G'day guys!

Now I know London is missing me, but the riots?? It's a little over the top isn't it?? (Sorry had to chuck that one in!) Hope you're all ok and it's not affecting you at all.

Hope you are all well and enjoying the good old English summer!! We are in the middle of winter here now so it's a not too shabby 15- 20 degrees each day so one cannot complain!

Once again it's been a busy few weeks and I struggle to remember everything to tell you but here goes...

I have been working a lot of hours over the last few weeks which may not sound too fun but as I enjoy my job I still class it as good times. I mean, how many people do you know that get paid to sit down the pub?? Exactly....

So life is never bad...However it has made things a little difficult when it comes to keeping in touch with people from home but that will all change once I move on. For those of you who are wondering what's next....you will have to wait until the end to find out...ha ha!!

So between working and spending time with Jason, there isn't much free time left over. It's a good thing me and Jason have a great time together. We have been out crabbing again which ended up being a great, if not unplanned day out. We headed out early in the morning, speeding over the waves of the turquoise waters watching the beach get smaller in the distance until we got down to the Gregory river which is a great spot, if not infested with a few crocs...

Turns out it wasn't really the crocs we needed to worry about! We came away with a nice 20 mud crabs and while tying them up, one caught a hold of Jason's finger! Well, I have never heard a guy scream so loud! I wanted to laugh but when I realised how much pain he was in and the fact that he could easily loose a finger I grabbed the knife and managed to prise the claws apart and save his finger! So all is well that ends well!! Needless to say that guy was the first to be cooked up!! The rest of the day just got better and better! In fact it got to be one of the best days I have had here! We had a few drinks at the Eco= resort before heading over to Montes for a few more drinks on the beach before then heading on to Dingo for a few more....I wouldn't go into detail about the rest but let's just say I had a great day!

Speaking of cooked up, me and Jas also treated ourselves to a nice evening out down at the Montes resort with a candlelit dinner on the beach watching the sunset does it get any more perfect than that?

We also had 'State of Origin' over here which is basically a big 'footie' game here between NSW and Queensland. It was best out of 3 games and each state had a game each so everyone was pretty keen to watch it including me actually! It's ended up being a very good game and we (Queensland) won so that was great. I have now been named an honorary Aussie and Queenslander by the locals when they presented me with a shirt saying only 'Proudly Queensland'. So it was only right to celebrate the victory in Aussie style and party! I have not laughed so much in a long time and I am ashamed to admit that it took me over 24 hours to figure out how I got home, to bed and to work on time the next morning. I know now and let's just say it wasn't pretty! He!! But as the Aussie's would say 'It ain't never bad'

What else has been going on? Me and Jas went for another lovely steak at Hogs Breath cafe last week. The week before that we went for lunch at (can't remember) where I placed my very first Greyhound bet!! The dog was called 'Aussie Dream' so it had to be done!! Jas talked me through it and I didn't win but I didn't lose so I got my money back and didn't place anymore as gambling really isn't my thing- but a one off is good!! That night me, Mel, Luke and Darcy went for a night on the town! We had a great night- it had been a long weekend at work and we all decided to let our hair down so we followed the path of destruction that is Airlie Beach and was pretty much destroyed by the end of it!!

Last week I went on a sailing trip around the Whitsunday Islands. What an amazing few days! On the first day we sailed out from Abel Point Marina in Airlie Beach and anchored between Whitsunday Island and Hook Island for the night. Dug into a nice grilled reef fish supper followed by a few drinks watching the sunset! I spent the trip with a group of Irish girls which as you can imagine was a laugh! Although I think I did most of the entertaining as I was the first to organise some games to get everyone in the mood and as usual was the last to bed! The cabins on the boat were pretty small but I must say they were really comfy!! I didn't want to get up the next morning! Nothing to do with the hangover or late night of course! Although I was sharing with 7 guys so that was a good enough excuse!! Lol

The next day we sailed around the top end of Whitsunday Island down to Tongue Bay where we got off and did a little trek in the Whitsunday Island National Park. We checked out the lookout when we got there and I have to say it was probably the most amazing view I have ever seen in my life! It's called the Hill Inlet next to Whitehaven Beach, I had seen it on postcards a few weeks before and thought the image had been photo- shopped, but I now know that it is real and totally breath-taking! Probably the most beautiful thing I have seen since I have been in Australia which is saying something!

Once we had stared at that for a while we head on to Whitehaven Beach- supposedly the most beautiful beach in the world- not going to argue!! We put on our stinger suits (very sexy!) and jumped straight in for a swim! We did try and make a human pyramid on the beach but it didn't really work out so we gave up and done some sun baking instead!! Once we trekked back to the boat we headed off to out next destination for some snorkelling. I was a little nervous at first as I'm not really great in the water, however (excuse the pun) I took to it like a fish to water!! Once I was in- you couldn't get me out! I remember my buddy Kat telling me off when I got back because she thought she had lost me because I had been gone so long!! Once I saw the reef I was totally amazed and overwhelmed!! I have never seen something so amazing! A natural living thing right there that you can swim around and explore! All the different multi-coloured coral and the fish- OMG THE FISH! Blue ones, yellow ones, strippy ones, spotty ones, big ones, tiny ones, Dory, and Nemo! There was even a rainbow fish that changed colour as it moved! At one point they were all swimming around me to the point that I couldn't see the person in front of me even though they were only a meter away! There were hundreds- the blue ones with the yellow tails!! I was a little scared at one point as I was a little outnumbered!! What an experience!

We spent that night anchored between Whitsunday Island and Hayman Island (big celeb place) .We sat under the sunset watching whales breech nearby and dolphins swimming alongside the boat. We even fed the snapper fish out leftovers! We had a little briefing on the fish we had seen followed by a little game which was called 'Truth or Bulls***'. If you lose- you eat a spoonful of vegemite! I am proud to say that not only did everyone on the boat think I was an Aussie but I answered ALL the questions right and the crew said I was a true Aussie!!That night on the boat was a little messy to say the least, lots of drinking, games and big laughs followed by a big hangover!! The next morning we did another snorkelling mission next to Hayman Island. I didn't think it was possible but the reef was better! More fish, brighter, bigger coral. It's hard to explain how beautiful it really is. Even pictures don't do it justice!! All the coral, different shapes sizes and bright colours along with the gorgeous fish you only see in Aquariums all close enough to reach out and touch! One of the best experiences of my life. I also feel privileged to know that I have been there before it slowly disappears with global warming etc etc.

Once I got back I was exhausted but such an amazing time, yet there was more to come....THE AFTER PARTY!! It was the best night ever!! All people from all walks of life, different countries, different cultures, different ages and different experiences all chucked together in a (few!) night clubs on the piss! We had the best night, everyone was stuck in there dancing and singing- it's like we have all known each other all our lives! I was even a little sad to say good bye to them!!

The next morning I went for my very first didgeridoo lesson!! I didn't realise how hard it was going to be- and how stupid you feel! Lol We were making all the crazy sounds and moves without lips which were crazy but then you do it into the didgeridoo and it sounds half decent!! I reckon with some practise it could be quite good fun! A LOT of practice! After that me and the Irish girls went for lunch before they had to leave onto their next destination. I headed back to Dingo full of stories but with no energy to tell them....

Today we went fishing out in the reef- was a lovely day! What a way to spend your day off I tell ya! Jas asked me how I would spend my days off in England and when I told him I felt a bit sad- in other words- not a lot! So it's nice to achieve things on your day off that's for sure! And talk about achieve! We caught about 8 mackerel, 5 Queenies, a few bait fish and Jas speared 2 crayfish when he went diving! I am very proud to say that I caught a mackerel and a Queenie which was absolutely massive! In fact, when you look at the pictures it's nearly as big as me!! No wonder I struggled to pull it in! But with a few muscles (and a little help from Jas) I got it!! Grant (one of the locals lads) did well too catching most of the Queenies and a few mackerel so we were all pretty proud! It really was a nice day, we started off with a few beers on the way (as you do!) and once we were out Jas went and dived a few bommies with his spear gun which was when he caught the crayfish, I did a little snorkelling along the reef edge with my new underwater camera and then we spent the rest of the afternoon trawling around the Glouster island area catching a fish pretty much every few minutes! The sun was shining, the beer was flowing and the laughs were great!!

Now it is getting close to the end of my time here in Dingo Beach I have made a few changes. Firstly, I have moved out of the pub and into Jason's which is really nice. I spent most of my time here anyway so it made sense to save on the rent! I will also be cutting down a few hours at the pub as I pretty much work flat out over the weekends and don't get as much time as I would like at the weekends to be with Jas and go out and do stuff. Not enough fishing time! So fingers crossed it should work out well and I will end up with weekends off eventually!! Lots of time to play!!

I am planning to move on from here around mid September although I haven't picked an exact date yet. From there I plan to go North to Townsville and Magnetic Island, all the places in between and end up in Cairns ready to fly west to Darwin on 1st November. I won't be planning anymore than that for the time being!!

Now all that is left is to enjoy the rest of my time in Dingo Beach before I will have to say some emotional goodbyes to all the great friends I have made here....but we won't be thinking about that just yet!!

Speak soon guys,

Lots of love xxx