Tuesday 28th. October '97.
Croydon, Victoria Australia

This trip is mainly to spend Christmas in Holland with my dear friends Teri and Renke.

Back in March '96 I met 'Gaby' and 'Ekner' in the Coffee Klatch, at Healthy Choice, and that's where they met each other, too. We also chatted a few times on PowWow, the Vegemite comments used to fly - and July this year, they both travelled to Australia touring around, meeting other HC chatters and stayed with me for two wonderful days inviting me to "Drop by and visit !"

As December here is the summer school holidays and when many businesses close down, fares are higher - so for extra extra, my travel agent Anne has organised a world-wind world trip travelling in the correct direction through Thai Airways.

Travelling so far - it seems silly not to make the most of it by meeting for the first time many of the wonderful people I've met through the net, particularly from Paddynet, and renewing acquaintances with those I can.

Plus - I've always claimed to be a 'global person' and an active 'net networker' and this will allow me to put it into practice !

Taking my laptop with me, which will not only enable me to post an interactive travelogue of where I am, it will also allow me to keep in touch with everyone through e-mail.

As I use my Virtual address book extensively, many of my friends and business contacts are already entered there and have access to my travel itinery through my travel planner.

If you wish to contact me - even for a quick phone call to say hello, please consider registering your details at PlanetAll - mention Jenny Grainger introduced you and together let's reduce some barriers by making the world a smaller place.

Saturday 13th. December '97.
Croydon, Victoria Australia

Anne is still busy correlating tickets, accommodation, timetables, and the final itinery is: Melbourne - Sydney - Bangkok - Stockholm - Amsterdam - Frankfurt - London - Toronto - Montreal - Los Angeles - Auckland - Melbourne

Leaving Monday now, will stay over in Bangkok, scrap the week in Umea, bypass St. John, and include Auckland, New Zealand. Try as I may to arrange to visit Dunblane in Scotland on New Years day - airfares, train travel and accommodation have made it such a complicated excercise, I'll give it a miss.

Still contacting chat-friends hoping they find the time to register with PlanetAll, enabling us to keep in touch.

Have had my haircut, body waxed and quit smoking. Been back down to Toorak to see Rosemary, Heather and Melanie - and by adding another Artists shirt and a Hi-tech jersey Cruise set - need nothing else wardrobe-wise from tropics to the frozen north.

Monday, 15th. December, '97.

So many frustrating delays ! Not only did I turn my house upside down Sunday night looking for my passport (Which wasn't lost) wasted six hours when I could have been packing, mailing people, or catching up with ordinary things before I left home. I also had to catch the zebra finches and button quails to take them to the pet shop. The seed tray separated in the car - the five finches escaped inside, and I was rather grateful for the dark tinted windows.

Flight was delayed anyway - arriving later in Sydney.

First stop - Bangkok, Thailand

How far is it ? - 4585 miles (7379 km)

Tuesday. 20th. January, 98
Home.