Well I have now left the Gold Coast and the AGA and I am currently back in Brisbane staying with Nick and Alex Daunt, my second cousins.

What have I been up to over the last 2 weeks? The second weekend came around pretty quickly and Steve took James, me and Loic, the Frog, over to Burleigh Heads and we had a swim, a surf and a walk along the beach and the headland. The water was cold but it was ok when in. He then took us to the best sushi place in town, my first experience of sushi. In the evening James, Steve and I went to see the new Indiana Jones Movie in Robina. On the Sunday I decided to enter into a local tournament at Robina Woods Golf Course. I played with a policeman from Brisbane and a guy from Melbourne, who took it upon himself to buy me beer on the way round. It was a fun 4 hours!!!

The 3rd week at the academy was busy. On the Monday we have fitness and we asked if we could spend it down on the beach. We went swimming, running, did stretches and all sorts of other golf drills in the sand and by the end of it we were all feeling very sick and sore. I had not brought a spare pair of boxers and having been swimming and lying down in the sand in them, the rest of the day promised to be uncomfortable. Luckily the AGA had a hair drier!!! The rest of the week was spent practicing very hard on my new swing changes. Friday, as always, was competition day. I was not feeling at all confident, something my coach said I suffered with a lot, a lack of confidence and he gave me a little pet talk about it etc, told me its all in my head. I went out determined to have fun no matter what and ended up winning with a score of 2 over par. I won 40 dollars!!!

That week I also experienced a French meal cooked by Loic, an Arabian meal by Abduala and I cooked for everyone a traditional English meal, Chicken Tikka Masala. Yo also cooked us Japanese food and all his Japanese girlfriends came around again to laugh at us English people.

Friday after the competition, James and I went out with our Arab friend, Abduala and ended up in Surfers Paradise. Abdula bought everything, he insisted upon it and the night cost me and James nothing. I think he must have blown close to 200 dollars. It was wicked fun and a night I will remember for sure. On the Saturday, James and I decided to see Surfers in the light and so we went up there for the day. We found the local hangover cure smoothie place and then wondered around the surf shops and lay on the beach. We also meet the famous Queensland metre maids. They are young girls who stand about town in nothing but small golden bikinis collecting money and apparently are famous throughout Queensland.

On Sunday we had booked ourselves onto another golf course in the area called the Glades. It is supposed to be one of the best around and James and I were very much looking forward to it. We played with Steve and his Aussy mate and we got a little competition going. The course lived up to its expectations, it was stunning. I think its safe to say the Brits came through when it mattered.

The beginning of our last week started out great. Travis, one of the AGA coaches, had booked us into a pro-am (where 3 amateurs play with 1 pro) at Coolingatta Tweed Golf Course. It was a beautiful course, I probably almost preferred it to the Glades. We paid $35 and we got a game, and a meal afterwards. There was also a prize giving session. I came 4th out of the amateurs and won a ping cap, a glove and some balls. Not a bad day out.

On Wednesday the sunshine went and we got overcast skies for the first time since I arrived. It was still warm however. We were due to play the Colonial and I was paired with a scratch golfer hoping to make it on tour, the professional YB and my mate James. We played off the back tees and I achieved one of my ultimate goals while in Australia - I shot under par. A one under round made my month and I will admit I was very nervous over the last 4 holes. Luckily I held it together.

Come Friday and I was getting pretty sad about leaving. The final student competition was played in the heavy rain and I shot 3 over and would have won another $40 but when I returned to the club house I was told it was called off...it was still a very satisfying day. It felt like being at home though. That night I went out with my house one last time. Everyone was pretty down that we were leaving. Yo, my Japanese friend especially. The following morning we went out for breakfast before I caught a train to Brisbane, where I am now. I got everyones email address and phone number and I have offers to go visit everyone in their respective countries. Plenty of travel opportunities ahead of me.

I now look forward very much to seeing Jo on Monday when she flies into Sydney to meet me and we begin our travels together. I will update again soon.

P.s.
The lack of pictures is due to a technical falling with a memory stick - my camera is still working fine and taking many many pictures.