Morning after the night before....

Oh dear that evening ended on Sunday morning at 3.30am and I really experienced Sydney nightlife to the full at the Bavarian bar...ouch...then met the in laws Wendy and Gerry at lunchtime in Darling Harbour with a sore head...followed by a real Aussie barbie in the burbs in an amazing spot overlooking the harbour called Castle Crags.

Cath Lawrence, originally from the Uk was my host with her lovely partner Greg. We had great fun and I was introduced to the tame flying pet water dragon called Oscar. He was accompanied by several friends (she strangely knew them as a result of an introduction I made for her when she set out for Australia 7 years ago. ) Above from right to left is Joss, Katrina, Pete, Cath and then Greg. Pete, a fantastic Real Estate agent, requested I hypnotise him to be...well, that's between me and Pete and the water dragon...;-)

Then back to Darling Harbour for MORE food and drinks with Charlie and a downpour of stair rod rain and an early night as next day real work was looming....

Bikes and boats to Manly

Saturday means it's time for fun and Charlie (above right) has invited me on a bike tour via ferry to Manly beach with Bonza Bike Tours and they sure are Bonza tours. We saw all of Sydney harbour as we left - on arrival Lash the tour guide (above left) showed us the nicest parts of the beach (Shelly beach though the tourists have taken all the shells so it's a misnomer!) I haven't included a pic as it will make all the Brits back home incredibly jealous and I know some of you are a slight shade of green already.

We headed up a big hill to the highest point called North Head (I had to get off and push not having the lovely luxury of Stuart pulling me on the tandem!) After an exhilarating ride down we later went out to a fantastic restaurant below the Harbour Bridge and overlooking a huge cruiseliner called Celebrity X and the Opera House - someone was celebrating as we were treated to an enormous firework display - the perfect setting for the meal!

Non Stop Sydney

Arrived in good shape after an interesting 7 hour chat with a cyclist from Camborne - interesting as my partner is also a cyclist from Camborne, Cornwall! Flying over Australian desert for 3 hours makes you realise the enormmous size and scope of the country.

First stop was an awards ceremony at the Parliament House - well best to start at the top! The event was to celebrate National Volunteers Day and there were some amazing people to meet there that completed an amazing number of charitable tasks - quite humbling to see. Ranged from a 90+ year old woman who started volunteering in 1941 with the Red Cross (she didnt even win!) to the only young woman in Australia who flies helicopters and rescues people in dangerous circumstances - she didnt win either!

Met another British Winston Churchill Fellow who was engaged in a similar project and was useful to pick up some tips from her, thanks Vanessa Shahani! Also talked to the Minister about my project.

After that explored Sydney - the usual stops - Opera House, Circular Quay, Darling Harbour and Botanic Gardens and restaurants, oyster bar and other interesting spots. Lots more planned...

and many invitations already that I am having to pick and choose who I see ..like dances at a waltz!

Singapore Sling

Arrived in Singapore bleary eyed after 13 hour flight on floor 13 room 1318 but no misfortunes apart from unable to source a Singapore Sling at unusual hours...ate in hotel and got a dicky tummy but managed to avoid throwing up in a park (the penalties are strict for spitting and littering so was worried what I would be penalised for if I left something worse behind!)

The heat and humidity was immense...the food spicy...people very reserved but disciplined and polite...service impeccable. Went to Raffles to the Long Bar and had a tiffin and banana slice...next stop Sydney and then non stop in the city ....

The trouble with Thailand...

So best laid plans go awry...the Thai PAD party has closed the airports in Bangkok and I have been back and forwards rescheduling flights, rooms and destinations.

I am now leaving on Monday for Singapore instead - so no elephants, sunbathing and bamboo rafting after all - but sure that shopping in Singapore and arriving a day earlier in Sydney will more than make up for it! Gaynor at Trailfinders Oxford has been brilliant in reorganising everything for me and luckily the insurance from the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust covers me for all the extra costs.

I am remarkably calm about it all - almost had been expecting some disruptions to the plans and at least I am lucky not to be travelling to Mumbai.... the friends in Thailand are expecting the airport to be stormed today and not sure if it will reopen as it will depend on the amount of damage caused. Let's hope there will not be too many lives lost or injuries...

One week to go!

I have never been away for a month before on my own. How will I cope without distractions and work and friends and family, it will be strange to be away so long.

I am really pleased that my mentee Abdulwali Marufkheil was a regional finalist at The Prince's Trust 'Celebrate Success' awards last week for the Young Achiever of the Year. It shows that volunteering does work - he couldn't speak a word of English 2 years ago and now is an award winner! Fantastically rewarding to see him progress so well. Why don't more people volunteer? One of the questions I hope to answer through the research in Australia....

How you can get involved

The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust have given me this opportunity of a lifetime to travel and broaden my experience and at the same time to work on a project that will benefit the UK. Any British citizen can apply and enter one of the categories and it's such a simple process.

Visit http://www.wcmt.org.uk/ and see what categories you could enter. Create a short proposal - only a paragraph required - and get 2 references. If you get shortlisted you attend a panel interview and if selected - Bob's your Uncle (or Auntie!) you are on your way.

You can travel for up to 3 months or a minimum of 4 weeks and there is a very generous grant available. It really is so simple - so many people seem to think they cannot possibly do it when all it takes is an idea - and you can enter and get the chance to travel anywhere in the world. Just log on and get started!