I have gained a little bit of the travelling bug. Well it is a case of I go to and from the UK each year, and that may increase as I need to see more of my partner, Gareth.

Then again, now that Gareth has got to Australia to live, the travel bug is for the two of us in general, but i sometimes get to go away on my own too - check out the report on Southern Hibearnation 2000, plus the rest of my travels in June/July 2000.

I took a piece of the Australian way of life, Long Service Leave, from my job in 1997, and spent 9 months in the UK, primarily with my husbear.

In this time we visited Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Chessington Zoo, Thorpe Park, and Alton Towers. The main theme and amusement parks in the UK.  We had fun, and I hope you enjoy the photographs from each one.

As a result of being on Long Service Leave, I was able to go on my first Pride march, and this was in London in July 1997. The photographs are from various times on the march's journey, and at the "party" afterwards.

I made my first trip to the USA in August 1997, and it was wonderful. I travelled with Gareth to Florida, Dallas / Fort Worth and San Francisco.

We had a great time, and the pictures are in Australia, but not scanned yet... I took SO many films ;) In fact there are 5 films of prints, that I took.

Melbourne, in September 1997 was my second excursion within Australia. The first was a day stop in Sydney which I did not Photograph. The Melbourne trip was under orders to take by Gareth as a way of de-stressing a bit.

It was wonderful meeting the bears from Melbourne, and some of my long time Net Friends, like Phil, Andrew, and Ross.

The pictures of the trip to the USA in December 1997 are here - just need to be scanned. I was glad to catch up with Dana, David, Randy, Josh, and Mario when there.

There was 7 hour stop in Sydney where I caught up with Victor and Steve for a few hours. Then I carried on to the USA.

After the USA came Christmas 1997 and New Year with my parents and then a second Christmas in Liverpool with my close friends Roy and Jess, and a few other really nice repribates!

There are some dubious pictures - well only coz they are of a "Coronation Street" based murder myserty with most of the guys playign the parts of ladies from the series.

You can have a giggle at my expense when they are scanned!

In April 1998, over the Easter break, I took a ten day holiday to Melbourne. This was a break that I needed, and allowed me to de-stress, and to just enjoy my friends company. The pictures from this visit are split into a few pages, each with a theme. Melbourne City, The Party - Part I, and Part II, Portraits and Friends.