"Why are you going to Australia? Family? Vacation?"

Lately, you all have been asking me why I am going. Family? Vacation? The answer is no. I am going because my dad will be performing. Yes, on an instrument. It is called a fife. A 6 hole fife looks like this: There are also 10 holed fifes, 11 holed fifes and even 7 holed fifes. He plays this instrument in a group called a fife and drum corps.
So, this is how my dad was invited on this trip to Australia. My dad is performing in 5 performances at the Sydney Olympic Stadium! Meanwhile my mom, brother, 2 little girls (2 and 6: Anna and Bella) and I will be traveling around Sydney. Their parents are also in this group. They are called MCV (Middlesex County Volunteers) you can look them up on youtube. They are really good. I will be leaving from Boston on January 27, 2010, flying 6 hours to California, then flying 13 hours to New Zealand and then I think 4 more hours to Sydney, Australia. We will be stopping in San Fransisco on the way back from Sydney and visiting my mom's cousin and brother. We will be returning to Portsmouth on February 18, 2010. I will be missing about 3 weeks of school or maybe 2 and returning during February vacation. I am so excited and I hope to get caught up with everything via e-mail and internet! Also, to find out the time difference: Australia is 15 hours ahead of us. The way I do it is add 3 hours to the current time and you add the opposite AM or PM.
Example:
America: 4:00 PM +3:00=
Australia: 7:00 AM (next day)

I hope you don't miss me too much(: