Exciting times

Here's the news you've all been waiting for… after 3 weeks of working at the café, yesterday I was allowed to make coffee for a customer - the years of training have finally paid off! Joking aside, it's actually an interesting experience working in the type of place I used to work in while at school and university. It's physically demanding being on your feet all day, and a good lesson in humility for me...


to have to take orders from a 19 year old who has been there longer and is therefore senior to me. The reason I took the job is that I’m not here long enough to settle in somewhere and there aren’t many office jobs in this area - waitressing is actually more highly paid than most of them. Working has another upside – I received my first pay packet in over 7 months (albeit slightly smaller than when I was working in London)!

The time I’m not working, I’m spending planning the next part of my trip - New Zealand. I’m really looking forward to seeing the scenery that everyone raves about and getting to do some hiking (or tramping as they call it). I’m very lucky to have many friends and even some long lost relatives (apparently my Dad’s cousin lives in Wellington) to stay with over there – in Christchurch, Picton, Hamilton, Auckland and Wellington. Then it’s onto Los Angeles for a few days and then to Vancouver, Vancouver Island, the Trans-Canada railway through the Rockies to Toronto and finally home to London, probably around May-June.

Although I’m on the other side of the world, I’m lucky enough to have recently seen both old friends from home and new friends met whilst traveling. Mark and Nathan, friends from school came over to Australia for a 3 week holiday and we met up in Sydney and here on the Gold Coast. I’ve also caught up with 2 couples I met on my overland trip in Africa – Chris and Leah who live in Brisbane, and Nat and Glyn who are staying just down the road from me. After boring everyone rigid with talking about Africa all the time it was good to see people who understand! I am missing Tanzania a lot, and last week sent some letters and photo’s to my school children, family and friends. I hope they enjoyed seeing themselves. I am hoping to go back there later this year, either for a visit or maybe even something a little more permanent… I love the UK and intend to make it my home eventually, but at the moment all I want is to be in Africa again.