I found out to day that my football team, The "Penrith Panthers" (yes folks..... real football, Rugby League) are building a much needed addition to their stadium. I did a drive by with a mate of mine, Ricky, an old mate - we've traveled the world together. He leaves next Wednesday to live in England...... Look out all you Poms! :) We we're talking about meeting in the West Indies for the World Cup cricket next year - what a blast!

Packed my bags today ready for my flight to Perth tomorrow. My first show begins Thursday.

Last night we drove through an amazing storm to Toukley, on the Central Coast. My Nan lives there so we (Mum, Dad and I) visited for the night before we drove in the morning to Newcastle to visit my tour sponsors, Compassion Australia.



Had a great time at Compassion HQ. Finally got to meet the great team over there who work so hard behind the scenes to help eliminate poverty. I had a briefing session and learned the ropes to enable me to head out as a Compassion Advocate. I'm really excited to be able to partner with them on this tour, I pray that heaps of kids will get sponsored over the next 6-weeks.

When I landed in Sydney I had a niggling sniffle..... Now its turned into the full blown flu. Please pray for me as the tour begins in 3 days and I need to kick this sickness. I'm pretty well stuffed up in the sinus and sneezing like a mad man. I'm dosed up on Vitamins and drinking plenty of water. But, I believe in a God who heals and who has ultimate power over sickness, so please agree with me for a total healing so that when I sing my first note in 3 days, I'll be 100% well. AMEN!

Till tomorrow.......

Today we had a surprise party for Loren and Scott's engagement (Sister and soon to be brother-in-law).

They were totally stoked! Had no idea that we were planning the party. Jody called from the US and wished Loren and Scott all the best, here is Loren on the phone with her.









I head up the coast tonight to Toukley ready for my morning meeting at Compassion head offices tomorrow.

The tour begins in 4 days. I fly to Perth on Wednesday. I can't wait!

Today I caught up with some dear old friends who were missionaries in Jordan. Last year when I was in Sydney, they were in Tasmania studying at Bible School and we never got to see each other. So we had some quality hang-time today.

Anth and I went into the city to check out Darling harbor and ate at an Italian restaurant. I can honestly say that Sydney is the most beautiful city in the world. Check some of these pics and see if you don't agree:








we decided to take a walk through the city. Well, we managed to lose our car and wandered the streets for two hours searching for where we'd parked. We finally found the car at about 1:00am and drove home. Here's a pic of Anth and I totally lost.

Well, my trip to Australia begun uneventfully when I arose at 4:30 am February the 22nd to finish packing my bags and head to the airport to catch my 8:30 flight from Nashville. Got to the airport, said sad goodbyes to my wife, checked my luggage and boarded the plane...... Just like I have many times. Met some new people on the plane and a songwriter mate, chatted for a while and fell asleep. The plane left on time, but, somehow lost an hour in the air?!?!

So beginning to stress now. My connecting flight to Australia leaves in 45 minutes and we just landed and we're taxi-ing to the terminal. If anyone knows LA airport, I flew in to terminal 4 and had to get to terminal 1 and pick up my bags and re-check them in. Impossible task you say! Sure was, but Mr. Optimism inside me said "No Way" I can do it! I had Vegemite for breakfast!

So I ran off the plane, waited for 30 minutes for my 4 pieces of luggage. Two bags and two guitars, spoke to an attendant who told me to grab a trolley and walk the 10 minutes to terminal 1..... that leaves me with 5 minutes..... Easy I thought. I ran like a mad man the mile or so to the other terminal and was greeted at the Quantas check in by a security guard. I announced boldly who I was (trying to sound important, so he'd expedite my baggage process) But, the kind security guard told me the flight was pushing off now and I was going to have to wait 10 1/2 hours for the next flight. I was livid! "Nooooooo", I was sure I could make this work. I called Quantas and asked them to stop the plane.... they laughed, I pleaded, they laughed.... then I resigned to my 10 1/2 hour wait, very reluctantly.

Now mad, I walked back to terminal one to get food vouchers from Southwest.... Because they were an hour late, any normal person would see that this was definitely their fault. I was turned down and told this was all my fault for leaving too short of a time in between my flights, they recommend at least 3 hours..... I did half that. Still mad that they would not even give me food vouchers I called Southwest Corporate office to complain that they made me miss my flight, and would not give me fore vouchers for my eternity wait which lay before me. They told me the same thing the Southwest counter said. It was all "My" fault!

Over the next 10 1/2 hours I pondered this while pacing the airport many times and trying to catch some rest in the corner of the terminal. The slow reality begun to hit me that this really WAS my fault. The people from Southwest were right.... I should have left more time. MORAL! Always leave 3 hours in-between connection flights! Don't try and skim the seconds! 10 1/2 hours of waiting is NOT worth it.

Anyways, I arrived to Sydney safetly after a 14 hour flight... and visited family.