Travelog for: Barclay

Hello there! My name is Barclay and I am looking for adventure and knowledge!


I am really interested in pre-historic animals, especially mammoths (what it must have been like to be around then!) and mysteries of ancient history (how were the pyramids actually built?)




I am also a bit of a romantic at heart. I love classical music and have been a fan of Swan Lake since the first time I saw it in Disney's Fantasia.

Please consider taking me into your home!

Love Barclay


Between March & September 2008 Barclay's temporary mentor will be Stef.

Today we fed sharks!!


Adventure already! I think I'm going enjoy being a ToyVoyager!

Today would have been Bec's dad's 60th Birthday, so the family went out to do one of his favourite things - fish & chips at Brighton, watching the planes take off. It wasn't the greatest day to be at the beach (just a little cold & windy)!!


As you can see, a very over cast day! These seagulls were in luck - Bec's mum gave into the temptation to feed them chips, soon we were surrounded!



Here I am at the First Fleet Memorial. The First Fleet bought the first British settlers (mainly convicts and soldiers) to Australia. They landed here in Botany Bay before deciding that Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour) was the better place as it offered more protection for the ships.

Here I am in Stroud! I feel so bad - I scared my host's little TV Rama. I didn't mean to.
He came around though when I started talking to him, and another TV that had arrived, Phileas from France.
I showed Rama my travel diary and I think we're going to be friends. Phileas, too.
It's very quiet up here in the bush, but there are lots of different birds that we don't have in Sydney. I'm looking forward to staying here a while!

Nik hasn't been able to take me on a tour of Stroud yet, but I don't mind. I'm having fun with Rama and Phileas, and I have discovered Rama's books! He has tonnes of fascinating books. This is one I haven't been able to put down! As you can see, I wasn't happy about being pulled away from it for a photo, but I know becka-kate wants to see what I'm up to.

Phileas and I fought over this one, but in the end we decided to read it together...

Oh my. I have had an encounter that I will always remember. I met a dragon tonight. Her name is Frosta, because she is a Frost Dragon. She is very old, and very wise, and I will admit I was overawed by her presence. I told her about my quest for knowledge, especially my search to discover my ancient ancestors, and do you know what she said?
Frosta told me, quietly and very calmly, that I will not fail in my search, and that it will turn out to be more of an inward journey than an actual physical one. I think she is on a Voyage too; that is the impression I got, especially when she told me that she is one of the last of her kind.
Frosta left before I could talk to her more, but I will not forget that beautiful ice-blue gaze that has already seen so much. I hope one day that I will have as much wisdom as she.
Rama and Phileas did not see Frosta, and I am sure they don't believe me even though they haven't actually said so. She wanted to speak to me and me alone.
I am more excited now about my search than ever before! I will find all the answers I want, no matter how long it takes.

Wow! Stroud is a small place but it has lots of history! We went and had a look at the Post Office. It was built in 1884 and most of the exterior is still the same now as it was then. It's known as one of the finest POs in the whole Hunter Valley!

After saying goodbye to Rama at the Post Office (he's on his way to France!) Nik and I walked over to Stroud Court House, another beautiful historic building. It's no longer in operation, but in the 1800s was a real working court house, with cells and live-in police quarters on the premises. The first case took place here in 1878 - the McAskell murders, which still remains unsolved to this day!

I studied this tourist map of Stroud - I found lots more places I'd like to see if Nik has time!

Phileas and I are both impressed by how quiet Stroud is. This is part of Nik's property from her driveway, and a view of the main street:

Phileas and I were ready to see some more of Stroud!

This is Quambi - an old building that now belongs to the Stroud Historical Society. Over a hundred years ago it used to be a school, but now it's a museum. It is currently undergoing some restoration work and is closed - a big disappointment!

I spent quite a while looking around our next stop, St John's church. It was built in 1833, and in the cemetery I found the grave of the murdered McAskells. No one has been buried here since 1902.
I had fun sitting high up on the old sundial! It's over 120 years old.
And there is an ancient stone in the front of the church, it is between 600 and 700 years old! That is incredible - my whole country of Australia is not much more than 200 years old!

Such pretty flowers! I wish I could pick some to give to Becka-Kate!