Travelog for: Sheldon

Hi Mum

Today we visited Lake Taupo.

It's a huge freshwater lake in the middle of the North Island of New Zealand.  I've never seen so much fresh water in one place.

I know it's fresh because I tasted it!

Travelling with Neil is a bit tiring.  He tries to pack so much adventure into a few short days.  I just want to relax but he doesn't stop!

At last!  A kid.  Having been around adults for so long over the last few days, I've really started to miss kids.

This is Ciaran, and I don't think he knows what to make of me!

Hi Mum

I'm feeling a bit sad because today is my last day in New Zealand.

We travelled on the Wellington Cable Car.  It's a strange little tram that takes you to the top of the mountain in the city.

And we went to another museum.  You can tell from the photo which Exhibit I liked.  They had a model of a sailing ship in stormy waters.  I thought I had so much experience at sea now that I should sail the model boat.

What do you think? Do I look convincing?

Fluffy Hugs

Sheldon

Well we've just flown from Wellington to Sydney, on our way to Brisbane.  And I spent the whole trip in Neil's pocket.  And he didn't take a picture of me.

I MUCH prefer sailing to flying!

Hi Mum

I'm back in Brisbane again!

Here's me at the desk updating my travel log!

What a busy life I lead!

Neil says if you'll let me stay a little longer, he'll take me to Coolum on the Sunshine Coast next month with lots of kids,  and then on another Cruise in June. 

(Another cruise??? This guy is nuts!!!!)

Right now, I'm so tired I think I need to sleep for a few weeks!

Plus I need to do lots of exercise to work off all the food I had while I was away!

By for now

Sheldon

Dear Mum

I went to Australia zoo today!


Crickey!!!!  Here's a picture of me with the Crocodile Hunter and his family.


Lilly and her friends took me crocodile wrestling.  Lilly ended up in the crocs mouth, but as you can see from the photo, I fought the crocodile off bravely!


And as Steve would say, check out this strange looking little feller.  Harrison took me to see a tortoise that was over a hundred and fifty years old.  And he's been carrying his house around on his back all that time!


And what about this snake?  When he saw me, I think he wanted to have some lunch, but I was too quick for him. 


Then I had a boxing match with a kangaroo.  I think I might have been a bit rough with him, coz as you can see from the photo, he fell asleep right after we finished playing.  Perhaps I'm a tougher little chcik that I realize????


And you should have seen the size of these elephants.  They were massive!


And then I met my long-lost cousin.  I couldn't quite hear what he said when I asked him, but I think he comes from the bush in Turkey?  That doesn't sound right, does it?  Are we really related to him, Mum?

Well who would have thought I'd be wrestling crocodiles, punching kangaroos in the nose, and dodging snakes.  I don't feel like the timid little chick I was.  Travelling to all these different places is certainly turning me into one tough old bird!

More news in a couple of days

Sheldon

G'day Mum!


I went on another boat today.  But it was a little one.  We went on a "cruise" too - but this time it was a short cruise up the Maroochy River.

Somehow I can't seem to get away from boats and ships, can I?


Now this is funny.  These two young ladies are from New Zealand.  And you remember how you saud that I had to "see a kiwi bird".  Well they said that they were "kiwi birds" coz they're ladies from New Zealand.


Here's me showing Neil where to go as he steers our boat up the river.  I told him that I had so much experience with ships that I should drive the boat.  Neil just looked at me strangely and said if I didn't behave he'd put me back in his pocket.  But he relented and let me ride up the front

That's all from me for now, Mum.

I'll write more soon.

Fluffy hugs

Sheldon

Dear Mum

Guess what!!!!

I'm getting ready for another cruise today.

We're going on a ship called "Dawn Princess" this afternoon, and sailing to Sydney.

I think the people on the ship like Neil, coz they've given him a cabin with a Balcony so we can all sit outside and watch the ocean go by.

You'd think I'd be getting bored with ships now, but I'm not.  I love it!! And we're going back to Sydney which is one place I really like.

I'll try to send you some nice pictures.

Fluffy hugs

Sheldon the Sailor

G'day Mum!

I'm on a boat!!!!

Well, a "ship" really.  Again!!!



Neil and Jonathan have taken me on a quick cruise to Sydney aboard a ship called "Dawn Princess". 

I'm an old hand at cruising now, and it shows - the cruise people love me so much they upgraded me to a cabin with a balcony!!!

I'll bet I'm the best travelled chick in the world

This ship is the biggest one I've been on so far.  She's almost as long as three football fields, and weighs as much as 1,000 Boeing 737 Jet Planes.  Can you imagine how huge that is???

I'm having lots of fun, but I have to pack it in quickly because this is a realy quick cruise. It will be over in under two days.

More later.

Fluffy hugs

Sheldon.

Gee that was quick!!!!

Hi Mum. Here I am in Sydney.

Rather than send you more pictures the same as last time, I thought I'd send you some more interesting pictures of the ship.



I found this friendly unicorn sitting on the floor (whoops, when you're on a ship there's no "floor", it's called a "deck").  Anyway he was sitting on the deck and let me sit on his knee.  What do you think?

Ther other cool thing was I got to drive the ship!! Well Neil says I'm dreaming because it wasn't really a ship control because it was in the "Wheelhouse Bar", but anyway I had a go on the ship control as you an see.  And I think I was driving the ship, and that's all that counts, isn't it???

I had a lovely time on Dawn Princess, and was sad to leave.

Fluffy hugs

Sheldon

Hi Mum

I'm "home" again!!!  (Well home will always be with you and my brothers and sisters, but you know what I mean!!)

Just wanted to let you know I was alright, but I'm exhausted, and am going to have a sleep for a few days.  Travelling around in Neil's pocket is very uncomfortable, but that's the price I have to pay for seeing the world.

Thanks for sending me to live with Neil and Liz for a few months.  I've had a wonderful time.  The world is much bigger than I thought!

Fluffy hugs

Sheldon.

G'day Mum!

I'm being predictable, I know, but I went on another boat today!  This has to be the biggest boat I've ever been on!  Look!

Well, ok.  It was a tinny.  And it wasn't big.  It was TINY compared to some of the ships I've been on in the last six monhs, but it was fun!

And guess what we caught???

Absolutely nothing!!

But that doesn't matter because Harrison and Neil taught me that the best thing about fishing is being out on the water away from all your worries.

G'day Mum

I went geocaching today, and I met another toy!

Lilly and Liz introduced me to Mangopumpkin.  He's not a toy voyager, he's a Travel Bug!  He visits lots of different geocaches.  He might hide in there for months until someone collects him and takes him to another geocache.  The upside is that he gets to travel all over the world.  The downside is he spends most of his time in tupperware containers hidden in tree stumps or under rocks.  I felt sorry for him!

I much prefer being in a family with people like Lilly and Bella.  Sometimes I think Bella wants to bite me, but I think she's just letting me know that she likes me as much as I like her.

G'day Mum!

I went for a bike ride with Harrison, Lilly and Neil this morning.  We rode down to the North Pine river to explore one of our favourite parks, then we rode to a few other places before breakfast.

All up we rode almost 10km, which isn't far on Neil'ls big mountain bike, but it's a long way for Lilly to ride on her little bike.

I feel excited and sad.  Neil tells me that my time with his family is over, and it's time for me to continue my journey and fly across the Pacific Ocean to a new country and a new host.

So far I've seen lots of kids, blue skies, kangaroos, huge ships, boiling mud, and many happy people.  What a wonderful world this is!

Thanks for sending me here Mum. 

I'm having a great time.

Fluffy hugs

Sheldon

haha, i arrived at UCR finally!!!
I like the weather here!!
California sunshine!!! i hope it can be fun!!