Well it’s been quite a contrast from sunny Hawaii where the kids got sun burnt for the first time in their lives to the frigid air of New York.

Hawaii couldn’t have been better, we did the mandatory touristy things like Pearl Harbour and a tour around the island. Shem and I wanted to kill ourselves for most of the tour it was so painful, but the kids absolutely loved it. A highlight was watching chloe go snorkelling after some serious encouragement. Such a big girl thing to do at age 6 and we saw some great fish and it was a good work out for me as we were not given flippers and chloe insisted on holding my hand the whole time.

We also met up with our exchange family the Wismers and spent the day with them – we would say we are very similar families in many ways and we had a great time together, it was such a bonus meeting them.

The hotel – embassy suits was fantastic – allowed us to check in at 7am and out at 12.30, buffet breakfast and free full spirits bar for two hours by he pool each night – dangerous!

The trip to New York was a tough one – 9 hrs over night arriving at 7am NY time Which was 3am Hawaaiian time and midnight Aust time. It took us 2.5 hours to get from airport to hotel with all our backpacks and the we could not get into our room until 2.30 – so we walked around town, to the Rockefeller centre and F.A.O Swarz toy store – kids highlight.

It is now 5.30pm NY time and we are all trying desperately to stay awake till 6.30 in our tiny but very cool apartment in Harlem (we are definitely not in Geelong anymore!!)