Ups and Downs

Ups and downs Down Under

This week has had it's ups and downs emotionally, which is to be expected when you are so far away from your friends and family.

Beginning of last week I decided it was about time I increased my social circle so starting looking for social groups in and around Sydney. I found Meet up.com for Australia and joined 15 different Meet Up Groups [Professional Female in Engineering & IT, Belles and Bubbles, The Hills Social Group (this is my local area), The Girls in the City, Sydney Dinners club and a British Expat group]. It was a good feeling seeing so many groups and social activities in around Sydney so I reserved some places.

On Friday night I decided to try out the Gold Class Cinema experience, this was great as they have a restaurant menu and a bar. The idea is that you order your meal and they bring it to you during the film, while you relax in your leather reclined seats. If you need anything else you press a button and someone arrives to take you order, all in all very nice. It is not something you would do every time you go to the cinema as it is more expensive but it is nice to spool yourself or make a night of it with your friends.

The film was a great experience but left me feeling a little home sick as I could image doing the Gold Class Cinema experience with my girlfriends from back home. An alternative to a girls night in, I could even imagine Amy falling asleep in the Leather reclined seats lol.

Sunday morning was a lazy day, again initially due to my home sickness, but I kicked myself up the proverbial and decided to get out and about. I decided to go and have my nails done and then went shopping and met a lovely lady called Becky. Becky and her husband moved from the UK some years ago and regularly meet up with other English people (Becky affectionately calls it the Pommes in the Park social), she has kindly given me her number so I can meet up with them and also become a member of her book club.

Looking forward to going to the first book club as they are talking about the first of the Fifty Shades Trilogy, so I can imagine the giggles that will bring.

Last night I attended my first Meet up with the Professional Females in Engineering and IT, and don't worry it was not as dull as it sounds. There was 8 ladies and we all came from different parts of the world England, Malaysia, Italy, France, Poland and Spain. At least 2 of the group have been in Sydney less than 6 months same as me, so it was nice to meet some people in the same situation. 

This weekend should be good as I have going to 2 other meet ups, the first is on Friday for After work drinks and nibbles and then I am attending the Rocks Aroma Festival with a group of people from the Sydney Diners Club.

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone for your support in the past week when I was feeling low, it was great to receive your messages of support and encouragement.

Photography Day

Photography Day ...............

I had a lovely day wondering round Sydney taking pictures and found Hyde Park again (long story I have been wanting to go back there and could not remember where it was). Thought you might like to see some of the pictures I took.

 

 

 

Hope you enjoyed the pictures ....

Beginning to feel settled ....

Beginning to feel settled........

It has been 9 days since I arrived back in Sydney, the jet lag is beginning to ease now. Already back into my routine of daily commutes to the City, now need to add some social and exercise aspects into my life again.

I joined the local gym last night and am looking forward to starting Body Balance, Pilate's, Zumba, Body Pump and general work out to.  Got my first PT session this weekend to try and get my exercise plan in place with the aim to build up my muscle and flexibility to start running again. So looking forward to the feeling of being out running again enjoying the great outdoors in the process.

When I arrived I only had 2% free space on the Fox tel box, I have managed to that up to 39% so give it another week and I should be all up to date with my Aussie programs.

I have joined some Walking groups and other social groups on the Meet up website so looking forward to attending some meet ups and exploring with new people.

Well that's all for now folks

First day back at work

First Day Back in the office..........

Managed to stay awake yesterday until 9pm and sleep through till 3am and then on and off again until 7am. Just back home from my first proper day back in the office, as did pop in to say hello yesterday. The day went surprisingly quickly with discussions and handovers, my brain started to get con fuddled from about 4pm so decided that was the time to head home.

It is funny how quickly you get back into the routine of things, already feel at home again in the house with food in the cupboards and everything unpacked. I think I over did the recording on my planner as when i got back I only had 2% free space, so now busily trying to catch up. Managed to catch up on all my New Girl episodes, now got Lost Girl, The Mentalist, Supernatural, Once Upon a Time, Fringe, NCIS, CSI Miami to catch up on .......... do you think I will be busy lol

Will start looking for Gyms next week and possible social groups, also going to sign up for Rosette Stone Online to learn Italian as one of my Bucket List items is to learn a couple of languages.

Best be going before I bore you all to sleep, catch you all soon

Jet Lag - at least I was not as bad as this ...





Arrived Safely in Sydney

3rd July - Arrived Safely....

Flew with British Airways for the first time, the flight was ok not as nice as Emirates or Ethiad. At least with BA you get the additional luggage at a reasonable price and you get a Laptop bag and a carry on luggage as well which is not offered with other flights. Think next time will pay the additional amount to get a bigger seat or possibly upgrade (ooh get me lol)!!!!

I met a nice lady called Vicky, who sat next to me and we chatted away for hours and spent time together when we arrived at Singapore airport. I did feel sorry for her as she was 5 ft 10 inches and she really did not have much room for her legs, she had also already flown from Glasgow to Heathrow before joining the flight to Sydney and then she was heading to Adelaide to see her brother. 

Singapore Airport was much the same as other airports, and I was very good and did not feel the need to indulge in any Duty Free.

This was the first time that I have flown that my ankles swelled up it was horrible, I am pleased to say they have now gone back down to normal size and no longer look like tree trunks lol ... It was my own fault I forgot to put my flight socks on for the first 13 hrs journey as I went to the wrong gate at Heathrow and had to run all the way from Gate 1 to Gate 34 which was a long way and just made it to the Gate in time.

Arrived at the house around 7am, unpacked and then went shopping for coat hangers and food. I have spent most of the day catching up on missed programmes before making a rookie mistake of falling asleep at 3pm this afternoon and then sleeping through my alarm Doh!!!

So my 9 month adventure starts now and I am looking forward to seeing more sites, meeting more people and popping across to New Zealand to see Kerry as well as popping up the coast to see Keith at Sun Shine Coast.

Will miss everyone back in the UK but as before I know the time will fly by, so see you all in 9 months and keep up with my adventures on my blog................

Today is the start of my 2nd Adventure to Oz

1st July - flying back to Sydney for 9 months

Well that was the quickest 5 weeks of my life!!!!!! The week in Calabria in Italy with Heather and Amy was just what the doctor order so to speak. It was a much needed catch up and relax after almost 4 months in Sydney. I fell in love with Italy and will have to explore other regions in the future.

The last 4 weeks is a blur of catching up with friends and family and packing up my flat, apologies to the people that I was not able to catch up with we will catch up upon my return.

Thank you to my Dad, Red, Sandra and Amy who have either helped me move, let me stay over or transported me to Windsor you all were great for helping me out.

Next 9 months

I am looking forward to what the next 9 months brings, getting to know my work colleagues better, seeing more sights. Really looking forward to getting across to New Zealand to see Kerry and catching up, also popping to see Keith at Sunshine Coast.  

Already planned to go see Legally Blonde with a few girls from work, also planning to go on a Whale Tour, visit Watson Bay and Bondi as never got round to do that last time. 

I will keep you all posted on my adventures and upload new pictures as often as possible, if you click follow this link you will automatically receive an email each time I add a post.....

If any of you decide to venture across the pond while I am out here let me know, it would be great to see you ......

Well English Girl signing off for now and will update you all when I have landed safely in Sydney.