Monday 24 June – World War Z

Current location: Ettalong Beach
11.11pm, Leaving the cinema. Andy and I had been to see World War Z, the new Brad Pitt zombie movie. I loved it! It's a pretty terrible, predictable storyline, but the effects and the scenery were just amazing, and the zombies were all-time gross! Such a fun film to watch (although didn't really think 3D added all that much), and we watched it in the Cinema Paradiso in Ettalong Beach, which has a really good art deco vibe. Fun times with added popcorn.

Sunday 23 June – Does netball count as exercise if you're only watching it on TV?

Current location: Ettalong Beach

11.11am, Saying bye to Charlie and Syd. They have to drive back up to the Gold Coast so they left and we got lazy again and sat and watched netball on TV. I love being in a country where netball matches are shown on regular TV. It made me realise how supported the sport is here: all the matches are ticketed and full, and televised, and each team has at least one big sponsor. 

We decided to go and get some fresh air, and give Dana a walk, but today has been SO rainy (flood rainy), so Lee and I went for some lunch in a cute cafe called Coast, while Andy walked Dana in the rain (sorry Andy/Dana!). We hung out there for a while, then came back in time for Lee to get her train back to Sydney. Had such a lovely time catching up with her and the Syd/Charlie combo. Good people! 

Saturday 22 June – Magazines and walks; dinner and movies

Current location: Ettalong Beach
11.11am, Eating omlettey breakfast on the verandah. Sydney, Charlie, Lee, Andy and I had a slow start this morning, after a late one last night. We got home at normal o'clock but then stayed up chatting and drinking dark'n'stormys until the early hours. So this morning we had a lie-in, breakfast, then Charlie and Syd went to catch up with some friends, and Lee, Andy and I took Dana for a walk on the beach. We saw some dolphins playing in the surf! On the way home we stopped off at Fisherman's Wharf and ate calamari and watched the pelicans. Next up was a bit of shopping, for food, magazines and one of my best op shop purchases ever (brown glass teacups, exactly like my nana used to have) then home for dinner prep and hours spent on the sofa reading magazines. I love Saturdays like this: a bit of activity, a bit of lazing, a bit of socialising!

When Charlie and Syd came back, Andy cooked up a feast (spinach, feta, olive and pine nut swiss roll!) and I made treacle tart (no pictures, but it was yum!), and we watched England beat Australia in the rugby, then laughed a lot at Jackass 3.

Friday 21 June – North, South, East and West

Current location: Central station, Sydney
11.11pm, At the station getting a train back to Woy Woy, just filling up on snacks from the vending machine for the 1.5-hour journey. Tonight was very exciting because nine of us all met up and went for dinner, and we had representatives from all over UK and Australia... All corners of Australia in fact: north (Gold Coast), south (Melbourne), east (Sydney) and west (Perth). Charlie Jay and Sydney came down from the Gold Coast to visit for the weekend, and Lee had come over from Perth, so we all went out for a champers after work and then a yummo Italian dinner in Surry Hills. Finishing off with a drink in a proper pub, we ran back to get our train and then had a very entertaining journey home, complete with deep and meaningfuls, free train snacks and funny annoucements. Is it weird if the journey home is one of your fave bits of the night?!

Thursday 20 June – Random Thursday

Current location: Newtown
11.11pm, On the way to Kara's house. We had been out for a drink after work and met two of Kara's friends, Amy and Paul. It was meant to be a quiet one but we had a funny time chatting, drinking and meeting old firemen who made us flowers and ballerinas out of paper napkins. Good old random Thursday.

Wednesday 19 June – Beauty is cheap

Current location: Redfern
11.11am, Working and admiring my nails! One big perk of working for a big company is that they have lots of sales (beauty, jewellery, cake!) and yesterday Marie Claire were selling lots of their beauty stuff. I loved it.

Tuesday 18 June – Paddo house

Current location: Paddington
11.11pm, At the Paddo house. That's what I'm deciding to call it. We had all met up for a drink after work in the Forresters, where I had my first parmy. I love meeting after work, it makes me feel so normal here! I can't believe I haven't even here for a month yet – it just feels so much like normal life to go to work all day, and then meet friends for a drink. I defo don't feel like I'm in Australia! It's pretty much like my London life, with a few differences:

Fewer friends
A longer commute
Better weather
No netball team
Healthier food
More beach time
Less clue of where I am most of the time

Monday 17 June – My Google searches have changed recently

Current location: Redfern, Sydney
11.11am, Working hard. This morning has involved real life, beauty and googling Kim Kardashian a lot.

(Picture from renata, weheartit)

Sunday 16 June – From city to coast

Current location: On the train
11.11am, On the way back up to the Central Coast. We were pretty tired out after our fun night out last night, so we had another lazy-ish afternoon, and then headed further up the coast. There were lots of people whale-watching on the cliffs (I didn't have my glasses on so couldn't see them, but apparently they were there!). Andy went for a surf and I sat on the beach and read my book and had a good think and a walk with Dana the dog. A lovely evening, early to bed, and the weekend was over!

(Picture taken from Pauwp, weheartit)

Saturday 15 June – Sydney at night

Current location: Paddington, Sydney
11.11pm, At Bree/Naw/Tristan/Sha's house. (I'm going to have to come up with a quicker way of saying that.) Andy and I had had a pretty chilled daytime, but we had such a fun evening! We went into Sydney to meet the others and go to a photography exhibition (lots of impressive pictures of naked people) and then Andy and I left and went to Sydney harbour. It was the first tie I'd seen the Opera House and the bridge since I was 10, and they were cool! But even cooler was that Andy had bought us a trip on a tall ship to go and see the sights from the sea. There was yummy food (lots of seafood) and an open bar on the boat, as well as a lovely guitarist and some very funny fellow passengers. The opera house looked so magical as the evening turned into nighttime and everything was lit up. I love Sydney! When we got off the boat, we headed to their house for a second dinner, and a rather hilarious game of Articulate (won by Sha and Tristan).

Friday 14 June – It's official

Current location: Ettalong Beach
11.11pm, Watching TV and chilling out at home. Four hours' commuting each day is making me a very lazy lady when I'm at home! I actually haven't found the commute too bad; it's such a beautiful journey and I like having time to read and text UK people etc, but I do enjoy Friday evening, going home and knowing I don't have to hop back on the train 12 hours later.

Today was an even lovelier journey that usual, though. Partly because the sun was setting as I was on the train, and looked incredible going over the River Ryde (above), but also because I was celebrating becoming an official Pacific Magazines employee. New Idea offered me permanent work earlier in the week, and today I accepted. So, all in all, life is good!

Thursday 13 June – Hunters Hill with my ducklet

Current location: Hunters Hill, Sydney
11.11pm, At Ducky's house. She's house-sitting in Hunters Hill (swanky part of Sydney) at the moment so I went for dinner and a sleepover. It's cool getting to see other parts of the city, and it's always so amazing to spend time with the ducklet. We ate healthy, delicious food (a quinoa salad with halloumi, zucchini, avocado and loads of other yummy bits) followed by chocolate, and ginger tea (we're both a bit poorly so thought it best to stay off the wine!). I always feel so healthy in body and soul when I spend time with this beautiful woman, and it was a gorgeous house to curl up in too. Unfortunatelt Ducky's lovely housemate Milly was poorly and the two of them ended up doing a late-night mission to hospital :( but I think they're both back to full health now.

Wednesday 12 June – Lovely, wonderful post!

Current location: Ettalong Beach
11.11pm, At home getting ready to go to bed. When I got home from work, I had loads of exciting post waiting for me! Not only a new shirt I had ordered (from Instagram, weirdly) but even better than that, I had post from two of my sisters, Claire and Pippa, and from my nephews Zac and Vinny (who also sent me some chocolate!). It was soooo lovely to receive, and I think they got Andy and me spot on! Love you x

Tuesday 11 June – Normal life

Current location: Eveleigh, Sydney
11.11am, At work. I'm still at New Idea mag, and loving it, but it does mean that during the week I am usually either at work or asleep! Hopefully this blog won't get too boring!

(Picture taken from Not Only Photos)

Monday 10 June – Summer Bay day!

Current location: Somewhere near Ettalong Beach
11.11am, On a boat! Sus and I had been talking about going to visit Palm Beach, which is where Home and Away is filmed, and we found out that it is easily reachable from Ettalong Beach by boat. So Off the seven of us went to check out Summer Bay! The weather was lovely so being on the top deck on the boat ride was gorgeous and sunny! When we got to Palm Beach, we have a walk around (it's a gorgeous town!) and then found Summer Bay. It looked just like a normal beach (albeit a very pretty one!), I don't know what I was expecting really! But the sea was wavy and fun so Nick, Sha, Andy and I went in for a swim for a while while the others hung out on the beach. Sus and I had already been for a walk and swim that morning so I was pretty tired by the time I got out. So much fun though, and the water feels so warm compared with home – especially considering it's supposed to be winter here.

As it started getting a bit cooler, we decided to head back home, and then went to Woy Woy for a really delicious late lunch at RJ's Diner (had my second chicken schnitty so far!), then back home to watch the Beyonce documentary and relax! Fab long weekend!