Weeks Thirty-five and Thirty-six: De Ja Vu

There's a strange feeling hanging around at the moment. On the odd occasions that it is both sunny and a non-uni day, it feels like summer again. Days of lazing on the beach, listening to music and having inordinate numbers of showers.

A beautiful day for a run along Nobby's.

A lot of the time, though, the weather is a bit grey and muggy. Or raining sideways. Or maybe the weather is perfectly pleasant, but we all have assignments to write or work to do. It's times like that which feel off. Like being back home, except without your family or your favourite so-worn-in-they're-a-biohazard slippers. I guess it's because we've now been here long enough for it to feel like home. Now that Autumn has set in even the nicest days Down Under are accompanied by a cool breeze, making it feel more like late spring in England.

I officially land at Heathrow in 3 months, 5 hours and 10 minutes. It is scary how quickly this year has passed. Back in November, as exams loomed large and all we could see was the vague mirage of summer on the horizon, I remember talking to Kirsty about going home. We both agreed that by the time we went home, we would probably feel ready - but for now, absolutely not. We had the whole summer, the whole rest of this year ahead of us.

Fast forward four months, and so much has changed. Summer was incredible, everything we wanted and more. We made amazing friends, bid some adieu and made some more. That so much happened in those four months is proof that I have much more to experience in my final three. Yet we can already tell that our predictions were right. Maybe its just the usual reaction to an increasing workload and decreasing daylight hours; but suddenly being home, on my sofa with a Gin and Tonic a la Mum (ie. hold the tonic) and all of England's homely delights doesn't seem like the worst thing in the world.

The past two weeks have been back into the familiar Uni pattern. My limited hours this semester mean I haven't actually spent too much time on campus (always a good thing), but the workload is increasing. I have moved houses, after my mouldy room actually became unbearable. I now live next-door-but-one, in a far nicer room with a view (and, unfortunately, many resident cockroaches).

My new room :)

We've had another house party at 28, an ABC party at James' and Joe',s and a St Paddy's party at my new house. I am still struggling to rid my room of green glitter - each morning I wake up looking as if I've gone 5 rounds with Tinkerbell overnight!

ABC Party!

St Patricks day!

Surfest - Newcastle's surfing competition - has been running at Merewether for the past week or so, and we went down to watch the final.

CRAZY!

Awaiting the mens pro final.

My parents arrive in Perth in 5 days, and I meet them, along with my little sister, in Sydney a week later. I'm definitely excited to show them around Sydney and Newy We're also heading up to Byron Bay (favourite!), Brisbane and over to New Zealand. It's going to be a lot of fun, and my feet are itching away to get travelling again!