A quick update from Australia!

Hello all

Sarah and I have been having a wonderful time here in Sydney and would like to thank everyone who we have met on our journey so far.

The two of us were reunited at the hotel on Sunday where we had a day to try and kick ourselves into the new timezone. We went for a ferry ride around the harbour and tried to organise our week ahead.

The Monday was an extremely informative day where we arrived at the British Embassy and met lawyers, banks and financial advisors who will supporting us in the setting up of Archimedes Australia. We were also delighted to finally meet the deputy consul-general Paul Noon in person who has been working on our behalf creating our Overseas Market Induction schedule. We had a networking lunch and met some of the local Sydney businesses who were interested our services and we were requested also to make a submission into the innovative business awards here which was nice!

After a busy day of meetings we were taken out by Craig and Daniel from the embassy with some of the other fellow missioners. We went to the lovey Glenmore Pub which had a rooftop terrace that overlooked the opera house. We were amazed by the migration of the HUGE fruit bats above our heads! Apparently they all hang out in trees in the botanical gardens. It was really nice to let our hair down a bit after a busy and exciting day.

Tuesday saw us visiting some brilliant organisations. The first stop was the Assosiation of Independent Schools where we met with the Director Darryl Buchannan. The meeting went really well and we are in talks to run some insets for them in 2013. Watch this space! The next meeting was a telephone conference with Dr Libby Lee-Hammond. She has put the word out and we will be working with her to put a course on in Perth this Easter which is brilliant! We were so pleased with the positive reception from our first two meetings.

We then had to dash across town in some torrential rain to visit the NSW department of Education where we met with Director Lynne Irvine who was really positive about the Archimedes Forest schools and Beach Schools ethos and is going to spread the word throughout her region and across the whole territory.

On Wednesday the weather was again horrific! But we were eager to meet with Phil Pearson of Wollongong university. It seems as though the Archimedes courses would really fit into their educational timetables in their school of education and we are now working with the department of outdoor education and teaching to deliver a level 3 Forest Schools Practitioner Award on a course that will run after our proposed course in Perth.

We then met with Tracey Puckidge, CEO of Steiner education Australia and had an amazing discussion with her. She was extremely helpful and has given us loads of handy contacts. We are also looking into the possibility of running our Outdoors and Up for it courses for Steiner Australia.

A long train journey home allowed Sarah and I to recap on our fantastic and very successful set of initial meetings and there was a quick turn around at the hotel and back out to attend a networking event called Cruise With The Europeans orgainised by the international Chambers of Commerce to which we invited Deb Watson along to from KU children services. The event was attended by hundreds of businesses who are from Europe but are currently trading in NSW and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The cruise went all around Sydney harbour and it was great to chat to Deb about her Early Years Learning activity. The after party at the Kings Street bar also gave us another chance to chat to Nev Breedon our international trade advisor and Tony Higson a local business entrepreneur from Leeds.

We rented a car today and headed out to the Blue Mountains, although the weather was so bad we couldn't see anything!! However we met with Lorraine Smith from TAFE Western in Lithgoe. It was a great fact finding mission and we learnt a great deal about the education systems, the most appropriate sector to target in NSW.

We then proceeded to meet with some lovely people from the national parks and wildlife service in Katoomba. It was extremely interesting and it was amazing meeting these two inspiring women who are doing so much to promote sustainability and working closely with indigenous groups to promote harmony and social acceptance. Janelle is the indigenous Aboriginal discovery ranger and promotes respect for her own culture and teaches local schools and foreign students about her culture and lifestyle and close associations to the world, nature and sustainable living practices, ceremonies and love of nature.

More exciting chapters in the Jen and Sarah Tintin down under adventure series coming soon!!