hello all

this is not a happy post, This hopefully will be the worst post i ever write. There will definitely be no photos, in fact the idea is almost ironic.

2 days ago, nov 13th, i had my backpack stollen, yes the entire backpack, 5 months of travelling gone. and the stupid thing is it was completely not my fault and was so unlucky. we boarded our first oz experience bus (like the greyhound) to go from cairns to mission beach, very excited to start our journey along the golden coast. we stopped for lunch and when we left the driver left the trailer door open containing our backpacks - mine fell out. we were notified by another driver within minutes of leaving, drove back along the route (less than 2 miles) and the bag was gone, nowhere to be seen. we walked along the path wed driven asked in shops etc and nothing had been seen. we went to the police but nothing there either. i was perfectly calm thinking some nice person had picked it up and was going to take it to the station, however i remember our emergency credit card was in the bag and by the time we cancelled it they had already spent 300 pounds. bastards. i didnt care about the money, all it signalled to me was that i would never see my backpack again. hopefully we have not lost too many photos because we were sending them home but we have lost 3 weeks of california - all those beautiful photos of bryce canyon you will never see. but all the memories are in our heads it just feels very gutting. im not too bothered about most of the stuff but i am about some of the american clothing, my GHDs (girls you will def understand that!), some of the souvenirs collected along the way and of course the photos. ive had a cry and im fine now, were currently trying to get compensation from oz experience and theyre saying its not their fault and if we want something we have to ask the driver himself - no company liability or loyalty, nice eh?! may go to the papers....! obviously done the police thing and doing insurance thing but it just takes so much time when you have nothing! am enjoying buying lots of new clothes though - even met steph from neighbours who was shopping in the same shop!

snyway, we have to go, getting another bus tom, at least i have nothing to loose this time!! hope you are all well, miss you lots

sara and gav xxxxxx