Australia

Hey everyone, hope you're well!
Last night I arrived in Sydney airport around 10pm, and stayed up pretty much all night to meet my diocese of Paisley. Their flight was heavily delayed so I didn't meet them til 10am'ish. I was so happy and glad to see everyone and all the priests. Lots of hugs and chats about where I'd been. There's a few priests here - Fr. Andrew Coleman, Fr. John Morrison, Fr. Frank Hannigan, Fr. Gerry Gallagher, Fr. Stephen Baillie, and Fr. Euan. So we got on the coach and 2 hours later arrived in the diocese of Wollongong. It was a quick procedure, but basically just met the parish priest at St. Francis Assisi and then headed off in our inidividual groups with our family house sharer pilgrim. Basically for the next few days we're staying at various parishiners homes. I'm with Jenni, Clare and Denise, and the house we're staying in is HUGE!!! This family are proper rich, with their own pool table and gym. I think we got the best deal! Plus, there's WiFi!!!

This evening we're going to the family's parents house for dinner (they're italian too, so it should be great food!) Unfortunately I'm only staying for 2 days in the diocese whilst everyone else stays for 4 days. I have to make my way to Sydney University on Saturday to meet up with the International Liturgy Group.

I'm a little sad I won't be staying with my diocese, friends and priests, but I'm hoping to meet up with them during my free time. That's basically a case of organising times and meeting places and chatting to my youth officer, Christine to try and arrange something.

I'm missing my friends though (the ones I've been travelling with for 4 weeks). I won't see them until the flight back home in 2 weeks, but I'm sure we're all going to have a fantastic time. I'm so so excited, and I'm so so blessed to have this opportunity!

And my folks gave me some pennies for passing my degree - woo hoo!

Here's some more photies from the past weeks:

Speak soon, God Bless x

Hey everyone, I'm currently in Surfer's Paradise (Gold Coast). We've been here for the last 3 days, but the weather's been rubbish up until today - it's blue skies and sunnnnnny sunnnnny weather. So.... The first night we stayed in a wee rubbish hostel hotel in the town centre which was basically just bunk beds. After that we checked into a 4* apartment with an amazing view, and huge rooms! It's been great. We've wandered around town, went to Byron Bay 2 days ago which was great - lots of little hippy shops (my sort of stuff) and today we're going to lounge on the beach. I'm all packed up and leaving for Sydney tonight and meeting my diocese tomorrow morning. Yesterday we went snorkling and scuba diving - very scary at first, but pretty cool at the same time! I'm facing my fears!

So this is just a short update to say I'm alive and safe and well and having a great time.
Here's a wee photo for ye's :D

And by the way, I am now Cheryl Johnston BA (Hons) Theology! I got a 2:1 for my degree!!!!!!! Woooo Hoooo! So if you want to give me lots of money and presents, please feel free!

Next stop - Sydney WORLD YOUTH DAYYYYY!

God Bless xx

G'day! I'm now in the very very nice city of Melbourne!
To finish off where I left off - Christchurch is a rubbish town! Full of rubbish tourist shops and Japanese/Koreans. Not much to the city despite my previous entry of there being lots of restaurants. Plus the weather was terrible when we were there - we were glad to get on the flight!

We arrived in Melbourne, and Elisa's family came to pick us up. They hired a mini-bus so we got to their house in Cranbourne and were fed some proper food (Dutch soup and garlic bread-twas lovely!) (Elisa's from Holland). So we've been staying in a proper house the past few nights and had proper food and proper showers and it's been great. The houses here are so huge, and the area is really nice too. On our first full day here we headed into the mall and I bought some nice wee shoes to wear with my kilt for WYD, also bought some nice tops. The next day Elisa's cousin took us to a wildlife farm. We saw snakes and lizards, koalas, dingoes, emus, turtles, parrots and fed kangaroos from my hands!! They're so cute! Afterwards we went to watch the 'Penguin Parade' - everyone sits at the beach and waits for the sky to get dark enough to watch the penguins come out of the sea and go back to their home in the bush. It was a nice thing to see and they're so small and cute too!

We then headed to Shane's house (E's cousins) to book our flight from Melbourne to Gold Coast where we're going on Friday for a few days. The gang's going surfing there, and supposedly there's so much to see and do there. I also booked my flight from Gold Coast to Sydney as I have to leave earlier than the group to meet up with my diocese (5.30am 10th July Sydney Airport)

Unfortunately this computer doesn't have a card reader, but here's some photos from snowboarding! I miss boarding soooo much! I posted my shorts and goggles home the other day to save some room, so mum you'll be getting a package in next week some time. I'm also going to post my boarding trousers today..

Photies:

Speak soooooon, Love and kisses, God Bless x