Hi Everyone,

As I write this we are 20,000 feet in the air (as usual!) flying from London to Cologne. Also, as usual, I'm just waiting for the plane to drop out of the sky and crash into the Earth... I have been assured by all and sundry that this is never going to happen. Hmmm.. we'll wait and see about that. Oh.. did I also mention that we are in a private jet? .. just thought I'd slip THAT trivial bit of information nonchalantly into the conversation. Believe me, with this experience I have reached my absolute bragging PEAK! Trust me, there will be MANY MANY phone calls home to friends and family to tell them about this experience. It's amazing because there are only thirteen seats, but the plane is as smooth as a jumbo (...this could very well be due to the absence of propellers..)

Darren is sitting up the other end of the plane as we thought it would be best to have some 'separation' time. This, however, is not working as he has not stopped throwing candy at me for the last hour. I am doing my utmost to ignore him and stick to the 'separation' rules. All to no avail. Meanwhile, Daniel has reclined his seat to a horizontal position and is insisting on staying this way for landing. Yes.. as you can see, it is all still as rebellious and crazy as ever in the Savage Garden camp.

Before I go into further detail about this whirlwind promo tour, I'll get you up to date with what has been happening over the last few weeks.

I spent the last week we were in San Francisco making a concerted effort to try and get Darren to RELAX a little before we leave.... or at least I WAS trying to achieve this. (mental note to self: Darren + Quiet Down Relaxation Time does not exist). He never switches off and even when forced to he will talk about some little aspect of his career.... I've found that strategically placed gaffer tape usually helps in these situations. In an effort to keep Darrens mouth tape free, my cousin Stephen, (who is a Doctor of Chinese Medicine) FORCED Darren to lie down long enough to give him an accupuncture treatment to alleviate stress and encourage relaxation. Of course when he went off into a deep sleep, and we quietly tip toed out of the room to leave him to his slumber, he started suffering separation anxiety and, Darren.... being Darren..... rather than enjoying the moment of solitude in bed RELAXING, felt the need to wander out to the kitchen to share with us just how VERY RELAXED and TIRED he was, (how he managed to even move with a dozen needles sticking out of him is beyond me).

So.. in the endless quest to find the holy grail of relaxation (don't think I haven't realised how much I have overused that word this week... it has become my mantra!), we took another tack and one of our favourite new pastimes (okay.. well... we've done it twice) is hiking. Incredible as that is to believe, Darren and I have become absolute outdoor, abseiling, rock climbing, adrenaline junkies!!! We went out the other morning and took Anna Maria La Spina with us... heh heh.. It was GREAT FUN to see her sweating and puffing through the 40 minute ascent. Meanwhile, enjoying her struggle, and laughing wildly, we just sprinted lightly up and over the hills with all the grace of a couple of gazelles.

On the way home in the car we became incredibly bored and I decided to try out the movie function on the digital camera (I know you have been deprived of mpeg's lately!). What started off as a very casual hello directly to camera turned into the making of a multi billon dollar blockbuster! The first take (which I have simply titled, **THE UP NOD (c) - THE MOVIE) was, in fact, a very spontaneous moment, very natural... and not at all contrived. I mean.. ALL I wanted was a hello from them both directly to camera. But once Darren and Anna had seen the finished piece of film they both decided that they could DEFINITELY improve on their performance and make it just that little bit more "spontaneous". None of what you are about to see was meant for public viewing.. but I just wanted you all to see for yourselves the sort of behaviour I have to put up with from these people! Take after take I was required to film. The power had gone to their heads and both of them had instantaneously turned into the children of Stanley Kubrick (and don't think I'm using the word 'children' lightly!). I tired of this very quickly and although I was VERY DEFINITELY INSTRUCTED that I was to keep my mouth shut and just film.. by the 7th take.. I just had to step in! Well... you can see the results for yourself. I have been considering my options with regards to legal action I'm planning to take against the two petulant, spoiled stars of my film for thoroughly ASSAULTING me once the camera was SAFELY TURNED OFF!!!!

(P.S. **FYI - The Up Nod is the official greeting tired Savage Garden members give to each other in lieu of conversation.) (c) 1999 The Up Nod - The Movie ( a Leonie Messer Production). T-shirts, keyrings and up nod wobbly head dolls will be available at leading retailer near you very soon.)

So.. we left San Francisco to fly to New York, Darren finally looking relaxed and myself wearing a black eye patch. We met up with Daniel when we arrived in New York and the first day was spent in Central Park doing a photoshoot for UK's, Q Magazine. A round of press interviews followed, and then both guys appeared at MTV on Total Request Live for the premiere of the film clip for I KNEW I LOVED YOU

We all then flew to Milan to meet up with the rest of the band for a couple of days of rehearsal. As you know, the original band are back, with the addition of Angie Bekker (backing singer) and Los Angeles based keyboard player, Jennifer Blakeman. To round out the Savage Garden promo touring party, there is new tour manager, Peter 'Sneaky' McFee and Daniel's guitar technician (and all round little buddy), Lindsay McKay, not to mention Mamma herself... Rebecca Mostow.. Darren and Daniel's manager. You will know doubt see and hear about ALL of these people over the coming months.

The first rehearsal in Milan went really well and everyone was excited about the gig they were performing at THE PROPAGANDA CLUB. The gig was for a tv show called TRIBE GENERATION and there were around 400 prizewinners in the audience. This marked the first show that the band played AFFIRMATION, THE ANIMAL SONG, and I KNEW I LOVED YOU .. live.

Now...let me just ask you one thing.. Has anybody ever been to Milan? Has anybody here been to Italy? Has anybody seen how THEY DRIVE!!!! I spent the entire two days being completely terrified by the CRAZINESS of it all. Gianni, our VERY capable driver (or so I'm told) almost killed us on more than one occasion (I'm quite certain of this fact). He just couldn't understand that I was not too pleased with the almost head on collision we had with another Mercedes. I mean... I don't know..I could be wrong.. but in our country we generally stay in our own lane when driving on a busy road. Sheesh.. we Australians.. talk about CONSERATIVE!

From Milan we headed to the UK and the LONG drive to Swansea for an appearance on Top Of The Pops. While we were waiting for the band to go on, Darren and Karl (the drummer) had the opportunity to meet Phil Collins. Needless to say, Karl, in particular, was ecstatic about meeting him and Phil turned out to be such a lovely man, and so unaffected by his success.

It was at the end of the 1st UK trip that I started to have some idea of what the lives of Savage Garden were on the road. It is one big round of hotel rooms, airplanes, cars and tv stations... in so many different countries... on so many different days. It is AMAZING how big this world is!!

In London we did some serious partying..... we were like kids let out of school. Daniel and Sneaky were the only ones that controlled themselves and left early... the rest of us however.... tragic..... very very tragic!

Oops I need to go now, the plane is about to land in Cologne (for the second time).. we were there so that the guys could perform I KNEW I LOVED YOU on German Top Of The Pops. I'm very excited about the prospect of Cologne (as are the rest of the girls in the band).. because Sony have been kind enough to supply us with a FLEET of drivers who all look like GQ cover guys. We are trying to convince Daniel and Darren that they need to INSIST we always have drivers that look like this. I can't feel too certain that they are going to be spending too much time fighting for this request.... unfortunately.

Next stop from Cologne is Spain, then onto Paris then onto Japan, then on the 27th October we arrive back in Australia. The stay will not be long enough for me though as we are only there for four days before we head back to the USA for a 2 city a day radio trip. I know.... right.. you are about to faint with SHOCK!!! You did hear correctly... 2 CITIES A DAY!!!! By my calculations that means 2 take offs and 2 landings in an airplane.. PER DAY!!! Oh no... I am not happy about this! The mere thought of it is making my palms sweaty.

Right... gotta go.... I think my laptop is interferring with the radar system and I do not want the pilot to land in the wrong spot. Oh.... okay... I thought I could get away on this update without telling you this.. BUT.. here is the most DEPRESSING news of my week!

You may notice a distinct lack of digital photos documenting the promotion the guys have been doing in Europe. I know you are all going to find this INCREDIBLY hard to believe... BUT.. yet again.. I have had digital camera problems. Actually, this time I think I have had some help. All right.. let's just say I have DEFINITELY had some help. The camera, with all 40 brand new photos on it, has disappeared! One minute it was in my bag.. the next it was gone! I know, I know, your patience has worn thin, you cannot BELIEVE that I lost all of those brilliant photos that include Darren meeting Phil Collins, the Top Of The Pops performance, in the rehearsal studios, the performance in Milan... the various private plane shots (I need to personally apologize to the families of every member of the band for the loss of these photos. Their right to visually brag about our private jet experience has been cruelly stolen from them) etc. etc.... Believe me.. I have had a severe lack of sleep over this one! But, well, what can I do? I can, however, tell you that I have organised another camera, and that THIS time it will remain superglued to my fingertips. I realise that this may make the act of eating and typing a little more difficult, but I am determined to stop at NOTHING to ensure that your thirst for new and exclusive photos of Savage Garden always remains quenched!!!!

Speak soon
Leonie