So, since last time I’ve done a fair few things. Top of the list of course has been learning to dive! I haven’t passed my certificate yet – that was due to be today but rather annoyingly I gave myself a bit of a nasty cut (actually punctured a muscle!) whilst making a wizard staff (I wanted to be like Gandalf) so I’m got to wait for the next batch of people before I can go do my 18 metres.

The diving has been really cool though! When struggling into my wetsuit, putting on the weight belt and gas tank etc. I found myself thinking “… can this really be worth it?” – and then we went down! Oh yeah! It be worth it! So cool to see these starfish the size of dinner plates and scallops and big pink cushion things and SO MANY fish! It was definitely very awesome and I would recommend it to anyone with £250 to spare! 😉

Oh, I also went to the lantern festival in Auckland last weekend, that was pretty cool! Just all these beautiful glowing paper lanterns hanging from the trees. They had a lot of beautiful scenes set up too, and lots of food stalls selling some pretty decent dumplings ^^

To answer some FAQ’s, I have settled in very well thank you all. My flatmates are great (and really nice about things like driving me to the 24h clinic to get any cuts fixed up) and I’m really enjoying living here. Only thing I’d change is a shorter commute (usually about 50 minutes with traffic).  I am enjoying work, and I am really liking my project. I’m also loving the fact that I can get free hazelnut frothy coffees every morning in the chemistry break room *sighs a very happy sigh*.  Also, to answer another frequent question, yes, I am putting suncream on, yes, even the tops of my ears but yes I have been sunburned a bit even so!

Next week I’m going to be popping over to Australia for the weekend (Yeah – you heard me, just “popping to Australia”)! I feel so jet-setty and posh! Will speak to you all soon!