From: Gloria
To: Brenda Howe ; Rosalie Driscoll School ; Segboers ; Heather Nelson
Sent: Thursday, June 02, 2005 10:28 AM
Subject: Our boys

Good morning,

I just had a chat with Matt on MSN. It is early in the morning there and they are having a late night and stopped by a computer place close to their new place.

They spent Thursday night there but still have things at Karen’s. It is not right on the beach but is close. It is $150/week and they hope to keep it month to month depending on the job and money. I’m not sure if it is an apt or a motel type place. Forgot to ask.

I asked if it would pass our inspection and he said he thought so and it wasn’t too bad. It only takes one bus to get to work. No transfers.

Not sure when they will be home. Especially if they keep working. He reassured me that everything was going great and all 3 were fine.

Was windy there and I’m sure they will be sleeping in.

Gloria

From: Staal, Karen
To: heather@truol.com
Sent: Wednesday, June 01, 2005 3:17 PM

Hi Heather,

Hope you are well!

Here are some pictures of the boys at the Zoo.

Regards

Karen

From: "Heather Nelson"
To : "Tracy & Rick \(Travis\) Segboer" ,"Rosalie & Brad \(Adam\) Driscoll" , "Gloria & Peter \(Matt\) Schwindt" , "Brenda & David \(Christie\) Howe" , "Heather \(Clay Haughian\) Nelson" , "Schwindt- At Home"
Date : Mon, 30 May 2005 11:55:44 -0600
Subject : The Boys

Clay called this morning at 7:15. Said the boys have rented a furnished "place" at Manly Bay (I believe). Sounds like they are putting down roots. When waiting for the ferry to get there, they watched as another huge ferry, unable to brake, crash into the dock. The boys found it humorous. No one was seriously injured.

Said the work was going okay, if they got done by 2:00 they are still able to surf. Apparently Karen lent them some "old school" wet suits to surf in. Waiting for pictures of that! Clay said we will be receive lots of pictures soon.

The boys had a "big weekend", (that is Australian for party weekend) with Karen and her parents.

Life is rough isn't it?!
Heather

From: Gloria
To: Segboers ; Heather Nelson ; Rosalie Driscoll School ; Brenda Howe ; Rosalie Driscoll
Sent: Thursday, May 26, 2005 9:06 AM
Subject: About the boys

Good morning,

I called Karen’s yesterday at 6:30pm just to leave a message on her answering machine to have Matt call sometime about their new jobs.

Travis answered the phone and they were just on their way out the door. It was around 10:30am there and they didn’t have to work that day so they were going surfing. The job is easy. They just load steel on to a truck when they are told to and wait for the next load. They are not guaranteed work for 5 days a week, just when they are need. This week was Mon, Tues and got to leave early on Wed and don’t know about Friday. That was ok with them. They are making around $15/hr again but had to go on payroll, so there will be deductions. Matt said they couldn’t pay 3 guys cash, maybe one.

Everything was great. No plans on coming home soon if they continue to work. The weather was still nice enough to surf, but not as hot as a month ago. If they stay for a few more months and get over the winter, it will start getting hot again. They are doing well without a vehicle because the train takes them everywhere they need to go. They don’t have much for news these days but is still nice to talk to them
Gloria

From: "Heather Nelson"
To : "Tracy & Rick \(Travis\) Segboer" ,"Rosalie & Brad \(Adam\) Driscoll" , "Gloria & Peter \(Matt\) Schwindt" , "Brenda & David \(Christie\) Howe" , "Heather \(Clay Haughian\) Nelson" , "Schwindt- At Home"
Date : Fri, 20 May 2005 10:25:32 -0600
Subject : Phone Call

Clay called last night, the second time in two days so I was sure something was wrong. But apparently not, everything is just fine. The boys start a new job on Monday, Clay wasn't sure what they would be doing or how much they would get paid but said it was a steel company. The job site is not too far from Karen's and they can take a short train ride to get there.

When he called the other day, he said they were still surfing, I asked how they got to the beach, he said by train, surf boards and all. He said they walked a short distance each morning with their surf boards, down a little street of shops to catch the train and now everyone on the street and the shop owners know the kids and greet them with "good morning boys!".

Life is too good!
Heather

From: Gloria
To: Heather Nelson ; Segboers
Sent: Friday, May 13, 2005 9:04 AM
Subject: latest pics

Hi Heather,

Just looking at the website this morning, Are those pictures really of the boys surfing? Pretty cool.
Do you know of anyway to make the pictures larger?
Matt called yesterday and the night before at 2am . Wanted to know about using the credit card for some sporting event they want to go to.
They are safe and sound at Karens. She is close to the bus route so they can pretty much get to any place they need. They sound good and are still getting a job somewhere. Thinking about maybe going to Perth , but would have to fly so they need more money.
Adam and Christie got together last night for the first time since they’ve been home. Sounded like they were having a fun evening.

Gloria

From: Gloria
To: 'Heather Nelson' ; Segboers
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2005 8:42 AM
Subject: RE: Our Kids

Matt called last Thursday and again on Sunday. 2 times in one week was great. He said they were heading to Sydney but I didn’t think it was going to be that soon. Pretty much the same as Clay. The shark encounter was quite something. Even though they weren’t great whites, it sounded like it was quite intense for a while. I love to hear stories about their adventures, but I can do without these ones. I wonder how they will do without a car? Maybe they will be home soon to get ready for their next journey, where ever that may be.

Gloria

From: Heather Nelson
To: Tracy & Rick (Travis) Segboer ; Rosalie & Brad (Adam) Driscoll ; Gloria & Peter (Matt) Schwindt ; Brenda & David (Christie) Howe ; Heather (Clay Haughian) Nelson ; Schwindt- At Home
Sent: Monday, May 09, 2005 3:56 PM
Subject: Our Kids

Just got off the phone with Clay (belated Happy Mother's Day). Said they sold the car for $500 and are getting on the bus at 4:00 AM for the 10 hour bus ride to Sydney.(Heard the surf was really good). They are going to try and get work through the labor pool. Have been in touch with Karen. Says they are all happy and healthy. Asked when they are coming home, said depended on the job situation.

Had called also last Friday, told a story about seeing fins in the water while surfing, they thought shark of course, turned out to be dolphins, close enough to touch. A few days later had the same experience with the fins but this time it was sharks.

My apologies for the web site being down, upgrading security and now have a huge mess. Should be available soon.

Heather

From: The Segboers
To: Heather & Gerry Nelson ; Brenda & David Howe ; Brad & Rosalie ; Peter &Gloria ; Rose & Brad Driscoll
Sent: Sunday, May 01, 2005 5:00 PM
Subject: OZ

Hi to all,

Just to let you know Trav called last night. They are at Balina (?) just south of Byron Bay. It is a long weekend there and the campgrounds are full. The surf is supposed to be smaller at Balina. It was quite big at Byron Bay. The tenting was a little uncomfortable so they went and bought blow-up mattresses. This is a bit better. It sounds like they are going to bed fairly early at night as they are up at 7:00 ish each morning. They are eating well even if they don't get free lettuce anymore.

Tracy

From: Heather Nelson
To: Gloria ; Segboers
Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2005 4:13 PM
Subject: Re: The boys

Clay called Sunday night. Said everyone was sad to see them leave the lettuce farm and they had a big party. The owner Anne took them to her mansion and Peter (the foreman?) said that was the first time that any back packers had been invited to the house. They also went horse back riding, which wasn't to Clay's fancy, the horse was "too big and too tall". Anne again told the boys they were the most polite and respectable back packers she had ever had on her farm. Makes us Mom's ( and Dad's) kinda proud of our boys!

Heather

From: Gloria
To: Segboers ; Heather Nelson
Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2005 4:01 PM
Subject: The boys

Hi,

I talked to Matt on msn last night. He’s so glad to be finished in the lettuce fields. They are camping at Byron Bay and enjoying it. They are still looking for work but at their leisure. They are not ready to come home yet so they can stay longer if they get a job. They will file their income tax return after they return to Canada and are definitely finished working in Aust. They’ve come to the conclusion that the refund will not be available to spend there. The weather was cloudy and cool yesterday.

He will call when they need to book their flight home but that won’t be for a while and depends on the job situation. That was it.
Take care
Gloria

From: "Matthew Schwindt"
To: gschwindt@hotmail.com
Subject: RE: Hi
Date: Fri, 22 Apr 2005 06:27:03 +0000

hey mommy.
well we are officaly done at the lettuce farm. today was are last day. so now we are off to byron bay to camp at a place called broken head for about 2 weeks. we didnt make as much money on the farm as we thought we would. the taxes are just to much. we ended up maken about $5000 each. so that will enough for us to stay here for a nother 4 months. saaaaaaaaaaa just kidding. haha we only made about $1020 each. so that means we are off to byron bay for about 2 weeks to camp and surf and then it is up in the air after that. so we might be comen home in like a little over a month if we cant find a nother job. and we arnt going to do the lettuce or fruit picken anymore. just to much time and we are here to travel not to work. so how are things at home. i bet the same old, hows dad and sarah. and i was just wondering how chad hornburger is doing. well just e mial me back when you get this.

love matt

From: "clay haughian"
To:
Sent: Friday, April 22, 2005 12:47 AM
Subject: hey mom here are some more pics

these are pictures from byron bays broken head beach and the lettice farm trav at the vic hishlops shark mussem and then the farm there is the planter and a harvester love ya lots talk to u soon hope they all work if not right me back
love ya
clay

From: Heather Nelson
To: Gloria ; Tracy & Rick (Travis) Segboer
Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2005 11:13 AM
Subject: Re: any new news?

Thanks for the info and taking care of our boy. It surely has been a wake up call for Clay, we just hope he remembers what he learned when he comes home (i.e. how to budget)!

Haven't heard anything new. Missed a call from him on Saturday night and his e-mails are very vague. My feeling is that he doesn't want to commit to a date to come home cuz he is having too much fun.

I have asked him over and over to get a camera and get some more pictures but I don't think he has done that yet. Then there is the issue of his hair................... a "coif" only a Mother could love!

Heather

From: Gloria
To: Heather Nelson ; Segboers Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2005 10:56 AM
Subject: any new news?

Hi,

Matt called last Wednesday, but not a lot of news. The lettuce thing is getting pretty old and they hope to be done soon. They are quite concerned about the income tax that is being deducted from their cheques and are not making as much money as they hoped. He emailed Monday to ask more tax questions on claiming clothes on their tax return. I did call the Australian tax dept and it is a mandatory 29% tax deduction so if they are taking 40% they should be getting a refund but one never knows.

I gave Matt the toll free number and address in Brisbane and said it would be better to write down all their questions and either go to the office or call and keep any receipts they may have for clothes. I hope they do that. I think the refund they may get will be received about 6 weeks after they file, any they will probably be home by then, so they should forget about using that money there. They can make application to file early, which is anytime before June 30, but if they plan on working anywhere else, they need to wait anyway. More reality for them to deal with. I also reminded them that they need to plan their date to come home at least 2 weeks before because of seat availability and how much money they have left. He still thinks they will be there for a couple more months.

The pictures are great. We love to look at them each day. I hope to hear from him again this weekend.

That’s all for now.

Gloria

From: Staal, Karen
To: heather@truol.com
Sent: Monday, April 04, 2005 7:11 PM

Hi Heather,
Please find attached a picture of Christie just before she left Summer Hill for the long flight home.

Hope all is well!

Take Care
Karen

From: "clay haughian"
To:
Sent: Saturday, April 02, 2005 6:47 PM
Subject: hey

hey there mom havn't talked to ya in a while how are things goin? lettice pickin is goin good there is rodeo we are all goin to go to this next week so it should be good i was also goin to say that adam is in the shu shwap and should be home soon on monday i think like tomorrow.
k

love ya clay

From:
To: "The Segboers"
Cc: "Heather & Gerry Nelson" ; "Brad & Rosalie" ; "Peter &Gloria" ; "Rose & Brad Driscoll"
Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2005 12:23 AM
Subject: Re:

Hi Everyone - Yes Christie is home!!!! She arrived Tuesday night very tired but also very happy to see everyone. Jeremy(her boyfriend) was the lucky one that picked her up from the airport, and her brother and his girlfriend met them at the airport for the welcome home. I gave Jeremy strict instructions that he had to have my daughter home 2.25 hrs after picking her up and true to form he had her here on time. It was so nice to see her. I think we should get together with Adam and all the mom's and dad's and let the kids share with us some of the fun that they had. Christie says she sure misses the boys (seeing as she fit right in with them). Karen was once again wonderful as she and Christie spent her last night down below having a feast of Thai food and wine and enjoying each others company. Many friendships have been made and will carry on for years to come. Talk to you soon.

Brenda

From: The Segboers
To: Heather & Gerry Nelson ; Brenda & David Howe ; Brad & Rosalie ; Peter &Gloria ; Rose & Brad Driscoll
Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2005 6:50 PM

Hi to all,

I talked to Travis on the weekend also. All seems well since they bought the battery and he got his debit card I mailed to Brian's place.
They had loads of fun at the BBQ with the workers from the lettuce farm. I am a little concerned about their diet and asked whether they are eating fruits and vegetables (they need Christie). The reply was "we get free lettuce Mom".

Brian is leaving for Oman on April 6 and said the boys could stay at his place. It doesn't sound like they are going to but at least it is an option.

They haven't bought a camera yet so that might be the last of the photos. You never know they may surprise us!!

Welcome home Christie ... hope to see you soon.

Take care
Tracy

From: "Gloria"
To: "Heather Nelson" ; "Rosalie Driscoll School" ; "Brenda Howe" ; "Rosalie Driscoll" ; "Segboers"
Sent: Monday, March 28, 2005 2:42 PM
Subject: Easter in Brisbane

We called Matt yesterday. They were helping Brian paint and were finishing the kitchen. Brian said things were going very well. I reminded him that the boys were not professionals and he said he wasn't either and was happy with the work. He sounded very calm and patient. They had been out earlier and bought a battery for the car,which is working well, had lunch and were back to painting. The plan is to work for 3 more cheques. He thought they were paid by direct deposit every two weeks. Work was getting easier and liked to plant the lettuce rather than pick it. Once they make their millions they were going to find a place by the beach and surf for around 3 months. Brians knew of a few little towns that might be nice that not a lot of people know about. If not, Manley Beach by Sydney might be the place to be. They seemed to like it there. One lesson learned is that they know they need to be more money conscious than they were when they arrived. Sounds like money management is one of life's lessons they have begun to learn. Must have got tired of peanut butter! He just wanted to know how the Hurricanes were doing and what the weather was like. Has his sniffles and cough back again. All was well. The trip back to Toowoomba was around 2 hours on a 4 lane highway so that was nice to hear. That was about it.

Hope to see Christie soon!!

Gloria

From: "Gloria"
To: "Heather Nelson" ; "Rosalie Driscoll School" ; "Brenda Howe" ; "Rosalie Driscoll" ; "Segboers"
Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2005 1:15 PM
Subject: Finally... a phone call

Hi Matt called last night about 12:30am. It was good to hear his voice. It has probably been 3 weeks since we talked last.

The 3 of them had just got home from work in the lettuce field at Toowamba is inland a bit. They are up at around 4:00-4:30 and get a truck ride to the field which takes about an hour. They work for 10 hours and head back home. He says its not rocket science and it is a long days work but $15/hr is good. They are able to stay at a house there for $15/day which is taken directly off their cheque and they are eating for really cheap, around $5/day. Probably not the healthiest though. He was living on peanut butter and jam sandwiches for a while because he had no money. They also get 3 days off for Easter and are planning on going to Brians in Brisbane and help him paint.

The car needs a new battery and they are too cheap to buy a new one for $50 so they boost it each time they use the car. I told him they should rethink their strategy as they could get into a bind somewhere.

He really loved the sailing and Great Barrier Reef. They actually have some under water pictures of snorkeling and surfing that they will bring home with them.

I asked when he thought they would be home and he said in 3-4 months. They hope to work for 6 weeks and make a few thousand dollars each and get a place on the beach in Manly(?) which is just north of Sydney?. Unless they find another cool place along the way. They wanted around Surfers Paradise or especially Byron Bay but they are just too expensive. Sounds like they are making plans with their Canadian friends to rent a houseboat this summer, probably in BC. for a week or two, so Matt wants to be back for that.

Christie had already left with the 2 girls. They will miss Christie and Adam. It sounded like they were really happy getting these jobs or they may have been on their way home also. All is well. It is the first time I have talked to him and he didn't sound like he had a cold anymore.

That's about it. We chatted about our holiday and family and stuff. He doesn't sound like he misses Canada a whole lot yet. It helps that they have internet and msn to keep in touch with friends.

Happy Easter
Gloria

From: Heather Nelson
To: Schwindt- At Home ; Heather (Clay Haughian) Nelson ; Brenda & David (Christie) Howe ; Gloria & Peter (Matt) Schwindt ; Rosalie & Brad (Adam) Driscoll ; Tracy & Rick (Travis) Segboer
Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2005 10:04 AM
Subject: Finally Heard from Clay

Clay called at 12:30 AM today, apologized for the time but said he doesn't have time to call when he used to because of the JOB. The 3 boys are "lettuce pickers", $15/hour, 10 hours a day. They get up at 4:00 am and catch a ride to the work area to start work at 5:00 AM. It was apparently very hard on their holiday-bodies but are now getting used to it. Clay said sometimes they even plant lettuce which is much easier.

They all stay at the farmhouse ( a great way to save money according to Clay) and get meals and accommodations there, for only $15/day each. The money is deducted from their paycheques, they are paid daily by direct deposit, so the boys had to open up an Australian bank account. They chose to do a joint account, I'm not sure under what name...the 3 Musketeers, Huey, Duey and Luey, or maybe Curly, Larry and Moe???

Anne, the lady that owns the farm wasn't really excited about hiring transients, she said they do not have good work ethics, but apparently she is really impressed with our Canadian boys, their work habit and their manners! (Yes, our boys!)

The kids miss Adam and Christie and wished they could have stayed longer. The car doesn't start but Brian gave them something to boost it anytime they need to use it.

This weekend, the boys get some time off and they are going to Brian's to paint his house and then go surfing or watch surfing. Clay is really happy their holiday is not being cut short because of lack of finances. I think the kids have really grown up and matured alot in the short time they have been away from their parents.

Happy Easter Everyone.

Heather

From: rosalie driscoll
To: brenda ; Gloria ; Heather
Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2005 9:34 PM
Subject: Home Sweet Home

Adam arrived safe and sound today. He has long hair, a full beard and is very tanned (which of course he is rubbing in). He actually lost a few pounds, must be that liquid diet. He has a lot of wonderful pictures. We should all get together so he can tell the stories that go with them. He talked a mile a minute and had lots to tell. He had the best time and said it was very hard to leave his friends. He said a day did not go bye that his stomach didn't hurt from all the laughter. They are all going to have such great memories. Let me know if you all want to get together.

Rosalie

From:
To: "Heather" ; "Rosalie" ; "Gloria" ; "Tracy"
Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2005 10:22 AM
Subject: Christie's coming home

Hi everyone - I don't think my first e-mail came through but I wanted to let everyone know that Christie is coming home March 29th. When she phoned the airline the only options given to her were March 29th or April 15th. Just some advice to Matt, Travis and Clay that if they want to change their date to come home they should do it a few weeks before they want to leave so they don't end up getting stuck over there with no money. It was hard to say goodbye to Adam but she said to let him know that she will phone him when she gets home. Christie is spending three more days with the boys (sad about that) and then she and they girls (Selma and Julie) will be heading for Surfers Paradise for a few days. From there they will be heading to a place close to Sydney for a few more days. Christie is going to phone Karen to see if she can stay there for the last few days before her flight.

That's all for now, will keep you posted.

Brenda

From: Staal, Karen
To: heather@truol.com
Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2005 4:06 PM

Hi Heather,

Just wanted to let you know I had a surprise knock at my door on Tuesday. I wasn’t going to answer the door as I never usually do (stranger danger!). Lucky I did, as there was a young bearded Canadian with an Aussie Golden Tan standing at my door armed with a backpack and surfboard. So Adam arrived safely back to Sydney after what was a long journey back down the coast. The last 2 months sounds like it has been a lot of fun with some funny stories to tell.

Adam left this morning and headed for the Airport in his green VB shirt (Aussie beer). I don’t think he is ready to go home, but at the same time is looking forward to seeing everyone. And St Pat’s Day celebration seems motivating.

Please find attached some pictures of Adam at the opera House last night!

Cheers
Karen Staal

From: "clay haughian"
To:
Sent: Tuesday, March 15, 2005 11:38 PM
Subject: woooo hoooo

hey we got work for sho now on sunday in towoomba picking lettice but we are just checking a place a little closer to nossa but we do have work now that is cool. so any ways don't work to much and we might also get work digging trench here in nossa we are just waiting for a guy we met to get the details

love ya clay

From: "clay haughian"
To:
Sent: Tuesday, March 15, 2005 4:08 PM
Subject: shit

hey mom we are back i nossa heads we have been on a 2 day rip down the coast lookin for work. we missed the fruit pickin in bundaberg it doesn't pick up agian till the next three to four weeks so we are mad scrabling for a job right now maybe we wil be home sooner that we thought witch would really suck any way its 7 hear so i'm goin to go get ready to go look agian

love ya
clay

From: driscollr
To: Heather Clay ; Brenda Howe ; Gloria Schwindt ; Tracy Segboer
Sent: Tuesday, March 15, 2005 3:17 PM
Subject: Sydney

Hello Everyone!
Adam called me from the Sydney Airport last night. It was a verrrrry long ride on the bus to Brisbane but he had a good sleep. He got a hold of Karen (thanks so much Karen!) and was staying at her house last night. He said the goodbyes were very hard (actually he said they sucked). They had a big party the night before he left, the girls wrote a poem and the boys sang it to him. The crew was leaving Airlie Beach and heading to a town inland from Hervey to pick fruit for a few weeks. He thought Christie may head to Melbourne. It seems like the plans change daily. It sounds like we will have hundreds of pictures, hopefully some of kangaroos and the sights although the party pictures are pretty great too.

Bye for now,
Rosalie

From: rosalie driscoll
To: brenda ; Gloria ; Heather ; Segboer
Sent: Saturday, March 12, 2005 10:02 AM
Subject: MSN

Good Morning,

I saw Adam on msn last night and we had a nice chat. He was calling me Masha which I found out means mother! He is leaving Airlie Beach on the 14th by bus and will arrive in Brisbane at 6:00am on the 15th then flys out at 2:00 pm to Sydney for a few days. He will take city transit from the bus to the airport. The boys were out looking for work. They want to work in Airlie for a few weeks then head south. Christie was hanging out with the girls. He said it is sooooo fun in Airlie. They were burning another 250 pictures so we will soon have lots to look at. They can't swim in the ocean but there is a outdoor pool called the lagoon were they hang out. That's all for now.

Rosalie

From: rosalie driscoll
To: Heather ; brenda ; Gloria ; Segboer
Sent: Friday, March 11, 2005 12:26 PM
Subject: 6 more days

Adam is NOT ready to come home and is already planning another trip! He called on Wednesday and said the boat trip was amazing. They swam with stringrays and saw all kinds of fish. There were 30 people on the boat and of course that evening there were drinking games. Our group got free beer for being the craziest. They have a couple of free nights at Koala Resorts (bonus card I think). They were off to see some sharks and walk the harbour. There room in Airlie Beach had their own tv and air conditioning. They had 2 girls they met stay with them as the room slept 7. I'm not sure what Adam is doing, he said he was going to take the bus from Airlie Beach to Brisbane (15 hours) as the rest of the group might go to work. Then it sounded like they were all going to drive back to Brisbane. I found a flight for Adam to Brisbane for $35 but as of a short email last night he says he is taking the bus.?? Hoping he calls tonight as the bus he said he is taking arrives in Brisbane at 7:00 am and he flys out of Brisbane at 2:00 to go to Sydney. This is all on the 15. He wanted a couple of days in Sydney and then he flys home on the 17th. I guess they will figure it out.
Does anyone else have any news?

Rosalie

From: "clay haughian"
To:
Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2005 5:49 PM

hey there mom we are still in arlie beach and we had just found out that we can get a job on the harbour being like a deck hand or somthin like that sanding boats. i miss u and o ya we have been workin for the hostel handing out flyers so we get 1 meal a day and a free night every day we do it and it takes about 3 hours but any way love ya lots and i do miss u

love clay

From: Staal, Karen
To: Heather Nelson
Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2005 9:06 PM
Subject: RE: The Kids

Hi Heather,

Glad to hear everything is ok. I must admit I was a little worried about the cyclone too. They graded it a 5 over 300km then to a grade 4, then to grade 3 and then back to a grade 4 (weathermen always have trouble with their forecasts). I believe it hit the very North remote Tip of Australia of Oz but suppose will see on the news tonight.

I can’t quite work out where there are as the only Adelaide I know is the very South of Australia.

Great to hear from you!

Regards
Karen

From: Heather Nelson
To: Staal, Karen
Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2005 11:06 AM
Subject: The Kids

No worries...Christie called her Mom this morning, said everything was fine and wonderful except her itchy arms. They were at Adelaide(?) and hadn't heard anything about the storm. Said the catamaran was great, the scenery is beautiful.

Thanks anyway and we all hope to get to meet you some day!
Heather

From: Heather Nelson
To: Staal, Karen
Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2005 8:48 AM
Subject: The Kids

Hi Karen;

We all miss talking to you and of course the pictures that you so generously sent the parents.
Yesterday we heard disturbing news about a cyclone going to hit the NE portion of Australia. Do you know anything about it, or how severe it is? None of us have heard from the kids for a few days so we are all worried. Is there any chance you can reach them on their cell phone and find out what their plans are and where they are and then e-mail us back?

Sorry to bother you, it's really a "Mom thing".

Take care.
Heather (Clay's Mom)

From:
To: "Heather" ; "Rosalie" ; "Gloria" ; "Tracy"
Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 10:14 PM

Hi everyone - Yes Christie has called as well. Said she is feeling better, not so itchy and starting to scab over. Said the helicopter ride was great and the hospital treated her very well. Is very excited about the Great Barrier Reef trip and will call again after the trip. Talk to you soon.
Brenda

From: rosalie driscoll
To: brenda ; Gloria ; Heather ; Segboer
Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 4:54 PM
Subject: Fleas

Hi All,
Brenda if it helps any or makes you feel a little better, Adam also had flea bites mostly on his legs. He said they were itchy but nothing like Christie's bed bugs. I bet she is checking everywhere now with a fine tooth comb! Adam has called a few times and had the same words as Clay. He said Fraser was amazing, better than any postcard. The water was so blue and the sand pure white. I'm glad they are appreciating everything. Now I hear they are off on a boat in the Great Barrier Reef. Then it sounds like they will make there way back to Brisbane for my boy to head home and everyone else to get work. That's all for now, I'm sure we'll here from them after the Great Barrier Reef Excursion.
Rosalie

From: Heather Nelson
To: Tracy & Rick (Travis) Segboer ; Rosalie & Brad (Adam) Driscoll ; Gloria & Peter (Matt) Schwindt ; Brenda & David (Christie) Howe ; Heather (Clay Haughian) Nelson
Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 2:16 PM
Subject: CHristie

The poor girl! Clay called last night and said that Christie was back with them and she was doing a whole lot better. He felt so sorry for her and there was nothing really the boys could do. He said the helicopter ride for her to the hospital was "only" $60.00 but said Christie was lucky cuz she would be able to take pictures of the island from in the air.

They have been having quite the experiences with 4 X 4 ing, sliding down sand dunes into fresh water lakes, listening and waking up to dingoes in their camp, meeting lots of new people....... They saw some beautiful scenery, and it must have been spectacular for Clay to say " it was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen" and he wasn't talking about a girl.

Money is definitely an issue. Clay said he needs to find work right away, he has overdrafted every account he possibly can. He talked about picking fruit, a nasty job but it paid pretty well.

The temperature averages about 38 degrees C. and he says the hardest the wind blows is 7 kms/hour. They are going to try to catch the end of a surfing competition and then also take in some motocross event.

On his birthday the kids went to some pub apparently and pretended they were "native Canadians" and talked like them all night. I asked if anyone got what they were doing, and he said the other Canadians did!

Clay said to say hi to everyone, they are all fine now.
Heather

From:
To: "Heather" ; "Rosalie" ; "Gloria" ; "Tracy"
Sent: Saturday, March 05, 2005 5:26 PM
Subject: Fleas and Bed bugs

Hi Moms - Well its been quite a rollercoaster the last few days. Thought I had better send an e-mail to let you know what's been happening to my poor girl. Well, first off when the kids were at Brian's place there was a 3 month old kitten that Brian's renter had just got. Christie of course was in her glory and snuggled it and I believe slept with it. She woke up the next morning with fleas (much to the boys delight) but took the teasing quite well. I sent her to the pharmacy for some soap and lotion to try to get rid of the little devils.

Then the kids headed up to Hervey Bay and the Koala Hostel. They were given a room and went to bed (Christie's bed was up against the wall and the boys had bunk beds). She woke up early in the morning and thought it must be her imagination that she could feel bugs crawling on her, however, she got up and her arms were covered with bed bug bites. Off to the main desk she went and was told that she must of had them when she got there (I don't think that went over too well). When they pulled the bed away from the wall there was a HUGE infestation that they think must have been there for a couple of weeks at least. After a very tearful phone call home they were moved to a clean room (for free) and she spent the day showering and washing every piece of clothing and bedding she owned.

The next day they were off to Fraser Island and by mid afternoon she was in quite a bit of pain and not feeling well. One of the other travellers had some Percocet type of pain killer and gave her some to use along with an antihistamine. That night she woke up a 2:00 in extreme pain and another girl that was staying in the tent with them was going to go get her some water but when they unzipped the tent there was a dingo about 2 feet away. When she got up in the morning she couldn't stand the pain and her hands and feet were swollen. There was no doctor on the island and the only way off was for a helicopter to come for her so she was taken by helicopter directly to the hospital in Hervey Bay. When the nurse saw her she couldn't believe it(I think her words were "Oh Shit") and she was taken straight in to the doctor. What he explained to her was that because she had so many bites that the saliva injected when bitten caused inflammation in her body and that was what was causing so much pain. (She even has bites between her toes). Antihistamines wouldn't work because it was not an allergic reaction so she was put on steroids to reduce inflammation. She had to pay up front for the doctor visit(160.00) and for her to stay in the hospital would have been one to two thousand dollars so she went back to the hostal for the night. I haven't heard from her since the morning after the doctor visit (the day the boys were due back) so I'm anxious for her to call.

I told her to get back to the hospital if she didn't have some improvement after the second dose of steroids. Well Heather, Christie was sure Clay would be the first one to go to the hospital but she was wrong. I'll keep you all posted when I hear more.
Brenda (the sad mom)

From: "Gloria"
To: "Heather Nelson" ; "Rosalie Driscoll School" ; "Brenda Howe" ; "Rosalie Driscoll" ; "Segboers"
Sent: Friday, March 04, 2005 10:18 AM
Subject: News

Hi everyone,
I was just thinking today how few messages there have been with the kids since the beginning. Not a lot of news these days. Matt called the other day to say it was time to transfer money into his account. The bank machine only gave him $7. They were at Noosa? and again having a great time. Still hot and was looking forward to the trip to Cairns. Brian was not able to make it to Fraser Island. When they are done traveling he thought they might pick fruit somewhere. He mentioned maybe going to New Zealand at a later date and after working a bit. A friend of theirs from Ft Mac is supposed to be there in a while. That was it. Short and sweet. That's a good thing because he ends up calling collect each time at around $2.50/min. Oh well, that's the price we pay to hear their sweet voices.
Gloria

From: rosalie driscoll
To: brenda ; Gloria ; Heather ; Segboer
Sent: Saturday, February 26, 2005 6:57 PM
Subject: One picture

One is better than none! I caught him on msn just a few minutes ago. They are going surfing then celebrating Clay's Birthday. Off to Fraser tomorrow. The hostel they are staying in is called Koala Beach Resort. He sent 2 pictures but one was a duplicate. He saw a dolphin when he was surfing. Sounds like it will be quite the party tonight, I said isn't every night!!!?
Rosalie

From:
To: "rosalie driscoll" ; "Heather" ; "Gloria" ; "Tracy"
Sent: Saturday, February 26, 2005 4:58 PM
Subject: Re: New News

Hi all - Christie called this morning. Absolutly loved the supper that Brian treated them to (even ate cooked broccoli and loved it!!!!!). She is very excited about going to Fraser Island - said it sounds like it will be very cool. Still very very hot and thinks she'll be cold this summer when back in Canada. Money is still OK for her but she is starting to price shop for groceries and things like that (could that really be MY daughter?). All seem well and happy.
Brenda

From: rosalie driscoll
To: brenda ; Gloria ; Heather ; Segboer
Sent: Friday, February 25, 2005 12:08 PM
Subject: New News

Hi Everyone,
Haven't heard from anyone for a few days so I thought I would let you know what I have heard. Adam called and said Brians place is really nice and it has been very hot. They went to a community rec. centre and swam and played ping pong. There was a going home party for Logan (from Foremost) at a hostel just a 20 min. walk from Brians, of course they said it was a blast. Brian took them out for a wonderful supper and they had a type of shellfish you can only get in Brisbane. THANKS BRIAN! They have been surfing on 3 ft waves and they only shower every couple of days ( I bet Christie showers more!). A couple of cool facts, tips are not expected but they tipped this one bartender and a big cow bell was rung! Australia has no pennies, so Adam is sure he is losing money (cheap, cheap!) The bats are very big, 2 ft long right in Brisbane and they did see a bunch of Kangaroos on the side of a road. They see possums and he thinks they are treated like our squirrels here. Brian took them to a natural arch and a waterfall, they swam in the pool of water and also went to a town called Nimbin. Yesterday they were heading to Noose Head and then will meet Brian to go to Fraiser Isalnd. They are heading to Cairns from there. If they run out of time Adam can fly from Cairns to Sydney for $109.00. All seems great!

Rosalie

From: "Gloria"
To: "Heather Nelson" ; "Rosalie Driscoll School" ; "Brenda Howe" ; "Rosalie Driscoll" ; "Segboers"
Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2005 11:31 AM

Hi everyone,
Talk to Matt on Friday and msn last evening and read an email this morning that he sent yesterday. Hasn't got a job yet but admitted he's not looking to hard. Is thinking of construction but the heat is an issue. Funds are getting low but still manageable. He is finding that he is getting 'tight' with his money. Great at Brian's. Also informed us they were going cliff jumping. Maybe they should leave those parts out for our benefit. I told him I thought they should head up to Cairns with Adam and then decide where they want to work. I don't think that another week will really matter. He is anxious to get his income tax back, but we don't even have his T4 yet so we could maybe give him an advance and we would keep his check when it came in. I don't want to stir things up with all of them but would like to see them get different working experience than working in a city of millions. Maybe in a little surfing town or something. We understand that the kids are back in school now after their summer vacation, so getting a job may be a bit easier in the small centers. Just a thought.
All is really well. Thought he might phone tonight to talk more about money.
Same old words....awesome, wow, sweet.
Talk to you soon.
Gloria

From: rosalie driscoll
To: brenda ; Gloria ; Heather ; Segboer
Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2005 11:13 AM
Subject: News

Hi Everyone,
We talked to Adam on Friday night and all is well, they are still having a great time, of course. He emailed last night and said he wants to head north asap, maybe Saturday after Clays birthday. He's not sure if he is on his own or not, they were going to talk about it last night and figure things out. The last few days have been a blast. They are with Brian and went to Burleigh Heads and surfed. They also went to the university and played tennis and basketball. Yesterday they were heading inland with Brian to the natural arch and to do some hiking and maybe (hold your breath)... cliff jumping!!! That's all the news I have. Stay in touch.
Rosalie

From: Heather Nelson
To: Tracy & Rick (Travis) Segboer ; Rosalie & Brad (Adam) Driscoll ; Gloria & Peter (Matt) Schwindt ; Brenda & David (Christie) Howe ; Heather (Clay Haughian) Nelson
Sent: Monday, February 21, 2005 12:02 PM
Subject: Phone Call

Clay called Friday, 6:00PM our time, which means it was pretty early in Australia. Finances are definitely and issue for him, he will have to get a job SOON! As per the last report he said the karaoke was a riot and they met alot of Canadians because of it. He said when they sang the "Friends in Low Places" all the Canadians started to sing it too! What an experience to be the "Canadian Idols" but in Australia! I'm sure they did Garth Brooks proud! The painting of the Laser has started, anxiously awaiting pictures. Said everyone was fine.

One other time Clay called at what would have been a very early hour in the morning for him. I asked what he was doing up so early, he said to go surfing but now it was actually later than when he had been going. Apparently, someone told him the sharks feed really early in the morning, so he thought he would start surfing a little later! Just what a parent needs to hear!
Heather

From: rosalie driscoll
To: brenda ; Gloria ; Heather ;Segboer
Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2005 10:12 PM
Subject: Fw:Pics

Some of these pictures are kind of scary (ha ha). Travis must be the photographer as I don't see him. Adam sent about 10 more but my mail box was full (darn!). I emailed him so hopefully he can send them again. I talked to him on Msn last night. They are in Brisbane staying at the Brisbane City Backpackers Hostel. They may go to Fraser with Brian, if not some are going to start working. They did Kareokee and people were cheering and screaming for them. They sang, what else but ..., I've Got Friends in Low Places. He said it was sooo much fun. I will send the rest the minute I receive them. Bye for now, keep in touch.
Rosalie

From:
To: "Heather Nelson" Cc: "Tracy & Rick (Travis) Segboer" ; "Rosalie & Brad (Adam) Driscoll" ; "Gloria & Peter (Matt) Schwindt" ; "Heather (Clay Haughian) Nelson"
Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2005 10:16 AM
Subject: Re: News

Hi - Christie did call the other night. Not much news. She was going shopping (the boys were quite disgusted) with one of the girls that the kids have hooked up with. Should be on their way to Brisbane by now and I think that most of them will be looking for jobs while they are there. That's all for now.
Brenda

Has anyone heard anything lately from the Kids? Seems kind of quiet.
Heather

From: rosalie driscoll
To: brenda ; Gloria ; Heather ; Segboer
Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2005 9:31 AM Subject: Phone Call

Hello,
Adam called last night. He said they had a couple days of rain but now it is beautiful. They are in a place called Surfer's Paradise. They all stayed in a hostel Friday night and now the boys are camping (Main Beach Tourist Park) and Christie is still at the hostel with the girls they met, it is only 5 minutes from the campground. They were going to the hostel to relax and watch a movie. They are only 80km from Brisbane, when they get there they will make plans about continuing up the road. He said they have met so many people, they just met some guys from Wales. They have been BBQing lots with lots of people. The car is now on it's way to becoming THE LASER, the painting has begun. He said they have planned the calling a few days apart so the mom's can keep in touch with each other with any new news. There is a big surfing competition in this town so they will get to see it. Well this is a little long! Adam said Karen's, Christie's and his pictures are on the disc that Karen is sending and he will send a few more by email.
Rosalie

From: "rosalie driscoll"
To: "Adam Driscoll"
Subject: surf board
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2005 20:15:02 -0700

I see you got a surf board. 259.00 seems like a good deal. too bad im not there to show you guys how to do it. My surfing form is often immitated but rarely can they pull it off like i can. This is my first time on email. how does it look?. weather has turned cold over the weekend and also got some snow. good for the skiing. but it is supposed to warm up again soon. granma and grandpa get back from maui tomorrow sucks to come home in the winter. sitting here trying to decide what to do over the long weekend in feb. Mom is leaning towards a night or two in Waterton at one of the suites. Might be ok but im not going to commit just yet, not much to do there. gotta go have fun keep in touch love dad

From: The Segboers
To: Heather & Gerry Nelson ; Brenda & David Howe ; Brad & Rosalie ; Peter &Gloria ; Rose & Brad Driscoll
Cc: Karen Staal
Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2005 12:35 PM
Subject: Surfin'

Hi to all,
Sounds like it was phone night last night. Travis's news was the same as the rest of the gang. He said Christie likes when she buys the food and the guys cook. Brian left for Brisbane this morning. Trav has been in contact with him via email. Brian suggested that once they head on past Brisbane they could leave their surf boards at his place as there is not surf. It sounds like it is quite an ordeal to load these on/in the car!! Brian also said that there are day labor jobs in Brisbane, Travis is talking about 1 to 2 days per week work. Karen is trying to plan a short holiday at Byron Bay at Easter. Good luck making plans with this clan, I think "plan" is not in their vocabulary. Was glad to hear all is well.
Heather - the website is GREAT - I look at it at least once per day.

Tracy

From: "Gloria"
To: "Heather Nelson"
Cc: ; ;
Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2005 9:04 AM

Hi,
Matt called last night at 7pm. Seems to be the same news as everyone else.
Loves the surfing but it is hard. They have been meeting people that have been teaching them a few things. He said we have to see the picture of how they pack everything in the car. Quite an ordeal with bungee cords. They enjoyed the super bowl at a local pub. Have actually met a fellow from Foremost! It's a small world. Work seems to be in the near future for Matt and Clay, possibly in Brisbane. They will discuss travelling north and work, more when Brian arrives. The weather is extremely hot and they haven't had the rain that Sydney has in the past week. Nothing seems to be going wrong. Just as happy as ever. He had no idea what day it was. He thought yesterday in Bryon Bay was Feb.4th when it was Feb.8th there. He thought they might be changing campgrounds to one that is closer to town.
I don't think that coming home soon is on his agenda. It was great hearing his voice, although he still sounds like he has a bit of a cold, but says he feels fine. It all sounds great.
Gloria

From:
To: "Heather"
Cc: "Gloria" ; "Rosalie" ; "Tracy"
Sent: Monday, February 07, 2005 9:52 PM
Subject: More news

Hi all - Christie called as well. She says it it very hot but they managed to find a pub that opened at 10:00 so they we all watching the Super Bowl.
They have hooked up with 4 other kids - one girl is from Germany and one of the fellows is from north of Calgary, and seem to be hitting it off with them. Christie and one of the girls went grocery shopping and managed to buy a BBQ feast for all 9 of them for only $45.00. She has now convinced them that they should eat that way for all of their suppers. (Can you tell she doesn't like fast food). She seemed really upbeat this time and seems to be enjoying the company of the girls. Said they would be camping in Byron Bay for a few more days before heading to Brisbane. All seems well.
Brenda

From: Heather Nelson
To: Tracy & Rick (Travis) Segboer ; Rosalie & Brad (Adam) Driscoll ; Gloria & Peter (Matt) Schwindt ; Brenda & David (Christie) Howe ; Heather (Clay Haughian) Nelson
Sent: Monday, February 07, 2005 5:41 PM
Subject: The Kids

Just received a call from Clay. All is fine except it is really, really hot. The Kids are finding it much cheaper to stay in the camp ground (15 minutes from the beach) than in the hostels. There are showers, a kitchen where they can cook and have been barbequing quite a lot.

The "surfers" are getting better at their sport. Clay has been stung a couple of times by some kind of jelly fish. The Kids met a world class surfer yesterday, that would have been exciting for them.

He figures his money won't last him too much longer, therefore the possibility of a working stint in Brisbane. He says he notices that sometimes they all occasionally pronounce words a little differently and they are all very tanned.

Apparently Karen has sent a CD with some "good" pictures, (not the kind of ones we should send with the kids AADAC registrations when they get home). (Just kidding). The friends here in Canada are really enjoying the website and the e-mails we have posted and are corresponding with our Kids via e-mail.

It was good to hear from him and he said to say "Hi" to everyone!

Heather

From: rosalie driscoll
To: Heather Nelson ; Tracy & Rick (Travis) Segboer ; Gloria & Peter (Matt) Schwindt ; Brenda & David (Christie) Howe
Sent: Monday, February 07, 2005 4:30 PM
Subject: Re: The Kids

Hi,
Adam called on Friday night. He said it was VERY hot, he was dripping sweat as he was using a payphone near the beach. On Friday night they arrived in Bryon Bay around 10:00 pm and couldn't find a place to stay. They slept in the car and pitched a tent in a parking lot. At 5:00 a.m the police came and told them that was a no, no. So off to the beach to finish sleeping. They found a campground near the beach with showers, etc for $50.00 a night. They were meeting some people at a hostel and going to explore the town. All the boys now have surfboards, I don't think Christie has purchased one yet. Beer is $33.00 for 30, hard liquor is very expensive. Matt and Clay are talking about working a bit in Brisbane. He says they swim alot everyday and have been eating lots of Subway. The water is very warm, just the right temperature to cool off.He will be sending a CD of pictures in the mail, I hope there are some scenery pictures or at least a picture of a kangaroo!! All seems well and he says they are getting very brown. Thanks again Heather for the awesome website, it just gets better and better!
Rosalie

From: "clay haughian"
To:
Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2005 9:41 PM
Subject: hey

ya i'm doin good. the jelly fish didn't hurt to bad, it's more of a annoying pain that anything ,but i'm fine. surffing is going good. we met a girl from germany and she will help teach us how to get up properly. ya we have seen the web site it is so awsome and we've got over 200 more pic we are going to send back. but anyway love ya

clay

Here is our contribution to the messages. Our Matt is a man of few words (on paper), but at least we know he is ok.
Gloria

From: Matthew Schwindt [mailto:mattschwindt@hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2005 9:38 PM
To: gschwindt@hotmail.com
Subject: RE: Hi

hey mom the money situation is going ok. now that we are out of sydney we are not spending as much money. i will give you a call in the next couple of days so we can talk a little more.

love matt

From:
To: "driscollr"
Cc: "Tracy Segboer" ; "Gloria Schwindt"
; "Heather Clay"
Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2005 9:43 AM
Subject: Re: Australia Travellers

Hi Everyone - Christie called last night as well. Very much enjoyed the stay at Coffs Harbour. She said that the hostel was really nice and had parties and activities for the backpackers. Having a few problems with the food (the boys are happy eating fast food a couple of times a day.) Heather - Christie says Clay is going to be a pork chop when he gets home. Chris has been going to the grocery store and buying food she can cook at the hostels as the fast food seems to make her feel lousy. Beaches are beautiful and they are all looking forward to going to Byron Bay. The hostels cost around 20 - 22 dollars per night and they seem happy with them. Thats all for now.
Brenda

From: driscollr
To: Tracy Segboer ; Gloria Schwindt ; Brenda Howe ; Heather Clay
Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2005 8:18 AM
Subject: Australia Travellers

Good Morning,
I received an email from Adam. Tomorrow they are heading to Byron Bay. The hostel had an all you can drink for $6 last night then they went to some wet t-shirt thing. He is going to try sending some pictures today so I'll keep you posted. They were just heading to the beach, he said they are all quite brown and Matt is peeling. Not much news but always good to hear from them.
Rosalie

From: "clay haughian"
To:
Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2005 1:37 AM
Subject: RE: Contact List

mom we went surfing today and i got stung by a blue bottle there like kittle jelly fish. but i think that we are going to go up to byron bay tomorrow and check out the surf up there. how much money did kelsie win at the casino? was she pretty drunk? tttul8ter

To: Heather & Gerry Nelson ; Brenda & David Howe ; Brad & Rosalie ; Peter &Gloria ; Rose & Brad Driscoll
Cc: Karen Staal
Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2005 11:16 PM
Subject: Coffs Harbour

Hi to all,

Travis phoned when they arrived at Coffs Harbor, about 10:30 pm tonight. He remembered his Dad's birthday!! Matt and Clay both have surf boards now. They are still all trying to master the skill ... sounds as if lessons may be in order. They have not spray painted the car yet. They actually stopped at a road side fruit and vegetable stand today and bought fresh produce as they had been eating mostly fried foods, wow. It looks like rain again today so they were off to the beach. Adam is trip planner and they hope to be at Byron Bay in a week. Travis emailed Uncle Brian last night to start planning dates. They are still keeping in contact with Karen by text messaging. All seems great!!

Take Care
Tracy

From "Adam Driscoll"
Date Tue, 01 Feb 2005 00:09:03 -0700
To rosebrad@telus.net
Subject RE: Hi!

hey mom everything is perfect good to hear things are going good at home. port mac is only 30,000 people. last night was so much fun we were up till 5 partying with these british guys and german girls and the owner of the hostel. the hostel is called lindel backpackers. today was pretty cloudy so we went to the beach and just slept in the sand hahha life is hard. tomorrow we are heading up to coffs harbour the off to byron bay. nothing else is really new ill call you when im at coffs ok.

love you lots

love adam