Spring comes to Sydney (or is trying to)

Hello! I haven't given up on the blog yet. Have just been busy.

I had a pretty difficult time without Ric but he returned after 5 weeks of travel up the east coast and now we're together again in (mostly) warm and sunny. He's definitely got the nomad bug now and is keen to do some more, soon. As for me I've loved hearing all his traveling tales and think it's great he's done it but feel it's been great for me to have the opportunity to stop and be settled for a while and make some dosh, even though neither of us anticipates staying here beyond January when the lease runs out.

Sydney has grown on me and it's an easy place to live. China Town is on the doorstep so I've been cooking mainly Asian food when I get in late from work. Another thing that happened while Ric was away, partly out of my desperation to make our lives easier and better on his return was that I stopped mucking about with food. I really have had a breakthrough with it. The use of Charlotte and Paul's pool has been a real God-send too. So relaxing after a day in the office. As for the OCD, things are much improved and I'm nothing like as irrational as I was on my travels and even just a few weeks ago. Both of us worry it could flare up again when I start traveling again but I at least I know what to do about it if that happens and Ric wont be with me when it does this time!

I have also been having a bit of fish. I know! Why couldn't I have started in Asia??!! I'm not a fan of sushi mind you- slimy, tasteless, stinky - but cooked fish is fine. Ric made me a delish tuna bake the other night.

Other news...the job is going well, so well in fact that they seem not to want me to leave at Christmas. I will miss it. Well I'll miss Virginia my Office Manager. I have really enjoying the varied nature of my role. Funny to think how long it's lasted considering I was only supposed to be there two weeks.

I could say more about the rest of the team but I'll leave that for another time many months from now, or another continent!

I enjoyed a lovely family reunion the other week in honour of my uncle's 50th. It was so good to be there with all my cousins, uncles, aunts, dad, sister and even my grandmother.

I am getting very excited about going away with my friend from school at the end of November. We're going to do a mini version of what Ric did; ie. a ten day jaunt, skipping out everywhere except Fraser Island, the Whitsundays, Rainbow Beach, Hervey Bay and possibly Cairns. Plus, the fact that we are short of time and are classy ladies who don't fancy roughing it to the extent Ric was prepared to, means we'll fly as much as possible (I know, I know, not very 'green', but this place is HUGE).

I also really looking forward to seeing Ric's parents in December as well as our friend Jas who gets here around the same time. I've missed my morning runs around Brixton with him and on a rare wet day in Sydney (today is a shocker) I even feel a little homesick.

I hope we can all go away together if our schedules, budgets and desires are an accordance with each other. For the time being, though this is subject to change every day, Ric's inclination is to look for work. Hurrah! This makes me a very happy girl indeed.

I think he's realised how beneficial it might be stop here for a couple of months (as we always planned to) and to meet some new people here in Sydney, as well as earn some money for the next leg of our travels next year. New Zealand and America wont be nearly as cheap as Asia after all. Ric has also found that he's pretty out of practice with his coding so wants to brush up again; get back to his geekery though I do worry how long it will last. After all, I alone can't create the fun engendered by hanging out with dozens of backpackers.

We don't have a madly busy social life by any means but things are also a lot better between us now that we've had a break and more specifically, now I am so much calmer and better with my eating. That makes us both happier.

Today we went baby clothes shopping for our friends Andrew and Chris who are expecting their first born in December. We spotted an AC-DC hoodie some months back and couldn't resist. Well the child will be going to Glastonbury at 6 months old after all. Speaking of which, we have registered for tickets. Something to look forward to next year.

Tomorrow we are getting up early and going on a 'Wobbly Wine Tour' to the Hunter Valley. As the name suggests we will be cycling AND sampling wine. Crikey! Not sure how we'll bring it back if we decide to buy any. The weather has been glorious today and will hopefully remain so tomorrow. The place is supposed to be beautiful. Can't wait.

Although these are worrying times for the Aussies, we're enjoying the fact that the exchange rate has jumped so much. Our £ is worth AUS$2.5 today! Time to shift some dosh over. I just hope it goes down again when it's time to move my hard-earned money back.

Yes, I am missing certain things back home in London now. My mother, my dog and my friends AND all the weddings and new babies. Just wish it was a bit warmer over there and that both my parents lived in the same country.