Thursday 30th April 2009

Bad day today – our airshow has been cancelled at Earls Colne due to issues with the land-owner and planning permission for a new venture. Mum & Debs are gutted as they had done so much work for the show. Emergency SOS meeting to sort out what to do … tentative new plans being put in place … watch this space for details ……

Wednesday 29th April 2009

Airfield night tonight so lots of maintenance going on – time for me to disappear I think! Engine oil & my lovely fur coat are not a good mix, wonder if I can sneak upstairs for a little nap. Ooops – spotted by mum!! She tells me that the women’s job is to make the tea – so guess what I ended up doing??!! I’m sure that a little Superstar bear should have tea made for her – not be the one doing the making!!

Tuesday 28th April 2009

Back to the editing on the pc of the photos from yesterday. Mum moans a lot about how much work it is – but I think she secretly enjoys all those bums to look at!!! Shhh – don’t tell her! Actually the pictures have come out really well – and it’s good to see the Auster on them, seeing as it’s mum’s display aircraft.

Monday 27th April 2009

Early morning photo shoot at Hardwick today – so that there are no additional pairs of eyes around!! Mum & I were to photograph Dave Brothers with mum’s Auster. Poor Auster being subjected to a bare bum!! We’re also busy with organising the Open Day to publicise the calendar at Earls Colne, only a few more weeks left now. All the display acts are confirmed & we now have quite a few ground items as well … should be good!

Sunday 26th April 2009

It’s good to be home! Mum decided that I needed waking up a bit so took me for a Stearman flight – brrrr it’s chilly up there in the open air!! Don’t tell Uncle Chris we went flying in Boeings Finest – without him!! Then Mum & I took Ian in the Harvard to join the rest of the Hardwick crew off to Headcorn for lunch. You have to be careful at Headcorn as it all goes on there – parachutists, aerobatics & lots of aircraft coming and going. Good job mum is such a good pilot – I just had my eyes closed LOL!! Early night for mum & me as we have a very important job to do in the morning ….

Saturday 25th April 2009

Travelled home today in a microlight (hmmm they’re different lol!!) – Grandad’s face was a picture when I got out!! We flew from Shipmeadown to Hardwick and I even took control (but of course!). It was great to be reunited with mum – I swear I saw a tear in her eye!! After that it was back to the Hardwick way of life … with 2 Mustang flights – yippee! I was lucky enough to go in both Janie & Marinell … and I have to confess to Janie being my favourite – well she is my namesake!!

Friday 24th April 2009

Final day here before going back to mum!! I have missed her so much, it will be so good to see her again. I really hope she likes her pressies I have brought her! Time to pack my bags ready for the trip to Hardwick!

Thursday 23rd April 2009

Nice relaxing day today (again - well a bear has to conserve her energy!!) – and time to sort out my stuff from Australia! Yes mum has been nagging me coz I still haven’t unpacked my bags – oops!! Anyway, all sorted now – mum has a big pile of washing from me when I get home (hee hee!!) – plus the pressies I brought back for her. Hope she likes them!! Also looked at the photos we took – wow! There are some amazing ones … wait until I show mum.

Wednesday 22nd April 2009

Mum & I have been busy today – emailing! Both each other & other potential sponsors … boy it’s hard work & the most annoying thing is that you never hear back from them .. grrr!!

Tuesday 21st April 2009

Relaxing day again – still trying to get back to normal from my trip – wonder where I can go next?? Russia looks interesting – wonder if I can get a trip there in the Yak??!!

Monday 20th April 2009

Yipee – feel bear-like again & back to normal! Mum has been busy working on the sponsors for the calendar & has now secured another sponsor – Earsham Hall. Clever mum, she has worked really hard getting these. We looked at Earsham Hall today – well it is the right thing to do! Wow – it’s a huge posh place … wonder if they’d let us have a bearfaced cheek party there?? Mum – what do you think?? Mum, mum where have you gone?? Sure it wouldn’t take much organising …. Mum!!!!!!

Sunday 19th April 2009

Jet lag day today – yuk! Mum really wanted me to help her with calendar stuff and planning for the Open Day at Earls Colne, but I was just so tired. Mum just gave up with me & let me sleep – but on the promise that I help her tomorrow. Ok mum, I promise!

Saturday 18th April 2009

Back in the UK & the long drive back home. Boy my body clock is so messed up I don’t know if I’m coming or going …. No time to do anything today!!

Friday 17th April 2009

Back on the Airbus A380 today to take us home to London Heathrow. Again I made such an impression on the crew that I was invited on the flightdeck again. My job was to turn on & off the seatbelt sign – I was told it was a very important job! I also had a look at their flight charts – they are so different to mums. Mum had lovely coloured charts that look very complicated with all the airspace and airfields on it- whereas these ones are just black & white – bizarre!! Spoke to mum today and she was really disappointed, Martyn & Dave have cancelled their photo shoot planned for today. Never mind, I expect they just wanted to rearrange to make sure that I would be there for the pictures – coz I’m sooooo popular!!!

16th April 09

Different aircraft for the flight from Sydney to Singapore – we went on a B744 – another really BIG aircraft … it makes Grandad’s P51 look tiny! It was actually really good to fly again, I’ve missed being in a cockpit! The Captain was really nice & made me quite welcome on the flight deck … in fact I think he was rather impressed with my flying experience – especially the P51s!! Mum was busy in the UK today as she was taking Rob Howarth’s pictures – I think she was disappointed that I couldn’t be in the pictures. But mum – that’s the trouble with being such a Superstar little bear – everybody wants a piece of me LOL!!

15th April 09

Last day today – we spent it relaxing around the hotel collecting those last few rays (before we head back to cloudy UK!). Spotted some Koalas around the hotel grounds, they were quite friendly but they do have some funny eating habits – they love eucalypts leaves! Strange creatures I’d much rather have a bowl of chips myself!! Well after my lovely stay in Australia it was time to head to the airport for the return flight to the UK.

14th April 09

It was our last full day in Oz today – can’t believe it, it has gone sooooo quickly. We made the most of it by going out sight seeing & taking loads of photos – can’t wait to show mum when we are back home. I bet she’ll love the pictures, especially since I’m in lots of them & she loves me!! Also went shopping to take some nice goodies home with me, now where can I fit this boomerang into my case??!!

13th April 09

Special day today as it is Grandad’s birthday – and I made sure I was a good little bear & I phoned home to wish him many happy returns! But it was rather odd having to wait until the evening to do it due to the time difference … I’m struggling to get my little head around that – how I can be up and enjoying the sun on the beach while mum & everyone else are tucked up in bed fast asleep!! Hope I don’t have jet lag when I get home!!

12th April 09

Easter Sunday today & a day of rest today (well it is a Sunday!!). I made good use of the time by relaxing by the pool in the sun and reading my book – ahh this really is the life! Why can’t we have weather like this in the UK … I’m fed up of the cold, the rain and the winds. Do you think mum would consider moving house so that we can enjoy this sort of weather all the time??! But it was rather strange eating my Easter Eggs on the beach & having a bbq!!

11th April 09

Ooohh not sure about today’s activity – Quad Biking – looks a bit rough to me! But actually it was really good fun – a classic example of not judging things until you have tried them! It was brilliant and I think I surprised everyone at good I was on them … well what do they expect?? I am a little Superstar bear who flies aircraft!!!

10th April 09

At last – a beach day – I thought this was what Australia was all about!! It was great watching all the guys surfing – they make it all look so easy, but think I’ll give it a miss – that salt water will play havoc with my fur!! Actually I think I might give the whole beach thing a miss next time …. that sand just gets EVERYWHERE!!!

9th April 09

Energetic day today – bike riding!! Wish I had longer legs coz my little paws just don’t reach the pedals! Thought I was going to have to be left behind – but female logic to the rescue & I manage to hitch a ride with one of the others … what a great way to see the scenery (without the pain of cycling – LOL!!)

 

8th April 09

Relaxing day today at the hotel. Everybody was fascinated with the hotel swimming pool & played in there loads. Well I was happiest relaxing in the sun … although it did get rather hot for me in my lovely fur coat!

7th April 09

Trip out to the Great Barrier Reef today – ooh I do like this country, there is so much to see & do & it’s all so different from home! I’m sure mum would like it out here … I’ll have to try & bring her out with me.

6th April 09

Scuba diving was planned for today, but I wasn’t too sure – I mean how will my fur cope with the water??! Ahhh but it was ok coz I found out that you get to wear a rubber suit – but then they struggled to find one my size. So in the end I decided to would supervise proceedings while they all went diving. It was rather nice just lying relaxing in the sun watching the world go by. But I did have to work a bit by being the photographer today … hope they came out ok!!

5th April 09

More tourist bits today as we went to the Sydney Harbour Bridge … now I’ve seen this on the internet when I was researching my trip out here! This is huge as well (is everything huge in Australia??!) and I found out that it was built by an English Company in 1932. I had my photo taken with this – as I guess everyone does!!

4th April 09

I was a real British tourist today as we went to see the Sydney Opera House. Oh wow – what an amazing place – it was huge! I found out that it was opened by our Queen back in 1973 – see I am a clever bear as well as looking good! It has got loads of different things inside – a theatre, a concert hall, gift shops (hee hee every girls dream – bit of retail therapy!), recording studio & 5 restaurants – mmmmm it was good exploring those more fully!! Well after all that I was glad to get to bed tonight!

3rd April 09

2nd stage of the journey today & we went on an Airbus A330 – still a big aircraft, but smaller than yesterday! We had a good flight from Singapore to Sydney (isn’t Australia a BIG country – it took ages to fly across it!) and now I’m in Oz …. G'day Cobber!!

2nd April 09

Yipee the big day is here & we’re off to Australia via Singapore. We went on a Airbus A380 … oooh that was the really BIG aircraft! But to a superstar bear like myself it was a piece of cake to fly – LOL! Yeah – as if the Captain was going to let me fly! Anyway it was a long flight to Singapore and I was glad to land & get to my bed.

1st April 09

I made sure I kept my head down today – didn’t want to get caught on any ‘April Fools’ pranks!! Also I had lots of packing to do for my 17 day tour to Australia – yippee!! Funny how many friends I have gained recently as they all want to squeeze into my suitcase for a trip to Oz!! I surprised myself at how little I packed for the trip – Firebear would be proud of me as he was commenting on how much luggage girls pack! Then it was off to Heathrow to get an early night for my trip tomorrow.