

Cassie and Rick kissed last week and are probally getting back together.

Matilda goes out with this new character called Lucas.

Irene hit Amanda with her car and is now being stalked by someone who trashed her house.

Dan and Leah cant have kids because of her operation at the beginning of the year.

Flynn has cancer and has only three months to live.

Hayley and Kim are getting married at the end of the week. But Scott tells Hayley right before the wedding that he loves her and who knows what will happen and when we will find out the truth about the baby. Also we have the new Hayley.

Beth might start going out with Lucas' dad Tony.

and I think that is about all for now.

I hope I get a job and something exciting happens soon. Keep sending me emails and letting me know what is going on to keep me entertained.

Toni

BATS!!!!

Now, not only do we have to contend with Magpies during the day. Australia sprung another surprise on us last night and we saw BATS. Yes Bats. Those little black, nocturnal (for Alie) flying mammals that turn into VAMPIRES.

We were sitting, minding our own business, at the bus stop last night and saw about four fly around (luckily across the road). I was so scared. What if it bit me? What if I turned into a Vampire? I need to be some garlic!!!!!!!!

FOR ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE who think we are paranoid regarding magpies. Found these articles

A national survey has found that 90 per cent of males and 72 per cent of females have been attacked by a magpie at some time in their life!

"Being the target of a magpie’s ire is an inevitable part of growing up in Australia. Or is it? Certainly, when magpies pounce, they can do real damage. The Injury Surveillance Information System (ISIS) is a national collection of hospital emergency department attendance records. Their data shows that of 59 magpie attacks, the eye was the birds’ most common target."

"Being swooped by a magpie can be alarming, but it is mostly bluff, with the birds acting on a natural instinct to protect their young"

There are some simple and effective steps people can take to protect themselves."

Measures to help prevent magpie attacks include:
- Avoid known magpie nesting sites if possible or give them a wide berth;
- Wear a helmet or a firm, broad-brimmed hat to protect your head;
- Hold an open umbrella over your head to deter swooping birds;
- If on a bike, dismount and walk away quickly; and
- Do not provoke the birds.

Some pictures of pictures

Nothing really exciting has been happening lately. I am still unemployed and getting bored of day time television. Debra is at her second day of work in Brisbane and was up around 4.30 this morning.

These are some pictures from pictures that we have brought.

Settling into Aussie Life

On Saturday afternoon, we decided to go and use up our remaining days of our 3 park superpass so we went to Movieworld and saw Shrek in 4d. It was fantastic. It wasn't the full Shrek movie just a 30 minute extra segment they made up. 4d is great, it likes you can touch the screen the pictures are so vivid, they also had moving seats and water so you felt like you were right there. We then ventured over to Wet 'n' Wild. Wet 'n' wild is about a 10 minute walk from Movieworld, and if you can recall, we had to pass the scene of the original Magpie Attack!!!!!! This time we decided to walk as close to the road as possible, not walk under any trees, we weren't going to take any chances as we were walking at a reasonably fast pace, chatting away, right near the roadside, we saw this magpie and it started swooping towards us. We started running for our lives and it just kept following us, I was running but couldn't run very fast cause I was trying not to laugh, or fall over and had a bag on top of my head trying to keep an eye on the magpie as well. I have NEVER been so scared of a bird (and for my life) ever, if I hadn't of been laughing I think I would have burst into tears. Its terrifying!!!!!!! After about 2 minutes (which seemed like forever) it stopped following us and we managed to make it to Wet 'n' Wild safely. Although every bird we saw, we started flinching.

We watched Herbie Fully Loaded at Wet 'n' Wild. I recommend it, its really funny.

On Sunday we decided to get some shopping and new stuff for our house. We walked into Australia Fair, which is just down the road, and went to Wolleys (Woolworths for the non Aussie people out there). We had just walked out of the supermaket with our shopping trolley (its weird in Australia there are shopping trolleys everywhere, people just take them home and its OK, but there are so hard to control never go in a straight line). Anyway, we were walking to the bus stop but the bus was already there so we started running with our out of control trolley but decided we wouldn't make it to that stop so tried for the next stop, so here we are running down the street, in inappropriate shoes, dodging road works on the footpath, Debra pushing the trolley we trying to keep it in a straight line trying to make it to the next bus stop before the bus. You will be pleased to here that we did manage to get to the bus stop pack our 8 bags of groceries onto our arms with the loo paper under Debra's arm and make it onto the bus in time and get off about two stops down the road.

Today, Debra started her new job in Brisbane she had to get up around 5.30 in order to catch the bus to the train station and then catch a train into Brisbane. I however, are still looking for a job and should be applying on seek this very moment. So will say goodbye.

I have also updated my photo gallery and put some photos with previous posts. Check it out.

Toni

OUR HOUSE

I am starting this post again as my last one just crashed and exited me out. How annoying, I had almost finished.

Nothing really exciting has happended in the last couple of days. To be honest, we have spent most of our time shopping still. Not as bad as Pacific Fair (as we are kinda running out of money) but up there.

We moved into our house today, which is good in the fact that we moved out of the caravan (which we were getting quite fond of) but bad as we had already paid for two nights in a beach batch at the park that we probally won't get refunds for.

I will tell you about our house ..
Its looks like Nana's place you walk in and all the rooms has this fantastic brown paint (which we get painted white shorlty) imagine pictures on the walls of a forest path, a couple of coffe tables with those little table cloth things and coasters, a brown side board full of sherry glasses, a kitchen full of 1960's plates and cups. The house has two bedrooms one with a double bed and bedspread and the other with two single beds and green bedspreads. I have the one with the single beds, when we get paid we will hire a bigger bed. I will take some pictures and put them on. But it a house and we dont really need to get much for it. There is heaps of room for guests to come and stay.

This is the outside. With

all of our washing. We hadn't done it for over a week!

You may post all cards, letters, pictures, postcards, presents, etc to

Toni O'Neill

Southport 4215
Gold Coast
Australia


The weather is good today and we are going out to Movie World again to seek the Shrek 3d or maybe 4d show and then go over to Wet 'n' Wild (not walking under any trees as not to be attacked by magpies) to watch the big screen and watch Herbie Fully Loaded.

We came over here thinking that the weather would be good, hot and basically fantastic. Most days have been hot but we have had our share of wild weather and we have only been here two weeks. Last night we had a wind storm. The wind was so strong and the rain so hard that we couldn't hear the television. Here we were in our tin caravan going "What have we got ourselves into". We made it our alive though and survived. The wind is still here today, not so strong but quite cold.

Anyways better go as we have to get some things for our house and then out to the parks.

Sorry no pictures today.

Take care

Love Toni

Well......

This is me and some Kangaroos at dreamworld.

It has been a few days since I have written in here, have been pretty busy with job and house hunting. I shall start from where I left off on Sunday.

We are still living in the horrible caravan. It has become quite homely and our junk is everywhere. We cleaned the shower with jif and a scrubbing brush and now I don't feel that I have to wear shoes and avoid the sides at all costs. As we were lying in our beds on Sunday night we got woken up by the sound of THUNDER yes THUNDER and then lighting. We were in a tin caravan and we have a massive electrical, rain and thunder storm after about five minutes listening to it. A bit crash of thunder hit, I yelled I was scared Debra was to so we jumped on the big bed (in our sleeping bags!!!) and hid and laid there until it had gone. It was very scary we thought we going to be hit by lighting and electrocuted!!

By Monday morning it was over. We got our rental car on Monday. We got it from the airport which is a bit of a pain thought. An hour and a bit over there on the bus. But the car was fantastic and worth it. Very flash, air condition and a button on the key for the locks. It had the handbrake on the floor though which is a bit weird. So on Monday we just went on some interviews and stuff.

On Tuesday morning we woke up early to go on our road trip to the Sunshine Coast to go and see ..... STEVE IRWIN THE CROCODILE HUNTER as Australia Zoo. The zoo was great and Steve was even there and did the crocodile show. We had a good day. Have some photos but this computer doesn't have xp so cant download them yet.

Yesterday we still had the rental car and drove around looking for apartments. We finally found one. It is a fully furnished duplex kind of thing. By fully furnished to mean everything. It looks like Grandma's house. It like Grandma has just moved into a nursing home and they are renting it out as it. We have applied for it and hopefully we will find out today whether we get it. It is in a great location and right across the road from a cheesecake shop.

We had to take our car back today which is sad and are back to pounding the pavement. We told everyone that Australia will make us skinny. It has made us skinny as such, but we definely are losing a few dress sizes since we have been here from all our walking!!!

The gold coast is mad with road works at the moment. IN October they host the Indy 5000?? Or something. So everyone is putting up stadiums for people to sit it. Should be quite fun but quite busy I can imagine. The weather has been relatively good here (besides from the storm). We have been going out in skirts and singlets most days. We had another Magpie incident. You will have to see Debra's site for that story. I wasn't there but sounded pretty scary.

I will put some more pictures (hopefully) in my gallery.

Love Toni

Our Scody Caravan and the Pub Crawl

Well, we moved out of our luxury apartment accommodation on Saturday afternoon into, well, a horrible, small, stinky, scody caravan. It is horrible we have an ensuite but the shower doesn't look like it has been cleaned and the whole caravan has a weird smell!! We are going to get some jif to clean the shower as its so grose. I MISS OUR APARTMENT. We are supposed to have this for a week but we are looking for apartments ASAP and hopefully will move out before the week is over!!

We went on our pub crawl last night. It was pretty good. We started at 5 and were dancing by 8.30 felt pretty weird but had a good time. Australians are messy creatures there was rubbish all over the streets at 3am and that hire people to hose down the streets it kind of weird. The clubs are open to 5 in the morning but you have to be in a club before 3 so you can stay. They won't let you in after 3. We waited in a line (!!??) for a taxi where that had someone monitoring the line. Was kind of weird as we are not used to having to line up all the time. You had to take a digital number at the deli at the supermarket!! Had a really good night and are really tired today!

Anyways need to find some accommodation.

Don't forget to sign my guest book or send me an email or text. Let me know whats going on.

Love Toni


PS - email: tonioneill@gmail.com. Mobile: 0405 708 161

Casino, Magpies, Motion Sickness

Well, it has been a pretty eventful few days.

Where do I start. This picture is from the other night at the seafood place.

Me and Debra were walking from Wet 'n' Wild to Movieworld to catch an earlier bus, minding our own business we walked under some trees and them from no where I felt this sharp pain in my head. I was like ow what was that and Debra said run. I was like what? but still ran and she goes it was a magpie and I was like ahhhhh. So I ran as fast as I could with a bag on my head protecting myself. Another one looked like it was about to swoop so we bolted to safety. That was pretty terryfing!!!

The other night we went to the casino and got introduced to the craps? i think table. Three hours later going from being up to right down and them well up again. We decided it was a fantastic game I cam out about $30 richer!!! As we were walking from the bus stop to our apartment we heard birds and just started running for our lives!! I rolled my still sore ankle, lucky was wearing boots (unlike the other night where I had to run in my new heels!). It hurts a little, so had to wear my running shoes!! to Dreamworld yesterday.

Dreamworld is fantastic, the best out of all of them. We didnt manage to get fully around but have brought year passes so that we can go when everyone visits. The giant drop is terriying!!!!
We got photos with Koala's. Debra wanted to go on the Vortex (which is like the gravitron) so we did and then the stingray. Well, the bus ride home was hell we were both looking green and feeling very sick. Had to stay home last night and I have toast for dinner.

Have finally downloaded some photos onto disc which i will put on, hopefully they will work. Am trying to email my cv but it keeps crashing.

Hope everyone is well.

Love Toni

Holidays, Meat Pies and Bubbles

These are just a few of the words that have stumped us in the last couple of days. Debra has been using the aussie words and trying the accent. I am not ready to convert just yet.

Well to finish where I left off the other day.

We went to Pacific Fair and wow. Seven hours later we came out barely able to walk as our arms were laden with bags and our credit cards tired. We decided to do some out of the box shopping and brought some stuff which we usually wouldn't wear at home!! For dinner we went to this fantastic sea food place and had a platter of lobster, crabs, prawns and the famous bugs. It was fantastic i highly recommend it.

Yesterday we braved the weather and went to wet and wild. That was great also screamed our lungs out in this ride which is totally in the dark. Left about three because the weather hasnt been as warm as we would have liked.

We are having a rest of theme parks today as our lungs are tired from screaming so much and we still both kinda sick. Can hardly talk.

Sorry dont have any photos as yet. My phone has only just started to work again so will try and take some pics shortly to put on.

Love Toni

4 Days in Australia

Hi Everyone

Sorry, haven't really had time to do my webpage.

Well, where do I start.

Thanks to everyone who made the effort to come and see my off at the airport. It was a bit of a rush in the end because Debra turned you half an hour late so we quickly checked in, said our sad goodbyes, quickly went through customs where we both go stopped as we both forgot about our scissors in our first aid kits, quickly grabbed 2 bottles of alcohol each and jumped onto the plane, exhausted, tired and very red eyed.

Once we were seated on our plane things just started getting worse we taxied out and then had to wait for one and a half hours because of the damm fog and the generator for the run way lights failed, if that wasn't bad enough because we caught freedom they don't serve food you had to buy it with Cash!! I gave the last of my NZ cash to my mum because I didn't need it. Finally at 8 (we got up at 3.30) we had lift of. After we landed in Brisbane we caught the bus to our hotel (I can tell you that most bus drivers in the gold coast don't seem to like there jobs). When we got to our hotel (me sick with a cold and Debra breaking out in hives) we found out that our travel agent wasn't really listening when we said we wanted two separate beds, so our holiday was going from bad to worse. We managed to sort out a reasonable arrangement with Debra sleeping on the fold out bed (not ideal for a resort, but what could we do).

Things started getting better on Sunday. We ventured to sea world and had a great time watching the dolphin, seal and ski shows. We saw big sharks and I even got a photo with the polar bear (unfortunately he pooed at the same time!). Unforntunatley things went bad again when we went to space odyssey (or something like that for dinner). I decided to be brave and just order the chicken salad as is (to everyone who knows me that is very rare I like to change things!) but thought I was pretty safe with the salad. Well.. It looked good, until I tasted the chicken OH MY GOD I thought I was going to barf. Debra said "It tasted liked the chicken had been smoked in and old boot!". So I said to the waitress that is was awful and she said it was something that you either liked or you didn't!!!! What kind of place serves something that half the people don't like. Anyway she brought you some curly fries that were good.

On Sunday night we ventured in the gold coast and went on the vomatron and sling shot. The vomatron was so scary but fantastic. The slingshot was ok but not as good as in Auckland.

We went to movie world yesterday and that was pretty cool, a little overrated I thought as there weren't many rides. We got a cool photo on the Wild west ride and ended up waiting about 15 mins for the lethal weapon to have our ears pounded on the side of the ride and we being totally blocked out by the photo. The new superman ride opening in December looks fantastic though.

Today we have strolled into heaven, pacific fair and have already gone out of the box with our purchasers.

Well the weather is pretty average just waiting for some more sun before we go to wet 'n' wild.

Have got a new sim for my phone but doesn't seem to be working at the mo. Will give you a text when it is. Will use the Aus number during the week and NZ during the weekend, as they don't have free texting.

Well, better go internet is money and I probally have started to bore you now.

Please leave a message or send an email.

Miss you all (especially Katie).

Love Toni

2 sleeps and 1 day

Well the time has flown and its nearly time to leave. This will be my last post in New Zealand. Me and Katie have been packing and laxing out at mum's for the last week. I brought Katie this cute little thing for her collar so that if she decides to come and look for me and gets lost someone can call mum to go and get her.

I leave at 6.20 on Saturday morning from the airport. Am not looking forward to getting up early and being at the airport. Hope its not foggy!! Hope to see some of you there.

Will try and keep you posted and may even send some postcards, miss you all heaps and look forward to you all coming to visit. Better go and keep packing (hope I am not to much over the limit)!!

Love Toni (and Katie).